[Matrixbeast]

I feel Daiji's character arc makes a lot more sense once you look at it from his point of view. And he voices it perfectly against Ikki. How many people need to die in the fight against Giff?
Daiji makes it actively clear why he sides with Akaishi. He's making a purely mathematical decision. Siding with Giff means they don't have to lose any more lives to him.
...Granted, I'm pretty sure siding with him also means he turns you into demons, considering his seemingly infinite army of them probably came from somewhere. But Daiji isn't looking at the bigger picture.

Akaishi taking on a fatherly role to Daiji is a curious situation. Didn't expect that. Seems he's grown from merely seeing him as a tool and actually started to care. His little interaction with Weekend dad made him remember what it was like to have a family.

Anyway, I think this episode was eh, overall. I think Ikki needs to understand empathy a little better. Daiji is broken. Trying to physically break him down further won't help. He needs to stand tall and make Daiji see that they stand a fighting chance.