天下制覇

BERSERKER!

Did he just say making fuck?

Anyway, I’m not certain I’ll stay with this posting style, but I’ll try it for a day or two and see how it feels. If you especially like it or hate it, just leave a comment here or back on where I was ruminating on updating the layout. 

Impressions:

If this episode had a budget, it would have been amazing. Without a budget though, we get recap for the first quarter of the episode, 3 frame punches repeated ad nauseum, stills with pan outs, and a shaking camera to show punch impact. It was still pretty decent, but I just remember back to the Kenichi vs Hermit fight and think of what it could have been. *sigh* There was pretty much nothing surprising here though. Hermit sees through Berserker’s berserker mode, breaks his arm, everybody goes home happy. Or gets ready to face Odin next episode, either/or. Maybe they were saving the budget for next episode. At least, I hope so.

I’m actually not certain when since I just noticed it now, but the OP changed a bit again. The fists of Ragnarok are even more animated than the first change.

There’s four minutes of recap and recycled crap from the last episode before this one even starts. Not a good sign.

Anyway, Kenichi has just made it there. All the masters are there to watch from a distance, along with Siegfried in his sickbed. They don’t want to interfere though, so Ma pulls out his super voyeur telescope. Sieg takes a peak into it and sees a figure running over the water straight at him. It’s Jesus, or the Elder, and he blasts by everybody, grabbing some of the picnic food on the way.

He tells them all how Kenichi did with the training, joking around a little bit with them, but telling him that the enemy this time is no joke. He’s unfazed though and pours himself some tea. Miu and her unevenly tilted breasts are a bit more worried.

Back at the throwdown area, Kenichi wants to know why Shinpaku and Ragnarok are fighting. He blames Niijima and his especially poorly drawn ears. After a status report of their… valiant yet unsuccessful battles, Kenichi turns to Odin/Ryuuto. Odin says to not blame him and Berserker speaks up as the one who executed Shinpaku.

Kenichi doesn’t even wait for him to finish talking and attacks with a flying kick. Berserker blocks it, throwing Kenichi away. He lands with his backs to some goons who try to attack him, but Kenichi uses the same barrier technique that Odin uses to easily beat them.

Berserker and Kenichi rush to attack eachother, but Hermit steps in between them and breaks it up. He points his fist at both of them, but turns to Kenichi first, chewing him out for abandoning his friends, which Kenichi just innocently tosses back at him. The rest of Shinpaku is in Hermit’s corner though, saying that he came through when Shinpaku was in a pinch.

Hermit says it was nothing like that. He just remembers his sister through Kenichi’s and wants to protect that.

Odin steps in, and out of nowhere finds a chair. He sits down and wonders if they can really deal with what they’ve gotten themselves into. Right on cue, Berserker attacks and kicks both in the face at once. Kenichi falls back, but Hermit caught the kick and uppercuts Berserker in return. Hermit declares that he’ll be the one to take down Berserker, but the big guy just laughs and suddenly appears right in front of Hermit with a finger on his forehead. Hermit falls back, but Berserker’s finger has left an indent.

Berserker attacks again, raining punches on Hermit while Niijima gives the play by play of Berserker’s genius streetfighting abilities. Berserker finally finds an opening and throws Hermit. Everybody is impressed, but Hermit lands easily and declares that his training under Sougetsu won’t allow him to lose.

Hermit attacks again, this time using the same feints that he used against Kenichi and manages to land blows and knock Berserker down. He gives a little speech about how his fighting style is better, but Kenichi doesn’t think that this battle is over.

From the ground, Berserker starts laughing and then suddenly vaults straight into a handstand on Hermit’s shoulders.

Hermit tries to knock him off, but Berserker turns it into a flip and attacks, and then keeps attacking, knocking Hermit to the ground and forcing him to roll to dodge.

Hermit scrambles to his feet and tries to attack, but finds only air as Berserker vaults onto his shoulders again. Berserker tells Hermit that their fight was interesting and a little fun, but now it’s over. He springs into a flip with a kick that takes Hermit full in the chops.

Hermit is down and not moving at all. Berserker turns to Kenichi and tells him that he’ll lose as well. Niijima is worried, but Kenichi says that there’s no way Tanimoto would lose so easily. Hermit suddenly grabs Berserker with his legs and uses an ankle takedown followed by a chop to Berserker’s neck. Hermit follows up with a knee to the gut and a punch combo, ending with an elbow to Berserker’s face. Hermit gives yet another speech about his training with Sougetsu, but suddenly stops and blood begins pouring from the indent in his forehead.

From the ground, Berserker starts laughing again and pulls himself up, looking like a demon. Everybody’s really worried for Hermit now. Even the masters think that the berserker mode could be trouble.

Berserker is going a bit more nuts and charges Hermit again. Tanimoto is able to block, but Berserker is moving quite a bit faster now, and when Hermit tries to counterattack, Berserker easily dodges and lands a hard blow.

Berserker turns his back to Hermit, and Hermit thinks that he sees an opening, but Berserker somersaults backwards and kicks him on the top of his head. Laughing, Berserker starts beating the living hell out of Hermit. Odin thinks that it’s all over now that Berserker is in berserker mode and Hermit can’t even block anymore.

Sieg thinks that Tanimoto is in a huge pinch, and Ma kind of agrees, that the berserker mode will overwhelm your opponent and force them on the defensive with little regard for your own body. If you wait it out though, since the attacks are generally poorly done, there will be an opening. He also uses the opening to try to feel up Miu, but she slaps his hand away.

Berserker goes for the killing blow, but Hermit suddenly snaps to, manages to dodge it and spins into a punch that slams Berserker down.

All the masters are impressed by Ma’s brother’s student… but is the battle really over?

Berserker pulls himself to his feet again, glowing with the evil energy. This time though, Hermit is able to dodge all his attacks and gets inside his guard punching his legs and catching him in an arm lock.

Berserker refuses to give up though, and Hermit breaks his arm. Berserker refuses to give up though and keeps attacking, even slamming Hermit with his broken arm. The two come together in a final clash, ending with Berserker flying through the air and Hermit in his fighting stance.

Berserker can’t get up from this one, though he struggles. Hermit puts his hood back on and prepares to leave. Odin is very pissed though, and radiating his displeasure.

The masters are pleased with how one of Kenichi’s friends did, and Sieg is singing a victory song for Hermit. Tanimoto walks over Kenichi and tags him in to take over the battle.