Posted by  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
「天叢雲劍」 (Ten Murakumo Tsurugi)
“The Sword of Ama no Murakumo”
I don’t think anyone could’ve mistook the heavy-headed innuendo-laced “resuscitation” of Erica here. The setup with Godou’s extremely convenient “youth” authority that just happened to be what the doctor ordered for the mana (and love) deprived Erica is little more than an excuse for the studio to put out the scene, and the writers themselves certainly didn’t seem bother with any kind of subtlety here; no, rather than that, it almost seemed like they reveled in the parodic nature of Godou’s “make-out” session with Erica, and decided to bring it all the way to the edge of that fine line between ecchi and hentai while they still had the chance. But if they wanted to make me all hot and bothered, I can tell you that the only effect they achieved was to leave me extremely confused and feeling strangely awkward. I honestly didn’t know whether I should be laughing or cringing when the show pulled out phrases like “I can feel your power inside me” while the camera cheekily pans over on some very telling areas. Or when Erica started bleeding from all the “kissing”. Or that the whole thing played out with them in the missionary position. You see what I mean? Completely unsubtle about what it’s trying to be, highly amusing, and awkward as hell. Which I guess just basically describes most borderline-H shows I’ve seen. You really don’t want anyone to be around you when you’re watching this.
Since I’m talking about that particular scene anyway, I want to mention it was hilarious, and pretty facepalm-worthy, how Godou was still in denial of Erica’s feelings when she was literally at death’s door. As I’ve personally found out, there’s actually limit to the denseness viewers can accept! What a surprise! And when the guy still refuses to acknowledge the words of a girl speaking out her dying will, well now, that’s suspension of belief on a level even I can’t quite achieve. I’m just glad she eventually got through to him, or I probably would’ve stopped watching there and then. It reiterates the fact that the point of this arc was to bring into question the dynamics of the harem and Godou’s feelings about it, but the progression of events from last episode is choppy to say the least, and the effect undermined by the gratuitous focus on the physical aspect rather than the emotional aspect of reciprocating Erica’s feelings.
The really ironic bit is that this scene just happens to be the most…interesting (for lack of a better word) few minutes of what amounts to a wholly unremarkable episode. The plot dealing with the Susanoo, the underworld, and Ena being possessed by Ama no Murakamo all felt underwhelming despite the fact that some of the ideas on show here were actually pretty neat. We see an amiable rough god in Susanoo who doesn’t immediately jumps to fight, and we learn that Ena is his descendant, effectively making her a demigod of sorts. However, these are all quickly glossed over in the anime’s rush to wrap up by next episode’s conclusion, and served to make both the ensuing conflict with Murakumo as well as the sudden appearance of the two contrasting Athenas seem tacked on and completely unspectacular. Even the animation team seemed to pick up on this, with the kiss scene having a noticeably improved quality to the animation over the rest of shoddily animated the episode.
Ena probably got the worst of the cuts. There was a strong focus on leading haremette Erica throughout this arc, and the amount of time given to Ena’s characterization is so minimal I honestly had to wonder why she was positioned as a main heroine from the start of the series, when her purpose in the storyline feels little more than being an unwitting damsel in distress with some fanservice to top it off.
I highly doubt the final episode will be enough to salvage the rushed, unenjoyable mess this arc has become, and I can only hope that the show goes out with a spectacle of a fight; that aspect always seems to be where Campione! is best at.
Full-length images: 12, 23, 25, 27, 31, 36.
End Card
 |
The episode was really disturbing to me, as the whole kissing scene and Erica touching her belly(where the first thought that came to my head: did she just get pregnant?). I like the whole mythology that surrounds the anime as I love history and the myths that surround other cultures, plus the harem doesn’t make me cringe. But I felt what was lacking was that Ena did not have enough screen time; a lot of this anime’s plot is condensed and separated, which makes it kind of confusing (which makes me just want to read the light novels because there’s no story to be picked up from the episodes!). I liked Ena because of her power and design, but she barely had any development as she suddenly got possessed by Susano’s weapon, then we’re hit full on with another Athena. In the end, the whole episode is making me rambling on how the anime needs more organization and consistency as I like the concept, but not how the anime was produced.
