'Babylon' Episode 3

Now that we are a quarter of the way into the show, I can say for certain that this show could throw anything at me, and I will believe that this was the story all along. After the revelation last episode with the fact that Seizaki was forced to confront the man that he was accusing in the hearing, we start directly after that moment. Here we have an exposition dump about the reason as to why the city that they are all inhabiting was created to begin with, and why there was corruption to begin with. It was a means to pass the laws that they wanted for the betterment of humanity, however whether these words could be believed or not is another matter altogether, and I for one have stopped trying to predict and figure out what is going to happen.

There are certain things that are revealed in this episode that bring into question the level of reality in the show’s world when it is compared to the one we inhabit. There is a heavy emphasis on scientific progression in the story, while at the same time, having a character that feels as if she is supernatural in form: Magase from the previous episode. With the admittance of those that were being investigated by Seizaki, a small fraction of the truth has been brought into light, however the mysterious nature of the deaths and Magase’s abilities more than make up for the gap left in the investigation. As was the case with the previous two episodes, the ending to the episode continued to create more questions, despite the fact that they answered quite a few already. This has fast become a show that I am looking forward to watching.

The visual style of the show had changed dramatically once again for this episode, reverting to the style that was present in the first episode. I have to imagine that episode two was directed by someone different compared to that of episodes one and three; if this is not the case then I must admit that the visual flair that is present within the director is quite impressive. Despite the change, the episode was interesting to watch in its own right. The interactions between the characters are always engaging to watch and listen to, and the visual fidelity of the show is to a high standard. The colour scheme is beautiful to look at while containing within a sense of unease, the animation is quite fluid to look at when it needs to be, and the integration between the 2D and 3D animation is near flawless.

By the end of this episode, it was not shock value at an event, nor the visual style that left a lasting impact on me, rather a fascinating philosophical question. This question is built up on the events that had come before, and the information that we had been presented with in this episode alone. What if we lived in a society that openly embraced the idea of committing suicide? What if the end that we were born to experience was hastened? Finally, what kind of psychological change would impact the people if this is the society that they lived in. Would people be far more willing to take their own lives? Would they be less likely? Would it not change?

The final moments of the episode do a fantastic job in juxtaposing the contrast in reaction with those that are committing suicide and those that are watching the act taking place. The show is quite steadfast in its position in the matter, and it is not a light topic to attempt to address by any means. The show takes the stance that letting people think that taking their own lives should be something that is viewed as alright, and celebrated, should not be the way a society should operate.