Nyan Koi!

Episode 8 - The Blazing Private Lesson Runner
Japanese Title: Honoo no Kojin Kyouju Rannaa / 炎の個人教授ランナー
Original Air Date: 19 November 2009

Junpei reaches into his bag and pulls out Kaede's bra in the center of the mall as the crowd of shoppers look on in shock! Kaede snatches the stolen bra from Junpei and runs off, leaving him dejected. Surely Junpei hasn't sunk so low and has become a typical thieving pervert?!

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The previous day, Junpei returns home to find Kotone and Akari sitting with his family, as well as a new allergen in need of his assistance. Frail and lacking stamina, Micchi wants to gain the strength required to catch a sparrow as he's currently not fit enough for the task. Junpei decides to start training Micchi after witnessing his pathetic attempt to pounce on a group of birds, but While out jogging the two come across Kaede and the meddling Nagi who forces Junpei is to join the Track and Field club with immediate effect, and Micchi is left alone and forgotten.

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After school, Kanako also joins the club along with Junpei and an overenthusiastic Kaede while Nagi tends to other members of the club. Left waiting the entire day for Junpei to return, Micchi decides to extract revenge on his neglectful coach by sneaking into the locker room and placing Kaede's bra into Junpei's bag, deliberately causing the misunderstanding seen at the start of the episode. Will Junpei find a way to clear his name and win back Kaede's forgiveness, or will Kanako and Nagi tear him apart first for not stealing their underwear instead?

Episode 9 - Girls in the Water
Japanese Title: Honoo no Kojin Kyouju Rannaa / 炎の個人教授ランナー
Original Air Date: 19 November 2009

Paid for and arranged by Haruhiko, the group study session for the second term finals will take place at... Tokiwa Hawaiians public pool?! Thinking they were heading to the library, Junpei's sense of obligation to his studies has him take on a sullen mood as the exams are just around the corner, but he eventually caves after seeing Kaede and Kanako in their swimsuits and realizes that there won't be any cats around to spoil his fun. With his attention centered on Kaede as usual, Kanako tries to figure a way to get closer to him but finds competition from the twins who are also coincidentally visiting the pool, and Nagi who gets a less-than-warm welcome from everyone but Kaede.

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Junpei temporarilly leaves the pool after being struck in the nose when Kaede was accidentally knocked back in an altercation between Kanako and Nagi over their breasts, and on his way to the first aid station he comes across a cat that asks for help after getting lost while looking for some water. Noting his prolonged absense, Kanako leaves the group to search for Junpei and sees him talking to the cat, and helps get it out of the building after Junpei successfully covers up his curse. However, with just one day left before the exam Junpei is stuck at home with a cold he caught while out in the snow with just a pair of swimming trunks on...

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I felt that the series was losing steam after the last two episodes, but this showed a complete return to form by providing great laughs, plenty of fan-service and great character development in the second half for the severely underused Kanako. The events of this episode we told early on in the manga, but I think establishing Kanako's feelings this late gave it more authenticity instead of just having her as the token "childhood-friend with a crush" archetype found in so many harem shows.

... Did Chizuru say what I think she said?

Episode 10 - A Certain Night's Events
Japanese Title: Aru Yoru no Dekigoto / ある夜の出来事
Original Air Date: 3 December 2009

With the exams over and the results released, the group feel they can push forward and complete the year without reservation... Until they find out that Kanako failed the exam as she was distracted, thinking about her intimate moment with the unconscious Junpei. To make up for her grade, Kanako has to compile a 20-page report on the local history of the town and Haruhiko suggests asking Akari and Kotone for input as they're the daughters of the lecherous, but well-informed head priest.

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Later on at the temple, Junpei asks the Kirishima twins to show them around after learning more about the two from Noir, and tries to include them more when he learns of their lonliness after their parent's divorce. The gang come across a weird cat statue outside a shop that Kanako draws whiskers on, causing Akari to scold her for ignoring superstitions of a curse for anyone who vandalizes it.

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Apologies for the second paragraph being so abrupt, I actually wrote the description several months ago and never got around to finishing it and I don't have the time to re-watch the episode to remind myself of what happens with so much else to catch up on. I can tell you that this wound up being my least favorite episode of the series as the story veered off into a stereotypical parody of the magical girl genre, but I'm sure those who like the twins will get a kick out of them taking the spotlight.

Episode 11 - Friends
Japanese Title: Furenzu / フレンズ
Original Air Date: 10 December 2009

After the head priest discovers that the Neko-jizou statue had been damaged, Junpei begins to show various symptoms of his curse, such as an aversion to hot things. Unreliable as he is, the priest is denied the appropriate funding to repair the statue and Akari tells Junpei to take responsibility as the temple has almost run out of money, and so he decides to get a job at the local post office where Chizuru serves as his instructor. While doing his rounds, he comes across Kanako who is also working to earn additional money ahead of Christmas, and she assumes that Junpei is working towards buying a present for Kaede, which he'll give along with a confession.

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Wishing she could go back to their childhood and realizing her feelings for Junpei have only escalated, Kanako takes the opportunity of receiving two complementary movie tickets by inviting him along to Sun Road where the two spend the day together. As the two head into the cinema, Kanako considers telling Junpei about her feelings for him while wrestling with her obligation to Kaede, feeling she's betraying her friend.

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While I would have liked more emotional drama, anything more serious than what happened in this episode would probably have gone against the overall tone of the show and with the final episode on the horizon, we'll have to wait for a second season to see how the love triangle develops as I'm sure the focus will now be on Junpei's curse manifesting itself.

Episode 12 - Will Heaven Wait?
Japanese Title: Tengoku wa Matte Kureru? / 天国は待ってくれる？
Original Air Date: 17 December 2009

Finale. Overhearing a conversation between Junpei and a group of cats, Kaede begins to suspect that something is wrong with him which causes his curse to accellerate. Having grown a pair of cat ears, the twins rescue Junpei from the post office and sneak him to the temple where they hide him from public view as they try to come up with a way to erase Kaede's suspicion before things get any worse, and Nyamsas devises a plan and has Junpei arrange a meeting with Kaede the following day. However, while discussing the possibility of a curse with Kanako at a resturant, Kaede lets on that she may have feelings for Junpei that extend beyond friendship...

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At the mall, Junpei openly reveals to Kaede that he's been cursed, though he reveals the reason for his misfortune as vandalizing the same statue Kanako drew whiskers on previously. Putting on an act, the twins scold him and "exorcise" the statue to convince Kaede that Junpei is now safe. All goes according to plan until Nagi makes a dramatic entrance, and accidentally removes Junpei's cap - revealing his cat ears not only to Kaede, but all the shoppers in the vacinity. With his curse now in full effect, Junpei turns completely into a cat, and nears his own death...

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It wasn't particularly mind-blowing and had a shallow plot typical of most harem anime, but the style of humor, great voice acting and the interaction between the characters were what made this series stand out for me. Kanako became my favorite character of the group and I'm glad her position escalated to an actual love interest once Junpei realizes her feelings for him, and it's a shame "The Summer With You" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" chapters didn't make it into this season... It's hard to pick a favorite though as I found all characters likable.

The only flaws immediately apparent were that Nagi had the least amount of development of the main cast, which was disappointing as it felt there was so much potential for her character and she wound up being little more than comic relief. Chizuru was also underused and I would have preferred seeing the Winter Garden chapter animated in place of the magical girl episode, but there's always next season.

... Well, hopefully. A second season was strongly hinted at at the end of the final episode, but there's yet to be an official announcement - the official blog mentioned an announcement at the end of July, but nothing's been posted since (thanks for translating Sheepy ).