「忘却乙女」 (Boukyaku Otome)
“Oblivion Maiden”

I finally got what I wanted – some serious plot development, and I must say, this was much better than I’d expected! And I’m very glad to see that nothing happened to Kirie.

I’d considered that the shadow could be a part of Yuuko but I was still surprised to see that I was right. The concept of ridding oneself of negative emotions isn’t something new in media, but I still find it interesting. I know it’s common to have split personality in these situations, but having that other personality as a separate being – I don’t think I’ve seen that in anime recently.

We now know that Yuuko was related to a plague that occurred sixty years ago, but the cause of death is still unknown. The beautiful Yuuko said that she’d probably been sacrificed, and she assumed it wasn’t against her will. The beautiful Yuuko has pushed away all negativity onto her other “ugly” half, an action which caused her to be able to love people. But loving gives birth to jealousy

It surprised me a little when Yuuko couldn’t accept being jealous and pushed Teiichi down the stairs. If she loved him enough to become jealous, why did she push him down? Is being perfectly clean from negative emotions, or “pure”, more important than love? Is it better to be a perfect being without weaknesses rather than having a possibility to find happiness? These are just some of my questions.

Being unable to face reality and running away from it – isn’t that “ugly” too in a way? I wonder if this might lead to Yuuko merging with her shadow in future episodes. Although, it looked like she already merged with it near the ending. But I’m not sure if the two beings became one; it looks more like the dark Yuuko took over, because pushing Teiichi down is nothing Yuuko would do. If the dark Yuuko took over, my questions in the paragraph above don’t need answers, but if she willingly let it take over so she could rid herself of this “weakness”, then my questions remain.

Having no memories of Teiichi left, I wonder how this will unravel. I don’t know if Yuuko forgot Kirie or not, I assume she still remembers her because she wasn’t as happy over the fact that someone could see her as she was during her first meeting with Teiichi. And there were no signs of the dark Yuuko at the end. And speaking of ending – the ending sequence is different this week. There was no Yuuko in it, and the beginning and ending of the sequence featured some scenes with Teiichi that are part of the anime episode itself rather than the ending sequence. But I told my dear Encoder-chan – who is the best – to keep these parts because of the song.

With that being said, I’m looking forward to see how this story will move on from now. It has definitely become much more interesting than I thought it’d be.

Full-length shots: 6, 19, 21, 25

Note 1: Unfortunately, my source for the 1080p isn’t out yet, so I’m using 720p

Note 2: Thank you Enc-chan for the ending sequence video, you’re the best!

Note 3: Don’t watch the ending video unless you’ve seen this episode. It contains major spoilers.

Note 4: Please, use the spoiler tags!

 

ED1.5 Sequence

ed: 「カランドリエ」 (Calendrier) by Okui Aki
Watch the ED!: Streaming ▼

Preview

42 Comments

  1. Considering that Yuuko no longer exists in metaphysical form. I’m not surprised her soul shattered in the process of purging her negative emotions. That said I don’t think this is her entire doing as well. The thought that she is a ghost because of the ritual she was subjected to has crossed my mind.

    Ani_BEE
  2. Darkest episode to date for sure. And also the one with the biggest plot development. I was starting to have some serious thoughts that something not right was gonna happen when Yuuko was being extra clingy to Teiichi in the first half. Her jealousy coming forth was probably the nail in the coffin.

    I wonder how Teiichi will take it from here. Though given his personality, i’m willing to bet that he’ll do all he can to get Yuuko to accept her negative emotions as well as get her memories of him back.

    Euzio
  3. Wow, what a great twist!! Today I was drunk in Yuuko’s charm by half the ep, and then it felt so dense and suffocating towards the end…
    Today’s lesson: Love can kill.

    Hououin Kyouma
  4. In regards to her pushing Teiichi down the stairs because she started feeling jealous, let’s think about it:

    Shadow Yuuko was formed by Yuuko pushing all of the negative emotions and thoughts out of her mind and heart. Once Yuuko began to feel the negative side-emotions that come with love (jealousy, hurt, etc.), she, once again, ‘shoved’ it away. While it would make sense that she’d shove Okonogi or Kirie down a flight of stairs, she was being influenced by Shadow Yuuko at that time – the one who has been enshrouded in darkness this entire time.

    “Why should she be the only one to be happy? Aren’t I Yuuko as well?”

