#let the noginoza nogi-zaki ship saiiiiiil

[miloucomehome]

VIVANT EPISODE 5

WHAT THE HACYUASL HELL (AGAIN)

(so good!!!)

First, first!!

The moment where Doram and Nozaki try to get Nogi's Face ID at the restaurant was adorably funny.

Also: The Nozaki-Doram-Genghis teamup later? Love it.

Onto the next stuff in this episode (there's so much. I'm only just touching upon some things)

Nozaki being written and treated as a very competent state agent makes me happy. He's not hyper-competent, he has "fun", he's not hyper-serious all the time (that shit-eating-"You won't believe the plan I've cooked up heheheheh"-grin he has is golden--he's smart. He'll mess with people if he needs to and shares only the necessary info he has with those he trusts (at the moment). He also revels in messing with people haha. Plus he uses his jovial nature to get on others' good side, but he's sincere when he means it. I'm positive that prior to all this he truly has taken an interest in Nogi and is going to treat him the same way, but with more subtly poking to figure out what's going on

I love Nozaki (and I truly believe that in light of the reveal this week, he found Nogi endearing, was maybe falling for him or just wanting him to be ok idk, and now has to suspect him and truly learn who he is) but now I'm genuinely worried we will lose someone in the main cast by the finale.

(I have become a Nozaki oshi.)

A theory that had been floated about on twitter by multiple viewers in the VIVANT theories tag actually came to be. Multiple people pointed out that when Nogi was waiting outside the Balka International Bank, he was holding what looked like Ali's phone and something else. At first some wondered if it was a portable charger, but were curious when the switch happened. That was all revealed this week and I can't believe how much theorists were on the point trying to figure out what happened.

Nozaki's true past being discovered was more than I expected though. Amnesia, being sucked into the grim world of human trafficking...is this how Nogi F (or B through E) was born?

Finally: I can't tell if Sam was bad or if the CIA was trying to get Ali as an intelligence asset, BUT NOOOO SAM!!!!! NOGI F HOW THE HELL COULD YOU?! I LIKED OUR LUPIN IIIrd FANBOY CIA AGENT.

(that said, this means he met Sam at the Rongaly Military School then?!)

Jamine being some sort of "miracle child"?! Is Sakurai, Nogi's handler? Who's the head of BEPPAN?!

Now we find out that the character with Nino is Nogi's dad?! That he survived?! Nino is some kind of adopted son?! Or did his wife survive and they had another child?! Ali said he didn't meet her, but had seen the photos...but...still

The amount of silent screaming I was doing during the "execution" scene was obscene. I don't think I could've handled another episode 4 type ending. (That said, I think both Nogi F and Kurosue were willing to go all the way and cut the wires if Ali hadn't cooperated)

And I can't be the only one who is having a hard time telling Nogi A from Nogi F. I feel during the "executions", the apology was delivered by Nogi A. I think that in intense moments like the "executions" they both flip between each other, or even that the true Nogi is the one present. Not one or the other.

Nozaki slowly closing in on the TENT-BEPPAN stuff is wonderful to watch. The fact that Nogi Suguru was an officer with the National Police (and not the Prefectural Police) was surprising. Why did he quit? Why go to Balka? Nozaki being with a federal agency will easily be able to access this information now. What he does with the info he does learn will be interesting because at the moment, with the information viewers have from episode 5, it's that Nogi's father left the NPA(?), went to Balka with his wife and son, something happened, his son was kidnapped and trafficked, he changed his name and somehow he created a terrorist group based in Central Asia using his family's crest as its own symbol? I'm curious how the NPA officer-to-mystery-organization-leader thing happened.

(help this wink after he says "We're Public Security.". helppp!!)

Masato Sakai is a wonderfully talented actor. Episode 5 was an absolute treat of his talents. (Can he get more menacing roles in the future???)

I'm also noticing NogI F's actions and interrogation methods are reminding of an older Masato Sakai drama from 2010 where he led a "double life" (it's nothing like this level) called JOKER: Yurusarezaru Sousakan. In it, by day he's a law-abiding officer of the law and at night he's a bit of a vigilante ala "You have failed this city". There's more to it, but that's all I remember. I couldn't help but feel that as a much more mature actor, Sakai dipped into that a bit.

Speaking of Nogi F, while I understand that what we know of BEPPAN's mission is apparently for the sake of saving the country from a potential attack, it's currently at the "Cool motive, still murder" stage and deeply morally grey. I'd like to know how he came to be paired with Kurosue and if he knows about Nogi F.

Which, from what the lady at the orphanage mentioned, it sounds like Nogi F (or B, C, D or E) have been around since he was a small child....

Anyway. I'm watching Episode 6 after dinner or shortly. Idk. T_T)