The Deca-Dence is plagued by inaction; people are satisfied struggling to make ends meet. In such a hopeless world, how does one inspire change?
What They Say:
It’s back to the drawing board for Kaburagi. His return to the Deca-Dence is immediately met with discord when the Gadoll breach the mobile fortress. Natsume can carry her weight as a soldier, but her optimism won’t spread so easily to the rest of the panicked Tankers. Kaburagi frustratingly watches from the sidelines as Natsume struggles to find motivation in this hopeless situation. Will Natsume and Kaburagi ever truly find peace in this world?
The Review
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
After a quick scroll through the Terms of Service and character creator, Kaburagi makes his grand return to Deca-Dence (note: I guess it wouldn’t make sense for games to have Robot Captcha in a society full of cyborgs, huh?). He’s logged-in for no more than a minute when disaster strikes – Gadoll have made their way into the Deca-Dence. Crowded stairwells and passages fill with humans as frightened Tankers scurry en masse. Despite some civilian losses, Natsume and the other Gears make quick work of the Gadoll. But they’ve got bigger problems on their hands now that there’s a massive hole in the exterior of the Deca-Dence. The Gears brainstorm for solutions, but their lack of manpower and resources puts them at a loss. The ever-optimistic Natsume has faith that the people will come together and help repair the wall, but not everyone shares her can-do attitude.
Natsume approaches her friend Fei and the butchery workers for help. We’ve already seen Fei’s displeasure with Natsume becoming a soldier, but now she’s reached her breaking point. Natsume has always been driven to change herself, and becoming a soldier was her affirmation that she could move forward. But not everyone has the ability to, or even harbor a desire to change. Fei was perfectly content living the normal Tanker life with Natsume, free of danger or conflict. She put her faith in the Gears to keep things that way. But Natsume’s willingness to challenge the impossible became overbearing, to the point where Fei was convinced her own view of the world was wrong. Of course, Natsume’s intentions are pure, but the effects it has on those around her aren’t so idealistic. In the end though, the butcher’s and Fei come through with the repair kits and the Tankers get to work.
Meanwhile, Kaburagi makes a surprise appearance in front of Minato, commander of the Deca-Dence. Kabu brushes off a question about the correctional facility and asks about the hole in Deca-Dence. It’s no mere accident of course, the hole is just another quest. But the true intentions are much bleaker. Minato states that there are too many Tankers, and this new quest is an operation to cull the number of humans onboard.
“Why support the Tankers so strongly? They’re just humans.”
Minato’s cold words capture the disconnect between the players and humans. Kaburagi’s resolve mirrors that of Natsume’s, but his frustrations continue to grow as more people point out the futility in contesting the status-quo.
Eventually, Kaburagi works up the courage to approach Natsume in his new avatar. Natsume is weary of the mysterious Gear, but Pipe can tell it’s Kaburagi right away. Of course, Kabu can’t outright explain his situation, so he plays the “I’m an acquaintance of Kaburagi” card. The two of them make some small talk, but eventually they address the elephant in the room – Kaburagi isn’t coming back. He attempts to lift Natsume’s spirits, praising her tenacity and attributing her positivity to saving Kaburagi. But even Natsume’s willpower has its limits. She’s toughed it out up until now, but misfortune is just one misstep away. She’s remained so strong because…what else can she do? If she relied on Kaburagi the same way Fei puts her faith in the Gears, Natsume would never be able to take that step forward. But now that Kaburagi isn’t coming back, even Natsume is losing her drive. Maybe he was right, maybe peace will never come, she says. But even on the verge of breaking down, Natsume is doing her best to be of use. Seeing Natsume’s unyielding struggle against impossible odds, in the face of people like Minato and Fei who think “changing the world” is impossible or pointless – Kaburagi’s rage and resolve have never been more solidified than now. He returns to the Correctional Facility with a plan for Donatello and his fellow bugs. They’ll be throwing a party. Its location – the Gadoll Factory above.
In Summary:
This week’s Deca-Dence was a great exploration of the dangers within a civilization steeped in corporate monotony. There are people at both the top and bottom who are satisfied with the way things are because it’s all they’ve really known. The emotional toll on both Natsume and Kaburagi perfectly grasp the anguish, hopelessness, and resentment that comes with feelings of inadequacy in a society unwilling to change. Deca-Dence continues to tell a unique and thrilling story without backing down on its crucial themes and biting critiques.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: Funimation
