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Edens Zero Chapter 11 Review/Recap

Well, it looks like the Red Cave Arc is over now. No big enemy to fight, just a major revelation about Mother and what kind of effect that she has on the universe. Also, remember how last chapter, I guessed that Andrew somehow got his hands on the treasure of Red Cave before he died?

Called it!

Recap

After coming into contact with Mother’s Ether, it went inside the aquatic forcefield that Shiki used to get past the lava. As a result, it turns into this small, rainbow-colored lacrima. Nadia explains that what Shiki encountered was leftover Ether from the treasure in the temple. It was one of many items, called Relics, found throughout the universe that contains Mother’s Ether. If they find enough of them, they’ll lead a person to Mother.

Right after this, though, Witch drops the ball by flat out telling Nadia the cold truth: Andrew’s dead.

Just to prove it to Nadia, Witch shows the memory chip from the crashed ship, revealing Andrew’s final log. He was able to recover the relic from the thief, but as he was returning to Red Cave, his ship got hit by a meteoroid, blowing him off course. He died before he could return home. Nadia does not take the news well, and breaks her cable in order to see for herself.

Andrew’s death was not in vain, though. He was able to bring the Relic back on his ship, and thus it’s able to power all the robots once more. And apparently, it lowers the sea level as well.

Review

I have to say, I did not expect the Red Cave Arc to end like this. Then again, Mashima has a history of following up massive shake-ups to his story with an arc that is far smaller in comparison. In addition, I feel really bad with how Nadia learned that her beloved Andrew was dead. Dear god, Witch, show a little tact! His death was not in vain, however, as he got the relic back to Red Cave.

In addition, Nadia and Andrew both managed to prove that love between an organic and a machine is possible. Thus, Ziggy’s claims that friendship between the two are impossible is wrong, and everyone in Edens Zero will know it going forward. That’s only going to strengthen their resolve to stop whatever force has possessed Ziggy.

I don’t know where the manga will go from here, but now we have a method of finding Mother. Which means we’re going to be seeing a lot more planets, and new Relics to track down. It’s the adventure spanning the cosmos that I can’t wait to see become an anime.

I Give “The Sky of Days Long Past” A 4/5.

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Edens Zero Chapter 109 Review/Recap

Firstly, I’m sorry that this post is late, but the website that updates the chapters was slow this week. Secondly, when I heard that the planet of Red Cave was supposed to be a fire planet, I called it ironic due to its abundance of water. However, I know that Mashima was just messing with us. That he’d show us why Red Cave’s a fire planet. And as we watch Shiki and the others face their biggest hurdle yet, we see that this was an accurate classification.

Recap

After getting over the shock of their meeting, Nadia explains that she is the guardian of the temple to Mother. To be precise, she’s been its guardian for two hundred years, protecting a treasure long gone. That, and a beacon leading to Mother. She does not stop the gang from going on ahead in search of the beacon. However, she warns them that they may not make it there alive.

Nadia wasn’t joking, either. As the gang travels through an underground cave, the temperature begins to rise to unbearable levels. Eventually, the area itself turns into magma that starts to burn everyone. Not even Shiki’s Gravity Gear can protect them! As a result, the group has no choice but to retreat, having learned the truth about the planet’s name of Red Cave.

Now back to square one, the Shining Stars reveal that only someone with armor on Ziggy’s level can make it through the fires of Red Cave. Witch can’t get through it with her Water Ether, either. However, she has a plan that involves her backtracking to Blue Garden. There, she approaches an old adversary: Laguna. Since Drakken Joe fell, he’s been working in disguise on the Opera Scene. Now, Witch wants his help.

Recap

After reading this chapter, I’ve got two things that I want to say about it. Firstly, I am impressed at the reveal of why Red Cave was called a fire planet. At first glance, it looked like the name was ironic, given the tropical waters. I was not expecting it to get its name from the underground caves that are literally on fire! That fact alone makes the name “Red Cave” all the more meaningful in hindsight. Well played, Mashima; well played.

Secondly, I knew that we had not seen the last of Laguna of Drakken Joe’s Element 4. Besides Sylph, Laguna was the only member of the four that I could tolerate, more or less. In addition, he’s the water member of the quartet, and the one in Mashima’s previous manga joined the heroes. I just didn’t expect to see him again so soon.

As far as getting past the gauntlet of fire, though, I think Laguna may be their best shot at getting to the Mother Beacon. Otherwise, Red Cave may be a dead end for the Edens Zero.

The one thing that stood out to me, though, was the revelation that Nadia’s been stuck inside that temple for two hundred years. I’m willing to bet good money that Shiki won’t abide by that and find some way to free her, though, so I look forward to learning more about Nadia. Overall, this was a good, solid chapter.

I Give “Red Cave” a 3/5

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Edens Zero Chapter 108 Review/Recap

Last week, the heroes of Edens Zero spent their first day on the planet of Red Cave with a good old-fashioned beach day. However, that soon got interrupted by the sight of a space pod crashing into the ocean. One trip to the bottom of the sea later, and they find the pilot of said pod to be long dead. However, what’s even stranger is the fact that there’s an entire city underwater! How did this city get here? What connection does it have to Mother? And who is this Nadia person that’s referenced in the title of this chapter? At least one of those questions gets answered in this new chapter of Edens Zero.