    To push him down the stairs and then to ‘push’ out her memories of him…so now, Shadow Yuuko has sole ‘ownership’ of the precious memories of running around with Teiichi for however many weeks it has been instead of her lighter side… Pretty ingenious of the Shadow side, I say.

    Arakan7
  5. Well before i heard stories and watched documentary on tv about how people would be buried alive in a building . Sometimes they would do that to a new building because the construction wasn’t going well so they believed the house demanded an offering than would select a random person mostly women like the builders wife or the masters young daughter to become the live sacrifice. They would put victim alive than construct a wall in front of them.
    -So maybe in this anime to stop the epidemic they offered a sacrifice to the gods or something and Yuuko was the unlucky one . I don’t think she willingly accepted the role. And when she was slowly dying, there all alone her spirit would become like a grudge with full of suffering, anger, being scared, lonely , hungry …. Just imagine dying like that that person will not be able to rest in peace ….. Poor Yuuko T_T

    Azula
    1. That means that she suffered just like the other (alive) Yuuko last episode only WORSE, she was blamed, forced to carry the burden then left in the dark to slowly die and be forgotten… she probably went nuts and started blaming herself till the end in that dark dark place… and I must Scream
      But no one will care or be there to hear it (till many years later)

      I wonder what Yuuko’s sister had to say about all of this or was she unaware to what happened all those years ago?

  6. *hnng*. Between Yuuko, pushing Teiichi down the stairs, and then denying all knowledge of him.. FFFFF. That hurts, that freaking hurts. Even if Teiichi didn’t hold much in terms of emotions for Yuuko. Any he did hold just got pulled out from under him and sent through a meat grinder x.x!

    I’m freaking flashing back to TTGL… which you’ll have to infer -why- yourself.

    We finally see a core of this series. Why the Maiden is Amnesic. … *sigh* Perhaps Teiichi can push things towards a solution now. I can only hope.

    kumakaori
    1. Good question! I don’t think this will take the remaining episodes to get resolved, but I hope this goes on for a while because it is the main mystery of the show. I’m not completely sure, but I suspect a flashback episode, and then one or two episodes to solve this. Not sure, just assuming!

      Stereoman
  7. It’s like Persona 4 all over again (she just need to confront herself and accept the good with the bad, Teiichi will accept you regardless of who you are)

    Shadow Yuuko: I am a shadow, the TRUE Self, you hate the fact that you cant have him all to yourself hiding behind that carefree smile interfering with his life at every chance you can get but all you want is for the other girls to DISAPPEAR. jealously and hate are all what you stand for, he and the girls he’s around are ALIVE and your NOT, rectify that why don’t you? they can’t have him if he’s DEAD

    (Yuuko telling the shadow) no, it’s not true. Your NOT ME!!

    Shadow Yuuko: hehehe-hahaha HAHAHAHA!!

    Yuuko:…..

    Teiichi: Hey what happened?! Yuuko lets get out of here- oh shi-

    IF I DIDINT FINISH SEE THROUGH THE END CREDITS I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HE DIED, I glad he wasn’t through, phew

    1. This is exactly what I thought lol! Yuuko has to face her other self to obtain the facade used to overcome (in this case) death’s (instead of life’s) hardships.

      shadowv
    1. Of course, just watch Audition. If you ever meet someone who seems like the perfect woman then RUN! And launch preemptive attacks. Nobody’ll arrest you if you claim it was self defense to stop her from drugging your food and cutting off body parts.

      Granten
  8. Wow, Silver Link is taking the story crazy fast. Though I must say, they’ve done a pretty good job so far in keeping the feel and back story of the manga despite skipping so much. I guess that’s what happens when the Anime is only planned for 12 episodes. My only hope is that we see a satisfying ending (either Anime original or something the author intended)

    The following is not really a spoiler since it seems the Anime skipped it. One of my favorite tidbits from the manga during the cultural festival was Teiichi’s and Yuuko’s visit to another class’s haunted house. Yuuko ends up unintentionally scaring the people manning the haunted house leading to a very boring visit Certainly gave a few laughs reading that bit. I was hoping to see it in the Anime, but alas…

  9. Woah, a sudden turn into a darker plot, but they certainly did a good job making sure it link up well, very interesting plot there and I am so looking forward to the next one

    Tingster013
  10. I have to admit I was really disappointed by this episode. I get that they’re trying to cram things into a single cour, but the manga spent a lot more time questioning whether Shadow Yuuko is even real, let alone who she is. The way the anime explained everything right off the bat–before Teiichi has even seen Shadow Yuuko himself–ruins all the suspense and makes Shadow Yuuko feel like a monster-of-the-week.

