Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am delighted to be returning to the operatic and perpetually thrilling Dear Brother, as Nanako continues her trials at the magnificent Seiran Academy. After half a dozen episodes of increasing torment and isolation, our last visit at last provided a measure of relief for Nanako, with her best friend Tomoko finally returning to her side. In spite of the machinations of the delightfully devious Shinobu, some friendships are beyond even her ability to foul things up, and a last gasp of cruelty from Misaki proved just the thing to restore Tomoko to her side.
Along with that reconciliation, Nanako has been further bolstering her position through her connections with Saint-Juste and Kaoru, the latter of whom seems to have accepted Nanako as a personal project. Such alliances will surely become necessary soon, as there are greater threats at Seiran than the petty attacks of Nanako’s fellow freshmen. It’s a rare show that gets me so caught up in the tempestuous wanderings of episodic drama, but Ryoko Ikeda’s combination of inventive individual setpieces and looming intrigues more than qualifies, to say nothing of Dezaki’s dazzling adaptation. Let’s see what trials await as we return to Seiran Academy!