Recap: Ledo looks for a job until the fleet takes a break for some fun in the sun.

Iro’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first half of this episode, mostly because it was actually pushing the plot forward as Ledo looks for a purpose on Gargantia, whereas I found the second half to be almost entirely pointless. I don’t have a problem with fanservice necessarily, but it’s basically a string of jokes at Ledo’s expense and a lot of T&A shots. Very pretty shots, mind, as Gargantia continues to have great art direction and whatnot, but there’s nothing to move the story forward and I found the show languishing as a result.

Also, Ledo’s pasty ass apparently didn’t get sunburned at all. What’s up with that?

Gee’s Thoughts:
Yeah yeah beach episode!

In all seriousness, I was dreading this episode, but I came out of it pleasantly surprised. Yes, at its heart, it’s still a beach episode, even if there’s no actual beach (instead, you have a nasty rusty ship that would probably give you half a dozen diseases, but we’ll ignore that). There’s honestly not too much that can be said about this episode. Ledo’s quest to find a job certainly reflects his culture’s obsession with everyone having a distinct purpose, and I can understand how it feels to not be needed in a given situation. It definitely makes you feel like a lessor person in a lot of ways, so I empathize with his need to find a job.

That said, this episode is your classic “Stoic hero needs to learn how to relax” story, supplemented by all the lovely ladies of Gargantia in clothes even more revealing than their standard fare. I suppose it’s somewhat telling of your society when everyone wears clothes that can be easily removed at any given notice to go swimming and/or have a barbecue party. Can’t really say I’m against it, though I do wish we got a little more screentime with Bellows instead of the three main girls, but alas, beggars can’t be choosers.

Overall, not the best episode of Gargantia, but still a pleasant little bit of lighthearted fare. And honestly, Gargantia is at its best when it focuses on the lighter material instead of the dramatic plot progression. As I said before, I certainly wouldn’t mind if the rest of the series was just the adventures of Ledo’s integration into Gargantian society and learning what it means to be a well-rounded person.

Zigg’s Thoughts:
This is clearly the most lightweight episode of Gargantia yet, but it’s a testament to the quality of the show that that mostly is meant as a compliment rather than a detraction. Basically, this is exactly how filler episodes should be – good, silly, (mostly) clean fun that gives us a few laughs and lets us spend a little time with the characters without the pressure of any sort of plot. It’s a good demonstration of the power of decent character writing as well, since even these silly little moments help build the characters up and their interaction with each other feels natural, fluid and easy.

If there’s a theme to be found here, it’s Ledo gradually becoming more and more comfortable in the environment of the Gargantia. His interest in finding a job is a clear indication he’s growing beyond his military-brat origins and his desire to be useful and helpful to the citizens of the ship is charming in an almost childish way. Sure, it peters out a little as the episode goes on but it’s a good nugget of character growth. I also dug the gently humorous tone of this episode, with little sight gags like Bedel’s fan building or Ridget emerging from the water in search of barbeque bringing a smile to the face. The episode loses points with a horribly stereotypical gay joke, but at least it’s one of the less offensive examples I’ve seen.

As ever, the sumptuous visuals are one of the major draws of Gargantia, and this episode doesn’t disappoint with Amy and company’s flying race through the city a great set-piece and the subsequent water-filled finale atop the tower a beautiful way to close out the episode. I’ll give the team credit for handling a fanservice episode tastefully too – everyone shows plenty of skin, but the camera never leers at them or goes out of its way to get a pervy shot. It’s about as innocent as cheesecake like this can get, and the fact that it’s the girls who get to ogle the boy for a change is a nice little reversal. Overall, nothing earth-shattering here, but as before, Gargantia shows it’s always a little better than it needs to be.