As Samurai Flamenco’s superhero antics draw to a close with the defeat of Alien Flamenco, Hazama returns to the ‘quiet’ life (which isn’t so quiet considering his nominations for the world president title or something). The world has apparently been eradicated from evil, and it’s pretty much been, as Moe would say “LOVE AND PEACE” all around. Of course, we as viewers, as well as Mari both know there’s an air of uncertainty to this peace. It feels ‘fake’. We all know deep down, as long as we’re humans, we’re bound to sin. How can it be that evil has completely disappeared from the world? Unless Hazama really does have this ability to will things to be that way?
It is later also revealed during Goto’s ‘date’ with his girlfriend (and through Mari and Hazama’s stalking him) that we find out that our speculations weren’t too far from the truth regarding the matter. There was always something off about this girlfriend that never shows up, and lo and behold – Goto’s been texting himself to get over his missing girlfriend (she could be related to Flamenco business later on though, it’s possible), and that’s not exactly a sign of a mentally healthy person. Geez Goto, I thought you were the last sane character in the main cast.
Guess I should’ve known better, with your Samurai Policeman antics and all. Mari is creeped out, as most of us are, while Hazama himself can’t get over how he was completely unable to realise, let alone help Goto…it’s like the story’s coming back full circle to reveal Hazama as helpless yet again. Despite defeating EVIL and all that jazz the world still has an underlying sense of pain and sorrow. People still die. People still get heartbroken. Hazama can save the world from big bads, but he can’t save people in sorrow over their loved ones.
But the most exciting (and unpredictable) part of this episode is the return of a…familiar character. Sawada Haiji, who appeared in episode 1. You remember the only kid who ever kinda paid attention to Hazama’s speech in the park telling the hooligans to go home? Yeah, he’s back. Apparently he made a cameo in episode 12 too (I didn’t notice) and has been a bit of a Samurai Flamenco fanatic…he shakes hands when Hazama, only to blow up a bloody building after quoting Hazama’s little speech. Now this is the Flamenco we know and (kind of) love.
One thing about this Sawada guy stood out to me though. His (Hazama’s) speech:
““As they sneer at you and keep their mouths shut, those adults think “those kids won’t amount to anything in life.” But here’s what I think. If we don’t get you kids home, nothing will change! The city won’t change, society won’t, our future won’t, adults won’t…You won’t change, I won’t change. That’s why I’m here to tell you you’re being a nuisance! “
I think I get where he’s coming from. He’s…trying to tell Hazama that Samurai Flamenco himself is the ‘nuisance’. Perhaps he knows of Hazama’s ability to extend his will of fighting villains and being a hero to the world. That could be the ‘nuisance’ Sawada mentioned. That Hazama’s screwing around didn’t make the world better. That people don’t want ‘evil to be eradicated’. That evil /cannot/ be eradicated if people exist, because people will always have conflict, always have heartache and sorrow. Without it, it’s but a fake, transitional peace of sorts before the world starts getting fucked up again.
Here’s the thing though, I revisited episode 1 since the speech felt a bit odd to me. Apparently Sawada skipped out the first part of Hazama’s speech. Why though? Lack of time? Or does the context change actually amount to anything?
What was omitted: “You kids… You kids must be enjoying yourselves… You believe that you’re special… That you can do anything. The sky’s the limit… All you care about is… hanging out with friends and fooling around… But your parents and other adults don’t understand. That’s your current mindset… You think no one cares if you act like you own the world! But you’re wrong. People do mind. You’re a damned nuisance. But no one says anything because they don’t want any trouble. They’re scared, so they keep their mouths shut. They don’t step in because they don’t care what happens to you.”
I do think it fits the theory I (as well as most people) have regarding Sawada’s speech. Why omit it though? Honestly, if we fit the first part in things’d make more sense. “You believe that you’re special, that you can do anything…People do mind! You’re a damned nuisance!” – this seems to fit if we treat Hazama’s perspective of the world right now as false. Maybe everyone’s just waiting to screw him over. Hell, I dunno. Geez, watching this series and thinking of when happens next has made me some kind of conspiracy freak of sorts. Damn, what if Hazama himself was the one that willed for some kind of interesting development to occur…make Goto’s girlfriend disappear maybe? Make Sawada come in and be a terrorist that caused a building to explode maybe?