Folks, it is absolutely time to watch some more of the graceful, mysterious, and altogether captivating Simoun. It’s been a little while since we last checked in on this story, but we left on a thunderous series of worldbuilding reveals. Entering forbidden religious ruins with enemies in pursuit, the sybullae discovered that the spring which forms the cornerstone of their religion actually has multiple entry points across the world, seeming to exist in multiple places at the same time. Additionally, more simoun craft were discovered within this ruin, one of which contained a familiar face – Angulas, the young priestess who once sacrificed herself to tear the holy empire down.

Angulas’ presence here could well indicate that the various religions all of this world’s political bodies worship all stem from one communal root, one which doesn’t pick favorites in distributing its holy favor. Angulas died in a moment of selfless religious ecstasy, a description that could just as easily be applied to priestesses inscribing their Ri Majoons in the skies. Given that, what is the purpose of all their struggling, and what goal does Onashia actually seek? And at the same time, does Angulas’ presence here mean Dominura and Limone might be similarly cocooned, waiting for their friends to retrieve them?

Whatever the answers may be, I’m thrilled to explore this thematically rich property once more, and spend some time with its very sympathetic cast. Let’s see what lies in store!

Episode 18

Jeez, writing those opening paragraphs got me so hyped I kinda need to check myself. It doesn’t feel like we’re just now entering the third act of the show – it feels like we’re in actual finale territory. I’m excited to see how the show evolves now that it seems to be revealing so many of its core secrets

“Our objective is to protect the ruins from the alliance between Plumbum and Argentum!” Of course, now that we’ve seen inside, the question becomes “are they also trying to protect the ruins from us?” It seems likely enough that each of these countries is attempting to interpret the same base materials or text as a sign of their own sacred destiny

“Funeral Procession”

Oh man, gorgeous shot of the main ship in port at the capital city. Simoun’s architecture is always so beautiful. The show’s buildings strike a balance between regal, fantasy-esque elements like spires and high arches and sharp, detailed science fiction appendages like landing pads, naturally evoking Simoun’s intended fusion of genres, and also echoing the gothic architecture often associated with the Class S stories Simoun is also playing off. The buildings actually remind me a bit of Revolutionary Girl Utena’s academy structures, which is a very flattering reference point

So it seems that they took Angulas’ body back from the spring, and are now giving her a funeral. But how did her body get there in the first place, and what else did the team do there? YOU CAN’T TIME SKIP THROUGH ALL THE ANSWERS SIMOUN!

The sybullae themselves debate what Angulas’ appearance means, while also showing off their snazzy mourning hats

Apparently Onashia herself demanded they hold a funeral for the spy, something the government clearly didn’t approve of. It’s becoming clear that Onashia is a political force with her own goals, and that those goals and those of the “holy land” as a political institution will no longer necessarily align

The government’s in a difficult position though – their authority stems directly from their theoretical position as the mortal avatars of Onashia’s will. It can be tough to build an authoritarian state around a religious prophecy when the object of that prophecy is walking around and making her own demands

Aaeru: “Neviril! Who’d have thought you would start a conversation with me?” Harsh but fair

Aaeru theorizes that at the moment Angulas detonated the bombs, she was transported to another world

The gang notice Aaeru and Neviril hanging out. “I guess they got over their differences.” “What do you mean ‘got over their differences?’ Neviril was just being an idiot.” Floe remains the absolute best

Para seethes in impotent rage, as always

“Growing old means you have to make a few decisions. And once you’ve made those decisions, those possibilities are gone forever.” The nature of the spring in Simoun naturally echoes the tension and finality of the choices we all have to make in becoming our adult selves, while also playing on the gender essentialism inherent in the “you’ll grow out of it” takeaway of the show’s Class S predecessors. This show’s conceit is so damn clever

“A simoun lets you see what’s to come. Another world!” And the metaphor extends to trying to find joy in the changes of growing up, as opposed to fear of an unknown future

So Aaeru didn’t want to go to the spring because it meant she’d no longer be able to pilot a Simoun, and it’s only through piloting a Simoun that you can arrive at this new world. Though Angulas seemed to find her own path

“I always thought that was just a fairy tale, told to make the Simoun seem sacred.” I am loving this new and very frank Neviril. She’s one of the smartest members of the cast, she’s just normally too defeated to make use of her intelligence

