- Genre : Fantasy, Adventure, action, political
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
I don’t know guys, the last few episodes have highlighted the frustrating inconsistency and disregard for plot integrity that have plagued A Record of Grancrest War throughout the season. And this one is no better. Although it did have it’s moments it did seem like a largely useless detour with only two episodes left to go. I can’t wait to see how tcrow manages to put a positive spin on this one!
So you know how we just found pout the the Mages were the real bad guys and the secret group called Pandora within the mages were the even badder guys. Well put that aside for a moment because it turns out the church are also the bad guys. (Isn’t that always the case)!
So um, Grancrest?… We’re at episode 22 (of 24) and you want me to get to know an entire new group of antagonists? And care? Don’t we already have a few things to clear up here? What about the werewolves, surely they weren’t just there to give us a couple of rarely seen fanservicy maid lollies? Or the vampires, they were supposed to be a thing, weren’t they? What’s going on with the witches? We still don’t know anything about the assassins. In fact, I don’t even know who the evil mages are….Did the slaves ever revolt? Is that quelled? Did Theo just slaughter them to teach the rest a lesson?
So apparently the Order (the church) is also against Theo and just a straight forward unsophisticated evil. Just to make it clear (for a change), Grancrest even had the representatives of the Order casually plan to sacrifice hundreds of innocents as a PR move in the first minute. One thing’s for sure, we know who we’re expected to root for.
Now I can’t predict what’s going to happen to Theo and Siluca. I have no cue whether those crazy kids are going to make it out of this alive. I’m fairly confident that marriage is NOT going to last though. Since the Order put our a veiled declaration of war, Priscilla offered to go negotiate a non aggression treaty in person. Boy did that not go over well with Theo. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so agitated. In fact he only agreed to let her go once Siluca offered to accompany her. Because having his fiancée in danger also made it better.
I know what you’re going to say…Siluca is a trained battle mage with combat experience so it’s different. Consider this:
- Theo has had no qualms about putting civilians, actual children and twin teenage maids on the battle front.
- Priscilla’s initial role was to assist the wounded IN BATTLE. Theoretically, she should be equipped to deal with a negotiation.
- She was always going to have an armed escort (Irvin and Aishela).
- Siluca disposed of her want and as far as Theo knows can no longer do any magic, making her more vulnerable than the powerful crest wielding priest.
- Theo’s parting words to Priscilla: Please come back safe
- Theo’s parting words to his one true love: What’s with the broom?
You tell me what all this means…. At least Theo still has Lassic to fall back on after loosing his best girl and (also his) fiancée. Remember how freakishly happy Theo was to see Lassic a few weeks ago?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like Siluca seems to care much either way. She took her unusually physically affectionate sister, her tsundere inducing *friend* and her really very attractive body guard without so much as a wave goodby to her beloved.
Just like I tend to be unimpressed by Heroic Last Stands, I’m also not particularly fond of Noble Sacrifices. When done right they can be extremely effective but I fond that often, they fall apart under scrutiny, seeming short sighted and kinda stupid and become apparent cheap attempt at manipulating the audience into an emotional response when the narrative has failed to properly build up a character.
Priscilla’s crazy eyed, almost indulgently “good” speech was already a little too naive for my taste. However, once she decided to let herself get murdered to prove a point and because it was “her role to play”…I mean c’mon… Grancrest, do you really want us to take you seriously as an intricate strategy driven story. Cause this is just amateur hour. I will say that the ensuing battles between the Holy Guard and Irvin and Aishela, were very well animated and fun to watch. They only lasted a minute but I’ll take what I can get.
I started off this post whining about a new faction getting introduced at the 11th hour – good news, they’re all irrelevant now! Woohoo. What was the point of all this? Priscilla could easily have pledged or given her crest to Theo at any time…
I’ll tell you what the point was. It was to show us a completely devastated Theo (who’s lost countless soldiers, seen his childhood sweetheart cut down in front of him, had his current ally murder his mentor and protector and lost most of his family before the start of the show) grieve for Priscilla like he’s never grieved before. Make his way to the Order where everything happened to apparently unify church and state. Hug the dead body of the priest girl he’s talk to 4 times before(?) and gently tell her they are going home while not even sparing a hello for the love of his life.
They were trying to kill Siluca too. Theo didn’t even ask her how she is? This is going to end in some weird fantasy divorce trial, isn’t it?
As usual, Grancrest looks really great in still shots. Taking these caps is particularly frustrating because it reminds me how great this show could have been…
Four and a bit years late but as a major Grancrest tragic, I thought I could comment. Yes the church and pope etc are new characters (at least the first time you watch it- and you should watch it again) but they fit perfectly as part of a process that has been going on for Theo since episode one – and that is Theo’s road to imperial power.
