Hitsugi no Chaika – 08
Ze Recapper!
Well, the Relic Hunt shifts into neutral this week, and didn’t bother not to grind my gears.
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Think you know Gaz? You don’t know Jack!
Gillette: He ate babies and was the first man in space? Bureaucrat Dude: Nah, I’m just playin’
This really felt like a recap episode, only without the usual banal filler, and without any actual recapping. But just by the sheer repetition of stuff they did not know, for the umpteenth time, it felt as flaccid as a recapper. So much for anticipation, eh? About the only real solid new stuff we get is in the episode’s bookend. Some skullduggery up front, and some news about how this Baron Garvani is not going to give the Six Nation Alliance the floating fortress Soara back any time soon; what with killing the messenger and all. What? A floating fortress? That sound so freakin’ cool. You know what would be even cooler? Showing it! Like maybe a few episodes ago. Slipped in as a sly bit of foreshadowing. But in getting back to the main plot, as it stands, Emperor Gaz’s past remains shrouded in mystery from just about everyone. This could be interesting again, if only something flowered from it. They can’t seem to find anything useful or interesting about the man. I wonder why? Do I have to ask a Jedi padawan kid to find out? Well, if information is hidden, who stands the most to gain? Those heroes are looking to be more and more “so-called” as the time goes by.
The holes in the floor? Hey, indoor amenities, baby!
I take a bit of my gear grinding back. We did get some new stuff in the form of the Neo Gaz Empire. Now as empires go, it’s very ambitious. Restore the glory of their glorious Empire gloriously! But, their ambition is an indirect proportion to their resources, skills, and drive. So along with a propped up Princess Chaika of their very own, they set up shop to collect tolls on roads hardly anyone takes (well, anyone but main characters), and slowly devolve from idealism to thievery. OK they did keep the idealism, if only to justify the thievery. It’s a neat little narrative idea, but it felt forced into the plot, and didn’t really take part in progressing anything; even they don’t know Jack about the emperor under which they were subjects.
No Chaika. Know Chaika
If any character or her actions symbolized this episode, it would be the “Princess” Julia. She’s got some chutzpah, but that too fell flat in execution. If these guys were season thieves, why didn’t they both to case the joint? I mean, it had at least a dozen guards up in there, and she just jumps in with little if any visible plan. I guess the writers were trying to underscore how unskilled and derpy they were, but one look at the “castle” and they sold that bit of characterization already. In still keeping in her scenes, that was one easy breakout. The house they attempted to burglarize had more an armed presence. And maybe I am being a bit to harsh on the whole shebang, but again, it’s all about execution. Just a bit more in some dynamic within the Neo Gaz and how they interacted with the rest of the world would have been nice. A bit more showing and not telling. Just like the flying fortress.
Even the total stranger can tell, Chaika
Just a bit more
I hope I didn’t shred to much of the gear box going back and forth on this one. I did try to find some merit among the flaws. I know it’s the nature of the animation business to have these sorts of filler/recap/breather style episodes, but even though the timing felt like one, the episode itself didn’t succeed on the few merits it had. Some parts were just so clumsy, as I didn’t even mention how Chaika’s dad might have invented all the magic gear everyone uses. Might? Fine, but kinda boring when everything about the dude is a might. If anything the continued mystery about him might serve as a good plot device in the future. What did you folks think?
About skylion
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
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I thought this was a fine episode. I like that this show doesn’t do the same thing every time, and that they put in completely different episodes. I thought that this was also a good opportunity for Gillette to realize that he’s really not sure about his missions.
We didn’t have any more obviously car driven names this week, unlike last week with Scania of the Koeniggsegg Empire… 😉
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
But he realized he wasn’t on point in the mission so many episodes again. Repetition of that fact doesn’t earn points.He didn’t even get confirmation this time round. Same old same old.
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 44 comments
It isn’t the same old, same old. I mean their slowly progressing the story, for all you know something good can come from repetition.
POWUH: iLurker with 19 comments
I had fun with it for sure. I definitely do have to say that I already miss Red Chaika Bogdan. <3
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
It was fun there in the middle, I have to agree. And yes, the interaction with Red is much missed.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, I can’t wait to see Red Chaika back in action with her segmented sword.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Which colour Chaika will be next????
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
well this episode had a blush colored Chaika,so next maybe a dizzy feeling chaika, a pale and sickly Chaika? or we just need a brown chaika? aswell
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
Red is accounted for and this faker is yellow.
We still need a green, blue, and black Chaika so we can form Voltron.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Blue like Sayaka…full of tragedy and mayhem…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Maybe a pink haired Chaika?
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
I believe just saying the colors shouldn’t be a spoiler. But if it is, then just put it under the spoiler tag for me.
Going off by the LN illustrations, blue.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
ehh this episode is forgettable really, nothing too awesome happened, but its sorta given with a series on hunting for things. Fun episode to mindlessly watch while they feed us some information.
The magic tricks was a bit silly, even the animation was just more silly. Chaika wants to help all the things! But mainly seeing Chaika blush was cute!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Is Chaika’s naivete to be her undoing, or Toru’s, or both?
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
hmm Toru’s! i mean he can’t say now to the Chaikaness!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Good that the Neo Gaz Empire ruse was exposed. For a moment, I was beginning to believe we were going get no only Chaikas of different builds and heights but of various hair colors as well.
Despite what they tried to do to the group, I found myself unable to be angry with them. In actually, they’re thieves but are such in order to stay alive so as to strive towards their distant goal. Not only that, their talk of the empire has me disillusioned. I was under the impression the empire was this purely evil place ruled by a leader with no redeeming qualities (even if no one has met him in person). Instead, it sounded like a place where its people simply went about their normal lives. Now, like Gillette, I’m not sure what to believe.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
History of the Gaz Empire is being written by the winners. Not that that matters much….
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 29 comments
I agree with the fact that this episode did not push any major story progression but still did enjoy it for what it was. It had its moments.
By the way, the line you wrote -Think you know Gaz? You don’t know Jack!
LoL. Absolutely hilarious!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Thanks for commenting, Cassandra. I hope they don’t get mired down in the slow progress.
Yeah, I wanted a line to reflect the one thing I found interesting about the episode. That they were finding out that they didn’t know anything…
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 29 comments
Very good call on it.