Random Curiosity

「さよなら絶望学園」 (Sayonara Zetsubou Gakuen)
“Farewell Despair Academy”

Hope versus despair. Quite literally.

In just one episode, and the final one to boot, Junko manages to completely steal the show. It’s almost a shame they saved her until this moment, because her lunacy is such an appealing thing to watch; she’s constantly switching between an assortment of personalities, from overtly cutesy to hilariously depressed, and in the next moment swinging back to her typical balls-out psycho demeanor, which must have done quite the number on her voice actor Toyoguchi Megumi, kudos to her. And in spite of the personality instability, Junko remains sharply manipulative throughout, and was a real treat to watch in action.

The great mystery of the “most despair-inducing event” is also finally revealed, but the answer is almost as confusing as the questions before. Somehow, in the two years gap of our protagonists’ memories, the world has descended into total anarchy, with monobear-mask wearing rioters prowling the streets, giant monobears destroying cities, and monobears monuments all over. The world as we knew it is destroyed, but Junko doesn’t quite answer how this has occurred, instead comparing the event to a natural disaster, except one that is caused by man. I don’t think a concrete answer was ever the point though; just like the unanswered mystery of how the characters lost their memories, these details aren’t really the focus of the narrative.

Instead, our focus shifted to an arbitrary, incredibly cheesy but oh-so-entertaining battle between hope, represented by Naegi, and despair, Junko herself. How cheesy is that? Let’s see: Junko attempts to coerce the students to kill Naegi in order to remain safely in the school, and by doing so would achieve her goal of making the world despair (huh?) by showing through the live broadcast of the killing game that the students of hope couldn’t win against an agent of despair. (Yes, I known how it sounds at this point. Zetsuboushita!) At which point, in classic Danganronpa style, Naegi has to convince everyone otherwise by shooting them with hope bullets (I don’t even fucking care what I’m seeing anymore) as the rechristened super duper high school Hope. (One word. Legendary.)

It might seem that I’m dissing it now, but on the contrary I found the whole thing hugely entertaining at the time, in a highly ridiculous, parodic sort of way. I never had more fun than when Danganronpa was reveling in its own silliness and sadistic tendencies, and this was perhaps the greatest of those moments. The way Junko went down in a montage of executions was similar; her wanting the punishment so badly almost made it seemed as though she didn’t lose at all.

So what’s really on the other side of the door? Was everything that Junko said really true, or a huge lie told to manipulate the students? We might not have a really have gotten the answer, but I think everyone knows the real answer the show so desperately wanted to leave us with. Bright, unsubtle hope.

Epilogue:

Final Impressions

And so, the quest for a truly great video game adaptation continues. Yes, I’m making this a thing.

If we’re to believe the players of the game, this show was a travesty. Another stone in the path of our quest for a truly great video-game adaption. The problems are many and deep; highly marginalized characters, poor pacing of storyline, and most damning of all for adaptations, frequent omission and/or complete rewriting of plot details. And some of those flaws in the screenplay are unmistakable even without playing the game.

But as an anime-only viewer, you probably wouldn’t know all that is to be. You wouldn’t know that, say, there was a very lengthy discourse into electronic ID loopholes in the second trial, which was almost entirely omitted. You wouldn’t know the details of clues that led into this line of questioning, the same details that were oftentimes glossed over in investigation sequences. So although the anime still suffers from the same problems, it’s easier to overlook these because, well, your expectations are different. As vague and un-objective as it sounds, this is one of those shows where your enjoyment seems to hinge upon it. The thing to keep in mind is that Danganronpa still has many great points to it; its macabre streak of sadistic black humor, the silly (oftentimes parodic) tone of the show, the visceral thrill of a survivor game, and the highly compelling overarching plot (probably the best thing of the second half) that resulted in a brilliantly loony and entertaining payoff.

With that said, having tried some of the game before, I can see why the rest of problems are there. There’s been a fundamental flaw in the way the anime chose to adapt the game’s storyline into the pop-pop-pop machinegun-speed trials and highly streamlined investigations, two of the show’s definite weak points. A concession can no doubt be made for fitting the entirety of the storyline into 13 episodes, but we can’t discount the detrimental effect of completely taking out any involvement a viewer might have in the focal mystery of each arc. (Also, some of the cases were bleedingly obvious, and was more a case of “how” rather than “who”) The only trial to subvert this was the final one, and that’s also because it had the overarching plot building into it. In all honesty the trials, the narrative linchpin of the show, were a mixed bag. Danganronpa carried itself on its swagger and the allure of its larger plot, and like the last two episodes, it can get really good when it brings in these two aspects in strength. Sometimes though, like the Celes trial, it was something of a chore to sit through episodic cases.

I guess the speculative question here is if the show would’ve done any better with double the episodes, with better paced and more considerations for the crime cases, but we can go on a long discourse about that. Some of the game-players already noted how the storyline really was crafted to take advantage of the gaming medium; a partially-guided, hands-on experience that involves players as a detective. On the other hand I personally feel that there are more problems involved in the directing and general writing of the screenplay, moreso than a greater number of episodes would’ve fixed. And Danganronpa definitely won’t change anyone’s opinion that Lerch is still a second-rate animation studio.

Whether you felt this anime was good or bad, there’s no denying its success as part of a larger franchise; the property’s really taking off now, with multiple games in the pipelines. And going by that ending, a sequel to the anime seems more an eventuality than a possibility. With a localisation of the first game coming soon, there’s an arguably “better” way to get the Danganronpa experience. But hell, I’d still tell you to check out the anime at some point (especially if you can’t get your hands on the translated games) because so few shows have the kind of swagger Danganronpa showed, nor it’s highly entertaining premise and equally intriguing plot. Just don’t hold any expectations and Danganronpa’s gonna be a flawed but decent watch.

ED3 Sequence

ED3: 「再生 -rebuild-」 (Sasai -rebuild-) by 緒方 恵美 (Ogata Megumi)

「なでこメドゥーサ其ノ貳」 (Nadeko Meduusa So no Ni)
“Nadeko Medusa Part Two”

Continuing from last week’s awesome start, it seems like the story is going to take the time to slow down and really wrap itself around us. Because if this week’s events are any indication of how this arc is going to go, it looks like it’s going to be a long time until we reach the epic battle to the death between Sengoku and Araragi.

With the whole Medusa/Snake theme being pushed on us throughout the entire episode, I’m kind of confused with where the story is trying to go. We have this snake deity who’s trying to find his physical body and instead of going to someone who’s competent at finding such things chooses our lovely and unreliable Sengoku. And instead of forcing her to do his bidding (because I’m sure even in a “low power” state that aberrations have the ability to easily control humans) he’s simply using the power of guilt to persuade her into helping him. Then on Sengoku’s side, I can’t logically figure out why she would choose to help a powerless aberration especially when she has a half-vampire demon-slaying senpai who’s ready to come to her aid at a moments notice.

All of which really bothers me since it seems like this whole situation probably wouldn’t even need to occur if everyone involved exercised just a little bit more common sense. But seeing how I watch anime to enjoy myself, the whole situation becomes a lot clearer when you throw logic out the window. How I see things so far, which is based off of the notion that everything that’s been stated is true, is that Sengoku is trying really hard to change herself. Instead of being the cute damsel in distress who’s can’t help herself, she’s trying to take charge and do things herself. The only problem is that I think Sengoku knows what she’s doing is wrong and wants someone (most likely Araragi) to recognize that and punish her for it. Which would in turn finally liberate her from being that type of person — except no one is doing so. From her teacher to Araragi himself, everyone is plainly viewing her as a cute helpless girl. While I can’t blame them when she’s cute a cutie, I loved it when Shinobu decided to take things into her own hands. Using her well known style of belittling someone and then not giving a care in the world how you take it, I loved watching her really get into the nitty-gritty of things as she called out all of Sengoku’s insecurities. But if I were to apply it to everything else we’ve seen, it’s a shame that this awesome rant is probably going to push her down the wrong direction.

That said, besides an in-depth look at Sengoku’s character and some juicy fan-service shots for the loli lover in all of us, there wasn’t much else that happened this week! We still don’t know what that snake’s overall objective is nor do we know if Araragi is going to do anything about it. That said, I think I’m starting to like the slower pacing that SHAFT is giving us. Not only will it hopefully give the ending to this arc a bit more impact but I also really like the in-depth look we’re getting at Sengoku’s personality. I don’t know about you but I don’t remember he being this dark of a person!

End Card

「智花(キミ)がいるだけで」 (Tomoka (Kimi) ga Iru Dake de)
“Because You’re Here, Tomoka”

After a close game and a tearful conclusion, the unspeakable happened – the girls graduated. They may be middle schoolers now, but this story definitely isn’t over!

