Hmm. That’s two “serious” episodes in a row. Serious by Witch Watch standards, anyway. That’ll teach me to call it a gag manga, I suppose. Though as I said last week if it isn’t, it’s a romcom if anything. Last time it was all about Moi and Nico, and this time Keigo and Nemu (with a pinch of Wolf). That’s a pairing that’s been looking increasingly inevitable, and this week certainly didn’t do anything to change that perception..
From Keigo’s perspective, he’s feeling a bit down at not being able to do much to bodyguard Nico in his default setting. For example when a gang of yakuza come after her (I suppose that could happen). There’s Wolf of course – though Keigo doesn’t have his crescent wristband on – but that’s not the same. He isn’t Wolf – since he retains none of those memories that may as well be another person who’d be protecting Nico for all it’d do for his self-esteem. Eventually Nico gives him a ring with a spell she’s no longer using embedded in it – “Flowt”. She calls it a flying spell but in truth it’s more about levitation (and highly flawed). She says it’s because as an athlete he’s best equipped to master it but in truth, his guess about the pity factor might not be totally off the mark.
As for Nemu, she shows up at the house and has an introvert attack, transforming into a cat. But that presents its own set of problems – heavy petting from Moi feels good, but now that she knows the score, it’s a betrayal of her friendship with Nico. So she hisses at him and flees (painful as that is) finally winding up with Keigo. But he’s not particularly good at it, and lacks Moi’s tiger energy and Wolf’s pecs. So it’s Nico in the end, which seems like the safest option (Miharu and Kanshi don’t even merit a sniff).
That said, it’s pretty clear watching Keigo and Nemu interact in the park that they’re heavily compatible. They’re both socially awkward and have self-esteem issues, for starters. There are a lot worse bases for a relationship than being able to understand how the other person feels. She ends up offering to help him out with “Flowt”, which she hasn’t cast since she was a child, but it winds up going cattywampus and it’s up to Keigo to master “Flowt” under duress and save her. Which he does, and that certainly gets her attention. But unfortunately he catches a glimpse of the crescent necklace she’d been planning to show him and transforms before this bonding moment has a chance to concretize.
This is still complicated, not least because Nemu obviously finds Wolf really hot, and of course he remembers everything that happens (or will happen) between she and Keigo. But hey, maybe that’s two boyfriends with no cheating for Nemu. Judging by her reaction on her next visit to the Otogi house things are purring along nicely. Also of note here is the way the episode ended. We got the regular ED sequence, and then another verse of the theme with a special Nemu-Keigo/Wolf sequence (on top of a Nemu insert song). I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that done before, so kudos to Bibury for continuing to find ways to make this adaptation really distinctive.
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