Episode 2 is called Pure Converter. Oh and I'm warning you now there's spoilers.
The episode begins with Cocona waking up. Her glasses are fixed and her grandma is just sitting there like she was watching her sleep. Remember how in the post credits scene of episode 1 Cocona and Papika got kidnapped by some strange, unknown organization. Well apparently this episode takes place after that, and Cocona thinks it was all just a dream. It's kind of confusing, like I had to make sure I didn't accidently skip to episode 3. After you figure that out it's not really confusing at all. I really hope in one of the future episodes they show what went down with that mysterious organization. Heck it might even be the next one (I don't know, as of this writing I haven't seen episode 3). Anyway Cocona runs into Papika once again, but she tries to avoid her. That becomes hard to do as Papika becomes a transfer student at her school. It seems Papika is really wanting to go on another adventure. Cocona continues to give her the cold shoulder though and with the help of her friend, Yayaka. Yayaka is Cocona's childhood friend. So far she doesn't have much personality, but she does seem a bit jealous of Papika and protective of Cocona. I'm gonna theorize she may have a crush on Cocona. That or she looks at her as a sister. We also get introduced to Uexkull, a green bunny like thing. It's frankly kinda adorable and Cocona seems to really like him. Uexkull is also afraid of Papika, and that may be because she looks like she's gonna eat him every time she sees him. While Cocona is looking at a piece of art in the hallway, an art club student offers Cocona to visit the art club. During this event Papika also runs into Cocona (who had Uexkull in her bag). Uexkull runs away and Cocona and Papika go chase him. Uexkull runs into another portal to Pure Illusion. That's when Cocona finally breaks and gives Papika a reason you suck speech.
She calls her careless and says she has no sense of danger. She does however get emotional when she talks about how she was worried Papika was dead in the last episode. It's kind of a sweet scene. Papika sees Cocona is sad and tries to find Uexkull in the portal. They both somehow get sucked in. The portal is a hole by the way. So their chasing a rabbit down a hole in a reference to Alice in Wonderland. There's apparently a lot of genius bonus references like this hidden in the show that I'm probably gonna miss. In fact apparently Uexkull is a reference to Jakob von Uexküll, a German biologist who worked in the field of animal behaviour studies.
He's not as cute as his anime bunny counterpart, but I will admit he's one handsome gentlemen.
I love the animation here in this Pure Illusion world. It's hard to describe. The closest word I can think of is psychedelic. In this world Cocona and Papika turn into human-bunny hybrids with an obsession for biting random things. Cocona goes to find Uexkull and Papika looks for the fragment. Oh yeah, the fragments. We finally find out what their purpose is. The fragments are mysterious diamond like
objects just like the one Cocona found in the last episode. If you find them all any wish you want is granted. Kind of like the Dragon Balls. Anyway Cocona stumbles upon a machine in her search and gets the sudden urge to bite it. She turns it on unfourtenetly. It's some kind of giant fan that's leaving cuts all over Cocona. Luckily though Papika finds another fragment and sees Cocona's in danger. Cocona is saved first though by Uexkull who is more human like. He's kind of like one of those dark, bruting heroes you see in comics, similar to Batman. Anyway they end up locked in a cage about to be plummeted into lava. Papika saves them both though and we get a rather intense scene with Papika in a magical girl like state (kind of like the one Cocona was in during episode 1) trying to get Cocona and Bunny-Man out of the machine. They end up back in their world and in their normal forms. Papika apologizes for the situation, as she now understands where Cocona was coming from earlier, saying she felt worried that Cocona was about to die. Cocona on the other hand said the adventure was fun (especially the magical girl part) and says she'll go on more adventures with Papika in the future. Though only when she feels like it. Yayaka by the way is watching all this happen from behind a tree. Anyway the episode ends with Papika introducing Cocona to the rest of the organization that she works with. Flip Flap. Including the mysterious Dr. Salt who doesn't give any answer when Cocona asks why he needs the Fragments. He just warns them to always keep one on them at all times. They then go into a machine that will send them to another Pure Illusion world. Both of them holding each other's hand.
