There is no doubt that Asura Cryin’ has an intriguing premise. I, for one, am tremendously interested in discovering more of the AC world with its machinas, dark apocalyptic foreshadowings and tripartite factions of dubious agenda. Interweave a potential love triangle into the complex AS world and we should have an absorbing show filled with action, mystery, romance and drama. However, for this tanuki, there are 2 barriers to realizing that enjoyment.

1. We need better bishoujos.

It’s sad that I care a lot more for Aine than Misao and Kanade even though she has received much less airtime. I know many would attribute tanuki loli-leanings to such a claim but Misao and Kanade simply came across as generic, not only in their character design but personality. Of course I admit being partial to tragic lolis in sweet-lolita outfits but Aine has shown much more personality in her brief exchange with Natsume and Reishirou’s flashback.

2. We need souls for the characters.

I called for a temporary halt at ep 4 because I was troubled by how cardboard a character Natsume was. Well, what would YOU do if you found a comrade passed out at your doorstep from critical injuries? Why of course you blindfold yourself and treat her with your non-medical skills while accidentally copping a feel or two!? Is that what a normal person would do? There are more examples in the first 3 eps but my beef in summary is – I don’t feel the souls of the main 3 characters.

I’m probably too harsh, too impatient on the series. After all it’s only 4 eps and the characters have been barely flesh out. But I can’t shake off that sense of dread especially when AS is generally poorly regarded by the MAL populace. I particularly found the opening line of the top review amusing –

While I don’t agree with much of the review, it DID hit several well-placed nails mercilessly that I concur in my 4 seen episodes. It doesn’t help that I have inadvertently been spoiled about the end for Season 1 which apparently removes one of the KEY reasons for persevering on the show.

Either way, it looks like I’d be either crying for time lost or loli lost by the end of Season 1. Onward for Aine’s sake!

©2012 hontou ni. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Asura Cryin EX014
2. Asura Cryin EX017
3. Asura Cryin EX015

Summary:

Tomo awakens to find that he has been rescued by Takaya and is served some curry by Christina but he's reminded of how Takaya's only goal is to free Kotori from Junichi Rhodonite before her soul is utterly consumed when he refuses to save Ania. There is little time left as Christina is disappearing. Kotori gives some relationship counselling and it turns out that Misao has always known about the cost - it's happening to her after all.

Takaya uses his Asura Cryin powers to retrieve another trunk case but is attacked by more Castas Machina. Christina collapses from the strain, explaining that the use of her demon powers is depleting her contractor's love for her which, hitherto, had been supporting her existence; she wants Ania to be told that while she was foolish, she was also happy. Kyoumu manages to bring down Takaya and Rhodonite using Ania as a hostage but Christina's charge of the light sparkles brigade provides an opening for Tomo and Kanade to retrieve Ania. But after Ingrid is lanced by Bismuth, Christina fades away completely and Rhodonite powers down as Kotori gives out, leaving a last message: "Thank you for loving us."

Tomo finally finds the determination, with Misao's support, to summon Kurogane and stops the maki maki power of Bismuth's anti-magic lance but Kyoumu refuses to surrender, not caring if his burial doll dies. Bismuth is backstabbed by Ice Phoenix Girl who escapes with the trunk. Leaving the island with a CD, from Takaya, containing all of Christina's research, they meet up with Shuri and pledge to support Ania together.

Reaction:

It was a bit convenient how quickly Kagakagari Takaya turned into an ally but it was also a good choice to use the intensely unlikeable Kyoumu as a foil; that old adage does ring so true - the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Especially when said enemy is an arse.

I was also surprised by the appearance of sympathetic damage - the Handler feels the pain of the damage done to his Asura Machina, I don't seem to recall this from previous episodes.

