Goblin Slayer II – 08 – A Pre-Wedding Errand

When the party begins their ascent in an elevator to the rooftop and the Goblin leader, High Elf Archer thanks everyone for coming to her sister’s wedding even though it led to this. Her party-mates, nay, her friends affirm their bonds with her; besides, this is what they do. It’s just another job, and then it’s back to the wedding to celebrate.

That said, there’s definitely some apprehension in that elevator ride. Slayer makes clear that with a goblin shaman awaiting them, any or all of them could be wiped out, but as long as one of them remains, they can still win. And so they come streaming out of that elevator with purpose.

Everything goes well at first, with Slayer starting his usual kill count, Priestess casting Holy Light, and Archer shooting the shaman through the shoulder. But it doesn’t kill him, and he casts a dark fog that causes everyone to lose consciousness, allowing the Goblins to hack and tear at them.

The only one still awake is Priestess, who temporarily has a dark flashback to her first party’s horrible fate, only to shake it off and steel herself. She is Steel-ranked now, after all. Sticking with the plan, she knows she’s the last hope for the others, and rises to the occasion.

She casts a Purify miracle that turns the goblin shaman’s blood into water, killing him and releasing the effects of his fog. Everyone comes to, a bit battered but none the worse for wear (though the front of Archer’s top is torn open once again). Lizard Priest buffs everyone and they continue the battle, now with the advantage since the goblins have lost their leader.

The five of them aren’t there to slay every last goblin—not when they can accomplish that by more efficient means. So after Dwarf Shaman casts a soft-landing spell on everyone, allowing them to leap from the roof of the dam without dying. Traps set earlier by Slayer are triggered, causing the entire roof to flood with water and kill the remaining goblins.

While she was unquestionably the hero of the night, Priestess is greatly troubled by the feeling she’s misusing the Miracles of the Earth Mother properly and may be deemed unworthy. However, when a rainbow appears above the dam. Job’s done; time to party!

Before joining Slayer’s party at the wedding, we check in on the Hero and her party, who are near a Gate to Hell and battling various monsters. Unbeknownst to Slayer, Priestess, and the others, by flooding the dam they changed the flow of the river, which weakened the gate to hell and will make it easier to close, for which Hero is very grateful.

Back in the elven forest, Archer’s sister and her beau say their vows and become husband and wife, firing an arrow together into the night. Where the arrow lands, a new forest will be born.

At the reception that follows, Archer is absolutely rocking a gown and fancy ‘do as she chats with Slayer, who thinks of his own departed sister and considers himself a failure. Archer thinks otherwise and makes sure he knows it, and in turn he tells Archer he’s glad her sister was able to get married.

After Archer has Priestess send a prayer to the Earth Mother that ends up reaching her, Archer’s newly married sister prepares to give away her tiara to one of the still-unmarried girls in attendance, including Cow Girl, Guild Girl, Priestess and Archer herself. It’s fitting that we don’t see who catches it. The celebration continues for three days and three nights, after which the party, Archer among them, returns home.

I’m glad the party was able to achieve victory with minimal drama, then unwind at the wedding. That said, part of me wishes we could have spent a little more time watching them celebrate, not to mention I feel cheated Goblin Slayer didn’t change out of his armor for the occasion!

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – 12 – All Who Work Hard are Warriors

Frieren had already shown her trust in Fern and Stark even before their battles with Aura and her lieutenants, but she demonstrates it again as they continue their trudge through a harsh blizzard. Frieren suddenly falls asleep while walking. Without Fern and Stark, she would have frozen to death.

In her sleep she dreams of her party’s visit to the king, who only gave them a pittance in traveling money. Himmel is fine making money doing odd jobs for people on their way to the Demon King. Frieren learns his hero’s sword is a replica, and that Himmel became the man he is in order to prove Heiter wrong: even with a fake sword, he would become a real hero.

Not long after Frieren wakes up (but insisting upon Fern continuing to carry her) they arrive at the Village of the Sword, the custodians of the holy Sword in the Stone (i.e. Excalibur). It’s 49th chief is a little girl, who puts them up in cozy accommodations.

