Posted by  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
「TALE 8」
So this episode… was a bit of a letdown. Rozen Maiden has spent the past 3 weeks building up now and I’m expecting great things out of this play. Not that Jun is even a part of it, but I think it’s going to be the climax of the anime this season so it better be epic. There’s been a lot of emphasis in the last few episodes on the development of Jun and his creation of his own doll. Even though it’s been 3-4 weeks since Jun’s created Shinku, in reality, it’s only been several days for Jun in the anime. In this time, he’s managed to help Saitou with her play (by creating a beautiful grandfather clock) and lost a lot of sleep. He’s also gotten a lot grumpier and I’m not sure if this is due to a lack of sleep or just his own psychological isolation getting to him. He seems to be so focused on creating a doll “for himself” that he’s missing out on a lot of events going on around him. I would think he’s quite ignorant to Saitou’s feelings towards him as well (even though to me, it’s so obvious!). He’s either too concentrated on making his doll or just in denial that such a cute girl would have affections towards him. Let me give you a hint Jun – if a girl likes you, she likes you – this is when you’re supposed to grow some confidence and make a move (or if you don’t like her, stop leading her on). It’s not that he’s completely neglected her for other things, but I feel like he’s very tunnel-visioned that he needs to expand his outlook a little bit.
The only person (or thing) that seems to have noticed Jun’s gradual development is Shinku. She has a talk with Holly this episode about how Jun is growing up and needs to stop “playing with dolls” and I think this struck a good discussion for some analysis. If I was still in English class, my professors and teachers would be all over this theme of “growing up” and “coming of age”. Essentially, this is what I think this series has been about – Jun growing up… except there’s two of them, one that’s growing up and doesn’t know how and one that’s stuck in his adolescent years (Wound-Jun). I believe Shinku sees the Unwound-Jun as one that’s really picked up off his feet since she’s been here. He’s reached out to socialize with other people and he’s taking some responsibility and accountability for himself – these are true signs that he’s becoming an adult. On the other hand, Unwound-Jun still has a lot of desire to be different and wants to prove something to the world. I can relate (and this is going to sound so egotistical and conceited) but when ”the rest of the world” grows up without you and you feel isolated from it, you begin to think that everyone else is the problem. Jun is likely going through the same thing which he feels that he deserves his own living doll too and he’s the only one that can make one. I’m not going to say that he’s right or wrong, but I think Shinku makes a good observation that Jun has grown up in many ways and he doesn’t need her around anymore for support. That’s a sad though too because I think Shinku’s grown attached to both Unwound and Wound Jun.
Suigintou is quite the sneaky little doll, isn’t she? Maybe it’s because I don’t have a good impression of her this season (or in the original anime) but she always seems to be going against her sisters in my mind. For everyone that kept trying to guess which doll Jun’s creating – it’s pretty clear cut that it is in fact, Kirakishou. Not a surprise there… but the question is, will she succeed to come to “life”? Not if Suigintou has anything to say about it. I don’t know her intentions of bringing the unfinished doll to the play, perhaps she wants to drop it or something, but does she plan to take out Shinku at the same time? Shinku doesn’t have a lot of time left in this world anyway (she’ll likely disappear after the play) so I think Suigintou plans to steal her Rosa Mystica once her body disintegrates. I also think she plans to use the unfinished body to get back into the N-Field somehow – but I haven’t quite figured the logistics of that yet.
Next Thursday cannot come any sooner! Suiseiseki makes her grand entrance (since the first episode) and there seems to be no shortage of screen time for the other dolls as well. I’m glad that they’re finally getting back to the action in the N-field as Wound-Jun interests me more than Unwound-Jun. Judging from the opening sequence as well, there’s probably going to be some integration of the two dimensions once the play starts – all set up by Kirakishou or Laplace? That bunny is just full of mysteries.
TL;DR: @RCCherrie – While “blogging”… I’m actually making these guys ^^ http://instagram.com/p/dV-RlhtAFO/ (but I promise that I’m still watching!)
