Gleipnir

Episode 5

Clair and Shuichi are officially on the hunt for extraterrestrial poker chips, and their first encounter with a rival gatherer unfolds in Gleipnir's typically atypical fashion. Clair, for one, exhibits an uncanny sense of savvy for a death game protagonist and dictates her strategy to Shuichi, emphasizing that her “attack first, ask questions maybe” philosophy is the safest course of action for the two of them. Shuichi of course protests against the possibility of harming someone innocent, and Clair seems a little too infatuated with danger, but she's got a point. And speaking as an audience member, I find it satisfying to have the moral concerns of Shuichi laid bare while the ruthless pragmatism of Clair pushes the narrative along. Their ethical tug of war keeps their relationship feeling fresh as the two of them are constantly forced to reexamine and reevaluate their limits for the sake of one another, and that becomes especially apparent in this episode.

Despite Clair's careful machinations, the power of irony ultimately triumphs in the form of their first opponent, Sanbe. It is just so in-character for Gleipnir that the first guy they find while hunting for coins is a violent weirdo who couldn't care less about the alien collectathon. Sanbe is just looking for a battle that can satisfy him, and consequently Clair and Shuichi find themselves fighting for their lives for no reason other than to satisfy a strange misogynist's fragile male ego. Gleipnir relishes in this irony, and it's apparent on a purely visual level too. The show has already poked plenty of fun at the absurdity of Shuichi's mascot form, and now his first intentional sparring match is against a dude twice his size decked out in Dark Souls boss armor with blades for his arms. He's hilariously outmatched, and Gleipnir makes sure we're all in on the joke.

This fight, however, proves to be a thoughtful exhibition of the ways in which Clair and Shuichi's relationship has developed. Shuichi, for example, shows determination and resolve as he starts attacking Sanbe on his own—it's debatable whether he's grown more comfortable with this form, but at least he's now willing to put in effort to do so. Clair, meanwhile, actually confirms Shuichi's consent before using his revolver (and feel free to include all of the Freudian interpretations of that act, because Gleipnir certainly expects you to). Their relationship is still far from an ideal balance, but they're learning healthier habits. This is apparent too when they separate, with Shuichi intending to distract Sanbe while Clair makes her escape. That's a characteristically selfless act on his part, but it's also in line with his self-destructive tendencies, and Clair isn't comfortable with either of them risking death on their own. She takes the revolver he entrusted her with and forces a standoff.

Shuichi's and Clair's instincts complement each other and prove to be instrumental in their victory. Shuichi's goody-two-shoes recklessness is the perfect match for Clair's Machiavellian ruthlessness; they're able to make up for each other's shortcomings, and together they make for a stronger force than Sanbe alone can hope to be. Of course, Gleipnir expresses this rather sweet sentiment in a patently absurd way, with a desperate Shuichi giving Sanbe a big ol' furry bear hug while Clair holds a gun so hilariously huge that its kickback would knock her head clean off. Sanbe still gets the message loud and clear, and although he may be a big anachronistic weirdo who'd be better of wandering around in Fist of the North Star, he has enough honor and intelligence to admit defeat. Though physically weaker, Clair and Shuichi's combined resolve and odd affection for each other make them a force to be reckoned with. This is what wins Sanbe over to their side, and this will be integral to their overall victory in this coin hunt.

I continue to love the interplay between Clair and Shuichi, but I think my favorite aspect of Gleipnir is its utterly deadpan sense of humor. Clair stripping down to her underwear no longer fills Shuichi with excitement or embarrassment; he looks tired when she starts taking her pants off. It's just another day on the job now. Gleipnir has no qualms about using trashy camera angles and close-ups to titillate its audience, of course, but I also appreciate that the attention to detail on Clair's bra pattern is matched, if not exceeded, by the care taken when it comes to illustrating the moist, stuffy, and gross lining of Shuichi's insides. Meanwhile, Shuichi's gun looks so ridiculously big in Clair's hands that I originally thought it was an animation error, but Gleipnir cleverly utilizes this absurdity by applying real-world physics to its potentially lethal amount of knockback. Gleipnir only takes itself seriously when it matters. Otherwise, it relishes in moments like Shuichi's brief and completely deadpan explanation of his relationship with Clair, while Sanbe receives the information in stunned silence. And I love the jet black humor of Clair nonchalantly rummaging through an enemy's guts so she can browse their blood-soaked smartphone. She's downright cute when she blushes and reasserts her resolve to only die alongside Shuichi—all while her hands are soaked in bad guy viscera. You need a sick sense of humor to fully appreciate Gleipnir, but it's so rewarding if you do.

Although their coin count remains static, Clair and Shuichi conclude this episode with a new ally and a lead on some more nasty customers to come. Shuichi gained a little more confidence in himself and his decisions, and Clair gained renewed confidence in their ability to work together and win this bizarre battle royale. And Sanbe's now in the employ of two teens with one hell of a kink. Gleipnir continues to be both fun and compelling in its uniquely tongue-in-cheek way, and I think it has the potential to become the paragon of trashy grindhouse anime series.

Rating:

Gleipnir is currently streaming on Funimation.

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