It’s time for the Mirage Bat!
Episode 12 feels more like a rehashed version of the same events from the main series, though with several deviations to fit the story from Miyuki’s perspective.
For one, we get to see more of Airi’s motivations to win the competition, as well as the trust she share with her friends. What’s surprising here is that Shiori now acts as her engineer, and it is clear that she does have skills, if Airi’s confidence is anything to judge by.
Meanwhile, No-Head Dragon is once again stirring trouble, directly targeting Miyuki and attempting to sabotage her CAD, while sending out a vicious Generator to shut down the NSC. Of course, this is something we’ve already seen, and it is still chilling to see Tatsuya’s wrath when Miyuki is put into danger. A fun scene here is when Mayumi and Mari re-enacted a tender moment between the two siblings, and it is really hilarious to see them exaggerating their dialogue and expressions while managing to perfectly capture the bond between the Shiba siblings.
With that, the Mirage Bat finally starts. But there are some differences here. First, Third High’s Mizuo actually competed against Miyuki. And while she and the other participants are skilled in their own way, it is still not enough to defeat Miyuki and her Flight Magic. It is really fun to watch everyone’s shock at seeing the younger Shiba fly, including Airi’s dumbfounded look. Sadly, we never get to see Misaki’s expression for some reason, which is really disappointing.
But despite that, Airi’s determination is admirable. Even though Miyuki has the advantage in scores, the Lightning Éclair didn’t let that affect her. Instead, she simply goes all out during her own fight using her own skills, which is almost on par with Flying Magic. And it really shows why she deserves to be Miyuki’s rival.
An interesting moment here is seeing Miyuki’s point of view on the creation of Flying Magic. While the main season has been pretty clear on why Tatsuya created it, Miyuki’s monologue that it was indeed meant for her further emphasizes the great length her brother would take to ensure her success. Of course, Tatsuya’s achievement is no small feat, nor Miyuki is selfish to use it exclusively. Rather, she is simply happy that a creation of her brother is being recognized by the public.
And so the battle continues. The stage is finally set for a showdown between Miyuki and Airi. Obviously, we already know the outcome of this fight. But it should be interesting how this event plays out.
Overall, episode 12 is a nice penultimate episode for the spin-off. The different take on the story is very welcome, especially with the way it emphasizes Miyuki’s feelings for Tatsuya.
Episode score: 8/10.