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「軌跡 reassortment」 (Kiseki)
For a one-hour recap special that added absolutely nothing new from a story standpoint — not even from the small amounts of narration — this felt like a pilot episode more than anything else. Viewing it as such, I dare say it was a pretty darn good one too because it cut out all the irksome developments and simply focused on all the stuff that makes Guilty Crown good. At the same time, it kind made me wonder if this is the anime that the producers had in mind, but for whatever reason, didn’t quite turn out the way they had envisioned. What’s interesting to note is that half of this compilation was dedicated to episodes one and two alone. This may have been because they laid most of the foundation for the story, but it did coincide with how I still feel they’re the best ones to date. The second half succinctly summarized the remaining nine episodes, having taken out most of the disagreeable developments surrounding Shuu.
Now here’s the surprising bit: It was a lot easier to accept Shuu’s actions from being told he was troubled about helping Funeral Parlor and using his friends as weapons than actually seeing it happen in the show, suggesting that something’s up with the screenplay itself. It’s almost as if there’s a huge disparity between the story the writers wanted to tell and the one they ended up telling. Some subtle differences in the delivery here made it seem like I was watching a different series at times — and a better one at that. The music was a lot more prominent and really helped emphasize the emotions behind the scenes that I could actually get behind for a change. Hopefully this compilation is a sign of better things to come in the second half of the series, especially now that the story’s picked up in a big way with Keidou resonating “the rock that started it all”.
* There was no new footage, but I used this opportunity to take screen caps of various scenes that didn’t make it into the final batch of images for each episode, often because there was another image that looked very similar and I felt was better.
* Also, there’s no episode this week. Episode 12 will air in the usual time slot next Thursday.
Creditless ED Sequence
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ED: 「Departures 〜あなたにおくるアイの歌〜」 (Departures ~Anata ni Okuru Ai no Uta~) by EGOIST
Watch the ED!: Streaming ▼
I would have pegged this my biggest disappointment of the year… this and Blood-C.
I’m hoping that it improves… (a reverse from what happened to Ao no Exorcist)…
i dropped this series every week
well, that’s one way to continue a series after a long wait :/
as you’ve been very objective with your posts, I hope the writers will be able to better tell the story they want told. GC’s just too damn pretty to drop when I’m halfway in D:
One can only hope…
This means that we could skip watching this special episode?
Yes, but the bigger implication is that we might’ve been better off skipping the first 11 episodes and just watching this special.
Well, well, well. That’s kind of sad. Only to emphasise the brilliance of the concepts and the poor execution.
Actually, I wonder how exactly does it work out between screen play and writer?
The “guilt” of using your friend was always supposed to be the point of the series, yet I wonder how the writer/screenplay failed to express it. They did express it in away judging by how people doesn’t like Gai (he’s always manipulating Shuu and other FP members without telling them what he is after, or the true significance of Shuu as well as the lost Christmas).
I suppose the problem is that Shuu’s action doesn’t actually affect the host of the void: they literately just go unconscious for a bit (and experience a high in some cases) and most don’t even remember a thing afterwards. For the “guilt” to come through, you really need to show that the host of the void is conscious during the process and felt “violated” by Shuu’s action or at least some side effect (if they choose to keep them conscious during the process).
So I suppose the setting is part to blame for the message not coming through. Though we can’t rule out the writer twisting the setting to his convenience as he come along.
Actually, another way to make this work is to have Shuu learn some secret of the void host after taking the void (like memory share ect.). They are doing it to some extent, as a void shows what a person is.
However, the “secrets” Shuu learnt by taking void need to severely affect the relationship btw Shuu & void host/void host & people around him/her for the worse to have any real impact. None of “them” had these type of impact so far. As a matter of the fact, most of what Shuu learnt from a person’s void helps to improve relationship and understanding so far.
So I suppose the problem is that the setting is really suitable for a very dark series, yet either the writer does not have the gut to do so or the investor doe not want a dark series.
It’s closer to your second idea. The narration in this special said that drawing out someone’s void is akin to peering into their inner secrets against their wishes, hence the guilt. This has been alluded to several times in the show already with talk about how a Void Weapon resembles a person’s personaility.
