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「バトル／過去と現在」 (Batoru / Kako to Genzai)
“Battle / Past and Present”
I really need to stop thinking Lostorage will ever slow down. Every week seemingly brings forth a key event typically reserved for climaxes, tossing away any expectation of slow, suspenseful development. This week of course was the fated Suzuko-Chinatsu duel, which although being distinctively anticlimactic, did flesh out Chinatsu’s raison d’etre and gave Suzuko a reason to fight.
We knew last week that Chinatsu was the main antagonist going forward, but her logic regarding Suzuko never really made sense. Here, however, all the pieces finally fell into place. Chinatsu detests Suzuko because Suzuko can get whatever she desires with no apparent effort. Whereas Suzuko made friends without a care, Chinatsu seemingly was left with no one but Suzuko. This ironically sparked a selfish need in Chinatsu where she wanted Suzuko all to herself. It’s not that Chinatsu wants Suzuko gone because of who Suzuko is, she wants Suzuko gone because Suzuko lays bare an ugly strain of possessiveness within her. Overall it’s a surprisingly good bit of development, as I never thought Chinatsu’s disjointed hate would be fully explained.
As for Suzuko, she finally has accepted her dependence, abandoned it, and found a proper reason to fight in protecting Chinatsu. A pretty quick bit of change on Suzuko’s part (if slightly rushed), but her newfound determination does complete the underlying shift of Suzuko and Chinatsu into each other’s personas—Suzuko becomes the admired protector of a needy, wanting Chinatsu. This should create one hell of a good second fight between them as Suzuko grows increasingly confident in her new mentality while Chinatsu becomes torn between wanting to eradicate her Suzuko-born need and the growing doubt that need generates. It’s not so much now that only one will survive (as I originally thought), but both coming to understand each other and accept the other one’s flaws.
How we get to that point though is likely to be rough, painful, and increasingly sinister. Bookman continues making himself the black box of this story, using Chinatsu now as a recruitment tool and not being above bringing kids into this game. I’m increasingly believing this guy is Lostorage’s Mayu, he simply knows too much about the battles for a man without a LRIG. If Bookman does not have a personal role in the game itself I will be shocked. At least Chinatsu sees through his fetish, although when the guy reveals his actual form is anyone’s guess. The battles themselves likewise remain full of surprises, given we now have the second example of a coin ability being manipulated and the environment being a possible tool during fights. Funnily enough Suzuko’s attack redirection here also revealed the remnants of the old Battle Booths, which for me (given the other evidence) is enough to confirm that Lostorage takes place after the original WIXOSS.
For all that Lostorage reveals, however, the show still tantalizingly leaves key things unknown. We continue stepping around the fate of defeated Selectors (and the origins of LRIGs), along with the actual results of winning. What happens upon memory change is the big one of course, although I can hazard a guess nothing good given both Bookman and Mama possess some eerie smiles at the mention of it. I have no idea when all will be revealed, but given Lostorage’s penchant for speedy developments, I can imagine that point is not far off.
Random Tidbits
Once again, for Chinatsu it’s all about doing it with her. Not that I’m complaining 😛
Guess Hanna isn’t the only one only needing one more coin for victory.
Interference by a third party ending a Selector battle remains just as annoying as it did in the original series.
Preview
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Who would have thought that construction workers were immune to ZA WARUDO?
That’s some Yugioh Duelist Kingdom strategy right there at the end.
“I will launch my Gaia the Dragon Champion with my Catapult Turtle to destroy the levitation ring of your Castle of Dark Illusions!”
“Now Stone Soldier, DESTROY THE MOON!!!!!”
you beat me to it XD
it’s nice to see Suzuko and Chinatsu has a twisted relationship even in kindergarten.
The new explanation behind Chinatsu’s hate is interesting. It is purported that Chinatsu was envious of Suzuko’s ability to get what she wants without effort, that Suzuko can easily make friends, and that caused Chinatsu to become possessive of Suzuko.
