Konnichiwa! I’m continuing to enjoy Deca-Dence a lot. Let’s take a look at episode 4.

Nastume did extremely well in the underground fight with the Gollads. For the first time, she proved that she had real talent. Kaburagi was impressed, and even Kurenai, the strongest of all the Tankers in the Power, told Nastume she’d done great. Thanks to Kurenai, Natsume is allowed to join the Power, too. Amusingly enough, Kurenai is smitten with Kaburagi. (BTW, they saved Pipe as well.)

Then there’s a strange turn of events. It’s announced that the nest of Gollads has been found, and all Gears and Tankers are to engage in battle to destroy it once and for all. Natsume is happy and excited; she’s always wanted to help end the fighting in her world. But Kaburagi is told another story: the truth. This is all an event in the “game’s storyline,” and it’s happened many times in the past. The Gears will inevitably be slaughtered, making Deca-dence despair. But in their greatest time of need, the Gears will return to continue the “game.”

Only a few S-rank fighters will survive the fight. That means that any tankers among them will also be killed– Natsume included. Kaburagi immediately visits Natsume and tells her not to join the battle. Things get heated and emotional between them, and Kaburagi ends up breaking some of Natsume’s fighting equipment. Natsume is distraught. Defeated, she tells Kurenai she needs to drop out of the battle.

However, when Natsume thinks it over again, she reaches the conclusion to fight after all. All her life, people have told her she can’t fight, and that Tanker should stay inside, and various other discouraging things. She even got rejected by her friend Fei, who said she couldn’t deal with being friendly anymore knowing that Nastume is just going to die. Natsume tells Kurenai she wants to fight after all. It’s not only because she hopes to end the fighting in her lifetime. She also wants to think better of herself and develop self-confidence through living her dream.

That’s where the episode leaves off, but I also want to note that while Kaburagi was arguing with Natsume, he said something strange. Or rather, he started to, but broke off. “This world is manu–” he said. It’s pretty obvious he was going to say “manufactured.” We already know the Gears aren’t real humans but are sentient robots acting through avatars. But Kaburagi’s comment makes me suspect that Gollads are also manufactured, all for the sake of “the game.”

I look forward to more Deca-Dence next week! Thanks so much for reading! 🙂

---

PATREON