Yippeeee! Tis Thursday which means another episode of Ookami-san *don don don don~* Lets just right into it! Lets see what new (mis) adventures await us this week with Otogi Bank! Looks like we’ll be learning a bit more about Ryouko while meeting a bunch of delinquents, finding out that there’s a bigger player in the game and finding out that Ryoushi DOES act like a man. When no one’s looking.

Summary:

We start off by being introduced to the director of the school who is a dirty old geezer. Oops. I mean, old man. Called Aragami Lamp. At the same time, he’s a real big shot in the Aragami Syndicate which just so happens to control the city. (and he’s got quite the shiny bald head! Ooooh~) And yay~ we move on to the Otogi Bank, where our Ryou-kun is looking a bit spaced out as the Pres calls out to him.

It’s been a week since he’s joined the group and our dear maid-san comments that it seems that he’s gotten used to being looked at. Ryou-kun comments that it’s more like he’s gotten used to being seen by the people in the club. But he’s barely said that when Majo-san comes like THIS close to his face and stares away at him. Jiiiiiiiiiiiiii~~~~~~~ Ryou-kun starts sweating enough to water a flower bed. Ryouko watches the interaction as he curls up into the sofa while Majo-san chirpily states that he’s fun to tease. (^^ ;;;) To stop Majo-san, Alice gives her a …candy lollipop. WHY DON’T I GET THAT? D: I tease people a lot yet I never get any candy lollipops (=3=) Ryouko comments that Ryou-kun really is a bum (the narrator totally agrees) Ringo interjects by stating that he did do a good job as her shield in yesterdays request. Hesitantly Ryouko agrees on that point and Otsu-san asks him how he’s doing. Ryou-kun says that he was wearing Majo-san’s guards so he was alright.

Ryouko’s of the opinion that he’s a pretty weak shield but well its better than nothing (o o) CRUEL D: *curls up in her corner* Such cruel words Ryouko-chan! Ringo comments that things would be way more interesting were she to think of Ryuo-kun as a man. Ryouko retorts “This bum? Not a chance!” Uwwaaa. Direct rejection. While Ringo laments, Ryou-kun says that he’s happy because this way, he can be a useful companion. Ryouko blushes as she acknowledges his statement. Dawwwwwwwww~ It’s after school soon enough and Ryouko’s on her way to the gym. Ringo and Ryou-kun watch her go off before Ryou-kun also goes on his way but gets stopped by Ringo. Ringo says that she would like to ask him something that she’s been meaning to ask him for a while. So as they leave together and Ringo asks what exactly is it about Ryouko that he likes. *face palms* Oh dear God don’t say the same thing that you said last time please….He stutters and stammers and falters underneath Ringo’s direct cute eyes attack.

He replies that that he thinks Ryouko to be cool, good at boxing and … its kind of like call of the wild…The urge to face plant has never been harder so quick into an episode XD Ringo points out that those aren’t compliments for any girl…Ryou-kun admits that that’s true but there is one other thing he likes about her. While he was looking at Ryouko, he came to realize that even though she looks strong, she looks weak. Its like her inside and outside don’t really match. And that’s when he thought that perhaps the real Ryouko would be like that…but still she tries so hard to be strong and that’s something he looks up too. Urgh *clutches at her chest* That kinda pulled my heart strings…

Ringo smiles and says that its kinda embarrassing to be listening to him (even the narrator is embarrassed) and she says that she can now relax. Ryou-kun is just stumped all in all. So back at the club…Bank…club…bank…bank *nods* the Pres is watching the video that Ringo made of the time when Ryouko and her faced down that blonde stalker (from Episode 01) and he notices that something hit the guy’s hand which made him drop the knife. That makes him cryptically comment that they could use this (to which the narrator states that he’s surprisingly doing his work).

