“When a man faces fear, his soul is tested. What he was born to seek; what he was born to achieve…his true nature will be come clear.”
Summary
When Akane receives a strange text from her friend Yuki asking her to meet up the next day at a certain location, Akane is suspicious and invites along Shinya to help, who decides to enter the abandoned building only to find an underground passage beneath lots of garbage that leads him to a train station; a place unmapped on the MWPSB’s database. Shinya finds Yuki in the train, and it starts moving, taking him to a completely unknown, dark area filled with sewage and maze-like paths. It is revealed that Makishima is behind all this, and has set up a fox hunt for Shinya and Yuki to participate in, with the hunting dogs on their trail and little chance of escape.
Impression
Well, if that didn’t sound like a trap straight from the get-go, then I have no idea what does. The fact that it was apparently quicker and safer to deal with through direct contact rather than by phone or email should have set alarm bells off too, however I can accept that as a reasonable excuse due to technology advancing to the point where security online may be difficult. I mean, the car was driving itself! Being an Inspector for the MWPSB is bound to result in Akane making enemies the more publicity she gets and the more cases she is successfully involved in – except in this case, it wasn’t really Akane who was the target, but rather Shinya, whom the enemy predicted would show up and helped Akane. And the only enemy we’re familiar with and has good reason to target Shinya…is Makishima. I knew he would return soon xD
Social conditions are pretty bad in some areas of their city, aren’t they? I suppose it comes hand in hand with the kind of society experienced by the characters, but there must be loads of areas where old data shows a dead end, yet the path carries on in real life to some old, abandoned place that have somehow gone unnoticed for all these years. You’d think that a train station would be knocked down and all their trains removed after the line was discontinued, but clearly the quality of life in some areas is so poor that you can have giant underground sewage systems like the ones Makishima likes to play with, that no-one knows about at all. It’s similar with some of the places Rikako used – really obscure, hidden locations with shady stuff going on. Somehow a dilapidated place like that has advanced radio jamming that can overcome government-level equipment, but again, Makishima’s probably loaded, so he’ll be able to afford what he needs. The train moving immediately was actually really dangerous, and you could easily tell that the automated voice was definitely not Akane. Well…it’s not like Shinya could have chosen to go back out again, with the door sealed off and polluted sewage flooding the earlier area.
Methuselah’s game, the episode title was as strange as ever until you decide to do some research – and Methuselah is a religious figure who apparently nearly lived to 1000 years old, and so he refers to a person who has lived long and is seeking some amusement. In the context of this show, that would be the hunter, whose name again slips my mind…let’s just call him the hunter. It’s easier that way. Anyway, both he and Makishima apparently have this sick, twisted hobby of setting up fox hunts, loosing the dogs and watching the prey squirm as they run feebly until they die in an extravagantly bloody way. We saw a much shorter version of it with Rikako, and coming to think of it they did look like this wasn’t the first time they’d set something like that up. Fox hunting is known about as Code 108 to the MWPSB too, and it seems like an illegal activity (hahaha, understatement of the year) that, despite it’s overwhelmingly low odds of success, is actually possible to escape. I find the methods used pretty crude – it’s nearly medieval-like (and anachronistic, as Shinya says) to have things like giant animal traps in the ground, which I was totally expecting, as well as spikes in the ceiling that come down on you. And of course, you have the robot dogs with five eyes who are out to kill you.
I think it was clear from Makishima’s descriptions of his interest in Shinya that he wasn’t intending to kill him randomly straight away – and so I caught on fast that this was instead a test, and if he passed this would only give Makishima even more reason to go after him. The bags said as much, containing things that would help him, but was a bit animalistic on the other hand – kind of like how a mouse sees and eats a piece of cheese, then sees another piece in an animal trap and blindly goes to get it. Like what happened with Yuki – seeing the second bag had her immediately grab it, which triggered the robot dog coming after them. Sadistically, that radio transmitter was missing a battery and antenna which Shinya clearly had to get to progress, again putting his skills to the test. Aside from the badass moves he pulled in order to beat the first hunting dog, it tested his people skills as well with the antenna hidden on Yuki’s body – he had to not abandon her despite her dragging him down, and also get her to take her bra off. For someone who’s just been kidnapped and pulled into this hunting game, the last thing you’d be willing to do is to get naked, especially with a random man that you have no solid trust in. I appreciated it, but I wasn’t really in the mood for fanservice especially from this show.
