Concealment
Episode 5 of Made In Abyss Season 2 starts with Reg exploring the warped structures in hopes of finding a way back to the village. After he spots some wildlife, Reg encounters the Turbinid Dragon and engages it in combat. Recalling Riko’s warnings from episode two, Reg tries to run away from the beast. However, the Turbinid Dragon doesn’t want Reg to get away and attempts to use its powerful pincers and saliva-like projectiles to subdue Reg. As Reg’s falling, he realizes that he was inside the Turbinid Dragon’s habitat–which is why it was attacking him. Thankfully, Faputa’s bulky companion saves Reg from falling. Furthermore, Reg thanks this individual for saving him. Reg tells him that he’d love to chat, but he must return to his friends. Before he’d depart, the bulky being tells him he’s going the wrong way. Reg’s startled because this is the first time the bulky being has said a word to him. He also warns Reg that he and his friends need to leave the village promptly because both Faputa, and it is very dangerous. He also states that he cannot stop or protect them from both. Reg travels with the bulky individual to avoid getting lost again. As they travel, the bulky individual protects Reg from wild animals. He also shares some information regarding Faputa and her various ways of testing Reg to see if he was the boy she remembered from the past. This individual informs Reg that he must recover his “missing data” on his own as he has no information about Reg or his past endeavours. This individual classifies Reg and itself as an Interference Unit, designed to observe and touch things to gather knowledge. This unit explains that every lair houses a different Interference Unit, but he cannot attain knowledge of their whereabouts because transmissions have ceased for a while. He theorizes that the others may have malfunctioned or have been taken away by some unknown entities. He also tells Reg that they are similar design-wise but aren’t known for crossing layers. Although Reg asks this bulky Interference Unit information about who created him, the unit informs him that he doesn’t have that information. However, since Reg is a special Interference Unit, he should be able to uncover that information himself. While conversing, they arrive near the village. We also receive a name for it from the bulky unit. It’s called Iruburu Village. Meanwhile, Riko and Maa are chatting with the Hollow Sage Wazukyan at the diner from the previous episode. They share some subtle discussions regarding each’s meals and some remarks regarding the village’s crude residents. Wazukyan informs Riko that not all of them are evil and that most of the residents mean well. The diner’s chef informs Riko about the Three Sages’ boss-like status and how they are responsible for Iruburu’s creation. After finishing his meal, Wazukyan leaves. As the diner worker’s about to close up shop, Riko rushes over to her and asks if she can help her learn the village’s language. The diner worker complies and teaches Riko everything she needs to know about their language. During her lesson, Riko writes down all the words on a piece of cloth. Before Riko departs, the diner worker tells her to visit a place called Doguupu or “within the eye” since this is a place that outsiders may stumble across during their first outing into the village. Riko and Maa head for Doguupu. Once inside, Riko explores the area while Maa shows concern. This is because village residents must never explore Doguupu based on ill rumors alone. Riko spots some sludge-balancing monsters all around them as they find themselves in an area full of tunnels. Before she enters one of them, Riko hears a faint voice coming from a tunnel behind them. Out of curiosity, she travels inside to find Vueko. She is wrapped around these balancing monsters’ arms and appears tired. Riko is thrilled to find another human in the sixth layer and bombards her with multiple questions. Vueko looks shocked. She replies to Riko with her name and informs her that she no longer feels human. Vueko tells Riko that she likes to spend her time singing and naming the balancing monsters and hasn’t chatted with another human in ages. Riko tries asking her questions in Iruburu’s language, but Vueko stops her in her tracks. Vueko informs Riko that she got a signal from one of them and that she can guide her to that individual. Before she can guide her to one of her friends, Vueko tells Riko that she needs to free Riko from these monsters’ grasp. Riko asks Vueko if she considers herself a terrible person. Vueko explains that the village is rooted in evil and that she played a hand in shaping it that way. Although she opposed things turning this way, the others thought differently, resulting in Vueko getting sealed away into Doguupu. She also states that she watched Iruburu through its “signals.” She argues Iruburu isn’t as bad as it was in the beginning but feels her punishment was justified because she was driven by greed and wanted to become something beyond human. Riko ignores Vueko’s dissatisfaction with herself and frees her while demanding that Vueko help her find Reg and Nanachi. Vueko, Riko, and