First Impressions / Mirai Nikki

「リセット」 (Risetto)
“Reset”

I can already see that this episode has caused probably the widest rift yet among the viewers – both manga readers and anime-only alike.

To the former group, I would make this argument in defense of episode 25 – an anime is not a manga. Maybe it’s because we’re so close on the heels of Another going off the rails in the last two eps and folks are sensitive about it, but the turn towards action in the penultimate episode of Mirai Nikki is very different in my view. In the first place, there’s plenty of action at this stage in the manga, too – it’s just fleshed-out and much punchier in the anime (and for me, that’s good). And to the second group, all I can say is – trust me, this is not another Another. This is faithful to the spirit of the original, even if it’s turned up to eleven.

If you can’t tell, this episode totally worked for me. It felt like it lasted about five minutes (always a good sign) and I found this omake to be one of the funniest and most relevant so far. How you feel about the ending itself is one question – I’d advise new viewers to wait until after next week to decide – but in terms of execution, I’m a very happy manga reader. An anime adaptation should be about keeping the spirit of a manga alive but making it better, more alive. There were times during the first cour where I wistfully wished someone like Production I.G. or ufotable had done this, so the visuals would have been flashier and smoother. But I’ve lately come to think that Asread was a good choice because, at heart, Mirai Nikki is a great trashy comic book. I like that this anime is obviously low-rent, but stylish and fantastical – a guerilla animation rather than a massive army endeavor. I think the visuals this week were terrific, because it really looked like a manga come to life on the screen. I liked Murumuru’s unsealed form, which is used much more extensively here than in the manga – again, an anime has to be different from a manga for it to work.

I’ve debated how much to talk about the nuts & bolts of the story here – what I really wish is that there were a good Mirai Nikki timeline somewhere I could link to, because trying to explain that stuff is not my preferred method of blogging. As a manga reader it’s hard for me to tell how coherently this is coming off, but it seems as though it’s making as much sense as something so convoluted could possible make. You need to know that there are three worlds that exist for dramatic purposes, and how the characters we’re currently watching fit into those worlds. Basically, Yuno #1 and Yuki #2 are the main protagonists of the story, though both are in World #3 (along with Minene #2, though as a Demi-Goddess I think the distinction is somewhat meaningless in her case). Of course, then there’s the special “world” (Why Rei, why?) that Yuno #1 – who has already won her survival game, though it brought her no satisfaction – created for Yuki #2 in a moment of compassion. I don’t consider that a true world, since it only exists as a bubble around Yukiteru – but we’re getting way too technical here.

Indeed, it strikes me that Mirai Nikki acts almost as a deconstruction – or at least a satire – of the sci-fi/fantasy genres of anime. Basically Esuno-sensei has taken everything fans rail against in those shows – dead characters coming back to life, “reset buttons”, divine power-ups – and made them the heart of his plot. Hell, he’s even taken the dreaded Deux ex Machina and put it in the hands of – “Deus ex Machina”! Make no mistake, he’s winking at us here – and for me it works, because all of those unforgivable plotquakes make perfect sense in Future Diary. And not just sense, but the story couldn’t even exist without them. That’s the true genius of this construction, though I suspect a lot of readers probably cared a lot less about that than the more superficial pleasures the series offers.

And make no mistake, there are many of those. I think we have possibly our most profound character moment of the series in this episode, when Yuno #1 says to “Yukkii”, “I would have loved anyone as long as I became dependent on them. And you would have loved anyone as long as she protected you.” In that phrase Yuno sums up the whole twisted, dysfunctional yet oddly poignant nature of the Yukitero/Yuno relationship (and a good many real-world ones too). In a sense it’s an almost selfless and mature Yuno speaking those words – I mean, given that she’s about to go off killing people again – and at the very least, one who’s gained a sort of perverse sense of perspective through her trials. She’s doing what she sees as a kindness for this Yukkii, though he obviously can’t accept it as such. I also thought the moment when Yuno #3’s father arrived home full of concern for his daughter (playing up a distinct difference between the worlds) was superbly done – Yuno has a true catch-in-the-throat moment when she realizes this man truly loves her counterpart in this world – and then when he notices something isn’t right, she immediately stabs him. Yuno herself comments on the paradox of her nature at the start of the episode, and it’s what makes her such a fascinating and disturbing (and I would argue, unique) character.

