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「もうこれしか」 (Mou Kore Shika)
“All That’s Left”
It really is bittersweet getting to 86 this week. This was supposed to be the grand finale, the climax of where this series has been heading for a long while, and the potential teaser for what yet may come. Indeed we even got in part as everything came together in defiance and tragedy, only to realize still two episodes remain and we have until March to see just where things go from here. And rest assured, things are going places.
Although Shin and Frederica naturally dominate this week’s proceedings, it’s the other members of Spearhead who give them that strength of will. I doubt anyone is seriously expecting some of the cast to actually wind up dead from playing decoy (if Raiden’s quick reappearance is any indication), but the point of their actions still stand: it’s not about individuals, it’s about survival and doing what’s required to ensure at least someone has the chance to see life beyond the frontline. Shin, for all his recent agonizing, still is the best suited to achieving to that goal, and so naturally is provided the opportunity to push it home. The difference this time is that Spearhead chose to give Shin that boost over him deciding on his own, and it is that supportive difference which likely ensured the Morpho was defeated.
Of course it wasn’t Shin alone who secured victory, as Frederica to probably no surprise wound up being the key to it all. The girl obviously wasn’t going to sit back and watch, but to go as far as threaten her own life for the sake of Kiri was eye opening in reinforcing just how important Kiri was to her and how Shin in particular has underestimated the pint-sized pipsqueak. For all Frederica emulates Shin in mentality, she also provides blunt evidence how the problems and agony both of them face are best dealt with via the assistance of others. So what if you blame yourself, so what if you may have a had a hand in what transpired, it is no excuse to cut yourself off and impact those around you. Shin, as Raiden browbeat into him last time, has only just come face to face with that lesson, which Frederica’s actions here help put the exclamation mark upon. There’s more to life than self-sacrifice, and if Shin truly wants to defeat the Legion, he must now accept that plenty of others want to help him achieve that goal – and see him survive in the process.
Such planning, however, first requires knowing what you have to work with, and on that front we have one hell of an agonizing wait. Not hard to guess Shin and company survived Kiri’s last hurrah, but who among that company and in what shape (Raiden especially) is anyone’s guess at this point. Sure, it’s incredibly annoying given how this season’s scheduling panned out, but there’s arguably no better way to keep interest strong in a series which deserves it.
Stay tuned boys and girls, couple months wait or not, 86 still has plenty left to show.
Preview
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I’m looking forward to the aftermath more than anything all things considered. Because if there’s one thing Spearhead isn’t used to, it’s whenever the dust settles. That, and whenever a fight against the Legion is made personal, especially when it involves Shepherds. How will Frederica cope. What circumstances will the surviving Spearhead members go back to and how will they cope. Will Shin be confronted by Nina and Erwin. Will Shin go back to contemplating his place in the world despite being reminded his life isn’t only his anymore.
All these questions will make the wait till March somewhat agonizing. It’d be very painful to just forget about the show till then, but thankfully I don’t have to. Crunchyroll is still streaming the English dub, which I personally prefer since this is clearly an English speaking world and the acting is rather great.
I’ll probably give the dub a whirl myself before the final two episodes air as I’ve been meaning to rewatch this from the start. There’s a lot of early details that’ll hold more meaning now that their basis has been explained.
All the talk about broadcast slots and production issues, and then we get this beautifully crafted piece of animation. Of course unlike the rest this crucial episode might already have been finished for a while,
The march delay was also the reason why I didn’t expect the Shin vs Kiri fight to end this week already. And while Frederica and the once again surprisingly still very human like Kiri who even recognized her were an important focus, what actually got me teary eyed was the air support by the San Magnolia Republic, obviously ordered by we all know who (Come on, Pancakes :D).
Lena saving Shin once again was the highlight for me and just maybe they‘ll actually meet face to face in march, though what I‘m more interested in is to finally see a flashback consisting of how she and the soldiers/86 under her command managed to survive.
As for cliffhangers, Shin and Lena are both alive, but what about Raiden and Anju?
See you in march, though by then I might have picked up the LN.
The assistance is obvious yet ambiguous enough that I thought it could be left out of the discussion – plus I’m waiting to see Shin’s face once Lena tells him what exactly she’s been up to 😛
I don’t expect that point to be reached in the final two episodes though; events dealing with San Magnolia specifically are brought up in later material IIRC, so we’re going to have to hope for a sequel announcement.
I think Lena might have hands full saving her own cute @$$…
The fire support was probbaly from oe of the 3 advancing regular forces column of the allied antions, my bet being on Federation since they have most connection with 86.
Shin has been proceeding dangerously similar path to Kiri…. Burning himself up in the conflagration of war. I hope his friemds will manage to stop him from ending same way?
Shin will see Lena and that’s the end.
Speaking of Lena and Shin, he was much more stable with her around…
I also thought the artillery support was from Lena. Though, after awhile I can’t discount the possibility of the Federation bringing them.
Still putting my money on Lena, because of the sheer volume that was launched. The Republic is quite close by and it’s already mentioned that it’s outside the range of the Federation’s artillery. The scenes at the forward control base also showed no sings of missile artillery being brought over there and this show really loves hinting little details like that.
Do we really have to wait for march to find out?
@theirs
It’s a reasonable assumption it came from Lena given we’ve seen that same cluster munition used by San Magnolia last season. That and the proximity to San Magnolia makes it most likely, but like you say one cannot discount it coming from either the Federation or one of their allied countries.
Whoever is responsible though, it really highlights how much this scheduling delay sucks!
Frederica’s brave and powerful vocal confrontation with Kiri is still ringing in my ear. It definitely made my day hearing Frederica telling her former knight to stand down since Kiri no longer has the moral high ground.
Also I really hope Kurena Kukumila, Anju Emma & Theoto Rikka make it out alright, but I really hope Kurena Kukumila survives.
I agree. We still need an episode where Lena and Kurena have a cage match for Shin.
In that case, my money is on Kurena.
Doujin please…