Zetsuen no Tempest – 06
After the Mahiro fanservice a couple episodes back, I suppose this is fair.
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I think I said last week that this didn’t seem to be the kind of show to pull plot twists (or something along those lines; maybe I said it was straightforward, I can’t remember). In any case, I take absolutely everything back. Zetsuen seems to be pulling out plot twists left, right and centre now. …And I’m loving every single minute of it. |
Before I go into the main content of the episode, I’m just wondering the proximity of how close people have to be to mages in order to escape the Black Iron Syndrome. The bus was fine, but the two children a couple of episodes back weren’t (though in that case, I’m pretty sure that Yoshino was farther away). It’s not really a major thing, but I was just surprised that the bus driver survived.
I can see Mahiro and Yoshino’s somewhat cold relationship working now. This is particularly due to Yoshino straight out betraying Mahiro. I guess it’s been in his character all along, due to his secret with Aika, but this betrayal obviously had different consequences if Mahiro found out. It’s still unclear exactly what Evangeline’s deal with Yoshino was, but I assume its for stopping the Black Iron Syndrome with whatever organization Evangeline is with. As for Mahiro, he seems to think that the two are closer than Yoshino does since he ditched his plan for revenge (in a way considering that he left the key to stopping Samon behind) and went straight to rescue Yoshino without thinking much. Mahiro might not admit it, but he puts a hell of a lot of trust in Yoshino.
So that being said, just how delusional is Mahiro? He says that he had no feelings for Aika, yet all of his actions suggest otherwise. He says that he’s doing all of this for revenge against Aika’s murder, but he almost drops all of that to help Yoshino. Nothing about his actions make sense with his words. Another thing is how in denial he is about Yoshino and Aika. He doesn’t even seem to consider the two of them together a possibility. Who knows what Mahiro thinks Yoshino thinks in regards to Aika. Of course, Yoshino is kind of putting up a front that his girlfriend is still alive, so that might be throwing Mahiro off as well.
Aika. What are you doing. Her feelings were ambiguous enough around Yoshino since she seemed to do nothing but tease him, but I guess she did that with Mahiro as well. Mahiro might not have understood her completely since he failed to catch on to her and Yoshino dating, but from after seeing her with Mahiro this episode, did anyone understand her? What exactly was going through her head? If we’re ever going to have an explanation about her behaviour, I don’t think it’s going to come out easy since she’s dead at this point. We’ve learned a lot about other characters through flashbacks, but the only flashbacks we ever get of Aika are from another character’s point of view. Who knows what she’s really thinking behind her actions. Though the revelation of Aika not being related to Mahiro opens up a few things. Since we don’t know her exact origins, she could very well be a part of Hakaze’s clan. That would explain a ton (or at least make more sense) about how and why she was killed by someone from there, since she would have connections. …Or if she’s part of the clan, maybe it was suicide (since Hakaze did say that someone from the clan killed her. If Aika was part of the clan, she could have murdered herself and the conditions of what Hakaze picked up on would be correct). I’d like to see Mahiro get revenge on that culprit. …Sure, suicide makes no sense, but what does make sense in the plot at the moment?
On to Hakaze, …who may or may not be the one saving the world right now. Junichiro mentioned it pretty nonchalantly, but the Tree of Genesis possibly destroying the world is a pretty big deal. It’s not clear yet how or why it would destroy the world, but since it’s based on logic, I can see why humanity would be in potential danger. Bringing up the typical argument of how humanity and civilization is pretty much destroying the planet through pollution and all that jazz, the most logical solution would be to get rid of humans. …Though from the way Junichiro phrased his sentence, it seems that there’s also the possibility that it might not destroy the world. In any case, it looks like Samon isn’t quite the cold hearted bastard that he seemed to be. He just simply decided that the Tree of Exodus was the lesser of two evils.
