View Full Version : Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto
You know what, I think I'll just throw in the towel and say
Kanna = fanservice character :heh:
Speaking of which:
I give in, there's this comic that makes fun of episode 3's YOUR BODYGUARD sequence that is so hilarious it's... it's too good to pass up.
Problem is I don't want to link to the site because Japanese sites do not like being linked to from forums...
So please paste this in your browser and edit it appropriately: ttp://suika3.fc2web.com/irohanihoheto/top.html
If you can understand Japanese it's really a hilarious comic - and even if you don't, it's very easy to get the gist of what is going on. Since it is almost exactly the same as episode 3.
Katsu: "And... who is that person you brought along?"
Parkes: "BODY GUARD"
Katsu: "Ahh but of course, it's dangerous for foreigners to go around Yokohama without protection... so you'd need a bodyguard..."
Parkes: "NO"
"YUAA BODIIGAADO" (... Not Your bodyguard, but YOU ARE BODYGUARD!)
Katsu: Huuuh?
***
Kanna: ! "Get in!"
Katsu: "W...what's wrong"
Kanna: *runs up and glomps Katsu* "IT'S A SNIPER ;_;" *shivers*
(I'm scared!!)
Lady: "What's this? My, my, my... <3"
Katsu: N...no!! It's a mistake!!
Lady: "Have fun~"
Katsu: "OI"
....
Katsu: "You... what the hell are you here for?"
"Saying you don't understand the language is not an excuse, mmkay?"
Pardon my spamming this thread with so much irrelevant stuff but this one I find both funny and very cute on many levels.
Even in the anime I just can't resist the Parkes-Kotoha-Katsu trio, they always have very interesting things to say! I guess it's the english... You are welcome de arinsu, pffft!
What do you mean by Parkes-Kotoha-Katsu trio, Wao?
Parkes has more interested in Kakunojou than Kotoha in my opinion. Just look at how excited he gets when ever Kakunojou preforms.
btw who ever asked in the last page, blogger should have finished their maintenance by now. It should be working.
Actually, while we're on the topic of Kanna, I really really like how smug he looked after deflecting Saiga's bullet in episode 4. Okay, maybe not exactly smug, I dont know, it was just a great smile of satisfaction - as if to say, I'm your friend, I saved your life.
Perhaps its also because its one of the first expressions we see from him.
Henrietta
2006-11-14, 08:40
Katsu: N...no!! It's a mistake!!
I think a more to-the-point English translation would be: 'No~~ It's not what you think!' ^-^
Actually, while we're on the topic of Kanna, I really really like how smug he looked after deflecting Saiga's bullet in episode 4. Okay, maybe not exactly smug, I dont know, it was just a great smile of satisfaction - as if to say, I'm your friend, I saved your life.
That look of Kanna is an eternal enigma like Mona Lisa's smile. If we were to add a one-liner caption to that shot of him, we would probably all come up with something different. In that sense, it is a mirror that tells us more about the individual viewer than Kanna the character.
(We ought to start a survey with serious-sounding questions like 'What does Kanna's look signify?' so that we could all be creative and come up with wacky answers. Good way to capture diverse opinions about the show too. Wao-dono? ^^)
That look of Kanna is an eternal enigma like Mona Lisa's smile. If we were to add a one-liner caption to that shot of him, we would probably all come up with something different. In that sense, it is a mirror that tells us more about the individual viewer than Kanna the character.
(We ought to start a survey with serious-sounding questions like 'What does Kanna's look signify?' so that we could all be creative and come up with wacky answers. Good way to capture diverse opinions about the show too. Wao-dono? ^^)
Was just thinking over in it the car, and it occured to me, that yes, the main reason for me is that its really the first time I seeing any.. human.. expression on that normally stoic face. And its nice just to see it.
Hee hee.. wacky answers? Why does the word 'ghey' fill my head?
Personally, I can never take Kanna seriously, espeicially not after my friend pointed out to me Kanna is wearing a blouse -- that's right, something in the woman's section.
She was right. If you have a look at what other men are wearing, especially the westerners, you would see that none of them wear frills. That's because it's just not part of man's fashion back then (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1860s_in_fashion). In fact, frills were not part of man's fashion until you go back to 1750-1770 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1750-1795_in_fashion), about a hundred years earlier than when the show is set.
What does Kanna's look signify?...
...Stuff for fangirls to get crazy over! But of course...
Well it depends which fangirl you ask, actually.
Some would say that he was actually smirking at Kakunojou to show that he's capable...
While a large number would probably say that he was really smirking at Akizuki in an insulting but adorable way.
Y'know, the kind that 5-year-old kids do when they've just tied their shoelaces faster than their friend...
Frankly speaking though I'm just running out of things to say regarding Kanna because we still haven't seen nearly enough of him and there's a limit to which I can speculate too. OK, I admit, my normally overflowing brain is somewhat dried up after ridiculously trying (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0893/pc-test3.jpg) to draw a complete picture in paintchat (on my own) :rolleyes: My hand... awwgh...
And seriously, if you think about it carefully actually there's not that much more we can gauge from Akizuki... I mean alright, aside from lots of Ryoma angst and his feelings of inadequacy...
The thing is this show is so far going full steam ahead with the actual plot - which I don't mind, but I'd like to see a few more snippets which let us see the true nature of our characters. And every now and then I wouldn't mind a bit of a "rest" episode so we can all catch our breath...
EDIT: By the way while I"m here, is there anyone who would be interested in a completely and utterly silly paintchat session any time in the near future? Just curious...
They're addictively fun :)
MrProphet
2006-11-14, 15:11
Some small Iroha merchandise came in today's Animaxis newsletter.
http://www.animaxis.com/en/shop/product.asp?sku=143174%2D00
http://www.animaxis.com/en/shop/product.asp?sku=143173%2D00
http://www.animaxis.com/en/shop/product.asp?sku=143172%2D00
Just silly trinkets, but, then again, some people value even those. 8)
I don't value those as much as that poster up for auction in yahoo japan. Too bad they don't ship over sea or else I am so buying that (though so will many other fans I am sure).
Oi, for you guys who love the OP and haven't noticed it already, the PV has been ripped and so has an mp3 of the full version!! :)
There's some very nice violin-like bits inside too, typical Kajiura but I happen to like that part of it.
You know, if the anime were to end with a "And the story goes on.... (Everybody goes traveling!)" ending, this song would be perfect as a last ep ED!
metamorphic
2006-11-16, 10:02
This is an excellent original series by Sunrise, the amount of depth in it is fascinating.
By the way, this is a small detail, but I've noticed in some blogs or fansites, it has been stated that the Saigo warrior clan apparently "served" Oda Nobunaga - this is incorrect, and in fact the Saigo clan actually rebelled and fought against Oda, and this was actually mentioned by Nakaiya in episode 4. The Saigo clan were reknowned for their control of firearms such as the arquebus & were expert gunsmiths, perhaps this might give an explanation for why Magozou is a sniper. For more info, see the Japanese (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9B%91%E8%B3%80%E8%A1%86) and English (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saiga_Ikki) Wiki entries for the clan.
PraiseDivineMercy
2006-11-16, 14:59
Hello...
I found this thread some time ago while researching BKI. I found the posts very useful (especially wao's) and the links.
Gr... I fangirl over Youjiro just like the rest of you, but I don't see him ending up with anyone until he unbends a bit (and maybe says more?). ^_^
He's still an instant favorite for resembling Battousai.
That's why some of us are watching, to see him change into a different character :).
Anyway - Episode 7 aired an hour ago, and the official site has updated the least this time... only episode 8's preview is up :(
Here is a rough translation of it anyway.
Episode 8 (I think the title itself is a spoiler)
Revenge Fulfilled at Last (Somebody tell me how to translate 仇討ち本懐成る properly...)
Succumbing to the cursed power of the Head brought along by Nakaiya, Katsu and Saigo make bare their most basic instincts and start crossing swords with each other. Looking for a true vessel in a world of upheaval and disturbance, the Head laughs evilly. Youjirou, with the mission to seal the Conqueror's Head, follows the waves of evil magic and heads towards Saigo and Katsu's meeting place, but Kanna blocks that path!
On one hand, under Soutetsu's directions, the Yuyama troupe sneaks into the Satsuma residence under the cover of the Eejanaika (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ee_ja_nai_ka) dance to finally meet their true enemy behind the underhanded scandal [of 10 years ago].
"To think that at such a place, I would be able to meet the most popular troupe in Yokohama..."
Now, after ten long years have passed, the Yuyama troupe finally faces the demonic merchant to exact their revenge of many years!
Sorry my writing sucks.
I have a feeling I won't enjoy episode 8 for the same reasons of episode 5/6.... (I mean, there were some things I didn't like in ep 5 and 6 and I think these factors will pop up again in episode 8.)
AND WHY MUST THEY DO THAT TO KATSU
*cries in a corner*
Oh and I was wondering when Eejanaika would pop up. There it is. They could continue with it by linking it to the supernatural nature of the Head. (EDIT: Reading comments on 2ch, it seems Eejanaika movement appears in episode 7 rather than 8.)
FeelLicks
2006-11-17, 05:33
As wao said, episode has aired. I can't post the link to the raw here, apparently. I'm sure you guys know where to get it by now... I'll be seeding 24/7, enjoy.
Thansk as always FeelLicks! I really really appreciate it very very much - especially the fast speeds :) Today's release is unusually quick...
(And I only got home 10 minutes ago :()
(P.S. It seems like there aren't many people 'round here with Iroha avatars eh...)
P.P.S. Regarding a certain song in episode 7, it's going to come with the release of the ED
Henrietta
2006-11-17, 09:26
P.P.S. Regarding a certain song in episode 7, it's going to come with the release of the ED
*Gasp* Is it <i>that</i> song you are referring to? Sorry to ask such a stupid question but... where did you learn this from? I would like to find out more. ^-^
Well I can't be 100.0% sure it is the same song. But I would be surprised if it wasn't.
Eitehr way, go check out amazon (http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B000J3FF0I/) for the ED. You will see there is a song attached to it called 赫乃丈の子守歌 (Kakunojou no Komoriuta -> Kakunojou's lullaby)
Since one of the writers for this album is credited as Junichi Miyashita, obviously for that song and not Ai no Tsurugi, I am fairly sure that is the song from that ep rather than a character song.
Just in from watching episode 7. Well, finally, the episode with crap animation came out. (Almost entirely Korean-animated)
I was wondering when it'd be, since I don't think this show must have been given a huge budget from the start. Of cousre it is certainly not yashigani level, but still... I am so used to the nice drawings and decent animation from the previous episodes that this episode's stuff really was a little unsettling.
Hm, and I guess I'll watch it again to sort otu my thoughts but my impression was that despite having such a potentially awesome ZOMG! scene, I think it's my least favourite episode out of everything so far...
Oh, and
NOOOO KATSUUUUUUU
Sorry I just can't bear to see Katsu like that. OTL.
edit: Durr, can't stay up insanely late today. Somehow I don't want to stay up until 3 am for this episode (uh oh... this is a fangirl you're talking about!) so here is a halfhearted summary of important things that happened.
edit2: moved summary and what not to here (http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=742831&postcount=521)
Aniki Meiski
2006-11-17, 11:43
NOOOO KATSUUUUUUU
Sorry I just can't bear to see Katsu like that. OTL.
Well you need transition episode like this to move the story into more interesting direction. Nakaiya could have achieved the same effect with Shochu without the need of the "Head".
(P.S. It seems like there aren't many people 'round here with Iroha avatars eh...)
Someone kindly posted a whole slew of avatars earlier in the thread - but now I can't find them ... =(.
Is it just me or has the animation quality really sucked in ep.7? Or at least compares to all the previous episodes. :-x
According to the credit roll. It looks like the Korean studio who were responsible to background and other minor stuffs has now taken over all the regular animations as well. And it really shows... :-(
I don't care if they wanna outsourcing to Koreans, but at least find a studio that can match the quality of the original staff... I have a bad feeling that this is heading toward the worse now... Like most of all the other shows we've seen this year.
Well you need transition episode like this to move the story into more interesting direction. Nakaiya could have achieved the same effect with Shochu without the need of the "Head".
Well, to be clear about my response to said incident:
On a very personal level I just feel a little insulted that they'd do that to Katsu who was so cool and all. However, I can understand and accept it because obviously history will be changed and the point is that the Head makes people do things they wouldn't normally do. And it would be after all a necessary thing. So while inside I can't help but feel "why, Katsu, whyyyy", I could accept it...
...But IMO they didn't do it without enough style for me to at least be able to accept it. I think when you do this sort of thing in a story you need to be able to do it in a way so that you don't feel awkward. Maybe it's just me but I felt very awkward the way they suddenly just went like that. It just felt a bit lame, I guess.
Although it is entirely possible that it might be just my own bias. Actually I guess it's probably that. Sigh.
Moved from earlier post:
--------------------
In chronological order:
Soutetsu is at this place with a lot of potters (it's really a mountainside kiln sort of thing), and it's near the village of Koma. We see him using his sword to break pots (and he does this for some time throughout the episode). It's not obvious perhaps but he's really checking the strength of the pots.
Yamaoka and Masumitsu finally do their breaking-in-through-Imperial-troops thing that I think at least Yamaoka is famous for. I think. Wasn't he the one whom they say would just yell his name and cause and simply run through all the troops? Or am I just on crack? (Possibly)
The troupe gets together and are sian-ing away in the Ushioza (sian-ing is the best word I can find for this situation. OK, slacking. But sian is so much more descriptive. If you're Singaporean.)
They're in a bit of a low mood because
a. they didn't get to attack their true enemy during their dramatic final play
b. Soutetsu is not around so they can't really do anything
Shiranui is especially concerned about b. and IMO he is the most suspicious of sensei. I am a bit confused here. Has sensei been gone for 3-4 days or a month? Going by teh ep synopsis this is supposed to be a month after the previous episode, but there are a number of things confusing me...
They get into a bit of bickering because Shiranui thinks sensei is out lady-hunting but the rest think that sensei obviously doesn't think the same way as a guy like him, which ticks Shiranui off a bit.
Akizuki sits there and watches. On a side of course. Far off.
Sensei breaks more pots. Woo.
Then we have a little explanation of the troupe's backstory.
-Sensei wrote their first script for them just about 6 months before the Original 3 (Kakunojou, Ebisu, Zagashira) left the West of Japan. We get to see a wee bit of young Kakunojou (there's this cute... samurai? warrior? getup holding a banner with what other than NIPPON ICHI on it)
-What happened was that when they were starting off doing amateurish plays, eventually there came a point of time when they noticed there was one person who kept coming back to watch their plays - Soutetsu (we see him standing at the back tapping his finger). He later would approach them while they were packing up and say that he'll help them take on their pain and feelings of hatred (urami to itami wo noseru)
-After that Sensei saved Kakashi and Shiranui from being framed by writing the truth of the matter in his plays. (This is already known from the official character descriptions on the official site.) I am not relistening for the details right now but Shiranui was convicted for adultery (killing his wife even?).
-Kakashi I think was trying to look for justice because the two kids' parents were killed by "tsujigiri" (according to WWWJDIC that is killing a random passerby just to test out one's sword)
But Kakashi was facing some big-name dude and obviously wasn't going to win if it wasn't for Soutetsu's help.
-Shiranui then finally asks the right thing: why on earth did Sensei even offer his help to the troupe in the first place? Zagashira doesn't know. Kakunojou has this very troubled look on her face when she replies that she too doesn't understand why... and then Akizuki leaves (guess he's bored or he feels like he's intruding) and Shiranui says well there's another mysterious guy right there.
Sensei breaks more pots! But this time he's settled on one and buys it. Thank goodness.
And then we have a really weird transition here because it looks like some Soutetsu flashback scene but no, the transition is lying. It is not a flashback. I think it was a stupid decision on the part of the enshutsu.
Basically Akizuki is standing on a pier watching the sunset when Kakunojou comes up and squats for a short while and sings this song (go see Henrietta's blog (http://henrietta-wu.blogspot.com/bakumatsu/index.htm)) which results in a sort of surprised reaction from Akizuki. Then the kids with Kakashi call at them (zacho~u, osamurai-sa~n) from some ways away and Kakunojou gets up and goes towards them. Shiranui, meanwhile, is in a boat some distance away and mutters to himself that dang, that would have made a good picture (if it wasn't for Kakunojou running off).
The thing is, Shiranui is doing that "「 」" sort of pose one has to emulate framing which seems like such a modern thing that it's a sort of funny anachronism here. It reminds me of that dude in Otogizoushi who did that pinkie hand-symbol to talk about girlfriends even though it was in the Heian period.
I will leave my comments or whatever crap I have to say for this scene in another post but while it was, to me, outwardly one of those kinds of scenes (I dare not mention the word), ... it could have been a lot better if a. more detailed directing b. Kakunojou's face wasn't drawn in that weird way c. better flow into it - frankly speaking, this segment felt very abrupt.
P.S. this is the only segment where Akizuki makes any sort of noise.
At the Glover residence Glover is making a deal with some Japanese people and shakes their hand. I find it amusing that the Japanese guy was looking at his hand weirdly after that :cool:
And here we have another wonderful word of spoken English: "WHAT" (I somehow really like the way he said it, it made me laugh so much.)
And theeen.... we see Soutetsu speaking with Nakaiya. Whut? He wants to talk about the Head of course. Ibaragi is wearing a Western outfit here I believe.
Meanwhile Kanna is showing off his gun sk1llz0rz to some people on uh... Glover's ship.
In teh end we don't hear any details from the conversation between Nakaiy and Soutetsu because the next scene it seems like they've finished talking about what Soutetsu intends to do.
Short flashback from Kanna back to Nakaiya's Batcave where Kanna is looking at Hata Meifuu's eternal chanting (doesn't that guy ever need to piss?). Nakaiya pops in and tells Kanna he's got a Job For Him Tomorrow Night! (No, not that.)
Then back on Glover's ship - Kanna takes an obligatory look at his obligatory pocketwatch with an obligatory picture of his obligatory-mother-who-looks-like-Kakunojou in it.
Eyecatch.
Shouten-sama and Takuan-wannab- I mean, Shinza, visit the pottery place. The potters tell him about an unreasonable guy who's been persistently making orders and was hard to please. Shouten-sama looks at the broken pottery and realised what it was that this unreasonable guy wanted and he puts one and one together and gets Shinza to catch him.
Of course Soutetsu pwns Shinza (in a somewhat lame chambara again...) and has the aid of his Boat That Conveniently Arrives At THe Right Place At The Right Time, which he jumps into and gets off. Inside the boat is a sealed box...
Meanwhile the Troupe has received a letter. They're kind of excited but amused by the contents (my guess is that Sensei asked them to join in the Eejanaika dances as well as a certain plan that extends to ep 8)
Then we get to the historical meeting with Katsu and Saigo. Meanwhile, Nakaiya is having the box moved out from the Batcave....
To cut things short:
Katsu and Saigo come to an agreement.
But then Kanna breaks in and holds Katsu and Saigo at gunpoint (what useless guards, as usual - guess they know that a sword is no match for a gun though?). Nakaiya then walks in with the Head, and Katsu and Saigo's eyes turn red and they start yelling at each other and threaten to fight. (I want to forget this part happened.)
In between there was a short bit where Shouten-sama and Shinza reveal to teh audience that the pot Soutetsu was looking for was a very special container for the Head that was originally used by Jofuku/Xu Fu, and Soutetsu must have known that the only place left to make it (in Japan at least?) is in their very own Koma no Sato.
Apparently Akizuki has written them a letter warning them of the troupe/Soutetsu in particular because then they figure out that the Unreasonable Guy who ordered the pot would have been the same guy that Akizuki mentioned in his letter.
Then at the end we have Kakunojou and co. dancing along with this huge crowd and banners throwing ofuda around, going "Eejanaika, eejanaika! Yononaka kawatte eejanaika!" This sort of thing happened in real life with a bunch of people going around singing songs like that and doing weird stuff. Go google it or look it up in wikipedia.
And not far off ,Soutetsu has returned in his boat. Shinza attempts to leave Koma no Sato to go get Evil Soutetsu, but Shouten-sama says he won't make it in time and it's best to just leave it to Youjirou. Meanwhile the pot that Soutetsu bought is glowing and shaking like it was cooking a meal of Magical Chanko Nabe or something. End.
Some very basic thoughts before I run off:
Bad points:
-The direction. A story like this will show its flaws very much more clearly without good enough direction and without things like that it will soon become unenjoyable. I felt that this ep's one coudl have been a lot better. The dramatic tension felt sort of off somehow. Don't know how to express it, but for example the Eejanaika scene came in too abruptly. Actually, that's a word I'd use to describe this episode: abrupt. Too many things happening suddenly, IMO. The other scene was the one with Akizuki and Kakunojou at the seaside. That just felt very sudden. Other thing - Kakunojou and co. talking about their past. It felt quite obvious to me that the scriptwriter couldn't write in a way to show their past so he just had to have them suddenly talk about their past in that way. It wasn't entirely sudden because they were talking about Soutetsu before that but I guess it's something done in a lot of anime...
-Technical direction: How to explain it... uh, well there was that weird transition I mentioned earlier. Then the mob scene at the end was just... um, I thought the still frames even could have been better. The framing in some parts was a bit off (although the dramatic bit where Soutetsu's boat was moving off was nicely done I guess).
-Details: I would have liked to see more of what the troupe was doing while Soutetsu was gone, but OK, I guess they'd have to sacrifice it to show the many sides of the ongoing plot which is still relatively complex.
-Animation: 'nuff said. But it wasn't a total goner either, I guess. But my complaint is very much show-related. I am not complaining that they didn't make Akizuki hawt enough or whatever - but the anatomical drawings and stuff and the expressions on faces... and the relation to what is going on in teh story at that exact moment. Eh...
-WHY DID THEY DO THAT TO KATSU (I have to mention it every time. Sorry, I guess... I guess it's just that while I can still tolerate them changing history in that way, I just feel that they did it in a way that does absolutely no justice whatsoever to Katsu. Call me a Katsu fangirl but sigh... And they portrayed him so well all this while, too!)
(Although I had a sinking feeling they'd make Saigo and Katsu turn evil in a cheesy way, I was hoping it would have been done a little less... abruptly.)
Good points:
-Kakunojou's singing! And alright, even if it may have seemed damn contrived, at least there was another Akizuki x Kakunojou moment. Shiranui's little comment made it a lot more amusing.
-Related: Kakunojou's voice acting this episode. It seemed a lot better than usual. You could feel the worry in her voice!
-The overall story is still going on at a good pace. And HOPEFULLY. Nakaiya. Will. Finally. Kick. The Goddamn. Bucket. next episode.
Omake:
Episode 7's Record of "How Many Things Did Akizuki Say?"
09:25 - "Nn?"
09:46 - "oah"
10:09 - "auh"
I'm not kidding...
-----------------
OK, I won't say anything more about episode 7 for a while until everyone finishes talking about it otherwise I'll really come across as a wet blanket... (If I haven't already, that is)
EDIT: Okay, I'm going already, but just one last thing: to the person above me who is worried about the animation quality in this series, I think it will still maintain a generally high level.
This is the first ep done by a Korean/overseas studio, but it isn't the first outsourced episode. Episode 6 - and was it episode 3 (uncredited)? - were done by AD Cosmo. They're OK, they did quite a lot of work for Ergo Proxy and some stuff in Planetes.
But I would think they will try to keep the visuals good because
-Target audience values the high visuals (hint: people must look good and move well to up their appeal.)
-Many people were attracted by the good visuals/designs and dont' want to see them screwed up
-So it is a good idea investing in the animation.
One good move they did was hire a great colour designer. Bad animation becomes 1000000x worse if you have crap colours. But thankfully not only are the colours good, they harmonize well with the nice backgrounds too. And they also keep the colours well despite the many many objects/areas of colours that have to be filled in due to the detail in designs.
Anyway, episode 10's drawings will be corrected by the OP and ep 1's animation director, Naoyuki Onda. That is at least something I am looking forward to in terms of eye candy.
MrProphet
2006-11-17, 17:51
Episode 7 turned out to be one the least interesting episodes so far. It was dull and heavily outsourced to Korea to boot. Didn't look too good at all, by Iroha's standards at least. Terrible proportions (have a look at those blades!), off-format character drawings, etc. Just substandard work...
The whole interference with history will be reconned somehow, that I am sure of. So, for me it just didn't have any tension.
And the layout of each episode is getting on my nerves. Why does every single episode feature a slow-paced first half that sort of goes over the character relationships, while the second part is more tension-filled and dramatic? This is getting repetitive.
physics223
2006-11-17, 18:48
All I can see from wao's post is a wall of text ... now that's dedication. o.O :D
Aniki Meiski
2006-11-17, 19:31
The voice actor Osamu Sakuda who played Nakamura Hanjiro, Saigo's subordinate is actually from Kagoshima. So I guess the dialect must be authentic.
うまか焼酎があいもんで、勝先生、のんくやんせ！
The way you guys put it I was totally expecting the worst, but maybe because I was expecting that, when I saw it I didn't find the animation THAT bad. Of course it's not as nice as previous episodes, but it's definately still much superior to the animation of many anime (sadly to say), especially considering it's one of those outsorced episodes.
I wouldn't call it crap... just not as nice.
The timing and transition between scenes were really odd though. Everything was very awkward... I have lots of problem following most of the scene changes.
And yes, like Wao said, THAT scene was very abrupt. I had to say, "What the?!" out loud.
The singing is good though, even if they did not do a good job in animating Kakunojou there... though I suppose I have to be very thankful Kakunojou did not look as deformed as I imagined when Wao first described the crappy animation for that part to me.
Funny thing is, I don't know if it's intended or not, but I thought the combination of weird transitions and weird scenes actually carried the chaoes and insanity in the current plot line very well. I mean, by the end of the episode, I was rather convinced by the end of the episode by the general atmosphere of the last few scenes that everyone in the show has gone completely nut... which was pretty much the case. wasn't it?
Henrietta
2006-11-18, 10:27
Has sensei been gone for 3-4 days or a month? Going by teh ep synopsis this is supposed to be a month after the previous episode, but there are a number of things confusing me...
Yes, this is what I didn't get just by listening too:
この一月出かけたと思えば、三日も四日も留守にしているぜ
Did anybody get it? Thanks in advance.
Aniki Meiski
2006-11-18, 11:47
Yes, this is what I didn't get just by listening too:
この一月出かけたと思えば、三日も四日も留守にしているぜ
Did anybody get it? Thanks in advance.
If he is going to be away for this one month, I might as well stay home (brothel) for 3-4 days.
Someone kindly posted a whole slew of avatars earlier in the thread - but now I can't find them ... =(.
Ask Sonhex; she may wish to reupload them.
If he is going to be away for this one month, I might as well stay home (brothel) for 3-4 days.
Oh, that's what he meant by staying home. I was so confused by that. Thanks!
And really, it doesn't feel like one month has passed at all... I wouldn't have minded seeing a little bit more change or even snippets of what happened that month. Guess it can't be helped. (And this is where one goes to hunt for Japanese fanfics.)
...And none of them have changed their clothes of course :1
Ask Sonhex; she may wish to reupload them.
Ah, yes I did some. Had some problems with my host and I forgot to upload them again. Anyway these shouldn't mysteriously vanish...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha02.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha05b.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha06.gif
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha03.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha05a.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha04.gif
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha08.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha09.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/sonhex/iroha10.gif
Ah, thank you very much, Sonhex! Time for an Iroha avatar!
NOTE: Urgh! I hate my laptop touchpad sometimes. When I try to move the cursor, I sometimes change the page by mistake and lose everything I've written ...
Anyway, on to episode 7 ...
Despite all that's been said about the drop in art quality in this episode, I barely noticed it. I guess it may be because I've become immune from some of the really terrible drops in quality in the Twelve Kingdoms series. Although ... Ibaraki Soutetsu does seem to suffer the most from this.
While there have been complaints about the direction, I didn't mind seeing some background for the characters. Unfortunately, there's still no character development for Akizuki (although he does get a few non-fierce nor bland expressions in this episode). It's a pity, because despite the fandom, his character might not stand the test of time if he doesn't get fleshed out more. Granted, it's just episode 7, but ... I mean ... he probably hasn't spoken up to 10 lines yet!
And considering that Kanna's a sniper, he really has unusually good skills in jumping roofs and hand-to-hand combat.
Episode 7's Record of "How Many Things Did Akizuki Say?"
09:25 - "Nn?"
09:46 - "oah"
10:09 - "auh"
I'm not kidding...
It's starting to seem to me that Akizuki and Kanna are sharing a single quota of lines per episode - like, 4 to 5. Kanna had an unusually high number of lines this week (3) plus a couple of vocalisations. I really have to wonder about their dubbing sessions - do the voice actors just stand there and grunt now and then? That must be ... really dull. And I wonder how they get paid ... :heh:.
Considering Akizuki's voice actor is the same guy who does Fay from Tsubasa Chronicle, income from this show is probably just a bonus to him. XD
I do believe he will speak more later though... it's the usual case for silent type in anime like him.
I would be very very worried about the lack of character development for Akizuki if it wasn't for the show being 26 episodes, beacuse I can still hope for something along those lines later down the road at least. Although I do hope they start showing it soon. I mean he's all cool and Where-have-we-seen-you-before-silent-bishie-samurai sort of which is all nice and fine to me, but come on, Kakunojou is 1000x more interesting than you.
And I kind of feel sorry for Akizuki's seiyuu having to travel all the way to the recording studio just to do a few grunts, you know... Unless they secretly made an agreement to just get some other guy to sound like him when doing that so that he doesn't have to go there...
Henrietta
2006-11-19, 00:14
If he is going to be away for this one month, I might as well stay home (brothel) for 3-4 days.
So that's what it means. Thanks. ^-^
(Did you guess it from the context or is there indeed an idiomatic usage for 'home' or 留守 meaning 'brothel' for people like Shiranui?)
Heard the not-so-official ~Kouya Ruten~ rip. :twitch: :heh: Waiting for the single release. :p
Aniki Meiski
2006-11-19, 10:14
So that's what it means. Thanks. ^-^
(Did you guess it from the context or is there indeed an idiomatic usage for 'home' or 留守 meaning 'brothel' for people like Shiranui?)
I am not aware of any special meaning. Rusu just means being absent, it can be absent from home from from work.
DoReMiFaSo
2006-11-19, 19:46
Ep. 7: Still confused. There's not one single episode of Iroha that I am not confused. ~sigh~
Still have no idea what's Nakaiya and Soutetsu's agendas are. Still don't know which side they are on? Or they work for themselves?
Btw, what was Nakaiya's purpose on auctioning the "head" in ep. 1? He's definitely using it himself. Why did he want to sell it?
Btw, what was Nakaiya's purpose on auctioning the "head" in ep. 1? He's definitely using it himself. Why did he want to sell it?
Well, seeing that Akizuki cut that head and Nakaiya still has it, I assume that it was only one of the manifestations of the real head. My guess is that the person who won the auction and used the head would succumb to its power - and perhaps then be manipulated by Nakaiya.
If I have a friend who is obsessed with samurai and shinsengumi, but gets upset when things are hsitorically inaccurate, will he like this show?
cuz I like it and I was going to recommen it to him, but when I recommended Gintama to him, he hated it. Granted, Gintama is way out there compared to Bakumatsu, but still...
any thoughts??
sarahvonreese
2006-11-20, 00:00
If he is going to be away for this one month, I might as well stay home (brothel) for 3-4 days.
Wrong,awfully wrong.Did you hear the next serifu?
"The Stone Crane Mansion was burnt to ground(sekkakuno mo nakunattashi),maybe it's a chance to get acquainted to other girls."
So stay home here means stay home,nowhere else.
But I also have a problem with the 1st part of the sentence.Taking a guess, maybe it's "I thought I could be having fun outside for a whole month,but now I must sit here waiting for 3 or 4days."
Henrietta
2006-11-20, 00:04
Well, seeing that Akizuki cut that head and Nakaiya still has it, I assume that it was only one of the manifestations of the real head. My guess is that the person who won the auction and used the head would succumb to its power - and perhaps then be manipulated by Nakaiya.
That is a good guess.
And, from the practical point of reality, that could just be a way for Nakaiya to raise capital. He could always ask the voodoo guy to magically retrieve the Head from the buyer, and say that the buyer lost it through carelessness somehow (after all, the Head doesn't come with a user's manual).
sarahvonreese
2006-11-20, 00:05
Ep. 7: Still confused. There's not one single episode of Iroha that I am not confused. ~sigh~
Still have no idea what's Nakaiya and Soutetsu's agendas are. Still don't know which side they are on? Or they work for themselves?
Btw, what was Nakaiya's purpose on auctioning the "head" in ep. 1? He's definitely using it himself. Why did he want to sell it?
Two possibilities:1) Nakaiya is doing a good business by selling the head simply because he cannot use it until Youjiro ACTIVATED it by cutting it.
2)Nakaiya has a way to control the guy who bought it by certain methods.
Henrietta
2006-11-20, 00:19
If I have a friend who is obsessed with samurai and shinsengumi, but gets upset when things are hsitorically inaccurate, will he like this show?
cuz I like it and I was going to recommen it to him, but when I recommended Gintama to him, he hated it. Granted, Gintama is way out there compared to Bakumatsu, but still...
any thoughts??
Does your friend have an anime series in the history genre that he likes? I for one can't really say whether he will like it unless I know what his standard of historical accuracy for an anime series is...
Personally, I see this show as a historical fantasy, and I don't get upset even if it sways from real history. If I were reading a scholarly work of history, I would expect the writer to have done his or her best in terms of truthfulness. But I would not apply the same standard to a creative work of fiction.
Here's the Iroha spread from Newtype December:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/9858/nt10iroha01du0.th.jpg (http://img167.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nt10iroha01du0.jpg) http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1277/nt10iroha02qs3.th.jpg (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nt10iroha02qs3.jpg)
Thanks tons for the scan!!
Heh, that's such a typically Naoyuki Onda way of doing eyes... Although Kanna looks like he's wearing makeup... and consequently looks a lot older than Akizuki (who looks, well, 19 now.)
And just look at poor Kakunojou, she's shoved right to the back in a typical pose while Akizuki and Kanna obviously have to get teh spotlight. Not even a writeup! She's as bad as Nakaiya! But of course, that's what the fans want...
The writeups are also hilarious. It's so obvious what they're aiming at :). For example Akizuki's one - "He's seen as an enemy by Kanna, but what does Akizuki really feel?"
And Kanna - "Was Katsu Kaishuu's bodyguard at one time, but after meeting with Akizuki his life began to change greatly." (Or something along those lines, anyway).
And the text at the top has, as I mentioned in a post some time ago, comments from Kanna's and Akizuki's seiyuu with an obligatory mention as to what their character thinks of the other...
Hey, but the bottom right says it all... "Heart to Heart". And somehow I doubt that 心と心をひとつにするもの ("The thing that makes (two) hearts become one"?), next to the little info-box with the Head in it, is a reference to the Head's power but more like the fact that it's what links these two.
Well I still laugh at Kanna because for all his fangirl appeal... He doesn't appear in the ED! Take that, prettyboy! I think I'm becoming so unreasonably cynical that I'll start giggling if he dies by episode 13 or something. (Also I will have to retract my words if they decide to stick him in the ED later... he's managed to creep into those 'official character-lineup' sort of pictures...) And it's not like I'm not a brainless fangirl myself :rolleyes:
I'm still holding out very much for the "『無』から『有』への変化" in Akizuki of course... つーか that's one of the biggest lures for me in this show, dammit. Go on, exploit my weakness, you bastards. Geh. I'm hopeless!
As for why Nakaiya was selling the head, personally I always thought it was because he just wanted to attract trouble (as a lure for Akizuki or something). But Codex's suggestion makes a lot more sense.
---------
EDIT: Also, if you can read Japanese why not check out this (http://www.mangazoo.jp/news.php3?id=2876)little mini-interview of sorts on MANGAZOO? It's an interview of the 3 main characters' seiyuu - Rina Satou (Kakunojou) , Daisuke Namikawa (Akizuki) and Kazuhiko Inoue (Soutetsu). There's also some questions answered by the director Yoshimitsu Oohashi, and the overall director/original creator Ryousuke Takahashi.
