What an absolutely terrific episode of Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid that was.  It’s a nice reminder of just how good this series can be, because the first two eps of the season were fairly ordinary.  It’s also confirmation of something I say about this series a lot – it’s better when it’s about something.  Without plot to drive it forwards it can get a little too enamored of its own cuteness, a trait I find a bigger issue in the anime than the manga.  When it has something it needs to get done, it’s much more effective.

This is the point where the series really started to level up for me, too.  It’ll need three seasons to be adapted properly (the first used just under a third of them), and I have no idea whether it will get them or not.  But as it seems to be quite faithful to the manga (as this anime team usually are) this season should certainly be better than the first.  Lots of interesting new characters, excellent new settings (getting out of Bocchan’s mansion sometimes is a positive, and many strands of the plot starting to be tied together.  To an extent, this episode is one of the keys in starting that process shifting into high gear.

Alice seeing ghosts is nothing new, though her getting possessed by one is.  That could have turned very ugly (her body was still living, after all).  Engagement rings were a big theme here, starting with that ghost who died over one.  The main event here is the arrival of the witch Daleth has promised to send to try and break Bocchan’s curse – for a price.  He’s still focused on driving them off, not wanting to owe Daleth anything and be in a position to betray Zain.  But the temptation to finally have his burden lifted is overwhelming.  And when the witch collapses outside the mansion, the question becomes moot for the moment.

Amelia (Ueda Reina) describes herself as not so much a witch as an octopus with magical ability.  It’s a fine distinction I suppose, but it does mean she’ll die if not exposed to salt water for too long.  It also means she employs natural camouflage whenever she’s embarrassed (a cute idea).  Amelia has an interesting history of her own.  She used to turn into a sea monster and attack ships when she got bored, until she took on more than she could handle with an armed pirate ship.  But the captain spared her and they fell in love, and he should look very familiar – he’s the ringmaster of Circus Gemini (though Bocchan and Alice don’t know that).

Amelia makes a little goodwill gesture in creating a magical sea for Alice and Bocchan to play in, which they do.  This is one of the most beautiful sequences of the anime – it actually looks really good (there’s even some traditional animation).  But eventually playtime is over, and Amelia gets down to brass tacks – trying to break the curse.  She assures Bocchan she can touch him because curses adhere to the victim like a “film”, that she can rip off.  Except in this case she can’t – because the one who placed it is a stronger magic user than she is.  The strongest she’s ever known, in fact – Daleth’s (late) older twin sister Sade.

This is obviously an extremely important bit of new information – several bits in fact.  It doesn’t clarify the question of just why Daleth wants Zain’s time magic, or why Sade would have cursed Bocchan in the first place.  But it does tie him directly to Daleth, and it does give an idea of just what he’s up against.  There are still plenty of slice of life moments to come, but from here Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid has a real sense of purpose to it, and the series is all the better for that.