Apparently the author is an avid Chinese kung fu movies and novel fan, so when he wrote this he had the chi and the imaginary chi storage organ Tanden concept in mind. Tanden is supposely located in the lower abdomen just above the crotch, Shounen’s power is to transfer his champione power from his lower abdomen to her lower abdomen via mouth to mouth transfer, not uncommon in Chinese kung fu novels. I imagine he came up with it while thinking about the books that came after, the monkey king arc
Now that you mention it, if you guys think that scene was over the edge you have to see the kissing scene from volume 7 Great Sage Equaling Heaven, that realyy blew my mind. I want a second season just to see that kissing scene an the awsome battle that follows.
Hase-san, you have read it too? XD
I love that scene! He was changing partners left and right! It’s almost an orgy! XD
Is Great Sage Equaling Heaven an anime? I am getting interested. Is there any short clip video of that kissing scene somewhere?
No Banzemanga-san, Great Sage Equaling Heaven is the name of the seventh Campione! light novel, you could say is the first battle with all of Godou´s wifes against a mighty foe. To some some fans is the greatest battle so far because it involved an alliance between Godou and another two campiones.
Yes of course Moon-san, I always read some of the source material before seing an adaptation, in the case of adaptations from novels I read all of it. I´m a great fan of books no matter the origin or contents, I just love to read a lot. Translated light novels help me practice my english, since I´m venezuelan, and give me a great deal of fun. Right now I´m reading Sword Art Online, Campione! and Gekkou.
Yeah The Monkey King(or Great Sage Equaling Heaven) arc is the best in the series, it also helps that there’s other Championes involve in that fight
Finally the kissing scene I was looking for the whole series. Bravo!
Not only that, it was a perfect animation of the original scene from the light novel. Truly, Bravo!.
Lol dont spoil it for me i just started reading this series
Go out with a bang? I’ve found the Goudou – Erica make-out session hilarious, especially as it was evidently suggested that there was more going on, than TV allowed to portrait…
Ena definitely deserved better, as it was she went from badass fighter to damsel in distress who had to be rescued from own sword!
The 2 Athenas really surprised me (double-deus ex machina?), though this explains who has finished off Perseus few eps ago…
Also, Goudou’s imouto reactions with Athena were comedic gold, on par with “sex” misunderstandings in Horizon!
Athena WILL not join Goudou’s harem team, will she?
This wasn’t slightly NSFW. It was downright NSFW. I thought I was watching hentai….
And by the way, why was Erica rubbing her belly after their clothed intercourse? A little confusing if you ask me, because it almost seemed like they were implying pregnancy (which couldn’t have been possible right?? – they were just kissing after all).
You’ll have to read the novel for the explanation of that or click on the spoiler
Show Spoiler ▼
Some say the way they pull Ena out was a metaphor for Child birth. That would probably also explain the bell petting thing.
I wonder how much we are really supposed to believe that Godou is actually THAT dense, and how much he has simply been afraid of what getting tied down to Erica might mean. I’ve always thought it was more the latter than the former, but that might be more because of what I heave read in the books than the anime itself.
The anime has a different take on what Godou is like concerning his relationship with Erica. The LN started with Erica and Godou being partners for months and Godou fully knows that Erica is ready to die for him and he’s ready to die for her.
They removed it from the Voban fight but when Erica and Liliana stood by his side against Voban, he was supposed to say that if this fails and they die, he’ll go to hell for them. Erica replies that if he’s going to hell, she’ll go as well since it’ll be more fun if they’re together. In the LN, Godou isn’t dense. He’s just a huge liar. Even the author in volume 8 afterword talks about how you can’t trust Godou’s words. His thoughts talk about how his heart has been captured by Erica along along with promising to never say this out loud even if his mouth gets torn.
The anime changed this dynamic and had Godou doubt Erica’s sincerity. He’s still stuck on the mentality he had back in episode 2, that there is no way that a beautiful girl like Erica actually loves him and that she’s just using him because he’s a Campione. When Erica in her dying moments was still thinking about him, her feelings finally got through.
