Synduality: Noir Ep 10 Review: The Approaching Storm

September 18, 2023Episode Review,  Mecha Discussion,  ,  
In the previous episode, we met Alba, a legendary drifter from 20 years ago and also knew that up to now, restoring Noir’s memories is a dead end. And in this episode, there is also something that existed 20 years ago – Silver Storm. An unusual storm brings along parasitic Enders ready to sweep everywhere they go. But besides that, right in Rock Town, Kanata and Tokio are also having problems that need to be completely resolved with each other and needless to say, Tokio came close to getting “resolved” but luckily their relationship will unfold a bit more.

As for Tokio, he’s just the stereotypical character of looking careless and disheveled but in reality he’s an insightful and skillful person (somehow he gives me a vibe of Shunsui in Bleach) as well as his worry about his friend is a bit overprotective. But perhaps he also knows that he cannot protect Kanata forever and that there will come a time when Kanata stands on his own feet and may surpass Tokio. Through this episode, Tokio showed viewers that he is not only playing the role of teammate but also taking on the role of Kanata’s father, brother, and best friend. It is a difficult feeling to juggle between conflicting ideals.

There is one detail in this episode that made me feel confused which is Tokio’s flashback scene, one is when he is lying on the sofa and the one talking to Mouton. In the first flashback scene, Tokio’s past when he was taken away but the person he tried to reach out to was similar to Kanata, but looked older than him and the reason he stayed in that scene is unknow. And the remaining scene when Kanata first met Tokio, he looked younger, still had that hateful look in his eyes, but it seemed that Kanata and the person in Tokio’s first flashback were two completely different people. Perhaps because he felt the two were similar, Tokio unintentionally treated Kanata as a replacement and was overprotective of him.

As for Kanata, in this episode I know that he is trying to do many missions to improve his level so that he can stand on par with Tokio as a real teammate as soon as possible. But it was because of his recklessness that pushed Tokio in dangerous condition. Kanata’s actions in this episode are encapsulated in the sentence “haste makes waste” and fortunately this will not be around episode 12/24 because otherwise Tokio would become a Plot device for Kanata and we would get a semi-edgy Kanata, not cool and mysterious like Alba and Kuro Kamen.

In this episode there are no action scenes to discuss. If anything, I’m quite impressed with Tokio’s machine – Johngasmaker, with a gun on his shoulder and a stake driver on one hand (very Alteisen). Claudia actually saved Tokio and Kanata a loss in that scene. If she hadn’t appeared in time, the series’s plot might have gone in a different direction, but it seems Bandai and 8bit wanted to keep everything in the safezone that to suitable for all ages to watch movies as well as a safe move to ensure toy sales. Also, I think the two pillars of Silver Storm’s true form would be pretty cool if redrawn in a painted style. This episode also serve as Claudia’s definitive switch to a full support role for Kanata’s side.

I also find it funny that the horns made for Daisy Orge was left completely in-tact. Although that also confirm that the nice oji-sans we saw at the start definitely didn’t make it. They didn’t show us outright, but the implication is quite clear. And it is quite a dark turn if you think about it.

Overall, Kanata was truly too naive and that naivety and inexperience had a certain consequence that put Tokio in life-threatening danger, but every decision from now on Kanata will be his own. He also knows that everyone is counting on him now, there is no space for hesitation anymore. This episode also didn’t forget Kurokamen and for a scene of him still continuing to search for Paradise, I thought he would be the commander of a squad like Michael but is a full of annoying but talented people version but seems like he in a genuine organization with full human resources. It’s episode 10 already and this Silver Storm event will probably end for this cour 1 if there is a cour 2, hopefully the last episode won’t make us feel bored and will continue to be worth watching.

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