First Impressions / Rinne no Lagrange

「鴨川の海の向こう側」 (Kamogawa no Umi no Mukougawa)
“Beyond the Seas of Kawogawa”

An interesting episode. A very odd one too, in certain respects. Oh, I’m not talking about how messed up the world was getting, though that certainly was the case, but in how the story was told. Take the early fights between the three girls and the nega-Dizelmines. So how were each of them fighting him again? o.O Then there was how he was absorbing the red crystal ovids to make himself stronger (or at least bigger). The whole thing had an offsetting feeling, partially by design, but also partially because of there was no movement or life from the Dizelmine. He had suddenly transformed from a complex character gone nuts to an immovable wall, an impassable challenge which the girls were beating their heads against. It sapped the tension from those fights, to be honest. There wasn’t enough danger.

Speaking of anticlimaxes, Moid and Asteria. I’ll be the first to say that the Big Bad of a series doesn’t have to be the final enemy themselves, they just have to be the impetus for all that’s going wrong. Yet Moid getting taken out by a sucker punch from Youko-nee was far too quick. Let us watch her hit him, and then watch him cower as she stands over him threateningly, him shaking in fear as guards come out and slap handcuffs on him. Make it more satisfying, guys! You built him up as something so menacing, so it was disappointing to see him go down like such a bitch.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Moid’s reasons for all of this also lacked oompfh. He talked about how the Rin’Ne is a place where people’s hearts connect, and that he longs to hear the voice within the Rin’Ne. What voice? With the way Moid was talking about “the will of a greater presence,” it sounds to me like he heard god in the Rin’Ne…or something like that. Still, I have to wonder if there’s more. Moid mentioned a day when Asteria (Queen Macun) didn’t fulfill his desire. I wonder, was that the day of the opening of the Rin’Ne, or something else? A lover scorned, perhaps? Did Moid just want Maycun, and got a bit nutty after spending 20,000 years unable to reach into the Rin’Ne after her? Regardless, as far as villainous motivations go Moid’s wasn’t anything to write home about, at least not from what we know so far. I preferred it before he started explaining, when he was just a villain who climbed to the top of the largest building he knew of so he could be shrouded in the perfect ambiance. The optics were great; the substance, less so.

Speaking of villanous motivations, Dizelmine’s weren’t that great either. The revelation that he and Villagulio considered one another doushi (comrades) was apparently shocking to Madoka, but a giant duh to me. Dizelmine came a little unhinged when he came to suspect that Villagulio had betrayed him back before the beginning of the series, and all Moid did was help bring forth his rage. Not exactly A-list material there.

But this show is and always will be about Madoka, Lan, and Muginami, so let’s finish off with them. I’m sure I’m not the only one who got Evangelion vibes at all giant-mechas-moving-on-the-own moments we got this episode, including what appeared to be an email straight from Midori (though for my money, the Voces seem more like Lambda Driver-equipped Arm Slaves to me). It was sweet though, how Hiroshi-ojisan’s packed lunches came in handy, just as the Law of Conservation of Detail (trope!) demanded they would. I also had to smile at how the girls sat down and chatted while Dizelmine was powering up off to the side. It was sweet, but odd, and killed the tension that could have been piggybacked off of them mysteriously coming back together. Wait, how did that work again?

Last but not least was the final fight. I must admit, as far as climaxes go this one didn’t have enough punch to it. I loved, loved how the girls united to fight and fly together, and how they brought back the blade reception and the german suplex from Season 1. The music was great too, dangerous and heroic but still light-hearted – no bloodshed was hinted at, it seeming to say that Rinne no Lagrange was going to finish this out as it has done it all along. Still, it was so short, and Dizelmine’s mech behind thrown into the sky-water had such an inconclusive feeling to it that I asked aloud “is it over? Was that it?” And judging by the preview, it would appear that it is.

To be honest, I feel a lot like I did at the end of Season 1, a little off-kilter as the climax I expected was tripped up by a quirk in the pacing. That’s not to say that it was a bad climax, either then or no, but it is significantly more worrisome when there’s only one more episode to go. We still have that whole Yurikano thing to wrap up, and as far as I know the Earth is still wrapped in a roiling sphere of death waves, so there’s more to be seen. One more episode and we’re done, once and for all. Let’s see how it goes.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Emo facial distortions galore as Madoka & the others take on Dizelmine & Moid. Earn that maru~, girls! #Lagrin #Kamojo

Random thoughts:

