Active Raid didn’t fall apart! In fact, it actually got better! I was extremely worried this was going to end up being my obvious Beautiful Bones of the season, a show that started with middling potential and only nosedived from there, but so far we haven’t run into anything so dire. In fact, these first two episodes were actually a lot of fun to talk about – there’s all that moral ambiguity and grey character stuff that I like so much, all wrapped up in a generally pleasing visual/genre package. I don’t have sky-high expectations for this show or anything, but it’d be nice if it turned out to be a generally solid show, and so far it’s holding to that course.
You can check out my full writeup over at ANN, or my episode two notes below!
“After you got home drunk, you drank some more?” ah, the adult life
Haha, I like the stupid CG character as an app on their actual television
The news are chastising Unit 8 for their actions, but it’s more about political maneuvers from the usual government groups
Though it is true this show is more police-friendly than most, which makes for a weird disconnect with, well, the real world
And Unit 8 is a pretty crappy unit
The mechanic tries to troll Asami Kazari, but she pretty much immediately figures it out
This stupid “wacky comedy” music
oh no, the silly evil dude is talking about class war nooo
Going around and apologizing to various departments for their reckless arrest
A new type of CG suit, and it looks pretty good too!
Rin is the woman making the apology rounds
Good mix of energetic music so far
A couple references to “quicksand damage” and “quicksand districts”
“Many factions are starting to make their moves… each with their own idea of justice.” YOU DON’T SAY
I like how well the boss keeps her cool upon learning her sister is captured
“We cannot give my sister special treatment.” And this is actually a good argument
“Minimizing collateral damage is our first priority”
It looks like the loyalties and values are all a muddle, which is good
“Is it Unit 8 that is foolish, or Japan itself as a system?” This villain guy sucks really hard
Asami’s mech is hobbled by its stupid personal assistant function
DEATH BY POP-UPS
“She’s a loose cannon, but goddamnit, she gets results”
“Police officers aren’t just. What we protect is the law. Don’t bring personal justice into the workforce.” Protecting a higher general ideal of order at the expense of personal justice
“Don’t bring personal justice into the workforce” then applies to Rin’s own actions, as she pretends to her sister that she didn’t know about what happened, and acts surprised and concerned at the hospital. She has internalized that