…….OH COME ON!

Miken: First series of my lineup to finish this season and I can feel a ton of weight lifted off my shoulders since “Yaaaaay, one less show to blog!”

Episode 24

Not compensating for anthything…

So Kuniko and Mikuni are clones? And Ryoko (who I forgot was Atlas’ controller/interface/whatever)   just needs another body to possess? Surely we haven’t encountered these tropes before! Sarcasm aside, this episode certainly did hit my expectations. Namely, it wasn’t particularly awesome, but it managed not to be a trainwreck either. Overall, I suppose I could give Gonzo a thumbs up for not screwing this one over.

My favorite character of this finale has to have been Karin. Her last-minute saving of the world by rewriting MEDUSA’s program was awesome in a slightly nerdy way. It was also cute seeing her let go of MEDUSA like that, especially when contrasted to her wild attachment to it and monetary wealth not long beforehand. In addition, the conclusion of her side of the story was sweet~ Not only do Zhang and Klaris actually physically drop in on her, but MEDUSA is revived in the form of a “child” MEDUSA who treats Karin as its mother. For those going “OH NOES”, you can rest assured that they’ve decided to raise this one up right. Baaaaw, those three four sound like they could turn out to be a cute family.

For Mikuni, I’m glad Sayoko finally decided to slap some sense into the kid. Sure she’s had it rough all her life, but she can’t have everything her way. Seriously, she’s been spoilt silly and no one dared to act against her for fear of being killed from the inside out. Still, Mi-ko’s parting gift for her was really nice. Her disease is now gone and she can freely roam the earth. My only regret is that she looses her heterochromia.

As for our heroine, Kuniko’s snapping of the spear was pretty awesome in that she completely misled Ryoko (and the viewer) for a second beforehand. Still, the excessive deus ex machina and “I’m a hero so this is bound to go right!” moments kind of make her less enjoyable of a character. Still, the mini-battle between Ryoko and Kuniko was pretty good, but the slow-motion felt a little overdone. In all honesty, I had hoped that Ryoko would’ve proved more of a challenge since she’s proven herself exceptionally cunning beforehand. Of course, with such a buildup, it’s only natural that she isn’t the true final boss.

Our only real casualties for the finale…and the 2nd’s only on a technicality

I’ll also admit that Takehito’s fake-death was pretty awesome in that he managed to kill Leon, who wanted to keep Atlas running, with the Daedalus. At first, I thought they were going for yet another “cheap death scene”, but it turned out pretty well. Still, he ends up dying anyways after setting off a big explosion…and his final vision was so cheesy.

After the credits, we’re treated to a nice shot of a clock tower, much like the one from Duomo ringing far above a sprawling city……..

For a finale, this was pretty nice. I do regret not seeing Kunihito fight, but that’s because I’m biased. Of course, everything seems set up in a way that includes excessive deus ex machina just to get everyone but Ryoko and Leon a happy ending. Of course, the ending was still cute, but still…

So yeah. The very obvious moral of the story? Humans should decide their future for themselves, free of restraint. Only then will the attain Shangri-La.

Miken’s Level of Enjoyment for the Episode: 8.3/10

Final Impressions

The music throughout the whole series was awesome — it definitely gave off a nice balance between adventure and mysticism. For the finale specifically,  since I’m a sucker for BGM versions of OP/ED songs, the piano version and slow version of the ending song fit in nicely for the final episode.

Visuals overall were pretty good. Sure, some shots looked pretty skewed and and stiff, but they still got the point across well enough. I still kinda wish the series was drawn in a way more reminiscent of the promo art, but it’d probably cost money that Gonzo doesn’t exactly have anymore.

The plot remained solid throughout. Sure, the series was prone to using many tropes that are almost worn out to the point of being cliches, but it was still good for the most part. Most episodes were easy to predict, but they still held a certain amount of mystery in them and could pull off a couple genuine surprises, like the killing of all of the girls at the prison and Kuniko’s resolve to burn Tokyo. Overall, the plot was serviceable but nowhere near amazing…par or slightly above par at best.

As for the characters, I can’t say I have anything to praise about Kuniko other than her being your typical overpowered idealist. However, most of the supporting characters were easy to either cheer for or hate with a genuine passion (when intended). Momoko and Kunihito are among my favorites for this series. The former definitely lightens up the series while also proving to be a loyal and valuable comrade. Meanwhile, the latter, while not getting as much screentime as I had hoped, has more questions as to what he can interpret as truly “right” and seeks to attain them while acting on his own.  Over on the Dark Side — Ryoko wasn’t very creative for a villain, but she was definitely evil and selfish enough to provide entertainment as I guessed as to what she would do next…since she’s as predictable as my horrible aim at darts. While some characters did start to get annoying at times (ie: Karin and Mikuni), they managed to redeem themselves by the end and prove genuinely likable.

