Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon

It is my first time watching an anime show with an almost all-female cast, and I am so glad I chose Cross Ange. This series is an absolute 10 out of 10. It has everything you could ask for, including fast plot progression, great fanservice, strong emotional moments, and insane plot twists.

I really love the absolute chaos in this episode.. What makes it even better is how the character development shines during all the madness, showing people making peace with each other and building much stronger bonds in the middle of everything. On another note, Salia is making me so angry. Her actions are just so frustrating to watch and she is really getting on my nerves.

I have this constant feeling that no matter what the good guys do, Embryo always has something sinister waiting for them, and I felt that tension throughout the entire episode. The creator did an incredible job establishing him as an antagonist who feels almost impossible to defeat, and that overwhelming sense of dread is exactly what makes this show so good.

While this episode gave us a much-needed breather, it certainly wasn't filler. It still pushed the story forward while giving us a chance to catch our breath before the final showdown hits. The romance in this episode was fantastic—unashamedly romantic, packed with great fanservice, and a really enjoyable reset before the storm.

Talk about absolute worst case scenarios, everything that could possibly go sideways for our protagonist hit all at once. The emotional weight and sacrifices in this one were brutal, but from a narrative standpoint, it is a fantastic move. Raising the stakes this high lays the perfect groundwork for what will hopefully be a massive, deeply satisfying payoff down the line.

We really get to see how Embryo manipulates everything to work in his favor. This episode also finally explains why he is called by that name and gives us a terrifying glimpse into just how powerful he actually is. On top of that, we get some major revelations from the past. He truly has the ability to bend almost any situation to his will. It really feels like we are approaching the final stage as everything slowly gets set up.

And yet, here I am getting surprised by the development all over again! Having this kind of meeting and dropping these major information reveals this early in the series is what really caught me off guard. I was fully expecting all of this to be held off until much later or closer to the finale, but wow—just great writing.

The tension is at an absolute all-time high. When the enemy has such a strong upper hand, it makes total sense that people would panic and make hasty choices. That said, high-stakes environments are usually where underrated heroes step up, proving who actually thrives under immense pressure. I cannot wait to see how Ange devises a strategy for Libertus, but she has to deal with a few shocking, unexpected foes before she can even execute it.

Yet another betrayal! You can completely understand why Ange is so reluctant to take a side when her entire experience has been built on deceit and manipulation. The fear of stepping up to help someone, only to realize she was being played for a fool again, makes her hesitation totally justified. That level of unpredictability is the show's biggest strength, the narrative can completely shift in a split second.