Wrong show, Yuu.
Garrick: I swear, before watching this episode, I was 100% exhausted. I just wanted to sleep. One minute into the episode, even before the OP started, I was wide awake and ready for more. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but it could be the colors, art, or the symbolism in the scenes. Shortly after recieving his burnt violin case, Kuze, who has already vowed to end all relationships, including his tie to music, due to his chronic heart illness that will kill him sooner or later. Already, within 30 seconds of the beginning of the episode, Kuze has scenes flashing, from black and white, to color, and of course, to the all encompassing image of a ticking metronome. As we all have watched episode 3, we all know what that means. As the metronome slows its ticking, Mizuki’s voice echoes within Kuze’s head, and the metronome begins moving once more. It’s a rather scary scene, but once again, the overdramatic-ness of it makes the anime (and the scene) so amazingly AWESOME.
Minnie: To tell you guys the truth, I don’t know if I can add much to whatever Koala has to say since he’s really into this anime but I’ll try like always. The metronome symbolism is pretty deep and is always present during Kuze’s solo moments. With every new episode, Kuze’s story becomes sadder and sadder. I love the Kuze/Mizuki pairing so this illness that is catching up with Kuze will either end the pairing in tragedy or end in a way that Mizuki miraculously finds a way to cure him. I am not making any guesses until I am further into the anime.
Garrick: A Tale of Melodies’ OP > all. Good game. Bye.
Minnie: Correction. Ebullient Future OP>all this Fall season. 
Garrick: Now, this part surprised me. Guess who it is? We have our protagonist from “A Tale of Memories”, Hiro Hirono, our resident manga artist. However, he seems to be in a rush, and he sends a text message to somebody named “Nagi Hirono” (You all know who that is, right?) We finally get to see the relationship between the two, Nagi and Hiro. I’ve been eager to figure it out. Anyway, the episode continues, with Kuze in Sumire and Renji’s house, finding Mizuki sick and sleeping in bed. Kuze checks up on her, but as he leaves, in what seems to be her dreams, Mizuki mutters the words, “Save me.” Obviously, this is enough to get Kuze to stand by Mizuki. He reaches his arm out, and supposedly in her sleep, Mizuki grabs it, and suddenly wakes up. The two kiss (O_o); but then they clarify that at the VERY end of episode 3, the two indeed kiss at the beach. This, actually, unlike the suddenness of the kiss in Nodame Cantabile: Paris’s episode this week, I didn’t expect this at all. I’m not sure what to think, but it was interesting.
Minnie: Although I myself did not enjoy that scene between Mizuki and Kuze, it is absolutely necessary to the development later in the episode as well as the anime as a whole. In the end of Episode 3, we are left wondering what the relationship between Mizuki and Kuze is. The kiss in this episode is pretty well done even if I was caught off-guard by it. The two seem to be rushing things but I can understand since I mean one of them is going to die very soon.
Garrick: The next part is a part of the Yuuko/Yuu arc. Yuuko and Yuu are meeting to go shopping for a new pair of shoes. After all the other students of the school decided to ruin Yuuko’s leather boots. However, Yuuko has more in mind than that. Of course, as all girls would want when they’re on a ‘date’, Yuuko wants to eat lunch. However, Yuu apparently doesn’t eat lunch. He’s saving his monet for college tuition. What a studious person. Yuuko manages to persuade Yuu to eat lunch. Yay. Lunch is good. After this, they show a scene with Yuuko after buying the new pair of boots. This, actually, is one of the few funny scenes of the episode. As Yuuko refers to their shopping trip as a date, Yuu obviously counters, saying that it’s not a date, but simply a shopping trip. I had a strong feeling that, in a way, Minnie would find something wrong with this. We’ll see if I’m right.
Minnie: I always find something wrong. XD But I don’t think it’s what you’re thinking about Koala. In any case, yes, we’re back at the Yuuko/Yuu arc. I don’t know why but I was pretty caught up in this scene and at the scary implications around it. The camera angle keeps showing a smirk on Yuuko’s face every time she teases him, making me think about Yuuko’s overall character. Can she actually have two personalities? A creepy one on the inside that accidentally comes out with slips of the tongue? Similar to a yandere type character? You know nice and goody goody until she comes at the rival with a knife or something. I hope and not hope that is the case with Yuuko. Yuu is acting more like Zero from VK with every episode…
Garrick: The next part of the episode continues on the Yuu/Yuuko arc. Yuuko takes Yuu to another part of the city that she wants him to see. And, as you could guess, it’s a scenery that Yuu does not want to see; the church that Yuu drew Yuuko in front of at the beginning of Episode two is a place that is long engraved in Yuu’s mind and memory. As they discuss the past, they enter the church, and find Yuuko’s adoptive older brother, Amamiya-sensei. This part is rather creepy, but interesting. Amamiya threatens Yuu, saying that if he dares to take Yuuko away from him, something will happen, and that he should be prepared. It’s sort of cliched, but I definitely found it interesting. Even more so after Yuu, and of course, the audience discover that Amamiya also lost his younger sister in the earthquake that killed Yuu’s little sister, Akane. It’s a sad recurring theme, and, once again, while rather cliched, makes this anime so dramatic, and awesome.
