Pumpkin Scissors ep.05

October 31, 2006 | 15 Comments

Sorry for the rather low-res quality of the images but hunting for raw has been a rather difficult experience today. This is why I haven't been able to create an entry for Kekkaishi episode 4. No matter how I tried, I can't seem to find a raw copy of the episode. However, I will post an entry for that episode as soon as I can secure a copy. I will also try to update the images for this episode once I get a better quality version of the raw. Anyway, this turns out to be a funny and nice little episode. It may not have the action from last week's episode but what it lacks it made up a lot in character development for the 4 main characters. This episode also reveals a little bit information in regards to Oland's past/origin. It'll be interesting to see how things go from here now that Pumpkin Scissors become interested in Invisible 9 and the secret behind those units.

Oland gets scolded by his wife....I mean Alice, after his last stint of going out of the hospital without informing anyone. Alice tells Oland that because his wound is infected he'll have to be hospitalised longer. Poor Oland tries to tell her that he was just trying to feed the cats but Alice orders him to shut his mouth and stop giving her excuses. XD After Alice left, Oreld explains that the reason why Alice is so angry is because she was really worried when Oland disappeared last night. He tries to ask Machs to confirm this but the other guy is too pre-occupied in deep thought to pay attention. Their conversation is also interrupted when a Nurse comes to the room. She gives a bell to Oland's ward neighbour, a man named Wantz, asking the guy to watch over Oland. Upon seeing the Nurse, Oreld can't help himself from flirting with her. Unfortunately when the Nurse finds out that he's Oland's friend, she asks him to help Oland collecting his urine.

Oreld suddenly loses his motivation to flirt and tells Machs that they're heading back to the HQ. Once the two exit the room, Wantz tells Oland that Oland is blessed with kind colleagues. He then introduces himself as a bag factory worker. It seems that he's been hospitalised for a week and yet no one has come to visit him. Having said that, he's grateful that at least he has a workplace. He intends on working hard to earn money once his stomach is healed. Their conversation then comes to an end when the Nurse tries to personally administer the pee pitcher on Oland. An embarassed Oland asks the Nurse if he can do it himself and heads towards the bathroom as soon as he gets the permission. On his way out, Oland bumps into a man who turns out to be Wantz' factory manager. Wantz himself is surprised to see the manager since he didn't expect the guy to visit him. Oland smiles upon hearing this, thinking that Wantz finally gets a visit from his co-worker.

Meanwhile, Machs is busy doing his research inside the information bureau's data room and refuses to let Oreld know what it is that he's been secretly investigating. In response, Oreld tells Machs that judging from his reaction in the hospital, it's easy to tell that he's been investigating Oland's background. Upon hearing this Machs tells Oreld that even though at first he wasn't enthused about it, he eventually grew to like Pumpkin Scissors as a group. However, he feels that Oland's presence could threaten the existence of Pumpkin Scissors. This is the reason why he decides to do some investigation. He, however, refuses to tell Oreld how far he has gone with this investigation. Oreld is annoyed to hear this and decides to tell everyone in the data room that the man next to him is his childhood friend who is a very capable man. Having said that, this is also the same man who, at the age of 7, needed his help to get rid of a beetle.

Machs becomes embarassed upon hearing this and asks Oreld to stop talking about his past because it has nothing to do with this. Oreld tells Machs that if he has nothing to do with Machs' past then Mach also has no business finding out about Oland's past. And if Machs is doing this to protect Pumpkin Scissors then he wouldn't have keep his investigation away from his colleagues. He then calms down and tells his friend that himself, Machs, and Oland are all a part of Division 3, and therefore Machs can't say that it's none of their business. In the end, Machs decide to share his finding with Oreld and explains how his main problem is the fact that there is no official record and if such information exists, it's probably a military intelligence belonging to the upper stratum of the army or something close to it. Upon hearing this Oreld asks Machs where Hanks could be and it turns out Hanks is giving report on the tank incident at a meeting.

Their conversation about Invisible 9, however, comes to a halt when one of Oreld's fangirls wonders what they are doing in the area. Oreld quickly pretends that they are simply enjoying the rose in the courtyard. The girl giggles and does not believe Oreld and asks him to invite her to a meal next time. After the girl left, Machs asks Oreld about the girl so Oreld explains that her name is Mireille and she works at the personnel division. Oreld suddenly realises that a unit that is not officially registered can't possibly escape the investigation from the personnel division. Because of this, he thinks that even if it's only for a short period, the entire country's military intelligence must have passed through the personnel division. Machs wonder if they should get permission to ask the division but Oreld tells Machs to leave it to him. He then proceeds to pick a rose from the garden and uses it to seduce Mireille to give out some informations.

Mireille, however, refuses to allow Oreld to see the file despite Oreld's plea. Because of this Oreld decides to change tactics and takes away the Rose that he gave Mireille and tells her that the truth is, he doesn't care whether or not he gets the file. He was simply trying to connect with her by sharing a secret. Because of this, he apologises for resorting to this kind of measure. Mireille immediately changes her mind and tells Oreld that he can see the file before the rest of the personnel staff comes back. Oreld eventually returns to Mach with a lipstick mark on his face and an information about the name of an organisation which backed up Oland's admission into the army. When Oreld mentions that the organisation is a research institute, Machs easily guesses that the name is Kauplan Institute. Machs is excited to know they have a lead but then he remembers the look of happiness in Oland's face when he joined Pumpkin Scissors.

