Episode 8 of FLIP FLAPPERS adds yet another genre to the list of those it has covered so far. Fans of giant robots might be particularly keen on this episode…
With that said, let’s take a look at what this particular trip into Pure Illusion holds for Papika and Cocona.
We begin with some swimming pool shenanigans, and more hints that Yayaka has feelings for Cocona. However, Cocona’s attention is focused on Papika, as we discovered previously.
Yayaka isn’t too thrilled to see Papika and Cocona holding hands.
The two girls fall into the pool, which naturally leads to them ending up in Pure Illusion once again.
I really quite like this neon Pure Illusion
Whilst FlipFlap experience some malfunctions and Hidaka works on repairing them, Papika and Cocona start searching around this Pure Illusion. As both girls ended up there in their swimsuits, Cocona wants to find some clothes, whilst Papika wants food.
Cocona encounters this bird-thing.
Papika and Cocona come under attack by that creature, so they transform and fight back. However, there’s more than one. Fortunately, they’re not the only ones to be fighting them.
The twins have noticed that Yayaka is behaving oddly.
Cocona thanks Yayaka for helping them out, but Yayaka tries to brush it off. Yayaka and the twins leave to track down the next amorphous, but one of those creatures is still alive. We are then introduced to another character.
He introduces himself as the Great White Creator and the Almighty Ruler.
Papika decides to call him Pops, and that’s the name that sticks. Turns out that Pops was the one who built the entire city – Cocona realises it bears similarities to one of Senpai’s paintings. An alarm sounds when an enemy appears, but Cocona is eager to go and out fight it.
Cocona and Papika are not in the least fazed by the threat of a ‘massive enemy’
I’m going to take this moment to say that I’m really liking the confidence that Cocona has now – all hesitation is gone, and she seems to be coming to terms with her feelings for Papika as well.
Turns out the ‘massive enemy’ towers over buildings.
Papika and Cocona put up a united front against the enemy with Yayaka and the twins, but it proves to be fruitless. Pops gets everyone back into his base, and refuses to retreat. His desire to protect his city results in Cocona swearing to stop the enemy. The twins and Yayaka doubt her. Cocona admits she was scared of going into Pure Illusion because she could end up changing something, but she resolved to protect what’s precious to her with her own hands.
Of course, Cocona’s precious one feels the same way.
Seeing their resolve, Pops decides to entrust Papika and Cocona with the ‘power of rebellion’. Just as Pops’ base comes under attack, we get to see just what that power is.
Unit 01: Vermilion
Unit 02: Blau Azur
I assume I’ve got those the right way round. Papika and Cocona attack the enemy, but don’t really do much to it. The way the enemy looks and moves channels a different Unit-01. Fortunately, Pops has a plan, and it requires Papika and Cocona to sync their hearts. Of course, they’re already pros at doing that by this point. This allows Unit 01 and Unit 02 to combine.
The mighty PapinaKing
They combine and get a pretty neat theme song, and fight the enemy. However, Papika and Cocona end up at the mercy of the monster. Yayaka asks Pops if he has another robot – he does, but he asks Yayaka if she wants to save the girls. Yayaka claims she’s only doing it for the amorphous, but I think we’ve all pretty much figured out by this point that may not be strictly true.
Yapico Boy
Though the Yapico Boy is able to deal some blows to the enemy, it’s still a long way from claiming victory. However, the Yapico Boy does have a gimmick – which requires Papika, Cocona and Yayaka to release their impedances – or shout ‘Flip Flapping’. Yayaka begrudgingly does so.
The Great Pacoya
Using the power of the Great Pacoya, the girls blast the enemy and utterly destroy it. There’s a lot of collateral damage to the city as well, but Pops seems cool with it. He even prevents the twins from claiming the fragment and hands it over to Papika and Cocona.
Back at FlipFlap, Bu-chan explodes so Hidaka sets to work repairing it, and Sayuri offers him some tea.
This episode was great – I’ve said before that I feel that FLIP FLAPPERS could turn its hand to almost any genre, and I still stand by those words. The theme song when the robot combined was great, and the action was a lot of fun.
However, I think the most important thing to take from this episode is Cocona’s new-found confidence. Before now she had been unsure of herself, and even let her doubts get the better of her for a short while.
Now, however, she’s willing to go out and fight in order to protect her precious things. She’s also a lot more receptive of Papika than she was to begin with – from the looks of it, she’s starting to become comfortable in her own skin.
Then there’s Yayaka. It hasn’t escaped the twins’ notice that her behaviour seems to change around Cocona, and her trying to claim she only helped in order to gain the amorphous is almost undoubtedly a lie.
Still, Cocona’s in a great place now. I’ve said earlier I would love to see Cocona reciprocate Papika’s love, and I doubt there’s anything that would spoil-
Papika calling Cocona ‘Mimi’ might do it, though…
Oh.
Rory Muses 