Down To The Buzzer

What an exciting last match…is what I would like to say, but aside from two parts, it was mostly a victory lap for the series in general. It wasn’t bad, in fact I found it quite touching, though it did make me realize that, when something plot relevant isn’t happening, the basketball in this show is pretty simplistic. I feel like there are a lot of steals and drives past set defenders, not enough missed shots or set plays (picks, etc). Maybe that’s how mini-basketball works, I don’t know. I mostly just appreciated how they brought back Subaru’s nicknames for the girls, which I’ve always liked for reasons I can’t adequately explain. Fireworks, Innocent Charm, Prismatic Bud, Ice Age, and Shiny Gift…they’ve been through so much! *sniffles*

As for the parts of the match that were exciting (or at least interesting), first was Maho’s duel against Rena. It speaks volumes about Maho’s maturity (and innocence) how she encouraged Rena to give it her all even though most people (myself included) would have taken the advantage or her hesitation and bled her for points. I also really liked how Rena ended up fouling out. After all the crap she pulled, it was good to see her tossed for it – and even better for Maho to pop back up from another tumble with her trademark cheekiness. Loved it!

The other moment was Tomoka’s buzzer beating fade away jump shot for the victory…!! Not. What the hell! *flips table* Bullshit! That was a shitty call and you know it, ref! Can we get an instant replay over here? Someone must have paid him off! Ref gave the game to Suzuridani, GAH!

*cough* Ahem…sorry. So after my initial dumbfounded explosion of disbelief, this actually ended up being a great moment. One of the things I like about sports anime (and by extension, any competition like them…martial arts tournament arcs are another example) is that the protagonists can actually lose. It’s harder to get away with that when the consequences are death, destruction, and/or pain for all the protagonist’s friends and family (or whatever the stakes are in more action-oriented stories), but in sports anime they can lose without too dire of consequences, and that uncertainty makes matches even more exciting. Besides, it did end the series without a dumb montage of the rest of the tournament, and the girls took their loss well. A good ending, even if that ref is still a hack.

A Tearful Graduation

I knew they would ask Subaru to keep coaching them when they went to middle school, but I expected it to be something that Tomoka asked him alone, not a big, tear-filled moment that left even Subaru crying. I’m glad I was wrong! It was a touching moment, and even though it wasn’t the end for them, it showed how much they mean to each other, and it was an appropriate time to reflect on it as they got ready to move onto another stage in their lives. It also means the story could going on!

This just goes to show you that it’s not elementary girls that are the best, but these girls. Subaru definitely knows that. Middle school, high school, college, and beyond…I’ll keep following their story for as long as it keeps going.

“Will you please stay by my side?

Subaruuuu, you effortless casanova yoooou! This has always been one of the things I liked about Subaru, the fact that he’s a genuinely good guy who says all the right things and actually seems to deserve multiple girls falling for him (you bastard). Sure he’s a little dense, but most guys are, myself included. He’s the harem lead that all other harem leads should aspire towards, though if his sleep talking is any indication, there’s only one girl on his mind. “Tomoka…saikou daze…” You finally got it right, Subaru.

Looking Ahead – It All Began…

In case you never caught it, go back and re-watch the OP and you’ll find a tantalizing bit of foreshadowing about this final scene. I’ll admit that I love the old osananajimi trope for reasons I ought to write an MWotA about one of these days, so the revelation that Subaru and Tomoka met when they were younger just fills me with so much D’AAAAAWWWW I think I broke the Squee Chart. (It’s a thing, totally.) And once again, this means the story isn’t over yet! (Edit: apparently it is. Frack!)

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – After a close game & a tearful conclusion, the girls graduate. But Subaru is still their coach, & the story isn’t over yet! #rokyubu END

Random thoughts:

• The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that Suzuridani won. They had a lot more talent, and it was only Rena’s dysfunction that kept the game so close. Still…that refs a hack!

For more from yours truly, check out my blog on writing, art, and the book I’m working on at stiltsoutloud.com.

Full-length images: 37.

ED Sequence

Epilogue:

Final Impressions

There are many things I like about this series – the comedy, the endearing characters, the wholesome competition, Subaru inadvertently stealing the hearts of all the girls. The first season left me laughing sometimes, inspired me during others, and constantly kept me looking forward to the next episode, if only to wait for the inevitable day when Tomoka grows up enough for her and Subaru to get together. What can I say, I’m a romantic at heart, and they’re perfect together! They’ll get there someday, just you wait.

Coming into this season, I was hoping it would gives us more of what it did during the first season while expanding the cast with the arrival of the fifth graders. It did that with flying colors. The fifth graders really enhanced the story by giving a larger and more varied cast on the court, as well as by having new character flaws and lessons to learn that the sixth graders were already too mature to need. And the Subaru x Tomoka shipping was still strong! Yes, that’s still my favorite part. So sue me.

Of course, not everything was perfect. As I mentioned earlier the basketball could be a bit simplistic, and some of the arcs were either too short or simply not executed to their full emotional power. What makes up for it all in my eyes – and what makes me like this series, even more so than the aforementioned shipping – is heart. To paraphrase one of my favorite sports movies, you’ve gotta have heart. Miles and miles of heart. These girls have it, and it showed in nearly every episode, from Maho befriending the twins to Airi growing as a player and all the way to Saki making the buzzer beating shot she missed last season. After all the junk each of us deal with in our everyday daily lives, it’s nice to see characters with such innocent heart. It does the soul good.

This show isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. You don’t need to tell a story for everyone, you just have to tell it to the people who will appreciate it, and tell it well. This story was told pretty damn well, and I enjoyed every episode I watched. You could call this my guilty pleasure, but after blogging a season of it I don’t think I can claim that anymore. I’m pretty shameless about it! This is my Shiny Gift, and hopefully we’ll get another season someday, or maybe just an OVA showing the girls in high school or something. Until then, let me paraphrase Subaru – Ro-Kyu-Bu wa saikou daze!

「有頂天家族」 (Uchouten Kazoku)
“The Eccentric Family”

What a spectacular ending. Just lovely. P.A. Works, you’ve done a good job on delivering a very satisfying ending to a very unique series. Congratulations on completing another series! *the party ball falls* It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to a series that has treated its viewers well to the very end. The slowly unraveling plots, the constant character development, and the sheer deadpan absurdity, all of it will be missed.

First, I applaud the episode for clearly illustrating the true power of the Friday Fellows–nothing, really. Through tradition, scare tactics, and just being human, the Friday Fellows were a group that could do as it pleased without opposition. However, in reality they held no power, where the only opposition the Friday Fellows could offer were some harsh words, heckling, and the repeated use of, “Shut up!” Though they are quite an intimidating group to be shouted at, once the smoke clears and someone has the guts to actually oppose them, the whole image of their power falls to pieces. As Stilts would put it, their realpolitik shattered thanks to well…basic decency.

Hotei, with his love for Tanuki, was most likely a confused soul trying to reconcile his love for Tanuki and his involvement with the Friday Fellows. To eat is to love, he claims, but to not eat is also a way to love. Beforehand, Hotei was probably aware of this second option to love dearly, but the confusion from his moral dilemma in justifying killing overshadowed this. However, since Mother Yasaburou is loved so much by many, it gave Hotei the eyes necessary to see that well…not eating your love is a good way to love them as well, and that no one should force you to make the choice.

These chains of events start to mix with the other rooms though, which brings me to my second point–I love the way that Tanuki and Tengu are portrayed to the very end. The Tanuki will always be idiotic (even when trying to escape, they can’t hold a transformation long enough to open a door), and the Tengu will always be hot-headed and ‘high and mighty’. Oh yes, there are many exceptions to this rule, such as the stealthy Kaisei and other calmer Tengu professors, but as a whole, each race cannot remove the traits that pervade their blood. It is the story’s perfect blending of these ridiculous traits into human behavior that makes for some interesting character interactions, especially when races collide. In fact, everyone gets blown away by the whole fiasco…heh heh. In all seriousness, seeing each of the races interact with one another and even influence one another was a beautiful thing to see. To see Professor Akadama act soft yet brash around the Tanuki he cares about, to see Yasaburo keep his cool even in the face of a hotpot, to see Benten freak everyone out–it all was surreal yet at the same time plausible and thought provoking. If there was a world out there with irrational Tanuki and loud Tengu, I’m sure it’d be close to the world that Uchouten Kazoku has painted.

