MekakuCity Actors episodes 7 and 8: Konoha’s State of the World and Lost Time Memory

Episode 7: Konoha’s State of the World

The episode opens with us learning that Haruka has collapsed and is now hospitalized. Takane feels awful for leaving him alone, and decides to leave him with Kenjirou and get his things from the school instead of staying with him.

As she is wallowing in shame, she runs into Ayano, who has also been attending supplementary summer classes. They talk about school and Shintaro, and eventually Ayano confronts her about her fear of being rejected by Haruka, and encourages her to tell him how she feels.

Takane thought about what she said, and realised that Ayano was absolutely right. Unfortunately, she collapsed soon after, likely due to her condition, and then weird things started happening. When they were over, she was no longer human.

The flashback ends with Ene finishing explaining her story to the bewildered Mekakushi-Dan, who are shocked to find out that Ene was Ayano, Ene, and Shintaro were school friends.

When Kano begins to point out that Ene’s experience of becoming a cyber-being was similar to their experience when they received their eye powers, Seto calls to tell them that Shintaro and his friend were involved in a traffic accident.

While the others go to pick up Shintaro and Seto, Kano and Ene hang back at Ayano’s grave, and end up having a conversation where she confesses that she doesn’t want Shintaro to find out about her death. Kano accuses her of being so wrapped up in trying to make Shintaro forget that she completely forgot about Haruka, who, it turns out, also died.

This was a really heavy episode, and I felt like they did the story justice. However, I do think that people who haven’t already should listen to the song by the same name as the episode, because it is actually about a completely different part of the story. Despite it not being what I expected, I was glad that we got some information that I hadn’t known before, and some character motivations that I hadn’t really been aware of were revealed. Our villains are finally showing themselves, too (It’s about time!). The only thing I think I didn’t like about this episode was how awful Kano was, and…well, we’ll find out more about that, won’t we?

Episode 8:Lost Time Memory

Just a few hours before watching this episode, a friend and I were discussing how much we wanted Jin to write a song for Kido’s backstory, and funnily enough, we get to see a clip of it before the opening. Still no song, but at least it’s something.

 

In the present, Kido, Momo, and Marry go to meet Shintaro at the hostpital. Shintaro is arguing with Seto, insisting that what he saw was no traffic accident.

As soon as he’s finished giving a vague and panicked summary of the end of episode 5, Hibiya rushes out of his hospital room and runs into Momo. Thinking that he’s still in the Heat-Haze, he starts to rush off to save Hiyori, but Shintaro stops him. While he’s trying to explain what happened, he collapses, and Kido realises that he’s becoming one of them.

 

The Mekakushi-Dan decides to kidnap Hibiya, so they can keep him safe while his eye-power develops. Marry guards him while he’s sleeping, and the other members discuss the situation. Kido notices that Kano is still gone, and Seto goes to go look for him.

Kido tells Shintaro and Momo a little more about the background of the Mekakushi-Dan, including how they got their eye-powers. The general theory is that you have to die or have a near-death experience on August 15th with another person. Both people enter the Heat-Haze, and only one makes it out alive.

Kido mentions Ene, and reveals that she was once human, without giving anything away. Kido explains that those who don’t escape the void seem to have vanished, but the general goal of the Mekakushi-Dan is to get them back. Hibiya enters, and, hearing that Hiyori is still trapped in the Daze, runs off. Kido and Momo pursue him, leaving Shintaro to wait.

Shintaro goes to check on Marry and discovers that she’s fallen asleep. As he pulls a blanket over her, he notices a family portrait. In one second, all of Ene’s hard work at trying to make Shintaro forget Ayano is unravelled.

Instead of the regular ending, Lost Time Memory (The song) plays, and we get some footage from the PVs, scenes from previous episodes, and some bits from the manga that I haven’t read yet. I felt like the mood for this episode was perfect, even is, like pretty much every episode since Kagerou Days, it has very little to do with the song. I suppose Ayano’s Happiness Theory-Which is next week’s episode–Is not going to have much to do with Ayano’s Happiness Theory. It’s a pity, but I’m enjoying myself regardless.