Shameful Otaku Secret!

Black Star!

Second episode and BONES is kicking ass again. The preview from last week was a red herring of sorts: if you were disappointed by how it looked like it was going to be typical action bad-assery, don’t be. Turns out, Black Star is far more incompetent than week one’s Maka and Soul Eater.

Recap

Black Star is a death scythe technician, like Maka. His weapon is Tsubaki, played by Kaori Nazuka, known for the title role in Eureka Seven but still fresh in our minds as True Tears‘ Hiromi. She transforms into a pair of scythe blades connected by a chain, a smoke bomb, and a giant shuriken. Looks like Soul Eater got gypped, he only has one weapon form.

Black Star and Tsubaki are worse off than Maka and Soul — rather than having to start their quest for Kishin eggs over completely, they never really got off the ground in the first place. Probably because Black Star is a bit of an idiot, with a Napolean complex to boot. Fortunately for them, Al Capone and his 98-gangster army add up to just what they need.

Things get really bad when they go after their witch soul. The witch’s guardian proves to be a tough swordfighter, but when they meet Angela the witch herself, there’s the real dilemma: she’s just a kid.

What we’ve learned

Shinigami-sama has only one leg?

Can you dig it

Honestly, I thought the humor held up a little better in this episode than the first, and Black Star is certainly a likable moron. So far we have two fairly unique partnerships: where Maka and Soul seem very close and well-matched, Black Star and Tsubaki are a strange pairing. She’s a highly capable weapon who seems very professional, but she can’t keep a technician for long. He’s a cocky idiot who tries to peep on her in the bath, but he knows how to come through when the chips are down.

I don’t know what more to say that I didn’t say last week: this thing is on fire. Style, humor, action, high gloss, and now Hiromi? What, indeed, can I say.

Looks like next week will keep it up as well: Death The Kid is Shinigami-sama’s own son, and his weapon is a pair of big-breasted girls in funny (cowboy?) hats who transform into pistols. Lest we slip into a regular shallow action mire, there’s a twist: He’s incredibly OCD, even about his action poses. Should be great.

I’ll be on the lookout to see if Thursday’s version varies any from Monday’s. Last week there was really no difference except the preview, but there was no contest for whose subs were better. If you’re only interested in watching really quality subs, wait for Friday, because the ones that come out Tuesday (not gonna name names because that feels like smack-talk, these people do it for the love and we have to be thankful) are a little hard to get through.