Recap: A new pilot joins Team Rabbits, and Izuru goes ballistic during a new operation.

Iro’s Thoughts:
My apologies for the lack of a post last week and a late, lackluster post this week. Things have been pretty hectic around here.

So the big deal for these two episodes is mostly the introduction of Ange, pilot of fancy new unit Black-6 and an all around weird person. For one, we’re not even sure if Ange is a male or female yet (I will be referring to him as male for my own sake), which is maybe a little tiresome, but nothing I can’t handle. I’ve heard it’s much worse in BakaTest, anyway. His other weird gimmick is flip-flopping between demure and bloodthirsty, usually when it’s time for a fight. It’s nice to shake up the character dynamics a bit, but I’m not completely sold on Ange just yet. Much of these two episodes involved him one-upping the characters we’ve come to love like a typical a-new-rival-has-appeared character, and I assume that’s just gonna set him up to learn a lesson of the POWER OF FRIENDSHIP a bit down the line.

And, since a mecha show isn’t a mecha show without a random mid-season upgrade, Izuru freaks out after an ambush by Jiart and unlocks some sort of berserk mode for his unit. While I don’t have a problem with that in itself, despite its clear EVA-ness , the entire sequence (apart from the resulting action scene, which was incredible) felt sort of rushed and tacked on. Like, Jiart just happens to show up out of nowhere, of course prompting a dramatic duel with Izuru. It sort of happened because it had to happen, instead of progressing naturally from what was already going on in the narrative. Disappointing, considering MJP‘s track record with such things, but I’m willing to roll with it for now.

The romance elements seem to be getting a bit more focus now, as well. Ange’s androgyny means both Suruga and Tamaki are kind of smitten with him/her, and the show isn’t even trying to be subtle with the brewing Asagi->Kei->Izuru->Teoria love centipede. And speaking of being unsubtle, the new ED sequence plainly shows Kei and Izuru tenderly holding hands. GEE I WONDER HOW ALL THIS IS GONNA TURN OUT. Hopefully MJP won’t get too silly as things progress.