DO NOT WANT!!!
We open with Bacillus, now in Geega’s body, crawling around a bus and creeping people out. Meanwhile, Tsutomu is freaking out over how much Birdy has eaten, along with the whole thing of Birdy just taking over whenever she pleases. Tute points out that Tsutomu is justified in being angry, since it is his life, much to Birdy’s chagrin; a rule is established that Birdy can only take over when the circumstances demand it and only after asking Tsutomu first.
That night, Birdy switches as Tsutomu sleeps, and Tute scolds her for doing so. Tute also points out that Birdy’s strength and skills are deteriorating slightly; she must come to be in better sync with Tsutomu, or her strength and skills will continue to grow worse. Birdy accuses Tute of liking Tsutomu better, and transfers control back to Tsutomu, sulking when Tute tries to speak with her further.
The next morning, Tsutomu wakes to a big breakfast prepared by Tute. There is also a large bento awaiting him. On the bus, Tsutomu talks briefly to Birdy, confusing Hayamiya in the process, but she spots Nakasugi before she can really question it. As the bus lurches, Nakasugi accidentally stumbles into Tsutomu, who blushes. Birdy comments on this, and Tsutomu answers aloud, angrily, irritating another passenger.
At Nakasugi’s house, a maid comments to her father on how nice it is that she’s gotten so strong, and her father says that it seems miracles can occur. At school, a few of Tsutomu’s friends are also commenting on how much healthier she has gotten. When Tsutomu takes out his lunch, his friends express shock at how big it is, and ask him if he made it himself. Tsutomu says he did, only to be mortified when he opens it and finds food in the shape of a heart within.
In the teacher’s room, Muroda is guilting the principal into buying some of his books. The principal comments that it is too bad that he isn’t like another of his graduating classmates, Kaori, who now works in TV news.
Kaori Sanada herself is in the building of a TV network, watching the fuss being made over the businessman Shyamalan. Her colleague teases her slightly, as she is to interview him for a segment, and warns her to not get herself fired.
Tute, meanwhile, is talking to Birdy’s head agent and former landlady about the fact that Geega has disappeared. Tute promises that once they have handled Geega and Bacillus, Birdy will appear as Shion again, and maybe even do a nude TV appearance.
Bacillus gets dragged off by the police for being a total creep in public.
In Geega’s old apartment, Tute figures out what has happened to both Geega and Bacillus. He relays the information back to Birdy, who refuses to listen, since she is taking a bath. Tsutomu asks her about what the Ryunka is, and realizes that she isn’t exactly sure herself.
Bacillus is meeting with a man in sunglasses, and keeps insisting he is Geega, although it is clear that the sunglassed man knows the truth. He offers to bring sunglassed man the Ryunka once he gets it, and says that he won’t give it to Shyamalan because he hates him.
The next day at school, Tsutomu is hiding on the rooftop to eat his lunch so no one will make fun of him. Nakasugi and Hayamiya stumble upon him, and Tute appears, toting Tsutomu’s P.E. clothes and leaving Hayamiya with completely the wrong impression – that is, that Tute is a boyfriend or something of the sort. She tells him she’ll always support him, even as he tries to tell her that she’s gotten the wrong idea. After Hayamiya leaves, though, Tsutomu explains Tute as being a weird friend of his sister’s.
As Tute is walking home, he is attacked by Bacillus.
Tsutomu is enjoying his time with Nakasugi, but Bacillus attacks and snatches her. Birdy is able to fight Bacillus while still in Tsutomu form, but transforms once Nakasugi loses consciousness. The battle moves to a building with an empty pool. Birdy is being beaten, but Tute comes to the rescue. Unfortunately, Tute suffers a head-on hit from Bacillus. As Birdy comforts Tute, Tute tells her to kill Bacillus, since his memory is too much of a mess to yield any information about the Ryunka. Tute also gives Birdy a matter destroyer in order to do so.
After killing Bacillus, Birdy comes back to Tute, and tells him they will go back to the ship so he can heal. but Tute says it is too late, that he is too damaged to be repaired. Birdy tells him he can’t die, because she’ll be alone, and Tute says he wants to accompany her, but dies. A brief flashback shows of their first meeting, when Birdy was just a child – Tute says he’s her guardian, and her friend, and Birdy says she wants to be his friend, too.
In the infirmary, Nakasugi wakes up suddenly, seemingly spooked.
Impressions:
Dude, I just read the most depressing play ever, a.k.a. John Synge’s Riders to the Sea, and was looking for something to cheer me up a little. Way to kill off a character I liked.
Ok, ok, obviously it wasn’t quite at the depths of depression of Synge’s play, but I was still bummed about Tute’s death. I had originally been a bit skeptical about Tute’s addition to the Birdyverse, given the fact that I was a fan of the original OVA, but he really grew on me, and his antics in this episode toward Tsutomu just reinforced my newfound fondness for him. But now he’s dead.
I also regret this fact since it happened so early (I know, the show is only slated for twelve episodes, but could they maybe have at least waited until the fourth or fifth?), and that, other than that brief snippet from the past, we didn’t get too much development on the Birdy/Tute relationship dynamic. I’d say the show stumbled slightly in this case.
I do, however, continue to thoroughly enjoy this show, and really recommend it to others. It’s still a shit ton of fun.
GAR GAR Stegosaurus 