Clowns are often representative of entertainment but beyond the joy they reflect onto children, they also find symbolic meaning in nightmares within pop culture. This is why horror themed settings feature Clowns and amusement parks prominently within its narrative. There is a certain inherent terror sourced from subjects that embody innocence such as clowns, nuns, dolls or children. One of the most well known and genuinely terrifying horror characters is a clown (Pennywise). Following in tune with such a depiction, Clown’s Requip mode is a Nightmare version of his self. One that reflects the darker side of clowns. And true to its portrayal, the ominous cloud of terror is immediately felt as Rebecca disappears from sight leaving just Pino and Happy alone with Clown. (Pro tip: Don’t talk to clowns that happen to be in sewers).
The unidentified mist is such a curious design used to progress the fight. Is Mashima-sensei planning to isolated Pino and Happy together against Clown so that those two get focus within a battle setting or is he focusing on Rebecca’s abilities to transcend any space and time abilities used on her? It could be a bit of both. What confuses me though is the setting this battle is taking place in – the subdimension created by Killer 2.0. Aren’t Shiki, Rebecca, Happy, Pino and Weisz in a Matrix-like setting where the moderators get to decide how the setting is determined who in this instance happens to be the the Four Dark Stars. I suppose there is a variation in that the real bodies aren’t hook up to a network but situated in a separate dimension. And within each dimension created, the Four Dark Stars effectively have mod powers. Are the Dark Stars within the subdimenion utilizing their own abilities or the subdimension powers? It is a very curious ability that makes you wonder how large the dimension created actually is. And does time flow differently within those dimensions?
Returning to the unidentified mist which took Rebecca, why would Clown use that ability when Rebecca has already been isolated? Does he fear the combined might of Rebecca, Happy and Pino when they work together? Considering how Clown had his neck shot open, I would wager he does fear their integrated potential. His purpose seems to be based on the mindset of divide and conquer. Without Rebecca to vanguard Pino and Happy, they would be vulnerable to Clown. Likewise with Rebecca, without support from Pino and Happy, she would be susceptible to Clown’s trickery and power. Rebecca likely got relocated to a Nightmare dimension or some other unnamed dimension separate from the one Pino and Happy are present in. If this is the case, will Rebecca find a way to get back to Pino and Happy before Clown finishes them? Rebecca has the abilities to do so.
I find it interesting that the Dark Stars were equipped with an Anti-EMP coating as this suggest that they were developed AFTER Pino or at least after knowledge of her specs came to be known by Ziggy. If Ziggy was able to install defensive mechanisms against EMP into the Dark Stars, why wasn’t he able to infuse them with EMP abilities like Pino had? The uniqueness of Pino is so incredibly interesting. If Pino was designed, why hasn’t there been another “Pino” created? What is stopping Ziggy? Does Dark Ziggy not know how base Ziggy created Pino (if Ziggy did at all)? Pino’s analytical ability is also overwhelming. How is she able to scan the design of the Dark Stars and generate a summary of where their weak points are? To perform an analytical task, data is required. And the data sourced from sight alone seems inadequate for Pino to arrive at the conclusion that “his armor is light on the back of his neck”. Within the confines of Pino’s system, does she possess pre-existing information on the structure of the Dark Stars or bots like them? I very much suspect so. Pino even knew what to do with the cage they were locked inside of. With Clown now alone with Pino and Happy, I at the very least would like to see a bit of history behind Pino’s origins.
Even though this battle cycles across amusing and life-threatening, I tremendously enjoyed how each scene is characteristized by the entertainers partaking in it. Clown is a entertainer and so is Rebecca who is a b-cuber. Clown attacks Rebecca with different performance techniques and Rebecca in turn evades such attacks using her cat-like form and abilities. From balancing on the tightrope, to flaming hoops, to electric floors, to juggling swords, to throwing said sword at a target. The battle has proceeded in such a circus like manner. And what I find most impressive is how Mashima-sensei was able to meld that experience together within a battle. I absolutely enjoyed it. And I am glad it ain’t over yet. Now that most of the clown tricks are out of the way, will we get to see the rest? Balloons were spotted when Clown went to pick up the juggling swords, so I really do wonder if he will use them in his future attacks. Very much looking forward to the next chapter.
Enjoyment level: 8/10
12Dimension 