Plus there's a pic of all of them! Awwwww, Namikawa and Inoue are in a cheesy-cool pose. Inoue looks great as usual (and what the hell does he use for toothpaste?).
Also, is it me or does Rina Satou look very eerily similar to Ryousuke Takahashi? One would think they were related... but I guess a lot of people look like that...
Going by the preamble of that article, it appears that the 'Kikansetsu' in the title refers to the change and revolution brought about by the conflict between those who have become the ruling power through the Head, and the Eternal Assassin whose very job is to remove the source of their power. If the Tennou Kikansetsu posits that the Emperor has ultimate power (well that's what I vaguely get by cursory reading of the JA wikipedia article on it), then this Kikansetsu is about the idea that those with the Head have ultimate power - and the only person who can ultimately stop them is the Eternal Assassin. At least now we know what they're referring to. (Now I'm looking forward to find out exactly why "Irohanihoheto" is in the title...)
The Bakumatsu was a period of much change as it is, what with old structures of governance starting to change and the introduction of so many new ideas and inventions from other countries (their culture as well). Throw this in and I guess things would just get more confusing.
And where does the power to rule come from? It isn't just the Emperor anymore, but the Head as well... and that would seem to provide an alternate avenue for those who wish to take up power but may feel like they cannot in their current situation (Nakaiya? Soutetsu?); or conversely for those who are already in a powerful position but want to prevent anyone else from superseding them (Saigou).
I would like to know what connection Sakamoto had with the head though... surely Akizuki didn't drop his whole Head quest and decided to be Sakamoto's bodyguard just because he was so inspiring. Surely he must have had something to do with the Head in the first place? Perhaps he was aiming for the Head and Akizuki went to kill him to stop him from getting his hands on it, but he convinced Akizuki that he would put it to good use or wanted to get it in order to destroy it or something, and that is when Akizuki began to assist him instead.
Here is my usual crappy translation of the comments provided by the seiyuu and staff.
Once again: Satou = Kakunojou's seiyuu, Namikawa = Akizuki's seiyuu, Inoue = Soutetsu's seiyuu
And because I feel like being superfluous, my random silly comments are in [square parentheses] and were not in the original.
Seiyuu comments
Q1. Six episodes have already been aired, but do you think anything has changed with regards to acting out your character since the beginning of the show?
Namikawa: Akizuki is a character of very few words [as we're all painfully aware], but the more I do this the more I feel the very deep sense of difficulty that he feels.
Satou: As the episode count gets higher, I at least can feel the strength in her core. I hope to be able to seriously bring out her strength in facing and going towards her destiny, as the Yuyama troupe leader and also as a woman.
Inoue: At the beginning, due to problems with schedules I had to act on my own (extracting only his recording and putting it in later), but now I am able to act along with everyone else. It's a lot more fun acting with everyone else, after all. As for acting out my character, I don't think there has been much of a change... [From my understanding Inoue is a relative big shot in teh seiyuu industry and has even got his own agency so it's natural he'd have conflicting schedules and they would make such concessions]
Q2. Any characters you find interesting apart from your own?
Namikawa: I am curious about Keishin. The fact that he's reserved but honest is something I like.
Satou: I would of course be very curious about Ibaragi Soutetsu! What exactly is Sensei's objective? How far can he actually predict people's actions? There's so many mysteries about him, so I am quite curious.
Inoue: Zagashira piques my curiosity. What kind of life has he lived to come this far? Shibui (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibui) desu!
Q3. What part of the story arouses your interest in particular?
Namikawa: I'm quite interested by how history mixes with the anime's original story.
Satou: What path would Akizuki-sama, Sensei and the troupe each take regarding the Head... I'm very interested to see how this anime will end. [So am I, dammit! So am I!! And isn't it cute how she is so used to saying Akizuki-sama and Sensei? :)]
Inoue: What interests me is the "shibai no koujou" performed by Kakunojou and co. on stage. I don't play a role that says these things, but it seems like the seiyuu acting these out are enjoying themselves quite a bit. [Inoue has said something along this line before in another magazine interview.]
Q4. (Sakamoto Ryouma-related) What are your impressions of Sakamoto Ryouma?
Namikawa: A great person and a pioneer [偉人 先人 ijin and senjin]. My image of him is that of a manly and very chivalrous, bold person.
Satou: An inquisitive, vigorous and bold person who is very focused when it comes to doing what he wants to do. My image of him is that he still has the heart of a child.
Inoue: I think he was someone who very genuinely had this country and its future at heart. Wild, and full of emotions, I'd say. I also love his Tosa accent. [Washi mo!]
Q5. (Sakamoto Ryouma-related) Since we're on the topic of Sakamoto Ryouma, who was known for his love of reading Japanese poetry, could you send a message to our fans in a 5-7-5 syllable [I]haiku format? [Please live with my really pathetic translations of these until some kami-sama descends upon us and gives us some inspiring translations of them...]
Namikawa: Iaidou - iki hitotsu ni mo - ki wo nukezu (In iaido [the art of drawing katana... as in using it, not using a pencil -_-], one must not remove their attention even from a single breath.)
Satou: Kubimeguri - ugoku unmei - kou go-kitai! (Please look forward to the shifting destinies surrounding the Head! [Geez...])
Inoue: Gesaku to wa - toki no nagare wo - tsuzuru mono (The writing of fiction is to compose the flowing of time itself. [!! Is this just a neat observation, or is it a hint?! I'm almost suddenly about to believe that he's hinting that Soutetsu really IS a time traveler like others have suggested, but maybe I'm just overreacting again...])
---
Staff comments
Q1. What are your impressions of Sakamoto Ryouma?
Takahashi: Conflict occurs all the time in the real world, right. Not just in Japan, but in the world. And it's in times like that where I always end up wishing "If Sakamoto Ryouma was around at a point like this...". He didn't lump himself with either side, and yet managed to achieve so much as just one single person, which is something I think you won't find very often in history. That is why even now, when conflicts break out I can't help but think "If only Sakamoto Ryouma was around..."
Oohashi: Ryouma does indeed leave me with the impression of someone who has managed to achieve a great number of things. I get this strong feeling of wanting to do something that others haven't ever done. It's said that if the samurai/bushi of old were to be transposed in today's society, most of them would be very difficult to get along well with. But I think Ryouma, on the other hand, would still be very popular and liked even in modern society.
---Is Sakamoto Ryouma a figure you like even in history?
Takahashi: Yes, I do like him. As to why, well it's said that when he was a kid he used to leak piss a lot* and he wasn't the type who was good at studying either, which sort of overlaps with myself so I feel like I can empathise with him. Well alright, I didn't bed-wet, but I really wasn't very good at studying (laughs)
*He says "Shonben-tare", but it appears this is also some kind of euphemism for a maverick, in a particular kind of Niigata dialect. Does he mean this?
---Is there anyone in history whom you like?
Oohashi: Actually, I like Katsu Kaishuu. [ﾅｶｰﾏ (･∀･)人(･∀･)] It just happens that he's in the spotlight for Iroha this time [this episode, rather?]. The way he has to push certain issues by means of negotiation is simply something you don't see very often, I think. That is what I find attractive.
Q2. The show's aired up till episode 6, but what are any upcoming highlights?
Takahashi: Personally, I think that the idea of things in history happening as waves [I understand this as a one-action-affects-the-next kind of thing] is something very crucial to this story. As such, I would like to highlight the relationship between Akizuki and Kakunojou. [Well DUH! :)] Around the end of the first kur (around episode 13), there's going to be something set up in this regard (工夫を凝らしてます), so I would like it if everyone could enjoy the story through these two. [Aww I'm grinning so much.....no, really!]
Oohashi: I've learned about this period while studying in school, but I think there's a surprising number of things I never knew. Within the story of Irohanihoheto, the real sequence of historical events does flow, but at the same time it is centered around the two characters Akizuki and Kakunojou. So I would like it a lot if everyone could enjoy history (or rather the feel of the period) with a fresh feeling
Pardon me, but... that last part of the interview had me so excited!! Now I really really hope they live up to what they say and don't drop the ball any more! (No, they weren't talking about something Really Great, just something Relevant To My [Very Personal] Interests.)
Also a little information on the DVD...
The first press limited release sort of thing comes with a roughly 60-minute long DVD called "Be able to enjoy the world of Irohanihoheto more" - I guess it gives more detail into the background?
Henrietta
2006-11-20, 08:42
Thank you for the scan. Thank you for the link to the interview. ^-^
The good thing is that we have Takahashi's word that they have taken a lot of pain to set up something interesting about Akizuki and Kakunojou... (Not that we need to be told by now.)
As for the scan... I hear the sound of my heart bleeding for the second time of the week... Such an uninspired pose for Kakunojou...
I like the metaphor of 『無』から『有』への変化.
I think in the scan, they got the colour of Akizuki's kamon (?) wrong. That thingy should be purple...
As for the scan... I hear the sound of my heart bleeding for the second time of the week... Such an uninspired pose for Kakunojou...
My heart bleeds too ... because from the scan it seems Nakaiya will be around for a while yet, and not killed off quickly the way we were hoping ... I mean come on has there ever been a less inspiring bad guy? :(
...
I think in the scan, they got the colour of Akizuki's kamon (?) wrong. That thingy should be purple...
I've noticed it's silver on official art (on the website for example), yet purple in the anime. I remember looking for tsuba designs a while back to see if the emblem had some historical meaning. Found nothing unfortunately.
sarahvonreese
2006-11-20, 09:26
Sakamoto Ryouma couldn't have anything to do with the HEAD. The reason he became Youjiro's target (later a mentor) is to give Youjiro a notable background-----He was Ryouma's bodyguard!( He was Reagan's bodyguard!familiar,right?) .Given Ryouma's ideological idolness in Japan ,it is definitely not possible for the scriptwriter to arrange for him to have anything to do with a voodoo thing like that.That's it.
EragonJeriel
2006-11-20, 17:26
lol i always thought the tales of japan being created was because the emperor (china) send people to japan to gain the immortal thingy was fake.
I love that scene where the Englishmen came marching down, and pwned those japanese. So the one eye gunner is a traitor or is he god..not.
Well I still laugh at Kanna because for all his fangirl appeal... He doesn't appear in the ED! Take that, prettyboy! I think I'm becoming so unreasonably cynical that I'll start giggling if he dies by episode 13 or something. (Also I will have to retract my words if they decide to stick him in the ED later... he's managed to creep into those 'official character-lineup' sort of pictures...) And it's not like I'm not a brainless fangirl myself :rolleyes:
Haha Wao, if that happens, I definately will crackle sardonically while visitng the sites of the devastated fans.
But though I find that really amusing... it's probably better that this doesn't happen cause all those Japanese girls will probably boycott the show in protest and we need their money to make companies make more shows like this one.
I am grinning like a madman right now after reading your translation of the interview. They reiterated the fact Kakunojou is indeed one of the two main characters so many times! I was really worried that Kakunojou would not do anything until episode 20, but after reading this interview I feel very relief. I wonder how the ripples effect Takahashi was alluding to would play a role in Kakunojou's life... I hope he is not baiting us on that reguard.
White Manju Bun
2006-11-21, 00:24
Yes!!! The OP by FictionJunction YUUKA was just released!! Ive been waiting a long time for this song!!!
leonaheidern
2006-11-21, 00:42
Would it be very unreasonable of me to ask for a lyrics and english translation of the full song?
Thank you very much whoever that does the translation in advance. I'll email the song to you if you need it. Please contact me at leonafan@yahoo.com.
The ED is out (if you know where to find it, find it)! I love this song - even more than the OP - because it's so dramatic and the lyrics + melody really make it feel like you're watching a very grand show...
But for some reason, the single sounds a bit different. Like it sounds 'cleaner' but at the same time lost a little bit of punch? Maybe it's my equalizing...
Anyway, from the same place where I got the ED, here is a scan of the lyrics for both the full ED and the b-side called Kakunojou no Temari-uta.
http://s03.imagehost.org/0895/img_a02_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0895/img_a02.jpg)
Here's transliterations anyway, for now...
Chigireta ai no tsurugi Sashidasu saki wa ikusen no
Namida ga hitotsu ni nari Ashita wo kagayakaseru
Hikaru sora no hate Yume wa mada maboroshi
Tsuki no akari Kage ou you ni
Hashiru kono michi
Naraba iza susume Konton no jidai no naka e
Michitaritemona wo Tarinai mono
Mieru kagiri
Chigireta ai no tsurugi Sashidasu saki wa ikusen no
Namida ga hitotsu ni nari Ashita wo kagayakaseru
Hoshii mono wa tada Anata no hohoemi dake
Demo kanashimi no hibi Tomeru koto mo dekizu
Kowaresou sa
Sono te wa yami no tsurugi Ikinuku sube wa ikusen no
Inochi ga maiorite Anata no michi wo terasu
Chigireta ai no tsurugi Sashidasu saki wa ikusen no
Seigi ga hitotsu ni nari Ashita ga umarekawaru
Kono te wa ai no tsurugi Subete no hajimari no akashi
Ima koso Shinjiru michi wo massugu susume!
Kono sora ga aru kagiri
Kono ai ga aru kagiri
Hitotsu - Higure ni gan kakete
Futatsu - Fudasho no tsukimisou
Mittsu - Misora ga akeru koro
Yottsu - Yonaki no ko wo oute
Ittsu - Itsumade tsukeba yoi
Muttsu - Mukae ni konu haha ni
Nanatsu - Naisho de uramigoto
Yattsu - Yamanba konu uchi ni
Kokonotsu - Ko wo sute yama koete
Too de onigo ni narimashita
Translations I suggest waiting for much more capable people (cough Henerietta)
Looks like I was very mistaken because despite the B-side being that song, it isn't sung by Kakunojou, it's sung by Takako Shirai... o_O
Furthermore, it is not a komoriuta (lullaby) as the sites selling it had first claimed (unless my eyesight utterly failed me, which is possible), but a temariuta - a song sung while playing with temari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temari_%28toy%29). Now see, a temari is a loving gift from one's mother.... but the song itself is quite the opposite.
If I understand correctly, that song appears to be (roughly) about a crying kid who was abandoned by his mother, ended up hating her, and became an onigo in teh end. From the kanji, onigo literally means "child of a demon". But it is also used as an euphemism to describe a kid who doesn't look like his parents. Hmm... I wonder how this ties into the story? Akizuki's angsty past as a child? :cool:
And if I'm not wrong, the music that was playing during the troupe introduction in episode 1 was the vocal-less version of this song (I think?)...
All the versions I see have odd extensions ... hrmmmm ...
Haha Wao, if that happens, I definately will crackle sardonically while visitng the sites of the devastated fans.
But though I find that really amusing... it's probably better that this doesn't happen cause all those Japanese girls will probably boycott the show in protest and we need their money to make companies make more shows like this one.
I am grinning like a madman right now after reading your translation of the interview. They reiterated the fact Kakunojou is indeed one of the two main characters so many times! I was really worried that Kakunojou would not do anything until episode 20, but after reading this interview I feel very relief. I wonder how the ripples effect Takahashi was alluding to would play a role in Kakunojou's life... I hope he is not baiting us on that reguard.
Is Kakunojou a main character? I thought he was just a pretty boy side-kick of some sort. (He is the blond guy, right? I haven't catched up with the lastest releases because of Final Fantasy XII)
Anyway, I can't say I'm unhappy. Need some pretty boys for us girl. He seems like a interesting character. I can't imagine him just being a bodyguard - He looks way to selfindependent and confident for that.
I'm really hooked by this show now. I just have to watch the latest episode. I think it is the best show out this season.
Is there any good sites of Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto with pictures or information? Or just a fanside\side with pictures?
Need to keep a certain control over the names - there are so many!
Is Kakunojou a main character? I thought he was just a pretty boy side-kick of some sort. (He is the blond guy, right? I haven't catched up with the lastest releases because of Final Fantasy XII)
No!!!!!! Kakunojou is the Kabuki actor/er actress. Kakunojou is also the girl who shares half the screen time with Akizuki in the opening.
<--- points to my avarta, that is Kakunojou in kabuki form.
Kanna (the person I would be laughing my head off about if he really does die in episode 13) is the pretty boy blond that you are thinking about.
As for website... I know this is self promotion but er check Wao and my site (see my signature), we have both information and fanarts.
Is Kakunojou a main character? I thought he was just a pretty boy side-kick of some sort. (He is the blond guy, right? I haven't catched up with the lastest releases because of Final Fantasy XII)
Um... Kakunojou is a girl. :heh: She's the leader of the Yuyama kabuki troupe, and has appeared since episode 1. She also pretends to be a guy kabuki actor (since only men could perform in kabuki during that time) who plays female roles very well. (I also think she's kind of smitten with Akizuki :3)
I think by "blond guy", you might be referring to Kanna? :confused:
Henrietta
2006-11-23, 07:32
Do not doubt your eyes, this is shameless self-promoting: I dedicate a whole blog (http://henrietta-wu.com/blog/bakumatsu/index.htm) to nothing but this series.
Um... Kakunojou is a girl. :heh: She's the leader of the Yuyama kabuki troupe, and has appeared since episode 1. She also pretends to be a guy kabuki actor (since only men could perform in kabuki during that time) who plays female roles very well. (I also think she's kind of smitten with Akizuki :3)
I think by "blond guy", you might be referring to Kanna? :confused:
It seems it's Kanna his name is.. *embaressed* I'm not really good with names, especially japanese ones.
I suppose I'm do have a certain fangirlism in me - I absolutly adore his design.
Henrietta
2006-11-24, 00:12
Just using my lunch break to check out what the Japanese blogosphere is saying... It looks like Episode 8 is yet another spectacular episode.
Other interesting things:
1. Sakamoto seems to have been the only man to have warded off the power of the Head somehow.
2. When Kanna appears, Akizuki and Kakunojou sort of 'nestle' together.
2. When Akizuki squares off with Kanna, Akizuki and Kakunojou nod at each other.
Just got back!!111 Why must I always be busy on Friday?!!!!!!!
Time for me to do a quick sloppy translation of episode 9's synopsis from the official site.
Episode 9 - The Black Cat Cries
Unsatisfied with Edo turning out to be a bloodless takeover, the old Shogunate troops barricade themselves at Kan'ei Temple in Ueno.
At the same time, a certain female appears at Glover's ship harboured off Yokohama port. That woman is Oryou, Sakamoto Ryouma's wife who had come to visit Youjirou at the Ushioza. However, Akizuki was no longer in Yokohama but in Edo instead. He was there to help a lone samurai waging a battle against the Imperial troops in the Imperial-controlled town of Edo. And that samurai was already losing to sickness, simply wandering for a place to rest forever - Okita Souji.
Finally, war is breaks out between the Shogitai [Loyalty Corps - they're faithful to old Shogunate] and the Eastern Imperial Troops at Kan'ei Temple.
And looking for a place to die, Okita also heads towards there!
"Don't... Don't die, Okita-san!!"
In the falling rain, a light asagi blue haori flapped lightly...
OMFG, the Okita and Akizuki fangirls are going to have a RIOT. LMAO.
LMAO. And... there we go, a change in location. Now that Akizuki's in Edo, not Yokohama... there could be a few possibilities
1. Akizuki leaves the troupe "for good" and goes on his own
2. Akizuki takes a short trip to Edo on his own
3. The troupe and Akizuki both go
4. Akizuki leaves the troupe "for good" but the troupe tags along anyway
I place my bet on #4, if not #1...
Also, I was really laughing out loud at the oh-so-angsty large text. "Shinu na... SHINU NA, OKITA-SAN!!!!" Wow man, if Akizuki's the one saying that the fangirls will just, uh, DIE. (I must admit, me included. Sorry I just can't resist this sort of stuff...)
...And once again, no mention of Kakunojou at all...
EDIT: Other things to add on to what Henrietta said...
It seems like
-Kanna and Akizuki's battle is really ridiculous
-Akizuki got kicked by Kanna?
-It's still an exciting episode anyway
-The drawings are better than last week but still a bit off
-Saigo and Katsu's lines are really cheesy and stupid
-Kanna and Akizuki finally TALKED in this episode (I'd think there was something seriously wrong if they both shut up)
-Furthermore, Akizuki even showed a bit of smiling! To Kakunojou no less! (Apparently to Kanna too but I don't know about that...) There is apparently some sort of running scene with her where they look really cute...
-And Akizuki at least gets hit (in the shoulder, with blood).
-NAKAIYA KICKS THE BUCKET? FINALLY! $DEITY! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! THANK YOU!
-Unfortunately, it's not even Kakunojou who gets to do it anyway... and she doesn't seem to regret that fact or anything. Er, but haven't you been wanting this for 10 years? Wouldn't you feel a bit... never mind...
-Of course, Katsu and Saigo manage to patch up. Thank you. I should have expected that in return for !@#$ing up Katsu like that :frustrated:(/unreasonable fangirl)
-Sorry MrProphet, it looks like they still are following the same format of slower-Apart and faster-Bpart....
-Everyone is commenting that Kanna is getting more and more like Epsilon - who seems to be this other bishie character in Takahashi's famous VOTOMS... but having never watched that show I don't know anything apart from the fact that he died in a rather bad way :heh:
-Okita Souji's voice is in the preview.
EDIT2:
Other updates: Saigo Takamori, Shinza (whose full name is indeed Tatewaki Shinzaemon) and Koma no Shouten-sama have been added to the character page (http://www.irohanihoheto.jp/chara/index.html). I must say, Saigo looks quite dashing in the second getup here (http://www.irohanihoheto.jp/chara/19.html).
It seems like Koma no Shouten-sama is a descendant of one of those 3000 virgin youths who had agreed to help with the sealing of the Conqueror's Head and accompanied Jofuku/Xu Fu on his trip to Japan. I think I had guessed something vaguely along those lines before...
He is the one who entrusts Akizuki with the duty of sealing the Head. Now I'm just guessing here, but could he have been the previous Eternal Assassin?
Also, they had to mention he was a food connoiseur... yes, Shouten-sama, we know you like to pick on Shinza :heh:
FeelLicks
2006-11-24, 02:47
/me remotely logs onto his college computer to dl teh raw...
You have no idea how much we depend on you, FeelLicks >_<
But I hope you aren't feeling pushed to do this or anything... A few hours ain't going to kill anyone, despite what some of us might say...
FeelLicks
2006-11-24, 03:03
hehe, I want to watch this as much as you guys =P
Plus, it's been fun reading what all of you think and whatnot =]
P.S.
About 60% done, shouldn't be too long now...
*bows*
Thank you so much FeelLicks. Wao and I have been agonizing over not being able to watch the episode for the last 1.5 hours already, esp after reading the spoilers...... *coughicouldnthelpmyselfcough*
FeelLicks
2006-11-24, 03:38
It's up! Go get! =]
Good god, I wish I had your connection and luck with finding this stuff.
I think we all owe you like.... like... something really big or something... Do you like fanart?! I'm desparate.
MrProphet
2006-11-24, 05:08
Well, it wasn't as bad as wao made it out. The slow A-part was rather on the smallish side. 8)
Yeah, I watched episode 8, like everyone else before me. What can I say? The quality of art is still pretty dodgy, sometimes even reaching almost-Yuasaan hights, but the action kicked everyone in the ass pretty hard, didn't it? 8)
I wish they'd pay more attention to character design and freaking proportions, but everything else made up for it nicely.
The Head floating between Saigo and Katsu was silly bordering on stupid. 8)
Yeah, I was just going entirely based on what I read on blogs and 2ch.
They did ahve some inaccuracies. Akizuki didn't smile a single bit in this episode, chih.... -_-
And the A part wasn't really slow, I guess because this entire episode is almost entirely action... It was wrapped up well.
And the animation really was quite dodgy this episode, unfortunately. I think a lot of the problem is in the in-between animation. Some parts simply didn't have enough at all. I guess it's hard to animate so much action. But at least the poses in teh 2nd half weren't so bad. However, ... geh, it was still a bit distracting for me. Not as bad as the previous episode though, certainly.
The fights in this show are by now definitely beyond doubt style over substance (and the style is a bit dodgy too). However this episode did have some cool bits. The candles bit was actually quite nice. And the bit where Kanna is walking in the room and trying to figure out where Akizuki is on the other side... also the bit where Akizuki simply pwned Kanna by just looking at him :cool:
Oh yes, I totally have to mention that this episode's fight is like... full of yaoi fangirl bait. I swear, the fansites are going to be flooded this coming week. I can almost guarantee it. Totally... especially that staring bit. Good god. Even I couldn't help smiling.
I must wholeheartedly agree with MrProphet on the Saigo/Katsu thing. That was just.... stupid. Really stupid. But at least it was interspersed so I just thought "hurry up and get over and done with" and just ignored that whole segment. I know the Katsu-fangirl at the back of my head is really crying but well, at least the very last scene made up for it all. The clapping was very cute. And the way Katsu and Saigo were looking at each other in one part, I think some screwed up history fujoshi person could easily be inspired to write a fic bout them.
I really wonder what the troupe is going to do now since Soutetsu seems to have left high and dry with the Head. But the troupe didn't seem surprised at all when he dashed off (and kicked a sword into Hata's ugly mug - GJ!). Either they don't know that he's got the Head, or well... I don't know. Soutetsu doesn't look like he's coming back though...
One more question before I go rewatch certain parts - it's about the bit right at the end. I still do not understand Kanna's motivations. What does he mean "this is a reward I earned from him" when he shoots him? Did he ally with Nakaiya for the purpose of being able to ultimately kill him? Or did he have an agreement with Nakaiya that he would be the one to finally kill him?
Henrietta
2006-11-24, 07:09
One more question before I go rewatch certain parts - it's about the bit right at the end. I still do not understand Kanna's motivations. What does he mean "this is a reward I earned from him" when he shoots him? Did he ally with Nakaiya for the purpose of being able to ultimately kill him? Or did he have an agreement with Nakaiya that he would be the one to finally kill him?
Kanna said something like, 'Don't think badly of me. I am just doing what I am paid by him to do.' (悪く思うな。ここまでそいつからもらった報酬分だ。)
He shoots at Kakunojou's sword so that she would not be able to stab him, that is all. Nakaiya is dead by that time anyway given the blows Ebisu and Zagashira have given him.
So that shot was not a way for him to physically stop her from killing him, but a way of telling her "Hey! I'm not a bad guy, OK!" ...?
I'm also wondering whatl'l happen to Katsu now. It'd be sad if he was largely ignored but then again if he's got nothing left to do... I'm sure we'll see him cameo again, but I'll miss his Katsuisms :( And Kotoha!
And the acting! Argh. One of my most favourite parts of the show is the kabuki and the lovely songs and things by Kotoha etc. I hope these don't all go away...
EDIT: I feel a little rubbishy and decided to put the first half my most trivial thoughts + highly skimpy and useless summary in the form of a really lousy manga this time... I fail at using space properly :heh:
But only the first one is even vaguely readable, the second one I haven't put in colours (which separates areas and makes it easier to figure out wtf I'm drawing)
http://s03.imagehost.org/0896/kansou-1_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0896/kansou-1.jpg) http://s03.imagehost.org/0896/kansou-22_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0896/kansou-22.jpg)
And I think I'll go to sleep first for once, an entire week of sleeping at 3-5am and waking up at 8 the next morning is taking its toll on me... guess I'll continue with the second part of the episode tomorrow just to be complete...
I must mention once again about that certain sword-kicking scene by Soutetsu... I found it so funny and now it's just even funnier to me... It's like.... the guy comes running up going all HIEEAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!.... and then he's cut short with a sword stuck thorugh his head. Like... *splat*.
I can't stop laughing even now! What timing...
EDIT: Wow, just take a look at the Japanese blogosphere. Just as anyone could have guessed, the fangirls (almost all of them being BL fangirls in some way or another) are in freaking heaven! I suppose despite the ridiculous aspects of the battle, there were some cool bits (I still like the candles thing), and the last bit with the what-do-you-call-it pillows (forgot the proper term) being thrown was pretty cool.
And if you give them something like that staring scene... what do you expect, eh? Nothing short of a riot I say. Alright, maybe it's not the maximum yet because the faces were not so nice this episode.
I expect next episode to really pile on the angst like nobody's business. Look at Kou Matsuo's stuff in RED GARDEN... and apply it to this context, I swear I'll be secretly swooning into a puddle of melted wao in front of my monitor next Friday.
But then I shouldn't talk about how if this episode could entertain me so much, I would seriously die 2 weeks from now...
Okita Souji + Akizuki angsting + tragic inevitable death + Kou Matsuo + ep 4 director + Naoyuki Onda drawings = Ultimate Angst that is Exactly The Type I Really Can't Resist.
Oh dear... I am so going to make sure I have absolutely nothing on on the Friday and Saturday after next. Absolutely.
Henrietta
2006-11-24, 08:08
So that shot was not a way for him to physically stop her from killing him, but a way of telling her "Hey! I'm not a bad guy, OK!" ...?
I think it was both a way for him to stop Kakunojou while saying at the same time that he is not a bad guy. In other words, he must have been paid by Nakaiya to act as some sort of mercenary, but while he would prevent Kakunojou from hurting Nakaiya, he would not hurt Kakunojou as much as he could. After all, he could have shot her instead of her sword.
I must mention once again about that certain sword-kicking scene by Soutetsu... I found it so funny and now it's just even funnier to me... It's like.... the guy comes running up going all HIEEAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!.... and then he's cut short with a sword stuck thorugh his head. Like... *splat*.
I can't stop laughing even now! What timing...
Lol, that was hilarious.
Some thoughts on ep 8...
...now that's more like it. I enjoyed this ep immensely. The Akizuki/Kanna battle was fun and intense, if a little silly at times, but it was great to see them finally fight.
As expected they're evenly matched but I thought Akizuki fared better overall, despite the flesh wound. To me it seems Kanna lumbered about just doing what he's paid to do. You can probably tell I don't like Kanna one bit, I think he's an inferior character. Let's hope the pretty boy has a scar to remember Akizuki by now.
Also rather sad to see Kakunojou cast aside (again, literally) so that the two of them could battle it out, poor girl.
All the versions I see have odd extensions ... hrmmmm ...
PM me if you still need help.
Just caught episode 5. I like how they really put across the point of such travelling show-troupes as very much really being socio-political voices. The shows arent just a facade for the political messages, they are the medium thru which such are directly transmitted, and it has, I guess, stayed pretty much the same with entertainment/media in our time. What amazes me tho, is how powerful such a simple (from our standards today) medium could be; terrifying those in power as Taiyu said.
Heh, Taiyu speaks English better than Sir Parkes. Or is that cockney accent playing tricks on my ears? On that topic, I love that heavy... eh.. drugged-like slur that Taiyu speaks with. Oh... its seductive. I get it.
This episode was delightful anyway. The troupe's stage-play at the Stone Crane Mansion was just beautifully crafted in animation. For that moment, it captured the atmosphere perfectly.
PM me if you still need help.
Just caught episode 5. I like how they really put across the point of such travelling show-troupes as very much really being socio-political voices. The shows arent just a facade for the political messages, they are the medium thru which such are directly transmitted, and it has, I guess, stayed pretty much the same with entertainment/media in our time. What amazes me tho, is how powerful such a simple (from our standards today) medium could be; terrifying those in power as Taiyu said.
I'm all set with the OP/ED singles, thank you.
I'm not sure about the literacy rates in Japan at the time, but I think, as with any society, a medium that is able to reach the lowest common denominator and make present its message in a way that is appealing to the audience will have a massive amount of influence on the way the populace thinks.
And ...
Hmm, I don't think I'd judge the action sequences harshly at all. Although the art quality was rather low, it seems that this is a common trade-off for animation quality. Compared to the fight sequence in episode 5, this was much more satisfying. It wasn't just flashing swords and speeding bullets - they took the time to animate a very physical sort of confrontation. Watching Akizuki use his sword hilt and arms to block Kanna's movements took me all the way back to those days of watching Shura no Toki. It's much more realistic than Kanna shooting a bullet out of the air, too. Now if only they didn't have to intersperse those sequences with the shots of Saigo vs Katsu.
As for the scene where Kanna stops Kakunojou from attacking Nakaiya ... the cliched interpretation might be because he doesn't want her to dirty her hands ... :rolleyes:.
Overall, although not much story happens in this episode, I have to say I really liked the action. My favourite episode since ep 4, perhaps? Ah ... I can't get enough of the fight choreography. It's so rare to get such detail.
From listening to the preview, I do think it is Akizuki telling Okita not to die - it's not really loud, but it does sound intense. Although ... the "baka na!" part sounds so un-Akizuki-like. Like wao says, it looks to be a very angst-ridden episode 9. I'm not really a big Shinsengumi fan, but it would be interesting to watch the interaction - but moreso, the next episode should help fill in more of Akizuki's character and past.
Edit: Oh, and yes - Soutetsu kicking the sword into that mystic's forehead must have been the single coolest moment in the episode. As for the troupe's reaction to his declaration ... I think their muted response was a mix of finally seeing their mortal enemy in front of them and being at a loss for words because they have absolutely no idea what he's up to.
Personally... I find it really really amusing when Akizuki sama said
Kisama (aka Bastard)! --- So he can swear when he wants to. ^_^;
The fansubs are really behind. I can't believe this anime is not getting the attention it deserves. Definitely a different taste than the other dozens of series still airing.
Henrietta
2006-11-26, 02:42
I thought of posting my response to various questions Wao asked me at one point or another on my blog, but on second thoughts I want to post it here instead.
To save space:
Just responding to Wao's questions:
1) I scanned through the fanfics at: "ttp://www.c-able.ne.jp/~areru-27/"
On the whole, I like "馬鹿にしてる？" best. (For those who cannot read Japanese, basically it's a fanfic about Akizuki watching Kakunojou eat sweet things.) This passage in particular deserves special mention:
女は甘いものが好きだという。なぜかは知らない。が、赫乃丈を見ていると成る程と思う。
(It is said that girls like sweet things. Akizuki does not know why that is so. But when he looks at Kakunojou, he thinks to himself, "So it is true after all.")
If you ask me, I think "成る程" is probably something Akizuki frequently thinks to himself, at least ever since he left his home village. Look at the backwaters that Koma no Sato is - surely he must have been shocked by the difference between town and country when he went to town for the first time?
I suspect that Akizuki may not have any friends back home. He knows his manners and keigo (敬語) and seems to communicate well enough when he is talking to older men of higher positions, but he is not good at communicating with people of his own age or of lower positions. My guess is that he may not have been exposed to the latter category of people as much. A lack of social contact with girls in particular may account for that 成る程 because whatever he knows about girls he learned only by hearsay (or so we guess).
I rather look forward to the next episode in which Oryou appears, because his experience with Sakamoto and Oryou may well be his first close-at-hand observation of what a 'normal' family unit, and marriage for that matter, are like.
(I did breath a sign of relief since you weren't asking me to comment on these: ttp://id10.fm-p.jp/book/main_menu.php?uid=unison1020ai&dir=11&num=1&mem_pw=])
If I were writing the same story, I probably would not have Akizuki patting Kakunojou's head at the end. Very likely I would just cut it off at 「……別に」.
2) The lyrics of the ED. I wouldn't take the meaning of the lyrics literally. At 欲しいものはただ、あなたの微笑みだけ, a lurking voice in me said, please don't let me hear that ubiquitous line - あなたの笑顔を守りたい - in the show.
When that scene comes (if it comes), I hope they will apply their creativity as usual in dressing up time-honoured cliches in a stylish manner.
3) As for your (Wao's and Ori's) fanart, I enjoyed the paintchat sessions most - they are really hilarious. I for one would not have been able to come up with something as funny as that. Perhaps it's just a lack of creative talent on my part - I for one would not have been able to come up with something as funny as that.