What Others Are Saying:

• Aroduc sums up why this week's episode was great: "it was Tomo finally growing up and getting all the Burial Doll and demon stuff out in the open as well as Kagakagari’s entire family getting killed, along with Kyoumu’s Asura Machine." The build-up certainly took a while (e.g. the previous somewhat mweh episode) but it was definitely worth it. I always love the Misao x Tomo moments and as Kanade grows a chara, the love triangle aspect too.
• FlareKnight's discussion of Takaya's failed gamble got me thinking: are the soul and love drain of the Burial Doll and Demon Contract respectively reversible? What if one manages to rescue both just at the cusp of expiration but only to have 10% of their personality left?
• While Takaya did save and shelter Tomo from Kyoumu, it's pretty clear from kaza's screencapping that there's another person behind it. Is it Naotaka or another Tomoharu hinted at in the OP and Tomo's recall of the black hole experiment?

I couldn't help but wonder if Takaya could have had one last good troll of our intrepid hero and heroines by giving them something else on that CD. And if Shuri had been around during the fight, she would have definitely switched the case's contents too.

©2012 hontou ni. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Asura Cryin EX016
2. Asura Cryin EX014
3. Shuri arc stabilizes Asura Cryin'

Summary:

Tomo, Misao, Kanade and Takuma are enjoying a working summer vacation at a beach resort where various Tomo x Kanade hijinks involving curry and BBQ meat causes tension between Tomo and Misao. The latter finally confronts Tomo, accusing him of hiding something from her. She has noticed his changed behaviour since Takaya's hijack when, with the loss of Aine, he learnt of the terrible fate of the burial dolls. He denies that anything's the matter but she sees through him and is doubly upset when she realizes that Kanade shares the secret he refuses to tell her. Taking advantage of the evening low tide, Takuma organizes a walk of courage to the now accessible Meiji-era Kuremizaki battery, leaving Misao behind. It's really a plot by Takuma to get Tomo and Kanade to confess their feelings for each other, Kuremizaki being a famous lovers' spot.

The island turns out to be the one that Takaya, Kristina, Satomi, Shuri, Ania and Tokiya-Koala have been eyeing due to the presence of Asura Machina-related ruins. The latter trio interrupts Tomo x Kanade and enters the ruins just in time for Misao to wink in. Only to see the trail of destruction left by Takaya x Kristina. Satomi tricks Ania into sharing her knowledge about the facility as that can set free a Burial Doll, seizes her as bait for Takaya and tries to kill the rest of the gang with the newly rushed-in Castas Machina Beta. Before everyone can be killed by their improved armour and Tomo's reluctance to summon Kurogane, a gravity doll appears to save the day and impart a smoky vision of Naotaka to Tomo before he passes out.

Reaction:

After that megas-wonder dose of Tohru-oneesama last week, we're brought back to the central dilemma faced by our hero and two main heroines. Kanade vows to protect Tomo in Misao's place so that Tomo does not need to whittle away Misao through the use of Kurogane but as her collapse in the battle shows, she's also close to her limit already. I used to find her shyness annoying in the first cour but this episode is the most forthright I've seen her yet and I like what I see. Definitely a worthy competitor to Misao in the Tomo harem stakes.

An also muddies the waters somewhat by suggesting that Tomo may be having survivor's guilt wrt Misao and the plane crash. But wasn't Misao made in a burial doll because of the black hole experiment kah bah boom? Gosh, there seems that there's no way for Misao to avoid getting stuck in a giant test tube whatever world, time-space or dimension she's in. Aroduc (pretty the only Other who's said anything about this episode thus far thus no "What Others Are Saying" section for this post and probably for the rest of the series) felt that Tomo being unable to bring himself to summon Kurogane was getting old but I disagree; after all, he's just learnt, from Aki's case, that Burial Dolls can disappear without any warning signs. And he's used Kurogane plenty already. It's like those automatic watches or batteries without power reserve indicators only a million times more serious business wrt Misao's life. What I did find less and less believable is how Misao remains in the dark, the timings of her comings and goings are getting a tad too convenient. I only hope that it's because they're saving up for a great scene when she gets the Horrible Revelation *GAAAN*

©2012 hontou ni. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Asura Cryin EX017
2. Shuri arc stabilizes Asura Cryin'
3. Asura Cryin EX014