WARNING: Due to the graphical nature of BTOOOM!, discretion is advised.
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Spoilers Below
For the first in the series, we get an episode featuring the three main characters of BTOOOM!: Sakamoto, Himiko, and Taira. We also get a rather character development heavy episode with little bits of action.
We start off, right after a montage showing what’s happened so far, with Sakamoto and Taira having lunch after getting the supplies from last episode (Best in the World). After their meal, the Fat Guy from episode 2 (The Bloody High School Girl) comes down the falls. And it can be confirmed that he is dead… and without his pants. Sakamoto takes off up the falls to see if anyone is around.
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Let’s stop for a moment and look at Taira. In the beginning of this episode, he appears sincerely grateful to Sakamoto and even starts tearing up when he thanks Sakamoto for not abandoning him. It’s a very moving moment.
But then, after Sakamoto climbs up the falls, Taira jumps into the water and grabs the Fat Guy’s chip. I realize that he needs them to get off the island but there are two things to take from this:
First, he seems to be moving around better than what he’s letting on. When Sakamoto was leaving, Taira was having trouble getting up, even leaning on a walking stick he found between last episode and now. After he goes, he appears to be moving well. An argument could be made that it’s easier to walk in water than it is on land, which is true. Walking in water can take pressure off the lower body. However, there are two counter-points to that. (1) The river that Taira is walking in has rocks, which should make it difficult on his ankle. (2) Taira is barely knee deep. For the lower pressure to really take effect, he’d have to have the water be at least half-way up his body.
The second thing I take away from this is Taira’s strategy. Sakamoto was right in episode 3 (Survival) when he said that Taira was more than just a bumbling oaf. However, I don’t think Sakamoto understands just how right he is. As Sakamoto fights off the enemies in the area, Taira scavenges and picks up any loose chips around him. And I don’t think he’s shown the chip he picked up from Kira’s father in the last episode either. This has a feeling of one of those textbook strategies you see on Survivor.
Anyway, Sakamoto gets up the cliff, runs past the dead teacher from episode 2, and uses his radar to find Himiko. She senses someone using their radar and throws a bomb, though not in the direction of Sakamoto. However, it was a gas bomb (courtesy of the Fat Guy) that apparently melts things it comes in contact with, including human bodies.
Sakamoto takes off and makes it away from the gas and out of the forest. But it was all a ploy by Himiko to flush him out.
Before we move on, let’s take a look at this set-up she has.
As you can see, she’s not taking any chances with anyone. She not only has the bomb cases slung around her but she has the bombs ready to go outside the case. And I know I probably shouldn’t find this funny, but I found it amusing where the bombs she has on the ready are located (Timers by the waist, Crackers by the chest). You can tell the incident with the Fat Guy has her shaken.
Himiko threatens Sakamoto with a Cracker bomb but is convinced to disarm it and listen to him. Sakamoto tries to come closer (facepalm) and she arms it again, this time throwing it at him.
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She misses. And it seems like she didn’t like that she threw it. I understand why she did it. Her mind has been a jumbled, angered mess with everything that has gone on with her to this point. The incident with the Fat Guy was merely the tipping point. But just from the look of her after throwing it, you can see that she doesn’t want to do this. She looks almost disappointed in herself.
She doesn’t have long to contemplate it as Sakamoto charges in. She pulls out the stun gun and the two have some electrifying close-quarters combat. During a break, Sakamoto tries to figure out who she is — in terms of nationality — even going so far as to speak broken English. Himiko reveals that she is Japanese, which is odd because she called herself a foreigner in episode 2.
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Anyway, the fight continues with Sakamoto falling backwards. Himiko winds up, looking to stun him. Not wanting to get stunned again, Sakamoto kicks Himiko’s arm into the supply case. The stun gun electrifies the case which in turn stuns Himiko, having her fall into a rather ironic position.
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Not wanting her to attack if she wakes up, Sakamoto removes the bombs from around Himiko. As he does this, he starts to be tempted into things like taking off Himiko’s panties. He does stop and eventually understands the reason why the Fat Guy was in the water without his pants (it was because of Himiko, in case you didn’t see episode 2). Instead, he carries her and her supplies to Taira.
By the way, if you’re sincerely angered that I didn’t post any panty shots of Himiko, I’d like to talk to you about a fantastic vacation opportunity in the South Pacific. All you’ll need to do is pay me ¥100,000…
There’s still more to talk about for this episode.
