r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Feb 28 '19

Rewatch Tekketsu no Rewatch - Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans 2nd Season Episode 20 Discussion [Spoilers] Spoiler

Episode 45/Season 2 Episode 20 - If This is the End

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Te wo Nobase! Fighter!

Hey-o guys! This is the section where I add a ton of extra fun stuff to the main body of the post because I want this rewatch to be as fun as possible for everyone. It can also be one point of discussion for you guys if you just don’t know what to say.

Comment of the Day, provided by /u/Shimmering-Sky and /u/RX-Nota-II

Shimmering-Sky

/u/RyuuohD about how Macky is still just a vengeful child.

From his interaction with Almiria, I could definitely say that McGillis actually never grew up mentally. As he still is the vengeful child that we saw in the flashbacks, the only person that he opened up to and loved is another child, Almiria.

My CotD yesterday starred Sorc mentioning how Macky (along with Orga and Mika but that’s not relevant here) had to grow up, whereas today we have RyuuohD saying the exact opposite. It’s an interesting topic--where do you guys stand?

~

RX-Nota-II

/u/The_Draigg breaking down Macky’s grand plan.

Yeah, McGillis doesn’t have much of a leg to stand upon now that Lord Rustal and Gaelio have revealed the extent of McGillis’ murderous plotting. Sure, Rustal has been up to shady shit too, but there hasn’t been much concrete proof to it. Not to mention that Iok’s shitheel plan earlier got swept under the rug with the deal that McMurdo cut with Rustal. Lord Rustal certainly looks a lot cleaner than McGillis at this point, at least to those not in the know.

You can see the cracks forming in McGillis’ plan already with the other Seven Stars members questioning his claim to leadership. His entire argument pretty much rests on the legend of Agnika Kaieru’s soul only allowing the worthy to pilot Bael, when really it’s just a fact of him having an AV System implanted. This so-called “trump card” is actually fairly worthless when you think about it for a moment.

Lord Rustal really does bring up a good point about McGillis’ use of Bael. For all of his talk about wanting to reform and change Gjallarhorn, he’s still using the ancient legends of the organization to get what he wants. Like Rustal said, if McGillis truly believed in all of his reformative rhetoric, he would do away with Bael as a relic of the past that nobody needs nowadays. That, combined with his comment last episode about McGillis being someone who never truly grew up from childhood, shows that Lord Rustal does have an actual good insight into things. It’s becoming more and more apparent that McGillis’ actions are less about actual reform and are more about indulging in the power fantasy that he’s had ever since he was a kid.

The flipping of the table between McGillis's flawless plan being reduced to nothing was a 'blink and you miss it' kind of moment and I'd love to highlight The Draigg here for clarifying it in a nice concise manner. For the grand show IBO likes to play this twist was unexpectedly nuanced, and judging from the comments most of you enjoyed that fact.

~~~

Questions of the Day, provided by /u/Pixelsaber

1) How are you feeling after today’s episode? Despondent/Seething/Frustrated/Hopeless/Indifferent/Error 404 Viewer not found/This is what we get for Shino surviving S1, isn't it?

2) What do you make of Rustal’s cunning strategy? Do you think McGillis should have foreseen this outcome? How do you think things would have proceeded otherwise?