We’re given a focus shot of two fluffy Japanese Akita….crap I wanna hug em till they turn blue. Looks like Ryouko’s having the same sentiment. Ah but it seems like she doesn’t want anyone to see her petting them.  So after checking if anyone is around her, she puts her hand out towards the two. But they growl at her. She gently tells them that its alright and they seem to soften up to that and sniff her hand before licking it. Looks like she likes cute animals and oto~ look who is coming outta the store! It’s Ryou-kun! Aha he was getting groceries and they are his dogs. Oh they came with him from the country side~  And their names are Elizabeth and Francoise. *pauses…stares at the dogs…back at the names…back at the dogs…* Francoise? He doesn’t look a Francoise to me…*shrugs and moves on* And they’re hunting dogs and don’t really get attached to people so its kinda amazing that they let Ryouko get that close to them.

Ryou-kun asks if she likes dogs but Ryouko quickly corrects him that it seemed like they wanted to be petted so that’s why she was doing what she was doing. To second the narrator, yer not being very honest now are you Ryouko-chwan~ fu fu fu. Before she can finish her sentence, both dogs are rubbing against her legs but Ryou-kun holds that Ryouko has to be pretty amazing! She walks away saying that they’ll meet tomorrow and Ryoushi can’t help but smile at how cute Ryouko is being. And that night, while Ryouko and Ringo are about to hit the hay, Ringo tells her friend that on the way back Ryou-kun said something very interesting. That she got him to tell her why he fell for Ryouko. The latter asks in embarrassed anger why she had to go and do that. Ringo smiles and tells her that he said that after watching her, he felt that her outside and inside didn’t match up to him.  Ryouko is surprised at this insight but Ringo continues that he still likes the way how she’s always working harder to be strong(er). Ryouko quietly replies, “Good night” and crawls into bed. A tad disappointed, Ringo falls back in her bed as well.

So! The next day after school, it seems like the whole club is out to do some shopping. Looks like the Pres came up with something that he wants an item for. (Narrator adds that the club funds came from the Director so they got quite a lot of it). Oops, I stand corrected – the whole club ain’t there, they left Ryou-kun and Urashima by themselves on the upper level and the Pres ain’t there either. It’s a girls shopping trip then. While Otsu-san is wondering whether those two will be alright, Ryouko says that it’s a good opportunity for the two of them to bond as men. Back at the club, Urashima is reading a magazine and the narrator explains that while he is a first year like the others, but for certain reasons he is a year older than them.  Our shy Ryou-kun makes an attempt to start a conversation by asking if he transferred in after the term started, were there any reasons behind it? Urashima replies, “Well, a few” and clams up. Clearly not the talking type huh Urashima-san (^^ ;;) The narrator tells us that he has absolutely no interest in men what so ever. Well that explains the magazine…

The door bell rings and oya~ seems like there is a customer! So she gets served some tea by a very skittish Ryou-kun while Urashima is … brooding over something? The girl asks about Ryouko and is told that she’s out shopping. Perhaps she would like to wait for them? She stutters that she wouldn’t when Urashima takes her hand and declares that she is very pretty. OYE OYE, Player alert! Where is that Otohime-san?! While Urashima is declaring that he would happily accept any request from a girl as pretty as her (Yeah…his personality does a 180 flip in front of a girl…) And if she wishes, he’d even loan her his body…

BUT THEN! The door slams open and a figure is seen in the doorway.  A pretty long haired lass asks, “What might you be doing?” Yay~  She’s here she’s here! While Urashima is sweating (and possibly wondering how to escape I reckon), she states that if he is feeling lonely, then she will help him. And Otohime drags him away…around a corner…I wonder what they’re doing……And so, Ryou-kun calls Ryouko for the request. The girl asked for Ryouko because she heard that Ryouko handles the rough requests so that’s why she asked for her. She reveals that her last boyfriend was quite violent and in the end, she broke up with him. But he’s being stubborn and wants to get back together. He’s asked to meet her one last time and then he’d stop. The problem is where he’s asked to meet her.

