Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to return to the scene on the ground at Southern Cross Isle, where just moments ago, Sugata unleashed the power of the King’s Pillar. That’s right, it’s time for more Star Driver, and all the glorious action animation/confounding thematic investigation that implies. After five episodes of tentative worldbuilding hints and regular episodic battles, episode six offered a mid-season board flip of tremendous intensity, explaining Sugata’s true nature just before potentially killing him. Just like Wako, Sugata is tethered to this island by the nature of his inheritance – but unlike Wako, he is trapped not by his connection to the shrine gates, but due to the fundamental danger his power represents.

All of these mechanical revelations slot neatly into Star Driver’s ongoing thematic conflict. The shrine maiden conceit embodies a fundamentally conservative perspective on female sexuality and agency, framing women as caged birds whose “purity” must be protected at all costs. The male counterpart to this framing is men defined as insatiable sexual predators, creatures who simply cannot control their urges (thus necessitating the imprisonment of women and downplaying of feminine sexuality). Sugata being framed as “too dangerous to leave the island” completes the circuit of Southern Cross’ gender paradigm, with the threat he poses summed up by the phallic symbol of the King’s Pillar.

So yes, Sugata has waggled his metaphorical penis around and potentially destroyed the island, himself, or both. But it was for a good cause! Let’s see how he and our other thematically imprisoned heroes are faring as we return to Star Driver.

Episode 7

The episode opens with a reset that evokes the first episode, with Takuto staring out at the sea from his Protagonist Seat in the classroom. A classic dramatic trick: using the episode break to reset the show’s overall sense of tension, while instantly prompting the audience to wonder what’s happened since we’ve been away

We flash back to Sugata prone in his bed with Wako at his side, as Takuto stares in through the doorway

The scene flashes discordantly between moments of Takuto at his desk and memories of just after Sugata’s fall, emphasizing how while Takuto’s body may be in class, his mind is still spinning through the events of that night

“A Faraway World”

Down in the Order of Cross headquarters, figures in card suit-marked masks are whispering about the activation of the King’s Pillar, and the resurrection of Samekh

The Order doesn’t seem to know much more than we do – they mostly engage in petty bickering regarding who to blame for this activation, and resolve to continue keeping an eye on Sugata’s status

The diving girl who actually caused the incident is cleared to fight Takuto and resolve this situation – a choice she clearly sees as an honor, but which is presumably intended as punishment. Though it doesn’t seem like failing to beat Takuto actually hurt the nurse’s reputation, as she still maintains a seat on the council. It seems like “defeat” here is akin to defeat in Revolutionary Girl Utena, and doesn’t actually strip you of power

With Sugata and Wako away, the school is framed as unusually quiet and empty, with long, low-angle shots of deserted hallways emphasizing the sense of isolation Takuto is currently experiencing

Sarina is the only one in the theater clubroom, and offers him a cup of coffee

We learn that Wako has been performing purification rituals to hopefully wake Sugata. So does that mean the King’s Pillar brings corruption?

Trapped within the struts of the window frame and cornered in the bottom right of the composition, Takuto looks even more isolated, as he reflects on the possibility that he was never actually part of a “trio” with Wako and Sugata

Sarina admits that before Takuto arrived, she could never imagine a happy future for Wako and Sugata. Their roles doomed them to unhappiness, a perpetual twilight echoed by the late-afternoon light of this sequence

As she reflects on how Takuto’s presence has given them a chance at happiness, the camera pans right, emphasizing how Takuto’s sense of isolation is being relieved by literally reducing the visual distance between him and Sarina. Some really damn purposeful storyboarding here

She assures Takuto that Wako and Sugata really do appreciate his companionship, they’re just too awkward to say it

Takuto rushes to Wako’s home and meets her grandmother, who cryptically asks him when he received his Tao emblem

The rock formations on the edge of Wano’s cove form some classic yonic imagery – combined with the sloping leg-like hills to the left and right, the overall location is essentially designed as mirroring a woman’s body opened towards the sea

Fishing girl’s Order costume even has a scale-like texture for its chestpiece, further emphasizing her mermaid motif

This episode is actually serving as a natural counterargument to mermaid girl’s position: rather than Takuto being an unwanted intruder on island values, he’s now being framed as the only person who can break Wako and Sugata free of their stasis

The party is called into Zero Time, and Sugata appears as well, proving he’s not quite dead yet

I don’t even know where to begin with how Tauburn and the “Ginga Bishonen” fit into this show’s metaphor of sexual awakening. The fact that he “cracks the egg” of this reality could easily be interpreted as a male intrusion on feminine purity, but considering the “egg” he’s cracking is zero time, it could also be interpreted as an assault on the conservative stasis of this world. That his identity in this place is specifically defined as “pretty” rather than “masculine” is also an interesting choice, championing an androgyny that would presumably have no place in Southern Cross’s old-fashioned gender paradigm. It’s all very interesting, but not exactly conclusive – of course, if I could figure out an Enokido show by the quarter-way point, it wouldn’t be much of an Enokido show

Some excellent cuts of action animation and stunning impact frames as the battle begins. The explosions here are also quite distinctive, erupting in graceful whorls of color that seem to echo the water theming of this opponent

Also a clever choice allowing her to actually dive beneath the surface of this battlefield, further emphasizing her theming while also adding some unique tactical dynamics to the battle

Sugata’s bubble is burst by a stray shot. Takuto catches him, and Sugata awakes!

Mermaid lady is defeated, and her mech explodes like five times! I’m sure she’ll be fine

“Where are you going dressed like that?” When they return to reality, this world’s sexual mores are immediately reasserted by Wako’s grandmother

“The king’s intent all along was to relinquish the crown to the one who brought him the blue blood that would relinquish the curse.” Another easy-to-translate step in the fisher’s tale, as this clearly corresponds to Sugata hoping that Takuto will break the curse of this island

But all that “Sam” wants is the king’s “Galactic Ship.” Presumably meaning he doesn’t want to take Sugata’s place, but to escape this paradigm altogether

“In order for that ship to sail, you must take the red blood of that girl you love, and pour every drop into the engine.” But escaping this place would mean destroying the final shrine maiden, Wako

“My lord Sugata Shindo. We are here to invite you to join the Kiraboshi Order of Cross.” Oh hell yeah, I was waiting for this moment

Sugata returns to his senses, but not before Benio plants one of her mind control kisses on him

“Were you the one who hit me? Do you want to get yourself killed?” Okay, maybe not entirely returned to his senses

And Done

Dear lord was that an action-packed episode! I figured the show would probably hold on the brakes a bit after last episode’s remarkable finale, but this was just as impressive in its action choreography, while also continuing last episode’s keen focus on layouts as a mirror for character emotions. It seems we’ve truly entered the story’s second act at this point, with a newly reinvigorated Takuto and a strangely transformed Sugata to show for it. Personally, I’m most excited to see if this shift in Sugata ends up revealing more about the Order of Cross and the motives of its members; Takuto is a fine action hero, but he’s also a pretty straightforward guy, whereas the motives of the Cross members all seem messy and desperate. Messy and desperate emotions are absolutely my jam, so I’m eager to see how things change as we move into Star Driver’s next phase!

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