You know, I’ve seen a LOT of anime series with filler arcs. Especially Shonens. However, this is probably the first time I’ve ever seen a series use that as their selling point. They declared it a “new” series and had this blurb to say about it. “The new anime series will depict an original story that was not in Daisuke Ashihara’s manga. It will also feature new characters and other elements.” Honey…sweetheart? That’s called a filler arc. I know you’re trying to be classy about it, but it’s called a filler arc. So yeah. That being said…is it any good? Well……you’ll see.
So the episode starts with Jin beating up some new types of trion soldiers they’ve never seen before. Why is this? Because it’s a filler arc. Don’t question it.
“no, shut up, these are new characters and elements”
“ah. okay”
We then cut to our main characters not in their normal environment, but at a camp to practice and train. oh god. this already sounds like a filler arc.
We flash back to the gang in Takahoma talking about how they should go there while “waiting” for the next round of the tournament. (pff. waiting. yeah. waiting for the guy to write it) and we see Konami for about 5 seconds in the group shots saying a few funny lines.
Okay. I’m going to stop you guys right here. Look. You have a filler arc right here. You have a pretty long leash to do WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT. So, here’s an idea. Why not have this arc feature a lot of Konami? I’m not just saying that because I like Konami. As i’ve stated before, She was the THIRD MOST POPULAR CHARACTER in the polling. and not only that, just in case you think that’s the case of people voting multiple times, she STILL comes in fourth from separate votes.
They really want you to like Chika, but Konami’s more popular than EVERYONE except for duckface, jin, and wet blanket. So why, why in god’s name are you not making her a forerunner of this arc? I don’t understand it. It’s a filler arc. You should be exploiting the HELL out of her. Get your ratings, get your money. SOMETHING. If they don’t make her show up a crap ton later in this filler arc, i’ll not only be annoyed with the writers, but with the damn marketing committee.
Anyway, enough of that rant, so while there Jin talks about how he has to leave and wishes them all good luck about something that’s going to happen. (gee, thanks Jin. appreciate the help).
So we cut to night and see that there’s some dude controlling some trion soldiers who is stalking humans and trying to steal a bunch of trion. However the three of the gang show up and get ambushed by the soldier.
They transform and then…in a completely stupid, out of character decision made by wet blanket which defies all logic, he tells Duckface to carry the girl away while he fights the neighbor. Wait…what? Why…why would you do that? I have a better idea. Wet Blanket. You suck at fighting. How about YOU take the unconscious human girl and run away while Duckface, the only who’s awesome at fighting, fights the neighbor that none of you INCLUDING HIM have never seen. That’s right. These Trion soldiers are so super special amazing that even DUCKFACE the guy who was born in the other world has no idea what they can do. But no, no it’s fine. Wet Blanket YOU fight them. You see why this is filler writing people?
So as wet Blanket is fighting this thing, we learn that the neighbor can summon and return these things like pokemon
and summons a giant tentacly trion soldier. Because why not.
Shockingly, Wet blanket is soon overpowered by it. (I know, totally shocking, right?) and of course, Chika doesn’t have enough confidence in herself to hit it and not the surrounding buildings so misses on purpose, and duckface comes in and saves the day.
However, before he can destroy the Trion soldier, he’s stopped by the neighbor
and the neighbor loses his arm trigger…robocop…thing.
He’s injured, so, in a great moment of awesomeness from the filler brigade, Chika turns off her trigger to help the guy, and the guy promptly puts a trion bomb on her neck saying that if they hurt him, he’ll command it to kill her.
And the episode ends with a random neighbor girl showing up going “What have you done (insert filler character name here)?!”
This episode. dear god. this episode is in every sense of the world, a filler arc episode. Characters act out of character, they introduce new characters who have different abilities we have never seen of, nor will we ever hear about again, this will have NO overall effect to the story, and it will serve no purpose other than to tell a story that really didn’t need to be told.
And here’s the thing. I can already tell where this story’s going to go. These two are fugitives from the other neighbors, Wet Blanket and the crew are going to help them, and they’re going to either help them escape in the end, or they’ll die and no one will care since they’re filler characters. Either way, I’m fine with it.
That’s the way these filler arcs go anyway. However, since this IS World Trigger and they refuse to kill ANYONE I think they’ll probably go with the former rather than the latter.
Oh, and the theme song still isn’t very good either.
Also, here’s my question. if you’re on the run from the neighbors and you’re fugitives, why, dear god why, would your FIRST inclination be to attack people on this new world? I just…why? It’s like “Phew, I’m in a country with no extradition laws…welp, better go rob a bank.” Wouldn’t..you..I don’t know, want protection or something? But no, no, pissing off the government of this world. Yeah that’s a fine idea. Let’s do that.
I can already tell I’m not going to like these new filler characters. The guy’s an asshole, and not the fun variety like Gokudo. He’s just an asshole. And the girl looks like a bland piece of bleh.
(sigh) oh well…here’s hoping this will get better. and…you know…won’t be another crystal arc from Naruto Shippuden (shiver)
Episode 4/10
-Hideki
Duckface Count: 2