2014
12.16

Cross Ange Episode 11 – Whoremonic Convergence [The Juude]

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Saint Seiyuck

Initially only present in the OP and ED, we finally see that DRAGON Princess for the first time. She of course is some wunderkind with not only a Paramail but also in vocals that control DRAGONs and fire twin-shoulder death spirals powerful enough to destroy roughly half of Arzenal. If that’s not enough, Ange unlocks the Vilkiss’s power by singing as well. Then they cancel each other out and then that scene above, with the background montage spanning multiple storylines (anime?) with DRAGON Princess and Ange being rivals, friends, or lovers, happens.

I… don’t even know what to think anymore.

This revelation comes out of nowhere and while it can be said to be something pulled out of an ass, it does not reek of desperation as Cross Ange is unreservedly unpredictable and strange. Instead it merely baffles. It is not the negative kind of baffle that would cause somebody to drop it out of frustration. However that makes for a cold comfort as I’m not feeling any happier from watching it, meaning it isn’t the positive kind of baffle. Is the DRAGON Princess self-aware of how this is all some strange anime thing, and what the hell does it mean for Ange and the rest of her world? I don’t know anymore, and even worse, I WANT to know more.

Other than that the episode, like the last one, is pretty brisk and engaging. We find out quickly Julio’s henchwoman is a DRAGON woman much to Sylvia’s dismay, and then we’re off to the DRAGON attack. As usual, the mecha battles fail to impress, but the events around them are well-staged enough. The result is genuine tension as Ange tries to get back to the Vilkiss, taken by Salia midway through the episode. Salia’s actions (based on Ange’s desertion) feels kindof forced since Episode 7 made it seem like she fully reconciled with the former Princess. I think they felt the need to have Salia react to Ange’s desertion a bit more, but could only do so much before having to resolve it by episode’s end. Despite that, it allows for very nice moments between Salia and her younger sister, Mei (we’ve spent little time with them together but they’re a more convincing sister pair than Lunamaria and Meyrin ever were in SEED Destiny), and a good establishment of the connection between her and Commander Jill.

So I guess it all balances out, then being Cross Ange it does a bit more and involves midflight jumps between Paramails, Norma tossing, and the importance of bathing. I will expect nothing less next episode, which implies that we’ll learn more about Commander Jill and potentially Libertus.

Rondo of Notes:

  • Fukuda for some reason also really really REALLY wants to remind us that he was the guy behind Future GPX Cyber Formula. Can anybody tell me if I’m missing something by not watching this series? For that matter, why doesn’t he like to remind us he did Gear Fighter Dendoh?
  • Fun fact. DRAGON Princess and Ange’s seiyuus (Yui Horie and Nana Mizuki respectively) will also be playing primary characters (and friends) in the sequel to an anime more horrific than Cross Ange this January: Dog Days Double Dash. If you think Cross Ange is the worst possible thing, you have clearly never seen the original Dog Days or Dog Days Dash.
  • Congrats I guess to Ange hitting #4 in the Newtype Character polls. She just needs to jostle Asuna from her #3 spot and then all is mostly right with the world.

Previous Cross Ange Analsis:

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