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「メカクシコード」 (Mekakushi Koodo)
“Blindfold Code”
First, a brief overview of what’s happened, for anyone that’s confused.
Momo has met Kido, her polar opposite powerbuddy. After Kido demonstrates her powers, Momo faints. She wakes up in the midst of a group of people who call themselves Mekakushi Dan, or the Blindfold Gang. Here Momo meets Kousuke, Shuuya, and the clumsy Mary, the second of whom can read minds and the last of whom can freeze people in their tracks. It is here that the story merges with episode one as many of the events occurring in episode one are explained here. The insert song used here is called Mekakushi Code (not one of my personal favorites, but it matches the current episode).
With that cleared up, an approach to the actual episode.
Understandably, newcomers right now are going to have lots of questions. Where are these superpowers coming from? How did Mekakushi Dan form in the first place? How can Mary be such a klutz? Unfortunately, not many of these questions will be answered anytime soon, as the upcoming episodes will most likely bring even more questions to the table than answer them.
But as for the questions that do get answered this episode, they well…get answered. Episode three did a good job setting up enough of a backstory to allow viewers to start constructing a stabler framework to view the series through. This episode marks the most significant world-building dialogue of all the episodes thus far, with enough dialogue between relevant parties to actually start formulating the basis for a plot. A plot summed up as: a group of empowered people get together in order to control their powers and find solace in one another’s abnormalities.
However, the show seems to be hinting at something more at this entire power ordeal–that a person’s powers are intrinsically linked with one’s history and personality. Many instances of this have come about already, with both of the Kisaragi siblings (Momo through her traumatic experiences with attention, Shintaro with his isolationist and net-centered nature) and even Kido (who is hinted to have been a very ‘invisible’ person even before her powers became latent) having dropped major hints. This isn’t a new way to explain powers, but at least it provides an interesting backstory for each character to reveal to the audience. Speaking from a veteran’s perspective, we’ll most likely see Kousuke and Mary’s backstory sometime soon, as well as the story of the boy we briefly saw in episode two. For KagePros, it’ll be a guessing game to see which ‘song stories’ end up getting animated in a one cour section considering how many songs there are in total.
I won’t bother repeating the same gripes that I’ve had in the past two episodes here since I’ll sound like a broken record, but most of them still do stand. Production values are only average, the backgrounds are still boring, and the pacing still feels too slow during some segments. The show is picking up steam though–I am really hoping that things get better from here on out. I want to see the backstories of all these characters. I want to see how our omake girl eventually ties in with the powers of Mekakushi Dan. Above all else though, I do want to point out one important thing–the make or break for this series will most likely depend on how well the next episode, Kagerou Days fares.
As one of the most famous, most viewed, and emotionally charged chapters of the Kagerou Project, there is a lot riding on next episode. Given how the music video is able to deliver a significant amount of feelings and plot in just under four minutes, it should be very interesting to see how Jin has re-interpreted this part into an 18 minute segment. Without revealing spoilers, I can assure that anyone on the fence can safely make a judgment about whether this show is right for them or not after seeing episode four. If SHAFT and Jin manage to pull off the next episode with the same emotionally charged power that the original did, everything else before it was just fluff and everything after it is just icing on the cake. However, if they really do screw this one up, there pretty much is no hope for swaying the dissenters. It really is that important.
It will be a difficult task though, since the current pacing and directing style definitely is not matched for what Kagerou Days has to offer. There can’t be a overly lengthy and useless dialogue between the two core characters next episode. There can’t be an awkward attempt at a joke that loses its charm through the average animation and slow pace. It’s going to have to be pure drama, supercharged with meaningful and efficient scripting. It’s going to be a hard task, but I have one last hope in Jin that he has a trick up his sleeve that he hasn’t shown us yet.
Preview
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Omake
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End Card
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Hanakana… Hanakana everywhere.
I hope the next episode is going to be better. It’s one of my favourite song of the series.
Heh, Demolition D would agree with you wholeheartedly. :3
http://youtu.be/NtW_SXe8Cv0?t=1m37s
Also, totally with you–also one of my favorite songs of the series, just ahead of Yobanashi Deceive and Souzou Forest.
Wow. I never knew she was in Sekai Seifuku. Her character’s dialect is just too funny.
It was cool to see how the previous two episodes were brought together here. I’m not sure who will be the definitive protagonist from here on out, though.
There probably won’t be a definitive protagonist. The decentralized nature of the Kagerou Project focuses on a certain set of characters at any given time, but there isn’t one character that appears consistently. The whole of Mekakushi Dan is the ‘focus’ of the show.
i call this episode the redeeming episode for mekaku… forget the art… the story is NOW GETTING EXCITING…
The third episode of Bukkaku City actors was more interesting than the previous few due to perhaps more back story of the situation.
At the very least, things start to look better now.
Come on MEKAKUCITY ACTORS, show me what the no 2 best selling LN is capable of.
Though I would say … the achilles heel of this show is the graphics (which is a problem LN does not have).
The graphics is too artistic for a science student (me) to understand x.x
it’s funny how this is still being shown here and Niskoi isn’t. but w/e just saying shaft just can’t do justice for the two
Mari <3
This episode should pull people back in, but I agree that next episode will make or break this series. I await eagerly/fearfully for next week’s episode. :D/D: (Super confused how to feel for next week)
I wonder who’s going to end up covering the song. THEY BETTER INCLUDE THE SONG! Or else, sadfaces everywhere ;_;
https://randomc.net/image/MEKAKUCITY%20ACTORS/MEKAKUCITY%20ACTORS%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2029.jpg
“Ah… Now episode 1 makes sense….”
