Chained Soldier S2, Episode 9 — Send in the Clones!

Mira must save Yokohama and battle Kuusetsu. Will Yuuki and Kyouka arrive in time to help?

Episode 9 — “A Commander’s Resolve”

Hmm.

Chained Soldier became a shonen action story with big boobs this week. The shonen genre has strict rules for one-on-one battle scenes. The good guy, no matter his talent, stamina, or strength, must face a situation that stretches him thin enough to maximize dramatic tension. And that’s how it went for Mira and her clone regiment. Read on for notes on how this fan service show followed the shonen playbook.

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Chained Soldier Follows the Shonen Battle Rules

Did you ever notice that time slows down in shows like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Bleach, or Naruto? Like how a fight between high-ranking individuals should take three minutes but drags on for several episodes? The dramatic set piece usually fills that time with flashbacks, backstories, and yapping. Chained Soldier, thankfully, avoided the usual time-wasting narrative devices. However, the characters’ confrontation still followed other shonen action rules.

In serial storytelling, one-on-one matches allow creators to flesh out the details of their cast’s supernatural talents. The clearest way to grasp Mira’s cloning limits is by breadth and depth. She spread her clones around the entire city of Yokohama to fight an army of Shuuki grunts. But Mira also had to concentrate her energy levels into a select few to help her fight Kuusetsu. The caring gang leader did not have an unlimited fuel reservoir to draw on, which the youngest Thunder God sought to exploit.

We learned from Chained Soldier that Mira still must protect her original body, while the clones eventually dissipate if they take too much damage. And the clones always look perfect when they first appear, meaning an opponent could end the fight quickly by targeting the one with imperfections. Mira, a veteran brawler, treated these drawbacks as chess gambits, feinting and misdirecting Kuusetsu to land damaging blows. Unfortunately, Kuusetsu’s edge in only fighting one opponent outweighed how thin Mira had spread herself. Typical ebb and flow of a classic shonen action set piece.

Kuusetsu Can’t Eat Just One Chained Soldier Character

Chained Soldier also revealed more about Kuusetsu’s ability to borrow from those she had “eaten.” She couldn’t summon Coco’s slippery healing mucous as quickly as Mira could throw punches. We also learned that Kuusetsu dislikes displaying her oversized oni body. Is that due to a time limit? Some personal preference for beauty? We should keep these questions in mind as Chained Soldier enters its final arc of the season.

One final wrinkle — How would a human affect Kuusetsu’s personality after she ate one? Shikoku and Jyouryuu have already complained about how picky Kuusetsu became about beautiful prey after she absorbed Naon’s material-phasing ability. Can she absorb a human’s Peach Power? Would she then start treating people like little sisters in need of protection? And are the people she ate dead? Can they return if Kuusetsu dies? Or can Kuusetsu spit them back out?

Chained Soldier’s audience hopes beloved characters can reunite. Of course, the story could follow the Japanese style — stringing us along and delivering a satisfying conclusion tinged with bitterness and longing. It wouldn’t surprise me if this shonen-infused fan service vehicle gave us a finale befitting the profound wisdom of Shirou Emiya from Fate/Stay Night: “People die if they are killed.” O rly? Ya rly.

Chained Soldier Makes Me Say Heh.

Hidive warns us that we could get one of the “harder” hentai tags in this Chained Soldier episode. Kuusetsu calls her saliva “the nectar of the gods.” Studio Passione went all out for animation details for her mouth parts.

Back in the Mato at the 7th Squadron’s dorm, Shushu daydreams of a date with Yuuki in Yokohama. She slapped the shojo manga filter to his face! Himari reminds Shushu that their colleagues face danger from a Thunder God. Chained Soldier shows us Yuuki in danger of losing his virginity! Kuusetsu’s saliva strands are everywhere!

Uh oh. Kuusetsu advances to the next phase of seducing a trapped Yuuki. Whoops. Miscalculation. She let him move a little bit, and he screamed for Mira! Forced sexy time is over. It’s Mira’s moment to shine.

Chained Soldier TCG?

How will Kuusetsu handle an army of Mira clones? The Thunder God can rain down killing feathers. Ah. Chained Soldier has entered a shonen genre battle scenario. Mira uses her clones for feints, and Kuusetsu wields her other abilities. Coco’s fluid helps her avoid damage and heal. And worse, Kuusetsu brought her Pokémon deck with her! Can Mira’s clones keep up with an army of Shuuki plus a giant one? Fortunately, she and Kyouka had already defeated the specialty Shuuki that Shikoku had given Kuusetsu. The junior Thunder God had instructions to drop these cards and flee, but Mira provoked her. Mira’s clones can crush the Shuuki grunts and Kuusetsu!

Hold on. Chained Soldier said that Shikoku gave Kuusetsu four rare Shuuki cards. We saw two of them die last week, and the giant one is the third. Where’s the fourth? Finally! Kyouka arrived to help Mira against the giant Shuuki.

Chains cover Mira’s naughty bits in the Chained Soldier intermission card.

Do Shonen Heroes Ever Win Battles of Attrition?

Kyouka and Mira have a plan — kill the Big Boy Shuuki, then collect Yuuki and deal with Kuusetsu at the park. Mira clones swarm Yokohama, beating Shuuki grunts and rescuing civilians. But the effort takes a visible toll on her. Worse, she taunted Kuusetsu into staying and fighting, steadily lowering her chances of defeating the mercurial Thunder God without Kyouka and Yuuki’s aid as the battle drags on.

Chained Soldier presents a shonen action duel now: An experienced fighter vs. an overwhelming villain. They even pulled the cliché of exchanging names to show mutual respect. Unfortunately, Mira’s divided attention and power already telegraphed the end of this fight.

Yuuki Lucky to Escape Vagina Dentata

Kyouka reports that Mira’s clones saved Yokohama, but can she find the original one in time to help her fight the Thunder God? No, she could not. Kuusetsu is swallowing Mira! The vagina opening that her egg body had still functions the same way. What happens next?

Rairen took over the Chained Soldier omake duties to show Kuusetsu and Shikoku having fun with Coco’s slippery fluid after their hot bath.

Chained Soldier (魔都精兵のスレイブ, Mato Seihei no Slave) streams on Hidive in Japanese audio with English subtitles.

No! You can’t give us one episode of a virginal tough-talking banchou flashing her boobs before an egg vagina eats her in the next! I wanted to see Mira’s reward ritual scene with Yuuki! Give us some hope, please! Do you think Mira is gone forever? Share your hopes and dreams in the comments.

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It’s a very special celebration for the U.S., and J-List is getting into the proper spirit with a big July 4 Sale. Celebrate with 15% off all in-stock products shipping from Japan through Monday, July 6. Start browsing here!