Well, my guess is you’re going to either love or hate this episode for all the above reasons. I think it still feels like Mirai Nikki, so I love it – even the breathless excitement of the steel cage tag-team match between Yuno/Murmur and Yukiteru/Minene. I think the emotional moments here work because they’re well-earned – Minene refusing to abandon her little “Dipshit” Yuki and fulfilling her promise to Fourth, Yukiteru’s “reunion” with his parents and breakdown when his mind couldn’t process it… These moments are true to character in my opinion and that gives them a punch they would otherwise lack. For all the cleverness of the plot and the commentary behind it, none of this would work if the characters couldn’t carry the story. I feel more optimistic than ever that Asread understand Mirai Nikki well enough to pull off the ending as Esuno intended it. From there, it’s going to be up to you.

Omake

85 Comments

  4. true confession: everything has been REALLY confusing, starting episode #23 for me. it’s basically, “I get it, but I don’t” and “Should I just go read the manga, then???” and “wtf?!?!?”

    kethy-chan
    Reply

    1. I think the true question for you would be “Do I grasp the concept of time travel and paradoxes?”

      Cause if you do, you might have a chance to understand this in the end.

      info600
      Reply

      1. @ Infow — while the concept of time travel and paradoxes does make sense (when you travel in time, it’s best you don’t meet your double, and if you do, one of you needs to “go”), given that she’s “won” in World #2, why not just stay with Yukiteru and die together? Why the need to go through the whole trouble of getting him to fear/trust/love her for the 3rd time !?!

        @ Donyo — off I go to read the manga !

        kethy-chan
        Reply

      2. Oh, with regards to Yuno’s motives, they were pretty fleshed out in the last few episodes, but now she has to face just how skewed her world perspective and motivations are.

        Yuno isn’t stupid; she knows that the world will end no matter what when Deus dies, and she knows that someone has to keep the world going, or that’s the end of it all. Rather than just dying along with Yukiteru, she instead faked death and tried bringing him back to life, which didn’t work out and lead to this second game. Over and over in the series, she keeps saying, “I’m happy enough,” but whenever she says this, Yukiteru calls her on it and once even replies, “But don’t you want to be even happier?”

        The thing is, she does. She wants to have a loving family, she wants to grow up and get married, she wants to have a happy life. Fundamentally, her desires are no different from Yukiteru’s. But after suffering through her mother’s abuse, and learning that the survival game would tear her from the only thing she had left (Yukiteru), she decides that she has two options: either let Yukiteru kill her and resign herself to being “happy enough” or win the game, go back in time to spend a few more months with Yukiteru, and repeat this indefinitely.

        To this end, we see her try to convince herself that the people of the third timeline don’t matter to her and are simply pawns that will end up being killed anyways, but as this episode shows, she has to face the fact that the world isn’t as worthless and loveless as she’s been seeing it.

        Donyo
        Reply

    2. If you’re really having trouble following the storyline, then either rewatch the episodes again or read the corresponding chapters in the manga (around 50-57) and the side-story Paradox.

      The anime did a good job of pulling the punch with Yuno being from a different timeline, but the manga really beats you over the head with it with all of the blatant hinting that it throws at its audience. Can’t say Esuno didn’t pull it out of nowhere, because he stuck it in front of everyone’s face.