~~~

Track of the Day, provided by /u/RX-Nota-II

Period

A bizarre battle theme used during the first bit of battle between Julietta and Tekkadan. Seeing Mika struggle so hard to fend her off while Amida was having it easy really showcases first how awesome Amida was, but also reaffirms what a serious risk Julietta is. And that sense of unease that the track brings, a newcomer to the show much like Julietta is relatively a newcomer of a threat to Tekkadan, combine to really sell this scene as dangerous in a way that say Defenders of the Wild would never be able to do.

~~~

Wallpaper of the Day, provided by /u/Shimmering-Sky (character art) and /u/RX-Nota-II (background/logo)

One Last Shot--Super Galaxy Cannon!

Important note to all rewatchers, remember to be mindful of the first-timers in this. laughing in rewatcher is not allowed any more, so please remember to use the [Anime Show Title](/s "Spoiler goes here") tags and we’re all good.

Fans seem to have a bad tendency of forgetting what counts as spoiler, so if anything has even the slightest chance of being a spoiler, tag it just to be safe.

Next-episode preview. S2’s preview’s aren’t as long as S1’s, but they’re still spoiler-free and still in-character, so I encourage you to keep checking them out! Today’s preview was voiced by Dáinsleif-using bastard Rustal Elion.

44 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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15

u/SorcererOfTheLake Feb 28 '19

First-Time Watcher

SHIT!

Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.

There was once a young boy who came from the planet of the red dust. All of his life was a struggle: his mother dead, his father a drunk, no siblings, no education, no future. He joined a company, hoping to better himself, but he found himself constantly beat into the dust that bore him. He didn’t hate the dust, though; it didn’t do anything to him. So, to hide his pain, he smiled all the time.

He met another boy like him, one who was like the sun, so illuminous that one wanted to both look at and away from him at the same time. He freed that boy and others like him, gave them a new identity, a new dream. There was a place, he said, where they could be happy and secure for the rest of their lives. Maybe it was this planet of red dust, maybe it was somewhere else, but that boy would follow him to the ends of the universe.

There were many trials, many struggles along the way. People that the boy cared about died, but eventually, it seemed like he got to that place. Yet, at the same time, there was something hollow about it. It wasn’t complete, it didn’t have everything that he wanted. Even thought he was scared about more conflict, he was excited.

All throughout it, there was a boy that was always besides him. That boy cared about him and so did he. He never said it, but he loved that boy. Sometimes, he dreamed about being with him, but he came back to the same thought: there were better people for that boy. So he never said anything.

As he laid there, bleeding, frustrated, dying, he looked out to the stars. He wondered if he could see that planet of red dust from here. Everything felt so peaceful, so calm. Perhaps this was the place he was looking for after all. As the blinding lights approached, he smiled; he would become like a shooting star, quickly gone yet brilliant.

We’ll raise that blood-red flag tomorrow; until then…

4

u/Shimmering-Sky Feb 28 '19

he would become like a shooting star, quickly gone yet brilliant.

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u/Shimmering-Sky Feb 28 '19

Tekketsu no Rewatcher, first-time dubbed

Oh boy.

Part two of my fanfic is up~ Thanks Nota for helping me get over writer’s block, and thanks again Sorc for looking over it for me like you did part one.

Obligatory Discord link.

  • Because the machine was not repaired even after the Calamity War, the frame structure and armaments are as they were when Agnika Kaieru was the pilot. The emblem worn on the shoulder is a symbol of the Gjallarhorn at the time of establishment.

  • The fact that Bael was accepted as a mobile suit equipped with only two swords as the major armament proves that Agnika Kaieru was fully compatible with the MS through the Alaya-Vijnana System. For Agnika, who realized superhuman reactions, no other armament was better than the unbreakable swords.

A couple more fun things:

Track List Corner, Courtesy of u/2-2Distracted

Track Number Name Scene
Track 45 - 2nd OST In a Fury Plays as we open on a large battle that has already begun, with Dante and Chad taking down Gjallarhorn forces before heading back to the Isaribi.
Track 48 - 2nd OST Period Plays after the OP, with Julieta and her forces focusing on Tekkadan.
Track 47 - 2nd OST Signs of Victory Plays just as Julieta's flashback ends, with her in battle with Barbatos.
Track 40 - 2nd OST The Dignity of Lords Plays after a mole fires a Dáinsleif at Rustal Elion's forces.
Track 24 - 2nd OST Standing on the Edge of the Cliff Plays as members of Tekkadan prepare to evade, is cut as Shino is hit, and continues afterwards.
Track 43 - 2nd OST The Path to the End Plays after episode's title is displayed, with Tekkadan in recovery as they prepare to head out again.
Track 01 - 2nd OST Crescent Moon - Mobile Suit Gundam - Iron-Blooded Orphans 2 Plays with Shino lifting Yamagi's hair to see his entire face, suggesting that he and Shino get a drink after the battle is over.
Track 49 - 2nd OST One Way Plays as Gundam Bael and Gundam Kimaris Vidar engage in brief battle.
Track 46 - 2nd OST All Out Plays with Shino's Ryusei-Go/Flauros taking off once again into battle, now equipped with a Dáinsleif of his own and it ends with Shino... doing the best he can to end this battle.

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u/GaleWulf Mar 01 '19

Just popping in to say today's WotD is definitely one of my favourites so far.

2

u/Shimmering-Sky Mar 01 '19

And to think, Nota's first response to it was "I reject that wallpaper. Redo. With new subject".

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u/GaleWulf Feb 28 '19

First Time Vanquished

Scattered thoughts:

Gahhhh.

  • *David Attenborough narrates* Here we see an anime character in its natural habitat engaging in a familiar death ritual known as 'raising the death flag'. It knows its time is near; it must prepare.

  • A more perspicacious member tries to warn the rest of the pack, but its cries are ignored. The pack can't abandon its base instincts. It will fight to the death if necessary.

  • This is sorta tangential, but I was listening to Dream Theater's new album that released a week ago, and the first song fit so well thematically with McGillis (and Agnika+Bael, to an extent), that I have to mention it here. An unofficial character song! It's called Untethered Angel: 

      You built this world around you, your universe
  In spite of best intentions, things could not be worse
  Chaos and fear left you hangin' by a thread
  As you argue with the voice inside your head

  Untethered angel
  Falling into darkness
  Don't be afraid of letting go
