Himura goes back to Japan in order to face Yuuko.

Impressions:

This episode was absolutely brilliant. There was a lot more of the story focused on Himura then I thought there would be, but it turned out great in the end. I thought, although I predicted it, Himura facing Yuuko’s spirit was great. Although I knew it was going to happen as he walked to the church my heart was pounding faster, it was great. I thought the OP at the end was beautiful. I admit that it’s at that point in the episode I cried. It was just seeing that OP really emphasized everything that has happened. The way they did the OP was just great, just like they did the first seasons OP earlier in this season, changing everything to symbolize the changes that have taken place. Himura and Kuze no longer in shadows, Mizuki and Yuuko not disappearing but holding each other, Himura breaking free from the wall, the three of them holding hands, and Yuuko with angel wings. The OP just really made it clear and emphasized the whole series and it was very emotional.

At first, I was slightly disappointed that Kuze lived. Him dying would make his story much more serious I thought, however I don’t really think that was the point of his story. The point wasn’t him dying and the things that happened as a result of that, it was more about him realizing he wanted to live. The fact that he went though with the surgery was the critical point in his story. He admitted to himself that he wanted to live, he didn’t want to have this heart defect and he wanted to go on with life and with Mizuki. It was pretty important without him dying, plus Yuuko dying was enough deaths for this series. Kuze’s story still has plenty of merit with him being alive.

Final Words:

It’s hard exactly to describe why I like ef so much. And I know there are going to be people out there who hate the show honestly because others like it and they want attention, and there will be people there who dissect the show into tiny bits and analyze it, criticizing it so much for unimportant things. However in the end I don’t care. I felt really passionately about this series and I don’t really care why. The fact is that as I watched it I got pulled into the story and the characters. I cared for them and for what happened to them and it was very emotional at times. It doesn’t matter why the show made such an impact and I’m not saying the show is without its flaws but for a show like this, its not that its flaws may be minor its that the good parts of the show so outweigh any flaws that I just don’t’ care about them. The bottom line is I just loved this show.

Comparing this season of ef with the previous is interesting. It had a similar structure in that there were two stories that were effectively separate but the characters knew each other and there were some connections. However it really feels like both seasons are very simply a collection of four stories that can really be told in any order. The main important part is the individual stories themselves and in all cases, they were some really good ones and it’s a bit up to personal preference which one you like better. I will say that melodies was definitely much darker. Facing issues such as rape and abuse like they did with Yuuko’s story and having her die was a pretty serious deal. While the other stories were nothing to scoff at, Miya finding a place in this world she belonged to admits being abandoned, Chihiro clinging to a normal life with her condition, and Kuze facing his mortality were all serious, but Yuuko’s story seemed much more in your face about these serious things. Kuze’s story to some degree was also darker then the first seasons. That doesn’t necessarily mean its better, but facing your death is something serious and the other season didn’t really deal with death. It’s almost a bit of a shame, Kuze’s story was really very good but it got overshadowed by Yuuko’s. Still, they were both great

In the end, this series didn’t’ disappoint. I loved the first season of this series for the exact same reason I loved this season. The stories it told were gripping and emotional. The characters were interesting and complex and the show you really made you care for them. I cared for what happened to them and what was going on in the plot and when something big happened, it affected me. The series drew me in and simply captivated me, and I loved it.

Kuze responds to Mizuki’s attempts to drag him out of his depression.

Impressions:

I’m not too sure what I think about Kuze living or dying, in regards to the operation. To some degree I feel like it would be better for the show if he died in the operation. They stressed how the operation wouldn’t help too terribly much so it won magically fix everything. However I wouldn’t really want it to fix everything. For them to build up for so long how Kuze is facing his death only to have him not die would really be a waste. I almost see it fitting better with the show that he dies. The fact that he wanted to have the operation in the first place is a big step and almost a big enough step. It’ shim facing something that he is likely to loose, which is something that he hasn’t’ really done before. It would be a pretty big character development for him. However I won’t hate it if he lives, after all the bit at the end showed he may not be dead. Even if he lives I suppose there was still quite a bit of character development about him destroying the masks and admitting his love.

