Yosuga no Sora 6 (dropped), Zakuro 6

I’ve reached my limit with Yosuga no Sora.

It's not you, Akira. It's the entire show.

We get to the conclusion of the Akira arc. Briefly, there’s confusion over whether maybe Akira and Kazuha were switched at birth. And should anyone bother to find out? Haruka thinks so, because he sees that Akira feels cut off, “unwanted.” So they do the DNA test. Negative, but Kazuha’s mother accepts her, anyway, and it’s all happy. Then Akira and Haruka have sex. Now, I was willing to put up with the fanservice if the story was good. But it isn’t. This is cheap soap-opera material with nice artwork and lush strings playing in the background to try to heighten the poignancy so we feel we’re watching something arty and profound before getting to the sex. I’m embarrassed that it took me this long to figure it out. Next week they’re resetting the story with another girl. Amagami SS does the same thing, only far better.

Otome Youkai Zakuro 6 is mainly talk. There are hints of threat, but they are either memories or hints of what’s to come.

Zakuro has her first cookie.

Much of the talk has to do with the aftermath of the Black Widow affair. We start with Hanadate, who has the decency to be embarrassed by how he handled himself and, to make up for it, offers the Spirit Affairs people cookies. You might say this is a cheap way out, but the spirits have never eaten cookies before. Meanwhile, Zakuro is bothered by the Black Widow’s mentioning her mother but switches moods from withdrawn to joyful by the tiniest things. I honestly don’t know what’s going on with that. Kei later tells Susukihotaru that he believes the joy is forced, but I don’t believe so. Not all of it, anyway. Her reaction to Hanadate’s name and the first taste of a cookie were too spontaneous.

Ganryu feels unworthy of a cookie.

Then there’s the inevitable discussion between Ganryu and the twins. He feels he has let them down, so they proceed to tell him the story of how they were first rescued and taken in by Kushimatsu, where they met Zakuro. The moral being they no longer want to remain hidden in the dark while someone they love is taken away from them, so that’s why they protect Ganryu. I can’t see how this can cheer the boy up. It surely can’t get rid of Ganryu’s sense of failure to protect them, be it from honor or simple male pride.

There are no cookies in eerie flashback scenes.

This thought of returning the favor links to the later conversation between Kei and Susukihotaru. Zakuro’s presence makes Susu’s abilities stronger; she wishes she could do the same for Zakura. In fact, a lot of people want to help Zakura, but her troubles come through memories, nightmares and odd visions where she is being pulled away. She doesn’t understand it, and Kushimatsu won’t tell her. But, for this episode at least, every time it might be brought up something happens. Kei comes to her room, and we think it’s to talk with her, but all he wants to do is get a kite out a tree from her balcony. Later she climbs the tree herself, hears her mother warning her, slips, and Kei catches her, breaking the mood. For this moment, at least, Kei is able to help Zakura.

You know a series is working when they hand you an episode of mostly talk that’s not dull. On the other hand I wish they’d get to the main story they keep hinting at. I’m getting a little tired of the tree climbing dream and the Zakuro walking around in a trance sequences. I think Zakuro is, too.