Monday, March 14, 2016

Bamboo Blade Part 2 Episodes 5-7


The time has come.  Muroe High’s Kendo Team vs. Machido High’s Kendo Team.  There’s only one problem: Kojiro only has 4 team members.  But Kojiro’s not about to let that imped his quest for a years worth of sushi.  And he has the ultimate weapon, Tamaki Kawazowe.  It’s time for the ultimate test of skill and cunning.  And Machido’s team is no quintet of pushovers.  In fact they’re more of an oddball bunch than Muroe’s team.  It’s the match up everyone’s been waiting for…with a few surprises in store too.

Well, I wasn’t expecting this match up so soon.  Especially since we have yet to see member #5 of this little Kendo team.  Still, that didn’t stop the first official practice match of the series from being a very fun continuation.  There was a ton of good humor and some intense matches (all in good fun).

Is it wrong we’re only a few episodes in and already I want a spin off series, or at least some episodes, dedicated to the Machido High Kendo Team?  They were an awesome set of weirdos who repeatedly stole the set this week.  Not that I have anything against our home team of Muroe, but there was something so instantly likeable about each of these girls: Yokoo the gruff leader; Asekawa, whose mood in battle is dependant on the status of her relationship with her boyfriend; the level headed Harada, who seems the most normal of the five; monstrous in size but nervous in combat Nishiyama; and cheerful sadist Ando…well ok some aspects make them not so likeable.  Together however, along with Ishibashi’s attempts to keep them all in line and focused made for great entertainment.

What was left over from the screen by Machido was clearly taken up by Tama, who had the worst predicament of anyone this week.  She had to lie and pretend to be two people to make up for the fact that Muroe was down one team member.  How Ishibashi was able to just overlook this was a surprise.  But I guess Karma hit Kojiro pretty hard when he found out his sushi dream was just a dream overall.  Still, seeing Tama sneak out of the window, Perfect 10 style, and sacrifice match time so she could eat were both great moments.

Possibly my favorite bit from this weeks set was Ishibashi’s showdown with Tama and his analysis of her style.  “She has to learn to lose,” he tells Kojiro at dinner.  Now that might not be something anyone would want to hear, star student or teacher, but I can see his point.  Winning is important but it’s not everything.  Build yourself up as invincible or untouchable a bit too much and it could come crashing down on your confidence big time.  Tama did get a little riled up in her duel with Ishibashi, a change from the normally silent powerhouse of confidence.  I wonder, if Tama loses, would she just stop practicing Kendo all together?  I’d hate to think of Tama as Domon Kasshu from G Gundam, aka he loses a match and sulks about it for 5 episodes before getting his confidence back.  But I wouldn’t be shocked if the show took that route, hopefully in a way that matches the light hearted tone.

So with matches fought and lessons learned, what’s next for the team?  Well they need a fifth team member and…and then I guess more matches with schools?  It’s tough to get a read on what route this series is heading in terms of a final endgame.  But so long as we can keep following this loveable cast of Kendo fighters a bit longer, they can just chill and talk Kendo and life and I’ll be alright with that.

See ya next week for more Bamboo Blade.  And stick around for the rest of the week as I kick off my Easter Special-The Dragon Ball Z: ROCK THE DRAGON Movie Marathon. 

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