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「カクゴ × ト × カクセイ」 (Kakugo × to × Kakusei)
“Resolve × And × Awakening”
That’s a plot twist (right below the shoulder) that certainly would have livened up any episode of Hikaru no Go…
It really is magic that Togashi can make a board game ep as tense as any anime episode in a very long time. There’s really no fancy explanations for it – it’s just talent and inspiration, plain and simple. Some professional story writers can do this sort of thing, and most can’t. The guy is clearly obsessed with the human psyche, and seems to have an infinite capacity (though the many manga hiatuses are a counterpoint) for finding new ways to seriously mess with his characters’ heads. And thank goodness for that.
I found many pieces of dialogue especially fascinating in this episode, many of them coming from the King – who certainly isn’t making me like him, but is growing increasingly compelling as a character. Perhaps most fascinating of all was when he said “That I do not understand my own mind upsets me more than words can describe.” I don’t want to overstate the case, but that’s pretty fucking deep – Togashi has pretty much crystalized the dilemma of the Chimera Ants’ existence and one of the most fundamental aspects of humanity in one damn sentence. Self-awareness is a blessing and a curse – it is for humans, and it for Chimera Ants. It gives is the desire to understand what makes us happy and unhappy, rather than simply accepting those states of being as they are.
Look at it this way – given their (un)natural advantages, if the Chimera were simply driven by the fundamental need to feed, reproduce and colonize (like ants) I think they would have been unstoppable. The rise of individualism in their ranks sowed the seeds of their downfall – I’ve been saying it since dear old Peggy (I think – or was it Colt?) asked the Queen if they might give themselves names. Add to this the fact that the King is basically a brilliant child – only recently brought into the world, born with more power than any other creature in creation and immediately anointed as the supreme ruler of his species. It’s only now, during the Gungi matches with Komugi, that we’re seeing just to what extent that’s true.
What an amazing, surprising and gripping turn of events this latest chapter in their strange relationship was. Mereum is so frustrated by his failures that he resorts to a cheap tactic to try and throw Komugi off her game – a wager where if she wins, he’ll grant any wish and if she loses, he’ll take her left arm. “Fear and desire hold the power to disrupt one’s rhythm. Desire clouds one’s vision, while fear stills one’s step.” Again, so damn good, Togashi-sensei – and as for Meruem, he understands so much and yet so little about humans (and himself). What’s next is utterly remarkable. Komugi recounts her heartbreaking life story – a tale about the harshness of her life and the contempt her parents hold for her (and she holds for herself), and of the pressures she plays under every time she sits at the board, all spun to a gorgeous piece of BGM that seems well-suited to Shaipouf’s eerie presence. She finishes by telling Meruem simply that while she has no idea what she’d want if she wins, she’ll offer her life if she loses – because she’s promised herself as an utterly worthless person apart from Gungi, she’ll take her own life if she ever loses a match.
The King’s reaction is equally remarkable. All at once he realizes many things: that Komugi has neither desire nor fear. That his gambit was a cheap stunt, and would have rendered any victory a hollow one. And that Komugi is a braver person that he is. In a show of self-contempt, he tears off his own left arm as a token of apology – to the utter horror of Shaiapouf. It’s an amazing display of what I can only call integrity by Merum, albeit a twisted and bizarre kind of integrity. All at once the fault lines are revealed – there have been growing signs that Shaiapouf has been uncomfortable with the King’s strange new obsession, and he offers his own life when Meruem refuses to have the arm treated until he finishes the match. It’s only Komugi’s reaction which – at least in theory – saves Shaia’s life. She refuses to play until the King has his arm treated, and a frustrated Mereum allows Shaia to call Neferpitou back to the palace to reattach the arm.
This is an important development above and beyond the events in the throne room, as it’s what pulls Pitou off the front lines and forces him to use all his Nen to re-attach the arm using his “Doctor Blythe” ability (strange-looking even by Togashi standards). This gives Morel and Knov the opening they’ve been waiting for – which means Knov is finally forced to try and infiltrate the palace to place portals for the future attack on the King. It’s rare to see a Hunter of Knov’s stature portrayed as being openly fearful, but he’s clearly on-edge to say the least as he creeps towards the palace – wary of Pitou’s En returning at any moment (it will actually be Shaiapouf’s, it seems, as he’s appointed himself to fill in as sentry in Pitou’s absence). He even talks to himself to stay calm – though he might feel better if he knew there were only three humans (non-food humans, anyway) and eleven ants inside. Though considering who four of those ants are, he shouldn’t be feeling much better.
One of those humans is yet another surprise turn from Togashi – a bureaucrat named Bizeff (Gotou Tetsuo, last heard in an excellent turn as Ivica in Eureka Seven AO). Bizeff’s mere existence is out of left field – he’s been kept alive as he was the true center of power under the old supreme ruler and thus deemed indispensable – but he’s a wild character. In his current circumstances he manages to find time to worry about the secretaries he’s begging from his new masters being sexy girls – choosing them from a list of “available bodies” as if it were a depraved kind of dating service.
