Posted by OP Sequence
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OP: 「Hello! My World!!」by fhána
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「Hero & Beast」
As an avid fan of Monster Hunter, my fancies were tickled. The Behemoth, in addition to Ernesti’s exploits, exemplify a lonesome warrior taking down a mighty adversary far beyond compare. More specifically, I reminisced about subjugation quests of the Lao Shan Lung and the Akantor in Freedom Unite. Let’s just say both were giant creatures, with one being a destroyer of fortresses, and the other having a truly explosive breath. As you can see, there’s quite the overlap. For this reason, I will be focusing on the two aspects of the hunter and the hunted, when reviewing the details of this week’s episode.
Behemoth Invasion
Toll the bells! We have a crisis on our hands, as the Behemoth slowly lumbers towards the capital city, bringing along widespread destruction and doom. When your best hope can barely scratch this nightmare and gets obliterated in a single step, squished like bugs, you know things are looking grim. What would your reaction be if this 500 ton apocalyptic creature stared you down? I’d imagine it would be pretty difficult to muster up any semblance of courage. But let’s take a moment to appreciate the monster design. From reading the novels, it didn’t inspire much fear in my mind. Seeing the beast in all its majesty really was something else though. Another thing from reading the novels, I was actually quite angry at Dietrich for abandoning his comrades to the mercy of the Behemoth. However, the anime did a really fantastic job of putting his fright into perspective. I can’t even begin to imagine the constant vigilance required, because these things literally kill you in one blow. People may be asking questions as to why these grown ups got wiped out, while these young whippersnappers like Edgar, Helvi and Dietrich lasted so long. As someone with knowledge of the source material, allow me to answer that the Behemoth was simply toying with them, hence why they lasted for longer.
Ernesti Subjugating
Bucking the convention where a protagonist finds themselves reluctantly placed within a mecha, our boy Ernesti eagerly pilots one of his own will, going as far as stealing the mecha from poor Dietrich in order to do so. Against an Animalistic Abomination no less. If that’s not insanity, I don’t know what is. It could easily be said that the circumstances dictated an element of necessity, given that Dietrich deserted his fellow comrades. Also, it may seem like a complete copout that Ernesti reprograms and significantly improves the mecha functionalities beyond contemporary standards on the spot. Do bear in mind that after his reincarnation, this guy has spent almost every waking moment learning the magic and the code behind it, in preparation for the day he could finally pilot a mecha. Here we can see the incredible payoff where Ernesti stands toe to toe with the Behemoth, something no one else could do. And what struck me most was his complete lack of fear, instead giddily giggling in childlike joy as if completely confident in his own capabilities, despite never having tested them out. But even that’s not enough. It takes a provocation of Ernesti’s mecha loving spirit, and taking advantage of the sword planted into the Behemoth’s eye to overcome such adversity. A turtle counts as water type, so it makes perfect sense that some improvisation with electric circuitry would be super-effective. And we get Fried Turtle on the menu for dinner. Too bad they didn’t cut off the tail, so they shouldn’t be expecting to get any carves off of that.
Concluding Thoughts
Ernesti’s passion for mecha shines through, and in a turn of events surprisingly uninspired by the power of friendship, Laihalla pulls through the crisis thanks to his timely intervention. However, the monarchy seems to feel unsettled, and we come to a junction regarding politic, where Ernesti will be eliminated if his talents pose a threat to the king’s power. Fortunately, I’m certain the king can only come to one kind of conclusion from meeting with Ernesti. The kid has a severe case of mechanophilia, and poses no threat to the crown.
ED2 Sequence
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ED2: 「ユー＆アイ」by You & I
Preview
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I am vaguely disgruntled that the coward shares my son’s name >:|
But all in all, this show looks like a fun ride. Ern is a nutjob, and I love it.
Crushed robots > crushed people – yep, he’s nuts all right.
Don’t worry too much about it Andreas! There are other Dietrichs who are definitely heroic, like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and these Dietrichs are the ones who should be coming to mind rather than the cowardly one we got this episode. Not to mention, I’m fully expecting Dietrich to be redeemed later on.
Agreed that Er-kun is a complete nutjob, and his madness is a huge part of the show’s charm!
