I finished my last final exam on Thursday, but I didn't get around to watching this episode until today; I'm so behind! Though it's been a while since I've seen this show, I think it's becoming more obvious that Haru is the thread that connects Yuki to everyone else. That is to say he's the catalyst for Yuki finally being able to make some friends. I've noticed that Yuki only openly speaks with his grandmother in the earlier episodes, but he has opened his mouth more and more around Haru and Natsuki recently.
It seems that they'll be delving into Natsuki's disconnect with his father a little bit more each episode. Haru's brainwash manipulation was well intended, yet was oblivious to natural human behavior. There are some things that you can't force, and can only be smoothed over with time. Like a shaken-up can of soda, Yuki pretty much explodes on Haru, which is something he'll eventually learn to avoid. Keeping stuff bottled up will tend to have that kind of result.
After much Enoshima-donning and studying under Natsuki, Yuki finally manages to catch a fish. His affinity for the big ones sure is strong. It's good to note that the first thing that Yuki wanted to do after he caught the bass was to let Haru know. Is this because Yuki wants to let Haru know he's one step closer to their mysterious alien goal? Or was it because he wanted to share his success with his friend? I think the obvious answer is the latter.
Akira is all geared up and ready to fish, but still hasn't jumped into the fray yet. Perhaps he'll actually be the one competing with our protagonists in catching the "something huge" lurking in the Enoshima waters. Overall, I found this episode rather boring to watch, and I reaffirmed my dislike for Yuki's constant internal shouting. It can really be summed up by saying Yuki and Haru got a bit closer as friends. Hopefully the next episode has more Akira in it!
-Bern
