A relatively stronger Week 20. A week which was originally supposed to be the finale week for the series. But the show managed to stretch and squeeze two more weeks of episodes out.
And it’s interesting because on one hand, this week’s episodes could easily be penultimate week episodes. Though the poor pacing of the show has affected the sense of time, so we don’t even know at what point of the war we’re in right now. But I feel like the series’ end isn’t necessarily leading toward the end of the war. And more toward the Core4’s big reunion and the demise of Col. Yuta. Which could certainly coincide with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for example. But the way the series has been structured, we’re supposed to be more focused on the stories of the Core4 and not necessarily the greater war at hand.
So, this week was very good with building up the momentum for the Core4 to finally come together and defeat Col. Yuta. I guess a representation for the Filipino fight against the Japanese troops overall. Though I would be more interested in watching that battle rather than the Core4 and Col. Yuta starring in their own soap opera, you know?
I guess I’ll never get over my high expectations of what the show was going to be like. But it’s still hard to just set that feeling aside when you know there’s so much potential left on the table.
Anyway, these five episodes could’ve easily been two or three. A bit repetitive in some parts, particularly with Adelina-Hiroshi-Akio. And too drawn out with Col. Yuta’s summoning of Teresita.
Which is why Eduardo ended up being the real MVP of the week. Which is quite surprising considering that is a rare sight for Pulang Araw. I’ve talked about how Eduardo as a character just feels too thin and contrived most of the time. And I think that’s partly because of trying to have him fit a teleserye mold rather than just as a character in World War II. Which could definitely have been done side by side. But the series has not been able to find that balance.
I think this week they did and Eduardo (and in turn, Alden Richards) had a few really standout moments.
First in Episode 96, I really liked the moment Eduardo picks up the photo of the Japanese soldier’s family. It made me think about if there’s any media out there that depicts the conflicted feelings of Japanese soldiers during the war. Maybe those soldiers like a Hiroshi or Akio or Luis and Marcel’s spy friend. How they have to deal with their loyalty of country and their own humanity. I would actually be interested in watching such a story in film or a series. So I’ll have to look it up and see if any exist.
But that moment and then the moment in I think episode 97 or 98, where Eduardo shields little Juan and saying “God, forgive us” as they kill the Japanese soldiers; both striking moments that best highlight the brutality and lose-lose situation of war. There are victims on all sides. And the lines are always blurred, even when on the surface, it would seem to be a simple black or white issue.
It’s another thing I wish they did more of during the series. Just exploring those deeper character moments. Exploring those conflicting and difficult feelings on both the Filipino side and the Japanese side. Because as we saw this week, it is much more engaging and dynamic than the repetitive soap opera tropes.
Take the great scene in Episode 100 where Teresita is in the church praying to God to make this all stop. We got maybe a couple of minutes at most throughout the previous 100 episodes of some people questioning God and their faith. The idea of why would God let this happen to them. I wish that was another thing the show focused on more. But it would’ve entailed being a more character-driven narrative. And that’s not easy in a teleserye.
Some good action throughout the week. And a good climactic lead up to Eduardo and Teresita’s reunion and of course the death of Akio.
Akio’s story is one of the most interesting threads of the series. Perhaps one of, or even arguably the most interesting character trajectory of the series. And that’s even with limited screentime too. Credit to Jay Ortega for a great, sometimes scene-stealing performance. But I think Akio’s story of being a bit discriminatory toward Filipinos when he was just a young boy to his loyalty to the Japanese Empire and taking that loyalty in a different way from the more selfish and self-serving evil of someone like a Col. Yuta. All leading to him ultimately recognizing what’s most important to him.
Whether it’s his family back home or his best bro or perhaps even a softening of his cold heart by the unexpected kindness of an Adelina; his character’s story arc is really one of the most engaging parts of this series. And he has probably one of the few actually satisfying climaxes for a character so far.
Overall, a pretty good week. Certainly helps to watch all five episodes in one sitting rather than 15 minutes of new material every day. But like I mentioned earlier, it feels more like a penultimate week of episodes. Especially with the cliffhanger for MVP Eduardo. A scene we had already seen back in Episode 1, I think?