Review: Charlotte, Episode 12: Promise

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-12-promise-682187

Review:

Yu awakens in the hospital some time after the previous episode’s events to find that he is now blind in one eye and is strapped to a hospital bed. Emotions run high as he is informed of the devastation caused by the failed operation, and he seems to be simultaneously relieved and devastated to find that one of his friends has survived while the other has perished. As he deals with these issues, he also manages to encourage some of his other friends, including his brother, and with Nao’s help he manages to work out a plan to save all of the children with abilities throughout the world. In the midst of this he also confronts his own feelings and admits them. Starting with his friends, he sets out on his quest to save all of the ability children.

In general, this wasn’t a terrible episode. As a tool for winding the series down, it actually serves its purpose very well: it ties up certain plot lines, finally confronts a particular elephant in the room, and develops an ultimate solution to the problem at hand. What the episode ultimately confirms is that this was a show about Yu. While it definitely contained a unique world, a diverse cast, and a conflict that encompassed the entirety of said cast, a careful reflection on this episode serves to reveal that Yu’s transformation was the purpose. This, of course, serves to make the events of episode 11 feel even more pointless—little more than an excuse to create drama and emotional reactions from the viewers. What we have here is a character who started out as little more than a self-serving jerk, who sought to improve himself at the expense of others. Now, in the current episode, we have a character who wants to help those who are in the same situation as himself, and who is willing to now risk his very life for that goal. That is admirable, and a great outcome to the story! Too bad the writers didn’t do a better job of bringing that to the forefront.

A lot of this really comes back to the previous episode. Much of a successfully executed plot can be hinged on the preceding events, and unfortunately Charlotte doesn’t achieve this. The events of episode 11 were brought in and dismissed in the same episode, serving as little more than background noise to this episode’s events. As a whole, this makes the events of episode 12 feel unearned. It is only when we pull away from focusing on the show as a whole and focus on Yu that the events begin to feel as though they belong.

All of that, of course, is more of a critique of the show as a whole rather than this particular episode. On that note, this really could have served as the final episode for the series, as it does put a nice bow around everything. Yu is able to use his experience to advise Misa and to comfort Shun, while also bringing about a final sense of peace between Yusa and Misa. The (very obvious) feelings that Yu has towards Nao finally come to light, and the fact that the two of them manage to devise a plan for saving all of the ability children just feels right. Even the pain shown by the characters closest to Kumagami (even though his death was unnecessary) deserves recognition. The whole thing would have simply felt much more appropriate had a better lead in been provided the week before. Regardless, this was a worthwhile episode in its own right, and it has laid a strong foundation for whatever happens in the finale.

A Christian Perspective:

Let’s just go for the obvious here: Yu is a great example of a changed life. True, he doesn’t encounter Jesus or any kind of Christ-figure in the show, but the fact that he has transformed from the self-serving person that he was in episode one into a young man willing to strike out into unknown lands where he will face enemies who he has no information on in order to save others serves as a good example of what happens to someone who encounters Christ. We all know that when we first encounter Jesus, we are wretched, sin-stained individuals, filled with whatever sins we may have committed. Jesus cleans us up and makes us new individuals who are capable, by His power, of putting others before ourselves, even “dying” to ourselves. Like Yu, this is very often a process. We may immediately notice some things that are different about ourselves and others, but other changes may occur over time. This is certainly true for Yu. While we notice his character changing early into the series, it’s hard to imagine Yu putting his life on the line for anyone else at that point. The culmination of his various experiences make it possible for him to reach that point. In Christianity, we call this process “sanctification”, and it may look different for each of us.

Furthermore, Yu’s decision to go out into the world for the sake of others can also be seen as a representation of how it is necessary for Christians to go out into the world to share the Gospel, minister to others, or do whatever else we may have to do. It’s not always fun or comfortable, but somebody has to do it, so if we’re called to it then we must do it for the sake of those we are to help. I am the least qualified to talk about this, of course, as I am typing this while sitting cross-legged in my comfortable chair in my air-conditioned living room in my small suburban row-home in America, with no real desire to leave. Many times we can realize the ideal while also realizing that we fall short of the ideal (isn’t that part of the reason why Jesus had to die for us—we couldn’t reach the ideal standard that God requires of us?). I think the important part is to be willing to do something that God calls you to, even if you don’t want to do it. Am I ready to do that? I’d like to think so, but I’ve also learned not to give myself too much credit. All I can really do is hope and pray that if God calls me to do something I don’t really want to do or go somewhere I don’t really want to go, I’ll still do it out of obedience to—and love for—Him.

