Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re going to be continuing our examination of the fascinating Star Driver, which as of now appears to be settling into the rhythm of its second act. After a tumultuous climax wherein Sugata first activated his King’s Pillar, the show rapidly shifted gears, introducing first Mizuno and then Marino as fresh dramatic irritants. But now that both sisters have been reasonably established, it seems we’ve reached a point of relative stability, allowing for the reintroduction of more tangential side stories like last episode’s Simone vignette.
Still, it’s clear that larger forces are rearranging themselves beneath our surface drama. Last episode’s most potentially consequential moment was undoubtedly the meeting between Sugata and former Kiraboshi leader Head, wherein Sugata’s misgivings about his power were ameliorated by Head’s assurance that “talent is bestowed on us by the gods for a reason. To not use it might be a sin.” These words gave Sugata the confidence to activate the King’s Pillar during the ensuing battle, which was lucky for Takuto at the time, but will likely incur more significant long-term consequences. The flipside of “talent is bestowed on us by the gods for a reason” is “my actions are righteous because I am a chosen vessel of god,” which aligns alarmingly well with both Sugata’s self-righteousness and his preordained role in this island’s ritual structure. Takuto and Sugata were able to settle their differences with some old-fashioned roughhousing last time, but with Head whispering flattering devilry in his ear, I imagine there’s trouble in store for our core trio. Let’s check it out!
Episode 12
“Kiss Through Glass.” YEAAAAH, let’s get into some torturously tangled romance!
We open on an ominous shot of Kanako in a locker room, standing before a single pink locker that’s set in a line of standard silver ones. A quick transition immediately gives that shot at least a splash of context, as we see the school in all its equally pink splendor. It seems like Kanako’s reckless behavior as a Kiraboshi leader might finally be putting her on thin ice
This seems to be confirmed by Kate in the next scene, as she ignores Kanako’s continued “kiss through the glass” shenanigans, saying that “it’s no use filling a leaking bucket with water.” So will Kanako be our first character to officially fail out of the Kiraboshi organization?
She then continues with her regular hobby of flirting towards Takuto’s back. Given the imagery of this episode’s opening sequence, it seems like the show may be defining the school as the one place in Kanako’s life with any vibrant color, ie the one place where she can actually express herself. Though she makes these exaggerated shows of her apparent sexual agency, she’s still a “caged bird” herself, having presumably been married off through some arrangement between her husband and parents. If that’s the case, it’s not surprising that she embraces every sliver of self-expression and rebellion that this school can offer
“Madame is certainly enjoying herself.” “I wonder if she is?” Yeah, Simone seems to have come to a similar conclusion, and sees Kanako’s behavior more as desperation than gleeful freedom
At the next Kiraboshi meeting, the nurse informs the group that the Cybody restoration process is almost ready for action
“In order to restore a Cybody, we need its Star Driver’s power. And it’s quite risky.”
Apparently the restoration process draws on the pilot’s libido, and if there isn’t sufficient libido, they run the risk of simply being drained entirely. An extremely Star Driver bargain
“Since you and Simone lost that battle, the stocks of all companies invested in this project have taken a nosedive.” So it seems Kiraboshi is supported on the back end not just by Kanako’s personal wealth, but by a whole host of publicly traded companies. I suppose it’s not surprising that many companies would be interested in acquiring the power of a Cybody unshackled from Southern Cross Isle
“My job is to make sure that Otona Bank’s claim to ownership of all Cybodies is acknowledged.” And here we see how she’s also trapped, and thus may have to undergo that dangerous Cybody revival process just to maintain her status
Simone brings a note to Takuto, inviting him to tea with Kanako
Simone’s analysis of Kanako is “as someone who has everything, the one thing I believe she lacks is ordinary, average bliss.” It’s obviously a somewhat slanted analysis, as Simone cannot forgive Kanako for “stealing” Leon Watanabe, and thus her inflated image of her nemesis makes it impossible to see the many ways in which Kanako is also constrained. Nonetheless, her conclusion is still partially correct: Kanako can never carelessly enjoy the mundane pleasures of her fellow students, as she is bound by the obligations inherent in her privileged position
“For better or for worse, she has no common sense.” And in spite of her pleas to the contrary, it’s clear that Simone has come to care about Kanako to some extent. Though their history is fraught with potential sources of resentment, they are each caged birds in their own way, with Kanako’s irreverent attitude likely annoying Simone precisely because she wishes she could act the same way
Aw shit, now Simone’s fallen for him too. You gotta turn off that charm sometimes, Takuto!