Speaking of SHAFT head tilts… Where’s the ball and socket joint in the neck vertebrae?
https://randomc.net/image/MEKAKUCITY%20ACTORS/MEKAKUCITY%20ACTORS%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2018.jpg
Understandably, newcomers right now are going to have lots of questions. Where are these superpowers coming from?
Nope.
How did Mekakushi Dan form in the first place?
Nope.
How can Mary be such a klutz?
Nnnope. None of these questions came to my mind after watching the episode. Guess I’m some wrong kind of a newcomer that has absolutely no expectations for this show. Though thanks to that, I can watch it without thoughts like “This is not how it should’ve been” in the back of my head.
*clap*
It’s so rare to see people accept things at face value without wishing for things to be done one way or another. Or to reiterate clearly, accept things as they are without wanting to change it to better suit themselves.
…Much like the hundreds of complaints about this show and Mahouka for having too much SHAFT style or having incest undertones respectively.
Alright, I’ll admit I should’ve quantified this line with “some”. I have discussed with a good number of people who aren’t familiar with the series what’s going on, and these questions more or less come up out of curiosity. I do appreciate your opinion though @SingerOfW. Thanks for pointing that out.
However, Giorno, way to be passive-aggressive. I do wish you wouldn’t bring in your general complaints about other people’s blogging style here–keep it on-topic about this show and about MY blogging. Provide your counter-opinion plainly, and let’s have a discussion.
Wasn’t a complaint about your blogging style nor about this blog at all, I merely thought that Singer had a good point about viewers seeing things differently and decided to chip in. The sheer amount of complaints on the Mahouka posts as well as on this show on other places just boggles the mind, I’m lost to as what reason people choose to continue something that won’t change for them just to complain about various aspects that are the very foundation of each show. Like the extremely artistic design and lack of focus on mob characters that SHAFT has and the incest undertones of Mahouka which are a heavy part of characterization between the siblings.
I apologize if I’m sidetracking the conversation, but I’m just at a loss due to how unresolved the particular case of people lashing out at Miyuki for being a weak girl and pinning on feminist angles to Mahouka elsewhere and wanted to know what motivates these backward viewers.
I only expressed it here to avoid the backlash from a few strong minded viewers who I also noticed has complaints about both Mahouka and Mekaku City Actors. To me, this wasn’t off on a tangent at least. Either way, don’t feel obliged to reply if you’re going to mention the futility of attempting to get people to just enjoy the show without complaining or picking out flaws and such; this will be my last comment on this matter anyway.
To tell the truth, I’m having similar thoughts on Hitsugi no Chaika this season, so it’s not like I can’t understand where all these invested fans are coming from. There are pros and cons to blogging a show as a fan and as a newbie, and I tend to enjoy these posts the most when it doesn’t match my PoV, so thanks for doing it the way you do, Zanibas.
I just wanna know what powers they have and what are they gonna do with it
Doesn’t make up for the stagnant and boring atmosphere of the first two episodes, but this episode was a hesitant step in the right direction. We now have an understanding (partially) of what is going on and more importantly can now form a link between the characters. Expectations are still low regarding what is to come based upon all the previously standing criticism, but there is a chance for Mekaku to at least turn things around now.
To be honest, I’m absolutely sure that what we want to see from the next episode won’t be showing up. Anyone who’s reading the manga will understand. (._.)
I dunno. It’s been interesting to see how certain elements are being shuffled, omitted, and included, taking from the PVs, manga, and Jin’s perhaps unseen ‘original’ vision. I’m still hoping that we get something different here that really captures what the project is popular for.
Then again, Kagerou Days is placed pretty far in the manga, so who knows what’ll happen. :S
3 episode rule has come in to effect aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand dropped.
Sorry Shaft and whoever came up with the idea of this but it’s just not for me. It might be great in it’s LN form and whatnot, but animated? Nope. Just not for me.
The point that ruined this episode is the idea that the events here could have fit into one episode, sort of like a Durarara plot coming together into one event.
That way they could have briskly introduced the characters and developed them in a way where Episode 2 might have been interesting. But I don’t care much for the rest of the characters, except maybe Kido.
The pacing just sucks.
Slightly off topic but I really like the opening. Dunno.
Kido’s power only hides those within a close proximity of her (according to the manga at least, not sure about LN). Having Momo running around unnoticed, far away from Kido, for the sake of making the scene cool just killed the whole thing.
I thought Momo was running around to focus the people’s attention to her so that they’ll know where the distractions should occur..?
…if you did read the manga, or actually watched the anime closely, they were using the moment when shintaro basically angered the terrorists to run around.
and then they started pushing down all those aisles to further distract them for momo and mary to do their trick.
I do admit that it was sort of done poorly, they ought to have some of those guys running around instead of standing still to show their panic and being distracted.
All these characters have some kind of annoying quality to them. I must keep watching it though because of SHAFT.
Something about this episode felt a bit off to me. I enjoyed the character interactions, but some of their characterizations in comparison to their manga counterparts were off. This was especially in the case of Marry, who seemed a lot more snarkier and pouty than in the manga. In other words a many of the characters are just lacking that certain sensitivity, or restraint which makes it harder for me to empathize with them. Hopefully this will change as the series goes forward. However it was cool how everything from this episode tied together in the first episode and I am curious about how this series will adapt the net chapter of the manga. By the way, is this going to be a 13 episode series, or a 24 episode series??
12, unfortunately. I’m really scared at how they’re going to resolve this in the end.
You’re not alone in this–the end is also my biggest worry. :^(
Is there a reason why mail is maill? Yes, I am a Grammar Nazi and we served Father English.
Dunno, but the purple reminds me of Yahoo!’s mail app.