Maoyu, Episode 12: Strange Bedfellows

--I'm back, my Hero --You sleep too much, my Demon King

Summary

The spirits of Demon Kings past are banished from Queen through the power of Hero’s love. Using his magic, they’re able to regenerate Head Maid’s arm.

Mage shows up in the Winter Country and delivers Queen’s message. It’s the cure for smallpox. Thanks to this information millions will be saved each year. Meanwhile, the Southern Triad has agreed to Young Merchant’s request that they allow him to conduct business with the demons. They’re starting to see how, despite their surface differences, the demons aren’t so different from them.

Lady Knight’s successful scheme to feed the enemy horses infected grain, and the squabbling of the Central nobles on how to carve up the Triad, have delayed the fighting. A group of mercenaries finally get tired of waiting and launch a raid of their own, but Knight uses hit-and-run tactics to beat them with a smaller force. Just as the enemy has been routed, snow starts to fall. There won’t be any fighting now.

In the Iron Country, the Maid sisters are working late in the print shop when the Commander stumbles in, convinced Elder Sister is Crimson Scholar, the source, in his own mind, of all his woes. He tries to kill the sisters, but they’re saved by the timely intervention of the Iron General.

In the Demon Realm, Queen makes a public appearance before her people and introduces Hero as her champion, Black Knight. His display of swordsmanship is greeted with puzzled silence, so when Head Maid calls out “flashier!” he uses some magic and blows away the top of a mountain. That’s more like it! Queen announces she’ll be calling a conclave of the Great Races, and the people are even more thrilled. At last, they’ll take the war to those cursed humans and beat them once and for all! Decidedly not what Queen has in mind, but the crowd’s too exuberant to hear, or believe, anything to the contrary.

In the Holy Capital, some officials are chewing out an Azure Demon general over his people’s failed invasion attempt. Nevertheless, their deal is still in effect – the Azure Demons will continue to antagonize the humans, allowing the Church to maintain its power and influence. The Pope announces his intention to call a Third Crusade, and a Holy Capital general shows the Azure Demon a nifty little invention they got their hands on. It’s a wooden tube that launches projectiles using black powder, and simple enough an army of slaves can use it, guaranteed to change the face of war. They stole it from the artisan Crimson Scholar hired to make it.

But that’s all in the future. For now, our protagonists have returned to the manor in Winter’s Pass, and things are back to normal. The Maid sisters continue to learn new things and come up with tasty new dishes. Head Maid still says things that make Queen flush. Queen and Knight get into yet more arguments, with Hero caught in the middle.

Thoughts

And so, the war goes on. Not what the protagonists spent the last twelve episodes working towards, but from a story perspective I’d have to say I’m not disappointed. Like I said last time, their goal is a big one, often contrary to the interests of many powerful people and organizations, or at least what they perceive to be their best interests. It’s not something that can be achieved in a single lifetime, even a demon’s. And it’s not like they didn’t have any successes either – the Southern Triad has embraced many of Queen’s introductions and innovations. They’re trying to convince the Central Nations that no, potatoes aren’t evil, and are beginning to entertain the idea that they may have more in common with the demons than they previously thought. It all ties back to what seems like the overall theme of the series, at least in the anime. You can’t change the world completely, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your part to try and leave it a better place than what you found. Hero and Demon Queen have definitely succeeded in that regard.

Also, the Azure Demons and the Church are in cahoots. I LOL’d. I hadn’t expected that, but it makes so much sense, and is amusingly ironic. Both profit immensely from the war, so really, they actually have a reason to cooperate for their mutual benefit. They’re already doing exactly what Hero and Queen are working so hard to achieve, only they’re doing so in the name of destructive ends. I suppose this would be the part where I grumble some more about the stand-in for the medieval Church being portrayed as power-hungry and self-interested, but I don’t see the need for it. Of course an institution as big and powerful as the Church is going to have corruption within its ranks. That was true historically, so there’s no reason for it not to be the same here, and it’s not like the setting is supposed to be entirely true to history anyway. It also fits with a secondary theme about the use and abuse of power, in a contrast between how the Church uses it versus how people like Queen and Hero use theirs. That comparison seems to suggest some implicit statement about power wielded by organizations versus power wielded by individuals, but I’m not prepared to go into that at the moment. Make of it what you will.

