| Title: | Busou Renkin |
| Episode: | 25: Irreplaceable |
| Synopsis | |
| When his plan to both defeat and save Victor failed, Kazuki hurled Victor and himself to the moon. Both are presumably dead, and the General muses over Kazuki's sacrifice, while Captain Bravo brings the bad news to Mahiro. Tokiko is grief stricken, but most people have no idea what has happened and go on with their ordinary lives. Papillon finds life without his arch rival Kazuki to be intensely boring. Shuusui and Oka plead with Tokiko to leave the hospital and return to school. When she is finally released, she runs into Bravo. She wanders about town, asking herself what she is to do. Okakura wonders exactly what happened to Kazuki. Tokiko takes out her frustrations on Homunculi in a combat simulator; Gouta begs her to take it easy. General Shousei reveals that the operations of the Alchemic Regiment are to be frozen for the time being, and it's purpose reassesed. Tokiko, however, steps forward with a request for one last mission... | |
| Comments | |
| Stretch: I had assumed that the battle between Kazuki and Victor would continue on the moon--having been "Victorized", they could presumably survive there. Maybe they'd arrive at a truce after awhile, but I wasn't expecting this episode to take place entirely back on earth in Kazuki's absence. For a moment it makes me wonder, could he really be dead? That would be pretty radical, and I quickly correct myself that surely he'll be back in the final episode--but if there is just a fragment of doubt in my mind, it makes the story far more intriguing; as the Captain would say, "Bravo"! The preview of episode 26 doesn't give the answer away, which was good thinking. One hint is that throughout this episode, images of the moon are repeatedly shown, as if to remind us not to forget about Kazuki and Victor. I greatly prefer a bit more development for numerous characters at this turning point over another round of nonsensical combat. Another neat touch was the little talk between Papillon and Victoria; I'm glad to hear that he doesn't have any "cannibalistic urges", since I like him so much, and the way he gets his nourishment seemed to have been largely glossed over up 'til now. Anyway, I'd say Busou Renkin is looking good going into the final episode, and I've got my fingers crossed that it won't come to a nauseating s-CRY-ed style conclusion. | |
