So while the action in this series may not be the best of this season, it still was very good in this episode. It’s a simple show, it does suffer from the “let’s all talk casually while we’re in the middle of a fight”-syndrome, and the cast is full of hot headed characters, but they have really developed some charms at this point. That’s what made this episode work, although the animation did get quite good near the end of this episode. Especially that ghoul was well animated.
Also, it might actually help for the entire cast to be full of hotheads: this way Rin doesn’t have to be the only one there, and can actually show off a bit more of himself. This episode probably showed him at his most versatile we’ve seen him so far thanks to that girl having issues.
The evil teacher should probably be the first spice to get the story going again. I’m especially intrigued as why he found it a good idea to: 1) Showing his face to Rin and 2) Afterwards finding it a good idea to just casually pop up next to Yukio. One criticism would be that this show lacks variety: we pretty much have three characters with the exact same goals: kill a demon who slaughtered some family members. I mean, it’s much better than just wanting to be the best and all, but they could have at least done something to not make their back-stories exactly the same?
Also, what is up with that hood guy? Has he actually done… anything at this point? I mean, he’s just there. He sits, but never talks or even acts.Comparing him to an elephant in the room is a bit much of course, but it’s still really weird that after eight episodes, he has done absolutely nothing.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
You just need to wait a little longer of the characters who did nothing so far. After all, you’re a genre savvy guy, aren’t you?
Some of the students in the class will have their roles in the future. The manga is not bad but the publication rate is slow, monthly I think, and there are not so many arcs out yet so I don’t think I will like this series final. It will either be “Original” or they will simply stop and hope for another season, and we know how that ends most of the time.
Actually, I didn’t see the “let’s all talk casually while we’re in the middle of a fight”-syndrome.” The only chatty part was Rin and the teacher and Bon and the others. For Bon and the others, it’s not like they were in actual combat either. They were more like trying to plan because the barricade won’t last long.
Very nice episode .. had two surprises for me .. first Shimei actually not being a damsel in distress and having quite a powerful tree barrier that kept the ghoul trapped until the rest formulated a plan and executed it .. pretty impressive really and surprised me.
Second .. the whole thing turning out to be an exam .. an extreme one that is .. i thought it was that tamer teacher acting on his own or by orders from the principle (who is clearly connected with Gehenna) … but for it to be an exam .. i wasn’t expecting that (or maybe they used the exam to cover the actual Rin murder attempt).