English Dub Review: Hatena Illusion “Episode 6”

Overview (Spoilers Below)

 We start with another flashback; this one features a young Kana and a baby Yumemi. Maeve is present, being a great mother as she dodges questions as to what color hair is better. She loves Kana’s dark hair because it’s like Mamoru’s, and she likes Yumemi’s because it’s just like hers. She probably thinks it’s strange that the sisters are awkward around each other in the present timeline for such an insignificant thing as hair color.

As teased in the previous episode, Hatena meets with Aunt Mariah with the goal of cutting a deal. Mariah warns her niece that Hatena’s evil grandmother won’t release Maeve unless Hatena steals the artifact currently being presented in Tomi-Tomi’s art exhibit. It’s obvious to everybody except our heroine that Mariah is lying through her teeth.

Going behind Makoto, Yumemi, and the domestics’ backs, she recruits Kokomi and the boys from her class to help case the museum. Hayashida brings a tablet with an electronic map of the site, including all the security cameras and traps. The girls use his tech to make a quick stroll around the exhibit—their appearances heavily disguised.

Not really, though. Tomi-Tomi, who is watching from the cameras in the sky, makes them right away.

Meanwhile, back at the manor, Ema is desperately trying to get Yumemi to take a bath. Makoto offers to give her a reward if she stops giving the maid a hard time—not a great system to use on a kid, but it temporarily works. He agrees to take her to a meditation shrine the next day, another odd request from that odd little girl. At the shrine, they run into Kokomi and the boys—all of whom are incredibly poor at meditation. Makoto wonders why they’re there until the green-haired vixen lets slip that she’s rewarding the boys for helping out Hatena.

Worried about his damsel in distress, Makoto runs to Tomi-Tomi’s museum along with Ema and Yumemi. While it’s dangerous and Yumemi really shouldn’t go, she insists, refusing to sit idly by while her sister is in peril. She also wants an excuse to wear her new harlequin costume.

The gang faces off against Tomi-Tomi who uses her personalized artifact to trap Hatena and Ema in pink goo that heats up on the strange woman’s request. She hopes to get the young thief hot enough so she’ll “voluntarily” give up her artifact, Muffy.

Even though Makoto defeats Tomi-Tomi by stealing her artifact, Hatena thanks Yumemi solely because she tagged along. And just like that, the relationship between them is mended and the youngest Hoshisato daughter even starts going to school again.

 

Our Take

It might not be safe yet, but I’m optimistic. Because after the events of this episode, I believe the tension between Hatena and Yumemi is finally over. That little one is stubborn as the day is long, but there’s only so much crap she can give to big sis before feelings are hurt.

Makoto and Yumemi’s relationship remains strong. They get on so well, I wonder if our toe-headed diva will become jealous whenever the two master thieves request private time together. Lil’ Sister’s already trying to insert herself in the magic act Makoto and Hatena have been talking about for years.

Anyway, I think I might’ve missed something. At the end of last episode didn’t Mamoru return home? And furthermore, doesn’t he allegedly have a pre-existing relationship with Tomi-Tomi? So how come nobody approached him to get the 411 on this Rubenesque woman? Sure, I’m aware that papa is a bumbling character, but cold hard information from a dullard is information all the same. It just seems like a lot of unpleasantness could’ve been avoided if somebody had remembered that the old magician was in the house.

Off topic, but I think Jeeves knows a lot more than he’s letting on. After years of watching anime—and with a particular focus on the character of Tanaka from Black Butler—I’m starting to think the clueless, decoy butler might be a famous trope. I don’t watch enough anime to roll out any other examples, but what do you think? Pop some examples my way; I’m working on a thesis here!

And now, let’s talk about Hatena’s need to evolve and simply be better. How come she was the only one who wasn’t shocked when Mariah played her for a fool? It’s almost as if Hatena wasn’t around a few episodes ago when the evil Auntie put the hurt on her entire family. But guess what, she was around, and was actually at the center of the controversy. I can’t even fathom how somebody as astute as Hatena managed to get fooled in the same way twice.

On the one hand, I love that she’s so trusting. In a way, it revitalizes my faith in humanity. On the other hand, this is how little girls wind up buried in the desert with their heads and hands sawed off. 

Too graphic? Yeah, that was a little too graphic. Apologies.