4) The fantasy ending. I don't have a fantasy ending per se, but I do have a speculated ending. I expect the show to end ambiguously on a bittersweet note, with loose ends untied and many things unsaid. (To give a decisively happy ending to Akizuki and Kakunojou would be Bad Business as it would cause a riot among yaoi-inclined fangirls.) Very likely they would make an abrupt cut from the final battle scene, without showing anything by way of denouement at all. They will cue in the song especially reserved as an ED of the last episode and let the ending credits roll. And just when you go, 'What the...?' they will tune down the special ED and show you scenes that suggest that some years have passed and how the characters get on with their new lives in the Meiji era...
On second thoughts, I do have something of a fantasy ending at this point: We see how the charactres get on with their new lives in the Meiji era - all except Akizuki, Kakunojou and Kanna (if he is still alive). Then we see flyers on the streets of London announcing the opening of a Kabuki show featuring... Kakunojou. Next, we see the close-up shot of a white envelope being bought on a tray to Kakunojou's dressing room (probably by a grown-up Kobako). Kakunojou with her back towards us is sitting before a mirror so we cannot see her face. All around her there is a roomful of flower bouquets from her fans. When the letter is bought to her, we see her hand hesitating for a moment before it finally picks up the letter and opens it. When asked who is the letter from, Kakunojou does not answer and we see only a close-up of her painted lips curving up. Her hands fold up the letter and have it hidden inside her costume. Then someone from afar shouts, 'It's time!' and Kakunojou gets up to make her way to the stage (with her back towards us all this time). Then the beats are sounded and the curtains part. Kakunjou thinks to herself something like あの方がここにいたね ('So he is here') or 久しいぶりだね ('It's been a long time'). We see the deep breath she takes before she rolls out her introductory lines (which we do not hear, as the screen would go black - 'The End').
The point is that we don't know who the letter is from and what the letter says or what the three of them will grow up to be like for that matter. (And of course, instead of one letter, we could throw in two letters as well. )
Thanks for the reply, Henrietta! I've sent you a PM with my own reply since I think I've clogged this forum up enough with posts like that from me...
One thing I was thinking about w.r.t. Sakamoto Ryouma and Soutetsu.
Is is possible that Soutetsu was not lying when he dropped Sakamoto's name to Akizuki in episode 4? Well, maybe not in that particular way, but...
Considering that in episode 8 it was revealed that Ryouma was one of the only who did not fall under the influence of the Head (and yet Katsu could, grumble grumble -_-)... It seems like Soutetsu is also very aware and interested in how one can control the head without becoming consumed by it. Perhaps he is aiming to be like Ryouma in that regard? I still haven't seen enough of our mysterious ロンゲ to really figure out for myself what he's thinking, but it's still hard for me to tell whether he'll really turn out to be evil or what.
For now my image of him is that he's going to appear like he's evil to Akizuki and co., and he manages to succeed for the most part, but in the end perhaps Akizuki and co. realise that he's got certain good-natured motivations, it's just that the Head ultimately is the wrong way of going about to do it... Or maybe not. It's just mere pointless speculation here again. I wonder if Soutetsu will end up falling victim to the Head himself. I hope he at least doesn't degenerate into a painful supernatural cliche sort of thing...
And while I'm at it - I think I rambled here earlier about why Akizuki tried to kill Ryouma in the first place and ended up being his bodyguard, and how it has to do with the Head. I think this time, maybe I was partially correct, for once...
Consider this. Why does Koma no Shouten-sama know that Ryouma was able to resist the cursed power of the Head? It means that someone must have seen Ryouma handling the Head and noted it down, and what that person witnessed must have been passsed over to Koma. I think it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that this someone was Akizuki, would it? This would mean that Ryouma must have also come into contact with the Head at some point or another... while Akizuki - who is supposed to have cut the Head - was around.
Now I'm just throwing out a feeble suggestion, but perhaps they'll explain that Sakamoto Ryouma's assassination was because he was in possession of the Head (which Akizuki had allowed since he saw that a. Ryouma was of good character and b. he wasn't influenced by it and would surely use it for good purposes)... of course, I'm assuming a lot here and also assuming the show has been trying to completely hide it here, but why not?
Any thoughts from anyone else?
Dernhelm
2006-11-26, 12:27
awesome. samurai/japanese history with a bit of the unreal. lol, it made me scurry back to my shinsengumi/bakumatsu notes while discovering a few new things. while the supernatural part is throwing me off just a little, i like period pieces generally. plus the music is really helping a lot too. i wonder which side of the story they will take, regarding Sakamoto's death...
metamorphic
2006-11-27, 05:02
Just under two months left: the first Iroha DVD (episodes 1~2) is scheduled to be released on January 26 2007, and after that, subsequent DVD volumes each month (each containing 3 episodes each)! Can't wait to see this superb series in its full glory, especially the OP, and whether or not there will be any interesting extras. It'll also be interesting to see what form the ED will take.
And here's hoping they touch up the animation (especially episode 7)... episode 8 could do with a bit of it too...
MrProphet
2006-11-27, 05:47
So, any news on how long this series is supposed to last? I am betting on 24/26, but could use some more concrete info.
Going by http://www.gyao-shop.jp/event/1006iroha.html there are going to be 9 volumes of DVDs... The first DVD has 2 episodes.
The rest could be either all having 3 episodes, making it 26 in total, or some could be having one less making it 24 or 25. Although the 2ch thread's first post says "planned for 26 episodes" I don't know their source. Probably one of the magazines have mentioned it somewhere...
EDIT: Just happened to drop by their official blog, and it looks like next episode we'll have a special guest appearing in the cast. This actress is starring in a jidaigeki film that is coming out soon - "Bushi no Ichibun 武士の一分 (One part of a Warrior)", directed by Youji Yamada (http://www.japan-zone.com/modern/yamada_yoji.shtml) 山田洋次. (He's known for the Tora-san series of movies, A Class To Remember, etc.) It's based off a novel by Shuuhei Fujiwara.
The film screens on the 1st of December and has Takuya Kimura in the lead role. LOL. (EDIT: A bit of googling has turned up that the English title for this film is "Love and Honour" and it had its World Premiere in October.)
The name of the actress is 檀れい - Dan Rei (pronoucned as Dun, not the English name Dan), a former Takarazuka actress, and in the film she's got the role of "Kayo Mimura", the wife of Kimura's character (a blind samurai?)... She's really quite (http://images.google.com.sg/images?q=%E6%AA%80%E3%82%8C%E3%81%84) beautiful, indeed...
Who she's playing in the next episode? Why, none other than Oryou, Sakamoto Ryouma's widow.
This is an interesting tie-up, really. Because the premiere of the film is the same day that episode 9 is airing :cool:, too!
Also! Ryousuke Takahashi wrote a comment about her appearance in the official blog for Bushi no Ichibun.
And you can see Oryou's face there. http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ichibun1201/7237886.html Woo.
I like that character design! Those eyes... ahh, Yuusuke Kozaki, I love the eyes of the characters you design!
It's nice to see that they still care about their female characters despite this being a squarely fujoshi-aimed show..
Frankly speaking though, I hope they find more "official images" because I think I'm almost sick of seeing the exact same picture used in offical stuff about the show...
Once again, don't expect a stellar translation or anything near that... my English has phailed me today... and for those interested in Akizuki and Kakunojou do read inside, something very trivial but giggle-worthy awaits... :)
Things in square brackets are added by me.
The first part is just an introduction to the show and Takahashi.
----
The question of who exactly we should cast as the character of Oryou, Sakamoto Ryouma's wife, was something left pending for quite some time.
There's already one stylish onee-san in Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto called "Kotoha", and there was the danger that there'd be an overlap in beautiful lady characters of that age.
Oryou is a relatively important character who influences the direction of the story, relaying a message left behind by Sakamoto Ryouma to the troubled main character [Akizuki], and also figuring out the target of the heroine's [Kakunojou's] affections [literally, 恋心を見抜いて - seeing through one's heart of love], giving her a certain suggestion. As such she would have to be a convincingly persuasive figure.
Time passed by and Oryou's casting was still undecided, and when we were beginning to get worried, what with her episode of appearance fast approaching, I was introduced to "Dan Rei"-san through a certain connection.
When I asked though, I found out that she came from a Takarazuka [look it up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarazuka_Revue)] background and had no experience in voice acting. With some feelings of reservation we had her come for the a rehearsal...
Firstly I was surprised by the crisply-dressed and beautiful lady before me, and surprised again when we got her to speak in the microphone for her voice, that was trained on stage, was clear and clean.
And the way she brought out the presence of the character was exactly what we had in mind!
I overheard one of the staff going "As you'd expect from "Bushi no Ichibun"", did a double-take and asked "Do you mean that "Bushi no Ichibun" directed by Yamada-kantoku?" and was left dumbfounded with the response - "Didn't you know? Dan-san plays the heroine in "Ichibun", you know".
I went to look this up immediately, and indeed she was playing the role of Mimura Kayo alongside Kimura Takuya.
It was real thoughtlessness on my part, but I once again thank the heavens that our "Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto" is so blessed. [I don't know how to translate ホントついている] Oryou-san will be appearing very soon now.
Takahashi Ryousuke
As for the scene where Kanna stops Kakunojou from attacking Nakaiya ... the cliched interpretation might be because he doesn't want her to dirty her hands ... :rolleyes:.
Not to rain on anyone's parade or anything, but don't you get the feeling we haven't yet seen the last of Nakaiya? This time I _really_ hope to be wrong, but that nasty little smile of his before the troupe finished him off is somewhat worrisome. And wasn't he supposed to have died once before already? Maybe Kanna deflected Kakunojou's blow so that Nakaiya's heart/brain/head would be intact or whatever might be required for another miraculous resurrection. If he really is dead, then wow, how anticlimactic is that.
Oryou is a relatively important character who influences the direction of the story, relaying a message left behind by Sakamoto Ryouma to the troubled main character [Akizuki], and also figuring out the target of the heroine's [Kakunojou's] affections [literally, 恋心を見抜いて - seeing through one's heart of love], giving her a certain suggestion. As such she would have to be a convincingly persuasive figure.
Thanks for the translation. Thats nice to hear, because thus far (up to the 5th episode) the plot has been moving really slowly, or at least, I can't for the life of me make out where this series is heading. I dont know if the rest of you feel like me, that this series is moving rather slowly..
It's nice to see that they still care about their female characters despite this being a squarely fujoshi-aimed show..
Frankly speaking though, I hope they find more "official images" because I think I'm almost sick of seeing the exact same picture used in offical stuff about the show...
That does "fujoshi" mean?
Anyway, I have been searcing for some official images myself, and I haven't found more than those I have aldready seen. Is this show even populair in Japan?
I drew this sketch for fun today. (Half an hour maximum) My first try of a fanart. Err.. Just felt like posting it here. :)
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i308/Johanne_89/Kannaliten.jpg
On the contrary, I personally feel some parts of it have been going so fast that it could do with a bit of slowing down (like a 'breather' episode) - but nope, going by the plot summaries it looks like we're not going to be slowing down any time soon.
I guess it depends on which part of the story you're looking at. I'm personally quite happy that the plot itself is moving at a reasonably fast place - there's always something happening in each episode that furthers the plot, even though it may seem that nothing new is revealed. And there's still so much more coming up, that I guess if they didn't move at this pace they might not be able to catch up.
I just wish that while they're breezing along with the plot, that they dedicate a bit more time to character development. I might be misunderstanding you, but perhaps you feel that the plot is going very slowly because the characters seem to be in roughly the same position and we haven't really foudn out anything more about them?
Or perhaps it's because despite the fact that a lot of things are happening, it's very difficult to see where it's going in general. Personally I think it is still a little difficult to place our main characters' motivations in the political framework of the time, but hopefully this will be possible soon (especially by episode 9). But surely you can expect that the show will somehow end up with some epic battle over the Head and some sort of conflict or something between Kakunojou and Akizuki?
Oh well.
nishino: A number of Japanese viewers on 2ch actually said what you did. And I will try very hard to ignore it and hope it does not come true. I agree that it was very anticlimatic but I'd much rather leave it at that, really... anything but what you suggested... waargh.
Friera: That's a nice fanart of Kanna! It definitely feels like you put a lot of effort into his face. I like his lips.
Although, I think his eyepatch is on the other side. Never mind.
And a fujoshi is, to crudely put it, a female otaku. Usually it connotates someone who enjoys and supports Boy's Love. I think.
I might be misunderstanding you, but perhaps you feel that the plot is going very slowly because the characters seem to be in roughly the same position?
Or perhaps it's ...[*snip*: nope, not that]... very difficult to see where it's going in general.
Yes, its both, I think. Not only their motivations, but as yet, I cannot see what their.. associations with each other at this point of time in the show will lead to. Perhaps its because the main-players are still apart and only vaguely/superficially connected to each other. Say, Katsu for example. I know he is associated with Akizuki, because both met in the brothel, but how exactly? To what purpose? I suppose I should research, and some of you have written fine, comprehensive notes on its history, but I haven had time to read everything sadly.
Also, it feels as if because they are in the same position, the plot hasnt been furthered. Which is not true, I know; but it just feels that way. Yeah, Oh well. :D
Yes, you are right, the OP clearly indicates a Kaku and Akizuki conflict. I could expect that, but its hard to keep sight of that when I'm unsure of their relationship even now.
I guess that's what can be difficult about this anime. Frankly speaking I think if I didn't go look up all the various people, I would have been completely lost by now (I think it's because I felt like I really wanted to enjoy this anime, which is why I decided to get off my lazy ass and learn something for once).
But you can always ask here if you don't understand. It also gives me better ideas as to how I could reword the writeups on a certain site so that it's more helpful for people who don't understand WTF is going on...
If I am not wrong ...
Katsu is not really linked to Akizuki in a very important way. He knows Akizuki because Akizuki used to be with Sakamoto Ryouma, and Katsu was Ryouma's mentor and friend.
Katsu invited Akizuki over probably because in episode 3, he saw Akizuki running on the rooftop and knew that the guy was in town and decided to invite him over - something like an old acquaintance or something. Or just to say "Hi" properly. Or just as an excuse to let us see some emo flashbacks.
At the same time Akizuki also gets to learn a little bit about what Katsu is doing and hence about the current situation. I don't think it was public knowledge that Katsu was negotiating with Saigo, but now Akizuki knows. (Although I dont think he really uses this knowledge.)
Aniki Meiski
2006-11-27, 13:33
I feel that the link between Katsu's story how he negotiated on behalf of the people of Edo for peace and Kakunojo's revenge/Akizuki's Head is a bit forced. I wonder could the story be told without Katsu/Kotoha/Shimon Tatsugoro (pointless cameo but nice singing). It would be a lot less confusing. I think the story still makes sense if you skip away all the Katsu's bit.
Personally I think Katsu is in the story not because he is needed for the plot to flow but because one of the main theme of the series is that histor flows like water and if something unatural, aka the head and the earthquake, is thrown into the flow, every single other historical event after that would feel its effect.
In order to do taht, they have to weave as many historical characters and events into the story as they can, otherwise they can't show history with Iroha twist.
As for what Wao's translation for the interview... even though I already said this to her, I will say it again: God smiles down on me today for sure!!! Not only is school canceled due to snow but Kakunojou will probably do something soon. Woot!
I guess that's what can be difficult about this anime. Frankly speaking I think if I didn't go look up all the various people, I would have been completely lost by now
Frankly speaking, if you did not go look up .... *I* would have been completely lost too :D
I avidly read all the stuff the great people shared on this thread (and the notes at shinsen-subs from the awesomest translator), and it makes all the difference to me. I was reading wikipedia too, but it was just too much to gobble, and I was totally confused at first.
So, now with the background you all so kindly shared with us (me), I can go read stuff too. And now, hurrah! I understand... erm, at least partly :) Now, it is one of my favorite animes, because I CAN and HAVE to look all the new stuff up. So to me, it is a pro and a con, so to speak. (but then, I am a lil sponge, I just LOVE to learn new stuff, unfortunately not the one new stuff I am supposed to learn ;))
Sorry to interrupt your talk (will catch up later again, on weekend or so), just taking the opportunity to say thanks to y'all :)
Just under two months left: the first Iroha DVD (episodes 1~2) is scheduled to be released on January 26 2007, and after that, subsequent DVD volumes each month (each containing 3 episodes each)! Can't wait to see this superb series in its full glory, especially the OP, and whether or not there will be any interesting extras. It'll also be interesting to see what form the ED will take.
Just one question. Um, sorry, I am very new at anime and stuff, so it would be my first DVD of anime I buy (and I am totally gonna buy them ALL :D)
Those will be japanese only? Or do they usually come out with english subs? (I dont buy dubbed anymore, at all, since I discovered hearing original language with subs)
I feel that the link between Katsu's story how he negotiated on behalf of the people of Edo for peace and Kakunojo's revenge/Akizuki's Head is a bit forced. I wonder could the story be told without Katsu/Kotoha/Shimon Tatsugoro (pointless cameo but nice singing). It would be a lot less confusing. I think the story still makes sense if you skip away all the Katsu's bit.
Well, I would've liked to say that they wanted to show the true historical effect of the Head and it is nice that for once when there's an Evil Supernatural Thing appearing, it actually has as big an effect as it's supposed to (rather than being supposedly Big and Evil but not affecting history at all).
However, the actual interaction of the Head with said historical figures was so.... -____- lame, that I think maybe they weren't aiming at that, I dunno...
And ultimately since everything went back to normal I wonder what lasting effect it had this time around. If we don't see Katsu again we won't really know what he feels like... but I think we really won't see him again ;_; Bye Katsu. (I hope we do see you)
Saigo Takamori on the other hand, I'm absolutely positive we'll see him again. Perhaps we might see his character change after his encounter with the head... or perhaps they'll have him avidly pursue the Head... although I am not totally sure.
But they should've included Kotoha, totally! I absolutely loved watching her. This series wouldn't have been so enjoyable if not for characters like her.
Although I totally agree about Shinmon Tatsugoro. That totally felt like they were sticking him in there just like an omake. Actually I get the feeling that sometimes the creators really ARE putting in these extra details so that any history nuts watching the show can grin to themselves. Some sort of bizarre fan-service perhaps. There's a hidden market in Bakumatsu fangirls who don't mind if some things get screwed around as long as you make up for it with other things, I suppose...
Niji: He is talking about Region 2 Japanese language-only DVDs.
----------
EDIT: I realise I have been thinking very stupidly so far while looking up stuff... All the dates are in the Lunar calendar but I've been transposing them exactly in my head as Gregorian dates. Aaargh. *bashes head against wall*.
I asked myself:
OK. What is the date in the show now? In the Gregorian calendar?
Then I think I realised something about the accuracy of the date when the letter was passed in the anime.
I am using the following:
The Shinsengumi HQ (http://www.shinsengumihq.com/ShinsengumiBakumatsuTime1861-1870.htm) timeline and this (http://www.astro.sendai-c.ed.jp/cgi-bin/mooncal/) Gregorian <-> Lunar converter...
(L= lunar calendar, G=gregorian calendar)
I have assumed that the start of the show corresponds with the actual date on which the letter was sent. This date is taken from the timeline linked above and assumed to be true (the people at SSGHQ should be trustable, surely?)
5th March (L) / 28 March (G) - Episode 1 Katsu sends Yamaoka and Masumitsu. Earthquake + Soutetsu happens.
Let's assume Yamaoka and Masumitsu take 7 days to come back because of the added problems.
12th March (L) / 4th April (G) - Episode 5 Yamaoka and Masumitsu return.
13th March (L) / 5th April (G) - Episode 6 The troupe's final performance. Attack of Shureiki.
Seems fine, right? No.
Let's assume we follow the timeline I had in my head. Then
~13th April (L) / 4th May (G) - Episode 7 The official synopsis (http://www.irohanihoheto.jp/story/onair.html) for episode 7 very clearly states that one month has passed from the attack of the Shureiki.
But:
http://s03.imagehost.org/0899/ep_7_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0899/ep_7.jpg)
The one (?) time the show displays an exact date, it is when Katsu and Saigo meet. On Keio 4, 3rd month, 14th day. I think it is a very feasible assumption to say that that date is going by the lunar calendar. And it happens that this is around the day that the real meeting took place.
Obviously, 13th April != 13th March. But while it has to be 13th April going by that timeline, it also has to be 13th March going by that screencap. The screencap is more reliable.
So the timeline I have had in my brain is wrong. But where?
I have forgotten that the show starts 3 months after Ryouma Sakamoto's assassination, which was undoubtedly on 15 Nov 1867 (L) = 10 Dec 1867 (G). That means the passing of the first letter in the anime was in February 1868 (L) / March 1868 (G).
The key question: how does it deviate from history? Well, that depends on which way you look at it. There is, IIRC, already one deviation because it seems that IRL, Katsu did his negotiations from Edo and not Yokohama. Although this is not a huge difference because they're only 17.2 miles / 27.6 km apart from each other (according to this (http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/calculate-distance.html)) Surely it takes only a day or two to get there.
It could, from my understanding, be one of the following.
a. The attack was planned for March 15 (L). But Katsu knew about it in February (L). THe deviation from history is having him know well in advance send the letter very early.
b. The attack was planned for February 15 (L). Katsu knew about it only a short while earlier as per history. The deviation is that they pushed back Saigo's plan and every single thing for one month. [I think this is the least plausible explanation because it changes the most number of things.]
c. The attack was planned for March 15 (L). Katsu sent the letter on March 9 - [I]except, that this is not shown in episode 1 but in episode 6/7. The letter in episode 1 is a separate one. So he sent two letters - but one failed, and it was just not recorded in history or whatever. Thus the only deviation is that Katsu sent an extra letter, but the one that we all know from history went as it did, and the meeting happened all as per normal. Just that Soutetsu even knew about the extra letter...
(this is the strongest explanation, I feel.)
The long and short of it is that I can safely conclude that by the end of episode 8, it is the 15th of March 1868 in the Lunar Calendar, or the 7th of April 1868 by our Gregorian calendar. There. I wasted the entire damn morning on this...
But to anyone who actually understood the whole chunk that I just wrote - what do you think? Of course, it's not like this whole letter hullabaloo really has any impact on the story, actually... Frankly it's only because I realise now I have to entirely rewrite this (http://irohaheya.blogspot.com/2006/11/objects-letter.html) page. :(
EDIT: I made a sort of comparison of timelines regarding the letter here.
Any corrections/additions/comments? (Oh yes, and it has big spoilers up to episode 8.)
http://s03.imagehost.org/0899/brief_timelinepsd_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0899/brief_timelinepsd.jpg)
EDIT2: Since I don't want to clog up the thread with yet another post I'll reply to paulownia below me from here (I hope you don't mind) - thanks for the info! I guess then it's quite feasible for Katsu to have done everything from Yokohama and then moved there shortly after.
I wonder where the Satsuma residence that they met at is though. If it was at Edo like in history, that means that the troupe is also in Edo by episode 8. o_O Somehow I doubt they could Eijanaika~ all the way from Yokohama to Edo, though... so perhaps it was just outside Yokohama or something.
I also looked up the distance between Sunpu (=present-day Shizuoka city?) and Yokohama, and it's about 79 miles/172.2 km as the crow flies. Add on all the formalities and discussion and whatnot, and I guess it's quite feasible that Yamaoka and Masumitsu took the time they did to get to Sunpu and come back both times (in real life they took 5 days to get there, talk to Saigo and come back to Edo, it seems).
paulownia
2006-11-28, 01:18
Had the train been operational between Yokohama and Edo in 1868, it would have been quitew possible to go back and forth within a few hours. However, Yokohama's website (http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/naka/contents/english/life/recreation/walk.html) states it wasn't built until a few years after our storyline begins.
Hence --Yokohama would still be about 17 miles. I think it's still doable in a few hours at a brisk speed on horse :)
(Horse speed: http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/horsespeedmph.htm )
Aniki Meiski
2006-11-28, 06:00
The Satsuma Edo Residence was in Edo. (Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
http://www-user.interq.or.jp/~sohjiro/kaijou.html
Well yeah, but I mean in the anime itself. I was thinking if they were following history by having it in Edo, then the troupe has just moved to Edo without anybody saying anything.
I thought, surely if they were going to move there at least the narrator could make mention of it... Unless that fact has been completely ignored o_o
Well, I guess it makes sense why in episode 9, Akizuki is in Edo and not Yokohama anymore - since he's already there
... But what about the troupe? They've left Kobako and Benimaru behind and there's all their props and whatnot too. I guess they're going to return to Yokohama without Akizuki, then?
(I am so expecting one of those "...Aren't you coming with us?" "No. I have only one mission, and I have no more business with you." "Surely yo-" "Farewell." type of conversations, frankly speaking. And then Kakunojou angsts at home, and then Oryou puts two and two together and gives her a Suggestion (Drop the troupe! Chase the guy!)...
Would it be in vein to hope the scriptwriter could do better than that?)
Unless they secretly changed the location of the meeting to Yokohama anyway. (In which case you'd still get a 'leaving' scene, surely...).
EDIT: WOW!
Can you believe it?! There's this huge ad for Iroha in one of the latest Asahi Shinbun newspapers! I think it's only in the Kantou region or something, but this is really quite cool. An anime ad in the newspapers and for one on a mere web broadcast? And it's the eyecatch picture!
I'm not sure of the details, but I was so excited that I reuploaded them onto imagehost without even changing the filenames! :>
Thank you, kami-sama in 2ch! Thank you so much! (Okay, I'm overreacting here, but isn't it so cool when an anime you're fond of gets like... a quarter of an entire page with an ad in it?)
It's a pity they don't have a picture we haven't already seen...
This is one version.
http://s03.imagehost.org/0899/viploader359571_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0899/viploader359571.jpg)
And this is the ZOMG HUEG ad.
http://s03.imagehost.org/0899/shichi19185_s_jpg.t.jpg (http://s03.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0899/shichi19185_s.jpg)
The scan of it was SO huge that I had to downsize it to 37.5% of the original so I could upload it. Anyone who wants the full size scan (2540 x 3270 px) just holler, although I doubt you would want one since it is after all from a newspaper...
Henrietta
2006-11-28, 09:36
Re: Asahi ad
I have been waiting for large pictures of that to modify into a wallpaper. So, please. ^-^ (You should know my email already.)
this made me really lol so i thought i'd share it with y'all. it's a bit from shinsen's notes on bakumatsu. what a comedian.
Taira no Masakado:
A legendary general from the early part of Japan's history, he rebelled against the throne and declared himself a "New Emperor". Then he was beheaded, and as was the custom at the time they placed his severed head in the open in Kyoto as a warning to other potential traitors. But he was so badass that his severed head revived and flew all around Japan, occassionally coming down from the sky to breathe fire and burn villages to the ground. Eventually it landed in Tokyo, where they ended up building six or seven shrines to quell it's righteous asskickery and enshrine Masakado as the guardian of Tokyo. You can still go see the place where it's said to have fallen. It's very creepy.
{Yes, there are other versions of this. They aren't nearly as cool as this one, though, and I don't want to hear them.}
here's the link: http://forum.shinsen-subs.org/index.php?a=topic&t=2524
although i'm sure most of you have already read shinsen's notes and not been oblivious until now like me ...
:D Finally! We get to see a new official picture of Akizuki on the soudntrack cover (and I'd expect that much, really) which you can see a small version of here: http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/m-serve/-/Discography/A010090/VICL-62188.html
What can I say, he looks as awesomely cool as usual. Sigh, even if the characters turn out to be not well developed at least they're awesome eye-candy for females... in general...
Like others on this thread, I'd like to see more character development at least for the main people. The show has felt pretty flat the last few episodes, without much tension or even much real interplay between the characters. They are purchasing lives much too cheaply, with each subsequent villain being dispatched more easily and more casually than the last, and throwing in placating tidbits with little emotional payload (was there ever any real doubt as to the outcome of Kanna and Akizuki's first real fight?). The Troupe has become like the Scooby gang, running around wherever Sensei points them and occasionally going "gee!" or "*gasp* it's mister cooper!" or whatever.
I can just imagine the anime characters, as each episode is "filmed", turning to the director and going "what's my motivation in this scene?" The fact is in the first few episodes they did an awesome job of painting believable personalities with very few brush strokes, but somehow all that has come to a standstill in the recent exposition- and action-oriented episodes. What happened with Akizuki's seemingly enduring bond with Ryouma Sakamoto? That was one of the most humanizing things about Akizuki, but it hasn't been developed any further or even referred to recently. I guess in a way I'm still mourning the death of Hario, because it seems with his passing, so went all the irony/humor in the show (Intentional humor, that is). (well, okay, I did like the funny bit about cutting the pickles properly ... that old guy is great ...)
Hmm, this has somehow turned into the griping sort of post...sorry about that. I just feel that they got off to such an amazing start, painting this incredibly complex and colorful canvas with so many historical and cultural references, I was really eager to see where they would go with it. On the bright side, I do like how it's episode 8 and the plot is still muddled in obscurity ... it's refreshing not to know what's going to happen and I really enjoy reading all the speculations in this thread.
Henrietta
2006-11-29, 10:13
It's probably just me - when I saw that cover of the soundtrack I thought Akizuki was doing a sword dance. -__-
Henrietta
2006-11-30, 10:11
RE: Wao's earlier timeline (Gregorian calendar and what not)
This link might interest you (I am not sure if you went that wrote that large post precisely you have already read it though):
ttp://biu.littlestar.jp/iroha/k01.html
Some nifty info you will find there. ^-^
No, I hadn't, actually. I wish I had! And the author even looked at the depiction of hte moon (which seems to be a little off?)! Talk about watching it in detail.
I feel tempted to just email that person and ask if I could put up an english translation of it... OTL I shouldn't have spent the entire morning trying to figure out the timeline...
Wow, they really update the site like exactly at 12:00:00 Japan time O_o;
Anyway, crap translation of ep 10 preview from site (sorry for double-posting)
Ep 10 Ueno Otsu (Ueno Falls)
It is the early dawn of the 15th of May, Keio 4 [that's 4th July 1868 in Gregorian calendar]. Finally, at Kan'ei Temple in Ueno, the Shogitai and Imperial troops face off! Youjirou desparately tries to stop Okita Souji, who is attempting to head there.
At the same time, with some of the Imperial side's newest armaments, Oryou reaches Edo. Seeing the smoke of war rising from Ueno Mountain in the distance, Oryou sighs.
"You went too early, Ryou-san. If only you were alive, Ryou-san, this sort of thing...!"
Amidst the falling rain, in the hollow and wavering gaze of Okita, who was looking only for a place to die, stood a strange black cat, giving off an eerie cry as if it too were looking for death...
Pardon my crappy translations as usual, but well, the descriptions themselves tend to be extremely drenched in angst too... And once again, NO MENTION OF KAKUNOJOU OTL
But I think that doesn't necessarily mean she'll not appear, ... she's going to turn up in ep 9 as a fact, although she's not mentioned in the episode preview... ah, whatever.
At the very least, there's no mention of the blasted Head interfering, and since it's Naoyuki Onda I expect to see some wondefully angsty bishies (cough female eye candy). Come on man, it's in the rain and all that shit. I know this is turning so degenerative but...
(EDIT2: Preliminary reports seem to say that Okita's hairstyle looks like.....
...Takashi Yuasa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Yuasa) (1 (http://cooljoe.up.seesaa.net/media/img_20060121T032602187.jpg) 2 (http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/sakichione/imgs/b/7/b7ee5b2e.jpg)). The hell? Also, we finally see a good chunk of Akizuki's backstory. OMG, kid Akizuki!!!! The fangirl in me is so looking forward to this >_>)
EDIT: Omake that I mentioned elsewhere just a few minutes ago... Here (http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/%7Eshinithi/higannbana-3/kintyak.html) is a page with some nice pictures of higan-bana (equinox flower, cluster amaryllis - an autumn flower mentioned in Kakunojou's introductory speech and also featured in the OP)
.... at Kinchaku Fields (http://www.kinchakuda.com/) (good god, they have their own website!) near Koma Temple (http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/%7Efkoma/index.html) in present-day Saitama. Yes, that Koma. The creators of the show have been getting their assistance in this show.
You can also see some nice but small pictures here (http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/%7Efkoma/newpage9.html) with higan-zakura and shidare-zakura (as well as Somei-Yoshino sakura, and plum blossoms) in bloom at Koma Shrine. The tree in the second picture is apparently 300 years old O_o Do check out their main site linked above, they just updated today with some pics of the autumn scenery in Koma.
Coincidentially, Komagawa (Which is about as close as I can get) is... 35.2 miles / 57.7 km away from Yokohama according to the site I referred to earlier here (http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/calculate-distance.html). I get the impression Akizuki kind of dashed there in the afternoon in ep 3, stayed the night, and then took the whole of next morning (+ afternoon?) to return, to make his coincidential appearance on the rooftop at night, like the site Henrietta linked to mentions.
I think if I ever got to go to Japan and could do one of those 聖地巡礼 thingies for this show, I'd insist on going there. Sigh, I can't get enough of nice scenery...
Been lurking for the last few days but haven't posted. 1000+ lines programing assignment killed my interest in posting in forums. But I think I should post anyway just so Wao won't have to triple post on this thread. =P
I am very excited about the interview Wao translated earlier. That extar bit about Kakunojou makes me happy. [I figure someone must show some love for our female casts since the Japanese fangirls mainly just care about the guys] I really hope they will flush out her character and makes her a better person than she is now (even though I still like her now).
The whole time line thing is very interesting. I never thought of that before.
Ep. 10 preview blurb looks interesting.
FeelLicks
2006-12-01, 12:10
<<
>>
I went to sleep early last night, sorry guys. Looks like Saiyaman has released, but I'll put mine out anyway.
<<
>>
I went to sleep early last night, sorry guys. Looks like Saiyaman has released, but I'll put mine out anyway.
Thanks! Saiyaman's version's audio is out of sync so it's probably a good idea for you to do that.
Hmmm, a very interesting episode that answers a few questions and introduces more.
The way Akizuki's first encounter with Sakamoto Ryouma played out is thankfully fitting to his relatively blind political stance. Some people on this forum very insightfully suggested the possibility that Sakamoto had the Head, explaining why Akizuki went after him. Interestingly enough, while the sword detects the Head's aura, in truth, the Head itself isn't there. This again probably agrees with what was speculated before - that Sakamoto was not affected by it. It's possible that Nakaiya tried to manipulate him the same way he did Saigo and Katsura, but failed.
That of course raises the question about the other aura that the sword detected on the fateful night when Sakamoto fell to assassins. The timing was just too convenient, and begs the question about whether this "blip" in the "radar" was deliberately meant to draw Akizuki away from Sakamoto.
Apparently, Akizuki's acquaintance with Okita is non-political as well. I didn't entirely understand the circumstances, but ... did they share a sensei at that dojo? And was the difference in Akizuki's uniform due to his age, rank, or simply because he was visiting from a different dojo?
Speaking of Okita, I was a bit relieved to see that his character design was not petite and girly like in Rurouni Kenshin and Peace Maker Kurogane. He knew of Akizuki's involvement with Sakamoto as well. I wonder if that was after the latter was assassinated, and word went around that Akizuki was arrested, or whether it was before and they might have clashed previously.
Then, there was that black cat. Is there any symbolism associated with that? What does it represent, and does Okita really know, or is he simply acting out of some wrongful association or fearful superstition? His distaste for the creature seems at odds with the episode title ("The Black Cat Cries"), suggesting that it isn't necessarily a terrible harbinger of evil or anything of that sort. The spirits of his dead comrades, perhaps?
And ... Kotoha is now no longer "taiyuu" but "mama" :heh:. I didn't recognise her when she first appeared onscreen. It was only when the focus appeared to linger on her that I first suspected that she might be a character with a role after all ... oops.
Overall, not a bad episode. It broke out of the usual format, as well as gave us a good chunk of background information about Akizuki - and a shot of him as a bright-eyed lad. The animation during Okita's fight was a bit poor, but it seems to be the norm with action sequences in anime in general.
MrProphet
2006-12-01, 21:30
Well, it was a fine episode, although the fact that Akizuki knows pretty much everyone of importance is getting rather ridiculous. I bet he knows Hijikata personally as well.
Too much flashback wasn't helpful either. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded the flashback if it were shown in actual animation instead of just a sequence of images. That was just annoying and fitting for a quick memory, rather than an extended scene.