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: A flashback to Yu’s fight in the previous episode

Blood/Gore: Blood from the previous episode’s flashback; Yu bleeds from getting a needle

Other: Use of special powers

Review: Charlotte, Episode 13: Memories to Come

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-13-memories-to-come-682189

Review:

Having committed to his mission, Yu begins his travels to collect the powers of every ability-wielder in the world. Though he is on his own, he still has contact with his brother, and he has the comfort that he finds in Nao’s vocabulary cards. As planned, he manages to find an ability-wielder with the power to locate other ability-wielders, and from there we are presented with a montage of scenes that show Yu traveling between different countries (and a few states, once he hits the USA) and collecting powers. We see that he faces his share of challenges along the way, both from outside forces and himself. Occasionally the narrative even pauses to bring us more fully into a particular moment before returning to montage mode. One thing is clear: the absorption of powers is taking its toll upon Yu, as his mental stability begins to waver, and the only thing that seems to bring him any comfort is the small book of flash cards. Despite all of that, Yu seems to be determined to finish his mission or die trying.

Generally speaking, this was not a bad episode or conclusion to the series, but it does manage to showcase just how much wasted potential the show had. The events of this episode alone could have contributed to at least a few individual episodes instead of being crammed into one fast continuity. Instead, we witness Yu set out on his journey, become powerful, begin to lose his mind, and almost die all in the course of 24 minutes. On the plus side, the writers didn’t make this easy on Yu—he starts out vulnerable with only a few powers, and then begins to go crazy and become something of a threat to himself when outside forces seem to have no effect on him. Unfortunately, we don’t get the suspense that we otherwise could have had if this had happened over the course of the series.

As previously stated, this is a showcase of Charlotte’s wasted potential. Previous episodes revealed that there was a rise in the number of syndicates around the world that wanted to use the ability-wielders for their own gain (and this, presumably, is on top of the scientists who wished to gather these children and study them for research purposes). Yu’s journey also reveals that at least one country is collecting children who will eventually awaken as ability-wielders (and that he is able to even seek them out), which is a plot point that could have served to make his journey all the more difficult. Granted, this couldn’t have been stretched for too long, as Yu becomes more or less invincible over time, but it would have provided for at least a few episodes of content, instead of almost half the show being taken up by episodes focused on the Student Council going after random targets. Still, growing attached to Yu and observing his mental breakdown over a period of time would have been more gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, but we get it all in one episode.

At the end of the day, Charlotte was a bit disappointing. To their credit, the writers did manage to work in some truly great moments, but the overall package falls short, and this finale suffers for it. While not terrible by any means, it highlights how much their really was to this story, and how much potential there was in this world of children with special powers. Had more effort been put into focusing on that, along with Yu’s personal growth, this could have been a very memorable show. Sadly, that is not the case. The series does wrap up nicely with a happy (albeit slightly bittersweet) ending, but it would have felt more rewarding had we journeyed with Yu in greater depth.

A Christian Perspective:

The Bible talks a lot about persevering in our faith. Hebrews 10:19-12:29 is a good example. Although there may be tough times ahead—times where being faithful will either cost us something or where faith itself just feels hard—we are promised it will pay off. In this episode, Yu is a good example of perseverance, though his is a physical perseverance as opposed to spiritual. Still, we get a good idea of what it looks like to persevere despite hard circumstances. Leaving everything and everyone he has ever known to embark on a solo mission to track down every ability-wielder on the planet seems hard enough, but when the strain begins to take its toll on his health and sanity he still presses on towards his goal. Granted, he struggles with temptations, but he still continues on his path. Even when he gains the ability to heal and realizes that he could easily heal his eye and time jump to save Kumagami, he resists the urge and instead pushes forward with the present plan.

During those times where he feels extra tempted, Yu ends up finding strength in a particular item—namely the flash cards that Nao gave him before he left. No matter what happened (even when he tried to throw them away), Yu would always find some sort of motivation to keep going when he looked at those flashcards. As Christians, we can look to Jesus for our strength and motivation to press on:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: Yu begins to lose his mind and claims that he is God

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Language: 1 “d*mn it”, 1 “g*dd*amnit”, 1 “g*sh”, 1 “d*mmit”, 2 “h*ll”

Violence: A man punches someone; a man hits others with a gun; men open fire on Yu; Yu uses his ability to fight; a character is shot with arrows

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Use of special abilities

Review: Charlotte, Episode 11: Charlotte

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-11-charlotte-682185

Review:

Ayumi is alive, the Otosaka family is reunited, and Yu is fully aware of his powers. By all appearances, this should be a happy ending, although it leads to Yu having to spend his life in Shun’s underground facility. Still, he has his sister back, and Shun’s connection to Nao and the rest of the student council would suggest that Yu isn’t completely isolated from them. Unfortunately, such is not the case. A group of strangers manage to threaten one of Shun’s workers, forcing him to kidnap one of Shun’s closest friends. This ultimately leads to Yu’s identity being revealed, Nao’s kidnapping, and the group demanding to see Yu. Although Shun and company formulate a plan, everything goes very wrong very fast before ending in tragedy.

