Mikagura School Suite

Episode 12

Both Eruna and Seisa receive a copious amount of advice in this episode, mostly along the lines of “Be true to yourself.” While the statements may be directed at Mikagura School Suite's two leading ladies, the show itself also seems to take this advice To Heart. In its final episode, the series throws out any pretense of seriousness or narrative cohesion and simply does whatever the heck it wants to do. Objectively speaking, it's a bit of a mess. Personally though, I can't think of a better way for this story to end.

It might unfold in an absurdly carefree manner, but this episode does still have something resembling a plot. As Seisa's Killing Art power deteriorates, Eruna catches a brief glimpse into Mikagura Academy's distant past. Unlike most of the school's architecture, she survives the experience in One Piece and leaps right back into the midterm tournament. After a little harmless breaking and entering, Eruna even manages to get Seisa to agree to a bet: if Eruna can win the final round of the tournament, Seisa will join her club. Some creative shuffling of the tournament ladder sets up a battle between the two of them, which ends in a draw. The school gets repaired, friendships are mended, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Rather than hiding the narrative acrobatics it must go through to resolve last week's complications, the show seems to revel in its sudden turnaround. Remember when Eruna and Bimii were swallowed up by Seisa's power? Don't worry about it, they're totally fine. Concerned about the majority of the school grounds getting blasted to smithereens? It's fine, these things happen all the time during midterm season. Wondering how Seisa would even be allowed to participate in the tournament after skipping all the previous rounds? Well, rules are made to be broken, as long as nobody minds. By the time the drama club runs an improv skit in order to hand Kuzuryu's spot over to Seisa, it's obvious that the show is willing to ignore the normal rules of storytelling on this one. It doesn't get stuck in plot holes so much as it splashes around in plot puddles.

All these reversals of fortune allow the series to recapture the unhinged enthusiasm that it had at the beginning of the season. The action scenes are back to being so ambitious and over the top that the animation can't quite keep up. The characters have ditched their serious, worried faces and once again spend each battle grinning like idiots. Rather than acting as a pivotal final confrontation, the showdown between Eruna and Seisa feels more like a victory lap. There's a palpable sense of joy mixed in with the deliberately ridiculous visuals, and it's hard not to get swept up in the moment.

Most shows wouldn't be able to get away with half these shenanigans, but they work here because they align with the overall message of the series. Mikagura School Suite wants us to acknowledge that holding supernatural battles between high school students is pretty darn silly, and taking it seriously isn't always productive. Before it can deliver a life lesson or prattle on about human nature, a show like this needs to be fun. You can't tell the audience to be themselves and follow their passions unless you allow the characters to do the same. At the end of the day, no one at Mikagura Academy really cares who the strongest student is. There's no corny, cackling villain to defeat and no pile of magical widgets to collect; the only things the characters need to overcome are the fears and regrets that keep from opening up and having a good time.

In many ways, this final episode is perfectly in sync with Eruna as a character. It shows up with a goal but no concrete plan, and it makes a bunch of sloppy mistakes along the way. It has too much energy for its own good, and it's optimistic to the point of being foolish and annoying. However, despite all of those problems, it somehow manages to make everything work out well in the end. Mikagura School Suite remains a flawed series, but a conclusion this strong makes it easy to overlook those weak points.

Rating: B+

Mikagura School Suite is currently streaming on Funimation.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.