EPISODE 4: UPGRADE
Continuing from the previous episode, Ichi (Taichiro) logs back into the game to find a lone feather belonging to the Black Bird. However, the Black Bird is nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, the pirates continue their attacks to break down the barrier protecting Twilight Hill. In a conversation, Pico, the guildmaster of the Pirates, admits that she isn’t searching for the Black Bird. Instead, she is chasing Ichi. In agreement, her first in command shakes her hand, and the status of guildmaster changes to Shiga shocking the guild.
Pico, tired of being underestimated, breaks her way through the barrier. She lands in front of Ichi.
Back in the hospital, Asuma (AAAAA) is recovering. He receives a visit from a mysterious girl who tells him not to say anything to his father and then leaves.
Ichi and Pico engage in a battle.
Pico gives her terms for the battle. If she wins, Ichi will join the Pirate Guild. He accepts because he feels there is zero chance he will lose. As they battle, they notice how hard each one has worked to reach their goals.
Pico recalls how she met Ichi. They both looked dejected in Planet. She approaches him and asks if he wants to add her to his friend’s list, but instead, he kills her. He tells her to die and she tells him to die. Somehow, that made things okay with each other and they grouped up for awhile.
In the end, Ichi does win. Pico cries that she cares about him the most and that she was supposed to make him smile, not the Akabane family. Ichi tells her to stand. He invites her to party and tells her that since he won, they’re going to hunt the Black Bird together. As they try to track down the Black Bird, Ichi tells Pico why he stopped hanging out with her. Apparently, she kept insisting they meet in person and he couldn’t. Pico continues to ask Ichi to join the Pirates. He asks why does she not join the Akabane family if she really wants to be with Ichi. He realizes that he is just substituting her for his sister. She turns his offer down. Ichi divulges to himself that the real reason he cut ties with her wasn’t because she wanted to meet, it was because he wanted to meet her.
Back on the pirate ship, Pico’s guildmates are talking about how they respect Pico. In a turn of events, Shiga tells the guildmates that he hates how hypocritical Pico is. In a bold move, Shiga disbands the guild with Granada by his side.
THOUGHTS
WOW! I was not expecting Granada’s long play. Holy smokes. We learned a lot from this episode. We learn that there isn’t something quite right with the Black Bird. Why would Taichiro’s (Ichi) father want his family’s profiles blocked from entering the game? It was interesting to learn the background between Ichi and Pico. Her obsession with Ichi makes no sense to me. When Shiga and Granada call her a hypocrite, I definitely see that. You shouldn’t make people smile by trashing other people. We also learn how deep Taichiro is in depression. He severed ties with someone because he wasn’t capable of even wanting to meet someone offline. He chooses to wallow in his misery. I am looking forward to the aftermath of the disbanding of Pirates.
Filthy Casual for Life 
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