Candy in leiu of a formal apology for being so very very late

Miken: So yeah…I fell behind on this, but I caught back up and, suffice to say, I really like it now. Sure, it’s still the “problem of the day”, but some tension is finally entering the plot and spicing things up~ Kobato’s cheeriness works better for me now that I’m cheery that I have a college to go to after this year. So I’ll keep working hard to keep this up while Kobato does her very best as well!

How the hell does this face even look like it needs healing at all!?

Episode 4 features Kohaku and Shuichiro of Wish. I haven’t read Wish yet, but the cuteness of Kohaku’s devotion to Shuichiro really makes me want to. Though I still feel bad that Kobato didn’t get any new candy to add to her collection, it’s nice to know that at least someone out there isn’t inherently broken in some way. Still, if things go at this rate, she won’t have the candy she needs to grant her wish by the end of the series. This either means a “go read the manga!” ending or she somehow miraculously heals a ton of people at once.

Episode Rating: 7/10

Fireflies teaching an old man to shine once more

Episode 5 is balanced between healing a writer named Mori and the mounting suspense of the mysterious people who are tormenting Sayaka. Stories about a message unable to be received or understood until a great epiphany usually get to me, and I found tears forming by the end of the culminating scene with the fireflies. Just like Kobato, I’m glad to see Mori out of his grumpy old man phase and back into writing such nice simple children’s books~ I wonder if that book is real? It sounds like something I’d love to read to my little sister~…Well, ignoring the language barrier and all. Meanwhile, I also liked how Kobato, despite her outward appearance of a ditz managed to stay strong against those tough guys and defended Sayaka despite being scared herself (trembling hands). Props to Toshihiko for running those thugs outta there like only a preschooler can!

Episode Rating: 9/10

How much longer will this happiness last?

Episode 6 delves deeper into the mire that is Yomogi Nursery’s financial troubles while having a (generally) happy day out with everyone at the park. It seems that Ioryogi isn’t the only one from Heaven to be transformed into something laughable. There’s the bakery bear and the…I-don’t-know-what-it-is-but-it-has-an-eyepatch Ginsei. Ioryogi seems to have had a relatively interesting life up in Heaven too. Obviously, since he caused enough trouble to be disgraced into becoming a toy dog. Ginsei looks to be an awesome rival though his appearance this episode sorta felt like a drive-by character introduction. He just showed up and left…nothing much more than that. The whole finding the four-leaf clover patch was super-cute too~ I want luck like that too!

Episode Rating: 8.5/10

Fujimoto kindly telling Doumoto to stop freaking stalking him

Episode 7 has Kobato learning a bit more about Fujimoto while healing one of his “friends”…There’s the whole debate over whether or not people should help others in cases when working alone to overcome one’s problems should be applied. Really not much I can say about this episode…But it sure does cement Fujimoto’s label as a tsundere. <3

Episode Rating: 7/10

Cutest. Twins. Ever.

Episode 8 has a kitty, and as we all know “KITTIES ARE SO CUTE~”. Operating on this mantra, Kobato tries to give a cute abandoned (cat named Milk partway into the episode) a good home. Lots of attempts, but not even the combine cuteness of Kobato, Chiho and Chise can help them until that nice old lady from episode 1 shows up thanks to Fujimoto and offers to take Milk in. Kobato’s song returns once more and heals Chiho and Chise, who are sad to see Milk go. Honestly, she should just record that song and spread it all over the world. Then she’d probably get all the candy she needs and then some. -_-

Episode Rating: 8.7/10

Episode 9 features two childhood friends who have since grown apart, but find themselves connected once more in the end by two small cell phone charms they bought for one another at a festival years ago. It’s a nice little story, but still so very very predictable. Then again, the simplicity of these little stories do make the heartwarming-ness just that much better. Seeing how these two girls grew apart despite still wanting to be close really tugged my heartstrings though. Makes me look back and regret letting some friends go like that…Maybe I should take a cue from Kobato and reconnect? Ahahaha, so awkward.

Episode Rating: 7.5/10

All in all, Kobato’s still very enjoyable, if not slow and sometimes frustrating. I definitely want Kobato do have her wish granted, no matter what it is~ I’ll try to be more on time, but with my scanlations group needing more work done before a certain huge deadline, I probably can’t promise that I’ll be on time till February…XD;;

Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8/10

Miken: With more and more homework every week, my second SAT test date in two weeks and my AP US History test and Critical Paper due date on the same day, I really REALLY have to cut things short. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m already a week late on this episode. As such, there will be fewer screenshots, a medium-sized paragraph for the summary, et cetera, et cetera for the next few weeks as I try not to have a mental breakdown from pure exhaustion. If worse comes to worst, then I’ll probably just forgo the summary.

(And no, I am not contemplating the handing off of my two series at the moment.)

Summary: Teito is saved from falling by Frau and is welcomed into the church by a group of bishops — Frau, Castor and Labrador. Thankfully, District 7, where he is taken, is a sanctuary in which the Barsburg Empire is hesitant to enter. When Teito finally wakes up, he gives his savior a not-so-nice greeting right in the gut and tries to make a run for it right out the window. Thankfully, Frau grabs his shirt in time to stop him from falling. After formalities are exchanged, we learn that Teito is a “sklave” and he’s left to rest. Back in the Empire, Ayanami personally attempts to wrench out information from Mikage. After fainting again and having a flashback attack, Teito’s found by some nuns and is dragged off to get some ~loving care~. The next morning, Teito marvels at the church and then settles below a tree to contemplate. We also learn that this church right here is the only one able to remove the Verloren’s curse and that the Barsburg Church is watched over by the 7 Ghosts. Looking through the library, Teito’s scared by a doll-like nun, which turns out to be Castor’s, and is caught (once again!) by Frau, who also almost has is porn stash discovered. More info on the Eye of Raphael being given to the Barsburg Empire and the Eye of Mikhail given to the Kingdom of Raggs and the power struggle and how the Raggs Kingdom broke the peace by wishin to possess both Eyes and were subsequently crushed. Afterwards, in the church, we learn of how the 07-Ghosts prevent the servants of the  God of Death — the Verloren, from invading peoples’ hearts and causing fear. The statue within the church is that of Zehel. Teito also finds the church to be very nostalgic……Also, Labrador gives him a flower as a good luck charm. Back with Ayanami, he pulls a bastard move and threatens Mikage with the safety of his family.

(See my summary? I didn’t proofread it…I apologize for any headaches)

Notes: As with most second episodes, the excitement is tuned down a bit, but it’s still a pretty good episode. I really wish I could’ve paid more attention to it though…I kinda had to write secondary source cards with watching this in the background. I liked the little piano bgm of the ending song playing during the scene when Teito explains his origins to the three bishops…at least it sounded like the ED. XD;;

Screenshots and Commentary:

Yeah, I wouldn’t want that medicine either…

You already owe your life 3 times to Frau — Sheesh, Teito!!

Of course you can! You just have to raise up in the ranks and make the official female uniform a miniskirt!!

This made me “hauuuu~~” almost as much as Ion…almost.

I see a problem thar…I suggest taking option C

Yeah…I know there are fewer images here…NOW GOGOGO STUDY FOR THAT CALCULUS TEST!! -shot-