When I look back at Star Driver a few months from now, I’ll probably think about how the show straddled the line between seemingly gratuitous, entertaining action and actually telling a story. A show that can actually pull both of these things off is a pretty rare thing. While Star Driver was at points able to do both of these things quite well, it never seemed able to do them at the same time. This ultimately keeps it from being great, and instead relegates it to the land of pretty good.

First off, the show always knew where it wanted to go and it always had a plot. From the first episode’s in the series, it is fairly clear that Takuto would be a rival in love with Sugata for Wako’s affections, and later on in the series, that he would have to take Head/his father down a few notches. Unfortunately, or I guess fortunately depending on your point of view, the plot seemed to be constantly placed on the back burner for the purpose of giving the show’s lot of colorful side characters their chance to shine. While these characters were often enjoyable to watch, see Kanako and Professor Green, and some even had symbolic meanings and/or purposes, the show really could have gotten along just fine without them.

But as I said, every time the show hinted at something bigger, it let something go untouched for episodes at a time, or not at all. When it became obvious that Marino wasn’t actually real, the show dropped that plot line for two or three episodes. So what (though it was addressed eventually)? When it was revealed the Simone was out to get revenge against Kanako. Forget about it. When we found out that the VP/Sarina were aliens. Not important. I touched on the question of whether we really needed to find out about these things in my episode 25 review, and came to the conclusion that we really didn’t need to, as in the grand scheme of things they aren’t really that important.

Still, I could have done with a few less Zero Time action scenes if it would have meant that a few of these things could have been resolved. I hate to use Utena as a reference, but god, I hated those sword fighting sequences. ALL OF THEM. EVERY PART OF THEM. But damn it, Utena was a great series because the characters had closure, plus everything else. That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy a lot about what Zero Time or the Glittering Crux had to offer. I mean the costumes, the Kiraboshi, the it’s a pinch, the poses, and the list could go on. The animation and action in most of these fights was generally good and really enjoyable, even if some of it was reused a bit too often. Still, the show definitely fell into a mid season rut, and I think the length of these fights were to blame.

But like riding a bicycle, the plot could always almost pick up on the drop of a dime. Sure, some of it was a bit forced. It will be hard for me to forgive (not that I’ll lose any sleep over it) the laziness the show employed for giving Head his second mark. But most of what happened in the show’s main story had ample build up, even if it was a bit of overkill. The eight or nine times we were shown Head painting with an R as his signature. It was there. All the times Wako swooned over Takuto’s performance in Zero Time with Sugata there noticing. It was there. And then the show occasionally used this build up. And when it did, it was great. And the great thing about it all was that we knew when these events were. The end speaks for itself.

The play only really focused on three people. So did the show.

It’s hard to imagine that the show’s creators didn’t realize that all of the essential content in this show could have easily fit into 16 or 17 episodes, and that a lot of the main character’s were being extremely indecisive most of the time (I.e. Sugata in joining the Glittering Crux or Wako during the entire series). Everything and everyone else was really just context. I mean Ruri was never that interesting of a character, but she was important to Wako. Other characters were interesting, but in the end all they were was just interesting plot devices used to influence the character’s emotional state in the grand scheme of the main plot. It is what it is. It’s certainly interesting, and definitely worth a rewatch down the road, but the show itself isn’t really that complex.

As for my rating, I really want to give this show a 9 out of 10 for so many things it did well. A lot of things I didn’t mention about Star Driver were really top notch. The soundtrack was amazing, and so was the animation. Also, as much as I explained away the show’s side characters, they really are a major tilt factor in this show’s favor. I’ll admit I’ve even done a Kiraboshi here and there when no one else was around. Still, just based on the plot of the show, which is how I rate my shows, Star Driver is around an 8.5 out of 10, at best.

KIRABOSHI!

For everything that happened in Star Driver’s hectic finale, the episode pretty much focused on two tried and true anime themes, youth and friendship, and in that order. Though there were a few things that made me question how the series was written, the copious amounts of action, the levels of character growth, not to mention the background music made the conclusion to Star Driver a satisfying one that clearly does NOT need a sequel.

Least Important Part of This Episode

First, the plot. Couldn’t say that I was a fan of the revelation that Keito was so childish in the last episode (though I mean, that Karaoke segment several episodes back made it pretty clear), but I thought all of that  really helped make the differentiation between all of the different sets of characters and their emotional state. I mean, by this time, you would have had to be blind not to see what, in general, Head was after, and thus the revelation that he wanted to end time and relive the past over and over again really wasn’t all that out of place with his character, even if it was just thrown in. And again, it would have been hard not see that Takuto was meant to be the complete opposite of his father, as he blindly ventured into the King’s Pillar to save Wako.

While that was all interesting I suppose, I thought that the real soul of the episode was the scene with all of the member of the Glittering Crux regaining their marks. Yeah, it was an interesting fight, but I thought that Simone’s monologue about how they were all too early in trying to move forward by defeating Takuto was really well done. What’s more, I loved how only certain characters were able to regain their marks (though I have to question where Mami is), and how others didn’t. Looking back on the series as a whole, it seems like almost all the other Glittering Crux Brigade members tried to defeat Takuto on several different occasions (see Vanishing Age). Perhaps, this end of series revelation was some sort of reward to those who realized that they had to wait to grow and become their true selves, before they could face the challenges ahead (by the way, totally called it back in Episode 2).

In a way the same thing happened to the main trio, but with the added friendship element thrown in. Ever since the play episode, it seemed like we had been waiting to see what, if anything, Sugata would do to change his situation, and in the end he wasn’t really going to do anything, just like Ryousuke. So when there was that moment between Wako and Takuto , who eventually then broke Wako’s seal, you could really see the difference between Sugata and Ryousuke; the differing strength of their friendships. What made that scene even more impactful, even putting aside the fact that the souls libidos of everyone at earth were at stake, was the huge shift in the dynamic between the three. I mean, you pretty much had Takuto making a move at Wako, which finally caused Sugata to do something. Though Sugata was eventually defeated, I thought that that last line or two by Takuto in which he mentioned that this would be the last time they would see this beautiful sky, but that they would one day see another even more beautiful suggests to me that both are ready to get rid of their masks/become their true selves (I’ve been watching Kare Kano recently, so…).