Final Series Rating: 8.3/10

That’s all, folks!

Miken: It’s finally the penultimate episode, and this series has been surprisingly solid so far. Sure, there are still pretty large problems to fix and we still haven’t seen Takehito since his whole betrayal. There’s a ton of things to do and only so much time left to get it all wrapped up. I sure hope Gonzo can pull through and give a satisfying ending to this one.

Note: Images aren’t in any particular order for the most part and a ton probably don’t even coordinate with the paragraph(s) under them.

OH COME ON!

Now back to the actual episode: forget all my speculation from last week — not only is the source of Kunihito’s “betrayal” the cliched safety of his mother, but Gonzo has also pulled a deus ex machina on us again. Sure, Sayoko jumping off that rail was such a weak way for her to exit stage right, but I was kind of hoping we wouldn’t have to see her again. Needless to say, she’s alive because Momoko just happened to be in the right place to see her, swing his whip around another rail and then safely catch her.

I also wonder how the heck Sayoko went to search for Mikuni if the only entrances and exits in this general area are either down a million steps, which isn’t the way Mikuni went, or inside the building at the top. Seeing as we didn’t see her go “Excuse me, Pardon me!” in the middle of Kuniko and Kunihito’s little ‘battle’, I wonder how she’s getting around.

…And  speaking of Kuniko and Kunihito, they reconcile pretty damn fast. Man, Kuniko’s getting to be a pretty damn good inspirational speaker. Of course I’m not being sarcastic. To top it off, Momoko goes and comments on how close they’ve become despite what just happened a few minutes prior.

Though they really aren’t all that daunting…

However, I do like that Ryoko’s cronies have deserted her. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to work for a batshit insane lady if I knew that her plan was going to pretty much destroy the world, and I appreciate that Gonzo gave them enough common sense to do the same instead of remaining steadfastly loyal. I really liked when Shogo of them pretty much stated that he didn’t give a crap for Ryoko’s words anymore when he told her what he said about her stopping was not a suggestion, but an order…and to someone with as much power as Ryoko, those words mean war. Of course, Sayoko must’ve been behind it somehow…since she was literally behind them.

Underneath that helpless exterior, Sion has some pretty masochistic fetishes.

I was kind of disappointed when Sion chose to side with her twisted one-sided crush on Ryoko rather than his brother, Leon, because of his own insecurity, but it wasn’t that much of a surprise. Naturally, Leon saves Sion when Ryoko decides that even Sion’s undying loyalty isn’t good enough. I admit it was pretty touching when Leon said he needed Sion after he learned of his brother’s need to be acknowledged.

Also…making a huge bio-computer from DNA extracted from a mummy is so far-fetched that I feel like overlooking it. Also, Kuniko making it down that elevator shaft like that was pretty hard to believe too. Then again, it’s to be expected of an action-adventure series.

Baaaw~ I also liked Momoko’s declaration that Kuniko is his daughter, while not biologically, of course.

Watch out kids, Tarsian doesn’t list his real age!

Also loved Tarsian’s IM avatar-thing — Despite it looking so insanely weird, the the confrontation of the hackers (in avatar form) with MEDUSA was awesome. Karin’s little chat with her parents was so cute at first and then it was saddening…Despite Karin being an ass not too far back, I really wanted to see her with her parents again. Of course, Gonzo dropped the bomb and declared them dead as of three years ago and spiritually contacting their daughter while ensuring that she didn’t find out about their fates. Then they start going off and basically start pointing out her lack of friends…Naturally, Ryoko’s behind that.

[chibi-image spamming after all of this is done]

Mahou Shoujo Ryoko!

Speaking of Ryoko, I also have a ton of resentment for her right now, her desire to keep Sayoko miserable led to the death of Midori, Sayoko’s daughter, and the continued suffering of Mikuni even though she developed a cure ages ago. Now she goes and destroys the ignorant bliss that Karin’s been living in the past few years, making her dream of reuniting with her parents impossible. Despite all that, I have to give her credit for being a genuinely daunting villain.

Doesn’t look very convincing, right?

