Record of Grancrest War

Episodes 12-13

Thanks for your patience, because now it's time for a Record of Grancrest War double feature! “A Treaty Formed” and “To The Homeland” have more of a continuous thread than most of this show's episodes. In the first episode, Theo makes a vow, and in the second one, he promptly begins fulfilling it. These two episodes go at the same breakneck pace as usual, but their consistent focus on Theo makes their momentum easier to follow than usual.

Milza may have vanquished Villar, but now he's stuck with an entire peninsula of loyal peons. Now he has to tediously kill them off while the Lords of Altirk unite against him. At the treaty signing, Lassic is chosen to lead the treaty, but not without a fight. After all, he's only reserving his crest for Theo, or however the convoluted RPG mechanics of the show work. Theo bows out with grace, but he still has his pride. “I'll prove I'm a lord worthy of Lassic's loyalty.” How? He's got a harebrained scheme that Moreno thinks is crazy. But it just might work!

While Milza threatens to slash his own mage (which turns out to be foreshadowing as he attempts to physically slash Lassic's throat), the story pans to a ruler who's less brooding or complicated than just plain evil. Welcome to the Rossini family, a clear take on another sort of “family,” and don't try to tell me that Sistina isn't a fantasy portrayal of Italy. The Rossinis use the Chaos to their advantage, keeping their populace cowed with fear and panic. We learn, perhaps for the first time, that Theo left his hometown because his own neighbors turned his father over to the Rossinis to be slaughtered as an example. Time has passed and Theo realizes it's not his neighbors he's angry at, but the Rossinis for putting them in such a desperate situation, where the only thing they can do is betray. Unlike the Rossini family themselves, the village dynamic is fascinating, an exploration of why good people do bad things.

When Theo leaves to be alone with Rebecca and we focus on Siluca's eyes, it's uncharitable of me to say that my first thought was that Siluca was jealous. Rebecca is clearly an old flame of some kind, and Theo isn't above toying with Siluca's emotions for political gain. After the summit with Marrine, Theo kissed Siluca in front of everyone, raising morale and sending a clear message to Marrine about what he thinks is most important—and thoroughly embarrassing Siluca! (He doesn't realize just how hard that arrow hit home, as Marrine slams a sword around in her private quarters.) But while Siluca is often flustered in matters of love, she saw Rebecca's ploy coming long before I did and sent Irvin to tail the pair.

Once again it's Siluca's silver tongue and Theo's raw charisma that make the impossible possible (in a way that's becoming predictable). They earn their first victory over the Rossinis, and it's almost funny how full-circle things go, with the young Rossini brother dying literally on Theo's father's grave. It's a bit disappointing but not surprising that they have to fridge Rebecca to make this happen, as it's rare anyone lasts long on this show. Not even Theo cried over her death: by now he knows that's just how things go on Record of Grancrest War. For the same reason, I was surprised not only to see Jana the witch alive and well, but that the wolf twins (whose mom she killed) didn't even react to her presence. Perhaps quickly killing people off keeps the show from revealing too many plot holes, or maybe there just wasn't time for this inevitably bloody reunion to be explored. I'll allow it.

Record of Grancrest War has its fair share of characters who exist somewhere between good and evil, like Villar and Marrine and Theo's fellow villagers. But right now, the crux of the story is focusing on ultimate good guy Theo and the undeniably evil Rossini family. Even with so much going on, it's a very basic good vs. evil plot, and it's obvious who will win.

Rating: C+

Record of Grancrest War is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist.