Hello and welcome to Anime Rants! I missed last week’s seasonal anime episodes, so this week I did double the work to catch up. Here we have episode reviews for weeks 9 and 10 of Winter ’21! Please enjoy.
Attack on Titan Final Season
Episodes 12 and 13 (71 and 72)
Episode 12 included the assassination of Zachary/ Zackley, essentially the prime minister of Paradi. Eren used the chaos to escape from his cell and meet up with a group of people who support him as the leader of the island and the one to restore Eldia. They are called the Jeagerists. There’s still no clue as to what Eren is thinking. For the time being, Pixis takes the role of chief commander, and arrives at the conclusion that infighting is suicide for the island at this point. So he is willing to negotiate with the Jeagerists.
In episode 13, however, it becomes clear that the Jeagerists will not negotiate with the military. They have also devised a horrifying plan as insurance for Zeke and Eren. A wine has been spread around to high ranking officers. Niccolo tells Hange and company that the wine probably contains Zeke’s spinal fluid. This means Zeke can use his scream power to automatically turn those people into titans who drank the wine. Much to the surprise of Armin and Mikasa, Eren appears before them and says he wants to talk.
There was a lot more than that going on in episode 13, though. It was a heavy, emotional episode where Gabi and Falco met Niccolo. Once he found out Gabi killed Sasha, Niccolo tried to kill her, but Falco got hit instead with a serious blow. He’s not dead, but it’s serious. Sasha’s father is given the chance to kill Gabi, but he delivers a moving and genuine explanation for why he won’t involve children or take revenge. Kaya, on the other hand, tries to murder Gabi now that she knows she killed Sasha. Gabi seems shocked by all these events, and as she is taken into custody by Armin and Mikasa, she wonders why they aren’t killing her.
There’s a lot to unpack here. So much happened, and so much is about to happen, or so I feel. This whole time, the show’s been a slow burn, but I think it’s now moving into some big action. That being said, I will be surprised if they wrap it up in 3 episodes. There will most likely be a “Final Season part 2,” as there was with season 3.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 2nd Season
Episodes 8 and 9
In episode 8, Myulan reveals that Demon Lord Clayman is orchestrating things and trying to create a great war between Tempest and Falmuth solely for his entertainment. We also find out that, as I worried, Shion has been killed. (So has Gobzo.) Rimuru is overwhelmed by heavy emotions as a result. It’s the first time we’ve seen him so at a loss and cheerless. However, as expected of the overall bright and happy show TenSura, there may be a way to bring back the dead. If Rimuru becomes a Demon Lord, then according to the legends, those he is bonded with will return to life.
In order to be a Demon Lord, there are various conditions, including taking the lives/souls of at least ten thousand humans. Twenty thousand soldiers are on the way from Falmuth to subjugate Tempest. I wonder if Rimuru is really going to kill them? Knowing TenSura, he’ll probably find a way around it. We’ll see. Before that, Rimuru must deal with Myulan. He temporarily “kills” her, removes Clayman’s puppet crystal heart, and places an artificial heart within her. Then he is revived. In effect, what Rimuru did was free Myulan from Clayman, rather than punish her. Good old Rimuru! He also introduces the plan to make Youm the new King of Falmuth after the enemy force is wiped out. That wraps up episode 8.
The next episode started with the meeting where Rimuru confessed he used to be human and was acting selfishly by overvaluing humans. The others blame themselves, but after everyone is done self-blaming, they are happy to move on. Rimuru will take out the forces from Falmuth on his own. The other monster leaders will work on disabling the barrier. They might also have a share of fighting, including with the Otherworlders. Rimuru hovers over the soldiers’ camp, with no intention of forgiveness. He says, “You will all become food for me.” Rimuru’s getting pretty intimidating sometimes!
Dr. Stone (Stone Wars)
Episodes 8 and 9
Episode 8 shows the battle between Senku’s forces and Tsukasa’s. It was pretty straightforward, and I don’t feel the need to recap every bit. Senku and company did extremely well in the initial charge, but were overwhelmed when Tsukasa and Hyouga joined in. They were almost forced to surrender, but finding new courage, they head into battle once more. Also, Ukyo was badly injured– hopefully not killed– and nobody seems to be doing anything about it. Now let’s go on to episode 9.
In episode 9, the tides turned and Senku’s side is winning again. However, they can proceed with subduing Tsukasa without causing collateral damage– ending many lives with their explosions. So Senku pulls a strange card, saying that Tsukasa’s true desire is to save his little sister who is clinically brain-dead after an an injury. We were shown some of Tsukasa’s past as he trained to be strong and earned money fighting. Back in the present, Senku says he can revive and heal Mirai, Tsukasa’s little sister. In exchange, there must be a truce. Tsukasa finally agrees, but asserts that it’s only a temporary truce. The rest of the episode is spent digging up statues until the petrified Mirai is found.
Re:Zero 2nd Season
Episodes 22 and 23
While action and fighting rage in Roswaal’s mansion, Emilia undergoes “The Trial of The Unthinkable Present.” She sees a happy life with Fortuna, Guese, and the people of the forest. But this is a present that doesn’t exist anywhere. Now, the beautiful times are lost to her. Emilia is tempted to live there in that make-believe world, but she overcomes it and says she will stay in the dark present in order to become a strong and admirable person. Outside the graveyard, the villagers and the sanctuary inhabitants praise Emilia and put their trust in her. She is told that Ram is on an important mission. With that, it’s time for the third and final trial.
(Episode 13.) Emilia easily passes the third trial despite seeing a number of terrible possible futures. She has an interesting talk with the Witch of Wrath, who knows her mother. Outside, a fierce blizzards rages, suggesting that Ram was unable to stop Roswaal. Meanwhile, the fighting continues in the mansion. The battle between Garfiel and Elsa is stunning. Also surprising were the things we learned about Elsa. Garfiel finally wins but is heavily injured.
