Calling this episode a reprieve would be silly as it’s the penultimate episode of Missing Pieces (and presumably the show as a whole). Still, I suppose the label fits in terms of my sanity. I’ve been disenchanted with the school comedy side of the plot and that’s a very big problem as it’s proven to taken up most of the show. I’ll gladly take an episode that shifts things over to the Hori residence. That element feels so underutilized. It’s where the story literally kicked off and I’ve generally enjoyed Hori’s family, especially Kyosuke. Why they have to play second fiddle to Hori and Miyamura’s lame friends at school is beyond me.
The first segment is a flashback detailing the beginning of Kyosuke and Yuriko’s relationship. The two attend the same school as their daughter and Miyamura, with Yuriko being Kyosuke’s upperclassman. Kyosuke has a circle of friends though he’s a bit of a bad boy, as evidenced by him bringing his motorcycle to school. Given this background, I can see why Kyosuke would befriend Miyamura so easily. As for Yuriko, we see her assist the student council, much like her daughter will in the future. She’s mostly soft-spoken but there is a scene where she’s willing to use force. The flashback is short but it gives you an inkling as to what makes Kyosuke attracted to his future wife, namely her headstrongness and warmth. Honestly, I wish the whole episode was entirely set in the past. It feels like some more could be done with this backstory. Give me a full episode starring Hori’s parents, you cowards.
The rest of the episode is a series of antics set in the present day and at the Hori residence. I suppose none of these advance the plot but it’s refreshing to see Miyamura hanging out with his girlfriend’s family longer than like a minute. That hasn’t happened in quite some time. Perhaps the most entertaining segment is when Sota gets his older siblings to play a make-believe scenario set in a spaceship. Hori initially wants to continue studying with Miyamura but she quickly gets into the game, taking on the role of a coldhearted captain. With how often Hori looks after Sota in their parents’ stead, it’s surreal to see her act more like an older sister and pick on her little brother for a change.
Miyamura’s role in this episode is pretty interesting. We’ve never really seen it before in the show but it makes sense that he’d end up being the mediator whenever Hori and Sota argue with each other. That is pretty funny considering that Miyamura is an only child. He’s not used to sibling rivalry so he’s not an expert at dealing with it nor is he comfortable with watching it unfold. I also like how torn he gets whenever these fights happen. Hori may be the love of his life but Sota is his surrogate little brother and a little kid so he can’t help but take his side. To be fair, Hori does go overboard in all of these scenarios. That occasionally bothers me given how nasty it can get and how unapologetic Hori is about it but I think it mostly is funny in this episode.
Watch Horimiya: The Missing Pieces on Crunchyroll and Funimation
Xenodude Scribbles 