Well, here's hoping that they intend to flesh out those flashback sequences more in future episodes. With this episode they made it clear that Sakamoto definitely has some very unusual link to the Head... and I'm quite sure they're not going to leave it at that. Like I have repeated countless times, he's important enough to get a full body shot in the OP (next to Sensei no less)...
But overall the episode certainly was an improvement from last week's. I liked the pace they set here; like Codex mentioned it was a change from the usual format they've had for most of the episodes.
I liked how they showed how various people were getting along with their lives in the beginning of the episode (I really dropped my jaw at Kotoha. KOTOHA!! What happened?!); and I thought that the bit when the Tokugawa forces were marching into Kan'eiji and the townspeople getting scared was nicely done in terms of tension and framing and stuff. I was pleasantly surprised to see Shinmon Tatsugorou again - since they had him cameo, good to see they're making use of him. He did indeed do a lot of work for the Tokugawa side and I think he did go to Kan'eiji and in his capacity, so what he's doing in this episode is perfectly beliveable.
Nice to see Katsu hasn't been left out in the dark either (and I liked his line "What do you think was the very point of me having secret negotiations with Saigou?" - you could feel his apprehension at the upcoming war...)
It was also nice to see some things that had been happening meanwhile - such as Kondou Isami's beheading, Hijikata moving north, and Harada with the Shogitai (I think we'll see him next episode).
I'm glad that Okita was not made out to be too bishounen-y, and while his hairstyle really is laughable (Give up, Okita, Japanese men have receding hairlines and you KNOW IT) I liked his angstiness and all anyway. Very much looking forward to Naoyuki Onda's version of him next episode...
Other things... I like Oryou's voice. It's very nice and clear (and yet another wonderful sankyuu beri macchi ...) I wouldn't mind hearing more of it, though. Well, we will next episode so at least that's good... And of course they had to put her credit right at the end to indicate that she's a special guest.
And I was really laughing out loud at the part where Akizuki first met Ryoma. Seriously - it's like he's barged in and there Ryoma is with Oryou, having some nabe and he acts like absolutely nothing has happened at all. And he even says "Why don't you sit down and have some food with us" ... 流石坂本先生ですね
Of course, this episode was full of material for Akizuki fangirls... What more could you ask for, he's practically soaked and dripping with angst along with Okita in this episode! Whoa!! And we even get to see kid Akizuki? How awesome is that, huh?!! He was soooo cute and bright-eyed, and now he's all stoic and whatever. Awww.
And we even get to see him in confinement where he's ACTUALLY WEARING SOMETHING ELSE *gasp*. I'll die in bliss the day they show him in a yukata, I swear. I really will.
Also, I am 100% certain that he's got total confidence in his ability to scare people just by looking at them. It must be that same thing that gives him glowing blue eyes! Not only can he stare at Kakunojou, he can glare at Kanna to great effect and even scare soldiers off by just looking at them.
However, I think Henrietta-dono will mourn at the fact that Kanna doesn't appear in this episode... at all. Not even in Kakunojou's memories. Uh oh...
At this point I'm most worried about one thing, and that is the next ep preview. While I'm excited that the troupe is going to Edo next episode, it feels strange that they still trust Sensei and Sensei is still sending them a script to act out... And furthermore they say that Sensei has told them that "aitsu ga ikikaetta" - PLEASE $DEITY LET THIS NOT BE A HINT THAT NAKAIYA REALLY IS COMING BACK LIKE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED
Although it would be interesting to see zombie Nakaiya controlled by Soutetsu... no, what am I saying. It won't.
Henrietta
2006-12-02, 01:04
Re: Chronology and the moon
I think it is because certain phrases of the moon are not supposed to appear at certain positions of the sky at certain times of the night. I remember learning something about that back in science class a long time ago. That was what the Japanese fan was wondering about.
Ah, yes - no Kanna. -__-
I would be more interesting in seeing Nakaiya turning out to be a good bad guy. Just going by your bio of the real Nakaiya, I find it hard to associate him with Nakaiya in the anime...
If anyone has been wanting to see a direct face-to-face comparison of historical figures in this anime, you might be interested in this (http://irohaheya.blogspot.com/2006/12/visual-comparisons.html) which I made yesterday. It contains characters up till episode 9. I didn't have to put in Harada there but there was a blank space so I thought what the hell, let's just fill it up.
Nothing else to say except that if you're interested, the official Iroha blog has a short comment by Rei Dan, Oryou's voice actress.
Also it is quite fascinating to look at this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:UenoSenso.jpg) depiction of the Battle of Ueno. It seems like the guns used in episode 9 were Armstrong cannons.
If anyone has been wanting to see a direct face-to-face comparison of historical figures in this anime, you might be interested in this (http://irohaheya.blogspot.com/2006/12/visual-comparisons.html) which I made yesterday.
wao, thank you for this. what an incredibly useful chart. my eyes were starting to bug out from the ever-increasing list of historical figures ...
I really liked episode 9. It was moody and atmospheric (i guess those are my favorites), with more exciting bits intercut with scenes of slow pacing and characteristic "less is more" direction, where storytelling is conveyed through skillfully arranged visual detail and mood-setting background music, rather than excessive wordiness.
impressions on first viewing:
- some nice new bgm (btw, do they mean "mama" as in "mama-san"?)
- nice use of the atmospheric, contemplative bgm from when Hario was stalking Akizuki. Brings to mind images of foggy, drizzly weather; something melancholy and forlorn ...
- okita souji -- never knew anything about him until consulting wikipedia before watching ep9, but his portrayal in the anime was so skillfully done that i instantly felt sympathetic toward him ... the difference in his eyes from the present (suffering from tb) and the past (beating people up in the dojo) was somehow painful to see.
- perky young akizuki
- shiranui: "oryou-san??? oryou-tte, sakamoto ryouma no ... kore?"
- akizuki seeing ryouma die before his eyes ... that scene is so well done i was thinking, how horrible it must have been for him. so deliciously tragic ... but others may find it melodramatic i suppose ...
- it wasn't the shinsengumi who killed ryouma?? at last, an enduring historical puzzle solved! call the historians!
Overall, this episode gives a feeling of anticipation/foreboding as if great events are afoot -- a return to the feeling from the first few eps that first drew me to the series. This production team has a great talent for pathos; they're excellent at conveying tragedy and sadness (but not so much for supernatural action).
The anime sure improves drastically when Nakaiya isn't in it. But what's with the magical cat?
ps. i wonder if they are making a tongue-in-cheek breaking-down-the-fourth-wall statement by making Nakaiya a villain in that the anime just gets so bad when he's in it.... naaaah it couldn't be ... but how else would you explain it?
The anime sure improves drastically when Nakaiya isn't in it.
QFT. (Which is why I am worried about that damn episode 10 preview. I hope I am just misunderstanding it.)
As for the cat, I suspect it is one of the many made-up things about the Shinsengumi members that have come from delightful novels about them. (One being the idea that Okita was very bishie, which has been eagerly carried over in many manga/anime adaptations of him...)
It's not new to this anime, anyway.
Here, it's even on the Japanese wikipedia (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B2%96%E7%94%B0%E7%B7%8F%E5%8F%B8). Under the section on "Personality".
死の際には、植木屋の庭に現れる黒猫を斬ろうとして幾度となく失敗し、己の衰えを痛感した沖田は「ああ、斬 れない。婆さん（付添いの老婆）、俺は斬れないよ」と嘆いていたという（ただし、この話は子母沢寛による創 作であると言われる）。
When he was close to death, he tried to kill this black cat that kept appearing in the garden at Ueki-ya (that is where he is staying at, even in the anime), and feeling how painfully weak he had become he is said to have lamented to the old granny who was looking after him: "Ahh, I cannot cut it. Obaa-san, I cannot cut it..." (However, this story is said to have been made up by Shimozawa Kan)
Shimozawa Kan wrote three novels on the Shinsengumi, namely 新選組始末記, 新選組遺聞 and 新選組物語. I don't know anything about them but I suspect they were popular enough for people to start thinking the stuff in there was real. I guess the Bakumatsu is just such a juicy candidate for making dashing Romantic novels...
Coincidentially, another little thing the story changed for a bit more angst - if the Japanese wikipedia is to be trusted then Okita never actually heard about Kondou's death before he died (he asked, but everyone just shut up), since Okita was apparently very close to Kondou. I don't mind them changing this of course... sucker for angst...
Aniki Meiski
2006-12-03, 07:00
Prince Takahito (8th)
有栖川宮幟仁親王
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%89%E6%A0%96%E5%B7%9D%E5%AE%AE%E5%B9%9F%E4%B B%81%E8%A6%AA%E7%8E%8B
Prince Taruhito (9th)
有栖川宮熾仁親王
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%89%E6%A0%96%E5%B7%9D%E5%AE%AE%E7%86%BE%E4%B B%81%E8%A6%AA%E7%8E%8B
There are two Prince Arisugawa. One was 50ish, the other was 30ish during the Boshin War. They look alike, have similar names and have almost identical Kanji. The one on the battlefield was Junior. He was appointed by the Emperor to oversee the new army.
When he was close to death, he tried to kill this black cat that kept appearing in the garden at Ueki-ya (that is where he is staying at, even in the anime), and feeling how painfully weak he had become he is said to have lamented to the old granny who was looking after him: "Ahh, I cannot cut it. Obaa-san, I cannot cut it..."
Awwww, man, that is just so darned sad.:sad: The poor guy. (fangirling commencing ... )
But wait, so do they mean that akizuki was the obaa-san? *snicker*
Anyways....so are they awesome at tragic detail or what?
Thanks for pointing it out. But the thing is in the anime they clearly put 熾仁 (with the 火 radical) and not 幟, both times in episode 1 and 6.
But now I noticed they changed their mistake becuse in episode one the furigana said たかひと, but in episode 6 it says たるひと. I shall change it the next time I edit the picture. Thanks.
And obaa-san got pushed aside in favour of angsty bishies :cool: I am almost certain next ep will be even more angsty than this one... yes, I pimp Naoyuki Onda too much perhaps but COME ON, unless Sunrise somehow screws something up majorly... it's even got episode 4's episode director !@#@%9)@...
It's a pity it's drawing towards finals week and everything in universities because next week is one week where I'd do anything to watch the episode ASAP... but I shall calm down, yes... (/futile words)
(Because I don't want to make yet another post, in reply to MrProphet below: Yeah, but that's such a terribly short cameo (you don't even see his face unlike with Kondo) that I didn't want to mention it... to me it was about as good as just mentioning it and having the back of his head shown. Maybe I should change the word from "appeared" to "featured". Okay. Anything else?)
MrProphet
2006-12-03, 07:20
Wao, regarding that chart of yours.
Hijikata did appear in the anime already. We can see him vaguely in episode 9, during Kondo's execution, he is seen leading a troop of men.
I can't wait fot the next release .I wonder when the rest will come...
I can't avoid reading in this thread now, even though there are so many spoilers.
Baaah, I'm going mad!
Anyways....so are they awesome at tragic detail or what?
Thats what I love!
Baku 6 should be on-route shortly ;)
It's a pity it's drawing towards finals week and everything in universities because next week is one week where I'd do anything to watch the episode ASAP... but I shall calm down, yes... (/futile words)
No need to remind me there Wao. I am already in much pain.
On a second viewing, episode 9 is even more impressive. it seemed fragmented at first, but then you discover that it's actually a clever weaving of different characters' inner thoughts, memories, and current circumstances. and all the while relentlessly stepping up the momentum as various factions prepare for the opening shots of the war. it was especially cool when one character's flashback segues into a different character's retelling of the same events (for example they go into the sequence of akizuki's memories of that terrible night, but then we come out of that segment seeing Oryou reminisce about the same events to the Troupe)-- they use this device more than once with very good effect. Wow! No doubt another viewing would yield some interesting observations on different perspectives of pivotal events ... very interesting in a historical-themed show ... in fact, how interesting that they focus in so tightly on a historical event that no one really knows the truth of...namely Sakamoto's assassination. are they trying to make some statement about the subjectivity of the historical record (also interesting considering the way Japanese textbooks depict Japanese involvement in WWII and the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere)?
Ok, sorry about that historical rambling. Actually I'd just like to mention
Wikipedia has a nice short article on the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_East_Asia_Co-prosperity_Sphere). Note the wordings such as "a self-sufficient 'bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of Western powers'" and also " ... to extend Japanese power and acquire an empire based on European models, though ostensibly to free Asia from imperialism" and also " ... Japanese propaganda included phrases like 'Asia for Asians'" ... doesn't that sound a lot like "Repel the Barbarians"? For those of you wondering the relevance (yes this is somewhat of a tangent) I see parallels between these ideas quoted from the modern (WWII) era and those ideals of Bakumatsu/Meiji which this anime so carefully recreates, such as modernization of Japan using Western technology/trade/ideas, but also and most poignantly the deep racial tensions between Japanese and imperialist, arrogant foreigners (as depicted by the anime).
I guess where this train of thought is taking me is, could they be trying to make a political statement with the anime? Has this sort of thing been done before? Considering the constant harsh criticism from the West about Japanese "revisionist" history of WWII ... and the recently noted resurgence of nationalism in Japan (read Shinzo Abe, amending the constitution, beefing up the military) ... ah maybe I'm reading too much into this.
Where are the writers going with this? Emotional and divisive themes like oppression by Western imperial powers is not something I've ever seen so realistically detailed in an anime before (I haven't seen Ruroni Kenshin, was it in there?), it can't just be an accident. Are those dudes from that j-history online community still reading this thread? I wonder if they could weigh in ...
Anyways, it really seems like the creative genius behind episodes 1-4 took a break and came back for episode 9. the storytelling/directing styles just seem to match and the emotional themes are really powerful, compared to the laughable bits with the akkirasetsu, flying demon head, and possessed military geniuses.
well, unfortunately the history books i've been referencing aren't detailed enough to describe actual military engagements or even Shinsengumi stuff like Kondou's execution. anyone care to recommend a good textbook (i prefer a comprehensive narrative rather than piecing together web articles....how does wao have so much patience to do this :bow:)?
btw, what is that symbol of a crossbar in a circle that we see on military flags? i assumed it was the satsuma flag (there is a good view at 21:06 and someone who looks like Saigo is sitting in front of it), but someone mentioned something different several episodes back.
I think that is the satsuma flag. The circle with the cross in it is the family crest (kamon) of Shimazu family that is the daimyo of Satsuma-han, if I am not mistaken.
And I am really quite clueless about history but from what I have read here and there (not textbooks though - I think it's high time I took a trip to the library like lommm faithfully did with Chevalier D'Eon, although they don't even have Hillsborough's books in th REFERENCE section of the local libraries... :mad: Surely he's not that minor)
...like I was sying. From what I have read I get the impression that the modernisation Japan underwent was in fact a smart way of using western techniques and technologies to really make themselves on par with them and become stronger than ever before. I think this was somewhat in the line of Katsu and Ryoma's ideas - don't blindly resist the foreigners just because of romantic reasons, because they have useful stuff to offer.
Unfortunately I think they went too far (and I know Katsu was not happy at the overly nationalistic/imperialistic trend Japan was taking near the end of the 1800s, with the Sino-Japanese war) and it didn't help that, if I understand correctly, the new meiji government was in effect an oligarchy of the anti-Shogunate powers and they just continued on their military high and started looking towards the conquest of other countries. Or something like that.
I should shut up about it now or it'll go terribly off topic. ANyway I cant say much because it's 1:06 am and I think I am about to fall asleep on the keyboard.
P.S. I liked the bit where Oryo's narration and Akizuki's memories sort of blend in with each other too, now that you mention it. Sasuga Kou Matsuo (the storyboarder - director of the most excellent currently-running Red Garden). He's doing the next episode too.
(How many times have I repeated that... and episode 4's director and episode 1's animation director OK I'll go to sleep now.)
Wow, you guys. I just scanned through all 32 pages of this thread. One day when I have free time (read: probably never) I want to go over everything that's here. Wow!
I feel so simple-minded in the face of so much research and dedication. All I can think of is "Bakumatsu gooooooooood. Akidzuki sekushiiiiiiiiiii~~"
Wikipedia has a nice short article on the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_East_Asia_Co-prosperity_Sphere). Note the wordings such as "a self-sufficient 'bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of Western powers'" and also " ... to extend Japanese power and acquire an empire based on European models, though ostensibly to free Asia from imperialism" and also " ... Japanese propaganda included phrases like 'Asia for Asians'" ... doesn't that sound a lot like "Repel the Barbarians"? For those of you wondering the relevance (yes this is somewhat of a tangent) I see parallels between these ideas quoted from the modern (WWII) era and those ideals of Bakumatsu/Meiji which this anime so carefully recreates, such as modernization of Japan using Western technology/trade/ideas, but also and most poignantly the deep racial tensions between Japanese and imperialist, arrogant foreigners (as depicted by the anime).
I guess where this train of thought is taking me is, could they be trying to make a political statement with the anime? Has this sort of thing been done before? Considering the constant harsh criticism from the West about Japanese "revisionist" history of WWII ... and the recently noted resurgence of nationalism in Japan (read Shinzo Abe, amending the constitution, beefing up the military) ... ah maybe I'm reading too much into this.
Where are the writers going with this? Emotional and divisive themes like oppression by Western imperial powers is not something I've ever seen so realistically detailed in an anime before (I haven't seen Ruroni Kenshin, was it in there?), it can't just be an accident. Are those dudes from that j-history online community still reading this thread? I wonder if they could weigh in ...
What struck me is that this anime isn't clearly supporting the totally anti-foreigners or the pro-trade with foreigners side. To me, they have taken a rather objective approach to this issues by showing us likable characters from both sides....
This objectiveness is further shown in the design of the main characters. Both Akizuki and Kakunojou wear a mix of western and traditional Japanese clothes, Akizuki has his western shirt and western cape while Kakunojou has her western scarf and western shoes.
All I can think of is "Bakumatsu gooooooooood. Akidzuki sekushiiiiiiiiiii~~"
Ahahahaha! In the end, that's what it all boils down to. It is good, and he is sekushiiiii. :D
Ori, I think you're right about the objective approach so far .... maybe that's enough for reassurance that they're more interested in the components of history (eg. what makes it into the historical record vs. what may have actually happened but gets left out [erm....like the Head flying around shooting sparks and laughing demoniacally ... ?]) rather than any sort of weird political agenda ... then again, maybe all they want is for us fans to have a rip-roaring good time.
MrProphet
2006-12-03, 15:06
Akizuki is jailbait.
Akizuki is jailbait.
He's also animated. Therefore, I will continue to fantasize XD.
(Nice one, asakomi >.>)
And I don't see what's wrong with me fangirling over a fictional character the same age as myself. >) (Well I don't think of him in that way though, just to clarify.)
Though if anything he really is fangirl bait. But I think despite all the discussions going on in this thread it is also futile to believe that all of us are so unaffected by the eye candy for females (with certain exceptions like MrProphet and Lost of course) ...we just um, don't make it as obvious (and that's a good thing).
At least I've got Ori to privately vent out all my most silly fangirling to without having to clog up this thread with it.
I mean, frankly speaking, if one was going to take this show purely on a serious basis then it's got a lot of odd problems... and a lot of Japanese fans have been griping that the show is just too confused about what it wants to do. A number of them (that are all non-fujoshi I should think) are wondering why the show's bothering to do stuff like work in Katsu and Saigou and even Okita Souji when it'd probably do better just mentioning them on the side and developing the main characters more.
Well, personally while I still would like more development for the main characters ('scuse me Akizuki but exactly how are you carrying on Ryoma's ideals?) I just really enjoy seeing all these things turn up (is there something wrong if I find it cool when there's a subtitle under someone's name and I'm going all "ooh! he exists in real life!") I just really hope they be a little more tasteful with the supernatural crap.
But - all of that doesn't really matter because like nishino said it boils down to the main things that drew me to the series... the designs and the general implications of it being set in that period. There really are much better shows than this (gasp, I think Red Garden and Hataraki Man are better shows, the blasphemy of it all :rolleyes: ) but I spend so much time on this show with fanart and the site and whatnot, because I'm freaking hooked and I'm too mindless to let go of it. Too bad.
MrProphet
2006-12-04, 10:18
You do realize that I was just messing with ya? 8)
On sadder note, I seems to have momentarily lost the flair for Iroha. The recent couple of episodes simply did not inspire me as much as the earlier ones did, even though they were fairly well-executed. I think that one outsourced episodes broke the charm for me.
In addition to that, the latest batch of episodes is in some sort of an intermission, with Nakaiya's arc over and the gang presumably moving out of Yokohama. Nothing of particular notice will be happening until Yojirou finally follows Ibaragi and the Head, so before that happens, I am somewhat languishing in wait.
Anyone saw the Ayu/Conclave version of the sub? How does it compare?
Anyone saw the Ayu/Concave version of the sub? How does it compare?
Shouldn't it be Conclave? :heh: I'm downloading the sub now to see. It seems like the subs are stalled at ep 5, though hopefully they will pick up soon.
Shouldn't it be Conclave? :heh: I'm downloading the sub now to see. It seems like the subs are stalled at ep 5, though hopefully they will pick up soon.
You caught me! =_= Yes, I meant Conclave.
HI GUYS. Time for the usual magazine spoilers courtesy of ttp://blog.goo.ne.jp/kouryakukan/
Firstly - if any of you folks can get Japanese Newtype for Jan 2007 (that's the one that is just released), apparently it comes with a calendar - well if you get the calendar, be happy because there are 2 pages on it with Kozaki Yuusuke's Iroha illustrations. I am totally expecting the same ones we have been seeing (teh eyecatch ones), but if there are new ones... allow me to be greedy and say UPLOAD PLZ *begs*.
Secondly - Week of 5th January will have no episode. That is the episode after episode 13. OK? They are taking a break. Most shows would have taken a break at some point since it's the end of the year.
Thirdly - If you want to expect anything, expect episode 11 to be around the same level of animation as episode 7. Same team.
Onto the spoilers. Badly translated by me. My comments in square brackets. Includes me jabbering on amateurishly about the episode staff.
Many thanks to Henrietta for helping with the episode titles.
Episode 11: The Troupe Returns to A Temporary Stage一座ふたたび仮櫓 [No, I still do not entirely get this title. But a 櫓 (yagura) is, putting it simply, referring to a place to put up plays and 仮 means 'temporary'.]
Relying on the script sent by Soutetsu through Oryou, Kakunojou's troupe sets up a temporary stage at Shinagawa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinagawa,_Tokyo) [Note how this is also by the sea, just like Yokohama...]
Meanwhile, anchored in the waters off Shinagawa is a naval fleet led by Enomoto Takeaki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enomoto_Takeaki)*, and Soutetsu is among them [lit: 蒼鉄は[...]にいた - he is "in there". Doesn't explicitly say that he joined them but...]
*(In short: A pro-Tokugawa guy on the same side as Hijikata and co. who was important in founding the future short-lived and unrecognized Republic of Ezo, all the way north in Hokkaido, in the hopes of having a land still ruled by the old group of people. But he became pretty successful even during the Meiji era after the Ezo folks surrendered. At Goryokaku. I think it was Goryokaku.)
This will be animated by the episode 7 crew, I'm sure of it because
a. Same storyboarder
b. Same episode director
c. Animation director from the same farmed-out team <------- most important fact
And going by the occasional hint in the 2ch Iroha thread, this won't be the last of it. Hey, it's a 26 episode series, most of them have their bad-gurosu-kai even until the 20s or late teens...
I maintain that while this show isn't the epitome of good animation (and if I applied the yardstick with which I looked at Noein, etc. - this show hardly has any truly good animation, but that's asking too much obviously) it does have better-than-average drawings... At this rate I suppose the next one will be around episode 16? And then another one at 20 or so?
Episode 12: 龍馬之言伝 Ryouma's Message
Kakunojou reunites with Akizuki [lit: 再会 - IMO it suggests more of them having met up the first time since the last time and not that they've met each other in between] and passes Ryouma's words to him. In them there was a shocking truth.
Uh oh, episode 2 and 5's director. Well 2 had THE LOOK, but it had part of Ohashi's storyboard. Episode 5 on the other hand was just Teraoka and that director... eh... .... ... Let's just hope they work better with the material here?
I can't tell if this is another AD Cosmo episode. Things are confusing because sometimes you have AD Cosmo animation directors doing non-AD Cosmo episodes; and on the other hand you sometimes have Sunrise ADs correcting AD Cosmo episodes. Well for now I guess I'll feel ok with the fact that he was episode 1's assistant animation director; although that doesn't necessarily say a lot.
This and next episode are again one of those two-part things, I suspect, because again they have the same storyboarder (juuust like episode 5 and 6...) At least one of them must be an AD Cosmo episode?
Episode 13: 覇者の首入魂 Consecration of The Conqueror's Head [OK. Look, when I put 入魂 into WWWJDIC it returns me an entry saying it means "intimacy" or "putting one's heart and soul into". The kanji literally mean "enter soul". But uhm. I don't know what context it is exactly so I am just basing it off the kanji meaning. It could very well mean that the Head has found a new owner.]
In the new script sent by Soutetsu, among the list of roles is the name of Nakaiya - and of Akizuki Youjirou.
At the same time, Parkes hands down to 4 soldiers the order to destroy the Conqueror's Head.
Episode 2's animation director. Akizuki was kinda hawt there. Actually Jun Okuda should be a pretty good animator (iirc - episode 3 of Noein was his AD episode, and he's been in good eps of Noein) I suspect the better bits of animation ni episode 8 are thanks to him. Here's hoping he brings along Eiji Komatsu just like in episode 2. Komatsu is pretty good I heard...
Oh but come on, it's episode 13, give us good animation either here or episode 12! Please.
Beware of random fangirly silly pointless outbursts after this.
1. How many times is Soutetsu sending the freaking script? Here I was totally thinking the troupe was going to break up and cut relations with him but they're still acting as his pawns. I suppose they really don't mind? They don't have any other purpose in life (yet)?
2. NO. I think Nakaiya is coming back. I shouldn't have been so hopeful. -_____-;;;;;;; I won't try and think that when Soutetsu told them to go to Edo because "he has come back alive" (episode 10 preview), it was not Nakaiya and that the fact that they're going to have Nakaiya in their play again is not a necessary indication that he is alive. I'll probably get disappointed, won't I...
3. OMG Akizuki?! In the play?!!!!
...Well well. On one hand, this... could go either way. Surely they don't want revenge against him, I can't think of how they'd wangle that. I mean they showed Kakunojou's own story in the play, perhaps they're going to retell episode 1's events in a play format?
On the other hand I WANT TO SEE THIS. Out of pure HILARITY. Are they going to get his clothes? :D Holy shit, if Shiranui acts as Akizuki I am going to just die laughing in a corner with my head bashing against the wall. I am already trying not to laugh at that image at 2:24 am. But you know, it somehow vaguely reminds me of that really crack episode in Aquarion where Sirius and Apollo pretended to be each other (and hilarity ensues, etc.) Now somehow I think they are not intending this to be funny, but nevertheless, I am going to laugh. So there.
EDIT: And if Kakunojou acts as Akizuki you will find me in the hospital, probably.
4. Parkes is back! Will we hear more classic quotes? This sort of amuses me. But him starting to act w.r.t. the Head... Hm. Let's wait and see. Hope these 4 soldiers of his are proper characters and not lame excuses like those Korosu x3 idiots. ---Or wait, is this where Kanna might pop in?
5. There is the chance I'm wrong, for sure, but I get the feelign that when they say 赫乃丈は耀次郎と再会して in episode 12's spoilers they imply that the two of them don't actually meet properly before that. We have to wait until episode 12 until they meet again huh... Well, that increases the tension at least. But $deity forbid Kakunojou go into the whole "aitakatta *teary eyes*" spiel when she meets Akizuki. I will be aghast if they do that, really.
This is probably what the director was referring to around episode 13.
6. What is that truth in Sakamoto's words? Does he after all know more about teh Head than we thought? Is there going to be something crazy like Kakunojou-is-really-related-to-Sakamoto or something bizarre like that? I think there's just no clues for this so I'll give up my sillly speculations for this.
7. And finally, Soutetsu with Enomoto. How far are his political maneuvers going to go? I really can't predict at all...
Sigh, I do enjoy this too much for my own good don't I. 盛り上がりすぎかな. 結局どうでもいいけど. Don't think ,feel or whatever...
I replied in bold.
Thirdly - If you want to expect anything, expect episode 11 to be around the same level of animation as episode 7. Same team.
NOOOO, so soon?! *sits in the corner and angst*
Relying on the script sent by Soutetsu through Oryou, Kakunojou's troupe sets up a temporary stage at Shinagawa. Meanwhile, anchored in the waters off Shinagawa is a naval fleet led by Enomoto Takeaki, and Soutetsu is among them.
Why was the script sent by Soutetsu through Oryou?! What does Oryou has to do with Soutetsu?
I maintain that while this show isn't the epitome of good animation (and if I applied the yardstick with which I looked at Noein, etc. - this show hardly has any truly good animation, but that's asking too much obviously) it does have better-than-average drawings... At this rate I suppose the next one will be around episode 16? And then another one at 20 or so?
I have to semi disagree with you there just because I don't think Noein's animation was THAT amazing (the way they animated various scenes annoyed me a lot... and I have some personal bias against how the characters are drawn)... (to me Noein's story >>> Noein's art)
NOT saying Iroha is amazing either though. But Iroha episodes are very entertaining in my book. so I guess (Iroha's entertainment *coughgirlbaitscough* >>>> Iroha's art and story)
Episode 12: 龍馬之言伝 Ryouma's Message
Kakunojou reunites with Akizuki [lit: 再会 - IMO it suggests more of them having met up the first time since the last time and not that they've met each other in between] and passes Ryouma's words to him. In them there was a shocking truth.
Darn it! That's a very long wait for them to meet again. <.< Why is Kakunojou the one passing the words to Ryouma and not Oryou? Where did Oryou go?
Uh oh, episode 2 and 5's director. Well 2 had THE LOOK, but it had part of Ohashi's storyboard. Episode 5 on the other hand was just Teraoka and that director... eh... .... ... Let's just hope they work better with the material here?
I can't say I am THAT worried. It's not the storyboarder's fault that the bad guy in episode 5 are those "kill kill kill dudes." The prespective/angle changes in that episode were quite awsome. I think he did his best with villains as dumb as zombies.
Episode 13: 覇者の首入魂 The Conqueror's Head Enters the Soul [OK. Look, when I put 入魂 into WWWJDIC it returns me an entry saying it means "intimacy" or "putting one's heart and soul into". The kanji literally mean "enter soul". But uhm. I don't know what context it is exactly so I am just basing it off the kanji meaning. It could very well mean that the Head has found a new owner.]
In the new script sent by Soutetsu, among the list of roles is the name of Nakaiya - and of Akizuki Youjirou.
At the same time, Parkes hands down to 4 soldiers the order to destroy the Conqueror's Head.
WHAT?! Akizuki-sama acted out in a play? *hyperventilates*
Episode 2's animation director. Akizuki was kinda hawt there.
That's good news, and yes Akizuki looked nice in that episode.
Beware of random fangirly silly pointless outbursts after this.
1. How many times is Soutetsu sending the freaking script? Here I was totally thinking the troupe was going to break up and cut relations with him but they're still acting as his pawns. I suppose they really don't mind? They don't have any other purpose in life (yet)?
I think it's a good thing Soutetsu is sending them scripts b/c otherwise they are not going to do more Kabuki and we all know the Kabuki parts are the show's strong point.
Furthermore, if I am the Troupe, I would still listen to Soutetsu because in their point of view, Soutetsu did absolutely nothing but good to them. First he made them famous/popular, and then he let them have their revenge and in return all they had to do is do his plays (and he gives them a choice to stop doing a play if they want to... okay that may be arguable, but he always ask them. Whether or not he asks in a way that would make them do what he wishes is another matter). A pretty sweet deal, if I must say so myself.
3. OMG Akizuki?! In the play?!!!!
On the other hand I WANT TO SEE THIS. Out of pure HILARITY. Are they going to get his clothes? :D Holy shit, if Shiranui acts as Akizuki I am going to just die laughing in a corner with my head bashing against the wall. I am already trying not to laugh at that image at 2:24 am. But you know, it somehow vaguely reminds me of that really crack episode in Aquarion where Sirius and Apollo pretended to be each other (and hilarity ensues, etc.) Now somehow I think they are not intending this to be funny, but nevertheless, I am going to laugh. So there.
Haha... Shiranui is Akizuki's opposite! If he plays him... XD To be honest, I can't really imagine it.
I have to admit, that picture of Akizuki in Kabuki clothes you drew a while back comes to mind... If only Akizuki would play himself... Can you imagine what we would be like after seeing something like that, Wao?
EDIT: And if Kakunojou acts as Akizuki you will find me in the hospital, probably.
That won't happen but... hahaha.
7. And finally, Soutetsu with Enomoto. How far are his political maneuvers going to go? I really can't predict at all...
And don't forget, he has the head.
FeelLicks
2006-12-06, 19:28
Ayu/Conclave's encode is VERY jerky... the narrator font was a lil hard on the eyes and the karaoke were a "meh" for me. Can't really comment on translation...
Raws ftw! For now...
Well if I have the time I can check their ep out for teh translation (although once again it's not like I really know better - so if I can pick out problems there must be something seriously f'ed up with it). But I think for... more than a year now? my stance has been raws ftw indeed :cool: When it's a show that comes out weekly and it's not about watching a movie in the theatre I'd rather go raw, I'm just way too impatient.
Although if my memory serves me right, weren't there one or two groups interested in doing the show with DVD raws? I wonder if they're still keen on doing it... (in which case I suppose they've been doing the translation, general timing and all that stuff while the show is airing).
Ori: Sheesh, your comments always make me laugh just like you say mine do to you.
With regard to Soutetsu and the scripts: I just felt that it was so weird and unnatural that they still trust him. But looking back I guess because they all evidently Don't Get how Evil the Head is, they have no reason to really refuse Sensei's scripts... and he's probably told them before that he intended to leave after helping them fulfil their revenge (on the surface, at least). On the contrary maybe they're even thankful that he still communicates with them.
Though it does leave me to ponder whether Sensei really does have any feelings for the troupe beyond his manipulation of them. I can't tell because while he looked shocked in episode 6 when the Korosux3 people barged on stage, it might have been more out of just shock rather than serious concern for the troupe. It would be a very nice twist at least to see that the man cares for something.
But you are totally right about the kabuki. I can't believe I said I felt strange Soutetsu was sending them scripts! Forgive me, $deity! I never said that, I want to see more decent kabuki dammit (just not in episode 11).
At the same time I'm also wondering WTF Oryou has to do with Soutetsu. :confused: I guess we should just wait and see. Soutetsu might have known Ryouma personally I guess. Hoo, he might turn out to be a good bad guy after all!
Although I just had this totally stupid scenario in my mind where he controlled Oryou through the Head and got her to send the letter and then commit suicide or something :eyespin: Sorry though Soutetsu, I think Geass is better for that kind of thing.
With regard to animation Well I guess I do have an unusual and not very widely accepted view on animation (when I am er.. serious, or something equivalent to that). I'm of the opinion that animation should be more about the actual movement and the appropriate usage of expressions rather than the closeness to the original designs. Of course there are exceptions - I do understand objections and sometimes object myself when the taste of the drawings don't match the designs at all and it's not a matter of so-called sloppy drawing.
But I object more when it's not to my own taste of course - I totally didn't mind Utsunomiya's episode 19 of Aquarion but I have eternal hatred for that Ishikawa idiot who did episodes 2 and 7 of Noein. I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate those gross, over-shadowed and overly-moe-posing kind of modifications to the characters IN THE SHOW itself. And I think the guy needs a lesson in anatomical drawing or something. (/flame)
Comparing the actual movement and spirit behind the animation in Noein I would say that Noein had better animation any day. After all the production spirit behind that show was to give the animators more leeway and be less obsessive about following the designs to a T (while losing much 'heart' and 'movement' in the process). But no matter how much of a fangirl I am of this show I would say that nothing in this show has beat Noein's best animation yet and at the way it's going I doubt they will ever beat it.