They really do mention Masks too often in anime. Still, if it works.

That in mind, some might lament not being able to see some sort of epilogue. Now while there may eventually be one, I don’t think it is really needed, nor do we want to see it. Clearly, Wako is one of the most indecisive people on the face of the earth, so Takuto and Sugata are probably going to pull out all of the tricks needed to win her heart, which will eventually cause rifts in their friendship. Though you know they would eventually all work it out and see an even more beautiful sky, we really wouldn’t want to watch that show, especially without Cybodies. Further, how the hell would the world react to the Cybodies, or more to the point, how would Takuto and Sugata get back to Earth.

Let the Real Game Begin

Still, this episode didn’t redeem the series completely. The biggest complaint I had was that Ryousuke really didn’t do anything in this or any episode. Was his purpose only to comment and observe the goings on of Takuto and Sugata, and to provide some sort of anchor to compare against other characters? There seems like there was a lot that could have been expanded upon in regards to his character.  There was also the aliens, things that might have or might not have happened in the past, or events elsewhere in the world, but I suppose that really never mattered (like LOST), plus I have to save some stuff for my series review (next week).

Overall, it was quite the finale that really used the emotional build up of its characters quite well, even if it took a bit too long, but somewhat failed to deliver on the larger main story that had been the focus of many of the questions out there. Though I guess what we thought was the main story really never was.

So in the end, Sugata eventually did make his move for power as the show had been hinting at for some time. Still, before leaving, he made quite the grand exit with Wako before switching sides and joining the Glittering Crux. I thought this episode tried really hard to emphasize, via Takuto’s conversation with the RA and her trio, that Sugata wasn’t only leaving Wako, but the trio as a whole. That makes Sugata’s actions in Zero Time a little difficult to understand, as it seems he had already made up his mind to join the Crux early on in the episode.

Because showing a King of the Peacocks screen cap would be too easy

Now I’ve taken two psychology classes in college, so I am obviously an expert in group psychology, but one of the things I remember from my textbooks is that people have different stages of involvement in groups. It starts from joining the group, to working towards the group goals, to taking from the group in the form of status/position/rewards, to then eventually leaving the group when you have nothing more to gain from them. This episode seemed to focus on that last part. Sugata clearly had saw the writing on the wall in terms of Wako and him, so he either took one last shot at her hoping he could change her mind, or just wanted to see what his life could have been like after investing so much of his time with her. It appears, however, that it doesn’t really matter why he left Wako to Takuto as his “backup”, Keito, is awesomer in every sense of the word, and more importantly really seems to appreciate Sugata’s actions on their own merits, rather than lump them in with Takuto’s, as Wako remarked after the battle.

Still, it seems as though Sugata must have come to this conclusion before the battle in Zero Time, so why was he so adamant about helping Takuto beat the 3 Vanishing Age members. I suppose you could use the bros before hoes line of reasoning, but there seems to be a little more at stake here than in a normal friendship. Perhaps, Sugata has fallen into the same trap that other members of the Crux have in that he needs to be the one who defeats Takuto, but it seems to me like he already has everything that he “needs” and he seems to be completely aware of what is happening to him, unlike Columnar in the play.

Why does she even still go to these meetings

But aside from the main trio, this episode made a point of showing us Benio’s trio at the school, and most notably George and Tetsuya questioning as to why they were still even in the Crux at this point, given the fact they are no longer drivers. The two commented that they both had other possible love connections waiting for them, but that they were going to stay by Benio’s side within Fliament as that is the way it had always been. That kind of suggests that if there were no Filament, or Crux, that George and Tetsuya might have moved on and be doing something different with their time. They also mentioned that while they were singing out their youth the others might reach departure.

It’s rather difficult to either agree or disagree with that statement as it seems like the higher levels of the Crux are not necessarily departing from their youth, but are sticking to it as it seems to be the case with Head. This danger of being stuck in this developmental stage seems to have been mentioned earlier in the series as becoming trapped in Zero Time after breaking the third seal is a real possibility.  Likewise, it appears that some of the lower levels of the Crux have begun to realize they are on the wrong side of maturity(its difficult to say what the wrong side is as growing up is important, but so is the ability to appreciate simpler things is too) and are looking for a way out, as Kou and Madoka did. It’s difficult then to determine where Sugata is on this spectrum, because as I mentioned it seems like he is aware of the changes in people, but he is also retreating into the cocoon from reality that is the Glittering Crux. Why some of the lower rungs of the Crux continue to hang around despite not having real marks, or being drivers is beyond me, but it would be interesting to see how their lives change if and when Takuto defeats the Crux and it is disbanded.

Takuto, on the other hand, seems to have no problem with growing up

That aside, it is still difficult to determine who the ultimate foe for Takuto will be. It seems like Head is Takuto’s opponent in the next episode, which would then leave Sugata for the conclusion, but I keep thinking that things aren’t going to be that simple for Takuto. Looking back on fish girl’s story, it seems as though Sugata might be the one to recognize that he doesn’t need power, and that Takuto and Head are Sam and the Squid Emperor, respectively. The build up for this conclusion has been a long time coming, but I am looking forward to these two final episodes as even though the show up until this point has been fairly predictable, there has been enough evidence for many different arguments as to how it will end.

It has been a few episodes since my last post on this show, but aside from some Karaoke and late night shenanigans from Keito, nothing much happened in episodes 18 and 19. It doesn’t help that I’m not really a fan of either Kou or Madoka, as I find their characters rather shallow. Episode 20, on the other hand, threw a whole bunch of stuff at us that is worth mentioning, but my main focus is going to be on the how the modern trio of Sugata, Wako, and Takuto is eerily familiar to the one fully introduced in this episode.

The main thing from this episode was that we finally got to learn about the back stories for both Head and the Eye Patch Guy. Though it had already been heavily hinted at, Head is Takuto’s father, but the way it all went down was actually more interesting than I thought it would be. It is almost as if Takuto and Sugata are somehow reliving the events played out in the past between Ryousuke (Eye Patch Guy) and Tokio (Head) over Sora, but with some fairly substantial differences.

