Granbelm Episode 5 Review: A Small Girl's Small Wish

After last week’s Granbelm battle, the contestants are taking a short break from fighting, only to resume and do more fighting later.

Plot

Nene-chan’s sisters are discussing whether their sister can actually win against Mangetsu. Their family has been consistently producing feng-shui masters for thousands of years, so they seem pretty confident. In the meantime, Nene is meditating inside her huge magical robot, thinking of her mother.

As they’re preparing for battle, Mangetsu remembers Shingetsu telling her that Nene has participated in Granbelm in the past, and that she is an opponent of considerable strength, excellent at long range conflict and skilled at located her enemies. She also mentions how she had a very hard time detecting Nene, despite her magical aura through the Armanox. Kuon, however, can listen to magical power when it’s being unleashed. To avoid harming Anna, and achieve defeating Nene, Shingetsu decides that Mangetsu will pair up with Kuon to attack, while she will distract Anna and lead her away. I thought they were supposed to kill each other?

Nene makes her move, attacking with a rain of numerous bomb decoys. Mangetsu is ready to counterattack, but Shingetsu advises her to avoid it so that their location remains secret. Nene is using a barrier to prevent them from sensing her magic, and therefore her presence. Nene focuses and locates Mangetsu, who is flying towards her, dodging her attacks. Shingetsu deducts that if they follow all the incoming missiles, there is only one place where they could be coming from… and that’s where Nene’s location is. Just as Mangetsu is about to get an epiphany as to which the decoys are, Anna shows up on the scene, and she’s as angry and irrational as ever. She attacks with fire and asks Shuishou to make sure they will remain undetected during their attack. She also locates Nene, whose sisters are advising her to withdraw from battle. Soon, everyone has found everyone and they’re -finally- ready to attack. Looks like there’s more camping in Granbelm than in any online game. Nene gets a little more final glory before she is blown to smithereens by the rest (because, of course, come on, she’s disposable, she’s not gonna win!) Right on time for another flashback, Nene remembers her mother again, who made her hold some sort of strange spherical poop and asked her to find which is the most powerful one. I, again, do not understand what is going on, but somehow that flashback allows her to picture her enemies and go for them. And again, somehow, Mangetsu gets to her first, and Nene panics. In the meantime, Shuishou shows up and is about to have a go at Kuon. Anna is being very salty about her success while she hasn’t even won yet.

Just before actually beginning a fight with Mangetsu, Nene realizes that she is not enjoying this at all. No way, who would have thought kids don’t appreciate having a chance to kill each other? Then her ARMANOX changes form again. It’s impossible to follow what is going on. As she’s expecting a bomb to explode her way, Anna goes on a monologue again. It’s exhausting. Somewhere else, Kuon is fighting one-to-one against Shuishou. It’s doesn’t look great. Nene’s sisters are telling her to withdraw but she persists. Mangetsu is very beaten up, but I’m sure she’ll be okay. Nene gets ready to destroy her and I bet Mangetsu is re-evaluating her choice of participating in this nonsense. She’s having a brief personal crisis, but then pulls out a massive sword and wins. What the hell am I watching.

Wow.

None of this made any sense.

How did you find this Granbelm episode? Let us know in the comment section! And don’t forget to check the rest of the Summer 2019 anime reviews on MANGA.TOKYO!