First Impressions / Hitsugi no Chaika

「皇帝の遺産」 (Koutei no Isan)
“The Emperor’s Fortune”

Hitsugi no Chaika offers up one of its most kickass battles yet, while all the answers we get only lead to more questions.

Chaika Coping Strategies—Confusion & Denial

In light of the reveals last episode, it’s fascinating how our Chaika and Red Chaika deal with the situation differently. While Chaika initially despaired, and remained confused and uncertain to the end, Red Chaika had a different coping strategy—denial.

When faced with the (presumed) truth that Emperor Gaz had no daughter, and they’re all just orphans who have been modified with magic—and in spite of the obvious evidence of multiple very Chaika-like girls running around calling themselves Chaika—Red Chaika decides “Naw, I’m the real one. That’s a crock of shit.” Which is good in a way, because she struggled where our Chaika was preparing to give up. It also gives reason to her companion’s desire to fight at the end, because our Chaika isn’t so sure about all that anymore, and Tooru figures they’re being played by Guy (finally, someone realized!).

Granted, Red Chaika never met Layla (to our knowledge), nor the twin purple Chaikas, and none of them are aware of what has happened to Vivi, so while one extra Chaika can be dismissed as an impostor, six and counting is hard to reject. I can’t help but wish Red Chaika had come around to the truth now though, because the team ups we got this episode were so cool!

The Glorious Double-Chaika Team Up

D’aaawwww, Red Chaika is so tsundere for the team up! This entire episode was rife with things I love, including some mid-battle laughs, a ton of team combat, and team ups between non-morally opposed antagonists (with a big damn heroes moment (trope!), just to show off). I find it silly when Superman and Lex Luthor team up, because Lex isn’t a great guy—and if Batman and the Joker every team up, don’t tell me, because that’s dumb. But our Chaika and Red Chaika aren’t morally opposed, they’re just competitors in the same quest, so seeing them team up to kick some ass had Stilts-oniichan skittering about with glee!

It was tantalizing though, so tantalizing. I still half expect we’ll get a glorious Team Chaika / Team Red Chaika / Vivi & friends team up at the very end, because what a final battle that would be, am I right? This was hitting all those final battle notes, save for the absence of the final boss. They just had to tease us with what (I hope) is to come, because more of this is just what Stilts-sensei ordered.

What is Emperor Gaz’s Fortune, Really?

I’ll admit that I’m something of a bore. I started out thinking that Emperor Gaz’s fortune was the army of mass-produced demi-humans and fayla, because the evil world-conquering bastard in me says “Mass produced soldiers who will do whatever I say? Hand me the keys to the world, baby!” That’s too mundane though, and too easy—though to be fair, I wouldn’t be surprised if that research still factors into the story later on.

No, it looks like Niva Lada may be Arthur Gaz’s fortune instead. A human-form gundo that can do some serious damage when the conditions are right, though we’re still not entirely sure what those conditions are. Every answer we get leads to more questions … but that’s okay, because they want to keep us watching, and I want to knooooow!

Avoiding the Stupid Mistake

As for the mass-produced soldiers, Hitsugi no Chaika once again avoided my ire and showed that original creator Sakaki Ichirou has the rare ability to actually think things the fuck through. If all of the fayla had dropped dead, I would have raged, because that’s too easy! That can certainly be justified, but it has to be wrapped up into whatever the heroes just did, and it needs to make sense. Think of the end of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, where the bad guys pointedly did not drop dead, but chose to surrender because their powers had been stripped away.

Likewise, it would have been stupid if whatever let Evil Scientist Model #037 control the fayla was somehow tied into their lives. Them collapsing for a bit and eventually starving to death because the control #037 had over them was a little too absolute? That’s better. Still a little convenient, but it’s justified and makes sense, so that’s full marks in my book. (The two demi-humans deciding to stay on the island was convenient … but eh, it’s minor, so I’ll let it pass.)

Looking Ahead – Tournament Arc?