Finally, I wish to point out Benten and Yasaburo, whose thought processes and past still remain a mystery to this day. Though I could start forming new hypotheses about them now that the show is over, without a clear sight into the events that brought them to the present, it’d be mostly for moot. Instead, I give the series a thumbs up for making these two characters a sight to see, while also giving us leeway to make our own conclusions about their behavior. With Benten switching back from the Friday Fellows to a more positive group of people and Yasaburou wishing for a small amount of glory for his family, it’s clear that while these two characters are wildly different, their desire for an interesting and exciting life is the same. Where Benten actively chases and catalyzes the events necessary for an interesting life, such a life conveniently finds itself into Yasaburo’s daily activities without any effort on his part. Where Benten will conveniently save the day and grant mercy when the time arises (except for when it came to Souichirou, a puzzling aspect I still can’t figure out), Yasaburo has to resort to sly diplomacy and constantly walk a tightrope to keep his family together. However, the concept of an interesting life binds these two together, making for a very unlikely, unorthodox, but strangely fitting couple. Though I do cheer for Kaisei to show her face one day to Yasaburo, the human and the Tanuki seem a better fit, despite how Benten may not admit it.

As for flaws…there aren’t many if you think about it. Some people did complain about Yajirou’s sudden jump out of the well thanks to alcohol, but I think that the circumstance of a family in danger is a good enough catalyst to have alcohol do its job. Now, this show isn’t for everyone, that is unarguable–the show is a bit slower paced and less action-filled than most–but in terms of actual flaws, not much can be found. Things could’ve only gotten better with a longer story, but what we’ve been given here is just great in itself. Every character is fleshed out appropriately, the story expands at a constant pace, and by golly, the show made me laugh so many times during the end, more times than most comedies do. Uchouten Kazoku is a special gem that doesn’t come around often, exploring the themes of family, non-romantic love, and the morality of eating anyone. It expanded a side of Kyoto that is charming in its presentation as well as the eccentric lifestyle that each person faces. It was all like a Ghibli movie, except in episodic form, which served the story nicely–never was there a moment that the storyboard seemed force from an awkward transition to the screen.

While it’s not going to make any AOTY’s anytime soon, I’m sure all of us who have made it to the end have a special place for Uchouten Kazoku for this year in anime. It sought to tell a story of fantastical Kyoto and family, and it did it excellently. Thank you dear reader for following along to the end, and I hope to see you guys next season as well!

Epilogue:

End Card

「これで良し 明日につなぐ 楽しい職場」 (Korede Yoshi Ashita ni Tsunagu Tanoshī Shokuba)
“Now We’re Set, A Fun Workplace Leading To Tomorrow”

Now that was a good end.

A really good end, actually, and though some of you might not be happy with the fact that Lucy and Hasebe aren’t dating after all that, I think that was the right place for this series to end. After all, Lucy only just discovered her budding feelings for Hasebe; unlike him, she hasn’t been in love with him for a long time, and she’s yet to come to terms with her feelings and with his. That she’s gotten as far as considering it is quite the achievement for our naive little Lucy, and things are looking up. Which is more than you can ask for sometimes when you work a desk job.

Whose Fault is it?

Can you really blame Hasebe’s dad for the lame decision making he made on Lucy’s name? If it’s true that your child is sick, isn’t it only natural to have a hard time concentrating on your job? Sure, Hasebe Sr. is probably an airhead like Hasebe who doesn’t take his job as seriously as he should, but it doesn’t make him a bad guy, just as it doesn’t make our usual Hasebe a bad guy for being a flaker. It’s not really something that should be blamed on one person so much as on an unfortunate set of circumstances. Though maybe Lucy’s parents should feel a little bit bad about thinking up the name in the first place; just a little.

Lucy’s Self-Esteem

Honestly, Lucy’s feelings for Hasebe are not so much the problem in them not dating as is her own self-image, and it’s not really a stretch to say that the circumstances surrounding her name are a big part of the problem. Whether she likes her name or not is actually a pretty big deal as far as self-esteem goes; it’s just not nice being teased for something so crucial to your identity. I know, having been in her shoes my whole life, how lame it is to see people laugh and make fun of your name, and how that affects how you feel about yourself. When it’s a process that goes on your whole life, it’s really hard to stop thinking you’re worth more than those cruel laughs. As it is, she doesn’t feel like she deserves Hasebe’s attention properly; she doesn’t think she’s worth more than a tease, and while that sentiment changes a little as she realizes her feelings, there’s still some stuff she has to overcome before she really takes that step toward commitment.

Fin

As most comedy shows go, this was a pretty satisfying end. You get good characters on the cusp of learning something (such as Ichimiya and Chihaya working out their relationship) but not quite getting there, and that’s okay. This is the sort of show where “life goes on,” and life does go on; you keep learning new things, meeting new problems, overcoming obstacles, and moving forward. Life is a fun place, if you want it to be, and even a boring old desk job can be fulfilling if you look in the right places.

Epilogue:

ED2 Sequence

End Card

Final Impressions:

Servant x Service was a series that I was intrigued by from the start. I don’t know how obvious this has been, but I love to laugh, and comedies are one of my favorite genres to watch, though they’re also one of the most difficult genres to blog. At first, I didn’t find this series uproariously funny so much as I found it to be quirky and amusing, but over time, it grew on me. From the catchy as hell OP (which I will miss horrendously) to the distinct and fun characters minus one Touko*cough*, most everything about this series was a pleasure to take part in every week. The direction and writing were brilliant, the laughs were well constructed, though not necessarily anything new, and best of all, there was a clear sense that the author of the series really gets civil service and what it’s like to work a desk job. Those people we interact with at offices aren’t robots (though Momoi is, fufu), and they have their lives they live behind the employee facade they put up every day. There are cosplayers, office romances, devoted fathers, and all sorts of other personalities at work, even if we’re not usually partial to seeing those sides of those people. It’s this spark, this bit of understanding, that really makes the show dynamic and fluid and fun, and I for one really enjoyed it immensely. It’s a shame that that’s come to an end for now, and my Thursdays will be a hell of a lot less enjoyable without “May I Help You?” playing on my screen every week. Thank you all for staying with me through yet another season, I hope you all had as much fun as I did watching Lucy, Hasebe, and everyone else go about their everyday lives. Now onward! To a tomorrow filled with more anime, fun, and office romances! Okay, maybe that last one is a bad idea sometimes.

「Eternal Party」

It’s that time of the year again. The end of the summer season heralds Railgun S’ final episode, and it’s an one whose title couldn’t be more fitting. Because when you have virtually everyone in the cast coming together for the last hurrah, it really is an eternal party, and there ain’t nothing like fighting off 20,000 powered suits for some early morning exercise. Add in a side of “bringing some justice” and what we end up getting is an action packed ending that highlights what Railgun’s been about all throughout it’s two season run: friendship. And while some may have some qualms with some of the over the top developments (some of which were quite similar to the Index movie) here this week, I gotta say, I quite liked how they finished things off here.

Granted, it’s probably because I’m a sucker for when series give us some throwbacks to the past, but yeah, there was a whole lot of that this episode, and it was a pretty darn nice touch having both themes from Railgun and Railgun S playing all throughout the conflict. Combine that with the return of ITEM, the general “GAR” nature of the episode, as well as the fairly nice resolution Shinobu gets in regards to her “creations”… and you get a finale that provides us with a conclusive ending, sets up for the Index movie, finalizes the “ties” between the Sister’s Arc and this one, and tops things off with a nice contrast with the Sister’s Arc too (in regards to this arc’s more upbeat nature). Sure, Aritomi ended up being quite the terrible villain, but all things considered, I feel like they did a pretty decent job doing what they did in a mere 7 episodes, even if it did end up paling quite a bit in comparison to the Sister’s Arc overall.

Either way though, the fact of the matter remains that we won’t see any Railgun for a little while now that this season’s come to a close, and I’m admittedly quite sad about it. There just ain’t quite anything like waking up for the weekend with some BiriBiri, and I’m going to miss how they go about “handing invitations to another’s party without asking” (to quote Aritomi). With that said though, I’ll let the screencaps tell the rest of the story here, and shift down to the Final Impressions (you’ll find this below).

Full-length images: 15.

ED3.24 Sequence

Quick Final Impressions:

In looking back at Railgun S, this was one of those cases where it was a clear tale of two halves—the first half being the Sister’s Arc and the second half being the Febri Arc. Generally, the first half was arguably a masterpiece in every sense of the word. Not only did it provide us with spectacular, emotional developments, it demonstrated that it’s possible to still make something great even if viewers know what’s going to happen, and it’s generally something that few series dare to try, let alone succeed with.

Sadly however, the overall appreciation of the series is lessened somewhat by the second half, which ended up being an all original filler arc. As I’ve stated previously, this filler arc doesn’t end up being “bad” by any stretch of the word, but the thing is that it comes on the heels of arguably one of the best arcs of any series I’ve seen in awhile, and it’s really a bit ironic, because one can say that many of us felt the second half was worse than it was precisely because of how great the Sister’s Arc was.