Minnie: Almost everything in anime are cliche Koala. That is why we have to judge an anime by how it executes and expands on the cliche. And this anime thus far has done it incredibly well. Amamiya is starting to give me rapist vibes. I know a lot of people probably caught onto these implications as well. I have a feeling that Amamiya might be using Yuuko as a replacement for his dead sister in some sick way. But I will hold further hate and judgment on him until he appears later. I just hope he’s not the annoying obstacle in Yuu/Yuuko’s relationship because that is really getting old.
Garrick: And with this scene… most of the audience would think – I hope – that Nagi is a love rival of Yuuko’s… Following the trend of ~ef~ stories, I would not be surprised if that was the case. Nagi has been told by Amamiya that Yuu was on a date with Yuuko. Although, her expression doesn’t change, she seems to overreact, questioning Yuu about why, and what he was doing. Yuu defends himself, saying that it was just a shopping trip, which it was. After a small confrontation between the two, resulting in Nagi walking away (not to mention loads of chain imagery that I am still trying to figure out the meaning of)
Minnie: I like Nagi>Yuuko and yet, I must say I prefer the Yuu/Yuuko pairing at this point. In any case, this scene sort of threw me off. I mean when Nagi starts talking faster and faster, I feel that Nagi is so jealous to the point that she will hurt Yuuko in the future. It scare me I must admit for several reasons. I don’t like unknown, background characters bullying Yuuko so I definitely won’t like a known, named character doing crap to her, especially a character I have grown to respect a lot. I am now praying they won’t go down this path because it’s probably the most cliche path ever. Anyways, I calm down when Nagi calm down somewhat. The odd thing is to me, Yuu doesn’t seem to like either girls and yet, here we are.
Garrick: As of this point, the anime returns to the “future” arc, or the arc with the older Yuu, the older Kuze, and Mizuki (and at this point, Hiro, the older Nagi, and Miyako, with the first and the third of these three as characters that appeared in “A Tale of Memories”). Kuze and Yuu are talking in the church, about Kuze is now all tied up in his relationship with Mizuki. I found this scene rather interesting, because, once again, the art is fantastic. They are depicted, for one part of this scene, as sort of a stained-glass figure, which fits the fact that they’re talking in the church. Then, Yuu states that “The exam results are in.” It took me a few minutes to realize it, but now, I realize that the exam is a medical exam, examining the severity of Kuze’s illness and how long he has to live. This translates importantly to two other scenes, so it’s worth noting.
Minnie: I guess I didn’t like this scene as much as you but I must admit that it is still quite devastating to hear that the results are in and to have Kuze mark his calender the day of his death later in the episode.
Garrick: Anyway, the episode then turns to the protagonist of “A Tale of Memories”, Hiro Hirono, still working on his manga draft. However, someone else is helping him, behind him. This girl, is the wonderful Nagi Hirono. ^_^ She’s amazingly tough on her brother, putting down his work, but he takes it well, simply continuing to work. As he works, he recieves a message from another of the main characters from the first season, Miyako Miyamura. She stands on the same roof that holds so much meaning for almost every story in both seasons, the Yuu/Yuuko arc of this season, and both the Renji/Chihiro AND the Hiro/Miyako/Kei arc from the first season. It’s only fitting that the roof of the school is still so very important in this arc also. Of course, Yuuko is with Miyako… tossing the ever symbolic paper airplane. I love that symbolism. It’s so… so… amazing.
Minnie: The appearance of Yuuko in the future is surprising to me because the first three episodes have hinted that she is in fact dead in the future. There have been so many foreshadowing that she will die in the childhood arc. This is why I’m wondering if the Yuuko next to Miyako is not an image- an angelic spirit of some sort. Of course, this is all speculation on my end. Also, I like older Nagi a lot. She’s beautiful, strong, and cool. I’m curious as to why she wants to leave for Australia though.
Garrick: Now, this episode really gets deep. The story returns to the past-Yuuko/Yuu arc, but now, they decide to explain the meaning behind the red watch. The story moves farther into the past, showing Yuu and Akane, his younger sister, when she was still alive. As you could guess by the way Yuu reacted when he lost Akane, the two siblings are very close. Akane is looking at a red watch in the window of a store, and Yuu asks if she wants it. To be nice, Akane says no, but Yuu buys it anyway. Akane seems to treasure it, but that all ended rather abruptly. Quite ironically (and tragically), the earthquake that sends Yuu’s house up in flames, occurred that day. The earthquake sends flames from a stove to the carpet, and the whole house catches on fire. What would be good to notice is that this scene, the blinking eyes, appeared in episode two, during the flashback and the red watch dream of Yuu’s.