Also, despite walking up all those stairs, Mikuni decides not to follow Ryoko’s order to draw the spear from the mummy. I guess that Sayoko’s message reached her in time…that or seeing Ryoko kick Sayoko off the platform made the already obvious just that much more obvious so she could understand it. Of course, she ended up succumbing to Ryoko’s harsh gaze and decided to draw the spear after all.

Naturally, Kuniko jumps in the moment that Mikuni tries to draw the spear…Well, that’s definitely setting up for the very definitely final battle.

Wow…that’s a lot of rambing this week. >_<;;

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 9/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 10/10

Gotta see how Gonzo finishes this, of course~

Next week: Shangri-La

Not much of a preview except a shot done in the pretty promotional art style and some generic preparation for the final battle type of monologue.

Now…Chibi image spamming tiem~<3

Is it me, or is this slightly reminiscent of Persona 4? Then again, the setup doesn’t particularly have to come from P4…but Karin’s bear getup and Zhang/Tarsian’s glasses make it just that much better.

WE ARE HERE TO KICK ASS AND CHEW BUBBLE GUM…AND WE’RE ALL OUT OF BUBBLE GUM!

Nagiko…BIIIIMU

Somehow…I think this one’s the cutest~

PIKOHAN!

Miken: I’m still trying to adapt my blogging style here. I don’t particularly like the full-on text of the newer style so I’m going to try and intersperse more images and quotes in between. In a later post, I’ll try and bring back the horribly written sarcastic remarks of the first style. In the end, I hope I find some sort of good middle ground.

“Will you allow me one selfish act?”

You know, I’d be more emotional about Sayoko’s parting with Mikuni if she wasn’t so much of an overly obsessive and partially insane mama bear all the time. She can’t do everything for Mikuni, can she? I know that she has some sort of an attachment to Mikuni as a sort of equivalent to her lost daughter [who tragically had the same condition], but still…As for Mikuni herself, she’s now driven by revenge for Mi-ko and Sayoko and doesn’t care at all about the rest of the world. With such a character setup, I can’t really see her being entirely successful as the successor of Atlas, since this show leans more towards Kuniko’s sense of idealism. Of course, she could still wreak havoc before things right themselves.

Also, Sayoko’s supposed death was really anticlimactic. After her heartfelt hug…she just leapt over the railing. It’s almost as bad as Takehito supposedly offing himself in that river (though he is alive).

“Destroying the UN means declaring war on all nations in the world!”

Naturally, we can’t have Kuniko win just yet. As of the moment, she has failed to convince that saving the world is more important than avenging Mi-ko and Sayoko. Not to mention, by the end of the episode, Kunihito has also turned on her. Right now, all of the possible ways to either stop Ryoko or directly control Zeus are gone, and the world is starting to look like it’s going to be screwed over. With just two episodes left, can she stop MEDUSA from destroying the world?

“I, and I alone, shall live forever”

Ryoko has also turned into a pretty awesome villain. With all of those misunderstood-types out there, it’s nice to see a few who just do it for the lulz. Of course, we still have enough time left for a sob backstory, so I really shouldn’t jump to that conclusion just yet. Either way, she’s a great foil for the kids, who are easily swayed by emotions and have more “noble” ideals. As for now, she just looks like she’s here to let everything die so she can be the ruler of the world. Though that isn’t a new idea, she’s just twisted enough to make it seem completely possible. Plus, she’s managed to get all the cards lined up right so far, handily pushing away those who were formerly more powerful than she (i.e.: Tarsian) and playing the three Digmas in opposition of one another.

“I’m sorry.”

Well, I liked this week’s cliffhanger better than the cliffhanger where Takehito planned to shoot Kuniko. I guess it’s because Takehito felt just that much more connected to Kuniko and her ideals for Metal Age, ultimately making him unlikely to shoot her. Meanwhile, Kunihito, who I’d still pin as a “nice guy” and a “semi-love interest” is slightly more vague in his background and formerly a part of Atlas’ military operations…which might include infiltration and the like [though still very very unlikely] — Despite all that, the likelihood of him shooting is still quite low. Even so, I hope Gonzo doesn’t waste this one and pull the “we have your mother” card for him. Though I really wouldn’t put it past them…Either way they still used this week’s betrayal more efficiently. Of course, I have a feeling Kunihito will end up aiding Kuniko in the end, no matter what happens next week.

Next Time: Prelude to Destruction
Well, the preview just shot my previous prediction. Kunihito’s going to talk…and when they talk, things usually don’t get done. It even shows Kuniko throwing her boomerang, which got chucked and stuck in the wall some 20 feet up. Maybe we can have another face off between them? Uguu…even poor Sion is torn over Ryoko’s evil-ness. Either way, our penultimate episode looks like a pretty interesting one. This series has proven relatively solid and has surpassed my previously low expectations. I only hope Gonzo doesn’t ruin it all with a horrible finale.

