OP2 Sequence

OP2: 「LONE STAR」 by キャプテンストライダム (captain straydum)
Watch the OP! Mirror 1 Mirror 2 (22.1MB, XviD)

Summary:
-In Meiji Period Year 17 (1884), the famous artist Kawanabe Kyousai is painting a dragon when a foreigner named Condell asks him how he can draw it so realistically. Kawanabe’s answer is that to draw a picture of war, you need to go to town every day, find an argument, and observe it. Looking at the hands, the feet, and the head will allow you to draw close to what you see. Condell protests because although you can do this for people and scenery, Kawanabe is actually drawing a dragon, and such a monster can’t possibly be observed. To this, Kawanabe replies that he has indeed seen dragons and monsters; it was forty years ago.
-Going back to Tenpo Year 14, in the Yoshiwara district of Edo, 14-year-old Kawanabe Kyousai – who is still using his childhood name of Shuuzaburou – is drawing a dragon while several women congratulate him. Shuuzaburou explains that the occasion is that Tokugawa Ieyoshi went to Nikkou yesterday and took all of the top men with him. This means that there’s no one left in Edo right now to supervise the prohibition on luxuries.
-With the girls, Shuuzaburou passes by the room where the Ayashi group is staying. Saizou is uncomfortable being showered with attention and wants to leave, but Edo Genbatsu says that they have a vacation since the shogun has gone safely to Nikkou.
-Shuuzaburou encounters Tamahei, who the girls are weary of because he’s supposed on an investigation and gets to enter places for free. When Tamahei claims that he’s really on an investigation into the Ayashi, Shuuzaburou’s intrigued by the name and offers money for a prostitute in exchange for information.
-Tamahei recaps the Bansha Aratamesho group, starting with Ogasawara, then Edo Genbatsu, Abi, Saizou, Yuki, and finally ends with Torii’s group.
-Shuuzaburou asks Tamahei what he thinks the true purpose is of a gathering of such hooligans in the Bansha Aratamesho. Tamahei admits that it’s to get rid of monsters, but then tries to dismiss it as a ridiculous story. However, Shuuzaburou claims that he’s seen monsters. He had been in Nikkou when Yuki and Kumoshichi combined into the Haku and watched as it ripped apart the Baku.
-After paying Tamahei, Shuuzaburou meets with Atl and figures out that she has a blend of foreign blood. He recalls that his first master often said that if everything is not felt, then genuineness cannot be drawn – especially women. However, he’s never seen as a beautiful woman as Atl before, and draws her. Shuuzaburou signs it with the Kawanabe Kyousai name and explains that when he can become independent, this is the name he’d like to use.

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「愛という言葉」 (Ai Toiu Kotoba) by 紗希 (Saki)
Watch the ED! Mirror 1 Mirror 2 (26.5MB, XviD)
Well, I’ll give them a ton of credit: if I saw just the new OP and ED sequences, I’d think this series would be an awesome show – a worthy successor of Blood+. Even though I didn’t like either the new opening or ending songs all that much, those animations made enough of a good impression.

-It’s just a shame that the new OP and ED got me all excited for the show, yet this episode turned out to be mostly recap.
-Saizou remains the comedic relief. The preview would seem to suggest that she will be next episode too.
-On the plus side, it looks like we’re getting a new permanent character in Kawanabe Kyousai, who is a real person in Japanese art history. The episode and the new OP sequence also seem to imply that Atl will play a large role in the upcoming story. And that’s not even counting the fact that the entire ED is devoted to her and Yukiwa/Kumoshichi.
-Random trivia: the 14 year-old form of Kawanabe (aka. Shuuzaburou) is voiced by Takayama Minami, who is the vocalist for the duo TWO-MIX.

7 Comments

  1. I gave up on Rapidshare a few months ago when they put up the message “Unfortunately all drives of RapidShare.de are full right now.” I agree that MEGAUPLOAD is a rather slow at the moment, but I’m getting a good 100KB/s on Sendspace. Since you asked though, here is the Rapidshare.com link for the OP and the ED.

  2. I think that after hearing the songs a few times, it really grows on you. The first time I heard “Lone Star” and “Ai Toiu Kotoba,” I had the same opinion that Omni and the others had. However, I really enjoy both songs and actually like Lone Star more than Ryusei Miracle.

    Even though this episode is mostly recap, the scenes involving Saizou should be entertaining. Just look how huge Saizou’s head gets, lol…

    And if it helps get better ratings for this show, I’m all for a recap, as long as they don’t go overboard with it like Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny did. I just don’t want this series shortened, as has been rumored.

    Destinyblade
  3. I actually like the ED more than the OP now that I’ve really listened to both songs for a while. Nevertheless, I still prefer both the first OP and ED to the second ones, especially Winding Road.

  4. >>Random trivia: the 14 year-old form of Kawanabe (aka. Shuuzaburou) is voiced by Takayama Minami, who is the vocalist for the duo TWO-MIX.

    A paradox! I thought characters voiced by TWO-MIX are destined to die, yet he seemed to reach adulthood. 🙂

    I also hope that the rumor about the shortening turn out to be just that, rumors. I wonder whether Saizou will recover from her comedic relief status. It was quite amusing to see her going “Garuruuu!” on the girls. On another note, Genbatsu sure has a lot of strenght in that girly looking arm of his, catapulting those ramen on the upper floor. For some reason I’m also surprised each time again to see Abi rather sociable instead of being a mute, stoic, introverted mountain man I initially thought him to be.

    The new OP and ED are quite impressive with very good visuals. I think Yukiastsu should watch out, looks like Atl is out for his position as main character. 🙂

    Ouroboros

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