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The Great Catch-up Continues: Shoukoku no Altair #16
[Previously: everyone looks absolutely adorable and hug-able in their winter clothes and Mah-kun saving everyoneās hide in Urado]
I once talked of Altair #16 back in my post on #14 - how the episodes are similar to each other in terms of story structure and format (involving many parties at the same time, a lot of dialogues). At that time I forgot of another similarity between the 2 episodes: naval battles. Which is glaringly absent from both episodes - we are shown the seas, the ships, the people supposedly involved in the fighting but never the actual battle itself. Itās almost like the anime trying to avoid as much as possible the marine scenes, which is such a ridiculous idea because of the very setting of thisĀ āverse - we are bloody talking about the Mediterranean sea (aka. Centro) and surrounding countries, for crying out loud. How can you possibly avoid the clashes on the sea? This strange reluctance to animate naval battles properly (not in bloody stills) really started to grate on me. Admittedly, most of the upcoming battles will be on land but uhm - you canāt make a fuss about Venedikās role as the Queen of Centro without showing some sort of naval prowess, and that is best done through its upcoming battle against LāIsolani. And OMG, donāt let me start on LāIsolani, at least not yet. Iām not yet ready to talk about Amadeo, or more like the omission of Amadeo completely from the story.Ā Ā
Overall, I donāt dislike what is included in this episode - the Tripartite Alliance meeting was nicely done. But what was omitted seriously undermines the breadth and depth of the Altairverse (let me be the one to propagate this term if no one has done so), as it drastically belittles the role of Venedik and other naval states around Centro like Phoenicia and LāIsolani. So say what you like, itās a goddamn disappointment to not even have 1 proper all-out naval battle in the anime, what with all the previous drama around the Centro sea.
If only we got more than just a beautifully coloured still.
The Empireās side of things:
When it comes to the Empire, itās hard to see them as anything else but invaders and aggressors who can only use force to protect and bolster national interests. But I think the flash presence of people like Eisenstein (the old duke in wheelchairs, who, in the manga, was actually a predecessor of Louis and held that position for several decades until he was pushed aside) proves that there are those in Balt-Rhein who do not see non-stop expansion wars as a way to sustain the Empire, that there exist pacifist and belligerent camps of varying strength not just in Turkiye, but also in the Empire. Of course, Minister Louisā dominating influence pretty much renders the pacifists like Eisenstein powerless and runs unchecked even by those in favour of aggression like him. Meanwhile in Turkiye, Zaganosā power and sway over the court are more or less balanced out by Mah-kunās alternative opinion, and as times go by, they would cooperate with each other more often than not. These differences in decision-making dynamics do lend to the strength and weakness of each side in the great war soon unfolding.
To put things into perspective, all of the above are just matters related to the now and the near future. Master Wan, Mah-kun and now Minister Louis all share the opinion on how different states, shaped by their environment, circumstances and needs, are destined for a certain path in the long run: aggression (agriculture- /resource-dependent states), co-existence (commerce-dependent states) or isolation (self-sufficient states), to further their own interests, and somehow this destiny is inevitable. Exactly how long-term or immutable this prospect would be is debatable, in light of Uradoās decision to end its 400 years of isolation due to depletion of resources.Ā
Iām sad that the visual of the Empire as a giant mass with a hungry mouth was omitted from the anime. Totally missed out on that element of dread and doom.
Uradoās side:
Well yes, Uradoās rigorous lancer cavalry is absolutely no joke but I wish that the anime kept Zigmuntās explanation for such confidence (which somewhat recalls Phoeniciaās confidence in their indomitable wall, so ya might want to take this with a grain of salt - thatās all Iām gonna say).
