This week showed why (in addition to the format) I haven’t yet committed to Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita.. A perfectly fine episode with some funny moments, and cute ones too. But not giving me a lot of grist for the writing mill, really. And another problem – the Fomalhaut development pretty much closed the door on this situation having any semblance of realism. That may sound an odd complaint with what’s clearly a fantasy, but having the story follow a certain logic was one path Katsute Mahou Shoujou could have taken going forward. That seems no longer to be on the table.

In essence, the plot finds Fomalhaut assigned (presumably by whoever’s in-charge) to check up on Mira, presumably because suspicions have arisen about his relationship with Byakuya. And for good reason. One needs a certain suspension of disbelief just to stamp their hand at the door here, obviously. Fomalhaut is the worst possible choice by all appearances. He’s completely gullible and clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Mira can get rid of him for hours just by having him fetch a non-existent ball, for example. But okay, it’s all in good fun so whatever.

Ultimately, what Fomalhaut’s arrival does is eliminate any chance that the story will develop because events make sense. Mira can’t under any reasonable circumstances continue this charade unless he keeps it totally secret from his organization. Fomalhaut can’t possibly look at what goes down without concluding that Mira is totally in-love and compromised. Unless he’s a complete idiot of course, which for the sake of the story he seems to be. But where does it go from here? Does Fomalhaut continue to hang around and be an idiot? Does he go back and report that everything is fine – and are his bosses satisfied with that?

It’s been a long time since Inu x Boku SS but I don’t remember having to make these kinds of allowances with that series, story-wise (as absurdist as it was). As it stands we’re left with only the kawaii factor and the comedy to drive the series. And those are good, more so the former than the latter – Mira and Byakuya are certainly good together. But I think Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekkitai shiteita. needs something else to really work as more than a trifle – and right now it’s easier to identify what that probably isn’t going to be than what it might actually be. Maybe as the cast expands some new narrative avenues will reveal themselves. I certainly hope so – there’s a lot to like about this show, not least the impetus that drove Bones to create it in the first place.