Frieren is fashionably late (by three decades) for her 50-year duty to the village: clearing out monsters. The chief also mentions that the “Lord of the Mountain” has been causing more trouble of late. Still chilled from the long road there, Frieren pushes those threats off until tomorrow.

That morning, the pack wolf-like monsters are no trouble at all for Stark, Fern, or Frieren, and when the so-called Lord of the Mountain shows up, Frieren is not impressed.

Even though it seemingly buries Stark in a shock wave of snow and ice, she doesn’t budge for the duration of their fight. She simply waits for Fern to put up a shield around them, then waits for Stark to lop off the Lord’s arm before she finishes it off with her Zoltraak.

All in all, her 50-year duty is easy-peasy lemon-squeezy. But Stark is confused. Within the cave is the Hero’s Sword, still embedded in the stone. Frieren tells him that Himmel failed to remove it, and went on to become a Real Hero without it. With Frieren, Eisen, and Heiter by his side, they defeated the Demon King.

She assumes the false word that he did pull the sword from the stone was spread by his fans. Someone as long-lived as Frieren has seen the stories of countless people embellished to the point their original identity vanishes. But in Himmel’s case she knows what he did, what he didn’t do, and what he used to do it. Carrying a fake sword didn’t stop him from saving the world.

Freiren, Fern and Stark’s northern travels take them to the first good-sized city in a while. While the youths are free to do what they want, Frieren is content to relax at the inn with a grimoire or two. She also offhandedly mentions that it’s Stark’s eighteenth birthday.

This catches Fern off guard, as now she must get him a gift despite not knowing what he wants. As for Frieren, she shows off her adorably mischievous side by showing Fern her gift for him: a potion that dissolves only clothing. Fern dumps it out on Frieren instead.

Fern searches for Stark, but everywhere she stops he has just left, having helped every single person whose paths he crossed. This gets Fern in a charitable mood, such that when she finally tracks him down, she lets out a rare smile. Unfortunately, her greeting is interrupted by Stark observing that a passing cloud looks like boobs and another like a turd … which is 100% in both cases!

Fern sighs away his childishness and offers to go on a walk with him, and that’s when she asks flat-out what he wants for his birthday. The question confuses him, as he’s never received a gift for his birthday. He then tells her about his village of warriors where weakness wasn’t tolerated, and his older brother Stoltz, the strongest warrior in the village.

His father praised him for defeating monsters without even staining his pure white cloak. But for all his strength and focus, Stoltz cares for his little brother and teaches him as much as he can, even when he gets  mud on that cloak.

His story ends with his village in flames, and him abandoning Stoltz and running away. But Fern tells him the past doesn’t matter, and the warrior Stark she’s known has never run, and she and Frieren will never let him. Changing the subject, she wants to give him a gift to show she cares. He initially asks for a gold bangle, but settles for a silver one.

When they return to the inn, Frieren is preparing gigantic Hamburg steaks, the recipe for which she found in her trunk. It was given to her by Eisen, who used to make the same steaks for the other party members on their birthdays, a custom from his village.

Eisen did it to honor warriors who have worked hard, and as far as he’s concerned, anyone who works hard is a warrior. Stark then remembers that Stoltz made him a Hamburg steak for his birthday once, but didn’t realize it was a gift. The taste nearly brings a tear to his eye, and that’s when Frieren knows she chose well. She also has a little bit of the nudity potion left if he wants it, but Fern again protests.

Kimizero – 08 – Common Ground

Runa’s efforts to befriend her twin sister aren’t off to a strong start, and she and Ryuuto want to try new things out, so that first new thing turns out to be going to play airsoft survival games. Ryuuto invites his dorky friends Isshi and Nisshi, while Runa invites his gyaru friends Nicole and Akari.

In keeping with this show’s overall kind and open heart, the girls don’t look down on the guys as much as you’d expect. They’re there to have fun, doesn’t matter with whom. Nicole even forms a team with the boys, while Akari joins Runa and Ryuuto.

Kimizero hardly sets the animation world on fire with the airsoft combat scenes, which are only really clunkily serviceable at best. That said, I don’t watch for the production values, but for the heartwarming interactions, and I can’t deny it looks like everyone is having fun. Ryuuto gets to sacrifice himself to save Runa, who in turn avenges him by taking out Nicole.

