Helck – 10

「地図を求めて」 (Chizu o Motomete)
“In Pursuit of a Map”

It’s been mentioned before, I certainly keep bringing it up, but Helck is easily one series fit for binge watching. Not even a slight against it or me regretting covering it weekly; just the nature of the story and its proven willingness on never stopping to smell the roses. Or food in the case. Lots of food.

Besides the humour derived from realizing how literally filler this episode is, I have to hand it to Helck for at least being imaginative with its comedy. Doubt few anime only viewers for example would’ve pinned this series as one for a Shokugeki no Souma–Ratatouille mashup, complete with Iron Chef battling, smiling vegetables, and a Vamirio now openly praising what Mr. Muscles is fully capable of. Is it completely gut busting? Not particularly, but it did the trick to get me for one chuckling and showing the purpose of Helck isn’t so much the plot itself as the path to discovering all about it. Plus any time you get skits involving Piwi and his penchant for eccentric comedy you know you’re in for a fun time.

Mind you not everything was literal filler as villagers and maps helpfully alluded to. The detour into boar territory and over the top cooking adventures suggests that whatever is currently afflicting humanity likely has affected the surrounding regions. Barbarian kings going hog wild; kingdoms up and disappearing; mysterious troubadours happening to know what lies beyond the horizon: there remains something greater at work yet to be revealed, something which I remain convinced is tied directly to Helck in some way. Still waiting to find out just what it is (or for that matter even getting another hint or two), but as with all stories you don’t bring the main cast together without there being a plan at some point to test those new bonds.

Will the upcoming dark knight encounter finally shake an answer loose? We’re just going to have to wait and see.

Preview