I wonder why both Future Diary and Platinum End use the premise of an old god dying as an excuse to have super-powered humans kill each other? Why would a system be set up that the person who managed to kill all their opponents would be rewarded with ultimate power? That seems like you are just asking for a psycho to be in charge of everything… and well maybe that’s the commentary in and of itself.
Platinum End episode 2 fills in some gaps but still leaves questions.
Episode 2 of Platinum End goes back to the set up as a shadowy figure surrounded by a circle of light talks to an assembly of angels and tells them to choose their candidates to become god. He also tells them they have 999 days. Not sure what happens if that time expires before a winner is decided (do they get to share or does the universe implode?) and not sure on what basis the angels have chosen their candidates.
What is clear is that despite suspicions about Nasse’s motives in episode 1, Mirai’s angel seems to genuinely want to make him happy. Why Nasse knew about Mirai before the contest and what their connection is to Mirai is still a bit nebulous but from the moment Nasse had the opportunity to choose a candidate their only thought was that they could now help him be happy.
In a brutal death match, it’s kind of an interesting sweetness.
A lot of this episode focuses on Mirai interacting with Nasse as he finishes setting up his ordinary life that he’s always wanted. He uses the power of the red-arrow to have his uncle turn himself in, inherits the money he was supposed to have and gets a place to live and prepares for high-school. Of course, the story isn’t going to let the protagonist stagnate. Basically if he isn’t going to involve himself in the plot the plot of Platinum End is going to come to him.
It does this through various news reports where Mirai discovers a comedian has used his powers to make idols fall in love with him. I found this interesting as we already saw his ending at the end of episode 1, but the way they weave that story and the introduction of the guy playing super-hero into this episode through the news stories and the bank-robbery was kind of interesting as it slowly brought the events closer to Mirai.
The guy playing at being a superhero also ups the stakes for all the god candidates in Platinum End declaring publicly on TV after foiling the bank robbery (through brutally killing one of the robbers after that robber had shot the other one) that he had 12 enemies and that he’d already killed one. It takes the whole battle royale as a future concept and really makes it clear to Mirai this is happening.
Despite that, Mirai still wants to live a normal life so he asks Nasse to stay in the house so he isn’t walking around with an angel hovering over him and more or less announcing that he’s a candidate. Which would all be great except for the angel hovering over the entrance to his new school.
Platinum End remains lacking in subtlety but it is effective. At every step it allows the protagonist to make a choice that aligns with his personality but then finds ways to keep the plot moving toward the inevitable fight between the god candidates. They also neatly removed his exit from the game by disclosing that he can’t give back the wings and arrows without losing his life. While you might wonder why Mirai would care given he was trying to die in episode one, he’s kind of moved passed that since learning about his aunt and uncle.
For those who enjoyed episode one, Platinum End continues to build on its story and episode two gives us enough new information while spending time continuing to build in Nasse and Mirai’s relationship. It works and for those who are here for the carnage the bank robbery plus the replay of the comedian’s death will probably be enough. I’m looking forward to what happens next at the school.
The full review for Platinum End Episodes 1 – 12 can be found here.
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Karandi James