The girls even stick around for drinks afterwards, and while Isshi gets a little overzealous with his otaku rambling about airsoft, Akari actually keeps up with what he’s saying. She in turn starts to ramble about a boy band she loves, while Nicole does the same about how her manicure obsession came about.

Nicole also points out how painfully cute and together Runa and Ryuuto were during the games, and we learn something else surprising about her: not only is she single, but she’s only had one boyfriend, in eighth grade, for just two weeks.

Even so, she’s not over the guy and can’t imagine herself dating anytime soon. As for Akari, she wants to date someone tall. At least in that category, Isshi fits the bill! As for Nicole, the more we learn about her, the more I admire her. She’s cute and cool as hell, but also kind, caring, and fiercely loyal. It was nice to learn more about Akari too.

Everyone parts ways, having had a good time doing something new with new people. Who says the gyaru-dork line cannot be crossed to the benefit of all?! Ryuuto and Runa end up on their own, and go up in a Ferris Wheel.

Runa recalls a scene from a shoujo manga involving chocolate-flavored kiss on a Ferris wheel, but they settle for a peach tea flavored one, courtesy of her lip gloss. She also asks Ryuuto to pat her head for her valor during the survival games.

Runa is so happy to be with someone she likes, and is coming to like more and more every day, that she almost tears up about it, which is sweet as hell. It’s clear that none of her previous relationships were meeting her emotional needs, and now that they are, she couldn’t be happier.

Runa also feels like she’s grown past the need for anniversaries as they approach their third month together. As long as she’s with him, she’s happy.

Ryuuto is happy too, but also determined to study hard so if they get to share their future together, he’ll be someone worthy of her companionship. That means turning down the occasional Saturday date so he can attend cram school.

One day, Maria ends up attending the same class as him, and in a panic he hides under the desks and sneaks out. His senpai Sekiya hears his rather unique story and wants to help out, so he’ll give Ryuuto a heads up if he ever sees Maria approaching.

That said, Ryuuto probably won’t be avoiding Maria at school, as Runa finally finds a way to interact with her with the eventual goal of becoming actual friends instead of estranged sisters. Maria is the first to volunteer for the class’ cultural festival committee, so Runa also volunteers.

That means Ryuuto is sure to join them. Should be awkward, but who knows, maybe the bad blood will dissipate and everyone can find a way to be make nice and have fun together.

The Dangers in My Heart – 08 – Walking New Roads

With Chihiro out with the flu, Yamada has to sit on Sekine, who puts her hands on Yamada’s chest and pays the price. A discussion ensues and eventually a diagram is drawn on the board indicating which parts of Yamada can be touched and which ones spell instant death. Ichikawa makes sure to study this diagram closely … just in case.

When Chihiro returns she’s worried about upcoming exams, so Yamada invites her to the library where Ichikawa helps her with some problems. Chihiro notes that Ichikawa is talking more naturally to girls now, and also mentions that Yamada talks about him a lot lately. She also shares an adorable antidote about Yamada trying to remove whipped cream from her face with more whipped cream, and Ichikawa can’t help but smile.

Neither can I, because Chihiro is gradually getting used to the fact that Ichikawa is becoming a persistent presence in Yamada’s life now, and it’s good to see them getting along. A lesser anime might have drummed up some kind of rivalry.

When parent-teacher meetings arrive, Ichikawa spots his mom sitting with Yamada and her mom. Yamada’s mom is continually correcting her daughter’s legs and posture, and Ichikawa’s mom finds herself also correcting hers. When she introduces herself as “Kyo-chan’s” mom, Yamada lights up, and in telling her how she talks with him a lot, she bashfully uses his first name, Kyoutarou.

Ichikawa’s mom and Yamada even swap candies. As mother and daughter-in-law, they’d surely be BFFs. After the meetings, Ichikawa’s mom asks him about the stunning girl she met who’s in his class, and he says without hesitation “Yamada.” Little did they know she was walking right behind them! Hearing Ichikawa identify her from “stunning” turns her beet red, and she has to beat a hasty retreat.