I guses it's an unfair comparison because it sure is hard in TV animation to beat that beautiful piece of work by Hiroshi Okubo in episode 1, the jawdropping fight in episode 12, the amazing combination of animation + 3d + CG at the end of episode 7, etc...
But now I will shut up because I am sounding 100% like a Noein fangirl dragging Noein into the thread just like a certain p223 likes dragging Honey and Clover in. Although I think you get my idea that when I mean good animation for real I don't look so much at how bishie the faces are.
Regarding a certain somebody's role If only Akizuki would play himself... Can you imagine what we would be like after seeing something like that, Wao?There is a reason why I did not even mention that possibility while writing the post (despite it floating in my head for a brief second).
For if I did, I suspect I would not be here typing this post by now and would instead be desparately trying to get out from the hospital before Friday afternoon.
At the very least I might have been taken away by the police for disturbing the neighbourhood peace and quiet at 3 bloody AM in the morning...
Do fangirls really get nosebleeds in real life? I've never had a nosebleed in my life for anything (except one case of really screwed up sinuses), but I trust you if I did nosebleed I would be getting a blood transfusion now.
EDIT: I just checked out the Ayu-Conclave sub (this is the how manyeth time I'm watching episode 1?... Feels a bit nostalgic already though. WTF?)
To be short and sweet I think it was mostly OK - there weren't any seriously big mistakes, but I think the editing wasn't exactly to my taste, I guess. I thought some lines could have sounded more natural, but I'm in no position to comment on it. Although FeelLicks is right about the narration font - it does feel a tad jarring, I dunno...
I never saw the implicit subjects of the OP lyrics translated into first-person pronouns before, but it's an interesting inrepretation of it, nothing wrong I should think. It's definitely not bad at all.
But just one thing jumped out at me and that was "Yokohama Shopping District". ...Eh? Since when did "sokai" mean Shopping district? Even the kanji don't have anything to do with it really...
Other small nitpicks from a nitpicky person:
a. Was Katsu really a ground commander with the Shogunate forces? Well all I know is that when he formally served the Shogunate he was a naval commander (and that experience came back into use when he was given a new position in the Meiji government); although I think after he quit and with the house arrest and the naval school fiasco, he never commandered any troops... I think? I dunno.
b. I don't think being up on the stage was exactly what allowed Kakunojou and co. to offer their greetings... I thought it was more like "from the stage we offer you our greetings".
c. Nue != birds, but I guess it'd take up yet another translation note.
d. Wasn't there something about futadome or whats-the-word meaning sold out rather than shift-change? I can't find the discussion on it on aniki meiski's blog, oh well. And it's translated differently in the two times it was used but I guess that was more of an editorial decision.
e. After "Kakunojou!" they're actually yelling "Seijuurou!" which is Shiranui's stage name (a little known fact, but it's on theo fficial website's character map).
f. A really small detail here but how did "gohyaku sanjuu" become... 130? Isn't that 530?
g. Surely it's three months (mitsuki) after Sakamoto's assasination, not two...
h. subete no hajimari no akashi -> the treasure of the start of everything... I thought akashi meant proof/evidence/sign (of) rather than... treasure? The kanji's even right...
Aniki Meiski
2006-12-07, 05:02
Yokohama Daisokai means Yokohama concession district, none of the existing subs got it right. There was the "futadome", sold out, which serves to emphasize how well they were doing with help from Sensei, compared to before playing to mostly empty theatres.
Well, I guess nobody's going to bother correcting them at this point of them. Except maybe those groups doing the DVD rips.
I wonder if Shinsen's going to like, release episode 6-8 together or something. Sandwich 7 with the rest so that everyone watches it, forgets about it quickly, and moves on. Nah, what I am thinking... they're probably busy just like everyone else and their finals.
Well... Oyasumi has a history of mass release... So if we are lucky they will do that.
Henrietta
2006-12-07, 10:54
Just a quick post to answer Wao's questions. I will get back to these at some point:
仮 may mean 'temporary'. As for 櫓:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AB%93
I trust you to figure out the rest. ^-^
入魂 may mean 'consecretion' according to my dictionary.
[EDIT: More explanation added (just when you told me to scratch it. -__-)]
My understanding is that the blue canopy thing on the roof you see in that picture at Wikipedia Japan is 櫓 and it is a sign that the theatre has the right to stage whatever plays they are staging. Google 櫓 and 興行権 and I am sure you will find something interesting, which I haven't time to go into details just now. 櫓 has by and large disappeared in Japan, or so I am told.
A temporary scaffold? Fortress? My weak brain still cannot see the connections with the troupe itself (aside from the thing about it being 'temporary') But okay, that definitely helped. Thanks. EDIT: Scratch what I said, I read the second definition properly. Ignore this.
And it's a testament to my powderful Engrish when I don't know what "consecration" means... Having looked it up though, I think it does fit nicely with the meaning they're getting at - and in one nice handy word too.
I will go back and edit my posts here and at LJ with it (notice how I don't seem to be double-checking any of this ...)
----
edit: there are more spoilers that have just been posted from animedia, here it is very roughly.
non-spoiler stuff first:
1. From the 29 Dec to 12 Jan GyaO will be broadcasting the first 13 eps all together. Not like that is relevant to us unfortunately.
2. Enomoto Takeaki's design is also supposed to appear in this issue.
3. The hanken is Akizuki, Kanna and Kakunojou drawn by ep 4's animation director Tatsuya Suzuki.
4. There is also more seiyuu commentary that has not been reflected on the blog so tough luck there.
This is all really only aimed at mindless fangirls like me who will of course go wheeee at any sort of new information released, be it a timely bait or not.
-Kanna thinks specially of Kakunojou because she really looks like his mother and starts feeling envious/jealous of Akizuki who can be by her side.
-Kakunojou is in love with Akizuki (YES, the author wrote there 赫乃丈は耀次郎に恋している. For crying out loud I seriously hope this is not verbatim from Animedia but... but... sigh. I guess "koigokoro" was not an overstatement the last time? WTF?)
...but Akizuki's attention is focused solely on his Head mission.
-The secret behind Kanna's (raburi!) eyepatch is going to be revealed in episode 13.
-Kanna also feels rather alone because he's in a position where he doesn't belong as an Englishman or a Japanese. 耀次郎とは違う意味で悩んでいる。 <- Go figure out what that means for yourself.
On one hand, yay, Raburi Eyepatch-dono is not getting ignored, on the other hand, I think H-dono will be sad at something else.
Henrietta
2006-12-07, 11:56
(You just <i>have</i> to keep me from going to bed, don't you? -___- )
May I ask for the source? I want to read the thing myself in Japanese. Thank you. ^-^
[EDIT: See below]
えっ、am I supposed to be sad about something? I rejoice at what I read - bring on the angst!
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kouryakukan/
I suggest bookmarking that page.
Now go the hell to sleep! Go!
Response in bold again.
This is all really only aimed at mindless fangirls like me who will of course go wheeee at any sort of new information released, be it a timely bait or not.
Wheeeeee~!
-Kanna thinks specially of Kakunojou because she really looks like his mother and starts feeling envious/jealous of Akizuki who can be by her side.
Heh, so THAT'S why Kanna started shooting Akizuki the moment Kakunjou placed her hand on his back.
<I am starting to feel very sorry for Kanna>
-Kakunojou is in love with Akizuki (YES, the author wrote there 赫乃丈は耀次郎に恋している. For crying out loud I seriously hope this is not verbatim from Animedia but... but... sigh. I guess "koigokoro" was not an overstatement the last time? WTF?)
Yay, for once in my life time, the coupling I initially support may actually happen?! Well at least we now know there will be a "三角関係" with two sides liking someone that doesn't return his/her feeling... oh boy, it's the classic A->B B->C C->? situation.
...but Akizuki's attention is focused solely on his Head mission.
+ chances are Akizuki is still not 100% convinced Kakunjou is a girl and not a very girly guy, because like I said it's too bold of an assumption to make for someone as polite/proper/conserve as Akizuki.
It's a pretty risky business to just believe someone is female just because of he/she is feminine (if that guy turns out to be a girl then it's all good. If that guy turns out to be a girly guy then... <_< ). So someone as smart as Akizuki probably would play it safe and not believe Kakunjou = female until he is told explicitly.
-The secret behind Kanna's (raburi!) eyepatch is going to be revealed in episode 13.
Secret huh? :eyespin:
-Kanna also feels rather alone because he's in a position where he doesn't belong as an Englishman or a Japanese. 耀次郎とは違う意味で悩んでいる。 <- Go figure out what that means for yourself.
I wouldn't really call that a spoiler, more like an observation, something I have thought about a while back already.
Pardon me continually flooding this thread again...
Pity Kinokuniya won't stock Newtype/Animage etc. until next Wednesday :\ Talk about a lag time... but I'll probably get Newtype at least because a. I know they stock it for sure (Not so sure about Animedia and Animage - though they have Dengeki Daioh so I don't see why not this...) b. I could do with a calendar.
Anyway - it's Friday! Time for episode 11's synopsis from the main site.
The Troupe Returns to A Temporary Stage (Ichiza futatabi kari-yagura)
The new play is at Edo. Relying on Soutetsu's script, sent through Ryouma's wife Oryou, Kakunojou's troupe arrives at Shinagawa and lodges themselves there. With the assistance of the firefighter Shinmon Tatsugorou, they set up a temporary stage.
On the other hand, Soutetsu is on a ship that is a part of Enomoto Takeaki's fleet stationed in the waters off Shinagawa.
And he appears in front of Enomoto, who still hasn't sorted out some money problems and hence can't depart yet, saying:
"It seems that even that Head itself doesn't want you to die just yet..." (Did I get the verb form right? shinasetakunai?)
The phantom warriors that attacked Youjirou near the Satsuma residence [in episode 8] attack the troupe while they are rehearsing! [And what's the bet Akizuki will turn up conveniently again? :cool: Totally, man...]
FeelLicks
2006-12-08, 05:41
I was planning on having a lightning quick release but I had some technical difficulties that took a while to resolve. In any case, ep 10 is ready for you!
Ahhh, thank you so much as always for the uploads, FeelLicks!
And I've just watched episode 10.
Naoyuki Onda, PLEASE for the love of $deity, DO MORE EPISODES.
Akizuki and Okita were so awesomely bishie in this episode that I am....
....
...
Anyway.
Yes - nice visuals this episode, and the direction was great too! I still think ep 4 was better, but this episode had some very tense moments, namely Kakunojou's sadness at the troupe having to break up, almost - that was really well done IMO. The way the various troupe members would repeat their introduction from ep 1 in a somewhat sadder tone and Kakunojou being at each location looking on sadly.
And need I mention Akizuki and Okita? Alright, maybe it was just more ZOMG ANGSTY BISHIE than anything else, and that part just when Okita dies is guaranteed to make Okita/Akizuki fangirls explode a few billion times over, but it was emotional. The expression on Akizuki's face when he realised Okita had died was just... ... For one of the few times in the whole show you really, really feel that Akizuki was having some sort of emotion.
And Masumitsu Kyuunosuke died too ;_;
Ahh...
And Oryou! Mentioning something very sneaky and cryptic... "I get the same sort of scent from You-san and you [Kakunojou]". If I were Kakunojou I'd be totally occupied with that thought with a bimbotic look on my face just like she were! Geezus!
Since this episode made me very happy I think I will write a proper description of it since yes, not that much went on - it just tied up last week's events and began the next round of stuff. One almost thinks Ueno is this show's version of a 'filler episode' since absolutely nothing happened w.r.t. the Head, but it turned out a lot more enjoyable than the conclusion of the previous arc for sure.
This episode is totally begging for screenshots... screenshots... screenshots...
...Now it would have been perfect if Kanna appeared, wouldn't it?
It's a real pity that next episode is the shit-animators episode. The drop will be unbearable. OTL (Unless they manage to improve it at the last minute.)
Aniki Meiski
2006-12-08, 09:11
Well, I guess nobody's going to bother correcting them at this point of them. Except maybe those groups doing the DVD rips.
That's one of them problems with hardsub, it's hard to correct anything once the file is out. They might consider revising it when they do DVD release. But it is practically unheard of doing re-release just to correct a few translation errors.
Well I would be totally unsurprised if the current groups subbing it decide to do a DVD release. Despite things like, ahem, episode 7 and 8, I think they know a lot of fans would love to see it in higher quality.
I guess that would definitely be the case with episode 10....
And instead of writing a summary... I have been obeying the most base and trivial part of my pathetic brain. I took a total of 178 screencaps - not all are of actual important things in the story, but there is a high concentration of Pretty Closeups with about 5% of Stuff That I Thought Was Moving/Interesting And Decided To Throw In.
You can download zips of them in two batches, 1-99 (http://www.f-forge.com?d=gnLcFaSo14M02shHp3bI) and 100-178 (http://www.f-forge.com?d=74irvVYBqXsCJPZMWNFo). Pardon my bad labeling, I did it all manually and never thought I would take so many so I had to do something weird.
here is a selection of screencaps for mindless fangirls like me who just want to melt in front of pretty guys, or for whoever who wants to see how nice people looked in this episode. I still refuse to say this is anywhere as nicely animated as things like Noein's best episodes and so on of course - but damn, they all look so nice!
Remember these are from ep 10 and will be spoilery.
Everyone was so しょぼーん in this episode. (´・ω・｀) Here is a selection of
.;;;
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-07_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-07.jpg)
I liked this sad shot of Kakunojou the most.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-67_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-67.jpg)
I really felt the weight of the situation here.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-62_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-62.jpg)
:(
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-63_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-63.jpg)
We're going to dissolve the troupe? Noo...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-77_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-77.jpg)
Look at Ueno! Even Oryou is sad... :(
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-85_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-85.jpg)
Just one picture of Akizuki being saaaaaad. Of many. (See below. There is a really exquisitely sad one there that I think is guaranteed to pull any Akizuki fangirl's heartstrings.)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-87_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-87.jpg)
Even Yamaoka is sad. He's calling out for Kyuunosuke. Kyuunosuke! *sniff*
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-89_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-89.jpg)
If Katsu's sad, then I'm sad too. Even if we get to see him wearing that hat thing.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-50_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-50.jpg)
Damn, just missed Akizuki by a bit, now I won't get to see his hawt 17-year-old face! (I didn't say that... I didn't type that...)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-56_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-56.jpg)
Does this count as Soutetsu being sad too?
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-64_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-64.jpg)
She's kind of cute when she's sad, though.
Okita was also most magnificantly angsty.
.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-33_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-33.jpg)
Ooh, blood.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-41a_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-41a.jpg)
I like taking these shots that appear for one split second. Lovely teeth you've got there!
.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-84_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-84.jpg)
He already looks dead here :(
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-96_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-96.jpg)
Ooh.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-10_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-10.jpg)
After having his last wish - a spar with Akizuki. What a romantic.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-14_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-14.jpg)
This is really a very evil and mean-spirited screencap on my behalf, and another one of those split-second things - I know, I know, it's supposed to be all sad and angsty and all... but what the hell, this one shot is just so funny isn't it? OK, now stop laughing and go back to feeling sombre about poor, poor Okita. Stop laughing!
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-16_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-16.jpg)
Look at him, you can't laugh now right? Come on.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-23_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-23.jpg)
I know some fangirls would love to see Akizuki and Okita in that position. I, for one, will pass...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-47_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-47.jpg)
Dead :(
And I think I am totally in love with Onda-san's renditions of Akizuki. Sigh.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-42_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-42.jpg)
The expression!
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-56_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-56.jpg)
Hoo boy. Can't you feel the angst radiating out from your monitor?
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-97_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-97.jpg)
!! I think this is my favourite shot of Akizuki. I was almost choking when I saw this.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-03_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-03.jpg)
Yeah.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-05_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-05.jpg)
Another one of those split-second shots.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-28_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-28.jpg)
EVOL LOOK! Oh my god I am shivering in my chair! Scary scary. Actually this part was pretty cool cos he was moving in smooth slow motion just before it. Damn stylo one lah.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-30_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-30.jpg)
Got that, you bastards? You don't just mess around with me and Okita, mmmkay? Now get your sorry asses out of here, you pathetic losers. Grr.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-34_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-34.jpg)
We feel your pain, yes.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-44_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-44.jpg)
Nooo! *heart breaks* I am so easily manipulated.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-46_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-46.jpg)
*heart decomposes into electrons*
If he ever shows this reaction in the show to Kakunojou's death or something that will be like... ultimate 神. Totally. I mean it. Whew.
Somebody give this guy a hug.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-52_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-52.jpg)
Moar angst. Probably after Okita was buried... :(
Here are some other random things. You can see a shot of Enomoto Takeaki there.
....
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-23_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-23.jpg)
Shiranui looks good here.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-19_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-19.jpg)
Lolicon mascot de gozaimasu.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-24_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-24.jpg)
Nipponichi, doushita...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-58_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-58.jpg)
Enomoto looks so... un-Japanese. I know, he did have that spanking moustache in real life, but surely they could have made his hair darker.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-69_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-69.jpg)
Oryou really is pretty.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-72_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-72.jpg)
Armstrong cannons FTW.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-75_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-75.jpg)
Somehow I foudn this shot a nice touch - all those people on the roof...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-90_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-90.jpg)
Poem #1 - this one by Katsu. I'll transcribe it later unless someone like Henrietta does it beforehand.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10-91_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10-91.jpg)
Somehow I found this really amusing. It's Oomura Masujirou... conked out after a series of long days planning the Ueno Battle. Chuckle chuckle.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-48_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-48.jpg)
Poem #2 - I believe this is Okita's death poem. I kind of like the way they overlaid it there. I sorta liked how the Shinsengumi haori dropped off the hanger-thing when Okita breathed his last, too...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-55_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-55.jpg)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-57_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-57.jpg)
Soutetsu VEEEERY conveniently knows exactly where to be at what time to meet who and what to give... This was kind of... -_- Gee, are you seriously a time-traveler?
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-59_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-59.jpg)
Moar eye candy zomg no lolz.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-60_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-60.jpg)
Ano... ano... Oryou-sempai, I packed a bentou lunch for you but... it's just my bad cooking, but...
..I wish, that's just a stack of scripts Soutetsu wrote.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-68_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-68.jpg)
Later Oryou talks to Kakunojou before she leaves, and this is where she tells her that Kakunojou and Akizuki are, well, 同じ匂いがする. Uhyo-. (And this (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-70.jpg) was Kakunojou's reaction. Well I'd have that too.)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-73_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-73.jpg)
It was really awkward and rather funny at how the troupe did an emotional 360 after finding out Nakaiya's freaking alive. (Or so they think because he's in the script; don't quote me as having said he really IS alive. I want him dead too!) You know, they probably didn't really want him to die so that they could do more evil cool stuff. What the hell? Yeah.
And Ebisu's reaction was the most hilarious. He kind of just went "HYAA!!!" or something.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-75_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-75.jpg)
One thing that spoiled the very last part was the fact that Kakunojou had this expression on her face for the longest time. You know, she looked rather daft -_- Bimbotic, even... At least she looked better (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-77.jpg) for the short bit after that.
And finally the bits with Akizuki interacting with Okita; of which there is one particular screenshot where I must quote this (http://akuma-sama.livejournal.com/30446.html#cutid1) particular person for most beautifully phrasing her reaction, which is exactly the same as mine: really made me scream and bang my head against the keyboard while laughing, crying and choking on the big lump in my throat at the same time.
./
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-07_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-07.jpg)
Akizuki! Trying the same trick that you did with Kanna, are we? What is with you and your damn looks?! You even gave an Evil Look to those Imperial Army dudes this episode.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-31_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-31.jpg)
THIS is where the quote from above comes in.
I was seriously laughing my ass off especially the way it cut in and the way it panned up. Like holy shit, I am so expecting fujoshi to make an Okita/Akizuki doujin after this or something, at this rate...
I still can't help dropping my jaw when I look at it. You know how hard it was for me to make a full version of this?!!! $deity.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-38_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-38.jpg)
Yeaaaah.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-39_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-39.jpg)
I give up. マジですかこれは?!! マ・ジ・デ・ス・カァァァァ? ...
.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-37_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-37.jpg)
The last thing they both saw together... (that's the cat in the distance). Actually this was kind of sad.
No, really, I do want to do a summary - but look at the time, it's 12:25 am and there are visitors coming tomorrow so I need to be up early and crap. Come to think of it I won't be free the whole of tomorrow morning.
OK, you all should just go and find the summary somewhere else... I think I will still write one but it'll be terribly late. Blame my mindless drooling over a bunch of animated pixels.
EDIT: By the way, soem of the spoiler tags have sort of "split into two" up there - it's not intentional, it just happens for some reason and I can't fix it because it always reverts back to the same thing. :\
One interesting thing before I leave though - Notice what's written on the scriptbook Soutetsu wrote that Zagashira was looking at.
I don't have the time to make out the title of the play (I think it is read out in the episode preview) - but what's that? Yuyama Seijuurou ... as Jofuku/Zhi Xu? Oh wow, I can't wait to watch their play and laugh my brains out. Ah wait, what brains?
And I think Kakunojou's seiyuu is getting more used to the koujou because she sounds a lot better in the ep preview compared to, say, ep 1.
EDIT2: I was going to go to sleep when I just slapped my head and realised the consequences of what I just said up there. So I woke up and came right back.
This is the play that's going to feature Akizuki in it, isn't it? The ending preview mentioned something about Getsurui no shikaku or sooomething like that.
And if Shiranui is playing Jofuku....
That doesn't leave Akizuki's role as Kakunojou does it?! :[
EDIT2: I was going to go to sleep when I just slapped my head and realised the consequences of what I just said up there. So I woke up and came right back.
This is the play that's going to feature Akizuki in it, isn't it? The ending preview mentioned something about Getsurui no shikaku or sooomething like that.
And if Shiranui is playing Jofuku....
That doesn't leave Akizuki's role as Kakunojou does it?! :[
I think it's a different play.... +doesn't Kakunojou only play female characters?
If it's not... I will DIE when I see the play (I really can't imagine it even if I try).
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/iroha10b-39_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/iroha10b-39.jpg)
I give up. マジですかこれは?!! マ・ジ・デ・ス・カァァァァ? ...
what i almost expected to happen during that scene:
okita: akizuki ..... *cough cough*
okita: ... suki desu ...
akizuki: :twitch:
Ugrgrgrgr... Wordpress hates me, it thinks all my comments are spam.
So I am posting a comment I wanted to put at Henrietta's blog (which has moved to here (http://irohanihoheto.typepad.com/irohanihoheto/)) .... here.
It is regarding the name of the thing on the book in episode 10.
I personally am convinced it is 遊山清十郎 which is Shiranui's stagename. Only the "rou" looks a bit funny, but I can clearly see the 'sei' and 'juu'. I think the 'rou' may be written in some special simplified form or something. In any case it can't be Kakunojou.
The name of the play is read out in the preview, I think.
"Kubiuchi kitan onryou fuuji getsurui no shikaku".
首射奇譚怨霊月涙之刺客.
That's a pretty awesome guess, Ori!
Oh, and here is a scan I stole off 2ch.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0705/animedia_jan_2ch_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0705/animedia_jan_2ch.jpg)
That is of course from Animedia which had those words which I wanted to see the original version of... So here I will again be frivolous and try very hard to make out the actual Japanese text rather than continue with a summary (and I'm surprised that the visitors who are supposed to be here are not here yet.)
A lot of this is stuff we already know or can guess of course... Square brackets are my comments,or guesses for stuff I can't figure out. I don't ahve the tiem to translate all of it now (those guests are coming pretty soon).
Kanna (from left to right)
Small red text 中居屋と手を結んだ神無は、立場的には赫之丈と、彼女を守る秋月の[something]! 「日英ハーフの神無は、どっちにも属することができない。世界から[孤?]立した存在なんです。秋月とは違う意味で、[彼?]もまた悩んでいる」（大橋[something]) 片目の秘密は13話で明らかに!
First picture caption 「神無の銃はリボルバー[something], シリンダーを交換することでオートマチックのように使っています」(牧)
Kanna's gun is a revolver and because you can change the cylinder itself it can be used as an automatic (Maki [Hidehiko, the cultural advisor behind the show]) ［I know nothing on guns so I'm just translating what I think it's saying.]
Second picture caption 母の写真に赫之丈が似ていたので心がグラリ。[傍?]にいる秋月にも嫉妬を覚えるように...
Red text - 幕末のガンマンはハーフ！日英両国の間で揺れるアイデンティティ
The Bakumatsu gunman is a half [mixed blood]! An identity that wavers between England and Japan
Text next to face 神無左京之介 現在中居屋の[something].ねらいは「永遠の刺客」秋月! 赫之丈に特別な思いを寄せるが...
Bigass text
芸は仇討ちを助ける三角関係もお江戸で決着！？
Kakunojou (top to bottom)Text next to face 遊山赫之丈 8話で殺したはずの中居屋が生きていた！秋月に心が揺れるけど、まずは仇討ちが先！
Bigger red text 再現ドラマで陰謀を暴露！芝居は幕末のワイドショー!
I have to go now and I'll add it in later.
Henrietta
2006-12-08, 22:30
Wao-dono:
Really? I have moved it to Typepad. I thought Typepad and Wordpress are two different things, and Ori seems to be able to post comments there... Please try again later and let me know if Typepad still hates you.
Thanks for the scan. I have to go and look at it in more details. (I almost didn't recognize Kakunojou in spite of her dress...)
Ori-dono:
It is an awesome guess indeed. Well done!
Typepad is indeed different than Wordpress (I think you need to pay to use Typepad?).
----
Kakunojou indeed looks very different in that picture. And that kimono really does open quite high up. >=P
----
I am glad I got most of it right in first try, proves the Chinese classes I am taking are not a complete waste of money. If I had actually checked episode 5's title, I would have realized 霊 = 靈 (and I wouldn't have been so stumped by that word) but alas, I was not smart enough to do that.
After seeing both of your takes on my guess I think my final conclusion is that it should be: "首討奇譚怒霊封月涙之刺客"
Because...
1. "射" doesn't seem to fit as much as "討" in terms of meaning and the second word on that script looks more like "討" anyway.
2. The third last word looks a lot more like "之" than "刀" and it makes sense either way.
Henrietta
2006-12-09, 00:00
Just filling in the blanks:
Small red text 中居屋と手を結んだ神無は、立場的には赫之丈と、彼女を守る秋月の[something]! 「日英ハーフの神無は、どっちにも属することができない。世界から[孤?]立した存在なんです。秋月とは違う意味で、[彼?]もまた悩んでいる」（大橋[something]) 片目の秘密は13話で明らかに!「/quote]
秋月の敵
[QUOTE=wao;763362]Second picture caption 母の写真に赫之丈が似ていたので心がグラリ。[傍?]にいる秋月にも嫉妬を覚えるように...
Note that it is 母の写真に and not 母に. Could it be a hint that Kanna has never met his mother and only knows what she looks like from her picture?
Text next to face 神無左京之介 現在中居屋の[something].ねらいは「永遠の刺客」秋月! 赫之丈に特別な思いを寄せるが...
現在中居屋の護衛
Bigass text
芸は仇討ちを助ける三角関係もお江戸で決着！？
I laughed reading it. Don't you just love these sensational headlines?
Anyway, I just read the caption on the left bottom corner, and sensei is billed as 'a warrior whose rationality is rare for this era'. So it is almost certain that he will turn out to be a good 'bad guy'. No 'Mwahaha' for him.
Kridsadar_s
2006-12-09, 00:36
in EP.5 what is Fang She,and name Shiu Phu ?? its that correct ?? what its that ?? i'm try to searh on wiki but nothing found
sarahvonreese
2006-12-09, 02:11
to be exact the title is “首討奇譚怨霊封月涙之刺客”.Trust me onit. I have grown up with these characters.
Sorry - I meant typepad. I don't know what my brain was thinknig. I tried again with all sorts of combinations of email and username and on my brother's computer and on Firefox and IE and at various times of the day and it still won't let me comment!! I suspect this is karma smirking back at me for having flooded your previous blog with comments...
And yes, it's 仇討ち．Adauchi. I don't know what the hell I was doing putting 射 in there. Guess that's what happens when you're rushing around and there's a bunch of visitors just dropped in from the UK bustling around with two kids and you hate kids.... rargh. Even if they're cute, 子供は苦手です.
sarahvonreese: Isn't that exactly what Ori said? But thanks for confirming it anyway...
This is a full version of what I can make out on the scan. Thanks for filling in the blanks Henrietta. And of course they have to put headlines like that, it's that kind of magazine after all.
And goodie goodie!! There is a nice timeline on the top left that clarifies that Kakunojou's parents were killed in 1859. I think Ii Naosuke's famous Ansei Purge (Ansei no taigoku) ran from 1858-1859 so it still fits (and Ii was murdered in early 1860).
Kanna (from left to right)
Small red text 中居屋と手を結んだ神無は、立場的には赫之丈と、彼女を守る秋月の敵! 「日英ハーフの神無は、どっちにも属することができない。世界から孤立した存在なんです。秋月とは違う意味 で、[彼?]もまた悩んでいる」（大橋 CD) 片目の秘密は13話で明らかに!
As someone who is linked to Nakaiya, Kanna is in a position where he's seen as an enemy of Kakunojou, and Akizuki who protects her! "Kanna, as a half-British half-Japanese, can't feel like he belongs to either side. He lives a somewhat isolated existance from the rest of the world. He also does brood about things, although in a different way from Akizuki. (Chief Director Oohashi) The secret behind his eyepatch will be made clear in ep 13!
First picture caption 「神無の銃はリボルバー[something], シリンダーを交換することでオートマチックのように使っています」(牧)
Kanna's gun is a revolver and because you can change the cylinder itself it can be used as an automatic (Maki [Hidehiko, the cultural advisor behind the show]) ［I know nothing on guns so I'm just translating what I think it's saying.]
Second picture caption 母の写真に赫之丈が似ていたので心がグラリ。[傍?]にいる秋月にも嫉妬を覚えるように...
I have a suspicion I am either reading it wrongly or グラリ is a typo, but the key is that Kanna feels something for Kakunojou who - as Henrietta pointed out - looks similar to his mother's photograph. Notice they didn't say looks simialr to his mother? That's why she was wondering if Kanna might have never seen his mother at all.... And of cousre the second part explicitly says that he begins to feel jealousy towards Akizuki who can be by her side.
Red text - 幕末のガンマンはハーフ！日英両国の間で揺れるアイデンティティ
The Bakumatsu gunman is a half [mixed blood]! An identity that wavers between England and Japan
Text next to face 神無左京之介 現在中居屋の護衛.ねらいは「永遠の刺客」秋月! 赫之丈に特別な思いを寄せるが...
Kanna Sakyounosuke. Currently acting as Nakaiya's bodyguard. [Is this a bit outdated?] His aim is the "Eternal Assassin" Akizuki! He has special thoughts for Kakunojou, but...
Bigass text on right side
芸は仇討ちを助ける
The arts aid the act of getting revenge! [yeah, sucky translation, whatever]
三角関係もお江戸で決着！？
Will the love triangle get resolved at Edo as well!? [Who knows!]
Kakunojou (top to bottom)
Text next to face 遊山赫之丈 8話で殺したはずの中居屋が生きていた！秋月に心が揺れるけど、まずは仇討ちが先！
Yuyama Kakunojou. Nakaiya, who should have been killed in episode 8, is alive! [Oh god no. -_-] Her heart wavers for Akizuki, but the revenge comes first!
Bigger red text 再現ドラマで陰謀を暴露！芝居は幕末のワイドショー!
Conspiracies are exposed through dramatic reproductions! Plays are the Bakumatsu's talk/variety shows!
Caption #1 赫之丈はおりょうの言葉（１０話）で、自分の中の秋月への思いに気づきはじめたが―
Oryou's words to Kakunojou cause her to start becoming aware of her feelings towards Akizuki, but...
Caption #2 横浜の芝居小屋「潮座」は、実際に[I can't make out the next two words, and it's cut off after that!!!]
The small theatre at Yokohama, "Ushioza", was really [it's cut after that]
Smaller red text 赫之丈一座は、中居屋の悪行を芝居にして世間に暴露。中居屋をおびき出すために...それは戯作者・蒼鉄の 口論見であった。「江戸時代、芝居は今の三面記事のような役[割?]も果たしていたんです。昔から日本人は下世話なウワサ話が好きだった[it's cut off after that!]
Kakunojou's troupe exposes Nakaiya's evil ways to the public through their plays. In order to lure Nakaiya out... That was the playwright, Soutetsu's strategy (?). "In the Edo period, plays served the same sort of purpose as today's variety columns. From long ago Japanese have always liked to share common rumours [it's cut off after that]
Akizuki-sama (top to bottom)
Text above head 神無→赫之丈→秋月→覇者の首(!?)と、思いはどうやら一方通行。運命がからまりあい、どうなるこの3人 ?
I literally laughed while reading that. LOL! Kanna -> Kakunojou -> AKizuki -> Conqueror's Head. They sure made it obvious and set in stone... The second part says somethign to the extent of everyone's thoughts being rather one-sided. What is going to happen to these three people, whose destinies are intertwined? Animagazine writers sure get a kick out of writing that sort of phrase I'm sure...
Text next to face秋月耀次郎 幼いころから「永遠の刺客」として育てられ今は[使命一筋????]。だが[something something]の自由な生き方にも[something]り[something]かされている
Aarrgh! I wish I could make out the last part. Henrietta-dono, you can't possibly make something out of it could you? The first part of course says something about Akizuki being prepared for the role of Eternal Asassin since young and being focused on his mission now; but something about a more free lifestyle in the second part. I guess they're saying something about how he also secretly longs to live a less burdenful life. Awww...
Caption #1 「中段の構えから刀を右に引く秋月の構えは、[牧????]さんの動きから参考しました」 (大橋 CD)
It's about Akizuki's sword stance. The crucial bit - where they say whose movements they referred to to come up with his stance - is precisely what I don't get. It looks like 牧さん to me but that can't be, the historical advisor is Maki-san!... Unless he's a professional at this or something? Could it be someone else and I'm just reading it wrongly?
Caption #2 小柄な秋月の身体に対して、月涙刀は[something]め。そのため抜刀などで動きに特[殊?]の工夫がある
Something about the Getsuruitou suiting Akizuki's relatively small frame, I think. And something about how he has to draw his sword in a particular way because of that. Really? :eyebrow:
Larger red text 「使命」と「自由」のどちらを選ぶ? 答えを出すのは刀のみ！
"Duty" and "Freedom" - which of the two? Only the sword can answer! [Quick, Akizuki, try talking to your sword!]
Smaller red text 「[something]合や剣道では、無駄のない動き、合理的な動きが理想[的?].また、刀は武士の魂として礼法をもって扱うものなんです」(牧) アニメスタッフやキャストの[前?]で、牧さんは[実?][something]に刀を使う動きを見せたそうだ。その動きはアクションの[something]所に生きている。
I really can't make out a lot of parts, but it seems like the cultural advisor Maki actually demonstrated to the staff how to use a sword. I guess it doesn't all translate so well into the show all the time because the animators aren't all that leet or something.
(Wait, I'm adding in more things as I go along)
(EDIT: URGH. I translated teh part on the history and all, but nooooo, my internet decided to be a jerk and died when I tried to update it, so it's all gone now. And I'm too tired to re-translate it but the gist of it is that Hidehiko Maki, the cultural advisor, explains that the ordinary guy on the street back then was actually not very aware of exactly how significant the changes that were happening were - even Kakunojou-tachi aren't really connected politically because they're just ordinary folk. He also says that back then the high-class yuukaku (pleasure quarters) were very selective with their guests and it was thus an excellent place for elite people in high ranks to have secret discussions.)
I think I won't try to read any more from that picture for a while, my eyes seriously are hurting. Next Wednesday/Thursday, if I'm lucky Kino might have this edition of Animedia and I'll go buy it if it's there. 目がっ... (Don't want to get an eyepatch though.)
Henrietta
2006-12-09, 04:14
I have changed it from 'optional authentication' to 'authentication off'. Please try again. Sorry for the inconvenience...
