Chained Soldier

Episode 12

I am glad that Chained Soldier is coming to an end (for now, at least). This isn't because I've come to dislike the show, though. It's just as “pretty good, for the most part" as it has always been. Rather, its brand of “pretty good, for the most part" has remained so consistently mild and predictable that the show has become difficult to write about critically. Even here, as the season finale, I'm not sure what there is to say about Chained Soldier that hasn't been obvious for weeks.

Take the plot, for instance. I could complain about how a final episode that contains the climactic battle of this recent arc and the abduction of several characters by the new group of villainous Shuuki shouldn't feel so scattered and lacking in weight, but that's Chained Soldier for you. Throughout this season, there have been plenty of character moments, dramatic scenes, and villainous reveals, but none of them have ever been exceptionally memorable or moving. They're not bad or anything, either — I'm curious enough to see what these baddies are up to and whether or not Yuuki's sister will be able to rescue her friends — but I'm not going to be heartbroken if I never find out.

The same thing goes with the way the episode handles all of the characters, as the one way that this episode does feel like a season finale is how it gives all of the girls their little moments to remind us of what they're all about. Kyouka and Yuuki share their overdue reward; Tenka continues to obsessively pursue Yuuki because...well, I'm still not sure why she's so into him, but that's the joke, I guess; Himari wants to continue working platonically (and also, technically, sexually) with Yuuki to grow stronger; and Shushu still has her big ol' crush on Yuuki, which might even be a storyline that manages to go somewhere someday.

That's what makes this episode feel underwhelming. Despite all of the crazy stuff that has happened since Yuuki joined the 07th Regiment, it doesn't feel like much has changed for anyone. Yuuki is still the noble pervert, only now his quest to save his sister has become slightly more specific. Kyouka is still the hardened Master who is slowly coming to accept her feelings for Yuuki. Shushu is still pining for Yuuki from afar. Tenka is still down bad for Yuuki from a very close-up. The bad Shuuki are plotting…something? Yes, the big dinner scene with the whole crew was cute, but I just can't help but wish that there was something more concrete to spark my interest, after so many episodes, instead of having to continually settle for this “Sure, why not, I guess I'll see what happens next week" feeling.

Speaking of “sparking my interest”, if I have any major asks for the recently confirmed next season of Chained Soldier, my biggest priority would be for the show to cut loose and finally get a little freaky with the fan service. When I first got assigned this series, I was morbidly curious about what it would be like to cover something raunchy for the first time in a long while, but it's gotten to the point where I'm constantly wishing that Chained Soldier would be raunchy at all. I'm sorry, but a handful of uncensored nipples here and there only make the show feel less steamy and “mature," because I'm pretty sure the only viewers that will be impressed by all of that are the ones who still have to worry about curfews and getting their parents' permission to borrow the car when they're going out on a date.

Seriously, Yuuki gets called put as a pervert for having a reward that consists of—let me check my notes, here—sleeping partially clothed in Kyouka's bed while she wears lingerie. And also getting wrestled with (while still clothed!) for a bit. Are we joking, right now, Chained Soldier? Are we taking a bit of the piss out of the fans who were expecting more? A part of me thinks it's a funny joke, and a part of me is just mad that I got cheated out of my first shot at getting to review some actual sleaze! It makes me wish I hadn't taken Interspecies Reviewers for granted back when we had it…

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Chained Soldier is currently streaming on HIDIVE.

James is a writer with many thoughts and feelings about anime and other pop culture, which can also be found on Twitter, his blog, and his podcast.