Hanyuu (Higurashi) defeats
San (Seto no Hanayome) 792-762

And that’s the last time I downplay some rom-com just because I haven’t watched. As you can guess, this means that Seto no Hanayome crashed hard in this round, but it didn’t go without a fight.

Rather, San kept it close the whole way through, even closer than Fuuko vs. Haruka yesterday, closing the gap at the end with a last spurt that just fell short. An admirable effort by her fanbase, but the Higurashi group held on – just barely – this time.

Kirino (Bamboo Blade) defeats
Luna (Seto no Hanayome) 892-608

Kirino ended up the top vote-getter of this round, and although it wasn’t the complete annihilation round 2 was, it’s still a very impressive total that makes me wonder what I missed in Bamboo Blade.

Again, the double vote of Seto no Hanayome kept this from being a landslide, but Kirino kept a comfortable enough lead through all of it to make the Higurashi fight a more interesting one to watch.

Fuuko’s next though for Kirino, and that will be the true test…

First up is, as the 4chan poster aptly notes, “the Clash of the Cold Fronts”, the battle between two tsunderes that spearhead the charge for their respective show. Amu’s got merit in so many different fields – she really is both a moe character and a developed one, being the star of her own magical girl show – and she should rack up a good vote from the lolicon crowd as well. (A vote is a vote.)

But the cries of “Cool and Spicy!” are likely to fall on deaf ears here against the crushing roar of the Kagamin fans. She didn’t quite make it last year, but the fans are there. They are numerous. And they are strong. They will not let their queen be defeated. Personally, I don’t see it in Kagami myself, but I am one of the minority.

Still, the strategic votes side with Amu – the Kyou supporters who don’t want to see a clash of the Purple Hair Tsundere Strike Force next round, the Lucky Star / KyoAni haters, those who are just afraid of Kagami crushing things down the line in general.

But will it be enough?

Prediction:
Kagami should still have enough power to smash Amu by a fair amount. Unfortunately.

And here, two shows, in the same situation at the start of the round, and now on a completely changed battlefield. Both of these shows suffered a heavy loss in round 2, an upset of their top-performing moe character, at the hands of Minami-ke, and were reduced to two hopes for round 3.

Higurashi got one through. Hidamari didn’t. And so it’s Miyako’s back to the wall, with Rena advancing with a cleaver in her hand.

Rena is a tour de force of her own, making it all the way to the quarter-finals of SaiMoe 2007. Certainly she’s taken home a lot of people so far, the most high-profile of which Maria from Hayate the Combat Butler. On any other day this would probably be a cinch for her.

But now is the time of desperation for Hidamari fans. The odds are against them, and they’ve been on the wrong end of the upset all tournament. Now, is it time for the Hidamari fanbase to band together behind their last girl to make an upset?

It’s more likely than Amu pulling through, at least.

Prediction:
Smart money says Rena. Heart says Miyako’s got a chance.