Yet, without making any serious consequence of the “peering” , the guilt of doing so is hard to relate to.
A possible scenario would be after taking the student council president’s void, Shuu remarked to somebody that she’s insecure inside. That eventually leading a difficult situation for the president and Shuu felt sorry as a result.
Well, as somebody said last week, a half decent English major could pull this off much better than they have.
or maybe they could have done it so that after shuu uses someones void weapon, he gets some kind of vision showing an event or character defining moment for that person after the void weapon is put back into the person or when shuu goes to sleep. or they could have just made it so that every time shuu pulls out a void weapon, an aspect of the person who got their void pulled out is destroyed (i.e. losing interest in a hobby, no longer feeling happy, etc.).
^THAT. That would raise my interest in the show at least 30%.
All that budget wasted on such a poorly-written, by-the-numbers clichefest.
I don’t know what the execs of Production I.G. were thinking when they were approving this. Are these really the same folks that brought us Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex?
I really can’t stress enough the fact that none of the animes since two years ago had been an original concept. Saying cliche right now isn’t really a valid argument.
Ok this show… DROPPED… the only interesting episode was the first…
LOLZ. You certainly took your sweet time. Next time instead of complaining every week how terrible a show is, down voting fans of the show and trying to look smart but instead failing and looking like a prat, quit while you’re ahead.
Since when is disliking a show about being smart? If he hates the show, he hates the show. No one here is giving an opinion to keep up appearances, they just genuinely like or dislike the show.
Maybe you should take your own advice.
@Your MOM Fails too:
Please stop using MY words unless you can back them up. Get a gravatar or GTFO of here…
@Da5id:
First on the attack?
Dude, you don’t get rights to words or phrases. But you’re right, they should be able to back their words up.
Well it feels like he’s mimicking me or he’s trolling: just look at that name.
Anyways while I don’t agree to his execution, I mostly agree with his point. If you really don’t like the show and tend to complain every week, I suggest you stop wasting your time and quit.
If you really want a good style, do it like so….
@Fail Everywhere…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUXoekeDIW8
Lots of people have similar viewpoints. Just because his words sound similar doesn’t mean he’s copying you, just that he agrees with you. And I honestly don’t see any similarity between “Your MOM fails too” and “The Moondoggie”.
As for your point: From what I can tell, and in my own personal opinion, Guilty Crown is starting to fall under the category of “So Bad It’s Good”. That means that it’s attempt at being a serious show is so hilarious, that people keep watching to see how bad it can get, then comment about it. An example of this is the 2003 movie “The Room” by Tommy Wiseau. The movie on it’s own is legendary for it’s bad lines and acting, so much so that, instead of being a bad drama, it ends up being known as a great comedy.
As I said, from what I can tell, this seems to be what people are getting out of Guilty Crown, at least so far.
@Da5id:
I dunno about “So bad it’s good”, but I did notice a rise of positive remarks in other sites, I can’t tell if the two are related. =_=
As for the mimicking part, if I’m mistaken then I’m mistaken. But I did tell off other people the same way, but in a calmer mood. I remember you as one of the people I told off with the same argument.
Well, I haven’t seen any rise in positive comments besides on youtube comments, but yeah, I’d have to say they’re related. In a lot of ways, this show has become most viewers GUILTY pleasure.
…SEE WHAT I JUST DID THERE?
And I don’t remember having that kind of conversation, but that’s probably for the best.
Guilty Crown has been kinda like a badly planned in-class essay. They wrote the introduction well, but once they got into the ‘body’ of the story, it’s like they started to go off topic and added unnecessary and incomprehensible bits because they were rushing and not checking if it made sense or not. They need to plan story before they actually animate. (Measure twice, cut once)
Intro: B+
Body: C
Supporting arguments: C-
Cohesion: C-
On-topic: F
Please see me after class because you are in danger of failing this class.
But teacher! I was busy being friends with terrorists because they believed in me! Believed in me to be a terrorist!
Such a poor excuse won’t work on me Mister! If you keep this up, you will have to repeat this grade. I’ve already contacted your parents, I hope this will convince you to try harder in class.
