English Dub Review: The Drops of God “A Pale Moon Shines in the Distance”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Tomine and Shizuku conclude the battle for the Sixth Apostle.

Our Take:
While the Apostle reveal is usually the best part of the competition, the symbolism behind it in the journeys is crucial to understanding life itself.  This episode is no different, as Shizuku and Tomine conclude their respective searches through their distinctive ventures.  For Shizuku, he helps Leonardo meet his young son Sora, though his girlfriend, Natsuki, died after childbirth, leading him to uncover the Apostle through one of her wine poems.  Moments like this always get me in the heart because you’ve longed to be reunited with your loved one, only to find that they’ve already passed on.  As for Tomine, he found his own selection through his time with Honoka: the 2001 Barolo Reserve Le Rocche del Falletto.  However, Shizuku was declared the winner with his selection: the 2001 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis.
Shizuku’s selection highlighted the journey from loneliness to human connection, resembling Leo finding the only part of Natsuki he has left: his son.  For Tomine, his wine ended up feeling like cold isolation instead of warmth, possibly because of his estranged relationship with his mother.  Given Honoka’s actions in the last couple of episodes, I can see why Tomine encounters this icy feeling from his wine.  This episode further illustrates the anime’s use of wine as a metaphor for life, particularly the different paths the characters take during the Apostle competition.  Shizuku seems to continue on a lighter path in not only understanding wine but also the world around him.  For Tomine, his path appears to be the opposite through his trauma and relentless determination.  These paths define their approaches to wine, driving the competition further and drawing interest in both contestants.