At first glance, this seems like a powerful episode with a great plot, but a lot of what happens ultimately seems forced. For instance, the story is technically in the “past” now, in terms of what we have seen, and the fact that the antagonists have had their plan in place since Shun was planning the foundation of his establishment means that this isn’t something that just came about, yet their plan was never executed in the original time line. This alone brings up a point of inconsistency, because it raises the question of why these people didn’t make a move or pose a threat initially, but now that Yu has traveled back in time things are different. Is it possible that an explanation will be given later? Sure, but that raises another criticism: the show is almost over, and yet the writers are trying to introduce a whole new plot line that could have easily provided more conflict throughout the series and are instead trying to resolve it in only a few episodes.

In short, the majority of the episode feels like something that was put in place for the sake of trying to stir some kind of emotion in the viewers. Rather than try to wind the series down, which is where the plot should be right now, the creators have tried to shoe horn something in and have killed off a character for little more purpose than to try and get an emotional reaction out of the viewers. While this may work at first, it quickly falls apart (and loses its emotional impact) upon a bit of careful scrutiny. These reviews have expressed a disappointment with Charlotte for most of the season, and this is little different. While this episode would have been good had it been worked into the earlier part of the series or if this were a 24-26 episode series, it just doesn’t seem to fit with what remains. Well, at least we now know why the series is called, “Charlotte”.

A Christian Perspective:

Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

This episode shows how a seemingly well thought-out plan can quickly fall apart. Rather than have Yu travel back in time from the get-go (for fear of the enemy syndicate taking innocent lives), Shun decides to have him confront the syndicate, with the plan to time jump if things go south. Unfortunately, the situation quickly deteriorates when a previously unseen member blinds Yu in one eye, preventing his use of the time leap ability. As Yu panics and becomes more injured, he begins to act more irrationally, ultimately activating the ability that he looted from Ayumi. This causes the whole warehouse to collapse, and ultimately results in Kumagami’s dying to protect Nao. The ending of this scenario reflects the latter half of Proverbs 14:12 quite literally, as the plan did lead to death.

While the intent of the verse is probably more spiritual—we think we know what is good and right for us, but in the end it is actually sin, which leads to death—I think there is definitely a physical lesson to be learned by it, as illustrated in my relating it to this episode. How many times have we shunned good advice from our parents, church elders, friends, spouses, etc because we thought we knew better than them, only to find out that our way was harder, less fruitful, or even damaging? Sometimes we even had a plan. Shun and Yu did, but that plan quickly fell apart when their failsafe was rendered useless. The answer in all of these situations, I think, is humility. We need to recognize that we are not infallible and are prone to error. We need to be willing to accept the correction of those around us, and we need to at least consider what they are saying, as it may be more logical or sound than our current course of action. More importantly, we need to realize that we are sinful creatures who, when left to our own devices, will always make the wrong choice, and we need to yield to God and be willing to do things His way, lest we willingly walk into death.

Content Guide:

Language: 3 “d*mmit”, 1 “h*ll”, 1 “sh*t”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Nao is shown being hung by her wrists in nothing but her undergarments—she is later shown lying unconscious, still in her underwear

Violence: A man beats up Kumagami and Nao; Nao kicks a man; Yu is cut and stabbed

Blood/Gore: A flashback shows an old man with blood on his face and lab coat; a character has several of his teeth knocked out, blood coming from his mouth, and blood on other parts of his body; Yu is shown with a bloody hand, eye, and shoulder; Shun puts his hand in a pool of blood; a character is shown impaled by multiple steel rods with blood covering much of his body; blood drips onto Nao

Other: Use of special powers

Review: Charlotte, Episode 10: Looting

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-10-looting-682183?t=1440

Review:

Shun walks Yu and Nao through the story of how, by the use of multiple time skips, he managed to build the reality that they all currently live in. As with any power, Shun’s came with a price—he lost a little bit of his sight with each time skip, eventually going completely blind after making the skip to build the current reality. Though he is no longer able to use his powers, he acknowledges that they still exist, and explains his plan to have Yu save Ayumi. By taking Shun’s power, Yu is able to travel back in time and stop the tragic event from ever happening. Of course, this doesn’t go unnoticed, and he prepares to meet the Shun of the present time line.

Charlotte’s story keeps getting better at this point, which makes it a real shame that this type of storytelling wasn’t used early on. The back story of how widespread the abduction of children with powers was and how Shun set out to save them makes the episode extremely compelling, and honestly feels like it would have been a better central plot for the overall show than what we have seen. It makes Yu’s story feel like more of a subplot in a grander story. It still raises questions about where things will go from here, as it would seem that Shun has created a system that does a decent job of protecting children with powers, and Yu has managed to save Ayumi. What more could be done at this point is unclear, but at least the writers have finally created a story that makes us want to come back for more.