      Donyo
      Reply

      1. thanks for the latest input ! I’m slowly reading the last chapters now and I guess my main confusion comes with why “Our Yuno” is called the 2nd, whereas according to my understanding, she’s the 1st Yuno that leapt in time and killed the 2nd “new” Yuno… either way, it’s nice of you to have explained there rest to me ! <3

        kethy-chan
        Reply

    1. Well, in the fight scenes, people are rushing across the entire screen, back and forth, punching and kicking. There’s no point to use high-res character images because the characters are constantly moving. You’re not getting a good look at them while they’re fighting, outside of screencaps, of course.

      Bass.EXE
      Reply

  6. >Why Rei, why?

    Uh, sorry, but I don’t get it. Are you talking about Reisuke?

    I liked the episode, though it’s been a while since I read the manga chapter.

    I was actually planning to check out “Another”. If I understood correctly, the last eps. are completely unlike the rest of the show?

    boingman
    Reply

  7. Here’s what I posted on another blog last week, in response to someone who claimed that contra jumping the shark, Mirai Nikki IS the shark:

    Succinctly put. Mirai Nikki both transcends and subverts the dreaded enemies of all logical narratives: plot holes with self-aware deus ex machinas. Most critics fail to see this, that in its sheer madcap energy and wall-to-wall insanity the show absorbs every fatal flaw and blows them to smithereens.

    Then again… imagine if a superior studio like Shaft or Gainax adapted the source material? Would that blow my description to smithereens as well? 😉

    Zammael
    Reply

    1. Mirai Nikki is definitely all about going big and throwing narrative out the window. That said, it’s this very approach that lays down Mirai Nikki’s structure and makes it so fun to watch.

      I don’t want Shaft to lay a finger on this show. And while normally I’d be great with Gainax, they’ve been slacking lately too, but now I’m just waiting to see how Medaka Box will turn out. Asread is okay, and they’ve done a lot with what they’ve been given. They’re not as polished in terms of animation, but for the most part I really like what they’ve done here.

      Donyo
      Reply

      1. What other studios do you think would do a better job than Asread? & why?

        I actually had been reading the manga after each episode, but since episode 23, I held off reading the manga altogether. Normally I don’t blog anime, just hardcore philosophical stuff, but I might be inclined to do a review of Mirai Nikki. 🙂

        Zammael
        Reply

      2. Actually, I’m really curious as to what White Fox or Bones would do if they were given this series, given they can really adapt good material when it’s given to them and their production values tend to be consistently high.

        Mirai Nikki always feels like a B Movie anyways so Asread was probably the best fit here.

        And I think that after watching Ga Rei -Zero- back when it first aired I decided privately that Asread wouldn’t have been a bad choice for this adaptation… It bugs me that people cited Shuffle as their main source of concern for Asread adapting this when most of the same staff worked on Ga Rei -Zero-, which is much more similar to Mirai Nikki, and came out just fine.

        Donyo
        Reply

    2. So it doesn’t fall victim to its flaws, it embraces them. Whether they are blown to smithereens is subject to viewer preference, but they are incorporated into the production’s core nonetheless. Yes, Mirai Nikki didn’t jump the shark — Mirai Nikki IS the shark, in every sense of the term but the literal.

      You might also be on to something in implying an under-recognized kinship between a specific studio’s production style and the mangaka’s vision. When both align, magic happens. If you can call it that.

      hoiut
      Reply

      1. Solid point, Houit. IMO, the best combination of studio and mangaka is an organic one (Sadamoto & Gainax) while Asread is a rare exception.

        Also, thanks for the comments on my blog. Will address them by tonight.

        Zammael
        Reply

  9. Guardian Enzo during the review you said that Yuno killed third world Yuno’s father but the mother tells fourth that Yuno and her husband are missing and the medics told the mother he was injured so it is not confirmed that he is dead yet, right?

    Yukiteru’s mother her hair was shorter or did I just look wrong at her.