Yeah,Ā ā400 years ago we defeated the Empireā might not be the most confidence-instilling thing ever one could say... LOL
Well, look at what happened with Phoenicia. Granted, Phoenicians did not have a well-trained standing army (they had naval forces instead) so the comparison is not very appropriate in some aspects but still... many other variables can change dramatically in 400 years, if not the topography.Ā
I have a thing for details where details matter - for example in treaties and agreements between two countries. In episode 15, I would have liked it if the details of the treaty signed between Venedik and the Empire were more hashed out and the same goes for the treaty between Urado and Turkiye. It would feel more proper, more serious, more ... real, you know? After all, the cost of this treaty is no joke: one skewered emissary and the Empireās wrath.
The lack of exposition on the Great Merchantsā pardon of Nikiās involvement in Turkiyeās scheme (so the details of the affair might not be discovered) and Mah-kunās foresight of this turn of events kinda makes it sounds like Mah-kun was an irresponsible sort, who only thought of manipulating Niki for his own benefit, without an actual regard for her well-being, when in fact itās the complete opposite. A heartless Mah-kun is just not possible - completely non-existent.
Nonetheless, Cyrosā friendly teasing of Niki is sweet.
And hereās another reason for why Nikiās new business deal would proceed smoothly - she has already verified the arrangements with Master Wan and ensured that her presence would not be unwelcome in Argyros. She may be young but she is serious about her job and credit as a merchant so to take all of this out to quickly proceed to the next thing on the list (Venedikās trouble with LāIsolani) is to do a disservice to the character of Niki. Sheās not just some girl with the Argyros trade permit that Mah-kun took advantage of, but a person with a real head for business as well as intelligence and courage to face the dangers and uncertainties in her chosen career.
Before saying goodbye to Niki, a toast to the career woman of Altair. Iāll miss her.
And so Mah-kun and company returned to Turkiye. I absolutely adore the interiors of the carriage decoration - my favorite pics are posted above: the two shots of Mah-kun and Abiriga against painted canvas of winter scenes. These shots are markedly different from other shots with opulent backdrops in terms of animation quality because the characters are actually naturally situated into the backdrops, instead of them being copied and pasted on to the backdrops (refer to the scene of Ismail talking to his father in the Buchak palace).
And everyone enjoying tea ~
Venedikās side:
Right, Iām not sure if thereās much to talk about Doge Lucio here but I just love this scene with him sprawling out on Mah-kunās couch (and such a lovely Turkish pattern couch too - just the exact kind of patterns I saw a year ago), looking so hedonistic and arrogant as usual. In a way, the anime just got him perfectly here. The soft russet light shining in is a thing of its own beauty too.
And the fact that I really like his outfit here of course has no bearing on the number of screenshots of him.
Itās good that he still got to scold Abiriga for being such a ātraitorā and sending reports only when things were already done for.
And whose fault is that, I wonder?
The gathering of the fellowship allies:
And I thought it would take a little longer to see these four. Apparently not? It was not even a month ago for me (since I was already behind back then too).
I think itās quite hilarious that a weapon-dealer (among other things) would get to say this line or seriously consider this scenario as likely.
Doge Lucio in response to Uradoās calling out on Venedikās tendency to play it safe. Being realistic and thick-skinned and completely unruffled over such scruples suits him more than talking about the need for both idealism and realism. Much much better.
I love Mah-kunās determined face here, with his clear eyes looking straight ahead, without a doubt in his mind of the truth of what heās gonna say.
The passing of notes (ahaha).
And so the Great War began:
*mumbles* itās not my fault that Zaganosā hair is pretty and i have to take a screenshot...
Well, bad news for Venedik, good news for the alliance, indeed.
After all, one doesnāt get to see the Dogeās shocked/dumbstruck face that often.
*sigh* they wonāt get to play much a role until a lot later ~~
Wide-eyed Altair made a brief reappearance.
I like how the tension is built up with the revelation of the Empireās plan, only to be defused with Uradoās acceptance of Venedik as another party in the alliance. Although to be honest, I have yet to see Uradoās real contribution to this alliance - to put it mildly and as least spoilery of the latest chapters. I hope to see Urado taking up a bigger role than just providing defense in the future.
LOL.
Again, I really hope for that battle, yes? Although with the absence of Amadeo and his family of seamen, Iām not sure if it would still be worth watching.
