Phi Brain S3 – 16
You know it’s on once your rival postpones a death match to change outfits
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After quite a bit of globetrotting, Kaito and the gang are finally at the end of their journey. I can only assume that it’s summer or their school just doesn’t give a damn about tests, homework, or even imparting the smallest shred of knowledge to its students. I suppose it would be like teaching the alphabet to a University student given how they’re supposed to be geniuses, but still…you’d think a show about educational puzzles wouldn’t have a cast full of skippers! |
Juvenile delinquency aside, I’m glad the gang finally got to face off with Raetsel. It was just about time for all of this running around to end – especially after we learned the truth about Jin’s memories. The truth being that Kaito was right and there was never anything shady about Jin’s feelings towards puzzles in the first place. Last week’s preview kind of spoils us by pre-emptively showing us that Raetsel already knew about that. She’s a lot more mellow here, even allowing Kaito to have a rather sober conversation with her in private. They respectfully agree with one another, yet they still battle each other in the pinball pit of peril. Although it’s still a battle to the death, it’s a lot more amicable than the past few puzzles she’s trapped them in.
Who is flying these dorks around in private planes???
Kaito’s vision of the three of them getting along and sharing Jin is really the ideal ending. I don’t know why Raetsel has to make everything an ultimatum when clearly the two of them could both hang out with Jin, but I suppose Kaito will have to talk to her about that as well. They come ever so close to achieving that goal once Enigma unceremoniously hoists Jin into the puzzle like a claw game in an arcade. They’re a few moments away from a happy ending where they settle on a threesome before things go awry.
As it turns out, there are some hidden memories about more pressing issues other than whether or not he likes doing sudokus in the morning paper. Or less important, perhaps, given the rules of this puzzle-based universe. Anyways, Jin is somehow possessed by Orpheus – a super-powerful and all-knowing God of Puzzles. The God of puzzles, in fact. This means that Jin is no more and that wonderful future where the three of them live together is shattered. Of course, the power of friendship will almost assuredly heal him in the final episode. But for now, Jin turning into a God is a pretty big “uh oh.”
Furthering the stereotype that all hobos are secretly God
This whole episode was wonderful – with all the tension and action of a finale. The music was spot-on, the directing actually focused on some good angles without overusing the bird’s eye view of the puzzle map, and the twists just kept on coming. It was great! Things just got more and more intense as time went on as well. The big surprise was (at first) Enigma popping in and messing things up. In classic Phi Brain style, he does something ridiculous like use a helicopter to fling Jin into the heart of the puzzle. Out of all the things he could have done and all the ways he could have done them…he chooses to somehow sneak up on them with a noisy helicopter and get a pilot to perfectly snatch Jin up in a harness. Enigma is turning into more and more of a Herbert-like joke as time goes on.
But that wasn’t even the real twist! Jin then uses his phantom Orpheus powers to bust them out of the puzzle in a dazzling display of teamwork and glowing eyes. It’s one of those exciting comeback moments where three unlikely people team up and beat the odds. Just a moment ago they were all fighting, but who would have thought that a deadly bowling ball puzzle would bring them together.
And then bam! It happens. Even that is not the true twist. Ana and Raetsel were noticing something was off, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he hadn’t changed his clothes the entire trip. Jin being a God spins the series in a totally new direction. It’s a really exciting development because it gives the series a brand new villain who isn’t as washed up as Enigma. He’s also much more interesting because although he can’t be left to do whatever evil he wants, Kaito and Raetsel would never want to kill him. It’s a sticky situation, and their mixed feelings should provide for an interesting rivalry. We also clearly have a lot to learn about what the hell Jin did in his spare year.
I’m also going to assume that Raetsel will now work with Kaito to save Jin. She may not exactly travel with him, but the two of them now want the same thing – to get Jin back. It doesn’t matter who does it as long as it happens. I’m really hoping this happens so Raetsel can start to befriend everyone (by everyone I mean Ana because that friendship is golden) and stop becoming so dependent on Jin alone. Ahhh, this is why I love blogging Phi Brain. It has some really great episodes and isn’t short on ridiculous yet enjoyable plot twists. Jin being a God is juuuust the right kind of crazy to float my boat and not give me a sinking feeling of mediocrity and ad-libbing.
Bonus Screenshots:Show ▼
Preview: More future predictions, Enigma blowing up the puzzle, and Jin buggering off to God knows where. It’s hard to tell what’s going on given how chaotic revealing a new God can be, but it does seem like Jin runs away instead of facing them right now.
Contact lenses AND glasses? You’re going to strain your eyes!
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 37 comments
Finally…finally…IT’S MIND RAPING TIME!!!!
Ahaha, I am much too happy about this twist. Last episode I was thinking to myself “I’m really just waiting for Jin to either do something awesome or mind rape someone” and it looks like Phi Brain delivers on both accounts!! I honestly didn’t expect Jin to be harboring Orpheus himself in his mind though, so that surprise really kicks things up a notch. And the BMG for this episode was amazing! First it was badass, then it was heroic, and then it was EVIL GODLINESS. I’m so excited now. Thank you Phi Brain, it’s episodes like these that restore my faith in Japanese animation.
A quick wiki search tells me that the real(ish) Orpheus was a musician, poet and prophet of ancient Greek religion. Another interesting thing to note is that the Phi ratio appears in many musical compositions. All of a sudden that scene of Jin listening to classical music way back in episode 3 looks…like…ten times more ominous now.
Oh yeah, and the bits between Kaito and Raetsel were great too. I don’t know why she thinks Jin can’t be with both of them though. She doesn’t have any family, she could even live with Jin in Japan while Kaito comes to hang out sometimes. I’m glad that she’s finally becoming an ally in any case.
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 37 comments
Finally…finally…IT’S MIND RAPING TIME!!!!
Ahaha, I am much too happy about this twist. Last episode I was thinking to myself “I’m really just waiting for Jin to either do something awesome or mind rape someone” and it looks like Phi Brain delivers on both accounts!! I honestly didn’t expect Jin to be harboring Orpheus himself in his mind though, so that surprise really kicks things up a notch.
A quick wiki search tells me that the real(ish) Orpheus was a musician, poet and prophet of ancient Greek religion. Another interesting thing to note is that the Phi ratio appears in many musical compositions. All of a sudden that scene of Jin listening to classical music way back in episode 3 seems…like…ten times more ominous now.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Wow, and I thought last episode had an epic twist. This season has been throwing out a lot of surprises. Jin and Raetsel made that intimidating puzzle. They must kicks at the thought of making people sweat as go into it.
Glad to know Raetsel had a feeling she was being used and not being the completely unknowing pawn for some unhinged lunatic who’s coming undone the more time passes. Thinking she’ll be alone if Kaito wins instead considering she’ll get a lot more friends, I’d say without Jin, she’s anti-social.
So Jin getting his memories back was a bad thing but it’s too late. I knew something bad was going to happen but didn’t expect this.
My theory is the Rings were made for Orpheus to find a suitable body to take a physical form and those who are Phi Brain children would be possible candidates and whoever reached their peak would have been taken over. Meaning Kaito, Rook and Freecell were that much closer to ending up in the same state as Jin.
Plus, Jin with dark eyes with a glowing center while wearing glasses. He’s right up their with Seishin Muroi when he changed.