This strikes me as dub where the English voice acting’s good, even in spite of a flatly- translated script. Some lines are awkwardly phrased, yet the actors make them sound natural, so I suppose that’s them doing the job they’re paid for.
I’m sorry to strum the same chord again, but the comparisons between Lelouch and Light are still piling up, especially now that this show’s introduced the whole voice-over/audible thought balloon storytelling device. When he realizes that his power only allows him to command a victim once, I was half-expecting Ryuk to fly down and crack open the rules section of the death note. Considering how involved and legalistic those guidelines got, I wouldn't even be surprise if this kid discovered that his power also doesn’t work on Wednesdays (or some such.) He’s even got the whole prep/terrorist duality going on, with the constant threat of one double life intruding on the other.
Speaking of the secret identity, I’m a little puzzled over how Lelouch is so ruthless in the field, yet a bit of chump at school. For crying out loud, he guns down Clovis! His childhood friend! You’d think a guy who can just shake that off like he were putting out the recycling bin would be less likely to suffer guff from the new girl. And speaking of Kallen, why is she so antagonistic to the is guy on the suspicion of him being “the voice” from the battle? Didn’t his intervention SAVE her rebels from catastrophe? She might have the “hot blood” but you think she’d at least be eager to work with this guy, even if she isn’t especially grateful.
When the questions start flying like this, you know a show’s captured my imagination. I’m intrigued to see where this ballet of high school angst and political intrigue spins itself into.
Watch this episode "The False Classmate" below, decide for yourself and then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon here & here . Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
