We actually get some answers this week!
(Spoilers in this review)
Well, emphasis on the word, “some.” It’s a start, nevertheless. I attempt some very bad analysis of what we’re shown here, but you’re better off looking elsewhere for that.
Due to what happened in the previous episode, Iro-senpai has really changed. She’s throwing away some of her paintings (because they take up space) and she’s painting her nails despite claiming not having the right to do so before Cocona and Papika entered Pure Illusion.
Cocona asks ayaka but she isn’t very well informed about the black hole, either. She only warns Cocona to stay away from it.
When they return to FlipFlap, Cocona and Papika demands to hear answers! And they (and we) get a little bit!
Just confirmation for things most viewers have realized or pieced together by now, in other words, but we gotta start somewhere.
The dorky scientist also theorizes that the black hole is to blame for any unusual changes in their world. After hearing this, Cocona is reluctant to go back to Pure Illusion in fear of falling into a black hole and changing things again.
And then for the rest of the episode Cocona finds herself in Pure Illusion with a Papika who keeps changing randomly. Imouto Papika, boy classmate Papika, dark Papika, delinquent Papika, schoolgirl-from-another-school Papika, pretty boy Papika: you name it!
The important part comes when we meet Little Devil (?) Papika. “Is change so bad,” she asks. “No matter how much you change, I’ll always love you. What about you?”
I also thought it was interesting that a fair amount of the Papikas that showed up had romantic implications and interactions with Cocona. The Papika we saw before LDP was a pretty boy Papika, too, which caused Cocona to get flustered.
After Cocona replies that she doesn’t know if she loves Papika, LDP asks, “Why not?” To which Cocona responds, “Because you’re not the Papika I know.”
More about this later.
While Cocona continues her journey to find her Papika, Yayaka founds the fragment and makes the conscious decision to leave Cocona behind.
Suddenly, a black hole opens underneath Cocona! She has no means to escape!
As she drags Cocona to safety, Papika exclaims, “I found my lost Cocona.” Cocona tries to say that Papika was the one who was lost, but she changes her mind and just says she was looking for Papika this entire time.
I thought this was interesting. When I hear that a person is “lost” (but not physically lost), I imagine it as someone who has changed, as someone who isn’t sure about his or her own identity. Yet the one who was lost was Cocona, who was insistent on not changing to the point that she was scared to venture into Pure Illusion and willing to reject all the other Papikas because it’s not her Papika.
I guess this is a message about change isn’t all bad and all, but I’ll keep the analysis at that. I’m not exactly great at this and other blogs that are covering Flip Flapers will inevitably make me sound like a grunting caveman.
Anyways, we get some information about Yayaka and the twins.
Now this makes sense. Think back to the episodes where Yayaka and the twins snatch the fragment before Cocona and Papika. Episode three: they kill-steal the Scanty&Garterbelt knock-off after Cocona and Papika shot a huge cannon at the monster. Episode five: they knew how to escape the loop before Cocona and Papika did, yet they still couldn’t secure the fragment by themselves. Episode 6: they swoop in and steal the fragment once again before Cocona and Papika steal it back and fall into a black hole.
Maybe Yayaka is missing something and, unlike Cocona and Papika, can’t locate fragments by herself. She was, after all, built differently. We still don’t know!
So the twins have a connection to the fragments? Interesting, but we’ll have to wait for more information. Such is the life for fans who watch Flip Flappers!
The organization also threatens to toss out Yayaka if she doesn’t heed to the rules and stay out of authorized areas. Yayaka should just switch sides already.
The episode ends with Cocona and Papika transporting to some bizarre place. A man is typing away at a computer. Papika has a flashback to a woman and man yelling out a woman’s name, “Mimi.” The fragments Cocona and Papika have on hand also start to glow. And the man with the computer has a fragment, too? Mysterious.
Is Mimi holding a baby? Is Mimi Cocona’s mom??
Next week’s episode is titled, “Pure Breaker.” Seems like most of the characters will be parading in swimsuits. I just wanted to point out that the male twin is wearing a school swimsuit, too. Also seems like a new character is introduced, too.
See you next week!
The Lily Garden 