Synduality Noir Episode 1: Favorites

Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts

Synduality Noir Episode 1 – Quick Summary

In Synduality Noir episode 1, “My Name Is,” Kanata and Tokio scoured the ruins for useful technology. Kanata was shocked to find a discarded Magus – a mech’s AI-powered artificial humanoid – lying on a bed of flowers. Before Kanata could investigate, a pack of Enders came on the scene. Can Kanata and Tokio rescue the Magus? How did she come to be there? And even if they can rescue her, can they get away from the advancing pack of Enders?

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

Favorite Quote from Synduality Noir Episode 1

I’m actually inclined to give Kanata the benefit of the doubt here. Capture from the Hulu stream.

Did you know that, within this story, an alternate name for the mythical city Histoire is Paradise? I don’t think Ellie knew. Or if she knew, I think circumstances blasted it from her mind.

See, Ellie has a crush on Kanata. When she and Ange stopped to talk to Kanata, they seemed suspicious about his evasions. That’s when Ange rushed to his bedroom/workroom and threw open the doors.

Noir lay naked on the bed.

In Kanata’s defense, he was merely trying to run a diagnostic. I believed him when he said he accidentally disrobed her. At least, he certainly seemed surprised when it happened! Whatever the explanation, Noir had been unconscious, and Kanata wanted to see if he could revive her.

Unfortunately, Ellie and Ange’s scream and strangled exclamation (respectively) seemed to wake up Noir. The first thing she said was (10:03), “Next time, I’ll take you to Paradise.”

Obviously, that was something left in her verbal buffer from her last shutdown. But you can guess how Ellie interpreted it. And you know what? I can’t blame her!

Favorite Moment from Synduality Noir Episode 1

What can I say? I’m a sucker for “switching modes.” Capture from the Hulu stream.

Setup: Tried and True

Tropes are tropes because they work. They’re a narrative construct that relies on a shared understanding to deliver an emotional impact in a short period of time. Also, there are no new stories under the sun. Writers have had to work with a handful of plot structures since the dawn of time, so it’s impossible to see anything that’s really new or fresh. 

Unless you don’t consume a lot. There are times I envy those for whom everything is new!

I bring up tropes and plots because I could make the case that Noir’s amnesia is a common trope. Or that my favorite moment is a plot device we have seen many times. But the whole point of my reviews is to share my favorite quote and favorite moment, and I want to be as honest with you as I can. So yes, you can call my favorite moment a cliche, and I cannot objectively argue with you.

Part of me thinks this should not have worked. Another part said it was too busy having fun to listen. Capture from the Hulu stream.

Yet, it’s still my favorite moment.

Noir awoke with no memory. She has language and locomotion. Well, mostly – she’s a bit of a klutz. Throughout the whole episode, up until the very end, neither Kanata nor Noir could figure out where she came from or who she was.

Towards the end, a swarm of enders attacked the city. Tokio, Ellie, Ange, and the others could barely hold them back. Kanata planned to pilot one of their mechs, but he had to admit to Noir that he had failed the pilot tests. But he couldn’t let his friends die, so he was going to try.

Plucky, huh? Also cliche, but I admit I liked it.

Delivery: Forgotten Hyper-Competence to the Rescue

So, he marched to battle. Well, he staggered into battle. Dude couldn’t pilot the mech to save his life. That’s when a gigantic ender showed up. With apparent ease, it dismantled Ellie’s mech. Kanata arrived just in time to attract its attention.

Which is to say, it swatted him aside.

That’s when Noir strode up to the mech and said (20:57), “Open the coffin and allow me inside.” The mech, apparently without input from Kanata, obeyed her. Just as I was think, “Okay, that’s kinda cool,” the mech recognized her as “NOIR” and brought its combat systems online.

“Switching modes,” she said, and all around Kanata, the mech’s combat systems came up with their full holographic interfaces. Apparently, Noir is a combat Magus, skilled beyond even the butler that Tokio teamed up with, because with Noir’s help, Kanata wiped out the monster within seconds. She didn’t even have to use bullets, which is good because Kanata had wasted them with wildly inaccurate shots. She showed him how to use the blade instead.

They even ended in a graceful stance.

They even stuck the landing. Well, Noir did, anyway. Capture from the Hulu stream.

Yep. Having amnesia but still remembering how to fight is a cliche. But it worked for me. I found it dramatic and visually appealing. I also want to know more about Noir. That was the end of the episode, and it left me feeling positive and wanting more. Pretty good work for the entry point to the series!

What did you think of the visit to Maria’s place? Did she remind you as much as me of Ernesta Kühne from The Asterisk War? Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!

Synduality Noir Episode 1: Other Posts

Other Anime Sites

• Reddit: Synduality Noir – Episode 1 discussion
• RABUJOI: Synduality: Noir – 01 (First Impressions) – Two to Tango

This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)

• Synduality Noir Episode 1: My Name Is
• Synduality Noir Episode 2: My Master
• Synduality Noir Episode 3: Behind the Mask
• Synduality Noir Episode 4: Wild Daisy
• Synduality Noir Episode 5: Drifting the Maze
• Synduality Noir Episode 6: Die is Cast
• Synduality Noir Episode 7: My Dear
• Synduality Noir Episode 8: Pure Dream
• Synduality Noir Episode 9: Legendary Hero
• Synduality Noir Episode 10: Drifters’ Pride
• Synduality Noir Episode 11: Storm of A.I.
• Synduality Noir Episode 12: Mirage of the Ideal