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8.3/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8.8/10

The Holy Ground Vanishes

Miken: Well, we’re one step closer to the finale and it seems like we still have a ton of material to cover.

Finally, Karin’s lost all her cash and decides to stop being a Neo-carbonist and returns to the old desires that I liked about her before. Now she just wants to have a meal with her parents — Sure, she may have thought that getting rich would get her to them, but she seriously went overboard. Now she also sees that with MEDUSA out of control, and the carbon economy collapses, the entirety of Japan — not only Atlas, will be in huge trouble. I also liked that instead of having her linger around and waste precious time, they had Kuniko give her an an inspirational speech about taking responsibility and declaring that they’ll stop MEDUSA.

It was also kind of cute seeing how Momoko compared Kuniko dragging Karin off to what he would do with Kuniko before and saying that she’s grown up~ It was also nice seeing Kuniko drag the old men into helping by inflating the prices of their favorite hobbies to astronomical numbers. Karin’s resolve to stop Medusa (mid-episode…not her stupid resolve at the beginning) was cute too~

Kuniko’s solution to MEDUSA was nice too, though the feasibility is questionable. Sure, dropping a satellite while also hacking into something as huge as MEDUSA to shut down its barriers might work with a ton of planning and pinpointing, but having it done so fast unsettles me. Sure, Karin, Klaris and Zhang have been made out to be brilliant, as well as the (creepy) old men…but still. In the end it fails — but not because of a miscalculation. Rather, it was MEDUSA’s own counter-hacking that changed their descent arc data. To make matters worse, MEDUSA is hacking into numerous military systems too — it’s after the nuclear systems so it can create a nuclear winter! Why? Because it wants to rid the world of those evil carbon-making creatures — so basically all life on earth. Sure, it sounds drastic, but with the level of power Karin gave MEDUSA, it’s plausible enough.

One again, Kunihito does pretty much nothing plot-wise…His character has so much promise, but it’s almost like they forget him from time to time.

Well, it looks like it’s time for Mikuni to step up and claim her place as the successor of Atlas. Now, unless the old men can get “it” to get there within minutes, she’ll be leading Atlas. Goodness…with MEDUSA as it is, I sure hope they stop her from succeeding. Still, with Ryoko giving the kid a stare like that, it might not be all that good…We still haven’t heard the full job description as the “Successor to Atlas”.

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 7.2/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8/10

Snapshots and Comments

“I sure am glad I took those child-grabbing classes!”

That angle seems like a pretty retroactive way to punish someone for taking a panty shot…

Karin is trying to hide her humiliation

Going for a softer, fluffier Ryoko look today? Still looks every bit as spiteful

Next time: Eternal Bonds

Episode 20: The Harmony of Being Together

Miken: Ah, so the old couple commenting is supposed to be a running gag? Well, I should’ve realized that earlier…

Karin is pissing me off again. Not only does it look like she really didn’t get her just desserts from last week, but she even goes so far as to steal the last remaining dagger from Kunihito in order to win favor from Mikuni so she can get even richer once she’s in power. On the plus side, she no longer has control over MEDUSA and has no idea where things are headed, and a quick warning by Zhang doesn’t help her confidence much at all. Then, when he says that the aerial fortress Titan is after her, I loved that expression of fear on her face…Even though it looks like her stubbornness about MEDUSA was the end of her, she ends up in next week’s preview anyways. >_>;;

Also, Kuniko and Kunihito are getting more ship teases. I’m not sure if Gonzo will go all the way and pair them off in the end, but I think the possibility is there. I think it’s pretty cute, and the scene were Kuniko kept hugging Kunihito to check if she saw the markings was funny too. I might go on a limb and agree with Momoko here and pair them together~

There’s also Hiruko prediction of the “Waning of the Moon” — and with the Moon being Mikuni, we can safely assume that she doesn’t ascend the throne. That, or she doesn’t get to hold it for long. With Mi-ko gone (and also Hiruko), her mentality might not be the best for a leader. Then again, this is the alternate universe that has Ryoko as the PM of Japan. For now, my bets are on Kuniko being in some high position of power in the end, whether it’s the inheritor of Atlas or not. Kunihito will probably end up in a position where he has some level of power, but he still gets bossed around by Kuniko no matter what.

