Posted by  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
「さらば鴨川」 (Saraba Kamogawa)
“Goodbye, Kamogawa”
There is reason to Asteria’s rhyme after all. Rather than being frightened of what might happen if Madoka were to pilot, she is trying teach the Jersey Club leader a lesson: that she must confront her fear of losing someone close. I must admit, I did not see this coming. Shame on me for underestimating Rinne no Lagrange (when will I learn?), but I was expecting it to follow the standard route…Lan and Muginami go off to fight alone, get their butts whooped, and when things are looking bleak Tadokoro and the others call in Madoka to save the day.
But no, Asteria was playing the long game, and it showed an interesting facet to Madoka’s character: before Lan and Muginami, Madoka had no close friends. She had friends to be sure, but because she spent all of her time helping people out, she never had a chance to get close to anybody. She treated everyone equally, which sounds great until you realize that she it means she wasn’t holding anybody close. Though surrounded by people, Madoka was alone, unwilling to let anyone get truly close to her again, lest she lose them as well.
So why must Madoka confront this fear before she can pilot Vox Aura again? The way I see it, what triggered the blossoming of Rin-Ne back in episode 6 was Madoka’s anger; that is so say, her intense emotion. Therefore, is stands to reason that anything that might make her feel such intense emotions again – the loss of a friend in battle, for instance – would risk triggering a full-blown blossoming of Rin-Ne, with assumedly catastrophic consequences. So, like a Jedi master trying to calm her hot-headed apprentice, Asteria is trying to teach Madoka a lesson so that she will not automatically go berserk if Lan or Muginami are killed. That she will probably become a happier and more well-rounded person as a result is just a nice side benefit.
Then again, maybe not. As mentioned before, I’ve been wrong about where this show is heading before, so perhaps I’m underestimating it again. Fortunately, I’m usually wrong for the better! I have to say though…despite the crying Lan, movie poster Madoka, and the licking loli, I found this episode to be a bit…off. I can’t quite say it’s in a bad way, though. Perhaps it is, but it feels like the episode brought us to the same place as Madoka. Her feelings came across well, with her uncomfortable lesson translating into an uncomfortable feeling on the screen. I can’t say I enjoyed this episode in a visceral or comedic sense, but my writer’s soul smiles at feelings so deftly conveyed.
So what’s next? From the looks of it, action, and plenty of it. There’s no sign of Vox Aura though. Perhaps that’s because Madoka hasn’t yet truly learned the lesson Asteria set out to teach her. It feels like she is still charging after Lan and Muginami because she doesn’t want to lose them. But then again, maybe not. Maybe she’ll realize that you really are what you put inside your body, and if she puts herself inside Vox Aura while she is full of turmoil, the body will suffer – and the world with it. For now, all I know is that when Vox Aura powered up on its own? Chills. This season is almost over, folks. Let’s see where it takes us!
Full-size images: 08, 09, 11, 26.
Preview
 |
 |
 |
End Card
 |
Clearly
EVA-01Midori will not take this lying down.Anyways, next week’s our 3rd giant mech fight! In the first one, it was 1 on 1, then 2 on 2. Then it was 3 on 1. Now it’s 4 on 2.
How long will Hupa and Orca last before Midori comes to save the day?
I get the feeling maybe blossoming the Rin-ne isn’t really destructive if the user is very careful… Meaning locking down Midori is really a useless idea.
Madoka is just sexy in that poster, yeah.
Other than that, it’s the usual “good job” and “awesome episode”… Nuff’ said.
I was getting the impression that the Rin-ne powers steams from the emotional state of the user. Madoka was both pretty pissed off and frustrated when it was triggered with the though of what Muginami was about to do.
The tragedy of when Yurikano used it is probably similar to what we say with Madoka but Yurikano was probably fighting in a war.
Asteria really nailed it on the head that Madoka fears of losing the people important to her triggered the Rin-ne. Her not so gentle prodding is the way to try to make Madoka confront that (and get back into the pilot seat).
Also nice to see the dark skined/white hair girl in the flash backs is still alive an an intrigul part of KISS.
I’m wondering what type cliffhanger the writer have in store for us this season. ^_^
Oh, I forgot to mention:
Did anyone else want to go into their computers and hug Lan after she came out of the haunted house crying?
Its a given, since Lan is just filling her moe quota of the epiode.
Still, it was Madoka that I really wanted to hug this episode. Its perhaps the first time we get to see our proud, fearless, GAR protagonist look sad and vulnerable.