With that said, I feel like Railgun S as a whole did ultimately meet everyone’s expectations in the end—even if that ends up mostly due to the Sister’s Arc more than anything—and it’s essentially all that matters at this point. Now that we’ve gotten here however, it’s sadly time to bid adieu to the lovable cast for the time being, and I’d just like to take this time to once again thank viewers for viewing/commenting both on my Railgun S posts and on the site in general. Hopefully my posts have contributed at least somewhat positively toward your viewing experience in regards to Railgun S, and I hope you’ll join me for my future coverage of other series as well. Until then, it’s a fond farewell, and I guess I’ll see you guys around.

「センニュウ × ト × センベツ」
“Infiltration x And x Selection”

Today certainly marks a milestone for Hunter X Hunter, but not in a good way.

In case you missed it, there was some big news this week on the Hunter X Hunter front. The move to late nights forces us to contemplate, for the first time, that the unprecedented run of technical brilliance and storytelling freedom that Madhouse has utilized to such glorious ends with this series may be coming to and end sooner than we’d like. No one can say for certain what this move means, but it seems certain to portend a sizable decrease in the animation budget. We can only hope that’s the worst thing that happens. But more than ever, we should really step back and consider just what an amazing achievement this adaptation is, and what a magnificent two-year run it’s had.

Whatever happens from here is out of our control, and for my part I’m going to focus on the series itself. As wonderful as the sakuga animation has been, it’s not the best thing about H x H and Madhouse has already proved they can deliver good-looking episodes of this show even with a lesser budget. It’s the characters and the story that really count, and I expect no change in their level of brilliance. As interesting and entertaining as it was to spend some time in the company of the Phantom Troupe, it’s really good to reconnect with Gon and Killua again, and with the boys facing the darkest and most dangerous part of their journey, the sense of consequence in raised exponentially from the Spider episodes, which feel almost like a relaxing break by comparison.

Before we get to the main event there’s an interesting pre-credits diversion, where we see Leol and his flunkies Flutter and Hina staggering through the desert on their way to East Gorteau’s capital Peijing – which they finally reach – for undisclosed purposes. Just what the dynamic is here I’m not at all sure yet – Leol seems to throw himself on the mercy of the King (in the person of Shaiapouf), perhaps to apologize for raising himself above his station. But it’s clear he has ulterior motives, and not at all clear why he’d abandon his own quest to be a King himself. I could hazard a guess that perhaps he’s decided it’d be easier to kill the King and take over his kingdom rather than start one from scratch, but I wouldn’t be confident in that guess – though I am totally confident that he has no chance against either the King or any of his Royal Guards, and he’s going to he a dead ant-lion very soon.

Meanwhile, we pick up Gon and Killua where we left them, skinny-dipping their way into East Gorteau with ease. This is a place Kil knows a lot about thanks to his Grandfather having done a job there decades earlier, and it gives Togashi an opportunity to savagely satirize North Korea while making very little effort to disguise who he’s talking about. It’s a nation where “Dear Leader” Ming Jol-ik (heh) has set up a system of informants, rewarded for spying on each other and punished as a group if any member strays, where families are divided and used as hostages to ensure the good behavior of the others. I think more and more that Togashi set up the Chimera Ants to be as terrifying and hateful as possible right out of the gate, only to slowly chisel away at the moral distinctions between they and the bulk of the human race as this arc progresses.

That said, what’s happening in East Gorteau at the King’s behest is undeniably terrible. A deserted village and a shallow mass grave are the boys’ first hard clue that the culling has already begun, and Killua’s theory is that the ants are using Manipulator Nen to use puppets to weed through individual villages and towns, searching for special humans. In the process they’ll wipe out 4,950,000 of the country’s 5 million population in ten days – a process Gon especially finds horrific. With his superior inside information Killua is very much the man in charge here, much more so in his element than Gon where large-scale strategies are called for. The issue, of course, is that the main job here is to take on the Royal Guard and clear the way for Netero to take out the King, not to save the population. But this doesn’t sit well with either lad, especially Gon.

Again, we see that Gon and Knuckle are really soul-mates in a way. Each of them bristles at the prospect of standing by and watching the slaughter of millions in order to make sure their presence is hidden until they’re ready to engage their targets. The difference is that for now, at least, Shoot carries the day in holding fast to Netero’s orders, but Killua offers up a plan – to take out the puppets doing the Nen checks and wreak havoc with the selection process. Gon, of course, is all on-board with this, but Kil has a condition – he does all the disruption himself, while Gon stays hidden and focuses on the larger goal. He even tries to extract a promise from Gon that he won’t reveal himself no matter what horrors he sees – a promise, I note, that Gon doesn’t make. The boys splitting up here was not at all what I expected, but so they do, and Gon quickly becomes the target of a group of Chimera Ant soldiers – soldiers whose presence seems not to make sense, given that the local village has already been wiped out.

Though he never reveals his presence to Gon, it seems obvious that the ant that really matters here is not any of the ones who attack Gon, but Meleoron the Chameleon (Tobita Nobuo). He seems a very different sort of Chimera Ant – thoughtful and calm of temperament – and I’m anxious to see where his role in the story takes him. As for the last Hunter pair, Knov and Morel are using their waiting time to buy off the services of Marcos (the name of another tinpot dictator prominent at the time this was written), who appears to be one of Mind Jol-ik’s military leaders, promising safe exile in exchange for insider information on the working of the country and it’s armed forces. And there’s still no sign of Palm, for the record, though one suspects that wherever Knov is she’s likely not far away…

Preview

「壁 ―ストヘス区急襲③―」 (Kabe ―Sutohesu Ku Kyushu (3)―)
“The Wall ―Raid on the Stohess District (3)―”

And here we go. The final episode of Shingeki’s first season has arrived and what we get is a fitting “ending” to what’s arguably been one of the most popular series in the last decade. After all, there’s nothing quite like seeing two human Titans fight each other while trashing everything around them, and it’s just a highlight reel of death and destruction as the Military Police continue demonstrating their inadequacies (THEY HAVEN’T EVEN PUT ON THEIR MANEUVER GEAR YET FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!).

MP Inadequacies aside though, this week brings us back to the notion of having to sacrifice something if you want to change something. Essentially, it’s about whether or not you’re willing to go as far as sacrificing your humanity to win, and it’s interesting to note that while Erwin seems willing to do everything it takes, Eren still finds himself struggling to do so. With that said, the secondary question then becomes “is it worth winning if you end up throwing away everything that made you human in the first place,” and it’s something that provides quite the philosophical dilemma. Because ultimately, while one can argue Eren’s hesitation effectively wasted a lot of the sacrifices they made in Stohess, one can also argue that Eren maintaining some of his humanity will be vital in a post-Titan world (provided they can win, of course). There’s also the consideration that if this operation wasn’t done, Eren would’ve been shipped to the Military Police, and really, it’s a dilemma one could debate for ages.

Either way, the fact remains that Annie’s not going to be answering any questions soon, and we’re left with more questions than ever before. The revelation that the wall’s are composed of Titans just adds further to this, and looking back, I’m amazed at how little we’ve gotten in terms of answers throughout this first season. What makes it arguably more amazing however, is how I seem to be perfectly alright with this, even though that’s probably only a short-term effect of the emotional highs coming off this episode. Looking forward, it’s undoubtedly going to be difficult trying to avoid reading on the manga to say the least, and well, I mean that’s about it really. As much as I’d like to spend a while speculating, I’m of the feeling that it’s probably just best to leave things here and just let the extra screen caps, full lengths, and the final impressions (below) do the rest of the talking.

Full-length images: 08, 42.

Author’s Note: Per the usual, there’s a zero tolerance policy for spoilers that aren’t in spoiler tags or in response to a query. Please also use your own discretion (and common sense) in regards to what you decide to speculate on and how you phrase any speculation. If you’re unsure, use spoiler tags.

Epilogue:

ED2.25 Sequence

Quick Final Impressions:

Looking back all the way to the Spring preview, Shingeki no Kyojin was one of those series that came in with exceptionally high expectations. And now that we’re officially at the end of the first season, it’s pretty easy to say that it met those expectations by far, and even exceeded them in some respects. After all, the immense popularity this series has enjoyed is something that few series have garnered, and arguably it’s something that it’s deserved. Because ultimately—despite the occasional pacing issues, animation quality inconsistencies, the many unanswered questions, and the general feeling that none of the characters ended up particularly unique in and of themselves—this was a well made adaptation that gave us a great story, left us yearning for more week after week, and provided us with memorable developments/enemies that we’ll likely remember for a long time to come. Combine that with Sawano Hiroyuki’s epic “OST of the year” contributions here as well and you have all the makings of a series that’s worthy of being an anime of the year candidate.

