Last episode was a good introduction a lot of themes and concepts. The danger of the Getter Rays, the legacy of the current generation of the main Getter Robo crew, and the sins of the past. All of that was presented through this crew being led by creatures of their past to a flash back of the older Getter crew’s first encounter with the Andromeda Stellaration. All while the Saotome lab was in the process of being invaded by insects. This is the follow up and conclusion.
This episode of Getter Robo Arc has two different plots that are connected to each other. The major over all one is the continued insect invasion of the Saotome Laboratory. They filled the hallways with eggs and turning the non important members of the lab into insect zombies. They are of course being controlled by an ant queen. They are also headed towards the Getter Dragon in the older laboratory which is where our current crew is located. So yeah, this part in general is pretty basic but it does add a lot of good tension to the story and the crew of the Saotome lab and the Getter Robo Arc crew. It gives something for all of them to be united and problem solve over.
Not that there is a heavy solution here. The main solution is more Getter Rays. More and more insects come from the Stoker-0 above them, so Hayato Jin’s command of opening the cauldron with Getter Robo Arc destroying the queen before that. Something that needs to have the most precise timing in the world to work with the addition of Kamui being weaker to the Getter Rays then everyone else. That inadvertently makes this Kamui’s episode. Kamui is the one that uses his Getter 2 or Getter Kirik to make it through to the underground area and its through him that the queen is defeated. He was brave enough to go with the crazy idea and its quick, but good drama.
The episode also invokes some legacy things towards Takuma as well. It’s Takuma that takes up the same weapon his father Ryoma Nagare used to fight against the insects. It’s Takuma that stands up and finally takes his father’s legacy to fight using the Getter Robo Arc in a moment where he was almost taken out. Hayato Jin, his mentor here, who was left behind by his original crew, is here to guide Takuma on his journey. I really love this sort of thing because it keeps the story fresh and interesting. I’m just sad that Baku had literally nothing in this episode. He was just a background character while Getter 1 and Getter 2 and both their pilots got everything. I feel sorry for that guide. I guess there wasn’t enough time in the episode, but still. Poor Baku.
This episode also left a lot of things open too for future exploration. Takuma asks about the Getter Rays and their danger and all we are left off with is Hayato Jin suggesting that he believes in them. So, there is a start of that conversation after the crew saw the dangerous effects from it. There is also the stinger with a woman named Yamazaki cutting a wire to a bomb. For all the things that I think are missing, this episode did a great job of balancing comedy and seriousness together with some heavy themes and chaos. Almost perfect on a writing level.
I am just going to say it. Except for one 2D pieces of animation at the end of the episode with the pose of the ARc Crew and Saotome and Benkei dying together, all the 2D animation was crap. All the shots were either very closed in shots on the characters as they moved or very simple walking animation as characters moved down a hallway firing their weapons. I really with the gore behind the insects being destroyed was actually good and not just them disappearing. It’s obvious once again that only the important moments mattered and that’s ok. I do think that it is holding back the show from being great instead of good.
The 3D animation itself was really good once again and I think that it didn’t have a lot of moments to fail. Sure, the insects surrounding the Saotome lab was lacking in detail, but the Getter Robo fighting things was incredible. The Getter Robo Arc was always good and defeated the enemy soundly, but seeing the Getter Robo Kirik drilling straight through the D-2 units and then right into the ground was awesome. I loved it. While this is a cheap production, I am still happy to see these robots given the moments they need to shine.
Originally, I thought that episode 3 of Getter Robo Arc was my favorite episode. Here, I think episode 5 is. Not all episodes are exceptional pieces of art and power, but this one was for the most part. Very decently written with all the themes it wanted to explore with its characters, the threat presented by the Andromeda Stellaration, and some very awesome 3D animation. The 2D animation and lack of Baku character information holds it back, but I am still really enjoying Getter Robo Arc. I’m glad this exists!
Mechanical Anime Reviews 
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