C&C - Megalo Box - "A Dead Flower Shall Never Bloom" [2/23]

[Kitschensyngk]

This is looking to be a rematch of a showdown between man and machine.

Between the human spirit and the advancements of technology.

Between a man who rises from the ranks on his strength alone and a man who benefits from the march of scientific progress.

Like Kasparov and Deep Blue. But with fists.

Megalo Box
Episode 9 - "A Dead Flower Shall Never Bloom"
Joe faces off against Mikio, whose artificial intelligence assists him in the match.

OP: "Bite" by LEO Imai
ED: "Come to Me" by Emi Nakamura​

Spoilers do not compute.

 

[Nobodyman]

Previously on Megalo Box: Turns out Joe is Mikio's natural enemy. And that works on more than one level.

So for some reason, CN and few other channels on my cable service fritzed out, but luckily I'm able to catch the livestream.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Last time: Fight called on a combination of cowardice and a lucky guess.

I don't know why he was so worried. He seems to be winning.

 

[Nobodyman]

So it can predict him after all? Let me guess, he's reading the electric impulses in his muscles or some crap.

Uh...his only trick is that he's not using gear.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

You magnificent bastard, I read your eBOOK!

Sit down, Satsuki Kiryuin.

 

[animePWNS]

You better see a dentist, Joe.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

She can't take much more, captain! She's going to blow!

Was that bloody eye?

 

[PapaGreg]

Like I said love this show but the fight scenes are a bit week

 

[Nobodyman]

And he's using performance-enhancing drugs on top of that? He's just a walking rulebook violation.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Sit down, Kanker brother.

Using drugs in a sport where body enhancements are not only allowed, but encouraged? Unheard of.

It's just a flesh wound. I've had worse.

I thought it was because that gear makes you look like a half-naked Power Ranger.

 

[Nobodyman]

Oh yeah, why did they have a commercial before the title card?

My name is Joe. Got it memorized?

 

[Kitschensyngk]

"My name is Joe."
Hi, Joe. Whaddya know?

 

[PapaGreg]

Mikio is just jealous because his sisters gear looks better than his

 

[Kitschensyngk]

You ever stop and think that it's not that you wear the gear, but that the gear wears you?

 

[Nobodyman]

"We've got the ultimate gearless. We also have the only gearless."

Boom! Uppercut!

So long jealous brother.

Welcome to Megalonia Joe, where you'll meet Spongebob and Rocko and Ren and Stimpy and the Rugrats and...oh, wait.

 

[PapaGreg]

Looks like Joe learned from Hawk

 

[Kitschensyngk]

This boxer has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
If the problem persists, contact your systems administrator.

Way to fry his motherboard.

"I don't brawl with stray dogs."
I have a very strong feeling you're about to.

Old people parties.

 

[Yojimbo]

One uppercut took Mikio down. All that crazy advanced AI and the corporate brat's real weakness was a glass jaw. And he was d-bag.

 

[Radical]

Episode 9 was sweet,

Joe vs. Mikio was cool/intense, Mikio's clever underhanded plan using his gear Ace to learn Joe's moves, it will fail, hehehe.

Joe's clever plan to drop his guard confusing Ace's programming was sweet, take that Mikio, hehehe.

Mikio losing his cool after his calm collected behavior was funny, love it when anime villains do that before their defeats.

Joe crushing Mikio with an uppercut was awesome/satisfying, go Joe, Mikio got what he deserved, he was the biggest dirty rotten scumbag and a dumb loser, my favorite satisfying villain defeat next to Spandam/Perona, Revy/Chaka, Dio Brando/Kars/J. Geil/Angelo/Akira, and Prime Minister Honest/Syura/Dr. Stylish/Zank's.

Joe earning his spot in Megalonia and both Joe, Gansaku, and Sachio celebrating was awesome/sweet.

Gansaku/Fujimaki's secret meeting, nice they build-up Fujimaki to be a big threat next to Yukiko/Mikio and Aragaki though, great cliffhanger.


Love the picture of Bryan Hawk, my favorite great strong antagonist like Ivan Drago.

 

[Light Lucario]

I thought that this episode was pretty good. I was annoyed at first that they didn't cover the first round of the match after all that buildup, but since it was to show just how Joe was already overwhelmed by his gear, it wasn't as bad as if they had skipped even more of the match. They really showed just how determined Mikio was to prove himself. Honestly, it felt like he was almost talking to himself with his insults at Joe and then using Joe as his own emotional punching bag. Although, AI gear that can predict your opponent's moves even if they aren't wearing gear just sounds unfair, if not completely cheating, especially when he was using drugs to allow him to handle the gear. They do point this out to a degree with wondering if Mikio is making any decisions or if it was all Ace, but Mikio was set on the notion that he and Ace are the same.

It seemed like Joe was pretty confident despite his situation. He could also pick up on how Mikio was just relying completely on his gear. The fact that he was knocked out after just one clear punch really showed that he didn't have any actual fighting skills and just wanted to prove himself after his sister took charge of their company. That does tie into an issue I have with this series though. Aragaki and Mikio have more fleshed out and interesting motivations than Joe does. That's not to say that Joe is unlikable or boring and I certainly wasn't wanting to cheer for Mikio like I did with Aragaki. He was clearly a jerk from the start, but there was still more to his motivation to go to Megalonia than what Joe has. Joe is the typical underdog trying to make it to the big tournament in order to fight the Champion. It isn't a bad goal or motivation, but when other opponents have more personal motivation for their fights, it does make Joe's fall flat.

It was nice to see everyone celebrating the victory while Joe tried to recover. They did end it on an unexpected cliffhanger. It seems like Nabu probably had to make a deal in order to get the help they needed to setup this rematch. Overall, it was a pretty good episode.