What an odd schedule Tsurune is keeping.  It started late (and added an extra week because of a typhoon), took a full two-week hiatus over the new year, and it’s a 13-episode series to boot (which is rare these days).  That means it’s going to finish towards the end of January, which is certainly an unusual occurrence.  We’re close enough to the end now that finishing it is the only course that makes sense for me, and I confess that while I’m never blown away by any of the episodes at the time I watch them, I usually find myself quite looking forward to the next one.

Given that the last two episodes focused on arguably the series’ worst character (Seiya) and this one on certainly its two best, it would have been logical to expect an uptick in fortunes this week.  And indeed we got one, though again I’m not ready to say it was a masterpiece or anything.  Emotionally speaking Tsurune definitely paints in primary colors – if it’s subtlety you’re after this show will probably be a chunk for you.  But it’s a bullseye for good, basic sentiment where Masa-san and Minato-kun go, and an episode like this one gives the series a chance to express that side of itself.

There are no surprises in Masa-san’s backstory, really.  We hear the word “revenge” used a lot this week, but that’s a bit of an over-dramatization I think.  Still, from Masa’s perspective I’m sure that’s not the case – his obsession with his grandfather has pretty much dictated his life choices.  No question that he needs to deal with his unfinished business and move on, but I would counter with this – if his response to the brutal nature of his grandfather’s kyuudou teaching was to resolve to be a kinder and better mentor to his own students, is that really a bad thing?

This is the essence of Tsurune: Kazemai Koukou Kyuudoubu’s story, really – Minato and Masa each came into each other’s life at just the right moment to help them confront their demons and move on.  That’s a nice premise to build on (if hardly revolutionary), and the fact that they’re both so likeable as people really helps.  I’ve been waiting for Minato to be drawn into Masa’s struggle as so far it’s mostly been a one-sided relationship in that sense, and it finally happens courtesy an overheard conversation between Masa and Tommy-sensei.  Eventually Masa resolves to find out more about his grandfather’s last years, and archery shop dude tells him who the two young archers in the photo of his grandpa that he’s found are – Saionji-san and Osone-san.

We know Saionji-sensei of course – she was Minato’s teacher.  And thanks to Fujiwara-kun’s guilt-tripping (and anime coincidence) both man and boy show up at her house at the same time.  I know it’s unabashedly sentimental but the look in Minato’s eyes speaks so genuinely to his desire to see Masa heal himself – he’s such a sweet kid, this one, and I think worrying over someone else instead of himself is probably a good thing for him in the end.  It turns out that Osone-san is really the key to all this, as he was Tanigaki-sensei’s confidante in his final years, and Masa-san eventually is persuaded to visit Osone-san to help with a Shinto ritual (he’s a priest too) even though it falls the day before the tournament.

I don’t think there’s that much suspense about what Masa-san will discover here – obviously his grandfather didn’t hate him, I think that’s a given.  What’s interesting is that he’s apparently been in an accident on his way back, as the shopkeeper breathlessly tells the kids at the tournament site.  But this smells odd for a number of reasons – I mean first of all, why would you want to tell them right before the competition, even if that was true?  Also, Masa-san asked for a “favor” from the owner before he left for Aomori to visit Osone-san.  Is it possible he planned on not being present for the tournament all along?  I admit I’m struggling to think why that would be the case, but also to find another explanation that makes sense.  I suppose we’ll find out next week, as long as there are no more typhoons.