Well, we’ve finally reached the point of no return – the twincest moment this series has been building up to since the first episode. Whether the first 9 eps were just a “dream” or not, the Sora story is clearly the main attraction here no matter what one may feel about it.

I think I’m a pretty open-minded person, and there isn’t a whole lot that offends me in the realms of fiction. Nevertheless, twincest is pretty edgy turf even for me. It’s one thing in a hard hentai or a brainless sex comedy, but this is a show that’s presenting a pretty serious story and treating it seriously. To its credit, YnS doesn’t present this as an easy scenario for Haru. It’s obvious he feels something sexual for his sister and has since the day she came home from the hospital. A little older now, he tries to tell himself it’s not happening and say and do the appropriate things. But Sora tortures him mercilessly, to the point where Haru clearly realizes she’s messing with his head. And while I’ll assume – for now – that Sora didn’t realize Haru was watching her masturbate while calling out his name, it appears that witnessing that act was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Judging by his reaction – shock and tears – he’s torn by indecision about what to do about his feelings.

It’s no coincidence that the Nao arc is the one that preceded this one. She’s the only girl in the cast who can pose a real threat to Sora, so there’s a lot of natural overlap. The rape incident certainly colors Sora’s view of her, but more than anything she’s a rival – first for Haru’s time and attention, then for his physical companionship. Poor Nao doesn’t really have a chance – you always bet on the girl whose name is in the title. The closer Nao and Haru get the more fiendishly clever and manipulative Sora gets. Even though Haru chose to keep his Sunday date with Nao, he was thinking of Sora the entire time. Maybe I’m in the minority, but I feel badly for Nao in all this. She’s spent her whole life regretting a childish mistake.

And here’s the great outstanding question. Will the series judge, will it take a side? YnS doesn’t have the luxury to pass off twincest as a fun diversion – this isn’t that kind of show. If Haru and Nao become intimate, as they almost surely will, I think the writers have a responsibility to take a stand on that issue and not just show them fooling around to some violin music. Either what they plan to do is wrong or it isn’t – viewers are going to take sides and the show itself has to as well. It’s the price to be paid for asking to be taken seriously as a story.

With all that hanging over it, the omake’s silliness should be a welcome distraction – but Motoka’s story is getting a lot more serious right along with the main one. Today’s quote: “Oh no – we also got a lot less porn!”