REVIEW: ‘Metallic Rouge’ Episode 6

Following a spirited, lively installment, Metallic Rouge Episode (Metarikku Rūju) Episode 6 ends on a note of shocking sobriety. Until the surprising end, the episode strikes a strong, enthused cadence, embracing an episodic, mystery-of-the-week style narrative. It is funny and displays some genuinely excellent character beats until its final moments. It’s another highlight for the series. And while the ending is sudden, it can’t diminish the overall effect the rest of the runtime brings.

Naomi Orthmann (Tomoyo Kurosawa) and Rouge Redstar (Yume Miyamoto) have completed their mission on Mars and are traveling back to Earth via a luxury spaceship. Meanwhile, doppelgängers are running amok, murdering employees of the ships and its passengers. While Rouge quickly realizes this must be the work of Hell Giallon (Hiroyuki Yoshino), the mystery and the pathway to reaching that conclusion is paced excellently. Giallon, on his own, is a bit of a thin character, aside from his Vash the Stampede style getup. Known as a trickster, his threat is easily distinguished. By the end of the episode, he’s less of a feasible adversary as he is an easy setup for the next leg of the plot.

Considering the level of devastation he’s delivered against Rouge, it’s odd how little he stands out. He admits to having killed her father while disguised as him, a skill he has a penchant for as it’s at the forefront here. Metallic Rouge Episode 6 works best when it avoids these exposition-heavy moments. They’re vital to the greater understanding of the world. But they lack the punchy energy of the rest of the series. This occurs specifically when revolving around Rouge and Naomi’s escapades.

One of the most significant aspects of Episode 6 is how often the two are together, either while relaxing or working. The two continue to make for both a formidable and hilarious pair. Naomi brings wit and wry cleverness, while Rouge is sheer muscle. A particular highlight comes when the two deliberate on how best to get answers from potential suspects. Naomi suggests interrogation, while Rouge aims to trim the fat of that plan, suggesting she punches the potential perpetrators instead. It’s quicker, she argues, and while it’s not morally sound, they end up going with her plan anyway.

A similarly comedic and revealing moment comes when Giallon has taken the doppelgänger form of Rouge herself. As a means to determine who is who, Naomi gives them a math problem. How she determines who the true Rouge is and how much of that moment boils down to Rouge’s complete disinterest in math is hilarious. These two take their jobs seriously, but they’re a lingering awkwardness to them that makes them endlessly engaging and relatable in their small, interpersonal moments.

Despite its episodic, case-of-the-week nature, Episode 6 still lingers on the significant events of Episode 5. In a beautifully animated moment, Rouge reflects on what the Puppeteer asked her. She contemplates whether she’s real or not if she’s “free” or not. It’s another chance for the series to ensnare us in its science-fiction beauty. Rouge luxuriates in the pool, a literal pool of light as it reflects the galaxy just out of reach.

It all comes to a head in Rouge’s showdown with Giallon. Again, while the fight itself is impressive, the dialogue is too quickly revealed. Rouge doesn’t have to work for answers, so they don’t feel earned at the moment. We’re at the halfway point, but the series might’ve succeeded better had they held that particular hand for another episode. It’s the same for Naomi’s seeming betrayal of Rouge at the end of the episode. As she puts her supposed friend under arrest for breaking a code of Artificial Life, it’s hard not to assume there’s some deeper, hidden reason for this. One that, hopefully, will maintain Naomi as a likable, if human, character. For now, it offers a compelling cliffhanger, even if it seemingly comes out of nowhere.

Metallic Rouge Episode 6 is an often hilarious installment that understands the beautifully crafted dynamic between the protagonists. It loses its footing when it tries to expand into something more overwhelming but keeps itself sturdy. It would’ve suited the episode better had it managed to be a contained bottle piece that allowed the characters in the moment to shine rather than building up a larger world.

Metallic Rouge Episode 6 is straming now on Crunchyroll.