Brothers in arms, sisters in suspicion.
What They Say:
Episode #8: “The Average Man and the Genius”
The Review
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The cliffhanger at the end of last week’s episode left everyone wondering just how Adlet was going to get out of the mess he was in with Hans. (It was made even more unbearable when we all discovered the show’s broadcast was preempted a day!) Unable to talk his way out of the situation he ignites a pepper bomb and blinds Hans, and himself. In the chase that follows we’re treated to some very nice animation and a battle of both strength and wits.
Hans is able to track Adlet by sound, and Adlet is forced to admit the catlike assassin is a genius. Hans once again corners Adlet and this time the world’s strongest man is almost out of tricks. He sizes up Hans, tries one last gambit to prove that he isn’t the seventh. However Hans is still testing Adlet, and with a bit of hallucinogenics Hans sees through any lie Adlet might have been telling, as long as Adlet believes he already lost. Even I have to admit I wasn’t sure what was going on during the hallucination, and it’s a cheap gotcha trick too! In the end Hans is convinced that Adlet isn’t the seventh, and I’m convinced Hans isn’t either.
Maura and Flamie reach the camp where Flamie and Adlet spent the night. Flamie still covers for Adlet, telling Maura that she doesn’t know which direction he went. Maura presses the issue with Flamie, telling her rather adamantly that Adlet is the seventh and that he needs to die. Her conviction on that front is entirely suspicious after her logical behavior before, not to mention her trying to get into Flamie’s good graces, and my distrust for her only grows. Especially after she mentions Adlet’s village.
Elsewhere Nachetanya and Goldov are where Maura had made camp and Nachetanya fusses about. Goldov starts to become short with his princess, and she turns the tables on him. He says she’s changed, but how he describes her matches the behavior we saw from her while she was traveling with Adlet. More lighthearted and rational. She calls him out for his jealousy and tells him he’s the one whose changed. His reaction to that statement is surprise, and now I wonder if she may have hit the nail on the head. She amends that he’s still just a child after all, ouch.
Back at the temple Adlet and Hans get down to sleuthing. Adlet looks like he’s about to try some real investigation methods, and breaks out fingerprinting dust but comes up with nothing. As they discuss things Adlet hits upon an idea when Maura is brought up and asks Hans to go ask Chamot a question for him. However she approaches them first.
Chamot’s boredom proves to be a fatal character flaw. She grows tired of waiting around and decides to ignore Adlet’s request for a question. She then attacks, with her reasoning being that she can take on the demon lord herself and so who cares about them. Not the seventh, but psychotic, we learn about her Swamp Saint powers… and boy are they gross. Now Adlet and Hans are fighting for their lives, and no closer to calling out the seventh brave.
In Summary:
Now the tables are turning. Adlet has won over both Flamie and Hans, and now both are in a fight for their lives against Chamot. That pretty much rules out all four of them in my book. Chamot is a dangerous brat, but if she was the seventh she had absolutely no reason to hide it, she wants to kill them all anyway! That leaves Maura, Nachetanya, and Goldov…. unless that eighth who Adlet theorized exists makes themselves known. However there may be more twists and turns at play here that could throw a wrench into the works. Adlet seems to be onto something, but he’ll only get to follow up on his lead if her survives!
Episode Grade: A –
Streamed by: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment: 27” iMac running OS 10.10.3, via Safari 8.0.6, FIOS 15/5 Mbps connection. Your milage may vary.
Most surprising show this season, for all you not watching… So refreshing to see something this original in such a tired old genre.
And instead of the usual figure, they need to make a Chamot squeeze toy. 😉