The carousel continues to spin on Kekkai Sensen, and this week it lands on Gilbert, the archetypal hero butler.  It’s appropriate that Leonardo refers to him as having very little presence – hovering in the background so you’re never quite sure he’s actually there even when he’s there – because that’s exactly the persona Gilbert has repped over the first 16 episodes.  He’s certainly the character in this cast with the greatest disconnect between the number of scenes appeared in and actual impact on the narrative.

Of course Gilbert is played by the great Ginga Banjou (one of the best names in anime to be sure), who’s been a legend in this business for a very long time.  Thus, he has plenty of presence when he chooses to show it, and that presence is very much in the mold of someone like Alfred from the Batman mythology – excepting of course that Gilbert is a “regeneratore”, who can quickly self-repair damage to his body that would otherwise be fatal.  Like Alfred he’s unfailingly loyal to the family he serves , and he originally joined Klaus (who we’re told is the third Von Rheinhertz son) to protect him in Hellsalem’s Lot.

There are apparently limits to Gilbert’s powers, though, and news of his most recent serious injury has trickled back to the Von Rheinhertz head maid, who decides she must send someone to help Gilbert out and give him a chance to recuperate.  That someone is Phillip Lenore (Ono Daisuke), a gung-ho go-getter who’s not nearly as prepared for the unique dangers of Hellsalem’s Lot as he thinks he is.  He promptly gets himself into rather serious trouble (if you consider brain extraction serious) leaving it left to Gilbert to rescue his brain without getting Klaus involved.

As Steven and Chain’s episodes have been, this subplot seems to have been more about showcasing a character and filling in the blanks on their story than about driving the main plot forward.  But that said, these episodes are working very well in their own terms – in fact this one was rather wilder and more “Matsumoto-like” than the last couple have been.  I suspect this is all building towards something – perhaps a massive confrontation with will require all the members of Libra to be heavily involved – and at some point the narrative will have to shift in that direction.  But for now I’m not feeling any urgency to see that happen – I’m enjoying getting to know this cast of oddballs a little better and if that goes on for a while longer, I’m fine with it.