Tales of Abyss episode 20 ~ Not gloomy, One sided animal slaughter and “Oh my Mohs’es”

I won’t…cry…Whaaaaaaaaaa~

Apologies for being late but as you know, the subs were slow this week and I didn’t have anytime outside of a busy schedule to get working with just the raw although it could have easily been done considering the content for this episode; for once there was less talk (or at least more interesting talk) and a fight that lasted for more than 30 seconds. Not surprisingly I can say that this is easily my favorite episode to date.

Thoughts: Oh poor Arietta; since I knew it was coming I thought that it would just seem like the usual predictable cheese but I am so glad that it turned out more emotional than expected. Now if only she and the other generals are given more development time, I am sure that it would be sad to see any of them go. Frankly I didn’t quite feel it when Sync died but, oh boy, did I feel it here. It must be due to the music, flashbacks and my natural love for silent/tragic loli types that made the scene come across as being so depressing.

But starting from the start, we have Arietta challenging Anise to a duel (though no glove slap here) for Ion’s death. If I have to pick a side I would choose Arietta’s side since it really was Anise’s fault that Ion died sooner rather than later. Anise had her own problems, we can all see that, but she picked the wrong option to solve it. Why couldn’t Anise have just asked her friends to help? I don’t see much of a problem in that since the group is sure to find a way to help Anise. If that had happened then this sad episode wouldn’t have occurred (whaaaaa, Arietta).

Moving on with the investigation of the planet storm getting stronger and whatnot we run across Asch who is searching for the Gem. Then suddenly Luke remembers that something happened before he passed out a month ago which just made me want to punch him for being so dumb. No wonder why Asch is aggressive everytime he sees Luke, I mean someone with such a natural talent to make others’ blood boil just by sheer presence definitely needs a punch or two. But the fact that a month has passed since that time period of inactivity until now is just ridiculous in the first place *rolleyes*.

Leaving Asch to his painful search for the Gem, the group then moves to their next location (how the heck did they know where they were headed to?) and finds a replication machine. After Jade swiftly takes it out we have Mohs going crazy and obtains the power to become a big fat purple blob thanks to Dist. He then moves onto levitating a replicated island of Hod and claims to be the new order who follows the score blah blah blah. What gut feeling tells me is that he will be the second to last boss at this rate…well if he doesn’t implode my himself in the first place since the power inside him is making him very unstable. Like a ticking time bomb.

But frankly the episode show its usual flaw with unstable pacing and skips as no sooner has the island risen, we have ships attacking it and the group has already relocated to safety. Oh how I wish this series could be less jumpy *rolleyes*

First thing’s first though, and that is Anise’s duel with Arietta before dealing with the purple blob as of now. But arguably this was the best fighting scene for this series to date and although it had a lot of flashback during the fight, it still felt tense and most importantly; was still longer than any other fight scenes in the past. As predicted, Arietta falls to Anise and her group’s merciless attacks; all of Arietta’s friends were brutally slaugthered.

I truely felt sorry for Arietta even more when viewing her flashbacks as compared to Anise. I just don’t know how some prefer Anise over Arietta but there you go. Arietta had such a bond with Ion, much more so than Anise, it was just depressing to watch pure feelings getting trampled like that by the likes of Anise who betrayed everyone. I find it difficult to believe that Anise’s love for Ion comes anywhere close to Arietta yet that may just be the anime’s impression it is giving off (game players feel free to prove me otherwise).

For Arietta who was raised in the wilds to be taught by Ion, I can understand the deepness of the bond they both shared there which makes it even more tragic that Arietta was never told the truth as to why she was torn away from Ion nor was she told that the real Ion was already dead. In that aspect, Arietta’s feelings were as pure and innocent as you can expect them to be. Her revenge was solely for the sake for those that she had lost regardless of Van being evil or not; well she never knew.

For the group to know everything but to kill everyone like that…I guess it is fair enough that they are the ones being attacked but try to then show compassion of what they did (like what Tear said) is like what Largo said, “is an insult” to her (honor). Naturally this is a tragic and heartbreaking case for me where the good (Arietta) losses. The final scene of her hellucinating just before her death made me “Waaaaaaaaaa~” literally, she was so young ;______;

At this point, I think it is rather bad for me to prefer the villains more than the main characters, but that can’t be helped considering how bland the main characters are

Screen caps and comments:

See? This is the reason why Anise’s personality pisses me off so much. not only is she not apologetic for something clearly her fault, she just won’t stop taunting while being in the wrong; I can’t help but think “DIE BITCH!”

Arietta should have slapped her with a white glove

I never once expect them to die so easily, such naive thinking *rolleyes*

Hint: it has a connection with Natalia

BAKA Luke is BAKA

“That reminds you?” Well no shit

Another shocking revelation

I think what she is trying to say is “NO WAIII!” or “ORLY?” in a sarcastic tone

Geez thanks Jade for being considerate, poor Asch

You mean the lost island of atlantis, don’t you

Yet they are standing on it…I wonder how

Here comes the Arietta flashbacks, but I think the series needed more of these ;____;

Evil…Van…kill

Just like a wild animal, my type

That’s one replica machine down

Mad man Mohs is getting even madder

Are you sure you want to look fatter than now?

You should have just made it so that he can’t move anymore

The new and NOT improved Mohs

I found it amusing how he blew away the entire land but the group stayed standing

Shocku

On second thoughts, why doesn’t someone just throw the thing into the Ligar’s den, debt repaid

DIE ANISE!

Sadly the animals had no chance in this fight

Not with Jade here blowing them up to bits…how cruel

Cue epic and dramatic BGM

Gambatte Arietta!

Cue the flashbacks too

I suppose the real Ion was nothing like the fake

Touching, growing up moments

and then…the tragic breakup

Uguuuuu~

Then we have the final clash…

And as expected, the good loli got owned ;____;

Don’t cry Arietta…or I will…

Whaaaaaaaaaa~

At least…she is off to a better place

Together…

With Ion and her family…

That’s enough Arietta, that’s enough…

And you are all murderers!!

Give her a proper burial, Largo

Don’t apologise, Anise >.>

Which is why she was never told

But in that her feelings where pure

BAD END