Review: Classroom Crisis, Episode 13: The Greatest Presentation in History

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/classroomcrisis/episode-13-the-greatest-presentation-in-history-682163

Review:

As Nagisa hurtles through space towards his death, Iris works to prepare herself to pilot the new X-3 for the rescue attempt. At the same time, Mizuki tries to convince Iris to do the same while also discussing their friendship (and while the rest of the team listens in). Elsewhere (and several hours later), Kaito gives his presentation to the Kirishina board, ultimately displaying the footage of Iris’ rescue attempt. It is also revealed that the same footage was broadcast to several interested investors, an important part of Nagisa’s ultimate plan, although delivering the final blow of the plan still falls to Nagisa in the long run. While the future looks bright for Nagisa and A-TEC, there are several plot points that remain unresolved, and a vague phone call by Kazuhisa that suggests things aren’t quite over.

As a finale, this episode managed to keep up the suspense pretty much the entire time. The Nagisa rescue is one part of this, as we do not know whether Mizuki and Iris will reach him in time, or if Iris will overcome the fear that had overtaken her for the latter half of the series—of course, the writers use a pretty cliché approach in dealing with this by bringing everything down to the last second. What helps maintain the suspense, though, is that these scenes are cut between scenes of Kaito’s presentation, meaning that while we are in the midst of one suspenseful situation, we are then pulled away to another. This interplay allows the episode to keep us on our toes for most of its run time, and there are a few instances where the show is downright surprising. Kaitos’ reveal that they were also broadcasting the “demo” flight to interested investors is one of these things, while the fact that Iris apparently has romantic feelings for Nagisa is another.

Perhaps most intriguing about this episode is that it doesn’t resolve everything. Near the end, Kazuhisa makes a phone call to tell his father that it is not time for him to get involved yet, which certainly seems like something that could be used for further plot. Beyond this, Nagisa seems to find himself in the midst of a love triangle that is not resolved (or even present in this episode), despite the romantic situation between him and Mizuki seeming to have been settled a few episodes prior. On top of that, A-TEC is just getting started on their new path, which would certainly be grounds for a second season, and that is where all of this is going: the series seems to set itself up for that potential, and hopefully it will deliver. The one thing that is completely unresolved to the show’s detriment is the significance of Iris being the real Nagisa. This was played up quite a bit and was ultimately the source of Iris’ trauma, yet here we are at the last episode, and it doesn’t seem to matter one bit. One would expect it to somehow play into Nagisa’s plan for getting back at Kazuhisa, yet it never emerges, and seems to be all but dropped. For all of the attention it was given (and for all the drama it seemed to have caused in the past), it is a bit disappointing that the writers don’t give us some kind of closure on that point.

All-in-all, Classroom Crisis was a surprising show. It didn’t start out as anything too interesting, but it became a show with some fairly entertaining plot twists that actually made viewers want to come back for more—provided they stuck around through the show’s rocky start. It may not win any “best anime” awards, but it was certainly something different, and will likely stick in viewers’ minds if only for that reason. Hopefully we can expect a season two so that the aforementioned plot points can be resolved and so that we can see more A-TEC dysfunction.

A Christian Perspective:

Romans 12: 4-8 – Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

I think I have used the comparison of the Church to a body many times in the past, whether in reference to this show or in reference to others. Nevertheless, it presents itself here again (or, more accurately, it was the best I could devise for this final episode) as a comparison. Up until he is confronted with the fact that the new X-3 would still belong to Kirishina even if the entirety of A-TEC resigned, Kaito actually manages to put Nagisa’s plan into action flawlessly, but after this he quickly finds that he hits a brick wall. Thankfully, Nagisa is able to patch into the presentation and close the meeting out on a decisive note for A-TEC, ultimately saving Kaito from embarrassing himself. Of course, Nagisa would not have been able to patch in had Iris not used her piloting skills to rescue him, and Iris may not have found the courage to pilot again had Mizuki not encouraged her and gone with her. Then there are the characters in the background who provided navigational support to Iris, not to mention those who did the maintenance work and whatnot to make the rocket functional, and so on. The point is, every character had a role to play, and everyone had to play that role for the end result of this episode to be realized.

I don’t think it’s hard to show how this relates to the verses I shared from Romans 12. Paul talks about how we who are in Christ form one body, just as we all have one body with many members. Of course, we are the individual members of Christ’s body, and we all have different gifts or functions. Paul exhorts us to use our gifts and perform our functions so that the body can function. Just as Nagisa’s rescue and Kaito’s presentation would not have been successful without everyone doing their job, so the Church cannot be successful in its mission if the individual members are not using their gifts.