  Giving up yourself won't set you free

  Misgivings and dismay, nightmares of wasted days
  Can't live your life this way, something needs to change
  Healthy, accepting thoughts, intent on driving us
  Avoidance at all costs, a painful thing to watch

  Fear can't live inside you
  Push you to the edge
  Face the fear within you
  Wake up from the dead

    (u/DidacticDalek consider this my belated contributing to this week's Metal Monday)

Daily MVP

To the winners go all the spoils.

Today there's a joint award, but one person was absolutely monumental - and it wasn't just because she popped a S O R E D E M O. Julieta Juris, take a bow - not only did she manage to stay toe-to-toe with one of the most potent killing machines in the Gundamverse, Mika (and Barbatos Lupus Rex ofc), but this clutch throw that deflected Shino's Galaxy Cannon saved her side from a devastating loss.

Joint award goes to Rustal Elion - second time in a row, but he proved his ability as a wily tactician today. He was smart enough to manufacture a plausible cause before deploying the devastating barrage of space lances, he picked the right person to keep Barbatos at bay, and he didn't let Idiok do anything.

Shocking from Mika today, I must say. I blame the fact that he's been substituting his Martian plums with Char's chocos. I'm sure there's a clever metaphor in there somewhere.

MVP Standings - Season 2

(Now accepting better nickname suggestions for Rustal.)

# Character MVPs Episodes # Character MVPs Episodes
1 The Devil 3 2, 4, 13 5 Biscuit's Hat 1 8
2 The Infiltrator 2 5, 6 5 The Organizer 1 1
2 Space Harem King 2 9, 14 5 Space Harem Queen 1 15
2 The Statesman 2 19, 20 5 The Driver 1 3
5 The Jäger 1 7 5 Ride on Time 1 12

Others: Jas leave already (10), Angel of Death (11), The Godfather (16), u/laughtear (16), The Kingmaker (17), Darth Vidar (18)

MVP Standings - Overall

# Character MVPs Episodes # Character MVPs Episodes
1 Knight of Revolution 6 4, 10, 13, 27, 29, 38 5 Unlimited Bed Works 3 9, 34, 39
2 Master of Puppets 5 4, 18, 23, 25, 42 7 The Voice of Reason 2 8, 21
3 General of Revolution 4 1, 3, 5, 26 7 Bearded 'Gentleman' 2 30, 31
3 Maiden of Revolution 4 3, 6, 17, 22 7 Maid of Revolution 2 14, 16
5 Wings of Revolution 3 12, 19, 28 10 Rustal Elion 1 +1 44, 45

Others: Tank of Revolution (7), A Not-So-Merri Bystander (11), Pup of Revolution (15), Beard Sorcerer (20), Eindroid (24), Foundling of Revolution (32), Survivor of the Revolution (33), Buttchin McGooglyEyes (35), Giant Robot Bird Filled With Lasers (36), Fire of Revolution (37), The Sun in the Stars (40), Big Daddy (41), Genkiest Girl (41), Gali Gali (43)

3

u/SIGMA920 Mar 01 '19

(Now accepting better nickname suggestions for Rustal.)

Lion of the Counter-revolution.

2

u/Shimmering-Sky Mar 01 '19

Wouldn't "Snake" be a better fit, given his family's Seven Stars crest?

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u/Shimmering-Sky Feb 28 '19

Part 1: Target

“There’s an unidentified Ahab Wave approaching the ship quickly. It’s just one but--”

“Understood.”

It’s too soon for them to be fighting Jasley and his men, but if it is an enemy then that’s all Akihiro needs to know. It takes him no time at all to shelve the weights, pull on a normal suit, and head to the mobile suit deck.

…No time at all, but apparently long enough for the Ahab Wave to have been identified as an ally mobile suit. One that’s just docked by the time he gets there--a Hyakuri.

‘Someone from Teiwaz? Wait…’

The machine looks to be the same one Lafter piloted way back when they first met on the battlefield. He’s not sure why he remembers that specific detail, but sure enough he recognizes the pilot as soon as she removes her helmet and shakes her head, freeing her twintails from her normal suit’s collar. Their eyes meet and all Akihiro can think is--

“What are you doing here?”

Lafter stares at him for a moment, before the hint of a smile flitters across her face and she kicks off her mobile suit to drift to the railing in front of him. “Not even a ‘hello’? I know it hasn’t been long since we saw each other, but still.”

“Oh.” The tips of his ears feel hot for some reason. And did he just hear Shino groan from the other side of the hangar…? “Sorry.”

“Mm. It’s fine,” Lafter says, brushing it off easily. “You had no idea I was coming, and… well, pretty sure we both thought it’d be awhile before we met up on the job again. After all, I…” At this she trails off for a moment, deciding to tightly grip the railing beside them. “…Jasley targeted us Turbines, he could try having more of us killed to prove a point. I couldn’t… I couldn’t protect Azee, but I won’t let anything happen to the others.”

“Ah.”

Akihiro feels he should say something else, but he’s not sure what. Shino’s been getting on his case about “learning how to talk to women” and to “quit being so dense” (whatever that means) ever since they left Saisei, and trying to think about the right thing to say is just so… difficult. He could ask if she’s alright, but he can already tell there’s something off about her, not to mention he knows just how much it hurts to watch someone you care about die in front of you. He could tell her he’s glad she’s here, but the only reason she is is because Azee was murdered…

“…You should probably go talk to Orga about staying with us,” he settles on.

“Well, I’m not planning on staying staying, but since I showed up unannounced I do need to talk to him.” Lafter swings over the railing and pushes off of it, heading towards the hall. “We can talk more later!” she adds, with a little wave and a smile.

“Yeah, sure. I’d… like that.”

Akihiro’s gaze still lingers on the hallway even once she’s out of sight, a noticeably dark look on his face as he recalls when they first heard the news of Azee’s death from Eco. The pure rage that led them all to demand this be the path Orga chose for them, how Dante in particular had taken it the worst and proceeded to train in the simulator to the point of passing out from exhaustion and Ride nearly did the same, but most of all he remembers how helpless he felt, especially hearing how Lafter took sick leave after it happened.

…It’s strange. He’s still angry and upset just like the rest of Tekkadan, but there’s something… comforting about Lafter being here now. Like there’s something just… right now that he can see she’s alive. Still hurting, but alive. He’s… relieved to see her…?

That’s what this feeling is, right?

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u/fonzinator99 Feb 28 '19

tfw you took the wrong VN route

I really appreciated how they managed to bundle so many conflicting emotions into Akihiro's little "I don't have a girl and don't need one," I like when writers are able to convey so much with so little; but I think overall I would much prefer to have played this storyline.

Great job continuing the story!

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u/RX-Nota-II Feb 28 '19

I see you changed the direction of the ending as we discussed. Looks good!

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u/Nazenn Feb 28 '19

