Asakomi

Much like the first episode of the first season we begin with Chidori’s scary alarm clock yelling at her to wake up. (She even wears the same pajamas) She looks out her window and a flash of light hurts her eyes.

Back in Melida, the Mithril guys are watching a survellaince video of a mission Sagara was involved with with the As called Venom. Their focus is specifically on the Lambda Drivers, which up until now have been kept a secret from the other agents in Mithril besides Kalinin, Tessa, and Sousuke. Kalinin indicates that the red AS was also equipped with a Lambda Driver.

Kurz asks the Lieutenant Commander for an explanation regarding the Lambda Driver, but Tessa is the one to respond to his question. She works hard to convey its power to the group, but also that it is usually only used in life or death situations as it takes an incredible level of concentration. Therefore, not just anyone can use the driver. However, she admits that it may also be possible to learn to use it through heavy training, or possibly by the use of a drug which creates the necessary mental condition to use the Lambda Driver successfully.

We also learn that Sousuke’s Arbalest is currently the only AS in Mithril quipped with a Lambda Driver. Tessa seems unsure as to why this is the case, and I wonder if there is now going to be some jealousy amongst the other members of Mithril.

As the meeting is dismissed Kalinin presents a report to Tessa from Sousuke. Apparently, someone is after Chidori again but they don’t know who. (YAY!!! More explanation about the Whispered this season perhaps??) Alone in her office, Tessa worries that they won’t be able to protect Chidori properly with only Sousuke and Wraith (who/what is Wraith? What did I miss?) But they have no more men to spare. She muses about the Whispereds, and wonders if she and Chidori did not have this ability if they could have lived their lives as normal girls.

As Chidori arrives at school Kyouko runs up to her and tries to show her an internet site on her cell phone, but the screen goes blank. The horrified shriek of their teacher is heard as her laptop screen also goes blank and she loses all the data for her test.

Chidori finds a bunch of students gawking out the window, exclaiming that something huge is on the roof. She bolts up there to find Sousuke very proud of himself for installing a giant radar. Of course it was his radar that caused everyone’s electrical equipment to go wonky. Typical Sousuke I love it.

As Chidori fumes and Sousuke tries to apologize, Kazama enters and worriedly shows Sousuke an internet site featuring many pictures of Chidori. Sousuke goes to tell Chidori, but Kazama stops him saying that you shouldn’t tell the victim, and they should investigate and find the culprit on their own. Chidori interrupts their conversation, suspicious of them, and Sousuke does a horrible job of acting like nothing is wrong.

We briefly see a man on a rooftop observing the classroom, and probably Chidori, through the window.

In Hong Kong we hear the voices of two girls who discuss their “Sensei”’s medical condition. They shower together. They realize they need more bandages and the short haired one says she will go and get some more. The long haired one nods and responds with, “Ok, then I will wipe Sensei’s body.” As they are drying each other off they continue speaking about their Sensei, and the short haired girl wonders how long he will live.

Their special naked hugging moment is interrupted by a phone call giving them a job.

Back at school, Sousuke is causing his usual havoc as he tries to protect Chidori from the mystery photographer, which ends in him triggering the sprinkler system that of course drenches their teacher’s laptop. ahahaha. Why does it never stop being funny?

Two men in a helicopter survey the battle scene in Taboi City. A balding man with blonde hair reconstructs what happened, including when Sousuke reflected the bullets. He concludes that a Lambda Driver must have been used, but his partner is hesitant to make that conclusion without any evidence.

Sousuke and Chidori get in trouble. Everyone is wearing their gym clothes since their regular clothes are soaking wet. When they leave the teacher’s office Chidori asks Sousuke to explain his weirder than usual behaviour. Sousuke tries to convince her that nothing is wrong, and it looks like she’s finally going to give up trying to figure out what’s going on when Kazama shows up to tell her about the website.

We’re then taken to a meeting between Maless (the dude that got his ass kicked in episode 1) and the crazy blonde guy. The blonde guy ends up freaking out and shooting Maless in the head, then ordering the rest of Maless’s troops killed. The two girls shoot out from wherever they were hiding and pretty much annihilate everyone. Then the blonde guy freaks about because everyone is dead. What a psycho… The girls receive a phone call from the guy with the long white hair from the OP. He warns them to keep a low profile, but the long haired girl assures him that they’re not planning on causing any problems.

Back at school, it turns out the guy who was taking pictures of Chidori was a regular old student who had a grudge against her for becoming class rep. They capture him, Sousuke interrogates him, and he admits to taking the pictures - though only the ones at school. Seems someone else has been watching Chidori at her apartment, and we get a glimpse of him watching them from another rooftop.

Sousuke’s antics never fail to have me rolling on the floor. He’s just so socially inept! And one thing I’ve always loved about Chidori is that she’s not your typical damsel in distress.

I have to admit that I was surprised to see the full nudity as well as the gory death scenes, but I didn’t feel that they were out of place. Comedy aside, it’s obvious that this season is meant to be more serious and “grown up”and I look forward to seeing just how dark and deep we can go. Mentar’s stated more than once that if they’re following the novels then things will get pretty grim and grisly. I wonder how they will be able to balance the comedic and dramatic aspects in that case.