Yumekui Merry – 06
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「夢邂逅(かいこう)」 (Yume Kaikō)
“Dream Encounter”
Now, pay attention here. We’re going to have two separate boxes okay? Now take the cat girls and put them in your left box. I know it’s hard, but put them in there, we’ll get to them later. Yes, because today, the story makes a move.
The hole has been filled, the bridge has been built, whatever you want to call it, but the foundation has finally been made, and I am happy. Now we know about a mysterious figure that guides dream demons to reality, and that Merry is an anomaly, a product of this irregularity. Like humans, the dream demons come in different flavors of good and evil, and Elcres is the corrupt “bad influence” plaguing dream world. Some are neutral, John Doe, some are oblivious, Merry, and some are evil, the ones creating all the vessels. Although, Merry may have been a powerful demon turned amnesiac who chased after Elcres, but failed in the process. Or, she was always weak, was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and obtained crazy powers in the process. I’d say the former is more likely, since she held two rings of keys that was able to break down the daydream itself, effectively rendering any dream demon reliant on the setting useless. It’s far more likely this power was used to police the dream world, rather than a convenience enchanted on her. At least, that’s what I’d like to believe.
With everything rooted from Elcres, things just click in place, and issues finally feel like they have some weight in them. The vessels around are slowly increasing, other characters are starting to make their move, and random focuses on characters tell us they’re either evil or getting screwed soon, the bishie friend and the food eating sensei respectively (yeah I need to learn their names, but I doubt you remember them either). Regardless, there’s a sense of a goal in the story now, and they can finally move on with something concrete. Things can only get better from here on.
The relationship of the main characters in a duo story like this is rather important in order to succeed with pretty much any plot point later on. I’ve never felt that much between the two mains, as it seemed like they were pretty much doing their own thing the entire time, with nothing to really bond the two except Yumeji’s power. It simply wasn’t enough, but the last two minutes fixed it with Merry’s tears of compassion. The crying might not convince everyone that she has spent enough time with Yumeji to care for his well-being, but hearing her cry was pretty sad itself, so it worked for me (lol, I guess the seiyuu is a good/convincing crier). Whether it was by her sitting by the bed the entire time, the six episodes encasing her fragile nature, or just the lip trembling looks on her face, the emotions this time finally came together.
Okay, now you can move on to the other box. The attention to these lovely fetish fuels was so obvious, it was hilarious. J.C. Staff was trying to stuff them in every scene possible, and of various shots. I can just imagine Yamauchi going, “Real funny guys, I know you all love nekomimi, but seriously, who stole my original screenplay?! Dammit, I knew I should’ve stayed at Madhouse!” The absence from “demon of the week” helped by not having some super short forced emotional dorama, and the reveal of some actual background plot that should have been revealed 3 episodes ago made this show exciting again. Six episodes in isn’t too late, as long as they don- wait..beach episode? Sigh. It seems the tradition is too strong. Ah well, it shouldn’t be too cliche with this cast, having a 5:3 ratio of females to males, and you’ve got the “unfazed by feminine charm” Bromeji pointing out that Merry’s school swimsuit is a killjoy.
Also, the OP makes a lot more sense now.
And a possible heir of Chaser John Doe? Look at the composition of (un)intentional sexism! Bromeji was born for this.
Preview
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February 11, 2011 at 5:52 pmX
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Oh well, everyone (including myself) LOVES CATGIRLS! LOL
February 11, 2011 at 5:57 pmLonghaul
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I figured you would like them, so have some catgirls. Gotta love Chasuh John Due.
February 11, 2011 at 6:00 pmBotagar
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i liked the shorter haired neko better. :P
February 11, 2011 at 6:00 pmSAScans
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I approve of Bromeji.
February 11, 2011 at 6:12 pmamado
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not really hard to piece together. most dream demons have similarities with their vessel or they are their vessel because they are similar. john doe has his similarities with yumeji, and for good reasons…
February 11, 2011 at 6:21 pmRinkun
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Some spoiler that have nothing to do with this episode :D
Show Spoiler ▼
February 11, 2011 at 6:27 pmWill
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Merry is the most wonderfully honest heroine. Loving every minute of this series.
