Black Bullet / First Impressions

OP1.5 Sequence

OP: 「black bullet」 by fripSide

「トラジック・アイロニー」 (Torajikku Aironii)
“Tragic Irony”

They say that those who are patient are usually rewarded — and I think this episode did that statement justice. So what are you waiting for? Let’s jump straight into this thing!

Finally, A Proper Opening Sequence

I don’t know if it’s the new “it” thing but I think this is the first season I’ve seen so many shows go without a proper opening for more than a few episodes. I can understand not having one for the first episode and maybe even the second but just today I remember telling a friend just how crappy this show’s opening sequence was — which was a shame since fripSide did such a great job on the song.

Six episodes in though, we finally get the awesome opening sequence that compliments fripSide’s just as awesome song. That said, I think it’s really awkward how some characters like Senju get some prominent screen time even though they’ve already passed. Because it makes it feel like she and her partner were supposed to have some greater meaning or something…

Tina Sprout, Round 2

Unlike a different psychopathic girl who’s mask wearing father may or may not be dead, my faith that Tina will not stray down the same path as Senju has been renewed. With the story making a lot of effort to heighten the sense of surprise when Rentaro and Tina met and the opening sequence showing her and Enju clearly holding hands, I can totally picture her joining the Tendou Civil Security Company. Because at the end of the day if Tina is just following someone’s orders, who’s to say that she can’t have a change of heart toward the one person who treats her like a proper human being? That and just like how Kisara pointed out, it looks like Tina hasn’t completely cast away her humanity even with the horrible living environment she’s been in!

(Possible Spoiler!)
Show Spoiler ▼

Muroto-sensei

Even though I feel she’s been truly relegated to the role of true side character, I would love to see the story go into more depth behind just who she is. With this week’s episode asking a lot of serious questions about what she did before taking her current position and making us infer just why she chose to leave, I think a whole episode devoted to road mapping the back story would be great. Also, what did she talk to Enju about!? q_q

Looking Forward

With the assassination attempt on Seitenshi being put on the backburner, I personally can’t wait to see how Rentaro deals with Tina. With the pair sharing a direct conflict of interest and Enju possibly in a precarious situation, I really hope that Tina manages to survive her encounter with Rentaro. Because as much as I would love to see Tina join the gang, I can only begin to wonder what Rentaro would do to protect Enju.

Random Thoughts

  • Horie Yui on Kisara brings out the true tsundere charm~
  • Goes to show you, come on too strong or too weak and you’ll lose!
  • Tina is so cute q_q
  • I’m so excited to see Kisara eventually kick some ass!

 

Preview

34 Comments

  1. https://randomc.net/image/Black%20Bullet/Black%20Bullet%20-%20OP1.5%20-%20Large%2003.jpg

    Loli harem in the future? lol

    The way they jump from light-hearted bickering between Kisara and Miori (definitely need more Kisara) to Kisara suddenly being attacked by Tina then right back to light-heartedness with Kisara (with Enju ruining a flag moment between her and Rentaro, lol) and then right back to more assassination attempts by Tina felt a bit weird.

    Still not as bad as earlier episodes though and plenty of dere dere Kisara is always good.

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

  6. total groan city when Tina was about to hear Rentaro’s name, but then the phone got bumped from her hand. Geez.

    and is it just me or do Kisara and Miori look too alike? and is this where Kisara will get her kidney from?

    a box like Hippo
    Reply

    1. That would actually be interesting since it could allow Kisara and Miori to settle their differences, not entirely but at least by a bit. However though, since Kisara never wants to forget the pain so that she’ll remember her promise for revenge, it might never happen.

      Random thought: That opening sequence is so addicting, had to watch it several times just to be satisfied :3

      Dualash
      Reply

  9. Looks like my loli harem predication is properly on course lol.

    Also is anyone else surprised by the use of forensic evidence in this episode? Given that i just finished watching Wizard Barristers (terrible show btw) which seemed to act like this part of the investigation doesn’t even exist I actually started clapping after witnessing it. Please we need more anime that uses this during murder/attempted murder cases!

    leatherhead333
    Reply

    1. I think the OP sequences spoiled us all about Tina’s fate. Not that I’m complaining if Tina actually ends up as Kisara’s initiator since that would mean more Kisara’s actions!

      Serapita
      Reply

  13. Detractors? Are you still here? If so, you’re the lucky ones. For those who hated the supposedly shallow or overemphasized discriminiation, this awesome episode has none of those and focused very much on plot progression, character development and action.

    Lovely episode. I have practically no complaints about the pacing and how they sequentially placed the different encounters. We all know Rentarou and Tina would be having that fated encounter, and having the little meeting just seemed to heighten the sense of anticipation and eventual tension that would come when they met as enemies. Particularly the last scene in their morning meeting where Tina asks, “Can we meet again?” Nice. Very nice. Tina was also particularly cute when eating caffeine-laden takoyaki too. 😀

    I see a good mix of suspense, exposition, fanservice and humor too. Loved the part where Kisara goes all dere-dere (though I was thinking what she thinks she was when she asked Rentarou to hold her hand – a grade-school kid? XD) Makes me think she and Rentarou are essentially similar in not being direct enough with their emotions. Ah…youth.

    Muroto-sensei gains points as well just for being part of the exposition. It’s pretty interesting when they threw in a little tidbit about Rentarou’s and the New Humanity Creation Plan plus the creators of it, no doubt building up anticipation for what’s to come eventually – More potential allies/rivals/adversaries. It also opens up the world a little in terms of lore as well.

    On that note, it was nice to see how the side characters were given their time in the spotlight too. Miori with her info-gathering and her antics and Muroto with the exposition.

