This current “Mad Scientist” arc prompted me to ponder about the definition of this classic archetype character. It is quite obvious that professor Kakishima is very passionate, obsessed even, about his work, but at what extent can a scientist be labeled with the moniker “mad”? When the scientist’s passion for research overrides common morals and ethics? Or the regard to his or her own life? Or the lives of innocent civilians?
One propensity in Nijuu Mensou no Musume that is starting to bother me is the force feeding of the connections in a plot. When the story advances due to a critical connection or new revelation, the show would immediately flashback to pertinent information (for example, in this arc the poem by Paul Eluard), sometimes to things shown just the previous episode. It is a bit insulting to assume that we cannot think for ourselves, or have the attention span of a goldfish.
Twenty Faces sure has left a lot of unfinished business during the war. In the war he estranged his girlfriend, and then his research professor. With only three episodes left, the show will likely end at the conclusion of this arc. It is highly improbable there will be yet another person to haunt Twenty Faces from the past. But suppose there were more episodes, I would conjecture that the next person to antagonize Twenty Faces, and consequently, Chiko, would be one of his relatives. Perhaps Twenty Faces has a brother or sister who is tired of living under his shadow and decides to steal his fame from him. An idea for a potential second season or OVA.
Muir Woods 