Review - Pumpkin Scissors #2 - The Enemy Within
Reviewed by Richard Brownell on 11.28.2009.
Score: 7/10
The first volume of Pumpkin Scissors got me very interested in the show. The tank battles, strong core cast, and dark overtones sucked me in. With that in mind, I really expected this volume to continue at the same level. While certain aspects such as the cast continue to have me hooked, this volume disappointed me a bit. The stories don't feel entirely necessary and they aren't very strong.
Volume 2 starts off with an episode where Randel Oland is recovering from his injuries. Meanwhile, the other two men of the Pumpkin Scissors unit are caught up investigating just who Oland is and what became of his secret squad of trained killers. Oland learns more about himself from his hospital roommate. This episode really comes across as filler. Pumpkin Scissors would probably get old if every episode were just Oland facing off against tank after tank, but it doesn't need to drag on either. The emotional climax during this hospital sequence is awkward and doesn't work as well as countless similar scenes in other shows and movies.
From there, the next episode involves a baby that is dropped off at the military. Oland finds it and appears to be the only person the baby wants to deal with. This is the second time in as many weeks I've reviewed an action series with a baby episode. Thankfully this one works fairly well, but once again I find myself missing the action of the show. The best part of this episode involves the troops going into the heart of the city looking for the mother. We really see some more post-war attitudes in the people and not just some occasionally humorous filler scenes.
Episode 7 lets us see Alice deal with her family as she goes to spend some time with her fiance. Though this episode is another story of the week, it is one that actually involves the Pumpkin Scissors doing what they are supposed to do, not babysitting or hanging out in a hospital. The men of section 3 go to investigate a noble who was reported by an anonymous tipster. We don't get a huge amount of action here, but we do get some much-needed hints about the overall story of Pumpkin Scissors.
This disc closes with an episode that is much more like what I expect when I'm watching this show, though it comes with its own set of flaws. It's got the troop on a special delivery mission through snowy mountains to a remote village that desperately needs assistance. On the way some bandits who are angry with the military after the war are determined to steal the valuable delivery and possible kill the soldiers in the process. It sounds good in summary, but much as the climax of episode 5 was done poorly, so was the storytelling technique used in this episode. It starts with the troops getting in a car accident, then it goes back in time where they get their mission. It then goes forward in time a few hours at a time as if there is a pressing need for their mission to be finished in a given time. The only problem is that the pressure is never felt by the viewer. The pacing is all wrong and what could have been an emotional end to the tale falls flat. What is perhaps weirdest about this episode is the use of snowboards by the bandits. It just doesn't feel right.
Pumpkin Scissors is not a visually stunning show, but it gets some things right. The core cast of characters all look good, as do the uniforms, guns, and equipment. In many cases, they nailed the European feel that this show needs to be a success. Unfortunately, some parts of this volume came off weak, which seems to be more of a case of a rush-job than having untalented artists.
I like Pumpkin Scissors, but I want to love it. The style it usually has is great and it's mostly unique in the world of anime. The tank battles are worth the price of admission on the first volume, but there's nothing that strong in this volume. Hopefully, the show continues after this with a renewed focus on action, post-war feelings, and strong writing.
