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R1 DVD Reviews
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Written by maehara
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Saturday, 15 July 2006 00:00 |
 Time for the final volume of Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, and I can't quite recall a series where the show's overarching mystery has been revealed in such a low-key way - although given the way this series has progressed, that didn't really surprise me. Maia finally comes to terms with her missing past, despite the efforts of the Ocean Agency to stop her...
23 - Escape from Kamchatka
Maia's former therapist Kevin comes to visit her in her cell, aware that she's unlikely to be happy with him, having now realised that everything he'd told her about her past was a lie. He's there to help, but before he gets a chance the Ocean Agency's intelligence people interrupt - and it doesn't look like they have good things planned for her. Meanwhile, Tony approaches the Nereids gang and asks for their help in freeing Maia. Rena's happy to let the matter slide - Maia's no longer an employee, after all - but Shizuka and the others see things differently...
24 - Daphne in the Brilliant Blue
Elpida: the lost city. When the other cities of the Earth returned to the surface, Elpida failed to rise, resulting in a huge loss of life. Or at least, that's the official story - when Maia and the others arrive at Elpida, they find the city in too good condition for that to have really been what happened - if anything, it looks more like the city was attacked. Maia's convinced that if she can get inside the city and retrieve the capsule she remembers, it'll make everything clear, but the Ocean Agency are on their tail and determined to make sure they don't get inside...
OVA2 - Heaven Can Wait for Maia Mizuki
A garbage barge as the home base of a crime syndicate? How appropriate. Gloria's taken on a little out-of-hours assassination work, and has brought Maia along for some help - the target is the head of the Roberto family, and a softly-softly approach is required. Sadly, Gloria's usual attitude and a very loud vending machine soon ends that plan - and also results in Gloria's and Maia's personalities switching bodies. Are they doomed to no longer be themselves..?
Another disc of two parts, as the final OVA episode stands outside the main story and can be watched whenever you like. It's an action / comedy story in the mould of the earlier part of the series, and it's great fun to watch - even if the switching-bodies storyline is a little far-fetched. The fun I could have with that vending machine, mind you.
The other two episodes tie up the main storyline very nicely, if in a slightly understated kind of way. It's already been established that Maia was a survivor from Elpida - we just needed to find out how and why that happened, as the Elpida disaster was over 100 years previously. No prizes for guessing that the offical version of Elpida's demise is a complete cover-up, but there are a few surprises to be unveiled along the way to finding out what really happened.
Maia's quest definitely doesn't have official sanction, meaning she needs a fair amount to help to see it through - and as well as getting that from her friends and the Nereids girls, there are factions within the Ocean Agency which would seem to be quite happy to see the truth come out. That side of the story ties up the background maneuverings at the Ocean Agency and explains why Maia so conveniently failed her entrance exam way back at the beginning of the series.
Overall, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue has more meandered its way to its conclusion than ramped up to a high-powered climax like you would normally expect, but in this case it just feels "right" given how the series has progressed - and to be honest, there's not that much hidden in Maia's past that it would have needed a huge event to conclude it anyway. The story has been more about Maia coming to terms with who she is and being able to look to the future for once, than about her finding out about her past, and as far as that's concerned it's mission complete. I doubt that this is a series that will ever be looked on as a classic, but it's been fun to watch and definitely has enough good about it to make it well worth watching.
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