Episode 6 – I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day

While several elements of this latest outing function well on paper, the series has reached a point where it can no longer hide behind vague world-building just to stretch out the pacing. The opening minutes, however, are fantastic. They offer Sheena a raw, firsthand look at the physical toll combat takes on returning students. Although the impact might have hit harder if the animation had been a bit more graphic as Mimi pieced herself back together right in front of her, Sheena’s reaction—breaking down in tears while apologizing for expecting Mimi to always come back whole—is remarkably effective. Neither character fully understands the other’s perspective, but when faced with overwhelming trauma, sometimes a shared cry is all that remains.

That said, Sheena calling herself overly naïve feels out of step with her established character arc. Right from the premiere, she has carried the crushing weight of the tragedies surrounding her. The narrative literally begins with her roommate dying and Sheena feeling completely helpless in a senseless war. While she hasn’t experienced much direct violence outside of training—aside from losing her arm—”naïve” isn’t the right word for her mindset. The only thing she was truly ignorant about was the illusion of Mimi’s invincibility. Even if Mimi can endlessly regenerate, she still has to endure the physical assembly process, and it is heavily implied that she still feels the pain, having simply grown numb to it. Last week’s episode positioned Sheena as someone actively searching for a way to save both Mimi and break the cycle of war, making this week’s regression in her character writing feel like a step backward just to give her something to ponder.

On the broader geopolitical front, the conflict is apparently escalating to a degree where even Mimi’s overwhelming strength may not be enough to hold back enemy forces. With casualties mounting and the upperclassmen who usually mentor the younger recruits either injured or dead, desperate times are driving the school administration to throw caution to the wind. This sets up an upcoming practice match between Mimi and Lizzy, serving as the episode’s primary dramatic anchor. While the setup works on a surface level, there is a noticeable disconnect. The faculty don’t seem particularly concerned with testing the emotional bonds between Lizzy and Mimi; rather, they simply view Mimi as the most efficient tool to evaluate their students. Consequently, the conversation between Lizzy and Ali about suppressing emotion to take down enemies feels a bit detached. It’s a solid scene on its own, but it clashes with the surrounding narrative—not least because I cannot recall a single prior interaction or conversation shared between Mimi and Lizzy.

While the characterizations remain relatively consistent, the execution often feels disjointed, as though a different writer handled every single scene. This issue is compounded by the fact that the nature of the war itself remains entirely unexplained, leaving viewers in the dark about how the lore ties into the character motivations. Lizzy finally sheds some light on her personal drive, revealing a deep sense of indebtedness to the institution for rescuing her as an orphan. It turns out that virtually every student here is an orphan saved either during the conflict or its immediate aftermath. Yet, looking closely, this academy is less of a safe haven and more of an indoctrination center.

Whether the children actually have a choice in the matter—or if they are simply expected to accept their grim fate as an inevitability of war—is glossed over. This episode attempts to juggle numerous heavy themes, but the execution winds up messy and fragmented. While the impending clash between Mimi and Lizzy is intriguing, the lack of clear emotional stakes or a defined thematic goal leaves the audience grasping for direction. With tighter writing, the building suspense could have paid off magnificently; instead, it mostly leaves behind a sense of confusion.

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I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day is currently streaming on
Crunchyroll.

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