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: Several characters drink alcohol during the closing credits

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: None

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Classroom Crisis, Episode 12: Hope, Ambition, and Despair

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/classroomcrisis/episode-12-hope-ambition-and-despair-682161

Review:

After being stabbed by his own brother, Nagisa wakes to find himself in an unknown location with a vengeful Yuji and unnamed others standing over him. Unlike his previous cocky self, though, Nagisa appears to resign himself to whatever fate may befall him while Yuji rants about Nagisa and Kazuhisa only thinking about work (ironic, considering that Yuji used Nagisa’s achievements to benefit himself), and Yuji’s belief in Nagisa’s one track mind is only intensified as Nagisa inquires about A-TEC. Elsewhere, Angelina and A-TEC begin working together to track down Nagisa before it is too late; however, after discovering Nagisa’s plan to save A-TEC, Kaito pulls most of his staff from the search and rescue mission, leaving only two of them to work on that goal while the rest switch to constructing the X-3 engine. For everyone involved, it’s a race against time: will A-TEC complete the engine in time for their presentation? Will Angelina find Nagisa, and will she be in time to stop him from being shot into space?

Classroom Crisis continues to excel as this season’s dark horse. This episode manages to keep viewers on their toes from beginning to end, with no event going exactly as one might expect. While we expect to see a quick, decisive victory from A-TEC, we actually see them outsmarted by Yuji and his cohorts. What’s more, the fact that Kaito comes in and quickly takes most of A-TEC off of the search and rescue mission certainly wasn’t what we would expect to see (even his staff contests it at first). His willingness to do so is a testament to the character development that has taken place over the course of the show, though, as Kaito’s relationship with Nagisa had previously been one of suspicion and dislike. It also suggests that Nagisa may have rubbed off on him a bit, as Kaito’s thinking is more closely aligned with Nagisa’s decision making in this moment.

While there is certainly the question of whether A-TEC will pull off Nagisa’s plan, the majority of this episode’s tension still comes from Nagisa’s abduction, as the writers cleverly play with the viewers several times. It is never quite clear whether Nagisa will be rescued or killed, although Yuji’s ultimate plans are made abundantly clear. On that note, what is the deal with jaded executives becoming homicidal maniacs in anime (SAO Fairy Dance arc, anyone)? Perhaps this just goes to show how twisted Yuji really was, as if his use and abuse of Nagisa didn’t do that well enough. Regardless of the reason, it definitely serves to drive home further the dislike the viewers were meant to have for Yuji’s character. The writers also manage to weave together a good amount suspense while throwing us a little action along the way, bringing the episode to a powerful crescendo that hangs as the credits roll. A frustrating ending, but a great lead in to the series finale.

A Christian Perspective:

Matthew 7:16 – By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

There is no denying that we have seen a shift in Nagisa’s character over the last few episodes, and this one simply serves to drive that point home. The question, though, is how do we know this? Do the other characters tell us and do we just believe them? Of course not! We see the change in his actions, his speech, and in the fact that, even as his life is on the line, he shows concern for A-TEC and regret for not seeing how things end up for them. The fact that he defied Kazuhisa and produced such a detailed plan to save A-TEC helps to further drive the point home.

The quote from Matthew above is actually Jesus talking, and He is explaining that we will know His disciples by the fruit that they produce. Further, the book of James states that, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:17) While we are not saved by our works, our works do go to show the truth of our faith. After all, if we’ve truly encountered Jesus and have truly been changed by Him, then our lives should look comparatively different from how they did before. It also gives us something to validate a person’s faith. After all, if we were supposed to simply take people at their words, then how would we know who to trust? Sure, someone could say that they’re a Christian, but then they could turn around and lead you down a path filled with false doctrine. Now if you know your Bible then you could get off this path, of course, but better to never travel it at all. Much like Nagisa’s action prove his change of heart, so too do the actions of the redeemed exhibit their salvation, providing proof that they have indeed come to know Jesus.