February 11, 2011 at 6:28 pmOmegan
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I dont know why but I was thinking that John Doe would fuse Yumeji and thereby have some way of helping the girl.
Then again i haven’t read the manga, so my assumption may sound silly,
February 11, 2011 at 8:07 pmRinsako
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John Doe spoilers here from manga
Show Spoiler ▼
February 11, 2011 at 6:31 pmrekkuryuu
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it’s good to see things have started connecting. let’s hope it stays on this path.
February 11, 2011 at 6:38 pmClick
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Its good and all that everything is starting to come together, but….. I’M STILL REALLY BORED >_<
February 11, 2011 at 7:17 pmKiiragi
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Happens a lot doesn’t it?
February 11, 2011 at 7:00 pmNine
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So Merry is the key holder that guards the door between dream world and real world? Just guessing.
February 11, 2011 at 7:05 pmAvalanche
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Catgirls + Plot + more moe Merry = Epic episode
Now for hopefully more than /just/ a beach episode.
February 11, 2011 at 7:06 pmXin
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A much needed all around strong episode. I was about to have faith in this series standing out again…then the preview came. That may have been the first time I was disappointed to have an incoming beach episode lol.
After the “blah” that the last two episodes were for me, they really need to seize the momentum this episode created and keep pushing forward. Yea, I’ll still enjoy the beach ep., but I hope it’ll be an eventful ride to the end afterward.
February 11, 2011 at 7:35 pmMrMartini
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A friend of catgirls is a friend of mine.
February 11, 2011 at 7:41 pmP0NCH
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CHASER!♥ ♥♥
February 11, 2011 at 7:43 pmShiden
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The beach episode happens at this point in the manga as well, so it’s not “just” fanservice.
However, to borrow a phrase, “I can see the ending!” The “Misteltein” that John Doe mentioned seems to a completely anime-original character. They’re probably setting him up as an intermediate villain, who will be defeated at the end of this season, then continue with a S2 sometime later.
February 11, 2011 at 10:59 pmReddyRedWolf
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That word make me think of a certain Zombie Masou Shoujo.
February 11, 2011 at 11:24 pmamado
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I think so too.
in fact, I dont think the red haired girl has even showed up yet in the manga, or at least not this early…
February 11, 2011 at 8:00 pmVelcro
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A question. What is “Bromeji”?
February 11, 2011 at 8:29 pmKiiragi
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Yumeji + Bro = Bromeji
Why? Cause he’s awesome.
February 12, 2011 at 7:34 amoutcast
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I don’t think bromeji is a bro in the kimi no todoke sense of that guy that should star in his own blazing bat anime.
Simply because in this show there are not that many guys to be bro with. More than anything i think bromeji is more of a playerji.
February 11, 2011 at 8:50 pmDa5id
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A better question is: What ISN’T a Bromeji?
February 11, 2011 at 10:05 pmTenshi_
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I don’t get why you said “OP makes a lot more sense now”…
Maybe I’m bit slow but I don’t get the point that your trying to cross…
Putting that aside, I bet Merry is some sort of Gatekeeper or like a “police” figure to guard the passage between Reality and dream; at the same time preventing Muma from crossing the passage as well.
February 11, 2011 at 10:59 pmKiiragi
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The opening animations make more sense now because of this episode’s development. Such as the ring of keys, Elcres, etc.
February 11, 2011 at 10:55 pmlzanagi
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i would love it if bromeji and John doe formed a symbiotic pact or something, now who agrees? >u<
February 11, 2011 at 11:32 pmShirt
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Hohoho, next week? nip-slip~!
Bromeji is bro.
February 11, 2011 at 11:43 pmUFO
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I cracked up when Joe said that the cat girls are relevant to Yumeji’s interest. And it looks like Yumeji’s close friend has inside him a dream demon as nasty as his facial expression.
