Review: The World Is Still Beautiful, Episode 11: A Passing Wind

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/the-world-is-still-beautiful/episode-11-a-passing-wind-652865

Review:

I still hold that they resolve plot points too quickly in this show. Case in point: the previous episode ended with a cliffhanger plot. Within the first few moments of this episode, that plot point is resolved. Now, granted, it carries with it a bit of tension, but did anyone really expect a principle character to be killed off? I didn’t think so. What I will give the writers of this show is that there continues to be tension throughout the episode. One such example is between Livius and…. that guy from Nike’s country (nope, can’t remember his name at this point). While the over-arching conflict in this story arc is resolved quickly, there are still minor things like this that play out in this episode. And, granted, I could argue that even this resolves rather quickly, but I think I’d be beating a dead horse. For all the criticism I have of the way things work out, I still found myself eager to see this show each week. While it may not excel in the area of storytelling (at least as far as plot resolution goes), it did present some likable characters who made it worth coming back to week after week. Only one episode left after this.

A Christian Perspective:

Reconciliation is a powerful theme in this episode, specifically between Livius and that other guy. Really, there was no reason for Livius to seek to make peace with the guy. Not only is he the king of the world (minus the Principality of Rain), he now also has the blessing of the Principality to marry Nike, so he wins. End of story. Yet Livius didn’t leave it like that–perhaps, even, couldn’t leave it like that. So instead, he sought out his adversary and sought to reconcile with him. This very action almost cost him his life (accidentally, of course). Let’s not forget the Livius we initially met at the beginning of this journey. That Livius would simply have crushed anyone who stood in his way. Much like Livius, we, too, change in our journey with Christ, and we should also seek reconciliation and peace with our adversaries whenever possible. (Forgiveness, though, is something we always need to give, even if we cannot salvage a relationship.)

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “d**n”
Alcohol/drug use: Characters may be drinking at a feast; Neil is possibly drunk (I don’t think either is really confirmed); several characters are possibly drunk

Nudity/sex/fanservice: Livius and a few other unnamed men are shown in a bath–the men are shirtless with towels around their waists, while Livius is underwater (9:15 – 9:19); the preview shows Nike in a dress that reveals a bit of cleavage

Violence: a character is hit in the head with a nut(?); a character is hit with a piece of fruit; a character is grabbed by the front of his shirt; a character is kicked in the butt

Blood/gore: blood is seen dripping and pooling on the ground; blood is shown on a character’s face