What they say:
“Robinson”
Izawa Kazuo has a good life running a simple photography store in London… until he’s suddenly arrested under suspicion of espionage. As Isawa undergoes a harsh interrogation, Lieutenant colonel Howard Marks, master spy for the British Secret Intelligence Service, appears before him.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
If you though you weren’t a part of the Joker game, you need to think again. This episode just pulled the rug from under my feet and I loved it. I almost don’t know what to say here because I don’t want to give too much away. See, the thing about the Joker Game is it plays with your mind, with your expectations. You get some information; you kind of get the gist of how things work. It’s even a bit predictable now, or is it? So let’s get on with the review, I’ll try to step lightly since this kind of episode is best enjoyed with as little beforehand knowledge as possible
This time we follow Kaminaga, going by the name of Izawa Kazuo, stationed in London in 1939. Not that the location matters much since we won’t be doing any sight seeing, actually we won’t be seeing much more than concrete walls. The name of the episode comes from the book colonel Yuuki gives him as a parting gift before he sets out for another continent. The book being of course: The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. I am going to assume everyone has at least an idea of what the book is about since it’s been adapted so many times in so many ways. Kaminaga, who is by far the most emotional of the spies we’ve seen so far, wonders if he’s trying to send him a message, mainly: you might be “stranded” for many years, don’t lose sight of your mission juts like Robinson never stopped being a gentleman. But Kaminaga’s cover is blown and he gets taken away for interrogation by the British Intelligence Agency. All according to plan. Maybe?
Now, if you were starting to get a little bored by the way the episodes were proceeding: things seem to go wrong, there’s a twist, it was always part of the plan, you can’t beat the boys of D-Agency at the Joker game; you’re going to love this episode. Meet Colonel Howard Marks, the English spymaster, well acquainted with Colonel Yuuki and every bit as cunning as him. I should also point out his head looks like a light bulb for some reason, sometimes giving him the appearance of a praying mantis. At first, Kaminaga tries to resist, he keeps repeating his cover story, he’s there to take care of his uncle’s photo studio since the owner is sick and has gone back to Japan. It’s useless, someone has already spilled the beans, there’s even a recording. That voice sounded very familiar, I wonder why? Is this all a part for the game, what are they playing at here?
I think the main reason this episode works so well is Kaminaga himself. The way he seems to be taking it all in, his desperation, the fear in his eyes, is all too real. Of course, we do know this guy’s a spy, he could very well be pretending, but he sells it so well. Even though I kept this in mind throughout the story, I was still doubtful. Something just felt off. Like the way he just glances sideways at a map of the place while he’s being taken for a bathroom break. It’s one of those moments when you go: Aha! I knew he had a plan! But a second later you’re wondering: why exactly are they letting him have a bathroom break and is there a need to take him right through a room with a map of the facilities in it? Whose plan is really in action here? Or the way he readily agrees to work for their side after being given the truth serum. Remember the intro? About the hellish training they undergo at the academy? Does this make sense to you? Kaminaga does look pretty despondent by that time and this could be his only way of getting out of this alive but it still seemed a bit too easy. It’s true he seems to be more emotional and human than the other spies but he’s still a spy and he wouldn’t have been selected by D-Agency if he caved at the slightest pressure.
I won’t exactly tell you how it all ends, but I will repeat myself. As the audience, we are all a part of the Joker Game in some way. The series has done a pretty good job of setting our expectations as to what is supposed to happen. Once you have expectations it’s easier to fool you, easy to make you look the other way or even interpret the events as something other than what is actually happening. There is even a fraction of a second scene I interpreted as resentment at first when in reality it was something else entirely. There’s also very subtle commentary on our own ego. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, I also believe it’s not always about you, but we do tend to assume the role of the protagonist, overlooking the fact that to other people, we are merely secondary characters. So maybe, just maybe, if a master spy gives you a book, you may want to examine it a bit more carefully before you jump to conclusions.
Summary:
We got taken in for a ride this week and I’m definitely not complaining. I started the episode thinking I was going to see another simple spy story, with the D-Agency coming out on top of course, and instead I got something I didn’t even know I needed. A little shake up in the formula. Last episode I said it could get repetitive and I was actually a little resigned to keep going this way, but this was just the right thing at the right time. Perfectly timed, perfectly planned. I really liked Kaminaga too, it’s not that the others aren’t likable or haven’t shown any emotions, but I felt Kaminaga was easier to identify with. He’s had the most human reactions so far. Still a spy, still ready to fulfill the missions, but he definitely wasn’t acting 24/7, and yet the way things went down, you get the feeling Colonel Yuuki knew exactly what he was getting when he chose him for the job. It was also refreshing to see other capable players on the field aside form D-Agency.
Grade: A +
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
