Blood Lad – 07
My f@%!ing heart.
This week in Blood Lad, Fuyumi is not yet resurrected! What else is new? Oh, and also Liz gets a much needed big sis in the form of Fuyumi. Cue adorable reactions possible only from a kawaii imouto. Hurrah! Or should I say HNNNNNNGG
Quality Bonding
This omurice tastes a little salty.
As we might expect from the episode title, this episode is all about Liz. Well I guess technically Fuyumi is plastered on as well, but we’ll get to her later; it’s cute loli vampire time. So after being abandoned again stationed by Braz in Staz’s territory, Liz gets all homesick and stuff. Which is understandable, considering she’s just a little girl. We also get some info on the Blood parents: they’re not around any more. Combine these and now you have a crying imouto vampire. Luckily for her however, Staz is a much better brother than Braz could ever be. Instead of “stay out because you’ll get in the way”, Staz welcomes her into his crib and even starts indoctrinating her with a love of animanga. You gotta start ’em on it early, y’know. And boy does she drink it up, with Staz starting her on the good ‘ol Castle in the Sky, confirming yet again that he is a fan of Hayao Miyazaki.1
Almost like real sisters.
But as great as it is to see Staz and Liz together, it is the bond between Liz and Fuyumi that really steals the spotlight. I have a feeling if these two were actual siblings, Liz’s life would have been much better than it has been up till now. Being the younger sister of the maverick Braz, Liz has seen her fair share of suck-ups acting “nice” to her to get in her brother’s good graces. But for once she’s actually met someone genuinely kind and caring, which is further punctuated by the lack of such qualities from her own family: Braz is just an ass, Staz wasn’t even present for most of her life, and her parents have been dead since who knows how long. If you think about it, she’s had quite a stunted childhood. The only thing she had was her position as the Acropolis’s jailer, so I’m very glad that Fuyumi stepped into her life as an older sister figure. This one day with a friendly ghost (and an estranged brother) might have been the most eye-opening day in her life so far.
PLOT
Surprise oral secks
With Liz gaining some life points taken care of, Blood Lad goes on to more plot development. Or should I say Fuyumi development, because she’s pretty much become synonymous with the word by now. Staz isn’t preoccupied with fighting zombies or monsters now, so out goes the shady magic drink and we’re back to sexually suggestive thumb sucking. SLURRRRRRP. *Ahem* excuse me. So apparently Braz needs to do some tinkering to get Fuyumi back in human form, but that’s not surprising, now is it? To that end, he extracts some of her magic using his all-purpose revolver (strategically positioned in her cleavage for some fanservice) and is on his way to whipping up a human. OR NOT. Because obviously what he’s more interested in is Staz’s now fully unleashed magic, which is mixed in thanks to aforementioned thumb sucking shenanigans. Yeah, we’re not going to see anything for Fuyumi from the sneaky bastard, I’m sure. His talk of keeping promises isn’t convincing me.
Bishie kidnapper strikes!
We’re not quite done with our favorite ghost though, because something has to happen to her to get things moving. After a night of snuggling with a crying Liz, Fuyumi mysteriously goes missing. So now Staz and his crew have to hunt down whoever kidnapped her and give the damsel in destress her dose of vampire blood before she starts disappearing again. See how Blood Lad has conveniently moved on to the next arc while injecting a sense of urgency? Yeah, the show isn’t remotely shy about abusing Fuyumi’s status as the plot driver. Anyway, we catch several glimpses of a man hinted to be the culprit. And he’s headed to South Demon World, so that’s where the gang is going next.
Extras
I enjoyed it immensely, so I will again state how much I like Liz’s portion of this episode. Watching her have probably the best day in her life and open up to Staz (she’s still a little tsundere, but at least she isn’t trying to kill him) was both heart warming and hilarious at times. Not to mention the little vampire is absolutely adorable. I should also mention Braz’s “casual” statement to Bell about how important Fuyumi is to her, but who knows what that means. Knowing the tricky guy, it could mean any number of things or perhaps even nothing. The only thing I have right now is that perhaps Fuyumi has the key to solving the mystery of who stole and used Bell’s magic frame.
