| !!!Spoilers!!!: This contains information that can spoil parts of the story not shown yet. |
To Unknown Lands (見知らぬ地へ Mishiranu Chi e) is episode 4 of the Gate - Thus the JSDF Fought There! anime.
Plot[]
At a local bar, Pina, Hamilton, Norma and Grey are discussing what to do while the patrons laugh at a bartender claiming how the men in green drove away a Flame Dragon. The woman comes over to refill Hamilton's drink, and though Norma disbelieves they defeated a Flame Dragon, Hamilton is more believing and gives a coin to the bartender to inquire more. The bartender tells her about the JSDF's helicopters and how they drove the dragon off.
Arriving at base, Itami's superior officer is extremely furious at Itami who brought back refugees back to base without permission because he suddenly had communications issues. Commander Hazama allows it because it will allow the JSDF to learn more about the special regions inhabitants and their culture and politics. Allowed to shelter the refugees, Itami's superior officer places Itami in charge of the refugees including their food, housing, and more tediously paper work. As Itami distributes the jobs to the members of his squad, Lieutenant Yanagida calls Itami to him to talk to him about the importance of the Special Region. Yanagida then explains how Itami is the currently the closest person to the Special Region's inhabitants.
During this time, the refugees are marveling at the foreign construction equipment and housing of the JSDF. Lelei quickly realizes the importance of learning Japanese and is keen at quickly picking up their language and culture. Meanwhile in China, President Dechou Dong is getting increasingly more interested in the Special Region and ideally would like to move half the population of China to the Special Region. The base in the Special Region has finally established a bath and all the heroines take a bath together and converse on all the new things they have seen today and try to establish each other's backgrounds... in bath taking.
Elsewhere in the Special Region, Piña learns that Duran survived the Battle of Alnus Hill and explains to Princess Piña the sheer power of the JSDF. He refuses to divulge how strong they are, telling her to go see the hill for herself. She tells Norma to move the main unit, which Hamilton interprets as a suicidal charge if the stories were true. Piña tells her she doesn't intend to do that, and they have to visit Alnus regardless. Grey informs her that they will be stopping by Italica as they journey to Alnus. Tuka believes that they will have to sell themselves to the JSDF for make ends meet, though Lelei arrives and takes her and Rory to the battlefield, where there are plenty of winged dragon corpses. Lelei tells them that the JSDF apparently aren't interested in the scales, and as they fetch a high price, they won't need to sell themselves.
The heroines gather two bags worth of scales and ask Itami to drive them to Italica, which he agrees to.
Anime-Manga Differences[]
- In the manga there never was a bath scene.
- Also in the manga the princess tries to threaten Duran for information, but in the anime she shows sympathy and care toward the general instead of malice.
- In the manga there was a lot more troop movement inside and around the base unlike the anime. Tanks, and numerous platoons of infantry were suppose to be moving throughout the base, instead the base looks quiet and peaceful.
- Yanagida smoked when he was talking to Itami in the manga.
- Koan Forest in the manga was just a usual medieval town; in the anime it is depicted as town built in the trees with suspensions between trees.
- In the manga,the waitress makes a bawdy joke by comparing a rocket launcher to a phallus, this is not seen in the manga due to the audience it is addressed to.
- In the manga, the base of the JSDF in Alnus is shaped like a Star of David, this was modified in the anime by giving the tips of this an arrow shape to make it less obvious
- In the manga, a final dialogue is given to King Legu before dying by Japanese artillery, this is not shown in the anime and only previously seen scenes pass without changes.