First, how can Sugata and Wako not remind you of Ryousuke and Sora. Both pairs are seemingly forced to be together, but yet it seems pretty clear that both Sugata and Ryousuke developed some feelings for the respective women in their lives. Then both Takuto and Tokio seem to come out of nowhere to kind of throw a wrench into things. That’s not to say that I expect Takuto to steal away and impregnate Wako, or for Sugata to rip out his eye anytime soon. Now while I don’t know who will end up with who in five episodes time, a conflict between Sugata and Takuto seems less likely now than it had been in current episodes, all evidence to the contrary.

I mean the show is clearly trying to build up some sort of tension between Takuto and Sugata. The kiss Sugata gave Wako while Takuto unknowingly watched just seemed like it could be the match to start the fire, especially after all the friendship stuff from Wako’s birthday. Further, it seems like Wako knows who she likes at this point, from the end of episode 19, and now might just fear the consequences of what might happen if she were to choose.

However, it would seem that given the limited number of episodes remaining, that all the plot threads are going to converge together in last one or two episodes. While what will happen with Keito’s seal, the forgotten members of the Glittering Crux, and the Departure are all important, it would seem to me that Head’s access to a new mark and the resolution to the Wako-Sugata-Takuto triangle will happen simultaneously. If that does turn out to be the case, I think Ryousuke will be extremely important to the story’s conclusion. I find it hard to believe that he is just supporting Head to see the conclusion of the Cybody project, as there must be some other reason he is there. I get the feeling that in the end, he will give Takuto or Sugata some piece of advice as a way to prevent the two from fighting, so that the two do not end up living with regret, as it seems he is. I mean the show is about living out your youth.

A few other interesting things from this episode is that the revelation of Takumi’s first phase certainly means that I’ll have to re watch this show sooner or later, because there were probably many instances in which he had a bird’s eye view of things, which may come into play later in the series. Also, while I had thought it possible at one point, I had all but given up on seeing more than two cybodies fighting in Zero Time at a time. But this episode debunked that line of thinking with Kou preventing Takumi from defeating Takuto. It’s hard to believe that all of the members of the Glittering Crux are so selfish that no one wants to help each other beat Takuto, because of the benefits that might come from being the group’s leader. It’s really the first big and fairly bad plot hole in the series.

One final thing is the episode stated that Sora had Takuto and gave him to Tokio’s father, but left soon after. I wonder where she went?

That was one hell of a way to shake things up. While the last episode was more of a conclusion to things that were really inevitable given the nature of the few episodes before it, this episode added a lot of things to this show that need to be discussed. First off, and most importantly I might add, were the introduction of Kou and Madoka.

Mizu....something or other. What was her name again

OK. Not really. But still, do you even care what happens to Mizuno and Marino now after you’ve seen these two. I mean there is charm, and then there is “charm”. And Yuri. Unfortunately, I don’t think that these two are going to have any huge impact on the remaining episodes of the show, as they remind of some of the Knights of the Round from Code Geass in that they are there just for the sake of being there.

Anyway, back on topic. It seemed like the crux of this episode, aside from the volleyball scene anyway was about how things are becoming more serious, the consequences for your actions are real, etc, etc. I guess if you wanted to read into it more, you could say that the conversation between Wako and Ruri about choosing a boyfriend already was about the same type of thing.

Other things that seem to give off the general vibe that things are getting more serious is that Head( or Reiji) seems to have a sick friend in the hospital (something tells me that One of Head’s possible motivations for doing everything that he does is to save this friend, in a way similar to how Kanako saved Simone), the transformation scene at the Glittering Crux Meeting (which was awesome), and Mylene’s report to someone in the shadows, probably Kanako’s husband (which was meh).

All that aside, the one thing that seemed the most interesting in this episode was that Takuto seemed to be holding back in his fight with Madoka, as several of the characters commented upon. The only real change that has taken place is that the Glittering Crux is now in the third phase, so something may be fundamentally different. Accordingly, I found it weird that Takuto went to such great lengths to get Madoka out of her Cybody before it exploded. Perhaps, now that only people with real marks can pilot Cybody’s, the consequences for losing become more real. Going back to last episode, Head was almost decapitated when Takuto’s sphere went through his command sphere thing. Furthermore, it looked like Head escaped the blast by leaving the Cybody before it exploded last week.

It makes me think that Takuto did Madoka a favor by removing her from her Cybody this week, as she could have gotten hurt, for realz. One obvious hole in this theory is that Takuto didn’t help Head escape last week, but that could suggest that Takuto either didn’t care if he escaped or knew that Head could do so on his own. Regardless, it appears that as the show moves on, there are less and less safety nets for the Glittering Crux. It now seems that Cybercaskets provided a sort of protection for its users from the harsh realities of zero time, with potentially getting hurt from an explosion being exhibit A (I use harsh reality here, as that’s how I am referring to the real world in my last semester).

Yeah, I looked up the last episode to make my point.

Harsh Reality, Exhibit B, is that someone could become stuck in zero time should the Glittering Crux fail to succeed in their plans for departure, which was the reasoning Head had for keeping Keito’s true identity a secret. Seeing as how the show isn’t going to kill anyone off, having someone stuck in zero time for any considerable length of time would seem to be the ultimate punishment that any character could receive. This possibility, along with the 50/50 chance of failing to reactivate a Cybody shows just how delicate the situation is for the Crux. I mean they are down to like 8 people with real marks, and many of their Cybody’s are broken. Aside from that, I’m getting this strange feeling that Keito is going to wuss out in the end and someone is going to be stuck in zero time because of her actions.

The show definitely needs more Kanako

Still, all this just shows how complex things are getting on the island. Even more to that point is that even though people may be riding high at the moment, that doesn’t mean that they all don’t all have some sort of personal problems or won’t get knocked off their perch in an upcoming episode. I’m sure we’ve all felt on top of the world at one point or another, only to be brought down a few pegs right after. On the flip flop though, I’m sure that we’ve all been knocked off a horse once or twice in our lives and have gotten up. I only bring this up as it seems, at least from the new ending animation, that Takuto might be getting some help from many people he has already defeated.

