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「モンド・グロッソ」 (Mondo Gurosso)
“Mondo Grosso”
Yes, Jormungand is an action adventure. But like someone mentioned before, there’s also a lot going for it being classified as as a slice of life too—a slice of the arms-dealing life that is. Not that it’s a bad thing.
Following the action packed African Golden Butterflies arc, we get an expected lull in the action this episode… that is, if your definition of relaxing is playing capture the flag in the mountains, getting shot in the ass by a paintball, and complex behind the scene politics involving unmanned aerial vehicles. But yeah, relaxing’s the name of the game this time around, and boy does that make for a good episode.
First off, we get some great comedy per the norm. There’s the continuation of running gags like Lutz getting shot in the ass, Jonah’s inability to count, and Valmet’s priceless expressions when with Koko. There’s also the funny scenes with Schokolade, the CIA gal who seems more like she’s working with Koko rather than against. And finally, there’s the more subtle insertion of Usain Bolt, the re-branding of BBC –> BBG, as well as the Koko version of “The Thinker” statue. Really, this show does comedy so well that I wouldn’t hesitate to put “comedy” under its many genres while I’m at it, even though it’s definitely more of a dark, complex series.
Moving on, while the comedy does play a major part this episode, the big topic at hand was still the art of arms dealing. We get yet another new character in Amalia Tolokhovsky, the person who deals arms just to meet new people. Just when you think you’ve seen every type of crazy… Jormungandreally knows how to keep great characters coming. Virtually every episode we get someone new introduced to an already large cast, but gosh darn, they’re just great additions with their own unique personalities and high levels of skill. This time around though, that skill is using her acting past to put Koko on the brink of total defeat early on. Sure, Koko shows her the major difference in experience between an arms dealer who has been to a battlefield and someone who hasn’t, but we got some priceless expressions while it lasted though. It turned out slightly confusing to understand and I had to do some research to get all the nuances, Koko sure does pull out all the stops in her counter attack. Not only does she get all the other major European countries to buy her American sponsored Predator drones and thus make the Euro Group’s UAV look like it’s less trustworthy, she even uses her sources to purchase stock in the EAE—the company that Amalia represents—for good measure.
Notably though, the latter was quite a gamble for the most part actually, as it seems to have relied on the assumption that purchasing parts of the company will set off enough of a panic to both nuke the deals they were trying to make AND cause them to want to buy back their stock at a higher price. There was the chance the plan would backfire and cause Koko to lose a lot of money, but really, it just goes to show just how complex the arms dealing business is. Furthermore, it shows just how amazing Koko is to be able to pull out such an absolute victory even when Country B was already virtually in the EAE’s grasp. Talk about thinking outside the box! “If you can’t persuade one country to buy your product, then screw em’ and persuade everyone else to.”
In the end though, I find it quite intriguing how Koko decided to save Amalia’s life, which was definitely in danger due to her epic failure this time around. As she says, I doubt this is the last we’ll see of her, and I reckon she might be on the friendly side next time around. Speaking of recurring appearances in the future, Schokolade seems like she’ll be around for a bit too, and I sure ain’t minding that at all. She’s definitely turning out to be my favorites in a show full of great characters.
But yeah, it’s also notable how even in a “relaxation episode”, Jormungand still manages to impress. I mean, when you’re able to seamlessly shift between action focused episodes and dialogue heavy episodes like this without disappointing your viewers… just amazing. Words can scarcely express how subtly the writer inserts in the differing views regarding arms dealing and weapons and there’s just an insane amount of reading in between the lines that can be done at all times. But hey, it just shows just how Jormungand is really a different beast from others shows. See, Jormungand is complex, yet suave enough that you’re not bothered about the amount of intricate details involved. Heck, you could even ignore the deeper aspects completely and still enjoy it.
And speaking of enjoyment, it sure looks like things ramp back into gear next episode with the start of another multi-part arc. With a fancy episode name like “Dragon Shooter,” I can’t help but be excited for what’s to come, and I reckon it won’t disappoint in the slightest. What’s sad though, is that there are only 4 more episodes left this season. =[
Author’s Note: If you have some time, please check out my newly launched blog about anime, writing, photography, fansubbing, and everything in between. Thanks!
Preview
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Enjoying the small ways they flesh out Koko’s team without detracting form the overall plot.
Good Lord, so so so much Valmet! She was really cute and funny in this episode.
Valmet must have thought that her girl Koko is into older women.
She looks like she is a husband material there.
Yeah, Valmet. You should teach Koko your boob-growing secrets.
