Rozen Maiden träumend ep.4

November 11, 2005 | 7 Comments

This turns out to be a very good episode that contains equal amount of character development and action scenes. The animation is also a lot better here with some nice movement during the first round of Alice Game. Story-wise, this is mainly a showcase episode for Suiseiseki's character development. But Shinku's regret for destroying Suigintou that was shown in the first episode gets carried over to this episode as well. Similarly, Jun's progressive character development also reaches a new level here and shows that deep down he really is a kind and caring person. This is probably the second series in the year where I feel that the main protagonist has grow a lot during the entire season of a series. The other character, in case you're interested, is Takemoto from Honey and Clover.

Anyway, the episode begins with Nori leaving the house for her Lacrosse practice. However, thanks to Suiseiseki's false information, HinaIchigo thinks that Nori is going to some kind of a deadly sports game. Meanwhile inside his room, Jun is tired from studying so he curiously asks Shinku where she gets the book she's reading. Shinku claims that it's from the room with the mirror. Jun tries to read the book but realises that he doesn't understand it. Shinku tells him that's because it's in German. It's actually an Alchemy book and that if Jun is interested, he should be able read it. Jun is surprised to hear this and asks why is that possible. Shinku tells him that's because he's her 'medium', so she shares a lot of her power with him. Shinku then adds that if Jun concentrates hard, he can read it like a natural.

Jun points out that he can't even read English. So Shinku tells him that's because he lacks concentration. Jun seems to believe this so he tries hard to concentrate but still doesn't understand it. Shinku finally tells him that she's been lying to him, causing Jun to be pissed off. But Shinku blames him for being a fool. Well, that's true, he should have realised that it's unusual for Shinku to refer to him as a 'medium' instead of 'slave'. Unknown to both of them, their entire conversation has been observed by Suiseiseki and Souseiseki. Souseiseki makes a comment about how the two are weird pair but nevertheless admit that the reason they can relax so much is because they are strong. In a way, she thinks that makes Shinku a formidable enemy. Wow, I certainly didn't expect Souseiseki thinking like this.

Suiseiseki is also surprised to hear this and asks what her twin sister meant by her words. So Souseiseki tells her that no matter what they say, the fact is, Alice Game has started and one day they may not be able to run away from the fight. Suiseiseki immediately protests her sister's line of reasoning. She tells Souseiseki that she knows Souseiseki loves 'Father' but she, Shinku, and the others equally love him as well. In fact, Suiseiseki doesn't really want to become Alice. She just wants to be together with her sisters forever. So if Barasuishou ever tries to attack Souseiseki, Suiseiseki will try her best to protect her twin sister. For that purpose, she wants to find a master as soon as possible. Because of this Suiseiseki bids goodbye to Souseiseki's master, which is the old guy from the first season and his now conscious wife.

The old man's wife tells Suiseiseki that if things doesn't work out with that 'Chibi-ningen', she's welcome to return to their house. She's promptly reminded by her husband that Chibi-ningen's name is Jun. Oops, it seems she's so used to hearing Suiseiseki calling Jun 'Chibi-ningen'. Suiseiseki immediately denies that she has any interest in making Jun her medium even though it's obvious that she clearly prefers to have him as her medium. Anyway, Suiseiseki then leaves the house in her box to make phone calls to several individual who's interested in 'Cute little sister'. After a few failures, Souseiseki manages to persuade her twin to come and ask Jun. Suiseiseki is clearly embarassed but agrees to come anyway. Anyway, as Suiseiseki waits for Jun to come back from toilet, she plays a fishing game using HinaIchigo as the fish.

When Suiseiseki complains about the fact that Jun always go to toilet, Shinku mentions that lately when Jun goes to toilet, he always read magazines so it often takes him a lot of time. LOL, eww, and wait, is Shinku jealous? Souseiseki thinks that maybe he takes a long time because the toilet is such a wonderful place to be. Hee. Anyway, Suiseiseki eventually loses her patience and decides to confront Jun but just as she goes out, she bumps into him and promptly becomes embarassed. It doesn't help that Souseiseki bleeps out the fact that Suiseiseki is looking for a master. To make things worse, HinaIchigo screams outloud that Suiseiseki loves Jun. Suiseiseki finally can't take more of the embarassment so she decides to kick Jun's leg and flies off with her box. Meanwhile back at Jun's house, Canaria is seen still trying to invade the house again.