At this point, I really can’t predict what will happen next. Gonzo’s done well to keep me on my feet. That, or they have no idea what they’re doing with the plot either. In any case, this show’s been adequately satisfying so far, so I hope they don’t mess up the ending too much.

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8.7/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8/10

Next time: The Holy Ground Vanishes

Snapshots and Commentary

Ah, the classic “In love with HIM/HER!? You’ve got to be kidding!!” face.

Baaaaaw~

Kuniko: The least nurturing medic out there…Poor Kunihito

OHSHIT — HE AIN’T GONNA——

WHAT IS THIS? I DONT EVEN–

D:

Miken: While it didn’t exactly look all that exciting, this is the point the show that pretty much states that everyone has to move forward now. Duomo — and the rest of Tokyo — is gone, and with it, the Daedalus infestation. The entirety of Japan has to find its way back on its feet thanks to the destruction of its economy and the rest of the world will have to try and solve the problems that the now thrown-out-of-whack carbon economy has piled up on them.

We also get a shot of Takehito in Atlas, though it was pretty dark and I had to squint a bit. I’m not surprised in the least that he’s alive. For one, his falling off of that ledge had little to no drama, and for another, there was no body. And, as watching so many Sunrise shows has taught me, never believe that anyone is dead without a body in a casket. Even then, stay suspicious.

Also, for all of the respect I gained for Karin in her canary episode, it’s pretty much gone by now. She goes on and ignores MEDUSA’s pleas for help and makes a ton of money as Japan’s economy goes down the hellhole because of the necessary razing of Tokyo. I’m actually somewhat happy that MEDUSA ended up going berserk on her at the end. I suppose her actions in the previous couple episodes were sort of like “pride before the fall”. I suppose that she’ll have little to nothing left after this. That is, if she gets out alive and well…but then again, she probably will.

Somehow, in the next five episodes, they need to resolve enough problems to make it at least seem that life isn’t going to go all the way down the hellhole. The problem of figuring out the “Big Bad” is out there too. So far, the villains really haven’t done anything really villainous. Then again, the sides are set up in a way that doesn’t really paint anyone as pure evil. Sure, maybe selfish selfish Darwinists, but never evil. They all have their own stake in what is “right”. Perhaps the final obstacle will be MEDUSA, or maybe even Ryoko or Taliesin. Then there’s also the big question mark around Kuniko’s mother, which also makes her a prime suspect.

On a separate note: May’n's voice really isn’t suited for slow ballads. Instead of her slow rendition of Kimi Shinitamou Koto Nakare being the touching ballad it was intended to be, the song came off as overly dramatic even in the context of the images it accompanied, and her voice sounded a little strained as she held out the notes. Personally, I think May’n's voice is better suited for faster pieces. Not necessarily as fast as Northern Cross, but at least as fast as Diamond Crevasse. Leave the slow ballads to Megumi Nakajima, girl. >_>;;

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8.5/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8/10

Miken: I think I either have a really really bad headache or another fever and I’m too lazy to check. Bah, I guess this is what I get for being productive for once…I also admit that coming back and writing this post so soon after watching Ponyo may not be the best idea, since Gonzo absolutely pales in comparison to Miyazaki, but they’ve crafted a pretty solid series so far, and I’ll trust them with what they’ve got.

Perhaps the biggest twist this episode has to be that Momoko is not a parent of Mikuni, but rather, Mikuni and Kuniko probably share the same mother. I honestly thought the former result was going to happen, but Gonzo pulled a fast one on us…though it isn’t too hard to believe. Also, if psgels’ predictions are correct, Kunihito may as well be related to them too. Ahahaha, I bet it’ll be super-awkward when all three have to meet Kuniko’s mother.

We also see more of Kunihito helping out Metal Age, though it’s explicitly stated that he hasn’t actually joined them…he’s just doing what he feels is right and just at the moment. I suppose that if Metal Age should go off the deep end, he’ll only have passing regrets about leaving them. Then again, with all the progress Kuniko has made recently, that would be severely unlikely. On the topic of Kuniko, she’s become a much more efficient leader — and also shrewder. She’s managed to form a pseudo-alliance with her now-banished grandmother to enter Atlas and also had a nice backup plan in the case that negotiations should fail.

I also have concerns about Kuniko trading away her sword…it’s something all of the Digmas have, and most likely meaningful/useful. Also, while Ryoko helping out for now is good, I have extremely high doubts about her motives, especially since she agreed without having any teeth pulled out.