I think it is 龍馬の自由な生き方にも搖り動かされている.
Henrietta
2006-12-09, 07:42
Just filling in blanks again (in bold below):
I have a suspicion I am either reading it wrongly or グラリ is a typo, but the key is that Kanna feels something for Kakunojou who - as Henrietta pointed out - looks similar to his mother's photograph. Notice they didn't say looks simialr to his mother? That's why she was wondering if Kanna might have never seen his mother at all.... And of cousre the second part explicitly says that he begins to feel jealousy towards Akizuki who can be by her side.
心がグラリ makes sense. It means his heart is shaken.
Text above head 神無→赫之丈→秋月→覇者の首(!?)と、思いはどうやら一方[something]行。運命がからまりあい、どうなるこの3人?
一方通行 in one word, meaning something along the lines of 'failed unilateral communication'.
Caption #2 小[something]な秋月の身体に対して、月涙刀は[something]め。そのため抜刀などで動きに特[殊?]の工夫がある
小柄な
Duly noted. Thanks greatly...
But I will totally just give up looking at that picture anymore. I'm used to working on images on the computer for many many hours on end, but figuring out those letters is just awful. Gah.
It seems that since the Japanese fans aren't all excited about the calendar that comse in Newtype and has two pages of Iroha illustrations, I guess it means that it's the same ol' illustrations we all are quite familiar with by now...
Oh, and I finally got around to adding a line in my sig that was long overdue...
sarahvonreese
2006-12-09, 08:26
I was replying Ori but I had a problem with quoting^^
Ori's version is 首討奇譚怒霊封月涙之刺客
and mine is
首討奇譚怨霊封月涙之刺客
怒 and 怨 are very similar and it's tricky to distinguish them.
but 怒 means anger in both Chinese and Japanese.I can't remember how many times I have met 怨霊s since i learned Japanese. But none for 怒霊.There is no such a term.
besides we can refer to the yokoku of 11th episode. The term is extinctly pronounced to be ONRYOU.
SO Far.
Actually me and my friends are laboring on the 10th of this anime.No thanks.
sarahvonreese
2006-12-09, 08:40
i am watching this http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kouryakukan/ and i saw something very interesting:
神無の銃はシリンダーを交換することでオートマチックのように
使っている。
Kanna 's revolver is now automatic by changing a cylinder.
I really wonder what would this auto-revolver be like----there was simply no such a thing in history,and there would never be one as long as revolvers are using cylinders.
I think it's a matter of them using the wrong words. From what pathetic little I know of guns, words like 'automatic' are really more applicable to things like rifles and not pistols. Eitehr way, I wouldn't consider Kanna's pistol as 'automatic' because while it automatically switches between bullets in one cylinder, you obviously have to manually replace the cylinder. So in that sense it's different from... I dunno, a traditional shotgun where you have to manually load each bullet, but I don't know how they call it automatic.
Although Kanna's gun itself seems quite realistic. The official website claims it's a Remington New Model Army Conversion and the last time I searched on the web for it, there really was such a gun in 1868 (and a silver version of it too). I think ti was this (http://www.marstar.ca/gf-pietta/images/PT-RGS44-450px.jpg) one. You can read more about that type of gun here (http://www.marstar.ca/gf-pietta/Pietta-1858-New-Model.shtm), I think.
I really don't know much about guns though, and I don't intend to learn much more on my own compulsion...
and mine is
首討奇譚怨霊封月涙之刺客
怒 and 怨 are very similar and it's tricky to distinguish them.
but 怒 means anger in both Chinese and Japanese.I can't remember how many times I have met 怨霊s since i learned Japanese. But none for 怒霊.There is no such a term.
besides we can refer to the yokoku of 11th episode. The term is extinctly pronounced to be ONRYOU.
SO Far.
Actually me and my friends are laboring on the 10th of this anime.No thanks.
You are right, I had some doubts about that side of the word anyway, it looks more like 怨.
sarahvonreese
2006-12-09, 10:05
Automatic is a term used only on pistols with straight shape and rectangular round holders.It means you dont have to load another round between shootings (like what T800 used on T1000),just pull the trigger. In that sense we can say Kanna's current weapon is naturally automatic. Automatic cant be used to describe revolvers.Explaining why will take a lot more time and i don't expect understanding.Forget it.
By the way,whats your understanding of Saigo's Satsuma-accented serifu? It has become a nightmare for me. For the dialogue before Ueno War i checked some sites contributed to the war and found the Standard Japanese version of it.
ところで、この配置図を見せられた西郷は城で言うと大手門に当たる黒門口の攻撃に、薩摩軍が当てられている のを見て「薩摩兵を皆殺しにするつもりか」と大村に問い、これに対し大村が「さよう」と言ったと言われる有 名な逸話がありますが真意は不明です。
But to some hard part of the 8th (when he was manipulated by the head)I could only orz. Do futari san have a clue?
Wow. Can I just say, you guys are just amazing. I really admire your Japanese skillz and your dedication to deciphering every little thing related to the series. Most of all, thanks for sharing the results with the rest of us! It really enhances my enjoyment of the show.
Aniki Meiski
2006-12-09, 19:20
in EP.5 what is Fang She,and name Shiu Phu ?? its that correct ?? what its that ?? i'm try to searh on wiki but nothing found
You will never find those as those are mistranslations. It has nothing to do with Japanese language proficiency of the people doing fansubs. It's just that they are not familiar with the cultural background of the show.
The correction translation should be.
Fang She - This should be Shinsen Houshi (jp) or Shenxian Fangshi (ch). It means a specific scocerer in ancient china specializing in immortality.
Shiu Phu - This should be Xu Fu (ch) or Jo Fuku (jp).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Fu
The title of Sensei's place, written in no hiragana, no punctuation style of the period.
首討奇譚怨霊封月涙之刺客
役 神仙方士徐福 遊山清十郎
首討ち奇譚、怨霊を封じる月涙の刺客
くびうちきたん、おんりょうをふうじるげつるいのしかく
Katsu's poem in old spelling, with no dots for dakuon.
もののふの
矢たけひし
音絶えて
名残り匂ふ山さくら花
勝安房守海舟
Okita Souji's death poem
へだつ is hedateru in classical form (shushikei).
沖田総司享年二十七歳
戒名賢光院仁誉明道居士
動かねば闇にへだつや
花と水
沖田総司
Kridsadar_s
2006-12-09, 22:01
You will never find those as those are mistranslations. It has nothing to do with Japanese language proficiency of the people doing fansubs. It's just that they are not familiar with the cultural background of the show.
The correction translation should be.
Fang She - This should be Shinsen Houshi (jp) or Shenxian Fangshi (ch). It means a specific scocerer in ancient china specializing in immortality.
Shiu Phu - This should be Xu Fu (ch) or Jo Fuku (jp).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Fu
The title of Sensei's place, written in no hiragana, no punctuation style of the period.
首討奇譚怨霊封月涙之刺客
役 神仙方士徐福 遊山清十郎
首討ち奇譚、怨霊を封じる月涙の刺客
くびうちきたん、おんりょうをふうじるげつるいのしかく
Katsu's poem in old spelling, with no dots for dakuon.
もののふの
矢たけひし
音絶えて
名残り匂ふ山さくら花
勝安房守海舟
Okita Souji's death poem
へだつ is hedateru in classical form (shushikei).
沖田総司享年二十七歳
戒名賢光院仁誉明道居士
動かねば闇にへだつや
花と水
沖田総司
Thank you alot :D
MrProphet
2006-12-09, 23:47
I really wonder what would this auto-revolver be like----there was simply no such a thing in history,and there would never be one as long as revolvers are using cylinders.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Mateba Model 6 Unica, the world's only automatic revolver.
It's most famous around here for being the weapon of choice for Togusa from Ghost in the Shell, since he was always paranoid about his gun jamming on him. 8)
Hmm, Shinsen's out with Baku 06.
Like with Ayashi Ayashi, i watch the first 06 episodes of this series today - and yet again i was amazingly impressed with it. The dark presence the show brings while viewing is what i love best - also packed with one hell of a collection of bad arse characters makes it an ultimate win.
The main aspect of the show that impressed me the most has to be the music Hideyuki Fukasawa. With i being his first time doing music for anime, i'm even more loving the style he's brought to a show that suits it perfectly. I'll be ordering the first OST thats released next week for sure.
Just saw ep.06 ( thanks a lot Shinsen awesome job as usual :D ), honestly a great series(underrated though too bad). Been reading some comments in the thread, the animation seemed pretty rad in this episode(although it left something to be desired in ep.05).
Hur hur, wait till you come to episode 7. And for the raw watchers it's coming again in a few days time. Whee. :(
I feel kind of bad because my initial impressions are that there are a lot of people who are suddenly watching the show now since episode 6 came out of the blue and they're wondering what this show is... And then bam, episode 7. Oh well.
I hope whoever is reading this and is watching Iroha for pwetty eye candy and gets pissed at episode 7 when it eventually comes out.... will HOLD ON TILL EPISODE 10. meh
If you guys watch episode 7 with no expecation/ or expecation of it being really disappointing... you guys would be fine.
Episode 7 is bad in comparison to the other Iroha episodes, but in comparison to some of the bad episodes of other anime... this episode really isn't that bad.
Whew, I was beginning to think episode 7 was that bad. :heh:
FeelLicks
2006-12-12, 20:14
For those of you who dl the raw I put up for this show, I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to do that for the next few episodes. I originally planned to leave my computer on in college so I could remote desktop into it and continue to provide the raws while I'm on winter break at home, but it seems like that computer crashed for some reason since I can't connect to it. I'm sure S^M will continue to make the raws available~
gomen
PS I won't be back in college until Jan 07 so... until then... =]
Ah no FeelLicks, don't apologize... We'll live, I think. :) It's only three episodes anyway, and you've already done a GREAT service to us by upping the episodes at such unbeliveable speed. Thanks so much for everything anyway :D
Let's just hope S^M doesn't decide to release the raws like half a week after it airs or something or releases ones with unsynced audio... But then again - beggars can't be choosers. :)
In other news, for those of you who still would like to see some moar Akizuki eyecandy lawlz, I scanned in this for you guys... or rather, girls :rolleyes:
http://s01.imagehost.org/0707/akizuki_s_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0707/akizuki_s.jpg)
Click to see a larger version, duh.
2x larger version here: http://www.f-forge.com?d=Mrk0jSsheHoCFKV49lZJ .
'Tis from the calendar that came with January Newtype.
I hope this isn't against the forum rules, if it is I'll take it down and direct any interested parties to the LJ comm.
Oh WTH, go to http://community.livelournal.com/bk_iroha and take a look at a large fixed up version of the animedia scan, a larger look at the soundtrack cover AND a pic of the first DVD's cover. Yeah, it's got new art.
OTZ, I was DREAMING about this just now (I just woke up from that dream). In my dream the eyecatch was ugly, good thing this is not the case in real life.
And Feelicks, don't feel bad, it just means I have reason to watch school to start again (as blasphemous as that sounds).
Whee, episode 12 preview. From the official site. Crappy translation by me as usual.
Ryouma's Message (Ryouma no kotozude)
The new script Soutetsu had written was about the 2000-year-old battle to the death between the Conqueror's Head and the Eternal Assassin. The troupe performs to acclaim even at Edo. Kakunojou, who meets up with Akizuki again in Shinagawa, relays Ryouma's message passed onto her by Oryou. The truth is revealed to Akizuki who was still mortified by his inability to protect Ryouma... And just then, the Getsuruitou detects the magical aura of the Conqueror's Head. With Kanna having gone after Soutetsu after he left with the Head from the Satsuma residence [in ep 8], the trio of Akizuki, Kanna and Soutetsu face off once again!
"I have seen that everyone is carrying out their own roles. Now then, just a few more lines..."
Is the plot crafted by the playwright Soutetsu, turning out to be...?!
In other news, they've updated the Character section with Ryouma, Oryou and Okita, and they changed the Hasha no Kubi description + image again, plus added in those ghost things from ep 8 too o_O
And if you've been to the official blog recently, there's some small amusing pics of the cast and sound crew having a drinking party. Inoue-san....
(ZOMG half-naked Akizuki in ep 11 for the win? Or more like for the blatant fangirl-pandering :cool: )
I took a crappy picture/short video clip with my cell phone of half naked Akizuki for my friend, I thought I should post it here so that other fan girls can nose bleed all over their keyboard. :heh:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v23/orichan/DSC00159.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v23/orichan/?action=view¤t=MOV00004.flv
I have never had a nosebleed in my life but thank you so much anyway.
And heh, it seems like this ep was indeed otherwise episode 7-level of lousy directing. What do you expect, with those silly ghost things from ep 8 appearing... Oh well. What a waste of 半裸 Akizuki, now if they left it to an Onda episode I think there'd be a riot of hilarious proportions. That would probably bring on a nosebleed, definitely (but I wouldn't do it here, no...)
Seems like there's still going to be two or three more eps outsourced to this studio in the future though, can't be helped... I guess it'd be like ep 16 and 21 or something like that.
I personally would love to see another Tatsuya Suzuki storyboarded episode... *_*
OH Hardy har har. Seems like Kanna's real role is Queen Victoria's emissary lol. Am I supposed to quote some random 2cher by saying もう笑うしかない、この説定…ｗ ? Eh probably not because I guess we were aaaallll expecting this...
I thought the preview looks okay (animation level wise not talking about the fangirl appeals). But I guess they would put the best part of the episode in the preview... and if THAT is the best part already.... uhoh.
FeelLicks
2006-12-15, 17:07
Surprise, surprise! My pc in college magically revived! Actually, I had a backup plan set in case something went wrong but I didn't think that would work...
IN ANY CASE, I should have 11 up soon.
Edit: It's up!
OTL This wasn't even a good episode but for you to go through the trouble.....
Do you need any housework done or anything?! Gah, at the end of the show we should put up a shrine for you or something. *dies for a while*
Time to go privately enjoy saabisu saabisu after... how long?
MrProphet
2006-12-15, 20:30
I just realized that I forgot to watch episode 10 last week. In fact, I completely forgot about new episodes of Iroha, so, when episode 10 surfaced on my computer yesterday, I actually though it to be this week's outing. Needless to say, hilarity ensued.
I was personally quite satisfied with #10, but when I saw wao bashing "the latest episode" (which I still believed 10 to be), I was quite perplexed. Wao criticizing an episode of Iroha that I actually liked? Isn't it usually the other way around? I must be in some kind of a Bizarro AnimeSuki, I thought, instead of the regular one.
Anyway, I did like the episode. It had the flair, the dramatic tension, the quality of both illustrations and animation that I value, even if it sometimes bordered on melodramatic and outright ludicrous. Okita dying in Yojiro's arms is... do I really need to spell it out? It's too much girl-service for my taste. 8)
Still, it was good. Too bad that the Bizarro Wao wasn't the real one, which means that episode 11 is atrocious and I have to watch it now. Oh, well, I'll get over it... 8)
EDIT: Well, sakuga was terrible indeed, but the story was fine, in my opinion. It wasn't boring, at least.
That certainly would be bizarro indeed MrProphet. It's impossible for you to like an episode of Iroha that I'd dislike!
And yeah! I enjoyed the episode more than I thought I would, actually. The animation was terrible, but I've seen much worse, and even the stupid bits were certainly far from the stupid bits in episode 8... (Although it's a pity they had to use the cheesier selections of music in some parts; but that was offset cos I got to hear the nice music I liked too.)
And the story was interesting enough!
I'm quite glad though, that they really showed the transition into summer. I had been wondering if the troupe was really going to keep wearing that hot stuff - especially Akizuki and that cloak- even during summer, but it's nice to see they changed their clothes. Soutetsu and Shiranui at least did, and I don't need to mention a certain somebody training with a bare chest. :)
To me though, the highlight of the episode was the troupe's interactions. The script felt a bit better than usual and I'm glad we got to see them work together more. I particularly liked the touch where Kakunojou was feeling apprehensive about ever bumping into Akizuki and Soutetsu again. I think she knows that they're involved in something much bigger and more dangerous... There's something about the way that she's vaguely aware of this Head thing and that it's a totally new realm which she has nothing to do with. It's like they're doing their own thing now, and have long been out of her league... and what will meeting with them bring again?
Little does she know that she's going to get involved in that whole thing herself, too. Ah dammit, I get a kick out of this sort of stuff. :cool:
Of course, it was grinding to see Nakaiya really alive after all -__- But at least they didn't just SPRING it on us and it wasn't so bad... The way it's set up, though, Soutetsu seems to know very well that Nakaiya was going to be alive anyway. And what was the troupe talking about Nakaiya and Akizuki acting themselves out on the stage? How the heck is that going to happen? And how am I going to get out of hospital if Akizuki ends up really acting himself? I wonder if I can borrow's someone laptop...
Other touches I liked included -The troupes banter throughout the show
-Tatsugorou's lines (I like the way he says them!)
-Akizuki's somewhat wistful look when looking at the troupe's tent
-Soutetsu's conversation with Kamajiro~ (I think it's a funny name),... I mean Enomoto Takeaki.
-Kakunojou helping Akizuki out at the last bit \o/ Akizuki is kind of cute in how he's so blur when he's fighting these things...
-Them explaining the Ouuetsu Reppan Doumei and all the history stuff (yeah, I enjoy it, alright?)
Gee, see this show's so much better when it's not having to deal so much with the supernatural stuff...
And heheh, that time I spent reading about Kawai was put to good use, I kind of went "whee!" in my head when they showed the bit where his knee gets injured. :(
I must say though, those ghost things are funny. You know, those weapons make it look like they're giving you the finger (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/screw_you_zagashira.jpg) all the time (or this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/wassuuuup.jpg)), and Akizuki himself is pretty funny too - I couldn't stop laughing at that video-game like on-the-spot jump he did on the rooftop (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/lolmario.jpg). Really (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/1up.jpg)! And the swinging thing (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/lolcute.jpg) was so hilariously cute.
I never thought the script would save this episode and make it watchable! Here I was thinking it'd be on the level of episode 7 or those Head bits in episode 8.
Well, now I'm actually looking forward to episode 12 - Finally, Kanna, Soutetsu and Akizuki face off again... and pardon me while I still laugh my head off at Kanna being Queen Victoria's emissary. Geez Sensei, you know everything... Are you Miyashita's alter ego? Are you this show's producer? Are you seriously from the future or something?! (Can I borrow your brain for my exams?)
But seriously, come on, is even England aiming for the Head?...
Kridsadar_s
2006-12-16, 11:25
more question in E.P.5 Eternal Assasin = ? :heh:
more question in E.P.5 Eternal Assasin = ? :heh:
I must say though, those ghost things are funny. You know, those weapons make it look like they're giving you the finger (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/screw_you_zagashira.jpg) all the time (or this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/wassuuuup.jpg)), and Akizuki himself is pretty funny too - I couldn't stop laughing at that video-game like on-the-spot jump he did on the rooftop (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/lolmario.jpg). Really (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/1up.jpg)! And the swinging thing (http://s01.imagehost.org/0708/lolcute.jpg) was so hilariously cute.
I lol at the "monoeye powerup scene" when the first oversized spectral minion materialized. We're being attacked by Mobile Suits (http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/uc/msg/mechanics/images/ms_gyan_a.gif) now?
Kridsadar_s
2006-12-16, 22:38
I lol at the "monoeye powerup scene" when the first oversized spectral minion materialized. We're being attacked by Mobile Suits (http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/uc/msg/mechanics/images/ms_gyan_a.gif) now?
thank you anyway :D
You guys are amazing. I can spend hours and hours (etc.) reading all 35 pages. The things you mention of the series ... it's so in-depth. From the quality to the content to the ... everything. Wow. Somehow it makes me wish that I understood Japanese too from reading all that spoiler tags with Japanese characters in it.
I just started on the series yesterday and kind of rushed my way through 10 episodes of it. (4 of it being Chinese subs) And I was obviously confuzzled by the historical references. Lucky for me, I found out about this thread and it successfully cleared that unmistakable fog before me .. (although I might take some time to absorb it). I guess I have to go through all 10 episodes again.
Well, my point was. Thank, thank, thank you so so so much for writing out all of your thoughts, wao's relation charts (it's very useful, thanks!), story analysis, episode summaries, links to other amazing Iroha-dedicated blogs etc. I'm utterly grateful.
I'm far behind, (Watching the subs) but I just have to say something regarding episode 8:
About Akidzuki: (failed?)
He isn't really that good, is he?
- He failed protecting Ryoma
- Wasn't it for Kanna who shot away the bullet during the play, Kakunojou would probably die of the explosives.
- In my opinion, it seems like Kanna did have the advantage at their fight in epi 08. I'm not sure, it might have been because of the quality of the animation, but it seemed like Kanna was hesitating to shoot Akidsuki when he good the opportunity in the fight. Akidsuki barely survived the fight.
The fight however, was very good. It not often we can see sword vs gun battles. :D It was fun (Though I wished the quality of the animation was better)
I have nothing against Akidsuki, don't misunderstand me. He's cool, just a little too angsty for my taste. I just began to think about it after I watched episode 8.
And in the end of the episode Shouten said:
Something about one who failed protecting the Head (Akidzuki) and one not being affected by the head at all. Who is\was he? Ryouma?
The episode was good, however! :D I really enjoy the show!
And one more thing.
IS there any good blogs around the internet? It can be japanese ones too. Just fun to look at them, the pictures etc. :)
Sorry about my bad english...
For a Bakumatsu blog, I have to recommend Henrietta's blog which is, here (http://irohanihoheto.typepad.com/irohanihoheto/).
And regarding your question about what Shouten said, my speculations are:
Shouten meant was Akizuki was the only one who could not be controlled (affected) by the Conqueror's Head, because Akizuki is the only one who could seal this head. And the man Akizuki failed to protect is Sakamoto Ryouma. Akizuki can't be protecting the Head. He is meant to seal it, not protect it. But it might also mean "protecting" it, in a way.
I re-watched my episodes and I understand better now, of the matters going on between the Imperialists and Shogunates.
P/S: The quality of ep 7 is bad. T_T It wasn't very enjoyable picture-wise, but the voice-acting made it up. So I could just concentrate on the audio and not too much on the video and everything's fine, whew.
I always thought it was that there was one guy who wasn't affected by the Head, and then in a separate sentence he went on to say tha there was another guy who couldn't protect the first guy (and then we see a shot of Akizuki, so it leads me to conclude that Sakamoto Ryouma was not affected by the Head).
:confused:
Ah whatever. I'm glad the subs are catching up. At least eps 9 and 10 are much more enjoyable. 12 is airing in less than half a day's time. Very much looking forward to it because of nrsfsrsrnrghblah.
EDIT: Ohhh damn. Am going to be dragged to the hospital (no, not because I"m sick...) just before the next ep preview appears on the site! :( Too bad. Someone else will translate it first or you all wll just have to wait, obviously...
Yeah, i tend to agree with wao about that. it sounded as if shouten-sama was saying that there was one man who was not affected by the Head, and that was the man that Akizuki wasn't able to protect. anyways, isn't "the man who couldn't protect sakamoto ryouma" sort of a catch phrase that's thrown all over the place on promotional materials related to the show? sorta highlights akizuki's on-going ryouma angst. and also makes me think sakamoto ryouma is another key part of the mystery surrounding the plot of the show, something that's still to develop in future episodes.
edit: the image i was referring to: this one here (http://imagesocket.com/view/11037423.jpg)
White Manju Bun
2006-12-21, 22:23
Yeah Im watching subbed so Im behind but 8 just came out so SHS is catching up
I enjoyed 8, I think this series is getting better with every epi. The fighting in 8 was great and I loved the look on the blonde guys face (sorry Ive totally blanked on his name) when he sees Yuyama.
I loved the look on the blonde guys face (sorry Ive totally blanked on his name) when he sees Yuyama.
His name's Sakyonosuke Kanna.
Anyway, the battle between him and Yojiro turned out to be pretty epic - i was in awe the entire fight.
White Manju Bun
2006-12-21, 22:46
His name's Sakyonosuke Kanna.
Anyway, the battle between him and Yojiro turned out to be pretty epic - i was in awe the entire fight.
Ah thats right! Yeah during the whole thing I was like "this is awesome" I enjoy gun v sword fights since you dont see them that often.
Finally I'm back. Episode 13 summary roughly translated by me again. So it was "Hasha no Kubi Nyuukon"!
I get the feeling there will be some kind of climax at this episode. Talk about a very energetic preview.
The Conqueror's Head Enters a Soul (Hasha no Kubi Nyuukon)
The new script sent by Soutetsu: listed as actors were the names "Nakaiya Juubee", and "Akizuki Youjirou".
Everyone is shocked. Will the two finally appear on stage?
At the same time, the British consul Parkes hands down, to four soldiers, an order to destroy the Head. Elsewhere, Enomoto Takeaki makes his final decision on board his ship just before departing [from Edo].
"Even if Nakaiya Juubee were to die, the malice of the Head and the calamities it brings will not disappear! Hell will never disappear from this world!!"
With the Shinagawa-oki as the backdrop, the troupe performs their long-awaited play of revenge, and the chance to seal the "Conqueror's Head" appears to have arrived!
Of course we all know they can't possibly seal the Head, but yay! It looks fun and interesting as usual.
And what about thsi episode? Good god, I am totally dying to watch it because I have a feeling they're FINALLY doing all the silly stuff I wanted to see. :D And come on, the banner at Gyao actually has Kakunojou on it! There's way too many lures attached to thsi episode for me not to be very excited about it.
Of course, it doesn't help when you read a few snippets off 2ch/blogs like... 赫の丈が神無に抱き締められて
EDIT: Just picked up from another blog. ZOMG, first they show Akizuki being all ショボーン in episode 10 and now they show him crying? Dammit!!!! EDIT2: Oh. And there's an extended version of ANGST WHEN RYOMA DIES. I see! All fine by me. They even show him being taken away for questioning! I want to see this! Especially when he's *gasp* wearing something other than his usual clothes! (I'm hopeless)
There's even a reunion of Kotoha and Katsu?!!!!! And even Parkes appears again?!
Looks like they make it clear that Kanna 'worked with' Nakaiya under Parkes' direction.
The highlight of course has to be the part where Akizuki and Kakunojou meet though, I'm sure >:0 Looks like we get to hear her temariuta again! It seems ilke she got to sing until the 5th verse this time. Unfortunately their meeting was cut short (sigh) but when Kakunojou returned to the tent she was curious about Akizuki and ran off to find him? It seems like that.. And she gets to see Kanna and Akizuki vs. Sensei :O And that is where.... the bit I pastedi n Japanese above applies :)
*spasms for a while*!@@!@!!!#%
Seems like Sensei was uber-scary this episode, too...
Meanwhile I am sitting here being very sad because the OST rippers evidently do not like Iroha or something :( All the obscure Character Singles and whatever shit are all out lossless, but... where's... bah.
Lol. May I ask what single of Iroha is being released?
*currently catching up with Iroha 6 thru to 8*
I meant other shows' character singles and what not are all being released. But the OST for thsi show, which came out like all those singles on the 20th, is still not floating around yet.
Which is sad, but oh well. Like I have said before, beggars can't be choosers.
*goes back to squeeing in shameful fangirl delight at the happenings in episode 12*.
It'll be out before long, I'm sure of it.
Watched 6-7, I'll post here while waiting for 8 to download. I enjoyed them very much; again, the music was what most endeared it to me. Tho looking back, a lot of things developed in a short time. I wish the battle with the 3 Akki Rasetu in 06 did not end that fast; I mean it was hardly much of a fight what with Akidzuki owning them in one swing. Also, the big question for me now is why did Kanna switch sides.
And boy; that chant in episode 7 was pretty catchy.
"ee ja nai ka ee ja nai ka, yo no naka kawatte ee ja nai ka!" Dances round and round half-naked in his room.
/edit: Watched 8, and my baying-for-blood self has been satisfied fully. Akidzuki and Kanna's faceoff was incredible indeed. Thoroughly enjoyable.
That chant sure is catchy isn't it? eejanaika eejanaika... I was hoping we'd get to see more of it because it's kind of fun :( Wouldn't it be awfully cute if Soutetsu secretly joined in? With that evil/deadpan face of his... Okay, but that's just my delusional mind thinking of totally impossible situations.
As for why Kanna switched sides... well, I guess you can think of it this way; maybe Kanna just wanted to keep an eye on Nakaiya since he's in such an important position? (It's not like I really know why either...) Either way I can't really think of Kanna as honestly being interested in the evil powers afforded by the Head.
Although come to think of it, Nakaiya sure was quite trusting to just let him hop on like that, wasn't he...
Bah, I'm getting back into thread-spamming. I'll shut up now until I watch the episode... a pity Ori's not online, I so need to spill out my silly fangirlings somewhere.
EDIT: Nice, it looks like this episode is getting a decent and properly fan-like reaction from the fans. That's good. At least something is finally, well, happening,...
That chant sure is catchy isn't it? eejanaika eejanaika... I was hoping we'd get to see more of it because it's kind of fun :( Wouldn't it be awfully cute if Soutetsu secretly joined in? With that evil/deadpan face of his... Okay, but that's just my delusional mind thinking of totally impossible situations.
Lol, do I hear a possible fanart in the works?
As for why Kanna switched sides... well, I guess you can think of it this way; maybe Kanna just wanted to keep an eye on Nakaiya since he's in such an important position? (It's not like I really know why either...) Either way I can't really think of Kanna as honestly being interested in the evil powers afforded by the Head.
Although come to think of it, Nakaiya sure was quite trusting to just let him hop on like that, wasn't he...
Yes its a total doo-doo. I do have a feeling that its related to his parents or lineage, because that was what Nakaiya said in the initial part, but I dont know. Then again, it was said that he wanted to see the "man" (not sure if it was the sage or the head); yet why would he go to such an extent to protect Nakaiya if he was only "curious."
Indeed it was; Nakaiya must know something about Kanna. I remember him saying something about a "contract" with Kanna, that we weren't let in on.
Henrietta
2006-12-22, 10:02
Was just reading spoilers of Ep. 12 here and there. No mistake - I will be on an absolute riot...
Kanna even asks Kakunojou 大丈夫か ('Are you alright?')
Forgot to mention:
It seems that we are getting a new song during the fight scene that incorporates the shamisen. Apparently it is included in the soundtrack and has not been played before in the show. ALmost everyone says that song is good.
White Manju Bun
2006-12-22, 10:07
赫の丈が神無に抱き締められて
EDIT: Just picked up from another blog. ZOMG, first they show Akizuki being all ショボーン in episode 10 and now they show him crying? Dammit!!!! EDIT2: Oh. And there's an extended version of ANGST WHEN RYOMA DIES. I see! All fine by me. They even show him being taken away for questioning! I want to see this! Especially when he's *gasp* wearing something other than his usual clothes! (I'm hopeless)
O_O
~starts spazzing as well~ omg Im gonna have d/l the raw now, I just have too. The fangirl has taken over!!!
I guess I can't resist posting here, can I? (The forum email notification system seems to be a little slow today :\)
I heard about the soudntrack bit too. If they pick it out as the best piece among the existing nice pieces of music then I am immensely curious as to what it sounds like. It must be awesome or something. It's track 24, 信念. The only issue left is the still-unappearing rip of it...
Other things I've read have had me wondering though, what exactly was the contents of the message Ryouma had sent? I didn't seem to catch it from the summaries I've read here and there... Was there something about the intentions behind Ryouma taking on Akizuki as a bodyguard or something along those lines?
Henrietta
2006-12-22, 10:22
Other things I've read have had me wondering though, what exactly was the contents of the message Ryouma had sent? I didn't seem to catch it from the summaries I've read here and there... Was there something about the intentions behind Ryouma taking on Akizuki as a bodyguard or something along those lines?
Well, I read someone:
1) Quoting something along the lines of choosing your own path (自分の道を行け)
2) Mentioning that we don't get to hear what Kakunojou said, only his reaction to it (that being running away).
3) Saying that it was Ryouma's words that Akizuki was not at fault and something to do with Akizuki being misled away when the assassins came to Ryouma so that Akizuki ends up safe.
I am afraid I am in as much of a fog as you, but we will see.
Henrietta
2006-12-22, 10:24
Other things I've read have had me wondering though, what exactly was the contents of the message Ryouma had sent? I didn't seem to catch it from the summaries I've read here and there... Was there something about the intentions behind Ryouma taking on Akizuki as a bodyguard or something along those lines?
Well, I read someone:
1) Quoting something along the lines of choosing your own path (自分の道を行け)
2) Mentioning that we don't get to hear what Kakunojou said, only his reaction to it (that being running away).
3) Saying that it was Ryouma's words that Akizuki was not at fault and something to do with Akizuki being misled away when the assassins came to Ryouma so that Akizuki ends up safe.
I am afraid I am in as much of a fog as you, but we will see.
[EDIT: Sorry about the double post. I am not sure what happened...]
Ah, so that's what they meant in that line! (I think we are reading the same summary for that part - ミチユキ? Heh, I think she is becoming a Kanna/Kakunojou convert... "それだったら神赫のが萌えられる…" It's interesting how she noted that in actual fact, Kanna is probably even lonelier than Akizuki - he doesn't even have folks like the jii-chanzu at Koma. So of course he would feel like he wanted to take some sort of solace in Kakunojou because of her similarity to his mother, probably the only figure whom he ever felt he had in this world. Except Kakunojou is almost blatantly スルーing him. :( Kaku-chan! Please take a look at Kanna for once!)
But oh dear, what Ryouma did is very... :( I think I would cry if I was Akizuki too... being led somewhere else so that he wouldn't get attacked by the assassins, it's like Ryouma knew he was going to get asassinated one of these days and knew he couldn't avoid it, but wanted very much for Akizuki to escape this fate; probably because he knew Akizuki had a bigger duty to fulfil first...
I guess for Akizuki it was a double blow in that not only did he feel unworthy that such a great person would do such a thing for him, but furthermore for all that he did, he died anyway - while he's still alive. Does he deserve to be? What use is it when even the Head seems out of his reach? Ah, angst.
Wow, am I actually discussing the characters in some way or another apart from "zomg hawt"?
edit: yay, the raw is out, but I hope the sound isn't off-sync...
Henrietta
2006-12-22, 12:17
Ah, so that's what they meant in that line! (I think we are reading the same summary for that part - ミチユキ? Heh, I think she is becoming a Kanna/Kakunojou convert... "それだったら神赫のが萌えられる…" It's interesting how she noted that in actual fact, Kanna is probably even lonelier than Akizuki - he doesn't even have folks like the jii-chanzu at Koma. So of course he would feel like he wanted to take some sort of solace in Kakunojou because of her similarity to his mother, probably the only figure whom he ever felt he had in this world. Except Kakunojou is almost blatantly スルーing him. :( Kaku-chan! Please take a look at Kanna for once!)
Frankly, I don't remember where I read it... and I am not sure which line you are referring to...
I think I would cry if I was Akizuki too... being led somewhere else so that he wouldn't get attacked by the assassins, it's like Ryouma knew he was going to get asassinated one of these days and knew he couldn't avoid it, but wanted very much for Akizuki to escape this fate; probably because he knew Akizuki had a bigger duty to fulfil first...
I guess for Akizuki it was a double blow in that not only did he feel unworthy that such a great person would do such a thing for him, but furthermore for all that he did, he died anyway - while he's still alive. Does he deserve to be? What use is it when even the Head seems out of his reach? Ah, angst.
What I read may have been just someone's speculation, though it's a nice speculation. We will have to see. I had a feeling that Ryouma is probably used to having assassins running after him anyway, judging by his attitude at seeing Akizuki.
White Manju Bun
2006-12-22, 12:28
oh man, I just watched 11 raw and I really didnt mind not being able to understand what they were saying since my attention was drawn elsewhere.....
akizuki fighting...wow that was hawt....
man I sound shallow :D
OMG! I just finished watching it. Perhaps this is the side-effect of being a fangirl, but while there were some reused animation ehre and there...
I sure as heck enjoyed that a lot.
