Episode 06 – “Flower Boy”

When I get down on a series, I tend to just keep rolling along on the hate train. So I went into this episode with the intent of focusing on the positive aspects of Comet Lucifer, and the episode largely held true to the things that I praised during the beginning of the series. I loved the introduction of a new environment in Garden Mauve, and I wish the episode could have revolved more around the town, its people, and its customs over silly love triangle stuff. The desert wasteland vibe and mech battles are reminiscent of Tengen Toppa Guren Lagann, but Comet Lucifer is nowhere as charismatic as its predecessor.

The series tries to create meaningful development by adding Felia as a serious competitor for Sougo’s attention, but there’s one serious flaw with this premise. The series hasn’t given us any reason for us to care whom Sougo falls in love with or who falls in love with Sougo. The developmental foundations for each character are so weak that there’s nothing build relationships off of. Kaon feels that she can’t compete with Felia’s innocence and femininity, citing her tomboyish and strong nature as reasons why Sougo will never look her way, and yet up to this point we haven’t seen any proof of this other than perhaps how her appearance is designed.

Despite all of this though, I felt a little sad when Kaon all but admitted defeat (which is a term I hate using in regards to romance. Love has nothing to do with “winning” or “losing”). That emotional reaction tells me that there is a good idea beneath the surface of what is being presented, it just needed a stronger set-up. This series isn’t a romantic drama, but that hasn’t stopped it from trying to become one, and I think it is suffering because of directional decision.

“I’ve never been a flower boy before…” ~ Sougo Amagi