Dolphin Ring Striker (The Dolphin’s Lovers Contract)
Kyo-Ani really knows how to tug at my heartstrings. After this mellow, happy episode, I myself felt happy too. But trouble is lurking around every corner… So let’s all treasure the peace whilst it lasts!
After this emotional rollercoaster of an episode, I have to say that Chuunibyou Ren is shaping up to be an interesting anime. Of course, Chuunibyou is definitely not the best anime ever made by Kyo-Ani, but… If there’s one thing Kyo-Ani know how to do (and are able to do it very effectively)… It’s to make you cry (both tears of laughter and sadness). Once again, that ability shines through in Chuunibyou Ren. Episode 2 was certainly a happy episode to watch and made me laugh (and cry), but you just knew that something malicious was lurking around the corner… So, what next?
Well, let’s focus on the possibilities of “what’s next” later. It seems that we aren’t the only ones curious about Yuuta and Rikka’s home life: Kumin and Nibutani are certainly intrigued too… Even Sanae, although she does seem pretty upset and bothered by the fact her best friend is living with such a creepy pervert. I mean, who wouldn’t be bothered by that? I can understand why Sanae is so bothered by it, because now the episodes are going to mainly be focused on Yuuta and Rikka, so those two are always going to be together. Maybe Sanae’s jealous that Yuuta is stealing Rikka from her? It certainly sounds like something Sanae would be jealous over, but let’s face it: Sanae and Rikka have a special kind of friendship that no one could ever break. Nor… Would they even try to break: They’re just insane, living in their own world… Anyway, it does seem like Yuuta and Rikka’s relationship has only been sunshine and rainbows, so where’s the action and drama?!
Well, after some creepy stalker-like behaviour from Nibutani, Sanae and Kumin as they follow the couple around a local supermarket… It seems that the couple really do lack the romance in their relationship. Hence why Nibutani makes it her mission to change this! Nibutani calls some help from the romance expert: Kazari Kannagi! The wise love guru decides to set the couple on a date… Despite the fact it was completely against Yuuta’s will, Rikka seems happy to go along. And what Kazari said seems to be right, from what we can see: “Girls always wait for boys to make the first move”, and it seems that Rikka was growing a little bit impatient with Yuuta. Rikka’s always had trouble conveying her emotions, so I can only begin to imagine the frustration she’s feeling with Yuuta because he still hasn’t even held hands with her! … Yet he always manages to humour her with his “Dark Flame Master” antics.
Anyway, Yuuta decides to take Rikka to the aquarium where they… Actually manage to hold hands! Ahh, they’re just such a sweet couple. Despite Rikka’s chuunibyou tendencies, Yuuta manages to go along with them and actually enjoys it. The pair are such an unlikely couple, but seem to get along well… Mainly because of their chuunibyou, hehe. There’s hope for you poor old chuunibyou kids after all! After a long day at the aquarium, having fun and etc, the couple certainly seem to have grown closer as the day went on. Rikka… Finally manages to tell us that she’s unsure on what couples are supposed to do. Are they all supposed to kiss, hold hands… Do… Romantic things? Rikka’s unsure, and I think she’s mainly unsure on what to do because of her chuunibyou. She seems too immature (and I mean that in the nicest way possible) to know how to convey her feelings, or to… Actually divert her focus off of her childlike fantasies in her imaginary world onto other things that make her happy, because let’s face it, she can’t stay the way she is forever. Yuuta manages to understand though, and maybe that’s what made him tell Nibutani in the end they don’t need to change their relationship: They’re both good friends and are happy with how things are at the moment. Change will need to come soon, yes, but for now, things are okay so they don’t need to.
But little did they know, that change is coming round the corner… Right before their very eyes. Remember at the beginning of the episode when Nibutani said how someone moved in Rikka’s old flat… Well, as Rikka went and stood out on the balcony, I’m sure everyone who watched the original Chuunibyou had an almost dé ja vu moment… As a young girl lowered onto the fence of Rikka and Yuuta’s balcony by a little rope, clad in gothic clothing and the like… You begin to imagine the old scene in Chuunibyou where Rikka first met Yuuta, and his whole life changed dramatically… So… Who is this girl?! What is she going to do?! It’s also very convenient how Nibutani said right at that very moment… “If you keep waiting, someone is going to come between your love”… No! No one can break apart Rikka and Yuuta! Nooo! ;~;
What can I say, though? As I recovered after the episode with a box of tissues to wipe my tears, I can only say this… Who was that girl?!
