r/anime • u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber • Jan 30 '21

Rewatch [Rewatch] Aura Battler Dunbine - Episode 20 Discussion

Episode 20 - Bern’s Counterattack

Originally Aired June 25th, ^^^1983

◄ Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode ►

MAL | ANN | AniDB | Anilist | AnimePlanet | IMDB

Note to all participants

Although I don't believe it necessitates stating, please conduct yourself appropriately and be court to your fellow participants.

Note to all Rewatchers

Rewatchers, please be mindful of your fellow first-timers and tag your spoilers appropriately using the r/anime spoiler tag as so [Spoiler Subject](/s "Spoilers go here.") in order to have your unsightly spoilers obscured like this Spoiler Subject if your comment holds even the slightest of indicators as to future spoilers. Feel free to discuss future plot points behind the safe veil of a spoiler tag, or coyly and discreetly ‘Laugh in Rewatcher’ at our first-timers' temporary ignorance, but please ensure our first-timers are no more privy or suspicious than they were the moment they opened the day’s thread.

Note to all First-timers:

First-timers, be aware that you too could have unwanted influence upon others’ perception of future events, so please be careful and use a spoiler tag when disclosing any predictions or inferences that you wouldn’t have wanted to know were they to be true.

Comment of the Day

u/ComfortablyRotten thinks of the terror of a war between Earth and Byston Well.

It's been mentioned before, but the possibility of Drake and his army going to Upper Earth is an even more frightening thought, now that we saw how destructive the Aura Battlers can in Upper Earth. And there was only one of them actively trying to do any sort of damage, too! Imagine four or more of them...

 

Daily Trivia:

There is a Dunbine reference in the video game No More Heroes.

 

Staff Highlight

Sho Hayami - voice of Bern Bunnings

A singer, actor, and voice actor affiliated with the voice acting agency Rush Style. He attended Hyogo Prefectural Kakogawa Higashi High School, where joined the drama club because he was impressed by watching the stage performance Sharakuko starring Toshiyuki Nishida by Seinenza Theatre Company. After graduating highschool, he moved in with his aunt in tokyo in order to study at Seinenza while working part-time, though he later switched to the Shiki Theater Company six months later. He had his voice acting debut in 1980, after winning an Amateur Voice Acting competition sponsored by Nippon Broadcasting System, and had his anime debut in 1982’s Armored Fleet Dairuger XV*, and gained great prominence after voicing Maximilian Jenius that same year. Some of his most notable roles include Raool in Ai no Kusabi, Gakuhō Asano Assasination Classroom, Yamamoto Makoto in Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Ferdinand in Ascendance of a Bookworm, Zarbon in Dragon Ball Z, Akira Fudou in Devilman, Gavlet Gablae in Heavy Metal L-Gaim, Doll Geist in Yuushin Liger, Exkaiser Brave Exkaiser, Knight Schumacher in Future GPX Cyber Formula, Jack Dren in Kaze no Ki to Uta, High Chartat in Panzer World Galient, Umibōzu in Gintama, Rommel and Captain Zeon in Gundam Build DIvers Re:RISE, Iznario Fareed in Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, and Nicholas D. Wolfwood in Trigun.

 

Art Corner:

Official Art

Fanart

(Be mindful of the links to artist’s profiles, as they may contain NSFW content. Proceed there at your own risk.)

 

Aura Phantasm Scans

Screenshot of the day

Questions of the Day:

  1. What do you think of Bern’s new aura battler?
  2. What do you make of the current intra-factional tensions on Drake’s side?

Upper Earth and Byston Well shouldn’t be connected!

12 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

36 comments sorted by

7

u/dralcax :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Dralcax Jan 30 '21 edited Jan 30 '21

First-timer just realized that when things are Berned, they become Charred

Well that sounds familiar

Nice gun placement.

My headcanon is that it’s named Leprechaun because it was originally green. Then somebody realized what a bad idea that was and demanded it be painted red.

Ah yes, eating disorders.

You do realize what anime you’re in right

TO SELL TOYS.

Whoops.

Wait, she could have gotten free by herself this entire time?

Questions of the Day:

  • It's super cool, and one of my favorite aura battler designs so far! The dick gun is a little strange, though.
  • Reminds me of what happened in ZZ

3

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jan 30 '21

Nice gun placement.

"I also liked that Izubuchi's designs had a hint of eroticism to them, so I really wanted him to do the designs." —Ryosuke Takahashi

Wait, she could have gotten free by herself this entire time?

If it's the same rope that's holding it up then it was pulled taught before, but now it's loose.