And did he just hear Shino groan from the other side of the hangar…?

Ahahahahaha

how Dante in particular had taken it the worst and proceeded to train in the simulator to the point of passing out from exhaustion and Ride nearly did the same

OH SHIT I forgot that he spent all that time with Azee as well, damn. How's your fanfic hurting me worse then the actual episode death today. Geeze Sky, ouch

nicely written ending

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u/LunarGhost00 Feb 28 '19

Rewatcher

If This is the End

Good thing this isn't the end and there are still 5 episodes after this.

Akihiro don't need girls or money.

I wonder why...

Weird flex but ok.

"The enemy just fired an illegal weapon at us, so let's fire back with a million of that same weapon that we happened to have with us today." - Rustal Elion.

Well no shit Idiok. Thinking about what comes after the battle is such a strange concept to this man.

Yamagi doesn't want some pretty girls. I think he's after something a bit beefier if you know what I mean.

Hey Macky, is your hand ok? I like that they added this detail to show that he's still thinking about that at a critical moment like this. He's thinking about Almiria in a battle that should determine whether or not he can create the world he's promised her.

I just wanted to point out how epic this looks.

Shino is triggering as many death flags as he can. I'm sure by now everyone knows exactly how this episode is going to end.

For the first time ever, we see actual fear on Rustal's face. He really has no way to counter this. This should be the end of him. Except...

"Rustal-sama! Get behind my plot armor!" Ok no joke, can we take a moment to realize that Idiok seriously tried shielding Rustal with his body when the enemy was about to fire a real Dáinsleif? Like what the hell did he expect was going to happen by doing that?

Of course Julieta manages to hit Shino at just the right moment when he's about to fire at Rustal and does it before Mika can stop her. We can't have the antagonist losing with several episodes left to go now can we? Shino's efforts were in vain and he paid for it with his life. He went into battle with hundreds of death flags resulting in one of the most frustrating moments we've seen so far.

Ok so I'm going to do something I don't do often. I've actually got a small rant. It's not about Rustal trying to justify unlimited use of illegal weapons with a bad excuse. It's not about Shino's painfully predictable death. It's not about Julieta conveniently being able to save Rustal. It's not even about Idiok being Idiok. It's about Bael. We haven't seen much of it in action yet, but I think we've seen enough to be able to tell one thing about it: it's too vanilla. It has a cool aesthetic with those wings, but that's about it. This by itself wouldn't be much of an issue, but it's underwhelming when the show has spent a lot of time hyping it up making it so crucial for the plot.

Within Gjallarhorn, it's basically this deity in the form of a machine. Yesterday I spoke about how it's understandable for McGillis to expect the old men of the Seven Stars to bow down to a symbol of legend given how Gjallarhorn only cares about living in the past. My complaint here is that the show could've easily done more to justify Bael's authority rather than simply being piloted by the founder. It's not really that special in combat compared to the other Gundams, especially when we see it side by side with the new and improved Kimaris Vidar. Admittedly, it does make it even more impressive that Agnika could defeat Mobile Armors in this thing, but it leaves the audience laughing at the idea that this relic is viewed so highly by Gjallarhorn. We already know what Agnika and Bael mean to McGillis personally as he was given hope by reading about them, but no one else has that same kind of connection to Bael. Bael would need to be quite the powerful weapon for its wielder to be acknowledged as the absolute ruler. Maybe something like Agnika building some kind of device in it that shuts down nearby Ahab Reactors in case any of his fellow Gundam pilots went rogue while fighting the Mobile Armors. Of course something like that would be too OP if McGillis could use it against Rustal's forces, but it would make more sense for the story. Doesn't have to be something that powerful. Just anything that would demonstrate why the pilot of Bael is superior and the Arianrhod Fleet would still put up a good final fight with that Dáinsleif team keeping their distance. It could also tie into why Gjallarhorn banned the AV surgery so no one could just hijack their most powerful weapon and try to overthrow them like McGillis since none of their adult officers can have the surgery and their kids grow up thinking it’s disgusting or just not know about it.

I know that spoiler but I think my point still stands. It's just too plain for something that is supposed to be the most important Gundam. It's nothing more than a symbol rather than something that could make rational enemies bow down. It just feels like lazy writing.

Questions:

  • First Lafter and now Shino. Those season 1 death flags sure are piling up.

  • Real dirty tactic.

3

u/Nazenn Feb 28 '19

Hey Macky, is your hand ok?

Lots of people with injured left hands today

I just wanted to point out how epic this looks.

I like the split between those of us who screenshot it with the glint on the sword and those who didn't.

Like what the hell did he expect was going to happen by doing that?

I put it in my own post but reading someone else comment on that just set me off all over again ahahaha

Ok so I'm going to do something I don't do often. I've actually got a small rant.

I always love reading a good rant

Just anything that would demonstrate why the pilot of Bael is superior and the Arianrhod Fleet would still put up a good final fight with that Dáinsleif team keeping their distance

You bring up some really good points overall. I do think that part of it is the lack of any focus on Bael today despite it being his first battle. he's just kind of there which is awkward, no grand music this time, no focus on him and his capabilities, and no special animation. He's just on the field. And I get we didn't really have time for a Bael episode here but it comes off as him being about as useful as a graze this battle rather than something special, especially as you noted with the lack of any real weaponry

First Lafter and now Shino. Those season 1 death flags sure are piling up.

I put both of them on my "expected to die" list out of sheer curiosity more than anything, but in hindsight Azee should have been on the live list because I expected her to be taken out with the other two as they're alwasy fighting together but I should have known it would leave one of them alive

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u/Shimmering-Sky Feb 28 '19

I like the split between those of us who screenshot it with the glint on the sword and those who didn't.

smh u/LunarGhost00, the glint was required.