That’s a pretty good way to sum it up, that Ernesti’s just an eager protagonist. It’s a bit refreshing given the all too typical reluctant hero we normally deal with in fantasy.
The 1st 2 eps covered LN Vol 1.
This has alarmed some LN readers, who are concerned the anime is going to rush through its source material and leave out worldbuilding/characterization details in the process.
No official episode count has been given, but some think the anime might be trying to cover the 1st 5 volumes in 1 cour. (Vol 5 is the best stopping point plotwise, although Vol 3 is also considered acceptable.)
They’re only releasing the show in three high priced Blu Ray volumes(With more episodes per disc to justify to price). I haven’t looked too carefully(To avoid spoiling myself with the show if anything). But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was 12-13 episodes.
The pacing for this series feels completely off.
There are moments when I start to settle in, then the expository dialog hits and the big red light that says: “show, don’t tell!” begins to flash rapidly in the background. I like big robots, so I’ll give it a bit longer but it’s gonna have to sort that out soonish.
Coming in as a light novel reader with details of the facts that were left out in this adaptation, I’m actually quite okay with the pacing. Like I said in my previous episode post, I highly recommend reading the first volume translations from here.
Glad to hear you’ll stick with the show, because there’s certainly more to come.
The internet has become a bit too in love with the ‘show, don’t tell’ criticism. It’s not that simple, either good or bad. Generally, if you find yourself saying the same complaint constantly and that complaint comes in the form of a convenient soundbite, you may be overgeneralizing and should look a bit more at the exact situation.
if you want more world building go buy the novels and support the author.
Im both glad and concerned at Knight and Magic’s pace of adaptation.
Like Overlord, it is EXTREMELY WORDY! Tons of unnecessary exposition with the only purpose is to increase the word count.
However, these exposition also served as important world building materials and character development machinations.
As a light novel reader, I can attest that Knight and Magic’s anime adaptation, while well done, lacked a fair bit of character depth.
https://randomc.net/image/Knights%20and%20Magic/Knights%20and%20Magic%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
For example, why do the twins love Eru so much?
It was explicitly stated in the light novels but the anime practically ignored it.
I think its both good and bad because that particular arc is both useful and useless. Useful in terms of character development. Useless because IT HAS NO MECHA!
The main reason why I am please of the adaptation pacing is that despite K&M cutting off large amounts of world building (something I normally dislike) it does quicken the pace to get us to the Ikaruga!
https://randomc.net/image/Knights%20and%20Magic/Knights%20and%20Magic%20-%20OP%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
As long as I get to see the Ikaruga in action, I can pretty much forgive anything ^.^
Good show…as a mech otaku this show will Definitely going to my watch list. Though i still cringe at the effeminate MC
MC looks girly, but he’ll never act girly.
Just acting insane (for robots).
The robotic animation movement kinda reminds me of Basquash!
https://randomc.net/image/Knights%20and%20Magic/Knights%20and%20Magic%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2017.jpg
For me, two different franchises came to mind and one wasn’t even an anime!
https://randomc.net/image/Knights%20and%20Magic/Knights%20and%20Magic%20-%2002%20-%2001.jpg
The Behemoth looks like a kaiju from the Pacific Rim movie.
All that’s missing is a similar-sized Jaeger to fight it.
ahh~ monster hunter
now i can’t stop to imagine this scene
https://randomc.net/image/Knights%20and%20Magic/Knights%20and%20Magic%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
playing with monhunt theme song
https://youtu.be/XhDK0Krdabo
As a huge fan of monster I get what you mean, the entire episode I was thinking what weapons the knights could make of the kaiju turttle, maybe a really could switch axe which are my favorite gear to hunt.
woah switch axe huh..that’s my second favorite the first is great sword i really love the feeling of landing a full charge swing.
When the theme starts playing in the middle of a quest! Although it was boring that you could only kill it in the final area, meaning you had to hammer away at it for 28 or so minutes in other areas, no other Monster Hunter fight could quite rival the epic scale of this one for me.
Even with Akantor, Ukanlos and the Fatalis being more powerful, Lao Shan had them beaten in sheer size.
hahaha true, i hope lao shan will come to ‘monster hunter world’ imagine meeting lao shan on open world map and seeing its full size from afar. xD
Loved this episode, but definitely still on the 3 episode rule. This show should be about more than the action, and now that they rushed in and got their first big fight done let’s see how something a lot slower is handled.
