Karneval ep9: the worst of luck

Well, if that wasn’t a let down. Not the episode mind you, but Yogi’s non-rampage. Regardless, there’s still plenty to digest here as we see a bit how the “other side” of Karneval lives.

Man, I was so excited about Yogi and his rampage. Well, all it managed to do was make a major mess of the situation. Psycho Yogi was able to scare off the Varuga team, but they just ended up running into Tsukumo and kidnapping her. Yogi himself unexpectedly doesn’t kill or even attack Gareki (I guess that crush runs deep), but instead cocoons him in vines while the others run away. Strangely enough, he didn’t recognize Gareki in his other form. What is going on inside this guy’s head?

The only one who can confirm Tsukumo’s kidnapping is Nai who nearly panics upon sight of this. This is important because we’re then shown the infamous Karoku at a party. He slumps down from the feedback he’s getting from Nai and is escorted to some place quiet by Uro, who seems to be this show’s mastermind, or at least its “dragon“. This place is also where the two Varuga bring Tsukumo. Apparently, they think that bringing her back will get them out of trouble for not killing Circus members when they had the opportunity. Then again, if that was the case why the hell did they bring her there? Idiots.

Not only are they dumb enough to bring Tsukumo to such an important Kafka spot, they didn’t even lock the damn door to the room where they stashed her. Upon Tsukumo’s awakening, she takes that opportunity to escape, but not before running into Erisyuka. The little princess definitely recognizes her, but I’m sure she’s completely ignorant of who she is. This certainly doesn’t help matter for Tsukumo, because her screams bring the guards, and force her to haul ass out of the building even faster than before.

Meanwhile back on the Second Ship, Yogi is left healing in intensive care, while Akari begins questioning Gareki and Nai on what happened. He’s especially interested in what may have set off Yogi. Gareki quickly learns that Akari is withholding information. It’s obvious that something they found in that hidden room beneath the mansion set Yogi off, but Akari won’t give him any hints.

Back to Tsukumo, she’s made it out of the building and onto the grounds, but she’s made little real progress. The grounds are swarming with little beast Varuga that are looking for her. That’s not counting the guards and the two human Varuga as well. In her attempts to escape them she runs into a greenhouse, where Karoku has been holed up recovering. She makes an attempt to subdue Karoku to get him not to gvie up her position. But all she’s done is manage to checkmate herself, as Karoku slyly pokes her with some sort of tranquilizer or paralyzing agent. Karoku recognizes her because of his deep psychic connection to Nai. And for some reason he wants to believe that she’s in a safe play.

Sure.

Overall a decent episode, though not what I was expecting. I was hoping to see some sort of decent action, but all Yogi really did was a lot of load barking to scare away the bad guys, intentional or not. What intrigues me most about this situation is that it leads me to believe that Yogi may be part Varuga, or may be infected yet being medicated to control the situation. I wonder how long this show is going to attempt to string along this mystery?

It’s also a little interesting to see that Nai is slowly catching on to the world around him, and the feelings of the people who occupy it. He may be perceptive beyond his gimmick of super-hearing.

As for Tsukumo, she has the worst of luck.  She’s beaten up and kidnapped by idiot.  She ‘s dropped off in a place that is swarming with her sworn enemies.  And when she gets a half decent chance to escape, she’s merely brought down into bondage again my slightest prick of a needle.

I was really excited for this episode.  It’s too bad it didn’t deliver anything riveting or visceral to its viewing experience.  Even for a josei, I expect more thrills and spills than this.  But at least I can take solace in the fact that Gareki wasn’t wearing that obnoxious one-sleeved shirt that he loves so much.

Further Reading:

• Episode 8