Um. Wow. This might just as well have been the best episode of Gosick yet. This past month has just been absolutely amazing for this series, there’s no way around it. The bad stories? All gone. The annoying characters? Who cares about those? Heck, every episode this month has delivered beyond what I could have ever expected from this series.
Cordelia’s background… holy crap. To think that in the past half year, there have been two series that feature main characters that were pretty much the products of outright rape (for obvious spoiler reasons I’m not going to mention what the other series was, but those who saw it know what I’m talking about). This episode really gave some insights at who Cordellia was, as well as completely prove me wrong in thinking that the red haired guy was supposed to be a villain.
I also love that how in hindsight, the series has been dropping hints and references to this episode over and over. Unfortunately this can’t be said of every arc: the pointless arcs still remain pointless at this point, but the good arcs are surprisingly well tied to each other. And heck, this past month has really made up for the bad arcs of this series. Gosick has turned from a cheap mystery show to an amazingly engaging adventure series. It’s not just Victorique who is awesome: it’s the bond between every character here that just gets better and better.
The only part I did not like about this episode: Bones didn’t have the budget to really animate that dance scene of Cordellia. That’s a bit of a pity.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
Wow. I didn’t think characters who are products of rape were so rare. What was the other show again? I have no clue. >_
I’m really impressed with how well this series is tying things together.
On Roscoe, while he may not be a villain per se, he makes a comment of ambiguous morality in this episode. While acknowledging Cordelia’s love for her daughter, he goes on to say that he hates her for his own reasons. I suppose this could be extreme jealousy, because Vickie is the child he didn’t have with Cordelia. Still Roscoe has some interesting complexity that keeps him from being neatly categorized at this point.
The other show featuring rape (of sorts) was Astarotte’s Toy. xD
This anime is at his best when Victorique isn’t on complete control of the situation.
Wow, Marquise de Blois is even sicker than what I imagined. I thought he actually courted Cordelia back in the past, instead he just kidnapped her, raped her and kept her in chains until she gave birth to Vic. Then he put her in a psychiatric hospital for life. What a bastard…
I can understand Brian’s hate for Victorique. She is the living symbol that the woman he loves was raped by another man. I hope that he can overcome his hate since he seems a good man at heart.
I agree with you 100% that the second half of GOSICK had been nothing short of amazing!
@Houlgrave. I don’t think that’s the one that psgels is referring to as to point it out is much more of a spoiler than Astrolette’s Toy. In the one I’m thinking of the offspring of the rape is a son.
Hope you don’t mind me asking, which episodes would you recommend skipping (if any) to a new viewer? I watched the first arc but it just seemed so badly thought out but the character development arcs look good so I’m wondering if I can skip some of the unnecessary episodes.
dont skip them, thats all =)
Looking back upon my (unnecessarily lengthy) prediction from really early on, I’m tickled to see that it did indeed take place as I envisioned — not the plot per se, but the show’s execution itself.
I’m so glad of it, too; this is really the diamond in the rough. Everything’s coming together so grandly.
AND WHO RAEPED WHOM?
Despite what PsGels has been saying they arent filler arcs they are all adaptations of light novels in two-three episodes (and really brings back memories of agatha christie adaptations where a book is shown in an hour or two of tv). Also all the arcs feature clues to the metaplot, you can piece together everything well ahead of the exposition if you pickup on them. Perhaps im too used to Meitantei Conan though and non-detecive show lovers arent used to picking up the threads and metaphors.