The Solitude and Counterattack Illuminated by Two 'Stars'—Impressions up to Act 3 of 'Jadugar of the Tent'

Introduction

The moment I heard the opening theme, I felt it was a perfect fit for this work.

What came across from SEKAI NO OWARI's 'Stella' was the heroine's solitude and the signal fire of the counterattack about to begin.

Even though the full scope of the story is not yet visible, the song seemed to convey what she is carrying directly to my heart first.

This article is an interim impression based on having watched up to Act 3.

I am currently curious about how the two stars, the opening and ending themes, are illuminating the story.

Work Overview

'Jadugar of the Tent' is a story that begins in 1213 in Tus, eastern Iran.

The protagonist is a young girl named Sitara.

As the story progresses, the setting expands from Persia to the Mongol Empire.

I haven't watched many anime dealing with the Mongol Empire until now.

Therefore, the fact that the story unfolds in unfamiliar lands and cultures was refreshing in itself.

Even without knowing the detailed history, you can gradually enter the world through the eyes of Sitara.

Two 'Stars' Illuminating the Story

In this work, I feel that the opening and ending themes are illuminating the story from different directions.

What I received from the opening theme 'Stella' was the solitude and premonition of counterattack held by Sitara.

Rather than moving forward brightly, it gives the impression of a small flame remaining unextinguished in a dark place.

She is about to start something.

That sense of anticipation was conveyed by the song, raising my expectations for the story.

On the other hand, the ending theme is 'Star' by Queen Bee.

The catchy lyrics stay in my mind, and the song keeps playing in my head even after the broadcast ends.

It is a wonderful song that, while evoking sadness, possesses a strength that doesn't just sink and end there.

When I heard Queen Bee's singing voice, it also reminded me of the shock I felt from the first season's ending theme of 'Oshi no Ko', 'Mephisto'.

I do not mean to compare the works.

When I hear Queen Bee's voice, the intense impression I received before comes back to me along with it.

The opening theme 'Stella' and the ending theme 'Star'.

These two songs, both having 'star' in their titles, convey the atmosphere of the work from different angles.

Unfamiliar history became an entrance to the story

In works that deal with history, I sometimes brace myself for the abundance of proper nouns and character relationships.

However, in this work, not knowing things actually led to a feeling of 'wanting to see what happens next'.

The land of Toos and the story spreading from Persia to the Mongol Empire were both unfamiliar to me.

That is precisely why I am curious about what kind of world will be revealed next.

Rather than feeling like my knowledge is being tested, it feels like I have been placed at the entrance to a history I did not know.

Until a lonely girl turns wisdom into a weapon

What remained most strongly with me up to Act 3 is the way Sitara tries to turn wisdom into her own weapon.

In the face of overwhelming power, one cannot change the situation with physical strength alone.

She learns, thinks, and searches for ways she can manage.

Watching her, I felt that knowing and thinking can also become a power to stand up against a situation.

A girl who was robbed begins to choose her own way of fighting.

It is not a flashy victory, but at the very least, it appeared to me as a quiet strength.

Here, the signal for a counterattack that I had felt since the opening theme finally connected with the main story.

What was merely a premonition in the song begins to take shape little by little as Sitara's own choice within the narrative.

While carrying her loneliness, she still tries to move forward armed with wisdom.

I feel as though the two stars are illuminating her counterattack from afar.

The surprising speed of the plot development

I felt that the progression up to Act 3 was quite fast.

From her childhood learning to the major changes that followed, and then the beginning of her counterattack, the story moves forward all at once.

While I was drawn in by the momentum, there were also moments where I felt like I was being pushed to the next scene without time to process my emotions.

I do not mean to label this as a flaw.

Precisely because the development is fast, there is an aspect that makes me want to see the next move as soon as possible.

However, there were moments where I wanted to pause a little longer to fully savor Sitara's loneliness and determination.

Summary

Having watched up to Act 3, this work is, to me, a story where two stars illuminate loneliness and counterattack.

The opening theme 'Stella' signals the start of the counterattack, while the ending theme 'Hoshi' (Star) leaves behind an aftertaste of both sadness and strength.

Between those lights, Sitara is trying to move forward using wisdom as her weapon.

Where will her counterattack lead from here?

I want to continue watching the lonely path illuminated by those two stars.