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This episode, we’re introduced to a possibly reoccurring character named Ai Kamiyo, who has a particularly unfortunate fate…
Content
So, this episode begins with Keitarou meeting his new student. A Gyaru named Ai Kamiyo. She seems to be completely unlucky, tripping on seemingly nothing and getting water dumped on her in restaurants; but Keitarou quickly notices a few things about Ai. Firstly, she’s a horrible student. Secondly, there’s something following her.
Well, not knowing what to do, Keitarou brings Ai to Yayoi. Yayoi is very happy, because Keitarou practically just brought her a spirit. Yayoi instantly determines there are two spirits following her, and performs a small ritual to trap one of them. Things seemingly go well.
That night, Keitarou is visited by the spirit in his dream and asked to keep Ai safe. He is confused, but is woken by Yayoi calling him on the phone, saying that the doll they used to capture the spirit is being choked. As you’ll recall, dolls that have pieces of certain people; hair, nail clippings, etc — are used to keep those people safe. Instead of harm coming to the person, it’ll instead go to the doll. Meaning, Ai is getting choked right now, and they need to hurry and get over there before things get worse.
When Keitarou and Yayoi arrive, Ai is being attacked by the ghost of her dead brother. They banish the spirit, and Ai is emotional, thinking that her dead brother was the one causing her harm. Let me clarify: The spirit they caught in the doll was not the dead brother. The dead brother was, however, choking Ai.
Yayoi and Keitarou come to the realization that a symbol in Ai’s eyes are missing. Keitarou initially thought they were contacts, but he learns that it’s something far more sinister. Ai offhandedly mentions that she doesn’t understand why her brother would want her dead if she’ll just die in four years anyway; and we learn that a God, possibly one of the strongest spirits there is, will be murdering Ai on her 20th birthday and taking her as his wife.
The episode ends on a somber note when we realize that her brother was trying to save her from that fate; and her “betrothed” is a merciless and dangerous being to deal with. It’s the one that came to Keitarou in that dream, and has broken out of the doll by killing all of the spirits Yayoi had collected in her room.
Opinions / Analysis
I absolutely loved this episode, it might be one of my favorites in a long time. There were no random things Yayoi pulled out; just a really well-written plot that deviated from the normal tropey episode.
Ai is a really cool character, and I’m hoping this arc has a few episodes under its belt, because WOW. It blew me away. I much prefer Ai as a female lead than Eiko, she’s got more personality to her. Eiko is so bland, she’s not even a yandere at this point.