Indeed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this series end up being the Reader’s Choice AOTY winner come the end of the year, and I wouldn’t have much qualms with it doing so. It wouldn’t be my choice personally—mostly due to the many elements it borrows from the Muv-Luv VN trilogy and the aforementioned issues in the first paragraph—but I can see where people can make an argument for it being AOTY, and again, I wouldn’t mind if they say it is. With that said, I do hope that you’ve enjoyed my coverage of Shingeki no Kyojin throughout the last half a year, and I’d just like to take a moment to thank all of you out there that come in week after week to view/comment not only on this show, but the site in general. In addition, I apologize for the constantly changing policies regarding spoilers/speculation throughout the series’ run. It took longer than expected to find a good balance between preventing spoilers vs. allowing speculation, and I’d just like to thank you for bearing with me in this regard. Last but not least, I hope you guys’ll join me next season for my coverage of Coppelion and Kill la Kill.

「太陽の微笑み」 (Taiyou no Hohoemi)
“The Sun’s Smile”

A fitting end to this series. Which is to say, it wasn’t very good.

Understanding One Another

Okay, to be fair, not everything was bad. One part I did like was how Fuyuna and Akari finally came to understand one another. (Well, dream Fuyuna – Fuyuna is still dead. But whatever. Don’t think about it too hard.) It actually made a lot of sense – Fuyuna couldn’t stand Akari’s brightness, so when she started to cloud over, Fuyuna could relate to her better, and they could finally talk. They flogged the whole humans-can’t-understand-one-another bit half to death – does anyone really think we can fully understand one another? – but at least that part fit.

But Seriously, Why Is This Happening?

Aaaaand then there was the rest. For one, Ginka’s return. Ginka apparently came back because she heard Akari’s voice because…reasons, which enabled her to beat her opposite because…don’t think about it too much. The arbitrary limiter that was on Etia and Ariel was also silly, because it cheapened how they shattered the Clessidra since they had all this power all along, and just couldn’t use it because the Leguzario are dicks or something. And what was that part where Akari’s hair helped her break through to kill Cerebrum? That doesn’t make any sense, was never foreshadowed, and also GAH how weird!

Tropes Are Not Bad

Let me state this up front – tropes are not bad (trope!). BUT! (beat for effect…) You have to use them properly. They’re tools, and a lot of them became tropes (and even cliches) because they work. When they’re tossed around willy-nilly, it’s a sign of lazy writing.

I’ll give two examples. First was Cerebrum’s transformation into a his monster (trope!) form. When done well this trope can really work, especially when the transformation comes out of anger or pure malevolence, such as how it usually works with one of the trope’s scions, Maleficent (see the trope page). When done out of desperation? That’s just asking to die. Contrast this with Priscilla & Meltina’s big damn heroes moment (trope!) when they saved Akari from Cerebrum’s cage thing. Sure, they didn’t end up really doing much, but it was unexpected and it made sense that they would only arrive then (they only got healed a little while ago), so it was fine. Unfortunately we had far more of the former than the latter.

Additional Thoughts

I’m still not sure if Cerebrum was Akari’s father, though he did have a vision about Hinata as he was dying, soooo ew. Just ew. Final impressions below, once I go take a shower. Forever uncleeeean!!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Bad use of tropes + wonky logic = unsatisfying conclusion. That Fuyuna thing didn’t totally suck though. At least it’s over #geneitaiyou END

Random thoughts:

• But hey, at least we got some symmetrical docking. Though the picture is zoomed out so far you can hardly tell. Hax!

For more from yours truly, check out my blog on writing, art, and the book I’m working on at stiltsoutloud.com.

Epilogue:

Final Impressions

There was so much potential. There were many ways this show could have done that would have been better – as an exploration of protagonists-as-murderers, as a slow grinding down and breaking of each and every character, or as a tragedy where Akari’s flaws (preferably, more believable flaws than the ones they ended up giving her) drove everyone around her to their inevitable destructions. Hell, even in this last episode I was thinking how cool it would be if Akari went all Queen of Blades and became the twisted, mutant leader of the Daemonia. With what appears to be even more bastardly antagonists in the form of the Leguzario, it could have been fascinating to see Akari go up against her former friends…though that would have had to happen episodes ago, not during this last one. By this point, I just wanted it to end.

I think one of the major flaws was that Gen’ei never decided what it wanted to be. It strutted around like a grimdark tragedy, but it never committed, and ended up pulling its punches to give us a happy ending. More than any show since Guilty Crown, this show reeked of design-by-committee, which is a terrible way to write because it denies you the flawed brilliance of the singular artist. But even had the show committed to being a tragedy, Gen’ei wouldn’t have been a good one, and it’s instructive to examine why.

For a tragedy to really work, the tragic character(s) are required to take part in their own downfall. It is some flaw of theirs or some choice they make that leads to their destruction, and that’s precisely what makes it tragic – when the world just conspires against someone heartlessly, it’s not tragic, it’s just unfortunate. An old literature professor of mine once explained it like this: a child being hit by a car is not a tragedy, whereas that same child being hit by a car because her father, who was holding her hand until he became so overcome by lust for a beautiful woman walking by that he let his daughter run out into traffic… Now that would be a tragedy. It’s not the dead child that’s tragic, but the father’s flaw/decision that will eat at him for the rest of his miserable life.

Compare Gen’ei’s attempt at tragedy to the show it so clearly wanted to be, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. The characters in Madoka had flaws and made decisions that led directly to their downfalls, but the ones in Gen’ei did not. They never really chose to fight, they just accepted that they had to. Without choice and believable flaws, the story does not resonate, and without that, the tragedy falters. And yes, you can argue that Madoka wasn’t a tragedy either, but (spoiler alert) its character fell much further, and it took a literal miracle to give us something like a happy ending, though even that fit within the story. Gen’ei had none of that.

I could go on and on about where this show failed, and the storytelling lessons I learned from it – primarily in the area of what not to do – but I don’t want to bore you. While I applaud AIC for taking a risk and trying something new, that doesn’t mean it will necessarily work. Gen’ei was a failed experiment, a badly told story, and it earns the dubious distinction of being the show I most regret having blogged in my time writing for RandomC so far. Better luck next time AIC, just learn from your mistakes. You have plenty to choose from.

End Card

「遙かなるフリー!」 (Haruka Naru Purii!)
“Distant Free!”

After weeks and weeks of buildup, I think it’s safe to say that Kyoani did a great job at wrapping up everything. And sure, while I would have loved for our beloved Iwatobi swim team to make it to nationals I think that things ended in a really good spot.

But seeing how this final episode was basically a culmination of all the problems that were laid out through the season, I’m going to attack this post as a gigantic final impressions. And starting with the characters, I’ve been consistently blown away with how deep some of the characters became. Starting with Haru who some might consider the “main” protagonist, I still can’t get over how Kyoani managed to introduce a stiff and boring character and skillfully grow him into someone who actually deserves the title. Because not only did it really sell the whole recurring theme of self-growth but it just made him so much more likable! And while Haru may have gotten a lot of time to himself, there’s was someone else who also got a lot of time to really show us what he’s made out of. And that would be my favorite character of the series (after Gou) Rei! The awkward fifth man out who is sometimes a bit too book smart for his own good, he was another reason why I think Free! ended up being so successful. Between providing a lot of comedic relief by being the team’s rhetorical punching bag, I can’t praise him enough for the sacrifice he made during the finale. Because after seeing how many medals and awards Rei’s been awarded in a competitive setting, you would think he values the intrinsic value such things provide. Sure he may have said they were memories from the past, but I believe habits like those are hard to break. Which is why I would have never pictured him sacrificing everything he’s worked for just for the sake of repairing a broken friendship that didn’t necessarily involve him! And while I’m at it, even though those two took most of the spotlight it was nice that Mako and Nagisa still managed to make an impact. While they were mostly holding up everyone else, I thought it was thoughtful for Kyoani to provide us something to balance out all the seriousness.

In terms of the story though, I wish I could be as positive as I was for the characters. With an overarching theme of self-discovery and growth, I think that everything related to the main storyline was done quite well. From Rin trying to figure out just what he wanted to Haru and Rei confronting the elephant in the room — there wasn’t much more you could ask for. But whenever the story decided to stray from beaten path it always felt like something was missing. Be it the emotional impact or trying to figure out why something was important, you have to wonder if the person behind the Endless Eight fiasco was pulling the strings!

Before gathering my thoughts to conclude everything however, there’s something that I have to talk about before I end this point. And that my fellow viewers would be taking the time to talk about the amazing Gou and Ama-sensei — side characters who probably were the largest reasons why I kept watching. Between Gou losing it every time she got too close to too much muscles and Ama-sensei’s hidden yandere personality, I would have loved for them to get more screen time. Too bad this show isn’t in that genre…

All that said, I have to say the Free! did a great job living up to its hype. Because after being introduced to the world as “The Swimming Anime”, I never would have thought this show would have been as engaging as it was. With its crafty characters trying to navigate through a fairly complicated story, you sometimes forget that this show is supposed to be focused on swimming! But add in some amazingly beautiful scenes and some really heartfelt moments and you really have an engaging show. Sure the PVs may scare away some viewers but I think for anyone who’ll give this show a few episodes, they’ll be happily surprised with that they get!

