Apr30

Black Bullet – 04

By , posted under ANIME, Black Bullet

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_16.24_[2014.04.29_17.13.24]

/but it might just save your life/

 You know, I would have given my right arm for some better pacing this episode.

———————————————————————————————————–

All Just a Little to Textbook

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_16.34_[2014.04.29_17.13.47]

行け

The first two acts of the show were pretty by the book, and I felt it tumbled more than raced towards it’s much more inspired ending. It had good action, and some decent development here and there. But if anything, it was touched by too many “of course” moments.

Of course, Rentarou is just like Kagatane in more ways than one; but different enough not to be taken in by the former’s idea of a perfect world. Of course, it had to be promoter vs. initiator for the major combat exchange. Of course, the big gun would break down when Rentarou and Enju both hung a lampshade on just watching not two minutes previous. Of course, it was down to the wire with unusual circumstances; a cyborg-varanium arm as a shell, and the power of love saving the day. Of course, they have to sell that Kohina is no longer an enemy.

…and I only mentioned a few.

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_05.42_[2014.04.29_16.37.14]

An Enju a day keeps the swords away

Kind of a shame, as there were some choice moments in that mix. I thought it was compelling to see Rentarou reject possible infection from the AGV drug, especially when it dovetails in such a horrifying fashion with Kayo’s corrosion. Also, Kohina mourning the loss of Kagatane with both Rentarou and Enju in view felt like grave foreshadowing to me. The animation on the Level Five Gastrea (Scorpion type….Cthulhu type is more like it) was neat to watch, and who doesn’t love a rail-gun firing? Especially when that bad boy, Gargantia Misaka Mikoto Heaven’s Ladder, looked eerily like a Gastrea itself. Now if only the Biggest Bug could have stuck around to be an actual menace worth all that sturm and drang.

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_09.44_[2014.04.29_16.48.39]

I was more than a little choked up about this

Oh, we had some dueling dualism going on in this one.  We have the dark path and the light, and the temptation to walk the wrong one for the right reasons. Yes, it’s probably a good thing an extremist like Kagetane is gone (oh, but for how long?!), but the sadness he leaves in his wake is palatable. I’m human. So I felt very very badly for Kohina during that scene. Again I hope it isn’t foreshadowing, but they pretty much set Rentarou up to be the light response to Kagetane’s darkness. We have father-daughter relationships mirrored here, and we have a desperate need to save the ones we love. And we have the icing on the cake, as Rentarou pretty much gives rise to a not so beaten after all flag in declaring her “no longer an enemy”.

Follow the Compass of Your Heart

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_19.15_[2014.04.29_18.33.20]

…keep your friends close…

Now we get to the third act. After the day was saved, we realize it couldn’t have been done without sacrifice. I have to admit, even with the previous parts of the show making me groan, losing Kayo hit me hard. Yeah, I shed some manly tears, but tears none the less. And she knew all along she was going to be at nothing but a disadvantage the moment she took to the battlefield. This was an episode filled to the brim with “of course” moments, this was the one they excelled at. She made a human choice. She fought for the honor to make that choice…

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_21.07_[2014.04.29_18.33.32]

…and your enemies closer…

…because being granted that right by an authority is never guaranteed. And right now, Tendou-sama has plenty to answer for. The discrimination of the Cursed Children lives well in him. Yes, they do pose a possible danger. But that is for the future, and it rather takes care of itself ; in it’s own time and it’s own way. The future never really what we expect. How do you treat them now and how do they treat themselves? What are the actions they take?  At this point, I may have to admit I was wrong about the suspicions I had for Seitenshi. She’s working her agenda. She has power to to it, and she encourages Rentarou to do the same.

Extra FK YA!

Show ▼

spring14-skylion

Well halfway into this episode I ran out of the manga scanlations I read before the premiere. So YAY for not being spoiled the rest of the show. Not so YAY for having my heart torn in two.

In conclusion I’ll leave you with the implications given in the credits scene. Why is the nature of the Gastrea hidden? Who gains and who loses by that secret? A tricycle? Yeah, really. A moldy old tricycle…I also leave to you, and your comments the obvious bit that I didn’t cover in the post. It’s more fun that way. All I’ll say about that is, it would never happen to Subaru.

[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 04 [720p].mkv_snapshot_23.24_[2014.04.29_17.29.44]

Wait! What? Is skylion gonna have to slap a writer?

