What’s the show? ISLAND, Episode 12.
So here we are, we’ve reached the end, the season finale of ISLAND! This is true, it’s been a long and emotional journey but we’re finally here and there’s always that bittersweet feeling about a series finale—especially one for a show I’ve enjoyed this much.
Well no point beating ‘round the bush, what happens in this episode? Well as teased last week, it turns out that Rinne’s shut-in mother Kuon is actually future Rinne from the ‘NEVER ISLAND’ arc. Which, after reading a journal from current Rinne’s ‘father’ we learn that future Rinne washed up on the beach without memories—much like Setsuna and not only that she was pregnant with Setsuna’s child (after the sex they had at the end of Episode 10).
Wait, does that mean… Yep! Setsuna is current Rinne’s father! Good thing they never went further than kissing, eh?
Yikes! That’s a tough revelation, how does current Rinne handle that? Not well initially, and that’s completely understandable—I mean she’s fallen for the guy and now he’s telling her that he’s her father that’s an incestuous pill to swallow.
For sure, what else do we learn? Okay, so this bits a little bit more complicated and kind of explained in a single-scene despite its rather impactful ramifications but basically time-travel doesn’t exist, least not backwards time-travel. I guess in a way that helps rule out pesky things like paradoxes and there being two of a person in any one time. What’s actually happening is that time itself is looping infinitely, from the stone-age to the period of time presumably around the new ice age that envelops the Earth and the last remnants of humanity living on the Island as seen in the ‘NEVER ISLAND’ arc. And so when Setsuna or anyone else enters the stasis pods they simply are in stasis for another lap of human history and wake-up roughly when they intend to. So everything that happened in the previous episodes still happened and time wasn’t changed via time travel it’s just that history repeats itself just with the people who enter stasis having the knowledge of their previous go around of history.
That’s kinda confusing but kinda interesting? It’s way more interesting than the show gives it time to dwell on—but that’s kinda the point, much like how Darling in the FranXX was more about teenage angst and relationships than it was about robots, ISLAND is more about a fated couple throughout history trying to find the ‘right time’ to be together but missing out on a happy life for various reasons.
And do they? Have a happy life that is. So Setsuna finally confronts Kuon—having to smash down her door to get her to acknowledge him but she doesn’t want to turn around and face him. She knows her daughter is in love with him and doesn’t want to get in the way of her happiness. Thankfully current Rinne has had some time to think about her life and has the maturity and clarity of thought to be appreciative of the happiness both her mother and Setsuna have given to her, and wants to be able to return that happiness by letting Setsuna and Kuon be together. And so Kuon and Setsuna kiss, just like they did before and then they get married and it’s so sweet and pure and I was crying and I love this show and this episode was pretty much exactly what I wanted it to be!
Oh you ol’ softy! I thought you didn’t go in for all this romantic ~stuff~? Yeah, normally I don’t but kudos to this show for finding a way to not only make a courtship across history interesting and dynamic and exciting and dramatic but also really sweet!
So overall thoughts? Well I won’t give my overall thoughts on the series itself—that much remains for my ‘QandA Rundown’, which will appear some time soon on the site. But as for how this fares as a final episode, I loved it—sure it’s not nearly as detailed and long as it could have been but it hit all the right emotional beats and delivered a satisfying conclusion for all involved while still leaving things open-ended enough to leave ~some~ details to your imagination.
Previous ISLAND Reviews:
The Island of Mysterious Loli’s – Episode 1 Review
A Loli A Day… – Episode 2 Review
Dreams Of Fan Service – Episode 3 Review
One Wedding and a Belated Funeral – Episode 4 Review
Is Giving Birth To Yourself Possible? – Episode 5 Review
The World Will End With A Bang – Episode 6 Review
A Storm In An A-Cup – Episode 7 Review
An Ocean Between Us – Episode 8 Review
Long Time No Sea – Episode 9 Review
Rinne and Repeat – Episode 10 Review
A Fling Of The Past – Episode 11 Review
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Anime QandA 
There are good ways to tell your girlfriend that you’re really her father. This way was not one of them. I really disliked that scene, and honestly, Rinne’s reaction later saved the show, because it was way more understanding than Setsuna deserved after the way he told her she was his daughter. He could have talked about it with Kuon and Rinne and they got the truth and made it be an even better family reunion, but the show was brought down by that part with just Rinne and Setsuna in the library. Plus, how convoluted do you have to get? Guy is married. Guy finds naked woman on beach, brings her home. She’s pregnant, and gives up baby to guy and wife. Baby rejects wife. Wife dies. Man marries formerly naked on the beach woman. Man dies. So now we’re left with the happy family that was separated by 20 years.
So I wish it had gone better. The story wasn’t too bad, the resolution overall was good, although it definitely felt like they adapted a single route from a VN to get to the end (although now I’ve looked up the VN routes and know more about how they adapted it, you can look it up if you want). But it was definitely extra angsty.
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I thought it was fine the way he told her—not that it was especially sensitive but more so that this is a guy who’s more or less been one step ahead of everything since he returned and he had a confidence about everything he was doing but now he’s suddenly had the rug pulled out from under him and he just kind of blurted it out. Maybe a dick move but certainly relatable to be in that situation and just speak without thinking.
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Great review! Jeez, I didn’t see her behind the tree. Now, that’s interesting.
I don’t think Setsuna’s way of telling Rinne is very strange actually. I mean, he must be in shock to find out too that he is her father and I mean, in that moment it can’t be too easy to not blurt it out. I know I can’t always think clear and I’ve said things that maybe should have been handled with a little more finess in hind sight. In the end everything worked out well so yeah, give the man some slack.
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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the review!
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