Wait, wait… what? WTF, they actually did it? If you’ve not seen the episode yet: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
This is a bit of random text to prevent spoilers from showing up on the blog aggregators, but seriously this episode has got to be the biggest surprise of the entire season. I know that I more often pull these sorts of conclusions and they don’t turn out to be true and all, but damn: Ellen was shot right through the heart and got dumped in the ocean! Bloody hell! There’s no way that she could have survived that!
Seriously, if this really is what I think it is, then this really has been the first time since ages than the creators of a show had the guts to kill off one of their lead character. I really thought that Reiji was just going to save Ellen, kill Scythe and just happily live together with her in Japan for a couple of episodes, but THIS. I never saw that coming.
I’m now sure of my favourite shows this season: Konnichiwa Anne and this series both continue to leave me stunned after nearly every single episode. Just when I think I can’t get more impressed, they pull yet another one of their surprises. Now THAT’s the sign of a good anime! It’s so sad that in the end, Ellen did choose to be Ein, and didn’t abandon her master’s trust. Reiji showed a totally different side of his this episode: we now really get to see his dark side, which is absolutely nothing like his composed, usual self.
This series sure as hell pulls no punches. Every single battle so far has ended with either one or both sides heavily beaten, whereas most series simply choose to let each side retreat with perhaps a small casualty or two. As an example, especially Gundam 00 had a nasty habit of doing this in its second season over and over again. I loved how this episode was dancing around Reiji, singing “no, you can’t get your happily ever after just yet, muaha!”
Rating: *** (Awesome)
An amazing conclusion to an already amazing arc of an already amazing series. And we’ve yet to even reached the halfway point!
geass r2 had tonnes of surprises as well
didn’t exactly make it into a masterpiece
same with this one.
After I watched this episode i felt a GunGrave wibe. Hopefully it wont become as crazy as that series
@c-ron that’s because the plot twist were too much different from this one
Wonderful episode as always. Though don’t be suprised yet since they still got more in the store
Hehe, Code Geass had its own reason of why it turned into a disaster, thankfully none of which carried over to Phantom. ^^;
well im really liking this series ep 10 was a big shock to me because i also though hellen was going to be saved…so it was big shocker…
aside from that i have a question…..this series is supposed to be 26 ep right?? i was looking all over for some confirmation but couldnt find it the wiki ep list only lists up to 13 ep though so i was wondering if someone could enlighten me
JayyG: my source for episode counts usually is anime news network: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10541
Here there are 26 episodes listed.
Nooooo Elen definitely still alive I mean come on Reiji got shot three time.
To JayyG: I heard that the final DVD vol 10 would be sold in japan somewhere around 23 april 2010. And also some people said that there are some new character would show up later and definitely making it at the very least 24 episode
OK, let me shed some light. The original game had three chapters, each with about 3 endings each. Since making an anime like that is impossible, they are going to take the parts with each of the main female charatcers (sort of) from the three chapters, and make an Ellen ark, an Claudia ark and an Cal ark. You don’t know who Call is yet, but you will in the next arc. However, this will most likely be a Higurashi sort of deal, with each ark being parallel…since I really don’t see how they could continue.
Woops, actually *spoiler*
see the main website, http://www.phantom-r.jp/
the two on the main obviously cal (drei) and ellen in the church (3rd arc). She’ll survive anyways, it’s just a temporary shocker.
Why the HELL are Cal’s boobs so big? Those are twice the size they were in the game. I know you’re desperate BeeTrain…but come on…
Excellent episode, but I can’t say this was exactly a surprise for me, having played the game before…although I do wish they hadn’t made a couple of things look a bit more misleading than they probably should. This will be easier to discuss later on. Still, a great way to end the arc.
Other than that, I’ll just quietly roll my eyes at the Gungrave and Code Geass mentions, both of which I consider rather inaccurate and also out of place (both are very different series but they have a certain method to their madness, which I happen to appreciate, whatever people say). Regardless, this really isn’t the time to debate either statement.
they changed it from the light novel, in the novel, chapter 4 “battle at the dock”, ryuji tried to shot scyth, eren jumped in the way, got shot,then scyth just carried eren’s body and ran. ryuji collapsed on both of his knees and just remind there in despair until the Inferno people came, he told them he kill eren and that scyth made off with the body. they were like, awesome, good job, now scyth is powerless. btw, since you killed Phantom, you are now the new Phantom. he was like, what? are you serious? End chapter 4. chapter 5 starts off with “…one year later” with ryuji as Phantom.
great season so far I must say!
Psgels one question though. You’re watching shin mazinger right? I haven’t started it yet but I have recently picked up mazinkaiser.
PURE EPIC from the first episode. The action is downright fierce. I’ve also got some getter robo ovas on the way and from a couple glimpses they look amazing as well.
Just to give you an idea if shin mazinger doesn’t seem to be enough.
This series is incredibly good, and doesn’t cease to impress me… even as someone who never played the original.
This episode also had me stunned!!! Such an amazing one, I knew ” Phantom” would be great, there’s no was it wouldn’t after ” Noir” and all, but never expected it to be that great, every single moment is used to make every instant unforgettable, there were no boring moment even once so far, I just love this show and completely agree with you psgels!!! I didn’t see a show like this for quite a long time! Futhermore now the title and their name becomes more clear : phantom is a ” ghost” after all, and in this episode it looked like both Ein and zwein were killed.
Certainly one of the best episodes of the season.
It was cool that the episode took place in Oakland. When they mentioned the Bay Area I was stoked. Having the Bay Bridge in the backround was awesome. I love anime’s (and movies in general) where you know the place they are at. A sort of “Hey, I’ve been there too!”
OMG!!! Well, I saw it coming, and I didn’t see it coming. I had a feeling that Ein might die, but that Zwei might die…not at all. *spoiler* My only concern though was how the hell does one survive being shot four times and being swept away by the ocean. I would think that if he doesn’t die from the wounds he would drown. When they showed him on the beach, face down with the waves rolling over him every few seconds I wondered “HOW can you live??”. In the previews for the next episode though Zwei looks older and is apparently alive, so…
People.. I think it’s awfully rude to go on and ramble about things from the game that has not happened yet
At the very least add spoiler space if you insist on doing so
Funny that you mentioned Gundam 00…
This show and Gundam 00 have the same writer (Yousuke Kuroda)
Am I the only one who thought this episode was absolutely retarded. Yeah, let’s make Reiji stalk scythe for 5 mins with a million chances to kill him so that Ellen can get into position to jump in front of the bullet. Isn’t that convenient. I liked this series till they pulled this blatant unrealistic piece of crap to force a plot twist on us. Execution could have been so much better.
Agreed. A slight false step in an otherwise excellent episode of a consistent series.
The execution here was highly implausible – how could Helen/Ein manage to cover enough ground from behind Zwei/Reiji and step in front of the target, without Zwei/Reiji noticing?
I somewhat agree, but then I never saw this as a completely serious series. The amount of cliches they pull is stunning, it’s Japanese trying to make a typical Hollywood film into an anime series. And it’s very enjoyable to watch, but intelligent…?