As someone who studies the skeleton for 6+ hours a week for class, the small inaccuracies in this is killing me. OTL
Now, I’m for believing that the skeleton sitting in the same room as Samon is Hakaze, but even I think that Junichiro thinking that it’s Hakaze based on a ‘gut feeling’ is really questionable. Why was it missing it’s muscle and skin structure, only after a few months? On one hand, it does look like a tropical zone, so I’m sure that there would be a ton of bugs and such to help with the process as well as high temperature and humidity to rot the corpse quickly (though I really have no idea how long the average corpse takes to reduce to bones). Or it could have been a larger animal, but I’m sure that Hakaze would have found and stayed the hell away from any large predators. …Unless that’s how she died. Though that would still be odd considering how resourceful she’s proved herself over these last 6 episodes. In any case, things don’t add up. Time really does seem to be out of joint with Hakaze being dead and alive at the same time. Maybe I should start comparing this to Schrodinger’s Cat since the paradox is already there. Until we actually see Hakaze, she’s neither dead nor alive. …Yeah, let’s go with that.
Even with his ‘gut feelings’, Junichiro’s character still kicks ass though, even if he doesn’t seem to have magic. …Even more so seeing how Mahiro had a hell of a time versus the exact same guy. If anything, Junichiro seems to be really experienced dealing with these mages. Despite being in the same position as Mahiro and Yoshino magic-wise, Junichiro’s level seems to be waaaay above those two’s. It seems weird that he wouldn’t have magic, considering that he seems to be directly related with the Kusaribe clan, but maybe there are circumstances around that. He seems pretty important, so I’m sure that’s not the last we’ll be seeing of him.
I swear, every episode I end up with more questions than answers. …I have a feeling that this show has absolutely no intentions of answering any of my questions for a while either. Fine. I see how it is. Though to be honest, I seem to enjoy this show more when it throws ridiculous plot twists at me as opposed to trying to sit down and explain things. The big flashback episode that explained Mahiro and Yoshino’s first meeting is probably one of the less enjoyable episodes for me (though I’ve really enjoyed the hell out of this series thus far). On the other hand, I really liked the explanation of the Kusaribe magic, so maybe it was just that one episode’s execution. Long story short, this episode did nothing for answering questions, or it answered questions with more questions. Watching this is still fun though, since none of the characters are easy to read and the show keeps you guessing as to what is going on inside their heads or what their real intentions are.
Aika. No. Stop. WHY.
About Karakuri
University student and the one at Metanorn who's known for wearing glasses. Likes blood, insanity and plot twists, but also plays otome games and adores cute romance anime. It balances out... somehow.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Aika’s such a playaaaaya…. >>;
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
YES. WHY. THIS IS FRUSTRATING. YET SO WATCHABLE. WHY.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
what a problematic girl
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Aika’s character is screwing with us all. OTL
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
Aika :< Gosh, she's just as annoying in the anime as the manga. Except they've added flashbacks at different points than in the manga, which is a little annoying, but oh well, it helps some part of the plot move along.
The bus driver has to survive, how else are they going to get anywhere? It's not like we want comedy scenes of Mahiro and Yoshino trying to learn to drive a bus… That would be awful. I think the radius of being near the two flexes around to fit what they need, and this time, they needed a bus driver. The kids were too far away, probably, and plus, and makes the viewers question the actions of those calling up the fruit since they're kids. An adult wouldn't have the same effect as two little kids hugging each other as they turned into iron.
I was waiting for someone to bring up the inaccuracies of the skeleton. I wouldn't be able to see it, but I figured someone would. Oh well, it's anime, they're not going to be perfectly accurate all the time.
In regards to Junichiro, I'm not 100% pleased with his voice actor. I was expecting a lighter voice, to be honest. It felt awkward listening to him talk. It's… deep but not really deep…
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
I see why people were complaining about her now. As if the plot wasn’t confusing enough, without the sibling-love-interest-whatever drama now. …I guess I should read the manga sometime soon. I’m sure I would be complaining as well if I knew what had been changed.
Ah, so they’re using the plot device logic with who does and doesn’t survive. LOL I would have watched the two try to figure out how to drive the bus, though that definitely would have been a mood killer.
The skeleton isn’t THAT bad to be honest. Hell, someone obviously put a lot of effort into it. It’s just bugging me that the skeleton is the shape of the average real life adult, not a teenage anime character. …Plus that pelvis is huge OTL
Again, if I had watched the anime after reading the manga, I probably would have had a lot of similar problems. I’m fine with his voice because I’m not familiar with his character.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Nice plot twist. So Mahiro and Aika aren’t blood related. I was going to wonder if it was really necessary to be so secretive if that was the case but it looks like Yoshino still has a good reason for being silent. Jealousy is an ugly thing. Now that I think about it, Mahiro and Aika look nothing alike and it was right there front and center every time.