 

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All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
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32 Responses to “Black Bullet – 04”

  1. Foshizzel says:
    April 30, 2014 at 7:46 am
    POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments

    OH MY GOD what magic did I just witness? Yuki Kaji literary rips off his mechanical arm and uses it as a bullet to take out a monster using that big ass railgun?! WOOOOOOW! I swear this series was written for him xD

    I was so sad for that masked bros daughter T____T quick Rentarou adopt the crazy girl pleaseeeee <3 <3

    Reply
    • skylion says:
      April 30, 2014 at 8:07 am
      POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

      Do you think the writers for the Yozakura Quartet anime are waiting in the wings to do something awful to Akina? I wonder if this is in Yuki’s contract negotiations?

      Reply
      • thorgriim says:
        April 30, 2014 at 8:22 am
        POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments

        hmm.. I’ve thought the same thing, may it is in Yuki’s contract, i mean he seems to fall under “loses his arm character” category, too bad he doesn’t lose an arm in hentai prince..tsk lucky… but Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi could still take out his arm, maybe we can hope with Season 2? =P

        he doesn’t lose his arm.. tisk.. got lucky!

        Reply
        • skylion says:
          April 30, 2014 at 8:28 am
          POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

          He’s safe as the Hentai Prince, and as Subaru. All his other recurring roles…high probability of arm lossage.

          Reply
          • BlackBriar says:
            April 30, 2014 at 5:47 pm
            POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments

            That goes without saying. His character Alibaba almost lost his arm in a Coliseum fight against a giant ape during the second season of Magi. It was broken, then bitten.

            Reply
      • thorgriim says:
        April 30, 2014 at 8:25 am
        POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments

        Oh your picture will make me sad for a while.. poor little girl, thats another bit of the episode that made me cry manly tears! “you did good Kayo” /sniff… WHY Black Bullet! i fear this series will make me cry more than Clannad…

        Reply
        • skylion says:
          April 30, 2014 at 8:30 am
          POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

          Yeah, that’s a sorta En Memorium. I’ll keep it there until I get over it 🙁

          Reply
          • BlackBriar says:
            April 30, 2014 at 5:50 pm
            POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments

            Assuming you do get over it. An untimely death of an oppressed individual tends to stick. More so when they’re so young.

            Reply
      • Foshizzel says:
        April 30, 2014 at 8:27 am
        POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments

        Well in Quartet he uses his arm to channel his power so it kinda counts like his role in DxD because his arm becomes a weapon lol

        Reply
        • skylion says:
          April 30, 2014 at 8:29 am
          POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

          …and those shows have monsters, and we know Monster Joy is fueled by arms.

          Reply
          • Foshizzel says:
            April 30, 2014 at 8:59 am
            POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments

            Yep! Hooray monsters!!

            Reply
          • BlackBriar says:
            April 30, 2014 at 5:53 pm
            POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments

            Arms, arms, arms. When are they going to go for the legs? They probably feel left out while the upper limbs are hogging all the popularity. 😉

            Reply
  2. thorgriim says:
    April 30, 2014 at 8:18 am
    POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments

    oh boy what an episode, I totally agree with fosh on this one, Yuki uses his own arm as a bullet hmm… called it! but still neatsauce! and ya, it pretty much like

    Yuki: “hmm does the main guy lose his right arm somehow?” Anime: “Yes”
    Yuki: “Then it’s the job for me where do i sign up?”

    I agree with you Skylion I totally called those ‘Of Course’ moments, rather I called most the episode, so sadly I wouldn’t say this was the best episode, but was very entertaining,from Shooting mechanical arms at monsters, hearing that you’d think this was a mecha series. to firing that awesomesauce of a Railguns, saying it still makes it the coolest thing ever!

    This episode did give me some heartwarming and sad moments, First was losing Kagetan which im saying hes still alive like everyone else, he just broke his mask His daughter, id hug her even if she’s deadly. Enju and Rentarou moments are still cute and enjoyable, but the heartbreak will be soon I can see it, and that day will be a very sad day for all! oh the drama to be had.

    Anyways, I’m 42.1% positive that I am not the father.. oh wait thats for something else..lets see.. um ya…enjoyable episode was 42.1% thats what i mean!

    Reply
  3. Ansatsushi says:
    April 30, 2014 at 4:26 pm
    POWUH: iLurker with 9 comments

    anybody else thing that this was very…
    Evangeline-esque?

