In this episode, we get some rushed backstories as well as magical girls who hallucinate about the dead!
(Spoilers in this review)
The episode opens by showing us Cranberry’s backstory. As a young magical girl, the magical beast that was summoned for a test went berserk. All the other magical girls, as well as Fav’s Master, dies as a result. Cranberry, however, manages to beat said monster. In the process, she becomes Fav’s new Master and she develops a love for fighting strong opponents.
Episode 1 showed an abridged version of this as the opening scene, too, by the way. I had never put two and two together and realize that this was Cranberry’s past. Oops!
Incoming: large image dump of Cranberry’s past.
Fav’s nonchalant “oh, the demon has gone berserk” as well as his commenting that he’s “grown born of these dull exams” makes me think he caused this mishap to happen. At the very least, it doesn’t seem like he’d be against Cranberry’s motive of rigging the exams so she finds strong opponents, so the two were basically partners-in-crime.
After the OP plays, we jump back to Cranberry’s fight against Swim Swim and Tama. The pincer attacks because Tama tripped over a branch, so Swim Swim was left to attack Cranberry by herself. However, Cranberry reveals that Swim Swim’s ability of phasing through objects has a weakness.
Incoming: large image dump of Cranberry’s fight with Swim Swim.
I’m not exactly sure why Swim Swim didn’t swing with the hand that was holding the halberd since both of Cranberry’s hands were preoccupied. Then again, Cranberry was sort of in Swim Swim’s dead zone (the agony of melee weapons with extended reach). Maybe she could have dropped the weapon and started swinging towards Cranberry? I digress.
So Cranberry reveals the weakness of Swim Swim’s ability, for which I’m glad. Things have to have a weakness in my world! As she walks over to Swim Swim, who was blown away by sound blasts (?), Cranberry mocks her, only to stop short when Swim Swim is a child. Does she have a soft spot for kids?
And then Tama comes to Swim Swim’s rescue with THE BIG PLAYS. We all believed in you, Tama! Her ability sent Cranberry’s upper body to the pits!
Loli is saved, murderous mastermind is dead, and the total number of magical girls are now down to 4 so the elimination game is complete. It’s all over now, right?
While Tama dies of a slit throat, we get a flashback explaining her life. She was a good-for-nothing that was mediocre in everything to the point that her own mother and brother were ashamed to be associated with her. She did get along with her grandmother, who loved Tama because she was so kind. Of course that means the one person who understood Tama had to die, leaving Tama all alone with no one to talk to.
It’s while she was in this mindset that she decided to play the game. She earnestly wanted to be a magical girl to escape from her current life. Tama was that desperate. ;_;
And when she did become a magical girl, she was so happy. Tama didn’t even mind being Ruler’s underling (and made her look like a big softie). From what I’ve heard from one of my dear readers, Ruler’s characterization was basically skipped and she wasn’t a heartless tyrant the entire time. I wouldn’t have minded seeing Ruler act like this.
Then we jump back to Tama bleeding out. You did nothing wrong, Tama. You did nothing wrong.
Oh, and Swim Swim is shown feeling bad about her murder of the sweetest magical girl and tries to justify her ruthless actions.
With the death of Cranberry, Fav is in need of a new Master. While trying to bait Swim Swim by dangling questions in front o her, Fav makes a request to Swim Swim to become his new Master. She ends up accepting when he mentions that the Master is the most important magical girl. However, she proceeds to treat Fav with no respect, such as closing the device while he’s talking, which made me laugh a little.
While Fav makes the announcements, we get to see how Swim Swim and Ripple are spending their time. Swim Swim is just sitting in the bloody temple, all alone while cleaning her halberd. Meanwhile, Ripple seems to have retreated her apartment. The mail has accumulated, showing that she hasn’t really bothered to do even the minor daily things. Fav continues to get no respect from Swim Swim, who shuts him up in order to focus on her homework.
The weekly eyecatches:
The second half of the episode has the three remaining magical girls basically hallucinate about their partners / role models.
We really get to see Top Speed act like a true magical girl during these hallucinations. Well, her freaking out after Nemurin’s death was more like a stylized flashback.
A common trend in this episode, nay, this series, is that girls who don’t deserve to die end up dying. Of course, there’s scumbags like Calamity Mary who kick the bucket, too, but the good girls make bigger impressions, I guess?
At any rate, the hallucination causes Ripple to pull out the magical device to contact someone.
Incoming: large image dump of ghost Top Speed.
Meanwhile, Snow White is hallucinating about La Pucelle and ends up thinking about Sister Nana and Hardgore Alice. She even spends an entire day wondering why she’s the one who survived. And then she notices that Ripple contacted her.
Ripple asks if Snow White has any information on Swim Swim because she intends on murdering her in order to avenge her friend (Top Speed, who Ripple fails to mention to SW).
