This week our duo find themselves with additional companions accompanying them on them on their journey. As it turns out, the one who was in the cart that had been attacked by bandits last week was none other than Jonas, who had pursued after Anne. But for a guy who claims he loves her, he certainly doesn’t leave the impression of such. It’s clear that Anne feels uncomfortable with how much he’s been pressing the issue, so much so she really didn’t even want to be travelling alongside him despite the fact they are now the same road together. She ended up sucking it up because there’s really no avoiding him like this, but it still doesn’t change the fact she’d appreciate it more if he were to just stay in his own lane, mainly because she feels like he’s just pitying her. Also rich of him to say he’ll protect her when he couldn’t even protect himself from the bandits.
We could also tell that Anne was never particularly close to Jonas in the first place, as it was her first time really seeing the way he interacts with fairies. He objectifies them, questioning Anne why she would even bother using Challe’s name when they normally give fairies a Human name, and just as Anne (unfortunately) did the first time she met Challe, he noted Challe would be better off to be sold as a “companion” due to how beautiful he is. Unfortunately he doesn’t treat his own (labor) fairy Cathy any better.
The second companion to join our duo on their journey is the lively Mithril, the fairy Anne rescued back in town. Turns out he crawled onto their cart because while he won’t thank her for it, he’s dead set of returning the favour and won’t take no for an answer. He can certainly be a noisy little fella, which is why the scene where he was trying to insist the favor ended up rather grating to the ears, but otherwise he’s quite cute, such as that scene when he made that little splash.
Thanks to Mithril joining the crew, he was able to share more about the way the this world works. Fairies are born, and how it can influence what kind of nature they are. Mithril was born from a water drop, so naturally he is able to control water. Challe was born from a jewel, making him an Obsidian type, and so he has the power to create sharp objects such as his sword. However there’s one more factor that’s required for their birth, and that’s a gaze of a living being. Through this we actually gotten a glimpse of Challe’s earliest memory, and his first encounter with a child, who’s gaze, contributed to his birth.
Another thing we learned about fairies this week was that they don’t actually consume food with their mouths, but rather absorb it by touch or by simply holding their hand over it. As one would figure because of that method, they can’t actually taste it. But there is one exception to that rule, they can taste Silver Sugar. That’s why when Anne heard that, she became quite determined to make Challe a sugar confections, but that’ll have to wait until another day.
Finally, last but not least we learned by Anne is in such a rush to earn the title of a Silver Sugar Master. She wants to earn the title before Pure Soul Day so she could make a sugar confection and send her mother’s spirit to the Heavens. Realistically speaking, I think we can all agree that based on what we’ve seen of her mother so far, Anne doesn’t need the title of to do that, but it’s still something she wants to do since will be her final gift as she bids her soul farewell.
Overall, while they did keep a lot of the book’s content, they did cut out some scenes which I think may have contributed to why this episode felt more rushed than the first. Some of the interactions were sorta…how should I put it… crammed? It was as though there weren’t really enough breathing room for some scenes to really settle before moving onto the next. It is a bit of a shame, but I kind of expected as much since it’s pretty obvious they are looking to have volume 1 wrapped up by episode 4.
On that note, this episode pretty much told me that I should probably hold off reading volume 2 when the book arrives since I’ll be look at this adaption through the eyes of an anime-viewer only. I think it’ll just be a lot easier for me to cover if I go into this blind once they finish covering this volume.
I do wonder how much book content the anime could cover given their 12 episode limit. Unless the producers know some dark magic that allows them to adapt all 17 books into 1 anime…
Btw, Sugar Apple’s author also has another completed series which is being translated; Culinary Tales of the Court Flower (not-Japanese minor princess who can cook is sent to become concubine in a not-China empire; has to deal with handsome men and court intrigue). Have you read that one yet?
https://j-novel.club/series/culinary-chronicles-of-the-court-flower
And lastly, has anyone on Angryanime had the chance to check out Trigun Stampede? It’s a case of 3DCG anime done Very Well; super expressive and dynamic (same studio that animated Land of the Lustrous). It’s also a full-on remake/reinterpretation of the 90s anime/manga, so expect some major redesigns of the source characters (if you are familiar with the old series).
Hm that’s something I’ve been wondering too… I highly doubt we’ll see them adapt the entire series unlike Tales of the Outcasts which I believed was said to cover entire thing. I’m hoping we’ll at least get a second season announced by the end of it– though we have to hope that they do a good enough job to warrant enough demand for it as well since the series already finished back in 2015, which is some time ago. Hell, we should just consider ourselves lucky enough that it even got an adaption (though likely to help market it to the international base as it’s only been recently released outside of Japan).
And yup I’ve picked up Culinary Tales of the Court Flower! Though I’ve been aware of it since it was first picked up by Jnovel club, I’ve actually just bought it recently since the series release is almost complete now (only 11 volumes long). I’ve read a bit of the sample while back but I’ve been stingy about holding back for the longest time in hopes it would get a physical release. Of course after I finally caved and lo-and behold a few days later JNovel Club announces their print partnership with Yenpress. At this point I’m pretty sure it’ll get a physical HAHAHA! I’m hoping The Apothecary Diaries and Kyoto Holmes will get a physical release this way too. I’m ready to double-dip though since I’ve already own the ebooks up to the latest volumes, but I digress.
As for Trigun Stampede, since nobody mentioned it in the Winter 2023 Preview and haven’t mentioned it since, I don’t think anyone is actually watching it at the moment (myself included). In fact, I actually have yet to finish watching the original Trigun. I distantly recall trying it out at one point when I first started watching anime, but I never actually went back to finish it. I should probably do that. I like going back to binge-watch some 90ies titles every now and then.