I have to say that I found it awesome when they showed the first seasons OP in the middle of this episode. It really tied in how much Yuuko had helped them all, even just her spirit, giving them advice though the first season. What I was most surprised with was the way they showed the OP as normal except the parts where all the girls disappear. Showing the guys fly in, hold them, and save hem was brilliant. I almost cried at just seeing that because of how much it really means. They all had situations that weren’t the best but they were saved by the ones they loved. Things like the chains holding Kei disappearing instead of Kei disappearing was just brilliant. I was shocked but really found it to be great. I’m glad they tied in the first season with this one so much and didn’t just act like they were unrelated, as it really makes both seasons better I think.

We see how Mizuki met Himura and Yuuko when she was a child.

Impressions:

Holy shit, this was a huge episode. I have to say, I knew Yuuko was going to die. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that in the present, she was dead. So many things pointed to it, her appearing literally out of nowhere to give people advice, us seeing her disappear into nothing after talking to Kei, she literally bursted into feathers, Mizuki leaving flowers for her on a certain day, marking her death, I mean, It almost seemed obvious she was dead. HOWEVER when she died here in this episode I was shocked to some level. I screamed out NOOOOOO. Its not that I didn’t see it coming but it was just so tragic and sad of a thing that happened, I couldn’t help myself. She has finally overcome this huge horrible situation she is in with Amamiya-sensei, and starts living happily with the one she loves and boom, she dies. She just can’t catch a break. I’ll admit it, I cried in this episode. When they started playing Ebullient Future, the OP song, in a slow way with only the piano and vocals I just thought it was breathtaking. That scene was just… wow.

On a slightly les depressing note it was really cool to see all of the ways that Mizuki, who is obviously Miki, was connected to everyone. It seemed like she wasn’t connected to anyone, just cousins with one of the characters and then goes out and does things that are entirely her as a stranger meeting people. However not only do we see the connection she has with Yuuko, she had one with Himura which makes me very surprised because neither of them recognized each other last episode, I would think Himura would at least. Then, to top it all off she met Kuze when she was a kid, heard his song AND the ribbon she always wears she got from him. Now that was pretty cool. I wonder if either of them will realize it though.

As for theories for the rest of this series: It’s obvious what will happen in the Kuze story. Mizuki will come up with the rest of the lyrics for his song, as she remembered some of the lyrics as we saw her in the present. She’ll come up wit the rest; she will refuse to be shut out of Kuze’s life and will be there with him till the end, letting him hear the lyrics for his song. As for Himura’s story, I have no idea what will happen. At this point I don’t see anything that can happen other then some quick Himura forgiving himself kind of thing where he maybe talks to himself or her spirit. Obviously nothing can develop between them when one is dead and the other isn’t. It really makes Himura’s story all about what already happened, while Kuze’s is mostly what is going to happen. In that regards, we’ve pretty much seen all there is to Himura’s story, anything else they add like him confronting his feelings about what happened will just be small minor character developments, but no where near as important as the big picture we’ve already seen.

Himura goes to confront Amamiya in order to find where Yuuko has gone.

Impressions:

IMPORTANT THEORY:

Now, the end of this episode was another huge thing. My first major thought was “How in God’s name does Mizuki know Yuuko!?!” I could see no reason why, but then I remembered the promo trailer for the second ef game, and the ED of this series. The trailer showed what seemed to be shots of Mizuki as a child with what seemed to be Yuuko. The ED shows a picture at the end of a little girl which is obvious to at least me to be Mizuki. She’s wearing a winter hat. Then she is shown with a man and a woman, the woman from hair length and cloths seems obvious to be Yuuko. Now even without the trailer, as its not technically part of the series, the picture seems to almost indicate that Yuuko raised Mizuki. This would suggest she raised her with some guy, which is not Himura as if it were Himura, he would know of Mizuki’s knowledge of Yuuko. This indicates that Yuuko stays apart from Himura long enough to effectively live a real life of raising someone and being with a guy. However Mizuki’s leaving of flowers indicates her death, an anniversary of her death perhaps.

In summation this indicates that Yuuko and Himura parted ways, Yuuko lived a real full life raising a child, hers or adopted, and then died. This leaves Himura with no chance to actually see her but I’m POSITIVE if that is the case, then the series will do some thing about Himura talking to Yuuko, perhaps to her spirit or to himself effectively, forging himself or her or just coming to terms with what all had happened.