“Simone seems to really care about you.” “That girl is my treasure.” In spite of Simone’s protestations, neither Takuto nor Kanako are fooled
“If only we could go on like this forever…” Kanako seems to already be mourning the end of her brief adventure in the world of ordinary teenagers
Meanwhile, Sugata’s headed off to meet with Head again. Subtle symmetry in that, with Takuto connecting with a Kiraboshi rebel while Sugata is taught by the man who seems to be most fully embody their philosophy
“The choices you have in front of you are most likely beyond the realm of common sense.” Head knows precisely how to talk to Sugata, flattering both his ego and sense of isolation at once
Oh shit, now we get the OP? That’s twelve minutes of cold open!
That OP is immediately put to use as a tonal reset, as we return on Mizuno hunting for Takuto among the classrooms
Kanako asks her if she is a wizard, and Mizuno replies that all humans are capable of using magic
“Well then, do you think that even I could use some magic?” Kanako is clearly in a vulnerable state right now, and feeling hyper-aware of the distance between her and her fellow students, such that she must ask for clarification on whether Mizuno even recognizes her as human
“Thanks to a spell cast by an unbelievably powerful demon king, no one is able to use the magical powers that they were born with.” Who are you, Mizuno, and what do you truly know about Kiraboshi? This feels too pointed to be coincidental
An excellent layout as Kanako later confronts Takuto in her Kiraboshi uniform, with its low-angle perspective presenting Kanako as if she is a messenger from the moon
“It’s been decades since the legacy of the Ancient Galactic Civilization was discovered on this island. There is no hope of keeping it sealed any longer. Therefore, the only recourse we have is to manage it in a safe manner.” Aw shit, some actual answers from Kanako! So we know now that the Cybodies are relics of some stellar precursor civilization, and that they were initially bound here in order to prevent the chaos such powers could represent on a global scale. Additionally, Kanako seems to imply that the seals maintaining this prison are weakening, and thus Takuto is merely delaying the inevitable
Unfortunately, Takuto’s too straightforward to actually take advantage of this information bounty, and merely replies “I can’t trust the words of someone who kidnaps girls.” Probably a solid general policy, but still!
Kanako requests Joji visit her to… serve as her sparring partner? Yep, apparently Kanako’s a mighty boxer, but needs help getting back into shape before she challenges Takuto herself
“I don’t trust myself to defeat the Ginga Bishonen in battle without killing him.” Kanako is wonderful. Such a fun mess of a character
Once again, Mizuno affirms her status as the active shrine maiden by singing us into the battle from atop the town bus
Nice incidental gag in that, because this match takes place at night, Sugata appears in pajamas and Wako with a toothbrush in her mouth
Kanako’s boxer-themed Cybody comes equipped with its own boxing ring posts!
Fantastic cuts as Kanako absolutely crushes Takuto in the first round
And absolutely glorious shading as Kanako is defeated
But Kanako gets the last laugh, with her next proposed “kiss through the glass” turning into an actual kiss. “It seems I’m enjoying my youth very much.” You get ‘em, Kanako!
And Done
Ah, what a delight to spend more time with the youthful magistrate of the Otona Bank. Kanako was the first Kiraboshi member we got to know to any significant extent, and it thus felt appropriate for her to also be the one to pull back the veil, and actually tell Takuto what they’re all fighting for. Though she has remained loyal to the Kiraboshi cause, it’s clear her own priorities stand quite apart from the organization; she’s fiercely protective of Simone, lightly infatuated with Takuto, and perhaps most principally consumed by melancholy at her distance from her fellow students, which has long been embodied through her proposals of “kissing through the glass.” That last trick with Takuto thus serves the thematic purpose of indicating a turning point in her life, the point where she is no longer forced merely to observe her classmates through glass, but can actually reach out and engage with their lives. Failing in battle might actually be the best thing that could have happened to Kanako – with all thoughts of leading Kiraboshi behind her, she might now be free to truly enjoy her life.
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