Episode Director: Suzuki Kaoru [Episode director of Psycho-Pass episode 5, and season 2’s Episode 3]

Storyboards: Suzuki Kaoru

Script: Inotsume Shin’ichi [Eureka Seven AO episodes 5,6,15,16 and 21, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Akatsuki no Yona]

The animation had very detailed character designs this time around and yet MANGLOBE still couldn’t keep it consistent.  The production studio must have gotten a lot of new animators in their offices because of how on/off this show has looked since it premiered.  There’s a few shots of Alex and those kids that were too jagged looking and not rounded off in the characters’ faces like before.  Perhaps I’m being too picky on this show.  On a positive note, it doesn’t completely detract away from the grittiness and maturity that the anime is trying to get across.

After having a two-week break of new material in the GANGSTA anime this show is back!  All the chaos back at Bastard this episode achieves what it does best.  Being smooth.   The soundtrack points this out wonderfully.  For the majority of this episode we learn a lot about the Handymen having zero connection with the four families.  Nice to see that they aren’t the only ones in the same boat too!  What’s explored here is that the families particularly the Monroe family know these two men are extremely dangerous to keep in their pockets.  Worwick is dangerous for his memory–and could quite possibly tear down Ergastulum with it’s secrets hidden between the alleyways. Nicholas’ behavior says everything to them–they can’t have a Tag that doesn’t fully obey orders even when it’s at times where he doesn’t even listen to Worwick, his holder.

It doesn’t stop there–and I think this is where its gets very exciting.  Now that we’ve seen the main casts backstories, this episode rehashes a ton of old wounds and introduces us to some new ones.  Alex still finding her place in the group, trying to get an even better understanding how their relationship with the doctor Theo is.  Nina’s a bright aura that this show has needed since the start–she accepts Theo’s quirks and makes the best out of any situation with a smile.  I’ve said before the directing is top notch and so it makes the characterization extremely smooth and realistic.  Nina’s still a child–her innocence shows up quite a bit in then beginning of this episode!  Fantastic!

If I hadn’t been reading the manga I would have been jaw-droppingly surprised that there’s romance between Constance and Marco.  Very strong dialogue during that sequence by its two seiyuu!  That scene didn’t hit the ground until Theo and Galahad mention it being a curse or a cure.  Hearty moments right after grittiness action is one aspect that makes this anime special.

GANGSTA‘s episode here gave me the impression that the Handymen were creating their own small family with the scenes in Theo’s office and the rooftop.  It wasn’t all smiles though–Worwick discloses to Delico that his twin was there and I like how Worwick’s powerful memorization abilities trace back to when Nicholas and he were a little younger and first met Delico.  Great to see Worwick being of use outside of the fighting back and forth in this episode!  If this series had been 2-cour and they went for split-cour airing, MANGLOBE and series director Koichi Hatsumi could very well had chosen this episode to end the first half.  Nicely done!  Ivan leading the new Twilight hunters with Emilio a part of the group should give a solid dramatic turn for the better in these final two episodes!  Hopefully they don’t do something crazy like an anime original ending because so far this has been a solid adaptation.

It’s also good to see that the Handymen have hidden Miss Cristiano at their place.  Even if these families have to keep the Handymen at a distance far away from their business dealings they can always rely on them to protect their comrades.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 8/10

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