Sankaku Park in the southern district. *pauses episode* Okay here I’d like to ask a question that’s been bugging me since…well yesterday actually. Why is it always the south side? I mean, why does the south side always get a bad rep? Why can’t you ever hear “I’m going north, that’s the bad sida town!”. Its usually always the South side, WHY? D: *ahem* So the poor girl is worried that he might force her back into a relationship. Ryouko says that maybe they could go there and see what he wants? It seems that the girl has the same request. However, she doesn’t want to go with them. Ryou-kun and Ryouko head over to the meeting place and there’s a gang of thugs waiting for em. Geh, they’re severely outnumbered D: Ryouko recognizes their uniform but they’re completely surrounded and weaponless…or at least they don’t have any pipes or bats or what not. These guys are delinquents from Onigashima Koukou which is full of delinquents more scarier than any oni. Ryouko clicks her tongue, not at all happy that she fell into a tap. Although this area is not part of their school, looks like their boss told them to do this. So they came all this way just for her. Well that’s never a good sign… Seems like in Otogibana City, every school has its own territory and usually the delinquents don’t set foot on the Otogi Academy territory.

Ryouko asks what business those guys have with her but the apparent leader doesn’t have a clue. To the point he says that if she wants to know, shes gotta ask the boss himself. EEEH?! Looks like Ryouko doesn’t even have her Neko-Neko Knuckles! Oh crap *hides underneath the carpet* This won’t be pretty at ALL. Ryouko tries some cloth around her fist and tells Ryoushi to run away or else he’ll just get in the way because with so many opponents, a shield is useless. Ryoushi starts to  argue but Ryouko cuts him off and tells him to just go. But whoa, there’s a surprise! Ryou-kun refuses and says that he won’t leave her alone there. And he gets smacked in the back of the head with a lead pipe. Again. Ouch. Something snaps in Ryouko as she watches him fall and sucker punches the guy who hit Ryoushi. She’s not exactly holding her own while being surrounded by so many guys but she’s still fighting back as Ryoushi tries to get up, bleeding from the head. He watches as she’s fighting all the guys. I think he blacks out and the last thing he sees is Ryouko being held back by one guy as the others move in.

Back at the club, the other girls are back from their shopping trip and sitting around, waiting for Ryouko. Ringo comments that they should have been back by now and Alice notes that the client left after they left which doesn’t seem right. The door opens and a bleeding Ryoushi states, “Ryouko-san got…” We see Ryouko standing in the midst of a thick fog and looking around her when a voice calls to her. She turns around and sees a young girl standing behind her who asks her, “Why are you lying?” Ryouko is confused at the question and the girl explains, “You’re lying about your strength.” Ryouko yells back that shes not lying and that she is strong. The girl retorts, “Ookami-san in wolf’s clothing.” This again rings some bell in her head because now she’s super shocked as the girl continues that she knows this herself that although she’s been saying that she’s fine by herself but that is nothing but a lie.

Ryouko looks away and with less fire than before starts again by saying that she’s not lying but again the child cuts in by saying that the real fact of the matter is that she wants someone who she can depend on. Ryuoko thinks that she were to depend on someone, then she’ll end up like before again…the girl who she was talking too, was her younger self apparently. Ryouko suddenly wakes up and finds herself tied up in an old abandoned factory within the Onigashima Koukou area. She tries to cut the rope by rubbing it against a sharp piece of metal sticking out behind her. While she’s doing that, a guy comes up to her saying that she got him pretty good back then (aaah, sucker punched guy). Ryouko retorts back that he doesn’t look half as ugly now so he should thank her but gets kicked in the gut again and again. He gets stopped  by his other friends who tell him that if he beats her up too much, the boss’ll kill him.

Ryouko laughs and comments at how powerless they are that they can’t do anything without their boss’s say. (The narrator comments that Ryouko is desperately wrapping hers wolf’s clothing around herself) This time the blonde guy kicks her and tells her that she can howl as much as she wants till the boss comes. Ryouko is clearly scared and pushing herself as the guys laugh. Back at the club, everyone is crowded around Alice as she’s talking on her cell. It seems that the client had been coerced into that request. She was used to call out Ryouko and they don’t know where she is right now. The Pres tells Alice to find Urashima, they’ll split up and find her.