    Reply
  4. BlackBriar says:
    April 30, 2014 at 5:43 pm
    POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments

    Hold it! Rentaro lost not only an arm but his right leg and left eye while protecting his female friend when they were kids. That’s gone beyond the typical Yuki Kaji stereotype. Talk about escalation. Obviously he couldn’t be completely human after surviving his prior wounds. At least when Kaji played Eren in Attack on Titan, he didn’t lose any limbs saving Mikasa from those two bandits.

    No grieving for the likes of Shogen since he got what he deserved for his distasteful ways and not acknowledging his own Initiator as a person but I shed tears for Kayo’s premature end. Requiescat en Pace. Nothing short of tragic for a young girl who would never know a normal life. It’s said that he who lives by the sword, dies by it (Shogen sure did) but it was never her choice.

    Now even Enju’s at risk of turning. It’s a given Rentaro lied about the corrosion rate to keep her worry free but he needs to be looked at as well. The needles he was given and used for regenerative purposes. Each one had a 20% chance of turning the user into a Gastrea. There were more than 5 and he used them all. It may appear he’s won the bet but long term effects are to be taken into consideration.

    I wouldn’t count Kagetane out just yet. Someone who hasn’t died by getting his head twisted around isn’t going to kick the bucket from a drop kick to the face. On the possibility that he has died, Kohina will eventually want revenge.

    All that aside, the show was yet again fast paced. As much as it’s undesired, I’m sensing a very abrupt end or cliffhanger now that it’s been confirmed the series is 13 episodes long.

    Reply
    • skylion says:
      April 30, 2014 at 7:40 pm
      POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

      Yeah, I fear the end may just piss me off good and proper.

      The manga gave Shougen a bit more in the manga, he died with some honor regretting not being better to Kayo. So it goes.

      Well, Rentarou is like many other YK characters. Lose an arm, gain Curse with Awesome.

      Reply
  5. BlackBriar says:
    April 30, 2014 at 6:12 pm
    POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments

    Hey, skylion, a little news that hit MAL not too long ago. Selector Infected WIXOSS is getting another season. It’s a split cour series like Gin no Saji, Kakumeiki Valvrave and Buddy Complex. The second half has yet to be announced.

    Reply
    • skylion says:
      April 30, 2014 at 7:37 pm
      POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

      Hurrah! More twincest, yandere, and despair for me!

      Reply
      • BlackBriar says:
        April 30, 2014 at 7:46 pm
        POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments

        Yep, I found that out today along with the news from ANN that the second season for Hamatora is set for Summer. And since Buddy Complex started in Winter like Hamatora, it’s a safe bet it’s getting a Summer slot as well.

        Selector Infected WIXOSS started this Spring season so the assumption is that the second season will be announced for Fall.

        Reply
  6. HannoX says:
    April 30, 2014 at 6:45 pm
    POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments

    Anyone else disappointed we didn’t get a loli-on-loli fight between Enju and Kohina?

    Reply
    • skylion says:
      April 30, 2014 at 7:36 pm
      POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

      I think they are hammering the point that Initiators don’t fight each other…

      Reply
      • HannoX says:
        May 1, 2014 at 7:58 am
        POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments

        Maybe so, but there’s something wrong about men fighting young girls. Although I’ll admit my main reason was that I wanted to see a loli cat fight. But that would probably be better reserved for a comedy.

        Reply
        • skylion says:
          May 1, 2014 at 8:25 am
          POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

          If a girl is armed and actively trying to kill me, I will fight like no tomorrow.

          Reply
          • Di Gi Kazune says:
            May 1, 2014 at 8:41 am
            POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments

            If a girl is armed and actively trying to kill me, I will make sure she suffers enough before her final demise… without mercy. ^.- *nikoniko*

            *starts the imagination… *grins**

            That said, anyone armed and actively trying to kill me suffers the same fate(/zero). I am quite an equalist.

            Reply
            • skylion says:
              May 1, 2014 at 6:08 pm
              POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

              Sometimes “Everyone on fire at the same time” means equality…

  7. shuyafay says:
    May 4, 2014 at 5:24 am
    POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments

    I had all the feels with me when Kayo had to be killed. I almost wept when she plead Rentarou to save the world in her final moments. o(╥﹏╥)o

    Reply
    • skylion says:
      May 4, 2014 at 9:10 am
      POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments

      Hey, welcome to Metanorn, shuyafay!

      Oh, yes. I was rather reckt watching it. Then I watched it two more times. Then I wrote about it. ::sigh:: need breather episode!

      Reply

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