The only point of criticism comes from a detail of Yu’s story. In the previous episode, we saw Yu freak out when ZHIEND played a “new” song that he had actually heard in a different reality. Initially, it seemed that the characters came from that reality to the one that we have followed so far; however, this episode seems to paint an image of multiple time skips that culminated in a reality where Shun, Yu, and Ayumi did not end up in a facility at all. It would seem that there had to at least be a few time skips in between the facility escape we saw last week and the reality we have come to know, as Shun’s final jump seemed to take place not in a facility, but in the hiding place that he and other children had formed. The contradiction here is how the ZHIEND song could have been a trigger for Yu if the Yu in the show’s reality was a Yu who never experienced the facility life (where he was shown listening to the song in the first place). This may seem like a fairly insignificant plot point, but when you consider the fact that this is what ultimately triggered Yu’s memory—leading him back to Shun and to his solution for saving Ayumi—you realize that it is actually pretty significant.

Charlotte’s latter episodes still continue to fare better than their earlier counterparts, even with the previously mentioned plot inconsistency. This particular episode provides plenty of backstory, along with plenty of laughs, and should be a welcome entry to anyone who considers themselves a fan of the show.

A Christian Perspective:

This is a good episode for reflecting on the selflessness that love should bring about. Shun repeatedly (we’re not told how many times) jumped back in time and relived the same events over and over, working each time to figure out a solution to the problem of children being hauled off to the facility. While it is fairly safe to assume that protecting Yu and Ayumi was a large part of his motivation, he seemed to also care for all of the children who would be impacted. Even after he realizes that every use of his power costs him a portion of his vision (eventually rendering him blind), Shun does not give up—he continues fighting for these people that he cares about, eventually succeeding in exchange for his sight. After learning all of this, Yu then takes Shun’s power with the intention of saving Ayumi. It is not entirely clear if Yu could also experience the loss of his vision—and one jump doesn’t seem to be enough to noticeably impact one’s sight—but Yu doesn’t let that stop him from making the jump for Ayumi’s sake. The overall point is that both of these characters allowed their love for others to inspire them to risk themselves fort he sake of those that they loved. While not as powerful as what Jesus did for us (but really, can anything ever be that powerful?), it still serves as a message of how fully we should be willing to serve each other.

Content Guide:

Language:1”g**z”, 1 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: There is a flashback to Yu possessing a girl and making her look down her shirt—another shows him possessing a different girl and using her to look under another girl’s skirt

Violence: There are still shots of various acts of violence; Yu hits himself in the face with a book

Blood/Gore: At least one still shot shows a bloody scene

Review: Charlotte, Episode 9: The World is Not in Here

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-9-the-world-is-not-in-here-682181

Review:

In a completely odd turn of events, Yu spends time agonizing over his outfit for the Zhiend concert. Once he finally decides, he meets up with Nao and heads to the show early so that Nao can get a particular piece of merchandise. Through this series of events, we see sides of both characters that we have not seen before. While it appears to just be a fun day out, that illusion is crushed when Zhiend plays a new song that isn’t new to Yu. Without spoiling the major plot twist in this episode, let’s just say that Yu’s eyes are opened to a truth he could never have imagined.

The past several episodes have certainly been an upswing for Charlotte, and this entry is no different. For the first time in the series, something resembling an overarching plot is presented. While shows don’t necessarily need a central plot to be successful (see: character driven shows), the early part of Charlotte was spent wondering what the point of the show was. Now we have an answer. While Yu’s collapse and subsequent transformation were certainly good plot points, the events in this episode take everything a step further and provide a greater sense of depth to the entire mythos of Charlotte.

Only one criticism can really be given about the turn of events taken this time around: there was no foreshadowing that lead up to these events. Granted, the previous episode did provide some sense of mystery by suggesting that Yu had some previous connection to Zhiend, which is further explored and explained in this episode. How the events of this episode will continue into the remainder of the show is yet to be seen, but Charlotte’s potential for leaving a lasting impact has certainly been increasing.

A Christian Perspective:

Honestly, coming up with something for this episode was really difficult. The best I have to offer is that this episode reveals something deeper and bigger behind the world of Charlotte. While up until this point, we (and the characters) have only known the reality shown to us, it turns out that there was so much more that lead up to the current state of things. In the same way, we live in a world where there is more than what we can see with our eyes. As you can probably figure out, I’m talking about the existence of God and the fact that there is an eternity beyond the physical life that we know. Even more in line with the point of this episode is the fact that there was a lot more behind the creation of the world we know than what we experience. While we can certainly find scientific explanations to help us understand certain things, there are things that we simply cannot understand and answers that we cannot find on our own.

