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06-20-2021, 02:46 PM | #11 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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Saber really knows how to keep giving me what I want, but -- and I'm getting this out of the way upfront specifically so I can move on to everything I loved -- boy is that Southern Base subplot undercooked. I genuinely don't have any problems with the Shindai siblings on a conceptual level, but the show needs to do something with that pair to make having two of them around feel purposeful, and this was not that! If the episode could've found some way to use the idea of Durandal being controlled to make even the slightest point about their relationship or something, you know, build the characters like Saber is so good at, I wouldn't be complaining. Instead of being about Reika or even Ryouga though, the sole purpose of that part of the script is clearly only to get Buster and Slash out of the way of the primary friendship drama at the core of the plot here, which is kind of a bummer.
That being said, it's not hard to see why the episode's priorities are where they are? First of all, this is a pretty brilliant final showing for Solomon, something I'm sure of specifically because that's the last thing I ever expected to say or think about Solomon. There's this real feeling out of the gate that he's already lost, and it's because he has. Like I said last time, we can clearly see Storious is the one taking real control now, and the opening scene here once again embodies that perfectly, with Storious deliberately riling Master Logos up so he'll throw one last tantrum, and then pretending to care about his hollow claims of being a god in a delicious display of irony. That's really Solomon's whole thing here -- he's gone from the Big Bad to just sorta being bad, and he doesn't even realize it. He acts out of desperation, operating on a really small scale compared to his prior plans by just throwing a few swordsmen at each other, and in the end his amazing new power doesn't even work. Literally everyone he tries to control here gets over it with no outside help! It's embarrassing, and that's just how I want it to be. It's such a great fall from grace for Master Logos, really helped along by acting that's somehow like 10 times as crazy as it already was. (The way he says shimashou before charging into battle especially is downright inspired.) And as always, all of this leads to plenty of nice moments for the heroes to shine. You kinda just can't wrong with seeing Esapda back in action together with Saber and Blades. Anything I could say about those scenes is maybe going to super obvious because of that. I loved the emphasis on their bond; it was neat that all of them had a proper bone to pick with Master Logos between him ruining Kento and Touma's lives and being an overall disgrace to Rintarou's beloved family; it was awesome that we finally got the long-awaited Dragon Lion Alangina in this fashion; it was even cooler that Rintarou and Kento stood around swinging their swords to activate Featuring Saber's moves like he's a Sentai robot; whatever those poses Kousuke Asai is doing as Saber is winding up for his Rider Kick are amazing; that ending theme is still sweet; seeing that bit from the start of the ED recreated was rad... basically everything about that part of the episode is a real winner. It's kind of like the show in its ultimate comfort zone, so it's not exactly wowing me with how fresh or surprising it is, but gosh, does it really need to be? And it's doing all of that... with direction by Hidenori Ishida. Aside from Solomon getting lit on fire (made of CG, thankfully!) because duh, this means things like the super moody lighting in the bookending scenes with Master Logos and Storious, or the constant integration of Mei's reactions to everything going on, although that one is probably at least as much on Hasegawa's writing. I really loved her running up with that big stick at the end in particular, because she's still the only one who ever remembers she was technically part of that promise the three of them made back in episode 10. I love Saber for all its big dramatic moments and epic speeches, but those little touches often mean just as much to me.
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Last edited by Fish Sandwich; 03-07-2023 at 05:34 AM.. |
06-20-2021, 03:42 PM | #12 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,089
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After what Tassel revealed about Luna, I predict this show is going end similar to Ghost and Touma and Kento are both going to move to Wonder World to hang out with her. It seems like Luna can't stay in our world for too long, due to what she is, and the promise between those three might be the reason why Touma refuses to let any of them get sacrificed for the sake of the other two.
I like Featuring Saber the most out of Xross Saber's forms so far, but I think it's weird how it has the side effect of dehenshining Rintarou even though he wasn't using Lion Senki. I bet Kento was seriously regretting giving Kurayami to Yuri in that moment. But who cares about Seiken Swords, Mei has a stick! Isaac's defeat by Featuring and death by Storious were brutal, but after what he did to Luna, he probably deserved it. Now Storious steps up to take his position as the final villain who is presumably going to become that big glowing purple monster who the ten Swordsmen (including a currently unknown Calibur) face in the new credits.
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心 と 刃 |
06-22-2021, 02:05 PM | #13 |
A jump to the sky..
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,061
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Quote:
All in all this was a fantastic episode. Got the Trinity aspect of it, as well as some added pieces on X-ross Saber's armor. What I particularly liked though was the finisher was three kicks instead of just one massive one. Mai's exuberance was the icing on the cake. As predicted, Storious is the final key to this, but I'm wondering if we're gonna see a 'the main character goes on a journey and everyone misses him but understands' trope come out of the finale.
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Last edited by Dormamu; 06-22-2021 at 02:08 PM.. |
06-23-2021, 09:08 PM | #14 |
Kaiju or Hero?
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Even I Don't Know Anymore.
Posts: 1,397
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"You are not Dan Kuroto." Someone from Ex-Aid.
Every time I see Tassel flying on an umbrella, I just think of that scene from Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2, with Yondu shouting, "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!" Also nice bat stockings, didn't notice that until now. Speaking of things I didn't notice until now, the lamp on Espada has a face. Anyway, really nice to see the trio back together again, and even more so as they pummel Solomon. Sure they added the old brainwash thing, which Durandal would have won had he used his King Crimson abilities. But it all worked out for the heroes. Storius becomes the big bad, to no ones surprise, with a snazzy new costume. Looks like he'll be using Solomon's tome, hopefully for a sick new form, but I'd be fine without. Next Week: Touma get's to decide how this story ends... "Wait, we still have more episodes afterwards?" |
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