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「あと一歩、キミに踏み出せたなら」 (Ato Ippo, Kimi ni Fumidaseta nara)
“If I Could Take One More Step Toward You”
I think you know by now what my usual spiel is for Witch from Mercury. New episode, slightly new developments, one step forward on the path to something – and upwards of fifty new steps to work through before the goodies arrive. Maybe it’s just me getting too impatient and wanting something more than the teasing and hinting (the curse of week-by-week watching), but for a rapidly approaching season end we are certainly lacking in a big mic drop.
While it would be unfair to disparage Shaddiq too much, did anyone really not see this final result coming? For all the surprise of the showdown coming down to a duel (and a team duel at that) plus Guel not giving into temptation and helping out, Suletta crushing the competition and Miorine being Miorine were always a given. If anything the point of this episode character-wise was to reinforce that Miorine is not a damsel in distress; though she lacks the technical skills of Suletta and is very proud, she is more than capable of standing on her own two feet and fighting for what she wants. Shaddiq was incredibly arrogant in his approach to claiming her, differing from Guel – or for that matter Elan – simply in the manner of it. In the end he wanted Miorine as a trophy to show how far he’s come – not a partner and equal – but unlike one now tempered hothead was willing to splurge a bit and give the girl a pedestal with a cushion. No shocker he, like all the rest, lost that fight before it even began.
Shaddiq, however, is only half the picture this week as Suletta and Aerial are, once again, the dominant pieces of a much larger puzzle. While we are still lacking in any explicit details, there’s no denying what scenes like this and accompanying maternal thrill indicate: Aerial has a very personal secret at play and Suletta has the means of interacting with it. Is said secret an AI based on human consciousness? Or an actual human consciousness? I’d like to play devil’s advocate and say there’s no proof yet – but I’m increasingly believing it to be the case. It’s growing difficult finding another explanation for the incongruities surround Aerial and its (her?) existence, particularly when Suletta, outside of potential clone status (still to be decided), has displayed nothing physically and mentally out of the ordinary. Couple on the ability of Aerial to overcome anti-Gundam technology without much trouble and it’s pretty obvious we aren’t dealing with simply a machine. It’s increasingly just a question of when the reveal is made.
With only three episodes for this season left to go (unless surprise 24 episode first season) I’d place your bets on such a thing happening soon.
Preview
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I’m so glad they propped up the Earth team as a whole instead of having Suletta win a 6v1 match. Even as much of a prodigy she is, even she can get overwhelmed.
Play of the game for Chu Chu with a headshot from nowhere haha.
Shaddiq and his harem team had that loss coming. They pretended to be better and more civil than the other houses but still looked down on Earth house and tried to claim Miorine through sabotage and subterfuge and their loss completely showcased their hypocricy when they counted all the Earth team members out only for that same Earth team to put them in the ground after they thought the only threat in the field was Suletta.
Agreed, particularly Chu Chu proving more than a throwaway. She’s arguably over the top, but I have a soft spot for her explosive personality 😛
[i]I think you know by now what my usual spiel is for Witch from Mercury. New episode, slightly new developments, one step forward on the path to something – and upwards of fifty new steps to work through before the goodies arrive. Maybe it’s just me getting too impatient and wanting something more than the teasing and hinting (the curse of week-by-week watching), but for a rapidly approaching season end we are certainly lacking in a big mic drop.[/i]
No. This is indeed boring episodes. We wasted two or three episodes just to see people managing 240 bills dollaridoos company like bunch of kids doing their crappy school project complete with their teenager drama instead of moving the story plot. And they call Mighty no.9 crowdfunding as some kind of shenanigan, – as to the inafune himself said; ‘at least we got something off it.’ ….. Great, and i really liked Megaman Battle Network that time…..
The only saving graces was Shaddiq’s harem. That gyaru-oh really have it nices; and he does it like some yarichin senpai in my favorite ntr stories. As expected from someone piloting a dodgy reincarnation of Gyan series mobile suits (and having Zeong and Turn X arms).
Prospera seems to be better at turning her own clone daughter into effective killing machine, unlike what Flit Asuno (Gundam Age) did to his own grandson. Last time i seen a pilot enjoying their killing streak was Asuka in End of Evangelion.
I think the only reason people are still watching is because of the gundams. With them this just be another boring high-school anime
Well, personally i try because 4 episode rule, but Guel was such fun and cool character that i want to see how they went with him. He remind me of Mister Orange Jeremiah Gottwald, and seeing Okouchi does him best even with what a trainwreck R2 was…. i decided to continue. Then episode 7 seems to pivot into a new (exciting) direction of Business Intrigue and Financial Power Play; something never explored in Gundam (or at least bare bones)… as far as i remember.
We’ve Zeonic, Zimmad and MIP competing with each other until they are all absorbed into Anaheim. We’ve also heard of SNRI…. but they where never the focus. I think their story might be intriguing enough that needed more attention. So, i expected a story about vicious struggle between these companies… yet, what we get in these 2 episodes so far was bunch of orgy teenagers doing some silly school project. I just hope next episode we are getting something at least.
