Episode Director: Mamoru Enomoto [ Episode director and key animator for Fairy Tail episode 44 / Episode Director for Ao No Exorcist episodes 7, 13 and 23 / Episode Director for Gatchaman CROWDS episodes 4 and 8]

Storyboards: Naomi Nakayama[ Director and storyboarded for Casshern SINS 2nd ending sequence / Director and Storyboarded First and Second endings for Arslan Senki]

Script: Aoi Shushiro [ Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace script writer on episodes 3, 4, 5 and 9]

This episode was extremely well-executed!  The music transitions during Silver Mask’s past and his burned face and the maid’s look on her face at him, even down to Kharlan’s son Xandes offering loyalty were just a nice touch to how powerful and slow-paced this anime is.  Silver Mask is generic in how he’s hell-bent on revenge against Andragoras’ family yet he’s got this ferocious intensity that makes him favorable especially in the eyes of his supporters.  This episode points out that Arslan still has a lot of work to do in order to prove how different he is from his father, King Andragoras.

The reveal this time around is that Silver Mask is the son Hermes of the previous king of Pars.  This episode is all about vendetta–Xandes wants to kill Daryun the very man that killed his father and supports Silver Mask’s ideals to claim what’s rightfully his.  I like how we are getting two perspectives of people that want to rule a kingdom.  Arslan proves his individuality out of the fact that he was raised for most of his childhood in a small village with, attending school and being cared for by a nurse maid.  Silver Mask from what’s been seen spent most of his time inside the castle receiving his father’s approval daily.  Arslan, not so much, simply because of how accepting he’s been of others.  Kindness and challenging Pars policies is what separates these two men.  This speaks a lot about his actions especially where he’s risking his life for Elam whom was thrown off his horse from Lusitanian pursuers.

A prince putting his own life before the life of a peasant whereas a few episodes ago Hermes referred to the Lusitanian soldiers as “savages”.  Narsus is training Arslan to have a strong mind, Daryun trains him in strength and it will be his experience through this journey to become King that will ultimately test his spirit.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 10/10

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