Plot: Van takes Fiona and Zeke back to his village to introduce them to his sister and the villagers. However, he soon realizes that doing so has lead the same gang members from earlier to his village. They want Zeke, and they’re willing to attack the village to get what they want. When they kidnap Van’s sister, Maria, he has no choice but to pilot the Shield Liger and rescue her.
Breakdown: If first episodes are usually meant for establishing certain aspects of the plot, second episodes are for transitional periods and more establishment. And that’s really what this is.
In addition to being a slight continuation of the last episode, we’re moreso focusing on transitioning Van to his main plot objective of traveling the countryside and eventually meeting up with new friends and joining the war effort, while also more firmly establishing certain things like there being a legit link between Fiona and Zeke, solidifying Zeke’s importance in the functionality of the Shield Liger, and the roles of Maria and some of the villagers.
The enemies are even less threatening this time around, even if their actions are worse. Nothing significant happens in their attacks, and they make off with nothing. So…pbbt. Also, again with the ridiculous bragging that you’re besting a child in a 3 on 1 robot battle.
The art and animation are somehow faltering even worse in this episode. It’s not terribly distracting, but it’s bad enough to notice. The voice acting is suffering in a similar fashion. Fewer VAs seem to be giving a crap this time around, and VAs who were doing alright last time seem to be phoning it in.
Finally, Fiona is very annoying in this episode, but mostly in her complete lack of knowledge in anything (she can, like a machine, pinpoint the exact thread location of a small hole in a blanket, but she doesn’t know what a tree is.) and her almost vaudeville-esque back and forth with Van about what she does and doesn’t know.
It’s an alright episode given its necessity. But hey, we get Irvine next! Hooray!
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The Anime Madhouse 