It looks like Vivi & friends are off to the Principality of Hartgen to investigate this martial arts tournament with remains for the winner, and both the Red and White Chaikas will be there as well. More chances for team ups, woohoo!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – The Chaika reveal leads to a kickass battle, which leads to the truth(?) of Emperor Gaz’s fortune coming to light #chaika s2e5

Random thoughts:

  • I liked that look Tooru gave Cyril at the beginning. He knows an exploitable animosity when he sees it.
  • Turning his back on Tooru … these demi-human guards aren’t very good. That’s what you get with mass-produced soldiers.
  • I’m one thousand percent sure the favors Akari earned from Red Chaika’s companions will come back before the end of the show.
  • Surprised Chaikas saying Tooru in stereo! Great!
  • “Your defense is weak, neba-neba [Sticky]!” Akari is kind of like Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, in that she’s funny because she says ridiculous things with a straight face … only Akari absolutely knows that she’s doing it. Save all the innocent girls from anii-sama!

Check out my blog about storytelling and the novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Only once, Worth doing, You’re not good enough, and Win conditions. For book updates, sign up for my mailing list.

Full-length images: 05.

 

Preview

53 Comments

  4. https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2019.jpg

    “I am disappointed in you Ani-sama!”

    Akari always has a line or two that would instantly make my day.

    https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2028.jpg

    This is the first anime/manga/light novel where the main heroine isnt the one that transforms into a weapon for the main hero to use. I like how Chaika breaks the mold.

    Ginobi47
    Reply

  5. I rather felt the episode phoned in. It had its share of awesome. The previous episode took trope and made it their own. This one didn’t do that so well. I didn’t feel an ounce of tension. Just, oh look Awesome McCoolthing is gonna blow this sh!t down.

    skylion
    Reply

  6. Niva Lada is interesting beyond her appearances because she (it?) might explain why the Chaikas are going around collecting Gaz’s remains. Niva likely needs a lot of magic for all the world breaking stuff that is obviously under the hood and there is no better way to activate it than through the remains. Hell the girl/thing even stated openly to Chaika that her objective is remains collection. Furthermore is the drawing of the Chaikas to the island individually at one point or another, hinting towards Niva being intricately tied to the function of the remains.

    If all that is true it just leaves the question of what Niva was designed to do that requires so much damn magic. On that it’s anyone’s guess.

    Oh and mutual Chaika holding mouths closed scene best Chaika scene. Truth.

    Pancakes
    Reply

  9. https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2009.jpg

    The yuri tsundere is strong between these 2

    https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2022.jpg

    Some how or rather, Fredrica still manages to steal all the cuteness from Chaika

    cruiser2710
    Reply

  10. Eh? The team up is over already? That was quick. Too bad since it was fun while it lasted and sad to see best Red Chaika go. The two demi-humans turning against idiot-sama (whatever his name is/was – guy running the island) occurred exactly as expected, but have to say I didn’t think that Niva Lada was actually a hax/OP humanoid gundo. How does that work exactly?

    Overall a fun episode to watch which is usually the case with this show. Looking forward to the next arc even though I’m not really a huge “Gillette Team” fan.

    @Stilts:

    — “If all of the fayla had dropped dead, I would have raged, because that’s too easy!… Still a little convenient, but it’s justified and makes sense, so that’s full marks in my book.”

    I agree about having all the Fayla just die once the mind control [insert Stilts’ rant here :P] ended would have been bad & “too easy”, but what happened was effectively the same thing. They just collapsed and would eventually “starve to death”. O.o… Really? No… instinct or anything? They just lay down and eventually die? Again, really?

    What I expected to happen is simply the Fayla run amok. Confused, possibly enraged & attacking anything close by – whatever, but free of mind control =/= learned helplessness in my book which is pretty much what happened. So while perhaps better than instantly dying, IMO it wasn’t by much and kind of lame. :/

    — “The two demi-humans deciding to stay on the island was convenient … but eh, it’s minor, so I’ll let it pass.)”

    I guess. Didn’t strike me as convenient because those two clearly finished their part in the story. Even if they did leave the island with one of the Chaika Teams, I’d expect them to go their separate way once on the mainland. As it was, I just figured the two wanted some “quality time” together… alone ;).

    daikama
    Reply

    1. What made me not hate the won’t-even-feed thing was that it was at least tied into what the protagonists did. It’s also bad design—if I were #037, I would have designed them to run amok once they were set free, just to be a dick. But at least it was tied to the control aspect, and it didn’t waste our time with them fighting off a bunch of berserk beasts that we all knew wouldn’t kill anyone important. Not when the main baddie of this arc was already dead.

