境界のRINNE ep 22
Kyoukai no RINNE – 22

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Ageha reads about the importance of Christmas and lovers, so she buys a ton of Christmas stuff, including a Santa dress, to win Rinne over on Christmas eve. As she finishes shopping, she’s conned into buying a bunch of stuff that will supposedly allow her to get closer to Rinne. Meanwhile, Rinne and Rokumon splurge and buy a slice of Christmas cake. On their way home, a note comes their way to an abandoned house, where they find Ageha trapped inside. Sakura is walking down the same street when they come to the house, now filled with Christmas lights. Sakura’s friends flee, so Sakura enters and is trapped along with Rinne and Ageha.

As they discuss the situation, Tsubasa shows up, having been hired by the family that owns the home to make a (fried) chicken offering. However, he left the bucket of chicken outside and is trapped inside. Since the house apparently wants a Christmas celebration, Ageha breaks out her Christmas candles. Sakura breaks out a Christmas cracker. When the group mentions a Christmas cake would be nice, Rinne wrestles with his conscience and is about to offer his slice of cake, but since the others are looking for a way to get the bucket of chicken, Rinne decides to keep his trap shut. However, when Ageha and Tsubasa fail to get the chicken, Rinne accidentally causes his cake slice to come out of the bag, which gives the house release.

After hearing Rinne’s lament over losing the Christmas cake, it is decided that they should have a Christmas party at Rinne’s pace. When Rinne arrives, Ageha is there with a kotatsu, which she was conned into believing is a Friendly Square that produces an Intimacy Field. After getting power to the kotatsu, Rinne, Rokumon, and Ageha are in bliss when Sakura arrives with oden as they wait for a Christmas cake to be made. Tsubasa arrives with another bucket of chicken. Ageha isn’t happy with this, but bites the bullet. After they eat, no one is leaving, causing Ageha to become frustrated.

Tsubasa sees a scarf in Sakura’s bag, so to find out whom she’s giving it to, he produces a pack of cards. Since Rinne has no money, Ageha suggests that the loser(s) have to do what the winners say. Ageha loses the first round, so she’s forced to go outside to buy drinks from the street vending machine. She loses again and has to buy taiyaki. She loses again and has to buy nikuman. She loses again and goes to get the Christmas cake. She realizes she’s been scammed and is frustrated, but since the group felt bad for her, they meet her and Rinne gives her the scarf present from Sakura, who’s mother made one for them all. Ageha decides that maybe being with the group isn’t so bad.

Thoughts/Review:

Well, it is rather early for a Christmas episode, but oh well. 😆

I didn’t remember either of the stories in this anime, so they were either anime-original, or they were from chapters of the manga I never read. Since Brain’s Base is just taking random manga stories and putting them together in a fashion that flows quite nicely, it is quite possible that this is unread material on my part. Those of you in the know can let me know one way or the other.

The part of the story dealing with the house was only amusing to me because of the Japanese tradition of eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas eve. As such, Tsubasa having to make an offering of a steaming bucket of KFC to the house just struck me as rather droll.

I was also amused by Rinne spending ¥150 on a slice of Christmas cake and the excitement he and Rokumon had about splurging so much money. That’s why it was humorous, in a sad way, when Rinne was forced to give it up in the end.

As for the second part of the story, I laughed at how the very content Rokumon decided to start addressing Ageha as “Ageha-sama” and apologized for saying she was stupid. Even Rinne called her that because of the apparent awesomeness that is a kotatsu.

Although it was humorous for Ageha to keep losing at Old Maid, and for Rokumon to keep requesting she buy them more food, one couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Ageha. Well, that’s the pain of unrequited love, eh?

Still, in the end, we had that “awwww” moment when Rinne gives her the scarf and takes her hand. And the group becomes better friends.

And then there was the damaged Christmas cake, which apparently Ageha decided to decorate with one of her Shinigami grenades. 😆 But still, all’s well that ends well. 😉

In the end, although out of season, this was a nice Christmas anime episode.