Log Horizon Episode 13
cxt217: Episode 13 is an example of an exposition episode done correctly. The background and setup that the viewer needs to know moving forward in the story is provided, but in a way that avoids the bogging down the plot or require lengthy internal dialogue.
Of course, Episode 13 is really all about Lenessia, after all.
Crusty might be the second most capable strategist among the Adventurers, after Shiroe. The way he navigate the demands of social protocol as well as negotiations, and read the mind/predict the reactions of Lenessia, and the way he set-up and manipulate situations and people to his own advantage (Using Lenessia as his shield from the demand of social niceties, while setting it up in a way where his presence with Lenessia would seem both natural and expected to the nobles and knights.), explains how he is the leader of the largest battle guild in Akibahara and the face of the Round Table, beyond simply being another powerful, capable, and experienced Adventurer. He also gets his ‘once per character’ mention of something about his Real Life self, which is something both Shiroe and Minori had previously.
After having grown-up on AD&D, the use of ‘demi-humans’ to describe monsters feels very strange to me. But it looks like we are being introduced to first intelligent and sentient monsters of the Elder Tale world, which should make it interesting to see if they have changed with Elder Tale and how.
Speaking of change, we get to see another example of how the People of the Land have done so, with the noble’s request to Michitaka regarding waterborne transport, which is the easiest, safest, and sometimes only way for moving large quantities of freight (Namely the resources the People of the Land have begun harvesting, in reaction to the changes brought by the combining of Real World experience and knowledge with in-game mechanics and skill, by the Adventurers of Akibahara) in a pre-Industrial setting. I am waiting for the Adventurers to kick-off the Industrial Revolution…
Akatsuki is as cute as ever, with her discreetly practicing dancing the way Henrietta and Shiroe did, and being very put-out when Shiroe discovers her.
But of course, Lenessia is the entire reason for the episode, being as interesting as she looks in her first substantial appearance in the series. A classic princess on the outside, a lazy individual on the inside, complete with being able to handle social graces flawlessly while being lazy and casual when she thinks she can get away with it. A very interesting character, and the dynamic of her being flustered and annoyed by Crusty promises to be entertaining. The only flaw to Lenessia was I felt her seiyuu, Mariya Ise, was speaking in a too-high voice for the character.
And we have our junior party, who are learning that this adventuring thing is much harder than it looks, and that it requires more than just a few characters in a party to make it into a team.
A great episode, and with promises of more to follow.
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Jun Kuga: It’s official. Leneissia is adorable. Not quite up to Akatsuki levels, but she is adorable like the main character of Humanity Has Declined was adorable. A very cute but cynical princess, acting both as Crusty’s shield, and his sword.
Akatsuki dancing on her own was also adorable, and I really like the way she looks in her official uniform. That tiny bit of skin showing just underneath her skirt, we all know the significance of that.
Nork22: Crusty is just as bad as Shiroe with his evil glasses routine he does with Lenessia. He just knows how girls like her work and knows how to manipulate things around her.
Rundel just screams n00b. Being higher level only means you deal out 1% more damage, take 1% less damage and have 1% more health to keep. You need to know your skills and limitations and also rely on your party members more.
Buckeye: In an RPG, levels and attributes are not everything. Too bad Rundel doesn’t realize that at all. Even those weaklings can take him out if he does not have a strategy in place, which he clearly doesn’t get at all. It’s pretty hilarious to hear him say all those things.
Nork22: The moment when I facepalm when he said all those things. I just wish Minori spoke up and said what the team’s problem was. (They need a 2nd tank! 
GingaDaiuchuu: Lenessia is such a great character, and Crusty is the perfect match for her. Everything with the two of them was a joy. Although the whole “I have a little sister in the real world and you remind me of her” thing did bring back some memories.
sonic: I applaud Crusty for being the first character to finally openly discuss his real life family; the lack of such acknowledgment before felt very out of character to me. Though I find it a bit interesting he says he’s not sure if he misses his sister; does that mean he does not like her much or is something messing with their mind? Lenessia is sure funny and charming; she certainly has an air of royalty about her. Will this be a romance between an adventurer and a PotL?
EyeOfPain: I think you must mean “unrealistic” since we don’t know any of the characters outside of how they’ve acted since the Apocalypse.
cxt217: The casual dropping of info about the characters’ real world life has literally become ‘once per character’ event. Both Shiroe and Minori has done it in the series so far, to name two.
sonic: I meant out of character for someone in his circumstance, but yeah, in retrospect, “unrealistic” would have probably been a better word choice.
My main point was about their real life “family,” I think it’s unrealistic no one mentioned loved ones or acquaintances to this point in any regard; whether it be they love, hate, or are ambivalent towards their family, friends, coworkers, classmates, etc. Yes, Shiroe mentioned he’s a grad student, but not anything about how he feels in regards to the people he left behind. This is the first time we have a character mention a person in his life he is unable to see due to being unable to log out.
cxt217: Given that I can think of another-show-which-has-been-mentioned-too-many-times-before, where the main characters did not talk about their family, I think this is one detail which is not seen as very important.