Content Guide:

Language: 5 “d*mmit”, 1 “h*ll”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Yu is tazed

Blood/Gore: A scientist is shown with blood on his face and coat

Other: Use of special powers

Review: Charlotte, Episode 8: Encounter

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-8-encounter-682179

Review:

Yu finally returns to his normal life after an undisclosed amount of time, and it doesn’t take long for things to get back to normal. The energetic greeting he receives from Yusa earns him the ire of every male in class, Jojiro injures himself to get lunch, and Nao is… Nao. At first the episode doesn’t seem to have much direction (and the purpose of the Yusarin music video still doesn’t make sense, other than as a ploy to eat up time), but that begins to change once Nao puts out an invitation for someone to attend a ZHIEND concert with her. Surprisingly, Yu doesn’t jump at the offer despite his earlier appreciation for the band, although the loss of his sister could certainly have something to do with that. Nevertheless, he is ultimately the one who gets roped into attending. While it may not seem like it at first, this is actually where the bulk of the episode begins to kick in.

On his way home, Yu encounters a stranger who he quickly recognizes as Sala, the vocalist for ZHIEND. This ultimately results in Yu shuttling Sala around to various places, including restaurants, his apartment, and another place that won’t be specified in this review. During their time together, Yu finds out a bit of Sala’s past, and Sala comments on several facets of Yu’s character that she has picked up from being around him and hearing him speak. This is the first actual confirmation we get of Yu’s changed character, and while we can certainly see some of that for ourselves, it’s not particularly good that the show seemed to have to spell it out for us. Much of what is said comes as no surprise, particularly when the subject of Nao being the catalyst for Yu’s change comes up. Throughout the series, we’ve always seen Yu experience new changes because of Nao. These moments (and, indeed, his episode) would have his harder had Yu remained an unlikable character for a bit longer, though. The entire first episode presented him as such, but it really felt like that persona was dropped once that episode concluded. Yu may have been apathetic past that point, but he pretty much stopped being a narcissistic jerk early on. While this doesn’t negate the fact that he has now changed and begun to think of others at least along with—if not ahead of—himself, it does diminish some of the impact that these changes could have had otherwise. Imagine if we had hated Yu up until the previous episode, only to see him completely fall apart and then come back restored as a new person. That would have been powerful.

With all that criticism aside, this was still a good episode. Reflecting on what the show could have been is only to point out that it could have been better and not to say that the episode was bad at all. It is still refreshing to see Yu’s “redemption” of sorts as he considers Nao and her brother while spending time with Sala. Arguably, the only other person he ever thought of previously was Ayu. It is also telling that he recognizes the role Nao has played in his life. While it’s hard—nay, almost impossible—to say that everything that happened in the early episodes was meant to lead to Ayu’s death and the current turn of events, it can certainly be said that Ayu’s death and Yu’s subsequent depression where the necessary catalysts for him to change. Of course, without Nao he never would have recovered, and this episode does a nice job of tying up this particular transformation.

While many of Charlotte’s episodes have garnered a lukewarm reception from this reviewer, these last two episodes have definitely begun to redeem the series. Where the show will go next has always been the question, and the ending of this episode certainly leaves the viewer with at least one question—namely, is there some connection between Yu and Sala? Hopefully the quality will continue and we will see something truly worthwhile come out of Charlotte in the end.

A Christian Perspective:

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

While there is something to be said for the fact that Yu wanted to do something nice for Nao, the point I’m about to make is what struck me first in this episode. While on the bus, Sala is discussing her blindness with Yu, and she makes comments about her blindness being “repentance” and “atonement” for her sins. The problem is that this mentality suggests that we can perform works to make up for our sins, which is completely false—just see the above verse. Only faith saves. Of course, repentance is part of the salvation process, but repentance is the turning away from our sins and trusting in Christ, not some work we do to make payment for our sins.

That’s not to say that there aren’t consequences for our actions. We’ve all heard that you “reap what you sow”. Someone who lived a sexually promiscuous lifestyle may end up with an STD, but that is the result of their lifestyle, and the contraction of that STD is not some kind of atonement for their behavior. As of now, we do not know what caused Sala’s blindness, but it is fully possible that it is the result of some decision or action of her own.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: Sala incense for Ayu; Sala refers to her blindness as “repentance” and “atonement” for her sins; Sala mentions bartering her eyes to God

Language: 1 “sh*t”, 1 “h*ll”, 1 “J*sus”, 2 “Oh my G*d”, 1 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: Sala drinks beer

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Nao kicks Jojiro

Blood/Gore: Jojiro bleeds from his head

Other: Yusa does one of her “magic spells”; use of special abilities

Review: Charlotte, Episode 7: The End of the Exodus

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-7-the-end-of-the-exodus-682177

Review:

Yu wakes up in a hospital bed, only to find that Ayumi did not survive the accident. As a result, his life comes crashing down around him, and he secludes himself in his apartment, eating nothing but cup ramen. Despite visits from friends and an old flame, he doesn’t snap out of it, and only leaves the apartment when a group of men show up to take him by force. After withdrawing what appears to be his life savings, Yu ends up staying in an anime/manga cafe and getting addicted to a shooting game (and then to street brawls). He seems to hit an all time low when he pilfers some drugs from a thug and prepares to use them, only to have an unexpected savior step in at the last moment….

