Dragonaut / First Impressions

Summary:

After waking up naked in an unfamiliar bed, Jin slowly remembers what had happened earlier. Back then, Toa had told him that she’d be waiting at the lighthouse, and she had proceeded to disappear. Sieglinde arrived by car with her butler soon after, and he had knocked Jin out. The room he’s now in is locked, so Jin looks around and notices a camera in the corner. Talking to the camera, Jin demands to be let out and questions where he is, and a girl’s voice answers back that this is the ISDA. Sieglinde tells him that they want to talk to him about the shuttle accident from two years ago, and she walks into his room soon after. Jin, however, accidentally lets the sheet that he was using to cover himself slip off and exposes himself to her, prompting her to call him a tiny man. Elsewhere on the base, Kazuki is introducing himself to his now humanoid-looking Dragon that’s still in a test tube and has named it “Gio” because of its code number G10.

With some clothes on now, Jin arrives at the ISDA control room where Beisel Sakaki informs him that the shuttle accident was not due to a mistake on his father’s part. Instead, it has to do with Thanatos, which had caused Pluto’s demise 20 years ago and is now sitting in the old Pluto’s orbit. Beisel is sure that Thanatos will come towards Earth eventually and claims that the omens have already started. Revealing a large tube behind him, Beisel explains that the thing that caused the shuttle accident two year ago was an extraterrestrial life that came from Thanatos – what they call a Dragon. This gets Jin angry because there was never any official announcement about it, and that’s led to his dead father being treated like a criminal ever since the incident. He wants them to prove his father innocent, but the ISDA’s Laina Cromwell comes in at that moment to say that they can’t. He asks Jin to think about what would happen if they made an announcement about extraterrestrial life being responsible.

Before Jin can protest further, Beisel declares that Dragonauts are the only power mankind has against Thanatos. He feels that if Jin hates Thanatos for taking away his family, then Jin should become a Dragonaut. Jin, however, only cares about clearing his father’s name, and he tries to leave, but Sieglinde reminds him that he’s got nowhere to go back to. They are interrupted when Kazuki arrives in the command room, and he and Jin immediately recognize each other. The two are then driven to some ISDA lodgings, and along the way, Kazuki expresses how happy he is to see Jin again. He still remembers their promise to go to space together someday, and because of this, he doesn’t understand why Jin turned down the offer to become a Dragonaut. When Jin asks, Kazuki admits that he had known about Jin’s father not being the cause of the shuttle accident, though he had only found out after he became a Dragonaut.

Back at the ISDA, Laina questions if Beisel really intends for Jin to become a Dragonaut, so Beisel reveals that he thinks that Jin will definitely come in contact with the Album again. When that time comes, he wants them to go all out to secure her. Meanwhile, Jin is getting angry remembering everything Beisel told him, and he suddenly recalls that Toa said she’d be waiting at the lighthouse. As a result, he runs the entire way there, and, just like she said she’d be, Toa is there. The two of them end up sitting on the shore together watching the sunset, and Jin admits that he doesn’t remember what happened yesterday very well. In response, Toa tell him that he only needs to remember meeting her. Jin then asks her about going to space and seeing the Earth from space, and Toa describes it as beautiful. While they’re holding hands though, Toa uses her mind to destroy the nearby surveillance camera being operated by Sieglinde.

Later that night, Jin and Toa are on the move but have stopped at a vending machine when ISDA troops suddenly surround them. Before they can get captured, Toa takes Jin and jumps away, so Machina of the ISDA tries to stop them with a special ability that allows her to grab Toa’s legs. Toa somehow manages to break free of it and then leaves Jin in the forest while she faces off against the other people with special powers. Jin rushes towards her, but an explosion creates a wall of fire that prevents him from reaching her. Instead, he has to face Kazuki who is now pointing a gun at him. Since they still have their promise of going to space together, Kazuki doesn’t understand why Jin tried to run away, though he also says that he doesn’t want to shoot because they’re best friends. Jin doesn’t feel the same way since he’s being chased and threatened with a gun, and he decides that he’s alone after all.

