In/Spectre (Episode 3) – The Rumors of the Steel Lady
Since leaving Kurou, Saki has found her purpose as a police officer, but her latest assignment reminds her of the past and Kurou. A mysterious figure known as Steel Lady Nanase has been appearing and causing accidents.
What happened?
Kotoko finished her story for the guardian snake and it seems to settle the matter. Everything it heard has been accounted for and is acceptable, allowing Kotoko and Kurou to head home. In the car, Kurou asks if any of it was true and Kotoko implies that it could be. Regardless, she eased the guardian snake’s mind and restored order. That’s her job after all and not to discover the truth.
A couple of years later, the story switches to follow Saki, Kurou’s former fiance who is now a police officer. Her experience with the Yokai has left her cautious and mentally scarred. Her superior asked her about her latest case involving the reporting of a busty apparition with no face and a steel beam. Saki tells him to keep an open mind else he won’t be able to comprehend what is really out there. On the way home from work, she bumps into Kotoko who is tracking down the ghost known as Steel Lady Nanase.
What was your favourite element?
Apart from Saki, who is awesome and I hope we see more of her, the fight between Kotoko and Steel Lady Nanase was insane. How Kotoko can run like that with her prosthetic leg is incredible, but then when it popped off after jumping onto Nanase’s steel beam, she managed to fling herself through the air and kick the ghost with her good leg. Amazingly, she then managed to land, although Saki did rush to steady her. On top of all of this action, the dialogue between Saki and Kotoko was excellent, which really is to be expected with this show, even after just two episodes.
What have you learnt?
This was the moment that everyone who selected this series to follow based on the poster alone was waiting for. The introduction of the busty faceless idol in the corset carrying a steel beam… Let’s all just bask in Nanase’s glory for a moment… All right, with that out of the way, the real thing to learn from this series is the way it uses dialogue to drive the story, misdirect, and even reveal truths. It’s got to the point where you have to focus on every word because it may reveal something. I noticed that everyone was very vocal about Nanase’s chest! It’s possible that this is just an anime thing, although I feel like it may become relevant to the story. Only time will tell.
Other reviews in the series
Anime
- Season One
- Episode 1 – One Eye, One Leg
- Episode 2 – What the Guardian Serpent Heard
- Episode 3 – The Rumors of the Steel Lady
- Episode 4 – Idol Dies by Steel Beam
- Episode 5 – A Monster of the Imagination
- Episode 6 – Logical Fiction
- Episode 7 – Preparing to Conquer the Steel Lady
- Episode 8 – She Who Spins Fiction
- Episode 9 – The Committee to Conquer Steel Lady Nanase
- Episode 10 – Dueling Fictions
- Episode 11 – The Ultimate Fiction
- Episode 12 – She Who Defends Order
Manga
- Series Review
You might also like…
I can’t say enough good about this show’s dialogue. It flows so well! And it’s such a great insight into the characters.
I also like how Kotoko’s prosthetic leg actually came off. It’s not just a prop or something in the background. It’s part of the story. No prosthetic is going to stay attached under that kind of stress.
My experience with folks who have handicaps has made me appreciate any realistic depiction!
The dialogue really is a treat with this show, and it’s a good thing as there’s so much of it.
Yeah, that was cool how it popped off and gave Saki a shock. Then, to see Kotoko flip through the air and land a massive kick on the ghost was pretty awesome.
And, yeah. You only have to look at the paralympic games to see that anyone is capable of anything.