Family Affair

"Family Affair" is the sixth episode of the Angel Beats! anime series, broadcasted on May 8, 2010. The episode has storyboards and screenplay by Tadashi Hiramatsu, with Heo Jong directing.

Naoi replaces Angel as the Student Council President. This change of leadership eventually becomes a threat to the SSS as Naoi implements severe ruling against the group. As Angel breaks a school regulation with Otonashi, the two face swift punishment, only to later discover the true sentiments of the new Student Council President.

Synopsis
Under the orders of new Student Council President Naoi, members of the SSS are taken to the reflection room, where they stayed for a certain period until they were released. Afterwards, they reflected on the fact that, with Angel no longer in charge, they would have an advantage. Yet, Yuri is doubtful as to how the NPC's acted in such unexpected ways (including Naoi, whom they expect to be one as well) so that they faced a situation never experienced before by them.

Upon their return to their headquarters, they plan on their next step. Yuri decides to keep a low profile, making trouble in class but trying not to interfere with other students. Before Otonashi leaves, Yuri gives him a walkie-talkie. Alone, she expresses her worries with the acting Student Council President taking over Angel's position.

Inside the classroom, some of the members of the SSS are attending class but doing their own thing and not participating: As Ooyama tries to break the rules by eating potato chips inside the classroom, Hisako, Matsushita, TK and Fujimaki play Mahjong, with the winner being always Hisako. Yui plays the role of a student who goes to the bathroom constantly while Hinata and Otonashi chat and watch Shiina balance things with her fingers. Takamatsu decides to do his push-up repetitions between the rows of seats and Noda goes to sleep while lying down on the desks which students are supposed to use.

When Yui opens the door to "go to the restroom", Naoi appears, which leads the SSS members to flee. Noda, reluctant to escape from Naoi's threat, attempts to attack him, but is quickly stopped by Hinata and Otonashi, who forcefully pull him out of the classroom.

Later on, Yuri sneaks a peek into the school's rooftop as Naoi is beating up some NPCs.

Otonashi returns to the classroom and sees Angel; he approaches her and tries speaking with her. Upon mentioning Mapo Tofu and how he'd like to treat her with some, she instantly accepts. They eat in the cafeteria alone; there, Otonashi realizes how high Angel's tolerance for spicy food is compared to his, and Angel begins to wonder whether Mapo Tofu is her favorite food or only a delicious dish. However, moments later, they are confronted by Naoi, who announces that they are breaking the rules by eating outside the scheduled time; because of this, they are taken to the reflection room.

Again, Otonashi is trapped in a Reflection Room, only this time he is accompanied by Angel. Otonashi complains about how similar it is to solitary confinement, while Angel blurts out that she is sleepy. Realizing that his complaints had neither effect nor attention, he decides to sleep as well. A while after, Otonashi wakes up to the sound of rumbling from outside. He remembers the device that Yuri handed him, and tries communicating with her, but it doesn't somehow work. Frustrated of Yuri giving him a broken piece of junk, he throws it aside...A few moments later though, Yuri manages to contact to him.

Yuri exposes to Otonashi that Naoi is not an NPC and he is human like them, as he would disappear instantly because he seems to have fulfilled his duties. Also, Yuri tells him that he has been beating up students behind the scenes. She tells Otonashi that everyone is trying to engage Naoi, but it presents difficult as he uses NPCs as shields (which the SSS members have no intention to harm) while he massacres everyone else. Yuri then presents Otonashi with a surprising request: To find Angel and ask her for her assistance. Having said that, she cuts the communication in order to go to the frontlines.

Otonashi, confused and anxious about the happenings outside, frantically wakes Angel up. After she manages to awaken, she listens to Otonashi's request to help his friends, which involved getting out of the Reflection Room. In order to break the door, she attempts to use Hand Sonic, but it proves to be specifically made to resist her Guard Skills. She then reveals that her skills are merely for self-defense and were never designed for direct offense. Otonashi then recollects on their first meeting and discovers that the only reason that she does not have any friends is because she would face the reality of losing them when they disappear.