  • That yuri trolling. I’m going to be so sad when nothing comes of it T__T
  • I got a chill when Muginami proclaimed that anyone who made Lan cry or Madoka suffer would answer to her. Warrior waifu get-o!
  • The war cries and facial distortions were off the hook this episode. Related: there’s just nothing like a girl howling for blood *swoons*
  • Put your shirt back on, Moid. Nobody wants to see that.
  • They rammed the godsdamned ship! Badass! Way to go, Grania!
  • I like Giuvi-nii, so it’s nice that it looks like he’s going to survive, but I can’t help but think that an opportunity to be amazing was missed, storytelling-wise. We shall see, I suppose.
  • Finally. After all these episode, they finally actually sat in the chairs that have been doing so much work as symbolism for a while now. I think more than anything else, that signals that this story is coming to a close.
  • Once more. All together now.

Full-length images: 03, 37.

 

Preview

End Card

30 Comments

    4. This is KAMOGAWA!
      other than that:
      -while initial girls attempts at D. were kinda battling the “mighty glacier” (T), the final joint assault was pretty epic.
      -Moid and his story/motives were as meh as his sorry shape after Oneechan beatdown.
      -Leave it to the military men to negotiate peace when rulers fail (note: this works opposite of Japan in WW2). Grania ramming enemy flagship and boarding it was her Crowning Moment of Awesome (T). Expect wave of switching to republics after the war…
      -A bit of good meal and pep talk does wonders to troops morale. Madoka knows it by instinct.
      -Yurikano watching from distance made me think what role she still has to play.
      -Cant wait to next episode!

      ewok40k
      Reply

      1. This second-to-last episode shows us that the power of yuri can beat evil. That yuri troll was nice, Madoka.

        So many mecha actions as the RGB trio takes on Dizelmine. Madoka definitely takes the cake for being the most awesome. While Dizel absorbs the crystal ovids, the girls decide to take a lunch break. It was odd and amusing but you know what they say: you cannot fight with an empty stomach.

        As expected, Villagiulio survives. His best friend Dizelmine goes crazy. However, Moid shows that he is the Big Bad by going even crazier while talking to Asteria. Sadly, Moid was just all talk. He could have been a great villain but Youko-nee-chan ended his chances of being one with a single punch. As for Dizelmine, I do not know if he will come back after getting suplexed by the RGB trio.

        Speaking of Youko-nee-chan, it appears that she and Asteria are really quite close. Do not mess with Youko’s little waifu. I wish we were able to see more of Youko’s beatdown of Moid. Yup, anticlimatic indeed but nonetheless, it was wonderful. I hate Moid anyway.

        Sorry Machiko-sensei, but while you were busy protecting the students, Youko was busy protecting Asteria. Hate to say this too, but it looks like you are going to lose your love to a 20,000-year-old loli.

        Sadly, next week will be the end of this great anime. And the girls are splitting up again?! Please Lord! Please do not let this happen! I want to see the RGB yuri trio together till the end! Cannot wait for next week!!!

        JohnHayabusa
        Reply

  2. Didn’t quite like the episode, to be honest. Moid’s reasoning for all he’s done was frankly pathetic, and watching a crazy Dizelmine hanging around in his mecha while it absorbs all those crystallized Ovids wasn’t exactly thrilling. The comedy bits were the saving grace of the episode for me. From Madoka dreaming of Muginami and Lan stuffing her with too much food, to the girls deciding to have a burger break while the FREAKING END OF THE WORLD is going on around them brought a smile on my face. If there’s one thing Rinne no Lagrange is good at, its the way the always manage to make us laugh a bit even in the most dire of situations (seriously, what other series could make you laugh when the freaking apocalypse is going on?).

    Nevertheless, the highlight of the episode had to be Youko-nee’s present to Moid for messing with her precious imouto – a knuckle sandwich to the face. I couldn’t have been the only one to have been whooping with joy when that happened, right? Maybe we’ll see a flash game where you get to punch Moid’s face, using different characters from the series, and each will shout out a unique one liner each time they punch his mug. To all the programmers out there who reads this, you’re more than welcome to take this idea. Just leave a link to it when its finished, ok? 😀

    gandalf8
    Reply

  3. Moid was pretty much an anti-climax. Some mastermind he ended up to be. But if anyone was qualified to make him look like a puss, it would be Yoko.

    I’m disappointed with Madoka’s Yuri troll once again, this series is such a tease. It was awesome that Midori had its own Unlimited Blade Works to use. There was also a great callback to the first few episodes with the blade block and then tossing a robot that’s even bigger than them.

    fragb85
    Reply

  4. Augh! Seriously! Freaking awesome, But leaves me wanting. So. Much. More TAT!

    But it doesnt look like we get any more :/. Augh! If that’s the end of the Dizelmine fight, color me disappointed :(.

