Always a Catch! Episode 4 significantly deepens our understanding of Mimi, moving beyond her initial sweet demeanor to reveal a more complex character. While Mimi consistently maintains she doesn't resent her brother Teo's birth, this episode largely convinces us of her sincerity. She genuinely adores Teo. However, this love doesn't erase the personal challenges his arrival brought.
Mimi's Family and Shifting Roles
A crucial flashback towards the episode's end grounds Mimi's character. Talking with Renato about her family's martial arts, Mimi reveals how her father's treatment changed after he had a male heir. Before Teo, Mimi and her dad were inseparable, spending days training in the Annovazzi ways. This ended abruptly when he celebrated his heir’s birth – a deeply hurtful moment, regardless of Mimi’s outward strength.
This context reframes Mimi's departure from Muro. It appears less as an active search for a husband and more as a coping mechanism for her altered circumstances. Duke Annovazzi's directive for Mimi to find a man seems to be his way of enforcing societal norms, as highlighted when he instinctively seeks Mimi for training, then corrects himself, remembering she's now "A Girl." While a different series might show her father defying norms, Mimi seems genuinely at peace with her new path. Her story to Renato is open and honest; she loves her family and is finding new ways to apply her training. Mimi is a formidable heroine not just for her combat skills, but for her resilience and ability to move forward, attributes cultivated by her father’s training.
A Strong Heart and Growing Bonds
Mimi takes justified pride in utilizing her skills. Saving the queen wasn't just a rescue; it proved her worth to the royal family and aided her fiancé, Renato. Her devotion to him is clear, even if romantic love isn't fully established, and it's reciprocated. This act reinforces the strong-hearted character established in earlier episodes. Mimi's blend of strength and compassion endears her to all, even driving poor Raimondo to delightful despair as he futilely tries to "police" her, likely more concerned about Ireneo than any real threat to Mimi.
Ireneo and Narrative Pacing
Ireneo, introduced this episode, feels like a somewhat unnecessary character – the clichéd "no-chance rival" and "womanizer." While it's satisfying to watch Mimi effortlessly deflect his advances, especially contrasting with her ease around Renato's affection, Ireneo is largely annoying. His role isn't yet clear, and unlike Rosalia, he doesn't immediately enhance the cast.
A minor critique is the anime's tendency to skip small, yet significant, moments from the source material, which can make the narrative feel disjointed. For instance, we missed Mimi explicitly agreeing to marry Renato, and this week, Mimi and Ireneo interact as if long-time friends, despite this being their apparent first on-screen meeting. While Mimi is warm, their banter lacks natural development. Streamlining details is understandable, but it needs better execution to avoid such discontinuities.
Despite minor pacing hiccups and a somewhat underdeveloped new character, Always a Catch! Episode 4 largely excels in deepening our appreciation for Mimi. It highlights her resilience and the enduring impact of her past on her present journey. The episode earns a commendable 3.7 out of 5 stars, recognizing its strong character development and compelling narrative despite a few narrative shortcuts. Mimi remains a captivating force, continually proving her strength lies in her ability to adapt and forge her own path.
