Fit is such a big part of the equation with fiction, no doubt about it. Dekin no Mogura is so totally my jam. Weird, esoteric, highbrow-lowbrow. A bunch of interesting oddballs running around doing crazy stuff, saying smart things, and making clever jokes. Most of those things could also have been said about Hoozuki no Reitetsu of course, so none of this should come as a surprise (that it sort of did is my own fault). If anything is a legit surprise it’s that this adaptation is as stylish and striking as it is. My history as a Brain’s Base fan needs no reiteration, but their standard since the Shuka split has not been nearly as high as it was.

The latest to join the party is Sakurako-san (it’s a good season for that name), who we met briefly at the close of last week’s episode. She’s completely overwrought, and you totally see why Kyouko-san is so freaked out by her relentless demands for fortunes. She’s not a fortuneteller – she just sees stuff sometimes, and taking responsibility for Sakurako’s life (which is clearly what the latter wants) is a terrible idea. After a way-too close encounter (“I can see your pores”) she manages to send Sakurako on her way with a maneki-neko (one suspects she made that “vision” up, just to come up with something harmless).

Kyouko is a wild character herself. Her cooking is… interesting – “tuna helmets“, giant dorayaki. But she’s a happy sort, and a perfect contrast to her heavily-weighted husband and son. Sakurako is back after mere moments, having had a scary spirit encounter at home which left the maneki-neko broken. The problem is clear enough to those (like Mogura-san and the boys of the house) – Sakurako has a passel of annoying asshole spirits attached to her. Not only that there’s an otter pounding on her head (think about the way they break shellfish on rocks on you get the idea).

Kyoushirou shows some uncharacteristic fire about all this. Sakurako is totally barking up the wrong tree here – fortunetelling is the last thing she needs. And even exorcism – which he graciously provides, via Nabeshima – is only treating the symptom, not the disease. Sakurako is a pushover, and as long as she remains one assholes both living and dead will continue to latch onto her. And foremost among them is her husband, whose abuse and cheating she takes uncomplainingly as if it were her duty. And if that’s not a major problem in Japan, I don’t know what is. Fortunately Maya has stuck around rather than move on as Momoyuki told her to do, and she latches onto Sakurako and helpfully gives her a vehicle to vent her spleen (which needs serious venting).

That was extremely satisfying to watch play out. And Kyouko telling the refreshed Sakurako that she’s seen them going to the movies together, having sushi, and drinking is a great bit of positive reinforcement (she’s still not telling Inui-san what she saw with her, but I have my suspicions). She even manages to return the broken maneki-neko, which Momoyuki has repaired (and improved) with kintsugi (a fascinating art if ever one existed). “I’m good at extending lives”, Momoyuki – who just keeps getting more interesting – says modestly. And indeed, he can fix almost anything it seems – and create stuff, too (like art – knockoffs and otherwise).

Momoyuki’s discussion of that topic with Kuriaki and Yaeko, where he reveals that among the prints he sold in bygone days were pornography (which was a huge part of the business), leads her to suggest that he start drawing hentai doujin. Indeed, she suggests an 18+ red panda work specifically (it’s niche, but I but there’s a section for it at Comiket). Mogura declares that he’s watched a few anime, but if he’s going to sell doujins he’ll need to his research. The comic possibilities here – with this character and this writer – seem almost limitless, and I sincerely hope this thread is pursued in future episodes.

For now, the thread being pursued is festivals. “Japan has too many of them”, Momoyuki says, but Magi-san has to do a report on weird ones and asks for a suggestion. Momoyuki knows of some of course, but it would be even weirder for Magi-kun to know of their existence. Yaeko suggests her hometown matsuri – she’s from a fishing village, and the festival is all about placating the local merfolk. Having done so she also invites Momoyuki-san, as her great-grandfather is 97 years old and a WW II veteran – an interesting potential conversation partner for him, to be sure. It’s yet another story angle brimming with possibilities, which we’ll see realized in some form next week.