First Impressions / Xam'd Lost Memories

Summary:

Around the same time that the Zanbani leaves port with Raigyo now onboard, the Sentan Island military ship departs as well. Haru’s mind is still on Akiyuki and how he said he couldn’t come home yet, and so she forgets that she has the water faucet running until Furuichi turns it off for her. On the Zanbani meanwhile, Raigyo hands out presents and starts to get reacquainted with the crew. They are all happy that he’s back, and Nakiami brings him to see Madame Tenshin. Raigyo’s response to Tenshin’s question of what the Xam’d seeks is an explanation of what his journey taught him, but he still doesn’t know the exact answer. He then goes to see Ishu and hears about her plan to attack the north. Akiyuki meanwhile wakes up thinking about Haru, and when Raigyo comes around, he gives Akiyuki advice on how to make his arm feel better. Raigyo also tells Akiyuki not to be afraid and reveals that he’s a Xam’d as well.

Meanwhile on Sentan Island, Haru and Furuichi are part of the group welcomed into the Far East Autonomy as Mainsouls by Kakisu. During lunch later that day, Furuichi decides that he and Haru should go home separately from now on because they’re no longer childhood friends. He claims that he’s devoting himself to protecting the island, and he reminds Haru that they are now both soldiers. At around the same time, Dr. Kanba and Kakisu are discussing the creation of anti-Humanform weapons with the green soulstone from Tsumebara Pass and the Hiruko from the test-type Xam’d. Haru is later brought in front of Kakisu because he wants to confirm Furuichi’s account of what happened at Tsumebara Pass. She disagrees with Kakisu’s assessment that Akiyuki isn’t human anymore, but she can’t support her statement and gets dismissed with the advice that she should follow Furuichi’s example. After Haru leaves, Prois tries to warn Kakisu about Haru, but he finds her very interesting. Prois notes that she’s actually personally more interested in Haru’s little sister.

Back on the Zanbani, Akiyuki finds himself being forced to attend to Raigyo’s needs, and after a very long time in the bathtub, a clean-shaven Raigyo emerges for dinner. Akiyuki is not happy about all the things he has to do, and it doesn’t help that Raigyo won’t let him eat until he brings dinner to Ishu first. Everyone ignores Akiyuki upon his return, and when he loudly offers to bring Ahm dinner as well, they take him up on it and then continue ignoring him. Akiyuki’s opinion of Raigyo doesn’t begin to change until he hears Ahm talk about how Raigyo left Nakiami two years ago to travel the world. He ends up spending his time on the deck of the ship with one of Haru’s letters, and Akushiba eventually recruits him to spy on Raigyo and Nakiami. Akiyuki remains a little depressed over how he would not have been able to survive without Nakiami whereas Raigyo was able to live two years by himself, so Akushiba cheers him up by explaining that Akiyuki and Raigyo are similar – Nakiami had to take care of them both after she first picked them up.

Inside Nakiami’s room, Raigyo meanwhile presents her with a photo of the Sun-Maned girl named Kujireika who is leading the Tessik people. Raigyo doesn’t understand the rumors about the Tessik wanting to retake the Holy Land from the Northern Government because his experience at the Tessik village led him to believe that they wanted peace. He suspects that something happened to Kujireika, and he suggests that it’s finally time for them to do something, but Nakiami feels that she can’t go back. Raigyo then points his camera on her and comments on how two years have passed and how objects captured on film are always only in the past.

Preview

This episode feels like its setting up for the next arc, which is probably exactly what it was doing given that last week had something like a climax with Akiyuki and Haru being briefly reunited. I didn’t really like all of the time they spent on Akiyuki being jealous of Raigyo, but it’s probably necessary for Akiyuki’s character development. Regardless, I don’t see Raigyo sticking around because it’d be too overpowered to have two Xam’d together for any extended period of time. Maybe he’ll leave again or turn out to be a bad guy or something.

As for the two diverging paths the story is taking, Akiyuki’s is interesting because the ship is headed north and presumably towards battle with the Northern Government. The Sentan Island side of things also has a lot developing (like Prois’ mention of Haru’s little sister), however the thing I really care about is Haru getting the chance to punch Furuichi in the face. I don’t hate Furuichi yet as much as I did, say, Kazuki from Dragonaut, but he gets closer with every asshole-y thing he says. Speaking of Haru though, it looks like she’s finally cutting her hair. My first reaction was that she should have kept it long, but after looking at it, it’s better than I thought it’d be – very edgy.

17 Comments

  3. ya man this episode was so obviously about Akiyuki being Jelene it was just funny to me. still wth does Haru little sister have to do with anything i wanna know next ep.

    Also i knew that Raigyo was the dude in the opening since last episode but it was weird how, when he had the beard it looked like he had a big nose, and then after shave it turns normally.

    Oh and this — https://randomc.net/image/Xam%27d%20Lost%20Memories/Xam%27d%20Lost%20Memories%20-%2009%20-%20Large%20Preview%2003.jpg — i cant wait to see in action, u know her moving around and stuff.

    Oh oh and do they always have this healthy big meal lol https://randomc.net/image/Xam%27d%20Lost%20Memories/Xam%27d%20Lost%20Memories%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2015.jpg

    Chimasternmay
    Reply

  5. I cant blame him for being a little jealous. The other dude comes back and next thing ya know everyone treating him like he is lower then whaleshit.

    I must be the only 1 that liked her hair better long. Now she looks very similar to Nakiami (minus the face markings/tattoos).

    Splash
    Reply

  8. Akiyuki just felt kind of out of place and weak when he saw how Raigyo, another Xam’d, getting along with everyone very well and did survive all by himself for two whole years. It’s more like an sudden inferiority complex and frustration than jealousy.

    keralie
    Reply

  9. I agree with Keralie. I think it was a perfectly understandable reaction. But after watching this episode i find myself respecting Akiyuki even more as how he handled it all. The Renton kid from Eureka 7 did a lot more sulking around which i found very annoying. Haru is as excellent as always. I can’t compare her to any other anime heroines out there (which i have seen). The way she talks and the way she handles herself in a tough situation. Her whole character has gentleness and a feel of maturity. All in all this episode was pretty good especially since i was worrying this will turn out to be another one of those boring character introduction episodes. Seeing the nekomata blush was hilarous unarguably the best moment of the episode.

    hawkeye
    Reply

  13. I seriously hope that even though Furuichi may turn out like Kazuki, that he won’t turn good in the end, cos I hope Akiyuki will kill him. He just piss me off with his arrogant attitude.

    Cherubium
    Reply

  14. Raigyo is soooo dreamy! <3 Even Roppa can’t resist his macho macho charms, ha. Curiously, Nakiami seemed immuned to his machismo and I didn’t sense anything romantic between the two; just two adults talking. And the screenshot with Raigyo and Benikawa was misleading; she just leaned in close to tell him he stunk, ha.

    Ya, I do wonder what Haru’s kid sister has to do with anything. I first I thought Prois took an interest in Haru because she could hear Xam’d’s and see the Tower of Sauron thing. Maybe Prois is looking for the next victim for the Tessik scientist’s humanform experiments or something (which would be bad news for Haru and crippled loli sis).

    Haru with short hair isn’t as bad as I thought it’d be; I rather like it. If it means she’ll get more moar and punch Furuichi around more often for being an asshat, I’m fine with that.

    That one shot of Nakiami with her hair up (or maybe that’s young Nakiami? hard to tell) doesn’t look too bad either.

    Reiter
    Reply

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