Depending on how it is viewed, that concern might not even apply to Minori.
That is not even getting to any issues where a character might not want to talk about their Real World details.
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GingaDaiuchuu: Maybe lots of big reveals next time?
sonic: Between Regan appearing at the end and the next episode preview it looks like we will finally get some more information on the events surrounding the Apocalypse. While I’m happy to finally get some reveal, I’m also disappointed it is happening somewhat randomly and not due to them actively seeking this information out. The Round Table council has plotted to size up the PotL for political reasons relating to their status in this world, but they did not give much forethought to asking the PotL about what they knew of the Apocalypse, and how that information might be key to figuring out where they are now and how, if possible, they might return home.
EyeOfPain: Not openly within the show, but that doesn’t mean that Shiroe or any of the other Round Table members weren’t thinking on that topic. And it doesn’t make sense for the Adventurers to come right out and ask about the circumstances surrounding the event, since it would let the People of the Land know that they have the upper hand as far as information is concerned, and could use that as a bargaining chip.
sonic: [“Not openly within the show”] is precisely my issue, they are not shown thinking or discussing a strategy to gain intel in this regard. The fact that they are learning these things on the whim of Regan’s appearance rather than as part of a know strategy, from the audience’s perspective, is what disappoints me.
As to the ask the PotL directly thing, I never intended to imply that. Sorry if I worded my point in a confusing manner. I’m not saying they should just be like “hey, so what do you know about us adventurers,” I’m saying they were not shown discussing the strategy of getting that information from the PotL. It is the lack of strategy shown to the audience that frustrates me, not that they did not ask them outright. I realize there’s potential political implications of giving away too much about themselves, the adventurers said so in the show, but that does not mean the audience should be left in the dark as to what they plan to find out and how they intend to do so. Basically, I want them to show the audience they are cognizant of the necessity to gain that intel, and that they are thinking of ways to get it.
EyeOfPain: I’m not saying this is the case (I really don’t know), but it’s possible that that piece of information is being held in reserve in order to build dramatic tension in a later reveal. Unfortunately, I can’t think of a case where Touno has done this in the past, since I believe he usually likes to at least allude to characters plotting like that.
sonic: … I’m not sure of either myself, thus my displeasure with the ambiguity in the show. I just wish these things were touched on more and conveyed to the audience in a more direct way because as it stands we are left to interpret as we see fit. Since I loved the “sell the food secrets to finance an even grander plan to control Akihabara” plot, I’m wondering do we have that level of plotting with the PotL here or are things just coincidentally falling into place as they go to advance the plot? Basically, do they have clear goals in mind of things they intend to learn from the PotL or are they more going with the flow and taking what they can get?
Nork22: The ambiguity of the show is by design based on what the author has said and how the animation studio will go about adapting his novels. They will give you the important information about the world of Log Horizon but the other “trivial” things is up to the viewer’s imagination. A certain amount of RPG or MMORPG playing/logic is needed and some insight to High Fantasy as well.
cxt217: The anime does show that the Round Table is interested in obtaining information from the nobles and other People of the Land. I do not think it would serve any purpose showing them having a strategy meeting on how to do that. Perhaps that is best, because it might not be time yet for a focused concentration on finding specific information. Shiroe stated outright that the Adventurers know too little about the People of the Land, and as well, that the Adventurers needed to know more about everything. Given the known, the unknown, and the ‘known unknown’ available to the Adventurers, having a general trawl for any and all information sounds like a good initial strategy, and can be gotten by simply talking to every and any People of the Land…which sounds very much like what Maryelle was telling Minori about.
This is politics at work here. Simply asking the People of the Land for their views on what happen might work IF they remain the same as when Elder Tales was a game (But in that case, it might run into the problem that the People of the Land might not be able to tell them anything useful.). However, and as the Round Table has noted, the People of the Land have changed from simply being constructs the designers of Elder Tales put into the game, into intelligent and sentient individuals with their own interests, ambitions, and ideas. Coupled that with the fact the People of the Land still have the social and power structure they were designed with, and you got a group who may or may not tell the Adventurers what they know, but would certainly try to use information they possess, or the suggestion that they possess such information, to manipulate the Adventurers in ways that would be against the latter’s interest.
Moreover, what the People of the Land might think is important information, and what they might think is not, may not be correct. The Round Table needs all the information they can and then decide what is useful to them, and what is trivial dross. Just getting an idea on the value of the information that the People of the Land nobles have, would take time before the Adventurers are in a position to ask directly, especially since the People of the Land have become, in their personalities, as big a wild card as other Adventurers.