This cute face of Koko is one of the reasons why Valmet is such a fangirl for her.
Koko and Valmet have a lot of screen time together. D’awwww, this scene is just great.
And next week, Koko is more loco than ever and Valmet is even happier than ever.
I’m all for Koko/Valmet but why is Koko/Schokolade look so damn CUTE!?
Wait, can we have both?
Im really loving Schokolade more and more and hopes she starts appearing even more. So I support the Loko/Choko pairing. :3
I hope nothing happens to this diamond-loving CIA nerd girl though.
And as always, Jonah’s laugh is priceless XD
OT3 is the best solution. But wait, Amalia seems to be falling for Koko. Can we have an OT4 instead?
Oh Lutz, get shoot in the ass AGAIN.
Not to mention he got owned by a kid.
It was hilarious to see Jonah having fun as he owns Lutz like a naturally playful child.
Is Koko actually sleeping with Valmet? I had assumed Valmet’s crush was unrequited because that’s the way it generally works in stories and because Koko never shows her much physical affection. But there was that scene at the beginning of the episode where Koko is getting dressed and then turns to tell Valmet to get out of bed.
If it’s not just a crush and Koko really is sleeping with her, that would explain some of Valmet’s fanatical loyalty.
My personal answer is no. But the show (since it’s from the manga) ought to flesh out more of Valmet’s past pretty soon.
Hmmm… Since they are constantly travelling, I would assume that’s a hotel they were at. with a group full of men, its not surprising for the only 2 ladies to share the same room. I would think that Valmet’s feelings are one-sided, even if they were sleeping together it doesn’t mean they did the naughty naughty.
It’s not a spoiler to say no, she’s not – because I don’t think it was intentionally implied that she was.
Jonah discussing UAVs: “I don’t know, it’s all over my head.”
This episode is filled with subtle jokes. Absolutely gorgeous.
Might be due to the (often liberal) tl and not what he actually said, so I’d be careful.
Anyone else spot the spelling error? https://randomc.net/image/Jormungand/Jormungand%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
The CIA nerd girl is quickly moving up the affection ranks this season
Barrels only split like banana when bugs bunny put his finger in elmer fuds shotgun, especially sniper rifles with thicker barrels to prvent resonance after a round is fired.
If you want to disable a sniper without killing him, shoot the scope. lead/copper can’t penetrate 4 layer of glass and mechanical elevation adjustments.
Lutz used DSR rifle when in swat/gsg-9 and now downgrade to Blaser.
My interpretation of plot, KOKo trying to compete with a fellow arms dealer. She is former actress who knows nothing about the hardware she sells. As if thats possible, she wants to monopolize the UCAV market by selling dassault Neuron vs koko selling predator UAV.
Amalia is selling Neuron which is a true stealth Ucav compare to predator which is a spy drone with added half baked hellfire capability. amalia spreads lies that the predator is unarmed uav being phases out by italy and not the american upgraded version. KOKO sent encripted email informing buyer that NeuroN is not ready and only on testing phase and they bought from amalia some paper tigers instead of real UCAV. She sweeten the deal with potential purchase of future uav (Reaper/Pegasus) if predator is bought from KOKO. chocolate was paid with diamond for her CIA contact confirming that Italy attain predator in 2004 and only has 60 predator that they don’t plan to sell and what they get is genuine american predator and order roll in for KOKO and cancel for amalias NeuroN. Her arms trading company has a stock fallout and was bought cheap by KOKO. Amalia surrendered her bid and ask KOKO to sell back shares for 5 dollars KOKO agreed.
Diamonds > National Intel/Support
Please elaborate.
The charlie snipers with the banana peel barrels fielded generation 2 night vision scope used in dessert storm era. It’s heavy and blurry during the day.
generation 3+ pvs/nvs 22 are light intensifiers that is hooked up in front of normal sniper scope. A simple slide on the picatinny rail during night. During the day just take it off. your day scope will still be zeroed during the day or night.
General Atomic predator was originally spy drone not real Ucav, however operation enduring freedom changed that. They saw top terrorist on video with no way to take them out. So upgraded predator has hardpoint with two hellfire that can engage upon satelite command. Predator has limited payload/fuel capacity. It wasn’t great platform for strike capability. General Atomic rolled out the reaper. Upgraded predator with improved endurance and redesign wing that can carry necessary arms for deep enemy strike in pakistan tribal region.
French Dassault Neuron and Northrup Grumman Pegasus are next generation Ucav with stealth capability, they are design based on B2 flying wing principle and carry weapon internally for reduce radar signature and IR heat emission. They will be carrier capible able to take off from Nimitz and du galle class carrier respectively and fly undetected.