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “a**”, 1 “h*ll”, 1 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Yuji kicks and punches Nagisa; men are hit with blunt objects; Angelina disarms men using her kunai and then beats them down with physical force; a character is shot

Blood/Gore: Blood is seen on the back of Nagisa’s bandage

Review: Classroom Crisis, Episode 11: To Each His Own Rebellion

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/classroomcrisis/episode-11-to-each-his-own-rebellion-682159

Review:

Despite all of his planning Nagisa’s plans have ultimately failed, yet his brother is not the least bit mad. In fact, he had planned for most of this and anticipated it—although he admits that Nagisa did surpass his expectations. Rather than become mad at Nagisa, Kazuhisa actually reveals the truth behind his plans, and he offers Nagisa a position at the head of this new plan. At the same time, Kaito is taken by Dr. Li to an unspecified location where he, too, discovers the truth about Kirishina’s goals. Elsewhere, Iris comes to terms with her true identity and plans to tell Nagisa, and A-TEC realizes how dire their situation is now that their prototype is wrecked. Mitsuki sets to work repairing the damaged engine and is confronted by Nagisa, only to bring his true feelings out. Later, Nagisa and Kaito have a heart-to-heart that opens Nagisa’s eyes to what is truly important for a business, setting him on a new path to save A-TEC. Unfortunately, just as everything looks to be going well, tragedy strikes…

Classroom Crisis continues to present itself as powerful dark horse for this season. Nagisa started out as a detestable character, yet at this point we wait with baited breath to see how things will turn out for him, fully expecting the end of his career to result from his scheming, only to discover that the whole thing fell right into Kazuhisa’s plans. It was an unexpected plot twist, especially when coupled with the fact that Kazuhisa also knew that Nagisa was really just a stand-in for the real Nagisa for all these years. In general, the entire presentation completely obliterated any theories about Nagisa facing backlash for his actions.

Perhaps this episode’s greatest strength was its focus on the various character relationships, though. Of course we see the interplay between Nagisa and Kazuhisa, but there are several other interactions that take place, as well. Iris, for example, meets with Angelina and vaguely discusses her plans to tell Nagisa the truth about who she is. The care that Angelina shows for Iris in that scene is a complete change from her initial attitude towards the girl. Naturally, the Mizuki/Nagisa interaction is probably the most powerful moment in the episode, although the following scene between Kaito and Nagisa certainly helps to push the plot into its next (and most likely, final) stage.

If there is one criticism that can be given about the show, it’s that the Mizuki/Nagisa relationship was sort of just there. Granted, everyone probably expected the two of them to fall in love from the beginning, but the story would have benefited with a little more time put into establishing the romance. It was played in such a way that the resulting romance was a given, so it is easy to not think much about it, but outside of Mizuki’s tutoring session, there wasn’t much time spent with the two alone, getting to know each other. Part of this is probably thanks to the thirteen episode limit, but the series’ slow beginning certainly didn’t help things.

Beyond that, this was just a downright satisfying episode. It still leaves the whole plot of Iris being the real Nagisa unresolved (for example, what are the ramifications of this?) on top of the cliffhanger ending, meaning that there is more than enough reason to come back for the next round. If you happen to be reading this review and have given up on Classroom Crisis, consider going back and giving it another chance. You will not be disappointed.

A Christian Perspective:

Read Matthew 4: 1-11, the testing of Christ

As I watched the exchange between Nagisa and Kazuhisa in this episode, I saw a clear parallel to the account(s) of the devil tempting Jesus. As Kazuhisa revealed his ultimate knowledge of Nagisa’s plans, he also revealed the direction that he hopes to take Kirishina in with new military developments. He proceeds to offer Nagisa a high position in this new endeavor, promising him power, money, and more, yet it is clear that Nagisa is at least somewhat conflicted over this information. This is shown in tandem with Kaitos’s discovery of the same information, which further suggests that this isn’t the “good” option, yet Kazuhisa sells it with tempting promises, much like Satan tried to sell his temptations with promises. The results for giving into those temptations may sound good at first (instant satisfaction, power, etc.), but compared to everything that Jesus would have given up had He given into those temptations, it is obvious that Satan’s promises only sounded good on the surface. In all things let us practice discernment to make sure that a promise that sounds good is actually good, and not just something meant to get into our ears and lead us astray.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: One character mentions “gods”

Language: 1 “cr*p”, 1 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Kaito punches Nagisa; a character is stabbed

Blood/Gore: Blood is shown in different flashbacks—floating in space, pooled under dead bodies, etc; blood is seen soaking through a character’s clothes after he is stabbed

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: Classroom Crisis, Episode 10: Director Nagisa Kiryu

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/classroomcrisis/episode-10-director-nagisa-kiryu-682157

Review:

With Yuji out of the way, Nagisa manages to ascend the ranks and takes his position as a member of the board of directors. From his new position, he begins to plan his overthrow of Kazuhisa and his salvation of A-TEC. Meanwhile, A-TEC continues to power away at their project to prove their abilities and their worth. While certain members miss Nagisa, he gathers his forces and plans his strategy to gain the majority of the votes to save A-TEC. Unfortunately for Nagisa, an unexpected turn of events throws his plan through a loop. Elsewhere, Iris takes the new ship out for its test flight, but begins to experience problems before remembering a shocking and long-forgotten secret…

This is the kind of episode that can set you on edge despite the fact that there is no “action” in the traditional sense. Now that Nagisa’s plan is in full motion, the question of what he is going to do next reigns in the viewer’s mind. While the efforts of A-TEC certainly provide a source of interest, Nagisa definitely steals the spotlight as he schemes with the vice president and meets with neutral board members in order to arrange for their support in his vote for A-TEC’s survival. Unfortunately, his meetings are played out in a series of montages, so we don’t actually get to hear how he manages to convince the neutral members to side with him.