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sonic: Anyhow, it also appears my hunch about some monsters being sentient is true because this episode opens talking about the demi-humans, like the goblins, and how they operate. These demi-human monsters probably have societies of their own and may also be planning some sort of war after the changes they witnessed in the world from the time of the Apocalypse. This seems even more likely considering the nobles who want sea based transport and their concerns with goblins stealing from the land based ones; it also makes me think of the fish like creatures with spears in the OP sequence and how they might attack sea vessels with cargo now. These demi-humans are interesting to say the least. Though I do find it strange the adventurers we follow have not come across the demi-humans yet having lived in that world for who knows how long now. With all the mysteries in this world it feels odd to me the adventurers are not investigating more and asking more pertinent questions. Too many of them seem to be operating under the assumption this reality is still only just a game, but it appears many will have a rude awakening once one of these groups they are in the dark about attacks.
EyeOfPain: Well, none of the Adventurers we’re following are frontline fighters, they’re all strategists currently caught up establishing some kind of normalcy in this new world and unexpected political maneuvering. Even the new players are too green to go up against anything higher level than mindless skeletons (sure, they could look for goblins to fight, but if you die, you’ve got to worry about a penalty and getting back into the fight if you’re far from your home church).
sonic: In the first six episodes they did a lot of traveling, but never encountered these demi-humans along the way. They did encounter the PotL though, so it seems weird to me they would not have encountered both to some degree by this point. There’s also a difference with encountering them and engaging with them in combat; I’m not saying I expected them to target them for fighting.
EyeOfPain: I checked a map of Japan, and Susukino (the city Serara was in when Shiroe and company rescued her) does appear to be further north than where it was stated the goblins generally congregate. But if you remember, they flew almost the entire trip, and being seasoned veterans of Elder Tale, they could have known the best places to rest and still avoid enemy encounters as long as they stayed clear of the new expansion areas; it might have been nice had they mentioned this, but since they’ve all been playing the game for years, that might have come off as one of those times where characters are explaining something to each other that they all already understand.
sonic: …what made me think about that was the fact Shiroe narrates about them in the opening of this episode but he doesn’t say if this is something he just learned or if it is something being recalled from prior knowledge. Is this a fact he knew already and he’s just alerting the audience to it now because it will be important to the plot coming soon or is this something the adventurers just learned about from the PotL?
In the opening to episode 5, he does a similar thing, describe the PotL changing after the Apocalypse. Later in that episode Shiroe learns more about their nature by staying in the barn of one. At that point Shiroe knew the PotL were human, but now I’m not sure what he knows about the goblins. Does narrator Shiroe have a different knowledge than the one on screen or is it the same as what he knows in the episode? We don’t see him with goblins at any point in the story thus far, so I wonder did they encounter them or learn of them before, but the audience is just finding out now? Like with the level cap being upped from 90 to 100. Shiroe knew all along the cap was raised to level 100, but led the audience astray earlier on saying it was level 90; he would have known this was a feature of the expansion when he initially installed it.
Another thing to remember is the goblins are only one kind of demi-human. Shiroe narrates, “there are also groups called demi-humans. For example, the goblins.” The words “groups” and “for example” imply multiple groups of demi-humans other than goblins. We see the fish like ones with spears in the OP, so there’s at least those as well. So, I guess what I find the most perplexing is we’ve not seen the adventurers encounter, or really even mention, these groups until this point, but yet they are in the opening narration.
Nork22: I imagine this world building opening narration is designed by the animation studio to get some important or trivial tidbits from the LN.
EyeOfPain: I’d say the same thing, and don’t consider those to really be “in character” Shiroe, and are pertinent facts to the story that the studio doesn’t expect viewers to glean from prior knowledge of MMORPG and RPGs, stuff specific to Elder Tale. I at least like this approach better than what was done during the murder mystery arc in SAO.
Log Horizon, and even Elder Tale, seems to incorporate game theory, so you aren’t likely to find groups of semi-intelligent and violent creatures right next to each other as that could lead to territorial conflicts and turf wars, and not doing so would damage the sense of realism the game was striving for with things like the Half-Gaia Project. In that same vein, you won’t goblin or other demi-human settlements right next to player character and NPC villages, otherwise there would be constant conflict between the groups, and new players would be just as likely to run into a goblin as they are to whatever the ET equivalent of a slime is. Of course, this is just me speculating on intentions, and I’m sure others are better versed in such topics.
cxt217: For what it is worth, the pre-opening narration by Shiroe displays a map which shows the goblins were initially concentrated in the northwestern part of Honshu, and to the west of the route taken by Shiroe and co. during their trip north. Since Shiroe also mentions that goblins breed quickly, and the map sees the goblins expand, it might be that Shiroe and his party did not meet any goblins during the expedition to the north because there were no goblins on their route at that time.
Or if we want to get to the nitty-gritty details – the goblins were placed by the developers of Elder Tales in the northwest region, but not along the route Shiroe and party took.
