At this point, I feel like the anime is unnecessarily dragging out this arc. The pacing felt really weird this episode like they were trying to cram A LOT of details into one episode. And while things are still exciting, this episode felt a little off. Probably because of the constant slow and fast pacing through out.
Seth finally was able to take down Konrad, leaving the man buried in rubble. However, the impact left a gaping hole in the wall, allowing the people trapped to escape to the other side. Also allowing Taj to reunite with this family. But man, I feel really bad for Seth. The poor boy is completely exhausted from his fight with Konrad, but now he has to deal with the revenge seeking Domitor. To make matters worse (and mildly annoying), Dragunov tries to drag Seth away due to be detained. NOW IS NOT THE TIME. To which Seth agrees because there are freaking people who need to be protected from the soon to be destroyed island. It also feels like an inconsistency with his character. Considering in an earlier episode, he had let Melie go in favor of getting rid of the Nemesis and protecting the people.
But holy crap, GRIMM ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? He was fairing pretty well against the Domitor until she got a hit on him and he immediately retreated while screaming about blood. Is there something important about his blood? Is the reason he’s covered in bandages because he hates blood? Grimm continues to be an enigma, but I hope it’ll be somewhat addressed later. Though I doubt it will be revealed in the anime considering I have doubts if this will get a second season.
We finally check in with Melie and we get a little peek into her past albeit very briefly. It leaves you wondering who this woman was in the past. Though it’s most likely her mentor. However, Melie goes on a mini rampage after being beaten half to death and it would have continued if Seth hadn’t snapped her out of it. I have to admit that it’s very cute how Seth’s presence immediately snapped Melie out of her stressed state. I’m shipping them more and more~ Though it was pretty cool that Melie created a blade of fantasia from her wand.
However, the most bizzare thing in this episode was that Doc came back as a baby. I suppose this confirms that Doc is an infected if not a sorcerer. But has his curse never been activated before? And if not, what caused it???? Doc continues to confuse me.
But enough about Doc, I’m liking the team up between Seth, Melie and Grimm. Though before they get to do a co-op, Seth is blown away by the combined blast of Nemesis, only to be saved by a mysterious Inquisitor who supposedly goes by the name of Piodon. But the most surprising thing about it is that the Inquisitor looks like a grown up Seth, with horns and all. I kinda had my suspicions about him being a horned sorcerer as soon as he flew off the ship earlier in the episode. However, with the introduction of this new character, it introduces even more questions and concerns. Especially when it comes down with the supposed bandaid on Seth’s cheek. I honestly just thought it was just a design choice since we do see a lot of anime characters with random bandages on their bodies that are just there for decoration. To find out that the bandage was hiding a scar that supposedly stunting Seth’s fantasia gathering abilities. Not to mention that Alma knew about it and was trying to seal his power. Probably trying to make sure that his power doesn’t go out of control like it did when those villager kids attacked him.
I also like the question that Piodon poses to Seth. Who exactly is he fighting for? While I thought he was fighting for the infected and Sorcerers, there are times where his resolve is a little blurred. Since he also seems to be putting himself on the line for regular people as well. But I had assumed that he was doing it to eventually change the minds of normal people on how they feel about sorcerers. Seth’s ideals don’t feel as black and white as they seem. Yes he is aiming to destroy the Radiant to stop the prejudices against the infected and sorcerers. However, he also has his reservations towards the people who have mistreated him and Alma. Not to mention his ideals are often put into question when he has to go against both normal people and other sorcerers.
While that whole thing goes on, Melie and Grim face off against the Domitor. The more I watch the Domitor, the more cliche her character seems to be. Wanting revenge at all costs and not listening to what anyone has to say. Though I suppose it’ll all depend on how she is brought down in the end and if Seth can settle the bad blood if only just a little. This episode definitely dragged a little but thankfully it looks like next episode will be the wrap up to this arc.
I actually went and skimmed over a little of the manga and OH MY GOSH WHAT HAS THE ANIME DONE?! Even just skimming through the content of what is going on the anime has done an atrocious job adapting it. They’ve taken out some very fine and important details on how certain scenes are portrayed and it’s a shame. The manga does a really great job with the little intricacies in scenes and characters. While the anime leaves everything a little too cut and dry. Especially when it came to the scene with Piodon and Seth. There was so much that happened between them in the manga that the anime left out. Not to mention Seth was the one who identified him as his brother in the manga but in the anime he doesn’t seem to have a clue of who he could be. The way they parted was also SEVERELY different. In the anime, it was left on a happier note but in the manga it was very foreboding, with Seth being rather tense about the whole situation. Once the anime is done, I’ll have to go back and read the manga since it seems to be a lot better than what the anime is doing.
