What They Say:
“Chapter 74 White Storm (Part 2) / Chapter 75 White Storm (Part 3) / Chapter 76 White Storm (Part 4)”
The commemorative match begins between Rei and Meijin Souya. There’s a clear gap between their levels, but Rei holds on tight to his opponent, which causes a lively discussion among staff members who are watching the match in a waiting room. However, during the middle stage of the match, Rei makes a move that will probably cost him the game. Even so, he doesn’t give up and continues to play, searching for the best possible move each turn. How will the match turn out in the end?
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
You could say not a lot happens in this episode of March, yet it feels like a pivotal moment in Rei’s life and it’s so mesmerizing the ending theme caught me by surprise. I kid you not, I leaned towards the screen wondering what was going to happen next and it was suddenly over. I can’t even remember when was the last time a series had this effect on me.
The first thing I’m going to mention is how interesting this episode is in terms of structure. Most series would have had a Shogi focused storyline, especially considering Rei has never played against Souya before, but no matter how other’s try to sell you this idea, March has never been a sports anime. The results are not what matters here, but the process and what it means both spiritually and psychologically. The episode does begin with the well-awaited match. In fact, the entire structure of the series is thrown out the window. It begins with a scene before the opening and it has a quiet but powerful extra scene after the credits.
As Rei sits across from the current Meijin, and the player he’s admired and aspired to his own life, he feels unreal. It is a very relatable emotion, I believe, that of meeting your hero. This guy, who seemed so mythical, so far away, is now made flesh and bones, breathing from across the board. As unreasonable as it may seem, this god of Shogi is merely human. However, as it happens to the best of us, Rei is having trouble letting go of this godlike image of Souya he has in his head. Right before he begins playing he whispers “Onegai shimasu”. This is a standard way of beginning a Shogi match, or actually, of greeting anyone who’s going to work, study, participate, etc.. alongside you. But literally, it is a formal way of saying “Please” and in this case, I believe it can be construed as a little prayer on Rei’s part. I can’t really tell you why I got this impression, nor can I tell you what is Rei praying for exactly. It’s just a feeling I got like he just wants this to go well, maybe he just doesn’t want to disappoint his childhood hero.
As the match begins, something magical happens. Rei is nervous at first, as it is to be expected, but playing against Souya, it’s like the world disappears and the only thing that remains is the game itself, like they’re the only two people in the world, just them and the Shogi board. Strangely, it makes Rei feel relaxed, happy and even though he has not completely shut off his mind, you can tell his moves are being dictated by his heart. It’s not that he loses control, more like he already knows how to do this. He doesn’t need to think too much or get stressed out. And even when he becomes sure he is going to lose, he doesn’t give in to despair or frustration, like he would have done with some other opponent. Instead, he decides to see just how far can he take it.
The purity of the love they both have for the game builds a strong connection between Rei and Souya, and it is to the credit of the writing team and the director that it never needs to be spelled out. It’s interesting to see the other characters commenting on how strange the review match after the official one was, since neither of them was saying anything, just quietly playing. What everyone fails to see it’s that they were saying plenty, they were just communicating through their moves instead of words.
I may have made it seem like the match is played straight, but that’s not the case. As soon as Rei realizes he’s about to lose, there’s a time jump. The little conversation about the review match also happens afterward with both players absent. But before anyone can get disappointed in not witnessing the entire match, let me assure you, this is way more interesting.
As Rei is waiting for the train and trying to figure out the strange feeling of peace he has even after such an utter defeat, he notices Souya is also at the station. While he’s wondering about him, Rei realizes in all his life he has never seen Souya interact with anyone. Outside of press conferences, he’s always by himself. Honestly, I find Souya fascinating. The series does give you an explanation for his strange behavior, and thankfully it’s less tragic that I’d have guessed, but it still does not explain everything else. Then again, maybe he’s just bad at social interaction?
When the train leaves them stranded for the night, due to the typhoon, Rei takes it upon himself to take care of Souya. It may appear strange when I say it like that but I think anyone with the tiniest bit of empathy would have done the same, or at least I would like to think so. When Rei is getting off the train he notices Souya asleep in one of the seats so he goes to wake him up. The way Souya reacts makes him figure it out, Souya has hearing problems, that’s why he never heard the announcement and that is why when Rei tries to explain what’s going on, he just looks around him like he has no idea of how he got there. He looks so lost, Rei has no option but to help him out.
In a similar way, Souya’s behavior at the station, while Rei is trying to fix the situation is pretty bizarre like he knows exactly what must be done but wants Rei to figure it out. As I’m writing this, I wonder if he just isn’t comfortable talking, since he can’t really hear himself.
In any case, the dynamics between these two are very intriguing and fascinating to watch. So much so, that I wanted the episode to keep going. Everything is so strange and unexpected, Rei is still feeling like this isn’t real, even in this state, Souya continues to be some kind of mythical creature for him and I have to say, I completely understand. If I didn’t know any better, they could reveal Souya to be a forest spirit in the next episode, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelash.
In Summary:
This episode was mesmerizing in every way. It does a wonderful job of conveying the purity of the match as both Rei and Souya see it. The non-verbal communication was excellent and the visuals really drove home the ethereal message and feel. Even though there was a lot of water in this episode, it wasn’t the usual dark and foreboding sea Rei imagines when he is in one of his low periods, but a sort of refreshing, cleansing spring, almost magical. Maybe this is why it was called White Storm because it’s the exact opposite of what Rei usually feels. I am also getting a strong feeling that helping others is what’s going to ultimately save Rei.
Grade: A+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
