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Old 2012-11-25, 08:27   Link #524
Guardian Enzo
Seishu's Ace
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
It’s interesting that it’s the words of Laertes that the manga puts in Mahiro’s mouth – seemingly, that would make Yoshino Hamlet and Aika Ophelia, if you want to carry the metaphor to its logical terminus.

While Mahiro fixates on his revenge Yoshino is more concerned with the big picture an must decide which side is in the right – and he must decide when (soon, it seems) to tell Mahiro the truth about he and Aika. Every way I play the endgame scenarios out in my mind, Yoshino is always the main character – he’s Hamlet, and it’s going to be his choices that drive the final act of the play.

As always with ZnT (could any two anime with the same initials be more different?) the atmosphere is off the charts, but the plot is really starting to catch up. Still, the highlight of the episode for me is the gorgeously theatrical scene when the boys break through the barrier and confront Samon. The physical scene matches the emotional turmoil at play – as the bombs and missiles rain down on the magical barrier the Kusaribe have erected, storms swirl on Hakaze’s island and the orchestral soundtrack swells, Mahiro and Samon lob verbal grenades back and forth and take each other’s measure, as Yoshino takes the measure of them both. There was really no reason for Samon to keep pounding his sword hilt on the rock – it’s a rather odd thing to do and serves to practical purpose, a purely stylish touch. But that’s what makes this series so unique, the purely stylish touches. It’s truly beautiful anime, a gorgeous scene with tremendous work by the cast, especially Koyama Rikiya. This was the moment that Samon really came into his own as a character, and he now stands as a much more interesting figure than Hakaze for me.
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