Restoration: Accel World 7

Spoiler warning: Spoilers for the seventh episode of Accel World beyond this point. Don't read if you have not watched!

Accel World episode 7: Haruyuki hires a bouncer known as Aqua Current to guard him until he can regain his lost Burst Points. (Source: Hulu)

It's a duelin' episode! Dueling friends! Dueling partners! Dueling banjos? No, not today, thank God. Anyway, I find it interesting that the name of this week's episode is "Restoration". What is being restored in this episode? So far, it seems it is links that are being rebuilt – links between people.

So Haruyuki goes into his point-recovery scheme with his new bouncer, Aqua Current, who has yet to reveal her true name (like Kuroyukihime, actually!). Aqua Current is just the coolest. I love her! I especially love her Brain Burst avatar, which reminds me of a water-based Miku Hatsune. I really liked her fighting style; can she be my Brain Burst bouncer?

And some may not like the way Aqua defended Haru in battle, but it makes sense. She’s a bouncer, not his best friend. She’s there to give back-up and make sure Haru’s points don’t drop into the negative. And in the end, Aqua did a great job using her pure water property to save Haru’s butt from annihilation. But of course her water is the purest. (Now stop trying to grab her boob, Haruyuki!)

I really hope Aqua comes back in later episodes. It’s hard to believe that they would introduce someone like her and not have her come back, even if Haruyuki cannot remember her now. And she did teach Haru a valuable lesson of not letting his friends go away, something he needs reminding of. 

I can totally see why Haru would have trouble trusting people due to his self-esteem issues. He's been burned so many times before. Now it’s time for him to rely on others when he needs the assistance.

The B-plot of this episode was the duel between Kuroyukihime and Takumu. And really, this fight highlighted how much of a doofus Takumu is. Like, seriously. 

Takumu: you’re gonna quit kendo and Brain Burst? It’s not like you put Kuro in the hospital. It’s not like you actually put her or Haru in any serious harm. Yes, you were being an ass, but everyone has forgiven you. Stop with the metaphorical self-whipping and get over yourself, martyr boy!

So speaking of people who need to fix their trust issues, Takumu does – in a major way. And hopefully Kuro’s words got permanently drilled into his head. Based on how the episode ends, who the hell knows? 

So he puts on these symbolic glasses to show how he wants to see his real self as well as the real selves of his friends? Yawn. Takumu, stop being so basic and making empty gestures. He needs more scenes with Chiyu, to be honest. Also, can I get one of those neck-devices? Because I'd love to not to have to wear glasses anymore, not gonna lie.

Overall, it was a decent episode and a good connector between arcs. We now have Haru back on track with more points, Takumu no longer at mental odds with his friends, and Kuro who will probably be soon out of the hospital. Now – how long before we start seeing Burst Brain players start openly gunning for Kuro’s crown? The countdown begins.

You can always watch subbed streaming episodes of Accel World at Hulu as well as Viz’s site.