Meanwhile, Angel reveals the three other forms of her Hand Sonic ability: Version 2 which is longer and thinner; Version 3 which is shaped like a sai; and Version 4 which looks like a flower. Otonashi soon discovers a way to bust open the door, using Version 2 to slip between the door's joints and Version 3 and Version 4 to pry open the door. The plan succeeds, allowing them to escape.

Yet, a gruesome scenario awaited Otonashi: All SSS members laid down on the school grounds, bleeding from the injuries caused by Naoi and his subordinates, and unable to move whatsoever. Desperate, he goes to Hinata, whose reply to Otonashi was a joke, despite of the moment. As Naoi approaches the three of them, Angel arms herself with Hand Sonic.

Naoi asks Angel if she is now willing to rebel against God, whom he refers himself as one. He claims the world they are in is a world which chooses its God. He adds that having experienced a cruel life gives a person the right to be God. Despite Otonashi's questioning, he insists that SSS themselves are to blame for their fate, as they lived to struggle against God. And his purpose is to give them eternal rest. As he approaches Yuri, he explains Iwasawa's disappearance, and also his plans even before Angel left her position. He also reveals that it was by using Hypnotism, his unique ability, that he could control NPC's into doing his will.

Naoi then proceeds on using it on Yuri.

For a moment, she sees her siblings and their happy faces. Instead of being happy, she rejects them, as she forces in her mind that she has failed in protecting them. Her unbearable grief is interupted by Otonashi, who surprisingly attacks Naoi from behind. He claims that he is in no right of making anyone vanish with a false memory, because everyone lived to their fullest while alive, and he questions Naoi as to whether his life wasn't real at all. Because of Otonashi's words, he begins to remember his life...

''Ayato Naoi was born into a family famously adept in the arts of pottery. Along with his twin brother and his father, they stood up for their fame as excellent potters. However, Naoi was no close to his brother when it came to pottery, who displayed remarkable skills at a young age. Naoi, on the other hand, lived a solitary life away and gained no attention even from his own father.''

''Later on, his brother died in a car accident. Because of this, his father decides to "replace" his twin brother with Naoi, so that a worthy family heir remained. For that reason, Naoi underwent strict training with his father in order to achieve his brother's level of skill, enduring the harsh words he received from him. Despite this, he persevered to be the person his brother was. He was able to receive an award, but it was not comparable to the awards that his brother had gotten. Nonetheless, he was glad.''

''Just when everything went smoothly for Naoi, his father became bedridden with little chance of recovery. Naoi's life went to a standstill and because he couldn't be independent, the family's name slowly faded into anonymity. It was then when he realized that his life was a fake.''

Otonashi blurts out otherwise and hugs him, assuring him that the reason he was there was because he had struggled to live a real life. At the same time he remembers an incident when he was a child, where he had beaten his brother in a fruit-collecting competition. Although his father had criticized him, he had also congratulated him and said "but Ayato has his own skills." Realizing that his father had acknowledged him, Naoi then comments that all he wanted was to have someone who would acknowledge his efforts, someone that could recognize him for who he was.

A crying Naoi looks into the sky as the sun rises.

Characters
By order of appearance

Trivia

 * Despite exposing his past in the Episode, it hasn't been revealed how Naoi died or when he arrived in the afterlife.
 * It is not revealed how Naoi has acquired his ability of mind control (hypnosis) though he said he "Learned it".

Quotes

 * Naoi: "Your soul is going to rest in peace. You remember Masami Iwasawa, don't you? She lost her voice and dreams of singing when she was alive. She had a horrible home environment and died miserably. But she realized her dreams in this world. That's why she vanished. She was able to rest in peace. Now it's your turn to do the same. Enjoy your pleasant dream."
 * Yuri: "You don't know anything about me or my past!"
 * Naoi: "I don't have to know about it. I didn't limit myself to creating a prison for Angel. I learned Hypnotism. Now, close your eyes."