Ryou-kun jumps up and asks them to leave this to him. Back at the factory, Ryouko is giving herself a pep talk that she can do this, she can escape (She’s managed to cut the rope a bit from the top) but then a voice calls out to her, telling her that its useless. The boss of Onigashima has finally arrived and though he looks like a mean cat (he’s got a scratch on the face D: That means instant bad ass yo! And he’s carrying a wooden sword!) He pushes her face up using his sword and comments that she doesn’t look like much of a fighter. She retorts that him sending a whole army against one girl, doesn’t that show that the Onigashima boss has no confidence in himself? (Narrator: She lies to herself that she’s strong, that she’ll be fine. But actually she’s just scared.) The boss replies that he was told that going one-on-one against her wouldn’t work but that she would be worth going to all the trouble for. Ryouko keeps on her façade, saying that he doesn’t know anyone he would while inside she’s thinking again and again that she’s scared. The boss kneels to her level and says that she’s more famous than she thinks. He reaches out to grab her by the chest, saying that it would be better for her to stay quiet and he’ll do her easy or they could go the hard way. And just as her wolf’s clothing was about to come off…her phone rings.  The blonde guy picks it up and a guy asks if Ryouko is alright. The blonde is like “who the hell are you?” the voice asks again, “Is Ryouko alright?”

The boss takes the phone and says that they’re gonna have some fun with her and he can watch if he wants. Maybe he’ll do some damage to her face- but then everyone can hear the voice. It’s Ryoushi and he’s inside the factory, hidden from the others as he’s prepping up and talking. He says that he can see their ugly faces from where he is. A small flying projectile smacks the phone out of the boss’s hand, another one hits the blonde guy on the face and a third smacks another guy’s hand making him drop his pipe. All the guys get hit by the rocks and the Boss yells to find the guy.

Ryouko is shocked and surprised to find the tables quickly turning and she turns around when she hears Ringo calling out to her from behind. Ringo pulls out a pocket knife and helps cut Ryouko’s ropes as she tells her that she did a good job hanging in there. Ryouko asks how did they..? Ringo smiles and we hear barking. ELIZABETH AND FRANCOIS SAVE THE DAY!~ They managed to follow her scent to the factory. While she’s petting the dogs, Ryouko asks where Ryoushi is. Ringo comments that she was really surprised that when no one is looking, Ryoushi acts like a real man. (On behalf of Ryoushi, oye oye that hurt XD)

The weapon that Ryoushi’s using is a slingshot and they were originally used for hunting. Cue a bemused grin from moi when the narrator states that firing shots from where no one can see him is perfect for a bum like Ryoushi. Seems like it was the Pres’s idea cause he figured it out after watching the stalker video. Ryoushi’s been using the slingshot since he was a kid (Random fact: At the time he hit the stalker, he was using elastic from a nearby pair of underwear. Lol, wait, wut? XD) Ringo says that it was Ryoushi at that time but it didn’t matter because he didn’t come out and that’s why he couldn’t tell her. Ryouko looks up in surprise and maybe slight admiration at him before her smile turns more determined as she says that she’s going in as well. YATTA~ Ringo brought her Neko-Neko Knuckles…err…Revamped?

Explanation, when Neko-Neko Knuckles Revamped makes contact, they emit an electric shock like a stun gun. Oh man that’s gotta hurt like hell. Shes about to get taken out from behind when again Ryoushi to the rescue! He fires a shot at the guy and he drops the pipe. It’s the perfect combination play with Ryouko at the front and Ryoushi at her back! While fighting, Ryouko comments that she feels so light and can move so freely, she can leave her back to Ryoushi. And that feels pretty good. As the blonde guy is about to run out, he notices Ryoushi’s hiding place and is about to go up to hit him when he gets shocked from behind.

The Pres is standing there with a taser in his hands stating that hes not that good with rough stuff (;;;;) Looks like the rest of the Otogi Bank has arrrrrrived~ Urashima punches out another guy  while Otohime looks on admiringly (Indeed, he isn’t a corny womanizer for show). Alice’s weapon of choice, mace. Otsu-san’s weapon of choice, a broom. To the head. Majo-san bopping the guy on the head with her lollipop and Ringo tying him up. Talk about complete sync. Ryouko goes up to the main boss, pounding his abs with the Neko-Neko Knuckles but the guy doesn’t even feel em.  Ryouko ducks back as the guy swings back but he misses and smashes up some wooden boxes while the narrator screams in surprise at his strength XD. Ryouko catches Ryoushi’s eye and he nods and loads his slingshot. He fires a shot at the boss’s foot and Ryouko punches the guy in the jaw. Knockout~!