Epilogue:

End Card

「TALE 13」

Before going into this finale, I was expecting some sort of long epilogue that talked about how much Jun’s grown since meeting his younger half. I thought there’d be some reminiscing and probably some sparks between Saitou and Jun. And guess what… the first half of the episode was just that. There’s the aftermath of the play with lots of celebrations in the air, Saitou & Jun go back to work and Jun even goes back to school. Jun finally caught a lucky break as well when the Store Owner took notice of all the work that he’s been putting into the sales tracker and all the slack he’s been picking up for the Store Manager. That’s what I would call being at the right place at the right time. Things are finally looking up for him and although he’s still a student, I’d definitely take up the opportunity for an advancement if I were Jun. He also gets the girl (somewhat)! I was hoping for more progression in their relationship, but there’s probably more on Jun’s mind right now than getting a girlfriend. If there was ever a second season, there’s plenty of plot development here – but for now, I’m satisfied.

The second half was what I was pleasantly surprised about. I wasn’t expecting to see any more of Wound-Jun, but there we have it – a cliffhanger! The dolls return as well and Shinku is as cute as a button! The connection that she has with Unwound and Wound-Jun is so heartwarming and I love seeing those moments of mutual understanding between the two. Whether Wound-Jun is going back to school or when Unwound-Jun flips through the book he purchased her, Shinku literally steals my attention away every time she’s on screen. Still my favorite doll! Period. Of course, it’s adorable seeing Kanaria, Souseiseki and Suiseiseki gather together to save Jun. Kirakishou coming back to life doesn’t surprise me and now… she finally has a “body”. Did she just get a little creepier with those eyes? I wonder who made that body for her…?

This finale episode pretty much threw more questions at me than answers. I was not expecting so many reoccurring characters to come into play as well. Kanaria’s master (Mitsu), and Hinainchigo’s master (Tomoe) were both sucked into the Alice Game with the former being a victim to Kirakishou. I’m not so sure why Tomoe has to be involved anymore if Hinaichigo is “gone”. There’s no doubt in my mind that Jun was also “captured” by Kirakishou and his spirit is probably held up in the N-Field. What bothers me is why the dolls feel that Unwound-Jun is the only way that they can save Wound-Jun. Not to say that I don’t like Unwound-Jun, but I feel as though his chapter in this story could’ve tied up nicely if they left him alone. If Shinku and the others can easily access the N-Field themselves, there has to be a reason that Unwound-Jun is called back into the game. With this kind of ending, they must create a second season to answer all these questions. I’ll be eagerly waiting…

TL;DR – @RCCherrie: Creepy dolls be creepy… Oh my god, that cliffhanger! What are you doing to me Rozen Maiden?! #season2please

—

Final Impressions

I will reiterate that I am a fan of the original Rozen Maiden and when I saw that it was getting another season, I literally facerolled all over my keyboard. I would’ve been so thrilled just to sit and watch it – getting the chance to blog it and share my love for this series is probably the biggest milestone I’ve had at RC (despite what anyone else has to say). I want to note that I have not read the manga and although I know more about this series than I’d care to admit, I still came into this series with no spoilers and probably a very biased opinion. That being said, I obviously had issues with the new series because of how much it varied from the previous one. For old viewers, it’d be best to come into the series with an open mind because the dolls and Jun are not the same as they once were… and for new viewers, definitely stick around after the first episode please!

What I loved and hated about this series is what it’s straight out of the second manga series (which is the original source material). The first episode is a “recap” of what’s happened in the first series manga and the second episode continues from the second manga series onwards. I know that the first episode is whack and it’s literally just a dump of events that might not make sense nor give you a sense of who each character is. Rest assured though, the second episode onwards proves to be very consistent in pacing and timing of events. It’s not all about the Alice Game this time around and I think people are often thrown off at first about the focus on Unwound-Jun. This is a story about him, not the dolls. This is the biggest complaint I had because the original anime was all about the dolls and I’ve learned to love the series because of that. This new anime cannot be viewed assuming you’ll get the same type of enjoyment as its processor (not to say you can’t enjoy both). Whereas the first and second seasons were more about the everyday activities of the dolls living under Jun’s roof, this remake is more about how the dolls help Jun grow and develop as an adult in a life without the Alice Game. Do not confuse the two!

Now that I’ve explained the differences between the two in terms of plot, there’s huge plus factors in the other changes the show has made. This includes the animation studio and character designs. Personally, I loved the old design of the dolls with its crisp colors and outlines. The new dolls are much softer and water colored – they’re also much smaller in size compared to a human being. Studio Deen does a great job in animating the motions of the dolls and the different camera angles to emphasis certain expressions and thoughts (I love zooming in on faces!). There’s also the use of its OST and silence in this anime which may come across as odd, but I find that when the pauses are used correctly, it implies the right tone in the story. The story is not all happy-go-lucky (or moe fun) as the original anime intended it to be; this remake has more dark/gothic tones that tie in the mystery of the Alice Game. This is why I also think the opening and ending sequences (especially the ED) tie together very well.

So if you’re still wondering if you should give Rozen Maiden a shot, or is this a remake or a sequel… I will explain that all for you now. As a new viewer, it’s definitely a remake. It’s an anime based on the original manga (mainly the second series) and you can probably watch it as it is as a standalone show without any prior background or research. Watching it with no expectations may really help develop your own opinion of what the new Rozen Maiden series is about. It has new character designs, great OST (the original anime did too) and a solid setting and plot development. Just please get past the initial first episode! For old viewers (like myself), I would still consider this a remake and let me explain why. Despite loving the first two original seasons, this anime does not bridge or branch off from that. This series tries to “fix” that by giving us a recap episode of what should’ve transpired. I think it’s great to have that context for the dolls’ personalities and I have a greater appreciation for Shinku, Hinaichigo and Suigintou etc… but that does not take away from this new anime as it is. Like I said, this is a show about Jun, not the dolls. Regardless if you liked/disliked the original anime series, this can be seen as a completely different series so I urge you not to get into it with the same expectations… and who knows, maybe you’ll love it as much as I do.

The happy end to a long and tumultuous journey.

I bet you didn’t expect such a dramatic title for the cute-girls-doing-airsoft show, eh? Funny thing is, it deserves it. This is one of those rare shows that risks making us hate its protagonist in order to give us a better, more rich story full of real drama, genuine character development, and at the end of the day, an uplifting tale made all the better for the darkness through which it descended. This may be the best show you’re not watching this season.

Character development is a tricky thing. Take it from a storyteller – it’s much easier to deal with static characters (see: Hajime of GATCHAMAN Crowds) than to work with dynamic, flawed individuals that do stupid, mean-spirited, and/or wrong things when you know exactly what’s right. A truly flawed character evokes the old trainwreck analogy, but when you’re writing them, it’s not just that you can see the train coming – you’re at the wheel, and you’re purposefully steering it off the tracks. It’s hard to do, and even harder to do well…but when you manage it, something magical happens.

This show started out as an above average cute-girls-doing-[blank] show, which was a pleasant enough surprise given Gainax’s reputation as of late. The characters were well-differentiated and lively, the action was good, and the humor was pretty funny. But something darker lurked. From the very first episode strong moments of silence spoke to the alienation in Yura’s spirit, and the change she desired in herself. She was lonely, a single soul crying out for a place to belong, and she didn’t know how to find it. And then the C3-bu found her…

But Yura took hold of airsoft too tightly. She made the same mistake many people have made – she put her self worth in other’s hands rather than focusing on loving herself. As long as she was useful to her team, as long as she won, as long as she got results, then that proved she was worth something – it wasn’t the journey that mattered, as Sono-chan so clearly believes, but the results. She drove herself into a corner, lashing out and obsessing and losing sight of what she really wanted…warmth, good friends, and a place to belong.

Watching Yura fall was painful, if admittedly a little overwrought. It’s just airsoft, she shouldn’t take it so seriously – but it’s not about that, is it? Let me tell you about a younger Stilts. As a young lad I was a serious gamer. At the time I thought it was important – not the game necessarily, but the people, and the sense of achievement, and having a community I belonged to. Oh, I didn’t think any of this consciously, but it’s easy to see in hindsight. The game didn’t matter, I needn’t have taken it seriously at all – but I did, because kids are stupid like that, and because when you don’t have any responsibilities or work you truly care about, you’re liable to latch onto whatever you can. It was never about airsoft to Yura, not really. It was about her.