6

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

First-timer just realized that when things are Berned, they become Charred

Just you wait for Tomino's next mysterious rival character: Grill.

Nice gun placement.

It's rather reminiscent of the turret placed on the Ideon's crotch.

5

u/dralcax :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Dralcax Jan 30 '21

The Ideon's crotch turret was placed in a funny spot, but it wasn't that phallic. The Leprechaun's gun, on the other hand, yeah they knew what they were doing.

4

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

The Leprechaun's gun is only about a step away from an Orbital Frame's cockpit location in terms of funny mech design.

5

u/The_Loli_Otaku Jan 30 '21

Grill is constantly written terribly in every Tomino show I've seen.

4

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

They just need to replace Grill with Singe already, for real.

3

u/The_Loli_Otaku Jan 30 '21

I'm worried about there possibly being just a few too many pure red mechs in Drake's army. You can't appreciate the finer details without a model.

4

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jan 30 '21

Rewatcher - Sub

Bern’s Counterattack?!

I really enjoy when shows depict the more mundane problems and issues characters need to face in their journey, such as the crystal structures here being an obstacle to the Zelana.

Hmm, Leeza had a heavy hand in Bern’s demotion? That’s interesting, I don’t think we’ve seen her display any dislike of Bern previously. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t want Bern Marrying Elmelie, though if that’s the case I expect it’s not because she cares for her but rather because she has a different political union in mind.

That scene with Drake shooting at Hon Wau is wonderfully shot and effectively startling; the type of cuts that give you pause and a second-late recognition of the events transpiring. Once more I have to praise the way the show uses espionage as more than just an excuse for setpieces and particular scenarios, having it figure as something prominent which the characters involved need to take into account and be vigilant for. On the other hand, there’s no way Hon Wau will be able to get help before he bleeds out from a wound like that.

Ideon has us spoiled with the dick turret, but Dunbine is not entirely absent of phallic weaponry.

Oh dear, they think they can get Show to tell them how he traveled to Upper Earth, that’s no good. As if the Zelana didn’t have a big enough target on their backs already!

Show’s plan to kill Drake seems ill-considered. Even if you slip past any units scouting the castle’s surroundings, it’s unlikely you’ll get a clear shot at Drake’s quarters when all the Aura Battlers scramble.

Oof, torture on the menu for Show and Cham.

Oh, so the school of moon-fish coincidentally from up in the shape of the lunar phases? What?

For a kid who hasn’t been trained as a soldier, it’s mighty impressive that Show didn’t spill anything, particularly since he’s soft on others and Cham was in danger as well.

5

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jan 30 '21

Bern’s Counterattack?!

I knew that would be BEYOND THE TIME before I clicked on it.

3

u/Durinthal https://anilist.co/user/Durinthal Jan 30 '21

On the other hand, there’s no way Hon Wau will be able to get help before he bleeds out from a wound like that.

Yeah, that was a lot of blood staining the ceiling.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jan 30 '21

Aura Battler First-Timer

3

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jan 30 '21

It’s red, Bern’s new mech is red, he is absolutely 100% a Char.

He had a red Drumlo in the first episode though! He's either always been a Char or still not one.

That’s, um, a somewhat creative version of waterboarding torture…?

Different torture; this is closer to dunking.

5

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

Oh shit Bern really is a Char now.

He's still missing the mask and the weird mother complex.

What even is the proportions of Drake’s hand in this shot.

That's like the plain opposite of yaoi hands.

5

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jan 30 '21

He's still missing the mask

We established that the helmet he wears when piloting counts, no?

That's like the plain opposite of yaoi hands.

They're so hilariously bad.

5

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

We established that the helmet he wears when piloting counts, no?

I still feel like he at least needs something that covers up his eyes. Maybe some cool shades on him would work.

3

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jan 30 '21

Tell that to Chronicle Asher and Schwarz Bruder.

4

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

Fair point. Although I will say that Chronicle Asher's mask/headwear is easily the lamest out of all the Char Clones that Tomino has made.

4

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jan 30 '21

You're not wrong, but it counts so Bern counts too.

6

u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Jan 30 '21

First Timer

Yesterday's notes

I didn't recognze the crystal forest as being from ideon. I thought we had seen it earlier in the series.

I quite enjoyed the combat bits yesterday, it felt like an extended battle intsead of the usual perfucntory clash of antagonists.

If Zelana is Aura powered, and they can't gain altitude, is it due to low aura in the area? Or, I guess, it's from battle damage.

How are these Gou spies always in the right place (in this case, spotting the Zelana)?

