*Update Note* Reviews for new episodes of utaware are available, I say this because I notice most of the visits on the utaware tag are on 18 and 19 because that’s what shows up on google. Check the most recent posts, I’m pretty much up to date on Utaware.

With introductions out of the way, it’s time to get to work! Due to this blog coming to life in the middle of the summer season, I’m just going to jump into the chaos and start mid season blogging on anime. With a considerable amount of backlog on completed series and a manga backlog that I haven’t touched, I’m not about to add a blogging backlog for ~5 series. That aside, let’s begin!

Utawarerumono 18

Synopsis:
The episode begins with an attack by a rebel group to free their prisoner of war comrades. The rebels identify themselves as Karurauwaturei…hmmm, why does that name seem familiar =D Cut to the introduction of yet another creepy emperor archetype and we have plot material for another few episodes!
Back at camp Hakuoro the whole gang is enjoying a nice meal. Aruruu is outeating those 4 times her size, Oboro is being forced to eat properly by his yaoi undeniably female love slaves, Benawi is channeling Echizen and Touka is…well…being Touka. Suddenly a messenger arrives, after dodging a Karura smash he delivers a message revealing the events seen earlier in the episode.

Flash forward to night time, Hakuoro enjoys his terrace view (no doubt contemplating if he should go to war for a larger castle) when all of a sudden, Karura appears. Dressed in stark contrast to her usual skintight battle outfit, she has come to ask a favor of Hakuoro. She humbly asks Hakuoro to provide reinforcement to the Karurauwaturie rebellion, in return she offers sexual favors her life, body and soul. Upon witness of Karura’s determination Hakuoro half-reluctantly agrees to do what he can to help the rebellion. And with that, off come Karura’s clothes! But wait, who’s that coming up the stairs to invade Hakuoro’s love nest?! It’s Eruruu of course, the emperor’s one and only party crasher. This “misunderstanding” gives Eruruu about a minute of subsequent screentime in which she gives Hakuoro the silent treatment.

Returning to the plot, Kurou informs Hakuoro that the rebels are being cornered and that it is not long before they are completely wiped out. Being the peace loving emperor he is (lol) Hakuoro asks Karura to understand that nothing good will come of their intervention. Of course Karura will have none of this and later that night kidnaps Hakuoro presumably to drag him into battle. Upon being discovered one by one by Urtri, Touka, Aruruu, Eruruu, Kamyu and Yuzuha you would think they would help their emperor who is currently roll-tied in a blanket…but instead opt to join Karura in her trip.

The rest of the episode is pretty typical of what utaware has offered so far, after some riding around the gang is intercepted by the rebels, the Hakuoro Harem identidifes themselves as mercenaries who have come to help the rebellion. Some unconvincing and unexplained plot development then reveals that Karura’s real name is Karurauwaturei and has some ties to the rebellion. Hakuoro then notices a fire in the forest, which ends up being the rebel camp that is being razed to the ground. Team Hakuoro rushes in to save the day and after some post-battle lecturing from Karura to the rebel leader, the Hakuoro Harem is asked to support the rebellion.

Thoughts:
Though the war theme of this anime bugged me at first because I was expecting a harem anime, I’ve come to accept and like the war-centric plot. The new emperor however…meh. The romance-comedy feel of the first half of the episode was refreshing, although the Eruruu ordeal was rather cliche’d and uninspired in my opinion.

One thing that is bugging me about utaware lately is their use of really long city/god/emperor names without establishing context, I still have no idea who or what Witsarnemitea is. As for the latter half of the episode, though the plot development seems rather forced, I wasn’t expecting much more and therefore enjoyed it quite a bit. The battle scenes are still very cut and paste to me though, save for Urtri’s pancake blast and Karura’s tornado punch, all the other combat manoevers were recycled from a previous episode.

Victories

- Touka and her overbearingness towards Hakuoro <3
- Aruruu, her childish charm always gets to me
- Karura. Melon-pan! Melon-pan!

Phailures

- Eruruu
- The kidnapping scene, very unrealistic. I mean, even Touka nonchalantly tagged along! And what’s with bringing the blind and sickly girl to the frontlines of battle? (Though I’ll admit, I laughed T_T)
- Rushing the plot with little explanation and back story
- The creepy emperor
- Eruruu.

~ Shirukii ~