Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episode 12

Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episode 12

The Language of Irumyuui

I know Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episode 12 was twice as long as normal. But, this review is still going to be the normal length. There’s not much more to discuss despite the added length.

The first thing I want to discuss, though, is Irumyuui’s language. It was only in this episode that we learned the language spoken by the Hollows in Iruburu was Irumyuui’s. It’s the language of her tribe, which originally lived in the jungle surrounding the abyss.

Now, how that became the official language of Iruburu, I don’t know. When the Ganja Party first settled within Iruburu, they didn’t speak this language. We know Belaf learned it. But aside from him, there’s no indication that the others did. So, it could be that they all instinctively knew how to speak it upon entering Iruburu.

Faputa blushing while holding Riko's and Nanachi's hair from the anime series Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episode 12
Faputa blushing while holding Riko’s and Nanachi’s hair

It’s pretty cool that we now know what the language of the Iruburu Hollows was. But, we also now know what the markings Faputa made at the start of the season mean. After taking Prushka, Faputa leaves markings on a drawing of Reg, Riko, and Nanachi.

There were no markings on Reg. Riko had what appeared to be an upside-down stick figure drawn over her. And it looked like Faputa crossed Nanachi out. At the time, I figured these markings meant that Faputa wanted to get rid of Riko and Nanachi. But, we now know that’s not the case.

The upside-down stick figure marking represents HAKU. That’s the highest form of value something can have. By drawing this on Riko, Faputa was acknowledging her as the thing Reg prized most. The marking on Nanachi was SHII, which also means to have value — but not as much.

Iruburu’s Last Hollow

By the end of Episode 12, all the Hollows of Iruburu are dead. Faputa massacred some of them. The beasts of the Sixth Layer ate some others. And there were also those who succumbed to the curse of the Abyss once it entered the village.

I want to talk about the deaths of two Hollows in particular. The first one is Pakkoyan, whose name I don’t think we knew until this episode. Pakkoyan is the cyclops Hollow who I mentioned in my review of Episode 8 as being Vueko’s former lover.

Toward the end of Episode 12, Pakkoyan dies from exposure to the curse of the Abyss after saving Vueko. Her death could have been one of the most emotional parts of the entire season. But, because the anime didn’t establish a connection between her and Vueko, it wasn’t. I’m sure many viewers didn’t understand why Pakkoyan’s death was a big deal.

Pakkoyan crying while disappearing from the anime series Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episode 12
Pakkoyan crying while disappearing

Now, for the final Hollow of Iruburu — Maaa. Okay, so technically speaking, Maaa is the final Hollow of Iruburu at the time of their death. But, that’s not actually who I want to discuss next. I want to talk about Vueko.

First, the reason Maaa is the final Hollow of Iruburu and not Vueko is because of how they became Hollows. We can infer Maaa became a Hollow by entering Iruburu. That’s not the case for Vueko. The curse of the Abyss turned her into a Hollow as she ascended.

This is why Vueko didn’t simply disappear when exposed to the curse like the village Hollows. But, anyway, Vueko’s death wasn’t all that impactful either. I would rather her have made it to wherever she was trying to get to. I assume she wanted to get to wherever Irumyuui’s “true” body was.

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Is Faputa Joining Team Riko?

Back in my review of Episode 10, I said that I didn’t want Faputa to join the party. And now that the season is complete, I still feel that way. As I said back then, Faputa is annoying in both how she acts and speaks.

Also, we already have Nanachi. Do we really need another furry Hollow to join Team Riko? If we’re going to add another member, I’d rather it be someone a bit more unique. Think of how different the current members of the group are.

There’s Riko (human), Reg (robot), Nanachi (Hollow), and Prushka (rock). And before you try to argue that Prushka isn’t a member of Team Riko, she is. The series already established that despite her current form, she still has a will and can “speak.” Now, only Faputa can understand Prushka. But, maybe someone else will gain that ability.

Faputa saying she'll consider joining Team Riko from the anime series Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episode 12
Faputa saying she’ll consider joining Team Riko

Other than her ability to understand Prushka, what does Faputa bring to the party? She brings combat ability, and that’s about it. Reg already has that and helps the party traverse the landscape of the Abyss. So, I’m not sure Team Riko needs her in that regard.

Also, Nanachi is an important member of the party because of her knowledge. She knows a lot about the Abyss and can even see the forcefield. And, she has first-hand experience with the dark side of cave raiders. As the party continues its journey, Nanachi’s experience is sure to be invaluable.

The big problem Faputa has is that all she’s ever known is the Sixth Layer and her desire for revenge. Luckily, it doesn’t appear that she’s going to join Team Riko right now. But, I have a feeling that she’ll eventually join the party later on.

Conclusion

What do you think of the final episode of Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun? What did you originally think the markings Faputa drew on Riko and Nanachi were? Did you find Pakkoyan’s and Vueko’s deaths to be impactful? And do you think Faputa will join Team Riko? Let me know in the comments.

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