“I’m sorry for making you feel alone.”
Summary: Elder Sister Maid asks Crimson Scholar why does war exists as the latter explains their causes. Meanwhile, with the help of faeries, the Black Knight causes nightmarish illusions to the Crusader armies in Gateway City, affecting their sanity and morale including the Crusader Commander. The Crimson Scholar arrives at the Winter King’s camp and offers her aid to him and Female Knight. To counter the Arctic General and his demons advantage over the sea, the Winter Kingdom forces build a land bridge using floating icebergs with the salt Scholar brought to hold them together. Now fighting them in even ground, Female Knight leads the Winter Kingdom armies and claim the beachhead at Aurora Island. Despite their success, they must now prepare a long siege at the Arctic General’s fortress. But the Winter armies gets an unexpected help when Hero teleports to their camp and the Crusader armies coming from Gateway City. It is revealed the Crusaders abandoned the city and its civilians to the mercenary General of the Eastern Fortress. Now in command, the General forms a new government with the city’s influential demons to maintain peace between their races. The demons launches one last offensive only to be defeated when Female Knight slays the Arctic General. As the Winter kingdom celebrates their recaptured of Aurora island, the Winter King rewards Crimson Scholar and Female Knights with titles. Archer reunites with Hero and tells him not to isolate himself due to his powers as he still has friends who care about him.
More action? What’s going on?!
Perhaps one of my favorite ‘talks’ in this anime is the one at the beginning of this episode. The Older Sister Maid asks the Demon Queen what war is and she explains it in the best way she can, now, it’s not the funniest and it’s not the cutest, it’s something ‘new’, something refreshing and I like it. As you know I’ve been wanting to see some action since the first episode and, well, we finally got it but you know what? (please don’t hate me for being so changeable…) Maoyuu should stick to doing what it does best. Economics, politics and negotiations (and boobies). This conversation reminded me why I love Maoyuu so much and I’m glad that it happened. Let’s get into the episode!
Has anybody else noticed that with each episode comes another technical advance in the world of Maoyuu? Windmills? Fire Arrows? What’s next carbonated drinks?! I’m not complaining of course. It’s awesome to see subtle/unimportant things happening in the world that don’t directly effect the main story, like, for example, when anime characters change their clothes. I know that may seem like an abstract idea to some of you hardcore shounen fans but I admire and enjoy little detail like that, it makes the world seem more ‘realistic’ and it also adds another layer of depth to a show that you tend not to see with older shows. The world grows and with it the people. Yeah, I think I worded that nicely.
Now (yes, I realize that I’m going really off topic) I love the Little Sister Maid (in a non-pedophillic way) as much as the next guy/gal, but she had the LOUDEST voice EVER. I had the volume cranked up during the opening song and when the Little Sister Maid came on afterwards (I had headphones in by the way…) my eardrums were destroyed… poor me eh?
Okay, now it’s time for us to really discuss the episode. The Battle for Bright Island – Part Two! With a new Winter King leading the country and the Female Knight at the head of his armies what could go wrong? Not a whole lot apparently… Innovation, adaptation and modification, those are ‘Part Two’s’ key words. The Demon Queen always gets what she wants (apart from a kiss from the Hero…) because she’s smart. She knows how to manipulate people by making them an offer they can’t refuse. She gives the Winter King and way to win the battle but with one condition, they have to wait a day before attacking. Now I’d just like to point out that the music during the ‘Epic Ice Path’ building scene was REALLY EPIC. Like, really epic. I felt myself cheering them on as I watched them pour salt into those cracks, go adaptation! The Demon Queen knew that they would never win a battle at sea but the demons never suspected that the humans would find away around that flaw and succeed, go innovation! And modification? Modification of the land?
Now I really liked the battle along the pathway. Admittedly it wasn’t the greatest battle scene I’ve ever seen but it will do. After winning that initial victory they face of against…
Wait, wait, wait. Okay the Hero’s back but that’s not important. Okay let’s recap: the Hero’s been in Gate City scaring all the soldiers with his scary fairies. The soldiers are so scared but his actions that they… run to a battlefield? I absolutely HATE it when stories make a plot point for convenience sake. Why would they ran away to Bright Island? I’m sure that there are much safer places in the world than a demon controlled island which just so happens to be a battlefield right? I just don’t understand how an anime as clever as Maoyuu could do something this… cheap. The plot point is cheap. Now I’m not sure if the reasoning for it is elaborated upon in the light novels but I certainly didn’t see a reason for it in the anime… anybody care to elaborate?
Okay, rant over, let’s get back to the epic battle. I know it barely even two minutes long but the battle between the Female Knight and the Ice General was AWESOME. It was some nice, quick, well animated battle that had the impact of some two of three long episode battles. The music in this anime really makes the scenes something special and for some reason it worked especially well in this episode. I guess this episode had a lot more epic action scenes.
With the battle for Bright Island over we finally get to see the cast commingle. I must say, the Demon Queen and the Female Knight looked great in their dresses and I really liked the conversation between the Archer and the Hero at the end. Another great music moment if you ask me.
The Archer is introduced properly in this epic as a stereotypical, perverted old man who seemingly served as a father figure for the Hero during some tough times back in the day. I found it absolutely hilarious when the Female Knight thinks that the Archer has seen through the ‘Crimson Scholars’ disguise, when instead he just want to observe the Demon Queen’s chest even further. Also, what a waste! She smashed a perfectly fine flagon of wine of the poor guys head…
Now for the epic talk between the Hero and the Archer. I’m glad that we’re finally getting more insight into the Hero before he met the Demon Queen. I mean, we met the Hero for the first time when he was going to defeat the Demon Queen and within one episode he was a completely different person. I’m glad that the Hero’s character is being given more depth, it makes him seem more human… even though he has God like strength…
In episode 7 I’m going to presume that the plot point with an abandoned Gate City will be dealt with? If they don’t I’ll be extremely disappointed in Maoyuu and therefore I’m going to end this post by saying that I look forward to seeing what happens to Gate City next! Don’t let me down Maoyuu!