11.17
What the fuck is all this convergence, Cross Ange?
You’re not only your usual self with all the crazy fanservice, catfights, and so forth this week. You also have an actual mecha battle, character development, AND allusions to plot movement. This is freaking me out, because I anticipated another load of nothing this week with the only two highlights being Ange with a cold and this girl, Salia, being well—
Apparently there are ways of relieving stress that don’t involve naked threesomes in an Alpha Waifu’s bed (which you ALSO get this episode, aren’t you lucky!?).
I had to watch this episode twice before I could really sit down and write this article. Why? I had to make sure the positive feelings I had were unfounded and I’d find something outrageous and/or lurid to lament. Nope, not in this episode, even with a naked catfight at a hot springs (due to the scene above) and the aforementioned naked threesome. I think it’s because some of this nonsense is attached to a legitimate development of character in Salia. After Alpha Waifu died she got promoted to squad leader, which is unfortunate as her reluctance made her unable to lead and thus allowed for a hostile atmosphere within the team.
Ange even takes note of it and as a result thinks Salia is no different than the Alpha Waifu trio in wanting the former princess to make an awesome ebola face or get ripped apart by DRAGONs. After thinking about her thoughts for a bit I was all “Holy Shit” in how it associates with Ange’s development. First she overcomes her desire for death with a will to live, then learns the necessity of associating with others (albeit those already fond of her), then reconciles with those of her past life who wish to be with her regardless of her Norma status, and now wins over the hearts and minds of those who are either ambivalent to her or hate her. It’s not high art but I have to give credit where it is due in how they are executing the character progression of the primary cast. As a result, Salia, Ange, and even two-thirds of the Alpha Waifu trio make a tad bit more progress in becoming somewhat redeemable. Somewhat.
Actual English translation
*sniffle* Our Ange is growing up. Feels like only yesterday she was a heartless, privileged, racist, eugenicist, aristocrat who was all for taking babies from mothers and putting them in little glass boxes.
If that’s not enough, Not-Kira is also associated with Arzenal in some way and we’re left with a genuine cliffhanger that involves Ange’s younger sister in trouble. It’s kinda nice to finally have an episode that doesn’t feel like a total wash. However, as I stated last time, Cross Ange is an anime that will never let you win, as it leaves you with another potential filler episode (festival-themed!), Salia complaining about the writers being a set of douchewagons, and this image that will make you wonder why you’re continuing this show…
The key word is ‘kindof’, because now you’re left to wonder what would compel somebody to dress up the dog like that, and to find out would require a watch of next week’s episode.
Rondo of Notes:
· All the women in this show have such shiny red shoulders.
· When I think about it, what with all the elements of the show’s plot, Cross Ange’s scenario is essentially what Gundam SEED/Destiny should’ve been, with no super god Coordinator/Mana user as the savior of all the Naturals/Norma.
· It’s a shame that Steven Foster is no longer directing dubs for Sentai Filmworks. Lord knows what madness he’d have wrought if he was in charge of this anime’s dub.
Previous Cross Ange Analsis:
· 11/09/2014 – Episode 06
· 11/03/2014 – Episode 05
· 10/26/2014 – Episode 04
· 10/19/2014 – Episode 03
· 10/12/2014 – Episode 02
· 10/10/2014 – Episode 01 (as part of Part 1 of the Fall Clusterfuck)