      On the demi-humans, they certainly would have gone their own way when they got to the mainland, but them staying there makes me go “Wait … what kind of future is there in this? They’ll have no friends. Why don’t they just go home?” … and all sorts of other besides-the-point things. But since it was functionally the same, I just sort of shrugged.

      Stilts
      Reply

    2. I don’t want to be anywhere near that island in a couple of days. It’s going to stink to high heaven with rotting corpses of the demi-humans even if the Fayla don’t rot.

      That was a surprise. I did not expect Nina to be a living weapon. I wonder how Nina would react if Chaika said she wasn’t going to continue collecting body parts?

      You would think that they would be fighting over Nina given that she seems to be the real fortune on the island. Of course Red Chaika is really in denial and doesn’t want anything to do with someone who’s telling her she isn’t the real Chaika. Also it seems like Nina latched onto White Chaika instead of Red. Still don’t trust Evil Scientist so he may have been lying about there never having been a real daughter, so our girl could still be the real one. It is a shame that Red and White aren’t working together. The pair were rather cute and their capabilities complemented each other.

      Bear
      Reply

      1. Niva latched to White Chaika because as soon as she’s freed you see her licking Chaika’s bloody finger. And that seems to have been the Identification sequence for her.

        As for evidence or not. The heroes swear they chopped the “real” Chaika’s head. And the orphans might have been produced after the fact including the decapitation scar.

        Kamui04
        Reply

      2. @Bear: ” I wonder how Nina would react if Chaika said she wasn’t going to continue collecting body parts?”

        Not well I would imagine, though I think it would be interesting if White Chaika told Nina “Screw this! I’m out. Done being some dead emperor’s pawn.”

        — “You would think that they would be fighting over Nina given that she seems to be the real fortune on the island.”

        Yeah, somewhere along the way, the whole “emperor’s fortune” thing got sidelined – at least until the “big reveal” with Nina. Even then, White Chaika certainly seemed much more fixated on the “fortune” early on before things went awry. As for Red Chaika… I honestly don’t know. She seemed interested in the “fortune” early one, but per above, I guess she lost interest once she & the rest suddenly had higher priorities (escaping the island, killing mind-controlled cannon fodder, etc.).

        — Also it seems like Nina latched onto White Chaika instead of Red

        That made sense to me since Red Chaika didn’t give a second thought about freeing Nina. Also, there was that finger sucking initialization deal. Question I have is whether Nina is now only usable by White Chaika (assuming there’s another Chaika mage running around somewhere). My guess is that Nina is only usable by White Chaika now.

        — “Still don’t trust Evil Scientist so he may have been lying about there never having been a real daughter, so our girl could still be the real one.”

        Certainly possible, but that guy seems very straight forward in terms of character. He couldn’t even bother to lie about not turning demi-humans into lab rats… while demi-humans were still in the room. >_> Just don’t see why he would lie about the emperor not having a daughter unless “the plot demands it”. FWIW, my guess at this point is still that the “daughter” killed by the heroes was an early Chaika model/prototype/etc.

        — “It is a shame that Red and White aren’t working together. The pair were rather cute and their capabilities complemented each other.”

        Totally agree. Chaika Rangers assemble! Except Blue Chaika. Never liked her much. (I know she’s dead (should be at least) – just having some fun here :P).

        P.S – Just thought about this. Do you think there are any more Chaika’s out there left to be introduced?

        daikama
        Reply

      3. @Kamui04

        I did catch that finger sucking after I’d posted and then made a separate comment on it. Don’t know what it portends or if it’s just as you say, an identification of a Chaika.

        The Chaika they killed might also have been a sacrificial ploy, but then why did he have a pretend daughter at all? Could he plan on taking over the body of the Chaika that brings in all the remains and claim the emperorship by being the “daughter” of the emperor?

