Black★Rock Shooter – 05
Slapping, choking, cutting, and more madness ensues…
~I apologize for not replying to comments for last week’s episode. It was a mix of a hectic school week along with some awful, moody clouds hovering over me.
Before she can fight against Dead Master, Black Rock Shooter battles against her army, machine-gunning and blasting through thousands of skeletons, normal and over-sized. Dead Master soon sends her Dead Skulls at her, which end up forming into one huge figure out of the broken-down bodies. Not even Black Rock Shooter’s powerful canon can break through them…
In the real world, Mato takes Yuu with her to pick up Yomi for school. Upon ringing the doorbell though, her mother strangely says to go away. Yomi comes out anyway, but is oddly cheerful. She even mentions that she made the same bracelet she made for Mato, for Yuu, but in orange. However,Yuu notices that pieces of Yomi’s hair are actually woven into the bracelet. Yomi’s hair cutting becomes more apparent as she suddenly starts cutting pieces of her hair during art class, being quickly sent home after the incident. As Mato endures hearing classmates talking about poor Yomi, Kagari comes up to say that her heart has died. Mato slaps her in anger and leaves. Meanwhile, Yuu comes into the counseling room, asking Saya if she had done something to Yomi…
In the midst of reading over the grim ending to the Tiny Bird book, Mato dreams of the other world again, where Black Rock Shooter destroys the Dead Skulls and faces Dead Master once again. They immediately throw a few kicks and stabs, aiming for each other with their respective sharp weapons before Mato wakes up. She tries to rewrite the ending to the book, scribbling a much happier ending on the bleak page of the bird with black wings falling…
Mato get called into the counseling room and is asked by Saya if she wants to save Yomi. When she replies yes, Saya thinks she should die for her and proceeds to wrap her hands around her neck. Mato leaves, ending up at the art club where one of the members asks her to take away Yomi’s eerie painting. Seeing that it’s her, she beings to think she’s the one who broke Yomi.
That’s…nice…
After Mato gets grazed by a basketball, a new manager shows up instead of Yuu. When she asks where she is, the girls are confused on who is Yuu; even Koha doesn’t know who she is. Mato takes off, wondering why no one remembers her, and why her memories of her are so hazy. She does remember the way to her house however and tries to find it, but ends up by the riverside. There she finally finds Yuu, who asks her the same thing Saya had: does she want to save Yomi?
Yuu begins to explain to Mato that does exist there a Other world where a different you always fights and shoulders all your grief. This other you will eventually be killed, and once it happens, you are set free from all your suffering, which had happened to both Kagari and Koha (as we the watchers have already basically figured out). But while Yomi’s Other world counterpart will be killed and she’ll be set free here, she will kill off her feelings for her, Mato, the biggest cause of her suffering. While Yuu explains this, Black Rock Shooter and Dead Master continue their intense fighting, with BRS aiming her sword at Dead Master.
Mato believes that grief and suffering isn’t something that could be taken away by fighting, but should be resolved by talking and explaining each others points of view without having to rely on someone else. Yuu admits she feels the same way and that she thinks of Mato as someone very important to her. She wants to help her, so she asks again if she wants to save Yomi just as she had said. Mato says yes (of course) and Yuu places her forehead against hers, which sends Mato into some sort of dream-like state. A voice continues to ask the same questions, this time listing consequences. Despite everything, Mato truly wishes to save her and arrives (mentally) in the Other world, face to face with a blank-faced Yomi. However, she realizes that she, Black Rock Shooter, has already stabbed Yomi, Dead Master, through the chest. The Other world begins to swirl out, just as it had done after Chariot was killed.
