Slow episode this week, as we spent time eating lunch, and then dinner, and then lunch again with Tohya and friends. It always seems a little strange to me that the same show contains both Shiroe’s narrative and the Tohya/Minori stuff – yeah, it’s not like the Shiroe narrative is the height of narrative/thematic complexity, but it feels like this material is aimed at an audience significantly younger than the rest of the show. Are the same people going to enjoy watching Tohya figure out how maps work and also be able to sit still for a twenty minute speech on the double-edged nature of MMO fanaticism? I dunno.

Anyway. Here’s my full ANN writeup on the episode. Somewhat exasperated notes below!

Opens with a beautiful shot of what looks like either a younger or female Shiroe wandering through cherry blossoms in the hot sun

The kids pass by Mt. Fuji

“The Midday Vampire”

Lol, they brought Akatsuki’s weird monster head with them

They’re following the East Sea Road

Today’s episode makes it a solid four minutes before everyone breaks for lunch. Log Horizon does love its food

And then the horses run away, because they run out of summoning time

And now they’re rambling about the horses

And now they’re camping out. This episode is cozy as fuck

Second meal by 7:30

Cute moment for Tohya and Minori

And then we get a THIRD meal as soon as we check back in with the home team

Everyone agrees to help Rieze. Hopefully we’ll see Crusty again eventually

And then dumb Henrietta gags

Nice shot of the wagon in front of the sea as the sun sets

Rudy being humble in light of Isuzu’s talents. Nice moment

Tohya reflecting on the winding road as a metaphor for growth. Deep stuff, Tohya

“I’m not such a boor as to be interested in a secret chat between ladies.” Oh wow Rudy, you just vaulted over 90% of bad anime characters

Rudy acting insecure about Isuzu’s attention is pretty cute

Shiroe delegating fostering goodwill with the People of the Land’s knights to Isaac, who’s grown into a fine general. Really nice seeing these characters naturally become leaders

And Isaac prefers powerleveling to actually training them. Another nice detail of MMO gameplay versus real-world practicalities

D.D.D. is losing members, unsurprisingly

And now Honesty is having internal squabbles about how to manage their members versus maintaining their influence in the Round Table. Politics all around

“I’m Roe 2, a summoner. A traveling vampire headed south.”