It’s easy to forget that Tonikawa has another layer, because it spends so much of its time ignoring it.  I love what this series is in its day job, a charming slice of married life with one of anime’s most loveable couples and a wry sense of humor.  And that’s what it looked like it was going to be here, as Nasa and Tsukasa get a Kusatsu Onsen trip courtesy of Aya and Kaname’s mom (who makes a very brief appearance at home).  But for the first time this season, really, the facade gets rolled back and we get a reminder of what Tonikaku Cawaii will eventually be about, presumably.

Before that, it’s all about how nervous these two – but much more so Tsukasa – are about taking a trip together.  Especially one to a place with a private onsen attached to the room.  I still struggle with this side of the story a bit, even making allowances for Japanese (and animanga) peculiarities.  I mean, these two are married.  I’m assuming they’re intimate with each other, else Nasa would surely have blasted off like one of his namesake rockets long ago.  So what’s the big deal, really, about getting it on in a new place?  Shouldn’t that be exciting more than anything?

Well, we know Tsukasa is legendarily bashful if anything.  Nasa, dutiful darling he is, dedicates himself (at the expense of bathing time) to preparing a Kusatsu itinerary to knock her socks off.  But he gets waylaid along the way back to his room by an old lady (Hirano Fumi) who exploits Nasa’s Iruma-like inability to say no.  This old gal is suspicious right off the bat, especially once one gets a look at her eye color, and when they run into Tsukasa in the hall the jig is up.  She’s actually Tsukuyomi (ROFL) Tokiko, Chitose’s grandmother, and she was the witness on their wedding registration.

Now, I have no idea what the actual story with Tsukasa is but at this point I’m just assuming she’s Princess Kaguya in some form or another – it’s not as if the hinting could be any stronger.  How that plays out in practical terms is another matter.  We’ve had some foreshadowing of some pretty dark stuff but frankly it seems so out of synch with that Tonikawa usually is that I struggle to believe the series will go that route.  For now Tokiko seems mainly interested in scoping Nasa out, since they’ve never formally met, rather than sabotaging.  And frankly, unless Tsukasa marrying a mortal or commoner is taboo in itself it’s hard to imagine any guardian wouldn’t be thrilled to have their girl marry someone like him.  He’s like a genius teddy bear.

So I guess the question for this season’s first two-parter is whether next week returns to the usual romantic fumblings, or continues to explore the ramifications of Tokiko’s presence and Tsukasa’s true identity.  I suspect it’ll be a little of both, and that’s fine with me.  While I’m certainly curious to see where that side of the series will go, I don’t find myself in any hurry for it to stop being what it is right now.