As Dead Master’s body slides off Black Rock Shooter’s sword, Mato’s unconscious self in the real world is crying while Yuu mutters that it was the only way. Black Rock Shooter’s blue flaming right eyes fades, but a red light beings to blink and ignites a swirl of blue and red flames that then shines a bright purple…~
YES, SOMEONE FINALLY GOT SLAPPED! -cough- I mean…I’m sorry. I can’t deny that I’m overly excited at the fact Kagari got slapped. No over-dramatic anime can’t have slapping, am I right?! Anyway, this episode, after the first watch, just seemed like complete madness. I was at a loss for words for thirty minutes. As for the action scenes, they were awesome as usual. Dead Master was a little more bad-ass this time around while Yomi was just…more crazy. I’m curious as to what the significance, if any, to cutting her hair was? Possibly representing cutting off her ties to Mato? But why the hair…?
So some speculations did turn out to be right about how the killing of their counterparts effects their feelings and/or memories of what had originally caused them their grief. I’m glad they finally explained it so that’s one less thing I have to speculate about now. For me, the way Yuu was explaining it, made the whole thing seem not so sinister. The only odd catch is that you don’t remember what had caused that grief in the first place, which does sounds nice (for someone like me who has problems), and yet it ‘s as if you’re running away. I guess what Mato argues is that a person needs to be upfront and talk about their grief to resolve it, not relying on others to fight it for them, which is against Saya’s way of thinking. This could explain why they are at such odds in the Other world, but why does Saya push these girls so far? Just for kicks and a bad-ass fight in the Other world? If that’s true, looks like we may have one of our most evil villains of the year…
Yuu, the once innocent bystander, has become quite the mysterious character now thanks to this episode. I was surprised she turned out to be the one who knew everything about the Other world. I’m still confused at how she suddenly wasn’t remembered though. It’s nagging terribly at me and I can’t find a single theory that doesn’t have huge holes. Anyway, I know I’ve speculated Yuu being an accomplice of Saya’s, but it seems less apparent that she’s even with Saya at all. She certainly knows something about her though; whether that she’s Black Gold Saw or something much more that we have yet to figure out, I’m not sure. I still have my suspicions, but I see her as less of an enemy. The biggest question though is what’s going to happen to Mato and Black Rock Shooter after that intense color change of her signature blue flame. Is she going to turn mad herself after watching Yomi get ‘killed’? Just another episode with even more nagging questions, am I right?~
About Hoshi
A tired, over-dramatic 20 year old college student who likes manga and cheesy Korean boy bands. Prone to succumb to laziness and refuse to work for hours on end.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
This was the best BRS episode so far. Now I’m beginning to find that the OVA is the one that is lacking. What surprised me was that they were aware of the connection to Other World. Even Mato saw a fight while she was dreaming.
Schoolgirl insanity is the order of the week. Yomi was completely out of it. She loses it in the middle of class – beginning to cut her hair in many strands as if possessed. As if that wasn’t enough, She ripped at everything in sight, completely ruining her room. Someone send a straight jacket!!! What’s going on in her head?
Yuu proves to be far more sharp witted a character than we’d thought. She has it all figured out – that sadistic counselor is the one who instigated the awful scenario Yomi is entrapped within. Why is Yuu fading away from people’s memories?
So it is true that Saya is the villain here. Just look at those rather big hands of hers while she was strangling Mato. Still, what is her motive? Why does she keep abusing the teenage girls? Why hasn’t she been arrested yet?! She even whispered “I don’t have to kill you today”.
I fail to see how, after Yuu’s claim, it legitimately is Mato’s fault that Yomi went mad. In actuality, Mato never had anything but the best of intentions – and it seems a combination of third parties, otherworldly forces, and the selfishness of others, has led to the tragic state of the Yomi we know now.
I think BRS’s eyes turned red due to the emotional trauma she got from killing Yomi/Dead Master while fused with Mato. The trauma probably ignited the red flame which is a sign for increasing insanity. So she became “Insane Black Rock Shooter”. So many questions now plague us which we desperately seek answers for.
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
nah, dont think so. watch the preview.
