English Dub Review: APPARE-RANMAN! “The Bridge to Hell”

Overview:

Gil T. Cigar is a myth no longer.

Our Take:

Considering last episode’s shenanigans, something was bound to change– but I didn’t expect things to change so quickly. And did they change alright, the tone taking a sharp nosedive into darker, harsher territory. The sharp tone change in one single episode was something I anticipated, but not nearly to this degree.

As it turns out, there is a real Gil, and it’s the person who has been friendly with Kosame up until now. Gil has been an enigmatic figure up until now, with nobody being knowing his face or even something close to an identity. He only lives on his reputation, of the countless brutal crimes he’s committed until now. This time, he’s manipulating the very race itself– not just the race’s outcome, but everyone who is attending as well. It hasn’t really been shown much until now, but there is also a fair amount of spectators traveling alongside the race, specifically the very wealthy patrons. The title of this episode is aptly named indeed, as Gil’s cohorts take control of the train and blow up the bridge going forward. There is chaos, and in the face of the real Gil and his compatriots holding the train hostage, there is little anyone can do.

The thing is, I can’t tell exactly what Gil’s endgame is. Is it chaos? Is it monetary? He did ask for a ransom, but is that all he wants? It could go either way, but surely there has to be a reason for his actions, and I can’t really tell if he’s being completely truthful in his speech either. Regardless, he works fast, effectively disabling all the racers and their vehicles and working among the madness. He’s a skilled villain, and you can tell he’s been planning this for a long time, so is there an outcome besides the (especially after adjusted for inflation) insane amount of money he’s demanding?

Everyone’s performance is on par, and I could really tell the severity of the situation. That ending especially– Kosame being ruthlessly shot by Gil and passing out, what a way to end things. Kosame diving in to take the bullet for Appare, the turn in their relationship dynamic ending like this, it’s just so much. I hope he won’t die, and he might have some protection as a main character, but it’s hard to tell. I can’t wait for next week.