Posted by OP Sequence
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OP: 「Flashback」 by KenKen and Miyavi
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「㐧壱刻」 ( Daiichi Koku)
“The First Moment”
The initial description of Kokkoku breaks down what this first episode is about, but it makes much more sense seeing it in action. Kokkoku is a fascinating urban fantasy story that explores a particular family’s relationship with the supernatural, and their ability to stop time. Kokkoku sets up its story well as the first half of the premiere tells us about Juri, her motivations for wanting to find a job in the city as a suburban girl in her twenties who’s surrounded by other family members that are either retired, laid-off, or NEET. It works to make Juri relatable and give us some background on what her family life is like just in time for there to be conflict as her shut-in brother Tsubasa is ransomed along with his little brother Makoto. You would think that there would be a tragic stand-off with knives, money exchanges, and murder…
But then Jiisan tells everyone to shut their faces and touch his Stone. After they comply, he calls forth spirits and halts time. They can just waltz over and return Tsubasa and Makoto back home. Case closed, right? Wrong! As with any good sci-fi action series, there has to be someone else with this power. Jiisan hints about how people who have come across this power never use it sparingly, and are always out to abuse it, whether it’s for theft or perversions. In this case, a man named Junji with the same powers orchestrates the hostage situation as a front to ensnare the Yukawa family in a trap. How will the Yukawa family use the Herald spirit to free Makoto?
As a first episode, Kokkoku introduces its mechanics and characters in an efficient way that gives you just enough information to go off of to familiarize yourself with the Yukawa’s, build an attachment to Juri and her experiences, and wonder what will happen next within the confines of this new world where stopping time is within the realm of possibility for our protagonists, antagonists, and those in-between. It helps that Juri is an interesting character herself with her reliability on top of how her memories picked up a past experience where she once took part in Jiisan’s Stone ritual as a young girl. Even more fascinating will be how we factor in the powers Juri has in addition to her family’s time stoppage ability as she was this close to summoning a Herald on the frozen goons for holding Makoto hostage. If she also called on the Herald that showed up at the end of the episode, it’ll be neat to see where the show goes with this as it has potential for bringing awesome fights out of the series.
One more important detail of note is how impressive the OP/ED of the anime are. The OP sequence itself isn’t too jaw-dropping, but “Flashback” brings out a nice, stylish flair to the sequence that does justice to the show even if the content itself isn’t as flashy. The ED is structured in the reverse as the song “Asayake to Nettaigyo” is a mellow tune, but the sequence’s bright colors and cheeky fanservice give it a personality of its own. It reminds me a little of how Blood+‘s OP/ED segments had a certain coolness to them that set a great tone of the episode whether it was eventful or slow.
Regardless, Kokkoku is playing it safe so far by sticking with the basic elements of the Yukawa’s supernatural affiliation, but in the process, it creates a lot of promise with how engaging the plot is, laying out the framework of how stopping time works within the universe, and what the rest of the story can entail knowing that the Yukawa family has made some enemies that Juri could possibly face in the future. Next time, we’ll be able to see how the other girl from the ED, Shouko, factors into the storyline. And now that Amazon Prime did away with their Anime Strike subscription bundle, keeping up with it the wholesome way has gotten slightly easier!
ED Sequence
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ED: 「朝焼けと熱帯魚」 (Asayake to Nettaigyo) by Boku no Lyric no Bouyomi
Preview
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End Card
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Good opening, good cliff-hanger — and quite the ending sequence.
So I wonder if this is going to be a story about the stone that can
stop time, or about Juri as a coming of age – amazing family secret?
The narrative hints that this is the 2nd time they used the stone;
there are so many well laid questions in this episode – only the
grandfather can teleport (although not well enough to actually escape).
Like my jumbled thought process, we’re thrown so much stuff, but it
seems like it’ll all come together and make sense. I like it!
See where this thing goes..
It was very effective in introducing a ton of information at once without it feeling like an infodump, and having the cast approach this new info naturally. The grandfather introduced the concepts of the world in a way that wouldn’t feel out-of-place for an average old guy to explain, how well-versed yet rusty he is with his powers, and how Juri is still adjusting to how the mechanics work with her only clue being a vague memory her previous experience with the stone.
Wow. Now that’s how you premiere a new anime! I am properly hooked and really interested in the world building for this series…and better yet – NO KIDS!!! I found the ending sequence with the fanservice woman out of place but hey…Definitely will be sticking around for this one.