Oh yeah? Well, then I’ll just have to do this!
*pulls void out*
Sweet, no more homework!
When I heard they gonna air an 1-hour special episode, I’m happy as **** & forgive them for not air the episode on new year..Now…..facepalm….just facepalm…
Now here’s the surprising bit: It was a lot easier to accept Shuu’s actions from being told he was troubled about helping Funeral Parlor and using his friends as weapons than actually seeing it happen in the show, suggesting that something’s up with the screenplay itself.
Then that just makes it sad doesn’t it? If that’s what they were going for, the writers should have opted to portray Shu as someone who was close to other people and genuinely cares for them. Instead he’s portrayed as some whiny selfish brat whose only defining characteristic is his lust for Inori. And yes I’m saying lust because he has yet to show any actual romantic feelings for her. Its not so much a writing fumble as it is falling flat on the face.
For some reason I don’t find this series disappointing. Maybe it’s because I didn’t really expect much going in, or maybe my standards are just lower than most of “you” guys :p but I digress.
I haven’t watched the “special” yet but I’m excited with how everything is panning out.
I was never a fan of Gai and my liking for the underdog pushed me to become a Shu-ist (Shu-fanboy, dunno what to call it). It was still sad watching him die.
I kinda want to call it “Blue Swayed Shoe”.
hmm interesting, why “Blue Swayed Shoe”?
Wordplay.
“Blue” analguous of his perpetual state of mopeyness.
“Swayed” represents his spinelessness. How easily he and his character as a whole can be swung about in any which way Gai or the writers please. (And it’s also a homophone for “Suede”).
And “Shoe” being his nickname, meaning how he simply gets used and how he just lets people walk all over him.
Hence “Blue Swayed Shoe” (Elvis’ hit “Blue Suede Shoes”).
Unless you can present me with a Shu-color pallete shoe, preferably Nike, not funny….
I’m appalled people started thinking Gai’s dead already. True he’s a hateful deceitful git, but I don’t think one half-hearted attack could kill him.
Come on now!
If this was Bleach then yeah, maybe he’d still be alive. Heck after an attack like that he would’ve retaliated immediately. But seeing as he has no supernatural abilities (that I’m aware of) I don’t see how he could survive that attack!
He was still alive the last time we saw him… alive and breathing.
In other news:
Well, It’s a good thing people are starting to get better opinion for this show. For better or for worse, 11.5 retells the story’s more important points from the ground up. With people nitpicking like mad, I feel they made this episode with the intention of removing the nitpicks. A “special episode” for the nitpickers, one might say.
Shooting nitpickers aside, there are times when I would agree, such as Yahiro forgiving Shu and when I was pointed out that, somehow, FP started failing to do things without Shu’s void AFTER they acquired Shu’s help. I don’t know if it’s because the next series of attacks for FP’s campaigns actually DO require Void Weapons after Shu receives them, or because the help they were expecting was obliterated by the killsat, or if it’s because 1/3rds of their force is wiped with that attack to take down the said killsat. My guess would be all of the above.
Still I’m having fun withe the show and actively trying to guess what’s to happen next. People had compared the show with a number of other shows/stories trying to do so, latest being FF7 with Mana being Jenova, Shu as an unsuspecting, traumatized Cloud and Inori being Tiffa and Hare as Aerith(Which just further Hare’s supposedly high mortality-rate).
Definitely in agreement with you here in regards to liking the show. I didn’t come to Guilty Crown with much in the way of expectations and given the sort of reactions I’ve been seeing in the comments from those who might have been expecting the next Macross or Code Geass (the latter of which I didn’t think was that good, anyways), that’s probably been for the best. No, this isn’t the greatest series ever. But I’ve been entertained so far and that’s all I can ask for.
And while I may not especially care for Gai, I’m not counting him down and out just yet.If nothing else, he has some secrets that still need to be divulged before he kicks the bucket.
Hear hear! :p
I don’t care what the others say, because I really like this show.
just because the GC execs believe in the fact that you’ll like the show doesn’t mean you should like it or drag all your other friends into liking it for that matter 😉
Well then with that argument we can also say that just because you hate the show doesn’t mean it’s ok to complain week after week and trying to convince others to hate it too like what you are doing.
