This episode was slow. A bit too slow, if you ask me, and needlessly drawn out, so that the next episode would be able to feature a big fight. As the end of the episode draws closer, this becomes more and more apparent. And I actually like slow episodes usually, but this one just didn’t fall right for me.

One of these reasons for this was that it completely wrecked one of the major reasons why I liked this series: the fact that everything made sense. With only one or two exceptions, events happened in Claymore because they had to happen, and it was completely logical for these events to happen, with no apparent signs of predictability whatsoever. And then it comes with this.

First of all, how often do you see people arguing about a stranger they met, TEN friggin’ days ago?! And how often does that happen with Claire in the neighbourhood? Furthermore, why did Claire chose the perfect timing to visit a town, at the exact moment when four claymores were slaughtered by an organized team of awakened beings?

Raki is also more stupid than I originally thought. You’d think he’d pick a landmark that was easy for both of them to find, and yet we see him now, wandering in the middle of nowhere. Doesn’t he want to meet Claire, no matter what? And what was that about Youma, not usually being in groups? This isn’t the first time we’ve seen groups of Youma together. And don’t you just love it that these Youma tell their strategy before it even worked?

Anyway, I liked how we finally get to see the people who control the organization. Now all that’s needed is some development for these guys. Galatea also gets sent to go after Claire, seeing as it’s been three months after the previous episode (now that I write this, it doesn’t make sense, actually. When Raki talked to the couple, he was supposed to be covered in wounds, but at that point, he already was supposed to have run for more than two months and two weeks. That’s more than enough time to heal these kinds of wounds).

And I was wrong with my prediction at the previous episode, since it seems that this episode introduces two villains who probably don’t have anything to do with Priscilla. They’re also quite full of themselves, and they actually are confident to think they’ll be able to beat the top Claymores combined. Obviously, they’re not, since Claire is going to beat them, but the matter of an organized group of awakened beings does have potential.

Also, we finally know a bit more about the two Goddesses, It seems that the name of the second god is Teresa, alongside Claire. I now understand why Teresa chose the name of Claire.

Okay, next episode should prove to be more exciting. Claymore: surprise me!!!

And so, Bokura no has stopped being a case-based series, and it’s currently on its way to develop its storyline. While the main theme of the first half of the series focused on children, saying goodbye to their lives, this episode showed that the main theme of the second half will be: saving the children. Personally, I really like this, and it’s definitely one of the most realistic directions that could have been chosen Out of all the series to have come out in the spring-season, I have to say that Bokura no is the most realistic one.

One thing, though, is that it’s going to be much more difficult to follow this series due to the complex dialogue that was used by the adults. The children’s language is pretty easy to figure out, though these adults use lots of big words.

The question that remains now, though, is whether the director will pull a Mai-Hime ending or not. At least the children won’t be saved with the help of magic, and I’d actually love to see the final children saved, but if the director really wants to save every child, it’s going to need a lot of development. At least this episode made a good start. ^^

Also, is there a reason why Tanaka never really started to investigate about Ushiro’s mother? At least, that’s what I understood from this episode. Kana keeps impatiently asking Takana how progress is going, but Takana lies to her every time. Did she perhaps find out something she didn’t want Kana to know?

One thing I loved, by the way, was how Kanji manages to keep the entire group together, and yet he’s incredibly cold towards his mother, due to the fact that she’s continuously busy with her job of researching Zearth. It’s interesting how his mother has still feelings for him, and something tells me that she can’t see that Kanji needs more attention.

Kirie’s role was very surprising. Even though he’s the next pilot, we don’t really get to know him, and his most important role was as a victim. He had the most priority to be saved. I really can’t wait to see him as a pilot, because I feel that almost everyone has the most pity for him.

And I’m really in love with the new ED. Unlike the OP and the previous ED, it needs a bit of time to get used to, but it closes off an episode perfectly The overall background music also is as good as ever, and even though the art isn’t as flashy as with the other anime, I love the realistic look.

And finally, can someone PLEASE tell me what that cliff-hanger in the end meant? I can understand a bit of Japanese, but my kanji is horrible. -_-