Well, next episode should prove promising as they make good of their proposal to burn Tokyo to the ground. Honestly, Tokyo’s getting beat up in a ton of series lately…this one and Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 are two for sure. Well, the raws for 19 are out, but without subs and with a headache, I just don’t feel like pulling in that extra effort to understand them. Anyways, the premise for the next episode or so does promise action, or maybe just lotsa fire. Either way, shit’ll happen.

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8.5/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8/10

It’s Ric’s dream-come-true!

Miken: Yeah, I’ve noticed that these past few posts have gotten pre~tty lazy in terms of style. Then again, without summaries, I just have to ramble on for a bit…and when an episode like this fails to make me think deeply about the series, I’m just left with a pre~tty short post. I might try changing around my style again soon…Something that allows for more snarky comments under images…I really miss doing those.

Anyways, as expected, Takehito doesn’t shoot…and then decides to just throw himself off a cliff and into the raging river below. Man, I expected him to do better than this, but not a single shot was fired. I would’ve thought someone as generally skilled at him would have at least fired something when Kunihito ambushed him. Fffffft, talk about anti-climactic…then again, there’s a %99.9 chance that he’s still alive, given the ambiguity of his death. Hell, these days, even if you’re run through the chest with a pink sword, everyone thinks you’re alive [for the record I think he's dead and the cart driver is just a random guy].

What was amusing, though, was Karin’s inability to decide whether or not she’s really lucky. First, Mikuni just ends up in front of her, but then she realises the one the girl calls “Mi-ko” is quite creepy that she can’t lie in front of the Mikuni without having her insides twisted till she dies — and then Kuniko shows up…and tells her that she wants to set fire to Tokyo. I wonder what she’ll think when she approaches Kunihito,  but then again, he’s the most level-headed of the Digmas. Of course, you can never really predict what he does unless it has something hugely moral involved…

As for the visuals of Shangri-La — though the animation can look really off at times, like how jerky Takehito looked as he fell, in general, the art is still serviceable. Still, even with relatively simple motions, the feelings of the characters also come off as stiff. Some angles just make the characters look really off too. However, the story still remains somewhat interesting, and I’m still genuinely curious as to what exactly will become of everyone. There are still sides to be chosen and cities to be burnt to the ground. Otherwise, this episode was pretty much only setting up for Kuniko’s pretty absurd plan.

Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 7/10
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 8/10

Miken: This post has no real thought flow to it, so bear with me.

Also — thanks to this, I can clear out 1.74 gigs of this off of my hard drive. Now I only have 5 gigs worth of anime I still have to catch up and watch. Bah, but I want to play Persona 4 more than I want to watch more anime, so I guess that plan’s down the drain for at least one more week. Then again, I’m visiting colleges next week…so make that two weeks. Well, at least I’m done with this show for the next month. *cough*

Episode 12
Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 7/10
It wasn’t much of a surprise that Mikuni wasn’t immediately announced as the successor to Atlas even after hearing the message, and when Ryoko points out that there are two other candidates…and I suppose it isn’t that hard to guess who exactly she’s referring. Obviously, Sayoko doesn’t take this news very well, but even though she’s doing her best for Mikuni, I was happy to see her dragged off. Well, that’s mostly because she dropped Momoko’s earring, which led to Mi-ko freeing him.

I also liked that Kuniko matured enough to realize that adding a whole rescue mission on top of her plan to invade Atlas was bound to end in disaster. Of course, that problem is resolved anyways, with Momoko making a grand entrance with some of the best timing in the world. It was nice to see them reunited and all with Momoko backing Kuniko up even though he obviously wants her to lead a more normal life…But it would’ve been nice to have them hold back the reunion for a bit until the end of the episode. I was quite perplexed at how fast Momoko got home too…

Needs more spandex to become a proper rebellion…>_>

Episode 13
Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8/10
Finally, the mysterious Tarsian is revealed and I’m quite shocked to find that he doesn’t have any multicolored hair or any hair at all! Ah, well, he does have a goatee. The rest of the episode was okay…I liked the dogfight that occurred midway into the episode, but it went nowhere fast and I was left disappointed. Sure, I liked that Kuniko got to blow up the missiles with her new boomerang, but it was so improbable that I was left laughing instead of amazed.

On the plus side — I still love that they portrayed Mikuni as a seemingly heartless soul with those who are untruthful when she was still being introduced, but now she becomes the little girl that she is when aroun Mi-ko, letting all of those walls fall down [and asking the darnedest questions]. I’m also happy with the new ED art — finally, the muted color is gone and now we have some beautiful artwork in its place.

It’s Godzilla!!!