Although Kazuki isn’t willing to shoot Jin, his comrade Amagi Keiichi smiles and fires off a shot. Luckily for Jin, Toa runs in to take the bullet for him, and she grabs him and leaps away at the same time. Toa quickly heals the wound, and she kisses Jin to tell him that he’s not alone because she’s there too. They’re chased by Howling Star, Machina, and Amadeus, but the fourth person with special powers Spirytus isn’t with them. His partner Amagi is now yelling about wanting to kill more people, and Spirytus soon transforms from himself into the brute and then into a Dragon. The other ISDA members get a message from Kazuki about Spirytus having eaten Amagi, and Laina realizes that without a master, the Dragon will start to run out of control. Spirytus actually seems to be targeting Jin, but Toa gets between them and shields him. This repels Spirytus the first time, and before the Dragon can come at them again, Toa asks Jin to close his eyes. Much to Jin’s shock, she then leaps into the air and transforms into a Dragon.

Preview:

So if I understand this correctly, then each of the people who have special abilities are Dragons in human form, and each has a master in the ISDA. Based on the pairings shown in the OP/ED and on what we’ve seen so far, Spirytus’ master was Amagi, Howling Star’s is Laina, Machina’s is Akira, Amadeus’ is Sieglinde, Gio’s is going to be Kazuki, and Toa’s master will be Jin. Actually, I’m not so sure Gio is going to obey Kazuki since the OP and ED have made him look pretty independent. The ED pairs Kazuki up with a woman who we haven’t been introduced to yet, so she might be the one who becomes his Dragon.

As for Jin, having a romantic relationship with a Dragon probably won’t end well for him. I can just imagine some final battle where Toa sacrifices herself to protect him, and series would end with Jin saying something along the lines of how he’s realized that he’s not alone after all. It probably won’t be that predictable, but it’s not out of the question. Of course, it’s still way too early in the series to be talking about the end, and we don’t know how Gio will complicate things yet. Next episode should be his introduction.

69 Comments

  4. Nice episode this is makes me wonder which he sides with of course his new girlfriend dragon 😛 but got a feeling in the end of the season she will either die or just leave or something

    Gummi
    Reply

  6. So she’s a dragon (hot one at that), so what? Never stopped Rouce the Red Lightning from having a daugher (Mink) from the OVA Dragon Half. ^-^

    Glad you picked this series up, its looking good so far. Hopefully it can keep pace.

    JakeOrion
    Reply

  8. Sweet Sweet Sweet and sweet episode. No doubts this will be best anime this season. Second ep has beaten the first already. And I can’t wait for third. Screenshots look nice and story seems to move on perfectly.

    Unknown Voice
    Reply

  9. “Well that complicates their relationship – Toa IS a Dragon”

    I thought that might be the case. I had a feeling that the Dragonaut’s partners were in fact their dragons. Case in point the blue haired lady we see with Kazuki in the OP doesn’t appear in the first episode and Kazuki just happens to aquire his dragon in that episode, so my guess is that she’ll appear later and will be his dragon. 🙂

    mangaka-chan
    Reply

  21. Interspecies relationships…… well it worked for the Pig and the Frog

    (Miss Piggie and Kermit the Frog from The Muppets for all those under age 12 who might not even know about them.)

    tunemeister
    Reply

  31. Toa = Dragon
    Eureka = Coralien
    Lucy = Diclonius
    San = Mermaid
    Yoko = Inukami
    Chrono = Demon
    Yuka = Shokujinki
    Chi = PersoCom
    Nia = Anti-spiril
    Beldandy = Goddess

    Should I continue?

    Human + Non-Human just works in anime, i see no problem with it.

    8GaugeBrett
    Reply

  35. Human? Inhuman? No one cares anymore! That’s never been a problem in any other anime! Vampire? Alien? Extraterrestrial vessel sent to destroy all spiral beings? What hasn’t there been? I guess rider/mech love is kinda new. Then again… idolmaster… -twitch-

    Magical Poof
    Reply

  40. So Toa is a dragon, with all that fighting form the 1st ep it was obvious she wasn’t human… however if we go from what we saw the dragon eggs need a host doner to sinc and get genetic DNA to mature… so who is Tao’s partner?

    If you look at the OP she’s holding half of the bracelet that Jin’s sister wore, Jin has the other half. Wonder if this means she joined with Jin’s siter before she died and now goes to Jin cause of the link influicing her choice.

    Neko
    Reply

  41. “Beisel explains that the thing that caused the shuttle accident two year ago was an extraterrestrial life that came from Thanatos”

    You would think it would have been better for them just to claim it was hit by a meteorite.. it be rare but possible, prob the same chance as the dragon hitting it.

