Problems with cave raiding
In Made in Abyss Season 1, Episode 2, “Resurrection Festival,” we quickly learn that there are problems with going deeper into the abyss. A tremendous psychical toll can be a consequence the deeper you travel. When returning to the surface from the first layer: Edge of the Abyss, you’ll experience “mild dizziness,” from the second layer: Forest of Temptation, “nausea, headaches, and numbness of the extremities,” the third layer: Great Fault causes “Vertigo combined with visual and auditory hallucinations,” and from the fourth: The Goblets of Giants , “intense pain throughout the body and bleeding.” When an explorer travels from the sixth layer or beyond, they will apparently result in their lose of “humanity or even death.” This phenomenon is dubbed “the curse of the abyss.”
Who or What is Reg
Riko and the others believe that it’s possible that Reg came from the bottom of the abyss and is immune to the curse. Reg wonders if that’s the case, but what’s his purpose. Shiggy refers to the “Compilation of Recorded Relics,” a “field guide to the major Relics that have been unearthed.” However, Reg isn’t found in this book. Riko has done some research on Reg, he can function with food or electricity as a fuel source. He possess smooth but hard skin, flame retardant hair, superior sight and hearing, flexible material and apparently he has a “normal human penis.”
If that wasn’t strange enough it seems that Riko experimented on Reg without his consent. Due to all of the special material that made Reg he’s considered to be incredibly valuable, as a Aubade, “supreme treasure of the netherworld.” This unsurprisingly mean that he is in danger of being taken apart, captured and hidden. To proved him with a cover they give clothing to hid his arms and legs and a false story. Obviously, this is going to be an important plot point in the future. I think Reg will be exposed at some point and maybe Riko and her friends become outlaws as a result.
Learning about the whistles
Cave raiders are sorted into groups, these groups are symbolized by the color of the whistles. The apprentices have red whistles, the proficient blue whistles, assistant-instructor Moon whistles, expert black whistles and the heroes the white whistles. This episode focuses on the white whistle, Liza the Annihilator, she is held as an example for the larger society. She’s even depicted as being a dragon and used to sell merchandise. The most important revelation is that Liza is Riko’s mother and much is expected from Riko, her father was a black whistle named Torka.
In this episode the world is expanded, as we learn about the problems with exploration of the Abyss. It makes since that robots like Reg would exists in the world with the harsh conditions, however, it seem strange that no one thinks robots exists or that they shouldn’t be created for everyone. Made in Abyss is too comfortable with sexual inuendo towards children and even nudity. Riko is punished while being strung up by rope completely nude. I could do without it. Riko becomes a more complex character as her mother’s fame is presented, she will have a lot to live up to. Like her mother appears to be, Riko is reckless and is definitely going to get herself in trouble.
