March 25, 2005:

Episode 12 of Ah! My Goddess is packed with all the things this series needs right now.

Mara makes Sayoko an offer she doesn't quite refuse.

The story picks up where episode 11 left off, with Sayoko drunk at a bar, complaining about Belldandy. Seizing the opportunity, Mara/Marller approaches Sayoko, and after a dubious beginning, they strike a deal.

Sayako visits Urd to try and get Mara's catalyst CD back. Afterwards, she interrupts Keiichi and Belldandy's date.

There is some scheming, and some very lackluster dancing at a club. Afterwards, there must have been a solar eclipse, or something else I completely missed, or else there are some continuity errors within the episode.

Leaving Skuld to handle things by herself was a good idea, right?

During the second half of the episode, we're treated to a reminder that Urd uses television as a transportation medium. We see Mara's musical vulnerability as the other bookend to the earlier club scene. Hijiri gets another cameo, and Skuld's appearance is foreshadowed. Oh, and Mishima gets angry again.

Finally, there is some real movement in Keiichi and Belldandy's romance as this episode confronts Belldandy's self-doubts and concern about her contract with Keiichi. (This is a recurring theme in the manga that rankles some of its readers.)

Episode 13, however, appears to be a clip show.

April 02, 2005:

As I expected, Aa! Megami-sama episode 13 is a clip show. It features some new material at the beginning and the at the end of the episode, but the bulk of the program consists of narrative voice-overs by Keiichi and Belldandy as they keep us up to date on what has happened so far.

Belldandy

Even then, I think I saw a few re-used shots in the new material that I think were lifted directly from previous episodes, such as the bit with a blissed-out Belldandy shown above.

I actually don't especially mind getting clip shows every once in a while, but I understand many people dislike them quite a bit. For those people I suppose I should mention that episode 13 introduced a lot of new music, which I assume will eventually show up on the second OST.

When they point the finger, that means it's for serious.

Also, the preview for episode 14 is Skuld, Skuld, Skuld, Skuld, Skuld.

Skuld.

[Edit: Technically, I guess the recap show counts as a special, and next week's episode will be the real Episode 13 as far as the numbering goes.]

April 08, 2005:

It turns out last week's recap episode was deemed a special, and was not actually episode 13 of the Aa! Megami-sama television series. Aya Hisakawa is back in force this week and has her chops down solid as Urd's and Belldandy's kid sister in the real episode 13, the first full-on Skuld episode.

Skuld: Onigiri goes here.

Those of you familiar with manga and the OAV should already be able to guess this week's basic story. It's a pretty funny episode, too. Of course, I happen to think any joke involving Urd and televisions is funny.

Keiichi is starting to take his magikally-induced misadventures in stride. I guess he's getting used to them since something wacky happens to him practially every day. This time, "bugs" are to blame for a series of problems, including a tribute to The Adventures of Mini-Goddess. These bugs are invisible, as in the manga, but can be seen with the aid of special glasses.

There are a lot of cameos in this episode, and Tamiya and Otaki also get another short bit involving their inventive solutions to unusual problems.

Keiichi helps Skuld, uh, install a toner cartridge.

We're also reminded that Keiichi and Skuld actually have quite a bit in common, despite her occasional hostility towards him.

There's a new ED starting with this episode. The animation in the ED is pretty lackluster, and on a whole I find it far inferior to the first ED's charming day-in-the-life watercolor stills.

April 15, 2005:

Hooray, it's the Megumi v. Skuld episode with the Robot Battle.

Not much time has passed since the last episode, and Skuld is learning to adjust to her new life on Earth with Belldandy, Urd, and Keiichi. Although things are not exactly going poorly for Skuld, she does encounter a few missteps along the way.

Skuld adjusts to life with Belldandy

Skuld does have confidence in her knack with machines, though, so when Megumi flexes her engineering muscles a bit, Skuld does get a little threatened. Somewhat conveniently, an opportunity for the two kid sisters to go head-to-head presents itself, and the fight is on.

I felt the timing of this episode could have waited a bit, to let newcomers to the series get to know Skuld a bit better. It felt rushed compared to the manga, especially regarding the rival factions that develop on campus.

Skuld's robot faces off against Megumi's robot

There are plenty of funny and cute bits, though, and lots of Aya Hisakawa yammering back and forth, so in all it is another solid chapter in the series.

In other news, I personally agree with Skuld's design philosophy when it comes to including a certain feature into machines.