    After this thought I took a look at the collision from ep 1 and was surprised I missed the continuity flaw from the impact. Just seconds prior to the shot of the collision the incoming dragons were producing a huge black smoke trail that mysteriously isn’t present during the collision. This would be the only way they could pull off the crap story of the pilot being at fault, the shuttle exploded almost after it left the mag launcher and something with a mile long smoke trail would have been obvious even to unaided watchers at the shuttle port.

    Neko
    Reply

  42. Reading that Kazuki named his dragon “Gio” because of the G10 code, got me thinking that Toa got her name from the half of the bracelet shes got. Its suppose to read “From Jin To Ai”, we see in the intro that Jin and Toa both have pieces, and Jin’s piece reads “From Jin” meaning Toa has the “To Ai” piece.
    No idea how blatant this is suppose to be, but would explain why a non partnered dragon has a name.

    RageTitus
    Reply

  46. WHOA!!! that dude is gonna stroke a dragon!!!! but really i hope omni is wrong on that prediction..”but me thinks hes right” especially after that horror show of an ending with witch blade, and HILARIOUS!!!! TOA “DOES” LOOK LIKE A POKEMON! HAHAHAHAHA..a pokemon with a PHAT A$$

    BROOKLYN otaku
    Reply

  48. “I’m not so sure Gio is going to obey Kazuki since the OP and ED have made him look pretty independent. The ED pairs Kazuki up with a woman who we haven’t been introduced to yet, so she might be the one who becomes his Dragon.”

    There were 3 original dragons / eggs sent to Earth, 1 crashed into the shuttle, 1 is Toa and will be Jin’s dragon, that 3rd unknown one will probably become the girl Kazuki is with in the OP.

    If you look on past animes the 2 main aposing combatants have to be equal in strength to give it that great tension in fights, we already know Toa can kick but (4 against 1) so if Kazuki is going to stand on even grounds with Jin then he may very well need the other original.

    Neko
    Reply

  53. > If you look at the OP she’s holding half of the bracelet that Jin’s sister wore, Jin has the other half. Wonder if this means she joined with Jin’s siter before she died and now goes to Jin cause of the link influicing her choice.

    So it’s not just interspecies romance, it’s interspecies incest!

    Telliamed
    Reply

  54. well…..those dragons can turn to be human too right? love and sex are blind, species doesnt matter when you talk about love and sex, btw, I like the loli, who is her name again? siglinde? weird name

    whatever
    Reply

  55. Hmm, this anime seems to be getting interesting. I agree with Neko, from what the opening revealed, I have to say that Toa might have some connection with Jin’s sister.Her dragon from is cool, but the 3D in the anime looks a bit weird >__

    Pyrotechnic
    Reply

  56. now let’s talk about morality, hmm, I think Jin has more problem than his father’s name. it is hard, he looses his family, his family’s name including his name is being shunned by mankind but yet he is forced to save the mankind that doesnt care about his matters. human is somehow selfish eh?:D not to mention that the deal itself is quite shady, protect the earth from thanatos using the dragon – which is probably the “murderer” of his family -.

    whatever
    Reply

  59. I just saw the episode finally and wow Gonzo has done a horrible job with the digital animation yet again… I feel like I am watching Demonbane all over again… except it’s dragons that look like pokemon. I am just waiting to see which fansub group has the balls to “translate” one of Jin’s lines as saying “Toa! I choose you!” LoLoLoL… but all that aside I am enjoying the story so far and if they can at least keep the story together then I can forgive them for the obnoxiously massive tits and horrible 3d models.

    8GaugeBrett
    Reply

  67. “Toa Hyper force!” “Toa PshycWAVE!” ROTFL those were the things I was thinking the last part of the epi… lets revive some Pokemon moments shall we? 😉

    and there IS no problem with Toa being a Dragon I mean in Erueka7 Eureka WAS a Coralian…. and how did they end? Happyly in a quasi marriage bliss and traveling around the world with no one tho bother them (OH and lets not forget Nirvash’s present to the pairing…. the huge dedication on the moonsurface… ^^’)

    I do however have my suspicion that Toa wil die… if there is something I’ve learned from anime-watching is: Relationship stated and quasi fullfiled early in the series= Tragic ending for the pairing… be it that Toa dies, or Jin dies, or one of them has to go…. this relationship WILL be over by the end of the series.

    Rikuu
    Reply

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