Iām so glad the anime kept this part! Itās so hilarious, for all its practical-sounding reasons. And they get to play the allies-help-each-other-out part.
Orhan ends up being the one most resembling a caretaker.
Everyone chipping in.
I would have liked to have a screenshot of Ayse on horseback too, being all proud of the Turkās way of equestrian life but I think the manga version looks way more impressive.
HA HA HA.
With the exception of the omitted bits from the Argyros story as mentioned before, the episode has done well to keep the dialogues entertaining and to the point, which is not easy. However, taking out the naval battle scene renders the pace somewhat lackadaisical, without much of an emphasis at any particular point. The consistent quality animation helps but even that cannot compensate wholly for the lack of real excitement in this episode.
Extra: On Amadeo
Or also known as Venedikās royal pain in the butt.
Introducing the Boccanegra brothers, the so-called Sons of Neptune.
Armed with quite a talent for reading winds and navigation, Amadeo, the genius younger brother thrives in situations that require escaping by the skin of oneās teeth. And boy does he have sharp teeth.
Arrogant and proud to the point of hubris.
And Kotono-sensei has such a knack for these panorama shots.
It makes perfect literary sense that the genius of winds and navigation would be from the island called Lāisolani (the Isolated). Amadeo, to his future detriment, can only see himself within his own world, and no one (not even his good brother Roni) can quite see the world the way Amadeoās genius allows him too.
Self-absorbed as Amadeo is, one cannot help but admire his abilities and guess at the wonders only privy to Amadeoās genius, beautifully illustrated in the hands of Kotono-sensei.
And we also missed out on the typical fare of Italian statesā power politics: bitter rivalries among a handful of long-standing renown families; in this case, itās the struggle between Doria and Boccanegra. At this point, they came to a truce and agreed to work together to defy and overthrow Venedik from her position as Queen of Centro. But treachery and backstabbing are common enough in these cases and so, tragedy lies awaiting.
I canāt profess to have much love for Amadeo himself but I thoroughly enjoy his character, presence and contribution to the manga storyline. It will be hard to see nameless goons in his stead in the upcoming episodes.
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Ghost Hunt doesn't have any characters that could really constitute as a 'villain.' Just adversaries and ghosts according to their various investigations.
However...
If they (and by 'they' I am including the ghosts as though they were living people in this crossover) were to have Quirks, this is what I imagine two of them would have. I was going to do a post with all of them, and I still might, but these two are the ones I'm most interested in right now:
Trigger Warning for disturbing themes and violence, but nothing more serious what's already canon in Ghost Hunt.
Ubusuna Kei - Hexer
Quirk: Compulsion
I think hers would be a lot like Shinsou's, except instead of needing target to verbally respond to her, her method of gaining control of someone would have more of Death Note flair. All she needs to activate her Quirk is knowing her target's name and what they look like, which is how the hitogata dolls work in canon.
Everybody in My Hero's Quirk would be formidable if they turned villain, but there is an extra element of unsettling to a villain who only needs to say, "Turn around, put your arm through the train door as it closes, and let yourself be dragged," or, "Throw yourself into the sewer."
Ubusuna was not as threatening as other adversaries who appeared in Ghost Hunt, but the unsettling element of her character was her complete lack of remorse in what she did to her students and fellow teachers. Bullies, sure, but the cold-hearted and systematic process of 'removing' them all one by one is true psychopath behavior.
...
Miyama Kaneyuki - Urado
This guy is probably the one I'd be the most interested in featuring as a villain in a My Hero Academia/Ghost Hunt crossover, simply for the insidious nature of his personality and how his Quirk would function. Urado is already a terrifying figure in canon: the ghost of a serial killer still committing murder long after death and powerful enough to keep two other spirits on his leash as assistants.
