This episode is entirely dedicated to Mangetsu’s third Granbelm. Part of me takes issue with the emphasis on action. Like, the show is still scratching the surface with its characters but it’s not really taking the time to iron out, at least during its initial stretch of episode. That also holds the action back because it’s hard to be invested in it when I’m still trying to get invested in the characters. It’s a little vexing as truth be told, there is a lot of cool and entertaining stuff going on here.
Considering that the last episode had Mangetsu and Shingetsu form an alliance with Kuon, it’s kind of funny then that the following episode doesn’t really highlight said alliance. The three do form a sound plan against Nene. Kuon heads off to locate Ji Guang Long with Mangetsu backing her up. Shingetsu meanwhile draws Anna away from them. Anna does take the bait but the plan still goes south because Suisho keeps Kuon preoccupied, leaving Mangetsu alone to take on Nene.
I’ll go ahead and say that I do like Anna overall but I must admit that five episodes in, her vendetta against Shingetsu feels stagnant. When I first watched Granbelm, I desperately wanted the show to do something new with that dynamic. Kuon’s fight against Suisho is frankly more interesting right now, if only because it’s a newer plot thread compared to Shingetsu and Anna’s feud. Suisho reveals that she knows something about the curse ailing Kuon’s sister Shisui, thereby forcing Kuon to focus on fighting her rather than Nene.
At the end of the last episode, Nene revealed herself to Mangetsu and Shingestu, showing that she wants to beat her opponents in a fair fight. We see this notion come into play in this episode when Nene cloaks herself to avoid being detected by Mangetsu. She could beat Mangetsu once the latter turns out but she decides against it. I like this aspect of Nene’s character. That’s something that I’ve come to appreciate on a rewatch, knowing how the other antagonists are by comparison. Naturally, this desire to fight fairly is an Achilles’ Heel for Nene. By hesitating to ambush Mangetsu, Nene give the latter enough time to figure out what’s going on.
With no choice to but to fight at close range, Nene reveals the full size of her Armanox, which is actually a lot larger than you’re led to believe. Considering that this mech skews towards stealth, it’s pretty funny that it’s actually gigantic. It’s also an amusing contrast to Nene’s own short stature. I appreciate that the size isn’t that big of an advantage. Like, it does tower over Mangetsu’s White Lily and it does have a longer reach but that’s about all Nene has for close quarters combat. So rather than simply swat away at Mangetsu, Nene instead shrugs it off until it’s at a long enough distance for her to use her laser beams again. That’s a much smarter route to go about with this fight than a simple fistfight. Unfortunately for Nene, Mangetsu still manages to beat her. There is actually a reason as to why Mangetsu has been so powerful but without later context, it feels like a comical case of plot armor that Mangetsu can brute force her way through Nene’s laser beams.
Even after rewatching this episode, I’m not entirely sure if I fully understand Nene’s backstory. Like, Nene’s mother left for some reason and when Nene found her again, she has no memory of her daughters and has moved on with a new family. That said, I still don’t know the connection between Nene’s curse and her mother and identity of the people who took her mother away. This episode also reveals that Nene’s mother participated in Granbelm and her amnesia could be tied to that but I don’t think that’s the case given what happens later in the show. Admittedly, Nene’s goal is easy to understand. She wants to become the Priceps so that she can use magic to reunite with her mother. That I get. Nevertheless, it’s frustrating that the show doesn’t give a sufficient explanation on Nene’s past.
Somehow, Mangetsu is able to peer into Nene’s memories. I’m not sure how that works but this does help advance Mangetsu’s arc. Because of her fear of being ordinary, Mangetsu is able to kick into overdrive and brute force her way into victory. But after seeing a glimpse of Nene’s past, Mangetsu doesn’t feel all that victorious. She realizes that by defeating Nene, she robs her of any chance of fulfilling her wish. Add onto the fact that Mangetsu has no wish of her own and she can’t help but feel guilty. I admit that it is really silly to have Mangestu do a title drop but it is somewhat appropriate. It’s at this moment that our lead begins to understand the weight of Granbelm, what must be done to win in it and the consequence that comes with losing in it.
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