This stops Machs in his track and after thinking for a while, he tells Oreld that he wants to ask Oland about it first. Oreld doesn't seem to mind because he has the same intention. Because of this he suggests that they head to the hospital as soon as possible. Unfortunately for them, Alice overhears their words and wonder why they want to visit at this late hour and what business they have at the hospital. Oreld pretends that they are concerned about Oland's condition. He claims that if Oland's wound is infected, his condition could change at night. Alice, who is clearly concerned for Oland, allows the two to leave after asking them to tell the guy that she can't come tonight. Meanwhile inside the hospital, Oland ends up using the bell that the Nurse gave to Wantz because Wantz himself hasn't returned to the room ever since daytime. When the Nurse goes outside, he finds a bag inside a trash can. Oland remembers that the bag came from Wantz' colleague.

All of a sudden Oreld and Machs rush in to the room to tell the Nurse and Oland that they saw someone standing on the rooftop. They thought it's Oland but it seems to be someone else. When they all head to the rooftop they find out that Wantz is the one who's been standing near the ledge. When Machs tells him that suicide is a bad idea, Wantz thanks him but he doesn't care anymore. He's been working for 20 years and yet after only taking a rest for 1 week, he was fired from his job. To add insult to the injury, his retirement allowance was a bag. He wonders how he's going to live on and afford his food. Oreld tries to approach Wantz and asks the guy not to jump because he's doing his best to make the world better by joining Pumpkin Scissors. Wantz, however, refuses to listen and asks Oland not to move closer. Oland realises that he's too far to save Wantz. In addition to this, he can't run because he can't shake off the trembling pain on his leg.

Upon seeing Oland's attempt to save him, Wantz asks Oland to let this one go since it doesn't concern him. Oland, however, refuses to do so and tells Wantz that he's insecure, always thinking that without his lantern, he can't do anything. He always wonder if a person who can only kill another person like him would be able to help the 3rd division. However, his self-confidence increased today because Wantz told him that Machs and the others are his "colleagues". Because of this, he doesn't want someone like Wantz to end his life. Oland also apologises when Wantz tells him that what he just said was a very selfish speech. Wantz, however, laughs and admits that for him to become so indispensable to a man he's just met today suggests that there might still be a workplace which really needs him. Everyone is relieved to hear this but when Wantz tries to step down from the ledge, a strong wind causes him to lose his balance. Oland somehow manages to push Wantz back to the rooftop but in the process of doing so, he ends up falling off the ledge.

Thankfully Oreld and Machs manage to catch Oland's hand at the last minute. However, because Oland is very heavy, they almost get dragged down as well. With the help of the Nurse, Wantz, and Alice (who appears out of nowhere), they manage to drag Oland back to the rooftop. Once everyone are safe, Machs apologises to Oland for doubting him but Oland doesn't know what Machs is talking about. Meanwhile, the Nurse is confused because Alice is nowhere to be seen. Alice is actually hiding behind the door, secretly listening to their conversation. Meanwhile Hanks has just come out of his meeting when a woman praises his 'skillful cover-up'. She points out that the truth is the tank was defeated by a foot soldier but she knows no one will believe him if he had said so. Hanks becomes angry and asks the woman to identify herself. Because of this, she introduces herself as Kauplan Institute's medical development chief, Myuze Kauplan. The episode ends with the Nurse trying to give Oland the 'right size' pitcher but when she tested it on him, it's still too small in comparison to Oland's 'Lantern'.

Impression:

I really enjoy the part where Alice looks like she's extremely concerned for Oland. She tries hard not to show it but she was clearly disturbed when she found out that Oland has disappeared that night. I also like that she turns from angry to concerned when Oreld started talking about visiting Oland in hospital. She even went out of her way to buy a fruit basket for him. While I don't think there is romance in their immediate future, I hope this means that there will be more scene where the two interact with each other. Speaking of Oland, it was nice to see him showing different kind of emotion on his face here. The best ones are of course the ones involving the Nurse. I was amused to see how eager she was to find a perfect matching pitcher for Oland to pee on. I know it's a juvenile comedy but that's why it's so funny because I didn't expect the story to go 'there' and yet it just did. The expression on the Nurse when Oland crack the pitcher was just priceless.

The focus on the episode, however, is on Machs and Oreld's investigation. I think this is the first time these two are portrayed as more than just Alice and Oland's sidekicks. It was clever of Oreld to use Mireille to find out information about Kauplan Institute. His method actually reminds me a bit of Mission: Impossible (the TV series not the films), where one of the characters try to seduce an enemy to find out some information. Unfortunately, I think the first party who will make actual move will be the Kauplan Institute themselves. It's clear that the Chief of the institute has vested interest in Oland. Her thinly veiled threat against Hanks also suggests that she's quite ruthless and won't hesitate to get rid of those who are in her way. The only thing I don't like about this episode is the unresolved ending for Wantz. Yeah, he's still alive at the end of the series but how will he live his life from here on?

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