While A-TEC’s activities are not nearly as interesting as Nagisa’s, there are still some moments worth noting. Mitsuki and Iris’ conversation that confirm certain feelings that Mitsuki holds is certainly worth seeing (and is a definite confirmation of something we already figured out), but more to the point is Iris’ test flight. It does a good job of bringing to a climax all of the various experiences Iris has had over the past several episodes, namely the various flashbacks and, later, hallucinations. All of this culminates in a plot twist that no one could have seen coming. As if one plot twist wasn’t enough, Angelina receives a phone call while Nagisa is in his meeting, and she finds out a particularly shocking political development that will completely alter the course of Nagisa’s plans. Iris and Nagisa’s fates are left hanging in the balance as the credits roll, and the lack of an episode preview means we have no idea what will happen until the next episode releases!

A Christian Perspective:

Proverbs 19:21 – Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Many of my examples are imperfect at best, and this one is no different, because I am ultimately comparing a Scripture about man’s plans vs. God’s to a situation where the plans of two men conflict. At any rate, I hope you’ll at least see what I’m trying to do.

So, the Scripture above makes it clear that we have many of our own plans, but ultimately they are meaningless, because God’s will prevails. In this episode, we watch as Nagisa carefully plans his next move to ensure his victory over Kazuhisa between meeting with the VP, pouring over documents with Angelina, and meeting with the various men he hopes to win to his side. When he goes into the meeting, everything appears to be on his side and his victory assured, only for a completely unforeseen series of circumstances unfold that completely undo all of Nagisa’s plans. It is strongly suggested that Kazuhisa knew about Nagisa’s plans long before they were laid, and that his plans were set in motion to counteract Nagisa. Of course, Kazuhisa isn’t omniscient, which is why this is not a perfect comparison, but the fact still remains that Nagisa made a lot of plans only to have them fall apart at the hands of someone more powerful and more knowledgeable.

Content Guide:

Language: 1 “dumb*ss”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: People are shot off screen

Blood/Gore: A child’s face is shown with some blood splattered on it; men appear to be lying in pools of blood; another man appears to be lying in a pool of blood; other flashbacks show blood, including a man bleeding in a spaceship with blood floating around him and an old man shot in the back, lying in a pool of blood

Review: Classroom Crisis, Episode 9: Joyless Victory

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/classroomcrisis/episode-9-joyless-victory-682155

Review:

After receiving his latest order from Yuji, Nagisa gets to work making political moves in the background. Unfortunately for Yuji, this was the moment Nagisa was waiting for, and while he technically did exactly what he was asked to do, it was not what Yuji wanted. Meanwhile, Angelina approaches A-TEC and explains exactly how Nagisa went about his scheme while also sharing her concerns about the path he is walking. Even Nagisa himself appears unconvinced as he tries to play the villain to Kaito, only to tear up at the thought. Elsewhere, Yuji’s world crumbles around him, and the field is prepared for the showdown between Nagisa and Kazuhisa.

Some parts of this episode may seem hard to follow, not only because it jumps around between different times at some points, but also because it deals with a bit of business and political dealings. Certain conversations may be harder to follow if you do not have a mind for that kind of material (or maybe that’s just me). In any event, if you can understand what is going on or even look past it, then this episode really satisfies in the sense that it finally puts some of the building conflict into motion. For those who were hoping to see Nagisa finally get back at Yuji for all of the pain and trouble he has caused, it will definitely be worth it.

Where the episode deserves applause, though, is in the fact that it makes us question whether Nagisa really wanted this. Once his plan has been hatched, Nagisa returns to the A-TEC hangar, where he is approached by Kaito. Nagisa looks for Kaito to censure him, yet Kaito refuses, which sends Nagisa into a long rant about how he is a villain. Kaito calls him out on this and points out that Nagisa is crying. A large question that floats in the background of this episode is whether or not the Nagisa we are first introduced to is the real Nagisa, or if it is the Nagisa that we have seen emerge throughout the series by his interactions with A-TEC. Judging by this scene, it would seem that the changed Nagisa may very well be the real one. It is worth watching the episode for this moment alone; of course, if you haven’t watched the rest of it, then this part won’t make much sense on its own.

