I haven’t been able to resume the game since the Episode 3 review so I’m still at “The Panicking Boy” Pt. 4. I’m still further in the game but I am starting to feel less confident with this experiment of mine and, by extension, less motivated to cover the show. Playing the game isn’t a requirement but I did start it first so I kind of want to be further in the game than with the anime.
In this episode, Empel and Lila have Ryza, Lent, and Tao explore a cave in the mainland, the Sunken Mines, to test their current abilities. Ryza is specifically tasked with finding one piece of Koberinite, a type of ore. As preparation, Ryza reunites with her one true love: the bomb. That’s right, she finally crafts an explosive of her own. At long last, she finally fulfills her dream of becoming an arsonist! A cute touch is that Ryza does the same pose she does in the game’s result screen for the synthesis system. That’s about the most faithful thing about this show’s depiction of that feature. Oddly enough, the bomb she synthesizes is comparatively larger than Empel’s. It honestly looks like it’s barely holding itself together and could explode at any moment. A mechanic in the game is that you can branch off from one recipe and access another. I want to say Ryza’s custom bomb is a nod to that but I don’t recall seeing that bomb in the game.
With the exception of the conclusion, there isn’t much to talk about regarding the adventure in the Sunken Mines. The gang comments on the environment, fights a bunch of monsters, and they fulfill their assignments. That’s kind of about it. Similar to Episode 1, this episode also does a montage for the adventuring and it’s also brief and ends abruptly. I suppose that’s the common issue with adapting video games into TV and movies. It’s hard to adapt the gameplay into a series of scenes with major advancements to the plot.
Since Ryza crafted a bomb, the show naturally has her use in this episode’s climatic battle. In the game, there is a boss fight in the Sunken Mines and I found bombs to be effective. Here though, the gang fights a different monster (I’m guessing it’s from the endgame) and Ryza’s bomb proves to be way more potent than the ones you’d use at that point in the game. The latter change eventually makes sense as it later gives Ryza some character development. Empel has Ryza replicate the bomb and concludes that Ryza accidentally create an item that ought to be too be advanced for her right now. While this does speak greatly of Ryza’s potential, it also means that she needs to be more considerate and responsible for her alchemy.
The episode provides some character development for Lent and Tao as well. Lent initially does well during the Sunken Mines adventure, surveying the environment and keeping his friends safe. During the “boss” fight however, he loses his cool and gets confused after Ryza uses her bomb. Lent considers his efforts a failure though with Lila’s help, he does see the flipside in that he recognizes some areas of improvement. As for Tao, he proves to be invaluable in the adventure. His growing understanding of the ancient language allows him to read signs in the cave that lead the gang back to the entrance during the chaos caused by the bomb’s explosion. Tao often thinks he has little to contribute to the gang’s adventures so it’s nice to see him feel more confident about himself for a change.
Watch Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout The Animation on Crunchyroll.
Xenodude Scribbles 