Another entertaining, stylish episode of Dragon Crisis this week. While this isn’t breaking much new ground, the show just has a certain something I find appealing – a sense of style and slightly offbeat wit.

This week was a heavily Misaki focused episode. She was doing her best Makoto (Kanon) impression this week with all her “Au!” but she was cute. You can’t help but feel for her, just as you couldn’t help but feel for Misaki in Wagaya no Oiniri Sama – She’s been waiting patiently on her man for years and all of a sudden he’s got a harem of hotties way more interesting that she is. It’s as cliched a character as you’ll see, but it’s endearing when done well.

Speaking of hotties, Ai shows up again this week – this time with both eyes the same color – with a basket of treats for Ryuji, just like Misaki has. Unfortunately arriving before either of them was a lost precious for Eriko to appraise, which turns out to be a cursed precious. It’s a painting of an American town somewhere on Route 66, and it turns out to be a trap that lures women inside it and asks them embarrassingly personal questions. Soon all four of our main ladies are trapped in the paining and the rest of the episode is a rather fun spoof/homage to horror films, especially American ones. Fortunately all the girls have to do to stay alive is answer “Ryuji!” in one form or another and new neighbor Bianca shows up to help Ryuji rescue his harem.

As is the norm for this show, there was nothing especially flashy about the episode but I really enjoyed it. The BGM was again interesting, I like the backgrounds even if the animation itself isn’t lavish, and it simply projects a likability that most series don’t. I’m also really enjoying the fact that the two most neurotic osananajimi of recent memory are both named Misaki…