Jormungand Perfect Order Episode 1 Review

Before I start the review, I want to let you guys know that it will be posted on this site too http://www.asia-review.me/
Alright. Let's get to it.

Episode 1 (13) -“The Snake That Admires the Heavens”

The episode starts off in Port Elizabeth (South Africa) where Dr. Miami finds an unemployed and sulking Karen Low. Miami likes Karen and decides to give her (more like throw her into) a job. Being her bodyguard/secretary. As Karen has no where to go due to the events of last season, she agrees and ends up working for Miami.

A while later, the two go over to Solomon Islands where Koko is about to launch the final rocket of HCLI's satellite network that will give the company and it's affiliates an monstrous advantage against their enemies. Once they've reached the ship Koko and co. are on, Valmet and Karen have a brief hostile encounter (unfortunately, knives aren't included), before Miami and Koko tell them to cut it off. When the rocket is launched, Scarecrow receives a phone call from Saw telling him that he may follow Koko and Miami as he wishes, but that he does not get in the way of Operation Undershaft. After the successful launch of the rocket, Koko approaches Jonah wondering if he found the launch to be "awesome". Jonah admits, however has a brief monologue where he comments that during the launch, though he did not hear the quiet conversation Koko and Miami were having, both of them seemed very dangerous.

After these events,  R has a flashback at this time to when he was first recruited into Koko's team. Koko having just lost one of her bodyguards expected R to both replace and surpass him. R comments that after the day he met Koko, she changed herself. Ever since that day, she had a smile plastered on her. He continues on to say that this means he has never seen the "real" her. We see R having dinner with Saw.  He comments on the fact that Koko most likely knows someone in the CIA hired Dominique and the other two assassins. Saw tells him that this was not his doing as he wants to turn Koko into a tool for the US, which is what Operation Undershaft is about. Saw proceeds to ask R if he can tell him anything about Koko after the two years he has been working for her. R says that he cannot, as he has not learned anything about her. He continues on to say that even if the situation is black or white, she will always stay on her gray path, he adds that she's a monster. He goes on and says that during the Balkan incident where one of the doctors called her a dragon, she laughed at it but soon lost her composure as she most likely realized she had begun to turn into a monster and was scared that her men would leave her. Saw comments that that is unexpectdly humane of her. He adds that he doesn't want a monster as of yet and that he wants to know what Miami and Koko are actually up to. During the next few days, when Koko is having a conversation with Jonah, she gives him insight on how the CIA works with its different branches. Her final comment in that scene is "Do me a favor and drop dead, Hex..."

Meanwhile, we meet Hex, an old enemy of Koko's. She meets up with a fellow CIA agent, Spin, whom she coerces into giving her information. And by coerces...I mean seduces. And she succeeds. Why wouldn't she? Spin tells her what Operation Undershaft entails, to which Hex can't help but let out a laugh, when she realizes the man behind it is Saw and it has to do with Koko. She comments on how Saw knew of her past relationship with Koko, plotted Operation Undershaft in secret, and tossed Hex aside.

When Hex tells Spin that she intends on killing Koko, the latter begs her to get off of him and to leave as he does not want anything to do with this. As she is about to leave, Hex warns Spin that if any of their conversation gets out, she will kill him. We see her next in an interrogation room displeased by the lack of answers from her captive. She kills him with a silencer. She goes outside, wondering how she should break Koko before killing her. The scene then shifts to Jonah.

Commentary

 I can't help it. I'm a sucker for Jormungand. Specially since I love the manga so much. As for the second season, it's an excellent start. I was a bit iffy about the OP at first, but after having relistened to it, I can't help but love it. Of course, it's not as good as Borderland, but it's still great to listen to. The ED is far better this season, as I'm not a big fan of extremely slow songs like the first season had. I loved how the rocket launch had french rap in the background too. Man, the OST is great.


Let me tell you something. If you found the first season a bit bland, due to...say..."lack of plot", that's understandable as it was an introduction of the characters, their work and mindsets. This season however has that "plot" aspect you're looking for. So I would advise you to watch it as you'll most certainly enjoy it.

To not drag this on too long (as if it isn't long enough already), wonderful start to the series. And if you enjoy guns, complex characters and angst, you'll most likely enjoy the second season.

Episode 1 (13) - 10/10.