We are back in business, boys and girls! This week Shiki returns with a fresh new outlook after its time off and everything is awesome. Just kidding. But change is good, right?

First things first: we have a new OP! At risk of being publicly flogged for my insolence, I like this song better than the first. And the new opening animation is…new. The idea of a hand turning into a blood fountain makes me a little queasy, but I do like the touch about the inherent duality of the characters plus the world being cleansed by fire and then the tears shed mixes with the blood spilled and from those two things life begins again. That’s the metaphor I’ve chosen to pull from it, at any rate.

So. It’s the same night as Yuuki’s biting (oh how time has not-flown) and he summons Kaori and the little guy to a creepy lonely swing set. As he got bitten once, he now totally knows all the vamps’ plans: they’re going to replace everyone in Sotoba with a Risen, which will be easy to pull off because Sotoba is so remote and no one cares about what goes on there. He urges the kiddos to run away, but they won’t have any of that. I’m on board until the little guy says, “I’d rather regret staying than regret leaving!” which in this case means, “I’d rather regret dying than living my life!” which in all cases is a pretty terrible argument. Yuuki resigns himself to not being the only cowboy left in town and stalks off the playground to sulk.

Just kidding, he’s really sulking about how Toru hasn’t come to feed on him. The anemia is making Yuuki all grumpy, so he confronts Toru and demands he made of meal of his blood. But before Toru can, Yuuki whips out a wooden cross. Toru seems to have a reaction to this, and Yuuki reacts to his reaction by throwing the cross at him and then running into the woods in an angsty way while whining about how the predators and prey could live in peace if they wanted to. Toru gives chase and tries to tell Yuuki that’s just not how things work (killing is hard, man!) but Yuuki is having none of that. He offers himself as a blood feast if Toru will promise to run away with him so they can work out the answer to all these issues. That’s love, folks!

Instead Toru has a meltdown and eats Yuuki (who, you’ll be interested to know, also bleeds sparkles despite not being a full vampire yet).

Meanwhile, the vampires are having the exact same conversation and Megumi is bemoaning her luck at being stuck in her crappy hometown as a vampire. The guy who’s Cat Ear Hair continues to make me absolutely insane asks her to eat Kaori’s dad and she agrees, though she’s very prickly about the whole thing.

Yuuki takes to his bed to pine for his lost love (and his lost blood). Papa Yuuki tries to express to Mama Yuuki that their son may be infected with a new disease, but she doesn’t want to hear it (pretty sure Mama’s got it, too). Out walking to talk to the Doc later, he runs into the Head Dude, also out walking…with his four Doberman-ish dogs. Yikes. Head Dude throws out a bunch of flattery about how it’s so refreshing to meet someone smart from a big city that doesn’t succumb to nasty superstitition like all the country bumpkins in town. I see what you did there, you crafty scamp!

Kaori and the kiddo stop by the Yuuki residence to see their buddy and are almost turned rudely away by Papa. Yuuki drags his carcass out of bed long enough to say they can come in and then they paper his room with magic anti-demon papers. Remember, Papa has already torn a bunch of those down, and he’s not super excited to see them on the walls again. When the kids come back the next day, all the papers are gone. Oh, Papa.

Papa tries to kick them out again and Akira objects in his angry-little-boy way. They decide to sit outside the house to protect and heal Yuuki, if he won’t let them inside. Which is totally not creepy or weird and will defnitely help their case with Papa. Yep.

But wait! Papa has a change of heart! He decides to humor their silly little country bumpkin notions! He’ll sit up with Yuuki and keep him safe! The kids instantly buy it and skip along home, completely confident that Papa is on their side. Oh, kids. (I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that he doesn’t keep Yuuki safe and Toru comes back to nibble on his little hemogoblins some more?)

Later, the kids’ dad and Megumi cross paths on the street. Dad is friendly but his spider sense tingles. Hmmmm. Something doesn’t feel right. Wait! OMG SHE’S THE DEAD GIRL! And now so is he.

There’s a new ED, too, which is not my favorite ever. But I get it: vampires are sexy, so everyone has to be naked. Whatever.

More importantly: what did you think about Shiki’s triumphant return? Was it worth the wait?