Yeah, Code Geass R2 was an abomination. It added too many characters, which worsened the focus on characters that should have mattered, did a poor job of actually developing the characters, and had a nonsensical plot.
I don’t know if you know about this, but the director of Code Geass R2 actually apologized to fans for R2 on a blog post, although that post has been lost over time. He knew what trash it was.
I do believe the show is setting up for Guel to defeat a Gundam with a regular mobile suit, and I believe the catharsis will be amazing ’cause no character deserves a win like that more right now than he does.
Guel is interesting because he’s definitely being set up for a redemption and to become a major player, especially now following that phone call from his father. Think Vance has the right of it, he’ll wind up getting an underdog victory, probably against a Gundam, which helps him better understand and realize who he is and what he’s capable of.
A rather well-done highschool anime mind with a Gundam flavor. Though in my opinion it’s actually the reverse: it’s a Gundam show trying to be a highschool anime. Most of the discourse I’ve seen about the show around various placed have revolved mostly around Suletta and Miorine’s developing relationship, the mystery of what the Aerial actually is, and just what Prospera’s endgame looks like. There’s a lot of mysteries where they slowly drop the pieces into place while making even more questions to build those pieces off from, and it makes for an intriguing show every week.
This is probably the best description of what the show is right. It’s like if Classroom Crisis was made into a Gundam, replete with mystery and the whole “adults are dumb” theme that often permeates the story. It’s only really an issue if the mysteries don’t lead to a satisfactory payoff, of which I’m unsure because in part we still have no idea just how many episodes this show is supposed to be.
Interesting to see teamwork for once. I thought it will be Suletta and Aerial with god-mode ex machina, but decisive blow came from underdog Earth girl with sniper rifle and grudge in her heart…
Speaking of grudges – DECLINING invitation from 12th on reserve boyfriends list as a reason for one? REALLY?
Some people just don’t like competition lol
There was a scene where Miorine realizes Suletta’s conversation with Aerial. I can’t figure out if Miorine has question(s) about Suletta’s attachment to Aerial or” Miorine recognizes Suletta’s growth as a pilot and her own character.
Now that the Earthians have had an overwhelming defeat I hope they can do better in supporting Suletta in the future.
In the end he wanted Miorine as a trophy to show how far he’s come – not a partner and equal – but unlike one now tempered hothead was willing to splurge a bit and give the girl a pedestal with a cushion.
I’d be a bit more sympathetic in my final evaluation of him. Probably would have agreed with this description of him in previous episodes, but my impression after this one is that he really cared for Miorine and probably saw a kindred spirit in her. His final regret doesn’t seem just the failure of his plans, but the loss of a potential friend.
I do have to agree with the “equal” part, though. Shaddiq’s weak point, the one which cost him the match as Miorine pointed out, is that he only trusts himself. As his inner thoughts showcased, only Shaddiq can know what’s good for the company, for his father, for the Gundams, for the duel, for Miorine’s startup, for Miorine herself. If only everyone else could listen to reason! But at the end of the day he’s a fallible teenager like the rest.
His varying approach to Miorine exemplified it: first he gave her space, highlighting that he wasn’t like the others. When that failed, he tried corporate shenanigans with carrot and stick. In both cases, he failed to ask her what she really wanted, and always acted from an utilitarian position. Maximizing happiness is good and well, but the girl wants some deontological action like the one Suletta provides. By the time he realized his mistake, it was “too little, too late”.
It’s that weakness of Shaddiq’s which has me beat on the guy so much. As you said never once did he ask what Miorine wants or consider bringing her in to get her opinion on things – it was all about himself and using others to get where he thought he should be.
This is why I mentioned the cushioned pedestal, he wanted to keep Miorine as a friend (per say), but one whom he had control over when required. Basically the same implied strategy as her father, but with a veil of nicety surrounding it, which arguably makes it more odious than simply exerting outright control.
which arguably makes it more odious than simply exerting outright control
I suppose it depends on perspectives. In real life, I would despise an outright bully like Guel far more than a charismatic manipulator like Shaddiq. Miorine herself seemed to agree, since she maintained a civil relationship with the latter, while encounters with the former always turned hostile (either for her or for those around them). If Guel is more likeable now, it’s because the series was wise to push him to the bottom time and time again so that he could learn some humility.
Shaddiq feels to me like a toned-down, revenge-less, corporate-oriented Lelouch vi Britannia. Brilliant minds, charisma that attracts loyal followers, a honest desire to change things for the better, but also liars, manipulators and lack of trust in their companions.
Why are people still acting like it is one big mystery how many episodes this show will have?
We have known this for a few months now. 2 cours, 1 cour now and 1 cour next spring, so 24 episodes unless the second cour adds an extra episode.
Lots of people are in denial about the plot. So they keep talking as if everything has not been announced so there is still time to fix it.