This review on decadence contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the chapter we recommend that you do it and then go back to read the review.
Chapter 8: “Turbine”
decadence opens its eighth episode with Kaburagi’s risky plan. The latter, who is convinced that Commander Minato is keeping his avatar without a chip, suggests stealing it and breaking into the “Gadolls” factory with him. The idea inspires Donatello and convinces the rest.
Jill finds out where the illegal avatar is hidden. Thanks to her skills and contacts, she surprises them and they enter El Poder’s Avatar storage room. Meanwhile, Minato is discovered by Hugin and they go to the warehouse to investigate. Under these circumstances, they are almost discovered, but they make the change just in time. Hugin discovered an object of joy himself, only to Minato’s surprise.
On his return, Kaburagi suggests that his companions go with Natsume, as he doesn’t have a chip either. In the body of his original avatar, he appears before her, who agrees to help him. Although Jill has heated the mood for the revolution, Turkey betrays it and takes advantage of the naive Sarkozy.
Analysis: free will
There is little or almost nothing to comment on on this eighth edition of decadencehow well it explains itself. The characters’ dialogues inform the message and prepare the ghost that drives the action forward. After the experiences and reflections in the previous chapters, Kaburagi himself shares the conclusions that have led him to question the system:
“”I just discovered that it is the system that is insane […] Individual wishes are important.“”
In the previous review, we looked at the theme of the perverse utopia in the saga, the importance of the drive of the individual in a society that oppresses humans and cyborgs alike. After all the ideas that we have presented, Kaburagi confirms them in this new chapter. His sentences are concise and accurate, they manage to summarize the entire content of the story.
The portrayal of human free will as an inspiration for cyborgs is also interesting. The protagonist, a humanized artificial intelligence, explains to Minato that he is not looking for chaos, that social order is important, but the rights of the individual are the basis. There is no comma left from this meeting, you have to listen to it all.
The opposing positions between Minato and Kaburagi also bring out the emotional incoherences of the former who believes he is following the system; but he admits that he cannot let go of his bond with a great friend even if this system thinks it is a mistake.
Master dialogs
With that in mind, we can confirm that the episode’s value lies in the dialogues as they demonstrate great narrative mastery. Often the verbalization of the important can go by the bush, we can find characters with unbearable monologues who do not know how to focus the topic. We are pleased that this is not only not the case, but on the contrary.
While Kaburagi, the main protagonist of the plot, is at the center of these dialogues, we also need to highlight the value of every single message that even the smallest character embodies. Cyborgs are quickly characterized in a few brief actions and mentions and made familiar with the viewer. The use of time in what they do and what they say is very well measured and thought out.
Finally, there is Jill’s speech that motivates even the last of the corrective cyborgs:
“”We get rid of shit by running shit. In short, we are shit.“”
Chapter 9: “Turbocharger”
This week in decadenceKaburagi goes with Natsume to the “Gadolls” factory, who remains calm and, despite his ignorance, follows the plan. The raid is successful and they manage to destroy the “Gadolls” through the standard genocidal procedure that the system itself has. On the way they meet Hugin and have to fight him. At the last moment, Kaburagi opens up to her about reality and cyborgs.
At the correctional facility, Jill and the others do their part. The cyborgs explode the droppings to infect the lake water and confuse the wildlife police. Reinforcements soon appear, however, exposing the betrayal of Sarkozy and Turkey. Despite the setback, Jill helps from side to side. His Hugin hack gives Kaburagi a chance and wakes Donatello, who is confronted by the police in the game.
In the midst of such a chaotic situation, Sarkozy reflected, wounded and had a final act of courage: he started himself with an explosive that blows up the factory. Thanks to the confusion caused by this, Natsume and Kaburagi manage to destroy the “Gadolls”.
Analysis: mistakes and heroes
The ninth installment of decadence it evolves and relies on the epic as it establishes a constant cause and consequence relationship between emotions and actions. The result is an exhilarating episode that translates all of the frustration we’ve experienced into a sheer explosion.
The destruction of the “Gadolls” and the open war against the system take place in an environment shaped by metaphors, an allegorical development that had already shown ways since the beginning of the series. The bugs struggle with the same feces that they recycle and eat in a gruesome cycle, darned of no return. In other words, the debris in the system is turning against the system.
On the other hand, after extensive argumentative use, Sarkozy’s development reaches its maximum expression, as he goes from a mistake between mistakes, a circumstantial traitor, to a true hero. Without a doubt, his characterization and development was one of the best and in such a small space!
Jill, a versatile cyborg
While Sarkozy and Turkey deserve a full section, I’ll focus on the character of Jill first.
She is the only female cyborg in the group and not only has a qualified spokesperson and computer scientist, but also a bit of a mystery. The design of its original body and avatar is colorful and unique, frankly, fun, but without breaking the line of nonsensical shapes. decadence It tends to simplify and freak out the design of the smaller cyborgs that populate the Solid Quake environment. Once a character is defined, we already know that it will play a relevant role. Even the voice is so successful that it transmits hers seiyuu.
His interventions have been crucial over the last three episodes, especially the one that affects us, as he has led the chain of command in the two points of attack and helped Kaburagi and Natsume at the same time as the cyborg fight in the correctional facility. Without them the revolution would have been impossible.
The traitor and the coward, the hero and the martyr
Turkey’s actions were not surprising. The Sibylline nature is written in twisted brackets on the body, in the voice and in the character. However, it reaches a higher level of development with its ambiguous two-sided game that helps and reveals that you are always on the winning side. In his plans, the drunk Sarkozy enters worthless and manipulable to do his dirty work for him and to serve as a protective shield.
Sarkozy’s weakness, with no evil or intelligence of his own, reaches a very high degree when he allows Turkey to convince him that they have done well, even if they execute the same comrades they tried to save. What is interesting, and what is really being achieved, is that in the last moments of life he takes inspiration from Kaburagi and redeems himself as a true hero … and martyr.
Finally:: the truth before their eyes
In these last two chapters of decadenceWe have surfaced from verbal justification to actions and emotions. In Chapter 8 the dialogues stand out, in which all the conclusions are gathered that led Kaburagi to question the system. In Chapter 9 we see the actual destruction of the “Gadolls” factory. The conspiracy from treason to redemption is also built by Sarkozy.
Without a doubt we have reached one of the most important moments of decadence. That is, Natsume’s discovery of the truth. In the next chapter we will learn about the emotional and mental effects this will cause. We are therefore postponing the analysis for the next review.
After all, we rely on the friendliness of the series and we hope and hope with all our hearts that our beloved pipe is a mistake too – or whatever they want to invent, please! – and still live.
