Ange ain’t having none of your bullshit.
Boy I love it when episodes of this show feel brisk when watching. We not only get quite a bit explained about why Salia, Ersha, and Chris join Embryo, but we get to spend more time with God himself. Embryo’s been rather an enigmatic presence in the series, what with his resurrecting and the overwhelming fear and hatred his mere name generates from people. As such, knowing him a bit more is the most welcome of developments, especially when it takes place at the potential epicenter of the final conflict.
Otaku Evolution Episode 31 – Virus Buster Serge from mtpenguin on Vimeo.
I only laugh in that title card so I don’t cry, my friends. Virus Buster Serge might just be the worst anime I’ve ever seen, with its pure, unadulterated psychowankery. It’s an action series where the action is choppy and barely animated, a tech series where the tech means random magical logic, and a psychological examination of what turns out to be very simple ideas presented in a pompous, overwrought manner. The show looks and sounds awful, and that terrible English dub isn’t helping. It astounds me that Masami Obari continues to get work even to this day. So join me as a piece of me dies in this, my Virus Buster Serge review. And weep for me. And weep for anime. And weep for humanity.
Kuizzu desu – Who was it that nobody cared for until I put on the mask!?
Well to absolutely no surprise, Ange spends most of the episode under water with the remnants of Arzenal. Also to absolutely no surprise, Commander Jill’s kinda gone a bit crazy. Still reeling from the assault on Arzenal, she’s now gone down the path of being Little Miss Machiavelli, willing to sacrifice anybody who aids in Libertus (including potential DRAGONs). Of course, Ange and Tusk (ah fuck it, I’m invested enough to refer to him by his real name now), think that isn’t cool and thus have to make a daring escape now that they realize everybody sucks but DRAGONs.
Well finally the show is getting somewhere. After two episodes of world building and exposition, Salamandinay gets a chance to shine as a character instead of be this enlightened figure of wonder. So what does that mean for the audience? It means it is time for a bonding episode! A DRAGON Princess dedicated to the fall of Embryo! A disenchanted former Princess cum Paramail pilot! Now unencumbered by the necessity of explaining what the shit is going on, they can now move forward to an ever greater union through competitive sports battles spanning from tennis to Twister!
My Lupin III Recommendations:
– Lupin III (TV) (the "Green Jacket series") (available from Discotek)
– Lupin III (Part II) (TV) (the "Red Jacket series") (formerly available by Pioneer)
– Secret (Mystery) of Mamo (Theatrical Movie) (available from Discotek)
– Castle of Cagliostro (Theatrical Movie) (available from Discotek)
– Fuma Conspiracy/Plot of the Fuma Clan (OVA) (available from Discotek)
– Hemingway Papers (TV Special) (available from Discotek)
– Memory of the Walther P-38/"Island of Assassins" (TV Special) (formerly available from Funimation)
– Dead or Alive (Theatrical Movie) (formerly available from Funimation)
– $1 Money Wars/"Missed By A Dollar" (TV Special) (formerly available from Funimation)
– Alcatraz Connection (TV Special)
– Episode 0: First Contact (TV Special) (available from Discotek)
– Operation: Return the Treasure (TV Special)
– Stolen Lupin (TV Special)
– The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (TV) (available from Funimation)
– Daisuke Jigen’s Gravestone (available SOON from Discotek)
CAST:
Casval Rem Deikun: Karen Strassman
Artesia Som Deikun: Maggie O’Connor
Degwin Sodo Zabi: Marc Thompson
Gihren Zabi: Liam O’Brien
Sasro Zabi: Braeden Fox
Dozle Zabi: Bob Johnson
Kycilia Zabi: Wendee Lee
Ramba Ral: Kirk Thornton
Crowley Hamon: Amanda Shuckman
Zeon Zum Deikun: Marc Diraison
Astraia Tor Deikun: Veronica Taylor
Jimba Ral: Doug Stone
Char Aznable: Keith Silverstein
Note: Well unfortunately my other venue is no longer available to me so if you haven’t found out yet, this is where you can capture my Cross Ange stuff until the end (plus anything else I feel like talking about in terms of anime or animation)!
Ange and Not-Kira make a DRAGON Porno
Well after the lull that was last week’s episode we kinda pick things back up with the full-on formal introduction to the DRAGON Princess. Salamandinay, the strangely awesome mouthful of name they call said DRAGON Princess then proceeds to info dump for most of the episode about the world of DRAGONs. Turns out a prediction I made to myself a few eps back came true, as DRAGONs are used in Ange’s world to power the Light of Mana, and that all those DRAGON attacks throughout the first half actually had some rhyme and reason behind them. Neat I guess.
Note: Because of some strange circumstances on other, my original venue for Cross Ange episode reviews is no longer accessible to me. Until shit gets straightened up, this is the home of any and all future episode reviews.
[Unfortunately this is the most interesting shot in the entire episode]
Feelings are mixed about this episode. On the one hand, Ange and Not-Kira really need some downtime to work on those feelings they have for one another. On the other, there is nothing much spectacular or interesting once the not-quite-startling revelation how a big war messed up der world with the Ragnamails, and that they’re in Tokyo/the Misurugi Empire 500 or so years after the fact. You’d think a revelation like that would have been held with much more importance and be dealt with in the most impacting way possible, bearing the crux of the drama within the 25 minutes of episode airtime. Here it is exposited to us with all the force of a sales representative who lives to be procedurally polite, even if she is only an AI.
