I just can't seem to get into the mood of watching this series. The animation is of pretty decent quality, character designs fresh and the overall technology designs are very unique. But it continues to miss on what holds the elements together: the story. You can pretty much pick just about any "B-grade" thriller in any genre, in which our hero (or in our case, heroine) is confronted with some terrifying, powerfully malevolent being, waiting for her chance to avenge the loss of a loved one, all the while having to deal with a hostile and bureaucratic government. I have a real problem with shows which overtly try to manipulate emotions; this episode is a classic example -- the screenwriters try to generate a feeling of grief, as well as set up an impetus for both Kei and Iria in the upcoming episodes, in what must be one of the most unconvincing (and protracted) death scenes I've had endure. To add insult to injury, the drawing of Komimasa's eyes during the final moments are so comic-like, it's laughable. About the only bright spot in this episode is the application of the technology in the Iria universe -- specifically, the local shield generators, which seems to have a multitude of uses, from ship viewports to weaponry. - AN