Episode 14
Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8/10
More info about the quake and why Atlas was created…and Tarsian is revealed to be the current Chairman of Atlas. Surprise surprise! He’s also Ryoko’s uncle. I guess that makes sense, since Ryoko has a helluva lot of influence for someone who appears to be in her early 30s at the very worst. The whole parallel between Tarsian and Ryoko’s chess game and what’s happening below was nice too. Still, the rest of the Metal Age group [the unnamed ones] died off a bit too quick. Then again, it does show off the power and resources that Atlas has.

I especially loved that Kuniko and Kunihito came face-to-face again. This time, there were definitely more bitter feelings due to the whole camoflauge armor theft thing, but they both somehow agreed in their disagreeable way that they had people to protect and neither would stand aside even if their side was morally wrong. The biggest surprise was that Kuniko’s grandmother was the first CEO of Atlas. I, like many others, assumed that she was that Gina idol that kept showing up on the screens of Akihabara. The reveal and Kuniko’s subsequent raging was a nice way to end the episode.

Episode 15
Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8.8/10
Just as Zhang predicted the episode before, MEDUSA’s getting a swelled head and is somehow manipulating Karin against better moral decisions. He bows out, leaving me quite impressed that someone like him — only known through his chat icon-thing and his voice — had enough guts to go against MEDUSA. I also thought that it was somewhat touching to learn that Takehito had a little sister who probably ended up being sacrificed to be one of Hiruko’s containers. It would have been more touching if his face had shown enough emotion to match how much his seiyuu was giving. It also seems like they’re pulling out all the stops and using as many “fortunate coincidences” as they can too…like Momoko and Kuniko meeting with Kunihito’s mother.

When Zhang made his triumphant voice-only return after driving Ishida Finance bankrupt with the help of Nagiko, I was genuinely pleased. Miss Bankrupt Klaris and MEDUSA needed some more mellowing out. However, Karin got a little too greedy and she pretty much got rid of all restirctions on MEDUSA. This doesn’t bode well for Japan, which needs a ton of funds for Atlas itself…and Karin’s attacking all of it. Still, for Tarsian to decide to completely reformat Zeus was pretty big — the secrets he’s trying to hide are big enough to risk the safety of his entire project. Then, it turns out that Tarsian in the one behind MEDUSA and Ryoko’s men start pointing guns at him.

I also don’t know what the hell they’re doing with the whole Kuniko and Kunihito’s relationship. I mean, it’s strange that one episode they can be ready to kill (or at least knock out) one another while the next Kunihito is returning Kuniko’s old boomerang…I suppose they’re supposed to mirror one another as their resolves waver and they search for answers, but still…Nevertheless, I did like their balcony scene. Ahahaha, I think I’m starting to get to the point that I’m willing to ship them together. XD;;

No idea why Mi-ko’s getting arrested though…ohwait…yeah…nevermind. >_>;;

Ryoko must be a champ at Russian Roulette…

Episode 16
Miken’s Enjoyment Level: 8/10
It kinda felt like a bit too much for Kuniko to up and banish her grandma like that…though I suppose she has enough reason to after having such a huge secret kept from her. At the very least, Nagiko left without any harsh feelings and Kuniko at least showed remorse over her decision.

I also loved how Kuniko shoved Momoko’s words right back at him when she pretty much leapt off the clock tower while dragging him with her and declared “Every decision I make is a good one!” I also suppose that Mi-ko is pretty much gone and never coming back, at least not the way he was before. Momoko’s earlier “connected by the heart” line served as enough of a death flag. Still, I was kind of surprised (but not really) that he held enough self to be able to talk and defend Mikuni from Hiruko.

Kunihito asking to leave the military wasn’t that much of a surprise though. With his recent wavering resolve, it was bound to happen. I’m more surprised that Ryoko doesn’t care, being the glorified stalker that she is. Other than that, I liked that Mikuni decided to grow up a bit and stage a rescue attempt for Mi-ko and attack Atlas. Now if only this had coincided better with Kuniko’s attack…>_>;;

Obviously, though, we can’t have Mikuni actually dying…so Sayoko enters in a Big Damn Heroes moment, kidnaps Hiruko and declares that she and Mikuni are leaving Atlas. Once again, Ryoko surprises me by not caring about Hiruko. I swear, she better have a good backup plan without the creepy kid there.