All told, I’m happy with the way things ended. There’s some unanswered questions sure, and they saw fit to add to that in the final episode, with that scene where Mage is in a cavern looking at some ginormous spell, and drops hints about Hero and Demon Queen being reincarnations as part of an ongoing cycle, with her as a “spare” of some sort. Then there’s also the various plot coupons holy relics the Pope wants found (apparently the Light Spirit used to be a mortal, since one of them is her bones), not to mention his intention to launch another Crusade. There’s room for more story; there is more story (since the title of the second light novel uses ‘kurultai,’ the term Queen uses for the gathering of the Great Races, I’m inclined to assume the anime covers the first novel), and this turned out to be a fun series, so I’d gladly watch more. On the other hand, though, it’s hard to see where it could go without being more of the same, and as it stands the anime was long enough to be both entertaining and convey its central theme, so even if this is all there is, it ended at a good place.

Maoyu, Episodes 10-11: Things Fall Apart; Things Come Together

- So Now Their Plans are Finally Coming to Fruition? & - I Just Destroy and Kill Without Creating Anything

Summary

Elder Sister Maid’s speech about freedom was great and all, but the Winter King and Lady Knight’s endorsement of it means they’ve basically flipped the bird at the Central Nations and the Church. War isn’t an immediate concern, but still something they need to worry about. The serfs, however, are on the point of rebellion, so the Winter King and his fellow southern monarchs the Bard Queen and the Iron King decide they’ll have to free them. It shouldn’t be a problem because of the increased food yields the potato provides.

Meanwhile, under Lady Knight the Lakeside Convent has broken away from the Central Church and established the True Faith of the Light Spirit. When immigration to the three kingdoms, now called the Southern Triad, proves low, the Bard Queen suggests sending out musicians to spread the True Faith’s teachings. Elder Sister disputes this, since most serfs are simple believers unconnected to the schemes of the Church. It would be unfair to involve them in a doctrinal dispute. Instead, she thinks the musicians should sing of what the Triad has to offer: no serfdom, low taxes, and being rewarded for ability rather than status. Impressed by her reasonable assessment, the monarchs agree it’s the better idea.

Young Merchant, meanwhile, has schemes of his own to enact. By stockpiling wheat and purchasing future harvests at set prices via contract, he can create artificial inflation and scarcity, keeping the nobles of the Central Nations worrying about their harvests. It’s all part of his plan to take down the Council of Ten.

In Gate City, the Dragon Princess warns the governor about the Azure Demons. They are one of the Great Races, the source of more Demon Kings than any other. They want to conquer the human world, and she’s heard rumors they’re making contact with humans in Gate City. She then visits Young Merchant and offers to buy salt from him. It’s a valuable commodity in the Demon Realm, and scarcer since the loss of Bright Light Island.

In the Central Nations, the impact of Young Merchant’s actions starts to be felt as grain prices rise.  Bard Student tells Merchant Student, now the Winter Country’s Finance Minister, about it in a letter. It’s clear to the latter that the Central Nations will look to the Southern Triad, where prices haven’t risen, but the demand will be so high it could gobble up all their available product. To avert a crisis, he suggests they impose a tariff on wheat and potato exports. The Holy Capital and the Church, meanwhile, plan to combat the rampant inflation by issuing a new currency with a higher value.

After the tariff comes into effect, Young Merchant and the Dragon Princess pay a visit to the Finance Minister. Young Merchant asks for an exclusive tariff exemption on Alliance goods that pass through the Triad, a land grant on Bright Light Island, permission to establish Alliance banks in the Triad capitals, and to buy all their potato supply. Furthermore, he wants to invest the Alliance’s stockpiled wheat in the Southern Triad. The Finance Minister realizes he plans to use it as a pseudo-currency, and to open trade with the demons. The Dragon Princess proves the latter by revealing herself as a demon.

