Tegami Bachi REVERSE – 18

With a brand-spanking new OP sequence!

Do you remember when I complained that the new OP sequence was just a bunch of reused animation? Well, it looks like they were biding time to make a ridiculously gorgeous opening sequence. I was blown away by how visually stunning it was. It’s great timing too, now that things are taking a bit of a left turn from the manga. Got to ramp up the hype and make some noise!

You’d be tired too after a day of dressing like a lady, being kidnapped and shot at several times. Lag gets some much needed rest as Aria, Niche and Dr. Thunderland talk about how Gauche never really did regain his memories. Which is the perfect chance for Sylvette to overhear it all and get emotional. Can you really not hear that rickety old wheelchair when she’s sneaking up on you guys?

Steak, her eyes are up there.

Meanwhile, Zaji is doing his own thing at Shark Cape, sussing out where that darned Cabernet has flown off to. He sends his dingo Vashuka back to the Hive with a letter, but wastes no time closing in on that dragonfly. Or a least, he would if this uninhabited cliff didn’t have a random little boy hanging onto the edge of a cliff. How did he get there? Why is he alone? Why is there a Gaichuu skittering about to make matters worse?

Whether to save the kid or just to let off some steam, Zaji shows off his brash, athletic side by running right up to the huge mecha bug. Some dodging, weaving and shooting later and he’s got himself a victory. The kid on the other hand fell to his doom. Oh well, better luck next time. Okay, not really, he was saved by a wolfman who criticizes Zaji for getting too caught up in his fight to save the kid. Then he runs off, Zaji runs after him, and the kid is left alone on a cliff again to contemplate a second attempt at suicide.

Those dastardly Marauders aren’t quite done stirring up mischief yet. This time they’re poking their noses into an abandoned government research facility. It’s the one and same one Roda escaped from, so she’s pretty freaked out. Once they paddle their way in, they’re greeted by yet another scene like the fetus sun – a watery graveyard of bodies. Garrard boots Noir from his party the boat and tells him to look for new recruits.

Can’t Reverse invest in a not-so-ghetto boat?

The government is starting to look even shadier than Reverse if this whole “try to make spirit amber to power the sun by using human bodies” dealio is the truth. I think it’s safe to say that it is since Gauche is standing on the Mount Fuji of corpses. After a good 5 minutes of searching they decide it’s pointless…at which point Garrard’s dingo accidentally turns on the GIANT MEAT GRINDER. Everyone can only watch hopelessly as Gauche tries to outrun it, saving two terrified children in the process. Aaaaand it ends with a bang.

Meanwhile, it looks like Lloyd took my advice (all bloggers like to imagine anime series read what we write and then change things accordingly.) and informed the government about the Marauders. Not sure what they’ll do since they’re kind of shaping up to be the bad ones here. Lag is out and away as soon as he’s conscious again, running after Vashuka to help Zaji on his mission.

Zaji seems to be doing just fine. Even when surrounded by people with real guns, he just does a flying kick and PROBLEM SOLVED. Just as he’s about to lay the hurt on Cabernet as well, that bloody wolfman comes back to stand in his way. Looks like he’s part of Reverse. Following the “shoot now, questions later” philosophy, Zaji gets right into fighting mode. Jeel doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest by Zaji’s shots though, and gives him a thorough beating.

Looks like Jeel has more hatred that Zaji could ever muster, even though they’re both targeted at the same thing. Zaji can’t exactly give up now. Vashuka finally appears for some much needed backup with Lag…except Lag is preoccupied with Lawrence. Lawrence essentially throws Lag’s mind into a minor crisis with but a few words after his shindan doesn’t fire. Uh oh, this looks like trouble.

Bonus Zajishots:

Cute Zaji screencap of the week. (or whenever he’s in an episode)

W…wait, so now werewolves sparkle in the sunlight too?!

The history of dogs always barking at mailmen…uncovered.

I SUDDENLY HAVE THE URGE TO FEEL YOUR MUSCLES. LET ME FEEL THEM.

End Thoughts: Okay, now we’re back on track. I was pretty entertained. Actually no, scratch that, I loved this episode. I changed my desktop and everything to Tegami Bachi IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING THIS. Maybe it’s just the magic of the new OP that has me completely re-interested in this world, but I like how things are going. This is the first episode in…a long time…where I actually have a lot to say here. I do vaguely recall the wolfman x Zaji encounter from the manga, and it was one of those scenes that really got me to like him. Zaji that is, not the hairy guy. I like seeing Zaji getting some alone screentime, afterall.

While Lag relies heavily on Niche, half of the time Zaji uses his own skill to dart about and shoot on target. Something about that makes the fights more dynamic. Niche is a powerhouse who can jump 60 frickin feet in the air, I’m not worried about her wellbeing at all. Zaji is just a little squirt scampering about like a squirrel.  I appreciate seeing the different fighting styles between Bees, but I’m afraid I’m always going to be biased towards Zaji being my number one pick. ( And is it just me, or has he memorized every Gaichuu’s name and weakspot? Impressive~)

It’s funny, because the two of them have such different power sources, and now both of their weapons aren’t working. Soon, the both of them are going to have to entirely change the way they think about things if they want to reach their goals. Be it killing that wolfman or saving Gauche. By the end, I don’t think their shindans will be so different either. Zaji can’t stay malevolent forever and Lag can’t be naive all his life. Both of them need to find a middle ground – some unshakable thing they both can continue to believe in without wavering. As different as Zaji and Lag seem at first, they share a strong root of similarity in their kindness and loyalty.

As for Reverse, OH BOY. I loved that scene too! Do you remember when the fetus sun suddenly brought a really sinister side to the series? Well, that mountain of corpses had a similar feel (although not so intense). Gauche was literally treading on a carpet of bodies…Just…a skyhigh pile of PEOPLE. You can’t tell me it’s normal to throw bodies upon bodies of tortured people into a waste disposal machine. That crazy government…..I think the anime is actually going to reveal more secrets than the manga, so I’m just waiting eagerly for the mystery to be unraveled.

Preview: Zaji continues his fight with the wolfman. I honestly can’t tell if he’s winning or losing by the preview (but I know what happens anyways, so it’s cool).

Blood on his face, fangs, sharp eyes and fighting~ these are a few of my favourite things~