The cells got bolder and raunchier as they confront more enemies and face tougher jobs. Will the risks be worth to endure at the end?
DISCLAIMER: Might include spoilers. Your call!
Quick Recall: The liver, alcohol and pride
An alcohol shower?! Off to their usual task of delivering oxygen, the red blood cells are caught up in another dire situation as they got drenched with a downpour of alcohol.
A trip to the liver! To “refresh” and detoxify, the cells headed to the liver. There, they met the hepatocytes. Scenario? A drinking lodge!
A vent of frustrations! The red blood cells fired up their rants against their tedious job. Upon chugging down ADH, a “black fog” was released.
An ace up the sleeves! The hepatocytes brought out ALDH, an enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde to a lesser harmful acetate, to “sober” the cells.
Manga Spiel! The episode covered chapter 2 of the spin-off manga. While the plot was evidently portrayed, certain modifications were made for a more pumped episode yet on-track.
Author’s Corner
Whilst being faithful to the manga frames, the episode was effective in stepping up the game and featuring a key player in Red Blood Cell AA2153. His anguish (a bitter memory of a fallen comrade - check episode 1 - and lamenting over the perils of their job) and sudden dawn of realization having witnessed the pain and suffering of others (one is when he overheard the conversation between a hepatocyte and the “club manager” over the others being poisoned by acetaldehyde which was depicted when the other “hosts” display “intoxication” signs) made him steadfast in enduring his set-up. He, too, has a share of burdens and troubles he has to bear despite the harsh environment. It was a great tactic for character development. All eyes on you, Glasses! The first eight minutes of the episode was a play to heighten the tension. A bloody macrophage, and two white blood cells accompanying White Blood Cell U-1196 were introduced. Indeed, this spin-off has a darker, fiercer take on these cells’ works as seen in the aggressiveness in the WBCs attacks - not to mention “phagocytosis” where they munched off a defeated bacterium. Talk about savage! The series played it “safe” where the manga had been straightforward with. Manga readers will know this reference when the Kupffer cell had a decent amount of “clothes on” in the animation - a trick for safe viewing! Overall, this is another punch in the gut! An eye-opener to look after one's well-being and a real talk on life and its misadventures.
Another death: a senescent red blood cell who has maxed his life span. This series has to be more tragic, eh? The picture of the old man with a smile on his face holds a myriad of thoughts - that despite death, there is pride; in the midst of suffering, there is joy and satisfaction. Having served your purpose against the unfavorable odds may not be a bad way to die after all. These overwhelming ideas were transcribed well and transcended to the characters, as well as to the audience.
The world might not be a safe haven, yet it’s a good venture and a risk to take on.
A quick thought! Just when it is about to end, this scene popped out, arousing a side story of a "brewing" romance (a love triangle?!?!). Well, this is just for tease. But can a possibility be so dim? Another insider story!
What do you think of the second episode? What thoughts were stirred up? Share them and let's discuss!
Cells at Work! Code Black new episode releases every Saturdays at 12:00am JST.
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