That was a nice episode. The Pure Illusion world they visited was interesting, and we got to see a bond begin to grow between Cocona and Papika, which is nice to see. I like the heartwarming moments the two share, including holding hands near the end. I got most of my questions from episode 1 answered and this episode only continues growing the world the show takes place in, and it's just getting me more and more invested into it. Uexkull is also fricking adorable. The episode even flushed out Papika and Cocona's personality a bit more. This was just a fun episode in general. I'm hooked on this show now. So what are you waiting for. We still have another episode to watch. Episode 3, Pure XLR.
So this episode begins with Papika walking alone in a dessert, looking for Cocona. She eventually faints due to lack of water, but is picked up by a mysterious race of creatures. Their fricking tiny compared to Papika. As such they get scared and lock her up. One of them doesn't seem to find her scary though so she lets Papika free. She also seems to be a bit on the timid side. She gives Papika some water, but only a little. She later explains that they're severely lacking in water and as thus have to be very conservative with it. That's when a vicious gang starts attacking. They waste a lot of the town's water and almost kill someone. He would've been killed if Papika didn't stop them. These guys, for a minute, are really the first major threat we've seen in this series. I say for a minute because once the real threat of the episode is shown they becom kinda pansy-ish. The leader of said group of pansies is...Cocona.
DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!!!
Yeah there's quiet a few good Holy Crap moments in this episode.
So Cocona (who's wearing a weird helmet) and Papika fight. It's a pretty cool fight scene. A little too frantic for my taste, but still well animated and exciting. Apparently this whole episode, especially this fight, is one big reference to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Anyway Papika thinks that this can't be Cocona, however as the fight goes on she comes to the realization it is. She then tells Cocona that she hates her. Eventually Papika passes out and the mask on Cocona's head breaks. She then sees what has happened. Apparently the mask was taking control of her mind. She sees that she hurt Papika and begins to feel sorry. That's when the true enemy is revealed. You known that cute, timid girl that freed Papika. She was the true villain in disguise.
DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN!!!
She's really some sort of demon that's completely colored black. She begins to tell Cocona that the helmet brings out your true emotions. Meaning that deep down she really did want to hurt Papika.....and I guess also waste the precious resources of a poor desert village.
Also if this helmet thing is true then it'd be understandable. I mean she could still possibly hold a bit of a grudge towards Papika for all the annoyance from the last episode. But this moment is legitimately kinda tense and does add some character to Cocona and sets up what I hope will be her little character arc. So Papika eventually wakes up and the two use their fragments to transform into magical girls. Yes there's even a little transformation sequence. I hope that isn't in every episode like almost every other magical anime does. I mean they can be cool every once in a while. But every episode.....it just gets strenuous. But yeah they have magical girl powers now. Cocona becomes Pure Blade and Papika becomes Pure Barrier. And despite just accessing these new powers they're instantly experts when it comes to using them. OK yes they did transform in the previous two episodes, but they didn't do much with the transformations powers, they especially didn't fight with them. Unless they used them when captured by that mysterious agency in between episodes 1 and 2. But that wouldn't make since as Papika only got her fragment in episode 2. Well whatever. Still a decent action scene. They even apologize for the fight from earlier and Papika also apologizes for saying she hated her.
So they beat her first form, but she has a second. They can't beat that one however. Instead another group of people come in. Who is their leader? Yayaka!
DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!
So Yayaka's gang defeats the monster and takes its fragment. Papika tries to chase after them through their portal, but it only leads her to their headquarters, where she probably doesn't want to be. Papika and Cocona eventually leave through their portal. The other workers at Flip Flap discuss what just happened. Saying they're (Yayaka's clan) now coming directly at them. Meanwhile Cocona looks depressed about the whole situation. The episode ends with a post credits sequence where Cocona realizes how late it is and rushes home. Her grandmother telling her that if she's going to be this late again to call.
So that's episode 3. It was still pretty good. The desert is most certainly the least interesting of the 3 Pure Illusions world's we've seen, but this episode is where the plot really begins to thicken and actually get somewhere. It was a very exciting, still fun episode. With more than one holy crap moment. My biggest complaint is Yayaka. She was bland before, but I was hoping she would eventually develop. Well now she has a personality. It's just incredibly cliche. She's now the toughened military like expert on everything going down that messes with our heroes cause their not as good, or are naive. Yayaka kinda sucks. I am hoping we see a flashback eventually to how her and Cocona met, as I feel that may add a lot more depth to both characters and allow us to see why they cared for each other so much. And why Yayaka being with Flip Flap's rivals is such a big deal. The villains seem like they could be cool though. The villains appear to be some kind of clan and I'm legitimately curious about what their motives and goals could be. Also they dress like the KKK for some reason.