Maa leave Doguupu and head back into Iruburu. Vueko takes in the scenery and notes that it’s been a while since she last saw it. Riko finds Veuko some new attire as they traverse Iruburu. Riko notices Iruburu’s becoming more lively. Vueko informs Riko that it has something to do with an event called the Luring. Before Riko could question her about it, they arrive at Belaf of the Three Sages’ house. Vueko tells Riko she can’t go inside since she doesn’t want them to know that she left Doguupu. Riko doesn’t fret since Maaaa will be by her side. Riko and Maa head inside. Riko notices Nanachi out cold next to Mitty and runs to her. Majikaja tells her to stop touching Nanachi as Riko slowly looks up as Belaf stares her down. He asks Riko why she entered his home. Riko explains she came looking for Nanachi. Belaf tells Riko that Nanachi sold herself as value to buy Mitty from Belaf. While he can no longer harm Mitty, Belaf can do whatever he pleases with Nanachi, who must not stay near him forever as his new value. Majikaja feels guilty about everything as he’s responsible for bringing Nanachi to Belaf. He states Nanachi didn’t like how Belaf was feasting on Mitty’s essence with his suction eyes. She rushed over to Mitty’s need and declared that she would give herself up to Belaf if this would prevent him from causing Mitty harm. Belaf notices Riko’s close connection with Mitty. Riko confirms that Mitty saved her life before. She asks Belaf if there’s anything she can do to win back Nanachi and Mitty’s freedom. Belaf confirms to Riko how Mitty ended up in his possession. Essentially, Bondrewd and his associates approached Belaf with Mitty in a container. Belaf realized Mitty’s high value and wanted her for himself. However, Bondrewd wouldn’t trade Mitty for anything. This forced Belad to pay heavy compensation to receive an Iruburu-born Mitty for himself. He says he sacrificed 724 of his limbs, 50% of his body length, and a position of his sensory organs to get a perfect copy of Mitty–from her body to her soul. This is what Nanachi sacrificed herself for as compensation. Riko ponders what she will grant Belaf as compensation for Nanachi and Mitty’s freedom. She tries wagering over a piece of her equipment, hair, and nails to Belaf and exclaims that he’s being a bit greedy with his choices. Although he agrees, Belaf doesn’t find Riko’s offerings adequate for him to fork over Nanachi and Mitty. He gives Riko three options for her to choose from. To free Nanachi, Riko must give Belaf her eyes, legs, or half of her innards. The episode concludes with Riko shaking in fear.
The Episode Review
The fifth episode of Made In Abyss’s second season continues the trend of giving us more lore and questions to ponder. We receive some snippets of information regarding Reg and some intel about Vueko’s and Faputa’s bulky companion’s circumstances. We also learn about the village’s name and see some stakes being raised for our characters. In this episode, we learn that Reg is an Interference Unit tasked with collecting information about one of the abyss’s specified layers through physical and visual means. We learn that Faputa’s robotic companion is also an Interference Unit with similar properties to Reg and that they come from different creators. Even though I enjoyed learning more about Reg’s past, I felt the episode strayed too quickly from that direction. When they arrive, all communication between Reg and Faputa’s robot friend vanishes for the sake of getting back to Riko and Maa’s shenanigans at the diner. We could’ve spent time gaining more information about Faputa’s robot friend. Reg’s creator is not disclosed, but it seems like it was withholding information about its creator, designated name, and where it was built. Although the bit with Riko learning Iruburu’s language with the diner shop worker was wholesome, we could have gotten something grander. On the other hand, I enjoyed Riko’s portrayal in this episode more than in the previous episodes. The past episodes depicted her in this “damsel in distress” role that would have made things dull if it continued. Granted, Riko’s in a tight predicament at the end of the episode regarding her gamble with Belaf. However, this episode showcases more of Riko’s great communication skills and charm. Unlike Faputa’s friend, I feel the episode gave us enough titbits regarding Vueko and how she ended up in Doguupu. While her personality remains the same, she does not feel as courageous as in the first episode. I argue the brief scene of Faputa screaming during one of Vueko’s stories indicates we will receive more intel about her and the Ganja down the road. I feel this episode holds up well visually–outside of Belaf’s character design. It looks utterly choppy, sluggish, and slightly ruins immersion for me. Majikaja benefits from it, but Belaf cannot. I’m hoping future episodes will make better work of Belaf’s design or scrap it for a more traditionally animated approach. Apart from that, this was a wonderful episode. Hopefully, future installments will shed more light on Reg and Iruburu’s past, alongside fixing some of its choppy visuals and animation errors.