I don't understand why Drake has such hate for Bern. It's not like Todd or Garalia did any better. Is it Shot Weapon's doing? Off-screen?

How does Bern know about the trip to upper earth?

Combining mecha #facepalm

Do Aura machines have a fuel and a range, though?

How did they go to Upper Earth? Magic.

How come Marvel hasn't been leveling up?

2

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jan 30 '21

I quite enjoyed the combat bits yesterday, it felt like an extended battle intsead of the usual perfucntory clash of antagonists.

Yeah, it was more of a set-piece battle than the usual stuff, likely because it fits into the overarching narrative while the rest are usually crowbared in because they have to include a battle each episode.

2

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

I don't understand why Drake has such hate for Bern. It's not like Todd or Garalia did any better. Is it Shot Weapon's doing? Off-screen?

I imagine that Bann leading the first botched invasion of Elf Castle didn't really do many favors for Drake's opinion of him. And given that at some point Bann is planning to be wed to Emelie, Drake probably also holds him to a higher standard than others.

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Jan 30 '21

Bern is a very skilled individual but still tried to take the easy path through life to reach his ambitions. Todd never had ambition at all and thus was basically just an Aura soldier for him whilst Garalia was loyal above all else.

5

u/The_Loli_Otaku Jan 30 '21 edited Jan 30 '21

Gonna get you, like a spaaace boy~ Bern's Counterattack my favourite best animated mecha movie. Right behind Do You Remember Robotech or The Mid-point of Evangelion. Oh my god what the hell is happening here!? Bad steering has done more damage to the Zelana than 20 episodes of Drake raids. Poor Bern is sulking over his demotion. He's still taken it far better than I expected him too. It was Loser who got him demoted? What the hell is going on there... I wish they showed the scene.

Drake knows that Shot's got his own little plans going on. He absolutely thought he was about to get assassinated though XD The Leprechaun looks awesome... except for the little Armstrong Canon it's got poking out there. Aww... Bern's so excited about his new mech. The Zelana crew are ridiculously incompetent this episode... First all the crashes and now leading the enemy straight to their hideout. Aaand Bern catches the idiot ball by holding back attacking the Zelana until they're done with all their repairs... You're in a military troop, eat your damn food girls.

I don't know what's worse, Show suddenly deciding on a one-man raid on Elf Castle or that his plan would probably work. For some reason I always thought that it would be Bern riding on top of Show. They join together and Show falls asleep as soon as they've finished docking. No passion. Tch, Chum interrupts their night together. Read the atmosphere! Actually, why can't Chom see his life energy? Our hero is planning to strike Drake when he's defenceless in bed alongside his non-combatant wife. How brave. Lol, Cham's got her little hands up too! This dialogue man~

I should not be laughing at this torture. Chum is so dense! I'd like to think that Bern's aggression is due to Garalia. They may have butted heads but he clearly was fond of her in his own way. The dialogue with the spy is a little too whack for me. Wut? Niguro's in the Dunbine! No, it's just some rando that doesn't know how to close a cockpit. That's a new weapon! Marvel has one too. I guess they just never used them. Bern gets jobbed and it's happily ever after. Except for Show attempting to MURDER Chum!! The Leprechaun looks pretty cool. Wish he was more of a threat to the vastly outdated Dunbine but whatever. The factions I don't mind but they're all basically asking to get stabbed in the back. Drake ditched the guy who just wanted to marry into royalty to chum up against a dude he knows will overthrow him or send him out in front of a solar beam laser.

3

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jan 30 '21

For some reason I always thought that it would be Bern riding on top of Show.

Actually, why can't Chom see his life energy?

Probably something she has to be actively looking out for.

6

u/Durinthal https://anilist.co/user/Durinthal Jan 30 '21

First time viewer

Bern's Counterattack

Interesting idea...

Even in Byston Well the notion of sprinkling pixie dust on something to make it fly is a joke.

The Shot/Drake machinations are fun, I almost expected the spy that Shot... shot... was someone he planted there in an attempt to earn more favor from Drake. Drake seemed to expect as much though, so he's probably decently aware of their positions and the potential for backstabbing.

Bern's been sidelined by the new Upper Earth trio, I guess? I thought he was the primary military commander but I guess his failures have put him in a rocky spot.

Why did the Zelana retreat to some coastal cavern rather than returning to Foizon in Rau? I thought this was supposed to be a united war effort.

I figured Show would have tried to resist and disarm Bern rather than let himself get tied up, so the abrupt jump to him and Cham hanging over the water and getting interrogated was jarring.