The last choice Bizeff makes is an especially interesting one – it’s none other than an old f(r)iend in disguise, as Palm finally makes her return to the scene. She’s working with the defector we met several episodes back, planning her own infiltration – though to what extent this is in coordination with Knov it’s too early to say. As for Gon and Killua still not a peep, and no sign of them in the preview apart from Gon’s conversation with Knov. This is also the first episode of the arc where the role of the Narrator becomes a major factor in the exposition – I knew it was coming thanks to comments from manga readers, but so far I don’t find it to be a distraction.
Preview
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Another great episode 😀
actually it was the Turtle. I don’t remember his name (don’t think he had one..whatever. wait what?LOL, the one who asked for names didn’t have a name?!?!WTF XD).
he was peggy’s friend. peggy is the little black bookworm owl(it’s an owl right?maybe I am wrong with the animal type).
nevermind that, I have to disagree with you a little in that matter above.
look at Colt (the Chimera with the white wings) – he remembered some of his past(=Reina, his sister in the “past life” when he was human). Meleoron mentioned that too when he met up with Gon, that the Ants were able to retain some of their memories or feelings, and it will have an effect on them. some more and some less. don’t forget, in the end(ep92) when Colt didn’t manage to save the queen but there was some “baby” there, Morel actually let him be, not because his pretty face but because Colt personality which was examined by his actions.
what I am trying to say is..I think individualism does matter. while it’s true for some it was a path of destruction, to others it creates a different path like Meleoron and Colt. and I think the important thing here is that they are actually not behaving like Ant colony as we know or as was demonstrated when the queen ruled. and the fact is that some of them can express themselves and “thrive” due to individualism.
plus, remember Gyro?his strong will allow him to be free from queen’s control.
so it is an important matter IMHO
that aside, lovely episode, once again without Gon and Killua (THO the preview with Gon saying Killua isn’t there was funny Haha).
the interaction between Komugi and the king is becoming much more intense by the minute. mostly because the king is becoming more unexpected. but even his “unexpectedness” is no match for Kmougi 😛
I like the fact that the King and Komugi are in their own world. mostly the world of Gungi, but still it manages to have break out of Gungi itself and have an influence in other aspects. all of this due to one game. and it’s thanks to Komugi.
imagine any other player there sitting in front of the king, and it won’t have the same effect. and it’s not only because she is blind or a bit stupid, it’s because who she is. she express her character and personality via Gungi. I think that is what the king can’t grasp yet.
but the world of “Gungi” isn’t the only thing going on here. a lot of other things going on parallel. we have the royal guards manipulating the selection, Knov and palm plan their own infiltration to the palace, Leol getting into action…and Gon and Killua for now out of this loop.
the only thing I am mixed about is Pito’s En. I think it would be better if they were to present Pito’s En in the area when it was active (aka before the king wound himself).
First person the king didn’t kill who had disobeyed him
After 105 episodes, this is still one of my most anticipated shows every week.
Albeit there is marked absence of our two heroes, I’m still abjectly loving the Gungi scenes :3 The way they actually captured the two natures of the King and the subtleness of his development XD
Also, when I think about the coming fights… omg… the manga art went downhill at the middle of the chimera ant arc since the mangaka had “__________” (insert various reasons here)… gah, if Madhouse keeps things this spiffy… FLABBERGASM!
I feel like this is going to a bad place, where a kid finds a beloved new toy and it is snatched away from him. Kids don’t like that at all…
The first human who actually has value outside of entertainment and food. True value. It’s dangerous ground.
Oh how I love HxH!
And the urge to read manga grows and grows… The only thing that makes me go nope.jpg is the fact that once I catch up with the latest chapter, I might have to wait months if not years for another one, lol…
Show Spoiler ▼
That whole beginning part was quite tense. The Royal Guard said if he doesn’t repair the King’s arm, then he should die and so the King replies, “Cool, show me your neck, it’ll quick and painless.” And the Royal Guard actually begins to approach.
Because of the Komugi making the King flustered and confused, Neferpitou was forced to cancel her En and Nen puppets making this a golden opportunity for the Hunters to do some recon or maybe even strike at the target.
can you post valvrave plsssssssssssssss
Post this somewhere else please.
TQ
Great episode! I am liking the sniffling girl more and more. Even while the king can be said to be cruel, I find him very human, and very interesting indeed. Though, the reappearance of Palm again makes me wonder what will happen next. She’s crazy, but I think I would enjoy seeing how much she can contribute to this fight.
I’m just wondering how the royal guards can be so loyal to the king, since the loyalty part ought to come from their chimera ant nature, and I expected the chimera ants to be more human than ants by now. The other ants, on the other hand, only care about themselves. Could this be something to do with how when a queen gives birth to the king, the king and royal guards form a new colony while the other ants continue serving the queen? If so then the other ants should have no obligation to follow the king.
I like how the relationship between the two players are evolving.
TQ