The Church sends the Southern Triad declarations of war and excommunication. Hero asks the Winter King how long they can fight with no casualties on either side. This isn’t naiveté, it’s necessary for what he has in mind. The King says the snows will come and prevent further fighting within four weeks, two if they’re lucky. He agrees to the task.

Serfs from the White Night Country are crossing the border into the Iron Country, much to White Night King’s dismay. The Commander suggests they take them back through force. With the Southern Triad distracted by the numerically superior Central punitive force to the west, this is the perfect chance to launch a raid on the Iron Country and conquer it. Warrior Student, Queen’s third pupil and now an officer in the Iron Country army, leads a successful defense against the White Night raiding force, the latter suffering disproportionately higher casualties. Afterwards the wounded from both sides are treated equally, and Warrior Student is promoted to General. A handful of the raiders, including the Commander, have escaped and are currently hiding in the city.

Word arrives that an army of Azure Demons is marching on Bright Light Island. Since the Triad has no troops to spare, Hero decides to deal with the situation himself. He gets unexpected help when Mage pops up and offers to stop them for him. She uses a massive, years-in-the-making spell to teleport the Azure Demons away, and then Hero does as she asked and destroys the magical gate that allows people to enter the Demon Realm, but afterwards it’s revealed the Demon Realm is actually underground, connected to the Human world.

Queen finally emerges from the tomb of the Demon Kings, clearly not herself. The spirits of past Kings have taken control. Head Maid tries to carry out Queen’s last order, but is no match for her mistress’s new combat prowess and loses an arm. She manages to force Queen back into the tomb, in the hopes she’ll repeat the process and return to normal, but has little hope of it. Hero bursts in, and has no choice but to try and stop Queen himself.

Thoughts

So the Demon Realm is underground? Everyone thought it was a different world/plane/whatever? That wasn’t ever brought up before. I was confused, since I’d assumed it was just the continent at the South Pole. Not very Antarctic-y, but y’know, magic. Then I remembered that the map we always see just has an empty southern continent except for the magical gate everyone teleports to when they go to the Demon Realm. The latter is in a rather Antarctic-y wasteland, where they then teleport again to reach the demon lands proper. A map of which is seen in the opening credits and once or twice in the show itself. It’s still a bit random of a revelation, but actually not confusing at all.

On another note, Young Merchant’s proving to be rather unscrupulous, huh? Not that it wasn’t always obvious he’s shrewd, profit-focused and not above getting his hands dirty when dealing with real or perceived threats to his own interests. But now it’s clear just how far he’s willing to go, and the amount of people he’s willing to step on. He’s starting to feel like a bad guy, which is a bit of a shame because I kinda liked him. Well, maybe it’s not that so much as I just approved of his taste in women.

On the other hand, it’s not so simple as that. When Dragon Princess offers him a business deal, he starts to think this is what Hero meant about someone like him, who thinks in terms of loss-and-gain, being the one to find something that is more than that. Basically, by opening trade with the demons – going after something in the name of profit – he may become responsible for increased contact, communication, and understanding between the two races. So it’s hard to know where to stand on this – he’s screwing over thousands of people in the name of his own interests, but at the same time he’s on track to enabling what could be the most important step in ending the war between humans and demons because of it.

It’s also nice to see things threaten to fall apart a little, rather than everyone easily managing to put aside their differences and work together. It’s not so much that they’re coming undone because Queen isn’t there, though that’s part of it, since she’s the one with the best understanding of the underpinnings of conflict. Rather, it’s a chance to establish how those under her wing are able to take what she taught them and learn to apply it, and to see her influence resonate beyond her immediate actions. There’s pushback from the Central Nations, and especially the Church, but several of the Southern Nations, at least, have taken her ideas to heart and started working together to try and improve the lives of their people. So far it looks like Queen will be assigned the credit for Elder Sister’s actions, which is a shame since they were entirely the latter’s doing, but it’s nice to see that those in the know still appreciate her value and are willing to listen to her ideas. Queen’s students had so far been very peripheral, but now we got to see that they’ve learned their lessons well, whether it’s the knowledge she taught them (Merchant Student deducing Young Merchant’s economic schemes), her shrewdness (Bard Student’s work as a spy; that he’s helping Young Merchant is questionable, but at least he doesn’t seem entirely on his side), or her compassion (Warrior Student’s treatment of the enemy wounded). And the fact of the matter is the end goal is a huge one that can only be achieved by going against the interests of some very powerful people and organizations. Having everything resolve peacefully would be improbable and too convenient. It’s also too big for any one person, even someone like Queen. In-story her reason for going back to the Demon Realm was because she never completed the process for becoming the Demon King, not to mention she doesn’t appear to be in line with standard practice, making the spirits of the old Kings angry. Narratively, however, it’s been a chance for those who’ve been influenced by her to show what they can do, and it’s great that the story go in that direction.

