BlazBlue: Alter Memory - 07

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The latest episode of BlazBlue: Alter Memory finally gives us some more fighting and the beginnings of some answers.

We get our first real look at Relius Clover and his Puppet in this episode.  Apparently, Relius and Rachel know each other, and are familiar with the things each other does.  While watching Noel and Tsubaki face off, Relius mentions that Rachel is merely an observer and shouldn’t interfere, while Rachel indicates that Relius has something to do with Noel’s past.  One wonders if Relius can see just as much about unfolding events as Rachel and Hazama can.

I think it’s worth mentioning that Tsubaki is the second character (the first being Ragna) to ask why Noel has an Archenemy.  Why exactly does it surprise so many people that she has one?  And what exactly is so disturbing about that?  Exactly what an Archenemy is (other than being a weapon set against the Azure Grimoire) isn’t really all that clear at the moment, so it’s hard to say why it matters so much that Noel has one.

Ragna finds out in this episode that Noel is a Prime Field (a.k.a. one of the androids like Nu) created by Relius.  I really hope this gets explained more in the future, though.  For example, what exactly does it mean that she was “created” by Relius?  Isn’t Noel actually Saya, Ragna and Jin’s sister?  Or is she really just a creation modeled after her?

So it’s pretty clear that Hazama/Terumi really enjoys bloodshed and chaos, but I want to know what his ultimate goal is.  Why has he done all of the horrible stuff he’s done?  Why did he turn Jin against Ragna?  Why did he kidnap Saya?  Why does he seem to want Jin and Noel dead?  Thus far his characterization is basically that of the mysterious creep who wants to destroy everything.  What I want to know is why.

It’s nice that we get to see a fight not involving Ragna for once.  Not to mention the fact that the fight scene between Noel and Tsubaki isn’t exactly necessary to the plot; but this is a nice thing to see, to be honest.  After all, the majority of the fights in the games (aside from perhaps Ragna’s, Jin’s, and Noel’s) are based on misunderstandings that get resolved through the fighting, not through talking.

It seems like BlazBlue: Alter Memory is beginning to answer some of the many questions viewers likely have at the moment.  Here’s hoping that trend of explanation continues.

BlazBlue: Alter Memory Episode 8 Preview

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