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Not only have I not found a subbed release of AGE this week, there doesn’t seem to be a RAW of less than 2.5 GB. So screencaps later, hopefully – in the meantime please enjoy these pictures of cute kittens.
Is it possible – Zaeheart did something not stupid in the middle of a battle?
There were certainly more than an equal share of death flags this week, though I hope the ones that fly for Seric Abis are a feint – he continues to be the closest thing to a level-headed and reasonable figure in this giant FUBAR of a situation. I’m sure most of the fan-hate will focus on Kio after this week, and I can certainly understand it. If his actions seem to fly in the face of logic, that’s because they do – self-preservation is the most fundamental of all human impulses, after all. So when he says he’s not going to kill anyone and “end the war in his own way, even when cornered and in dire threat, it’s easy to dismiss him as an utter fool.
For me, it’s a little more complicated than that. I still see Kio as a victim of circumstances and his Grandfather’s – and Ezelcant’s – manipulation, more than anything. He’s idealistic, but he’s supposed to be – he’s 13. He’s been placed in a position no one should ever be placed in, never mind a kid, and he can’t formulate a logical way out of it with the experience he has to draw on. This is the problem, the essential “Catch 22” of his situation – Seric quite rightly points out that if you enter a battlefield, you have to be prepared to kill. Not only is Kio putting his own life at risk, but that of his colleagues as well. As we saw in this battle the Vagan – including Zaeheart – don’t hesitate to slaughter Federation forces. Yet if Kio doesn’t at least try to find a third way, who will? It’s a no-win – if anything, Kio should have become a conscientious objector and refused to take the field at all. But he’s too young to understand that this was his only realistic option, and too idealistic to believe he can’t make a difference against impossible odds.
Seems Kio is going to have no choice but to activate the FX Burst “indiscriminate kill” mode next episode in order to survive. Zanald, meanwhile, has acted in direct mutiny against Ezelcant’s orders in seizing the chance to try and eliminate Zaeheart, so it seems we have a full-on civil war in the Vagan forces – in the midst of the final battle, no less – although not over ideals, but personal hatred. It’s ironic that it was Zanald that ended up saving Kio from Zaeheart – an interesting twist, that. Especially given that Zaeheart had just executed his greatest stratagem, using dummy Vagan fighters to lure Federation ships and mobile suits (including Derek) into the path of the Vagan’s molecular cannon, which wiped out a good chunk of the Federation fleet. Zanald’s treachery has conveniently given the Feds a chance when it looked as if they were in serious trouble, in addition to saving Kio’s life (though not intentionally).
All in all, this was another pretty good ep, extending a pretty good run for AGE. Nicely paced, well-animated, and doing a nice job portraying the epic nature of the looming debacle – even if the character side of the series can still go into facepalm mode at a moment’s notice. Where do things go from here? Fram seems a goner for sure after her flag scenes with Zaeheart this week, Ezelcant’s clone “Zera” is about to take the field as their super pilot (though Ezelcant’s words suggest Zera is not right in the head). And Deen is going to take to the field, too, which makes a confrontation with Kio all but inevitable. In the larger scheme I think we’re no closer to seeing a possible way out of this that doesn’t involve the annihilation of one side or the other – the cannon gambit has only increased Flit’s manic lust for genocide, and Asemu seems relegated to his customary role on the sidelines, trying to have his cake and eat it too and accomplishing neither. Perhaps it really is up to Kio to find the third way, although finding a way to make that happen without resorting to Deux ex machina is a monumental task I’m not sure this writing staff is up to…
Beckett
September 4, 2012 at 10:36 pmI can't quite put my finger on why, but SOMEHOW this seems like the best post you've ever done.
elianthos
September 4, 2012 at 10:52 pmPlease don't delete these kittens pics everrrrrr *_______________* .
I'm so sorry. But… kyahhhhh <3 AAAH <333
Err… what was this post supposed to be about again?
Anonymous
September 4, 2012 at 11:01 pmTry animecrazy.net. They have a subbed version. It isn't perfect (The voices come out a second after people's mouths start moving), but its hardly noticable. No idea on RAW though.
admin
September 4, 2012 at 11:04 pmThanks – I've already availed myself of a similarly imperfect online option, which is how I was able to write the post. That's no help for images, of course.
Kim
September 4, 2012 at 11:06 pmI don't watch Gundam Age…but OMG KITTIES! 😀
Anonymous
September 5, 2012 at 12:51 amI'm sorry, but you lost me at KITTENS– *O*
Anonymous
September 5, 2012 at 2:07 pmThank you…pictures thoroughly enjoyed 🙂
Arabesque
September 5, 2012 at 2:32 pmI had some issues with this episode, but honestly after those kitty pics, I'm sort of in a better mood now so … 😛
That said
''He’s idealistic, but he’s supposed to be – he’s 13. He’s been placed in a position no one should ever be placed in, never mind a kid, and he can’t formulate a logical way out of it with the experience he has to draw on. ''
See, that makes no sense to me at all. Yes, Kio is a 13 year old kid … so why is he allowed to pilot the most advanced MS in the entire Federation, allowed to do whatever he wants during battle, and in the first place allowed to be part of the military? I mean for God's sake, he has parents yeah!? Where the fuck is Romary in all of this? Why is everyone treating Flit and Asem like they are the only ones who have a say in what Kio does (or in this case, allowing him to get into WMD freely and not give a crap about what he does with it (or like Asem, support him from time to time))
That's really why I'm unable to see this as a Catch 22 type of situation. Kio has a way out, but for some bizarre reason, no one in his immediate family seems to want to take him away from the battle field (Asem is an idiot who already abandoned him for 13 years, and Romary … where the fuck is she anyway and what does she think of all of this!?), his Grandfather trained him to be his own personal Child Super Solider so we know what he thinks about this, his Grandmother is … I dunno, dead? His Aunt thinks that her dad has the right idea apparently, since not one did she object to Kio piloting before.
Had Kio been an adult or had been forced into this situation with literally no way out rather than the show simply making it seem like it, then I could buy into it. Right now though, I can't help but scratch my head at why no one is taking out this child out of this foolish war already …
''Ezelcant’s words suggest Zera is not right in the head''
Seems like he'd fit right in with the majority of the cast then! (and lol at Ezelcant saying that people are crazy …)
''Asemu seems relegated to his customary role on the sidelines, trying to have his cake and eat it too and accomplishing neither''
Hey now, the man is making sure everything is balanced!
admin
September 5, 2012 at 3:05 pmI don't disagree that Kio's presence in the war is a farce. He shouldn't be there. But strictly in the context of the character, that's not his fault is it? He can't be expected to say, "I don't belong here – I'm too young." and demand that his parents save him. The premise is flawed, but in the context of the premise, Kio is still a victim.
Anonymous
September 5, 2012 at 4:52 pmI still think that the second moon is a giant mobile suit.
That burst mode sounds like trans am.
Love those pics.
Death flags, death flags everywhere. Except from Derek.
HybridBloodsZak
September 6, 2012 at 6:45 pmbest preview pics ever haha
meow….