Tegami Bachi REVERSE – 11

Alternatively titled “Connor gets owned”

Studying a lot means staying inside, and that makes me extremely restless. I’m a really athletic person (probably the last thing you’d expect to hear from a crazy anime blogger) so if I don’t get my daily exercise I go stir crazy. It’s like if you don’t take your pet for a walk and then it goes nuts. Except maybe cats. Or iguanas. Do iguanas need walks? Anyways, today’s post is brought to you by not being able to sleep! =D

Things ramp up exponentially later on, but the episode starts off on a dull note. Largo Lloyd (I like the way his full name sounds) and Aria are wondering why Connor, Lag and Zaji haven’t reported at their designated delivery towns by now. Despite missing 3 of their Bees and coming to the conclusion that Reverse is planning something in the North, they don’t seem to be rushing to send someone off to save them. There’s a “woosh” by the window that sounds like Niche though, so that just may be their answer for a good scout.

Back in Lament, Sunny is baking some last minute cookies. Because, of course, she has to do her goddamned slave labour job before she sacrifices herself to a massive dragonfly monster. To make matters worse, some nun waltzes in and tells her to put poison (lol, I thought it was weed) into her cookies to kill one of the Bees. The evil nun reports back to none other than Garrard and his dingo. DUN DUN DUUUN!

Pigtails somehow make her prettier AND not chubby

As Zaji wonders if Lag and Connor will be okay, aforementioned fatty is slacking off and denying the existence of Reverse in Lament. Even Gus can’t handle his BS and has to walk away. At least Connor has the decency to run after his dog. Even though Lag had to dress up just to get into the Abbey, Connor is able to just sort of…walk in…during the commotion. Connor’s exploration is cut short when the girl of his dreams rushes up to him and presses a blade against his neck.

Stunned and a little aroused, Connor manages to be let off the hook as Roda takes off. Lala…I mean…Lag…quickly explains everything to Connor, who is still in a bit of denial. As much as I’m sure Connor would like to further question Lag about his state of dress, they have to get a move on since THE CHURCH IS COLLAPSING. Courtesy of Garrard, they have to jet towards the exit, almost giving Connor a heart attack. Lag is in much better shape, and chases after Roda – leaving Connor behind XD

Sunny finds Connor’s body and somehow drags him to the town square to talk to him. Something is odd though, she’s not her cheery self. “Well, whatever, that bitch has muh cookies” Connor thinks to himself as he chows down. A few bites later and he’s out cold, courtesy of whatever Sunny slipped into his munchies. She takes this as an ample opportunity to play her entire life story in her head.

I hope you like them, they’re arsenic-flavoured.

Sunny was orphaned outside of the Abbey’s doors, so she doesn’t know what a real family is like. What she does know is how to be quiet and pretend she’s happy being poor and starved, while more fortunate children with homes and families have all they want. She has an all-around miserable time, basically. Her hopes aren’t even raised when Reverse comes and offers them food and all the help they need. The only thing in her life that gave her anything fulfilling would be Connor praising her cookies. Wow..did no one else really ever compliment her cookies before? Business must suck.  Oh well, it works out in the end.

Back at the hill, Lag is face to face with Roda. Even without his gun and clad in a dress – Lag tries to fight. This is obviously suicide, and Lag can’t die quite yet, so he’s saved by Zaji. Flirty dialogue and manhandling aside, Zaji announces that he is back to protect Lag while his dingo sends the report to Yuusari. His help is much needed, as Zaji fires a precisely aimed aotoge to hit Lag’s shindanjuu out of Roda’s hand. It’s two versus one now!

K…k…koneko-chan?!?!

Roda doesn’t end up blabbing about Reverse’s secret plan. Awww, maybe next time. For now, a giant dragonfly is overhead, and he’s about to be snatching all your nuns up. Lag is all fired up to save them, but is stopped by Noir. They have a plan to destroy the light of the capital, and they need to make the Cabernet grow big and strong from all those hearts first. There’s no way they’d let some brat in a dress ruin that.

Lag wants to use this opportunity to fire his letter bullet…but Roda stole it! Oh noes, now what?! Zaji flashes a trademark smirk and whips up a scheme on the spot.  Zaji’s well-aimed aotoge shots (and a new, awesome, blue thorn rain attack) gives Lag all the time he needs to get the job done and fire a heartfelt akabari shot straight at Noir. It hits! Oh, how I would’ve bawwed if it missed. Just like the gunsmith said, Noir is able to see Lag’s heart with this shot in a series of flashbacks of their time together. Did it…work?

The Cabernet lets loose a bunch of heart-sapping tendrils to drain all the nuns – including Sunny. By now, Connor has awoken from his slumber and done his best to make it to the hill in time. Based on the letter Sunny wrote him, it was just sleeping potion in his cookies so that he wouldn’t get hurt as she willingly sacrificed herself. She poured her heart into that letter, telling him the hope and love Connor finally brought into her empty life. As the words of Sunny’s love confession ring in the air from the letter, Connor comes across her lifeless body. It’s too late.

TT^TT

Free cookies:

Tentacle rape? In MY Tegami Bachi? It’s more likely than you think.

“LAG, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR PANTS CLASHING WITH YOUR SHAWL”

Lag…stop making it look like Zaji’s trying to rape you…

Sunny…you’re not supposed to cover your eyes when you do the “nya” cat thing…

End Thoughts: This episode even trumps the last episode! Zomg! Tegami Bachi is really getting good now! As per usual, the timing of the flashbacks is expertly placed within the action. Sunny’s past was actually touching, mostly because Connor was so unaware of her presence, let alone her suffering, until now. The conversations they had were trivial at best (“I make these cookies” “DID YOU MAKE THESE COOKIES?” lol, Connor), but they somehow created a very strong bond through these short meetings. Connor was running after the wrong girl all this time, when Sunny was right in front of him. It’s funny how a relationship between a shopkeeper and a customer can be deep without being cheesey.

Let’s not forget Noir’s flashback too, which is brief but powerful. The way the episode ends without 100% confirming if Noir has regained his memories (he only said “Lag…” you don’t know if he’s gonna actually quit Reverse just because he remembers that) is a torturous ending…but torturous in the way that it makes you excited for the next episode. =D  The mix of Sunny, Connor and Noir drama really made this episode wonderful. Throw in some Zaji to make me happy, and you’ve got an impressive 20 minutes or so of anime.

I really love how the shindan shots look in the anime. I mean, they look good in the manga, but seeing them in colour just makes it so much more fierce. ESPECIALLY, Zaji’s aotoge. So badass, ahhh~ I know the show isn’t famous for it’s action, but I like whenever the Bees get down to business. Lag is a great Bee, but without Niche he’s a little weak in the combat department. I like seeing him get back-up, and want to see Connor get fired up soon as well! You would think someone who carries mines everywhere he goes would be a little more inclined to use them =.=

Preview: This week’s preview is very vague, so I will be vague too. Roda still looks like she’s trying to stop Lag, and more Gaichuu appear. The fight continues! I shall see you then~