“What we just discussed must remain a secret between us.” The two clasp hands, in a sequence clearly designed to mirror what would be a love confession in a traditional school drama. Simoun often seems to frame a shared secret as a special kind of intimacy, treating the tropes and assumptions of its genre forebearers as the building blocks of its own mythology

As a low-class servant, Mamiina wasn’t allowed to attend the funeral of… a spy and enemy combatant. This society is too brittle to survive an active Onashia

Mamiina’s little smirk after teasing Rea is so good. These two have really earned their current closeness

Rea is earnest, and would like to believe they’re equals, but Mamiina has experienced too much to embrace such a naive happiness

“Maaju are not prayers. They are military training.” At this point, the military higher ups are entirely done playing the language game about the nature of their battle. They are in a war, and they are losing that war, and they need to put their weapons to best possible use, phrasing be damned

The defense minister asks them to perform the strongest Ri Majoon they can

And instead, they perform a purely ceremonial Ri Majoon. Aaeru seems to have embraced some of Neviril’s emotional investment in the meaning of what they do

Para seems to be losing herself in her desire to protect Neviril again. Para’s indecisiveness is actually a meaningful part of her personality, but seeing her waffle back and forth doesn’t make for the most compelling drama. I do like how the water and steam of this shower emphasize the tension of the moment, making her seem like she’s literally boiling with frustration

And now the military is asking them to dismantle a Simoun, a task Wapourif has understandably mixed feelings about

“We’re sinful? We’re not the ones who defiled the temple of Tempus Spatium with a foreigner’s body.” Yeah, Onashia’s choice has already deeply weakened the religious branch’s political strength, and now the military are looking to take over

Nice to see Aaeru’s superiors attesting to her talents. Apparently her grandfather was a figure of some importance

“Without your Simoun, you girls are powerless.” The moment the religious mystique surrounding the Simoun and sibylla was tarnished, the military immediately begins to resent and push back against their elevated position. The sibylla were right to worry about the people needing an icon to worship. Though I guess we’re just choosing between a religious dictatorship and a military dictatorship

The military demands they pair Neviril and Mamiina. Considering how much of the religious ceremony in this show is totally meaningless, I suppose it makes sense that the military wouldn’t trust even the chosen pairs to be meaningful. But that’s one variable they really shouldn’t tamper with

And both Aaeru and Yun are actually left behind. Yun I understand as punishment for talking back, but Aaeru being grounded seems like it must have to do with her grandfather

Another beautiful shot of the ship at dock under a pink moon. The arches of the ship naturally integrate with the curves of Tempus Spatium, making the CG object feel much more gracefully integrated into the overall composition

Para finds Neviril alone, and asks her to dance

Gorgeous shot of their dance, their silhouettes fading into the sloping curves of the ship’s deck

“Facing Aaeru is like facing Amuria, and doing that has forced me to face myself.” A good description. Neviril needs Aaeru because Aaeru challenges her, something Para has always refused to do

“I was relying too much on everyone else.” Para hangs back, deep in shadow as Neviril articulates exactly what Para doesn’t want to hear

“Rely on me.” “But if I keep going, there’s a whole other world…” Neviril’s phrasing implies reaching this “other world” is essentially a kind of reward

Para actually forces her down and into a kiss, before suddenly remembering herself. I’m not sure Para will be able to forgive herself for this

“Mamiina, would you like me to sing you a lullaby?” Rea and Mamiina are such a good pair

And her singing transforms into the backing track of their battle preparations. Terrific transition

Aaeru claims she “can’t say” why she was taken off the mission, because she made a promise. But both her and Yun seem to have their own missions now

And Done

Jeez, this society is really crumbling now, isn’t it? The mere discovery of this alternate spring, and Angulas’ body existing within it, would already have cast some serious doubts as to the legitimacy of Tempus’ mythology. But by demanding a traditional funeral for Angulas, Onashia has essentially prompted a quiet coup by the military, as they work to solidify their control over the priestesses. At least those priestesses are holding up their end of the work – Para might be falling apart, but Aaeru and Neviril have never been closer, while Mamiina and Rea have become genuine confidantes. And then there’s all the thematic stuff, as this society’s evolving social customs and self-image shift to cleverly echo the constraints of the genres it’s referencing. In short, Simoun remains an incredibly rich full package of a production, offering as many thoughtful ideas, well-orchestrated character moments, and visual delights as ever.

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