Miyama Kaneyuki, Quirk:Ā Blood Essence
Translating Urado into a My Hero character with a Quirk, I imagine his soaking in the blood of young people to regain his youth and health is legitimately how his power would work.Ā He hires on people in his mansion who would be easy to disappear:Ā runaways, disowned family, people with no living relatives, illegal foreigners, even fellow criminals if it comes down to it.Ā Since all he has to do is keep up his supply of blood, and having the wealth and political connections to cover up his crimes, heād probably be much older than he appears, likely stealing the identities of his son, grandson, then great-grandson.Ā Complicating matters, remember that Miyama was a noted philanthropist, establishing childrenās homes and charity hospitals.Ā All to feed his obsession, but this also presents him as a pillar of his community.Ā Then thereās the fact that in canon, his granddaughter was married to Japanās prime minister, so he would also have his claws in the government as well, which makes him someone the Commission would be hesitant to investigate for fear of exposing the corruption within their āshinyā system.
To that end, if Urado is able to take on the youth of his victims, then it also stands to reason that heās stealing their āessenceā itself, and that may include their Quirks.Ā I have the idea that his blood Quirk is similar to All For Oneās but the major drawback to Uradoās is his theft of Quirk factors is as temporary as the stolen youth is.Ā As the blood from one victim is used up and the youth he obtained from them fades, the Quirk he stole becomes weaker and weaker until itās no longer usable and it disappears forever.Ā How long the effects last would be dependent on the rate he needs to steal blood to maintain his age.
So itās kind of an combination of both All For One and Togaās Quirks, only his sole focus is desperately clinging to his immortality.Ā Because altogether, that is what shaped what little of a personality Urado had in canon:Ā He did not want to die and he went to monstrous lengths to prevent his death.
Oh, yeah, and each and every one his targets are young people. You know, the majority of My Hero's cast.
The Great Catch-up Continues: Shoukoku no Altair #15
#thegoldeneagle #thenortherncountry
[Previously: what happened in Argyros does not stay in Argyros)
This episode has been all about the birds. Birds help us catch food. Birds can be food themselves. Bird poop can literally save your lives. Hashtag protect birds, hashtag protect the ecology, blah blah blah, the end.
Not-quite-a-joke aside, this episode was an incredibly fun ride, with strong, cohesive narration, straight-up solid animation and gorgeous backdrops. And since the events took place amidst the cold and icy, everyone was dressed in beautiful fluffy winter clothes and looked absolutely fantastic in them, especially Mah-kun and Niki (her earmuffs are so adorable!).
Without further ado, here are my thoughts on the Journey to the North :-P
To be honest, I was not that looking forward to the Urado episode. That is not to say that the manga material was not absolutely awesome - especially by the latter half and the end where he literally fought for his and his companyās lives with such cut-throat precision and conviction, armed not with the might of an empire behind him, but his grasp of Uradoās needs as a nation and a people. To be able to bring the Urado King to his side with a half-substantiated promise (that is, sound on principle but has yet to be approved by Turkiyeās vezirs) as a newly-reinstated pasha and newly-appointed Foreign Minister is quite a feat.
Nonetheless, this is only to be expected, considering the scale and genius of the scheme he hatched and realised in Argyros. Though episode 14 may not have done the best job in conveying that sense of grandeur and excitement of the rippling effect on the Rumeliana continentās affairs and relevant partiesā interestsĀ resulted from Mah-kunās manipulation, what Mah-kun managed to achieve in Argyros far outweighed the alliance he gained from Urado. Of course, a case can be made based on the fact that Urado is pretty much the geographical backbone of Turkiye and for them to remain neutral is one thing but fallen under the Empireās control is quite another story. However, I maintain that his mission in Urado lends to quite straight-forward solutions (make a better offer than the Empire) while his end goal in Argyros (how to manipulate the actions of 2 powerful countries from so far away without causing premature suspicion and discovery) requires much more creativity and foresight.
