As I've been watching these mini-movies, I've been wondering how the creators of the anime were attempting to handle show continuity versus making each movie stand alone on its own merits. I feel that this balancing act plays into how they showcase character development as well as the pacing of each episode. It would certainly be possible for someone new to come into the series at any point thus far and not lose too much by means of explanation. The only overarching plot so far is that the evil organization Custos is trying to study/eradicate the superhuman Attractors, who are merely trying to live their lives in a world they don't really belong. I don't mind the lack of any complex or continuing plot, but some may find sticking with this series difficult if they aren't drawn to it for the characters or the animation.
Like the previous installment, this outing focuses on a theme (dreams) and how they can be used to revisit past trauma in an emotionally revealing way. Even though the cyborg Kazami is on the wrong side, he is consistently set up as a sympathetic character to show that people can do evil things even though they believe they are acting righteously. But no matter which side a person is on, the existence of Attractors and their powers has affected everyone in the story, changing their lives irreversibly. The show therefore makes it understandable how some can want to eradicate them while others can fight endlessly to protect them.
The animation in this episode had me polarized. It might just be because I'm paying closer attention to the details, but the animation in the first 2/3rd of the episode felt very lackluster - generally the only thing moving in any of the scenes was a character's mouth, and the backgrounds were mundane (except, of course, for the superb Custos HQ, with its cyberpunk feel and random green text on computer screens). This is more than made up for later, however, in the dream sequences in the last third of the show. The scenery is much more attractive and detailed, and in many scenes very different animation technique are used to show the strangeness of a dream and to very much highlight the horror of past traumatic events. It works excellently well, and the music adds a layer of awe to it that makes it quite a thrilling experience.
The brutality of the nightmare sequences somewhat make up for the lack of fighting in the rest of the episode, but it's clear the focus here is more on drama than action. While I wouldn't say the series is shying away from action, I do believe it might attempt to steer it almost completely towards dramatic action, as Quon takes more and more punishment in battle physically (and this time psychologically). The situation definitely feels like it will intensify, and fans of the first two shows should definitely find a lot to like here as well.