The girls come up to Ryouko and say that as expected of Ryouko! (err..why does…Ryouko look…well..one eye looks bigger than the other…she looks…insane) But she replies back that it wasn’t just her and looks at Ryoushi who is coming down his perch. He laughs shyly and rubs the back of his head as Otsu-san comments how amazing their teamwork is. The Pres corrects her that its love~ Ringo agrees. Ryouko blushes and hotly tells them that that’s not it! UWA! The boss is still able to get up D: As expected of the head demon of the gang D: Ryou-kun cries out Ryouko’s name but too late, she gets grabbed by the guy and her Knuckles get pulled off. Ryoushi stands up to the guy, telling him to let go of Ryouko but the guy just gives this condescending laugh and tries to move away. Ryoushi rushes the guy but gets back handed and he hits the concrete. But he pushes himself up, saying that he’ll protect Ryouko.

Ryouko is surprised and the boss is amused at the idea that he wants to go one-on-one with him.  He lets go of Ryouko and runs towards Ryoushi.  He swings a punch at Ryoushi who manages to block it and the next punch. But the net hit is a kick right in the stomach and Ryoushi gives him a defiant look which pisses the boss off and tries to punch him again.  Another block and the boss gets pissed and raises both hands, ready to smack Ryoushi in the head. But he easily side steps it and punches the guy where Ryouko had D: Holy crap…he just….he just…defeated the boss of…Whoa. Hidden wolf in sheep’s clothing! (Tv tropes ftw) Before passing out, he declares that HE will be the one to catch Ryouko. WOOHOO! ATTA BOY RYOUSHI!

Ringo rightly points out that Ryoushi looked really really cool right then…and in a bit of a daze, Ryouko agrees. Surprising the hell outta Ringo and she quickly corrects herself that she didn’t say that! The Pres takes hold of Ryoushi and its time for their withdrawal.  As they’re leaving, Alice wonders why the Onigashima students went after Ryouko.  The Pres wonders why and it seems that they’ll have to look into that. As they are walking away, they are being watched by a shadowy figure wearing a white gakuren and has blonde hair and a horrible evil grin. Tis most evil. Ryoushi wakes up back in the club. He walks out to see Ryouko petting his Akita and her saying that she’ll be counting on them from now on. As he calls her name, she looks up at him and after a moment of silence….he turns blue and hides behind the door yelling at her not to look at him. *bemused* So much for progress eh? Ryouko comments that he’s still a bum, as always. Ringo pops over and asks that doesn’t she have a reward for Ryoushi? Ryouko says “No.” and Ryoushi’s head drops XD. Looks like the day when Ryouko’s wolf clothing will come off is indeed far off.

Opinions: (C)

After the comedic hilarity of the first episode, I found this episode to be…I dunno…I like me a good bit of seriousness but I found the comedic aspect to be quite lacking. Given that it was supposed to give us some insight into Ryouko’s character I can get why the comedic aspect was lacking but the tempo feels off that after the hilarity of the first ep, we got so much seriousness. But I gotta admit, seeing Ryoushi like that was kinda… okay A LOT cool. Seeing him being that assertive and protective of Ryouko earned him some serious cool points in my books.

Who can this mysterious figure be? A rival of the Pres and therefore the Otogi Bank? Someone who likes Alice but is pissed that she rejected him in favor of being a part of her cousin’s club? Someone who admits Ryouko-chan and doesn’t want her fighting? So many possibilities that are available! But its gotta be a rival school of that I am sure. The only question is the motive behind this sneaky attack.

Ack, was it just me or was the animation just flat out choppy when Ryouko hugs Elizabeth and Francois? It just wasn’t smooth and it looked like someone forgot some frames in between the shots >> . And also, Ryouko looked so…OFF when Ringo and her are talking just before Ryoushi comes down from where he was shooting from. One ep and in the animation quality is already falling XD I hate to see what’ll happen by the end if things keep going that way!