But then, it is not my intention to spend the rest of this post on comparing Argyros and Urado stories so I would just like to say that the lack of anticipation on my part towards episode 15 only lends to a pleasant surprise and overall greater enjoyment of how well-made this episode is. The episode began with a short voice-over on how the conflict over Salosā wheat was resolved between Venedik and the Empire. I regret the animeās decision to cut out the short but loaded conversation between Doge Lucio and Duchess Lelederick, but Iām glad that the shipwreck scene was kept and we got to see the pissed-off, waterlogged Duchess accepting Venedikās thrown gauntlet while clambering on to the rocks.
I love how Gralat almost looks like a mermaid here, with his long hair drifting on the waves.
Well, she was the one who was always in favour of aggression over diplomacy to establish domination over other states, so this is perfectly in character.
Sheās always a woman of action, not one of words.
With that provocation said and done, itās time to move on with Mah-kun and co.ās adventure in Urado, which also begins with a rather invasive form of humiliation.
Quickly before that, hereās a show of everyoneās winter clothes. I particularly like the red ribbon tie and the hat feathers on Mah-kunās outfit, and Nikiās cute earmuffs and beanie.
More importantly though, as you will see with other screenshots, the animators in episode 15 splendidly handled figure drawings - maintained reasonable body proportion and natural facial expressions even in zoom-out group shots from beginning to end. This is indeed a welcome change since itās not the case for many other episodes.
Urado is an interesting combination of Slavic countries, including Polish cavalry/ armoured lancers and Transylvaniaās closed-off atmosphere (Romania nowadays), not to mention the resemblance between the Kingās execution method and that of Vlad the Impaler. The isolationist, inward-turning style of governance with a close-to-extreme emphasis on self-defense capacity building and absolute sovereignty does bring a certain Asian country most famous for its nuclear weapons to mind though, ha ha ha.
As horridly uncomfortable as this was, Iām glad the anime didnāt shy away from it. Invasive examination set aside for a moment, itās good that Mah-kunās scars were shown quite intensively - they serve as great reminders of the hardships that heās been through. Heās not a mere pretty boy, peeps.
And I like that heās shown to be quite upset after the examination (not so stoic as one might have guessed), even when Margit shows up to receive them. The humiliation that Mah-kun and company experienced at the hands of the Urado immigration guards, if translated to present days, can cause quite a diplomatic scandal. Think of it as the more insulting version of forcing people of diplomatic status to go through the civilian immigration gate at airport.Ā
That glare though. Sadly though, the whole thing was forgotten rather too quickly with Margitās single line āSorry we do not mean to offendā in the carriage.Ā
*sigh* And this is definitely one of those episodes with a calmer pace of things.Ā
The actual conversation between Mah-kun and Margit is not much of a big deal in terms of content, apart from the hint of unease from the possibility of losing the initiative to the Empire. But the scene itself was animated with care and it really showed in the charactersā figures, facial shape and expressions. For a manga fan like me, sometimes the lines just slip away (because I half remembered them already) and it becomes a pure pleasure just to look at the animation - how natural and smooth it looks. #simplejoys
Normally this kind of shot (character in focus but tilted or to the side) would be botched up somehow in one of less cared-for previous episodes.Ā
The carriage decoration is pretty cool - the canvas of snowy landscape feels very real.
Niki with her hair let down :x
Again, this kind of shot would sometimes be spectacularly out of proportion with a couple of characters with off proportion.Ā
It may sound silly to extol how the drawings are not off proportion, instead of raving about how pretty they look or something, which is what I would do for other anime. But then I get that the production quality bar is not set terribly high in Altair,Ā and that did bug me in the beginning, but now Iāve made my peace with it - not every series Iām interested in is gonna look spectacular and polished all the time. And thatās OK - as long as the anime can re-create that atmosphere of the plot and the universe reasonably well, I will not be too picky.
The sharpness and expressiveness of Mah-kunās and Margitās expressions are just beautiful.Ā
Again, trivial and all but everyone has really natural expressions here.Ā
I enjoy the hunting competition between the King of Urado (Zigmund or Sigmund, urgh, which one is the official romanization?) and Mah-kun. The anime definitely had Zigmund pegged, from the weather-beaten, stern stoicism to the commanding aura surrounding him. If one is to compare the debut anime appearance of Zigmund to that of Doge Lucio, Zigmund leaves a far more distinctive impression on the audience than Lucio, who at the end of episode 8 was unfortunately given lines that just... donāt mesh with the rest of his characterization at all.Ā
Charactersā hair in this episode are particularly well-drawn.
