Sorry for not making an update in two weeks, M.S.S.S episode 6 was a recap, and I couldn't find it's translation. And it includes stuff I've already covered. Anyways...
Surprisingly Complex: M.S.S.S Episode 7
Time travel?! Count me in! Also, lots of stuff to analyze.
The episode begins, and we see Araragi talking to an unknown girl, who looks like a doll, Oshino Ougi. Now that makes me think it's Oshino's relative. Combined with the fact that this intro is probably happening 11 years to the past, it's kind of obvious. Also, the meaning of the talk in the intro means that sometimes everything comes to a halt and the fake sense of safety we have brings the most misery to us. How this ties to the rest of the arc has me interested, as this kind of philosophy is indeed interesting. Also the three-second lag will probably come into play later in the arc. Maybe in the case of Hachikuji crossing a street?
It's also interesting to see Shinobu and Araragi interact more, as their character development is made clearer. They have already accepted that the situation they're in is kind of final (Even though the link is severed during this arc) and they are seemingly fine with it. The severing of the link probably has something to do with the time travel and meeting Kiss-Shot Acerola. Not entirely sure. But from what we've seen, in episode 5 Araragi seemed to have gained some of his vampirism back, so maybe something happens in the past that makes Araragi a full vampire again, severing the link with Shinobu in process? Possible, everything is possible. But, as this is probably a different timeline entirely, anything that happens here may not actually do anything.
About Oshino Ougi. It's highly possible that Ougi is either Oshino's sister, which would be weird looking at her appearance, or just another apparition which he has named... And sent her to school. Neither theory really adds up. Also, Ougi could be some incarnation of Yotsugi, and that was the first thing to come to my mind. But I'm not entirely sure. The voices are pretty similar, and the speech patterns have something similar. But don't mind it, it's just theory, but here comes everything we will see during the time travel episodes. Or more like, which I think we'll see and what we should see. It also contains possible spoilers.
-Hachikuji's Death / Rescue:
Not a big surprise, as the whole arc is named after her. Also, eleven years, kind of obvious. It's also possible that Araragi is the cause to her death. And it's also possible that Hachikuji remembers Araragi (In the future), but doesn't tell. It's also possible it doesn't happen at all.
-Younger versions of characters:
The most important will probably be Oshino's trio: Oshino, Kaiki and Yozuru (Whose name I will probably never remember). Or is it a quartet with Gaen? We may also see younger Hanekawa being abused. Younger Araragi (And the fire sisters?) is a sure one probably.
Wait. Araragi 11 years back is about 7, right? What if his former self had actually met Hachikuji in the past, but he had forgotten her after her death? That'd be interesting.
-Yotsugi alive:
If it's not Ougi, we'll probably see her alive as well.
-Eikou Cram School in top condition:
They are probably going to camp there, but it's being used.
-Senjougahara's Mansion and a happy family:
I think this arc was hinted at or the idea was taken from the first Mayoi Arc, when Senjougahara could navigate in the urban renewal are with her past knowledge of it. Also, 11 years ago the family wasn't broken to my knowledge.
-Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade (Shinobu)
We will probably see this.
Remember, everything I listed may or may not happen, and some may even have twists like: What if Senjougahara's family wasn't that happy to begin with, she just decided to ignore it?
Everything is possible now in 11 years to the past. One of the funnier ones may be Araragi go on with his greeting when he sees Hachikuji, but wait for it, she hasn't met him yet, so he's just a child molester. And everyone sees it. Oh god.
Random: I think I'm either gonna love or hate the opening of this arc. No middle ground.
TL;DR?
There's fun to be had... IN THE PAST.
Any speculations on the watch? There seemed to have been too big an emphasis on the watch for it to end up not being important. Was it used by Shinobu to allow her to more accurately time travel backwards? Was her plan actually to help Araragi with Hachikuji in some way. I'm not sure if the watch is even important or if it'll ever show up again.
VastaaPoistaThe watch is definitely important, and it may be something like that the time goes back by how much a person with a clock wants it to, possibly... It could also somehow store the time they were before, making leaving the past easier/possible.
PoistaSpeculating from the fact that she probably sent them further back in time, and to another timeline, she may try to regain her full powers as a vampire from the self she has in the other timeline. I've read (accidentally) that Kiss-Shot Acerola will be in this arc so what do you know.