So, it’s been awhile since I seen an episode of Brave Witches. I been caught up on other shows, and other stuff, that Brave Witches has taken a backseat for me. Hell, I thought of dropping the show altogether at one point. But I’m back again, and will deliver the rest in multi-episode recaps for the rest of the series. On to where I last left off, episode 7.
Episode 7 – “On a Holy Night”
Oh look, a kinda Christmas episode. What timing. Anyway, it starts with Hikari getting to know about the winters in Orussia, and joining Nipa and Kanno sledding on the frozen river. It ends with Kanno and Nipa falling in after getting on thin ice, but it also ends with Hikari getting a cold. This wouldn’t be a problem for most, but Hikari is a Witch. Witches don’t usually get illnesses or injuries because of their magic. But Hikari’s lack of magic, along with the physical and mental exhaustion of all the missions have caused this. Oh, and the base is almost out of supplies. They have very little food, fuel and other needs because of their supply route being cut off. So, they’re gonna have to cancel the Saturnus Festival, upsetting Nipa. She wanted to cheer up Hikari with the festival herself. She decides to still do the Saturnus Festival, even with the little supplies they have left. She gets the help of the others (other than their leader Rall) and get presents of wooden dolls and dogs for her, make mushroom soup for her (since cake is not an option), and such. Also, Krupinski tells a story of a silver-haired fox who comes around on festival night to suck the blood outta Witches. It’s a story that is making fun of Russmann, and she gets in trouble for this. Rall does get the plans for the Saturnus Festival, and tells to get a fir tree. Krupinski’s punishment is to cut said tree down.
Hikari wakes up to find the others working on her stuff. Nobody told her about the Satrunus Destival for her, so they try to hide it. Of course, Krupinski comes back with the tree, and spills the beans on everything. Also, Hikari still has a cold, and is still out of it. Nipa does tell her about the Saturnus Festival. It’s a Festival based on collecting the traditions and legends all around Europe. For more info, here’s this.
Anyway, a backstory. When Nipa joined the 502nd, she was really nervous and couldn’t fit in because of it. Then, they held the Saturnus Festival. Seeing that they celebrate the traditions from her home of Suomus, she started to like the group. She wants to share the same feeling with Hikari. But even before that, those mushrooms that they were gonna use? Krupinski picked “laughing mushrooms.” It’s as it says. Everyone is out of commission because they can’t stop laughing. Not only that, a Neuroi has been spotted near the base. And Nipa is the only one that can fight it. Before she does, it shoots at the base and destroys Hikari’s tree. She’s mad, and fights it. She gets warned that it has an ability, and that is to camouflage itself. But Hikari, still too sick, can see it from above, so it can only camouflage its top half. Nipa shoots at it, but her gun jams. Not to worry, for someone shoots missiles at it, and takes out its core. Who did it? Why it’s two of the original girls from Strike Witches 501st squad: Sanya and Eila. And they’re in Christmas, I mean, Saturnus gear. They also brought a NKL-16 transport ship for Nipa and the others, and it’s full of supplies for them. Hikari gets her presents and a new tiny tree, the gang celebrates, and there are even candles that go with the Suomus tradition too. Plus, Sanya and Eila went there to check out Nipa. She’s doing okay by herself.
Episode 8 – “Grape Juice for Your Eyes”
After fighting some Neuroi in Petrozavodsk, the 502nd’s new mission is to protect the supply train with new units. This is “Operation Russelsprung.” But it could be carrying something else? And no, it’s not grape juice, Krupinski. From the last episode, the gang didn’t open one of the presents left by the 501st. It’s full of weapons with no ammo. One is a “cute gun” Hikari likes. Krupinski fools her into thinking it’s a Celtic magic talisman, a good luck charm that protects her from the enemy. She lets Hikari have it. There’s also another thing in the box. It’s full of snacks, and Krupinski bites into one. Doing so reveals some top secret info hidden in it. It’s about the Warlock, the weapon the 501st had to deal with that went out-of-control, because it used a Neuroi core. They at least have info now on the Neuroi nest and can use a trump card on it. And no, it’s not this.
And then the gang eat reindeer stew. For real. It is the season for it. But you know what reindeer stew taste good with?
