I feel like Linkin Park’s “Burn it to the ground” is playing through my mind throughout this episode. Belaf explains to Nanachi that this signals Faputa’s return and that the dreams she had were sent to her by Belaf. He gave her his value and memories and is looking for a place to rest. Poor Belaf, he’s suffered so much while being such a decent person at heart. Nanachi learns that Mitty unfortunately cannot travel past the boundaries of the village and she’s about to lose her good friend again. Being Nanachi is suffering. These scenes also hit a lot harder in anime form with animation and music. Kevin Penkin and his team did a fantastic job with this show. The sad music while Mitty dissolves is haunting. I feel like that’s the correct word to describe most of this show; haunting. That’s probably why I use it so much in these reviews.
Inheriting everything that was once Belaf’s, his memories, his resolve and his companions, Nanachi sets out. We jump to Reg waking up after his power nap. The interference unit has been protecting them. He learned from Kuma, didn’t he? After a quick warning from Riko, Reg turns the corner to watch Faputa absolutely destroy the villagers limb from limb in a fit of violent rage.
The villagers all try their best to fight back against Faputa but they’re no match for her. The combination of her insane strength and her deep rage makes her extremely powerful. We see Wazukyan and Vueko look on from a distance. What’s the creepy weirdo planning now? Speaking of weirdos, Reg decides to stop Faputa which feels weird after him being the one to enable her to do what she’s doing right now. Unfortunately for Reg, Faputa sees right through his lies. Poor Faputa, she’s been suffering for so long. We jump back to the past again, but it’s a different past from before. We see Reg and Faputa’s first meeting. It’s a short but sweet flashback. We see Faputa use the village itself to heal her wounds and restore her teeth. She then goes on the attack pretty heavily.
I feel like now is a good moment to point out that the animation for this episode has been pretty stellar. I don’t know if Faputa fisting Reg’s mouth is the part of the series where I would have sent the budget, but who am I to judge? We get more flashbacks after Reg comments on Faputa not being a princess. Her name means a combination of “noble maiden” and “immortal one” and look at how happy the three of them are, like a little family. This flashback makes me wonder who Reg’s master is. More white whistles have been through here since Faputa speaks of travelers with stone people on them who are scary. The fight continues and more of the villagers die. Reg is starting to get desperate.
He has Riko use her whistle to turn him super saiyan, which angers Faputa even more. She’s angry because Riko uses the kind stone person against her. She reveals that she was responsible for taking Prushka to the person that carved her into her new form. She can feel the discomfort of the person in the white whistle and is frustrated that Riko and Reg can’t do the same, leaving Prushka to suffer. Reg is thrown out of the village with Faputa in tow. I am so impressed by the voice actress for Faputa, she sounds so tortured. Wazukyan covers the village in vines to protect it and we get another sweet little flashback to Reg and Faputa in the past. She explains that she wants to kill her mother so she can find rest. She’s spent her entire life having to watch her mother suffer. She’s long made up her mind to eradicate the village regardless of the people who are living there.
We see such a kind version of Faputa in the past, she’s truly just a young girl who’s scared and lonely. They promise each other to leave this place when both of their businesses are done. And the iconic track for the Abyss from season one plays again and I can’t help but tear up a little bit watching Faputa sit there on her own, waiting for Reg to return. This poor girl and her family have known nothing but suffering. And those flashbacks aren’t just flashbacks, they’re signs that Reg is slowly remembering some of the past. Unfortunately, Faputa is not backing down.
This anime is speeding up fast and it looks like they do plan to adapt the entire thing this season. I don’t quite know what to think of it, I think it could have probably done with one or two more episodes so far, but it’s also not so rushed that I think it’s bad. I’m curious to see the conclusion of everything that’s playing out right now. I have good hope it’ll have a strong ending. But that’s me and my opinion, and perhaps you think very differently. Let me know in the comments down below if you do and as always; thanks for reading!
Opal Kaharis 