It must be after all that I'm just damn interested in the main characters even more than Okita and everything; and showing the full Ryoma-dying scene was actually quite well done for this anime. There is this one shot of the snow that I must say was quite impressive, and even the animation for that bit when Akizuki burst into the room was good too. The expressions!
And what more, the TENSION was great. You could totally feel this was episode 2's director coming right back! This episode, I think, almost ranks up there with The Look for "!" feelings...
Geez, I really need to cool down first though. That was very enjoyable.
And I was almost dying of laughter at that last look of Sensei's at the end. He is POSITIVELY EVIL, I swear! That was such an uncanny "hrhrhr I will screw aroudn with you all lolz!!! >;d" look... LMAO.
Oh, and the new piece of music wasn't as zmog amazing as I expected it to be, but it's not shabby nonetheless. I just do wish that the fighting scene was a bit longer; something about the scenes in this episode was that they ended a bit abruptly sometimes.
I forgot to mention - yet another historical cameo (or perhaps it won't be so much of a cameo...) Parkes' archrival, Jules Brunet!
And Kakunojou in a new (and quite cute) getup as the first Eternal Assassin. Fun!
White Manju Bun
2006-12-22, 13:15
omg 12 ruled!!!
The extended dying scene was awesome, epsc how it was shot, I preferred it over the one shown in 10.
him crying a little while standing on the rock, nearly died
FeelLicks
2006-12-22, 13:18
I just landed in Taiwan, D: I hate plane rides...
I see S^Y has the raw up alrdy, so I won't bother unless something's wrong with theirs.
Happy Holidays everyone!
I can't believe the one day I have to go out in the morning is the one day with a very good episode out!
This better be as good as you guys make it out to be.
And happy holidays to you too Feelicks!
MrProphet
2006-12-22, 16:28
I don't think that I would be able to sing praise to Iroha in the way that wao is able, so I shall make no attempt at it. I would just like to take a moment to confirm that #12 was indeed a fine episode that I thoroughly enjoyed.
In fact, I enjoyed it so much that it has partly rekindled my interest in this show.
There were several moments that were very small, but still quite touching to me personally.
- When "Nakaiya" has appeared on the stage, it was curious to note the glance that Katsu has made in the direction of Parkes. Does Katsu suspect Parkes in some way?
http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/8444/snapshot20061222233955tt6.th.jpg (http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222233955tt6.jpg)
- There was a very interesting long shot that focused entirely on the reaction of viewers to the play. It was interested because it was able to be static and still depict a range of emotions: curiosity, amazement, fear, enchantment. This is THEATER!
http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/2672/snapshot20061222234017wo7.th.jpg (http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222234017wo7.jpg)
- When Kotoha, the old firefighter and Katsu were drinking together, there was this very original perspective done to a sequence of shots. We loose sight of Katsu and focus of Kotoha and the old man that for some reason start nodding and looking upwards and downward in unison for no apparent reason. Then the shot once again switched to a pan of the room as we see that Katsu has been pouring them some alcohol.
I was delighted by this sequence, even though it meant nothing. It was simply such an inventive way to startle the viewer with an original perspective that reveals itself gradually.
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/2078/snapshot20061222234129lg0.th.jpg (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222234129lg0.jpg)
It is the small things like that that make me adore Iroha.
- When Kotoha asks for some alcohol and drinks her cup, we see her wiping it afterwards with her finger and passing to Katsu. I might be ignorant of some cultural etiquette here, but it looked so endearing to me and somewhat adolescent in a way Taiyu did not wish to "pass her lips" to Katsu. Very adolescent, indeed.
http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/857/snapshot20061222234158km5.th.jpg (http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222234158km5.jpg)
- Was Yojirou even aware of the fact that Kakunojou was coming on to him during the scene at the quay? She definitely moved in "for a kill" when he sensed the Head nearby and switched his attention away from Yuyama. There was very good song during that sequence as well.
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/4766/snapshot20061222234238bu9.th.jpg (http://img108.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222234238bu9.jpg)
- It was good to see that supposedly professional actors do in fact engage in training exercises, like all real people would have to.
http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/6154/snapshot20061222234643gt0.th.jpg (http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222234643gt0.jpg)
- This was a very surpising face, coming from Kakunojou, the almighty Warrior Vengeance Woman. 8)
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6343/snapshot20061222234715bu2.th.jpg (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061222234715bu2.jpg)
- The confrontation between Ibaragi, Kanna and Akizuki seemed a bit perfunctory to me. What was it's purpose other than to bring those three and Yuyama together? It seemed to serve no functional purpose to me.
And so on...
This episode got me so happy and excited that I am going to actually stick to my word and write a long, fangirly-silly-whatever-filled description of it.
here. It's got just about everything in the damn episode! I think. So if you are watching episode 12 and don't understand head or tail of what is going on, perhaps this may vaguely help.
(There are screenshots too).
(And silly fangirl ramblings near the end).
A quick note about the production behind this episode it's storyboarded once again by Iwao Teraoka, whom I'm sure you all remember from episodes 5 and 6 in particular. He also storyboarded the OP. Wondering about those zoomy camera shots? Thank him - they've appeared even in ep 2 which he co-storyboarded, all regardless of the episode director.
Would you beleive it if I told you this episode was largely animated by non-Sunrise staff? I've mentioned the studio AD Cosmo before; well they're at it again here. First on teh animator list and all... GJ!
Onto the episode itself.
Kubiuchi Kitan Onryou Fuuji Getsurui no Shikaku!
The episode starts off with the short requisite run-through of episode 11. Then, we get shown Kakunojou's introduction to the troupe's play. She sounds a little toned-down - and rightfully so, because it's a smaller theatre! I'm quite impressed at that detail (unless it was unintentional).
She then talks about the part where the guy whose head became the Hasha no Kubi gets executed. Her line is... exactly the same - almost word for word - as the explanation given in episode 5. Zagashira's acting as the guy being executed, methinks - for before he dies he cries out even though his life may come to an end, he will definitely come back as an evil spirit. Rargh.
Then there is this really cool scene with cool colour effects where his head is symbolically sliced and then flips into the Hasha no Kubi. I love the effect! It times very nicely with the gong.
We then see the (recycled animation of the) scared audience gulping and watching on as the lighting keeps changing (I like the change in sound effects it was very atmospheric.), and now we hear chanting and the silhouettes of someone forging a sword - it's the creation of the Getsuruitou. It was made to be 'magic' due to the power of the chanting that was imbued into the sword. Then, he entrusted it to one man... (How the hell they got this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/lighting.jpg) kind of lighting in those days, I don't know. But it's cool, so who cares?)
And that was the first Eternal Assassin - played by Kakunojou. Interesting (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/kakuoutfit.jpg)? Well, the fun's just starting.
Prelude to the Afternoon of Ryouma's Message
The sky is a lovely shade of blue and the clouds are passing, and as Akizuki is once again looking out towards the sea, the very same Kakunojou is walking silently towards Akizuki. I liked this scene very much for some reason; especially since it was right after the exciting gongs of the play. Just the sound of the waves and then she stops a short way behind him, and it's like that (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/stop.jpg) for a brief moment.
"Oryou-san was in Yokohama?" We don't hear what Kakunojou told him before this, but we see Akizuki turn around in surprise, saying that line. After a brief flashback to Oryou telling Kakunojou to pass the message to Akizuki.
The assassination of Ryouma
The deep toll of a bell - and this is the snow shot I was talking about. It went very well with that swerving camera movement, and the lovely tone of the bell and the nice colours all set the mood for Serious Events.
Cut in to Akizuki running fast in the snow, with that nice flute BGM. Total moe for Akizuki fangirls and his short quick breaths.
But it's getting too late - Ryouma's assassins are already making their way into the guesthouse where he was staying. Akizuki is running... but then we hear the Getsuruitou responding and he has to pause. Then the assassins slice their way in. "Shinta!" Ryouma calls out. IIRC the person he was historically with when he was assassinated was Nakaoka Shintarou, so this is prolly it. The pacing was nice for this part, I liked this shot (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/doors.jpg).
Then the lethal slicing comes. Fun camerawork here - we see things from the characters' eyes, so as Ryouma is reeling back after his head was hit we see a rolling shot of the roof and blurring of images. "Ryou...ma..." Shintarou sounds very pained here but to shorten his misery one of the assassins just kill him there. We see Ryouma's line of vision weakly moving across the floor to where Shinta lies and his vision gets darker and blurrier...
And as if to signify that it's all come to an end, a well-placed short shot of the scenery outside the guesthouse. Just snow falling silently, and Akizuki running in too late.
He scrambles up the stares, dashes towards the light from the room, panting all the while - and he stops there firmly. Ryouma lies bleeding on the floor, repeating those well-used lines about his head being hit, and how he's done for now... Then there is this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/niceanimation.jpg) short bit with Akizuki just looking on a bit numb/blank but the way his face moves has this very nice nuance to it that really stood out. You could sort of see his eyes narrowing slightly just before the next cut - he takes the dead Ryouma in his arms (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/akizuki_the_necro.jpg).
Yeah. Akizuki sure gets a kick out of this I bet, taking dead people in his arms! He must have been a pro at it when it came around to Okita. I mean, he totally nailed the BL atmosphere and the touching and all of that shit. Who else did you practise it with, huh?
Anyway. Once he realises the truth - WAAAAARGH (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/DAMMIT.jpg)! Angsty yell kitaa! I felt very :( when he was being restrained by the magistrate grunts - he was really trying so hard to struggle his way out, you could feel his desparation.And once again - camera shot from the Akizuki's eyes, we see the magistrate etc. inspecting the bodies as the camera jerks shakily around and moves left to right. Akizuki sees the blood on his hand and just stares at it, frozen.
With Oryou's voiceover explaining that she always thought he was innocent, Akizuki is sitting in confinement, clutching the same hand. (I wanted to see more of this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/OTHERCLOTHES.jpg) T_T But I guess that's where our own imagination comes in). It was only after enduring the long, terrifying cross-examination that Akizuki's name was cleared - and this is probably where he gets his dislike for the bugyousho from. (remember ep 1?)
And like Oryou has said before - after that, he just left without a word. He must have felt so inadequate for being unable to protect Ryouma... "でも私待ってたんだよ!" "But I waited!" Oryou insists, and we fade back to the blue summer skies of Shinagawa...
Dun dun dun dun.. Ryouma's message!
Back to here (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/nicespacing.jpg). (I like the spacing between them... even the framing...)
I am probably - no, I *am* reading too much into this, but I was very relieved to see this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/talking.jpg) expression on Akizuki's face while Kakunojou explaiend matters to him. Still calm, thinking he's put the past behind him for a while, listening patiently but with some curiosity to this person in front of him. Also he looks nice but that's not the point.
A quick shot of his eye (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/eye.jpg) as it widens in surprise- you know, I've always thought that there's a reason that they draw those spiky things in his eye, and Kakunojou's eyes also have that....
Anyway - back to the show. I'm afraid I am far from good enough to really figure out what Sakamoto is saying in his Tosa dialect, but I from what I understand, he was saying something along the lines that he had enjoyed (?!) it when the Head was not far from him because he had a chance to get at it; but he never wanted his bodyguards to get involved in it because it would (unnecessarily?) kill them. He just didn't want that.
Akizuki responded unexpectedly (IMO) after hearing this. He was sort of looking up (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/sun.jpg), and then he lurched forward (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/lurch.jpg)... to grab (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/grab.jpg) Kakunojou's shoulders. Not in any sort of romantic way, mind you, but in a "What?!" kind of way. Ori has always been telling me that she really thinks Akizuki doesn't think Kakunojou is a girl, and I've always been of two minds about that, but the way this scene went... Again I am reading too much into it, but surely he wouldn't do that to a female whom he isn't even so familiar with? It felt like he thought she was male. In which case I really have to say that either AKizuki is as thick as a post (come on, Kanna saw right through it from the start!) or he's just trying to be really safe (but then I'd think he'd be a bit more hesitant.)
Anyway. Akizuki was shocked, and asked her "Does this mean that he managed to keep the Head away through his own will?!... But if it's Sakamoto-san, he might have been able to do it... But then... still!! For such a reason!!" (Awwww (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/butno.jpg)....)
"No!" Kakunojou replies confidently. Ahh, I was so relieved at her expression (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/iie.jpg). She can keep her steadiness even around Akizuki-sama! We hear Oryou's words: It's not Akizuki's fault. It wasn't Akizuki's fault that Ryouma did what he wanted; it was Ryouma's own choice. He wanted Akizuki to take his own path (and not be consigned to the same fate as him).
Cue the uber-moe shot that got so many fangirls in a tizzy. One (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/sniff1.jpg), two (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/sniff2.jpg), three (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/sniff3.jpg).
I wonder if Kakunojou saw this side of him....
And now back to Kubiuchi Kitan Onryou Fuuji Getsurui nooooo Shikakuuu.
We see Kakunojou depicting the first Eternal Assassin's attempts to cut the head. Kakkoii (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/cool.jpg)!!! Really (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/cool2.jpg). One has to wonder how the hell they get those lighting effects, though...
In a cool SE stunt the Head actually swings down from the roof and right over the audience. The bit where Kakunojou shows the attempts to slice the head were veery cute (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/pong.jpg) :cool: She looked like Sun Wu Kong or something! And then she even did a backflip exit. Ooh.
Guess who's in the audience, by the way - none other than THE TRIO (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/trio.jpg)!! Hisashiburi deshita!! Yaaay.
Unfortunately, things don't end well for the first Eternal Assassin. Xu Fu says 'Yoku yatta, waga ko yo!' (You did well, my child!) - which means that originally, the Eternal Assassin's job was not to destroy the Head, but to seal it so that it could be placed in that container. Then he magically appears on the other side of the stage (they probably had someone else do the Xu Fu on the left as a double) and I really have no idea WHERE they get those spotlights from, they simply can't be anything else...
[edit: LOL I don't know how I heard "Hourai" as "Kourai". fail!]
Then Kakunojou's narration says that the Head reappeared, and was now in this guy's hands! And who else is it but Zagashira reprising his role as NAKAIYA! NAKAIYA JUUBEE! With an evil laugh to boot.
Of course, this doesn't go unnoticed by Katsu, who glances at Parkes to see his reaction...
With that the play ends - after all, they only announced it as Part One, and Sensei's script isn't finished yet. But the crowd seems excited.
Katsu, Kotoha and Parkes! Pardun?
Back to Akizuki looking out at the sea. Another funky camera shot, and I like the sound effects again. You feel as if you were flying in the sky yourself and the ocean was roaring below you.
That was just a random 5 second shot though. Now it's THE TRIO's turn. I wouldn't mind it if someone could clear up exactly what they were saying, but this is what I got out of it.
---
Shinmon says that he'd like very much to go along with Enomoto (who, if I need to remind you, has his ships harbored off Shinagawa ready to depart any time now). [本音を言えやー、お供してえくれえ(お供にしたいくらい)ですよ、榎本様に] (Or is he hinting at Parkes to go along with Enomoto? I suck at Japanese.)
To Mito, notes Kotoha. Mito is a real hotbed for anti-Tokugawa, anti-Shogunate, and even anti-foreign, sonno-joi sentiments. Bizarrely enough the father of the last Shogun Yoshinobu was the daimyo of Mito. I think it was partially because Yoshinobu was denied the position which sealed the domain's decision to just forget about the Shogunate and call for tis destruction.
Remember the Tengutou guys with the masks from ep 5/6? They're from here. The real Nakaiya had sympathies with Mito as well, so hm...
"Pathetic", Shinmon says. "You can't do anything at all; it's completely pathetic." Now is he referring to Katsu or Enomoto? I haven't looked up to find exactly why the heck Enomoto is even going to Mito at all (and I won't at this time, my brain's switching off), but would anyone familiar with the history be able to say anything about it? I have a feeling he was referring to Katsu...
Because Katsu then just silently offers a cup of tea to Shinmon, and says "I understand your feelings, but... to me, I can't see it as anything other than everyone simply rushing to their deaths." Oho!! How very like Katsu to say that. I've been waiting for something like this since episode 4! Thank you! Katsu is awesome after all.
Then what does he say? "Sore dake no (negochi?) ga arya iin dakedo naa... kono kuni ni"? What is that word? Negochi? Neguchi? Those aren't even words...
---
Then Parkes comes in. "Careful, Mister Katsu," he says. What if Monssieur Brunet were to hear those words of weakness? Ah, but of course. He is referring to Jules Brunet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Brunet), one of the most important French allies of the Tokugawa rebels. (Go read the wiki entry). He helped them along with their efforts and I wouldn't be surprised if he would speak out against dissenting voices from those who should be on their own side (i.e. Katsu).
EDIT: I mixed people up; Parkes' rival was Leon Roches not Brunet. But all the same, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get along well with each other. The British and French have a historical rivalry going on after all; and Parkes (or rather, the British) was historically more supportive of the new government while the French supported the old Shogunate forces.
Here's a bit of a quote from the wiki article on the Republic of Ezo so that you can get a feel for what sort of person Brunet was like.
Brunet demanded - and received - a signed personal pledge of loyalty from allthe officers and insisted that they assimilated French ideas, whether or not they understood them. An anonymous French officer wrote that he had taken charge of everything "customs, municipality, fortifications, army; everything passed through his hands. The simple Japanese are puppets whom he manipulates with great skill" and that "he has carried out a veritable 1789 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_revolution) in this brave new Japan; the election of leaders and the determination of rank by merit and not birth - these are fabulous things for this country, and he has been able to do things very well, considering the seriousness of the situation"
Katsu says a "Yeah, that's for sure" and then mutters to himself... both the British and the French, in the end they're just foxes and tanuki (i.e. shifty creatures) after all, with their targets set on this nation. (I hope I am not grandly missing some obvious cultural thing where the phrase is referring more to their mutual spats rather than the foxy natuer of foxes.)
I can see why Katsu would be distrustful of the French - if we were to assume that he isn't too fond of the direction that Enomoto, Hijikata and co. are taking (continuing to fight on and on, even going up to the north to desparately set up the Republic of Ezo), he wouldn't be too fond of the French who are (happily?) supporting this.
But the English? I suspect his image of them was tarnished after seeing Parkes' heavy-handed actions at the Sekkakurou. My impression of the Japanese is that they're quite particular about the way other people interfere with their busines... and if you don't do it with enough caution and proper restraint, you're gonig to come off as quite brash and intrusive. For a place like the Sekkakurou to be destroyed so easily, Katsu might be thinking hat ultimately Parkes does not truly care about the place they live in, and that he's ultimately just here for his own country's benefit.
---
But can Parkes understand this? He might - he says "Pardon?" (in usual Parkes English), but Kotoha tries to change the subject quickly with a cup of sake. Hm...
Kanna, A Ship, Enomoto and Brunet
Kanna is simply walking around the ship now. Looking for Soutetsu, I think. Nice to see bits of the ship's everyday life. Once again, reading too much into things but - I wonder what Kanna thinks as he peeks into the various rooms with the crew doing things like eating, sleeping, talking... has he ever experienced anything like that? I guess I'll leave it to Henrietta-dono to expound her thoughts on it if she's going to bother with such a small detail...
Walk walk walk. Then Kanna comes across none other than Jules Brunet, whom I mentioned up there, in the ship. I liked the awy he very politely sort of acknowledged him, and walked with his shoulders at an angle for that short bit as if he was making way for Brunet and didn't want to touch him either at the same time. Brunet takes notice of this...
Meanwhile, Enomoto is signing a document. From there we can see it says 18 August 1868. I guess this would have to be the Gregorian date because if it was Lunar, that'd make it like... what, September or October by then? That's not really summer anymore, is it...
Turns out Brunet came to ask Enomoto about Kanna. He explains that he's an attendant of Nakaiya's... tha thing they call "bodiigaado" (kita!). Brunet replies - "Don't trust civilians - especially merchants!" (or something like that?) He doesn't trust Nakaiya, that's for sure; but at teh same time, considering the French-English rivalry, he's probably ticked off at Kanna being on that ship at all...
Soutetsu calmly butts in by saying that if they're not going to depart the harbour yet then he has a bit of business elsewhere... ah, what business indeed. He leaves (and I think he had this sort of "pwning" aura around him).
"And don't trust writers, either" Brunet finishes. He mentions some names (which I am far too lazy to look up), and says that it's people like these who are too liberal, too greedy and wasteful in this society.... Enomoto replies as deadpan as ever. "I'll remember that then". You know, I foudn it amusing how he seemed to not notice Brunet was even leaving at all until later and he went "Hm?". Since episod 11 I've thoguht he seemed a little.... dead. The voice acting especially. :\
And so the A-part ends off with a simple question from Nakaiya to Kanna. So how's it going, and where d'you think the Head is? I don't know how much Kanna is willing to tell him....
-Eyecatch!-
More of the trio! (In which there is much reused animation)
Ahhh, it's so nice to see Kotoha still entertaining Katsu and co. Not putting her tayuu skills to waste! Good!
Shinmon and Katsu talk about the play, and don't ask me why Shinmon says he can't believe it's made up. o_O (tsukuribanashi to wa omoenee)
Katsu calmly comments that what's more scary is probably the guy who wrote it. Right on, Katsu-sama. You are so right. Just wait for the end of this episode...
Kotoha seems to indicate that she's having her last cup and Katsu says he's lookign forward to tomorrow's play. Eh?!! Is the troupe going to stage the play just hours after getting the script or something? Wow... Anyway, Kotoha and Shinmon leave, and Katsu is told something, to which he responds - "What? Tomorrow?"
Bad news, Kamajiro~!
The narration explains that all the news Enomoto was taking along with him was nothing but the bad news for the ex-Shogunate forces. The castle at Nagaoka domain that was recaptured earlier, fell to the enemy once again* The seriously injured Kawai was also heading towards Aizu domain.
Furthermore, with regards to the Northern Alliance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouetsu_Reppan_Domei) aka Ouetsu Reppan Doumei started by Aizu-han etc., there were problems too: Shibata-han (新発田藩) was pledging allegianece to the Emperor while Yonezawa-han, which was one of the key domains, was just inches away from surrendering.
*A quick explanation of the whole Nagaoka thing. In ep 11 iirc they mentioned that Nagaoka's castle was captured, but they managed to take it back. however in the process ,the commander Kawai Tsuginosuke [guy who bougth the gatling guns in ep 1/2] got shot in teh leg and in reality that lowered troop moral and impeded the situation. In real life, the castle did indeed fall to the enemy even after reacpture, again iirc. !
I know Kawai most certainly did go to Aizu, though, where he was looked at by Matsumoto Ryoujun etc. and eventually died.
By the way,
Can anyone recognize the crests (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/crests.jpg) in the picture? I'm kind of curious to know which is what. A quick search on the Matsudaira family crest got a bit confusing, apparently they share the same one as Tokugawa? I swear I've seen that middle one somewhere before though.---
Parkes shows he is not so fat after all.
Meanwhile, at a reception building (?) in Takanawa (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AB%98%E8%BC%AA),(which is in Shinagawa indeed, and was a place known for having a number of daimyo residences...) Parkes talks to Kanna. In Japanese. Why on earth..? I guess we'll just chalk it up to "that's anime". Hilariously enough, Parkes still bothered to keep his gaijeen accent. He looks quite much slimmer (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/someonehadadiet.jpg) without that coat. (Which leads me to chafe at the fact that they could bother with a coatless Parkes but they are not - showing - Kanna - without - his - coat. In this hot weather! *Inside* a building! Come on, producers, what are you thinking?! The fangirls would love it too, so... ...)
He tells Kanna that he has to keep lookign for the Head until he succeeds - because once they deal with that they won't need to go all the way to the north with France (as in, they won't need to keep fighting all the way there, they can just endi t here or something). That's why, Parkes says, he got Kanna moved from protecting Parkes to protecting Nakaiya.
The Part In Which I Died of Fangirl Tension
Hoo boy. And here we are back near the sea. Akizuki is, for the 2049241085th time, looking out at the sea and reminiscing about Sakamoto Ryouma. Again. And all the memories flood back which makes him swing his sword 'round. Again. (Hey, not like I mind...)
And this is where the nice part begins. I was surprised to hear the insert song from teh ED single - Kakunojou no Temariuta, being used here. I must say it was a nice touch, the quick shot with the temari was inserted in a good bit. Although at the same time, I wonder if we'll get to see Kakunojou herself sing it again... I really would like to hear her sing it to sfsasfasfasrweir I didn't say anything.
Anyway, the kids are playing temari some ways away while Kakashi is watching them. Zoom to Akizuki now standing calm on the jetty, with a.... I don't know man, what kind of look is this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/expression.jpg)? I really don't know how to describe it - not in a speechless sense, but... I dunno, what is that expression? Cool? Anticipating? Slack?
And then this shot. Nice juxtaposition (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/contrast.jpg) there... I dont think I need to explain.
Watch them build up the tension.
...What's with those face closeups!!! !!! Are they looking at each other? ARe they not? Why does Kakunojou have that expression? What does she want to say? Arrgh are they going to do something? etc.
Alright, it's more like watch me make a big deal out of this scene, pardon me but I got a HUGE kick out of watching it..
With the song still continuing, we see Soutetsu walking among a crowd. Boarding the ship? And Kanna too.
And then back to the two of them. What!!! I'm sort of half dying here now. From this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/oneperson.jpg) earlier on it became this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/twopersons.jpg). !!!! Aren't they looking at each otheeeerrrrr!!2#)0492420 Tension! Tension!!
ANd then THIS (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/STOPLURINGME.jpg) shot to boot. At this point I was practically making funny noises at the computer at an ungodly hour because I was getting sooooo pulled along...
Then, they stop the music. Ooh. Drama.
Kakunojou steps forward, and we're all going "okaaay, what is she going to say to him n--wha?"
As soon as she steps forward, Akizuki starts walking off (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/lovethisscene.jpg).
Oh boy. :cool:
That is just beyond words. It's like... so cool. So awesome, it like said so much at once and was... was.... alright, this post is long enough, I won't blather about it now... (Yes, I'm quite aware I'm overreacting; just let me do it in peace, will you?!)
But I loved the part after that. It was very representative of the conflict they're in...
See it's like this. Kakunojou wants to tell Akizuki something (who knows what). But he doesn't catch onto this at all because his mind is only on the Head, and that is what leads him off, without even realising (IMO) that Kakunojou had even stepped in his direction. Kakunojou turns around and there he's off; all she can say is Akizuki-sama! But no, it's not the time for that - the kids and Kakashi remind her that there's training after that. The kids themselves are a symbol of the more safe and comfortable life that she leads compared to Akizuki. And they remind her of the obligations she still has to that life...
Can she really leave the life of performing and chase after Akizuki?!11 *delusional fangirl takes over*
But I did feel a tinge of sadness when Kakunojou was faced with that decision. It was indeed an awkward moment for her.
Whatever. This scene was like made of win and awesome. Thank you very much
ZMOG CONFRONTATION!1 Part 1
In other news, Soutetsu starts becoming REALLY evil and scary and pwnage after this.
He leads Kanna to this awfully deserted place and very... casually (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/heyyomanwassup.jpg) sort of looks at him...
Kanna unfortunately doesn't get particularly inspiring lines, just the usual "where's the head, stop deflecting my questions" etc. Soutetsu on the other hand drawls out how he knows that Kanna is an emissary for Queen Victoria, while giving this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/pwn.jpg) sort of expression.
Kanna tells him not to move and he'll shoot him if he does. Does Soutetsu care? No (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/pwn2.jpg). Soutetsu has got uber bullet-dodging skills and a protective kimono (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/pwn3.jpg) to boot!
Meanwhile Akizuki is approaching and at the same time those ghost things start coming from the Head. So it's on that ship?
By this point Soutetsu is clearly enjoying (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/pwn4.jpg) this. Alright, that's just me.
Akizuki does another one of his phenomenal leaps from up above (simply because he can, I suspect), and Soutetsu says that now we've got a mitsudomoe no ba (a three-cornered sort of situation).
Kanna yells at Akizuki saying he's the last person he'll yield the Head to. (And he said Akizuki's name which was a big deal among certain communities, yes.) Why though, Kanna... why must you be so hostile to him?! Why does he not support his method of sealing it or whatever? :(
Akizuki yells back at him not to get led around by him, and tries to cut Soutetsu - but guess what! He gets the blue-sword blue-eyed reaction, and he meets resistance when trying to cut him. So of cousre Soutetsu is just standing there confidently. Kanna comments in surprise that "(首はすでに) 奴に取り付いた" - the Head's already sort of gotten onto Soutetsu such that they share some properties now, it seems.
And then we have that fog shot which can only make me laugh.
One thing though - am I the only one who thought that scene ended very oddly? Even the music got cut off funnily.I get the feeling it was because they had to cu down the length of the show and they had to end up doing that, but... it really is strange. As if a chunk was missing.
Where's Wal- I mean, Zachou?
I enjoyed watching this part for some reason. It's this sort of small detail that is what I liked watching the first 4 episodes for, and I'm glad to see it back again. The troupe is doing some physical training and Kakashi's leading some folks with some pushups. Benimaru and Kobako are walking on their hands. So cute!
Ebisu is eerily flexible (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/ebisu.jpg).
Shiranui's wondering what they're going to do because the second part of the script still hasn't arrived. Zagashira says that well, they'll just have to trust Sensei because so far it hasn't been a mistake trusting him. Oh poor troupe... you all are so oblivious to Souteteu's evil side...
Then Ebisu sits up and wonders where Kakunojou is. This is a pretty amusing part because of the obviously funky camera movements, but it really added a bit of unusual and adorable flavour to that section. Benimaru is so cute! Kakashi finds it strange; didn't she come back with the mjust now? Unless halfway...
ZMOG CONFRONTATION!1 Part 2
And there comes the chattery old Head. New music FTW! I'm not totally wowed by it (guess it's the synth) but hey, it's all cool and stuff. Akizuki's wondering where he could get something to light on fire, and we see this cool shot of Kakunojou's hakama and feet running in - is she trying to come with the hope of helping? - but...
Then we hear a scream. It's Kakunojou - and all the terracotta soldier ghost things are approaching her! Oh no! The poor kid, she's normally so strong but this sort of thing is too much (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/scared.jpg) for her... meanwhile all evil Soutetsu can say is a cryptic "youyaku..." ("Finally"). He obviously knows there's some special thing about her, gee.
And what do we have here? Oooh (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/kannasaves.jpg)! I don't need to describe it, do I? :cool: What am I saying. I was practically cheering and squeeing and all that usual fangirl stuff at this stage, so this was like... woot! That was so cool of you, Kanna! \o/ And he even says 己! to the ghost things, and 大丈夫か to Kakunojou. It's just a small thing but but but... he said something to her :D
...But then, unexpectedly (or expectedly for some of us?), Kakunojou is scared of him, too... and she sort of backs away from him.
Despite the fact that you'd expect Kanna to be a little taken aback by this, he has a "ah well, this sort of thing would happen" kind of face (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/toobad.jpg). I feel terribly sorry for him though, he's doing all the saving and what does Kakunojou? Call out after Akizuki-sama.
For a moment there I almost became Kan/Kaku > Aki/Kaku. Oh nos. This cannot happen!
But not just that, she says "Sensei!" ... And I think once she has seen THIS (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/naughtysoutetsu.jpg) side of him, surely she should be starting to doubt her trust in him... I sure as hell would :twitch:
With that Soutetsu makes a befitting disappearance for a scarily evil guy - disappear in fog! Although not before saying the few lines that were in the ep preview (about adding more lines, etc). And he said it in such a.... evil throaty sort of voice that.... whoa. It's kind of sexy though, I must admit. It must be Inoue Kazuhiko's leetness after all!
Kanna confronts Akizuki - he says that the Head wasn't part of Soutetsu or anything yet (I think?), so why all this? Akizuki as usual says nothing...
And the final scene. I don't know about you guys, but when I see this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0710/evilsmirk.jpg), I can't help but 1. laugh 2. feel a bit creeped and 3. totally throw Sensei into the "evil guys lol" pile. That's just the absolute Classic Evil Smirk. It doesn't get any more clasisc than that I'm sure. Goodness. Can you just imagine him thinking in his head? "And heere, I will make Akizuki angst in front of everyone and Kakunojou will have to stab him from the back and oh, we'll have Akizuki do it 3/4 naked with Kanna hanging from a torture rack, how brilliant... 'I.. am... actually... gay, sorry... Kaku..no...jou.' Done!"
Or something.
MrProphet: I wasn't singing praises of it entirely, a lot of it was also just, well, fangirling (which I insist are two different things). :uhoh: Uh... right.
But whatever - glad to see you enjoyed the episode too! I must say that it's those small details indeed that made me enjoy the first 4 episodes so much. You're right about that bit with the sake and Katsu. It kind of threw me off a bit and made me go "eh?", and then it was quite amusing to find out what was really the case. Lightened up the mood a bit.
Although the animation in episode 10 was more sexy and droolable compared to this episode, I ended up enjoying this a lot more because it felt more like the Iroha I truly enjoy watching.
And now maybe I'll get some sleep, this episode made me stay up the entire night... and morning... okay, never mind.
Henrietta
2006-12-23, 01:46
I was delighted by this sequence, even though it meant nothing. It was simply such an inventive way to startle the viewer with an original perspective that reveals itself gradually.
Sorry to spam this thread with a meaningless post but I just want to way that the above is a well-put description of what the camera work does, which I have been trying to find the precise words to describe.
I've been reading thread for few weeks now and I finally decided to register to the forum and write something.
I saw episode 12 and I absolutely loved it. The only thing I was disappoined was the animation quality... it was better than episode 11, but it still didn't compare to quality of episode 10 and such.
Is it just me or whenever there is good fighting scene, the animation quality isn't at its best? This happened in ep.8, ep.11 and ep.12.
I watched the fighting scene in the end over and over again, I really liked the new music and Kanna saving Kakunojyou... even though I'm Akizuki/Kakunojyou fan :heh:
Wow! The soudntrack is really lovely to listen to. What the heck, it does after all remind me that a lot of the character of the show is in the music. Sure the themes may be overused and such, but it's great if you like the show; it brings you right back to all the scenes and stuff.
The song in episode 10 when somebody did you know what is in there, but strangely it's called Kakunojou Hitori (Kakunojou alone). o_o
I suppose my favourites have to be Jidai ~Douran no Kiza (because it is so teh memorable and very epic and Oh! Bakumatsu!-ish), Shizuku (The ultimate Akizuki angst piece? Sold.), Munen (a melodramatic version of the main theme), Yami no Hamon (I like the way it crescendoes near the end), and Yaiba no Namida (Can you tell I ilke flutes a lot?).
But I like the fight scene ones (Shinnen no Kousaku, Youjirou Shimei no Tsurugi) a lot just because they're all, well, w00t c00l and remind me of cool stuff, so yeah.
The one song I don't actually like at all is the last one, Sakamoto Ryouma ~Risou e no Tobira, because it's very... I don't know. A bit too cheesy/overdramatic for my tastes. Ended the album off on a slightly off note.
I won't say where it's available for pirates yo ho ho (I don't think it's on torrent yet), but if you know where the crazy whacky fangirls are then you know where to find it. Hint: fangirls.
P.S. Anyone knows if Yuuyake no Kaze has been played in the show yet? I have a feeling it has but where exactly... I'll go check now...
I still stand by my belief that Yuuyake no Kaze hasn't beend used yet. But if anyone can prove me wrong, please do.
I still stand by my belief that Yuuyake no Kaze hasn't beend used yet. But if anyone can prove me wrong, please do.
Nearly every anime OST that gets released has BGM tracks that haven't appeared in the series yet - true its a lil' strange with this being the first OST out of who knows how many.
Anyway, my copy should arrive tomorrow - though had a lil' listen before, and the tracks i want are all there, loving it a lot.
I'll be getting the OST soon I hope, I'm not a fangirl. :( :heh: But just got the ED single and I'm loving the other song they have on it, "Kakuno Take no Temari Uta." Its just too surreal, which makes it kinda creepy. Sounds like the kind of song one would use for a funeral procession.