What is it with the grape juice? Anyway, they get their new mission during it: A large-supply fleet is going from Britanna to Murmansk, and they’ll have to defend it. There will be 4 people going under Krupinski’s command. She doesn’t want to go at first, until it’s mentioned that there is a Britanna Witch among them. No, it isn’t C.C. from Code Geass. It’s this girl, who looks a little like Mugi from K-On. Only with thinner eyebrows.
Krupinski selects Nipa, Kanno, and Hikari to join her. Why these three? Because she feels she (along with Russman, who she’s telling this to), doesn’t have alot of time left in this group since she’s been fighting for so long, and that she wants to give them all the fighting experience they can get. Plus, Hikari would be good for support among two forwards. As they’re taking off, with Nipa’s Unit being a bit broken, Hikari brings her new magic gun charm with her. As for Krupinski, she is totally focused on the mission at hand. ….I’m joking. She totally wants to bang the Britanna girl. I mean it. All she focuses on is the Britanna girl even as they fly. After a break, they go out on the White Sea, but Krupinski knows the Neuroi nest Grigori is close by, and could attack even in a safe area. After another stop, Nipa’s unit finally breaks, but they made it to the Murmansk Base. They see supplies, and also meet Ground Based Witches.
They get to the base where the new Units are. There are some for Rall and Russman as well. Since Nipa lost her unit, Krupinski allows her to use the new K-Type Unit that she flies. Nipa and Kanno test them out, and they’re much different than their own Units their used to. But enough of that. Krupinski found the grape juice. Which is actually “adult” grape juice. Which means she will drink it all, pass out, and then wake up all hungover as hell as they try their mission. But Krupinski’s still going for the escort mission. Because it’s her duty as a Witch to carry out th-
Yeah, I lied. She’s only has a one-track mind. A quick PSA as well: Don’t fly on Units hungover as hell.
But there’s trouble. A Neuroi attacks the fleet in the safe zone. They get warned, and Krupinski loses her hangover really quickly, as she flies fast to the fleet. The fleet is getting owned by the Neuroi, as the Britanna Witch gets beaten by it too. But the cargo is important, and the Navy dudes will do anything to protect it. As the Neuroi is about to destroy them, Krupinski comes in for the save, and the others arrive. The Neuroi splits into two, and launches a bunch of tiny Neurois to fight. The group take them out, seeing how nice their new Units work. Krupinski gets a bunch of them herself, but the Neuroi keep making more of them, having no end at all. The fleet does back them up, but even with them, there are still too many and some are running low on ammo. Krupinski decides to handle one of the big ones by herself. Before that, Hikari gives her the lucky charm she got from Krupinski. She accepts it, as she heads off to fight them. Because of how many there are, Krupinski has to use her magic, “Magic Boost,” to get a bunch of them. It wares her Unit down, but she, Hikari and the others won’t stop fighting. The three get the other big Neuroi, but there is no core. It’s with the one Krupinski is fighting. It fires one of its tiny Neurois at her, which she kicks back at it. It hits the Neuroi, locating it core, and she fires a missile at it, destroying it. However, it fires another tiny Neuroi when it dies and it gets her. But she’s alive, and thanks to Hikari’s lucky gun for saving her. In the end, the escort is protected, and we see the Britanna Witch feeding an injured Krupinski in the end as well. Also, the Neuroi comes back and takes Krupinski’s new Unit she lost at sea.
I’ll make this quick. Episode 7 was basically a ho-hum Christmas episode that a lot of anime do. It wasn’t really anything special. Just more focus on Nipa and that’s it. However, they did show Eila and Sanya from the original series in cute Christmas-like gear, and that made the episode. As for episode 8, it was all on Krupinski, and man, was she annoying. From wanting “grape juice,” to just focusing on the Britanna woman (who’s name we didn’t learn on this episode) with a passion, to getting freakin’ hungover as hell, she was just a mess. I know she is basically comic relief with all the stuff happening, and while she was badass at the end, I was actually agreeing with Kanno for a change.
It’s amazing what a drunk lesbian can do when you start to agree with the loudmouth tsundere. Yes Kanno, hit her as many times as you can. Do it please. So other than Krupinski being annoying, it was just an okay episode. Join me next time as there will be hopefully less grape juice. And reindeer stew.
Brave Witches is simulcasted on Crunchyroll. It can be seen Wednesdays at 2:30 PM.