Random observation, but I’m not sure why I called Head Maid Queen’s governess the first time I mentioned her. I’d just sort of assumed, but there wasn’t any evidence she was anything other than a long-time servant. It’s just that I didn’t really think about that until now, with the flashback in episode 10, where it was clear Queen and Head Maid are roughly contemporary in age. Clearer I should say, since I never really pinpointed Head Maid’s proximity to Queen in age before, but it’s obvious in hindsight. Since its shown the flashback takes place when Hero’s a baby, whereas Queen looks like she’s in her teens, I’d be a little weirded out at the implied age gap, but since she’s not, despite her appearance, human, I’m just going to go with the relative age excuse.

But back to Head Maid. Episode 11 really underscored her loyalty to Queen, especially that blink-and-you-miss-it flashback that implies she was once in the same situation as the two younger maids. It’s not clear how much of her current situation was her actively asking to serve Queen and how much the latter’s compassion, but it’s probably a mix of both. Regardless, it sheds more light on her actions towards the sisters. She may have been harsh, but she understood them a lot better than was clear at first, and wasn’t being contemptuous so much as trying to give them a lesson about what they need to do to survive. I definitely misjudged her.

Maoyu, Episode 9: I am Impressed

I am Human

Summary

With the White Night King, their leading ally in the south, in disgrace and the Winter Country on the ascendance thanks to the Crimson Scholar, the Church’s influence is waning. They intend to launch a Third Crusade in the hopes of bolstering it again. Young Merchant plots to avoid the Alliance taking any action until he and his closest colleagues can reform its governing body, the Council of Ten. One of Queen’s students, a young man from the Bard Country and now a diplomat for the Winter Country, is recruited into their cause to help delay whatever the current Council is doing.

In the town square of the Winter capital, it’s clear the Church’s actions don’t have popular support. Elder Sister Maid, wearing the ring, is brought before the Church’s Messenger, and his second-in-command ascertains this is indeed Crimson Scholar after looking her over. She’s put in chains, and whipped and beaten by the Messenger’s men. The people are horrified, and the Winter King almost intervenes until Old Man warns him against it. But Elder Sister remains defiant, and the Messenger can think of no better proof of ‘her’ heresy. Now she has something to say, but what does he need to fear from a heretic’s words?

Elder Sister tells her story, without mentioning that she isn’t, in fact, Crimson Scholar. Born a serf, she lost all but one of her six siblings to accidents, illness, the winter cold, and the cruelty of the land owner. But fate gave her a second chance, and others looked out for her. For so long she’d been told her birth status made her nothing more than an insect. But the kindness she’s been shown has convinced her otherwise. She’s human, and believes anyone who wants to be must first recognize that they already are. When the Light Spirit created humanity, she gave them souls so that they could have freedom. She didn’t make them perfectly good either, but their freedom allows them to strive to do better and know the joy that brings. These are holy treasures, not to be relinquished just to make things easier. No one can take that from you, not kings, not even the Church.

Enraged, the Messenger orders the crowd to stone her. Surprisingly, Elder Sister says she won’t resent it. Sometimes people must do such things to protect themselves and their families, even if it means obeying cruel people. Freedom also means they have the freedom to choose their own actions, and no one can blame them for doing what they must. But to do something simply because they were ordered to, for no other reason, that makes you an insect, one who has surrendered the Light Spirit’s holy gifts to another and has no will of their own.