Despite contacting the rest of his team and lots of drones being sent in, that’s no guarantee that both Shinya and Yuki will escape alive, as he’s merely got backup aiding him, who may not be as cautious and fall victim to the traps within. I’m also recalling what Shinya said before about physical strength needing to be on par with the strength of the Dominators to work as an Enforcer, and now I understand why – you can’t rely on an automated gun to do all your work for you, since it’s just not as simple as that. Without physical skills you’d be hard pressed to survive for long in that kind of environment. Anyway, Shinya may be alright next episode, but even then, from Makishima’s point of view this is far from over.
There was so much fangirl fodder right there- “Everyone, throw your bras at Kogami!” is my impression. =u=
Despite this show being anti-moe, there’s a lot to go on with Tsunemori being the only “cute” girl in there.
It was slightly inappropriate for the situation, given that hunting dogs and a cyborg with a rifle was coming after them. But yeah, instead of spreading the moe, they concentrated it all into one character and called her Tsunemori Akane xD
The question is: did Makishima himself change Yuki’s bra? Ok, I’m just making fun now, but I actually hope I never find out. Besides, who wears a wire bra while sleeping? This is what happens when the writer is a guy…
Anyway, I liked the thrill of this episode and the old-fashioned hunting game more than I would have expected. Yuki’s character was great too. Kogami was a bit too perfect (or the hunter needed new goggles, because I don’t know how you can avoid being hit by a shotgun while you’re running down a narrow corridor?).
Can I write a little about Gino? [I see you’ve ignored him, which is quite understandable since he was such a jerk most of the episode] Somehow I felt that he was intentionally putting pressure on Akane or more like he was playing a mind game with her, like he wanted her to actually feel responsible for this turn of events that may end horribly. [by the way, how come she was so little affected by the fact that she actually sent Kogami into a trap all by himself?] maybe I’m reading too much into it, but Masaoka’s words seem to confirm this ‘how about you stop there? that was a bit too sinister.’ The way he picked Gino up [by his puppy scruff, I should add] was awesome and very disturbing at the same time. I think my heart stopped for a moment there. Even if they are father and son (I don’t think there’s anyone who can deny it at this point), isn’t hurling someone across the room for discipline’s sake a bit too much? No wonder Tomomi’s crime coefficient exceeds the limit (and no wonder that his son’s acting like a jerk most of the time, haha). Gino’s reaction was priceless nevertheless and I think I can get used to some domestic violence if that’s what it takes to bring him to his senses.
Makishima told Seguji that he too will face an unforseen turn of events and will face his true self accordingly so I guess that means we’ll have the enforcers hunting the cyborg-guy next episode. However, I don’t think Makishima will settle for the police winning the game… It would be too simple. Or maybe I’m a bit too paranoid, but I feel a bit afraid of what may come next.
Watch how Makishima’s a closet pervert underneath that confident exterior. Shinya will probably run into issues later down the line, as I doubt Makishima’s finished with him even if he does escape – and they’re still stuck within the hunting grounds after all.
Yeah, I agree – Gino’s always seemed to have the same discriminating train of thought about Enforcers and the way things should be run in the MWPSB. If domestic violence is what he needs, then so be it. Now’s a good time as ever to have an Inspector start cooperating a bit more, especially with the growing threat that is Makishima. Sorry about leaving him out btw! I was rapidly reaching the point where I fall half-asleep and the things I write are no longer proper sentences xDD
Is Seguji his name? I’ve gotta remember that for future reference, assuming he leaves this arc alive of course. I also can’t help but think of the possibility that there are other cruel hunting traps lying in wait for anyone not cautious enough.