Snow White tries to reason with her, telling her that with the elimination game finished, killing Swim Swim would just make Ripple a murderer instead of a magical girl. However, she’s insistent on revenge so Snow White’s words won’t reach Ripple.
Fav then butts in and says he can restart the elimination game and that Swim Swim’s weaknesses are sound and light. He doesn’t go into more detail, but Ripple thanks him and runs off.
SW asks Fav why he would enable Ripple to fight Swim Swim, to which he responds that people like her won’t stop and that all you can do is give her a supportive push. Yeah, right, Fav. You’re probably just bad that a seven year-old girl gives you the cold shoulder so you’re hoping she dies and you get a nicer Master.
Swim Swim gets another hallucination about Ruler. I ain’t about to put another screenshot of that. But she gets it in her head that she could potentially make Ripple her subject by show of force. Of course, the audience knows that this is impossible since Ripple hates her guts. So why did Fav bring up the fact that Ripple wants to meet with while talking about making Ripple her subject? The two girls are going to be entering this meeting with two very different mindsets and Swim Swim is going to be at a disadvantage. To her, this is a chance to recruit Ripple as a subject. For Ripple, this is a chance to avenge Top Speed.
The episode ends with Ripple having another hallucination about Top Speed. However, it might not just be a hallucination as Top Speed thanks Ripple for carrying her body to their apartment. How did Ripple know where Top Speed lived?
The background during these scenes were pretty. It looks like Ripple did remember to pick up Calamity Mary’s magical bag, too.
Also, do you all recognize the fountain? Ripple and Top Speed went and checked up on this one fountain that lights up during episode seven. Ripple was grumbling about how Top Speed woke her up for this, but the memory seems to have stuck with her. Said fountain also seemed to work as a romantic site for lovers, so hm…well, that’s just my yuri googles talking!
The final, final scene of the episode shows Ripple transforming into a magical girl. You know, for a magical girl series, we’ve really gotten very little transformation scenes.
Incoming: large image dump of transformation scene.
Next week’s episode title is, “File Not Found.” I do not like the sound of this. I want to hope Ripple gives Swim Swim the business, but it didn’t really seem like she figured out what Fav meant by light and sound. It’s possible that there’s going to be a mutual kill and Snow White will be the last one standing. The only one who didn’t get involved with murdering other magical girls wins …at a great price? Hm.
See you next week!
The Lily Garden 
I don’t have complaints this time. This episode was good.
I like the three parallel development, Swin Swin who remain the same, Snow White who forced herself to accept reality and move forward and Ripple who look back and regret. I especially like that Snow was looking at that Cutie Healer doll.
Snow’s PTSD is still tame, especially her face in the anime, but hey at least they showed. Also I am thinking they left out how angry she was at Fav for next episode. Well not the first time she was frustrated at Fav.
Also Snow White is now winning the death game by doing nothing more than good deeds, running, being lucky and being traumatized left and right. That’s like a near perfect victory over Cranberry’s belief.
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Mmm. Parallels are always nice. I did notice she was staring at that doll, but I wasn’t aware of the significance of that. Interesting.
Yeah, the studio made an effort, but it was barely a step above what they’ve been doing. But they tried, yeah.
Haha that’s a very good point. It makes Cranberry’s philosophy sound silly. How ironic she got done in by the weakest magical girl how amusing another weak magical girl is basically set to win just by acting like a magical girl should act. It’s too bad that other girls who shouldn’t have died did die, but that’s how things are.
Will she call out Fav next episode? Yelling Snow White is something I can fully support.
Thanks for dropping by as usual. This series has been a wild ride and I’m glad you were here to talk about it with Alane and me.
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Nothing that significance,just a nod to world building…….
That doll was given to her by Souta and probably a favorite magical girl anime for both of them.
They even put in anime original scenes with Ripple PTSD, so it’s not like they can’t. They actually implied that Snow was thinking the whole day so it’s not like they skipped anything. In fact they do a lot better about Snow at this episode compare to earlier things. I wished they put in the same kind of implications for her in other episodes. Oh well what’s done is done, so I am hoping they animated SWRP as an ova or something for Snow white.
How ironic it was for Swin Swin to write the word “Friend” in her homework after killing Tama. There were a lot of irony haha.
Snow White actually cracked her phone right after Ripple left.
Same, I enjoy both of your reviews.
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Ohh, I had forgotten about that. Good catch!
Yeah, I guess they just plain ol’ messed up. This time wasn’t as bad as the others, I agree, but yeah. It was glossed over in the previous episodes for sure.
Somehow SW ended up got the short end of the stick compared to Ripple and Swim Swim in terms of character portrayal. An OVA would be nice!
Wow, I went back to see and you’re right. The irony is too much hahaha.
