2014
12.22

Cross Ange Episode 12 – Putting the ‘Onsen’ in ‘Nonsense’ [The Juude]

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After that rather mind… something or whatever (unsure if it is right to call it ‘mind-blowing’) last episode, we return to a damaged Arzenal this week. Instead of dealing with what the hell happened with DRAGON Princess, Ange makes Commander Jill live up to her promise in Episode 10 to spill the beans on the story of Arzenal. Unsurprisingly she does that in a hot springs, but surprisingly it’s pretty comprehensive.

In essence it’s the dog and pony show of one person, Embryo (aka Evil Blonde Guy in the OP), wanting to stop the war through the creation of a perfect human, the Mana user. However Norma exist, and that’s not cool to have people different for the world order, so he foments hatred of them. “But THAT’s not cool either,” say normal people sympathetic to Norma, so they also rebel and join forces with Arzenal to do that (explaining the rationale behind Not-Kira’s involvement and how the Vilkiss operates). Given the current state of affairs though, they… still need a lot of work.

These revelations would make for a somewhat solid, if a bit boring, episode, but we then find out DRAGONs are human and humans are DRAGONs. It is not enough for the show to reveal this by having Vivian become one; it has her transformation back into a human happen right in front of a big burn pit of DRAGONs who revert to human form when immolated. Of all the negative reactions, Ange gets the worst since she rejects Commander Jill’s vision of revenge and would rather come to her own decision on Libertus, not be coerced into it. That and she is very content with being a blue-collar working Norma, killin’ DRAGONs n’ makin’ money. It’s a nice way to show that the character isn’t married to didactic idealism and pushy self-righteousness, but would rather come to her own terms about life now instead of being told what she should and shouldn’t be by anybody. That is too bad for her though, for her new ideal life is upended after finding out about those DRAGONs. Good thing it didn’t involve the anal rape.

If there is one thing the show does well it is keeping information close to its chest (hur hur) and dealing it in controlled amounts that satisfy what you want to know, but not enough that you’re no longer intrigued to see what happens next. Yeah I would like to learn more of that messed up ending last episode, but knowing about Arzenal takes greater priority given the developments throughout the first ten episodes. The series midpoint provides a sound juncture to showcase why the world is what it is. Now that we know enough of the backstory on the World of Mana, now we can focus on how the DRAGONs fit into the equation.

With regards to the revelation of humans being DRAGONs… like last episode I dunno either. I would be worried about all these things with regards to plot holes, but given the show’s self-awareness and this episode’s candidness I do not think it will be swept under the rug. Vivian’s transformation doesn’t seem like it was pulled out of an ass, given her strange infatuation with Ange’s music in the last two episodes and Commander Jill’s smirk when Ange finds out her new dream life kinda sucks is prescient and feels like it is also directed to the audience. It is as if she is saying, once more with feeling, we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Then again, when have we ever in this show?

Rondo of Notes:

  • This is the third Fukuda production where Seki Toshihiko plays a creepy evil blonde guy with a weird name. In SEED he was Raww Le Klueze, SEED Destiny he was Ray The Barrel, and now in Cross Ange he is Embryo! Here’s to hoping he doesn’t go insane like the last two guys.
  • Oh look, Embryo’s piloting the Astray Gold Frame Amatsu. More references to SEED, even if it never appeared in the TV series.
  • Cross Ange doesn’t give a shit, but apparently it gives enough of a shit with regards to Winter Holidays to take a week off. We’ll see it again on January 3rd.
  • Next time: It’s an attack on a small militarized island by an invading superpower. It’s the Orb battle Mk. III! Fukuda you scamp!

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