Kyoukai Senki episode 18 - Overcome the pain

First thing I have to say about the art quality in this episode: they dropped quite frequently, especially when the scenes related to the character’s animation. But we kinda got compensated with a 3 vs 6 AMAIM fight, and Amou’s “edgy” phase was no more, thank god. Let’s dive a little bit more into the episode.

Yuusei (a.k.a Kyoukai Senki’s mature Shin Asuka) has contacted Yatagarasu to help him protect a “sanctuary” – an area that Japanese people are being protected by a pro-Japanese Eurasian military man as “hired workers” in name. The commander/founder was introduced as a surprisingly likable guy, who has a Japanese wife and his newborn mixed child. He loves everything from Japan and willingly gives the sanctuary back to the Japanese once the peace is brought back. His voice, his action, his dream felt so genuine that you can believe he is a decent guy. It is really appropriate that the staff did not make every foreigner in this series douches like the majority of the other commanders. I like that. And I hope at the end his dream will come true.

On the other hand, somehow the NA side has introduced another “bad guy”. This guy here is obviously an ass, but not to the level of that commander in episodes 14-15. He’s just someone who has tremendous arrogance and has never been to an actual battlefield. But at this point, I would rather them focusing on the already introduced characters than keep introducing new characters that are not worthy to develop.

Tezuka solidified my thoughts about him: out of the main trio, his development was way more visible than Shion’s and Amou’s. It still has flaws, but you could clearly see that he has changed, even when he told the two that Yuusei was, and probably still is Asia’s spy, he analyzed and made his decision based on what he believed. I do anticipate his upcoming Jogan Kai because it makes sense that Tezuka has become more suitable to become a proper frontliner with the team.

Amou though, I’m not sure what to say about his development. The “gloomy” dark phase felt short, even though it actually lasted four episodes, three if you excluded the “before gloomy” episode. But I like how he got through that “gloomy phase” by doing the same thing, just that he can see the other side of it. It wasn’t a very impactful phase, but nevertheless, a decent conclusion.

However, I think that Amou’s influence has helped Shion to progress. Her “determination” was put to the test this episode. She wanted to prove that she too is serious about this war and can do what Amou did to liberate Japan and brought back her hometown. However, when push come to shove, she wasn’t able to. And Shion must have come to the realization that her “will” is not as iron as her blade. Amou intervention saved her from staining her hands with blood, but the future is still an open question. Really looking forward to her development since she has been really nice to watch since that start of part 2.

Next episode: what would it be? This is probably the first time I don’t know what they have for us in advance. Considering episode 18 is already a mecha action fight episode, this one probably will be a plot-advancement episode, or something else.

>Reryuu<

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