Baby, you’re a firework.

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Itsuki shows up at Futaro’s day off to give him his first paycheck: 50,000 yen (roughly $450), though he feels he shouldn’t take it since he’s barely gotten any of them to study so far. Itsuki tells him that’s not true, that him being there has started to “change something” in them. To compromise, Futaro takes Itsuki and his sister Raiha to the arcade, where they have a fun time. On the way back, they run into the other four sisters, each wearing yukatas to get ready for tonight’s fireworks festival…which Futaro only lets them go to once they’ve finished their homework. Once that’s done, they all head to the festivities. Raiha and Yotsuba instantly become best buds, while Ichika reveals that Nino rented out a roof for them to properly see the fireworks, but not before getting food from the stalls.

As things get underway, Miku explains that the five of them used to see the fireworks with their mom before she passed away, so they still do this every year in her memory. But once the show itself gets under way, everyone seems to get separated. Nino leads Futaro to the roof, only to remember she’s the only one who knows where they were supposed to meet, meaning it’s his job to round everyone up. He first finds Ichika, but he’s stopped by a mustachioed man asking how Futaro knows her, who then vanishes with her when Futaro hesitates to answer. Next, he runs into Miku, who seems to know something about this, but then they’re hit by a couple of survey people who mistake them for a couple, which they deny, though when Futaro denies them being friends, Miku gets mad…but then glad.

Then they find Itsuki, who Futaro decides to throw the “relationship” question as well, but she replies that he should already know the answer. Ichika then reappears and drags him to a nearby alley, telling him to tell her sisters that she won’t be able to watch the fireworks with them this year.

OUR TAKE

We take a break from single girl focused episodes this week for what is basically a group episode, even for Futaro and his sister. Everyone gets a little piece of the episode to themselves so as to develop each of their characters a bit more. Things like festivals and group activities like that are good opportunities for large casts to all get something to do, as well as to help organically set some characters apart from others, which is kind of important for a show about five identical sisters. So, in case it wasn’t clear by now, the Nakanos are very much different people, from their taste in food to their mannerisms to apparently their dark secrets. Yet they are all connected in coming to this festival by a common link, that being they used to do this with their mom when they were younger. Learning that helps to establish and develop their links to Futaro as well.

Speaking of which, it looks like each of his respective “relationships” with the five (or four, since Yotsuba’s pretty much fine where she is) are also being tested this time. Nino still won’t accept him in their lives, but trusts him to track her sisters down to get to the meeting place. Miku’s still figuring out her feelings and is split over whether to be hurt that Futaro doesn’t think of her as a friend, but happy this may leave the door open for something more. Itsuki seems to be cozying up to a sister-in-law role with Raiha but still gives Futaro that cryptic answer to his question. And Ichika, who looks to be taking over focus next time, has her odd job that’s interfering with a sacred family tradition, but is seemingly trusting Futaro with some information. What could have been just a fanservicey filler episode is laying the groundwork for many developments to come.

One minor oddity in the translation, though. When mustache guy asks Futaro “what is your relationship to Ichika”, I had to wonder if that was a bit too personal over something like “how do you know her?” It did set up kind of a theme for the episode, but it did feel just a bit on the nose, considering this genre. But other than that headscratcher, I still mostly like this show. Hard to believe we’re already a third through, but hopefully it can keep up this momentum all the way to the end of the season.

Score 8/10