Anime Pilgrimage RTT

Tide-Line Blue – episode 13

“Brother”

Having rewatched Tide-Line Blue over the past month or so, I no longer agree with my verdict of last year. While it is true that the series still has one truly terrible episode in which none of the characters’ actions make any sense (episode four, that woule be), it works better in self moderated doses than it did over the course of three rigid months.
If you look at that, I’ve really said “it’s a TV show that isn’t very good on television”, which is an issue … but the beauty of the modern age is man’s ability to liberate things from their original medium. Or something like that. Anyway, it’s a moot point considering the way the myriad of choices we’re given in this field.

Spoilers for the series’ conclusion before the cut

At any rate, I came to realise last week that episode 12 was actually a fitting conclusion for the series because it suggested that the world had been handed over to Teen and Keel, with Gould choosing to relinquish control in favour of seeing where the children will take humanity.

Episode 13, the DVD only final episode of the series, is more of an epilogue than anything else. It makes more obvious the implications of the TV conclusion and features several touching moments that prove Tide-Line Blue to be a worthy program.

Episode 13 spoilers hereon

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Tide-Line Blue – episode 12

“Blue”

This is the final episode, and it concludes a good deal of the series, but it still feels penultimate. We really need the OVA to polish the story off.

(still, a little spoilery inside as I tend to get in “final” episodes)
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 11

“Battle of Metasequoia”

Penultimate! This episode is a bridge between the previous and this one, in which the “intermediary” party comes to their final decision.
This was a good episode, but I won’t say much because of its continuation of the previous episode and because … it’s been more than a week since I watched it.
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 10

“Separation”

I seem to have been saying that this series has only been half good – but looking through previous writings, I have only taken issue with 30% of the episodes (ie three of them), and they were all more than passable. Of those, I have only been angered by one episode (ie episode four).
Tide-Line Blue, by playing the percentages, has been quite good overall. This episode is the calm before the storm and boasts some more of the characterisation that I like so much.
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 9

“The globe – the new map”

Ostrich angst doesn’t work quite as well in this episode. The rest of this show is really firing on all cylinders, now, so that damned bird is forgiven. It’s a large mercy that the last few episodes of this series have been so good, because there are only three episodes left!
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 8

“Reunion – Reunite”

Crises of conscience make for great drama! Teen! Aoi! The ostrich! (no, seriously, the ostrich).
Tide-Line Blue really is working hard to regain my trust. The set up of this episode is highly conducive to rocking.
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 7

“Prayer”

What did I say about Keel being in his element? Well, with a trip to Tibet for some hard gambling, we are given an example of exactly that. This episode is pretty good for most of the characters involved; even the frequently insufferable Joze gets some good comedy and drama in.
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 6

“K2”

Easily the best episode since the first, Tide-Line Blue six is actually revealing things, giving proper characterisation and some actual emotion.
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 5

“Attack – Offense”

This is more like it.
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Tide-Line Blue – episode 4

“Roles – Share”

This is frustrating: Keel proves himself to be an impotent hero.

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