Get Backers

I figured that there are SO many unused tags, I might as well pick an episode with a huge cast and just ramble about it.

Anyway, this episode focuses mainly on Ginji/Raitei’s role in the Limitless Fortress while revealing a little bit more about the nature of the place.  Ban, Shido, Hevn, Himiko, and Kazuki appear briefly before the episode ends, but I’ll talk about them anyway.

We start the episode with Ginji and Akabane meandering around the basement levels of the Limitless Fortress  (Which I’ll call L.F.) before a gang shows up and blocks their way.  They then tell Ginji and Akabane to get out of the way before they’re  killed, and of course I’m shaking my head because they’re stupid (this is called dramatic irony by the way, because the viewers know what the characters don’t– the gang is going to die just for showing its face to Akabane).

But Ginji saves the day and doesn’t allow Akabane to kill these men–and not through words either, but physical force.  Akabane is disappointed, but stays quiet when he witnesses Ginji doing this:

He realizes that Ginji’s power (and his own interest) is growing by the second.  So smiling ever-so-politely, he turns and starts walking away saying “well, let’s continue” or whatever it is that Akabane says.  But Ginji doesn’t follow because he’s angry and troubled and having flashbacks.

Major plus points.  Ginji is not the sweet, naïve person we all thought he was, and he had a dark past in which he was manipulative and out of control.  It adds more depth to his character, and that’s the one thing I love about ‘Get Backers’–its awesome characters.

But thennnnnn we turn to MakubeX talking about his calculations.

Forgive me, but I have to say it: ugh!

MakubeX really bothers me right until about the second half of the 5th volume.  I feel sorry for him, EVERYONE feels sorry for him, but I think that the writers really harped upon his ‘calculating’ nature a bit too much.

And as for Sakura?  She looks like she can be an amazing character, but she might as well be nonexistent because the only thing she does is allow MakubeX to use her lap as a pillow.  A major bun role.  The manga does a better job overall, but still– in the first half, she’s either a sidekick or a live demonstrator of Raitei’s ability to turn people to barbecue.  A wasted role, I think.

Yeah, we get it.

Whennn he says THIS about Ginji though–

–and proceeds to call him the equivalent of ‘chaos’, I have to admit my opinion of him increased.  Congratulations MakubeX, you provided me with more evidence for the argument that Ginji=God/Prophet and Ban=Devil/Devil’s child!  It makes for an amazing symbolism and discussion, doesn’t it?  This show/manga really needs more credit than it’s given.

But the mood is ruined again when Kagami speaks.

Yeah, we get this too–you like to observe.  sure, like w/ever.  This trait of his makes him a bit bothersome.

After he leaves with Juubei, Sakura proceeds to voice her discomfort with Kagami.  MakubeX agrees with her concern.

As for me, I’ve never felt the same air of mystery and uncertainty that I’ve gotten from Akabane and Ban.  I think both those characters are 100x times more interesting than Kagami (who has a very pathetic fate indeed).  I wonder who else applauded when Ban punched him in the face?

The episode rolls on.

Then FINALLY we get to the part I’ve been waiting for:  The confrontation between Kagami and Juubei vs. Akabane and Ginji! Woot!

…and we get this.

What a moronic spaz.  Ginji, I love you.

This scene still makes me laugh, Ginji is just so adorably dense in it.

Akabane agrees:

<Some more talk.  Skipping, skipping, skipping>

Oh, right! One of my favorite lines EVER.  It’s Ginji’s response to Juubei’s accusation that he became a Get Backer for the money.

Gorgeous —  One other line was in Ginji’s flashback–they were Paul’s lines (about human nature, and the hole that comes when something that can’t be retrieved–love, or friendship).  Grr, I forget what episode.  Maybe I’ll do that one next, if I find it.

Moving on….

Aha!  Juubei finally admits to Ginji about killing Kazuki.  And Ginji is not pleased at all.

And Juubei does.

Oh wow, scary.  Very very scary.  This is the first time we’ve seen Ginji this angry and out of control.  And so, the slow and torturous transformation begins…..

Once he’s alone, Ginji flops down, thinking that he’s forgotten something important.

