"Simoun" has turned out to be one of the most surprisingly thoughtful yuri series I've ever seen, involving freedom from an oppressive patriarchy.Honestly, I never thought this series would ever show its true colors until I saw the last episodes of volume five. Keep in mind that there are a few spoilers in this review.
Dominura and Rimone disappeared after performing the Emerald Ri Majon at the end of volume three. But they're not exactly dead. The Simoun aircraft really are special machines that can travel across the dimensions of space and time. So Dominura and Rimone are in the past.
As for the rest of the syballae (Simoun pilots), they are still defending Simulacrum from Argentum. They try attacking the Argentum airbase, but their forces are too powerful. After Mamina and Neviril crash land onto the base, the pilots of the enemy Simoun move in to attack. However, the pilots are really Plumbum priests who came to help. In a shocking twist, Mamina pilots the Simoun away, but jumps from the ship to the Argentum base.
Mamina soon gets shot by the Argentum soldiers. The rest of the war doesn't go well at first, but soon Simulacrum's attacks force Argentum to manage a peace treaty. Their negotiation terms, however, lead to the breakup of the Chor Tempest. If that isn't enough, they are finding every opportunity to keep the pilots from traveling to the other world with the Simoun.
The Argentum are mostly men, leading to the most precarious conflict against patriarchal domination. Aeru and Neviril are probably the only pair who can change the past, in order to change the future. It's a fantastic plot that really takes the power of shojo characters to a completely higher level. They are two women in love, fighting for freedom from male imperialism. In a new world where homosexuality is restricted, perhaps Aeru and Neviril are the last remaining hope for a change in society. And while the ending is somewhat ambiguous, it is a hopeful message for a brighter future.
Although most conservative people might bash this series for its message, this is one of the most liberating anime series I have ever seen. It's hard to defy the sexual imperialism represented by Argentum. The creators even made Argentum people speak a completely foreign language, to exemplify their cultural differences. But "Simoun" may be one of the best anime series, asserting the great power of the shojo hero. It's undoubtably one of the best anime series of the year.
Image courtesy of kurogane.animeblogger.net
1 comment:
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