Release the Spyce Episode 6: Symbol of Friendship

A reunion is in store for Hatsume in the sixth episode of Release the Spyce.

Sparrow Woman briefs Theresia on her next mission

The episode starts with Theresia being told her next mission – she will infiltrate Hatsume’s school as a student and try to gather intel on Tsukikage. Before Theresia departs, she drinks a gelatin dessert.

Hatsume believes that she can become friends with any person in the world

Momo, Goe and Hatsume check up on Byakko, who is still on cleaning duty. Naturally, Byakko isn’t very impressed with this, but Hatsume says that they should all get along. The belief that Hatsume can befriend anybody in the world came about from one of her old friends.

Theresia decides to take the direct approach for her mission

Sure enough, Theresia is the very same friend that Hatsume was talking about. They end up bumping into each other at school, and Hatsume is happy to be reunited with her friend.
The feeling doesn’t seem to be mutual, though Theresia keeps that to herself for the time being.

A flashback shows how Hatsume first met Theresia and became friends

Theresia thinks back to when she first met Hatsume. She tried to steal from Hatsume during their first encounter, but Hatsume claimed that she was a friend. After that, Hatsume spent some time getting closer to Theresia, until Theresia decided that she would be her friend.
The pair were abducted shortly afterwards. Hatsume was let go before Theresia was; her parents managed to come up with the ransom money their kidnappers demanded. Theresia wasn’t so lucky; she was sold to Moryo.

Theresia is made into a pawn of Moryo

Back to the present day, and Hatsume explains to the other members of Tsukikage what happened when she and Theresia were abducted. Hatsume’s parents manage to round up the money required for Theresia’s release, but they weren’t able to get in contact with the kidnappers.

Yuki has her suspicions about Theresia, whilst Hatsume believes in her friend

Having Theresia turn up out of the blue like she did is suspicious, and it is this very thing that makes Yuki realises that somebody is leaking Tsukikage’s information. Still, Hatsume has faith in Theresia, and will even turn her if she is sided with Moryo. The rest of Tsukikage believes she could pull it off, though Hatsume is taken off the front lines for the time being.

Byakko discovers that she has been cast aside by her village

Byakko is still doing chores and wants nothing more than to return to her village. However, Yuki arrives and brings some bad news along with her. Byakko – real name Fan Yuenyuen – is considered to lack the ability to perform her duties, and as such she has been banished from Togen Village as well as stripped of her title as one of the Four Sacred Beasts.
She may no longer have anyway to go, but Yuki tells her that there are many ways she can live her life.

Hatsume takes her friends to her home

Theresia decides to attempt to capture Hatsume directly so she can interrogate her. She ends up alone with Hatsume for a while, but her plan comes to a halt when Momo and Goe show up. Hatsume decides to take all three girls to visit her home.

Momo quickly discovers the consequences for licking Theresia

Inside, Theresia sees that Hatsume kept her half of their proof of friendship. However, she claims that Hatsume betrayed her, leaving her with the kidnappers when she did. Goe tries to explain that Hatsume’s parents gathered the money for Theresia’s ransom, and then Momo licks Theresia.
Theresia reacts accordingly, but Momo is able to tell that she really wants to reconcile with Hatsume. Rather than do that, though, Theresia leaves.
Momo talks with Goe afterwards, saying that she stuck her nose in where she shouldn’t have. Goe assures her that it is all right. Momo is also worried that Goe may be feeling a little lonely, as Hatsume’s attention is on Theresia. However, that is an aspect of Hatsume that Goe likes.

Finally, we get a post credits scene which reveals the face of the Sparrow Woman.

Sparrow Woman

Well, this episode certainly had some darker moments – child trafficking and slaughter to be more specific. It’s not exactly unheard of for Release the Spyce, and let’s not forget that the writer of Yuki Yuna is a Hero is also writing this show.

I felt sorry for Byakko, though it does seem like her future isn’t exactly bleak. I could see her potentially joining Tsukikage, and its not like she doesn’t have any friends around her.

Theresia’s sudden appearance causing suspicion was a nice touch. These girls aren’t spies for nothing, though I do wonder how much they’ll be able to find out about Theresia. After all, Theresia is aware of the cameras that were placed in her room.

I’m curious about the effect of the gelatin dessert that Theresia drunk. Will it cause memory loss like with Byakko, or has it been changed to have a more drastic effect? Will fear set it off, or is there a different trigger for it this time around?

All in all, a fairly decent episode. Still no clue as to who the traitor is, but Katrina’s conversation with Hatsume did seem a little suspect…