Go watch Amagami instead and drop this show if you don’t like it so much.
Actually, he was making a reference to the last episode…Like how Shu got all his friends to come along with him because FP believed in him.
And also, it is okay for him to give his opinion, whether it be positive or negative. Also, his time is his business. If people want to watch the show and complain afterwards, let them.
I feel like I’ve been…trolled for weeks ._. wth?!
Other than that I’ll keep watching since the art work is too damn good to be “Dropped” ._.
I think the biggest reason for everyone’s crippling (no pun intended, Ayase) disappointment with this series would be their exorbitant expectations fueled by the hype.
Taken with a grain of salt and treated with the same sort of neutral ground that one should approach anything, Guilty Crown is actually fairly decent; exceeding in areas like artwork, action, story, and music whereas fumbling about with character and plot development.
I think a major part of the less-than-impressive plot development may be the pacing- it’s too erratic; the spans between the calm and the storm too jarring and seemingly shoe-horned in. It works great as an audience grabber, but quickly becomes gimmicky if done without proper build-up.
And maybe it’s a cultural thing- the wimpy protagonist- that resonates with Japanese audiences but serves only to frustrate Western ones. (After all- they’re featured often enough).
reminds me of sacred seven. i thought S7 would have been good if given enough episodes to form a coherent plot. this show should have enough episodes to have a decent pacing yet it doesn’t, at least for the first half. at the very least we don’t have a 30 foot tall alma standing next to a 3 foot tall ruri
Same for shows like Angel Beats and C: Money of Control and Possibility. Pacing issues. Hype had nothing to do with it.
So in a way GC’s better off making a 2 and a half hr movie out of the first 11 episode? That I want to see…(just like how Macross Frontier’s first half turned into a better movie)
If this special was any indication, probably.
Shouldn’t this be labeled “Guilty Crown – Not-so-Special”?
Anyway.. I sense a good story too. I blame Production I.G for the crappy screenplay. I’m loosing faith in them.. First Blood-C now this? What’s up with that?
Well, studios have their ups and downs. Maybe these are just one of their downs period, but I’ll save the judgment until I see the entire series. Who knows, Guilty Crown might pick up the pace and do a lot better in the second half of the series.
I just really hope the newer episodes are better. I dont want this anime to go to waste cause i do like the animation and the story from the beginning was cool but i feel they need to take a huge notch up and make the series really good.
It’s a New Year, but I really don’t expect the people above to change their views.
And it’s a special, like LE’s episode 9.5. It never did say it’s an OVA or something, so anyone expecting something should only blame themselves. The next episode is actually in January 13.
That said, a recap is a recap. It focuses on more important parts of a plot.
specials are more for the ones that have special themes like maybe a christmas one for this. or show how lost-christmas happened in their past.
really, lots of things they could have done and this is how they made a 1 hour special? nurarihyon no mago had flashback eps in 13 & 26 but those were only in regular time(22 min) whilst this is an hour.
They never said which special though. Id be weird if they had a Christmas special since the whole story revolves Lost CHRISTMAS, and we can’t have the Lost Christmas one as well because it’s the subject of the game.
WOW! viewing this special seemed like watching guilty crown in a whole new perspective… better than the series’ execution at least. I think they should make GC somewhat like the 6 movie series of break blade. I bet it’ll be way much better!
No need to watch this special then since I seen all the episodes. I really have enjoyed GC took me a while to get into the story, but I think the second half will be better.
Guilty Crown is so bad, it’s horrible. It’s so hard to watch, but yet I can’t look away from it. Maybe it’s doing something right and I’m completely unaware of it. I guess its the train wreck syndrome. Well actually, I like the pretty pictures and some insert songs(thanks redjuice and supercell).
There have been comparisons between Shuu and Shinji Ikari, and I can see the similarities. But Shuu is just nowhere as emphathatic. With Shinji, I felt like patting him on the back and telling him it’s all gonna be okay(not really). With Shuu, I feel like punching him in the face and tell him to grow some balls.