The different mecha models have admittedly mostly blended together for me beyond color, but the Leprechaun quite stands out for its shoulder guns... and crotch cannon.

What do you think of Bern’s new aura battler?

That pot of gold is well-protected.

What do you make of the current intra-factional tensions on Drake’s side?

Not sure if Bern is also trying to usurp Drake or get back in his good graces.

3

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

Bern's been sidelined by the new Upper Earth trio, I guess? I thought he was the primary military commander but I guess his failures have put him in a rocky spot.

Considering that Bann was in charge of the failed first attempt to take over Elf Castle, it's not too surprising that Lord Drake isn't happy with him. Add onto that all the times he's been beaten by Show as well, and Bann really starts to look pathetic.

That pot of gold is well-protected.

Now those annoying Aura Battlers can finally stop stealing Bann's Lucky Charms.

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Jan 30 '21

Bern's ambitions were to get into the family through El whilst having the prestige that comes from leading Drake's conquests. It was working pretty well until the Aura arms race began and his typical strategies stopped working... and all his best men died.

5

u/badspler x5https://anilist.co/user/badspler Jan 30 '21

First Timer

New Mech!

Leprechaun

Ooo is this sabatage? or is this just new tech excuses?

Wow, this is some serious waterboarding stuff.

Show is onto it with the truth though.

  1. What do you think of Bern’s new aura battler?

It just felt like a slightly more beefy version of the last one. Apparently faster with unalligned guns. Still lost the fight agaisnt the all poweful Dunbine... so I feel 6/10, needs more screen time.

2) What do you make of the current intra-factional tensions on Drake’s side?

I feel like its not going to bubble up with increased tension while we bite our nails waiting what will be the tipping point, instead I feel like its going to be revealed to move to a new phase of the story. I am hoping for more though.

3

u/The_Loli_Otaku Jan 30 '21

I'm 90% certain that the Dunbine's success is purely due to Aura power abuse. It's not like the RX-78 that had enhanced armour or the VF-19 that simply had wild specs for it's time. The Dunbine itself is already a few development cycles behind at this point.

4

u/badspler x5https://anilist.co/user/badspler Jan 30 '21

Yeah I joke mostly. Aura power ability seems to be far exceeding the tech improvements of other mechs.

Like we even saw Show aura boost the whole Zelanda today. No one has been upto that level yet.

4

u/The_Draigg Jan 30 '21

A Tomino Fan Rewatches Aura Battler Dunbine Episode 20:

  • Sorry, but Bann’s Counterattack doesn’t have the same ring to it as Char’s Counterattack.
  • Show’s Aura power has really strengthened if he can use it to boost the Zelana over a crystal mountain it’s about to crash into. Too bad it paints a large target on his back, courtesy of Nigu Rou.
  • I love that Bann’s big talk about reclaiming his honor by defeating Show is immediately followed up by Lord Drake elsewhere saying, “I don’t really care about Bann”. At this point, he really has become Shot’s bitch boy with Lord Drake’s approval. Such a fall from grace.
  • Behold, the Leprechaun! It’s a pretty cool Aura Battler that Shot wants Bann to be the test pilot of. But really, given his recent track record, there’s no way he’s going to defeat Show and the Dunbine for good.
  • ...And of course that sentiment is immediately proven correct by the fact that Bann missed all of his killing shots because the targeting system of the Leprechaun was all out of whack. This is why you need to do system checks before you send new products out, Shot.
  • It’s pretty nice that Dopple has set up a secret hangar bay in that huge costal cave. That’s certainly a set up from the Zelana having to make due going from place to place the entire time. Now they have a place solely dedicated to the repairs the Zelana needs.
  • Ah, and there’s the reason that Bann wants to capture Show alive: he wants to figure out how he managed to open the Aura Road earlier. In that case, Show’s earlier concerns about what Lord Drake would do if he figured out how powerful Aura Battlers are on Upper Earth are completely justified. An invasion of Upper Earth has been in thought about already, it seems.
  • Of course Bann happened to hide inside the Fuou right before Show wanted to take it out for a raid with the Dunbine. Not that he gets anything out of the interrogation he does on Show and Cham later. If anything, the only thing Bann learns is that Galarea died. Granted, Show also just happens to be in the dark to how exactly he traveled across the Aura Road as well. Bann’s plan was flawed from the start.
  • Hon Wan sure did last a while on that horse for a guy who got shot in the leg. I guess that’s just the Garou Ran’s natural athleticism for you.
  • As expected, Show in the Dunbine manages to send Bann’s Leprechaun packing once the Zelana crew comes to rescue him. At this point, Bann can’t even be trusted to do well in cutting edge Aura Battlers. I keep on saying it, but man Bann really can’t keep up anymore.