    Also it was Nice to see al the other diary leners and a couple of then are probably important like fourth who is taking Nishijima to the school. Alsi sixth, what was going on with that old man that was with her last week.. Also eigth, who does she get an important call from? Then eleventh the creator of the game, will he do something? I am waiting for Akise to return. I wonder if fourth really listened to Ninth about his son and will we see more ninthxnishijima? A lot of things are still not answered but we will see that next week

    santino
    Reply

    2. From what I understood, it seemes Eleventh was the one calling Eight. After all, the orphan tells Eight that it’s a call from a “very important person”, and it immediately switched to Eleventh’s cameo, aka The Mayor, where his assistant is holding his phone right next to his ear…

      Justinnnnnn
      Reply

    3. her hair is definitely shorter. after all, the only time Yuki would be in that sort of setting would have been before the divorce. the divorce was awhile ago, so her hair would have been shorter back then if she hadn’t cut it since.

      nn
      Reply

  11. It had some nice moments…

    It was a good episode, no doubt about that. If only the rest of the series could have been graced with this week’s animation, or (more importantly) a good flow and narrative like we just did.

    Murumuru with Minene’s arm was definetly the best shot in this episode 🙂

    I find it odd that they’re bringing the funny omakes now, with all this tension rising to the climax :/ I would have rather used that time to better develop some Diary Owners’ episodes and don’t have them die off as randomly as they all did.

    12th’s cameo The moment where all diary owners had a cameo was the highlight here. Minene’s sudden call to 4th was a nice addition too (maybe his son doesn’t suffer a heart attack here though, lol). I hope they do have a role next episode, or the time given to them here will not ultimately add up to much…

    Justinnnnnn
    Reply

    2. “I find it odd that they’re bringing the funny omakes now, with all this tension rising to the climax :/ I would have rather used that time to better develop some Diary Owners’ episodes and don’t have them die off as randomly as they all did.”

      I was complaining about that the entire time.

      KoroshiyaKi
      Reply

      1. The only thing I’m still miffed about is the stuff cut from Minene’s storyline and her relationship with Nishijima during Eleventh’s arc. That really should have been more nuanced and adding in extra flashback material early on from Mosaic isn’t enough to make up for it.

        Donyo
        Reply

  12. As far as I noticed, this episode only diverged from the manga in the sense that there were a bunch of extra scenes to help flesh out the arc’s major events more, especially action scenes. I didn’t notice any departure from any of the manga’s major plot points, though. It seemed to me like the story, in essence, remained pretty much the same- the only thing that was different was that the bone had more meat on it this time round…I could be wrong; it’s been awhile since I read the manga, after all, but I don’t think I am- correct me if I am…

    Zen
    Reply

    1. Well, she carries a trumpet, so maybe she’s Gideon, who led an small army for God and defeated a much larger force by blowing trumpets and using torches in clay pots to make it seem as if they were a much larger force than they truly were. Small, but deadly?

      Guardian Enzo
      Reply

      1. @Guardian Enzo

        Interesting hypothesis, but Gideon sought not the demise of God. While Murmur seemed like she couldn’t wait for Deus to get off his throne- unless… The Murmur we see and the one who served Deus were different? Did this one serve Yuno since the beginning on world #2? Hm…

        And I also half expected Murmur to transform into some sort of inter dimensional beast- not to say she wasn’t a little beast, hahah…

        Anomalous
        Reply

  14. well well look indeed after all this yea wonder what will happen next?

