Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra, episode 10

Rank: B

Conceptually speaking, this is one of the most intriguing episodes of any series so far this season. With a single revelation, the writing adds a novel twist to the basic “transported to a game world” concept and partly upends the whole foundation of the series, while also explaining away some seeming inconsistencies in the setting.

That revelation is Takuto’s realization that this new world he and Atou have found himself in isn’t solely an Eternal Nations derivative, or even one just for 4X games; there’s at least one more game active in this setting, and like Eternal Nations, it’s operating under its own mechanics. The hordes of monsters which keep popping up around Dragontan without warning, and the way major monsters disappear and are replaced by gold coins when killed, are products of clear Dragon Quest rip-off Brave Questus and its classic JRPG mechanics.

The implications of this is huge, as it means that the way Mynoghra has been building so far is not because this world is inherently structured like a 4X game, but because 4X mechanics are intruding onto this world in the sphere of Mynoghra. Or maybe this is a 4X-based world and the JRPG element is just intruding, like an otherworldly invasion? That point is currently unclear, but either way, this may also explain what is going on with the Saint and the Slurping Witch in the cutaway scene; the Saint having killed the Witch 18 times makes a lot more sense if each of these cases was a different iteration of game play-throughs that both participants remember. (And, like Atou, Isla, and now Ice Rock, they seem to recall those previous iterations, too.) The big tag question there is whether or not they’re both from another game that Takuto is familiar with; could this be a setting populated by games Takuto has personally played?

The potential consequences of this development, which are highlighted in Atou’s fight against Ice Rock and his minions, are fascinating. Since both sides operate within their respective game’s mechanics, rather then being beholden to the base world’s mechanics, the clash between Mynoghra’s forces (okay, really just Atou and Elder Moltar) and the Demon Lord’s minions are as much about clashing game mechanics as they are about clashing individuals. Because a 4X game operates on a tactical scale, Mynoghra has a huge advantage in a mass battle scenario against an RPG, so Atou can wipe the floor with the hordes with only an assist from the Elder’s magic giving her home-field terrain advantage. (Don’t underestimate how strong that spell would be on a 4X tactical level, though!) However, that should also mean that Mynoghra is going to be at a disadvantage against RPG elites on a smaller scale, Looks like we’ll get to find out if that is true next episode, when Flamin makes a direct incursion into Mynoghra.

On the downside, this episode shows once again how much the series’ animation quality is restricting it. The production does at last make some effort to allow Atou to show off some nifty combat moves, but the limitations on what the production team can do are nearly as evident here as they were in the battle against the paladins. (The Demon Lord’s generals also look practically cartoonish, though that could possibly be intentional, given that they come from an old game.) But at least we get expressions like this, right?

With just a couple of episodes left, the stakes have been raised and the setting’s potential has expanded. I’m already feeling like a sequel is desperately needed here.