Episode was a bit clunky. I hope there's an explanation for why Umika wasn't affected by the dream world. Perhaps since she lost her friend she has no other desire besides collecting lupin collection pieces?
Well, the dreams seemed to focus on people's primary desires, and at that particular moment, Umika was heavily invested in getting Keiichiro and Mina together. So maybe being so impassioned over such a selfless goal, instead of her own personal desire, immunized her against the dream's effects.
I thought it was a charming episode. Keiichiro's romantic awkwardness was adorable and very relatable for me. And I think Umika was being too hard on him. I think he feels that he couldn't give Mina the attention she deserves as long as he has his duty pulling him the other way. I think he would want to devote himself as fully to love as he does to his work; as he says, he can only focus on one thing at a time, but when he does, he gives it his all. If he can't do that for her, he figures, then she deserves someone who can.
Interesting that the monster was named Nero. I wonder if it's a play on
Oneiros, the Ancient Greek word for a dream or a deity personifying dreams. (See also NBC's new show
Reverie and its VR dreams-come-true company called OniraTech, from the same root.)
I'm glad to see that Sawa can stay after her whole spy angle was revealed. She had a pretty big action scene escaping
Yeah, she's an unexpected badass. Allowing for the fictional kind of window glass that shatters easily and harmlessly.
The noiseless henshin with Sento and Isurugi in the rain was pretty cool
Yeah, that was neat. Especially since the shouting, music-playing henshin devices are so annoying, so it was refreshing not to have to listen to that. But yeah, very dramatic. I still find it weird, the juxtaposition of the intense, well-done drama with the really incredibly goofy costumes and gadgets, which just keep escalating to more ridiculous levels.
I take it those new scenes in the opening titles of episodes 13-14 were from that
Heisei Final crossover movie they advertised later? I was confused for a moment. I have the impression, though, that
Build is set in a different reality from the other KR series, what with its dystopian divided Japan. So I guess there's some dimension-hopping going on?
Which is kind of appropriate, if so, since the story arc here is reminding me very much of season 1 of
The Flash, with the archvillain playing mentor to the superhero and being a supportive father figure to him for ultimately self-serving, villainous goals.
