English Dub Review: Chain Chronicle: Light of Haecceittas “Torn Apart”

Where we find the hero of the show was Aram all along.

Spoilers Below

Recap: Yuri’s hand, it went bad. Baddies messed with him, he stabbed Kain, then crossed over to the dark side. After the battle, our remaining heroes a regroup under the cover of the ruins. Kain is alive, but barely. Marina’s magic holds the wound closed but only the healers of the Vice Capitol can get him back on his feet. Shuza arrives to rub salt in the wounds, trying to recruit away any of the heroes that would join him. Aram stands up, demanding the return of the Chain Chronicle. He gives a rousing speech. Yuri hasn’t betrayed them. He’s only confused. He had carried the whole army on his back. Now, it’s their turn to carry him. Shuza doesn’t believe that answer…

…But is entertained enough to let the boy’s insolence slide. He challenges Aram to make good on his plan to save Yuri, but won’t hand over the Chain Chronicle until they take it from him by force. The heroes split up. Marina, Michidia, and Kain go to the Vice Capitol in the wagon to patch his leak. The four volunteers from the wizard’s army take the giant sword of light back to the Sage’s Tower. In the meantime, Aram and Phoena continue on the original plan: get to Soul Island and find Pirika.

Being alone with Phoena on the road, Aram becomes sensitive to the depression and loss that grips her. After she gets a much-needed bath and a meal, he tries to get her talking about the adventures she’s had so he could get to know more about Yuri and the gang. You know a great story? The time Yuri killed a dragon! You know what isn’t a great story? The time Yuri killed a dragon! The dragon was so overwhelmed by the darkness, that he had terrorized the landscape. When he came to his senses, he begged for death to atone. Yuri obliged him, but only after much cajoling. That death weighed on him ever since. Oh, and now that Yuri has been overtaken by the same darkness, he’s in the exact same situation as the dragon. Great thing to bring up for the girl who blames herself. If only she had been able to help him. If Yuri was taken, maybe that is the fate for everyone. Maybe the world deserves to be consumed in darkness.

Aram refuses this conclusion. Yuri’s state is the fault of the Black King, and only him. The bonds that they have forged make them strong. They will save Yuri and the world. To be honest, Aram said the word “bonds” so much, this speech got a bit muddled for me. But it means something for Phoena! She finally releases all the pent up emotions she held inside through a stream of wailing and waterworks, but Aram and Furball manage to calm her down enough to sleep. The next day, they reach the island, but they aren’t alone. Dark Knight Yuri arrives on the island and begins his own search for Pirika.

Meanwhile, Kain is recovering and is out of the woods. Juliana takes this news to heart but remains resolute. If Shuza or Yuri attempt to harm her citizen’s they’re going down, by her own hand if necessary. Lastly, the wizard’s army discovers that the Sword is key to creating new light in the world, and may be tied together with Pirika and the Chain Chronicle.

This episode felt like it was the end of a movie. It was a solid wrap up for all that happened in the last couple episodes and sets the stage for the final portions of the adventure. Other than Aram’s overuse of the word “bonds”, the writing was just fine and held me even through the tears of Phoena’s trials. Missing Yuri in this episode shows us that he wasn’t really the main character in the first place. The show has always centered around Aram. First, he learned about the mantle Yuri bore. In this episode, he takes up that mantle, driving everyone on towards their goals by his own charisma and connections to them. The voice acting was fine, and there really wasn’t much to showcase the animation in this episode. It wasn’t bad at all. It wasn’t stunning either. I give it seven bonds out of ten.