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Re:CREATORS Episode 10: A Fleeting Upgrade and the Pillar of Worlds

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Quick Summary of Re:CREATORS Episode 10

In Re:Creators episode 10, “We know exactly how you think and how you’re fighting,” Alicetelia February is determined to take revenge on Meteora Österreich, facts be damned! Souta Mizushino decides between going into harm’s way and hiding, and his track record for courage is not hopeful. Yuuya Mirokuji faces off again against Makagami Chikujouin, and he hasn’t learned not to talk to her yet. Finally, Takashi Matsubara is forced to try a desparate gamble — can Selesia Upitiria possibly survive it?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious!

What’s In This Post

Quick Episode Summary
What Happened in this Episode
What I Liked in this Episode
What I Liked Not so Much in this Episode
Thoughts about the Episode
Related Posts

What Happened in Re:CREATORS Episode 10

Mizushino Calls for Backup

I never expected these two to team up — without them trying to kill each other! Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

As Alicetelia launches her attack, Meteora tells Mizushino to call Aki Kikuchihara for backup. When Mirokuji tries to join in, Chikujouin asks the knight if she’d like some help. Reluctantly, she accepts so she can focus on Meteora. The latter’s almost completely defensive as Alicetelia unleashes a torrent of attacks. Meanwhile, Mirokuji comes up against the limits of his characterization and is unable to stop listening to Chikujouin, who tricks him into revealing Hangaku is a curse. Of course, the more she knows, the more convincing her lies can become, and she tricks him into betting she couldn’t take Hangaku from him.

As Alicetelia knocks Meteora into a wall and prepares to torture her, Mizushino tries to stand between them. Armed only with his words, he tries to convince the knight her story didn’t keep him entertained because of the torture or death of her people. It was her courage; it was the hope that she’d prevail. And it was the inspiration he and other readers felt as they identified with her struggles. The knight pauses and seems to consider, but Mamika Kirameki’s death is still too fresh, and the pain of finding that her world was a lie is too great. She asks Mizushino to step aside. He refuses. She attacks; Meteora pushes him aside and takes the force of the strike. She’s hurled across the pavement. Selesia arrives, propelled by a column of crimson energy.

Selesia makes a dramatic and grand entrance. The animation in this episode was a joy to watch. Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

Rui Kanoya hovers in Gigas Machina above, as the mech’s size makes him a weapon of last resort. Selesia tries to engage Alicetelia, but her sword changes into rose petals, and Alicetelia’s lance plunges completely through her body.

Altair’s Holopsicon’s “Representation Exposition”

Hanging in the air above them, Altair takes credit, saying she used her Holopsicon’s “Representation Exposition” to change the composition of Selesia’s sword. Selesia, coughing up blood, barely has the energy to un-impale herself and leap backwards to stand beside Mizushino and the fallen Meteora. Takashi Matsubara, Selesia’s creator/writer, arrives with Kikuchihara and the military, and he rushes to Selesia’s side. Altair orders the knight to finish Selesia, but Alicetelia is too shocked to do more than examine the blood on her gauntlet. Instead, Blitz Talker takes aim and fires. A badly injured Mirokuji deflects the bullet; Hangaku is no longer by his side. Despite his injuries, he attacks Blitz. An impatient Kanoya tries to join the battle, but Altair uses the Holopsicon’s “Factor Mimic” to produce another Gigas Machina to fight him. With so much turmoil, Altair decides it’s time to bring her plan to fruition.

Altair still seems to be many steps ahead of our heroes. Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

Seeing this, Meteora and Selesia try to tell Mizushino and Matsubara to run away and save themselves. Pretending to be enraged at such pedestrian dialogue (to hide his concern for Selesia), Matsubara says that he refuses to let his character die at the hands of a Altair, who was drawn by some unnamed artist. He releases the scene he’d written before with Marine to social media, along with Marine’s sketch. Incredibly, a core set of Selesia’s fans like the idea of the new sword, costume, and powers, and begin circulating it among their friends.

For a moment, it catches enough of the public’s attention that Selesia transforms into the character shown in Marine’s sketch. Her attack nearly incinerates Alicetelia; it turns most of the parking lot into rubble. Her form showing digital distortion, Altair realizes that if she were to “shake the pillar” now, she’d be the one repelled. She orders Blitz and Alicetelia to withdraw before she disappears herself.

Selesia made excellent use of her upgrade. It’s more than a little too bad that it was only temporary. Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

Selesia’s upgrade was temporary, and she found her form return to its original state — along with the terrible and perhaps fatal wound. Kikuchihara orders the soldiers to take her to the hospital. After they leave, Chikujouin asks her new partner, Hangaku, if she had fun. Then, after a dramatic pose in the rising sun, Chikujouin scurries off in search of more entertainment.

What I Liked about Re:CREATORS Episode 10

Chikujouin as a Battle Kitten?

Everyone’s so leery of what Chikujouin says that when she whistled for attention early in the battle, even Alicetelia stopped to hear what she had to say. The black-uniformed schoolgirl offers to help the knight, and her boast in previous episodes that she doesn’t have negative emotions seemed to still hold true: when Alicetelia said she didn’t want Chikujouin’s “sullied hands” to help her, the black-uniformed schoolgirl said that the knight should accept the help even of a little kitten. The argument seemed effective, though I’m still shaking my head every time anyone listens to her!

Chikujouin as a battle kitten? She certainly proved that she’s more or less immune to insults… Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

When Mizushino called to ask Kikuchihara for help, his reacted to her saying to hold on was the same level of incredulity as mine. Doesn’t she have any idea what their foes are capable of doing? I think they might need to give additional thought to their rapid-response tactics!

It’s a little detail, but I liked how the laser/energy blasts from Alicetelia’s Knight of Dawn didn’t curve as Meteora tried to evade. Realism adds to the tension in a scene.

