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Very rarely am I surprised by what is shown in anime, but I must admit being a bit shocked by what was shown in the previous disc. Seeing Marin beaten during the police interrogation made me uncomfortable, but it’s rare for an anime to shock me enough to draw these types of emotions, which I believe, is a sign of good storytelling. The dichotomy of cute characters set against realistic violence provides some surprises and makes for an interesting watch.

Episode 11: A Broken Umbrella and the Dark Rain

Starting this disc off with a somber note is the sudden death of Marin’s grandmother Moto. As Marin struggles with the death of her last relative, she is challenged with the possibility of joining an orphanage to care for her. To make her pain worse, she feels betrayed by Moe who offers to care for her financially; Marin sees this offer insulting in light of their difference in station.

Episode 12: Fly From the Darkness

Yet another dark start to an episode – an alone Marin is attacked by a distraught mother who believes that Marin was the direct cause in her daughter’s death (Marin went to the EXPO which the Monomakia attacked). Thanks to outside intervention from one of her friends, Marin is saved and told that she should try to complete the goals of the dead. The goal that is suggested is from her grandmother… to make Marin happy. With a new  

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outlook on life, Marin consults Lolo and Melan and they decide that they should try to go to Brigadoon to stop the Monomakia from attacking but they have no way to get there. Meanwhile, the merging of the two worlds become more aggressive as large tracks of land have begun falling on the planet (namely a giant pile of rubble that falls in Tokyo crushing both people and the bridge underneath it). At this point, envoys from the President of the United States approach and ask Marin to join them.

The President asks Marin to join an investigative team to Brigadoon (because of the three Monomakia that she is friends with) and in the background Melan fights with another Monomakia that has come to earth to attack Marin. Agreeing to help the team, we cut back to Marin’s school which watches an internationally televised announcement from the US President. The President explains the current mission to Brigadoon will be a shuttle mission including Marin to everyone’s surprise (especially Moe who is still upset over her fight with Marin).

Episode 13: The Dark Celestial World

Now on the surface of Brigadoon, Marin heads towards the core of Brigadoon with her Monomakia in tow. In the first area, a giant pitfall, Melan and Marin are attacked by a guardian which causes Marin to use her first Monomakia to neutralize it. Now pitched in the throws of a massive battle, the remaining team continues on. The second area is a water area, so her second Monomakia is the ticket here. Once again, an attacker strikes at our heroes and the 2^nd Monomakia peels off the attacker to allow Marin and Melan to continue on.

At the core city, Pyon attacks the pair and Melan stays behind to fight while Lolo leads Marin into the core where she can use her powers. After Marin interacts with the equipment, the core city begins to fall apart and Melan rushes after her despite not beating Pyon. As he catches up to Marin, Melan is shot by Pyon. A distraught Marin can do nothing to help her friend, but then the foreign reaction that Marin was supposed to start finally begins.

Episode 14: Lost In Colors

With the collapse of the Core City, Melan and Marin are dropped out of the city on a platform and wake up on a beach somewhere else. Melan tells Marin that they have gone to another world… one called Funny World which lies between Earth and Brigadoon and can’t be accessed unless there is a Mutual Collapse. Melan’s injuries are so severe that he is unable to transform into an ampoule to heal quickly but instead must remain in his current form.

The episode serves as sort of a recap episode with all aspects of Marin’s life being analyzed by the Ruling Committee of Brigadoon (that Lolo is a member of) but most especially the possibility that she may not be the Creis that everyone suspects she is. Also brought up is the fact that the Monomakia that have been sent after Marin have been trying to kill her instead of capturing her, which brings up suspicion of a potential conspiracy.

A very interesting series so far, the cute package and presentation offsets its ability to create dark images and topics easily.

- Tazman

(March 27, 2004)

“...and this is my Aunt Beru action figure. See, she's got a pitcher to pour a young Jedi refreshing drinks.”

          - Gimpy (Undergrads)

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