Overall good episode.
As you can see both episodes get checks all around. Yayaka is also the worst part for both of these episodes....hmmmm.
Well 3 down 10 to go. Yeah Flip Flappers is apparently going to be just 13 episodes. I was hoping for more, but hey if they only need 13 then that's all they need. Anyway I have to play a lot of catch up on other things so I'll see you guys later.
Peace.
.....
Daniel: "Do you want to look?"
Evan: "Yeah that'd be nice. I mean after all it's for those who can see the unseeable not for the unseeable them self."
Daniel: "That's a good enough point."
Evan: "What's with all this paper."
Daniel: "It's some drawings my brother made. He was an inspiring artist."
Evan: "Really now?"
Evan: "uhhhh..."
Daniel: "I know it's awful. He was only five."
Evan: "Ah, OK. It seems to have taken some wear and tear from over the centuries."
Daniel: "Yeah. He made that one night. We both couldn't sleep so we went outside and looked at the stars. It's probably one of my greatest memories with him. We didn't talk much, but I realized how much he and I were alike, in our love of nature, in our love for the night sky, in the way our imaginations just run wild. I also realized how much I actually wanted to be there for him."
Evan: "Goodbye?"
Daniel: "I think he made that after mine and my sister's death. Our death happened pretty close to each other."
Evan: "How'd your sister die?"
Daniel: "She was hung. Accused of being a witch."
Evan: "You mean like, during the Salem Witch Trials?"
Daniel: "You know about the witch trials?"
Evan: "Yeah, they teach it at school. You know it's weird how only your sister is smiling in this drawing."
Daniel: "I didn't smile much. It became somewhat of a joke in our family. My sister though, she was well known in town for her beautiful smile. Seeing her smile always made my day. It was a flawless smile."
Evan: "Man, that must be one great smile. Is it as good as Chip Skylark's."
Daniel: "Who?"
Evan: "It's a reference you won't get. Wait....is this a rock?"
Daniel: "It's our pet. My brother found him. It looks like it has eyes so he thought it was alive. He was about 3 or so. We named him rock."
Evan: "Man, people in the 1400s were just filled with so much creativity."
Daniel: "Shut up it was my brothers idea."
Evan: "I'm just snarking with you. Wait, What's this?"
Daniel: "There's an old legend our mother use to tell us. The Paper Star. If you can collect all the pieces of it and put it together then you can grant any wish. My brother found that one day in the field. I thought it was fake, but he persisted it was real and had a dream of finding the rest."
Evan: "Interesting. Well considering how weird my life has been getting, what with the talking Pokemon plush and guardian angel and now you, I wouldn't be so surprised if this legend turned out to be true. So...any wish?"
Daniel: "That's what the legend says."
Evan: "I might be able to get a girlfriend. Ha, that's probably beyond this thing's powers."
Daniel: "If you ask me I'd aim a bit higher than getting a girlfriend. But that's just my silly opinion. Well, I'm going to go lie down."
Evan: "Ghost can sleep?"
Daniel: "No, but lying down is still comfortable."
Evan: "Fair enough.
Hmmmmmm.....so any wish granted. Kinda like the fragments in Flip Flappers. It's weird how frequently what I'm reviewing coincides with the things going on in my life. Wait there's a note here. "
"For Daniel and his sister. John? That must be his brother's name. I probably should see if Daniel has read this.
Daniel!"
.....
Daniel: "Dear God, I know I've been very sinful, and you may not accept my apology. I just have one request though. I want to see my brother again. If....if you don't want to grant me said request can I at least ask that you'll take care of him and he'll be OK. I pray he lived a good life, and I pray that he's living an even better life up there with you. Please, he hasn't done anything wrong. I beg of you. Amen."
........
.......
Evan: *sigh* "We really need to find his brother, and soon."
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
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