Episode 11, here we go. Remember how shit hit the fan last week? I’m sure this week’s episode will calm down and everyone will be happy and nothing bad will happen. On that happy note, let’s dive into the opening for what is possibly the last time, since I wouldn’t be too surprised if they skip it for the finale next week. This week’s episode is titled value
It turns out Juroimoh is still alive and Faputa orders it to hold down Reg. Faputa now aims her anger at Riko, with the villagers trying to protect her. Wazukyan is still looking on with Vueko from a distance. Luckily, the interference unit steps in to protect Riko. They explain their purpose and are taken out of commission. Their goal was to protect Faputa’s future. Unfortunately the whistle is a one time use and takes some time to recharge so they’re completely at Faputa’s mercy now. This poor girl is so completely distressed and it’s all Wazukyan’s fault. Yet her anger is aimed at everyone else.
Remember how Belaf set out last episode? Belaf and Nanachi are here to save the day. Nanachi looks so badass in her new helmet. It’s nice to find out that Belaf is still a good guy even after all this time. It just goes to show that Wazukyan is a master schemer. Faputa smells her mother in Belaf and the anger swells. Belaf has a gift for Faputa. It’s his memories of the time he spent with her mother, Vueko and everyone else. It’s the only thing that wasn’t taken from him by the village and it’s for this moment, to show them to Faputa. Belaf is truly the MVP of this arc. Goodbye Belaf, you were the best of them.
Nanachi confirms to us that Wazukyan is to blame for this entire situation. We knew this already, but in the back of my mind I still wondered if he had a plan beyond just living like this. And Nanachi agrees, she wonders if Wazukyan still has an ace up his sleeve. You can’t help but wonder, the guy is creepy beyond belief. He explains to Vueko that Faputa is now aware of both of them and their deeds, putting Vueko in a pretty safe position and Wazukyan in a pretty tough position. Once again, poor Faputa and poor Irumyuui, both used and abused by Wazukyan and the village. Remember that giant hole that they blessed into the village? It’s bigger now and monsters are pouring in through it. That can’t be good.
And what shows up but a turbinid-dragon, one of the most dangerous creatures we’ve seen so far. Can this day get any worse? Monsters charge in to snack on the villagers who are all starting to panic. I’ve got to respect the villagers for still prioritizing Riko’s safety. Faputa rages on, angry that her prey is being stolen from her by these monsters. Unfortunately there’s not much she can do against this many beasts, even though she tries her very best to turn this part of the village into a bloody mess.
The villagers look on as Faputa is getting torn to shreds. They feel like they owe her, even after all that’s been done to them. Even her siblings, that Vueko had taken care of for all these long years, show up to help her, but no one is a match for the turbinid-dragon. Even Faputa seems to be at the end of her ropes. Everyone is defending their princess, even the interference unit uses their last bit of strength. They were like a parent to Faputa, after all. Watching Faputa get thrown around like this is heart wrenching. When she wakes up again, villagers are standing around her, sacrificing part of their body to heal her. Faputa laments the things she doesn’t know as she feasts on the villagers. An anger burns in Faputa as she gets more powerful than she ever was from absorbing so many of the villagers. And just like that we only have one more episode left.
This episode was over in a flash and looked disturbingly bloody. Faputa’s bloody body being thrown around still lingers in my mind. In general I’m not a huge fan of gore and horror, and this was definitely a lot for me to watch and read. I will say about Made in Abyss that I do think the anime is a lot better than the manga. When I first read this part I didn’t feel nearly as invested as I did when watching it. I’m not a big fan of people who say you need to consume something multiple times to fully understand it. That’s just bad writing, and I do think the manga has its fair share of problems. What we really see here, at least in my opinion, is that animation and music can improve upon something a lot. It is kind of rare for me to prefer an anime over the manga because the pacing of the story is often a lot better done in the manga, but that doesn’t mean it always has to be the case. When it comes to Made in Abyss, I definitely believe the anime to be better. Either way, that’s my thoughts on this week’s episode, I hope you all will join me here again next week for the finale. Thanks for reading.
Opal Kaharis 