The Perfect Insider rallied back in style this week, speeding up and digging in and whatever other cliche term you want to use for something that wasn’t doing well no longer continuing to do that. We got great scenes with Moe, Magata, and (amazingly) Souhei, a bunch of compelling visual ideas, and more plot/character movement in one episode than we’ve seen in half the series so far. Moe’s journey in Magata’s dream-machine was probably the highlight – those CG legos seemed questionable when they were just sitting there in Magata’s room, but if that concession was necessary to allow for this visual trick, I am all for it. Watching young Moe crying in the hanger as the background disintegrated behind her is one of the most compelling anime images I’ve seen in a while. Nice work, Perfect Insider.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
“Gray Boundary”
She requested parts to repair an old TV in her room
Fifteen years ago, the people in the lab were the security guard, the programmer Mizutani, and the director’s wife, the one person aside from the director who knew the truth
Interrogating Mizutani. The programmer talks about how beautiful the young Magata was while we see butterflies pinned beneath glass on his walls
The room is full of wild creatures that are pinned and dead. A monkey, a tiger, plants. A false wilderness
“This is the best possible environment. I can’t see anyone being upset about anything.” But his decorations beg to differ
They can’t find Miki’s bag. Yamane suggests the killer stole it, along with the present and possible other important things inside
Moe trying to defend Souhei, but can’t think of an example of him being nice
“You’re so warm. But I don’t think you have a chance.” Harsh truths from researcher lady. Moe’s too different from Souhei
I can’t believe they managed to get a school swimsuit into this show
Miki doesn’t know anything about the case, or at least claims not to. She says she’s been separated from her sister since she was born
“Through all my research, she never seemed like someone who could be easily entertained.” But that’s the Magata in his mind. The actual Magata wanted contact with the real world. Ordinary things
“She had this power to draw me in. It felt as if we were like the same person”
“Women aren’t really your strong suit, are they?”
Miki’s present was a doll
“I think the only thing that interested Magata was the human mind. So to her a human body and a doll were interchangeable”
“Humans are such foolish creatures”
“I have a feeling we will meet again someday”
This dream-coffin sequence with Moe is great. She’s imagining a Souhei that doesn’t exist in any way
And now she’s trapped in the interview room, lending credence to the idea that Magata is in the system. And since human bodies are just “containers”
“Let’s meet in person.” “I’m right in front of you”
Michiru
The scenes disintegrating into legos. Wonderful effect
“I washed it, but the blood wouldn’t come out.” Banister as prison bars
“Whose blood was it?” “I don’t know”
Souhei was beside her, helping her through her grief. That’s why she loves him
“In this place, the people you want to talk to are always right beside you. Your world is a very restrictive place.” So the multiple personalities actually make thematic sense
“Nishinosono-san, will you come to this side?”
“Let us live righteously, believing in human pride”