As for this episodes content, and not what it meant for the rest of the show, it was pretty good. Amamiya’s death was pretty damn big. I’m not too sure what to think about Amamiya. I don’t want to say I feel sorry for him, as I hate his character for what he did to Yuuko and he is a horrible person, but I still recognize how sad of a situation drove him to that. That’s not to say his actions are excused, as they are a most definitely not excused, but the reason is still there and the situation leading to that was indeed a sad situation.

As for Kuze’s story, I still think its more interesting then people realize. It’s interesting to see what he’s going through knowing his death is imminent. If you were to ask someone what they would do if they knew they were going to die and had a short amount of time, everyone says stuff like they’d go sightseeing or stuff like that, but really what would be going though your mid if everything you worked for, a good job, good relationships, wealth, pride in things you’ve done all of a sudden doesn’t matter. It’s a logical conclusion to break yourself off form others so you don’t hurt them when you go, so his actions are totally understandable. His story just isn’t as in your face as perhaps Yuuko’s.

Himura decides to take Yuuko and run away together, living on their own away from Amamiya.

Impressions:

I thought it was interesting the way Himura’s story went. I was surprised with how good of an idea running away was. Although not perfect, it was something. However part of me just knew it couldn’t be this easy. As much as I hate Amamiya, he really has a point about Himura always running away. Although he isn’t such a horrible person as Amamiya, and although he may have good intentions he is running away from school, he ran from his sister, he ran from everything and the more important aspect of his life is that he has to stop that. Kuze did hint at Himura’s story in the present. He seemed pretty sure and pretty adamant about Himura never seeing Yuuko again. However Nagi’s comment about Himura concluding things almost seems to suggest she is alive just that Himura will never go see her. I really want to know what happens as even though they have had huge events happen and so much as progressed and developed, still anything could happen as we still don’t know how things got to the way they are.

I have to say that I still find Kuze’s story interesting. Although it’s not as apparent as Yuuko’s story, it isn’t as immediate of a threat or in your face with issues like rape, it’s still very interesting. His story is so much more subtle then Yuuko’s. Things like Kuze always doing things he know he can win at, never playing a game he didn’t think he could win yet facing his death. Facing his death isn’t something he can win at and I think a topic like facing your mortality and what your life has amounted to is pretty big, even though it may not draw the attention that Yuuko’s story does.

On another less important note, I love how they’ve changed the OP slightly again. Of course nothing big, but flipping the image upside down is just so brilliant I think, as was inverting the colors they did before. It captures the idea that things are in a bad way right now. I wont’ say too much more, as it’s not that big of a deal, but I just think it’s cool.

Himura tries to figure out what he should do after learning Yuuko’s situation, and Mizuki tries to get back in Kuze’s life.

Impressions:

I was surprised at how much I realized that killing the bastard Amamiya wouldn’t solve everything and might not be for the best. I mean, I hate his character for what he’s done but he had a point, damn him. If he was killed Yuuko would not only not have a home anymore, she would be so shamed that the news of this abuse went public it would damage her even more. Not to mention the fact that killing him would not only not really solve everything, but ruin Himura’s life as well. I still desperately want something to be done though. Obviously something has to happen but still t this point I have no idea what. This episode couldn’t really help but not show that much, as it followed such a huge episode, but hopefully it will show something soon.

Kuze’s story definitely got more interesting, especially near the end there. Although his excess rambling was no where near as emotional as Yuuko’s, the overall meaning of what happened was still pretty important. Asking why things are as they are. However it almost seemed like the biggest revelation was right after he took the pills. He really for the first time admitted he didn’t want to die. It was interesting to see the masks during this. From the beginning there has been an apparent mask metaphor they’ve had going on and when Kuze admitted that he doesn’t want to die, there are so many things left to do, all the masks had been crossed out symbolizing he finally was himself, no longer lying about what he was feeling, which I found interesting.

