Empress : Kaiserin

Tactics 5

This is one creepy episode turned romantic love story.

Why creepy? How would you feel about having dolls (those western dolls in gothic dresses and Japanese life-size dolls/puppets in kimonos) staring blankly at you after 12.30am? Just freaked out. There's a lot of frightening "eye(s)" imagery, because tonight's episode is all about this weird obsessed doll master by the name of Aoyagi. The name doesn't match his creepy personality eh? That sounds so like an average name. Then again, that might be creepy to a certain extend as well, since it is to expect the unexpected from our everyday average life. ^^;;

Eerie-ness aside, all clapput our hands together to welcome Haruka! Alchemize! XDDD We have a silly Haruka tonight! ROFL! Right after the OP, the episode starts with Haruka cluelessly eyeing at this marble stuck in a glass bottle. (The object is typically Japanese up to today; it was a simple bottle drink [I had forgotten if it's liquor in there], only that you have to pop the marble at the mouth of the bottle down to be able to drink anything. After finishing the drink, all that's left is the glass bottle and the marble in the bottle.) Well, given the fact that Haruka has been sealed for a pretty long time, he apparently didn't know about that fun invention. And what surprises me is that nobody (Kantarou, Youko and Suzu) bothered to clearly explain to Haruka the "enigma" behind the glass bottle. So Haruka continues to lose his coolness - until a certain point in time: he got his finger stuck in the bottle! *jawfloor* *facepalm* *headdesk* *dies from laughter* And hence, throughout an entire ten minutes or less we have a Haruka who's carrying around this "intriguing" glass bottle by his finger. XD
The opening of the marble x bottle affair:
Haruka: I can't get the marble out of the bottle.
Kantarou: [not serious] You're not supposed to.
The middle of the marble x bottle affair:
Kantarou: [something about going to look for his childhood friend Yumeyakko] etc...etc...etc...blah...blah... [and then he asked Haruka something I think] blah...blah...?
Haruka: My finger got stuck.
[After Kantarou & Co. meets Yumeyakko.]
Haruka: [greets Yumeyakko with a "hello" hand gesture, with the bottle still stuck to his finger.]
Yumeyakko: [saw the bottle and *sweatdrop*] [to Kantarou] My, your friend has an interesting hobby.
The closing of the marble x bottle affair:
Kantarou: [everyone in the restaurant/eatery lunching with Yumeyakko] etc...etc...blah...
Haruka: [to Kantarou] Help me get my finger out of this thing.
Please excuse me while I goe revamp my image of Haruka... *cries*

Nothing much from Kantarou. He was being his usual self, but I have to mention this - his powers kept getting better and better by each episode! And when he addressed the Yae doll as "Yae-san", that stuck a chord in me. Kantarou was already treating Yae as a person. Whoa, this is one great man with a pure heart. And a melancholic heart as well, we learnt. Yumeyakko was recalling how the Kantarou during his childhood days was frequently crying - because he was different, he was always bullied by everyone around him. Yumeyakko added further that the Kantarou of the past was determined to befriend Haruka just to become strong, and it came to me that the tengu might be the primary cause for Kantarou being outcasted. And when Haruka commented that he wouldn't believe that Kantarou used to be a crybaby, Yumeyakko replied Kantarou "had gotten used to living alone [by himself - bad trans.]". Sigh, pretty sad here... But hopefully after understanding more about Kantarou, the bond between Haruka and Kan-chan will grow stronger.

As if the animators were trying to help Haruka redeem himself, we are presented with a compassionate Haruka as well. Kantarou was worried that Aoyagi might lose his life in the fire if he wasn't saved in time, but Haruka stopped him by saying "Don't stop him." And he went on to give an account of how the doll master/maker's wish would be fulfilled if he was to unite with his masterpiece (or something like that). This is also the point where the creepiness and tension gives way to a heart-wrenching conclusion of the couple (doll master and his doll) burning to death while the house collapses, admist their burning passion.

Wiping the tears away, I humbly starts with the crossover section:
1. the eerie eyes and the creepy dolls = Monster
2. Youko claps her hand = Fullmetal Alchemist
3. Aoyagi with his mask = Yoh's father from Shaman King

P.S. Confession - the OP is getting to my head! Hooray for Secret World ^_^

posted by empress @ 6:37 PM