I like how most of the cast is much older save for Makoto, and how our perspective in the series is through older characters. The group dynamic between Juri, her dad, and her grandfather was also neat given how the family is presented as flawed, but ordinary, so alot of the banter between the three is trying to hash out how any of it works as the grandfather tries his best to explain everything in layman’s terms since it might’ve been a while since he’s dusted off the stone.
I’m assuming the ED sequence is by Yasuomi Umetsu, but sorry to say that the rest of it I found pretty forgettable.
It is. And damn, how I hate his character designs. It turned me off from Wizard Barristers and it stopped me from watching Isuca (even though it was only ED it served as the last nail in the coffin for this supposedly not that good show). Hope he will work as animator and stay away from making every damn woman looking not only ugly but almost the same. Terrible.
Wizard Barristers? More like Wizard Embarrasseders, and yes, fair comment about Umetsu’s samefaces. I happen to like them, but they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. And not that it’s an excuse, but he’s not the only artist with a sameface issue, Yoshitomi Akihito and even Asano Inio (to an extent) are others that immediately spring to mind.
remembers me of the Girl from “Kite” too
The source manga is complete at 8 volumes.
Here’s to a full adaptation.
With Inuyashiki being able to adapt the finished manga til the end, it is reassuring to see that the Kokkoku anime might be able to reach its end without having to make up an ending or cut the story short.
Oh man, this was an exceptionally well done premiere.
I won’t get too hype because I’ve been burned by personally unknown properties (looking at you Ga-Rei Zero, Tokyo ESP) shocking me with awesome premiere episodes but only letting me down within the next couple of episodes.
Regardless of my hesitation, I thought this was an almost perfect episode, nothing felt unnecessary or pointless, it all lead to the climax.
And I adored the father asking about the physics and science of the powers, like how they can still breathe and exist while time is stopped. We never got an answer of course, but it’s always fun to hear someone at least question logic as the viewer would. I’ve got my eye on Kokkoku, let’s continue this thrilling ride throughout your entire run.
(Oh yeah, that OP, glorious!)
Does anyone else feel like a resemblance to Mezzo Forte or Mezzo DSA? The MC especially and the style of the punks.
Just read back a few posts for the answer.
Yes, also Kite
What a marvellous premiere. I quite like the fact that the grandpa first tried to pay ransom instead of doing something crazy. His priority is clear.
Who drew the end card? It’s very ACCA-13.
You guessed right. It’s Ono Natsume, the author of the original manga of ACCA.
– For Adults
– OP remind me a little of Gangsters in LSD Color rush mode
– this Episode mas many yakuza “muscles”
– still a bit mysteries. Looks like this Timestop “magic” can be abused for the bad and the “rulers” of this World do not like that.. My guts feeling.. some users want to kill these Rulers to full exploit then for themselves. Something like Good and Bad in this Aegis? World
– of course with this Timestop ability you can abuse it for crimes and such.. but also you can save life… like they show it with this Bike lady and this Car driver, right at the beginning
– so my guts tells me.. Good vs Bad in the World of Timestop.. Some want to use it for the good, some for the bad.. and the bad ones need to kill the Guardians
– Curious level raised. But lets see.. 1/3 passed
– also the Time Stop users Emotion inside this Aegis are the key of summoning them.. Thats because the other “Yakuza” leaders? where just standing there without emotion.
i wonder what happen if some user has very happy feelings…
Yep, all “sucked” out from this episode and experience
For a show with such a serious premise and story the transition into an ED full of so much blatant service was just way too jarring.
IM IN LOOOOVE with the KOKKOKU!!!!
sorry didnt even watch yet…had to do it
https://randomc.net/image/Kokkoku/Kokkoku%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2005.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Kokkoku/Kokkoku%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Kokkoku/Kokkoku%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Kokkoku/Kokkoku%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
Wow! I have to say i’m very impressed with this episode! That opening has got to be one of my favorite anime openings ever. As for the plot, it’s very intriguing! as soon as I heard that this was a mystery, I wanted to give it a shot and I am so glad I did. I truly believe this season is going to be good. I’ve been away from anime for quite a couple of years but i’m so glad that I started getting into it again this season. Personally I believe that with, Kokkoku, Violet Evergreen, Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card (which my inner child is stoked about), plus Junji Ito the Collection and Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san who hold potential = we are spoiled for choice!
I truly can’t wait what this season has in store for us!
Ep 02:
Uhm, the Pendulum turn into the negative side..
Do only the Grandpa know about this world and all others are just first time there and through “legends”? come on