So the end is coming near for the series of ReLIFE, and that means I’ll be starting up on the Food Wars! series once again. I was hoping some way, there would be another season, but it’s going to end with a four-part OVA. Bummer…but at least it is something. But I think for most viewers, we knew it was going to be a short series since it focuses on Arata’s one year ReLIFE at the school. Again, this particular review is quite lengthy. I may cut it down just a little bit, that way people can get a feeling of what’s happening.

So Honoka approaches Hishiro and asks if she wants to have lunch together, and she tenses up when Hishiro asks about Kariu. Honoka then tells her that Kariu was absent that day. Hishiro agrees to lunch and that’s when she tells Honoka she looks ugly. Of course, even though Hishiro has improved on her social skills, she still says things a bit wrong. Honoka states she is mean, and then Hishiro asks if she had walked into something, or it was possibly bees. This makes Honoka realize it was obvious that she had been crying, and says she did get stung.

Kariu had in fact returned to school and speaks with the teacher. She announces she should be fine in two weeks, and even though the teacher said she would be able to participate in the volleyball tournament, Kariu declines and says she will drag the team down and might retire instead. She heads back to the classroom, and runs into Hishiro and Honoka. As she walks into the room, she gives Honoka a look, and Honoka tells Hishiro she needs to use the bathroom.

I think it’s obvious that Hishiro notices something is not right, as she looked in the classroom, and then looked back in the direction that Honoka ran off to. A few minutes later, it shows Honoka trying to speak to Kariu, but she can’t. So she leaves the classroom and Aki watches her leave and gets pissed off. He starts to head into the classroom to make Kariu apologize to Honoka face to face, but Nobu stops him and tells Aki that he needs patience and just watch over Honoka.

Aki says he has, and he tells Nobu that it was nice to see Honoka finally smiling at her volleyball practices. He mentions that it’s making her cry again and it’s hard for him to watch. Aki is extremely protective of Honoka, and even if the friendship is platonic, it just seems like Aki likes her. He’s kind of moody, but with Honoka, he’s a bit different. That’s why I kind think something might be there. Or I could be totally wrong.

Kariu ends up staying after class and studying, and Oga is there too. She wants Oga to leave so he won’t see her limp. She is very stubborn and gets even more temperamental. Kariu seems to take everything out on Oga, and lashes out at him as he offers to walk  with her. They both fall, and although Oga seems a bit mad, he notices that Kariu is crying. She tells him just to go already, and Oga refuses. He said to her that he may not be able to carry her, but he can lend her a shoulder. Kariu doesn’t refuse, and she leans against him, her hand on his shoulder. Meanwhile, when this is happening, An is watching over them from the top of the stairs.

Arata notices there is a huge difference in the atmosphere. Hishiro is eating alone again there is a strange feeling with Kariu and Oga, and the fact that Kariu isn’t going to volleyball practice. It’s not until later when Arata is home that he receives a text from Hishiro that she needs advice and that she is standing outside his door.

They manage to start talking about the situation between Honoka and Kariu, while Arata panics having Hishiro in his place. Then he receives a text from An and Yoake telling him not to “jump her”; so obviously they are either watching him or listening to the conversation. They decide to speak to Honoka to see why there was a fallout between her and Kariu.

Okay, this episode is a major emotional roller coaster. There are some amusing moments, but the treatment some of the characters have towards another, mainly Kariu, who pretty much lashes out at everyone in the episode, is just heart-wrenching. I really feel bad for Honoka. When Arata and Hishiro approach her in the locker room, they sit down and speak with her. Honoka blames herself for Kariu’s injury and informs both of them about her scholarship. Of course Aki and Nobu walk by, so it kind of makes you think how important they are to being in Honoka’s life.

Aki had enough and he realizes “that redhead” is still at the school. Despite the pleads from Nobu to not go, Aki does anyway. He approaches Kariu and pretty much drags her back to the school. She puts up a fuss, and Aki gets in her face basically and tells her to keep quiet and walk quietly into the school. Some random guy is listening outside the locker room door, and leaves quickly when Aki, Nobu and Kariu go to the door and listen to what Honoka is saying. It is revealed that Honoka never wanted to play volleyball in the first place, and this shocks Kariu. And that is how episode nine ends.

It seems that any episode that focuses on Kariu and the people around her, end up being a dramatic mess. She seems, no matter what, to end up hurting other people’s feelings. It may not be intended, but it still comes out that way. I think we all know people that are actually like that too. Stay tuned for the review of episode ten!