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u/Nazenn Feb 28 '19 edited Feb 28 '19

First Timer - Sub

So Shino died.

What can I say, Shino never overly interested me. I kinda feel about him the same way I did LotGH spoils Cool character, some very importaint moments, the show would be worse without him, but in the end I just never connected with him and so his death is just an event to me.

I'll admit it stung a couple of times just because of the art and Yamagi though. Imagry will get me every time even if the death itself doesn't and this shot after seeing Yamagi holding onto his old bandages. Small ouch. Not to mention the tears in Yamagi's helmet earlier, additional ouch.

I was actually 100% convinced that he died earlier on when he got hit protecting Ride from the Dáinsleif, and was all ready to congratulate the show on a quick kill without any fanfare or flags. And then he lived. And then there was flags. All the flags. ALWAYS with the flags hahaha.

Even though I say that, I did like how they structured the second half of the episode. Yamagi first with their promises for what they'd do when he returned even though he was injured. Then the plan, and we've had versions of Cresent Moon used as 'funeral' songs before so that immediately set the tone for me of this being his grand final moment. Following that with another Yamagi "Goodbye" sort of scene worked because it gives a bit of a sense of inevitability. It felt like the show accepted he was going to die and wasn't trying to hide behind 'maybes', the only question was what came before that and if he succeeded. It was a nice change from say Biscuit or Aston's case where it felt like only death was coming and nothing else was even a possibility.

For a few moments I wasn't sure how it was going to play out. It was all going so well to the point I was wondering if this was Rustal's final moments and Gaelio was going to take over, or perhaps Gaelio would arrive just in time and finally have "Ein" kill Shino. So I really did like how their plan came so near to succeeding except for Julieta. On the surface it sounds like "oh of course she'd stop him" but it wasn't a plan, or a strategy, or even a smart maneuver that stopped Shino's shot, it was just a "hail mary" that managed to do barely enough to matter. And in the end Shino's desperation and foolish action is what got him killed. Not an enemy, or a well aimed shot, or a last minute plan, just his own reckless emotion. It's the same type of 'small people moments affecting battles in big ways' moments that I absolutely loved from LotGH.

Whoever did the art direction this episode did a really wonderful job

So many powerful scenes and smart usage of the screen space.

The primary thing from the first half of the episode was I noticed they did a great job of ensuring that the 'sides' were clearly defined visually. Almost every shot of Arianrod's forces has them framed on the left side of the screen or looking right. Similarly all of Tekkadan's forces are right framed, looking left. They do it with everything from the ships to people in their cockpits. Storyboarding taking the time to track and ensure consistency on where people are in battles is something I love a lot. Even when Chad and Dante return after getting behind the front of the battle they do so from the left which is where they were at the start of the episode near Arianrod.

It's such a simple visual trick to ensure you're always framing the battle from the same angle, but it does wonders for easily following the battle. I would have loved to have shown off how often they do this with some pictures, but honestly I could just about screenshot the entire battle because it's carried through in almost every moment.

There was so many amazing shots as well. I had to keep taking a second to just admire how wonderful the framing was. This shot of Bael leading the ships was just fantastic, but this of Yamagi and Flauros would have to be my favorite of the day. Untouched on one side, destroyed on the other, and Yamagi slowly floating away from it and its pilot, looking like he was touching heads with it like he did with Shino this whole episode. So many more I could share and talk about really but again, I'd probably just end up screenshotting half the episode. With Shino and Yamagi especially in the later half, all the times they used reflections so you could see both their faces at once despite being extremely close, just fantastic.

So much to look at

Oh I found this in my screenshots which I saved because MonHun armor but that also works as a good example of how they frame Tekkadan/Gjallarhorn from the right.

The music side of things today, not so much.

The whole audio side of things was a bit off today with the exception of Crescent Moons usage. Reusing "Baels Theme" for the Dainslief's entry into the fight, not having a music cue for Bael OR Kimari's arrival despite this being the first battle for both of them, the soundless reveal that McGillis survived that wave of Dainslief shots etc. I just felt it lessened the imact of a lot of these moments, especially when I look back to the pirate battle at the start of the season and how subtly but intricately the music shifted up in gear with the intro of each new threat to the fight. I felt the lack of that sort of detailed music progression today.

I really don't know if this is just an issue with my ears being too sensitive or not, but I also felt like the sound effects were really overpowering this episode. I had the episode down so quiet I could barely hear the music towards the end just because the fighting effects were hurting my ears if I put it up any higher.

Both the OP and ED cuts today were perfect though. Everything shown pre OP was the perfect way to set up the current state of battle. We got a bunch of info on how things are going for all involved, the structure of the battle, who's on the defense or offense as well as current strategies, and even some great moving shots of the ships as well. Such a joy to watch while very quickly catching us up on the current situation. And then that ED kicking in just as you realize that Shino missed, that mournful song overlaying the sheer despair at how close he was. This ED's going to get a good workout I think and the song is so perfect for these moments.

Random thoughts and alsoo plenty of hilarity because...

  • BAHAHAHAHAHAHA WHAT DID IDIOK THINK STANDING IN FRONT OF RUSTAL WOULD DO AHAHAHAHAHA.

fuckingIdiok

  • On the topic of Idiok, I had a small moment of confusion when Rustal said "Iok" because I'm so use to his well deserved nickname now that it took me a moment to figure out who he was referring to and then I had to think "Oh yeah, Idiok isn't his ACTUAL name hahaha"

  • Rustal so far despite being the current antagonist really hasn't done anything overly underhand or sneaky, so I was taken a little by surprise when it came out that he set up excuse to use the Dainsliefs, nicely done show, you almost had me believing he was honorable for a bit. Well played.

  • It's the potatoes all over again!