    Between her and the way Kirie’s character was toned down so much, I’m starting to wish it had just been a slice of life series.

    orz
  11. Well I really like this anime, but somehow I am dissappointed at the same time.

    The way how they jump from one story to another… for example, Akahito-san was supposed to come after all this stuff.
    They even didn’t show us the story of the Six Year Sakura. I hope we will still get to see it…

    Ringo
    1. I am very dissappointed by this anime. Not just because of the horrible way the story was told (specially when compared to the manga). But also the mixed up art, the LSD induced colours, the inconsistent quality in the animation drives me nuts every week :p. Nevertheless, the voices are great, the music is better than most, hence I end up turturing myself watching this week after week ;). Around another five episodes to go… sigh.

      x
  12. This show is a positive surprise for me this season. Yuuko-san’s (good) personality is really cute and charming. There are many interesting and well-executed drawings (e.g. this or this ). And I’m always interested in a show w/ a dark plot.

    jreding
  13. The main question is who is the real Akihito. Who is the real murderer who killed her?
    I only see 2 options:
    Kirie’s grandma. Has power within the school. Killing your own sister for power. Power as she sacrificed her own sister or maybe the town gave power to her family since they gave up their daughter….

    Teiichi’s relative. Possibly Grandpa. When Yuuko and Teiichi first met, Teiichi heard someone call his name and he turned around. But Yuuko does know him before that. Since Teiichi is the family name, it is possible that his ancestor knew Yuuko. Probably Grandpa.

    So Grandpa or Grandma…. Who is more likely to have killed her. Certainly some force of betrayal. If not she won’t be that vengeful

    deafvader
    1. ‘Akihito-san’ was referencing a creature/spirit that demanded a sacrifice in a legend. So there is no literal ‘Akihito-san’ that is murdering anyone. As for Yuuko being ‘sacrificed’ as she was – maybe it was for a reason similar to how the students tried to sacrifice Yuuko.K to Akihito-san when they couldn’t get our ghost Yuuko. Besides, even by today’s standards, Yuuko is very beautiful – I can’t imagine how beautiful she appeared to people 50 years ago. And for the most part, she had a very bright and fun-loving personality as well. She was pretty close to being a ‘perfect girl’. Too perfect.

      Unfortunately, she was just perfect for a potential sacrifice as well. As girls go as being a sacrifce, they are usually beautiful maidens with upstanding character and personality. Our Yuuko fits all of these. Okay, maybe not ‘perfectly’ but she’s as close as one could hope to get.

      It really would be no stretch for her to become incredibly upset/angry/hateful/spiteful against those who ‘sacrificed’ her to something ‘unearthly’, even going so far as to break her leg so that she wouldn’t leave and sealing her behind a door. I mean really, who wouldn’t become a vengeful ghost if something like that happened to them?

      Arakan7
  14. This series has bought about some surprising depth to its story telling. Still light-hearted
    with some of her antics, but the darkness portrayed provides not just a diversion, but depth
    to her character as well. Excellent!

    mac65
  15. You know what would be really awful? If Yuuko wasn’t the one they were originally going to sacrifice. Maybe it was the sister. But the sister managed to escape that fate by running away, or maybe through deception. And then the people, demanding a sacrifice took Yuuko instead. Maybe the sister even persuaded them to take Yuuko instead. Not sure exactly how that would work, but I’d imagine that a betrayal by someone Yuuko loved would have been much worse that just being an unwilling sacrifice.

    I mean, Yuuko had family. So some family member, whether that be her sister or not, must have either approved or not protested Yuuko being used as a sacrifice. 🙁 Either way this story is not turning out to be a happy one…

    nn
  16. I’m going to be irritated if they resolve all this with her being easily forgiven. It’s hard to have a message of ‘take responsibility’ and ‘don’t forget the past because it’s easier’ if you have a character not taking responsibility and the past being brushed over.

    Aside from that I really have to ask. Where the heck were Kirie and Momoe? What, did he not contact them or did they not check up on him? Yes, it’s for that sad, lonely feel but it doesn’t seem like something they would do.

    Granten
  17. The neko piano song Yuuko played in the beginning is so weird but damn catchy lol! I can compare it with Sera’s “I want a pet dog,and have it fight to death” humming song at Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka of the dead 7.

    In any case this episode is really starting to move its plot (the manga’s is different but I dont really mind the direction the anime is going).

    Ryner

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