I like this close-up shot of Zigmund - he looks pretty bad-ass. A vquick q though, the goshawk is shown in this scene without her hood, while Kotono-sensei drew her with the hood and had Zigmund take it off before giving her the hunt order. So... if anyone happens to know anything about this bird, which is the right depiction of handling it? Just curious.
The hunting scene was short but intense, with rousing percussion as the accompanied soundtrack. Rapid bursts of action scenes are among the showās forte so they managed to show the distinction between the 2 birdsā flight and hunt styles pretty well.Ā
The trip back to the castle is lovingly animated with the soft dots of light from evening lamps along the coast of bird droppings, the lighting that clearly shows the time of the day but does not make the audience squint at charactersā faces on the screen, and of course everyoneās faces on getting a whiff of tons of condensed bird poo.
Abirigaās nose is quite superhuman on its own.Ā
I love the little moments when Cyros and Niki had the same reaction at the same time, especially when bird poop smell wafted around.Ā
And also when they showed their compassionate side.
Mah-kunās side glance game is pretty strong in this episode, too.Ā
When Mah-kun caught a hint of what was really going on in Urado and how bad things actually were.Ā
More in-sync reaction time from the impulsive duo. Niki was just adorable.
Abirigaās Eureka moment, while cleaning his blowgun.
Bare-foot Abiriga. How is he not cold?
Surprise and reluctance written on everyoneās face.Ā
Yes, now, Mahmut. Everyone looks hilarious in their masks, except for Abiriga (who did not even bother to cover his nose).
This little excursion has a peculiar air of both a detectiveās investigative work and Discovery channel.Ā
They later got help from chemist!Zaganos and his petri dishes.
The early morn arrived with a rude wake-up call (were they even given breakfast?) but lives were put on the line. I particularly enjoy the shot of dawn breaking upon the landscape of Urado, signifying hope of rebirth for this country as Mah-kun talked about how it and its people could still survive on their own terms, without giving up their right to self-determination.Ā
The overall space and structure does not look quite as impressive as it should but the lighting again, was just right here. The choir chanting when the company stepped into the hall created a lovely solemn atmosphere
Instead of having the shot lit-up from the morning light through the tall windows, I think itās more authentic and realistic that it was not so bright when Mahmut came into the hall. After all in Northern countries, it takes forever for the dawn to break and the sun to actually show up in winter time. And Mah-kun and co. were wakened up at ungodly hours so the dim lighting makes perfect sense.
The see-through screen was nicely done - not too transparent but the outline of another person can be vaguely made out.
Some shots of our dear boy. Thereās energy and fluidity in his movements - you can almost feel the cogs in his brain working at full capacity at times, too.Ā
Not all that looks set in stone is actually set in stone. And I love that Abiriga stepped up just in time to provide extra validity to the story.Ā
Though Margit doesnāt stand out as much as Niki, she did have her moment. I just wish that the camera focused on her more while she gave a piece of her mind, instead of mostly on other peopleās reactions, to give her character a bit of a boost from the background.Ā
At first I thought that the sentence was addressed to the King, so i thought it meant Balt-Rheinās future invasion of Urado, instead of Uradoās being forced into becoming the Empireās vanguard force. But a re-watch and a re-read of the manga corrected this misunderstanding. Iām not sure why i would misunderstand so, considering the glance that Mah-kun threw at the Empireās emissary. Perhaps it was the wording of the subtitle? I donāt know.. itās just strange.Ā
The orchestral music swell that began right when Mah-kun spoke of the Empireās past deeds and what future they pointed towards is pretty sweet - made it all grand and heroic. And it helped that Mah-kunās lines were kept nearly intact from the manga. Iām so glad they didnāt make any change to them besides minor editing - the lines are short and to the point and Ayumu Muraseās delivery was solid here - impassioned and filled with conviction.Ā
The moment of radio silence right before the King gave his decision to execute the Empireās emissary and side with Turkiye gave the atmosphere just a touch of suspense needed to hold everything together. The shot of shocked expressions on the rest of Mah-kunās company that is immediately followed with Mah-kunās timely-given assurance of doing his best to not disappoint the King.