Both Mahiro and Yoshiro are real pieces of work. One is a potential homicidal maniac and the other is a lying backstabber who shows little remorse for it and maybe another homicidal maniac seeing as Evangeline said, he’s calm when he’s about to shoot someone. Mahiro may have changed a bit but I think Yoshino in some way still finds Mahiro a nuisance.
From Junichiro’s monologue, Hakaze may be more of a time bomb than a shield for the world. That has brought up a lot of interest along with what exactly Samon is after. It may not be a case of good or evil but of whose point of view is the correct one and they’re willing to go to dangerous lengths to prove it. And Hakaze’s supposed corpse being verified. Since logic is the root of the story, whatever is going on is affecting it. Time travel is considered logically impossible for example. It could be her body but from another timeline.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
I don’t even know if Yoshino knows about Aika being so… flirtatious with Mahiro. Yoshino was quiet and self contained to begin with, not to mention that Mahiro was a freaking nutcase even before all of this murder revenge business. Eh, not all anime siblings look alike, so I can see that sliding.
LOL and now we can see why they work so well together. Yoshino seems somewhat reliable if he’s working with you, but when he backstabs, it doesn’t look like he thinks twice about it. I’m surprised that Evangeline gave him her gun so easily after him shooting at her so easily.
Well, if anything, we can say that they’re both fighting for the fate of the world. …Or whatever that means. It’s nice to see that everyone’s morals and what they’re trying to accomplish are in the grey as opposed to black and white, since that makes things more interesting (…which is another reason I like Bloody Cross). To be fair, I think the only reason we ever thought Hakaze was in the right, was because the story is being told from her side. We could have been easily swayed if this was being told from Samon’s perspective. I can imagine both Mahiro and Yoshino as antagonists.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 167 comments
@Karakuri about the skeleton, who said that it was only a few months…
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
I’m just going by what Hakaze said about it being about half a year since Samon has been planning this (131 days is about 4 months, meaning that if she died soon, it would give about 2 months for the corpse to decompose and bring her back to the current timeline. I don’t think it’s been too long since Samon looks about the same age as the when he threw her on the island).
…Though with you saying that, I now realize that she could be in a completely different time frame (like a few years back or so) or something. ARGH this is confusing.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
That’s part of the reason I still lean towards Aika being killed to provide a skeleton for Samon’s use in impersonating Hakaze’s corpse. We did talk last week about the possibility of speeding up the process of removing the soft tissue from the bones on a skeleton, and that if it was the other way around it would be harder to fake, but since it’s just bones then there’s really not telling the timeline.
I believe Hakaze’s hypothesis about why Samon stranded her on the island: He needs her power in case his plan goes pear-shaped. So basically he stashed her out of the way, but where he can get her if need be.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
The issue of ‘why Aika’ aside, when would Samon have had the time to retrieve her bones? The Japanese cremate their dead, so he couldn’t have gone and dug her up or anything. …Or even if he did, he would have been left with a pile of ashes since their magic is shield oriented. …Though I suppose he could have snuck in and somehow replaced the dead Aika with another dead body before it was cremated.
To continue on with my crack theory that Aika was part of the clan, maybe that’s why Junichiro felt that it was Hakaze. If they were super closely related, maybe that could answer the ‘why Aika’ question. …Though Hakaze being head of the clan and not knowing about some long lost sister or whatever seems pretty unlikely.
Yeah, I think that would be the reasoning on leaving Hakaze on an island too. I don’t really have any doubts about that part of the plot.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
I think I will take my word back on taking my word back for calling Aika a b*tch. She sure gain some b*tch points there…. And some points for fueling incest arguments.
On the Hakaze and Aika stuff though, I think I will sum it up as “Aika is the scapegoat for Hakaze” but I seen ppl saying tht it will be more than it seems ^.^;
Damn it, stop touching the skull that way!!
After reading the 1st chapter of the manga….. I prefer the anime art style lol.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…I agree with you taking back your take back. They have a LOT of explaining to do if I’m ever going to trust Aika’s character again.
…Scapegoat? Oh well, I guess we’ll find out in time…