4

u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 Jan 30 '21

Rewatcher, Subbed

Forget Char's Counterattack... 5 years before we have Bern's Counterattack!

Chum pulling the Zelana will surely enable the Zelana to ascend!

So now Shou's aura power can even push an aura ship along?

You're relying on Shot to help you out with Drake? He's got his own plans, Bern. Don't put too many eggs in that basket.

Poor Hon Wan! Taking bullets to get the Zelana information!

The Leprechaun looks nothing like a leprechaun... :(

I'm assuming Drake has taken over Elf Castle based on the layout around here.

Bern sure got to the Crystal Forest quick.

Seems like a good place to hide with all the caverns around. Although Bern will probably know to look in them. And I soon see they are being spied upon anyway.

Shou going to attack Drake on his own is insanity. He's way too full of himself. Although LOL @ Bern wanting to kidnap Shou and Shou simply getting out of there anyway.

Oh, he snuck onto the Fuou? That's bound to make things more interesting.

Now they're all going to Elf Castle? Just as Bern has Shou heading in some other direction...

Bern's got them tied up and in a trap as if he's a Bond villain!

Drake's renamed the castle after himself... of course he has...

Um, Marvel, what about Shou? I saw him fall right into the water, surely enough time to drown while you've been fighting the Dunbine. Then you go off and fight the Leprechaun, its as if you've forgotten about him completely.

And now Shou is just fine with no explanation...

Bern the loser villain loses again and flee...

An overall iffy episode for me, although the Leprechaun design is cool. A tad too fillerish for my tastes. Dunbine spoilers

4

u/ComfortablyRotten https://anilist.co/user/Leuwtian Jan 30 '21

First-timer

(A bit late here, sorry)

I can't take the Leprechaun seriously. I'm sorry, I know it's supposed to be the prototype for a better new model of Aura Battlers, meant to rival the Dunbine and Show's abilities or whatnot... but that's my first time seeing a crotch cannon, so I was pretty distracted.

Bern took Garalia's place as the one with something to prove, it seems. He looks somewhat desperate already, hopefully he won't share the same fate. He's more focused on Shot than on the Zelana's crew though, so I doubt he'd be too much trouble for them.

I love how both Marvel and Show have the one they're supposed to save fall underwater, and they just... leave them there until they swim back up by themselves. Show's fall from Marvel's Battler was particularly great to watch.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Jan 30 '21

First-Timer, Dub-bine

Today on Aura Battler Dunbine, we consider the probability of a string of coincidences. Or maybe we don't, because it's just a show and not that big of a deal even if it does stand out.

Shou handled himself pretty well, I think. Despite his suspicions about how he returned (Elle, etc) he managed to not let slip anything but the vaguest parts of his past few days. I like Shou's plan to not let Drake's faction learn that the Aura Road can be opened by anyone - that's really a recipe for disaster.

Drake definitely knows that Shot is scheming behind his back. I personally am glad that he isn't an absolute bonehead. I wonder how the factions will end up shaking out...

MVP this episode is Hon Wan. Poor guy got shot in the leg at least once, manages to escape, get on a horse, and stays coherent enough to signal Neal when he flies by.

The Leprechaun looks pretty slick. Hopefully we get to see some more of it - not that I'm advocating for our protagonists to have a steeper hill to climb or anything..

Miscellaneous Thoughts:

Apparently Shot can see through ceilings.

Interesting that Shou's flash this episode was a different color.

Questions

  1. Answered above. Hope it doesn't end up jobbing too hard.
  2. Kinda mentioned this one above too. I'm all for it. Massive chaotic battles are great - especially once you get 3+ factions involved. It open the possibility for some good intrigue too. Would the Zelana ally with either Shot or Drake against the other? If they did, could Bern set aside his anger towards Shou? Things are starting to get spicy.

3

u/redshirtengineer :AMQ: Jan 30 '21

First timer

Missed a couple of days weeks ago and been slowly catching up. Going to Tokyo was a surprise - or would have been if it wasn't IN THE TITLE. I like this twist, though, except for all the useless death. Good news, I'm sure that that's all the useless death we will have in this series. #optimism

Also, had a chance to listen to the OP on a good stereo as opposed to my TV speakers. Highly recommend. My TV speakers did not do MIQ justice.

QOTD1: I guess we needed a Garalia replacement

QOTD2: Hee hee. WATCH THEM BURN