        @daikama

        Good question about the number of Chaika’s. How many Chaika Power Rangers are there? 😛 Wiki says Red, Blue and Yellow are in all the PR shows and we’ve seen White, Red, Blue, and there are Show Spoiler ▼

        based on the covers of the LNs.

        Bear
        Reply

  11. Just as Stilts is 1000% sure Akari will get favors from Team Red, I am betting on Akari using said favors to seduce Tooru rather than (or possibly in addition to) advancing their own cause.

    Akari’s interactions with Tooru are the best.

    Drasca
    Reply

  12. https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
    shocking truth! two Chaikas are better than one!

    https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
    not so shocking truth. one Chaika is just fine.

    https://randomc.net/image/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika/Hitsugi%20no%20Chaika%20Avenging%20Battle%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2036.jpg
    new truth! TeamChaika +1.

    Impel Down Hippo
    Reply

    1. Exactly! It’s one thing that the memeory is fake, but the heroes also remember beheading someone. Someone was beheaded, so who was it? Fake doesm’t have to be artificial, but most likely copied from the “real” chaika. But who were she?

      Znail
      Reply

    2. If not a princess, then she was most likely a powerful mage girl that served as a template for all the Chaikas. Much like how Jango Fett served as a prototype for all the Clone Troopers.

      echykr
      Reply

      1. I thought so too, and the Flayla cloning facility also is a hint Chaikas are clones themselves, but ESM #037 (for short) told us a different story. The pieces don’t add up yet.

        Solaris
        Reply

    3. She could have been his daughter, or she could have been a powerful wizard of some sort, or she could have been the template Chaika (who wasn’t his daughter, but still the princess because Gaz said so). All are possible. I’m in wait-and-see mode until they give us more information and we can cut through the misinformation, missing information, and possible lies.

      Stilts
      Reply

  14. We’re about to get an overload of Chaikas. White and Red are going to the tournament, Vivi-Chaika and her group will be going there as well, and the purple Chaika’s will be waiting for them there. Maybe this’ll turn into a massive Chaika battle royale, or a massive team-up instead. It’ll be the best thing ever!

    As for the episode, the different teams working together was as fun as expected. The action was good, the quips great and there were plenty of badass moments from pretty much everyone. Reminds me of Layla’s arc in that regard. Doctor Insano’s lame-ass brother got killed too, so luckily we won’t see him again (what a sucky villain he was, easily the worst in the entire series). Now I wonder what Twintails role in the series will be.

    Kinda hurts that we’re already halfway through the series though.

    Dvalinn
    Reply

      2. Uhm… not quite that. Beware of nigorization. Keiaku doori (according to the plan), sono toori (that’s right). Same kanji (通り), slightly different pronunciation. But thank you anyway. 🙂

        Solaris
        Reply

  19. two Chaikas using Chaikaspeak TM to communicate in battle = hilarious
    shocking truth: in our universe this is Lada Niva:
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Lada_Niva_1b.jpg
    gosh, Chaika gets significant power up with her, up to the Magical Tactical Nuke levels
    (the scene where she obliterated the tower made me remember the Slayers and all the Dragon Slave moments…)
    The Evil Overlords list no??
    “never deploy an army of centrally controlled absolutely obedient soldiers, enemy will ALWAYS target the control device…”

    ewok40k
    Reply

    1. Considering that our appearance is more or less controlled by our DNA, the transformation into Chaika probably involves magic that directly modifies their DNA. So I doubt that scene means anything.

      Hanabira.Kage
      Reply

  23. To be honest at first thought that all the gathering of the remains was part of some sort of Ritual to bring back Arthur Gaz from the dead more powerful than ever before. The first episodes of this reinforce that theory when we see Emperor Gaz so calmed knowing so well he was going die soon and the memories of one of the heroes gave more to go on, the goy was smiling even though he was been rip apart by the enemy! He didn´t even tried to fight back at all.

    After seeing the army of Faylas and demi-humans I thought the loyalist were trying to carry on the Emperor´s will and rebuild the Empire with this new army but the existence and nature of Niva Lada leaves blank. If the kraken was right then when all the remains are gathered something really, really, really bad is going to happen.

    haseo0408
    Reply

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