This episode proved to be an outstanding one, with exceptional expositional dialogue that made me grin triumphantly when I realised where everything was headed halfway through; it was one of those Eureka, feel-good moments that you can’t help but pat your back for. It’s a niche, to be sure — different people will value different things, but what I value the most above all is good writing. Show, not tell. Never spoonfeed the viewer. Don’t assume that your audience is mostly dense (even if they are), because there will always be those who will get what you’re trying to say, even if you’re not saying it through normal means.

character designs like this would have robbed the show of its seriousness

Naturally, I was one of those who got it.

You know what they say — when life gives you loli, you make lollipops an anime.

what hardcore lolicons must look like to the rest of the world

Or so would appear to be the premise of a show like Kurenai. Despite how the man on the street might have misgivings about the loli aesthetic, I prefer to think that much of its criticism stems from the inability of a fan to differentiate. Do we call Aishiteruze Baby loli? No, we call it a respectable shoujo series that we wouldn’t be ashamed to read in front of our family and friends. Do we call Card Captor Sakura and the Nanoha franchise loli? Yes. Why the double standards, then?