    yea yuno looking half moon goes red blood then back to regular now wonder to do.
    give murmur now let go after both yuki & 9th with yuno bit confuse right now.
    then ambulance arrive oh 3rd world yuno’s dad notice something different about yuno.
    cue yuno stab 3rd’s world yuno’s dad & murmur don’t change history.
    9th going you got be kidding cause yuki want save both yunos so drop them at school.
    yuki carry 3rd yuno & hid her cue yuno & murmur attacks on yuki.
    while 9th make call about a kid heart to “someone” notice the attack.
    yuki dodge all murmur attacks & balloons bombs give got hit by debris.
    yuno notice yuki got hurt & more confuse what to do.
    yuki see yuno & murmur go charge give dodge the ball then knife but still ok give it was thrown.
    yuki grab yuno & 9th battle with murmur all high flying fighting horn blasting etc.
    yuno notice it all mine cue big ball drop on yuki with yuno all laughing.
    meanwhile 3rd world cop Kurusu talking with a female about missing daughter.
    then got a “call” about his son heart then hear news of boom grab a “rookie” to check.
    oh random cameo of all other 3rd world dairy owners notice the booms.
    yuki see his parents together, jacket, darts, birds, etc.
    cause yuki is yuno’s ball of desire of all thing yuki want but no yuno & can’t say yuno.
    yuno saying some things that bother her & love yuki but don’t want go back 2nd world.
    cue there only can be one rule it all & etc saying.
    oh it’s female who lookalike yuki’s mom who want to “do it” with yuki.
    yuki panic cue yuno lock the ball of yuki of his desire so yuno can get 3rd yuki.
    yuno & 9th have some saying 9th to charge & cue UNLEASH THE MURMUR.
    yes a wild murmur appear got fully hulk smash on 9th.
    meanwhile yuki being tempt by world of his desire mention a dream to his parents.
    about survival game & a “strange girl” & a crying tear coming down.
    9th all beaten up being hold by yuno with wild red eyes murmur then drop the 9th & now see her 3rd world version.

    oh murmur extra
    yea panic seeing about yuno & 3rd world yuno’s dad so murmur doing make yuno small but shrank yuno that strike one.
    try again but strike two make a yuno a baby.
    3rd time well let say make yuno get “flat” & cue murmur head smash wall strike-out.

    indeed with all just happen how will all wrap-up?

    MAR-KLAC-VELOUS DE-KLAC-CADE
    Reply

    1. alright who been pulling lots of boo thumb on me?

      give hey i feel bit like got bit hurt on give way i said about the eps seem like hey give i did my best to describe it.

      really one ep lefy yea it’s all or nothing time

      MAR-KLAC-VELOUS DE-KLAC-CADE
      Reply

      1. Very well explained post, you have there. I think the thumbs down might have to do with “how” you wrote your comment… it’s just extremely hard to read, for some odd reason. it almost hurts the eyes…
        But again, kudos for the explanation.

        Kethy-chan
        Reply

      2. oh i think also another reason i keep getting those boo thumb is that cause i might make too revealing?!

        besides i don’t know have spoiler tags in the random curiosity place anyone know how cause i saw finale soon going mention it.

        MAR-KLAC-VELOUS DE-KLAC-CADE
        Reply

  16. I liked this episode, it never occurred to me that people considered it “un-Mirai Nikki” like, it semeed perfectly connected with the rest of the show to me. Maybe its because I’ve only watched the anime that I see it like that though. Well only one more episode to go!

    xephx
    Reply

    1. Ninth is always taking some form of punishment. Looking at the amount of times she’s had to go through all the beatings and loss that she deals with, I can’t help but wonder if the author is implicitly making this some kind of atonement for all her past terrorism; if so then damn.

      Donyo
      Reply

  24. And we’re set for one helluva finale >). Please, oh please, oh please. Let that not be the last of Minene we see >.<…

    Also, Dammit Yuki Man up and get your sorry butt out of that dream world D:.

    KumaKaori
    Reply

  25. Well, that just took a left turn and became completely snooker loopy. That whole fight just seemed so random and over the top, even for Mirai Nikki.

    The omake was hilarious though, especially with Murmur’s literary girl faces.

    baltar
    Reply

  26. Second what you said @Benigmatica and @baltar.

    When I saw Murumuru’s release that was a big WTF moment for me. Really- a glowing eyed super troll? I have no clue whether she was that way in the book or not- but that was such a radical departure from what the series has been to this point. Demon or not there hasn’t been an inkling of anything “supernatural” e.g. Demons in terms of theology.