1I wonder if that’s the reason he keeps falling from the sky?
About Sumairii
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I enjoyed how much this episode basically gave us a bickering family that does care about each other, for all the characters, even the supporting ones.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I don’t know, this episode just make me like Braz more. I don’t know why, but I like how charming, deceptive and underhanded he is. However, I sense that beneath all that, he still has his own code that he follows despite what his younger siblings think.
Liz was adorable in this episode, though I can understand her being a bit uncomfortable with Fuyumi. Also, finally after quite a long time, Fuyumi serves a purpose as a much-needed “sister” to Liz. Their time together was cute, if a little derivative. Actually, the best scenes with Liz are with Staz as the two bond in their own way. I really liked that scene in the end when he promised to give her all his treasured possessions if she helped him, but she said her stuffed toy that he gave her was enough.
Castle in the Sky isn’t my favorite of Miyazaki films (that honor goes to Howl’s Moving Castle) but I can see who a young girl like Liz who only sees boring demon world TV would like it.
Fuyumi unfortunately doesn’t have a purpose long, and goes right back to being a damsel in distress plot device as she is kidnapped by a strange young man in a jacket, who actually reminds me a little of Bell. However, Staz will stop at nothing to find her, and now with all of his powers at his disposal, he flies off to find her. (I guess since his brother showed him that he can use his powers to fly, Staz learned fast.)
It was an good episode for Liz that I give a 7.5/10.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I didn’t see Castle in the Sky and I agree that Howl’s Moving Castle was good but my favorite Miyazaki movie would have to be Princess Mononoke. That one was simply brutal yet beautiful. It was gory compared to Miyazaki’s other films. The second favorite would be Spirited Away.
By the way, Irenesharda, welcome to the top 15 commentators at Metanorn. Climb another rank quickly because there are others right behind you. 😉
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Wow, totally wasn’t aware of that. I’ll have to keep that in mind as I comment. 🙂
Also, I thought Princess Mononoke was okay, but a little too environmental preachy for me. Still haven’t seen Spirited Away all the way through. Ponyo is my second favorite after HMC.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, I noticed you’ve been commenting a lot and look. Your personal rank has gone from “Lovely-pyon” to “400-499” since you made 400 comments. Congratulations!!
I’ll admit the only annoying aspect in Princess Mononoke was Ashitaka’s idealism and him insisting how the humans and the forest should live in peace together. What I liked a lot were the giant wolves. What I would give to ride one of those…
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I actually comment in bursts. I have been a little busy recently, so when I get a chance to go on here and comment, I go through all the comments, and respond here and there, and everywhere. 😛
And wolves are awesome, another reason while despite it’s weird plot line and ending, I love Wolf’s Rain. I even have a little painted rock that I got from an artist at a convention of them. That show made me totally think twice about wolves and see how cool they truly are.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
For me, my comment count skyrockets whenever there are lot of others doing the same and other than that, it’s slow paced.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Hmm, I can definitely see mystery kidnapper being related to Bell, but with anime character designs you never know.
The bit where Liz tells Staz she’s fine with just the stuffed toy is certainly a great showcase of the improvement in their relationship. I personally thought that was overshadowed by Staz’s determination to bring Fuyumi back at all costs though. I mean, we’re talking about a hardcore otaku giving away all his goods. That’s got to be serious business.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It isn’t a stretch to say that eventually Liz would favor Staz over Braz. If that happens, Braz would lose a crucial chess piece since Liz would do anything for him.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I honestly don’t think Braz is as evil as most think he is. When I heard Staz repeating some of his brother’s same lines later on, I immediately remembered how Staz said that he doesn’t get along with his brother because the two are too alike. And I have to agree.
Braz is a bad boy for sure, and he does like to play mind games, but I think he has a heart under all that darkness.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
For two people who are supposedly alike, they go about things in different ways. Staz has some sort of empathy behind what he does while Braz is solely buisiness and benefits. Unless more things come up, you’re playing the devil’s Advocate defending Braz.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I don’t know, it’s possible. Perhaps I just have a thing for villainous characters. 😛
(I mean, Aizen is my favorite character in Bleach, and I KNOW he was pure evil.)
