It’s back to the mini-episode format this week.  Those aren’t always my favorite episodes of Kyoukai no Rinne, but at least they mostly followed one of my favorite Rinne themes, the black cat contractors.  For starters we have the tail of Kuroboshi Sansei (Katou Emiri).  He’s the grandson of Kuroboshi (first name unknown), the old contractor who works for Grandma Tamako.  The old fellow is looking to retire at last, and little Sansei (his name basically means “Kuroboshi the Third”) needs to be trained.

This is probably the most amusing chapter of the three this time, not least because Sansei is such a manipulative little scamp.  I especially love the way he cozies up to Mamiya Sakura (“What country are you a princess of?”), though his M.O. with girls seems generally to be telling them how pretty they are and being a lap cat.  Sansei has a secret, though – he’s terrified of spirits, an obvious problem for a black cat contractor.  Tamako has in mind to have Rinne train Sansei (unpaid, I assume) but it doesn’t look like old Kuroboshi is going to be retiring anytime soon.

Next up is anime’s worst dad, and here’s a shock – Sabato is engaged in a con.  He’s selling “lucky pots” – well, “selling” is a charitable description, as he’s only sold one.  Unfortunately for him that happens to be the one that he’s stashed a wad of cash in, which sets both he and his son off on a pot-breaking spree trying to find it.  This is stock Rinne for the most part, but I did love the fact that Sabato’s lackey said only “one stupid-looking person” bought a pot, and I immediately knew he was talking about Ageha.  Another bonus – peep ball (and owner) are back, but sadly, no “MI-E-RUUUU…”

Finally it’s an odd little story about a “rainbow bamboo shoot”, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.  The hook is that once it only appears every seven years and once it grows into a tree, it will grant one wish tied to its fronds (a bit of a Tanabata vibe there).  A bunch of black cat contractors basically try and kill it for… reasons, but the shoot uses its power to grant its own wish – to turn into a tree.  At least Rinne-kun gets some bamboo shoots for the pot…