Log Horizon: Entaku Houkai – 02

「アキバ公爵」 (Akiba Koushaku)
“The Duke of Akiba”

If there’s one choice which can never go wrong, it’s getting straight into the thick of things and Log Horizon aims to not disappoint. With introductions out of the way (mostly), it’s down to brass tacks as the going gets tough and the tough get going. Or, in other words, it’s politics for all and no one is safe.

Per the foreshadowing last week, Eins’ little maneuver did more than simply shake up the Roundtable – it flipped the whole thing on its head. One cannot really fault Eins in his logic: to help those indifferent and apathetic to the system requires the concerned to step up and put their money where their mouth is. The problem, however, as so succinctly summed up by all the talk this episode, is that Eins is selfish, opportunistic, and far in over his head. Cannot get your fellow guilds to donate their time and resources to implement your plan (that you yourself don’t want to help with in the first place)? Find a bit of power—i.e. that spiffy new duke title—to coerce the actions you desire. And if the dukedom happens to come from a foreign power at best tolerated in your land (and one itself arguably controlled by another group of adventurers)? No worries, it’ll work out in the end! Eins is just the latest example of a guy who believes he can ride the political establishment tiger and tame it into doing his bidding, all the while conveniently ignoring the countless mangled corpses lying in its wake. He may have a good deal of authority resting behind him now, but when it comes time to pay it back with interest (oh the irony of thinking Akihabara will remain an independent buffer state under his control), he’ll quickly discover just how far that strength truly extends.

Reaching the point of deserved humility, however, is going to take some time, and the immediate consequences are already playing out. Rayneshia for example has pretty much been given a hard deadline to make up her mind, though considering how attached she is to Akihabara and her new friends, expect this to be the first real speedbump to whatever the real mastermind has planned. Well, at least purported mastermind; Indicus (Ohara Sayaka), thanks to her grudges and personality, guaranteed isn’t as smart as she thinks she is. Likewise is the Roundtable itself, Eins may think he has a stranglehold over it via the People of the Land, but the other guilds aren’t about to simply roll over and accept his governance – besides now allowing other adventurers to accept official titles, expect some quiet movement to start knocking Honesty down a peg or twelve. And then comes the real wild cards like Kanami/Krusty and Nureha (Saito Chiwa) whose own actions will assuredly have far reaching consequences.

There’s a lot of moving parts at play in Log Horizon, and with Shiroe set to move himself, plenty more left to reveal before the whole picture is made clear. Best strap yourselves in boys and girls, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Random Tidbits

It’s really disheartening remembering about Fujiwara Keiji’s death last year. Not to discredit Tadano Youhei’s work as Regan’s new voice actor, but he really lacks the feel that Regan’s character is known for.

For the first time Akatsuki not only took part in a serious conversation, but actually contributed and remembered key details! The shrimp *brushes a tear from the eye* she’s growing up.

Preview