Sea Slugs! Anime Blog

We open up with the girls in the showers discussing their first time, and we learn that Tsugumi and Jun are the only two who have yet to experience a gattai. Interestingly, when Tsugumi asks Silvia (who has been deemed the expert in such matters), Silvia gets all in a huff and says it doesn’t matter who the partner is. Jun is pretty nonchalant about the whole thing, but when Tsugumi lets him in on the rumored orgasmic effect of the gattai, his interest is perked. We then get some very amusing exchanges between Pierre and Jun, and Reika and Tsugumi.

The simulation the next day goes well, but when a little slip puts Tsugumi right in the snuggle spot with Reika, the unexpected occurs. Tsugumi’s heart begins racing furiously, like before, and suddenly the power goes out. Jun picks up on this coincidence with his Psychograph ability, and projects a muddled picture of a beating heart on the screen. Before this can be confirmed, however, Tsugumi runs out and a new type of Cherubim appears.

As Tsugumi finds a place to hide, there is a flashback to her childhood. Everywhere she went, she was hated, because her ability was constantly causing destruction and mayhem. This has of course scarred her emotionally, and she is too afraid to sortie into battle. This leaves Pierre, Apollo, and Jun to venture into battle, and Silvia hints at the strange yaoi connotations of it all.

Unfortunately, the cute little four-eyed, drill-armed, big-headed enemy has some pretty uber-armor. Neither the Mugen Punch nor the combined fire punch can put a dent in the thing, and the Angel shatters Aquarion and knocks out Pierre. Everyone is worried that Pierre has suffered from heavy brain damage, but if you’ve watched Pierre in the first 7 episodes, you know that this is not even an issue. Reika leaps into battle, but things are going badly with Jun freaking out and Reika sustaining heavy fire. As Jun feels his heart racing painfully, he puts the pieces together and realizes Tsugumi’s power. Suddenly, Jun takes charge and calls out to Tsugumi to take Reika’s place. Tsugumi remembers how everyone has helped her and steels her resolve; Jun has formulated a plan to use her power to destroy the Shadow Angel from the inside. With his Psychograph ability guiding them, and Tsugumi’s explosive power harnessed (barely, but fortunately Apollo runs fast) in the Reverse Psychography Blast, the enemy is defeated, and Aquarion Luna is covered with some pretty gross green slime.

Wow, great episode. Everything I asked for (angst, cheese, gattai) was served up in massive helpings, and there was tremendous unintentional comedy throughout. Pierre was extremely smarmy this time, putting the moves on both Jun and Reika, and of course Tsugumi’s numerous “Dame dame!” scenes were uncomfortably hilarious as well. Thankfully there was no stupid lesson to be learned this time, but the animation did dip to low levels a few times during the episode. It was sad that the Cherubim’s brain was smaller than its eye, but the Reverse Psychography Blast was great. The move even had Aquarion Luna literally flashing its/her headlights at the enemy, causing the Cherubim to splooge goo all over everyone. In some ways it was very much like Ultimate Girls, as it seems that Tsugumi’s power relies on charging up one’s M.O.E. Other great moments include Apollo & Silvia’s wacky sleeping positions, the absurd Cherubim design, the Tsugumi-Aquarion pose, and the fact that Apollo has deflowered almost every member of the Deava piloting staff, both male and female. Also, Jun and Reika were pretty cool in this episode.