S1.E6 ∙ Determination

For years, 14-year-old Masaki Hinaoka showed no interest in surfing, despite it being his best friend Nalu Tanaka's favorite pastime. But his mind changes in the blink of an eye when he encounters a blond boy surfing at sunrise. He finds the boy beautiful and graceful, awakening unfamiliar feelings that draw him toward the surfboard and ride the waves himself. The newcomer, Shou Akitsuki, gladly helps Masaki experience his first surfboarding feats. Although he cannot swim, Masaki exceeds his friends' expectations and shows incredible capability early on. This earns him a spot in a local competition, where he gets the chance to befriend other skilled surfers with unique styles and personalities, fueling his drive to improve. When a sudden tragedy strikes, however, all seems hopeless-but with the help of his newfound friends, Masaki continues to strive for success and to conquer the wildest of waves.

Recounting the historic meeting of two of series creator Leiji Matsumoto's most striking heroines, Maetel and Emeraldas. Maetel is the black-clad traveling companion of the young hero, Tetsuro, while Emeraldas is a dashing pirate queen more familiar to fans of the "Captain Harlock" series. Here the two are seen in flashback, squaring off for a fencing match, Maetel in her long black coat, boots and fur cap and Emeraldas in her red jacket, red cloak and boots and white pants, both with long, flowing blond hair. The bulk of the story-line focuses on what happens when Emeraldas' ship forces the Galaxy Express to a stop on a remote planet and takes Maetel and Tetsuro prisoner for a nefarious operation designed, we are told, to put Maetel's mind into Emeraldas' body. Tetsuro takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of it.

Recap of first half of Monster.

A series of English dub outtakes on Sorcerous Stabber Orphen DVD Volume 3: Ruins and Relics.