Friday, 31 January 2014

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 15

Has Hazama met his match?  Yes, actually, in a quite literal sense having come face to face with his "brother", Beyond Flamenco.

So what is From Beyond's real goal?  As Beyond Flamenco himself puts it, they really aren't all that fussed about dominating the world, or even a single nation - after all, how would even their forces be able to subjugate billions of people, and what would be in it for them?  By extension, it becomes clear that there is something deeper at work, but Beyond Flamenco won't be drawn on what that something is - indeed, all he wants to do is to die, and take his comrades with him.  This victory doesn't stop the continuing ingress of the Destruction of Japan machine into the Earth's core, and of course only the Flamengers can stop it, even at the danger of it leading to their own death.


We know how such stories go, and thus Japan is saved and the Flamengers hailed as heroes by all and sundry for saving Japan once again.  Why, then, are armed police suddenly trying to arrest Hazama?  Captain America... sorry, Mister Justice, is there to not only help Hazama escape, but to explain all - in short, it's a government conspiracy, where From Beyond were mere creations to manipulate public opinion, and now that that has been achieved the heroes who inadvertently aided that situation need to be dealt with.

As per previous tonal shifts in this series, I'm not yet sure how I feel about the new direction Samurai Flamenco is heading it.  It certainly had a few laugh out loud moments once again (I'm waiting for the inevitable ten hour long "Justice Beam" YouTube video), and its conspiratorial elements and knowing jibes at the idea of evil organisations Hell-bent on ruling the world were appreciated, but I'm not sure how well these ideas will translate into the same sort of lunatic fun that has powered the series up to this point.  I'm guessing that the Flamenco Girls may well rise to prominence here, but I'll wait with bated breath to see what this oddly enjoyable show has up its sleeve next.

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