Recap

After Pino confirms that the temple in the center of the underwater city has an image of Mother on it, everyone wants to go investigate. However, the crew’s divided on what to do with the body of the pilot; Shiki and Homura want to give them a burial, but Weisz talks them into just moving on. Before they do, though, Rebecca notices something written on the cockpit: “Nadia, love of my life.”

Inside the city, the only things they can find are the bodies of deactivated robots, which reminds them a little too much of Granbell. Before they can even process this, though, they get company. This giant cephalopod appears out of nowhere and starts attacking all of them. Worse, Shiki finds that being underwater messes with his gravity gear due to its buoyancy. He doesn’t really think too hard on it though. Instead, the young demon lord jumps out of the water, then uses his gravity gear to come crashing back down on the monster before it can eat everyone.

Shiki’s surprise attack saves everyone from the octopus, but it soon recovers, forcing them to make a run for the temple. Once they get inside, they discover two strange things. Firstly, the door acts as a barrier to keep the water out. Secondly, the sole inhabitant of the temple is an android called Nadia. Rebecca realizes that she must be the Nadia referred to in the message on the pilot’s cockpit.

Review

I have to say, I certainly wasn’t expecting to find this underwater city to be home to machines. My money was on merfolk or some sort of aquatic species. I’m also still trying to figure out how these machines could survive underwater without short-circuit. It’s possible, since we use ROV’s in real life, but still. In addition, there’s still the question of what could have caused them all to deactivate.

Then there’s the temple guardian, Nadia. At first glance, I think she may be some sort of priestess for Mother, but that doesn’t explain why she’s the only one active in the city. Regardless, I think she’s going to be an important character going forward. After all, she’s the only clue we have as to the identity of the dead pilot, and to what happened to the city. In addition, something tells me that she may end up joining the crew of the Edens Zero. Right now, though, we don’t know enough to make an educated guess.

One thing that worries me, though, is Shiki. This chapter reveals that his gravity gear doesn’t always function properly in some environments. If this arc takes place underwater, then he’s at a big disadvantage, and that means the heroes are screwed.

I wish this chapter had spent more time revealing the point of what’s going on, but good job. Either way, I can’t way to see the next chapter.

I Give “Nadia, Love of My Life” a 3/5

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Edens Zero Chapter 106 Review/Recap

We’re back, people! After a national holiday that saw manga take a break last week, Edens Zero is back and ready for a new arc. When we last saw the Edens Zero, they had made it into the Aoi Cosmos. Which, in Mashima’s mind, somehow equates to oceans in the middle of space. As the heroes continue on their journey, though, they’ve attracted attention from the authorities. Enough attention for the Interstellar Army to call something called a “Prayer Council.” What is a Prayer Council? I don’t know, but it sounds important.

Recap

After a brief recap by our fourth-wall breaking narrator, Xiao Mei, we pick up where we last saw the Edens Zero: at the entrance to the fish cosmos, Aoi Cosmos. Unfortunately, Ziggy wiped the ship’s records of their trips outside the Sakura Cosmos. Combined with the Star’s having their memories wiped as well, and Witch admits they’re now flying blind. Hermit was able to find clues, though. Firstly, the Zero came along this exact same route before headed to the Fire Planet, Red Cave. Secondly is that the Aoi Cosmos is ruled by Poseidon Nero, He’s another member of the Oracion Seis and he’s called the Emperor.

Meanwhile, in another part of space, members of the Interstellar Army talk about how Noah lied in his report about one of his subordinates taking down Drakken Joe. Their leader, Justice, saw the Demon King Ether readings on Belial Gore; he knows it was someone else. The talking gets interrupted, though, by a communication from other members of the: the Oracion Seis Interstelar, who hold a prayer council.

In this prayer council, the Interstelar talk about Elsie traveling to the Aoi Cosmos and Joe’s defeat. As a result of Elsie’s movements, Justice volunteers to hunt down Elsie so that he may kill her. Meanwhile, the Edens Zero arrives at Red Cave, which is less a fire planet and more of a water planet.

Review

Since this chapter marks the start of the Aoi Cosmos Saga, as I’m referring to it, it had a lot of info that it needed to drop on us. So, I’m going to breakdown my thoughts on what we learned.

Firstly, I think we should discuss this Poseidon Nero. If he’s the Emperor of the Aoi Cosmos, then I have a feeling that he’s bad news. And given that the fact that Shiki is, well, Shiki, it won’t take long for the heroes to make him mad. They may pick a fight with his jerkwad lackeys or something, but we all know it’s going to happen. Unless Nero turns out to be a friend of the old Ziggy.

The bigger concern, though, is the revelation about the Oracion Seis Interstelar. If the Oracion Seis Galatica are the six strongest criminals in space, then Interstelar are the law’s equivalent to them. Nominally, they should be the good guys, but we have yet to see proof they are. More concerning is that, while they don’t know who he is yet, Shiki’s now on their radar. That means that they’re coming for him someday.

So, I still don’t know why this meeting was called a “prayer council”, but I know what I’m praying for: for Shiki to not do anything stupid. Or at least not to die again. Overall, slow start to the new arc, but we’ll get there.

I Give “Prayer Council” a 3/5

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