Extra Note: I’ve been using twitter for a while now and finally decided to make it public =) For all those that want to talk or see images of food all the time, I usually marathon a lot of shows and post instagram pics. Otherwise, I’ll be adding an extra line or two at the bottom of every post for a tl;dr section. Not so much this week, but you get the point =P Cheers ~
Full-length images: 17, 32, 34, 35.
Preview
 |
 |
 |
Dunno, I enjoyed this ep. as much as the previous one, if not more They managed to fit a lot in it, both dolls-wise and Jun-wise.
I only wish they found another way to get Shinku involved with the play. Simply “forgetting” the doll prop was way too convenient.
Which emphasizes the fact that Jun, for all his low self esteem, is actually an artisan with divine talent rivaling that Old Man Rozen himself. I mean, he’s actually able to bring a Rozen Maiden to life, one that has never before possessed an actual body. Seriously, he’s so talented, what’s with all the self hate…
Well, I read the manga, & that doll, technically, with all the implied scenes,
Show Spoiler ▼
You’ll probably find out in the 12th or 13th episode. :p
The self-hate comes from what was perceived in middle school, when Jun had the incident with the drawing and the administrator. There is a heavy stereotype today that men who are women’s fashion designers are homosexual, some blatantly so. The same goes for male hairdressers.
Now imagine Jun as a child in school having a talent that is stereotyped as belonging to homosexuals, when he is not. Jun had an extreme reaction to the very suspicion of the “linked” talent-to-stereotype by just two of his peers. Japanese schools are designed to make standard Japanese-culture citizens. Jun’s imagination went exponential.
In a fairer world the school administrator would not only have tried to keep Jun in school, he would have arranged for Jun to meet male heterosexual designers of women’s and doll’s clothing. But while I can see a parent doing that, or an extremely dedicated teacher, this didn’t happen. Jun became a drop-out student instead.
He strikes me more as the creepy, closet pedophile-type, actually.
Hmmm based on the preview Shinku and Suigintou will finally get their fighting chance against Kirakishou yet it seems most of it will be down on discussions rather than actual fighting. I’ve noticed true Alice Game style fighting has been almost non-existent in this series compared to the old then again Kirakishou never attempted to fight any of the dolls and always went for their masters. Is it just me or it looks like Suiseiseki will also drop into Adult Jun dimension next episode? I highly doubt next episode would end with Shinku’s new vessel simply crumbling.
Sorry, i still dont get my Interests for this Show. It is perhaps Hard Stuff for New “beginner”, i really love the Pictures here. But my Mind still say, Just Pretty Pics thats all.. There is no “click”..
Just to give a piece of mind of “nearly cross the Line, but stuck before it” Fan
Aww. Give this German dude a doll to play with!
Rozen Maiden 2013 is one of those rare occasions where the sequel is better than the original, in my honest opinion. Rozen Maiden/Traumend was cute and serious. This one gives us a different Jun, one who is more mature, yet still comes with the same baggage. The plot is a bit darker. Overall just excellent.
Part of me wants to say this is more of just a late continuation than a sequel. The way Rozen Maiden ended originally made me feel as if it was never intended to end there to begin with, and this continuation only reinforced that feeling.
It’s hard to call it a continuation. In fact, it really isn’t a continuation. While the series of events that happen in the “wound” world are similar to 2004/05, the seventh doll is different this time.
Shinku in a backpack….. is actually pretty cute~ 😀
And ~desu is finally appearing next week!!!
“So this episode… was a bit of a letdown”
Theoretically, the anime team adapted the source chapter from the manga pretty well.
Even the ending scene before the ED sequence is the same ending panel of the manga chapter.
So yup, the letdown came from high expectations..or was it desire to see some action? :p
From the preview of Ep09, yay, Suiseiseki’s finally showing up again. :3
I haven’t had enough desu-s from her.
Though from the trend of the anime team & previous episodes,
I’m calling it right now:
Show Spoiler ▼
quote:
you begin to think that everyone else is the problem.
endquote
…echoes of Watamote?
Not necessarily. That’s just typical chuuni behavior.
プラダ 腕時計 marc bymarc的 http://www.xinyuqm.com/