Surprisingly, there wasn’t some big new revelation or twist for Marino’s disappearance, but that things were exactly what most had been speculating for a few weeks now. That Marino was nothing more than a creation of Mizuno. The only thing this episode did to solve that puzzle was provide us with the details. Now did Mizuno create Marino mainly as a way to avoid dealing being abandoned by her mother or was it to avoid Zero Time. I don’t know, and at this point it doesn’t really matter as there are other questions to answer.

Crazy Old Guy

This episode finally gave us a little background on Takuto’s past, and much to my surprise, Takuto hasn’t always been as galactically pretty as he is now. There was that nice flashback scene with his old friend Natsuo living life to the fullest before he died to illness, but I really don’t understand how Takuto’s recollection of these events led him to the fourth phase. Furthermore, I don’t really understand what Mizuno was doing in Takuto’s flashback, but it did give her a chance to draw parallels between her life and his, and that she needed to face her fears rather than run away from them. Still, I don’t know what it had to do with Takuto beating Head.

Just like always

Don’t get me wrong, that fight between Takuto and Head was really interesting, and by far the best fight scene in the series thus far, but it feels like this show is only maintaining the status quo of having Takuto one phase ahead of the Glittering Cruz because the show doesn’t know what it wants to do. It will be interesting to see what becomes of Head after this fight. All signs point to Head being somehow related to, or being, Takuto’s father, so it would have seemed that if someone was going to beat Takuto, it would have been head. Now I don’t think Takuto knows who Head is yet (even though he was standing next to his father’s painting before he entered Zero Time), so there is still time for a few big twists and turns. Also, what will become of Head in the Glittering Crux now that he has lost? I imagine he will lose some credibility with his peers, but I don’t think he is just going to give up his badge or his leadership position without a fight.

As for Mizuno (and Marino), I really did enjoy their characters, even if there are a few glaring plot holes. I mean was it only Mizuno’s aunt who realized that Marino wasn’t real, or did other people realize it as well and just keep quiet about it, like they do with everything that involves Cybodys. Someone else must have realized that Marino just suddenly appeared one day. Regardless, this was a pretty good arc and I am sad to see Mizuno and Marino leave the show, and we even got a happy ending with their reunion. I suppose you could read into the fact that Mizuno is still able to use her first power abilities after having her seal broken and off the island, but I’ll let it go for now.

Happy Ending

With all that said, it will be interesting to see who the Glittering Crux turns their attention to now. Will they go back after Wako or will they turn on Keito.

No Cybody fight this week, but this episode did a lot to bring the two big storylines closer to their conclusion. While I know a lot of people have been focusing on the Mizuno’s endless eight like experience, I thought the far more interesting storyline came from the very short segment between Sugata and Head.

First, given that Sugata must have figured out by now that Head was a part of the Glittering Crux, it was only natural for Head to finally offer him the position as the Emperor Squadron leader. While it seemed that Sugata was at first against the idea, his conversation with Takuto later in the episode about fighting for Wako did make me wonder what his motives were for this sudden change. That aside, the big revelation in this scene was that Head signed his painting the same way Takuto’s father did/does.

Now does this mean that Head is Takuto’s father? That would be pretty messed up if that were the case, but I think it is more plausible that Head somehow has access to Takuto’s dad’s memories after he apprivoised. This line of thought would require that Takuto’s dad would have at one point piloted Head’s current Cybody, which I guess isn’t out of the realm of possibility, but who knows. Star Driver does have a way of pulling things out of left field. However given that this show has already used some time/age altering plot devices, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that time passes differently for some characters (I thought that it might be possible that time passes at a different rate on the island than on the mainland, but it seems that Mizuno’s aunt recognized her now returned mother fairly easily, so that theory doesn’t seem to hold any water).

Poor Mizuno

Then there was poor Mizuno. Not only did she have to deal with the news that her mother had returned to the island, but she had to hear the aforementioned conversation between Takuto and Sugata, in which she deduced that Takuto liked Wako, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It now seems even more likely that Marino doesn’t actually exist than it did last week, especially considering that Mizuno likely created her as some sort of coping mechanism after her mother left. One thing I would like to know is if Marino really is just a figment of Mizuno’s power, does she realize it and does she have her own thought processes.

Regardless, I thought that Groundhog Day sequence was very well done and in such a short time period at that. I didn’t really understand Wako’s explanation for how she figured out what was going on, or why she and her grandmother didn’t keep a better eye on Mizuno after taking her in, but those are minor complaints to an otherwise very good episode.

Looking ahead to next week from the previews it seems like Takuto might finally lose to the Blue Cybody shown, but I wonder it will be interesting to see if this is the true form of Sugata’s Cybody or if it is Head’s. Additionally, it will be interesting to see what Keito and the Glittering Crux do with Mizuno. I find it weird that Keito would tell Mizuno how to leave the island, when it seems that there needs to be some sort of ritual performed, but maybe Keito isn’t all that bad (probably not, I mean did you see the above picture?). Still, all signs point to a lot of things happening in the next episode, so it should be good.

For a show with a rather ridiculous premise, Star Driver sure is expecting a lot out of its viewers. Could you see the revelation that Head knew who Keito really was? Sure, if you wanted to analyze every little piece of information (end of episode 4), you probably could have deduced that Head knew who Keito was, and that the Glittering Crux would inevitably find out that Mizuno was a maiden. But still, it seemed a bit too convenient.

That aside, this episode did give us a few new things to consider, the most perplexing being if Marino is really even a real person. From, the flashback scenes in this episode, it seems like Mizuno was the only one who existed in the past (the new OP seems to suggest this), but then again this could have something to do with Marino’s trauma with her Cybuddy. Still, we don’t exactly know what Mizuno’s first phase power is. I mean can she talk to birds, or is it possible for her to create another person?

We know memories can transfer, but can personalities?

