Darwin’s Game : Ignition

Episode 3

“Igunisshon” (引き金イグニッション)

It is Kaname’s very first event, a treasure hunt battle royale. With 300 other players (well 299) to battle it out against how does the think he’ll survive this one?

If you thought this episode was going to be fast paced with a whole bunch of action then you are actually pretty wrong.

Surprisingly this episode didn’t just set up for the action a little bit more but it gave us a look at other things that just add to the mystery of what is Darwin’s Game and who is doing this to people.

There was still plenty of action as Kaname starts to make his move just to find the markings of so many dead people, he is brought together with Rain who tells him that flight is as much a survival tactic in this game as fighting is and who teams up with him to get out of the building which has been taken over by the Florist, someone with the power to create/use plants to kill.

Even Shuka was cornered after taking the lead on the ring count and you can’t help but feel that the way all three are going to survive this battle royale is going to be with her sharing her rings with them.

That being said it just wasn’t that important.

For a start we had to get to know Rain and unlike other Killing Game shows where people are kind of thrown together they gave themselves enough time in this episode to have a discussion between Rain and Kaname about who they are, what their strategy is and how they are going to survive whilst actually maintaining just how dangerous their position is and keeping the tension going throughout.

Then we are shown even more weird technology that basically brainwashed the entire non Darwin’s Game participating popularity into leaving the area so that the game could be played in peace.

Not only that but we glimpse a casino that has cameras everywhere, knows of the game and uses it as entertainment as well as a gentleman who is apparently looking for someone.

A male someone.

Mainly because someone comments that Shuka would be perfect if it wasn’t for the fact she’s female.

So much was packaged tightly into this episode and it was done in such a natural way that you never felt over burdened. That has always been a problem with shows like this, they want to pack so much in but also make sure that there is constant drama, action and everything in between as well which leaves you not really caring for anyone at all.

This show isn’t so much about the game half the time as it is building the story around it and the characters themselves which is a different approach and one that is a breath of fresh air.

Again it doesn’t need anyone angrily wondering why someone would do it to them, they adapt and get on with life and now we, the audience, are being rewarded with information that other series would barely give us.

Now the fun is going to start as Kaname has figured out where the Florist is so their fight will begin and I’m sure Shuka will figure out a way to find Kaname soon.