Numerous sides in this ever expanding war start playing with some more dangerous weapons and plans as the need to go to the extreme becomes more the norm.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Aura Battler Dunbine continues to be a surprising series in how it’s going about its story. While it initially hooked us with various people being sucked into Byston Well and then given powerful machines to pilot in order to conquer or save the various lands, we didn’t expect a real trip back to Earth until the end of the series or maybe a brief incursion during it, which we initially got earlier on and done in a way that makes sense. For it to change gears and send all the warring people to Earth about halfway through and the run with that for as long as it has been was something I didn’t see coming at all and am glad I didn’t.
The various forces spread around the world are operating in interesting ways. I like the forcefulness that Drake’s side seems to be taking in making their demands of Washington to give them what they want or they’ll destroy the capital. Drake doesn’t play around and this pushes that idea forward pretty well. Zet Shot has his own ambitions and is getting ready to unleash them since he’s got a real hatred for the Earth as well as America, so it’s no skin off his nose if Drake puts them through the grinder for awhile. The real troublemaker throughout here is Bishott though, particularly with Drake’s wife there adding her thoughts and influence to the events. The two are quite power hungry and enjoy the thrill of conquest so much so that they seem to feed on each other’s emotions over it. Each of them seems to push the other to do more and it’s turning into a vicious cycle – though they both still know the need to retreat when necessary to regroup.
A lot of the focus in this volume is bringing Show and the folks on board the Zelana into contact with Lady Ciela Lapana and her massive ship which is located not that far outside of Kiev. Her negotiations with those from that region have gone fairly poorly since she can’t bring herself to trust them based on how they’re acting and what they’re doing but she continues to try to achieve some sense of communications with them that could lead to peace. Since her ship is a target she’s not keen on staying there a really long time since that will only draw in Bishott to attack them and will harm the surrounding area. But the officials she meets with just can’t bring themselves to give any amount of real trust to those from Byston Well and the only agreement they come up with is for her to leave once they pull back their troops.
Naturally, this being the eighties and the people dealing with Ciela are obviously Russians, there’s the nuclear option that comes into play. Surprisingly, the show has them bringing in a small nuclear device in the bottom of a lavish handmade bureau that’s been offered as a gift. The ticking is so minute that only the Mi Ferrario can hear it and they’re pretty easily dismissed since Ciela and others from Byston Well seem to have never gotten the concept of a Trojan horse or something similar like this. So with a powerful nuclear device hidden aboard, a timer set for it to go off and the hopes of the Russians to gain whatever they can from the technology that survives, it shows just how far they’re willing to go to do it. Some of the soldiers aren’t sure about it since they’re so close to Kiev, but them’s the breaks.
With the show refocusing on the battles between Ciela and Bishott, it takes on a large scale series of battles and feints between the two as they try to gain the upper hand in the European theater. Seeing how far the Russians have gone, Bishott’s threatening to do the same to Paris if he doesn’t get what he wants. This brings in Show to feel that he can once again save the day with his plans. But with all of them that are using the aura battlers are finding out, they’re at their wit’s end and overstretched in dealing with everything. Frayed around the edges, they’re all starting to become more snappish with each other and the situation is feeling grimmer by the day, especially when they end up going against Bishott directly and his sizeable forces.
In Summary:
The battles across the planet are really fun to watch, especially since the people originally from there aren’t getting actively engaged for the most part except for surprise guerilla actions like the Russian’s try to pull on Ciela. There are some great dramatics done throughout here and it’s fun watching the way Ciela and Elle are getting into the roles as Queen’s and dealing with the royalty and governments of Earth. These episodes just go by so fast and flow so well that even when intending to just watch one or two I end up watching all four into the wee hours of the night. Dunbine’s a fun and engaging classic show that’s got me itching to see a lot more, especially as it starts to draw to a conclusion.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: Daisuki