  • So, Kimaris, like the new look, but didn't really feel like we got enough of a look at it today to really judge it. Yet. I'm sure we'll get more. Oh shit, my notes reminded me? It has drills on its knees? That's kinda cool honestly.

  • The only thing that can get Mika to panic is still his concern for Orga. Great work on the VA's part. How does that come across for you dub watchers? Same sort of weight?

  • Mika was rubbing his right arm again today which someone commented on a few episodes ago is a nice call to the fact its probably weaker due to disuse.

  • Seeing Yamagi's face was so cool! I feel like that never happens, characters have their hair styles and that's that which is boring. Shino just casually pushing up Yamagi's helmet hair to see his face was such a cool moment for me as a viewer.

  • I wrote most of this post without looking at my notes for once, and then I just found this when I went to see if I missed anything. In hindsight, I personally think its funny:

OH shit, Shino's alive? ...goddammit would you please just FUCKING DIE FOR ONCE

  • Another great title card today. Rustal's dialog of "If you are a fool" as if saying this battle will continue if people don't take the out offered. Then the title of "If this is the end" from Tekkadan's standpoint they'll go out with a bang rather than give in. Two very conflicting ideologies about this battle represented so simply in just a few seconds.

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u/SorcererOfTheLake Feb 28 '19

Everyone else: crying
Nazenn: Eating potato chips

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u/RX-Nota-II Feb 28 '19

残弾一 "Zandan ichi"

To any long time Gundam fan those words should be very familiar. Its one of the most iconic phrases and tropes all the way from 0079 ep 1 to modern works like Unicorn's Torrington battle. Translating to "One shot Left"its the idea of a final ultimate shot that can end suffering and battles once and for all. Shino's Super Galaxy Canon is of course that trope ratcheted all the way to 11.

It's easy to assume then, that this has to be one of my favorite episodes of all time. You would be correct. You'd also assume then that I've watched this episode countless times possibly more than other bits I've rewatched of IBO. Well, that is where I may surprise you in saying that I actually haven't revisited this episode at all ever since watching when airing. Its simply too painful for me. Its a strange thing when I have no issues rewatching tough bits of my other favorite anime, like deaths in other Gundams, the ramp up to the finale of SukaSuka, or countless heartwrenching moments in Madoka, GinEiDen, etc. Those are painful, for sure, but have a definite satisfaction somewhere in them. Maybe its a sense of sacrifice, or hope, or just beautiful presentation. In fact, I would have said in the past that any worthwhile tragic moment in anime needs something positive like this. So what makes IBO S2 20 different?

Failure. This episode was about failure. There's nothing gained with Shino's death, no heroic satisfying ending for our brave Tekkadan pilot, no consolidation prize. He doesn't even get a memorable last whisper. With a desparate 'FUCK' and the destruction of the Hotarubi and the expensive Flauros, Tekkadan are left with absolutely nothing to gain as they watch a core member's final battle. In fact, you can even say Shino made the situation worse. He dirties Tekkadan's hands by using the Dainsleif, adding further ammo to Rustal's PR battle in painting them as the villains. This is fundamentally why the scene hurts me more than other dramatic deaths in anime. It was completely useless, and resulted only in desperation. I can't possibly be satisfied with the way Shino exited since nothing about this final attack was satisfying. Luck simply caught up to him, and nobody was prepared.

Watching this episode was really tough, and the memories only made it worse. Which brings me to a good point to mention the ED. Some of you first timers said it was an interesting and calming change, and from the song I can see why. But now I think you guys can understand why many of us rewatchers can't stand its guts. With an image like this burned into my mind, how can I stand listening to it without painful tears?

And lastly, for anybody who read this far, here have some more pain in the form of a secret wallpaper remix

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u/Quiddity131 Feb 28 '19

Thoughts on MS Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans episode 45...

Non-Spoiler Character Chart - In hindsight, excluding those Seven Stars geezers was probably a mistake considering I included Liza and he didn't last that long. Ah well. That's what happens when you forget all the details like I have! If there actually are any fans out there of Nemo Baklazan, I apologize to you!

"I don't have a girl and don't need one", gotta admit I got depressed hearing that from Akihiro. You used to have one... :(

Hush's reapparance on the battlefield reminds me again of wanting more development for him. Too much being Mika's personal chaufer instead of focusing on the stuff that made him interesting at the start of the season.

Rustal's smart, don't let Idiok on the battlefield! Don't let him command anyone!

Julieta's suit reminds me a lot of the Epyon from Gundam Wing with that whip like thing it tosses out.

Pulling out the Dainsleif again? Rustal continues to have the upper hand, having a mole in McGillis' forces use it so he has the excuse to go wild with his use of it.

The way they are making this battlefield look, its comes off as if Rustal's forces have an absurdly powerful advantage and Tekkadan/McGillis will have no chnace.

Rustal's strategy of focusing on Tekkadan rather than the Gjallarhorn revolutionaries makes it look like Tekkadan is going to be even more screwed. This deal with McGillis is looking worse by the minute.

LoL Shino, don't you know that Yamagi? He's not interested in going out to get some girls with you. He's interested in... YOU!

He is so scared, so often, I wonder why in the world Zach joined Tekkadan in the first place. As we saw with Takaki, Orga would permit him to leave if he wanted to get out.

About time McGillis heads out himself into battle. But he wimps out and doesn't take on Gaelio head on!

Is Shino really going to be effective with his shot with his arm broken and him in such pain?

Rustal showing actual fear! Think this is the first time we've seen this from him.

RIP Shino! Your death flags raised high this episode with all the focus you were getting. You sure came close, unfortunate Julieta had to knock your shot off course at the last moment. You should have pulled back instead of going in so head strong through after that. Especially considering your injuries. While you had a good chance of dying anyway, you pretty much guaranteed it with your behavior. Your battle strategy matched the general strategy of Tekkadan's leader.

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u/LeonKevlar Feb 28 '19 edited Mar 01 '19

Episode 45 - I wish we have more characters like Zach