The crowd starts to throw stones – at the Messenger. He orders the Winter King to stop them, but the latter remains silent. That does it – off with her head! The Winter King intervenes and stands up to the Messenger. For too long he’s been under the yoke of the Central Nations and the Church, but only now does he realize what that really meant. He’s ashamed it took him so long to act. Lady Knight speaks up as well. As a servant of the Light Spirit, she’s ashamed of the Church’s actions. Freedom also means the freedom to sin – it’s one’s personal responsibility to overcome your own sinful nature. The King grants Crimson Scholar asylum, and Knight, as prioress of Lakeside Convent, recognizes her as a saint. The King orders the Messenger to leave. The latter warns them they won’t get away with this.

A demon lord has just had a vision of Elder Sister. It’s made him less confident in his plans to take over the world.

This has all happened before. Through many ages she who tore the world asunder has strived to make things right, and across the span of time many like Hero have risen to help her. All she wants is salvation for all, and the chance to see him again.

Thoughts

Damn, this just might be the best episode of the series so far! Elder Sister Maid was only a secondary character up ‘till now, but man did she steal the show here. The rescue plan gave her a very passive role, but she managed to upset that and take her fate into her own hands. I never really thought much of it, but she’s spent the last six episodes wondering about the opportunities she’s been given and generally being unsure of her newfound place in life. Seeing her embrace it, and at great personal risk no less, was great to watch and took a lot of guts on her part. She deserves some major kudos for that.

It also put Head Maid’s comments about ‘insects’ in a new light. I didn’t like it because it was kind of absurd – yeah, no shit a serf doesn’t have the power to improve their situation that easily. That really wasn’t the case. What Head Maid actually did was teach her that she needs to stand up for herself and take control of her own fate, rather than relying on others. By ‘can’t decide their own fate,’ it looks like Head Maid meant people who can’t in the sense that they won’t, because they lack the courage to do so. Between that and the mentions last episode of how helpful she’s been to the villagers, she’s not as bad as I thought she’d be. OK, there’s still the ‘useless flesh’ comments directed at Queen, but that’s an annoyance that isn’t exclusive to her.

Not too much to worry about here re: the portrayal of the Church either. This episode made it clear the Light Spirit’s teaching are a bit more complex and open to interpretation. It’s not a monolithic, domineering organization. OK, it wants to be monolithic, and it’s being very forceful in asserting its power, but that’s because it’s an organization run by flawed people, not something inherent to the faith itself. And since they’re as imperfect as the people they want to reach out to, their struggle to have their moral authority recognized can sometimes go too far.  

And then there’s the stuff that raises questions. Like, what’s up with that demon lord, who apparently wants to rule the world? This is a bit late to introduce a potential antagonist, especially right after it looks like the stage is set for the final conflict in the actual run of the show. And apart from, presumably, Queen and Head Maid duking it out, it doesn’t look like it’ll involve the demons at all.

Then there’s the Light Spirit, and how what’s happening the with Hero and Demon Queen is the latest in a cycle, their goal one the Light Spirit has been trying to achieve for centuries. At least, I assume it’s the Light Spirit, since she wants salvation for everyone. What bothers me is that she only sees Hero as the latest in a cycle of companions she’s worked with. I hope this doesn’t mean Queen’s been possessed by her this whole time, because yeah, way to undermine everything that makes her a great character. I suppose it might explain the restlessness of the souls of past Demon Kings, since the Light Spirit, whom the demons don’t worship as far as I can tell, is interfering with one of their own. If Queen is, say, the one identified as a worthy worldly representative because of her goals and compassionate nature, that’s totally fine, since it means the Light Spirit is just acting through an earthly agent. Granted, it’s possible the Light Spirit is still influencing Queen in at least some way. It could possibly explain why Queen has such an advanced understanding of the nature of conflict and society when no one else, human or demon, appears to.

