[Fish Sandwich]

So, two minor things about the subs this week I feel like griping about:

- As good as "I'll break you" sounds, if the English title for the next episode is translating kowasu as "destroy", I'm surprised they didn't go with that? It probably doesn't matter at all, but I have noticed Shout seems to be paying special attention to stay consistent with things the show translates for them, like how nakama was always rendered as "comrade(s)" in 18/19, or how kokoro is... *almost* always "mind"! Lady says "soul" here, but the whole point I'm making is about how certain words mean particular things to this show, and it's pretty obvious that even in Japanese, she's using it differently than usual. Actually, I guess this is less me complaining, and more me praising Shout for being on the ball about this stuff?

- That being said, NOX's reaction to seeing Catastrom is ~maybe~ supposed to be less of a "what is that?" and more just a "is that...?" Like, the tone of the delivery sounds more like a surprised recognition of some kind than confusion to me, and it's not like he's ever cared what costume ZEZTZ is wearing before. Of course, it's a NOX line, so even if I'm right about this, I might be waiting a while to find out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThirstMcGurst

Instead of using the large gun-sword combo, he chose to shoot them with an actual gun, and we the audience technically didn't actually see the shot. Just heard the noise and saw the outcome. I find that particularly interesting, but I may be overthinking that.

With this show, I don't think it's overthinking at all to pay close attention what specifically we do or do not see... but, in this specific case, we can see that Five clearly reacts to Six getting shot as if it at least looked like exactly what it sounded like. So even if there is something deeper there the show hasn't told us yet, I do think the choice to avoid showing it on-screen probably is simply an artistic choice that may or may not also have to been an effort to avoid angry phone calls from concerned parents.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenXtreme

not to mention some of the other baffling elements like Baku recalling something from when he was a baby.

For what it's worth, the whole point is that he doesn't actually remember it, per se? Obviously there's a certain amount of fantasy magic stuff going on with that plot point to justify it too, but those scenes in Baku's head were actually the most exciting thing in the episode for me. I think with the show's focus on people's subconscious minds, introducing the idea of something traumatic leaving a powerful impression at a young age despite not really leaving a memory sounds like a good way to explore something that does connect to reality in a thematically compelling way, despite also involving some kind of literal scary demon monster who gives Baku new toys. Just kinda sounds like Kamen Rider to me?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Fujimi's like a specific type of viewer perspective for those who choose to have faith in Nox, defending him based on vague implications of good intent.

On the other hand, Fujimi is also the guy who exists to illustrate the fallacy of prematurely leaping to conclusions when you don't actually have all the information you need. Heck, even just in this one, his assertion to Minami about Baku being a full-fledged agent is well-meaning but flawed.

With NOX, the audience and Baku have both seen contradictory sides to him, but asking the question "which set of facts should we disregard?" presumes it's right to disregard a fact. The real question is "what as of yet overlooked or unknown truth will reconcile those facts into a single larger picture?" After all those Dreamer stories where Baku can only save the day by considering things from new perspectives, it's tough to imagine willful ignorance of any kind as a positive step forward in his journey as a hero.

Is it really the world that needs Seven, or just CODE's world? If choosing to spare NOX then had unforeseen negative consequences, how are we to say destroying him now will be any different? They say knowledge is power, and I don't think the thing that allows Baku to truly start turning the show's larger conflicts around is going to be available as a role-play toy from Bandai.