Brilliant as episode 15 was, its calm and sensible pace was only achieved with cutting out the bits that admittedly would not affect the story much - just touches of characterization and bits of plot that would have enriched this universe more.Ā
The bits that were left out:
The signing of the treaty
Mind you, the anime only gave the barebones of what went down, in a way that took out the most riveting part - which is the Duchess and the Doge coming head to head after the signing of the treaty.
I would also prefer if the anime took some extra seconds to actually elaborate on the details of the treatyās conditions - how much of a loss the whole deal incurred for the Empire.
This dialogue showcases that ruthless side of the Doge - something that the anime has yet to do justice. Heās cunning and sly - and while I may come to terms with all the ridiculous talk of realist and idealist and how heās not such a cold-heart, please let us not forget that he left Phoinike to rot and betrayed his friendās expectation, regardless of how justified or rational that decision was.Ā
In a rather bizarre way their philosophies on politics do coincide. Well, except for theĀ āmight makes rightā bit.Ā
The aftermath of Nikiās trading affair with Master Wan:
Itās regretful that the Argyros material was rather clumsily handled towards the end - especially with cutting out the Three Merchantsā reaction towards the whole debacle. The anime does well enough with linear story telling in adventure episodic style but has the tendency to fail spectacularly at conveying the simultaneous involvement and interests of multiple parties in a particular affair.Ā
The Three Great Merchants amusingly reminded me of the Grey SistersĀ in Greek mythology - the trio who only had 1 eye and 1 tooth to use among themselves. It was always Rahmanov who spoke for all three of them, and the other 2 just sit in silence whenever he talked.
The decision came down quickly and thereās no avoiding it. Though itās hard to think of a city that could operate on the basis of pure economics and trade, sans the politics that go with such activities.
I love that Master Wan shows a lot of care for Niki, which makes sense considering the flashbacks of Nikiās father taking her to Master Wanās house quite often in the good old days. And before Master headed in to see the Merchants, there was also a scene of Niki coming in to say good bye to him and his wife too.Ā
Itās just easier to sweep things under the carpet, innit?Ā
And yes, unfortunately, leaving this part out also means a missed opportunity to appreciate Mahmutās foresight.
Ā So those are the bits that should have their appearance in some way or another, considering how much they add to the richness of the plot.Ā
Last, I would like to leave you with the less important bits that were left out but are quite fun and amusing.
1. Donāt underestimate Niki:Ā
Though it is sweet that Mah-kun really cares for Nikiās well-being. After all he did put her in quite a bit of risk back in Argyros.Ā
2. The detailed history of Urado and their military:
The anime somewhat fails at clearly explaining the historical connection between Phoenicia and Urado, which makes it somewhat strange for the King to keep mentioning Phoenicia and the reason for its collapse as an Empire in the anime. Itās also lovely to see the cultural/geographical links between Urado and other countries like Turkiye and Venedik.
Perhaps the subtitle is at fault (Iāve long heard that they are unreliable at times) but this lesson was not quite clearly explained too.
3. Khalil Pashaās guest appearance:
I think itās absolutely amazing that out of all people he could come knocking for oil, he would go to Zaganos. And I love that he would go by himself to get oil, not his servant and everyone just finds that completely normal.Ā
Heās so spying for news about his Maf-kun LOL.
hint hint hint
Gosh, Khalil Pasha and his child-like wonder.
Well, no wonder Abiriga knew all about sterco, considering Venedik freaking monopolized the sterco trade back then. And Zaganos, how thoughtful of him.Ā
And we are done! See you all when Iām done with episode 16!