[bluesparrow]

This series has really kind of had an uptick in watchability. It really does feel like the writers took a minute to reflect on what wasn't working in the first dozen or so episodes and improved it. Here we get the supporting cast actually doing stuff, away from the main lead, for most of the episode. Haruto himself wasn't an emotionless blank. The villains have more of a backstory. And we're finding out more about the Wizards! Not much more, but still.

Anyway, random thoughts:

- The Gate from this two parter is probably my least favorite one so far. She seems like she'd make for a good Phantom.

- White Wizard's belt was cooler than Haruto's imo. Though I think the colors of each would work with the other's costumes better(gold hand with White Wizard, red hand with Haruto) And it was downright rude - no "please" just "now"!

- Why didn't Beast just turn invisible when he was stymied by Beezlebub's teleportation power? The teleportation thing wasn't omni-directional, he was still taking hits. Maybe he didn't eat enough mayonnaise.

- The DragoTimer is more interesting than I expected based on the toy scans. I figured it was just another lame add-on gimmick toy, and it is, but at least the power it grants Haruto is pretty cool. Still looks lame though IMO.

- Speaking of which, it looks like people with the inclination to now have an in-show excuse to buy all the Wizard Dragon form figuarts.

- Looks like next week is it for Phoenix...or Medusa. I liked Medusa better for most of the show but Phoenix is genuinely more interesting now. I hope he changes the balance of power and has his own faction of Phantoms.

- Speaking of which we're about due for the villains to lay their cards out on the table, right? The mystery of what their plan is has gotten a bit long in the tooth imo.