Sesshoumaru was my favorite in Inuyasha and Itachi in Naruto. I just have a soft spot for bad guy big brothers who may or may not be so bad after all. It’s a weakness of mine. 🙂
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I unfortunately had preknowledge that:
Show ▼
Other than that, I really don’t know what everyone sees in Fuyumi other than that she’s from the human world. She’s even worse than your dime a dozen anime girl, so I really don’t see Staz’s attraction.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Different strokes for different folks. Staz sees something in her that most viewers don’t, I guess. There are some pairings out there you’d find absurd for them to be together. Like the dorky/ordinary male types managing to get the hot chick/powerful female of the show. Like Shu and Inori from Guilty Crown or Haru and Kuroyukihime from Accel World.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I’m guessing it’s no more complicated than she is his “first human girl”.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
Liz is so adorable i’m barfing rainbows!(guest: ewwww, that would be gross don’t you think?)
I want to click on fuyumi’s shirt(look at the extras)
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hey! No stealing Chris‘s schtick! It’s unoriginal. 😉
That was some grade A fanservice from Fuyumi.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Yes, she is adorable. My kawaii gland just gushes…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Liz stole the show with her moe innocence. I couldn’t get enough of it and it was good that she was coming out of her shell. She adapted fairly quick to Staz’s way of living which is a big contrast to her previous lifestyle.
Fuyumi did well playing the big sister for Liz. I could say both were meant to end up like they did, that Fuyumi wanted a sister and it was a good idea to have another girl around so both can open up and have something in common.
Of course, like a snake, you can’t take Braz’s words at face value. Obviously, he wants to increase his power by absorbing Staz’s magic.
So Yuki Kaji’s character steps in and kidnaps Fuyumi. What I can guess for him to able to be in the demon world at all and sneak past Liz, he’s the one Bell is looking for. And something is off about what Staz said of him. What made him jump to the conclusion that he listens to British Rock?
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I’ve got no idea what the deal with the British Rock is either. Perhaps it’s some obscure reference that neither of us are getting?
And I have to agree that our mystery kidnapper might just be the one who Bell is looking for. I can think of only one way for him to steal Fuyumi away without Liz noticing, and that’s with Bell’s spatial magic.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Maybe it’s an indication that he’s possibly of English descent and he takes a liking to British Rock.
It would be something if the kidnapper was actually related to Bell.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Please Please Me, Let me introduce myself, I am a man of wealth and taste. But, Gollum and the Evil Lord stole me away from her, her, her.
The Thames is rising, and I live by the river. But I dread the sunny day, so meet me by the cemetery gates, Keats and Yeats are on your side, but weird wild lover Oscar is on mine. Walk in silence, don’t walk away, in silence….
Don’t say a prayer for me now, save it till the morning after, in a champagne supernova.
I just I just I just can’t stand it, I won’t believe in Heaven or Hell, no saint’s no sinners, no Devil as well. But I got caught, caught by her smile.
Goodbye, Norma Jean.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, Staz will come to believe in a thing called love, with the rhythm of his heart now unimpeded by Braz’s bullet, and he will tell this new guy to “Get your hands off of my woman M***** F*****”
Plus, he’ll realize that he can tell Fuyumi “Join with Us” because “I love it when you call”, and with her there he’ll Never Be Lonely, even though, in the demon world, people gonna see you how they wanna see you, People gonna rate you, people gonna hate you, people gonna shove you, people gonna love you, people gonna do whatever makes them think they own you better.
Unfortunately, Time is Running Out, because Fuyumi still needs to suck the life out of him, but eventually she might become his plug-in baby. Too bad they’ll encounter resistance and these fights are getting so powerful that they could create a Supermassive Black Hole.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Boy, it’s been so long since I listened to Muse that I was reminded how great those songs are…
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 102 comments
Gah, Liz is too cute <3
Her tsundere fits her perfectly!
my guess but they were watching Raputa,right?lol
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Her tsundere is adorable.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 175 comments
well after seeing it yea now indeed look like staz’s sister is defrosting having normal fun with staz & fuyumi.
but now time to go all out search for fuyumi or staz will wreck whole demon world.