hontou ni Stripey Insists Sisters Cry Oniichan Now

Railgun 05

Summary:

We see Kuroko and Kazari's first meeting at a Judgment training camp. The former encourages the latter, telling her that if she has the strength to do what she believes in, results will naturally follow. Back in the present, Kuroko's recklessness allows a pair of car break-in thieves to ambush her, taser Kazari and escape. Kazari tells off Kuroko for ignoring her warnings and is even more upset that she's forgotten their promise. Later Ruiko arrives in the Judgment 177 Branch office and Konori Mii-senpai explains that Kazari is not her usual self but it should all work out. Back at the dorm, Mikoto asks Kuroko why she partnered Kazari in the first place.

Flashback again to Grade School Kuroko complaining to Mii about only doing patrols and running menial errands even though she's been with Judgment for a year already. Mii tells Kuroko that she tends to take on everything herself and needs to learn how to trust others to do stuff with and for her before she will be allowed to work independently on bigger cases. Meeting at the bank, lil Kazari is over-awed that Kuroko will be attending Tokiwadai but the latter doesn't sound keen at all, thinking they are all arrogant - especially the Level 5 Railgun.

Mii spots a suspicious person and her x-ray vision confirms he is armed with a pistol. But he starts his holdup before the bank staff can act on her warning. Kuroko recklessly charges in and disables him but, in her first failure, does not reckon on him having an accomplice who takes Kazari hostage. The bank, typically caring more about its profits than its customers, activates the alarm, shutters and robot. Kuroko uses the latter as cover to charge the robber but, in her second failure, is saved from its fate of destruction by Mii who is injured in the process. His Equal Speed power causes ball bearings to travel at a constant speed, destroying anything in its path (including the security shutters), until he cancels their momentum. Despite having her ankle and foot savagely stomped on, Kuroko teleports Kazari outside. She refuses to join him but is saved from her third failure, to anticipate his ability to control multiple projectiles, by a Railgun shot from a passing Mikoto which takes them out and subdues the robber. Kazari admires Kuroko's courage and sacrifice and promises never to go against her own ideals and to preserve in Judgment. Which Kuroko signs up to as well. And Mii is pleased Kuroko has learnt her lesson.

Back in the present, Kuroko remembers the promise at last and joins Kazari in hunting down the car thieves after prompting from Mii and Mikoto.

Reaction:

Great episode. It's faithful to the source material but it's overlayed with the car theft thread to explore the origins of the Kuroko x Kazari Judgment partnership. As Mikoto pointed out, they are very different and Kazari's physical capability is less than average, making it hard for her to keep up with Kuroko. In addition, the difference in their ability levels (4 vs 1) is just so huge - even if we saw Kazari's effectiveness in Ep 3. I could identify a lot with Kuroko's fault - with talent but without experience, one often has a simplistic understanding of a problem and its solution and it's often frustrating to have to rely on someone else who does not appear to be able to meet one's standards and expectations immediately. But learning to trust, in order to delegate and to increase the overall effectiveness of a team, has to happen when one starts to grapple with problems with larger scope and complexity. This dynamic made the events, particularly Kuroko's regret and newfound resolve, even more dramatic without being emo-melodramatic.

I was also swooning over Mii-senpai as you can see, the majority of the screencaps were of her. Kana Ueda does Kansai-ben and comedic characters well but I love her in these types of wiser, more experienced Oneechan-type roles, e.g. Tohsaka Rin.

What Others Are Saying:

• TJ is incredulous at Kuroko being able to disable the first robber so easily. I find it believable. She had the element of surprise. But more importantly, she's had the necessary Judgment martial arts training over the past year or so. And you can see how she knows where to hit where it's the most effective. When I was in Secondary 2, I spared with this 12 year old brown belt during Tae Kwon Do class (I was green) who was half my size and got completely thrashed. Twice. OTL
• Omni makes an observation that got me wondering too: why didn't Kuroko teleport the robber, instead of Kazari, outside? I'm thinking that while it would help the people inside, it would (1) endanger the people outside and (2) help him to escape more easily.
• On the subject of hair accessories, far away no where's screencap provides a convenient contrast with 53RG10's screencap of Kazari - the flowers are expanding their coverage as she grows older. Will it take over completely by the time she reaches adulthood!?

BTW does Kuroko realize that it was Mikoto who saved her from certain death at the business end of Equal Speed ball bearings? If not, what was her flag trigger event?

Related posts:

1. Railgun 01
2. Railgun 06
3. Railgun 02