Nibel X Hunter 134
Oh boy, setting everything up for a big emotional finale.
Again, the King was the focus of this episode - or should I say Meruem? It kind of feels wrong calling him 'King' when a) there isn't a real kingdom to reign over anymore and b) more importantly that word 'King' seems way to abstract and not fitting for him anymore since he developed not only human characteristics but also a real personality. To me, this is one of the better characters I've encountered in all manga/anime and it is remarkable how Togashi pulled it off to change him from a brutal and relentless monster to a reflective and thoughtful being capable of sharing kindness.
The beginning of the episode kind of gave it away, and we all know how things will end for Meruem due the Rose bomb. I can already sense how bittersweet that last episode of this arc will be.
Then there is Pouf - and seeing him on the ground crying since Meruem values a human being more than him is what he deserves. Togashi plays a lot with the dictatorship imagery, and Pouf is that kind of fella who follows his leader with blind loyality into every direction - and in his case, his loyality has reached a level that leaves no space for logic and sanity. Because of other animes, I was used to the fact that every character has a special ability or a certain strength to fight and kept wondering how strong Pouf is when his real power - his unbreakable loyality - was right under my nose. Loyality pushed him to perfom manipulation at a high level, playing off characters against each other - hell, it even pushed him so far trying to manipulate Meruem himself just for his own sake. He never cared much for Meruem's wishes but more for his role as leader and king of a Chimera Ant paradise, built on the back of humanity. He might be the most evil character of this arc and dying the most horrifying way of being poisoned but not knowing it is what he deserves.
Also, I felt a lot for Welfin. Seeing him standing there and his crippled legs shaking was one thing, but the face when he realized that suddenly he was part of the food chain just like the humans he ate himself was pretty terrifying. Like always, Mad House understands it perfectly how to showcase certain emotions and you could really feel how Welfin struggled with the fact that death was upon him. Him losing his complete hair due the amount of stress and losing his mind was hard to watch, but I'm glad that he's still alive. Who would have guessed that Togashi would not only develop Welfin to a important character but also let him be the one who gives out the most valuable information?
'Komugi' - I knew right off the bat that this will have a impact on Meruem, and boy: how fucking fantastic Madhouse did that! They perfectly illustrated how Meruem put the puzzle pieces together in his head and how it changed his entire nature immediately. Seeing Pouf devastated and Meruem ignoring Welfin's statement was the icing on the cake. He always put emphasis on him being the King and yet at the very end right in front of Welfin and Pouf he has put down his crown since he found something more important to him.
Really excited to see how this entire arc will end next week. The key events that will happen are probably predictable, yes, but I can't wait to see it all animated and with great music in the background.