What a lovable spaz. ^___^ ❤

And then we get to the fight between Kagami and Akabane.  I’ve been anticipating this!

It’s a challenge!!  Akabane would love to accept, except….

He’s not wrong, is he?  ^o^

But of course, he has to fight.  Kagami is supposed to be an enigma, right?

Kagami!  You’re getting interesting!

Oh, never mind.

The fight continues with Kagami getting skewered by Akabane’s scalpels.  You mean to say I was excited over this?!

As it turns out, this was a ploy all along.  Kagami was never really there (instead was a mirror illusion), and it was an excuse to “observe” Akabane.  Lame!  He ran away.

Hey, but to be honest, I enjoyed this fight almost as much as Akabane did.  He did some pretty cool things, and we got a little bit more insight into Akabane’s fighting technique.

So it’s almost the end of the episode!  Kagami and Juubei chat for awhile, and Juubei begins to raise some doubts about MakubeX’s plans and leadership abilities.  At least he’s smarter than his sister.

We also learn more about Ginji in the VOLTS era.  So many interesting things about Ginji are revealed in this episode!!

Sweet!  More evidence of the God-like nature of Ginji/Raitei.  And notice the beam of light shining down from the sky as Juubei’s speaking about Ginji.  Hmm, I thought they were in the basement?

Seriously, this show is big on contrast.  Ex.  A little bit of Ginji’s dark past is revealed, and then we turn to the current Ginji who acts like a spaz.  This case was no exception.  We learned a little bit about how the old Ginji used to be, and then we turn to the current one who….

…acts like a spaz.  Does this guy look like he’s capable of saving people from the ‘darkness of the Limitless Fortress’?

Maybe, if the people in L.F. like chibis.

And guess what he forgot?

If you’ve watched the episode, you might have noticed the cheesy orchestral/romantic/’we’ve finally reunited!’ music playing in the background.  WOW!  That was just hilarious.  This is probably my favorite scene from the episode.  ^___^

And they continue onwards.

….

Hey!  Guess who the writers have neglected since the start of this episode!

Congrats guys, you’ve made it!

Moving on.

Himiko and Hevn are traveling together.  They are bickering.

Hevn gets captured.  Himiko comments.

Hevn says a cool line.

Himiko tries to save her, but guess who saves the day instead!

Hey, where did you come from?

The continuing dialogue is as follows:

Hevn:  Great!  You can show us the way!  You know everything about this place, right?

Kazuki: No.

Hevn: ….

Kazuki:  I tried going through the mid-floors once.  I almost died, it was so dangerous.

Hevn:  If it was so dangerous, why did you try going there?

A line which is meant to make the viewers excited.  Though to be fair, it actually it worked for me.  And Kazuki’s dark sadness really carries over.

Then we turn back to MakubeX’s headquarters.  A close up of everyone follows.

But you can’t end it unless MakubeX does a cliché evil genius line, right?

THE END!

Well….huh.  That’s funny.  It’s like the writers remembered in the last minute that there are five other characters floating around who are integral to the plot.  Then pushed them to the remaining three minutes of the episode.

…

All in all, lots of good things, lots of bad things.  The plot was rushed towards the end, Kagami is a douche, and MakubeX is extremely twisted, BUT that is completely overshadowed because Ginji totally stole the spotlight!  He was funny, engaging, and the true contrasting nature of Ginji began emerging in this episode.  Tension is rising, with more Ginji becoming angry more frequently and glimpses of Raitei increasing.  It’s quite confusing and fascinating, how two completely different personalities inhabit the same body (Ginji seriously has D.I.D….), and I love that Ginji is much darker than we all initially thought.  Although this whole episode was really about him and his past anyway, I wish that other characters weren’t pushed aside as a result of that.  The manga didn’t have the same problem, so it’s definitely a planning mistake.

Either way, Get Backers does an amazing job on characterization.  Nobody is how they really seem (as is the case with everyone in real life), and usually in ways you don’t expect.

Ginji is so cute though, isn’t he?  ^___^  Hmm, this took much longer than I thought it would– it didn’t help that it kept freezing on both windows media AND real player.  The DVDs are getting old… ~___~”

Maybe I should copy them onto the computer before they completely bust…..