So here we are only a week from the close of Kyoukai no Rinne (among other series finales) and I’ve had business travel pop up that was almost literally last-minute.  So basically everything this weekend is going to be a digest post, sadly.  But at least it wasn’t the last week of the season.

Kyoukai no Rinne saved one of its best for almost last – this was one of the funniest episodes of the entire series.  Unfortunately it was also one of the most frustrating, but let’s be honest here: if there were ever a show where you expected no development for the theoretical main couple, this would be it.  The return of Matsugo prompted the most serious Rinne-Mamiya Sakura couple cosplay yet, but it all turned to poop in the end naturally.  Not that Matsugo will be complaining since he’s obviously in love with Rinne himself.

The additional twist is the introduction of Anju (Kugimiya Rie).  She’s a classmate of Matsugo’s who’s hopelessly (and I use that term intentionally) in love with him but to say she’s made no progress is charitable.  After a hilarious sidebar where the uber-baka Ageha tries to give Rinne a stalker choker (and so does Matsugo), Anju turns up during a mixed for high school representatives that Matsugo has engineered an invitation to Rinne for.  It’s Rokumon’s genius idea to have Mamiya Sakura pretend to be Rinne’s girlfriend in order to discourage Matsugo, but sadly the prospect of three 500 Yen charms distracts Rinne from the goal (I guess in the end his priorities are what they are) and Mamiya Sakura overhears him telling Matsugo that one of the things he loves about here is that she loans him money. Oh, well.

There’s a ton of funny stuff here – I mean, I think it’s actually easier to tell when Mamiya Sakura’s mad than a normal person, and Matsugo makes a fine comic supporting character.  Matsugo’s black cat contractor Kuromitsu is also hilarious, so the whole vibe works great.  Sadly, all this Rinne goodness serves as a reminder that we’re only getting one more week of it – this show is going to be missed in a big way.