Ep 7. The Cat's Feelings & the Witch's Melancholy

In Omamori Himari season 1 episode 7, titled "The Cat's Feelings & the Witch's Melancholy," the focus is on the character of Shizuku, the shy and reserved witch who has been working as a maid for Yuto's family. Unlike the other female characters in the series, who are all aggressively pursuing Yuto's affections, Shizuku seems content to simply observe from a distance.

The episode begins with Shizuku stumbling across a stray black cat while out running errands for the household. She takes a liking to the cat and decides to take it home with her, despite knowing that her fellow housemates are not particularly fond of cats. As she cares for the animal and observes its behavior, Shizuku finds herself becoming increasingly attached to it.

Meanwhile, Yuto and the other girls are dealing with their own problems. Kuesu, the demon slayer, is growing frustrated with her lack of progress in winning Yuto's heart, and begins to consider more aggressive tactics. Meanwhile, Himari, the fierce demon warrior who serves as Yuto's protector, is struggling with her own conflicting emotions as she realizes that she has feelings for him as well.

As the episode progresses, the focus shifts back to Shizuku and her relationship with the cat. She begins to suspect that there may be more to the animal than meets the eye, and realizes that it may be connected to one of her past failures as a witch. This prompts her to revisit the memories of that incident and confront her own feelings of guilt and self-doubt.

Without giving away too much, "The Cat's Feelings & the Witch's Melancholy" is a poignant and introspective episode that offers a deeper look at one of the series' most enigmatic characters. Through her interactions with the cat and her own memories, Shizuku is forced to confront her own fears and insecurities, and to come to terms with her place in the world of witches and demons. The episode strikes a delicate balance between humor and pathos, and provides an important counterpoint to the more action-oriented episodes that precede and follow it. Overall, it is a standout entry in the series that will appeal to fans of both the action and emotional aspects of Omamori Himari.