Strangely, while the show's writing was better than ever, the character art looked the weirdest it ever has. At times, Chizuru's lips looked so weird that it was hard to concentrate on what was going on. Still, this anime is full of great characters, and there were great moments for all of them throughout the episode. I hope we see more of Sawako's parents as the show progresses too. The bit with her mother and father had me cracking up.
I'm sure that things will eventually return to the same melodrama as before, and that's disapointing. Still, I'd gladly sit through any number of episodes like that for another one like this. I hope this anime gets a chance to work its slice of life magic again soon.
Rating: 98/100