The thing about stuff like that, though, is that this is a twelve-episode adaptation of a light novel series currently eight volumes long, and I somehow doubt the anime is covering more than a few volumes. Stuff like that demon lord and the Light Spirit feels like stuff that was included because this is the point in the story where they first show up, but who don’t actually come into play until later. It’s starting to feel like Mage may be the same way too. If there’s more seasons that not necessarily an issue, depending on how far they get, and I definitely won’t object if more gets made, but I’m not holding my breath.

Maoyu, Episode 8: And Don't Even Ask What the Light Spirit Has to Say About Corn...

- Take This Sword, My Lord

Summary

Elder Sister Maid uses the ring during a meeting with Young Merchant, but he sees through it right away. Hero takes over and teleports him to Gate City, and reveals Demon Queen’s identity, though not her title. As far as most humans know, Gate City was re-occupied by the demons, but that isn’t the case. Rather, Queen has recognized it as neutral territory. Human merchants – including some from the Alliance, are doing brisk business, and a third of the city council members are humans. Hero believes that merchants, those who think in terms of loss and gain, may be the first to see the things that can’t be expressed so. If Young Merchant will show him that, he can join their cause.

Queen visits Mage at the Outer Library of the Demon Realm. What transpires isn’t shown, but when she returns to the castle of the Demon Kings she tells Head Maid she left a message. They descend into the vaults, where the spirits of the past Demon Kings are growing restless. Before she enters, Queen has Head Maid repeat her promise – if Queen returns no longer herself, Head Maid will kill her.

Back at Winter’s Pass, Lady Knight offers her sword to Hero. She accepts the relationship between him and Queen, but she wants to be part of their cause. Offering herself to be his sworn sword is her way of helping. Hero accepts. Meanwhile, Elder and Younger Sister Maid learn how grateful the villagers are for everything Queen and Head Maid have done for them.

The Winter King receives an envoy from the Holy Capital. The Crimson Scholar has been declared a heretic and must be handed over a once! The potato is a demon crop, her new agricultural methods are against the Light Spirit’s teachings, and her efforts don’t sufficiently involve the church.

The Winter King and Old Man personally visit Winter’s Pass. Together with Hero and Knight, they devise a plan. Elder Sister, reluctantly, agrees to wear the ring and be ‘arrested’ by the Winter King. Once she’s out of the country, Hero will rescue her.

Thoughts

This is the sort of thing I was worried about when I first started watching the show. So, um, crop rotation on a four-year instead of three-year cycle is evil? Really? Episode 3 did things nicely, showing the Church as a leading institution for learning and the dissemination of knowledge. This time it’s the more stereotypical view of the medieval church as ultra-dogmatic moral guardians who don’t like anything that strays from their own dogma. But this’s the same thing as before – I don’t want to leap to conclusions because things usually turn out to be not so simplistic. After all, despite supposedly having the moral authority of being their god’s earthly representatives, the Church still has to struggle to maintain its’ influence. Knight’s reaction when she hears the news hints that this isn’t so much standard procedure as a heavy-handed use of their power against someone whose actions might undermine its’ position. Of course they’d try to act against something like that.

And if the Church knows the potato is from the demon realm, why does nobody else? Or even all members of the Church, since none of the nuns at the Lakeside Convent had any idea about it. No one’s ever said where it comes from, so how did the Church find out? Then again, I suppose if it’s unknown in human lands, it’s not much of a leap to assume it must come from there.

My constant concerns against this show becoming simplistic in ways it never has aside, more and more bits from the opening and ending sequences are starting to make sense. A lot of what’s about to happen is hinted at there, albeit in a way that isn’t clear until right before it’s about to happen. Between a glimpse of Queen sitting up on a pedestal surrounded by a red aura, then a shot of Head Maid with an injured arm right after, I think we can safely assume Queen’s trip into the catacombs isn’t to going to end well. But then, of course it won’t – are you really gonna have Head Maid make a promise like that and then not force her to face a situation where she has to carry out such an unpleasant duty? This show isn’t ironic in that way. As long as Queen is saved before she actually has to be killed it’s bound to be more interesting that way anyway.

And what’s up with those two invisible girls with Mage? Are they split personalities or something? Is anything ever gonna be done with Mage at all?