Zetman - 5

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So.... Is a cape that important

Apparently it's VERY important to Kouga and is yet another display of his character not having gained any maturity all the while Jin has been acting without over-thinking the little things. I don't know whether it was the same in the manga or not but with every episode that passes Kouga's character just seems weaker and weaker, both mentally and physically, when compared to Jin and the scene with him throwing a mini-tantrum because the Alphas suit isn't the same as it was in the anime just makes it even harder to like him but did me laugh just because it was slightly expected from his character.

This episode did allow Kouga to develop as a character and gain some perspective but not before he was led astray by a player with his own agenda proving that it's always the old ones who wish for the days of yore when you could shoot a man dead for trespassing. Even though Jirou's appearance could have signalled a new antagonist or player to be defeated, his meddlesome ways might have served for better preparing Kouga to become Alphas; strange how things turned out so that now Jin and Kouga don't only have their own respective confidants (Oyama and Hayami) but they also have to potential enemies who are interested in playing with them (Jirou and Haitani). Jirou is yet to be shown as a rather dangerous individual but much like the previous episodes, Haitani remains the mysterious man in the background who you know is up to no good but you don't know how or why, perfectly summed up when Jirou questions what Haitani is actually thinking about. I'm curious to see what the boss of EVOL is all about, being a care-free bartender and all it makes you wonder if he's going to even participate in future episodes.

The episode's focus on the Kouga to Alphas transformation, one which occurs quite annoyingly with Kouga snapping at the sound of his sister begging to be helped which he later justifies as not going to help a family member but someone whose voice was trembling in fear - he grew up so quickly throughout this episode didn't he Just think, he was the cause of 3 murders and with one phone call he has a new justified explanation.

Besides the transformation, Jin got the lesser screen time this week and with a lot of focus on him and his woman problems. Hanako doesn't seem to be a cameo-type character an has almost forced her way into his life, all the while Konoha's holding on to his pendant and fails to give it back once more and with this being yet another episode where the pendant was brought up, I'm guessing that this is what will always tie Konoha to Jin regardless of his romantic preferences and will give her the opportunity to one day go back to him. Jin's position ends up differing from Kouga's in the sense that whilst he is stuck powerless but has acted straight away with no moral obstacles, Kouga has been strife with an internal debate on the morality and significance of justice. Last thing I gotta say, TMS really doesn't want to make this series any more seinen than it already was and have even decided that fan service is not really in the cards for them; not that I care but it does add a feeling of censorship to the series that doesn't sit too well when looking at the series as a whole.

I wasn't too impressed with this episode of Zetman, but that might have to do with my lack of investment in Kouga's character which was the focus of most of the epislode. Next week I do hope to see more from Jin and possibly see a more likeable Kouga/Alphas.