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Wasn't expecting that from Zetsuen no Tempest. A pleasant surprise indeed.

One could potentially fault Zetsuen no Tempest for being overly serious. Yes it's a mystery series and yes it has the Shakespearean gloominess. Nevertheless, it could be a little more entertaining at times. Just like with this episode.

I guess why I enjoyed it so much was the bluntness of everyone's actions. Usually so serious and uptight, the characters showed some pretty amusing developments. Aided by the arrival of Megumu, Mahiro's siscon is finally addressed. We all know he has it, but it was about time that someone spoke up about it. The rest of the cast agrees on this, making for a hilarious moment.

On the other hand we have the love-sick Hakaze. Her love for Yoshino is about as Shakespearean as you can get with the story. Regardless, her girl in love act had its own sense of "kawai" and comedy. We didn't need to see Junichirou return to know this, but yet again, his involvement was what brought out the comedy of the situation.

What's stuck in the back of my mind, is an ominous feeling. Yoshino's character being questioned all this time has made me consider him manipulating Hakaze. Not out of the question, given his intellect and his "at arm's length" approach to his friendship with Mahiro. Given the opportunity, I think he would make use of Hakaze for his own motives. He's not so blind as to not notice a girl in love with himself, which only furthers my suspicions of him.

With everything going on, Zetsuen no Tempest is coming together. Unlike PSYCHO-PASS, which has a set goal in mind, Zetsuen no Tempest is more of a question mark at this point. There are many actors involved, leaving many possible outcomes. Just with Megumu's introduction and the Hakaze developing feelings for Yoshino, things have become more complicated.

I still maintain Megumu will play an important role later on. He has power, though he lacks the mental strength, making him the "swing vote" when the final showdown happens. The rift between Yoshino and Mahiro can only get wider from this point, and that won't change if the information about Aika is revealed.

Funny how Zetsuen no Tempest can have such an easy-going episode, but still make me think about the future. The strength of an overarching plot will do that to you and Zetsuen no Tempest is finally getting it right on the money for me!