This could truly be a gut-wrenching episode if you will allow it. Yu completely falls apart, and for the first time we see how much Ayumi truly meant to him. Of course, this whole series of events could have had a greater impact had we seen Yu’s attachment to his sister earlier in the series, but unfortunately the first part of the series didn’t spend much time really examining Yu’s character. Still, while this could have enhanced the emotional impact of this episode, the lack of such events do nothing to diminish the blow that is there. It’s easy to wonder if everything that happened up until this point was all for naught—is Yu going to throw away all of the growth he has experienced so far and devolve into something worse than when the series started?

While not a whole lot happens in terms of plot progression (we basically just follow the repetitive nature of Yu’s days for most of the episode), the writers manage to go about it in a way that allows the viewer to come up with his/her own suspicions as the plot progresses. Yu’s reckless use of his ability later on in the episode certainly causes concern that he may end up kidnapped as a test subject. Thankfully, the ending of the episode brings with it some light in the otherwise dark atmosphere that permeated the rest of it. All-in-all, this episode certainly makes up for the shortcomings of its predecessor and provides an experience that one would expect from the show’s creators.

A Christian Perspective:

Proverbs 18:24 – One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

This verse couldn’t be more perfect for this episode. As Yu continues his steady decline into insanity—eventually resorting to stealing and almost using drugs—it is revealed that not only did Nao show up in time to stop him from making such a mistake, but she was was actually there the whole time. It is easy to overlook the fact that Nao can hide herself from one person’s vision (honestly, the idea didn’t even occur to me), yet it also feels so obvious once revealed. Regardless, Nao stays near Yu the entire time of his isolation, watching over him but letting him have his space at the same time. She is almost a literal embodiment of the above verse, because no one could have possibly stuck closer to Yu than she did during his time of grieving.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 – A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. (NASB)

I include this one because it clearly draws a distinction in the fact that there is a time for everything. There is a time for weeping and a time for mourning, but also a time for laughter and dancing (or we could possibly summarize that by saying a time for joy). Those who are familiar at all with this passage (or even the old song that sort of quotes it) will know that Ecclesiastes 3 also states that there is a time for everything. So what happens when we exceed that time? Well, it would seem that you get Yu in this episode. His mourning is, of course, expected—we’ve all most likely lost loved ones at some point in our lives, and we can all attest to the need to grieve over their loss; however, we can also attest to the fact that healing eventually comes. We eventually accept that this person is gone and, though we may still be sad, we carry on with our lives. Yu does just the opposite. He halts his entire life, isolates himself from the world, and pushes away everyone who tries to help him, eventually descending into self-destructive territory. To me, this speaks to the importance of seeking healing from loss and moving past painful events so that we don’t lose ourselves in our grief and sadness.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: 1 “d*mn”, 1 “p*ssed”, 3 “b*stard”, 2 “h*ll”, 2 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: Yu appears to be wrapping some kind of substance in paper

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Yu throws a noodle cup at Shirayanagi and then kicks a stack of similar cups; Yu possesses a man and makes him punch his comrade before making him jump over a railing; several scenes show a violent shooting game; Yu gets into a fight with three guys and possesses them each one-by-one, causing them to hit (and in one case stab) each other; Yu stabs a man with two wooden sticks; Yu possesses another group of guys and makes them beat each other up (and stab one of their own) again; several montages show him doing similar things; Nao kicks something out of Yu’s hand; Yu grabs Nao by the shirt

Blood/Gore: A man is stabbed and blood is shown; Yu shoves two wooden sticks into a man’s leg and blood is shown; a guy is stabbed in the second group that Yu possesses, and he bleeds

Other: Use of special powers

Review: Charlotte, Episode 6: Happy You Did Not Notice

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-6-happy-you-did-not-notice-682175

Review:

While Ayu is home sick, Yu and company get word of another ability-user being located nearby. The proximity of the location leads Nao to suspect that Ayu may be the target, and the group plans a visit to the apartment. At the same time, three students from Ayu’s class also plan to visit, and the two groups intersect in Ayu’s room. While not a source of any contention, one classmate certainly presents as different from the others, but not to any point of suspicion. Things remain as lighthearted as ever until things go awry when Ayu chooses to disobey Yu’s orders and return to school. A normal day quickly turns confrontational, and the whole school is devastated.

While much of this episode follows the pattern we’ve come to expect from Charlotte—comedic events that unfold while the student council tries to track down a new target. There are some heartwarming scenes with Yu and Ayu, but generally speaking the episode is business as usual, until the end. In a flurry of activity we are somewhat-but-not-really introduced to a new character, shown an unexpected confrontation, and given a seemingly tragic conclusion. For those that have been waiting for the “feels” to kick in, it appears that this episode is the launching point. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hold up very well under scrutiny.

