Gunslinger Stratos Ep 8 [ Holy Plot Cannolis]

By all accounts this show is better than it actually is. The animation isn’t always that great, the plot is rushed, the characters are too multiple to become properly invested in it. But this episode shows that this has all the makings of what Owari no Seraph doesn’t- some kind of makeshift bullshit that makes this an appealing show. Despite the fact that most of the elements that make it up are subpar, every week I’m genuinely interested in Gunslinger Stratos. Go figure.

Something about this show keeps it just slightly above average. The faults are pretty high this week as for the most part I think this show needed more episodes to do what it’s trying to do. For instance, why are you killing characters you just introduced this episode? I don’t know half of these people! Why didn’t you introduce them before? There’s been a lot of plot elements every episode so all I can reason is they weren’t given enough time to do anything.

Because of that the show does suffer. A lot of emotional moments this episode just felt like, oh cool someone died. I knew who Jonathon was but I don’t know him or feel much for him, I’m still reeling more from Sidune’s death than I am any of the new ones. I did like samurai guy but I can’t even tell who is a duplicate half the time anymore. This show is so fucking intense with all the death.

The focus today was to save Remy who was basically causing the manifestation of Dead End in 2015. Were he allowed to be consumed by it indefinitely all the future timelines would be destroyed. Ultimately everyone is like WE’VE GOT TO KILL /SAVE HIM and White! Tohru actually puts his trust in Black! Tohru to save Remy. However, a lot of people die trying to do it.

I’ll touch on this now cause I think it’s the big focus next episode, but I’m fairly certain the prominent scientist on the Black! side is about to go evil and try and create Dead End for the Time Keepers in the name of science, but that’s likely the focus of next episode.

The only thing that actually emotionally got to me this episode was Xi. If you have been watching Remy, in this universe his robot assistant is named Xi and she deeply values her position as his protector. Ultimately she is the one who saves him and dies in the process. Her death is probably the one I felt the most for and made me feel more invested in Remy because I don’t want her death to mean nothing sobs.

Overall, so far, the shows many plot twists keep me in. Despite that they stopped Dead End this time it can still very much come out, and the Time Keepers even laugh at Tohru and say he’s the one who opened Pandora’s box to allow it. Shit. I hate these guys. It’s sad that this show will only have 12 episodes because pretty much every problem with the show could probably be fixed with better pacing.

Ultimately this show is not the greatest show of the season, but so far it is passable and at least keeps it’s audience engaged. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Oki