Now the real party begins.
What They Say:
The Black King’s army is marching on the Northern Wall of Carneades while the Octobrists attempt to convince Carneades’ defenders to hand over control of the defensive force to Hannibal and Scipio. This will be the “Ends” debut on the battlefield.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With the third episode of Drifters, Kouta Hirano has ripped the training wheels completely off this bicycle. Opening with an impending invasion by the Black King hinted at in the closure of episode two, the soldiers currently guarding the North Wall fortress clearly won’t stand a chance. Embodying the typical arrogance of an undefeated (i.e. thoroughly unchallenged) army, the Octobrists fail to convince their generals to relinquish control to the pair of Drifters the magicians have brought with them. The alternate universes and language barrier certainly don’t help but it’s ONLY Hannibal Barca and Scipio Africanus here, so who cares right? Making Hannibal urinate himself seemed like an oddly pathetic move for the fabled military mind, especially since the art style really doesn’t portray him as being that elderly.
Since these soldiers refuse to be led by anybody but their current command, the Octobrists have no choice but to retreat and leave the soldiers to what feels like their grizzly end. So far through the first trio of episodes, I wonder what exactly is magical about the Octobrists. They certainly have the flourishing uniforms and a crystal ball…but when are those ivory white gloves going to come off? They are relying very heavily on the Drifters at this point, so it I am slightly skeptical of their purpose in this story outside of shepherds. There is almost no interest in fighting the opposing army expressed by the magicians, so either they have no confidence in their abilities, or really none at all?
The Octobrists intense trepidation at the Black King and his power coupled with their desire to escape as quickly as possible with the Drifters in tow, is very quickly validated however. Poised on a hill in the distance, a gigantic army of creatures of all shapes and sizes commences their descent upon the castle. The head magician mumbled earlier about the defending forces not lasting even two days without their help but after one minute of this invasion that feels incredibly generous. It is a slaughter out there, a mercy killing helmed by the Black King and his own Drifters (the Ends) including Joan of Arc, Anastasia Romanov, and legendary Shinsengumi swordsman Hijikata Toshizo. Each member of the Ends brings their own form of mayhem; Joan of Arc bringing fire, Anastasia bringing ice, and Hijikata bringing his swords. It’s exciting to see more historical transplants added to the mix, although it is looking increasingly dicey for our old fellas on the run.
The magicians have a trick (and some incredible luck) up their sleeves thankfully. The initially rickety looking escape wagon is being driven by none other than outlaw legends Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid which is AMAZING. Butch brings some modern firearms technology and a very different attitude to the table, given that being outlaws is as anti-establishment as it gets. The guns are put on full display as well, with the duo taking speeding crackshots from their revolvers and a wagon-mounted Gatling gun to destructive effect. A revolver or two can’t handle the next roadblock though, one of the Black King’s many dragons intercepts the Octoberists and their Drifters, priming a fireball with their names on it. Luckily, the most badass thing ever happens and that dragon is shot out of the sky by a one of the most iconic planes in aviation history, the Zero. In the cockpit is the last party guest, Naoshi Kanno, whom after flying around briefly to survey the field takes the side of the defenders and provides much-needed air support. The escape is successful but the castle falls, signaling yet another defeat at the hands of the Black King.
In Summary:
In episode three we get our first taste of the awesome power of the Ends and the Drifters will need to band together to have any hope of survival. With his numerous beasts and Drifters in hand, the Black King is not to be trifled with, and it seems only the Octobrists are taking this force seriously.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
