I seem to be writing these posts mostly for myself, judging by the lack of comments (or discussion elsewhere in English). But that’s OK – most seasons seem to have one of those (and sometimes more). I’m enjoying this show a lot, both as a classic mecha iteration and for being quite quirky. It has a certain batshit fearlessness to it that I really like – a quality that seems especially crucial for this sort of series. If a genre piece can be both faithful and distinct, it’s managing to thread a pretty thin needle.

Murai Sadayuki continues to unspool the mythology at an unhurried but satisfyingly steady pace. This time around we get a pretty big revelation about the shadow angels when the handlers beseech the kids not to let their enemy “plant a stake“. Naturally the child pilots have no idea what this means. And things are further complicated by the fact that Rimiya-kun is down for the count after the nasty attack which closed Episode 3.  Sakko and Momohime manage to coordinate and launch a golden arrow at the monster, but to no avail. It does what it came to do, and gets the hell out of Dodge.

As is the norm for this sort of story, the adults are only telling the kids what they absolutely need to know (and debatably not even that). It turns out that the stakes help the shadow monsters create rifts, and if they can plant three within a 15 km radius that becomes “their territory” (which explains the Bermuda Triangle and Area 51, among other places). This makes the location of their next appearance pretty predictable at least, but the Elements are in a bit of a state at the moment for various reasons, not least Toshi’s injury.

The real headline here is Momohime’s courtship of Rimiya, which stands to be quite a divisive issue considering that Toshi seemingly has feelings for her. From the start this has the feel of Momohime trying to convince herself of something. And indeed, as expected the emotion she lacks is love – or romantic love, at least. But she does go through the motions with Rimiya, who allows himself to be swept along in her wake (as Toshi looks on horrified) in a bit of a daze. Eventually they go on an aquarium date (fitting, in its way). This allows Momohime to realize that she’s just not feeling things that way with Rimiya (he’s no eel God). But she is feeling something else, and another 12,000 year wayback trip reveals just what that is.

Yeah, Rimiya being Momohime’s sister I did not see coming. That’s an interesting take on the reincarnation element of the story. When another shadow angel comes a calling he’s still not quite right, but she drags him along and eventually the three of them are able to fight off the newest invader (I believe before it planted a stake, though that wasn’t absolutely clear). It seems hard to believe this sort of story can play out without some sort of romance angle intruding, but right now it’s not clear just where that might come from.

Perhaps this new figure might have something to do in that respect. She doesn’t say anything but she does pop up observing things a couple of times, eventually in the company of the mysterious pair who approached the doomsday peddler on the street. Considering she shows up at school as a transfer student the next day, and goes straight into the Elements class at that, it seems very likely she’s another in that gang from 12,000 years in the past.