I actually hugged my monitor. It was cold, like the fear in Lan’s heart T__T
funny, I was laughing like Mugunami did afterwards…
i cant believe that the series’s ending soon. Can’t wait for its continuation.
also, does this shot look like it was inspired by SHAFT or SILVERLINK? >>
https://randomc.net/image/Rinne%20no%20Lagrange/Rinne%20no%20Lagrange%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
it truly does resemble like a screen shot from ren’ai circulation >>
https://randomc.net/image/Bakemonogatari/Bakemonogatari%20-%20OP5%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
It’s not. It’s got a 2nd season lined up for Summer that was announced before the series started. Which makes sense, seeing as this battle feels more like a halfway point than a final battle. I kind of wish most shows would follow a small hiatus between seasons so we wouldn’t have to go through all the filler bullshit…but that’s a rant for another day.
And lol, nice catch.
that’s another show to look fwd to after fate zero
Dolled up Madoka looked hot in that poster. But in a sense, this episode did prove that Madoka is a lonely person to the core. For the all the SWAG she has(Asteria groped her again!) others can’t actually relate to her. Not many people can share her altruistic ideals the way she does, despite the fact that everyone in town knows and likes her.
Looks like Orca and Hupo are packing new weapons before they launched so I can’t wait to see what they’ve got. Also Megumi Nakajima actually playing a mature sexy woman is a surprise. Glad she can prove that she has more range than “sounds like Ranka”.
End for season 1 is almost there
Too bad cause season 2 is on summer T.T
Well this one is a nice episode
Madoka on that poster is realy <3
I want to see what lan-chan will look on that kind of movie
I still dun have an idea who will be the last boss on this season villagiulo or dieselmine
That End Card is the first Pantsu shot of this series??
So Tomoki is a pantsu. You are what you eat… And he eats Pantsu Sushi.
@Stils: This season is almost over. I think you got to mention about season 2 as not everyone knows about it.
Not quite – episode one had a few of them.
https://randomc.net/image/Rinne%20no%20Lagrange/Rinne%20no%20Lagrange%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
Definitely my favorite end card, even without the fanservice.
She treated everyone equally, which sounds great until you realize that she it means she wasn’t holding anybody close. Though surrounded by people, Madoka was alone, unwilling to let anyone get truly close to her again, lest she lose them as well.
Yeah, I was thinking about this ever since episode one, mostly because of its parallel with Medaka Box, but thought they wouldn’t address this aspect of such a situation in a robot-anime. Well done, Rinne. Well done.
Though the parallels between Kurokami Medaka and Kyono Madoka end there, I guess, since that last line doesn’t apply to the former xD
On another note, what are the chances of the bishounen three supporting Madoka’s team?
And Lan…what do you call that type of character apart from unbearably cute? D: From the haunted house scene to her repeated blushing; I can’t get enough of her! Though, I think I’m starting to channel my inner Hiroomi Souma in wanting to see Lan in tears @_@
I’m not liking the way they use Asteria so far, almost like she’s a bit disjointed as a character. She kind of fills in explanations with her qoutes and seeming analysis and then the comedic relief wrapped into one. I think I’d have rather seen a male character like a little fat guy with glasses or something in that role. Just a personal preference perhaps. I like the point they made about her suddenly having closer friends and her first encounter with the realization they don’t need you. Hopefully she’ll see that’s even better cause they like her cause they want to and will keep coming back. It really adds to alienation though when you’re forced out of the loop and they run off without a word though. Well put together episode. Interested to see what the Kiss fleet is going to be doing since it sounded like they were going into a suicide mission or something costly at the least!
wow, great analysis on Madoka. I personally did not notice that parallel example that Asteria put up in front of our faces during those 2 scenes…
…and not while she was doing this and especially these…
Great insights, Stilts.
Rinne no Lagrange continues to surprise me as well. May I suggest that this show is actually pretty deep?
I can’t wait to listen to its OST. The BGM is just freaking awesome!
well, more highlights of the episode:
-team frienemies questioning their mission, especially Meido-kun (ss#06)
-Asteria blowing hard mode gun-shooter game to bits WHILE TALKING TO MADOKA IN OTHER DIRECTION (ss#11)
-Asteria swooning over delicious fried eels and sausages on a stick (WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT IS NOT SYMBOLIC?)(ss13-14)
-Asteria grabbing Madokas… erm, attention (ss#19)
-Madoka doing Washington crossing the Delaware impression (ss#28)
-and the news of wider galactic war with forces of KISS delaying LeGarite at heavy cost and implying destruction of voces might involve even more sacrifices (ss#32-33)
YODA:Close to your friends your thought are, young Madoka. To lose them, fear you. Do not let this fear control you, or to the dark side draw you it will.
Asteria’s lines with Madoka give me this Tenjou Tenge vibe… all philosophical and such.
that end card!
^_^.. Just about every series this past week has felt like as “set up” episode as conclusions come crashing next week (which is well, tomorrow at this rate, oh well) Looking forward to it >D.