Ena is adorable. I found her little peck with Godou better than the entire Erica/Godou scene.
Indeed. I wish there were more screen time for Ena she deserves more.
I honestly thought the missionary position was just.. awkward… kiss all you want, but unless you’re having sex, why do the missionary?
Nooooo! They removed a couple of characters from the light novels I was really looking forward to seeing animated. Seriously, no glass eye princess? I’m sad.
Well, with this they are really moving away from the light novel’s story. I’m interested to see how they are going to end this. If anything I feel that by adding anime-original plotlines to the original LN’s story they are making it feel more rushed and convoluted.
borderline ecchi scene makes me think Erica is bleeding like a virgin. It is the first time Godou was seriously kissing her, not just being toyed around by her.
So, has “Light Novel Adaptation” become with synonymous with “harem comedy with magical/sci fi powers and a bland everyman protagonist and a tsundere predestined love interest”?
Say that to Horizon, Kokoro connect, and Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
I was actually saying it to Shakugan no Shana, Familiar of Zero, Infinite Stratos, Sword Art Online, Bakemonogatari, I Can’t Play H, Full Metal Panic, GOSICK, The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, Okami-san, Spice and Wolf, Index, Toradora, Aria and the Scarlet Ammo…
So, at least the majority.
Okami-san(Harem?), Spice and Wolf(Holo is Tsundere? Harem?), Bakemonogatari(every man protagonist?you find me a man that’s willing to die for every women he met), SAO(comedy?I think Asuna is Tsun for like 2 episodes).
You said has it become, I think the opposite is starting to happen since just this season, 3 atypical ones appeared, which is more than the past seasons, and I didn’t even count Hyouka since it started last season. I’m not saying it’s not dominated with Harem Rom-coms with fantasy, but it certainly didnt just became this, it simply was from the start
Well, I’ll give you Okami-san, but there are other girls in Spice and Wold after Lawrence and Holo is tsun on occasions. In Bakemono, Araragi is not unique in being willing to die for his woman, especially not in this genre. And you can’t deny that SAO has some comedy elements to it, at least as many as Campione, Shana, and the like have. Also, Hyouka was never a light novel, just a regular novel.
I’m not so sure it actually started that way either, depending on what the first ever anime adapted from a light novel was. I’m aware that I was generalizing about every single light novel adaptation being the same, but I’m not wrong that this is the majority, and one season of more mold breakers than usual is not a clear indication that things will be any different any time soon.
Well, think back, what anime was well known for being a light novel adaptation? It’s Haruhi. I think it’s fair to say Haruhi is what sparked the light novel adaptations as a whole. Shana and FMP are before Haruhi, but if you use 2006 April as a baseline, I think you’ll find a distinct difference in numbers of adaptations. Haruhi fits the types, so in 2006, you got Familiar of Zero, Megadere, both after. 2007 Kaze no Stigma, more Shana and Zero, Rental Magica, Ninomiya Kun 2008 Toradora, Kanokon, Wolf and spice if you want to count it, Index, Fox Deity, Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu…more so on and on
So I’m not debating it’s not the majority, but I think it’s fair to say the dig is about 4 years too late. Though light novel adaptation is just getting out of hand lately
Don’t just count chick that has relatively little screen crushing on the main here and there as a harem because then even One Piece would be harem. Lawrence is not like Kirito who had chicks crushing every episode
I think Hyouka’s debatable, because Hyouka certainly was not written for adults or like a regular novel, and it was published because it won Kodakawa Sneaker’s school novel award, which is for light novels, mystery division. It’s not written entirely as a light novel either, so it was marketed in a weird way.
Ask Kinny to count all the Novels with harem elements or you guys can just do it in the BT website…
And while I agree that harems seems like a staple recently… What’s wrong with harem? I wish Date A Live is harem-mecha(?) too in the true Infinite Stratos style…
Well, the anime industry is just that, an industry. They’re going to go with what works to make money and that just happens to be the formula I mentioned. Which is fine…as long as they can at least change it up from time to time…
Dantalian…
“tsundere predestined love interest” on Index??!!
Wut? Tsundere, you mean Misaka Mikoto? She is mean to be ignored by MC, heck, in the whole series there is ZERO interest from Touma towards and 0 skinship between those 2.