Mizushino decides to level up his bravery in this episode — and it’s about time, too! It took a lot of guts to stand up to the knight. She hasn’t demonstrated restraint in the past, and Mizushino know it!

Did I hear right? Did Alicetelia — who’s basically armored like a walking main battle tank — tell Meteora to face her in a “fair” battle? Little Meteora, who’s completely unarmored and whose magic is proven less than effective against the knight? Maybe fair means something else where Alicetelia’s from?

Outstanding Audio Effects

The sound effects in this battle were great. Even something like the sound of Alicetelia’s heavy footsteps gave a sense of weight and purpose. The animation kept pace — so many little beautiful details and moments.

I’ve noticed it before, and it bears mentioning again: Chikujouin is so excited half the time that she can’t help but dance; like when she was baiting Mirokuji with what she said she knew about Hangaku.

Doing what you know needs done in spite of fear — that’s bravery. In this episode, Mizushino discovered that he could be brave. Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

I thought that Mizushino’s speech to Alicetelia was about as effective as it could have been. He demonstrated that he knew her world; he told her he’d been rooting for her and that she’d be able to push back her enemies and save her people. Unfortunately, she was too far gone in despair, and she was too far in over her head, to listen. Maybe it was her characterization that made her immune to pleas like this; or maybe it was the cynicism and despair from all the fruitless fighting she’d been through, but she just couldn’t let go of the only certainty before her: vengeance for her dead friend.

“Grand Entrance of the Week” goes to Selesia for arriving in a crimson column of energy. Very dramatic! I just hope it’s not her last entrance…

Wonderful Soundtrack and Animation

The animation of most aspects of the battle was a blast to watch. The music, too, seemed to be on par for this series: dramatic, uplifting when appropriate, and always stylish.

If I ever find myself in this situation, I hope I can acquit myself as well as Matsubara did. He refused to abandon her; he even came up with a solid tactic to help. Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

I think my favorite scene in this episode, and maybe even in the whole series to date, is Matsubara’s reaction to Selesia telling him to run to safety. He was almost frantic with worry and there was no way he’d leave her there to die. Maybe it’s because I put myself in his place and wondered how I’d feel if a character I’d created and loved was in in a similar situation. I could see myself saying the same kind of things.* I really bought into the emotion in that scene.

When Selesia’s new form faded as its mindshare in social media waned, she fell backwards — and it was one of the most realistic falls I’ve seen in anime. No false dramatics; no ceremony or bravery; just a body wounded beyond its ability to stand crashing down. Chillingly effective.

* Someday, I hope the world will know some of my characters. Maybe my next trilogy will be the one to actually get published? Maybe I should buy flying pig insurance just in case?

What I Liked Less about Re:CREATORS Episode 10

Uh, wasn’t Alicetelia trying to skewer Selesia? Then, why does the knight look so shocked? Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

Why does Alicetelia look so shocked when he attack connected with Meteora instead of Mizushino? Was she expecting him to die instead? But then why would she look shocked? I’m likely missing something, because this show’s well-plotted, but I just didn’t get her reaction.

And why so shocked that her lance pierced Selesia? Is Alicetelia so used to losing that this is new and shocking to her?

Even worse: We have to wait until July 8, 2017 for the start of the second cour!

Thoughts about Re:CREATORS Episode 10

Altair’s Resiliency

How did Altair survive Mamika Kirameki’s blast? Can she become incorporeal at will? She was apparently none the worse for wear when she arrived for this episode. I hope we get some more information about her longevity, but maybe we have enough clues in how she pixelates and disappears from time to time — seemingly at will.

Is Alicetelia really not an idiot? Has she just succumb to despair? She seemed almost on the verge of letting Mizushino talk her down. It was almost like she just couldn’t grasp that something might come out right. I can’t blame her. It sounds like her world’s about as dark as the come.

Why was Selesia’s upgrade temporary? Was it that a social media post fades quickly, and an anime lasts longer in viewer’s consciousness? Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

Why was Selesia’s upgrade temporary? Was its incarnation linked to social media mindshare? If the change were more widely published, would the change be permanent? As it is, it looks like her injuries are the worst among our heroes. I just don’t see how anyone, even a warrior like Selesia, could survive a 5 or 6 centimeter hole through her spine. I can’t even be so sure that either Meteora or Mirokuji don’t have life-threatening injuries. Both of them were seriously beat up. With Altair’s ability to transform their weapons into flowers, and with the sheer ability to project force from Alicetelia and Blitz, I’m not sure the odds are going to improve anytime soon.

What’ll It Take to Turn the Tide?

Unless…

Mizushino found some courage in this episode! I think the show’s done a great job showing a high school student who’s a writer trying to deal with his own guilt and with supernatural events. Between Selesia being nice to him and Meteora’s direct support, he seems to be finding his footing. His first foray into verbal combat almost convinced Alicetelia. If he can keep gaining confidence, he might have a positive impact.

Now that Chikujouin has Hangaku, she’s even more dangerous. But at least she has a (albeit strange) sense of style, as we can see as she shows us her “best pose facing the sun!” Capture from the Amazon Prime stream.

That kind of thing is the only way our heroes can win, I think. We saw what Matsubara and Marine were able to accomplish, and that’s a start. But beyond the potential to sway or upgrade their creations, the writers/creators have one other card to play. No matter how good the created characters, no matter how powerful or intelligent they are, I don’t think they can be smarter than their writer. A writer can’t create a character who can think better than they can. There’d be no way to show that kind of thought, and any attempt would ring hollow. That makes me suspect the writers hold the key.

What do you think? Do you see any other way for our heroes to get the upper hand? Or heck, even to avoid annihilation? Let me know in the comments!

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