She, however, is surprised when all of a sudden Barasuishou's head pops out of a puddle in the garden. At the same time, Souseiseki is worried for her sister because Suiseiseki refuses to return to the old man's house or to Jun's house. While the two take a shelter from rain, they see Jun running to a nearby store to evade rain as well. Eventually Jun spots the two so Suiseiseki decides to give Jun her umbrella and pop 'the question', so to speak. Unfortunately because pride gets in the way, she makes it seem as if Jun is the one who wants to sign the contract with her. As a result, Jun is offended and this causes Suiseiseki to become offended. So the two part after a minor fight as usual. While taking a shelter inside a dog house, however, Suiseiseki overhears Canaria's encounter with Barasuishou. So Suiseiseki takes Canaria with her to tell Jun that Shinku and HinaIchigo are in danger.

Meanwhile back at home, Barasuishou shows up in front of HinaIchigo before breaking the window's glass. Dang it, Barasuishou almost gave me a heart attack by doing this but that's a proof that she's a creepy villain. When Jun and the other dolls go back home, they can't find Shinku nor HinaIchigo but then Canaria tells them that Barasuishou came out of the water puddle in the garden. Suiseiseki decides to test the water, so to speak, by dropping Canaria into the puddle. When she goes missing, they realise that the water puddle is some kind of N-Field. So everyone decides to enter it as well. They eventually find themselves in some kind of large auditorium where they are reunited with Shinku and HinaIchigo. Before they can do anything else, however, they hear the rabbitman talking about how this is the first time all of the dolls gather together to weave the tapestry of fate. Now that Shinku and the others have gathered, the Alice game will begin at last.

As the rabbitman, or the doll version of him, stops talking, the podium's screen opens up and out of it comes 6 carboard puppets. Shinku look-alike cardboard puppet then begins to mutilate other cardboard puppets starting from Suigintou. This clearly disturb Shinku and the others until Suiseiseki tells the other to snap out of it. Jun agrees with Suiseiseki and tells them that those are not the real them. All of a sudden a crystal appears and destroys Shinku cardboard puppet. From behind the crystal, Barasuishou appears and asks if they should start Alice Game. She then begins to attack the others, catching them off-guard. It doesn't help that Shinku becomes paralised after seeing Suigintou cardboard puppet in tatters. Souseiseki tries an offensive but gets defeated as well.

Just when things look bleak, Jun looks at a sad Suiseiseki and tells her that they should form a contract together. So Suiseiseki produces a Rosa Mystica which Jun proceeds to kiss. All of a sudden, a green light destroys the crystals and Suiseiseki laughs like an evil witch. She then summons her artifical spirit, Amethyst Dream, and proceeds to corner Barasuishou with her branches. Jun, however, knows that this is only a temporary solution so he tells Shinku and Souseiseki to escape for now. Just as Barasuishou manages to free herself, the group manages to escape through the N-Field. After they escape, Souseiseki bids goodbye to Suiseiseki because he has to go home to the old guy's house. But she assures her twin that she'll come tomorrow to play again. That night, Suiseiseki can't sleep so Jun kindly agrees to read a book to her. The only doll feeling left behind is Canaria, who got stuck in the now non-functional N-Field.

Impression:

As I said before, I think this is an awesome episode. I actually almost shed a tear when Jun tells Suiseiseki that he agrees to be her medium. The dolls' hard work in helping Jun to become a better person back in the first season really pays off in dividend here. Once he's over his own problem, Jun turns out to be a very caring individual who is very willing to protect others. I do wonder now how many dolls are actually attached to his life. There is Shinku and Suiseiseki. But I wonder if HinaIchigo should be counted as well since technically she leeches off power from Shinku. I was also quite shocked when I first heard Suiseiseki laughing after getting the contract. At first I thought she's gone mad from power but thankfully that's not the case. If anything the scene proves that Barasuishou is a formidable opponent. Even with Jun's power, Suiseiseki can hardly hold her for a long while.

I also like how effective the cardboard puppets scene turned out to be. Yes, they look like a bit like Terrence and Phillip from South Park but they serve their purpose to scare off the real dolls. I wonder what would have happened had Suiseiseki and Jun didn't snap some sense into their minds. I did think that some fear, distrust and anger were boiling in some of the other dolls while Shinku simply looks regretful. One thing that is obvious from this round of Alice Game is the fact that HinaIchigo and Canaria are not really suitable for this kind of battle. They seem really weak during their brief fight. I also wonder what will happen to poor Canaria now she got stuck in between N-Field? As a side note, I hope Souseiseki will be careful about using her power. After all, her medium is an old man who probably don't have that much of a power anymore.

© memento 2003