At last! A bonafide cage match in this tournament! That’s all I’ll say, though - - I promised to lay off the wrestling comments and I’ll stick to my word.
Instead, I’ll pick up that other well-beaten horse. I'll say that Botan’s suggestion to Keiko that she have sex with a barely-conscious Yusuke in public while everybody else is inside watching the tournament (in case you needed that “birds and bees” stuff spelled out) was probably twice as amusing for the fact that there was literally no chance of it happening. Her spicy journal entries are as hot as the relationship is ever going to get, and I find no shortage of amusement in how the two of them are only a couple by the virtue of time invested.
Honestly, at this point, we’ve so thoroughly fulfilled the action quotient in this show for two straight seasons that I'd actually be interested in seeing a whole episode devoted to these two scamps going on a date. Look, this one was seriously kickass and wickedly funny. Don't get me wrong. But I'll still make this wish - - even after having so much fun with the head-chomping phantasms running wild in the bleachers, Genkai’s bravura thwarting of the bad guy’s master stroke and his, subsequent weirdly-fitting infatuation with her. No BS - - this cast is so appealing that you’d be content to just watch them hang out at this point.
Somehow, I suspect that won’t ever be in the cards, though. Shonen having an aversion to cooties and all that. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, though, but I figure there's plenty of fan fiction realizing this very scenario.
Look up this episode, "Genkai’s Strength" and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
I rather not say much because it makes the last episode's in the series all the more memorable, tasteful, and so gosh-darn feel good-ie that you can't help but smile, but they are well aware of the team's dynamic and the series is a lot more mature than they're letting on as of current. I wont say more(you'll just have to watch)
There might be one episode about 40 episodes down the line that is 100% Yusuke + Keiko. You get little touches of their relationship throughout, and she won't be in blatant danger again, but I would have also enjoyed a bit more of those two.
I must have commented on the wrong episode. I haven't watched this series in a long time. Genkai is one of my favorite female characters in this show. She's strong and clever. As an old lady, she makes me laugh.