[Fish Sandwich]

You know the Zanvat Sword must be serious business when they're busting out the literal Melody of Fear first thing after the opening in this one! Probably don't need to waste time describing a tune with a name like that, but this one definitely fits the gothic vibe of Kiva particularly well.

The only thing I've really got to add about the episode proper this time is that I quite like the opening scene with Wataru stepping out in front of Shizuka to politely deal with his grouchy neighbors complaining about his music? It's the show rubbing in how much growth Wataru has had again, by giving him such a new reaction to such an old scenario, and it's appreciated. He's always got something new to worry about, so I feel this might be easy to forget, but the show has seriously allowed Wataru to make massive strides compared to where he used to be. That kind of first quarter era problem doesn't even crack a top ten list of things he's angsty over anymore.

(I also approve of Shizuka attempting to handle the problem by telling those people they simply must not appreciate quality music. It's totally unproductive, mind you! ...but I do have to respect her taking such a strong stance in the name of art.)

36/37 are also Nakazawa's second and final set of Kiva episodes, if that ends up meaning anything. There's a nice shot in this one when Kiva and Saga are fighting in that fountain and the camera pans along with them super smoothly as Saga forces Kiva back that feels straight out of Wizard to me for whatever reason, but I wouldn't be able to say exactly from where off the top of my head, if I'm even remembering something specific.