天下制覇

Who is this person?

Impressions:

Well, it was an excellently done episode, but it’s hard to be too excited about this fight since it’s essentially between Musubi and a character that we’ve seen once before for maybe 15 seconds. I’ll also renew my hatred of cliffhangers that are spoiled by the next episode preview. I realize that there’s no way this is series is over with the next episode and no way at all that Musubi would be taken down by somebody that has even less of a role in the story than Yukari, but come on… if you’re going to end on a cliffhanger, don’t immediately deflate it.

There were also a few moments of terrifyingly bad art in this episode. I can forgive Benitsubasa looking a bit… stark raving mad, but what the hell was going on with Musubi’s face here? Those shots were literally taken a few frames apart. Her mouth teleports from somewhere inside her cheek to make where it belong in the front of her face. Likewise, Kuno looked like she was having a seizure instead of running. The preview also had some fun overanimation and under-textured art for that matter. I also take exception to Kusano using a bazooka which shoots tennisball sized objects about 20 feet. I can throw those plant pokeballs further than the bazooka was shooting them. Juuuuuuuuuuuuuust a little bit overly ridiculous, though biker-chick Matsu was a welcome addition to her normal (lack of) attire.

Don’t let all those complaints get you down though, it was an excellent episode from start to finish, and if there were another 12 episodes immediately following it, I’d be a lot less… well… bitter about this essentially being the ending. There’s just so little purpose to it… save these two weaklings we met two episodes ago by fighting against a character than had 3 lines in the past 10 episodes. I can think of more dramatic ways to conclude a series and still leave room for an opening. That’d mean some deviation from the source I guess, which is anthema to some… so… whatever I guess. 

Choreography was excellent, animation was mostly excellent (barring the issues mentioned above which I’m sure will be touched up upon DVD release) and while the first half really didn’t have much violence against things that could actually fight back, explosions and giant plant chaos is a good enough second for my tastes.

Not too much to summarize. Minato wants to go after Kusano (way to stick to the plan) because he promised he’d save her if she was in trouble, so Matsu heads out instead. Tsukiumi continues to angst it up until Miya convinces her to go after Minato. Benitsubasa and Musubi fight. Rarr rarr.

Second Half of the Musubi Fight

Episode 11 ED

Preview:

Musubi’s down and not a sekirei anymore… psyche! Seeya in 2010 for season 2!