Bokurano 18 – "Reality is often painful"

Hah, I have been a little slow with writing out entries, especially when the workload is starting to increase bit by bit. Nevertheless, it’s a good thing that I am still not drained enough to stop blogging. The summary will be shortened since I am somewhat lacking in time, but it will cover most of the important details. As the previous pilot died after accepting her fate, the only way to go is to bring in the next pilot. The game still goes on, and this time, Takami Komoda is the next pilot.

How will she face this task?

Updated list of Bokurano kids after Episode 18: Click here

Episode summary

As Komoda bathed, she saw the mark at her back. It looks like Komoda’s mother was a bit down, as Komoda was forced to step down from his role in the government after the scandals. Nevertheless, Komoda’s father told his wife to keep her spirits up, since Komoda was the one who was suffering more. As Tanaka came with some food, she also apologized for her insistence with the children, causing Komoda’s father to lose her job. However, he said that he understood that Tanaka simply wanted to protect the children. He also added that the appearance of Zearth was not only causing damage, but also affecting the whole Earth in a big way.

He decided to tell that to the citizens in his last press meeting, and then told Komoda to play the piano for him before he left. Tanaka also bought some winter clothes for Jun and Kana. She was panicking over Jun’s clothes, and tried to get the gangster to bring it to them, eliciting laughter from him. Kanji’s mother was also deciphering the codes after the last battle, but did not find anything to save Komoda yet. Komoda’s father also told Kanji’s mother that he was going to tell the world about the truth, and she argued that her research might be affected. Komoda’s father was angry, asking if she cared about the children at all.

Tanaka was on her way to Kanji’s mother, and met up with Kasaragi. When he denied her entry to listen to the findings, she suspected Kasaragi and the government behind the cover up of Zearth. Kasaragi denied all relations of Zearth with the government and said that Tanaka was way too rash with her actions. In the press meeting, Komoda’s father told everyone about the game, the children and the government’s interest to tap onto Zearth’s power. However, it was interrupted when someone splashed paint outside the conference hall. Komoda was advised to leave by Seki, and they sent Komoda’s car ahead of them to get rid of the reporters before driving away. Nevertheless, the reporters were still tracking them.

As Seki tried to brush off the trackers, Komoda’s father insisted on returning home to see Komoda one last time before she pilots Zearth. Seki said that the trackers would realize that they came back home within five minutes, and told them to hurry. Komoda’s father asked his wife to leave with Komoda to spend Komoda’s last moments. His wife refused to go as she could tell that Komoda’s father was going to give his life away, but Komoda convinced her to go with her. As they left without her father, Tanaka’s car was going toward the house. Tamunu rushed back to save Tanaka.

In the house, the gunmen opened fire on Komoda’s father (off-screen), while Tanaka fired a few shots as she entered the house. However, she was cornered and was shot a few times. Tamunu arrived to see Tanaka down, as Tanaka was still conscious. He carried her out, saying that her wounds were very light as he pulled her into the car. Tanaka pointed inside, as Tamunu thought it was the scarf but it was the gun that she pointed. She told him to pass the gun to Jun as she died. On the news channel, the truth was disguised as Komoda’s father was said to suicide, while Tanaka tripped on an electric wire and died.

They were fighting on another Earth, as Dung Beetle taunted Komoda that she could vent her anger. As Zearth moved forward, they dropped into a hole and the enemy poured acid into the trapped Zearth. Machi wondered who would have dig the hole, and Komoda said it was likely to be the inhabitants of this Earth. Kanji said that it was ironic how people in this Earth tried to help their robot, while Tanaka and her father were betrayed and killed. Tanaka said that compared to them, being trapped in acid was nothing as she fought hard with a laser at the enemy, eventually defeating the enemy. In a press meeting, one of the economists supported the government’s decision to use the technologies, and Dung Beetle wondered whether to get Kana to be one of the pilots.

Thoughts

Ok, I am very surprised that they killed off Tanaka just like that. I mean, I hardly expect her to be killed, especially when she is perhaps the fulcrum and support of the remaining children. Nevertheless, Bokurano killing off Moji and so many other good leader-type characters rather early in the series means that I should not be that surprised at all. In this episode, I find that there is a strange look to some of the characters, as though the animation quality keeps going up and down.

On the story itself, I really do not know what possesses Komoda’s father to tell about the truth of Zearth to the press. I mean, it seems like the most stupid step ever. It’s almost like asking for the underworld to come kill him and silence his bloody mouth. I really think that if he had kept quiet and see how he can salvage some way to spread the word, he might still live. The problem is that with the government in strict control, Komoda’s father words can only be blasphemy. It was surprising that he is an excellent and intelligent man, but failed to consider such consequences.

I personally find the death scene of Tanaka to be rather poignant. Initially, I thought she has some bullet vest or something, but it seems like she is merely dying. I am quite pissed off when I realized that the news has been covered up, which makes it apparent that the government has tried to cover up its own dark tracks. This is always the greed of men, to try utilizing something that they have, and ignoring the words of the wise until it is way too late. I guess that is a huge moral of the show, in which emotions, flaws and feelings of men are shown in full display.

Lastly, I cannot for the life of me fathom Kana joining into the mix. It will be scary, and I think Machi will be the one entering it since they have one pilot less. What do you think?