The plot thickens – but that’s really no surprise with Kaya-chan wa Kowakunai. It’s been thickening every week, with new layers being added to the mystery surrounding Kaya’s family. I’m bracing myself for some serious frustration here. We have a series that’s going to be one cour and seems very unlikely to  get a sequel. We have a manga that’s ongoing. With a series full of secrets like this one that’s a recipe for disappointment. But at least the manga is licensed and translations are relatively up to date, so if indeed we get a read the manga ending we can actually do that.

Much like with Seihantai we’re seeing a definite A/B split developing with Kaya-chan. Before the eyecatch we’re getting more or less episodic and often school-related chapters. After, it’s all about the recurring plot. This time around we start out at the mall (“Neon”, ROFL) where the show checks off another horror box – mannequins. Uncle Mob continues to behave in a very creepy and disturbing way, while not quite crossing the line into being abjectly a creeper. It’s a miracle he’s still walking around free though, I’ll say that much.  It’s another chapter that makes me wonder if Kaya is actively drawing spirits because of her powers.

Kaya-chan saves Mob-ojiisan again, something that may just have happened more times than we realize. The real headline comes after, though, as Kaya’s Aunt Nana (played by Tomatsu Haruka – this show is packed with big names) shows up (pretending to be her mother). “Nana” is a name we’ve heard before of course – and presumably her mother told the aunt about her meeting with Kaya. As usual this encounter raises more questions than it answers. Grandma’s encounter with Kaya-chan seems to have completely driven her mad – she keeps ranting that “Mirai” (Kaya’s mother, and Nana’s younger sister) is dead. Nana seems not to be so sure. This is a family clearly overflowing with dark secrets.

Back at school, Kenken is in trouble again (he seems to be the resident bad boy). I’m not clear on whether he actually did what he was accused of or it was caused by a spirit, but he gets dragged to the “punishment room” either way. At least that’s what Saku-chan calls it. She tells Kaya that there’s a monster in there that forces kids to behave. And naturally, that’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull. The pair of them go to the prep room – which is where Saku thinks the punishment room is. And indeed there is a monster in there, although I kind of doubt this is even a place kids get sent to when they get in trouble.

This monster can only be seen – even by Kaya – when the lights are out. She finds this fascinating and keeps flicking them on and off, which traumatizes Saku-chan who’s afraid of the dark. Eventually Chie-sensei comes to the rescue and drags them off to the interview room (probably not the “punishment room” either). I think it bears noting here – Chie-sensei is a really good teacher. She actually listens to the kids, and talks to them in reasonable terms rather than lecturing at them. She uses this as a teaching opportunity for Kaya-chan, gently reminding here that while Chie knows she’s a kind little girl, she was inconsiderate of Saku’s feelings in the prep room. And what do you know, talk to a bright child on those terms and they actually get the point – who knew?

Before we wrap there’s yet another wrinkle in the main mystery. Mob-ojisan has a shishou – we know little about him except he’s Kaji Yuuki and he wears a hoodie. He’s also clearly younger than Mob and seems to have a particular animus towards the Ebisumori clan (including Kaya-chan), who he warns Uncle Mob to stay away from. Mob counters that “that thing you’re worried about” hasn’t happened, but Master counters with “yet”. The plot couldn’t get much thicker.