For the sake of proper discussion, the rest of this review will not be spoiler free. Read at your own risk. That said, while Ayu is presented as the prime suspect for having an ability, the mysterious girl from her class also seems to serve as a potential candidate, at least from the viewer’s perspective. This is proven quite false when the good times—and the episode—begin to fall apart. Basically, everything is fine up to (and even including) the point that Ayu chooses to sneak out of the house and go to school. The student council is concerned given their suspicions about Ayu’s power, but the level of concern shown is probably a bit over dramatic, and that’s far from the worst of it.

One of Ayu’s classmates whom we are introduced to is the boy who asked her out, as mentioned in a previous episode. Near the end of this episode, he approaches Ayu and begins trying to win her interest. He ends up coming off as creepy and seemingly trying to force himself on her, which causes one of Ayu’s friends (Nomu) to come from… somewhere… and forcibly detain the boy (Oikawa). The issue here is that we know almost nothing about Oikawa, except that he has a crush on Ayu. Nothing is shown or stated to suggest that he is deranged, so having him come off as a total creep comes out of left field and just seems unnatural. Worse is the fact that, when Ayu runs from Oikawa (as though she were actually running from some danger that were chasing her, mind you), she encounters the other girl from her class who apparently had a crush o Oikawa and is now jealous that his attention is focused on Ayu. She pulls a box cutter. Now come on. This is just ridiculous.

First off, this is another character we know absolutely nothing about. She is introduced in this episode as some kind of dark and brooding personality, but that’s it. There is no tension built up to this moment, no series of disagreements between her and Ayu or anything to suggest a growing conflict. In one scene she is visiting Ayu at her home. The next time we see her, she is pulling a weapon and talking about causing Ayu pain. The whole thing feels completely forced to put Ayu in a situation that forces her to use her powers, so that there is an excuse for her to use her powers and create a sad, seemingly tragic scene. As these reviews have stressed in the past, the fact that this is a Key anime makes one expect sad and tragic scenes, but they are expected to be well-written, believable scenes. If you watch this episode and let yourself get caught up in the heat of the moment, it is easy to overlook these things, but after spending some time thinking about it, you begin to see how ludicrous and—quite frankly—poorly planned the whole series of events was. That was certainly the case for this review.

Does this mean Charlotte is a wreck? Well, not necessarily. The show still has several episodes to spend, and could very well end up leaving a much more positive impression as a whole. As of this review, though, the outlook isn’t very positive, although there is still enough curiosity to want to know whose blood was shown at the end, and if anybody actually died (among other things). At the very least, the writers have managed to leave enough elements to make the viewer want to come back for more, and that definitely counts for something.

A Christian Perspective:

Exodus 20:12 – Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Okay, so this verse doesn’t fit perfectly into this episode, seeing as Yu and Ayu don’t actually have their parents living with them; however, Yu is the authority figure over Ayu, and in this episode he exercises that authority by telling Ayu to not return to school. Since no father or mother is present, that would make Yu Ayu’s guardian, so I would imagine that the spirit of this verse would still apply. Well, as we know, Ayu disobeys Yu’s instructions and goes to school, only to end up in a poorly conceived chase scene that results in the school building collapsing around her. Simply put, had she honored Yu’s authority in her life, she would never have fallen into danger and (potentially) her own death.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Nao kicks Jojiro out of a window; Nao grabs Yu by the front of his shirt; Nomu pushes Oikawa against the wall; a power causes part of a building to collapse

Blood/Gore: Ayu gets a nosebleed twice; blood is shown on a piece of concrete

Other: Ayu states that she doesn’t believe in spiritual stories; a character uses a special power

Review: Charlotte, Episode 5: The Sound You Heard Sometime

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-5-the-sound-you-heard-sometime-682173

Review:

When Nao is dragged out of class by a group of girls, a curious Yuu follows, intent on seeing what’s happening. What he finds is less than thrilling, but before he can really question what he witnessed Nao announces that Kumagami is going to appear again to announce a new target. This leads to a several day camping trip for the student council while they attempt to draw out a teenager with the ability to fly. During this time, Yuu gets to know Nao a little better, and the student council engages in various antics.

While this episode doesn’t do much to answer the question of what Charlotte’s central plot is, it does at least take the time to build character relationships, particularly between Yuu and Nao. Whether or not these two are intended to be each others’ love interests is unknown, but Yusa does comment that they seem like a good match for each other. At any rate, the pair does provide quite a bit of comic relief this time around, particularly as they banter over what to purchase at the grocery store. A later scene shows them bonding on a more serious level, as the subject of Nao’s brother sort of comes up when Yuu inquires about Nao’s music player.

