「天国で地獄」 (Tengoku de Jigoku)
“Heaven and Hell”

For a second week in a row, Uchuu Kyoudai has managed to surprise me. The preview last week never really left any doubt about whether Hibito would survive the fall and I can’t really say I think Hibito is likely to die. Damian I’m a little more worried about – he’s comparatively expendable in this situation and his death could serve to create some long-lasting drama. But Uchuu Kyoudai has generally been more of a feel-good anime… I can’t imagine large amounts of drama which would potentially detract from that being introduced. This is why, when things were starting to look up and we were finally getting back into the usual swing of things, the sudden cliff-hanger managed to surprise me yet again. Now what’s going to happen to Hibito?!

It may have come as a surprise, but the foreshadowing was definitely there in the frequent shots of Hibito’s suit, each showing the damage it had sustained during the fall. While we don’t know how much time has passed since Hibito originally made his prediction on how long he’d need to wait for the others to arrive, it doesn’t really feel like enough for the eighty minutes of oxygen he has remaining to allow him to hold out. Just when things were beginning to look up for Damian, it seems like the most plausible option to allow at least one of the two to survive would be for Damian to give up his oxygen tank.

I always find it rather impressive how touching Uchuu Kyoudai manages to be. We don’t really know Damian – compared to many of the other characters, he hasn’t really been given all that much time for development. Yet through the flashbacks, parallels, some impressive voice work, and Uchuu Kyoudai’s typically clever writing, it was easy to become attached to him in those moments where it seemed everything was over. Death – and facing it – has long been a recurring theme in the show, so there’s always something a little moving about seeing how the different individuals try to deal with it. Damian had already prepared his son should he never return from the moon, but being prepared is never quite the same as actually facing it.

All in all, like last week, it was rather a strange episode by Uchuu Kyoudai standards. The constant dark, the underlying tension, the unsettling music, and the uncertainty of what might be coming were quite different to what we’ve had for the past three cours. Yet it still had the thing which makes Uchuu Kyoudai one of the shows that I most look forward to every week – that neverending struggle and spirit of never giving in, whether it be in chasing dreams, or going against the manual in order to save a comrade.

tl;dr: @MoombaDS – A slightly different episode of #SpaceBros, but a good one nonetheless!

Random thoughts:

  • It’s interesting to hear Hibito talk about death, and how he imagines it will be much the same as before being born.
  • I love some of the imagery Uchuu Kyoudai likes to pull, the whole ‘fallen into hell but can see heaven’ being just another example.
  • When you think about it, Hibito was really lucky to survive that fall relatively unscathed, even on the moon!
  • But damn, this is a show that loves its intense cliff-hangers!

Full-length images: 14, 15, 28.

 

Preview

Omake

16 Comments

  1. Yes, i am curious how this ends up. Thumb Up, for the Story Writer. You made me “curious” with this Cliffhanger without “crossing” the Line

    Eight Minutes. Well, if i about to tell waht will happen next. Damian will give Hibito his Oxygen Tank, to reach Gibson. The Time he needs to Bring Gibson back “On-Line” will be Important to Save him and Damian. And he has 8 Minutes or lesser. It all depends on the “rest Oxygen” Daiman has in the System without Main Tank.

    But that brings us back, what all can happen in “outer Space”…

    Germanguy
    1. https://randomc.net/image/Uchuu%20Kyoudai/Uchuu%20Kyoudai%20-%2040%20-%20Large%2023.jpg

      Well, now i know that in their Time, their Spacesuits have a “Data-Display” Port. In their “Time-Line” Future they should invent an “Autonomy” Planet-map System Guide without Satellites, like i wrote in the Last Episode. So it works without “external” Position, just from “Memories” of a Machine. PC Data and Calculations of Speed…

      Well, if you go there and need a Name for this System… “HAL 9001” 🙂 (Now search the Easter-Egg here :))

      Germanguy
      1. Of course, you need “very good” Scans of the Planet Surface.

        Hint? Time-line 21:07-21:27

        So you never know, when this Data can be “useful”. Even old “First Apollo” mission Pictures can save Life in the Future, on a Planet that dont change

        Germanguy
  2. can’t help but notice… buddy’s shirt got a lot looser than last week’s

    Other than that. I actually don’t think it would be too weird if they kill off Hibito :/ (as much as the series’ name imply otherwise), the show has go over the topic of death many many times. I sure hope they don’t kill off Hibito though.

    N0216332
  3. Oh, snap! That foreshadowing! This episode was perfectly executed! When Hibito left Damian, I was saying “No, Hibito. Don’t do it!” but then he found a way to save him.

    But the biggest and my most favorite scene in this episode is when Hibito fell down and his oxygen tanked ripped. You could see the moment Damian’s eyes were filled with shocked, guilt and fear. I really need the new episode now! This arc is one of the best arc!

    underMebius
  4. Man I’ve really enjoyed Uchuu Kyoudai, but this was definitely the best episode so far (IMO). It was really intense all throughout, and that cliff hanger, my god…..

    Really I’m still a bit of a lost of what to say since the ep ended…. I’m very much looking forward to the next episode. Especially the reactions to the other characters. Mutta especially since we didn’t get him at all this episode.

    Mukyuu
  5. This episode reminded me a lot of the climax of another fantastic space-themed anime called “Planetes” (a must watch anime for fans of Space Brothers), it was pretty intense and cruel .. i wonder what will happen here in Uchuu Kyoudai (Planetes may have had a lot of light-heated positive moments as in Space-Brothers but near the end it also got pretty serious and dark “figuratively”).

    I also have to say the director of the episode did a good job hinting at the final scene by showing us the damage on Hibitio’s Oxygen tank .. also great use of flash-backs and very well inserted light-hearted dialog/moments that didn’t ruin the serious mood of the episode .. rather made it more impactful.

    HunterWulf
  6. I was honestly worried that Hibito would die from the crash(phew)

    A few months ago, I’d accidentally spoiled myself by inadvertently watching part of the live-action movie PV, where I saw the scene where the lunar buddy drove off the edge of the cliff… so for the past few months, I’d been thinking (and waiting in trepidation, I may add) that that would be where the movie ended, i.e. it would end at the scene of Hibito’s death. So glad that wasn’t the case 🙂

    RyC

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