The next day, Ichikawa notices Yamada is closer than usual … yeah, he’s gonna have to get used to that! Inspired by him helping Chihiro out, she asks him if he’ll tutor her, and he wisely accepts. When she takes out her notebook that’s half history and half science, she says Chihiro playfully called it “a history of how dumb I am”, inducing another smile and chuckle.

When the librarian appears, disaster almost strikes, as the throat drop Ichikawa’s mom gave Yamada is right there on the desk. Remembering the diagram, Ichikawa taps her on the shoulder. But when he draws close to whisper in her ear to hide the drop, she gets flushed and leaps up, unprepared for such close contact, but also not hating it. She merely revises the diagram later.

On another rainy day, Ichikawa forgets his raincoat, and it rains more than he predicted. He crosses paths with Yamada, who shields him with her umbrella, admires his exposed right eye again, tenderly touches his face, then tries to fashion a rain hat for him with her shopping bag.

When that doesn’t work, Yamada hops on his bike for another ride, but they’re going in different directions: her to work, him home. So they part ways in the cold rain, both of them a little disappointed they couldn’t stay together a bit longer. You can really feel the yearning emanating from both of them in this scene.

It isn’t until Ichikawa gets all the way home that he realizes Yamada left her bag in his basket. When he sees that among the snacks is a box of what he thinks must be tampons, he races to the train station with all due speed, hoping to track her down.

Luck is on his side, but Yamada leans in to his ear this time, whispering that she bought the box for her mom and they’re “not the ones for periods.” Ichikawa bikes home, and when he’s in bed, he looks up Yamada on social media, but it’s clear all that riding in the rain took its toll.

After a bizarre fever dream in which he is confronted by both a mini-Yamada and a kaiju Yamada, Ichikawa wakes up with a temperature, and stays home from school for the first time in a long while. This sets up one of the best home visit scenes I’ve ever seen, as there’s a ring at the doorbell, and it’s a concerned Yamada.

He answers the door to greet her, and she’s come bearing extra serving of strawberry Bavarian cream for him, in part because she feels partially responsible for him getting sick. The two part ways, and there’s that same sinking feeling as when they parted in the rain … but then Ichikawa invites her in for a cup of tea.

He can’t believe Yamada is in his house, on his couch, about to drink tea with him, and he gets sloppy. There’s also the matter of him still running a prestigious fever, so his focus is in and out. He suddenly realizes he’s in his PJs and heads upstairs to change into something “more stylish”, but when he doesn’t return Yamada finds him passed out and shirtless in his room.

Yamada carefully carries him to the bed and helps him get his arms into a shirt, but his strength fails again and his head comes to a rest right between Yamada’s breasts. And even though this area was clearly marked as restricted on her diagram, Yamada lets him linger there, and even puts her hands on his bare back and draws him closer to her. It’s an astonishingly heartwarming, beautifully storyboarded and animated sequence that took my breath away.

When Ichikawa comes to again later that night, he calls Yamada’s name, but it’s Kana instead. She has the strawberry cream Yamada brought, as well as a hastily written note wishing for him to “cheer up” (rather than “get well”) soon. Kana assumes a friend stopped by, but if she only knew what kind of friend!

The next day Ichikawa’s mom tells him she found Yamada outside the house, and we thankfully get to see what transpired. Yamada is such a bashful, adorable mess around his mom, and when she learns his fever broke and he’ll be back to school tomorrow, tears well up in her eyes. She turns about and leaves in such a hurry she bangs into an electrical pole.

Yamada can’t wait to see Ichikawa at school the next day, so surprises him well before he gets there to say good morning with a sore voice that indicates she caught his cold. He admits he doesn’t remember much from when he had his fever, and had some weird dreams.

She wants to hear about them, as she can apparently interpret dreams, but they’re interrupted by Chihiro, who reveals that Yamada didn’t eat her strawberry dessert. In fact, she only ever had one, and she gave it to Ichikawa. If you need incontrovertible proof that she’s down bad for this boy, look no further than that gesture!

During their small talk outside his house before inviting her in for tea, Ichikawa infers that she must have walked a long way from school. But in one of her more poignant lines, Yamada says “it’s fun walking new roads.” Well, she and Ichikawa are certainly walking new roads together! I daresay there’s no turning back, and they are absolutely mesmerizing to watch.