Aaand we’re back to regular Schoolgirl Strikers after last week’s episode. Well, episode 8 did have a lot of stuff going on so I guess a breather episode was to be expected. What’s different from the series’ usual lighthearted episodes is the inclusion of the Origami sisters. Tsubame also finally recovers her memories!
(Spoilers in this review)
So somehow the Origami sisters found a cheap apartment to live in. However, the place doesn’t have a bathtub and so the three girls wash their hair in the sink. I mean, if they can’t afford a place with a bathtub, that means they probably can’t afford to go to daily dips in an onsen or public bathhouse, either. Is this what Ema from Shirobako does to keep herself clean? Being a key animator is suffering.
The reason why they’re trying to keep up appearances? Why, it’s because they’re transferring into the school! Seems like Tierra-sensei pulled some strings to make this happen. Wait, since Akara is the oldest sister, that means the girls in Altair Torte are 2nd years at least…? What a surprise. I thought they were 1st years judging from their behavior (and voices).
Meanwhile, Tsubame relaxes at home, thinking about their encounter with Morgana. It must be nice to be able to skip out on school like that, Tsbuame.
As the girls eat dinner together, Mana says she’s overjoyed that the Origami sisters have enrolled into the academy and wants to befriend them. The others try to encourage Tsubame to enroll into the school, too.
Akara gets fed up with Mana’s nosiness and starts to leave, but Yumi catches her attention by saying that she knows a place where she can get a part-time job. Akara, you see, is trying to get money so she and her little sisters can actually eat decent meals.
The place Yumi had in mind was a restaurant a lot of the members from Fifth Force frequent (and where at least two members work as waitresses). Amane, however, is still quite upset over her team’s spectacular defeat to the Origami sisters.
Meanwhile, Tsubame falls asleep and has the same dream again. You know, the one where she imagines seeing all her friends wiped out due to some giant girl golem. However, she now can notice that Morgana is controlling said giant (and is thus responsible). Upon waking up, Tsubame realizes that this isn’t a mere dream but her memories. Tsubame came from an alternate world where Morgana beat up her friends!
Upon seeing Akara enter the restaurant, Salty Amane challenges Akara to a duel after promising Akara that she’ll receive 10 bags of rice for free. Amane decides to accept the offer (because food is food).
The girls head into the simulation room and use it without asking Tierra-sensei’s permission (since she was out and about). Tsubame seems to have been restless because she was wandering around outside of the house and came into the simulation room. After noticing the girls are inside the thing, she goes insides and tells them they’ll get in trouble. Unfortunately, Amane is insistent on competing with Akara.
The battle ends in a tie (the girls were competing over total killcount against O’bli) and both of them acknowledge each other’s strengths. Everyone else, excluding Tsubame, weeps over how youth and friendship has triumphed.
Tierra-sensei then interrupts this touching moment and makes the girls scrub the simulation room as punishment. The other girls tell Akara that she can leave and the rich girl hands her a couple of bento boxes and several bags of instant rice, it seems.
After the girls are all done scrubbing down the simulation room, the rest of Altaire Torte apologizes to Tsubame, who had tried to stop them from having a duel without permission. Tsubame starts laughing while crying, which freaks the girls out. The camera focuses on Io’s distraught face as she watches Tsubame make an excuse in order to head back to the simulation room. This must be the actual ship and Mana seems to have drawn the short end of the stick when it comes to lovers since Io has eyes for Tsubame and Akara seems closer to Amane instead.
Tsubame and Tierra-sensei then have a little chat inside the simulation room. Tierra-sensei wonders where this world’s Tsubame went if the Tsubame we know comes from another world. She also decides that Tsubame must be special and will be important in the fight against Morgana, who also seems to have come from another world. Before they part ways, Tierra-sensei hands Tsubame a packet containing documents concerning transferring into the academy. Whenever Tsubame wants to, she can transfer in, no problem. Tierra sure can pull some strings, huh? Tsubame will either join the school at the end or she’ll die or she’ll come back to her original world. Calling it now, folks!
The episode ends with a short scene showing the bountiful harvest Akara received from the rich girl. Bottoms up for the broke girls!
Overall, I feel this episode was not that funny, which is kind of a problem when you have a breather episode since things seem a little boring as a result. Still, it wasn’t a bad breather episode since it was much more low-key after last week’s episode.
I found myself missing hammy Odile, though. Apparently the next episode focuses on her, so yay! Hopefully it isn’t another breather episode. After all, this show will only roll for 13 episodes so the ending is coming! I’m just worried that the show will get incredibly rushed if they continue using breather episodes, but they can probably afford to do a bit more as they throw in little reveals every week.
The Lily Garden 