The good thing: Barnaby can finally remember the face of his parents’ killer after seeing a picture of him. The bad: this happened right before some of his comrades execute a city-wide plan to bust this guy out of jail. It ties in with the big flaw of this show: its coincidences; they just keep happening over and over.
In any case though, with this episode we seem to be heading into the meat of this series now that Ouroboros has finally showed itself. But even there I doubt that the entire second half of this show will be about Ouroboros: there is still Lunatic of course, but also tons of different side-plots that can work out really nicely if given an episode or two.
This episode was a step back from the previous episodes though. It lacked personality. It may have introduced new characters, but as for the older cast, it didn’t really show anything new about them aside from a short compilation of what they do in their time off. That part was very good, by the way. Compilations like that work especially well in action-packed series with large casts like this one.
Rating: * (Good)
I liked this episode quite a lot, actually. I’m surprised you only gave it one star. It didn’t really have as much character development as in the other episodes, but this was one of the story-developing episodes, so there had to be less focus on it.
I wouldn’t expect the show to ever toss its contrivances; they’re recycled superhero tropes dusted off and brought out for homage duty. They’re sometimes funny and sometimes corny, but either way they’re part of the charm of the show, and I can’t think of anything that might be considered more tiresome than, say, the content in the Origami Cyclone episode. I also wouldn’t rule out the possibility that it actually wasn’t a coincidence at all, and that there’s a way that information is being leaked. There’s certainly a bit of theatrics to the whole affair, since they could have presumably easily broken their compatriot out of prison using a small army of robots.
The character designs for the new villains were also pretty good.
I thought it was funny that the title was mostly a lie: the heroes managed a couple of hours of ‘calm’ before the storm at best, probably nothing more than they manage after hours normally. I also thought it was funny that Blue Rose apparently spends time with her friends doing karaoke, and sings her own songs. It was also somewhat amusing to see the kind of inefficient retail practices you might find in Japan in an ostensibly Western setting.
That said, I had an eyebrow raised by how easily the heroes were plowed over by some teddybear-piloted mecha with Storm Trooper aiming firmware. I imagine it serves some function besides providing tension, but it really makes them seem unusually pathetic, and not even in a funny way.
Agreeing with the main review. This episode felt empty and it bothered me that for 20 years Oroboros has been silent but at the exact moment Barnaby remembers and goes to execute his own plan of what? possible revenge? Oroboros decides- Youknow what? Lets go destroy the city in 9min for the guy we could have done this for oh… I dunno. Last year? I’m really hoping they have something bigger planned… Esp. w/ Lunatic who I’m actually having high hopes for with Livening things up a little/ rubbing it in the faces of the heroes that had Mr. Naked in a cell been killed promptly for his crimes, this might not be happening. It also makes me wonder what role tigers daughter might play, I mean, they did kinda stress that Jake(?) was a kidnapper… but then again, alot of the villains seem to like kidnapping *shrugs* here’s hoping for a better episode next week.
I really, really, loved this episode, actually. There wasn’t much character development this time around, but there was a nice bit of world building and plot development. Some people think that Ouroboros showing themselves was a little bit too sudden, and I can see that, but I don’t fully agree.
Also, the coincidences probably aren’t as coincidental as you may be thinking, since there is quite a bit of evidence that Maverick may actually be the big bad pulling all of the strings. The fact that the Sternbild money has the Ourboros sign on it and after looking at this picture: http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=102238&page=22 it seems increasingly obvious that there is some connection between the sponsors (or, most likely just Maverick) and Ouroboros.
As for how Lunatic fits into all of this. I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually suspects Maverick and thinks he might be connected to Ouroboros. Back in episode 8, when Maverick was delivering his speech on how to get the public to trust in heroes again and such, Lunatic gives him a look that isn’t very nice, at all. At that point in time we were probably meant to think that Yuri gave this look because, well, he is the “enemy,” but it seems more likely that he is actually going to end up teaming up with the heroes to fight against Ouroboros, since he doesn’t seem to like them at all, which makes sense since they seem to be nothing more than a bunch of killers.
Also, fans have been speculating for a while now that Maverick may actually be using Barnaby in some way. Since his interactions with Barnaby have been more creepy rather than fatherly. So the groundwork for Ouroboros seems like it has been laid out since the beginning of the series.
The character development in this episode may not have been as up there as it has in the past. But we got some from Agnes, which was nice. She does seem to have her limit when it comes to risking the lives of the heroes, and maybe now the public will be a bit more aware of the fact that those heroes are actually real people and not just characters on a TV show and that those criminals are actual bad guys and not just monsters of the week.
Still the humor was there: Keith has a lab, Nathan obviously owns magical make-up that doesn’t come off in the shower, and Ivan has a Japanese styled room! XD Speaking of Ivan though, I’m really anticipating next week’s episode because I’m worried about him. If he does infiltrate Ouroboros as Jake (the common theory that’s been floating around) then I hope he makes it out alive!
You can’t have characterization in every episode, too much of it gets in the way of plot development.