I want to say I totally called it that BGS is not a bad guy. I also want to say that saya is not BGS but need some confirmation with the next episode.
you know what, guys? do notice how while saya does seem like causing mayhem, dont forget that ultimately its BRS who’s causing the damage at the end.
after seeing the preview, my hopes for the show was renewed.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
I agree. Did you notice that in episode 1, around 3:18~Yuu does not have a shadow, an in episode 5, she also doesn’t have a shadow.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 71 comments
Actually, going through all the previous episodes, it looks like Yuu never had a shadow to begin with, or rather the lack of one was covered by clever character blocking or camera angles whenever she’s on-screen. Brilliant way of foreshadowing that there was something seriously off with Yuu, but only for those who were OCD in noticing minor details amidst all the LITERAL craziness and melodrama.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s true. She really doesn’t have a shadow. But they have yet to fully explain her. Like the fact that no one has any memory of her except Mato. Moreover, there’s no explanation to the connection between her and Saya.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Yōko Fanboy with 1246 comments
I’m pretty sure Yomi cutting her hair is just a way of showing how she’s broken but hell with that, OVERTHINKING FTW!!! <3
@BlackBriar: There's no explanation with the connection and a full explanation because within the time frame that they had, it was only meant to reveal to us that Yuu wasn't 'human' so hopefully we get some explanations in the next episode. I doubt Mato would ignore the situation Yuu is in right now being a no-shadow and someone who is aware of the other world. If she passes her off without questioning Yuu for who she is then that would be stupid… :\
POWUH: 400-499 with 410 comments
Black Rock Shooter is the series where there’s too much overthinkings. There’s just too much mystery in it.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
sorry but i hate this episode ~~
POWUH: 400-499 with 410 comments
I’m sorry but I love this episode too much~~
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 243 comments
The only way to what, Yuu? THE ONLY WAY TO WHAT? Dammit, I need my next episode. All disappointment about this series has vanished at this point.
POWUH: iLurker with 10 comments
Black Rock Shooter TV is quickly becoming one of my favorite series of all time, it’s like reminiscing how I used to like watching Telenovelas (also called soap operas really) back in the late 1990s (and early 2000s) until it become so diluted of the same formula and I stop watching eventually all together. In BRS, the drama is there, yes it’s a bit melodramatic but it’s fine, its not irritating in fact I like it all and then, there is the other world that really is a visual spectacle of what our heroines in the real world are feeling and expresses it in a totally unconventional way, actions speak louder than words after all.
So far everything is great, I only lament on how this is only an 8 episode series, it could have been 12, but oh well ~
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
I prefer to think they went overboard with all of this. just like GC, sacrificing coherent storytelling in favor of wild developments.
but seeing the preview made me change back my opinion to “hopeful”.
and im really bumped out for how IBRS came to be. she was supposed to be a fusion of BRS and BGS!
now my dreams of BRSXBGS are shattered… or not depending on how next episode goes.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 207 comments
Yomi is broken in this episode. Seeing how her attitude is turning to come. Though even with that, I like this episode a lot. Though I think the stuff near the end, had me on the edge of my seat the most.
Yuu can transport Mato to BRS’s world? Now that’s interesting. Though I don’t understand why everyone started to forget her right then though XP. Now I really want to see next week’s episode’s insanity, with BRS and Mato
POWUH: 400-499 with 489 comments
this episode was crazy, the real fun begins now. Or was that 2 episodes ago
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 38 comments
Strange, I thought fosh was blogging Black Rock Shooter? Or was that Mouretsu Pirates? *confused* METANORN has too many bloggers D:
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
Hi, does anyone happen to know which groups are doing subs for this anime? I’m trying to find one but seem to be failing at it.
Thank you.
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 38 comments
Nishishi apparently has better quality than the other groups, but they release really, really slowly. I’d recommend WhyNot (they’re both fast and somewhat good). Don’t use Commie’s version, they’re even slower than WhyNot half of the time and their quality is dubious at best.
Generally speaking, whenever you want to know which groups are doing subs for some show, just pop on over to MAL, search for the anime, and scroll down to Fansub Groups. It’s usually a pretty comprehensive list.