One interesting note is that this episode finally seemed to confirm that people who pilot Cybuddys can access the memories of those Cybuddys. While it certainly seems that Takuto is one of only a few who can fully understand these memories, it is interesting to wonder if the Cybuddys can alter the moods of the Star Drivers. Since it seems pretty clear that Ayingott was evil, you have to wonder if it gave some evil thoughts to Marino, which may have caused her visions of her nonexistent past. On the other hand, if Marino is a creation of Mizuno, maybe she will inherit these evil traits. Either way, it finally seems that there will be some tension between the sisters in the next episode, though there were some hints in this episode that signaled rough waters for our favorite pink haired twins.

There were some other things that also intrigued me in this episode. For such an inconspicuous character, I was a bit surprised to see that Sarina was even shown in the OP. She did play a fairly pivotal role in this episode by choosing Mizuno and Takuto for the kissing scene. I wouldn’t be surprised if she first had to run this by someone more important, as it seemed like she could have easily given those two the part when Mizuno first brought it up.

Then there was what seemed to be the final Head/Sugata interaction for a while as Head left during zero time to return to the Glittering Crux, which pretty much signaled to Sugata that he was indeed part of the Glittering Crux. This does raise a few questions though. How was Head able to stay in black and white view when Zero Time began so that he could initially fool Sugata? From this, it would seem that Head has reached the 3rd phase at the very least, and likely has reached higher stages. Finally, what will Head do with Keito down the line? It appears that he is the only one who knows Keito is a maiden, but it seems like all of the seals will eventually need to be broken (though the pacing of this series suggests that all four seals will not be broken). What will he do when that time comes?

Though still pretty interesting, this episode seemed like kind of a let down after the last arc. It’s not that I don’t like Benio or any of her antics, but as the title suggests, I felt that the episode featured too many of them. With that in mind, this episode provided a few new pieces of insight on the story, even if it felt like we had seen it all before.

For the yearbook.

Seriously, I sometimes wonder if Star Driver is really about Takuto, which is probably a good thing and probably done on purpose. Still, since every episode features an opponent of the week, and more recently Sugata’s interactions with Head, I don’t feel as though we have gotten any plot development on Takuto since episode 8 or so, and the show seems to have completely forgotten about Wako. This reliance on weekly supporting characters is kind of the show’s Achilles’ heel, in that if you don’t really like that week’s character, you aren’t going to like that episode. That’s not really a problem when the story centers around Kanako or Mizuno, but I have found characters like Benio and Keito not as fun to watch.

Though I loved Benio’s collection of awesome faces, more specifically her eyes, there were just too many things about her character that I didn’t like this time around. Her constant flirting with Takuto, for whatever reason, just wore thin with me, and it seemed like her character didn’t have enough to do, considering the scene with that kid confessing to her added nothing. Still, the revelation that her first phase power has lost its effect, though this has been hinted at earlier in the series, was fairly interesting, especially when you consider this week’s conversation between Head and Sugata. In that conversation, Head mentioned that the things people think they’ve lost were never really lost at all , which was in reference to his painting. I tend to get the feeling that Benio hasn’t necessarily lost her first phase ability, but that she may be focusing on other things instead. What this means for Sugata,  I couldn’t say, but it looks like he is losing some of his childhood harem of Wako, Keito, and Benio to Takuto, which probably doesn’t make him too happy. Or is he?

The other big plot line in this episode was that the Glittering Crux Brigade finally succeeded in regenerating a Cybuddy. Seeing as how Benio, and Filament in general, seem to be having a tough time in the Glittering Crux, it does seem like Benio took a big risk in being the test subject for regeneration test, and it also may be the reason she couldn’t use her first phase. Regardless, Filament does really look to be nothing more than a bunch of test subjects for the Crux, so that they don’t take any unnecessary chances with the pilots and Cybuddys that matter. Though it is interesting to see that this is the third episode since his defeat in episode one that has shown George, so I still wouldn’t be too surprised to see him come back eventually.

That is really all that stood out to me in this episode, though I will say it was pretty funny when Benio realized that she would have won if she hadn’t challenged Takuto in the real world before fighting him in Zero Time. You would have to think that sooner or later the Galactic Pretty Boy’s luck is going to run out, if for no other reason than for a change of pace.

Even though there were some segments of this episode that were pretty weird (see anything related to boxing), Kanako always makes Star Driver worth watching. Setting the strangeness of this and other episodes aside, Star Driver has been doing a good job of developing its characters and setting up plot points for later on.

While Kanako losing to Takuto was nothing new and pretty much expected, the events, both before and after the fight were pretty interesting. Mizuno’s seemingly childish response to Kanako, in which she explained why people couldn’t use magic anymore, seemed pretty weird and out of place on its own. However, by combining this scene with what Kanako said about becoming the demon king so that the world can go on does leave some room for imagination. It makes you wonder if Takuto is doing the maidens and everyone really, a disservice by preventing the Crux from reaching new stages.

Perhaps Kanako, who seems to think she is in a position to do good, believes that if she can beat Takuto she will be able to unblock whatever is keeping people from using their magic. Now to say that Takuto is the show’s antagonist wouldn’t be right, but it is pretty selfish of him to prevent the rest of his classmates from reaching the next stage, while he gets to build a harem that will stand the test of time.

A line isn't recycled as long as you use it on someone new

Speaking of his harem, it appears that Takuto tried to consolidate his hold on both Kanako and Simone/Pamela. Kanako’s newfound desire to kiss without the glass after being defeated says volumes about Takuto’s appeal. However, I thought the most interesting interaction this episode was between Takuto and Simone. Though you have to give credit to Takuto for casually working in that beautiful eyes line to Simone, she seemed to realize that he had used that line in the past, and we know that he did on Marino in episode 10. You have to think that this is going to come back and bite in the ass in future episodes, as pulling off the harem is difficult to do, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down yet.

Then what would an episode of Star Driver be without Sugata brooding over what his next move should be. That scene with Head was nice in that it showed that Sugata still hasn’t done everything that he wants to, and that his actions in the last episode weren’t his ultimate goal. While I suppose its possible that he didn’t want to help Takuto in this fight due to fairness concerns, its also possible that he wanted to see Takuto lose. On another Sugata related note, I thought it was interesting to see Keito ask so many questions about him at the Brigade meeting. Knowing that she and him have some sort of past, it will be interesting to see what she will do in the future, especially considering that she hasn’t lost the ability to pilot her Cybuddy yet.

