Quick Summary
In In/Spectre episode 10, “Dueling Factions,” Kotoko Iwanaga launched the second phase of her attack. While Kurou Sakuragawa fought Steel Lady Nanase to keep her occupied — literally risking both life and limb — Saki Yumihara monitored both the physical and virtual fights. Every time Kotoko would make a move, Steel Lady Nanase would seem to get momentarily weaker. Then their opponent, Rikka Sakuragawa, looked into the future (with everything that entailed) and renewed her assault. Can Kotoko sway enough of the audience to her side — at least one of her sides? Or does Rikka have better control over her ability than Kurou does — meaning she can out maneuver them both? And just what is Rikka after, anyway?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Best Moment in the Show
Well, dang. Now what are they going to do? Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
In a duel between two beings with the super natural power to see and effect the future, what happens when one of the combatants is just a little better than the other? We find out in my Best in Show moment for this episode!
I thought Kotoko’s third story was making pretty good progress by the end of the episode. She had incorporated and more more facts into her story, and we’ve all heard how a little truth can make a lie that much stronger. But even as Kotoko seemed to think they were close to a victory, Saki observed that Steel Lady Nanase (and I’m not giving up on my alternative, the I-Beam Idol) wasn’t getting any weaker. Then a swing of the I-beam sliced Kurou in half.
Gotta say, as many times as we’ve seen Kurou die, this one was brutal. My reaction was pretty much the same as Saki’s.
There should have been an up-side to him dying. It should have been an opportunity for him to find another future thread to grab on to and move their efforts in the right direction. As he was starting to feel through the threads, Rikka herself began directly tearing holes in Kotoko’s story. I thought that was a good sign, too. They’d made enough progress that Rikka felt it necessary to personally take charge of her defense.
I don’t blame Saki for this reaction — I’m right there with her! Man, that strike was brutal. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Now, I’m not so sure.
Because as Kurou reached for a strand of time, it vanished. He found himself stranded on a branch that went nowhere. As the argument swirled around him, dramatized by a red vortex, he saw the strands receding completely out of reach.
I love this idea! There might actually be no future path to success for her heroes0. Rikka might have out maneuvered them. It hadn’t occurred to me that Kurou’s power might be limited in this way, and it’s more dramatic than I expected. I’m really looking forward to seeing how our heroes react to this wrinkle in time.
What did you think of Kotoko’s stories? What was your Best in Show moment? Let me know in the comments!
Other Posts about This Series
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Kyokou Suiri – Episode 10 discussion
- AngryAnimeBitches: In/Spectre Episode 10 – Dueling Fictions
- Rabujoi: In / Spectre – 10 – Bogged Down in Committee
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- In/Spectre Episode 1: One Eye, One Leg
- In/Spectre Episode 2: What the Guardian Serpent Heard
- In/Spectre Episode 3: The Rumors of the Steel Lady
- In/Spectre Episode 4: Idol Dies by Steel Beam
- In/Spectre Episode 5: A Monster of the Imagination
- In/Spectre Episode 6: Logical Fiction
- In/Spectre Episode 7: Preparing to Conquer the Steel Lady
- In/Spectre Episode 8: She Who Spins Fiction
- In/Spectre Episode 9: The Committee to Conquer Steel Lady Nanase
- In/Spectre Episode 10: Dueling Factions
- In/Spectre Episode 11: The Ultimate Fiction
- In/Spectre Episode 12: She Who Defends Order
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