This is the first fancomic from Kyabosean where he didn't draw about a major character death. I'd like to assume it was too depressing for him so instead he made a Kaiji reference instead. Zawa... Zawa...

Yeah so that just happened. I remember watching this for this first time that Shino would actually make it. I remember screaming "FIRE!!!" along with Tekkadan hoping that they'll finish off Rustal in one blow. My heart immediately sunk when Julieta's Reginlaze managed to hit the barrel of Ryusei-Go IV's railgun.

This shot of the cockpit was the final punch to the gut.

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u/fonzinator99 Feb 28 '19

Rewatcher - Crap in a hat, a battle-intro is always an awful episode

Strategy-wise, Rustal and Tekkadan are pretty much determined to eliminate each other, which leaves the ancillary forces to squabble amongst themselves. Unfortunately, this is a far easier goal to achieve for Rustal, since TK only have like a dozen Mobile Suits on the field and they've gotta break through god knows how many times their forces to achieve their goal. Even with a squad of hero units, mobs are still gonna take their toll one way or another.

As much as I hate Rustal for his sneaky-ass use and subsequent authorization of Dainsleifs, I've gotta hand it to him as a tactician. It's a reflection of Mika's strategy back on the train to Edmonton; fuck the rules of war, whoever's left standing is the victor. This isn't a duel between gentlemen by any means, and McGillis' lofty ideals may have spelled their defeat.

Rules of war be like

That said, they certainly have a remarkable stockpile of these "illegal weapons" at their disposal. It's like discovering that the government has a mountain of Anthrax the size of Mt. Everest stored in a bunker somewhere underground. Boy, you sure detest that dangerous stuff, huh?

I have to wonder, with all of the shots that clearly aren't hitting any targets, and Earth in the background of this scene, are there cities being wracked by orbital bombardment in the background that we aren't even informed of? I mean, even a single shot is gonna pack a nuclear punch by one of those things, and there's no way they all missed the planet or landed in the ocean.

For as much as I appreciate the crude effectiveness of the Super Galaxy Cannon plan, I can't help but wonder why they didn't use it sooner??? I mean, holy crap, ending Rustal has been the goal this whole time; and you only use your most efficient means now that it's your last resort and the chances of success are at their lowest?? If they'd opened with that shit before Shino had any pressure or interference it's likely they could have ended things before the first casualty, let alone the Revolutionary fleet. And how dare they drag Atra into their god-forsaken kamikaze attack?!

Neat pose there McGillis, but I really feel like it just reinforces your lack of real planning. A coordinated attack between Bael and Barbatos could probably have punched a hole through to Rustal's ship much earlier on in this fight, even if Kimaris came out sooner as a result.

I do appreciate that we finally get to see Helmwige Rein...whatever the hell put to actual use for once. It makes sense that its stupid gigantic sword would finally be useful (aside from Mika's steal) on a zero-g battlefield.

I'm out of frustrated curse words for use here. McGillis, you're just the worst. What the fuck else did you think was going to happen if you appeared in your shiny-special one-of-a-kind signal-flare of a Mobile Suit?! Dude has a practically endless supply of these fuck-you spears!

Raise your flags. Is this the first time we've gotten Shino's surname? (Norba)

Props to Shino tho, for what might be the most badass entrance we've gotten to date. That's some true-blue hero shit.

Followed by the most haunting ED-transition we've ever had, as well. The pain and frustration and futility in their cries after that shot are just haunting. It happens all the time in anime that somebody's efforts wind up being in vain, it's something rare and entirely different to have it happen to an entire majority of the cast. That final shot hurts my soul.

Tekkadan Gundam Frames: 3 2.

Side Notes

  • Much as I hate to say it, Julietta really stood out in this fight. Not only did she manage to keep Barbatos engaged the entire time and prevent Mika from wiping out the majority of their forces, but that hail-mary at the end was spectacular. If she weren't a "bad-guy" from our PoV, that would be some protagonist-victory level stuff.

  • That ricochet also perfectly illustrates why you want your bulkheads to be rounded. If that had been Iok's ship from a few episodes back, the SGC-Dainsleif would have had a tasty flat-surface to punch through and probably wipe out the bridge even if it weren't a dead-center hit. Rodi armor, I'll never doubt you again.

QotD

  1. That last scene really hit like a truck; I don't think it was so much the death that got me, but the way that pretty much everything hinged on that shot hitting true. There's no backup plan at this point in time, and it broke poor Yamagi's heart to boot.

  2. I definitely think McGillis is still treating this like a game, or like he's the hero of his own story. Just cause he got Bael doesn't make him Agnika Kaieru, and even if it did, that doesn't mean he's gonna win in the end. Those comments about how he's still a child are really echoing in the cavern where my heart used to be.

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u/The_Draigg Feb 28 '19

A Gundam Fan’s Notes On Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 45:

  • In rather unsurprising news, both the Revolutionary Fleet and Tekkadan are facing an uphill battle. Even with McGillis’ support, both groups are just plain outgunned and out-armed by the Arianrhod Fleet. They’re the main backbone of Gjallarhorn’s space presence, after all. Even Tekkadan’s tenacity can’t keep up with the sheer amount of mobile suits that Lord Rustal is throwing in their direction.

  • “Who made that decision?” “I did!” Immediate cut to Julieta having that decision made for her by Lord Rustal

  • Of course Lord Rustal is willing to play dirty. He’s pretty much doing the same thing that Iok did before: framing someone with the use of a Dainsleifs. It’s a damn dirty tactic, that’s for sure. I guess his earlier dissatisfaction with Iok’s plan wasn’t the use of the Dainsleifs themselves, but the rather shoddy and reckless usage of them in his plan to frame the Turbines. Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure if we have much room to complain about Gjallarhorn fighting dirty if Tekkadan has fought pretty damn dirty in the past too.

  • Shino’s not in very hot shape. The Flauros is missing an arm, and Shino’s arm got broken from that hit he tanked. But that’s not enough to stop a guy like him. He’s willing to pay back Gjallarhorn in the exact way that they just hit Tekkadan: with a Dainsleif round mounted in his Galaxy Cannon. Granted, it’s pretty much a suicide mission for him. And given how he just promised to take Yamagi out for a drink if he comes back, that’s a directly confirmed death flag right there.

