Definitely one of the better episodes of Rolling Girls this week, sold almost entirely on the strength of that last, fantastic sequence. The rest of the episode actually kinda dragged and repeated itself at times, but the resolution to Chiyo’s conflict was graceful enough, and we’re still getting endearing offhand jokes from the Rolling Girls here and there. The show’s doing okay.

My full ANN post is here. Notes below!

Misa’s the rocker, Shuten’s the kidnapper

Misa still seems like Ma-chan to Nozomi

Mamechiyo’s the leader of the Maikas

“She thinks she’s actually hiding like that.” Adorbs

The captains are being adorably tsun, and Chiaya cuts to the heart of it with “do you guys want to be friends?”

Yukina continues to make her weird-ass drawings

And they decide to forget their troubles and get made over as maikos

Gotta gather the stones! There’s not much time until the full moon!

Chiaya’s mom’s assistant seems like a good dude, though. He keeps lying to let Chiaya have a good time

Shuten and Mamechiyo meeting up to PLOT

Shuten’s set up rockets

Shuten’s terrified of being considered dull

This first half is pretty slow paced

Talking about the Momi-han drama that led the band to fall apart

“Where did you buy this memory-reading camera? How much did it cost?” Ai asking the key questions

Of course Misa and Mamechiyo (Chiyo) were friends

Chiaya turned into an octopus again

Chiyo stole Misa’s pick-moonstone!

The moonstones were a symbol of their friendship

Chiyo feels abandoned, and throws the stones in the river

“Was that like your ‘sideburns’?” connecting the band’s story to Misa’s

Shuten and the assistant fighting over the rocket launcher

Aaand Ai launched the missiles

Chiyo was forced into her legacy by her strict mother

OR NOT? MAYBE SHE JUST THOUGHT THAT, because now Mom’s helping

Nozomi and Chiaya go splat

Mom interfered on the day of their old tournament, telling Misa not to lead Chiyo astray. That’s why Misa abandoned Chiyo

Misa ignored her so she wouldn’t feel conflicted on her own path. It’s interesting

“But at least, couldn’t we have stayed friends?” This is a nice scene

Concert ongoing, warning klaxon blares, and then giant cannons emerge from the festival walls to shoot at the approaching missiles. Rolling Girls!

And the panicking mob is lulled by the appearance of one of their favorite bands

Is the assistant actually the band leader Momizo?

Rock concert while the temple is under attack by flying buddha sculptures