Finally, there was that comment of Kanako’s, in which she stated that she would not be able to compete in the Olympics even if she wanted to because of the Crux’s plans for departure. Now I know that these pilots call themselves Star Drivers, but it would be pretty out there, even for this show, for some events to take place in space. However, given the similarities between Zero Time and space, I suppose it wouldn’t be that big of a leap. I mean, the show has taken the time to show that there are a lot of people in the world with a stake in the Crux’s operations, so it would have to be something pretty important for them all to drop a large chunk of change.

Too often, we judge anime by the quality of its epic moments and ignore some of the calmer, but just as interesting parts. This episode of Star Driver didn’t by any means redefine what epic means, as it once again featured a relatively mundane fight. But what it did do is provide a series of notable moments that reminded me how good anime can be on a week to week basis. Whether this is a sign of things to come for Star Driver, or just a fluke, is yet to be determined.

Head must be majoring in psychology, because he mind raped Sugata

First, how could you not love the subtle, but yet not that subtle, that show made to the changes in both Sugata and Marino’s characters. I especially loved that scene with Sugata doing a one man play in middle school, because when combined with his run with Head, the quick trigger he had with his King’s Pillar in Zero Time, I really got the sense that he doesn’t just want to fight alongside Takuto, but that he probably wants to push Takuto aside.

The use of mirrors in this episode was really well done

But Sugata wasn’t the only one acting a bit strange this week, as I’m obligated to mention how Marino is starting to give me the creeps with her newfound stalking hobby. It was nice to see that the show didn’t just forget about the You sisters after the story shifted back to Kanako, but I would have liked to get a clearer understanding as to what Marino’s feelings are. She just doesn’t seem to be able to reconcile her relationship with Mizuno and her feelings with Takuto, but I got the eerie feeling that Mizuno already knows, and is content with the fact, that Marino is ultimately going to do something really stupid.

Its clear now that Glittering Crux members are indeed quick change masters

Now I’m halfway through the post, and I haven’t even mentioned the episode’s main storyline, which featured Simone/Pamela’s relationship with Kanako. This, more than anything, speaks to how well paced this episode was, which is something I always appreciate. Anyway, back on point. While the implications of Simone and Kanako’s (who was awesome this week, as always) relationship may or may not have implications for this series’ end game, as it seems Kanako’s husband may have some SEELE like influence on the goings on of the Glittering Crux Brigade, the conflict did lead to some interesting revelations. Also, seeing Kanako nervous for the first time was pretty interesting, and it seems like its going to cause her to make a move in the next episode.

The Third Phase

It was also pretty interesting to see that Takashi, via Simone, was able to access the third stage on her Cybuddy. Whether or not this is going to be some sort of new trend in the series will be interesting, as it could open up some sort of new dynamic ala Utena, in which the duelists needed a partner to draw their sword for them. While I don’t think this will happen, considering some of the characters who still need to fight, like Kanako and Keito, seem too independent, it was something that crossed my mind.

Aside from all that, this episode was full of WIN, if only for one reason.

If the first eight episodes focused on fish girl, it appears that the next set of episodes will focus on Mizuno, who may be come to known as bird girl. With the updated ending featuring Mizuno’s face instead of fish girl’s on the bus(it finally occurred to me that having her picture on the bus meant something given the nature of the last episode), it is clear that the show has entered a new phase, but not just for this reason.

She's smitten

The show opens with some clarification on Takuto and Sugata’s friendship status and all seems well. However, the real core of this episode was the proper introduction for Mizuno, and her sister Marino, and things get complex pretty quickly. As most had already guessed, and as the show revealed at its end, Mizuno is the Western Maiden, but the real kicker was that her sister is the new leader of the Glittering Crux Brigade, since Head apparently doesn’t want to bother fighting Takuto until they unlock the third phase. That by itself isn’t that big of a deal, but since Marino, and her soon to be regenerated Cybuddy, will be able to locate the Western Maiden, how will she feign ignorance or stop that process, so that she can keep the promise she made with her sister?

New theory: there are two types of people in this world. Those who like Mizuno more, and those who like Marino more. Since I think Marino is far more interesting (how could she not be with a Crux name like Manticore) than Mizuno, I’m only going to focus on her character introduction. Marino’s introduction to the Glittering Crux members was classic. That whole I have bombs all over the island bit was so childish and stupid, and so atypical of what seems to be her typical behavior. Plus, the reactions of all the other members while not played up, was pretty funny.  I’m guessing she is doing this on purpose, as her promise with her sister leads us to believe that she may be trying to destroy the Crux from the inside, but if Head trusts her it may be just the opposite.

She's awesome

But the real cool part was getting to see the real Glittering Crux meeting in a back room. The way those guys half heartedly gave the Kiraboshi hand sign was pretty cool (plus far more realistic), and shows that they have a somewhat different perspective as to what is really going on. The way they continually insulted Marino and Head (that hand raising shtick was pretty funny, and that throwing away the can reference was pretty grim), plus their reluctance to fight were all very different from any of the Crux members we have seen so far. Anyway, Marino certainly has some decisions to make in upcoming episodes, but it is hard to see her not falling for one of the bishies, as was the case with Midori and Benio.

The glamor of the real Glittering Crux Brigade

Speaking of the members we have seen fight so far, they may finally have an opportunity to pilot a Cybuddy again with the brigade close to mastering regeneration. While I’m hoping that some of the past characters return, the nature of the show’s set up with 22 Cybuddys and 25 episodes makes it seem like a fat chance, unless we get to a tag team battle (which almost happened in this episode, and now seems like it will happen before the series is over).

The show continues to tell some ok stand alone battle stories as it advances the main plot. The scene with Takuto and Sugata battling right before being dragged into zero time was a nice touch, even if you could easily tell that Sugata’s advice was critical to the upcoming battle. As for the battle, I was expecting more from a member of the real Brigade, although I guess it goes to show you how powerful Takuto really is. Nonetheless, I’m hoping that the Brigade does catch Mizuno, if for nothing else, so that we can finally see the Galactic Pretty Boy lose.