    The actions scenes themselves were pretty good too, and Tina was – as I suspected – An Owl type. The final part takes the cake, since as viewers we’re used to see Enju kicking but everytime she appears and seems like there’s nothing she can’t handle – Until Seitenshi informs Rentarou that she’s out of her element against Tina. Way to build up anticipation and tension. (The one small gripe I had was how conveniently Seitenshi managed to get that info, but hey, that’s what you can do as a ruler of an area, no?)

    The preview was a little spoilerific though, so now we all know who’s the mastermind behind the attempted assassinations. Still, I’m looking forward to getting pleasantly surprised once more.

    Well done, Black Bullet, well done. One or two more episodes and I just might eat some of those critical words I’ve aid in the earlier episodes. 🙂

    Owaranai
    Reply

  15. I just tell you Guys, this Bodyguard Captain surly had so much Mud stick with him, that he is perhaps the Master of this Girl..

    So many Hints… today it was “they was created 10 Years ago”… and what was created 10 Years ago either? It was told. So 1+1 = Bad Guy

    But then, this little Girl is cursed and Mechanical Soldier in one? or did the Subgroup just messed up with the Translation? Near the end, “the girl is ranked 97″… and so on

    Germanguy
    Reply

    2. What your subgroup said is correct, she is both a cursed child and a mechanical soldier

      The L/N and summaries of the L/N confirm this and delves it further, but this will be way into too spoiler territory so I will leave it at that

      whryder
      Reply

  17. Tendo know’s her shit, two in the chest and one in the head. Just like we were taught! I dunno what is going on not even sure how the light novels goes but it seems pretty cool so far. Too bad another blonde girl will die.

    The thing I don’t get is we clearly have a new OP but they are showing the previous dead blond girl with Satomi and that mask guy again. Aren’t their story over?

    Also did Enju ever find another school? Looks like she did but can’t be too sure.

    Duzz
    Reply

  18. So far so good with this arc though TBH, I didn’t think this episode was quite as good as the last. Maybe just me, but it felt slightly disjointed/a bit rushed here and there – at least compared to last episode.

    Not sure why, but I still like Senju more than Tina. Tina Sprout is growing on me (*must resist urge to make bad pun* :P), but she’s a bit of an odd duck owl in the way she abruptly changes from sleepy cute loli to “Yes Master, I will kill them” loli terminator. I wonder if the anime left out part of her background beyond losing her parents.

    — Also, what did she talk to Enju about!? q_q

    Yeah, that does not bode well IMO. :/ My guess is that given what happened so far, something along the lines of “Don’t use your Gastrea powers too much, especially healing.” Hope I’m wrong, but we get 42.1% corrosion rate, AFAIK the more a Cursed Child uses there powers the faster the corrosion rate, and now Enju’s heavily injured. Not good.

    One thing that did rankle me a bit was Rentaro’s response when Enju decided to go after Tina alone. >_> I mean, the girl (Tina) is downing caffeine pills by the bottle and is always sleepy during the day… maybe she’s noctural (hint). So WTF when he’s trying to comfort himself that “Since the enemy’s a sniper, Enju has a chance. And in this darkness…”.

    Yeah, “in this darkness” a nocturnal Cursed Child is highly likely to spot Enju before Enju spots her. Plus, Tina’s not “just a sniper”, Rentaro – she did escape you during hand to hand combat. Lastly, if you have to convince yourself to calm down and that the plan is a good one, it probably isn’t. Please don’t be reckless with Enju-chan. :<

    Quibbles aside, I must say that the episode's ending does make me highly anticipate the next one. Ganbatte, Enju-chan.

    daikama
    Reply

    1. Remember Rentarou doesn’t know Tina is one of the mechanical soldier and have a high IP rank

      He originally thought Tina was just a average nocturnal cursed child who have training in sniper duty

      Only when he is informed by Sentenshi that she is a owl model type and a mechanical soldier, including the high IP rank, did he realised that it is dangerous for Enju to take on Tina

      whryder
      Reply

      1. @whryder: I did remember that. My thoughts are “real-time”. It was perfectly clear (at least IMO), that Tina was nocturnal last episode. As I noted, that means she has a big advantage at night. Tina’s is also clearly skilled in close quarters combat plus has a formidable range weapon (.50 cal BMG sniper rifle).

        IMO, Rentaro should have known Tina’s a tough adversary not to be taken for granted, and that under current conditions (Rentaro’s injury another factor) they are at a tactical disadvantage before he was told the extra info from Seitenshi. Seitenshi’s intel just makes things painfully obvious. Franky, Rentaro should have already done his homework concerning Tina’s information immediately after he knew she was the Cursed Child assassin.

        While I was watching, right away I thought “Bad idea, don’t do it.” (again, before Seitenshi’ said anything). TBH, I thought they would hole up in the underground garage, give Rentaro first aid, gather some intel on Tina (again, should have been done already), and devise temporary defensive measures in accordance with their mission (which is protect Seitenshi) while awaiting reinforcements. EP would end with Tina getting away again, but that’s it.

        Just a bad decision IMO by Rentaro given all the above. It happens. People make bad decisions (combat or otherwise). Overall, I thought the episode was pretty good, but it was frustrating and a bit puzzling to watch.

        daikama
        Reply

  22. wish kid characters had more respect and dignity like in the old days. Syoaran and Sakura from ccs. Natsume and Mikan from alice academy, and Jim Hawking and Hanmyo from Outlaw star actually act like a normal kid would at the age of ten. Also creators should stop with this one gender disease nonsense

    corella
    Reply

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