This episode is pretty much so exciting which I think makes this anime worth watching. There's a lot of tension and surprise in the mahjong battle, even if you have no idea what they are doing you can feel the emotion and the stress the character is having thanks to the special effects in the anime during the mahjong battle.
The first round of the battle to qualify to the nationals starts with Yuuki aka Taco-chan going against Jun of Ryuumonbuuchi, Mihoko of Kazekoshi and Mutsuki from Tsuruga Academy.
Before the battle starts Taco-chan had her taco eaten by Jun who kinda think the taco is for her. Poor Taco-chan was crying having her source of power eaten though Mihoko who is so kind gave Taco-chan her bento. The bento seems to help calm down Yuuki who is now powered by tako(octopus)
OMG! You ate my Taco!
Relying on Tako power
Tako-chan is not going to give any chance even to Mihoko
In the start of the first round Jun is playing for a fast win, which I think is kinda of a strategy to intimidate her opponents early in the game which worked. She is a player who can read the flow of the game, something like an instinct that knows the opponents have a good tile combination and have a feeling the tiles that the opponents need or will get to win. Jun focuses on Yuuki by not giving her the chance of getting any winning tiles and also steals Taco-chan to win most of the time.
Jun, weakening her opponents spirits
The battle got pretty much exciting with Mihoko with her eye's that seems can see the opponents Mahjong tiles turns out to be the real threat to the other players which surprises both Jun and Yuuki. Yuuki's word ealier kinda bites her back as Mihoko easily takes the lead and winning the battle.
Eye hax power!
The real threat
Too late to realize that
A really good episode, can't wait for the next one. Oh, lets not forget...
Koromo appears! I can here loli fans around the world screaming in joy.
Also a bonus Saki image which I found amusing.