This arc seems pretty interesting, so if you haven’t been watching the show so far, I’d recommend catching up quick, as it seems like we may finally be getting to the good stuff. Plus with quotes like “mines a little longer”, how can you lose?

I have to say that Star Driver is beginning to have me question why I watch it. At some moments the show delivers kick but action scene after scene, but it increasingly seems to be borrowing frame rate lessons from Evangelion at other moments, though I guess if you’re a fan of two bishies panting for what seems like an eternity this is probably right up your alley. More on point though, this series is moving at quite the breakneck pace, what with fish girl (and her awesome battle song) leaving after only a third of the series is complete. Suffice it to say no one really knows where this thing is headed, but then again, did anyone ever really?

=(

Starting with episode 7, it seems like Mami was in reality nothing more than a one timer meant to induce Sugata into unleashing his King’s Pillar in the previous episode, though I guess you never know for sure. I mean the way Takuto completely ignored her during their fight, only to defeat her in an instant was surprising as it was awesome. That said though, it does seem like the series is breaking away from its established routine given that neither Mami or Benio were shown giving up their badges after their defeats. Speaking of breaking from the routine, what was more unexpected than the sudden departure of fish girl? Sure, I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about half the time, and I’ll definitely miss Monochrome every time Takuto summons Tauburn, but I guess the adventure of life must go on.

As most people have surmised, I also think that the bus scene featuring Wako, fish girl, Keito, and the newly introduced Mizuno has some sort of special significance, with the most likely scenario being that the four are the four shrine maidens on the island. While it certainly surprising to see a member of both the Midnight Flight and the Glittering Star as maidens (if that is indeed the case), it is certainly going to make for some interesting storylines, especially for Keito. I mean, as a member of the Glittering Stars, it seems that she may be one of the keys to unlocking either any phase or a phase after Wako’s. It will be interesting to see if other members of the Brigade already know this, or what will happen to Keito should they find out. Perhaps, she will be forced to change sides in the future.

I just like this shot.

But the most pressing matter on my mind is who will Head have replace fish girl, so that he won’t be bored before bed time. If he does need some sort of replacement, as it seems he does if the Glittering Stars are to move on to the next phase, who will he choose. Regardless of whether he chooses someone to be in his birdcage, I would like a little back-story as to how fish girl ended up in that birdcage in the first place (plus a whole lot of other things). If he does manage to “capture” another girl, I’d imagine the process wouldn’t be that different that fish girls, so that would also suffice as a pseudo back story, I suppose.

The series continues to expand on the use of the first phase, both in and out of zero time. I thought it was quite brilliant of Benio to come up with the idea of using her First Phase ability in zero time after kissing Sugata in the previous episode, even if she failed on the execution. However, I fail to see where the already introduced first phases (by my count there are four of them thus far: Kanako, Benio, Mami, and Midori, though if there are more let me know) will have any pivotal impact on the plot, unless perhaps they have enormous side effects as episode 7 hinted at. The last thing this series needs to do introduce new first phases right before using them at a critical junction, as that would be pretty cheap.

Though I’ve mentioned how I thought some characters were far less important than they initially appeared, Mami for instance and perhaps Kanako, it almost goes without saying that there are likely many characters that may be more important than I would have initially guessed. For example, it seemed like Sarina had a thing for Takuto during their conversation about Wako in episode 7. Perhaps, she may play a more important role as the series progresses, and who knows, if she does like Takuto and he doesn’t reciprocate the feelings, or even notice her, Sarina may join the Glittering Star. It wouldn’t be unlike a teenager to completely switch her group of friends over a boy because as we know by now, the adventure of life must go on.

I guess this post wouldn’t be complete without some mention of Sugata’s short lived fit from being slapped by Takuto. I guess if anything, this means that Sugata truly values bros before h*es, as he was able to overcome the power of Benio’s kiss, and do who knows what with Takuto in zero time. I’m a guy, and that seemed way too dramatic for any resolution to any disagreement I’ve ever had. That said, I suppose the overall concept of the idea was good especially considering Wako was at the center of it, but the execution again was poor. And what happens now? I mean, Sugata can apparently summon his Cybuddy in zero time now, so is that going to mean we are going to see Takuto and Sugata versus all comers, though tag team battles would be pretty cool. That sort of development would sort of mesh with the whole adventure of life goes on thing, but I don’t really know if it would work.

What is this guy's role?

Regardless, the next episode or two will tell us what the departure of fish girl means. Will the series enter some sort of second phase ala Utena and the Black rose arc, or will it squander its good foundation with too many unanswered questions?

This close to a zero time wardrobe malfunction

Since I am looking down the barrel of two hellish weeks of school before Thanksgiving break, I am going to combine the two shows I am reviewing into one post this week and next. Unfortunately, that means I am not going to be able to go as in depth as I would like to, which really sucks since Legendary Heroes is really starting to heat up again, and Star Driver continues to meet and exceed expectations.

To begin with, you have no idea how happy I am that Ryner finally decided to do something, instead of constantly complaining/moping about his situation. While his decision to join Tiir, and what looks like a group of outcast magical eye users, made sense when you consider the order Sion gave Luke, you have to wonder what the hell he was thinking in leaving behind Ferris. It seemed as though she thought she had gotten through to Ryner after his last outburst in episode 10, as the flashback reminded us, so it is hard to imagine how hard Ryner’s betrayal must have hit her. Though to empathize with Ryner, having what looks like thousands of people in the army shudder in fear from your presence, right before you decide whether to join Tiir would probably have a big impact on your decision.

It seems like Ryner regrets leaving, but has it in his mind he has no other choice

As for Sion, how freaking lucky is this guy? This guy was anointed a hero after the events in episode 3, in which he needed Ryner to save his ass, and now it was only because of Ryner’s s decision that Tiir disappeared. I mean how much does he have his army wrapped around his finger to declare that he sent away the monster, even though pretty much everyone there saw that wasn’t the case. I guess that also begs the question about how stupid his army is, but that’s a question for another day.