I wish they would have kept that scene in. What a shame.
I’m glad to hear it!
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“I’m not exactly sure why Swim Swim didn’t swing with the hand that was holding the halberd since both of Cranberry’s hands were preoccupied. ”
^^^This, so much this
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Yeahhh I guess Swim Swim wanted to hear what Cranberry had to say!
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I would have liked something more than wanting to fight strong opponents. Anime uses this motive a lot for villains who are just kind of merciless and while it works well enough it isn’t particularly satisfying.
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Yeah, it was a real lackluster explanation that I’m a little sick of seeing. We didn’t even get her thoughts as to why she thinks like that after her backstory incident. It went directly from “I kill demon -> wow, I have to fight strong opponents!”
Oh, well, we’ll just have to see if the show can finish strong.
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TAMA T_____T I was so saddened by this ep that I moped around for a while like a slug. Perhaps more so than usual. Thanks for believing in her. She was so cool. ruler scene for me was fave awww
Good catch on v first flashback. I totally forgot about it. Also the bag
Haha in hindsight Swim Swim giving the cold shoulder to Fav IS pretty funny x) she’s like yea I am leader but not that kind of leader you can’t tell me what to do
Unexpected Ripple x Top Speed pairing?! I can see it!
Hmmm the other scenes of transformation were pretty quick and didn’t entail all of this now that I think about it. Preparation for the final showdown?
Light and sound make so much sense for water I think. If Magicaloid was around she could zap swim swim with a laser provided she got it. Idk how Ripple would attack though. Perhaps the bag might contain a CM weapon which Ripple can use with her accuracy
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Than usual after watching this series*
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Yeah, the episode got to me, too ;___;
Tama shined like a star for this one scene. It’s just too bad that Swim Swim is so ruthless. I’m pretty sure we were cheering for Swim Swim early on after she backstabbed Ruler, but now it’s hard to root for her haha.
Yeah i think Nanaya mentioned how Ruler’s characterization was cut, so we didn’t get to see Ruler act like this. It’s a shame that happened :c
It was a good scene.
Ah, I only remembered when the episode started with said scene. I had forgotten about it until then. The bag was always on my mind, though. We’re getting charged $0.10 for paper bags in grocery stores now so I pay attention to bags! Just kidding.
Yeaaah it was something to snicker at in an otherwise sad episode. Swim Swim doesn’t take crap from anyoneeee.
I’m always pushing for those ships! I really liked seeing Top Speed lecture Ripple. Ripple would usually have clicked her tongue, but she tried her best to listen. Too bad it’s too late for their forbidden love!
Mmm I guess so. This gon be good. Swim Swim’s fight have been really dependent on her lackeys for the most part and now she’s all alone. Coupled with the fact that Ripple might have an idea of how to get past her defenses and the battle should be pretty good. Her weaknesses do make sense, too!
Yeah, but Ripple doesn’t seem to be the type to resort to asking Magicaloid for help (she seems poor and she’s a prideful girl). Hmm it is an interesting what-if, though.
I’m trying to think of anything Ripple has interacted with that she can use to overpower Swim Swim, but I am also drawing a blank. Maybe one of CM’s grenades? She had used the things twice (against Alice and then against Ripple herself). Hmmmmm
Thanks for dropping by!
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Oh this is troo. Those were the days we were more innocent about Swim Swim. O ya, now that you mention it, she did. :c That’s sad. But I guess like Cranberry’s compressed scene it helped you interpre the show in a certain way?
It’s okay. Their love is more tragic this way. Plus it somehow got Ripple to do a magical girl transformation sequence. xD
Haha, infinite CM grenades are actually hiding in the bag. x3
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We didn’t know! We were fooledddd
Mmm. Ruler was certainly a flawed girl, but she wasn’t as bad as, say, Calamity Mary. It is a shame ;__;
I think it did. It’s definitely showing the viewers that the producer of the anime has read the source material and is trying to hint at things or make things more explicit. In that regard, however, they’ve kind of messed up in showing SW’s despair, yet they’ve given these excellent anime original scenes of Ripple. Hmm.
Tragic love is beautiful, too. Yessss, for a magical girl show we’ve gotten very few transformation scenes. Perhaps they didn’t want to rush through episodes even more than what they’re currently doing?
That’ll be something. Let’s hope you actually have a plan, Ripple!
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O do you know if the other tranformation clips of SW were also original anime? :0 now i’m curious.
Turhur. idk. maybe there’s a fast mode and a slow mode. But ya. If we had a transformation every ep it might um make us take it less seriously. I think the two they did were timed well.
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Hmmm you’d have to ask Nanaya about that. Probably was!
Heh. They gave the two transformations to the OTP that was shown in the OP! Just kidding. J agree. Magical girl transformations get repetitive after a while. They did it right!
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