As much as I love Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, there are weeks when it can be pretty hard to write about.  This series is very good at subtext and subtlety but it doesn’t deploy them all the time.  Sometimes it’s very what you see is what you get, and this episode was one of those times.  Indeed, one of the most notable developments was the arrival of Orabas Coco, because he’s voiced by Yasumoto Hiroki – and I don’t know how your first reaction can’t be “now there’s a guy who knows his way around Hell!”

There’s no sense of hard and fast transition, but this is definitely a scene change, as we segue from the training arc to the Harvest Festival arc.  Nominally this is all about gathering ingredients for autumn nabe, but this being Iruma-kun of course it’s not that straightforward.  A raise in rank is at stake – which has obvious implications for the Misfit Class specifically – and most of the ingredients can kill you.  Interestingly the M.C. has developed quite a reputation at this point – the Walter Park incident having a lot to do with that – and they’re considered among the favorites to win first place (which Ameri did last year).

Speaking of Ameri, she remains largely absent, as do Opera and Sullivan.  Even Iruma isn’t around much this week, which is an extremely rare occurrence for this series.  The Misfit Class turns up for the Harvest Fest in a foul mood (understandably).  Clara is wearing a rather unusual outfit even by her standards, and Iruma’s archery-themed wardrobe upgrade remains in place.  Azz is thrilled to see him – but he’s so overwhelmed by the moment that he gets flustered (it’s pretty much past subtext this point and just text).  But he’s less thrilled that they’re going to be splitting up again, as part of the misfits’ plan to conquer the Harvest event.

Azz winds up teamed with Sabnock again, meaning they need to gather 100,000 points or more to win (that’s a lot of mushrooms).  Azz doesn’t need to win of course – he’s a Dalet already – but it’s all about showing off for Iruma, really.  The first major obstacle standing in his way are the Dorodoro brothers, a couple of delinquent adrenaline junkies who have Azz and Sabrock in their sights.  As for Iruma there’s no sign of him after the initial team meeting, but in two-plus seasons he’s never left the spotlight for two long, so I suspect that’s going to change pretty quickly.

Su…ki…ma