Anyway, it seems Ferris is going to go look for Ryner and try to knock some sense into him which is all well and good, but the really important development is that Ferris looks infinitely hotter in her new pink get up. On a side note, I kind of was disappointed that we didn’t get any resolution to the Miran/Luke encounter from the previous episode.

As for Star Driver, things weren’t quite as crazy as last week, but we finally got to learn a few things about Sugata. Apparently, he is the heir to the strongest Cybuddy there is, and also has the strongest First Phase in the form of the King’s Pillar. The only problem is that if he apprivoises, he will fall into a deep coma. There is also some added drama about how he learned of his abilities on his birthday five years ago, and ever since he needs to do some emo scene on said day. On a side note, the show seems to have made a special note about how both Wako and Sugata learned of their abilities, and in both instances it seems like it has filled them with regret and forced them to restraining themselves, with their inability to leave the island likely symbolizing something else.

Glasses, bunny ears, maid outfits, what's next?

With that said, you know Sugata was planning for the long run when he did apprivoise to save Wako. I mean he pretty much sacrificed himself to save her, so you know that when he inevitably wakes up (he is a main character) that Wako is going to want to get into his pants. More seriously, this episode made it more clear that Takuto wasn’t necessarily going to be the one to break Wako’s seal and that there will likely be some sort of love triangle between the three. I’d really like to see Sugata become an enemy to Takuto as that would be a pretty interesting story line.

A little uninteresting, but that may be due to the lack of fan service when compared to other characters

As for the show’s stand alone story, I wasn’t really that impressed with Undine’s character as she seemed to be a little bit too paranoid about Takuto and Wako being together. On the flip side, her first phase was pretty awesome, and was the catalyst for some pretty sweet fights between her Mermiadolls and the maids with the ever growing list of moe elements. Just as interesting was the increasing screen time that was devoted to the mentioning of the First Phases. The scene with Kanako, in which she said she was lucky to have a first phase that didn’t cause that much stress was really interesting, especially in comparison to the trouble Undine seemed to have with hers. If we were going to somehow try and relate this to adolescence, which this show seems to be about, it seems that some characters have a lot easier time adapting to their newfound first phase powers than others. This, in addition, to some other characters who have trouble dealing with finding out about their powers, certainly goes to show that while people may go through the same things in life, more or less, not everyone can handle them as well or as easily as others.

Do they really need to wear their costumes outside?

On a side note, this was the first time I could easily understand the nonsense coming from fish girl’s mouth, as it seemed to predict the events that would occur later in the show, and was the basis for my theory that Sugata and Takuto might become enemies.

Though by now we should be expecting a different level of insanity from this series, Star Driver just took it up a notch. Craziness aside, this episode was able to tell a real interesting story that fit well within the context of the bigger issue.

To go any further in this post without talking about how awesome Midori Okamoto is would be a crime. She is epicness personified. Then again, a lot of the female characters in this series could possess that title. Anyway, I can’t really understand why the school’s headmaster lets her get away with having posters of bishounens in her office, but whatever. Despite the silly premise, you could really see how upset she was about not being able to get with anyone from the male student body, especially after seeing Kanako. While that was all really easy to see, I loved how the one student who had ignored her when she was under its effects, came right back to her office after Takuto defeated her. I guess it goes almost without saying that there really is someone for everyone, so you shouldn’t try to be someone that you’re not (the whole teacher X student thing aside). But to get back on track, that last scene was LOL.

I hate to use the word cougar as she isn't that old, but you get the point

Then there was that fight with Takuto. She could have easily defeated him. As an adult she clearly knew every trick in the younger generation’s proverbial bag of tricks, which the precognition machine showed, but that wasn’t enough (On an aside, did anyone else get Bismarck Waldstein vibes when she used the precognition machine). Instead of seeing Takuto defeated, we witnessed one the most satisfying, but yet unsatisfying conclusions to a battle this side of ever. While I guess it is plausible you could have guessed as to why Midori would eventually lose, there is no way you could have seen the inclusion of a bishie mode camera. As great as that was, the reaction of Takuto and Keito during the battle were just as hilarious. Then there was the way Keito didn’t really seem that upset with Midori after the battle, but seemed to agree with Midori that there was nothing wrong with the way she lost, even if was hilarious.

Seriously?

As for the rest of this episode, there were a lot of great moments. The conversation the drama club had about the letters from Midori’s alter ego, Hina, and the resulting reactions were interesting to say the least, but it also let us know that just as much focus is being put into the school/comedy scenes as is being put into the still great looking action scenes. Plus, the entire conversation utilized a level of frankness that I don’t really see too much in anime, and it’s nice to see people trying new things every once in a while (I’m still waiting for my moving walkways). This, again, almost goes without saying, but I loved that he was going to do her, of course line.

Looking ahead, it would seem like the volcano to the north is going to play some sort of role in the future as it would seem that some first phases may have the power to mess with the space-time continuum. Just uttering the words “space-time continuum” reminds me of the movie Dude, where’s my Car, but I guess that isn’t the worst thing in the world. Also of note was how liberal Keito was in her usage of the Kiraboshi hand signal when she wanted to identify Midori as a member of the Glittering Crux Brigade. I mean what if Midori wasn’t who she thought she was, how embarrassed would you be making that sign to a normal person? Apparently, this also means that Keito couldn’t completely identify Midori as a member, which seems a bit odd given that only her face is covered, but I’ll allow it.

One final thing is that it seems a lot of people have been comparing this series to Revolutionary Girl Utena. To be honest, I had never even though about watching it until this series came out, but I’ve been semi marathoning it recently, though at the expense of my midterms. Perhaps the biggest comparison I’ve seen is how everyone is complaining about all the reused battle footage Star Driver has used, and how that has reminded some people of Utena. I really don’t have a problem with this sort of trick in either series, as the point of the show isn’t to show us the battle, but it’s to show us why they fight. There are some other similarities between the two I guess, but I’ll hold off for now since I’m not quite done.

Really?