Rainbowsphere

As I expected, my predictions were true. So much for the anticipated Mio-Minna lovey-dovey. And since the dorama is out in the open, along with a lot of extensive information and all that blablabla, I got a good dose  character material for today’s ep. You’ll have to pardon the tl;dr.

Minna’s held Mio (thank you TheBigN for correcting me) at gunpoint, and requests her not to wear a Striker Unit again. Of course, Mio isn’t surprised. The incident from last ep was something that was expected by both persons, though they don’t want to admit the fact. But still, Mio insists that she must still fly.

But really, it’s a given that you must give in on a Lady In Red.

Thus, we get the idea of why Mio was recruiting Yoshika for the 501st, and why she’s taking so much interest in her: First, she’s a prominent personality, considering Minafuji’s father was the Striker Unit’s creator. Second, Mio needs a replacement, a certain someone who’ll take her place if something happens to her. Now we see Perinne being childish, Yoshika being serious, and the atmosphere between the factions of the countries that are involved intensifying. No wonder they’re trying to silence Minna.

“You know too much. DO NOT GET INVOLVED.”

Both try to shrug off the matter and return to their military duties. Barkhorn returns to London to visit her younger sister after finding out that the latter has awakened from comatose. Yoshika continues to grow better and better each day, and was commended by Mio for the efforts. In fact, she’s starting to outdo the other Witches without them noticing, thanks to Mio’s tutelage and Yoshika’s admiration for the female major. This got the better of Perinne. She then challenges Minafuji into a duel after convincing herself that Mio’s teaching Yoshika in secret. Minafuji tries to refuse when Perinne said they’ll be using real guns. Much to Perinne’s chagrin, they were interrupted by a Neuroi attack.

Point of uncertainty… and certainty…

The squad prepares for takeoff, but Mio is again persuaded by Minna to not go into battle. It was then revealed that a Witch’s power output will diminish completely by the time they reach age twenty. Mio’s got that number, and Minna, for the fear of losing another loved one, is willing to use force to subdue a subordinate. Mio also recruited Yoshika to replace her once she reaches this limit, believing that she must see Yoshika grow into a fine Witch through the end.  Minna tries to reason, but the warrior’s spirit will never allow herself to be extinguished, and so Mio still heads out into battle.

Neuroi…?

Yoshika makes contact with the Neuroi, only to be surprised that it took form of a Witch in a Striker Unit. Yoshika tried to “bond with the Neuroi after finding out that it does not want to harm her. Then she came to the conclusion that the Neuroi were merely trying to make contact with humans by mimicking them and trying to reach out to them, even though humans at first raised arms against them. Yoshika was doubtful at first, but when she was utterly convinced when she saw the Neuroi exposing its weakness: its core.

Why?

Mio tries to make it in time, and sees Yoshika in contact with the Neuroi. Of course, instinct says to shoot, but Yoshika tries to push in some reason to cease fire. But still, Mio retaliated, and it resulted in her getting shot down when her shield fails to function. Minna braces herself for the worst: a fifty-fifty situation!

This raises the question: Are Neuroi really our enemies to begin with? Why are they here? What is their true purpose? Why is the military trying to prevent information of Neuroi to spread out? Is the military deeply involved with this in the first place? Based on what I’ve seen so far, I see it that the military has something about them to begin with. It may be possible that the military has summoned them from some other dimension. There’s also the theory that when they were passing by, humans, who were at the brink of another World War, tried to subdue this “threat” without thinking it over or trying to make contact to see what the purpose of their visit. See, that’s the norm for humans: they judge quite so easily on something far more superior to them, and addresses them as a threat. Then again, what are the World Wars for anyway?

I see the characters differently now. I see Perinne being such a bastardly bitch for her selfishness, and Minna being a helpless lass for her own. Mio knows the possibility of death, yet soars on, believing that the sole purpose of her life as a Witch does not limit her, even if she’s stripped off of her powers. And the “strangeness” everyone sees in Yoshika isn’t really something along the bounds of peculiarity. It’s something called “understanding”, and believe me, not everyone in the military has that. I wonder if this is the case for this ep?

This is still subtle, I tell you.

Not much fanservice this time around, nor am I expecting the next round. I’m thinking that’s where Yoshika inherits Mio’s sword, even though I don’t really know what’s going to happen to the major. I’m also expecting Yoshika’s PUNISHMENT TIEM from Minna, and as the preview states, her attempted contact with the Neuroi.

This is going to get reaaaaally nasty now…