Certainly, Kyoukai no Rinne is among the most episodic series I’ve ever covered – continuity exists, but it’s not a series built around long arcs by any stretch.  So it’s not too surprising that as it approaches next week’s finale there’s no indication of anything “final” about it – we’re getting the usual 3-chapter format.  Perhaps I’ll be surprised once more and we’ll get yet another sequel announcement – so far everyone seems happy enough with the arrangement, and Rumiko-sensei is still writing the manga.

• Fierce dogs are definitely a problem, ghosts or not.
• The Jinkenman is one of the weirder elements in Japanese folklore, though I confess I didn’t know much about it before this episode.  As Narrator-dono said it’s been around for centuries (sightings were common in the Edo period and often reported on) but apparently the “1989” he refers to was an incident where there was a mass of sightings in Shibuya.  Go figure.
• I’ve said it till I’m blue in the face, but whatever town this is really needs stricter traffic enforcement.
• Ageha’s school is known as “Ba-Ka”?  Now that’s just too perfect.
• The Kanedama is, of course, another long-standing icon of Japanese folklore.  Naturally it would be Rokudo-kun’s worst enemy.  But he has the last laugh – its powers are useless against someone who’s broke.
• Loved that “Folktales From Japan” parody.  That’s one of the few anime that’s longer-running and more widely ignored by Western fans that Kyoukai no Rinne.
• My favorite part of that chapter might be that the Kanedama keeps all his receipts.
• 300 million Yen = 30 cm.  Who knew?
• The Japanese obsession with lines (including at ramen places) is truly profound.  It feeds on itself – if a ramen place starts to have lines, people will eat there because they see a line.  If the lines disappear, they stop going.  It’s very Yogi Berra.
• As for me, if Mamiya Sakura worked at a ramen joint, I would definitely eat there…