| Title: | Busou Renkin |
| Episode: | 16: New Power |
| Synopsis | |
| "The final showdown with the League of Extraordinary Elects, L.X.E., has come to an end. However, Victor was resurrected, and during the battle against him, Kazuki was "Victorized". With Victor's escape, the mission was over. Kazuki and his friends have gone to the beach to enjoy their short vacation". At the beach, Tokiko meets a strange teenage boy who she clearly knows (and doesn't particularly like). They agree to meet secretly later on. Meanwhile, hilarious beachfront hijinx ensue. Afterwards Bravo asks Kazuki what happened while he was away researching Victor and the Black Kakugane; nothing unusual has. Kazuki asks Bravo to resume training him, so that he'll be more of a match for Victor the next time they meet. Bravo tells Kazuki to meet him at a nearby rocky outcrop at midnight. Late at night Tokiko meets the boy, Nakamura Gouta, and demands to know why he has come. He reveals that he has just qualified as an Alchemic Warrior himself, and thanks Tokiko for her help at training camp. He has now been dispatched to deliver new orders to Tokiko. Kazuki wonders why Tokiko hasn't joined him and Captain Bravo at the shore. Bravo fills him in about the "Alchemic Regiment" and it's objectives. The one goal Kazuki wasn't aware of (since it was abandoned long ago) was the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, "a stone of many uses, encompassing all attributes of Alchemy, which can create miracles of all kinds". The three Black Kakugane are none other than successfully synthesized Philosopher's Stones. A century ago, the first was used to save Victor, who was dying after being severely injured in battle with homunculi. But "Victor became a monster, surpassing even homunculi". The story that Victor became a homunculi is a deliberate lie created to conceal the Regiment's mistake. In the chaos that ensued, the Regiment was disbanded, the Black Kakugane were lost, and all further research was discontinued. When Tokiko unwittingly implanted a Black Kakugane into Kazuki, she essentially duplicated what happened to Victor a century ago. Bravo can only conclude that it has become permanently linked to his body, and he will never be a normal human again. Kazuki is both horrified and incredulous, but Bravo declares that in six weeks or so, "You, like Victor, will become a monster which spreads death as long as you live. Before that happens, I have to end this. That is my new mission"... | |
| Comments | |
| Mention of the "Philosopher's Stone" made me a little sqeamish, what with shades of FullMetal Alchemist. But I think the concept existed long before FMA put it to use, so nobody has a copyright on it. So, two out of three Black Kakugane/Philosopher's Stones are accounted for--what about the third one? Surely it wouldn't have been mentioned if it wasn't going to turn up somewhere in Busou Renkin. Maybe Papillon will get his hands on it--he picked up Dr. Butterfly's kakugane at the school, didn't he? Anyway, I think the plot takes an intriguing, well-planned turn here, as allies suddenly become enemies. One problem is that Kazuki seems a little too eager to fight Bravo; shouldn't he have pleaded with Bravo not to attack him just once? This show in general has a sort of corny yet cool feel to it (if that makes any sense), with the sheer coolness making the self-parodying silly parts not just excusable but a perfect match. No doubt some would say this show is absurd and predictable (and to a certain extent, they'd be right) but that doesn't keep it from being a joy to watch. There are gaffs now and then, but for the most part it works remarkably well and I was grinning as I watched the fight between Bravo and Kazuki. The dialogue can be pretty cool, too--I especially liked Bravo's "I can become evil" line. Busou Renkin does an excellent job of balancing comedy, action and excitement; this episode, for example, was great fun early on (with more laughs than many out-and-out comedies) then got rather serious towards the end. Surely Kazuki will survive, but how? Having seen as much Busou Renkin as I have, I'm confident that the explanation will make sense, be unexpected, and be well thought-out. | |
