WIth most of the story lines coming into view now, this episode both ties up some loose ends as well as beginning some new strings to follow: What is the intent of Yagi-dono? How will the arrival in Edo of Sachi, Masa's little sister, affect The Five Leaves? And what about the returrn of the Bakuro gang. Did Yaichi sell them out? As always, the story flows nicely thanks to the wonderful background animation and the accompanying music. The character development is subtle (most of the time, as sometimes it seems like they go too far to point out the obvious) and we learn a bit more about each character in each episode. The more recent episodes have been focusing on a specific member or two of the group: this episode gave considerable attention to Otake and Matsu. By contrast, we've seen a little bit less of Ume and Yaichi. The series overall remains intriguing. If you are watching for the first time, take the time to go back and watch the beginning of the series. The early episodes are a bit awkward, but still enjoyable. Much of this show is setting the stage and the suspense for coming episodes. This pacing, I believe, intentionally creates some anxiety in the viewer (maybe tension is the better word) which only draws you further into the plot and the characters. It's a tremendous series, and it takes some concentration to follow the plot and dialogue, but it's well worth it.