I have to say on a bit of an unimportant note I LOVED the “new” OP. Everything was effectively the same except all of the colors of people were inverted, the blacks and the whites. I thought that was just amazingly brilliant. It fits extremely well with everything that has happened. Yuuko has shown her dark side, Himura is struggling with what to do, what’s good and bad, Kuze has given up on relationships due to his fate, Mizuki is at a loss for what to do, everything is kind of turned up side down. I really am impressed with what such a little thing can mean for the big picture.

Himura learns of Yuuko’s dark secret.

Impressions:

…

……

………

HOLY SHIT! This….this was….

Wow….

I was literally out of breath after watching this episode. Think about that for a bit…out of breath. The scene in this episode with Yuuko talking about all these things that have happened to her was just so engrossing and captivating I was drawn in. You know when something shocking happens and you take a bit of a gasp. Well this was that feeling that lasted for half of the episode almost. I was stuck on that end of gasp moment where you don’t’ breathe for a long time, taking very little breaths that I was out of breath after it. I thought it was absolutely amazing.

I’m really concerned for what is going to happen now. I mean, this moment was effectively a climax to the Yuuko arc, with so many questions remaining there can easily be almost another climax or a very interesting and rough ride down from said climax. I am VERY suspicious of Yuuko’s physical existence in the present. I mean, we saw her actually disappear into nothing but feathers when she was talking to Kei in the present. This show isn’t heavy on supernatural aspects so that’s a very suspicious thing. Tying that with the numerous other times she seems to appear out of nowhere, know the situation exactly, and offer almost profound advice I really think she is effectively dead, an angel or something similar.

I’m really at a lose as to what can happen from now on. The way this event happened it’s not exactly like Yuuko and Himura can just start a happy relationship. Hell, as we see in the present Himura is very cynical, which seems to be a result of this event. Putting aside Mizuki and Kuze, I don’t see what can really happen now other then finding out if Yuuko is alive in the present and if not how she died. Although that’s a big thing to cover, the whole relationship possibilities with Himura or anything of the sort have pretty much been permanently just stopped with this event, no possibilities at all now.

One big question I want answered, involving Himura, is how he got connected to the Shindou twins. Himura obviously knows Chihiro pre-accident, as when Chihiro woke up after being unconscious for 13 or more hours, she recognized him instantly. We have yet to see any hint of being connected to them post this event and I don’t think he is blood related to them. My best guess is that he adopted them as orphans kind of to avoid what happened to Yuuko happening to others by taking care of them himself but even if that is the case its such an important event in Himura’s life that I want it to be elaborated on.

Kei decides to go to Australia and see Chihiro, and we find out more about what happened in the past between Himura and Yuuko.

Impressions:

This episode was great. It revealed little by little some more things for both stories, and most surprising was actually that a large portion of this episode was focused on characters from the first season. They spent a lot of time on Kei and Kyosuke, and Kei seeing Chihiro which is pretty much separate from the two big stories this season has. A big question that was raised in this episode though was what the hell is it that Yuuko has in her bad. It was impotent enough to hit someone over, and for a character like her that doesn’t seem to be an easy thing to provoke. She also had a weird interaction with Amamiya-sensei about it, holding it up to his throat like it was some weapon. I really want to know what the hell that is.

I have to say I’m still a little bit confused as to where everyone actually is, and it was always that way. When I first watched the first season, I didn’t think that any of it took place outside of Japan. But now it seems they are revealing, and that it’s important, that half of the story takes place in Japan, the other half in Australia. It seems that Chihiro and Renji were always in Australia. That then means that both Himura and Kuze, are in Australia too, since adult Himura takes care of Chihiro, Renji talked to Himura several times in first season, and Kuze is their neighbor. That also fits with this season’s present, of adult Himura and adult Kuze talking to each other. That means Nagi, Kei, and Miya throughout the first season were in Japan. Which explains why the letter Kuze got earlier in this season from Nagi was an international mail. Then I guess Mizuki recently moved to Australia, seemingly at the beginning of second season. Therefore, it seems that Yuuko is always, or has always been, in Japan. As in the first season she talked to Miya and Hiro, but never Renji. That begs the question, again, as to what the hell happened in the present day between Yuuko and Himura, but more on that in the next paragraph.

So, WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH YUUKO!? Throughout the first season, not knowing anything about her, I thought Yuuko was a kind of metaphor, people talking to themselves or their inner thoughts, and so on. She appeared out of no where after all, seemed to have profound things to say, and disappeared into nothing as well. However we didn’t see any of that…Until now. In this episode when adult Yuuko was talking with Kei, we actually see her vanish into nothing but feathers….WHAT THE FUCK!? Is she dead or something? We never see her do anything in the present other then talk, really. She seems to always be based in Japan though, while Himura, adult Himura, has always been shown in Australia. Yet in the first season they are both shown in identical looking churches simply saying that they are waiting for someone. It’s very intriguing. Right now, I do have to say Yuuko’s story seems like it will be the better story or more interesting story, however at the current moment Kuze’s is more interesting simply because things are happening with it. Yuuko’s story is too shrouded in mystery to be great yet, but I can easily see it becoming great.

Himura takes Yuuko out to buy new shoes, and Kuze tells Mizuki that there can be nothing between them.

Impressions:

This episode was pretty good. There wasn’t actually anything too amazingly shocking or mind blowing about it, but it did set up some very interesting questions about how things are and how they will become. The Kuze situation hasn’t changed too much. It still poses the big question of what Mizuki and Kuze are going to do with their relationship. There isn’t anything they can do to stop Kuze’s death so either they aren’t together, or they are and then Kuze dies. That’s really all there is too it, however HOW that affects them, will be interesting because the end result, the non emotional aspect of this conflict, is already set in stone. I’m also worried about what the hell is up with that teacher. That scene of him smoking in the doorway with Yuuko in her pajamas kind of freaked me out, making me thing there is something not quite right going on between them. Plus the talk he had with Himura seemed a bit too odd. I’m sure her connection with him will have an effect on the Himura/Yuuko story.

It was fun seeing Hiro and Miya in this episode. I just hope that now that they’ve showed them, and Chihiro too, that they will show them again. Hopefully they will include them somehow. However at the same time, I do realize that they aren’t the main focus of this series, so they can’t have too big of a part in this series without negatively impacting things. It did turn out that Nagi was Hiro’s sister, so it was interesting to see that finally get shown. I do wonder if that is how Yuuko came to appear in front of Hiro and Miya at several times throughout the first series, and then in one scene in this series. She seemed to randomly appear, giving advice, and until I saw this series I thought there was a possibility she wasn’t even real, some metaphor, but she is and I’m wondering how she came to know the people. It seems too odd for a random person to appear, give you important advice, and you actually listen.

Mizuki finds out the truth about Kuze’s condition.

Impressions:

Again, this series provides an amazing episode. Not too much seemed to get developed with Himura and Yuuko actually, they were setting some things up, but nothing too big has happened yet. The big point in this episode was Kuze’s story. I of course was right about Kuze dying. It pretty much just sets up his story as being hopelessly tragic. It seems confirmed more or less that he is going to0 die, so any story progress he has with Mizuki, will end in disaster, but it will still be very interesting and intriguing to see. On a bit of a lighter note, I loved the conversation between Kuze and Himura they had at school, “You’re knowledgeable about the girls at this school, right?” “How rude, I’m knowledgeable about girls outside this school too.” I laughed very, very hard at that.

I was unbelievably happy to see Chihiro in this episode. I’m so glad they just didn’t abandon the characters from the first series. Not only did they show her, but she was actually of some importance and help to Mizuki. I was curious about her memory. They stated before that her condition could improve over time if something strong emotionally were to affect her. While I don’t think that happened in the first series, it’s possible that since then her memory is a bit better. Now, I normally wouldn’t make a leap that big but it seemed odd to me that Chihiro mentioned how Mizuki has gotten bigger. She of course at first didn’t immediately recognize her, so her memory isn’t perfect to anything, but I would think Mizuki wouldn’t be someone she constantly thinks of, to keep her in her memory, and I doubt she would have written in her diary her measurements. Therefore, although it took a bit to remember who she was, once she did she seemed to have a strong grasp on it. Either way though, I doubt it will actually be that important, as the main focus of this series is away form Chihiro. I did find it interesting thought o find out that Kei was with someone. Since I doubt they would completely undo an entire series worth of work, it’s not Hiro but I’m guessing the camera guy, Hiro’s friend.