Muv-Luv Alternative ep 11: Bright Day and Dark Night
After a heart-thumping episode with the Valkyrie, the focus shifts back to Takeru’s group and the Shogun in this episode. And this episode really accentuate Yuuhi’s as a character as well as Meiya.
We started off with a casual convo between Tameme and Lieutenant Irma Thesleff – one of the US’ pilots. And from her we learned about the fate of foreign refugees in the State and why they volunteered for the army. When you think about it, it’s not an illogical move for the US. They have to accept thousands, even hundred thousands of refugees and provide for them. So it’s only fair that they get something in return. However, things aren’t that simple, as we see a certain shadow lurking in the bushes.
We started off with a casual convo between Tameme and Lieutenant Irma Thesleff – one of the US’ pilots. And from her we learned about the fate of foreign refugees in the State and why they volunteered for the army. When you think about it, it’s not an illogical move for the US. They have to accept thousands, even hundred thousands of refugees and provide for them. So it’s only fair that they get something in return. However, things aren’t that simple, as we see a certain shadow lurking in the bushes.
Back to the Shogun, her talk with Takeru about what it means to fulfil one’s destiny really impact him. As an interdimensional traveller, he doesn’t feel any attachment to this world’s Japan. Even when back in his old world, most of the people are just ignorant civilians that never think about national affairs. So when things like this coup break out in front of his eyes, he’s at a loss to how and why. He doesn’t know how things came to this point and why someone would do this. But gradually, he has grasp the meaning of being a “patriot”. He now grasp the meaning of what a “country” is through Yuuhi and Meiya – the ones that shoulder the fate of Japan and her shadow. Incidentall, the Shogun also found out about the thing that make the 207th Squad “special”.
The individual talk between Yuuhi and the rest of Takeru’s team was a very powerful sequence. As the Head of State, the Shogun surely has many duties even if just in name. The fact that she remembers each of their family just like she would her own family shows how much the Shogun holds in her heart. Ayamine’s dad quote, Mikoto’s dad position, Chizuru’s dad effort and Tama’s dad intention, Yuuhi understood them all and wanted to assure their daughters that the Shogun, or rather, the country, will not forget them – as long as Japan still exist.
The individual talk between Yuuhi and the rest of Takeru’s team was a very powerful sequence. As the Head of State, the Shogun surely has many duties even if just in name. The fact that she remembers each of their family just like she would her own family shows how much the Shogun holds in her heart. Ayamine’s dad quote, Mikoto’s dad position, Chizuru’s dad effort and Tama’s dad intention, Yuuhi understood them all and wanted to assure their daughters that the Shogun, or rather, the country, will not forget them – as long as Japan still exist.
Then came the double plan, the duality of night and day, of the twin sisters separated at birth. Meiya appearing before Yuuhi threw her for a loop when she proposed meeting Sagiri herself. Obviously, at that point everyone expected Meiya to take the Shogun’s place and go in her stead. Well, that’s exactly what happened. The imagery where the two sisters – who have never ever meet with each other since a few days after their birth until today – exchange their identity briefly under the moonlit sky. The fact that just a few minutes result in radically different destiny for the two have been a source of regret for Yuuhi, but a source of pride for Meiya. Yuuhi blamed herself for the misfortune of Meiya’s life, while Meiya is proud that she can be of use to her sister from the shadow. Exchanging their “selves” although briefly, allowed them to connect with each other after more than a decade.
The talk with Sagiri went well. Meiya was able to channel the Shogun’s energy and ideology. The two although separated but their thoughts are united as one. Meiya knows what’s Yuuhi’s thinking and all the words and emotion that she want to show Sagiri. She pointed out the hypocrisy in Sagiri’s action, but said that she could somewhat sympathize with him. She “admitted” to being so powerless that her subjects felt the need to revolt in order to restore Japan’s glory. Yuuhi surely understands this as well and she will definitely restore Japan back to its feet after this. However, things never go that smooth in Muv-Luv. The Americans have intefered once again and Sagiri was ticked off by them. Reasons cannot work anymore, Sagiri’s aim is to simply eradicate whatever’s standing in his way, and that include the US, the UN forces as well as Takeru that is holding the Shogun.
The talk with Sagiri went well. Meiya was able to channel the Shogun’s energy and ideology. The two although separated but their thoughts are united as one. Meiya knows what’s Yuuhi’s thinking and all the words and emotion that she want to show Sagiri. She pointed out the hypocrisy in Sagiri’s action, but said that she could somewhat sympathize with him. She “admitted” to being so powerless that her subjects felt the need to revolt in order to restore Japan’s glory. Yuuhi surely understands this as well and she will definitely restore Japan back to its feet after this. However, things never go that smooth in Muv-Luv. The Americans have intefered once again and Sagiri was ticked off by them. Reasons cannot work anymore, Sagiri’s aim is to simply eradicate whatever’s standing in his way, and that include the US, the UN forces as well as Takeru that is holding the Shogun.
>Reryuu<
