「監視基地(シーカーキャンプ)」 (Shiikaakyanpu)
“Seeker Camp”

In The Hobbit, when Bilbo Baggins flew out of Bag End without a handkerchief to go an adventure, it wasn’t all downhill from there. After what could be considered his band’s first trial, which involved escaping some trolls, they took rest at Rivendell, the Last Homely House west of the Misty Mountains. I thought the second stratum’s Seeker Camp that Riko and Reg have finally reached this episode would be something like that, a temporary reprieve where our protagonists could find comfort and advice before continuing with their arduous journey. And while the Seeker camp is arguably house, somewhat homely, and likely the last one to be found in the Abyss, I can’t really say it’s a place of rest. This place is creepy.

Just the idea of building this thing within a giant suspended trunk is suspect. I understand that it may be a pragmatic thing, to have your club treehouse somewhere inaccessible to dangerous Abyss fauna, but if you have to get by the Curse every time you just want to get in I wonder if it’s worth it. Even walking to your room looks like an ordeal. No wonder the regular inhabitants are always in such a foul mood. Speaking of Ozen, she’s actually hospitable enough, but she could certainly stand to smile more. Er… smile less? Either way, she has an image problem. She just oozes sinister from every pore. I really don’t think Cruella de Vil is a good role model. Just saying.

In seriousness, I don’t actually think that Ozen is evil, or even a particularly bad person. Much in the Abyss is not as they seem (including Marulk? A trap? The Abyss is full of dangers.). I think if Ozen really was the kind to wish Riko ill, Habolg would not have directed her to the Seeker Camp. If Habolg was a father figure, Ozen would be the mother figure, but she’s evidently not about to be nice about it. From what we’ve seen, she’s had a hard life (as most cave raiders that manage to survive would, I suspect), has a lot to be bitter about, and any lesson she gives will be in hard knocks.

Still, it doesn’t change the fact that she is unnecessarily terrifying, and in Riko’s little fairy tale she’s at the moment not much a fairy godmother and very much a wicked witch—the kind who eats children. Speaking of night terrors, though, I thought the creepy beast was some other dangerous Abyss spawn, and that they’d need to kill it (or alternatively, it kills everyone), but from Riko’s reaction it seems to be something much more unnatural. Wasn’t there something about the Curse of the Abyss stripping cave raiders of humanity? And if anyone’s been ravaged by the Abyss, it would be a veteran White Whistle like Ozen. Perhaps it’ll help if there were other cave raiders staying at the Seeker Camp just to pad out the numbers a bit. And they would know if Ozen is always so unnerving.

25 Comments

  1. Much as I would wish for Maruruk to be a girl, judging from the reaction when Riko walks in naked, I’m assuming he is a boy. Maid in Abyss, indeed.

    All I’ll say about the creepy beast and its relationship to Riko though is that it’s worse than you could possibly imagine.

    Angelus
  2. Finally, some other characters!

    When Ozen said she’ll show Riko something, I thought it would
    be an explanation about the creature. The mention of it completely
    dropped off of everybody’s radar, too… So we’re about halfway
    through the series. Will Riko descend further (yes, of course), and
    how will Riko convince Ozen to let her continue?

    Of course, Riko’s bath innocence is endearing, but it’s probably
    not out-of-line in a place where being strung naked is part of
    their “educational” process.

    mac/65
  3. I really like Ozen.

    I actually think she is very cute… when she’s not smiling….

    And yeah she probably is not a bad person, she did compromised the mission and helped Lyza getting Riko out of the abyss after all.

    Her personality is definitely a bad case of “I saw too many shits in my life” though

    Redlurker
  4. yeah, i HAD to SPOIL the series by going ahead and reading the MANGA…GREAT STUFF!!

    just couldnt wait. but i too thought He was a girl, more specifically some kind of magical creature. was waiting for her to open those ear pockets and reveal long bunny ears or something.

    BROOKLYN otaku
  5. Even walking to your room looks like an ordeal.

    I had to wonder about that one. Why would anyone making a base in the Abyss deliberately include things like staircases or different floors or whatnot? Are they all masochists? The curse of the second level isn’t exactly a joke: sure you can live through it, but anyone who has suffered through a bad case of nausea knows that it can sure not feel like you’re going to live through it. If the headaches are similarly bad than you’re talking serious unpleasantness. Not something I would be willing to go through every day.

    Wanderer
    1. there’s limited space in the tree, and when you consider the territory of abyss creatures, some amount of vertical building is necessary to keep the protected area small enough to defend.

      As for the curse, it’s mentioned before that it’s weaker in the Seeker Camp. The worst of it is the gondola ride up, afterwards you should be able to tough it out. As for WHY, well, that comes later.

      It’s really a damn shame that they spend so much time on other things and not Show Spoiler ▼

      There’s something that didn’t quite succeed as well as the manga.

      cryum
    1. Like this episode itself, he raises many question: Why crossdress as a Maid in the depths of the Abyss? And what he’s carrying in his headpouches? He never took it off even in his sleep.

      kittyraider
      1. And what he’s carrying in his headpouches? He never took it off even in his sleep.

        So, two headpouches, what do boys have two of before they become Ozen’s maids? (No, I really do hope I’m joking here!)

        Angelus

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