Among the many things Hoshizora can be said to be, you can certainly include “weird”. This is a very, very odd show – the sensibility is like nothing else I can recall. It appears cute and fluffy on the surface and not much generally happens, but there are moments that really make the jaw drop.

Seriously – what is the deal with Ayumu? Maybe this is all a gag – or troll – but there are times this almost feels like watching Death in Venice – I’m half-expecting Kazuma to die of cholera in the last episode. Judging by the PV, looks like next week is going to be even weirder in that regard.

In respect to the girls (apparently fighting for second place) there’s been astonishingly little development for Ui since the first episode, especially considering as she’s the prohibitive favorite. Lately all she’s been is comic relief for her chowhound personality. Though, to be fair, the others girls – possibly excepting the presumed challenger, Madoka – have mostly been comic relief. The subplot this week surrounding the archery tournament was a throwaway, even by this show’s standards. Indeed, there was almost no plot advancement of any kind this week – it was just one modestly funny situation gag after the other.

Even with tempered expectations it’s hard to know just what constitutes a successful ep for Hoshizora. You can’t really apply any traditional standard because the series is obviously totally unconcerned about following logic or precedent. It appears to be a complete exercise in self-indulgence on the part of the staff. The funny thing, though, is that may be just what makes it generally fun to watch. This certainly wasn’t one of the more entertaining episodes, but what’s the point in keeping score with this show, really? It is what it is, and I’ve stuck around this long…