    I’m glad Giuvi-nii is still alive. While it would’ve been poignant storywise to kill him, it’s a helluva wrench to throw into how Rinne has told its story so far. Comon Rinne, end it with style. Even if you are pulling a season 1 on us again, just make it epic~. End with a Bang, not a Whimper.

    kumakaori
    Reply

  6. Dunno if I’m satisfied…but the final verdict will have to wait till the next and final episode!

    To me, it feels that the story was written up and envisioned, then financial and personal interests may have conflicted and thrown the initial idea off course. Now it just feels like they wrote the story without thinking about how it would end.

    Like,

    A: “HEY GUYS I GOT THIS GREAT LEAD UP STORY.”
    –time skip–
    B: “OKAY SO WE GOTTA GET THE LAST FEW EPISODES DONE. WHAT DID THIS LEAD UP TO??”
    A: “OH SHIT WE’RE ALREADY HERE? UH…WELL, LOL DUNNO”

    Jello
    Reply

  7. so many derp/ scary eyes/faces in this episode. You can do it Madoka, save the world and universe with your waifus. Overall, its sad to see this series almost comes closer to its finale. one more episode left T_T

    MM
    Reply

  8. What did you expect of Moid? The guy is Machiavello: has the intelligence and the not-so-perfect plan to do his evil deeds, but he’s incapable of doing himself, so he deceive others to do his dirty job. I expected that from him since S2. Shame that we couldn’t see Youko-nee’s pummeling of the bastard’s face.
    Dizel is another jewel added to the Emo of the Year Award (toghether with Noumi from AW). It’s like Anakin Skywaker in SW ep3 being turned to the Dark Side: so easily done that it felt stupid. Why did IG did this instead of following Tatsu Sato’s initial idea? I see Guilty Crown vives of all this.
    Thankfully, we have a girl that sans the ring, she could be a Hal Jordan Green Lantern-level esque character (Green dress, green mech, a will the size of the universe, she could make Hal sweat in a will contest) and her troupe of girls that will slam anybody just to get to the point. (RnL version of Guerreros’ The Three Friends)

    SeedStriker
    Reply

  9. I actually thought Youko beating up the Big Bad with her bear fist was preatty awesome, anti-climatic yes, buy awesome.

    On the other hand…
    Preview: “Even though we’ll never see each other again…”
    Boooooooooo

    xephx
    Reply

  11. Okay, okay. I guess I’ll have to say it. How’d they get the chairs up there?

    I really thought (several episodes ago) that the writers were beginning to explore
    some interesting human dynamics. But we’re here now. It wasn’t a perfect series,
    but good. I hope they provide more answers to some questions, like enough to really know
    what happened 20,000 years ago.

    Stilts, perfect as always!

    mac65
    Reply

  14. Well I’m more worried about Asteria former body, (no caps T_T ) Her former body destroys her pettan-chan loli of today! The hersey if she turns into that next episode as weird twist of fate.

    Yes!@
    Reply

  15. I didn’t feel underwhelmed by the episode like you were. Sure, it was quick, but it was awesome, and reminded me why I love this show. And while I admit that Moid did go down too easy, Yoko punching him in the face was just awesome.

    PokeNirvash
    Reply

    1. I completely agree. This is blasphemy. They had 3 mechas and 3 girls who love each other piloting them, how could they NOT do it. Mitsuu no kokoro ga hitotsu ni nareba, Hitotsu no seii ha hyakuban PAAAWAA

      I’ll just wait until the final episode to say anything else…

      Rockmanshii
      Reply

  17. I was kinda letdown by this episode as well. At least with the first season you had the excuse that they were setting up for a second season, but no such here. The freaking apocalypse happens, but it’s all done by a villain with some vague motive that got taken down in one shot. Yay. Dammit Moid, even destroying the world for the lulz would’ve been more interesting than that. Dizelmine was also taken down rather fast, and though I liked the way they did it (suplex!) I still dissapointed that this was it. I kinda of expected it to be the first attack for the final battle, but nope, according to the preview everything will be all fine and dandy, probably after Yurikano waves her magic friendship wand around or something.

    Watching the girls’ antics was amusing as ever though, and not only did they get to show their badass sides, but watching them eat freaking burgers together in the face of certain doom was kind of awesome as well. Still, this show started out better than it ended (unless the final ep is super omg amazing or something). Still liked the series as a whole though.

    Oh, and Asteria the yellow loli was stacked when she was mature, damn.

    Dvalinn
    Reply

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