Meeting Date: 5/30/2020
Disclaimer: The Herald Anime Club discusses shows as they’re airing. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!
Samantha Ferreira: Hi everyone, and welcome to the Herald Anime Club!
L.B. Bryant: Hello
Anthony Simpson: Evening.
Samantha Ferreira: Tonight, we’re heading back to the Taisho Era to talk up Sakura Wars (2019) the Animation Episode 9: “Haha, Kouma Slayers go brrrrr.”
So, this week, we saw a lot of things going on, from an explanation of what Kamiyama’s been doing, to Russia being, well… cartoonishly evil
Anthony Simpson: A LOT happened in this episode.
L.B. Bryant: Yeeeeah, sorry but I just have to come out and say it flatly… I did not like this episode.
Samantha Ferreira: No?
L.B. Bryant: There were just a lot of little things that bothered me about it which ended up adding up to a not enjoyable time this week.
Samantha Ferreira: Anything in particular?
L.B. Bryant: Klara’s backstory with being half-demon was fine for the most part but then primary villain wanting to “take over the world” kind of ruined it because it is such a half baked villain motive.
Then there was the battle sequence in the final third where White Cape revealed herself to Sakura and everyone else and I get that the main characters were surprised by it but there was zero impact for me as a viewer so that took me further out of it.
Samantha Ferreira: To be honest, I couldn’t keep a straight face with the latter point, there.
Anthony Simpson: It was visible a mile away of who White Cape really was so the reveal didn’t have that much of an impact either with me.
Samantha Ferreira: Like, I dunno if they were going for humor or not, but I couldn’t take it seriously when everyone – literally everyone – went “OH MY GOD :0”
Because they played it so straight
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, it was such an annoying thing to me because they played it so serious.
Samantha Ferreira: I just thought it was silly at that point, like… they should’ve had that reveal the last time, let them have their big “oh my god!” moment three episodes ago.
L.B. Bryant: I also realized this week one thing that I really don’t like about the series as a whole; there has not been nearly enough singing and dancing in this series.
Samantha Ferreira: There historically hasn’t much, overall, in the anime lines.
L.B. Bryant: I wish this season had two cours to work with like the OG series did so that they could squeeze in at least one arc of them working on a show.
Anyways, that’s my speel for this week lol
Samantha Ferreira: I’m guessing that we’ll get one big number to close it off, likely with Klara and Leyla, much like how the new game ends with a huge, flashy finish.
L.B. Bryant: Yeah more than likely
Samantha Ferreira: That said, I’m now wondering how we’ll see Klara and Valery work into the next game, since it’s clear they’re building them up that way, with the big sequel hooks
Anthony Simpson: I’m curious to that as well
Samantha Ferreira: I’d also play the heck out of a game that covers Seijuro in Europe, now. I really liked seeing him just do this crazy detective work
That said, I’m kind of impressed at how they handled the action this time around. The big showdown between Moscow and Japan was just fun to watch
Anthony Simpson: The big fight was excellent all the way around.
Samantha Ferreira: It really was. And, stupid reveal aside, seeing Hakushu just go full ham on the battlefield was fun.
Now, here’s the big question: where does everything go next? How does this blow up in Kaminsky’s face, and what are these “M Cells” the scientist was talking about?
(No lie, I totally read that as ‘Midi-chlorians”)
Anthony Simpson: My guess is that Leyla will stop following Kaminsky at some point and turn against him.
Samantha Ferreira: Definitely. He’ll probably lose the stone he’s using to control her somehow, she’ll turn on him, he dies horribly, happy end
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, I don’t see this series throwing any big, unexpected twists in the final third
Samantha Ferreira: I dunno. Sakura Wars is kind of known for going to weird places in its finales. Like, the first game ended with a literal showdown between Satan and Archangel Michael.
Er… spoilers for Sakura Wars 1996 lol
Any final thoughts this week?
Anthony Simpson: None from me
L.B. Bryant: I’m good for this week.
Samantha Ferreira: OK, then… til next time, remember: If there’s a mysterious hero roaming the streets, their identity is usually pretty obvious.
Have a great night!
L.B. Bryant: Later
Anthony Simpson: Good night