That is not the Suzuko we see thus far. The Suzuko we have seen is friendly, but she is not outgoing, and she has no friends. Until this episode, we have not seen any flashbacks that supported Chinatsu’s impression of Suzuko. The only hint has been Meru’s behavior–she is presumably modeled after Chinatsu’s impression of Suzuko, but she seems far more confident and outgoing than Suzuko.
It seems that the current Chinatsu is not the only one who is significantly different than the other’s impression of her. We have seen why Chinatsu behaves so differently than Suzuko’s memory, but we have not seen an explanation for Suzuko. There was a hint in this episode: Perhaps Chinatsu’s possessiveness is what caused Suzuko’s dependence and loss of confidence. But I would like to see the series explore this aspect a bit more.
On the other hand, this episode left with a tantalizing possibility that the series opted to not explore: What if Chinatsu had won? Of course, the immediate effect is that Riru would take over Suzuko’s body, but what is next? Riru is constructed from Suzuko’s memories of how Chinatsu is. I would be very interested in how Riru contrasts with Chinatsu.
I wouldn’t say Chinatsu’s possessiveness alone resulted in Suzuko’s neediness. Notice that Chinatsu never attempted blocking Suzuko when Suzuko ran off with others, she always watched and brooded in the distance. I rather get the impression that Suzuko simply grew to take for granted Chinatsu’s adoration–Suzuko seems the type who feeds off external support, and Chinatsu gave that to Suzuko in spades thanks to her lopsided affection.
Also regarding Suzuko’s friends, to be fair she technically is a transfer student who only recently moved back. It would be troublesome making new friends, not considering how quickly she turned down advances from the other girls previously (episode 2 IIRC). Suzuko’s current situation at best accentuates her mental needs rather than explain them.
Third party ex machina?
I think it would have been more interesting if they had ended the battle with a draw somehow, assuming they can be one.
And with the way Chinatsu is thinking, in her view, it can make sense – Suzuko being so “weak” and yet seems to get what she wants “without effort” while she herself works her ass off and not only barely gets anywhere, but tends to end up the victim of misfortune with her father seeming to constantly lose his jobs and forcing them to move as well as that rumor involving her “staying out late” and such. Yet, she talks about Suzuko being so reliant on her when it really seems to be the other way around and she’s the one who is actually more reliant on Suzuko.
Chinatsu’s angry/viewpoints -while misdirected- are pretty legit…at least the financial suffering part (the whole thing of Suzuko making friends easily compared to her is really petty. I mean there are things you could do for yourself to make yourself morer approachable IRL). Because right now I can at least sympathize with her about her crummy living situation. To have friends or know people who don’t take any effort or has financial fortune handed to them on a platter while I’m struggling to live and busting my ass full-time just to make enough to go right below the cost of living.
Example:
My roommate was watching this episode with me and was laughing at how “stupid” Chinatsu was being and that she needed to get over herself. I mean it’s pretty obvious that he would say that because he’s literally the Suzuko of the household (financially speaking):
His parents pays for his rent and bills and he can actually afford to not work. Hell, he’s late with his bills simply because “He forgets and we don’t remind him”.
While you have me, the Chinatsu of the house. Just graduated and struggled to even get a full-time job because how competitive everything is. Parents try to help but they themselves are in poverty so I can’t exactly depend on them. Works 6-7 days a week to barely be able to pay for everything -and is late on bills because of not actually having the money. What’s worse is that I’m restarting college next year so the amount I have to save for that, a new laptop (because a certain apple model is required), and loan payments.
I don’t blame anyone like she is but it would be obvious that there’s some hint of jealousy with the “Suzukos” I know. Having my rich friends be impressed by the amount of effort I’m putting in making money while they themselves say that can’t imagine working the amount of time I am….
Umm….I was going somewhere with this?
Oh yeah, I can see where Chinatsu is coming from when she complains about her life sucking and being jealous for those who don’t really put much effort in things to get what they want. But yeahhhhh, she does seem to be the one who “cares” about the other person more. IT’s all that misguided emotions.