「世界の卵」 (Sekai no Tamago)
“World Egg”

I’ll gladly admit that I enjoy Shana a lot more when there’s a lot of flashy action to keep my mind occupied. And instead of getting bombarded with explanations, the talking was kept to a minimum this week.

With Yuuji’s ability to fight severely hindered after Johan was sucked out of him, this week’s fight was actually a lot more interesting than I expected. Seeing how it started with Yuuji and Sydonay having the upper hand on Shana and Wilhelmina, it was nice to see fortune finally favor Shana nearly twenty episodes in. Not only was Yuuji’s mind and body still distorted after his encounter with Johan but I nearly cheered in joy as that stupid flame-neutralizing ring of his failed to block an attack.

But when things finally started to get good, I never expected that Yuuji of all people would have the ability to produce an unrestricted spell. While it felt like a blatant copy of Fecor’s own ability, I’m glad that it didn’t have nearly the same amount of stopping power. However, after watching Shana finally pierce through Yuuji’s defense and land an attack on the World Egg which is presumably creating Xanadu within it, I can’t imagine things going as smoothly as we’re being led to believe.

Seeing how there’s so many variables and not many episodes left to play things out, let me entertain you with my probably less then correct idea of what’s going to happen. I have this irking feeling that even though Shana pierced the World Egg, it may not really matter. Especially after hearing Bel Peol talk about how her “job” for preparing things is already done, wouldn’t it be a shame if all Shana managed to do was crack the egg’s shell? Luckily if that is the case, there’s still another piece to the puzzle that isn’t even near the battlefield anymore — that blue glowing thing next to Kazumi. Sure, we have no idea what its significance is but I’m sure it has to be somewhat important after watching how worked up Rofocale got after seeing it, right?!

 

Preview

19 Comments

  1. The biggest revelation this week (or some would say cop-out) is that there is a third God. Not even the previous novels prior to volume 22 have mentioned anything about him.

    First, there is the God of Creation – Snake of the Altar.
    Then, there is the God of Destruction – Alastor.
    Finally, always keeping a low profile and acting as a neutral observer, the God of Guidance.

    There is speculation that as most of the Shana-verse is based largely on concepts of Buddhism and Hinduism (including Shana’s name and the unrestricted spells), this trinity of gods reflect the Trimurti concept of Hinduism: Creation, Destruction and Mainenance/Prosperity/Balance.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurti

    Sophie has correctly assumed that this God of Guidance would act as the “balancing trump card” between Snake and Alastor, and by extension between the Denizens and Flame Haze, as well as personally between Yuuji and Shana.

    And all this time the bard Rofocale turns out to be his subordinate rather than affiliated with Bal Masque at all. Back in episode 14, when Domino asked the Professor who he was, the Professor merely said he was “one of God’s followers”, which led me to assume he must be one of Snake’s oldest followers in terms of seniority, exceeded only by Bal Masque’s Trinity.

    But when the Professor said “God’s followers” he meant the follower of yet another God, NOT the God of Creation, hence why he was invited into God’s Gate to witness Snake’s return, making his status similar to that of Alastor, as representatives of the Three Gods.

    And thus Ernest (the blondie Flame Haze) was tasked with finding (which took some time) and persuading Rofocale to ask his God to intervene somehow. Though Rofocale at first declines, saying his God will only come if there is something worthy of its attention, though in the end he seems to have found it lying in the VW Bus passenger seat, whatever that is. So I’d expect this third God to make his entrance soon.

    Kinny Riddle
    1. I know what it is, I know what it is, I know what it is!
      Show Spoiler ▼

      It has something to do with the balance between human and tomogara.

      virox
  2. Well, it’s like June’1944 in that everywhere is something going on. (allies landing in Normandy, Russians launching operatioin Bagration and destroying German Army Group Center, US Navy decimating IJN at Marianas and landing marines at Saipan, Tinian and Guam). Whatever mad plan Shana conocted in her mind, is bogglingly complex – it involves diversionary attacks by the 3/4 gods, infiltration and sabotage by Margery, direct confrontation with enemy leader and his pet project, and finally some sort of Oracle declaration to change the world. Also, despite them gettting hasty getaway, we might yet see some action by Pheles, Johann and possibly Kazumi?

    ewok40k
  3. The biggest revelation of this episode: there’s a third God of Crimson Realm.

    But thing is, does that even matter much at this point? Never mind we know that Anime will end in a few episodes. The battle is basically approaching its end point very soon, and seeing Shahar is the God of Guidance and Ernest wants to request an Oracle, it’s likely this God won’t actually do any fighting. If so why stick this development out now? Or is there some significance with whatever Pheles and Johan is planning that it can grab the God’s attention?

    On other note, Yuuji’s spell is kinda deus ex machina that came out of nowhere, and sadly it didn’t even do anything that’s helpful, well I guess it saved his life.

    Anyhow, things just became alot more interesting with the rings blown into the Egg. Now we must remember, that the creation of the world is done by the Grand Psalm of Snake’s, and the rings contain spells made by that same source, which probably means Shana can manipulate the creation of the world. Now wouldn’t it be interesting if the new spell stops the creation process altogether, but I doubt that’ll be the case or what’s the point of the 20 episodes so far?