Damn what an insane episode, finally love them showing Gudou’s badass side when he got pissed at Susano dragging him into the astral plane and even challenging him to fight, even causing Susano to back off. Gotta like the fact that he finally acknowledged Erica and didnt want to lose her, and even got really pissed off and finally acting king-like when he said “who the hell do you think you are talking to!”
That kiss was so intense, that it surpassed any hentai kissing scenes.
Godou’s Youth form may have appeared to be extremely convenient and appeared out of nowhere. This was because they removed Verethragna’s characterization and reduced him to a boss whose only function was to be killed in episode 1. As many already know, episode 1 condensed the entire volume 3 into 1 episode so many changes were made.
Verethragna appeared to be a young boy because that was the form he preferred, that of the Youth. During a confrontation with Godou and Erica in the LN, Verethragna was impressed with the duo that he used the power of Domination and Protection on them. He will give them his power of Protection in exchange for the domination of their will. Godou is different in that instead of dominating their will forcibly, he wants them to swear their loyalty to him on their own volition. It’s the difference between a tyrant and a king.
Erica died by suffocation.
I’d like to question the intention of the author by providing doujin artists with lots of room to move on….
Watching it I somehow felt like I was cheated out of an sex scene. xD
Ena was a lot more fun then last episode.
A little strange taht she turned into a damsel in distress this fast, but at least she was a damsel in distress that wasn’t that much in distress.
I thought her “No no, I don’t want to cause too much trouble.” was actually quite funny.
And Athena trolling Goudou sister was very nice too.
Ena and Erica were supposed to finished their duel after Godou gave Erica his protection but it got cut out. It was supposed to be Ena with Susanoo’s power and sword vs Erica with Godou’s protection. Only after Ena lost did Ama no Murakumo go berserk and absorb her since it wanted to continue fighting even though its host’s body was unable to move.
It’s a shame really. We lost out on seeing Erica with new battle clothes and Ena got robbed of screentime.
I was fine with the kissing scene until he pulled her leg up for easy access to the clunge. Then it was like getting an otphj. Fully clothed sexors.
And I don’t think Godou was dense, I think he just feels like he isn’t deserving of any of these bad ass chicks. They are all smarter and in normal form stronger than he is so I think he has a bit of an “I’m not worthy” complex.
bravo, bravo, bravo, bravo
creato
Wow a lot of hate for that kiss! I mean doesn’t everyone toss one leg over the shoulder when they kiss their significant other? That’s like normal right? *crickets* Oh come on, you know you do, everyone here is just so shy here on RC… so cute!
Sure, it was definitely “only” a kiss… down to the bitten lip bleeding – no there is no symbolism here… at all… nothing to watch here, move along!
I would feel better if they have gone full stops and show the proper sex scene like for example in Yosuga no Sora.
Looks like it’s going for anime-original endings. I do like that they used Metis as an idea, though.
Also, the kissing is just as bad in the novel.
Since I’m talking about that particular scene anyway, I want to mention it was hilarious, and pretty facepalm-worthy…
Dude, I was totally face-palming that scene too. In any case, I had pretty mixed feelings about this episode, but I’m glad Godou has finally realized Erica’s feelings for him (got to play the at-death’s-door-to-realize-one’s-feelings-for-the-other card).
As a novel reader, I’m most impressed with this episode.
There are many haters about the kissing scene here.
But! This is the episode most faithful to the novel’s description about the intense kissing scene.
All the previous episodes had their kissing scenes cut short. This episode really brings the novel to life.
If you hate the kissing scene here, too bad you’ll hate the novel. As someone said up there, vol7 kissing scene is ridiculous (though I think it was a bit short :p )
The thing I looked forward to most in this episode was the make-out session.
Though, Godou took forever (it feels like) to kiss her, and making her go through all her words before he actually went for it,even though she was on the verge of “dying.”
To me, romance is the thing I look for most when I’m selecting anime. I’m a huge fan of it (for some reason..) and it just makes your heart pound xD
love love this episode! <3
Excellent post. I’m going through a few of these issues as well..