As I noted, last week’s transitional episode of Radiant seemed to presage a new phase for the story – a more settled, slower-paced one set in Artemis.  And indeed that appeared to be the case based on this week’s ep, which did offer some canon material built around Seth’s education as a sorcerer (I expect they’ll all do that) but was mostly devoted to character and comedy.

How that plays with the audience is going to depend on the audience, because if the tenor of the comments here is any indication (and it’s hard to find any comments whatsoever anywhere else, period), their reception is entirely a mixed bag.  I’m fine with it as I like this bunch well enough.  Seth is hardly a groundbreaker but I find hime a likeable enough take on the shounen lead, and Melie’s split personality gives her an interesting air of uncertainty.  I like Doc especially well – he makes me laugh and offers a kind of one-man Greek chorus take on the fantastical premise – but he too seems to be drawing a pretty divided reception.

Doc is certainly the center of this episode – he and Devi, the kraken who kidnaps (and eventually befriends) him.  As someone who dedicated a good chunk of his adult life to the coffee trade, I can definitely see making friends with even a giant octo-squid hybrid over a shared love of the bean.  And it’s kind of nice to see a shounen fancy where the beasts are portrayed more or less as the victims and not the enemy.  Devi seems to be the result of magical experiments being dumped in the Artemis sewers – I wonder if there are any alligators down there?

I think the story is going for something with Doc and the kids here, honest I do – a lonely guy in his 30’s without much of a life being driven crazy by two rugrats but eventually developing a feeling of family with them.  I think that’s where we’re headed and I’m totally good with that, as it’ll make a nice companion piece to Seth’s training arc with Yaga (which seems set to continue as a kind of recurring background theme over the coming weeks).  Eventually Alma will be looped back into the story, hopefully – and who knows, maybe she and Doc will spark, since his courtship of Melba seems already to be toast…