Just how does Sachiko plan to survive Uni without Yumi on-hand?

Continuing Saiunkoku Monogatari with episodes 25-33, this final arc is really heating up. I am more than a little frustrated at how little Shuurei has fought back against Sakujun, but the other characters have been interesting enough even when she is not. The unwravelling plot of the Sa clan --- and I mean unwravelling! --- has managed to be quite captivating, though it never quite reaches the level of intregue I hoped it would.

The third episode of the Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA was absolutely superb! Yumi obtaining and ultimately, with Sachiko's help, handling a stalker was an excellent start, and was almost good enough by itself, but the second half was something else! Sachiko struggling to cope at Hanadera, but managing with Yumi's help, but freaking out when Yumi is abducted. For her to then recognise Yumi in a kigurumi in the distance and ignore all her fears to run to her... that was absolutely amazing viewing! If the remaining two episodes maintain this level, then we are in for something special!

The third episode of Lucky Star was reasonable viewing. I cannot work out what it is that I like about this series, but it has me anyway. It is not overly funny, and nothing really happens. I think it is the otaku-directed conversation that wins me over in the end though, as it is the kind of crazy stuff we do talk about, albeit somewhat exhagerated. Whatever the reason, despite this not being a particularly good series, I cannot seem to stop.

Episode four of CLAYMORE was only reasonable too, though I am currently at a loss as to why it did not seem as good. Perhaps the novelty of the beautiful visuals has worn off on me and I am now left facing a predictable, barely better than average title that I am already way ahead of in the manga. Hopefully the backstory will revive my interest, but it may be that I end up dropping this after all.

Episode 21 of Le Chevalier D'eon was quite good, with the series now rocketing towards an unclear conlcusion. Much of this episode was fairly predictable, though there were just enough surprises to keep it interesting. I was a little disappointed with the visuals though; they seemed to have dropped the ball slightly this time around.

After the brilliant first series, Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma Daini Maku has an awful lot of expectations on in. Thankfully, the first episode seems to meet these. The visuals are still top-rate, and the characters and plot are now merely shifting into a new stage where they will ultimately grow far more interesting. The feel of the series, which was what made the original, is still the same, leaving me rather relieved for the futre.

Episodes 26 and 27 of DEATH NOTE were a little disappointing. As if half an episode of recap was not bad enough, these new opponents for Light are both rather anoying. While the basic direction the story has taken is not all that bad, N and M both need to go as they are mere shadows of L, and are nowhere near as good as he was. I heard this part was where the manga went down hill fast; I think I can see why already.

Despite my better judgement, I watched El Cazador de la Bruja episodes two and three. Things still seem quite sub-rate, and this could even develop to be worse than MADLAX! Despite my knowledge that Bee Train is synonymous with garbage, I still expect there is a good chance I will follow this series anyways, as always, hoping that they will get their act together again. Still, we do not even have an awesome soundtrack to keep up hanging this time, making the series rather of a struggle.

The Super Sailor Moon kit is finally completed now too. The finished product is a reasonable effort --- at least from a distance it looks fine. A closer examination reveals that there are pieces not quite on right, pain scratches and all manner of small flaws in the finish. Still, for a kit that was so far outside my level, the result was actually better than I had feared. Hopefully I have learned something from this now and will do better in future.