Yura fell, and she fell hard – and watching her climb back up was the trickiest part. I honestly feel like it was resolved a bit too quickly – and yet they laid the groundwork for it well. The spiritual aspect they introduced early on with Choujirou (both the spirit and the gun) laid the foundation for her return, and even that was foreshadowed with Yura’s vivid delusions during the very first episode. I’m still not sure whether we’re supposed to take any that as real or not, but the time that Rento stepped in as Yura saved Choujirou, and the triumphant final battle of the C3-bu against all 1800 students of Stella Jogakuin…whether you buy Yura’s delusions as real is up to you. I just know they laid the foundation well.

In the end, Stella Jogakuin Koukouka C3-bu was a pleasant surprise. It was not perfect, I won’t be nominating it for AOTY, but it was both thoroughly entertaining and showed depth that most stories don’t attempt. The battles, the trials, Yura’s important haircut (trope!) that stuck – I’ll remember it all fondly whenever I listen to the OP play, with chills rippling down my spine as I recall the story of Yura, Sonora, Karila, Honoka, Yachiyo, and Rento. It was fun, and in the end, I think they won.

Well done, Gainax. If you can keep doing this, maybe you’ll reclaim your throne one day. Though I guess you’d need to make original series for that, so nevermind. Just bringing us good stories will be enough for me.

「Gamification」

In a series full of odd directorial and narrative choices, the extended character monotage/monologue sequence feels like another one of these. But it’s not like there’s anything wrong with it per se; in fact, I greatly relish any chance we get to see the characters being…well, characters, as opposed to being akin to narrative devices.

The montage is a by-the-by recount of the development seen by team Gatcha since Hajime’s induction into the Gatchaman. For some like Joe and Pai-Pai, it’s what we’ve seen succinctly summarized. For others, the characters who have been hard to get a read on (Utsutsu and O.D. in particular for me) more of a voice is finally given to them to speak to me. In both cases though, as each character reflected on how Hajime has brought new perspective/joy/hope in their lives, I had a greater sense of their characterization than I did the entire series, which for me is saying something; be it due to the direction or writing, the changes and development in characters (while noticeable) always had some kind of a disconnect. (But could just be me)

Is it a little heavy-handed? Definitely, no questions about it, especially when the recycled footage clocks in at little more than half the episode’s runtime, and near the end started to tire me out. Halfway through I was wondering if it was some kind of plan to mitigate the production troubles, which Gatchaman has been suffering from throughout its run.

Funnily enough though, the second half of the episode does look a shine better than what I typically recall of Gatchaman. There’s plenty of interesting shots, like Joe’s phoenix dive attack, and some very dynamic transitions between scenes; the one I recall best was when Pai-Pai was barking orders at team Gatcha and the focus was shifting very naturally between them.

We’re back into whole Crowds situation, and it’s par the course for the finale-fitting climax of the show. For a moment, it almost seems like everything was going too well; the Gatchamans are finally working together as an ass-kicking team, the civil institutions working together with them to get the situation under control, and even Rui wrested control of X back from Katze. The network is regained, and the prime minister (who was an absolute laugh in the episode) declares a state of emergency in Tachikawa and, in accordance with Hajime’s plan, orders smart phones to be distributed to everyone, and that they should all register on GALAX.

I admittedly got confused by the message here; haven’t we seen enough of the network’s flaws to know just how much can go wrong? And true enough, a last minute twist has Katze enabling everyone on GALAX to access the Crowds power, pretty much destroying the control we saw established.

Unless, of course, this was all Hajime’s…or rather, the writer’s plan. Hajime and Katze are two very similar personalities with a fundamental difference in idealogy, and what better way to ascertain a victory than by turning the Crowds power on its creator? To prove that Katze’s chaotic ideal isn’t the entire truth? Her consistent message rings in parallel; everyone’s gotta do what they can. With the Crowds power in the hand of every average joe and jane, I wonder if we’ll see just that in the climax.

「宇宙に散る花」 (Uchū ni chiru hana)
“Flowers that Fall in Space”

“Wow, just wow!” – I am absolutely flabbergasted, overwhelmed with both amazement and delight. I hardly know where to begin in trying to describe just how amazing the finale was, but let’s start off with an easy one – I can’t tell you how big of a relief it was to see Izuru emerged from all of this alive! I have made no effort to conceal my deepest desire of seeing a happily-ever-after conclusion – it was, no doubt, a very close call, an ingenious troll till the very final moments. The anticipation was so suspenseful that I almost had a heart attack during the last few seconds of this episode, and make no mistakes about it – the tone of this post would have looked completely different had Izuru not made it out alive. A crack of faint smile that changed almost everything – my entire impression has evolved from that of despondent to satisfied, at ease and pleasant. “Tatakai, tatakai, tatakai” – Izuru has certainly been through one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride, and no one is more deserving of a happy ending than the pilot of Red 5. For a moment, there was a sense that Izuru has lost touch with reality, succumbing to the negative influence of his AHSMB unit. The entire experience was pretty surreal, both for Izuru and the viewers – it almost felt like Izuru has let the persona of a war hawk run rampant and become a battle-crazed Wulgaru himself. He was unable to assume control of his own body, even as his very consciousness has stayed lucid and somewhat intact. No doubt, Izuru would not have survived if he had remained in the state of a berserker – it was extremely detrimental to his health, putting Izuru’s life in peril and presumably, that’s not what the JURIA-system is set out to achieve.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – as impressive as the pilot of Red 5 is, Team Rabbit is not a one-man show. The Zannen 5 will always have Izuru’s back and time and time again, their teamwork and camaraderie have proven to be more than crucial. Izuru was able to emerge from the abyss of derangement and he has his great friends to thank for all of that. Nothing stirs up their dorky leader like a chain of much celebrated tsukkomi – even if they came with the best of intentions, the many verbal jabs were nothing less than uncharitable, marked with a splitting sense of acidity! It was quite an exquisite moment – a somewhat paradoxical approach to show how much they care for each other and more importantly, how much Izuru means to every one of them. “You don’t have to fight anymore. Please come back!” – fittingly enough, Kei and her unfailing love for Izuru were front and center in this effort, and I’m so glad the romantic subplot hasn’t been brushed aside just yet. There’s still hope that Kei could eventually emerge as a love interest for Izuru – evidently, he doesn’t see her as anything more than a good friend as of this juncture, but an open-ended conclusion, one where everyone survives, has for sure left me hopeful for an optimistic outcome. Izuru is most fortunate to have such great friends, to be on the receiving end of such profound inspiration and fondness. In return, the pilot of Red 5 is adamant in protecting his comrades – it was a surge of such protective instincts, combined with Izuru’s inherent survival impulse,  that has given rise to the ultimate form of Red 5, an eminently beautiful mecha that boasts a majestic “Wing of Light”!

Not surprisingly, Majestic Prince has gone all out to give us the best of the best in its finale – the ensuing showdown, one that pits Izuru against Jiart, embodies the very definition of an action-packed epic. Majestic Prince has transcended any limitations set by your conventional mecha porn – this is a work of art, a crackerjack of choreographies that has surpassed even the wildest of my imaginations. The soaped-up Red 5 was for certain a big part of the equation and its presence, in and of itself, was quite a marvel to behold – it has a giant pair of wings that takes on both offensive and defense mechanisms, either as a massive beam saber or a force shield to protect itself. Jiart has proven to be stubbornly unyielding – utterly obsessed in hunting down his “lamata” and so impervious that it almost looked like Izuru was fighting a fight that is impossible to win. Jiart had a slight upper hand throughout the entire confrontation and it was only toward the very last moment that Izuru managed to turn the tide – an ingenious bait-and-switch, combined with an effectual powerful pummel, that has finally brought the slugfest to an end! Izuru’s quick thinking has clearly paid off greatly, and even though such bravura almost came at the cost of his own life, there really is no two ways about his accomplishments – Izuru is a true hero and he has completed his mission with both flair and excellence. The Wulgaru portal gate has, indeed, been destroyed, marking the first victory for the humans – but this was in no way a downright defeat for the Wulgaru and it was more akin to a setback in their ongoing advancement. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say there are many questions that remained unresolved, but we do have a clear answer for the most important one – Izuru is alive and all of the Zannen 5 have pretty much emerged unscathed. There wasn’t a distinct sense of closure in the air and the finale seems more like a new beginning than an actual conclusion – one that is optimistic, joyous and full of promise, just the way I had hoped!

