“Stand up, Silver Crow! You deal with your enemy…destroy Dusk Taker!”
Summary
Haru, Taku and Chiyu enter the Unlimited Field to face off with Nomi, and Haru falls into an ambush trap immediately – for Dusk Taker has brought along a comrade, Black Vice. Taku ends up facing Nomi, and manages to corner him until he takes Chiyu hostage, submitting Cyan Pile to his will and beating him to within an inch of his life. Haru escapes Black Vice’s trap and falls down in front of Nomi, watching helplessly as Taku is about to be defeated in Brain Burst for the last time before Nomi’s hand is cut off, with the attacker revealed to be the Black King, Black Lotus.
Impression
Kuroyukihime, banzai! Kuroyukihime, banzai! Man, is it good to finally see her again. Truly, a knight in shining armour. It’s certainly very much a deus ex machina, but with the way things were going, Silver Crow and friends had already hit rock bottom a long time ago and KYH’s appearance was much welcomed. It means she also probably knows that Haru has been messing with the Incarnate System and that lots of crap has happened since she was last around, but I’m sure they can deal with the aftermath later. What was even better was Nomi’s “oh shit I’m screwed” reaction, and it’s the first genuine look of terror I’ve seen on his face – and with good reason. While Black Lotus can easily deal with this Black Vice dude, she will probably stay out of the final showdown between Silver Crow and Dusk Taker, as Haru is putting his pride as a Burst Linker on the line, and fighting for what he believes in.
I feel that they’re opening up many more questions and slyly leaving them unanswered here. First off we have the introduction of a deceleration ability, something which can apparently control the time speed within Accel World. The fact that Black Vice is the only one that can do it practically grants him plot armour to survive this battle, with him probably fleeing to exit the Unlimited Field to fight another day. His research society thingy (the one that does illegal stuff) may be a starting point for a second season though, should one ever happen. Finally, Chiyu is Level 4 apparently, since she now has the Unlimited Burst command. I know she’s been leeching off Nomi’s points, but…that was really quick. And even though she’s been PMSing the entire arc, I felt really sorry for her seeing her get tortured like that.
On the other side of things, pride was the only thing I felt when seeing Taku incarnate a sword like that. It feels really symbolic, both through the OP’s features and the past events of the show that Taku would face off Nomi in a sword duel like they did in kendo. Taku is better, and he knows it – which is why he was able to overcome Nomi’s incarnation and force him down. It’d be no fun if Taku was the one that dealt the killing blow, though I don’t think he deserved to get both his arms sliced off that vividly. Anyway, I find it funny that Nomi was once friends with a girl. Despite his very sad past which featured domestic abuse by his big brother, it made me wonder if I have the right person when Nomi said something like that. It’s true that what his brother did contributed a lot to the formation of Dusk Taker, but it’s also the inner personality that has a hand as well. I’m sorry, I just find it hard to believe that there was once a good guy before the scars were dealt creating an avatar like Nomi’s.
Accel World is hurtling at full speed towards its end, and I hope it will be as epic as implied by all the build-up this arc has gone through. I’m really expecting a climatic finish, and that we get lots of proper closure as well as the prospects of a second season. Well, whatever it is we can go out on a high with some Niko.
Ha, i kind of suspected the little bastard had some more friends( dunno with they are friends or just accomplices though), anyway that guy seems stronger than Nomi, and probably Nomi isn’t the “boss” of this Acceleration Group. The fight between Nomi and Taku was SO nice, and as well done as the intro’s. Anyway, i was like “OH YEAH, NOW WE ARE TALKING!” when Taku landed that hit on his arm, and( know that maybe it is gonna sound strange), but at one time i felt a little sorry for Nomi because of that history with his brother and all; BUT then he pulled ANOTHER dirty trick( like REALLY? YOU JUST LOST FAIR, ACCEPT IT DAMMIT), then i was like “really, AGAIN?”.
Anyway, Taku’s Reincarnation was awesome, and KYH sudden appearance really changed the tide of the battle and made Nomi’s face go like “Oh, i’m screwed” as you said yourself Vantage.
Well, just some more days until he really gets beaten up! LET’S HANG IN THERE!
At the time of writing, its one more day now! xDD It was partly Taku’s fault though, for standing there and monologuing on and on, giving Nomi the chance to stand up and fight back. And ofc Chiyu had to just stand there and do nothing.