There are no straight girls in this anime and I am okay with that.
I love how Valmet can chase down and go toe-to-toe w/ a bladed handgun weilding soldier and walk away w/ a grazing hit. Yet one sentence from Koko delivers a critical hit.
That scene with Amalia and Koko, what was that background music? Sound like it was from India.
Oh and I marked out when I saw Usain Bolt.
Check the guy behind Valmet and Koko in https://randomc.net/image/Jormungand/Jormungand%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2007.jpg
His expression is just lol.
Man, Jormungand so keeps getting better and better ^^
“Dragon Shooter”…. gah! Can’t wait for the next episode *3*
I was pleasantly surprised with some spotlight on Lutz, and his morel dilemmas. Also loved like he commented, 270m is no distance, and that Lehm would do this twice as fast.
300 meters isn’t difficult with a scope. I am not formally trained and I can form a group of 4 inch on a small rifle target with remington 700. The wind condition and lighting was perfect. It would be hard to get consistent group with heavy wind or poor lighting though. The less light, cheaper scope becomes blurred. That is why zeiss and schmitt bender cost thousands of dollars. They let in more light and the sight picture is almost perfect.
Now beyond 400m it becomes difficult. You need a ballistic calculator(iphone app) to formulate your scope adjustment solution and a laser range finder to tell you target distance. The wind is more triky, you need a flag near the target to estimate wind speed and direction. A good sniper can estimate wind speed by measuring the flags movement against the mildot on his scope to determine wind speed and direction.
Lutz is considered a sniper in this series, yet he doesn’t know the first thing about camouflage and concealment. To pass sniper school, you have to pass a course where a sniper sneak in make a shot on target and sneak out without instructor with binoculars ever discovering the position of the sniper.
Just to explain what a mildot do. You see those small dot in the crosshair. Each one represent 100M holdover for a rifle zeroed at 100meters. So a 200m shot, you aim at the first dot below the x in the crosshair. You don’t have to mess with the scope adjustment for every shot. dots to the left and right represent 10+-mph wind at the target area.
If shooter and target not at same elevation then mildot fail to work as intended. If you are shooting up or aiming down from a building mildot won’t work and ballistic computer is necessary.
I think Lutz is quite marksman, but regarding concealment, he can learn much, even though he uses IR-blocking cammo cover in the night meeting scene. And in mobile, close range firefight even kid can pwn him!
Glad to see a gun maniac with appreciation for finer points of sniping art here!
Ewok out!
Does this also apply to police snipers, since that seems to be Lutz’s background?
While police snipers often wear the black of the SWAT instead of cammo, they are too trained in keeping cover and getting into position unseen, as warned criminals are likely to either hunker down behind hard cover, or worse start shooting hostages.
I am from a different background ewok where tea party conservatives are majority, Neighbors are all hunters or enjoy red neck golf. I am probably the only conservative here that watch anime.
If we could just get the NRA to realise the potential Gunsmith Cats have at propagating the 2nd amendment…
This “slow” episode is the equivalent of the ‘Casino Royale’ reboot movie. You don’t need lots of frantic physical action to keep the audience glued to the screen; just characters who want stuff and go for it, whether it’s winning at poker or getting the arms contract. The political edge blows my mind too, can’t get enough of this show.
total relax ep.8
johan total victory over lutz in paint battle.
koko meet actress-seller.
koko give chocolade a diamnod with blue eyes of doom in the back.
koko trying for deals but nope cause actress-seller got them.
going koko the thinker yep ideas coming in.
koko make random doing to run actress-seller & it works.
actress-seller want a koko meeting to make some deals.
all ok give some random snoopers yet koko’s crew got them.
spare actress-seller & onwards to next job.
next ep more loco koko & johan swimming.
I’m watching this for Schokolade. She’s cute. =D
Though it seems like a poke at blondes by the producers/mangaka. Not that I care. She’s cute. =D
I was hoping this would be a Lutz-centric episode. That monologue rant had me interested in how Lutz got to where he is, and the reasons for taking up the position. And honestly, Valmet this, Valmet that, blah blah. Is she really that interesting? And while I understand that there needs to be some tension relief, isn’t there a little too much comedy? Replace the time spent on humoring the audience with backstories of the other characters, and I might just watch this for something other that Schokolade.
Shokolade, as per her namesake, is delicious as always.
I actually quite appreciated this episode – probably because I’m actually working, and so am taking an interest in business deals.