And this is where we meet up with the last episode. Just as soon as Natsume runs off, Sakamoto and Taira show up. The younger Kira continues to gloat about how he killed his father as our two protagonists decide they want nothing to do with this.
By the way, at this moment, Sakamoto realizes something interesting about the radar. It doesn’t pick up people that are stationary. The person that Sakamoto picked up last episode was actually Natsume running away, not Kira.
Sakamoto and Taira decide to run but Kira tries to track them. As Sakamoto tries to lead them away, Taira trips on a root and sprains his ankle. Unable to move, he tells Sakamoto to leave him and escape. Deciding that he wanted to help Taira, he runs off and draws Kira away as Taira hides in a bush.
The plan worked. Taira was safe and Kira followed Sakamoto. For about a minute, the two play what pretty much amounts to a game of Radar Chicken. The two then run at each other, dodging past the other. Kira throws a Cracker bomb but Sakamoto dodges. The two realize the other plays BTOOOM! and begin a pretty cool fight scene.
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After a couple of volleys, Kira throws an Imploder that sticks to Sakamoto’s shoulder bag. He tosses the bag just before it goes off. Kira then continues to talk about how Sakamoto is weak and needs to treat life like a game. Sakamoto, being of sound mind (for what it’s worth), tries to reason with him, saying that there are real consequences to what’s happening on the island. Kira uses the opportunity to find the hiding Sakamoto and toss a Cracker, causing the protagonist to hit his head on a rock.
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Sakamoto then gets up and begins to feel that he’s a player in a game, being controlled by himself in the real world. He ever stands in the embers of the Cracker bomb and says that it doesn’t feel warm. He also says that his senses feel sharper.
No, he’s not delusional. He just had a concussion. He’ll be better in a few minutes.
Anyway, Kira finds him standing in the open and tosses another Imploder. Sakamoto tracks it and catches it with his empty bomb case, tossing it in the air as it implodes. Excited, Kira tries to track Sakamoto. Unfortunately, he can’t find him. And Sakamoto is moving as well, even throwing a bomb that Kira ducked.
What is happening is that Sakamoto is using a tactic called Radar Blocking. Usually, you just use the radar and it will show you who is around. However, when someone uses radar at almost the exact same time as you, it cancels it out, causing the initial user to see nothing. Sakamoto uses this strategy to perfection, causing Kira to panic. Sakamoto then tosses a Cracker that explodes at pretty much point blank range and knocks out Kira (doesn’t kill him). Sakamoto’s mind finally comes back as the battle ends and he realizes what just happened.
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He refuses to finish him off, instead opting to tie him to a tree. He takes the case and the bombs and heads off, leaving behind an obvious reference to Snickers. Kira asks for a name, which Sakamoto gives. After realizing who it was, the kid gets excited once more.
It was interesting to see Sakamoto finally use tactics he remembers from in game rather just a basic run and hide thing that he did in episode 1 (START). And it makes sense that it would happen during the initial effects of a concussion. Your mind isn’t quite right for a bit after hitting your head. Just ask…
You know what, that’s gonna lead to a tasteless joke, so I’ll just start my points to look forward to.
First, Himiko will be playing a role in the next episode as Sakamoto and Taira meet her. However, from what is seen in the teaser, it seems like the initial encounter is hostile.
Second, just what type of range do these bombs have anyway? The Imploders were simple. Anything in the immediate vicinity was wiped out. The Crackers? They seem deadly since they explode on impact but both Sakamoto and Kira took one at point blank and survived, coming out almost unscathed.
The Timers? Almost random. The crazy blonde-haired guy from episode 1 was blown to bits, the fat guy from episode 2 was thrown off a cliff, and Kira was knocked away. Granted, the blonde guy was on top of the bomb, the fat guy was next to it, and Kira was a couple of yards away but I’d like some consistency in the impact.
Third, Kira was tied up but his sleeves were what were tied. Unless his arms are injured, I’d imagine that would be a simple escape for him. And there’s always the threat of him coming after them later, even without the bombs. However, I’d imagine that it would be difficult to take anyone down unless he somehow takes away bandana guy’s knife.
Fourth, Taira is obviously hurt. In the teaser, he’s shown with a walking stick holding him up. I doubt he’ll have much of a direct impact on the rest of the game but it makes me wonder how much longer he’ll be able to help.
Fifth, speaking of the next episode, we may be hearing about who nominated them for the island. It doesn’t seem like they will be directly informed but they’ll probably talk it out and realize who it was.
Finally, be on the lookout for this guy. He has appeared prominently in the intro and, aside from clips of him running, has yet to appear in an episode.
Maybe soon?
BTOOOM! is developed by Madhouse, published by Showgate, and licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks. You can watch new episodes every Thursday night on the simulcast for Crunchyroll.