I really loved this episode. Although I do agree that the coincidences are a bit annoying, I think it is done intentionally in keeping in line the general tropes of a typical superhero series. I also agree with LilyGinnyBlack that Ouroboros’s big entrance in to the public eye has been built up nicely in the previous episodes, and the fact that the Ouroboros could keep tabs on the communications of the Hero TV crews suggest that there is a traitor in their midst. The bad part of the episode to me, is again, the action set-pieces. The scene where Wild Tiger is rescuing that woman in the car, that those idiotic robots can’t seem to shoot an immobile person simply beggars belief. I can’t remember how many times already I’ve head-banged and face-palmed myself watching some of the quite laughable “action” scenes. Oh, well. I’m really looking forward to the plan the heroes will make next week. Looks like Origami Cyclones/Ivan will finally have some use for his power. And I wonder how Lunatic will react to the current situation?
Couldn’t agree less with the review for this episode. This was the episode that finally made the statement I was waiting for this series to make. That statement being that this wasn’t going to be yet another DRRR!! or Star Driver or any of these other action shows as of late that have completely floundered due to having no idea how to pace and build an effective story (or, in the case of FMA: Brohood, just got completely retarded). It used to be that 24-26 episode anime were a lot better than their 11-13 episode counterparts because they actually had more in the line of character and setting development, but over the past several years that has most certainly not been the case. Fortunately, T&B marks a return to the things that make series of that length great while not being nearly as cookie cutter about it as I would have expected. So long as it doesn’t find some other way to shoot itself in the foot this should easily end up being the best action anime since TTGL (not to mention being yet more proof that original anime are far more enjoyable than these godawful light novel adaptations that are flooding the airwaves currently).
>>3 (kallen)
>”Lets go destroy the city in 9min for the guy we could have done this for oh… I dunno. Last year?”
I’d like to point out that the bombing, and the coup to break Jake out of jail, only happened AFTER Barnaby told Maverick over the phone that he now knows identified the murderer of his parents and that he’s going to see him.
So, assuming Maverick is involved with Ouroboros and furthermore assuming that Jake didn’t mind being in prison, it makes sense that the breakout happened now on short notice, because it wasn’t until now that Barnaby had an actual lead and was on his way to cause trouble.
@Outis: Oh! That’s right. I didn’t even realize that. I just noticed that the heroes all “happened” to have time off on the day of the attack, which seemed to me to be further proof of Maverick’s involvement.
Also, Ouroboros may not have bothered to get Jake out of “prison,” because, for all we know, he might have been kept there due to some plan Maverick might have had for him later on down the road. But when he found out that Barnaby found out about Jake, well, that could mess up his plans. Therefore the attack and demand that Jake be “let out” of prison.
If anything, Yuri and the heroes are probably going to mess this plan up and this will lead to bigger reveals, such as Maverick’s involvement with Ouroboros and perhaps, maybe, even the desire by the heroes to get rid of HeroTV and the whole sponsor aspect of heroism in general. Especially since the sponsors also seem to hold a bit of political power as well.
@LilyGinnyBlack- thanks for the pic there… Always felt there was something weird about that structure and why everything is basically focused on the south side of the city
@Outis- I’m starting to think the version I get of the show is a bit off, maybe with the subs, -is totally not picking up the great points everyones bringing up- that or im just stupid *shrugs* now it makes me wonder just how deeply involved Barnaby/his parents were involved with Oroboros, since it took his word to bring the group out of hiding like this
@kallen
Well, the stuff I wrote is still just speculation at this point. Just wanted to offer a possible explanation for that odd timing to reveal themselves. It may still turn out to be just a mere coincidence, though I’m inclined to give the writing staff the benefit of the doubt, as they have handled things pretty nicely overall. We’ll only know for sure once we learn more about Maverick and/or the background story.
@kallen: You’re welcome! I hadn’t really noticed anything about the city until I saw that picture myself. Then I wondered how I missed it.
But yeah, there has been a lot of speculation about Maverick and if he really is the nice, old man that he appears to be.
Surprises, shocks and such await us all, especially with chars we know so little about, regular/normal and hero. But you wanna know what I’ve been wondering? What ever happened to the older heroes? I mean they have statues of the guy who Tiger idolises here and there (bombed tower, Hero school) but what ever happened to him? He’d probably be in Maverick’s age range by now if not a little older, right? so did he retire? Die? or is he hanging around still working for one of the sponcers,just no longer as a hero (cause of the age thing)
@Outis & LillyGinnyBlack- 🙂
@kallen: That’s a good question about the older heroes. I’m thinking we’ll slowly get more information on them as the series progresses, though some fans have been speculating that Keith/Sky High might actually be Mr. Legend’s son.
It’s just speculation though and is based off the fact that Keith has blond hair, like Mr. Legend does/did, and that he is very superhero like even when the cameras are off, suggesting that he was brought up as a superhero.
Also, the commentator at the very beginning of episode 8, who was talking about the public’s instant liking of Lunatic was a former HERO. His name is given as Stealth Soldier. I am assuming this is his former superhero name. 🙂
Coincidences? In my Sunrise anime? Perish the thought!
I hope the above discussions are true and that there’s more behind it then just simple coincidences.
I think that the planned jailbreak may not be so coincidental. Didn’t Barnaby contact a friend and tell him he had located his parents’ killer? I think that friend may be the true culprit. He’s the one Barnaby has been confiding in and has only appeared once I think. Anybody else notice this?