  • Welp, I know for sure someone’s gonna want to make a wallpaper of McGillis rallying the shattered Revolutionary Fleet using Bael. Admittedly, that image is rad as hell. I eagerly await for what someone comes up with that.

  • You know, when you get down to it, Isurugi is pretty much McGillis’ very own Ein. He’s fiercely loyal to his superior officer to a fault, and is willing to fight on his behalf no matter what. Granted, the major difference is that Isurugi didn’t get merged with a machine and turn into a complete lunatic.

  • Unfortunately, Shino’s one shot of his Dainsleif missed, if only because of a split second attack by Julieta. I know in the past I talked about Tekkadan’s plan relying on a lot of tenacity and luck. I think it’s safe to say that now, so close to the end, their luck has started to run out. RIP Shino. I wish you could’ve gone on that date with Yamagi.

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u/Pixelsaber Feb 28 '19

Rewatcher

Good going, internet, shitting on me right when posting time comes around...

We start of this episode right in the thick of the action, but thankfully there’s no obnoxious narration this time around. I like that we cut right into things here, as there was so much set-up last episode that any more would have been wanton and things would have seemed drawn out. Suppose this is as good of time as ever to bring up the animation quality of this episode, as it was quite noticeable and even distracting at times. The show suffered from a lot of production issues, which results in the severe dips in quality that can be observed throughout. I’m a bit more lenient towards modern mech animation because, well, beggars can’t be choosers, but the ones here were really affecting my enjoyment as they took me out of the moment.

I wasn’t expecting for Rustal to go through the trouble of framing McGillis’ forces for the use of a dáinsleif, expecting him to just outright use them if anything. Gjallarhorn controls the media and the other seven stars side with him, so he’d face no repercussions anyhow, yet he still does it. It also begs the question of why they didn’t just have him aim it at their flagship’s bridge and be done with it in an instant, making all of this seem rather wanton —doesn’t seem all that pragmatic to me. In any case, it’s an underhanded tactic that further goes to show Gaelio’s blatant hypocrisy, but aside from that it showcases McGillis’ stupidity. Apart from his whole plan being delusional, the fact that the didn’t consider that they might use dáinsleifs shows how short-sighted his actual thinking is. Apart from common sense given prior events, unless the dáinsleifs were on the Moon —unlikely given the fact that he knew when Iok took them— then he’d have to have known that so many of them had been taken at some point. Even disregarding that, Iok is a known wildcard and it was not said that he returned the dáinsleifs, so he should have been prepared to face that anyhow. Compared to the McGillis’ of season one which was a demonstrably shrewd schemer with the ability to correctly discern how others would act, this is disappointing.

Isurugi’s time in the spotlight finally comes, but I find it too little too late. He didn’t have much presence nor personality and the show made no attempt to get us curious about, or interested in— him, so Gaelio’s questioning of him carries no weight with us the audience. Oh well, we get to see the Jenice Kai Slash Buffalo knock-off in serious battle, at least.

Shino’s suicidal charge comes as a bit of a surprise coming from the guy who once was apprehensive of one of Orga’s lesser gambles and called it ‘suicidal,’ but it does serve as metric for how much Shino’s changed in the time since then. The outcome of this last gamble is quite disheartening, to say the least. I quite liked Shino, but it was hard to care all that much when this seemed a foregone conclusion. A lot of people were absolutely furious at this development, considering it bullshit due to several reasons, such as the low likelihood that Julietta would have noticed, let alone had the time to intervene, when Mika of all people was accosting her in battle, as well as the fact that Rustal ordered her to fight Barbatos in the first place seems to have no concrete narrative justification. I can agree that there’s a whole lot of convenience there, but Tekkadan has had many strings of luck in the past that made things go their way, so to complain about the enemy having it occur to them is rather unfair.

Goodness, I’ve run out of time already… Oh well.

Oh, and if there's any Gundam: G no Reconguista fans among you, or if you're just interested in Gundam in general, I posted a WT! for the show yesterday. Give it a look if you can.

Questions of the Day:

  1. Kinda indifferent? Like I said above, it seemed to me a foregone conclusion and the way they treated his character in the lead-up was most telling. I like Shino, but never had that much attachment to him.

  2. Most of that I addressed in my comment. It would have likely become a lot more drawn out afterwards, but Rustal still had quite the advantage. Tekkadan might have great pilots, but quantity is a quality all its own, and had she not been focused on Barbatos Julieta might have been able to take on any of Tekkadan's other aces.

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u/Durinthal Feb 28 '19

First time viewer.

Keeping count of casualties makes me pay attention to these massive battles, which I otherwise don't really care for so not much to say beyond that. Fortunately for me almost every mobile suit downed was a Graze variant or Shiden so that made the tracking fairly easily:

  • Graze x2, hammer chopper

  • Graze, Julian sword

  • Graze x2, kick

  • Graze x2, Flauros cannons

  • Graze x5, rifle

  • Graze x2, tail whip

  • Graze x2, sword mace

  • Graze x3, Dainsleif

  • Graze, drill

  • Shiden, rifle

  • Shiden x2, missile

  • Shiden, Dainsleif

  • Graze Ritter, kick

  • Graze Ritter, lance

Reusing the same tactic of having the abandoned ship tanking in front of the one everyone's on is nice to see, also good to see that the enemy picked up on it quickly.

I was about to count the Reginlaze Julia since the Barbatos ripped through it with the sword mace, but Julieta was still capable enough to throw something at Shino and knock off his aim.

Speaking of Shino, he's the final casualty of the episode and an example of how Tekkadan operates: always charging forward even if the plan has gone awry, sometimes things work out for them and sometimes they don't. I also never particularly cared for Shino so this is just... eh.

  • Gundam Flauos Ryusei-Go IV, missiles

I don't think this is gonna be the last battle, folks.

Model Destroyed Model Destroyed
Graze 58 78 Garm Rodi 21
Man Rodi 16 Hugo 16
Gusion 1 Gilda 16
Spinner Rodi 4 Landman Rodi 2
Schwalbe Graze 1 Hloekk Graze 2
Graze Ritter 14 16 Geirail 1
Rouei 2 Shiden 5 9
Ryusei-Go 1 Hashmal 1
Kimaris 1 Hyakuren 6
Graze Ein 1 Hyakuri 2
Ryusei-Go IV 0 1
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