February 12, 2011 at 12:27 amewok40k
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Yumeji being cool – great!
Merry being worried about him snseless – great!
John Doe doing the explanation of who, why and how – great!
His sidekick nurses – priceless!
Seriously though, I mostly enjoyed the exposition by John Doe. Now things start to make sense, and we can no longer search for answers blindly (not unlike Yumeji and Merry…)
February 12, 2011 at 1:53 amviral
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The catgirls and the beach chapter was in the manga too. Just saying, it’s not J.C. Staff’s fault.
February 12, 2011 at 10:04 amKiiragi
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I know, but the extra attention to them might be?
Even if it isn’t, it’s fun poking at J.C. Staff.
February 12, 2011 at 3:59 amHagiri
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You really can’t get enough of Cat Girls !!!!
February 12, 2011 at 10:34 amDandos
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The fansubs that I watched translated the big bad’s name as “Pharos Heracles” – which are both references to the ancient Mediterranean.
As John Doe explained, the “Pharos” part of the name is an allusion to the famous lighthouse in Egypt, visible for miles – a beacon guiding ships to the harbor at Alexandria. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharos_lighthouse
“Heracles” (which Kiiragi has written here as “Elcres”) is a reference to the mighty hero/god of Greek mythology (also known as Hercules by the Romans). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracles
So basically, he’s a beacon attracting the dream demons into Reality, and he is ridiculously powerful.
February 12, 2011 at 11:01 amPoiira
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Ugh, the subs I watched somehow said that Yumeji was a dream demon….
And I’m still bored. Sigh. Come on, Merry, I don’t want to drop you!!
February 12, 2011 at 12:17 pmunlisted
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This episode reminded me about a lot of other things.
First, the the hair clips on the cat girls resemble Elsie’s hair clip (decoration, whatever) from TWGOK.
Also, I don’t know if anyone noticed or got the same impression but I feel they borrowed some ideas for Merry’s plot from Persona 3 (for all you gamers out there).
Examples:
Dream loss = apathy syndrome
Daydream = Midnight hour
Not to mention this takes place at (I’m assuming) a high school.
February 12, 2011 at 12:32 pmPoiira
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Well, so does STAR DRIVER, Bleach, High School of the Dead, Vampire Knight, Kaichou wa Maid-sama….
you can’t really count “high school” as one of your similarities.
February 12, 2011 at 1:18 pmewok40k
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It is hard to find a series that doesnt involve school nowadays…
Thats why I loved military setting of Sora no woto and Valkyrie chronicles, and even better the criminal/spec ops settings of Darker than Black and Black Lagoon.
Well probably only show that doesnt involve school this season is Fractale…
February 12, 2011 at 12:48 pmGummi
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I’m rather enjoying this series even if it is a bit …dull at times.
However one thing is really bothering me, the BGM. Not the actual music, since it is good and fits the story rather well. What annoys me is the execution I suppose. It feels like the music cues in at the wrong times, plays too loudly overpowering the voices, and ruins some scenes because of it.
Or maybe I’m just imagining things.
February 12, 2011 at 4:53 pmgawrshness
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wow John doe going neutral from the almost psycho murderous aura he showed in the first episode. Now I’m starting to like the guy xD
February 12, 2011 at 10:42 pmFlaming
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“I can just imagine Yamauchi going, “Real funny guys, I know you all love nekomimi, but seriously, who stole my original screenplay?! Dammit, I knew I should’ve stayed at Madhouse!”
rofl! Love the humour you place in your blog :)
And who the hell was paying attention to John Doe when they were panning up on panty shot of the twintail nekomimi :P
February 13, 2011 at 12:22 amSnicket
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Yay the show gets interesting again.
February 13, 2011 at 6:45 amPandorakun
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I bet that the teacher is Elcres/Heracles. He’s constantly got this disturbing expression on his face. He even grins weirdly at his students sometimes.
February 13, 2011 at 8:53 amewok40k
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hint, if Elcres (and dragged with him alongside Merry) landed in reality 10 years ago, he would be in an adult vessel now…