Perhaps the most compelling part of this entry is that it shows there is more to these characters (at least some of them) than meets the eye. While Jojiro remains fairly creepy and Yusa-obsessed (although he does offer Yuu some serious advice late in the episode), Yusa remains oblivious, and Misa remains vulgar, Nao shows more of herself than we have seen thus far. Yuu is even kind enough to point it out, in case we miss it. He may be the “main” character for the series, but Nao is probably the most interesting character, given that much of her story is still shrouded. For example, why was she beat up in the beginning? The girl who is hitting her says that each hit is for a different person, but who are these people? Hopefully we’ll find out in upcoming episodes.

Even if this outing doesn’t establish any kind of central plot, it is at least an enjoyable twenty-ish minutes that will provide some laughs along with some generally heartfelt moments. If nothing else, Key has succeeded in created a likable cast of characters (don’t they always?) who can carry the show even without a central direction for the show to move in (although without a point, the show kind of stagnates at “good” instead of “great”). Of course, there are at least a few nuggets left around to make us hope for something a little deeper. Ayu’s fever at the end of the episode does seem a bit foreboding, doesn’t it? If Key has no intention of building a deep and meaningful plot out of this show, then hopefully they will at least continue writing entertaining episodes that help us fall more in love with these characters.

A Christian Perspective:

Matthew 5:39 – But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

Yes, this one is kind of obvious, but it’s the best I have, and honestly it may not even be a very pertinent point. As you can probably guess, I’m equating the scene where Nao gets beaten up without any resistance to the idea of turning the other cheek. Of course, the set up to that is to not resist an evil person. Right now, we do not know what Nao did to get beaten up, so it’s possible that she isn’t innocent in this situation. I have also heard it said that this Scripture doesn’t mean Christians can’t defend themselves. If nothing else, perhaps this could be a good jumping off point for a deeper look into what the Scripture really means, although to be honest I would rather opt for the literal interpretation and not retaliate, if for no other reason than to be “better safe than sorry”.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: Misa cusses, but it is censored in both the voice acting and subtitles; 2 “d*mmit”, 1 “d*mn”, 1 “h*ll”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Yuu and Jojiro are shown shirtless; Yusarin/Misa is shown in the bath, where you can see the top of her breasts

Violence: Nao gets hit several times; Misa kicks Jojiro; Nao playfully punches Yuu in the arm

Blood/Gore: There seems to be a little blood after Nao takes her first hit

Other: Use of special abilities, as always

Review: Charlotte, Episode 4: Moment of Earnest

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/charlotte/episode-4-moment-of-earnest-682171

Review:

Yusarin transfers into the same class as Yu, Jojiro, and Nao, but the classroom festivities over a celebrity classmate don’t last long as Yusa is quickly whisked away to the student council room for the announcement of yet another mark. This time around, the target is a high school baseball pitcher with telekinesis who is using his powers to influence his pitches. When confronted by Yu and company, he initially attempts to deny his powers before agreeing to a baseball game between the two schools’ baseball teams. The terms? If Nao’s team wins, then he has to stop using his powers, and if his team wins then he can keep doing his thing. This, of course, launches a baseball game that takes up almost half of the episode.

This episode is certainly more enjoyable if you consider yourself a baseball fan, but there are enough shenanigans with special powers to make the episode enjoyable to even the most hardened anti-sports individual. There’s nothing particularly wrong with this entry from a pure entertainment standpoint—each character’s quirky nature plays a role in producing laughter and amusement—but one cannot help wondering what the point is. As of yet, no greater narrative has been established in the story, save for small, momentary glimpses of Yu seeming to change as a person. Other than that, the episodes seem to simply play out in a similar format each week. While Charlotte does what it does well, the fact that this is a Key anime does bring viewers to expect more, and there is still plenty of time to hope for more, but the lack of any clear overarching story is disheartening for the time being.

A Christian Perspective:

Philippians 2:4 – Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (ESV)

To me, this verse is exemplified in this episode when Arifumi reveals that he was using his powers not to glorify himself, but to bring his friend (the catcher for his team) to a large arena where his talents as a catcher could be recognized by bigger and better names. The assumption throughout the episode was that Arifumi was only looking to win prestige for himself, so this particular revelation was a surprising addition to the episode. That doesn’t excuse what he did—cheating is still cheating, and it is still dishonest, which (much like most of my perspectives) means that this isn’t a perfect application of Scripture, because I don’t believe the Bible supports doing good through practicing wrong. The most basic lesson here can be applied to every day life, though: if you have a special skill that can be used to the benefit of others, then you should not horde it only for your benefit, but share it so that others may also share in the bounty.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: Yusarin can still be possessed

Language: 1 “b*stard”, 2 “a**es”, 1 “jack*ss”, 1 “a**”, 6 or 7 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: None

Blood/Gore: Jojiro has blood on his uniform, and his face is censored, suggesting that it is badly mutilated; blood shoots from Ayu’s nose

Other: Yusarin uses a “magic spell” (that is really just her doing cute stuff) to make two guys make up; a boy can use telekinesis; in general, the use of special abilities is present as always; Yusarin uses another “magic spell” to calm a guy down