Summary:

Natsume Yuri reveals that Snake leader Alphard has been arrested by by the CIA, and Canaan is sent to rescue Unbloom survivors.  The survivors turn out to be three guys wearing giant animal masks at the festival, and they’re being chased by masked goons; when two survivors loses their masks, it’s revealed that they suffer from extreme synesthesia that causes them to bleed from various openings and develop an odd purple mark.  This is likely connected to the meeting at the DAEDALA Corporation where director Cummings explains the use of synesthia in IFF technology, while his secretary (and non-Synesthesist) Qi Liang takes a bath.

At the same time, reporter Minorikawa Minoru and his novice camerawoman Oosawa Maria are in town; Maria is hoping to see Canaan and show the world to others through photography.  Everyone gets caught up in a firefight over the Unbloom survivors, but most of the civilians are unaware that anything is going on.  Maria and Canaan are old acquaintances, but this doesn’t prevent Canaan from tying Maria up with the basis of their friendship: a piece of red string to keep Maria out of danger.  After Canaan is done killing the attackers, the sole Unbloom survivor is handed off to Santana and mute Hakkoo, and we see Liang riding a helicopter to free Alphard.

Reaction:

Wow, the animation and choreography for this show are tight!  Unfortunately, some things in this show simply do not make any sense.  How can Maria’s camera not be a Canon in a show named Canaan?  Minoru did the right thing, but that traitor Maria is using some old-ass Olympus Pen series camera!  Maria’s even still clinging to film for her job, even though Olympus has released a digital Pen camera (a Pen with IS) already!  Maria says pictures must be developed carefully to become her eyes… hasn’t she ever heard of Photoshop?  Secondly, what is a gender-bent Scar doing in this show?  White hair, tan skin, occasionally red eyes, tattoo… Ishbalan!

Still, I found the premise of the show interesting.  I suspect both Canaan and Alphard are Synesthesists, and I noticed both of them tended to hum.  This might have flashback implications, or be a coping mechanism to drown out other sounds (like how Canaan likes dolls because they have no color).  Liang is my early favorite, as I like her arsenal, character design, and sisterly pulsations.  Canaan was also pretty cool, in how she sniped Yunyun’s cat doll (exit wound!) and put Maria in some light bondage.  That’s what you get for using an Olympus, slave!