    I hope this can be rehabilitated next episode because that was an absolute turnoff and pissed me off more than anything. I’m not afraid of this turning in to “Another”. I’m afraid of this turning into ME3.

    Banana Furikake
    Reply

      2. To add it’s a little more difficult for someone who hasn’t read the manga to go from むるむる to Murmur since there hasn’t been any context. Sure it works if there were archangels or analogies to hell but there haven’t been. Don’t get me wrong, I love the series and have been looking forward to every single episode but this was seriously out of left field- even for an intellectual who has a fairly liberal view on the willing suspension of disbelief.

        Banana Furikake
        Reply

    2. “Demon or not there hasn’t been an inkling of anything “supernatural” e.g. Demons in terms of theology.”

      Huh? You do realize that every single one of the players (Yukiteru, Yuno, etc) are named after Greek Gods. That much was basically spelled out in the first opening song of Mirai Nikki. The power to predict the future is pretty magical and god-like. And the point of the game is to become god.

      Murmur might look ugly in her alternative form, but it was obvious from the start that she wasn’t human. Just like Deus (ie God) isn’t human. That alone is supernatural enough. And again, it isn’t surprising that she’s named after a demon, considering all the other characters are named after gods.

      nn
      Reply

      1. Thanks for pointing the lyrics out. I just popped out to check the lyrics and you are correct.

        Consentes Dei/Juno/Jupiter/Minerva/Apollo/Mars/Ceres/Mercurius/Diana/Bacchus/Vulcanus/Pluto/Vesta/Venus

        Taken in that context yes. However, most viewers would not have seen nor recognized this. So to the average viewer it would still be coming out of left field.

        Banana Furikake
        Reply

  28. I can’t say it’s not incredibly amusing to see fanboys trying to justify the mediocrity of this series with every single big word they’ve got. But if most of what you say about it is just excuses for all the stupid plot twists and ridiculous nonsense and “it’s not bad if it’s intended that way!” and other similar stuff, you have to reevaluate your feelings and perhaps face the fact that this series (manga and anime) is just, well, complete crap.

    Jake & Finn
    Reply

    1. Personally, I feel that a work’s success is based on whether or not it accomplished what it set out to do. Most of the time writers and artists (if they’re smart) decide from the beginning “Okay, this is what I want to make the audience feel!” or “This is what I want to do with the plot/story/characters!”

      This is also why I dislike shows that seem like they don’t know what direction they want to take or are trying to hard to do too many things at once. Again, personal preference. Mirai Nikki tries to play on its own absurdity and doesn’t put on an air of pretentiousness like other shows with similar premises and regularly calls out its characters on their actions and judgment. No, it isn’t perfect, but it’s still a fun ride if you’re only looking to be entertained.

      That said, it’s okay if you yourself don’t find this type of storytelling to your tastes. Mirai Nikki is big on adding shocking swerves and plot twists at every turn, and I can see that could be something to turn people off.

      Donyo
      Reply

  30. Stop with ‘Another’ phenomene you guys ! If you don’t like it don’t watch it ! Another is also a good final destination horror show ! Mirai nikki is scifi god fantasy romance this show is EPIC pls don’t ever compare any anime if you love wathching anime !

    pokpokza
    Reply

  32. After reading through the comments, I’m glad that I’m not the only one who though that the animation for this week’s episode was a bit sloppy. Thankfully, nothing too drastic.

    That aside, I really love how thing goes so far. Would have been nice if they didn’t do the cuts for Minene’s fight scene and Yuki-parent scene. Would have been far more thrilling.

    Terrorhunt
    Reply

  33. As Enzo said “love or hate it” For me is hate the episode. Again the episode not the series! Why? because they killed Minene again! grrrr I want my terrorist back. I just hate to see her “die” for a second time while “redeming” herself (even is hse doesn’t realize it). I just fell for her that’s the true. The only hope and wish I have is that world 3 Minene makes it this time aorund.

    Yes!@
    Reply

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