Then things switch to Ram and puck versus Roswaal. There’s some dialogue I didn’t quite understand, but it seems Roswaal put a spell on Emilia that effected her contract with Puck somehow. In the midst of the fighting, Ram confesses that she loves Roswaal. The Margrave won’t believe it. Puck continues fighting him with new intensity. Then, in one of the most epic moments I’ve seen in this series, Ram steals and burns Roswaal’s Tome of Wisdom. But she is then blown apart by powerful fire magic. I think that might be the end for Ram. We’ll see.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni- GOU
Episodes 22 and 23
More time was wasted– I mean spent– showing Satoko looping worlds and either killing herself or both Rika and herself at the end of each. She’s a deplorable excuse for a human. After a number of loops, the Deity explains to Satoko that Rika fought for 100 years to achieve her dream. Satoko isn’t even discouraged. She’s crazy. She decides to view all of Rika’s fragment worlds where she died in Hinamizawa. In the end she only views enough of them to understand the rules. Then Satoko makes the most evil decision yet. She will force Rika to live through more tragic worlds until her will breaks. Then Rika will depend on Satoko, and will never leave Hinamizawa. That’s exactly what we saw happening in this series.
Satoko also arranged with the Deity to make sure that Rika’s memories will carry over between worlds, but the events surrounding her death will remain unremembered. In other words, it’s perfectly set up to not reveal Satoko as the mastermind. She can torment Rika forever and Rika won’t remember that Satoko was responsible. In the height of insanity, she claims at the end of the episode that all of this is because of her love for Rika. Satoko has now become the ultimate villain of the Higurashi world, so much worse than Takano ever was.
The beginning of episode 23 was wasted watching Satoko flaunt her powers as well and then watching how her uncle Teppei also lived in loops. This does at least explain the bizarre reappearance of him in that one arc after he’d been killed. The story of Teppei continues in a world line where he rethinks his choices. But I couldn’t make myself give a rat’s ass about it. I want to see the confrontation of Rika and Satoko. There’s no time for the story of a child abuser who tries to redeem himself. I don’t think there’s anyway to wrap this up in just one more episode. I’m disappointed.
The Promised Neverland 2nd Season
Episodes 8 and 9
We saw some glimpses of Norman’s awful times at the Lambda research facility. Also, his sickness has been going on for a while. It’s getting worse. That’s why he’s rushing his plans. Meanwhile, Emma and company search for Sonju and Mujika. There’s a sudden increase in action, however, as Norman starts the plan early. Using the degeneration drug as a gas, he infects the whole town, as well as causing explosions and fires. But as he witnesses the old blind demon saving his grand-daughter “Emma,” Norman begins to waver. Even so, he moves in to kill the old demon.
Emma and Ray show up just then. To Emma’s eyes, Norman looks like a sad little child, when really, he’s a dangerous boy with blood all over him and a sword in his hands to take the life of an elderly conscious organism. Emma’s perspective never ceases to amaze me. And I think we need people like her in real life, too. On to the next episode.
Emma and Ray manage to talk Norman out of his violent plans. He reveals that he doesn’t have long to live due to the drugs used on him at Lambda. Meanwhile, Mujika and Sonju, as well as the blind demon who also has special blood, work on restoring demons to their sane states. They can’t save everyone but will do what they can. But there’s more trouble coming. Isabella leaked information through radio transmissions saying Phil and the others at the farm are going to be shipped out.
This is the start of Project Lambda, which Peter Ratri has developed. All but a few of the old style farms will be changed to Lambda-like facilities for raising genius children using their experimentation, including drugs. Emma proposes going to save Phil and company. The old blind demon, Vylk, tells the story of how he got a piece of one of Minerva’s pens from a dying human. With that piece added, the pen shows the blueprints and security information for Grace Field Farm. In addition, the new information reveals that there are medicines at Grace Field that can stop the impending death of Norman and his followers.
The plans are being made to save the children at Grace Field. Everyone has hope now. But there’s one problem. Vincent is a traitor, feeding information to Isabella. To be continued.
Beastars 2nd Season
Episodes 9 and 10
In episode 9, Legoshi was captured by the Shishugumi while working to subdue meat addicts for Gouhin’s therapy. Legoshi is so happy to see Louis that he can’t stop his tail from wagging. But once he gets to talking to Louis one-on-one, he becomes serious. He wants Louis to run away with him and leave behind the Shishigumi. However, Louis refuses and says that this is his new family. Legoshi escapes alone. There was also some cool fighting this episode. In addition, the scene with Toa the panther and Mark the tapir was incredibly moving and healing. I loved it.
Episode 9 contained more of the sad but sick thoughts of Riz. He has glorified his days with Tem and believes that Tem was happy to be eaten. He’s losing his mind from the guilt and the fear of being exposed as a killer. So Riz threatens Pina to try to keep him quiet. But Pina unexpectedly comes back with a play rehearsal performance that states his desire to live and his vow to never cower to a killer. Things then escalate quickly, leading to a real confrontation between Legoshi and Riz. It’s pretty intense.
Legoshi is at a disadvantage but keeps fighting anyway. The wolf may have some sympathy for the bear, but I thought nothing of Riz’s whining about loneliness and self-inflicted wounds. He’s still a psychopath. Anyway, they stop fighting before either is killed. They agree to finish the fight on New Year’s Eve. Later, Legoshi laments not being stronger. Gouhin tells him there is one very convenient way to get stronger quickly. To be continued.
Thank you for reading and have a fantastic day!
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