GATE: Season 1 – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
Episode 4: To Unknown Lands Initial Thoughts With the refugees becoming acclimated to the ways of the special forces, it leads you to wonder if they may ever pass through the gate as ambassadors? Much less, with America, and surely other countries, interested in what the Japanese have currently to themselves, you have to wonder if…
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Episode 4: To Unknown Lands
Initial Thoughts
With the refugees becoming acclimated to the ways of the special forces, it leads you to wonder if they may ever pass through the gate as ambassadors? Much less, with America, and surely other countries, interested in what the Japanese have currently to themselves, you have to wonder if they may start trying to interfere in what is going on. But, as for this episode, it is about Itami, and his team, getting to know the named refugees, and vice versa.
Characters & Story (with Commentary)
Topic 1: The Names of the Refugees, and A Little About Chuka – Rory, Leila, Chuka, and Itami
As could have been assumed from the last episode, of the group of refugees saved, only a handful will really matter. As for who? It is the Sage Kato, and his assistant Lelei; the apostle of Emloy, the god of darkness, Rory; and then Chuka, an elf. One who becomes a strong focus for most of the episode, if only because we learn that it was her village which was burnt up by the fire dragon. Leaving her the sole survivor, per what we see, but it seems she doesn’t fully realize that. For with her constantly speaking of her father, and saving a place and rations for him, it seems she has blocked out the idea her dad died after throwing her into that well. Leading to many of the people in the camp being very worried about her, but not directly confronting the truth.
Topic 2: Leila, The Curious One – Leila & Itami
While Chuka wanders around the camp, slightly fearing of how she maybe expected to payback the hospitality, Leila has immersed herself within the SDF. She watches them cook, is in the process of learning Japanese, and even is learning a bit about Japanese culture and the world beyond the gate. Making her, slowly but surely, a valuable person for Itami and his team. Especially since, with him bringing these refugees without notice, it has led to him being placed in the powerful position of forging relations with these foreigners.
Topic 3: Head On Collision – Itami and Princess Pina
As the refugees get settled on Arnus Hill, word of all the SDF has done has traveled. Be it them scaring off a dragon, or the slow rising confirmation that Princess Pina’s father may have setup his would be allies for slaughter. Something which troubles her deeply, and when the SDF and Princess Pina’s meet head on in Italica, sparks may fly.
Final Thoughts
Being that things are light and fluffy when it comes to Itami’s side of things, yet violence, and political backstabbing, lingers in the background, it leads me to wonder if anything bad might end up happening to the characters we’ve already met. Not to say it feels obligatory, or even needed, but between Princess Pina meeting the forces who maimed King Duran, and who threaten her empire, to the Americans, and other nations, wanting access to the gate, you know eventually there is going to be blood on the streets.
Question is though, with Itami continually gaining prestige and responsibilities, will he be able to maintain this joy in being within this world? Much less, being that he has largely only had to deal with killing foreign beings, will he eventually have to kill a human? How will he react? Plus, what may happen if between one of the girls, or the guys of his group, they die due to his leadership? Will that be the end to the happy go lucky Itami, the one who did only what he had to support his hobby? Will this mean he will confront the king, Princess Pina’s father, by the time this series is all over? Only time will tell.
Things To Note
Kuribayashi is the short member of Itami’s group, and Kurokawa is the tall member of Itami’s group.
I really wish there was another season of GATE for the simple reason that I’d like them to actually bring the conflict to a conclusion. I know there are issues with the story, but I was enjoying it and it just kind of left me hanging and that kind of takes the rewatch fun out of it.
There needs to at least be a ova, if not a full movie. This was the first show I saw go past 12 episodes and I honestly could have been cool with it going on forever.
The first season kind of reminded me of Stargate and realisatically, I’d have happily sat through 10 seasons of this. It is just kind easy watching.
And, in retrospect, it strangely was able to balance all the genres it touched on. Yes, there was a bit of ecchi, but the sci-fi/ fantasy elements were on point. Also, it had these rather epic action scenes, especially with the Red Dragon. Not to forget quality character interaction, relationships, and growth.
I also loved the soundtrack at times. But yeah, the character interactions were what made the show really enjoyable. Even when the story didn’t quite word as well as it should the characters carried it for me.