Episode 3

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Hands down one of the top 2 series of this season, at least at the Three Eps Test timeframe.

This show is so good, so tightly written, and a perfect example of how to execute a Show-Don't-Tell progression on the details of its characters and overall storyline.

Excellent callbacks and further overall plotline developments include:

- Chisato scolding the boyish Lycoris in their training bout for sticking her pistol arm out too far, and subsequently grappling her. This is a callback to Chisato's close-quarter gunplay, especially in the first episode where she's moving around the van and holding her own gun practically to her stomach.

- All the experienced Lycoris in DA and their management know Chisato is a bullet dodger. It's confirmed during her medical training where she's at least twice as fast as Fuki. They do finally explain it if the other previous hints hadn't gotten a viewer there, but only at the very end of the episode. They even show us in a more controlled manner that the more shooting discipline you have, the better Chisato will fare against you, explaining why the reasonably-well experienced mercenaries the previous episode couldn't hit her, even with a full-auto rifle.

- Showing us through marksman training that Takina is an exceptionally good shot. I would have liked to see her compared to another Lycoris though to really sell it.

-Nice worldbuilding that Fuki personally knows and admires a lot of the LycoReco staff, continuing to show us without telling us that this world was alive before the audience started to look at it, like the references to Chisato being well known as the Lycoris responsible for "destroying" the tower.

- Chisato knowing that DA and their super important AI 'Radiata' got hacked (implying there is a legitimately huge threat and vulnerability to that critical government asset) that they're using Takina as a scapegoat for. This hacking was done by Walnut, but I'm not sure the rest of the LycoReco staff know this at this point. The evil organization with the owl pins commissioned her to do it though...so we don't yet know what they're up to. Point is, the series is continuing to slowly tease out what implications there are out of this weapons deal incident that started the entire show, which is a great way to handle tension without constantly upping the stakes from event to event.

- We finally see the DA dorm, and the peaceful, orderly, and communal space it exists as. It makes sense why orphan girls want to be there so bad. It's an actual home for them. We've seen the hints about it before, but it finally comes together. They segue perfectly from this into the character development for Takina with Chisato helping her realize that this is more than one home available for girls like them.

- Chisato's personality is perpetually reinforced, including the girlfriend lift that she gave Takina as a side-eye response to the ugly rumors the DA girls keep spreading about Takina. But even though she wants to teach Takina to open up a little more, we also see the side of her where she wanted to fulfill Takina's request to go back, speaking up for her on Takina's behalf to scold the commander.

All the things shown on screen constantly tie back into each other. There is some serious masterwork writing and storyboarding at play in this project.