So for the Ending we Have… Earlcumber, Guyale, Tellestarle, a Karrandor Dash(?), Eru’s Toybox, and Ikaruga, but no Tzendorg? Feels quite rushed, seems like they want to get to VOl. 4 fast where all the mech comabt takes place 😛
Vols 4-5 form one battle arc.
Yeah, But I think it continues on to VOl. 6 as by the end of Vol. 5 Show Spoiler ▼
Waiting for the VOl. 6 translations XD
I will never not find the name Earlcumber funny. It would only feel natural for Dukemato, Baronpepper, Marquesstater or Countbean to follow on.
I still sometimes still read it as Earl Cucumber XD
Also finally getting a close up of Ikaruga’s Face I can tell why everyone who see’s Ikaruga find it intimidating (LN rarely gives a clear close up of Ikaruga’s head) XD
My only wish… Hope they go pass the contents of Vol 4 lol Cant get enough of the Light novel!
This two Episodes was good enough to make me curios to watch it. Sure, you have here an “Sasuke” Genius Boy, but somehow they drawn him as one with no High nose, and found these friends and wanted to teach them. Yes, somehow they found the middle way of being an genius and stay with his two feet on the ground.
I wait for the 3 episode to be sure, but if they do not turn the steering 180 around, then i want to watch this anime this season
Am I putting too much thought into the implications of what Ernesti’s been doing so far?
I mean in episode 1 he invented magic guns… vastly improving the speed, accuracy and deadliness of traditional combat magic… and in episode 2 he’s shown how to vastly improve the combat capabilities of mecha that have been at the same design specs for generations.
As far as the story is now they’re only using both of these to fight demon beasts… but there must be rival countries out there who they now have the potential to VASTLY outpower in a war.
Re other countries:
Show Spoiler ▼
Also the other countries design and combat philosophies also differ from Fremevilla.
Since their main opponents are demon beasts that require the use of Silhouette Knights to Fight (Min. Duel Class) They prefer high mobility to heavier armor as shown in this ep, Heavier armor ain’t worth much against the larger Demon beasts.
Show Spoiler ▼
Personally, I find it pretty hard to like this protagonist. In the first episode he already has his own custom weapon (dual wielding extra cool points), saved a kid from being bullied, skiped grades and is fawned over by those two girls for reasons. He’s also told that there hasn’t been advancements in robot tech in 300 years but that won’t stop him from creating his own ace custom unit (He must have also been a mechanical engineer in his past life). Then he steals a robot, reprograms it, (a feat so impressive the narrator feels the need to gush about how no one else has ever attempted such a thing) and then precedes to basically solo the behemoth. It even seemed like the blond guy’s role was to be a complete wuss to contrast how much more courageous and badass the main character was. While I’m all for competent protagonists, I feel that he’s pushing into “sue” territory.
On a side note, I found that the impact of killing the behemoth to be lessened when the narrator cut in to explain exactly what happened.
A lot of this has to do with how badly they rushed through the beginning, I’m afraid. While all of that still happens, it happens much more gradually so that you can really take in the effort and circumstances, not just be slapped in the face with it and told to move on to the “cool robo-fighting”.
I’m giving it one more episode, because next time we’re getting to stuff that they’ll slow down and really show us if this show care about anything aside from the robots at all.
Ep 03:
Seems like i get hooked to this Anime. The Story are about to kick in. Action are okay, CGI seems okay, too just these little Knight Armor (these armored Suits) animation looks cheap. But it is okay, they are not the Main Mechas, they doing good as support
3 of 3 Passed, and i am hooked. Thanks RandomC
p.s. This running in the ED
It remember me of some Carnival Phantasm extra episode, where they make a joke about peoples running in the ED get an own anime (Saber in Red Dress aka Nero) attention.. Why did this trigger my memory? Perhaps it is an combo with my Captain Harlock memory (i found this out through Interstellar 5555)
it all began with “Future Boy Conan” and “Heidi” 🙂
p.s.s. Also it seems there are other animes on my curiosity list