Minnie: Nothing much to say about this scene except who DIDN’T see this coming? Please raise your hand. *waits* I thought so. 
In any case, I like background information and this one is pretty crucial. But that’s it. I feel sad that Akane seems to have such a wonderful personality but is not around anymore. Tragic indeed.
Garrick: Then the episode returns to the present (or maybe future, to some). Kuze and Yuu are now in Kuze’s room, and apparently, they have looked over the results of the medical exam, and… as you could guess by the tone of the scene, it’s not good. The scene uses red and blue coloring to portray Kuze and Yuu, and I found that rather nice. However, the real fact of the matter is, that… well… the exam apparently states that the end WILL be coming for Kuze. And, what’s worse, is that, he knows the date. Kuze asks Yuu for a calendar, and, as morbid as it seems, he will mark the day that he’s due to die on a calendar. What makes this anime so very… well… scary is the many masks, and of course, Kuze’s maniacal laugh. While… well, it makes me think so highly of Kuze, what really takes the cake, is how they showed what Kuze said, at least, the very most dramatic ones.
Minnie: I see red and blue. I see red and blue! Now on to the important comments, Kuze and his masks again. It’s hard to see my favorite character in pain but it must be done. He knows his death day. Some might call it lucky. Others may call it unlucky. For me, I just see it as a smack to the face really. My interpretation for the last part of the scene is that Kuze is truly afraid of dying but he’s hiding it from Yuu and of course, Mizuki. He’s being strong at times like this… it makes him very admirable. I hate characters who are into the whole self-pity act. Kuze is none of that.
Garrick: The anime continues with Mizuki meeting with Kuze, apologizing for being asleep the day before. Of course, being a gentleman, Kuze says that it’s fine, and he takes Mizuki on a date-like thing to a secluded, sparsely-treed field. As nice as the place, is, I really could only expect something bad to happen. As Himura, who seems to be magically everywhere, talks to Mizuki, telling her that Kuze is due to die. In more than one way, the conversation is rather morbid. He reveals to Mizuki, although it was rather obvious, why Kuze is trying to end all his relationships, with people, with the world, with the music he so loves. Mizuki takes it well, although she is saddened to hear that, especially as Himura notes that Kuze has already marked the day that he will die. Mizuki attempts to be cheerful by smiling and asking Himura to… well… do what he did in the picture I provided at the top.
Minnie: Yuu is a stalker I say. If it’s true, I’ll laugh because I’m joking. The Mizuki/Yuu conversation is actually my favorite scene in the entire episode. I don’t even know why! It must be the combination of atmosphere, dialogue, and the fact that Yuu admits that he is used to death. However, with every new death, he feels more scared. Again, more foreshadowing of Yuuko’s death if it happens.
Garrick: As Himura leaves, Mizuki, quite ironically, falls asleep. As she wakes up, Kuze is already awake, and ready to give Mizuki his final goodbye. In a way, what he says is cliche: “Because we love each other, we can not be with each other.” But, really, it holds a deep reason, and, it makes total sense. Hm. Maybe cliches are used because they’re true? Anyway, after doing so, Kuze then tells Mizuki to leave, and never see him again. After all, nobody wants to meet with a person after they know that they’re leaving soon… forever, right? Of course, I believe that Mizuki will not give up. She’ll try to find some miracle to save Kuze, since… well… that’s just how optimistic she is. It’s a cute litte trait, and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if that miracle happens… because… it happened in the first season. Although, that’s not much to go on, either… so I wouldn’t be surprised if Kuze did die. Either way, I’m ready for more. Give me more… NOW!!!!
Minnie: I’m quite surprise you fail to mention this but Kuze also tells Mizuki that he was in love before and with his fiancee. However, because of this illness, he has to break up with her. That’s so sad. They are supposed to get married and have lots of kids but no, Kuze has to have this happen to him. The thing is… who is this fiancee? I know a lot of you guys will think I’m crazy for thinking this but is there any chance that Kuze’s fiancee is Nagi? One, there have been hints that these two get along in the past and talk before. Two, Nagi is leaving for Australia at the same time as Kuze’s almost death day. Three, Nagi I think sends him mail somewhere before. If Nagi is indeed his fiancee, then this whole thing will become one love diagram and I’ll be really happy. In any case, the ending is perfect. The ED ruins it but besides that, it’s good. Lovely, yet tragic, episode.
Garrick’s Rating for Episode Four: 9/10
Minnie’s Overall Rating for Episode: 10/10
Garrick’s Anticipation Scale: 10/10
Minnie’s Anticipation for Next Episode: 9/10
-Minnie and Garrick