    So who wants to take a bet on what the rings does with the creation of the new world?

    gungnir
    1. I agree, I have no idea what Yuuji’s unrestricted spell was about.
      I get the feeling it’s something that the anime version glossed over, but was mentioned in the novel prior. Can someone explain this?

      virox
  4. I got the feeling that this show lacked “real action”. Okay, so Misaki City has became a warzone since Episode 18, but the only “real fight” that we’ve seen is Shana + Wilhelmina + Margery vs. Yuuji + Syndonay. There are so many new Guze no Tomogara that appeared like Pirsoyn, Ribersal, Harborym, and 3 more (I don’t know their names), but didn’t do anything. Also, the 3 Gods of the Motherland are doing nothing but kill off pawns. It didn’t really give an athmosphere of a warzone.

    Dark_Pride
    1. It’s not exactly a warzone, as the Flame Haze army was more or less decimated back in episode 14, and right now they’re stuck with internal squabbling and trying to figure out who’s responsible before they could even regroup.

      Rather than an army, Shana’s group in Misaki is more of a crack commando unit acting on their own accord rather than an officially sanctioned operation (albeit with Sophie’s blessings).

      Kinny Riddle
  5. Man I was pissed when I saw Shana’s rings make it past Yuji lol. But that’s because I’m totally rooting for him!

    I still think this shows’ only saving grace is it’s action. While it at least has a direction, the development for it seems to constantly be unknown. It started off with us not knowing why Yuji was fighting, then Shana, now Pheles and Johan (and still Shana). While some shows I think can be written to be really entertaining while not knowing about where things are going or what’s really going on I haven’t really enjoyed it spanned over 20 episodes. Makes for a long time just to sit around and watch people fight with out any strong logical reason.

    I would have put the writing with GC in being poorly written in conveying why their characters are fighting. It’s just that this has had 2 prior seasons that it doesn’t seems as cliche. But really everything’s coming out of know where at the moment. It may all wrap up nice in the end but so might GC lol. This just has much more action so I don’t have to think about the why’s as much like in GC.

    Shurai
  6. The end of this episode made me seriously angry at a character in it for the first time in a while.

    Shana, dear, let me teach you something about physics. If something requires a lot of energy, then before that task may be accomplished, that energy must be gathered in some sort of form. Fuel, you might say. Presumably, creating a universe requires a lot of it. The World Egg is, at least, the starter kindling that will be used to create and sustain the metaphorical fires of creation. But you really have no idea how much energy Yuji has been feeding into it, especially since he’s a god and it has its own defence mechanisms. And if you destroy it, then all of that released energy has to go *somewhere*. It’s going to explode, Shana. On the low end, it’ll be a pretty big boom. On the other end? Oh, about as much as the goddamn Big Bang, because that’s literally what the World Egg is supposed to be!

    You nearly blew up the entire universe. What is wrong with you? And you do this immediately *before* proposing your plan? What the hell makes you think they’ll be willing to listen to you after what they’ll probably (and quite reasonably) view as a spiteful attempt to destroy their utopia? Someone gave their life to create that World Egg, someone that was one of Bal Masque’s leaders and someone that one of those leaders was very close to! I mean, for god’s sake, did no one with more social grace see the flaw in this plan? It’s like it’s designed to fail! From the very beginning, it eliminates all chance of your opponents actually listening! How idiotically self-righteous can you be?

    At least the uphill struggle on the part of Bal Masque at the end (and the fact that one of their enemies is The Implacable Man and the other is The Zombie King) makes it clearer and clearer they’re supposed to be the good guys by now. If the Flame Hazes won after all this, I would be pissed.

    Einander
    1. That makes a lot of since and I agree with you. Just one thing though.

      I think Shana must have been trying to play a “SImon the Digger” but ended up failing. SO, I ask, if that obscure plan had actually work, would you still be mad at her or would you give her the most epic bro fist you can conjure up?

      Because, honestly, after watching Simon punch out a freaking God with his bare fist, I believe anything can actually work in anime. By the way, this is just a little humurous comment so don’t take it too seriously.

      bobobo
  7. I’ve been wanting to side with Yuuji for a really long time now. It almost surprises me to say this, but Yuujisnake’s chemistry with the Trinity has been really sincere and almost nostalgic, to the point where it really casts these supposedly “evil” characters in a positive light. Our traditional sense of morality and justice further gets distorted – and I’m sure people have pointed it out – and I honestly love this internal conflict. I think Sydonay and Yuuji’s banter about dealing with women is a particularly nice moment that really emphasized how “human” they are, at least in terms of emotions.

    And I was bothered by this a while back but kind of ignored it. Alastor is the God of Atonement. Retribution. That really reflects the twisted Flame Haze’s mission really well, but doesn’t persuasively paint a picture of actual justice.

    Jif
    1. I totally agree sir… to me it seems both reasoning of the two groups, even the gods, in conflict is just merely for survival, they’re fighting to win in order for their own reasoning to be right, its not really justice at all. In the end, i guess what society normally brands as justice is the word of the victor and the subsequent acceptance of the majority.

      n30nL16HT

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