What They Say:
“Chapter 24 What Lies on the Opposite Shore / Chapter 25 Black River (Part 1)”
Rei runs astray a little bit, but gets right back on track. Can he bear the cold jokes from his latest opponent, Tsujii, and emerge victorious?
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
After last week’s recap episode, which didn’t merit a review since we got exactly what the title implies, March comes back in top form (yeah, I struggled not to say “like a lion” and… I just did). First, we get a brand new opening which frankly, feels like a breath of fresh air and a wonderful way to start the new year. It’s still pretty much based on water but this is the bright sunny blue of a warm summer day, instead of a tempestuous sea. It definitely feels like we’ve entered the stage in which things begin to look up.
The first scene of the episode expertly captures the feel of those first few days after the Holidays, the festive remains still hanging from trees and signs like a reminder of how swiftly time moves. Moments are brief and the second you fix your eyes on something, it’s already gone. While bittersweet, this isn’t always a bad thing, people need to move on and I get the feeling this second half of March is all about those very first steps.
Rei is back to his daily routine, practicing Shogi in the silence of his empty apartment, but after the time spent with the sisters, everything feels too empty, too cold. It’ like being under a kotatsu, it warms you up, but then you never want to leave and the moment you do, the cold is ten times worse. This isn’t my metaphor, though, it’s Rei’s and it’s a pretty good metaphor until the narration pummels it to the ground. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I loved it, it was poetic and beautiful but it’s almost like being talked down to. It’s not like it was hard to get, sometimes over explaining something drains the magic away. Anyway, it made its point.
The loneliness comes back, unbearably so and Rei can’t handle it right now so he actually does something positive, he gets up and goes out. It may seem like he’s running away but I saw this as indicative of hope, for once he’s not letting his own anxiety drown him, he’s fighting it with everything he has. Rei is not merely anxious because of loneliness this time, the Lion King Tournament approaches. Yes, you read that right. As hilarious as it sounds it’s one of two major title tournaments, and it attracts major media coverage to top it off. He needs to win to keep his title, maybe even advance, who knows? But the competition is fierce. Better prepare for some interesting Shogi games.
First one is Rei vs Takeshi Tsujii, a guy who’s not only a good player but an excellent maker of puns. Okay, maybe not but aren’t bad jokes the best? Yes, yes, they are. The really surprising thing, though, is how he’s able to play an excellent game while still joking around. Smith also makes a comeback, simultaneously providing a little bit more sun to the anime and proving he’s not someone to dismiss in a competition. But the biggest surprise for me was Gotou, the guy Kyouko is supposedly going out with. I didn’t imagine him to be a Shogi player at all. Well, I guess it makes sense in a way. So far, he’s the closest thing to a villain this anime has and he comes with more surprising revelations about his relationship (or lack thereof) to Kyouko. Based on a bit of conversation and the preview, though, I suspect he’s also due for some character development. As for Kyouko, I seriously can’t figure her out, but I’m kind of intrigued by her now. Is she really in love? Is she punishing her father or herself? Does she even know?
In Summary:
This episode feels a lot more hopeful than past ones, it seems like the story is picking up. I loved Rei’s determination at the end. He’s not backing down or letting his own mind defeat him before the fight. Gotou may prove to be a formidable adversary but Rei lives and breathes Shogi, this is his territory. I would also love to know exactly what happened between them. Gotou does seem like an interesting opponent and I’m hoping we find out more about Kyouko so I can stop hating her maybe. She makes me mad but I always get the feeling there’s more to the story, something they’re not telling us (yet, I hope). Oh, and I loved the chairman too, such a lively guy.
Grade: A
Streamed By: Crunchyroll, Daisuki