Random tidbits:

• “Tatakai, tatakai, tatakai” – Izuru will always be my hero! The last few minutes of this episode almost gave me a heart attack. A fine troll till the very last second – bravo and well played, Majestic Prince!
• A majestic “Wing of Light”! – Red 5’s new feature reminded me somewhat of Gundam Victory’s. Blue 1’s curling blades work as a deflector as well,  just like a lightsaber. It was mecha porn at its very best, fitting for a grand finale!
• “You don’t have to fight anymore. Please come back!” – I’m so glad the romantic subplot hasn’t been shoved aside. Kei is my number-one girl and she is more than deserving of a happy ending. Just get hitched already, damn it!
• “Baka Aho Baka Aho! The manga you draw is horrible!” – Ouch, that must have hurt big-time! Gotta love their tsukkomi combo, it’s how the Zannen 5 show their affection for each other!
• “What’s the name of that Wulgaru bastard? Desert, gelato or tomato?” – Is Ange a girl or a guy? I guess we’ll never find out! A gender-bender till the very end.
• “When this is over, I’m going drink till I drop!” – Reika looks so adorable when she’s embarrassed. I bet that’s how she looks like when she’s in bed with Rin Rin!
• Her eyes exist! Who knew? – there’s more to Yamada Peko than meets the eyes! Anna is definitely in love with Asagi onii chan! Give her a few more years and I’m sure she’ll make an excellent waifu.
• Delivered by the uber-extraordinary Ishikawa Chiaki, the latest insert song, “Sono Gyaku”, is the B-side of Majestic Prince’s first ED – of all the insert songs that have been featured thus far, this one is my probably my favorite! The first OP, “Watashi wa Souzou Suru”, was played during the last few minutes of its finale – very fitting, if I may say so.

tl;dr: @SeishunRC – #MajesticPrince 24: A majestic “Wing of Light”, guiding both the humans and the Wulgaru to a brand new evolutionary path – this was a finale that seems more like a new beginning than an actual conclusion! #Anime
 
Full-length images: 01, 10, 14, 21, 27, 33, 37, 38, 39, 40.

Epilogue:

Not-so Final Impression:

“A new evolutionary path has opened for us” – aptly pointed out by King Galkie himself, the ongoing conflict is far from over, and what we saw in this finale is not anything like your typical conclusion. Majestic Prince has come to a pause at a comma rather than a full stop – the possibilities are endless and the grandeur of its premise lends itself to further exploration, whether it’s the human side of the equation or their alien counterpart who remains a thoroughgoing enigma. To my greatest delight, the entire main cast has managed to survive this latest ordeal – even Commander Simon, the one person who I didn’t expect to pull through, has made it out alive. Simon appears to be right at the center of the mysteries at hand – for starters, he seems to share a certain history with Juria, the much-celebrated creator of the JURIA-system, and presumably, there’s more to their relationship than meets the eyes. His relationship with Teoria also presents a rather fascinating dynamic, not to mention the various intricacies that might emerge from his many genetic experiments. The very question of genetic manipulation and the moral dilemma that surrounds it have never been too far away from the surface – that, combined with the mobilization of child soldiers, has presented quite a controversial subject for Majestic Prince. It is a topic that intrigues me to no end and there’s definitely room for a more elaborate discourse – especially when it comes to the many aggravations that continue to plague the Zannen 5!

This, of course, brings me to the point at issue and the biggest question that remained unresolved is what awaits Team Rabbit after Operation Heaven’s Gate – or perhaps more importantly, how will the “love triangle” evolve from here on out. Kei and Izuru are both alive, and no pessimist out there can convince me otherwise – I would like nothing more than to see a romantic hook-up between those two, and such a conviction has been further reinforced by some of the more recent developments. The romantic subplot has been through quite a big dipper – what started out as a “love pentagon” has slowly but surely evolved into a close-knitted “love triangle”. Izuru is completely oblivious to Kei’s feelings – Kei, on the other hand, hasn’t quite taken notice of Toshikazu’s interest just yet. The current status quo is far from optimal, but an open-ended conclusion does leave us with a slew of possibilities – and I am hoping it’s going to be the one that I have in mind. Then there’s Teoria who continues to be one of the most intriguing element in the mix and there is so much more about her that we have yet to figure out. Her actual screen time has remained somewhat scarce, but Teoria’s very existence is indisputably front and center in all of the commotion that prevails – not least of which is her entanglements with that of both Jiart and Izuru. Speaking of Jiart, the fate of the Wulgaru Prince was pretty much left hanging in midair – I don’t think he has kicked the bucket just yet, but if he is indeed alive, it certainly begs the question of what has become of him. There’s a good chance that he remains stranded in the solar system and if that is the case, I’m sure he’ll be all set to wreak havoc again very soon – no doubt, Jiart is not going to let Izuru off the hook that easily and he probably has some unfinished business with Teoria as well.

This is a finale that is hardly a finale – as contradictory as that sounds, it is a defining feature of the final episode itself. But make no mistake about it – the finale and all of its first twenty three episodes were nothing less than a thrill ride, an action-packed adventure that embodies the very definition of a mecha porn. For those of you who have followed my coverage in the last six months, you should have figured out by now that I hold Majestic Prince is very high regards, both as a character drama and as an action epic. Majestic Prince was decisively panned by many of the anime connoisseurs at the start of its run – but interestingly enough, a good number has since come to change their mind, seeing the series in a decidedly positive light. Their initial concerns, more often than not, surround the widespread usage of CGI – and perhaps more evidently, the character designs by Hirai Hisashi that many seem to have a distinct distaste for. I have found most of the bias and criticism unfounded, and it appears that many of the viewers have eventually come to be of the same mind as well. Majestic Prince features some of the best-looking state-of-the-art CGI – their exquisite animation technique has given rise to the very finest of mecha porn, an eminent feature that has become almost synonymous to Majestic Prince. I have stuck my neck out for the series since the very beginning, even when the entire anime community was working against me – and I am overjoyed to learn that its fanbase has seen a steady-going ascend throughout the entire run! Majestic Prince is a great series and I wouldn’t think twice about recommending it to anyone, whether you’re a fan of the mecha genre or not. It has a little bit of everything for every one of us – romantic entanglements, political intricacies, light-hearted comedies, and most importantly, a whole profusion of mecha porn to keep our adrenaline going. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a second season and if a continuation is, indeed, in the cards, I’ll be more than happy to cover the series here at Random Curiosity – I love Majestic Prince with all my heart and I hope all of you have enjoyed the series as much as I have!

Random tidbits:

• Hello from Tokyo, everyone! I’m currently on the road for work and I apologize for the slight delay in putting up this post. Majestic Prince is the first two-cour series that I have completed as a writer for Random Curiosity – it’s been an amazing six months, both as a blogger and a fan of this series. The vacuum in your mecha souls will not be left bare for too long! The highly anticipated Sunrise epic, Kakumeiki Valvrave, will be making a return in two weeks time!
• Shameless Plug – I’ve just hit my 100^th post for Random Curiosity a few days ago. It feels like it was just yesterday when I made my first anime post, completed my first series and introduced myself to everyone. The journey wouldn’t be as fun or as memorable without my readers – your support and your great comments are what keeps all of us going! I love you guys and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for making this experience such a great one. Domo arigatou gozaimashita!

While it was pretty clear that a few new tricks would not defeat the Sternritter, Kubo does go a bit overboard with Bazz-B, who claims that his flames could stop the Captain Commander himself. This supposedly explains how the Sternritter survived after taking the full brunt of Yamamoto’s fires, but this game of power levels has gone way beyond ridiculous levels. It’s difficult to believe that Bazz-B could have countered the most powerful attack in Soul Society with just his own flames. The fights seem to be quickly devolving into a back and forth card battle with each side pulling out even bigger aces one after the other. Each time one side gains an advantage, the other will reveal their “true power” that is several times more powerful than the previous “true power”.

Right now, its Bazz-B’s fingers of fire and BG9’s fingers of steel that are giving Hitsugaya and Soifon a run for their money. There’s no doubt they are outclassed here (unless they have even more secret techniques), but I think we can look forward to the other characters coming to the rescue with even stronger abilities and stomping a couple of the Sternritter like worthless minions. Then of course, the stronger Sternritter will be forced to “fight for real” as they charge up yet another ultimate attack. If these lower ranking Sternritter officers have such high base strength (they haven’t really used any special quincy abilities or stolen bankai yet), then future fights will be even crazier as the other captains, sternritter, vizards, arrancar show up. How powerful will Kenpachi, Ichigo, Aizen or Yhwach be if we know that they could easily destroy all the characters that are currently fighting?

It’s nice to see a showcase of all the different techniques, but as the power creep gets worse and worse the characters become increasing unbalanced. It’s cool when bad-ass characters pull crap like defeating opponents with one finger, but when everyone is doing it to each other the excitement factor decays significantly. While some of the shinigami like Kyouraku or Kurotsuchi can probably hold their own for a while and maybe even pull off a few victories, we are still likely to see a lot of ass-pull abilities and one-up powers all the way until the final battle, where Ichigo will have to reveals his Final Ultimate Mega-powerful quincy-hollow-shinigami attack that requires sacrificing an entire dimension in order to defeat whoever the true villain is in this series.