First he captures personal power (first Siluca meeting), then local power (Takes a castle), then provincial power (defeats Lassic and then local kings), then factional prominence (Under Villar), national power (Sistina), popular power/military power (Altirk rebellion/defeat of MIlza), International control (agreement of the 3 powers), then we have achieving control of spiritual/religious power (this episode), then administrative power (defeat of the mages). This all ends up with Theo achieving imperial power in the final episode – (and then promptly giving it to the two worst surviving options for imperial rule in the show – really he should have given it to Piotr the Worker Ant, King of Bultava – you called him Shota back then – at least he would rule competently).
So yes, there are more new characters this episode but given the above they are very necessary to the story at hand.
Also the best way to watch Grancrest is to buy the blu ray and binge it. Its a much better experience than one episode per week. 🙂
I admit I don’t remember it that much but I bet bingeing it is the way to go
Grancrest?, more like grand crash. Geez…it’s just derailment after derailment with this anime. At least the characters are interesting and some what amusing. Can’t wait for the next post on the ridiculous OP Lassic and quite literally plot armour for his subordinate.
I think my mistake was to assume there was a narrative. It’s my fault really
“I can’t wait to see how tcrow manages to put a positive spin on this one!”
Hey, I don’t put spins on things! I just see them from a different perspective. No, really!
“Burn his dinner on purpose.” Good plan, but honestly, I’m not convinced she can cook. And besides, they have people to do that for them. You know, though, her broom has a pointy end. Maybe she could accidentally smack him with that…
And your GIF for this article? Watch that for 5 of 10 cycles — it’s way creepy! I’m still amazing at the quality of the gifs you produce…
About Priscilla. I get where you’re coming from. I agree with you about the hollowness of many noble sacrifices, because they’re too often unnecessary, which completely defeats the purpose. Spock in Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan? Noble sacrifice. And I hesitate to say it, but I think Priscilla’s sacrifice was in the same vein.
The pope (why is every pope in these shows evil — oh, history…) basically surrounded his forces with the elderly, infirm, women, and children. If the Imperial forces attack, Theo looks like a monster (and did you see when Lassic said, “Well, Theo, if you can’t do it, I’ll be happy to…” Dude!). If Theo doesn’t attack, the pope orders an assault, and Theo’s forces look like monsters anyway. If Siluca, Irvin, or Aishela kill the evil pope, the papal forces attack, and, well, you get the idea. The only way to get the religious fanatics out of the way was to completely discredit the pope in front of anyone. So, from that perspective, her decision made sense.
And that’s not a spin! That’s a perspective! There’s a difference. At least in my mind there’s a difference.
If I have a quibble about that scene, it’s that the pope and Mage Academy representative were stupid enough to allow a public meeting. Arrogant or not, there’s such a thing a planning, and that includes defense in depth.
“Theo didn’t even ask her how she is? This is going to end in some weird fantasy divorce trial, isn’t it?”
The second time I watched the episode, his lack of affection wasn’t _quite_ as bad, but you know what? I can’t argue — you’re right. He kisses her in public, he sweet talks her in private — but pretty much nothing in this episode. I think he could have shown more concern for her.
Of course, had it been me in Theo’s shoes, Siluca wouldn’t have gone. Just nope. One more mage in the mix (and one without a wand!) didn’t tip the balance in battle. And if Siluca’s angry about it? Well, if she’s alive to be angry, I’d win.
I really enjoyed reading your post! Thanks for the food for thought.
I didn’t mean spin in a bad way.. But i saw that you tackled it from a real world history stand point. It was really interesting
I’m laughing so hard from reading this because it just summed up my frustrations while watching this. Theo and Lassic? That could definitely be a thing.
Well Theo is going to need someone to confort him now that Priscilla’s gone. Asside from Lassic he has no one else. No One…
So this anime is still playing huh? Having read this post for it, and of course a lot of your previous posts on this “gem” still hasn’t made me any more enthusiastic for it than when I first read/heard about it. Maybe if , on a rainy day I don’t have any anime left I have to watch….I might give this a chance (but of course if you read between the lines of this comment you can already see my point: ” Fat chance of that ever happening lol” . Well…it is very nice to see that your posts are still every bit as entertaing to read before I went off on my hiatus (not that I ever had any doubts of that 😂😂).
awww thank you Raistlin! This show did have a few decent episodes but it’s just such a mess…
You are very welcome, and I really meant every word of it 🙂 But yeah as for this show, most of the things I read about it aren’t positive. Shame..as the premise did sound quite interesting.
Priscilla was a religious fanatic. Did you see those eyes? I temble before the one true god. It’s not a good idea to revive him. At all. I sort of think preventing the Grancrest might not be a bad idea.
They seriously introduced a new antagonist now? What’s going through the heads of these writers? I wonder what stupid bullshit is going to happen new week…
I still firmly believe the screenplay for this is just a series of post its that the cleaning crew occasionally knock down and do their best to put back like they were
That wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.