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「暴きの輪」 (Abaki no Wa)
“Ring of Exposure”
It’s past the halfway point, and with all the different plot threads hanging about, the second half looks to be as robust and fast-paced as the preceding episodes were. This is not really a bad thing, but while an exciting middle is important, a proper conclusion that does justice to the rest of the series is also important. With so many different directions TMS Animation can take though, a fear of mine is that some of the more complex plot points will receive a half-hearted conclusion.
Take the Amagi family, for example. They are, strangely enough, mysterious entities despite being at the core of the cast. The dynamics between each member is tense – that the audience is able to understand. But most of the deeper intricacies of that remain unexplored, which is a little disappointing to see since it could serve as a reflective look at Konoha and Kouga’s characters and make them more sympathetic . While Konoha isn’t abrasive as her older brother is, she’s still very much flat. A little effort in fleshing out her character would go a long way in endearing her to the viewers.
ZETMAN‘s one critical weakness is neglecting its side characters and secondary plots, and it’s a little more apparent this episode. The show keeps a cohesive main plot – the transition from one phase to the next is sensible and the progression feels logical. There’s not many gaps in logic that I find myself filling in and the new elements constantly being introduced don’t feel too detached from the main conflict. One branch of the plot just keeps bothering me though, and it probably won’t surprise many people that it’s the relationship between Hanako and Jin.
Now, let me make this clear: I don’t dislike Hanako. She’s spunky, and any unevenness is more the fault of the direction writers took with her character rather than Hanako herself. What bugs me is the unnaturalness her and Jin seem to exude. There’s some giant gaps in the progression of their relationship … which wouldn’t be as big of a problem if they tried not to make this an integral part of the plot. If this was a purely peripheral element, the lack of attention given to its development wouldn’t matter as much, but the producers keep coming back to it, like they’re trying to ground Jin’s motivations to Hanako rather his desire to just protect. The scarce development then becomes a bigger issue because if they’re trying to set Hanako and Jin’s relationship up for something bigger, I need a valid reason to feel like it deserves that much attention. With the zig-zag route the producers are going with it though, I’m not sure what that reason is supposed to be. Definitely working on finding that though!
On a more optimistic note, there were some nice action sequences this week, complete with a fountain of blood to accompany each scene Jin thrust his hand through the Players’ heart. There’s something completely raw about using your bare hands to deliver such violence, and I’m sure it’s no coincidence that Kouga is clad completely in white and fights with guns and swords while Jin is all black and red, fighting head-on with fists. It’s an interesting, but subtle detail that really highlights their differences, and seeing the two work together was a real treat. It’s a show of friendship and battle-camaraderie that isn’t blatantly obvious – this is where the childhood friend angle really works. There’s an extra “oomph” to the scene when you realize these are childhood friends fighting together to achieve the justice they dreamt about as kids rather than two strangers that circumstantially happened to work together.
You’ve given me a wild ride for the first half, ZETMAN. Let’s keep it up for the second half!
Full-length images: 01, 04, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 14, 19, 24, 28, 32.
Preview
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I don’t know what to make of that last scene.. Was Hanako sexually assaulted by those bugs? I thought they were just holding her hostage. After all, Shuu threatened to have his way with her mere moments before he was killed. Does that mean he simply commanded his bugs to play the rape game after he died? Even if that’s the case, the Sweeper arrived shortly after and killed them off, were they really that fast? It just seems highly unlikely, so then why was she naked?
I don’t think anyone here wants to know…. I know I don’t =/
Hanako has some kind of secret behind her. Where she came from, what disease does she have. Did she kill those bugs all by herself?
Show Spoiler ▼
*attempt
So basically they skipped the whole “how-it-got-to-that-point” scene and went directly from “she’s our hostage” to “she’s naked now”… sigh anime ceonsoring
censoring*
Go read the manga, it didn’t happen but that was extremely “close”.
let’s face it people most likely she got rape It happens in REAL LIFE good thing it’s only Anime It’s SAD I know… (I’m SAD too) but hey it’s not NETORARE genre so we all good
Hanako never got fleshed out in the manga either before being introduced, which as I mentioned weeks back, makes me really irk her. She literally is some bimbo who dropped out of nowhere and the writer just decided to make her Jin’s lover, which makes no sense, since Konoha was more fitting for the role and actually have a more natural reason for liking Jin, not to mention they are a better match due to both helping homeless people.
So dont worry if the anime makes no sense concerning her. She wasnt that much better in the manga.
if these two girls that have been introduced are Jin’s ONLY romantic option, then lets just go full shounen and have him not be with anybody because BOTH of them are train wrecks.
I can see Konoha playing the damsel in distress or the emotional bag of emotions throughout the entire series.
Hanako is just plain bitc** when she’s not getting raped or attacked.
However if i had to choose i would say stick with the pyscho, she’ll give it up sooner(being real).
P.S.[I hate chicks who can only be protected, and i hate dudes(eg.sumomomo)who can only be protected.]
the animation and action scenes were really good this episode. It still bothers me how much stuff they are leaving out though. They are speeding through the volumes per episode. You think they would have put as much content in as they could since the manga isn’t finished. I hope they don’t really try to do this with just 12 episodes. I don’t care if they make up something like Fullmetal Alchemist did. I just want to continue seeing Zetman animated as long as possible.
“Your the only genuine hero here who can transform on his own”
Just when you think Kouga would wise up he just HAD to say that, It’s almost like he’s jealous or something… while holding ‘childhood friend’ that collapsed from injury and exhaustion THAT is the part you lament on!?? yea he’s jealous.
And childish too
To drive the point, a hero doesn’t NEED powers, sure they help but a ‘human’ hero usually specialize in a specific or a combination talents and doesn’t need a power suit (though against ZETs its justified) it’s the thought that drive your actions that count, Kouga lacks CONVICTION even though he’s playing ‘hero’ most of his life he don’t know what the title imply, people will depend on him to save the day and ridicule when he fails in his duty, is he really up to the challenge?
Oh the possible implied rape? read the above posts cause they got that covered so I wont dare touch on that subject
Gotta love the fact that this isn’t a wuss hero who doesn’t dare to kill his enemies, and on the contrary, crushes their hearts like empty cans.
Dropped. This adaption is bad, just rushed and many things were skipped. I will never understand why they try to make only a 12 episode anime from a manga with nearly 180 chapters that is still ongoing.
Maybe because a fair chunk of the original was of schoolgirls being raped?
If you do an adaption, do it right. If you don’t have the budget to do it right, let it be.
The rape part is not the only thing that was skipped in this show. 12 episodes are just far too little for this story and it doesn’t do the source, the manga, justice at all. What we got is just a bad and extremeley rushed adaption with many missing and jumping plot points.
Does this anime fail without comparing it the the manga? Clearly.
Does this anime fail when we compare it to the manga? There is absolutely no doubt.
After this episode, i decided to drop it too.
I like the breakneck speed but know youu can see the glaring obvious missing/jumping plot points. They could have done this show in 24 episodes instead and the action scenes and would have been and awesome show to watch still.
i honestly can understand why anime-only watchers cannot follow this, even i am confused at some points….despite being a manga reader. as a hanako/jinxhanako fan i am not happy with this execution of their relationship …not saying the anime is bad but i just dont understand why they decided on a 12 episode anime o__o
Yeah the anime ain’t that good but we got to see Alphas animated. ^^
Odd. When Jin killed those bungs, their bodies remained even after the main body died. But the ones around Hanako turned to dust. So was the Sweeper there? I think they turn to dust when they killed by him.
The truth behind Hanako will be revealed in only 5 short episodes from this one.
Show Spoiler ▼