The character development on Shuu is just so poorly done. The show has given us no reason why Inori, Hare, and even Ayase have fallen for Shuu. Shuu has done nothing to deserve any of them. Maybe it’s the side effect of using the Power of the Kings? Insta chick magnet?
I think Guilty Crowns writers are just trying too hard to make this another Code Geass. All the plot twists feel too conveniently placed and melodrama is all forced and doesn’t seem natural. Shuu’s main drive and reason for doing anything is because terrorists believe in him… and Inori is hawt. And his friends buy that… gimme a break.
Maybe if the show was more self-aware of its cliche-ness it would be better. More satire and humor maybe. And no, boob groping and slapping Shuu and calling him a perv because you walked in on him naked is not funny. Sometimes I question otaku humor…
Soooo….are you telling me it’s actually better to watch this Special than watching the first 11 episodes?
And yes this is an honest question as I’ve been juggling with the idea if I should watch this series or not because despite the hype, a lot of the issues people have mentioned in past write-ups have made it doubtful for me to get into this. Now if this episodes filters away all the flaws (not to mention puts different parts of the plot in a better light) then is it safe to say that this episode is better for someone to get started on Guilty Crown as a series?
Well, you should wait for it to be subbed first…but yeah, pretty much.
Well if you aren’t too much of a nitpicker like most of the people here, watch the whole thing, then watch the special. If you are then I suggest you just watch the special.
There ARE people that did enjoy watching the whole thing right from the start.
Yes I do enjoy the special…. but if youre gonna watch the special only ..I’m pretty sure your gonna missed some of the lovely OST of GC…
dropped in favor of Amagami SS+… and it usually takes a lot for me to drop a show, I watched blood-C to the end…
guilty clown
When I saw this – “Guilty Crown – Special” – I thought “one hour OMG 8D is the rebirth of this series”, but WTF is this Sh1T. ONE HOUR – A FUC..ING RECAP. When Divine said “skipping the first 11 episodes and just watching this special.” oh man you have the whole fuc..ing reason. This sucks. That’s all. well dropped O_o
HA! Newtype polls last month says Shu’s in the TOP 5 MC picks for that month.
http://blog-imgs-43.fc2.com/y/a/r/yaraon/@@_20120107040750.jpg
Maybe because they see Shuu as themselves? HAHA XD
Yep. You sir are a goddamn racist. GTFO.
Since when is identifying with a fictional character being racist?
@Da5id
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=3937354#post3937354
Leokiko posted this… I track people….
Still not really a race thing…just a stupid comment.
@Da5id
Would you like me to basically hint you that you and your countrymen are emo homos? No, right? Even if it’s a stupid comment, such generalization is just offending.
@leokiko
Please refrain from posting such comments unless you are willing to back it up with everything you got.
I wouldn’t like it, but I wouldn’t hate it either. It really doesn’t matter to me what people say about my country, since it wouldn’t change anything.
Anyway, countries aren’t races, so it’s still not racist.
:-/
Technical…. Meh…. He says “japanese” so…. “National” racism instead?
Well, he’s not really targeting the country itself, just its tastes.
Ugh…fine, it’s racism if you think it is.
@Da5id: Indeed. I’m not a racist. I have many japanese friends in and out of Japan. But the fact that Shuu is in the top 5 shows that they have an awful taste.
That’s only my opinion course, you(moondogie) can think i’m racist if you want. It’s not like I care about what you think of me ^^
stop watching the show if you’re only going to complain / flame every single episode, or some people are just fond of trolling :))
Ryuuzaki made this comment on another show, but it’s probably more appropriate in the case of Episode 12:
Japan sure loves incest, don’t they?
haha eager much?
I still highly doubt that they’re blood related. They just look way too different.
Hahaha, well if GC has done anything right, it has certainly got me rushing to see the next episode, even if it’s only so I can tear it apart later.
But I’ll save my responses for when the post goes up, so I don’t have to copy them over to there.
They didn’t have this on FUNimation’s streaming site unfortunately, so thanks for covering it. Even if it lacked any new footage, the fact that it cut out the “fat” of the series and left it feeling more streamlined and proper is very nice to know. Also, I won’t lie – new screenshots always make my day.