I loved the art-shift near the end of the episode when Momoko was explaining the growth of the Daedalus~ It was so cute! <3 [Even though the subject they were talking about was anything but cute]

…And I suppose his angst over what happened to his sis is what’s making Takehito point his gun at Kuniko’s head, but it was a nice twist to end the episode on~<3

General Thoughts
Shangri-La definitely is better than what I though it’d turn out when I started watching it. Sure, some of it’s low-quality moments are really really easy to tell, but the general suspense keeps up. The characters interact well and I’m left genuinely intruigued at what Ryoko and our three Digmas will be up to next. Concerning Kunihito’s resignation from the military, though, I assume this places him in a better position to ally himself with Metal Age (but obviously not fully, since that wouldn’t be his style) in the future. Takehito’s dead little sister story was really really cliched though, I kinda wanted to see something more imaginative for him. Still, thanks to his sis and Nagiko, he gets to the point where he can turn on Kuniko…so it isn’t all for naught.

Next time: Tunnels on a Dark Night
Miken’s Anticipation Level: 7/10

Obviously, he won’t shoot. >_>;;
Or, at the very least, he won’t headshot her…

Miken: Okay, I admit that this much lateness is horrible, even for me. I recieved Tales of Hearts (Anime Movie ver.) last Wednesday and I’ve been playing it every spare minute I can. To be truthful, I could go ahead and finish the story right now, but there are so many sidequests and items to collect for the cameo support skills. Ahahaha…Though I should be back on track soon, but there might be something in the not-too-distant future that will take up even more of my free time.

Summary:
In episode 10, we have Momoko picking apart Sayoko’s background despite him being the one tied down. Kuniko does some reminiscing about Momoko — It seems that Momoko was the “mother” of the relationship, pressing Kuniko to live a normal life despite her situation. Thankfully, Kuniko gets over her angsting pretty quick and decides to fly~ In addition, a prophecy of some kind from Hiruko — “Moon, ascend to the heavens and illuminate the night sky”, Mikuni catches wind of it the moment she steps outside in the sun. Ryoko somehow self-promotes herself to the position PM of Japan. [[Can anyone else say: "あなたとは違うんです"?]] She also states that Atlas will be completed in a decade — and the emigration of the populace too. After Kuniko finds her resolve to become the leader of Metal-age and enter Atlas to truly find out about it for herself, she also recieve’s Hiroku’s message via the dagger, and Kunihito thinks he’s imagining things. Ryoko also launches an attack on MEDUSA…and what would you know, Kunihito’s aboard!

In episode 11, we see Kunihito waking up from a rather strange dream/song after saving a bunch of crew members from the ship. However, the bulk of the episode is centered around Karin and her fear or leaving the building in which Medusa is housed despite being invited to dinner with her parents, whom she sorely misses. It takes the rather creepy intervention of the dead “Digma Zero” AKA Canary to bring her out. All the while, Kunihito’s still trapped with a couple crew members in the middle of the ocean and Kuniko states her plans on Atlas…which are none as of yet.

Thoughts:
Episode 10 was pretty good — though it felt like it was merely building up to 11…At this point, I can’t really recall the details anymore…

And then 11 delivered well with Karin’s development. We haven’t exactly seen much of her other than seeing that she’s quite the workaholic. I particularly loved the caged-bird theme used, not only with the song, but also with the canaries trapped alongside Mikuni in ATLAS and the playground equipment Karin plays in/around, slowly working her way out of the construction and on top of the “cage” as she remembers the lullaby her mom used to sing to her. I have to say that’s pretty touching~

Miken’s Ep10 enjoyment level: 7/10
Miken’s Ep11 enjoyment level: 10/10

Screenshots and Commentary:

Momoko’s just as good at torture as you are, Sayoko~<3

Wires, Whips and a Boomerang? Momoko’s quite the triple-threat~

So much for being a composed soldier…

Heroic Resolve GET!

Fortunately for her, children lolis almost never die.

But they can still get pretty thoroughly hurt…^-^;;

Ahahahaha…Rescue attempt: FAILED

My reaction to my first job interview earlier this week.

…And my later cataconic breakdown.

…No one said Gonzo was subtle.

Obligatory shot I like

Truly sad that Canary didn’t get to see the outside world while he was alive…If he were alive, he’d probably jump on my list of favorite characters in the show pretty fast. Nevertheless, at least he got Karin out of her own cage.

Once again…the never-subtle Gonzo.

Next episode: Circle of Transmigratory forces
Kunihito is safely at a hospital, Karin’s bear gains Canary’s feather as a part of a headband, Kuniko heads back to the city, and Sayoko solidifies her resolve to help Mikuni despite any forces against her.

Miken’s Anticipation Level: 7.5/10