Kyoukai Senki episode 21 – Turning wheel of Fate

June 3, 2022Episode Review,  Mecha Discussion,  ,  
The grand debut of Jogan Kai, and it was a satisfying one. Also, Kyoukai Senki managed to play its politics and how to use media to your own good which have enough depth but also quite easy to understand. Though at this point, I don’t really know what is happening in Brad’s mind, or should I say what does the staffs want in him.

Let’s dive into the episode a bit more.

The “STRIKE” of this episode, of course, Jogan Kai. Now I understand why it was named “Kai” rather than something else like Kenbu Zan. Kenbu Zan is an overall upgrade, like Zeta Gundam from Gundam MK2, while Jogan (and later on Reiki) is a modified version, like Gundam and its Full Armor variant. Jogan Kai with a bulkier armor plates on the main body, now has a bigger friend than its sniping gun: a heavy Gatling gun combined with a very thick shields, making it a movable artillery. Granted, when Jogan equips the gatling + shield in combat, its mobility became close to zero, but the sheer power and effective range that the Brr Brr outputt makes up for that flaw. The Gatling definitely has more AoE capabilities than the previous sniping rifle, and doesn’t need to be aimed. When unequip, Jogan Kai can use the dual SMGs like those in the first cour hidden in the shields and regain its mobility. Not gonna lie, I did not realize that Jogan Kai can discard the guns in combat and thought that equip and unequip phase could only be made while it’s in the hangar. The yellow lines arounds the arms and legs were some nice accents as well. After watching the episode, its usage was revealed as a space for the shock absorbers, which suits the gatling gun when it goes full auto. That moment was fantastic also, beautifully done with great choregaphy and musics.

Jogan Kai is great, but I also want to give an applause for the staffs to make the inferior Nyuren kicking the superior Brady Fox in the butts. Just like what Gashin said in the beginning of the second cour, the key factor for NA side to go on a winning streak was because the NA’s tactical AI is far more better than the others. With the help of Kei and Jogan Kai, NA first tasted its defeated against the 3 other factions after a while. I like this decision very much, as it gave to the battle more options than just Amou’s gang is the only side that could deal damage to the NA’s AMAIM. Now I wonder how the Bunnyip and the Eurasian’s AMAIM (Subbota Demon I think?) could fare against the Brady Fox.

The politics, I would say that it was played out decently. NA side wants to wage war with the New Japan Cooperation Organization (NJCO), and it needs a scapegoat. You saw how they shot their own men, used media to raise baseless rumors, take advantage of public opinion’s nature,… which, sticks very close to our real societies as well. And at this point, it is too obvious that the NJCO and NA will fight each other and serves as Kyoukai Senki’s climax. Unless Sunrise Beyond intends to have a 3rd cour, both sides will probably clash each other around 1-2 more episodes. I just hope that the MAILeS vs AMAIM will be satisfied. Brad is drawing closer and closer to being a morally twisted characters, and he’s basically all setup to usurp his father. German is so elusive that I can’t think of a good way to bust this guy.

Next episode, I can sense a death flag has just been risen.
But whose?
>Reryuu<

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