Unfortunately, Nagisa’s identity crisis doesn’t put a stop to his plans. At the end of the episode, he is still contemplating his move on Kazuhisa, which will inevitably play out in the coming episodes. What this will mean for Nagisa and A-TEC is yet to be seen, so stay tuned to find out!

A Christian Perspective:

Romans 12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Well…. this one is kind of obvious. Everything that happens in this episode is born from Nagisa’s desire to get revenge on his brothers, and the task handed him by Yuji presented the perfect opportunity. By convincing the contender for the Seinin party to switch sides, Nagisa effectively took political power from his brother and simultaneously set himself up to have a pawn in his own back pocket. He also succeeded in getting Yuji shipped off to an undesirable location. Yet, despite all of this, Nagisa doesn’t seem happy, or else why would he start crying as he tries to play the villain? The lesson is clear: revenge doesn’t bring happiness.

In the same way, we may feel tempted to get revenge on the people who have wronged us, but we should not follow through on it (and should not expect good results if we ignore reason and do so anyway). First, as Scripture states, revenge is God’s, so we can’t expect God to bless any attempt we make at revenge. Second, it is likely to lead to more bad things. At best, we simply end up feeling terrible about our choice; at worst, we set off a chain reaction where the other person then seeks revenge on you and so on. Let’s just leave the vengeance to God and not trouble ourselves with such things, shall we?

Content Guide:

Languae: 5 “h*ll”, 1 “b*stard”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: A recap shows Yuji punch Nagisa

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Classroom Crisis, Episode 8: Money, Elections, and School Festivals

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/classroomcrisis/episode-8-money-elections-and-school-festivals-682153

Review:

As A-TEC gears up for the annual school festival, the brains inside Kirishina gear up for an upcoming political rally to support their party. Meanwhile, the opposing party, favored by the union and laborers, approaches Kaito and requests the opportunity to speak at A-TEC’s festival demonstration. In the midst of all this, Nagisa has his own meetings to worry about, in addition to an invitation given to him by Mitsuki. While doing some of his own investigating, Nagisa manages to uncover the means by which A-TEC’s enemies seek to bring them down, and decides to put his own plan into action.

This is quite the busy episode, with a lot of different story arcs progressing at once. On the one hand, we have the political side of things—Kirishina’s motivations and goals versus A-TEC’s ultimate assistance given to the opposing party. On the other, we have the various character relationshps developing. Mitsuki and Iris have a moment together, although that friendship doesn’t really have any need for growth; however, in the midst of it, Nagisa’s relationship with Mitsuki does seem set to deepen, depending on his actions. There is also a brief moment between Nagisa and Iris that gives some peace to the question of her past for the time being. The conflict between Nagisa and Yuji continues to grow as well, and seems to finally come to a head by episode’s end. Kaito is also featured a bit in the episode, but not much is done with his character—he ultimately buys into supporting the union’s political party, but he doesn’t actually see any character growth.

What the episode actually achieves is to show how far Nagisa has come as a character. While he was previously set on simply accomplishing his goal of shutting down A-TEC, he now seems to have some level of sympathy for them, along with a desire to save the class. Whether this comes from an emotional attachment to his classmates or simply a desire to crush his brother(s) is unclear, but given the path he seems to be on it is likely that he is developing an emotional attachment. At the very least, he certainly expresses some level of affection for the work given to him in preparation for the festival.

Content Guide:

Proverbs 22:1 – A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

This was another hard episode to make a biblical connection with, but I want to focus in on the fact that people within the Kirishina Corporation (at least Yuji, and probably others) have been spending money on unspecified things and then recording the costs as if they were being used by A-TEC. In other words, it was a dishonest business practice to allow them to spend money and pin it on someone else. Such practices are immoral and show a lack of integrity on the part of the person(s) perpetrating the act. Of course, making immoral decisions is a good way to tarnish your name, and when you get caught (as most tend to do) it tarnishes your name. This, of course, brings us back to the Scripture in this case, which says that a good name is to be desired more than riches. Therefore, we should seek to make moral decisions, even when they aren’t the convenient decisions.

Content Guide:

Language: 1 “p*sses”, 1 “d*mmit”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Yuji punches Nagisa

Blood/Gore: A dead body is shown in a flashback, and there is blood on it as well as blood floating in space around it; Nagisa bleeds

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