That's Kakunojou no Temariuta. It's very creepy. The lyrics are creepier. I don't know why it's a temariuta, or why it's Kakunojou's. I have no idea at all. :(
I think there was a translation somewhere on Henrietta's blog, I'll add in the link later... (EDIT: The link is here (http://henrietta-wu.com/blog/bakumatsu/2006/11/triviatranslation-kakunojou-no-temari.html). Do read the comments of course.
And I can assure you that you won't get that torrent any time soon at the rate this is uploading, which I am trying to do something about, to no avail. Do you really not know where the fangirls are? That place is famous for having many more fangirls than fanboys. There's DDL there. With scans. Here's a mega ultra cannot-miss big hint: what's another term for undead diaries?
Argh.. bad idea to loop that song. It's messing with my head. Oooh.. Kakunojou's temariuta. I would like to know the lyrics. Interesting, when I heard this, I did think about Kakunojou! When Kakunojou's on stage, like in episode 6 when she thanks her audience before the Act, she speaks in a very traditional, theatrical (?) kind of Japanese. When I heard this song I thought about that scene in episode 6 - maybe because the both of them were just really weird.
Nope I'm afraid I don't know the fangirl place. But its okay really, I'll wait for that other site.
(Oh geez, here I was thinking I could regain my sanity, and now I've completely degenerated into a pathetic fangirl once again. Ah...)
---
Yay! Episode 14 preview up! I am so sad that it is only coming 2 weeks away! Because if yuo have forgotten there is a break next week.
Anyway, my first reaction when seeing it was
1. うひゃー
2. Tatsuya Suzuki is the animation director!! (Remember episode 4?)
3. うひゃー
4. Oooh
5. うひゃー
6. Wait OH MY GOD? Is what I wanted actually HAPPENING!??!/1/11/1
7. うひゃーーーー
So those rumours about another Tatsuya Suzuki episode were true!
Here you go anyway! Episode 14 preview, crappy translation by me.
Episode 14: "To the North" (kita e)
At the expense of certain noble sacrifices, the Troupe's long-cherished wishes of revenge have finally been fulfilled. Overcoming the sadness of losing their comrades, the Troupe finally begins going their separate ways. On the other hand, still unable to seal the "Conqueror's Head", Akizuki makes haste towards the North. Kakunojou, who had decided to dissolve the Troupe, decides to follow Akizuki, in order to be sure of her own (?) feelings. [己が想いを見極めようと, 耀次郎の後を追う] (basket can hear me going YES!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! like mad :heh: )
"I.. just wanted to be certain of them. Of my feelings..."
With their own emotions in their hearts, Akizuki, Kakunojou, Soutetsu and Kanna each set off on their own journies!
It is the 8th month of Keio 4 [lunar calendar - in Gregorian it's September?] The flames of war, betting on the destinies of men, women and this very country itself, began to spread further towards the North...
ZOMG! The fangirl in me is SO EXCITED that these two weeks will be a painful wait!!
Just one thing that really made me jump up and down silly: DEATHS! YES!!! And the Troupe disbanding? And Kakunojou on her own? ZOMG!! Is this a Christmas present come true?! OR what?!!
Wow, that's most certainly a new arc then... a very different one unless they disappoint me and don't split up the Troupe in the end.
I almost wonder if they'll change the OP!
--
EDIT: It seems like the reaction to episode 13 is very good too. Lovely!
EDIT2: At this rate I'm going to stay up the whole night for the raw D:
I don't know why I'm doing this, I'm just beyond mad.... gone.... insane.... ugh.
While waiting in grinding anticipation for the raw, here is a summary of spoilers from episode 13:
Nakaiya seems to have finally died once and for all (YES. $deity.) It seems to be the case because it looks like the troupe's not staying together much longer.
However, Ebisu also died in the process :( :(
Akizuki appeared on stage! ｷﾀｰｰｰｰｰｰｰ（゜∀゜）ｰｰｰｰｰｯ!! (But no makeup or lines... chih. Don't need to go to the hospital then, will just collapse on the floor. Then again, that probably makes more sense but still I reallywantedtoseehimwearmakeuponstage...)
Kanna's past - his eyepatch is thankfully not because of some convoluted problem but just because of an accident.
It seems like Kanna never got to stay very long with his mother? She seems to have been taken away by some other man or something. (On the official site it's described as 彼を棄てた母親 - he was abandoned by his mother?!!)
There's like a ton more exciting Kanna/Akizuki/Kakunojou scenes (yay!!!) and Kanna keeps getting the short end of the stick. I seriously feel very sorry for the guy now. :( Seriously >_<
Actually to be specific there's a lot of Aki/Kaku it seems. Except that to some people it didn't feel as strong as Kanna helping Kakunojou out in ep 12 because Akizuki is doing things that he seems like he's doing.
(From what I read I am STILL confused as to whether Akizuki thinks she is a girl or a guy. I'm now starting to think that he thinks she's a girl but looks at her as a capable person and not softly?)
Enomoto Takeaki gets possessed by the head lawl? I hope they do it better than with Katsu and Saigou. It seems like they did though, apparently everyone was very impressed with the animation/direction for Sensei's Magic Show with his control of the Head.
The music was apparently used very nicely in this episode.Sigh.
Haha Wao, you are so sadistic!
But after reading what you wrote I can't wait for the episode at all, it is really more than I dared to hope for.
Oh my.... I shouldn't have read the spoilers wao posted. Now I want to see the episode even more...
残念・・・Ebisu dies? That's sad.... but I guess necessary to make Kakunojyou go with Akizuki. I kinda liked Ebisu... or rather pitied him.... no happy ending for him, is there?
Thanks for the info though, wao.
(Aaaahhhh where is the uncooked version of the file :( *is desparately whacking the monitor* (figuratively))
M.Mina: Well, I think he's still got a happier death because he'd be remembered by the troupe and he died doing something he really wanted to do (I think).
It would be sadder, I think, if Kanna died as he did because currently he's really.... very..... lonely. :(
Haha, I agree with your figurative action, I would be doing the same(figuratively)
And perhaps you are right. Now that I think of it, I don't think a brighter future would have awaited Ebisu after the troupee separates. With his disfigurations due to the fire, I don't think the society (outside of his roles in the troupee) would accept him with welcome hands. He probably would have been concidered an outcast. When troupee was about to break after the fake death of Nakaiya, seeing Ebisu slowly taking off his bandages was the part that made me pity him the most, because in that scene, I couldn't imagine Ebisu being successful in the future was he was while in the troupee.
Or maybe I'm just thinking too much.
FeelLicks
2006-12-30, 01:08
Just landed a few hours ago, I put 13 up since I didn't see S^Y's version.
Enjoy!
Ah! Welcome back FeelLicks! So I guess you were ok despite being in Taiwan. That's good news. And THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! I cannot express any more words of gratitude, really... I've been so excited over this episode since yesterday so - thank you so much.
I'm glad that they ended off the first 13 eps nicely, it's a good idea because then the people watching the episodes on GyaO (they're streaming 1-13 now) get a better impression of the show...
Oh well, the lousy net connections can't be helped... I think I'll only get to see this on Sunday at the rate this is going. 2kbps ftw! Too bad. EDIT: My bad. I came back from lunch and it's shot up to an incredible speed of 150-190 kbps. To whoever it is uploading to me, I thank you so much.... (and it's always amusing to look at how many Japanese people there are on the peer list. Hm, is this Henrietta here...)
-----------------
EDIT: Just finished watching it.
It may not have been perfect, perhaps it was a little overdramatic or whatever, but...
WOW. That was definitely the most exciting episode of Iroha so far - more than ANY of them together. Chock full of things happening! Fast pace! Tight drama! It was like a blockbuster. Highly entertaining and dramatic.
And the new music was awesome!!!!! The one they used at the end was so good! It worked perfectly, IMO.
This deserves another full post writeup. Especially since it's the end of the first half of Iroha! Well done, Sunrise, that was nicely executed. (and it felt very Sunrise-ish) I don't know about everyone else, but I, for one, was very satisfied with this good closure of the first 13 episodes.
MrProphet
2006-12-30, 07:04
Episode 13... great episode or the greatest episode? 8)
The choreography of the final confrontation could not have been staged better and it was almost a perfect end to the first half of the show. Once Akizuki slashed the curtain, it was off the hook. ibaragi is truly the genius of manipulation. His "I'm going to play your game so you can unwittingly play mine" act with Nakaiya has left me speechless. Truly well-choreographed storytelling there.
And Sensei did his very best "Ooh, I'm so eeevil" face today. 8)
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/7199/snapshot20061230134934in4.th.jpg (http://img226.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20061230134934in4.jpg)
I had a big laugh, though, at the whole concept of a Brittish Sentai Ranger team. That's so Japanese, you know... 8)
I loved what they did with the music as well.
That was a good episode. Definitely worth waking up at 2:45 am for.
Sensei certainly went overboard with those candles I wonder how long he took to set them up. But that was certainly really really cool. Sensei's evil smirk is definately the best.
The British Sentai Ranger team was really funny. Especially the costume! No self respecting British would wear that! And red just looks so becoming on that guy with a mustache right? *snicker*
The whole finally confrontation is done better than my wildest dream and so full with very delicious moments too!
And finally... Kanna... someone needs to give him a hug.
I would say more but at this moment everything I say would be complete babble, so I will leave the rest to Wao.
Just landed a few hours ago, I put 13 up since I didn't see S^Y's version.
Enjoy!
Yay! FeelLicks rulez! *downloading*
Phew! I really took the entire day writing this monster of a post down. I can't believe it took that long. Here we go, anyway.
Episode 13 - Hasha no Kubi Nyuukon (The Conqueror's Head enters a spirit)
For those in a rush here is what happened briefly (Not in chronological order at all):
Akizuki accepts the script, and all he really does in the play is to actually cut the stage curtain cloth itself in half - revealing a direct jetty leading to Nakaiya! (That is how he gets the real Nakaiya to appear in the play.) The troupe and Akizuki move the action there.
Soutetsu sort of purposely dragged out his meeting with Nakaiya (and Kanna) and let him take the Head so that Akizuki could come and try to cut the Head.
Unfortunately Akizuki fails... again... and instead the Head lodges itself in Kamaji- I mean, Enomoto Takeaki's spirit. Enomoto seriously is possessed by it and starts barking out orders and doing batshit things.
They leave immediately for the North (Aizu? Ezo?).
Parkes' four soldiers tasked with destroying the Head appear. They later end up firing cannons into the water and it is one of those cannons that kill Nakaiya in a boat, as well as Ebisu who had cornered him on it. Also they look ridiculous.
Kanna's backstory is shown very briefly - his mother was taken away by some other guy in a carriage and he was running after it, but a piece of gravel got lodged in his eye and that's why he has an eyepatch. (Kanna also sees Akizuki with jealousy like that guy who took his mother away.)
Kakunojou is seriously very scared of Akizuki vs. Soutetsu.
Katsu is really pissed at Parkes and worried about Ka- ENOMOTO TAKEAKI.
Now for the main course.
A lot of big things happened in this episode.
Once again, please beware of me throwing in a lot of my own opinions and rambling. Like... a lot.
Many screenshots included. So do take a look if you're interested... but once again, expect to be spoiled most thoroughly about every single detail.
Introduction
We start off the episode on another clear blue sunny day... Kakunojou and co. announce the performance of the second part of their play, Kubiuchi Kitan Onryou Fuuji Getsurui no Shikaku, and everyone is all excited. (Yaha~i.) They must be pretty damn popular for everyone to crowd around at such an odd location without doing their work or anything...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/matteruzei_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0713/matteruzei.jpg)
"Matteru ze!" *ching* Shiranui is the prototype of the cheesy male idol. (Gotta like Zagashira's expression)
Later, in the tent everyone takes their completed scripts one by one. The only one left on the table is... Akizuki's, for the role of the "Eternal Assassin". Everyone repeats their lines from the preview of episode 12, but this does not save money for the audio director. Shiranui wonders if Akizuki's really going to do it, and at this Kakunojou has a troubled look (http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/troubled.jpg) on her face and decides to get up and walk outside...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/cute_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0713/cute.jpg)
Isn't she cute here?
On the other hand, Akizuki can't help exuding coolness and cutting random waves in his free time.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/tehcool_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0713/tehcool.jpg)
He's practising his "swoon at me!" look.
This show really likes seagulls.
The Four (Ridiculous) Soldiers ...(a.k.a. I LOL'd)
One funky-swervy camera zoom in later, we're at the Takanawa place. Here are the four soldiers mentioned in the magazine previews, whom Parkes orders to destroy the Head.
Now, I had heard they were ridiculously dressed and one 2ch poster was asking jokingly if one of them was the perfunctory guy-moe type of character because of her design. Surely it wouldn't be that bad?
Zoom at their legs (http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/uhoh.jpg)... What's with those boots? Is this some fantasy anime? Well alright, I can still sort of accept this as just 'creative character design', but....
http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/nanikore_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0713/nanikore.jpg)
It turns out - the poster was right.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry but....
....let's just try very hard to ignore them, shall we?
Problem is the humour doesn't stop here.
Parkes - while doing his gardening - calls them by their codenames. From left to right: Knight, Rooook, Queen and Be-shop.
Be-shop. Come on, don't tell me it's Bishop, that's pronounced "bi-shup". What's a be-shop? Is he telling him to be a shop? "Be shop!" Hm.
Alright, Parkes, if your English pronounciation is that questionable then perhaps you'll speak to your British soldiers in Japanese. Oops, I shouldn't have said that - he just did!
I am starting to wonder if it's Parkes and not Kanna who has the identity problem. His English is Japanese-accented and his Japanese is (forcibly and hilariously) English-accented. And he speaks more English to Japanese people than to other British.
The most bizarre thing is that in true Japanese style he ends up using gairaigo in his speech ("omae tarchi wa, CODE NAME de yobareru") Wait - a gaijin using gairaigo? Oh for crying out loud, just speak in English already will you? No wait, maybe that's not a good idea. Then again, I want to hear more "GUJJOB!"...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/weapons_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0713/weapons.jpg)
He had to be cutting flowers, didn't he? I wonder what weapons those are.
I'm so sorry. I just couldn't stop laughing the whole time.
Introduction 2
A short bit where Zagashira does some more nighttime marketing for the completed play. His "Ah" before the "Hajimarinariiii" (or something like that) was kind of interesting. It seems like they have some kind of hidden top-secret anachronistic floodlight from the inside with which they do their shadow effects.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0713/RARSCARY_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0713/RARSCARY.jpg)
You know the ship was supposed to be thiiiis big but it shrunk in the wash, and...
Agent Sm- no, Kamaji- no,
Enomoto Takeaki acts cute in front of Soutetsu
I think I laugh too much at the wrong places with this show. Anyway. On the deck of the famous ship the Kaiyou-maru, Enomoto stands with his back to Soutetsu, saying that he knows what Ibaragi-kun is going to ask - now that the military affairs and all have been put in order, when is he going to depart? (i.e. get the hell out of Edo because the Meiji government's in power now)
However, Kama... Enomoto says that he's still unsure. Then - sorry for going on on small, irrelevant details - he sort of hoists himself up slightly like how small kids hoist themselves more on the railings so that they can lean over more. I don't know why he did it but the way they put it in made it very.... cute.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/shortie_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/shortie.jpg)
Conclusion: Kamajirou is a shortie.
Soutetsu knows that in other words Enomoto is worried that even the battle in the North is going to be a futile one. Enomoto (looking sharp (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/igaitoikemen.jpg) as ever) replies that he wouldn't say it to that extent, but as someone responsible for 2000 individuals in his fleet, the truth is...
Somehow, Soutetsu seems to get a little angry at this.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/angry_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/angry.jpg)
Alright, more than a little angry. He even clenches his fist.
Maybe he just doesn't like shorties (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/cuteshortie.jpg). (I apologize...)
Meanwhile, Jules Brunet seems to have overheard them... or he's just having a smoke... or both.
By the way, I have always thought Enomoto's voice sounded really, really strangely flat. But I found out that his voice actor voiced Agent Smith in the Japanese version of the Matrix. Suddenly everything makes sense and it's perfectly acceptable to me now. Hai.
Nakaiya, stop drinking
Obligatory half a minute of Nakaiya babbling to Kanna about how war is the ultimate way to make tons of money (ooakinai-chuu no ooakinai - the profit of all profits). And the one who pioneers in this will have fame and fortune as a merchant.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/whitewine_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/whitewine.jpg)
Nakaiya graduated from red to white wine. Possibly in an effort to match Kanna's hair colour.
Kanna's perfunctory backstory.
Kanna flips open his pocketwatch and looks at a picture of his mother again... and we see him running through the streets as a kid, in the rain of course (it's London, and it's an angsty backstory, you can't not have rain!). Turns out he's running after a carriage... A lady (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/mother.jpg) in the back of the carriage with a British hairstyle and hat - Kanna's mother - turns around in surprise.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/kidkanna_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/kidkanna.jpg)
Mother! Please forgive me! I'll promise to grow up into a lady-killing bishie! I promise! Just come back, Mother!
Unfortunately, the carriage bumps over a rough bit, and a piece of gravel shoots directly (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/ouch.jpg) into Kanna's eye. (And it took me a bit of work to get this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/bleh.jpg) screenshot, which sort of shows his face showing signs of his future features.)
His mother calls out for him worriedly and is pressed to the glass of the carriage, but the curtain of the carriage gets drawn. She tries to push it away, but the carriage keeps going.. and she gets hugged by the man next to her, who gives one last stare at Kanna's direction before closing the curtain entirely. I wonder who he is? He looks quite Japanese.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/whoishe_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/whoishe.jpg)
Lad, only I get the hot Japanese chicks in this town. You certainly aren't going to getting anybody with those looks. Huh. (aka the look that made Kanna decide to grow up as a bishie)
Well, we'll get another look at him later.
Akizuki doesn't care about plays.
As we zoom into Kanna's treasured photograph of his mother, we move onto the girl who looks like her - Kakunojou.
I really, really like this scene (as you will soon find out..) not just because it's all zoomgj Akizuki/Kakunojou teh no lolz fangirl!!1, but because I thought Kakunojou's voice acting in this bit was pretty darn impressive. She sounded very seriously worried and full of character, and the way she said those lines said so much about her thoughts and emotions than some entire episodes could say about her. GJ, Rina Satou!
Anyway. Kakunojou. She is understandably surprised (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/whut.jpg) that Akizuki agreed to appear in Soutetsu's play. (Where did he appear from? Did he just descend on them or something? Probably.) And what does Akizuki say? "Daga, shibai ni kyoumi ga aru wake de wa..." which pretty much means "However, it's not like I actually have any interest in plays..." Gee-ee.
Kakunojou says that yes, she knows - what he is really looking for is the "Head". And that this is currently with Soutetsu, so that's why he's bothering to take part... "To be honest, I don't know what Sensei is thinking, but..." With a worried look (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/worried.jpg) on her face she walks past Akizuki to put a hand (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/hand.jpg) on his script. "But, in the end I know that even our own revenge-taking... and the fact that Akizuki-sama is here, too..."
"...Is all part of Ibaragi Soutetsu's script." Akizuki finishes off the sentence.
Now I really like Rina Satou's voice acting in this part.
"Having known that, Akizuki-sama," she says with this very soft and worried sort of voice (and a very worried face (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/ohno.jpg)). I am head over heels over the way she said "Akizuki-sama". Oh man... I swear I must be blushing now. Geez. I'm such a pushover.
He walks past her (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/close.jpg) (gulp) and takes his script. She has this sort of defeated (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/defeated.jpg) look on her face as she says "So what I feared really... it really is going to happen!" Then in a loud voice she turns around and says "Akizuki-sama, surely you aren't going to (kill/aim at) Sensei?!" I loved that part, she soudned so desparate... Akizuki stops and replies without turning around: "If there is a need to." She mentioned it in episode 11, but she really is very afraid of what's going to happen when the two of them face off...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/worried2_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/worried2.jpg)
Akizuki-sama, you're not going to ditch me and have hawt ghei sex with Soutetsu, right?!! (BL fans cheer Akizuki on.)
Just before the big event
It's turned to evening. Off the coast of Shinagawa, our four chess pieces disembark (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/sneaky.jpg) on one of the tiny fortress-like embarkments. What for? You'll see...
Time for the Yuyama Troupe's big play! Once again, Kakunojou's voice is distinctly deeper than when she talks to Akizuki or to anyoen else for that matter. I was very surprised to see that she addressed the audience in her normal hairstyle (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/eh.jpg). For that matter, she performed in the entire play in her street clothes. And so did everybody else! (They just wore kumadori, that's all).
Meanwhile, at the jetty just behind the troupe's tent, Soutetsu pulls out the Head which he had hidden, submerged under the water. Sasuga sensei. So that's where you put it! Evidently, Nakaiya (whom has just sailed in with Kanna) thinks the same way. Nakaiya asks (in what seems like a caustic tone...) if he could kindly hand the Head back to him since, after all, it was his own to begin with. He offers quite nicely to do the transporting services too. Kanna has his pistol aimed at Soutetsu.
Of course, Soutetsu isn't quite happy with this proposal and asks him what he'll do with it then, and Nakaiya says "Well, we'll see". To which Soutetsu replies, "I believe there is no meaning in this being in the possession of somebody who does not truly know how to use it." Leet as usual, aren't we. Nakaiya says that similarly he feels that there is no need for two playwrights at the same time. Is he suggesting that he's a playwright too? I should think not. Kanna jumps off the boat in this impossible way that made me laugh.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/jump_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/jump.jpg)
If only you could see me and my remarkable jumping skills now, Mother!
But Soutetsu simply gives a knowing glance (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/glance.jpg) at the theatre on his left and says that the climax is yet to come...
Building up to the climax....
Cue the evil laughter of the Nakaiya on stage! The Troupe - alll in their normal wear, just with makeup on - declare their intents of revenge. (Obviously there must have been a lot in between that we didn't see.) They declare themselves as the new Akki Rasetsu, just against Nakaiya this time. It might sound cheesy, but I figure that that's how they'd up the drama and everything in plays that had that sort of element to them.... Kakunojou shows her "I'm trying to be cool!" shouting skillz0rs here and leaps towards Nakaiya in the background with a dramatic "Seibai!".
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/FRYING_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/FRYING.jpg)
Shadow Nakaiya is absolutely shocked at Kakunojou's Fantastic Flying. So am I.
Nakaiya (as acted by Zagashira) then appears on stage with the (fake) Head in his hands, and does a remarkable impression of Nakaiya's laughter. Kakunojou steps up (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/stop.jpg)and says Stop Right There! This elicits a stream of "Kakunojou!" "Kaku-sama~!" from the crowd. The four actors declare themselves, and then with a dramatic bright light from the side (I am completely convinced by now that they DO have a top-secret anachronistic floodlight hidden somewhere) -
Eien no Shikaku! Toujou (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/TOUJOU.jpg)! So is this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/cool.jpg) what he was practising his "Ima gonna look cool now!" thing for earlier? Damn, I would have died if he was wearing kumadori though. But when you think of it there is no bloody way he'd let any of them touch his face :heh: so...
Back on the jetty, Nakaiya says (something along the lines) that whatever Soutetsu says about the climax of his play, it's pointless because it's not like they could possibly see his play, could they?
Ah, Nakaiya, but you didn't see this coming, did you? Soutetsu says that there's no need for him to go and see it, because guess what! The play is going to wrap up on that very jetty itself! Kanna says that that's enough talking and to hand the Head over...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/handitover_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/handitover.jpg)
Kanna is pissed off that Soutetsu is so bullet-resistant. Here, I'll give you a good glare.
Eyecatch! Catch your eyeballs.
Almost there...
Continuing with where we left off, Kanna glares at Soutetsu (I forgot to mention that he sort of shot his hair off. Soutetsu's nonchalance at being fired at is remarkable.) Soutetsu also gets anotehr opportunity to show off his wonderfully evil smirk (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/evilsmirkagain.jpg).
Back to the play. Zagashira!Nakaiya addresses the Eternal Assassin with all the usual stuff and then smoke starts coming out of the skull. What?! Not only do they have a top-secret anachronistic hidden floodlight, they even have those smoke things too? (Well, to be honest I guess they had some rudimentary chemicals there and they just had some mechanical trigger which Zagashira set off at the right time, I suppose.)
Kakunojou does this properly-animated turn-around-and-cut-stuff acting which caught my eye. It's a pity when she dramatically yelled "Onryou fuuji!" she sounded a tad strained.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/haiyah_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/haiyah.jpg)
Which 武侠小说 is this?
"Ridiculous!" Zagashira!Nakaiya declares. "Absolutely ridiculous!" (笑止千万). Right on, man!
I cannot catch exactly what he says after that (especially the "yonyuuzuma" part), but I think ti is largely more of the usual stuff about the Head being evil and blah blah.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/determined_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/determined.jpg)
This is quite a nice shot of Kakunojou. Actually, the sakuga god seems to have smiled on her today, she looked pretty decent throughout the entire episode.
And with a dramatic "I will not let you go!!" by Kakunojou, on comes Akizuki with his one and only line - "UAAAARRRGH!"
And with that, he slices the cloth back of the stage in half!!!
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/ZOMG_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/ZOMG.jpg)
I did not expect this, to be honest. I got very excited here. To quote Parkes: WHUT!!
Ah, but this is just the beginning....
SENSEI MAGIC SHOW SUGOOOOOI
And this is where the thrilling Hollywood parts come up. :cool: I know some of you will think it's too overdone or whatever, but I for one enjoyed the hell out of it.
Akizuki cuts the stage - to reveal, a jetty leading directly to Nakaiya, Kanna and Soutetsu!!
Cue the cool-sounding track #24, "Shin'nen" from the OST, as one by one lights alongside the jetty light up like a runway. The part here with the scrolling animation of the candles lighting up along the jetty was very cool. Zoom out from Soutetsu (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/coolsoutetsu.jpg) with the candles still lighting up behind him.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/thehuh_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/thehuh.jpg)
"K-Kore wa?!" Nakaiya, for once, I know what you are feeling!
And then - Akizuki leaps off the stage and runs straight down the jetty towards the three at its end. "Ima koso!" (Now's the time!) The troupe yells to the startled audience and run off after Akizuki. I could really feel the excitement here. The music goes really well with the steady rhythm of the candles going past as Akizuki is running on.
Which brings us to... MAJIKKU SHOW. Surrounding a shocked Kanna and Nakaiya, these props (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/prop.jpg) with candles on them rise from the water and get lit by a flame passed down through a line between them. The candles light up one by one to form this pattern (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/pattern.jpg), as the cool music goes on and here I am going "ooh! aah!" at it all because I am a sucker for these things. Ignoring the fact that if the line's been underwater I don't know how it still remains so flammable above water. Hm. (edit: oil-dipped lines FTW.)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/candles_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/candles.jpg)
Brings a whole new meaning to the idea of rendezvous by the candlelight. (Actually, that's not an idea.) Whatever, this part really was very cool.
You see, the key is not how ridiculous it is, but how well-executed it is. Now ep 8 made its flaws too obvious, but this was much, much better. *watches it again*
Meanwhile - don't forget our 4 ridiculous chess pieces! They're looking at everything from a distance and are loading cannons, with a trail of dead soldiers behind them... (presumably those who were guarding the cannons) Uh oh.
The crowd looks on excitedly because this is all fun and games and top-level entertainment. Who would have thought that they'd really go out and do this? Reality and entertainment are no longer separate, thanks to Sensei's script. I actually find this one of the genuinely interesting parts of Iroha, how he mixes the two together.
It reminds me of that scene in episode 6, where everyone was watching excitedly... but then some blood got on one lady - and she realised it was real - and suddenly things turned very different. Except here... does the audience know that those are real people fighting a real battle out there?
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/katsuworried_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/katsuworried.jpg)
Only people like Katsu have enough sense to see through the whole thing and realise the gravity of the situation. (And that, sirs and madams, is why Katsu is awesome.)
And is it me or was that (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/yamaoka.jpg) a Yamaoka cameo? 8D
Moar actionz0rs!!
"I see, I see!" Nakaiya says clapping his hands. "Now it finally returns into my hands..." Kanna backs off with the Head on him now - what? He got the Head off Soutetsu? Or more like Soutetsu let him take the Head? Wait a second...
And since we know Kanna is not really on Nakaiya's side - he now turns to Nakaiya with his gun pointing at him, saying "Get off." "So you've finally revealed your true identity, eh?" Nakaiya says. あれ? You already knew/guessed Kanna was working for Parkes but you let him work for you? "Parkes - no, the British Empires' pet dog!" (Wheeere have I heard a very similar expression before?)
I like the glar (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/gitoffmahship.jpg)e Kanna returns to him.
I wonder, to him, how much of an identity it really is being a spy for Queen Victoria. We don't truly know how dedicated he is to it, although he is certainly doing is job for now. Because beyond his duty - if he says he loves his country, how much does his country love him back? Considering the rather unloving treatment he gets later, with the cannons aiming at him not really bothering whether Kanna gets hit or not... After all the fighting is done, who does he have? Or rather, what does he have? It's even the same with Akizuki. After this thing called duty has been fulfilled... what next? What do you do with your lives? I think it even applies to Kakunojou. Now that her revenge is fulfilled - she will go after Akizuki, but is she even sure why?
There's that thing called destiny, of course, but at the same time... deep down I suppose they're all at an age of being confused with what they really want to do with their lives. I guess for a number of people that continues on even until many, many years later...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/offguard_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/offguard.jpg)
What?!! Incoming Youjirou at 11 o'clock?!!
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/descend_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/descend.jpg)
But of course! As to where exactly he jumped off from, that will forever remain one of life's mysteries, I'm afraid. (I think he just leaped from behind.)
Akizuki um.... descends from above just in time, and pushes Kanna into the water.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/tehpush_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/tehpush.jpg)
Cue BL fangirls exploding.
Now that the Head is in the water, Nakaiya makes a desparate attempt to get at it. You should watch it. It's very cute. Nakaiya's like pawing at it.
Meanwhile, however, the troupe has reached the end of the jetty. They pass their old friend, Soutetsu.... and as Kakunojou dashes past him, she takes a good look at him.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/kakusou_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/kakusou.jpg)
K: Don't fucking touch Akizuki, you hear me? S: *Are* you suggesting I do such things?
I liked that shot very much. It was a scene that remained in my head. It made me think (again, reading too much but...)...
It's interesting to consider what Kakunojou thinks of Soutetsu. Up till episode 8 he had been a part of their 'family' of sourts; albeit a more distant and senior member, but still part of it nonetheless. After all, it's thanks to him that the troupe is what it is now. He shaped them and has been there for so long... Yet once his true motive was revealed and he broke off to pursue his own goals, perhaps she felt as if despite all this time, he was really separate from the troupe.
Considering her concern about Akizuki going to face off with Soutetsu, I wouldn't be surprised if she felt a fair bit of attachment and admiration - if not adoration - for Soutetsu. And with that it must be a jab in the heart that he was really on his own track and not truly with the troupe like she would have hoped. At the same time - what is he really after? What is the Head thing? And all these confusing things. At the same time, I think with that look you see above there, we can see the side of her that looks as him as someone to contend with, and someone whom she wants to prove herself too.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding it or just reading too far in, but it felt like she wanted to say "Look at me, sensei, I'm going to show you what I can do too, just like you can do so much with the Head."
The Troupe finally meets up with Nakaiya at the end of the dock. This part was totally shounen action-esque. "Kakugo, Nakaiya Juubee!" I get a kick out of it. :cool: Zagashira, you sure changed out of your clothes fast...
To this, Nakaiya just laughs. Hey (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/huh.jpg), stop destroying my moment of coolness! Because then he unleashes the wonderful weapon of choice - yes, it's the ghost soldiers again! The ones that give the finger, remember? (Here I completely resonated with Shiranui and his "Dammit, not these guys again?!" (ちっくしょ、またこいつらか！))
I must say again that Kakunojou was well drawn (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/notagain.jpg) this episode. For once. Then behind her, Kanna sort of pops up from the water. (It was a bit cute.)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/itsyou_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/itsyou.jpg)
You mean you didn't die, you little bastard?!
Ignore hte caption. What does that look mean? Somehow I got the feeling it was more of "Why do I keep seeing you?" than of fear, this time.
And then, Kakunojou said "Nakaiya?!" - おい、カンナマジ無視されてるんじゃないw I don't know what this all means so let's just put it aside...
Boooom!
Nakaiya has the Head-pot in one arm like some precious baby, and is rowing the boat off, when a hand grabs onto the side of the boat... it's Akizuki!
Meanwhile, the ghost soldiers are advancing in on the Troupe and Kakunojou is uh... useless. The other members tell her to hurry up and go and get after Nakaiya.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/quickgo_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/quickgo.jpg)
Zachou, quick! Go snog that smexy guy on the boat when you have the chance!
For some strange reason there's a handy boat at the dock. Well whatever. Kakunojou jumps into it...
Meanwhile, Akizuki - wet and dripping - catches his breath on the boat in front of a terrified Nakaiya. I think he knows that he can't handle a guy with a sword like that.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/headsabove_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/headsabove.jpg)
Where is my Kanna x Akizuki action? Show me the kissing and crap already, will you? (Parkes the secret BL fan? I think not.)
At the same time, Parkes is looking over everybody's heads. He must be waiting for his 4 chess pieces to start their action. Well, good for him because they're almost ready....
Kakunojou is bravely steering her boat towards Nakaiya, Akizuki is almost about to stab him and then - bam.
A shell from the cannon soars through the air with deafening sound; and the crowd is crouching in fear with hands over ears.
Katsu's terrified expression (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/katsushocked.jpg) was yet another scene that left a deep impression on me. (Aha! And that must be Yamaoka! Yay!) I will talk about it soon...
And most interestingly - even Kakunojou had her hands over her ears. Consider the lives of ordinary Japanese back then; I think such loud sounds must have been truly terrifying to them. It somehow said a lot...
Akizuki notices the shell coming in the direction of the boat he was in, and leaps off just in time onto Kakunojou's boat - but it just misses Nakaiya. Kanna, who is on his own boat (where do these boats come from?!) is struggling as huge waves toss it around.
Then - another shell. The impact must have tossed the boats around, of course, resulting in.....
This. :cool:
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/omfg_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/omfg.jpg)
I bet you Kakunojou must be loving this.
I have already exhausted all my necessary "OH MY GOD!!!" fangirl ventings and other nonsense to Ori (who has likewise done so with me), so I will spare everyone here with the details of my reaction, which I'm sure you can guess...
Thank $deity for Ori.
And I really, really, really, really laughed out loud at this. I'm sorry. I just did. (Very delicious, but still, I laughed out so loud...)
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/NOYOUBASTARDS_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/NOYOUBASTARDS.jpg)
NO YOU IDIOT! Not like that! The blasphemy! My eyes are scarred! Look, that is not how you make romantic advances you, you n00b! Hug her or something! Bastard! (I could do a much better job but she hates me for it!)
If that doesn't scream "HAY I AM JEALOUS OKAY?", and you are confused as to whether he's jealous at Akizuki or Kakunojou (BL or het?), well, the image overlays in his head with that of the guy who stole his mother away (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/sexay.jpg). Okay man, we get the hint...
Note, though, that that is different from the scene where the guy took her in the carriage. She seems like she's grieving over something - perhaps Kanna's father died? Who knows.
Either way, it certainly made Kanna forget about his duty for that short while because of all the jealousy. I guess he does ultimately care more for things that remind him of those days than of his duty...
And to contrast with that, Parkes says "If the Head is going to fall into the hands of anything other than the Great British Empire, then it might as well [be destroyed]!" カンナまた無視されている...
Katsu hears this in shock - and I'd be shocked too if I were him - for he shakes in near anger upon hearing this. I love this (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/angrykatsu.jpg) expression.
It links perfectly with the impression of Parkes that he's been building up. From Parkes' insensitive barging into issues at the Sekkakurou incident, and now this - I think he must be truly pissed at Parkes for being so brash and reckless with his actions. After all, Katsu comes across to me as the type who is very 丁寧 in his political actions; since he has to maintain a fine balance of opinions when carrying out crucial negotiations with giants like Saigou Takamori. From the conversation he had with Shinmon in episodes 9 and 10 it's also quite clear that at the end, no matter what political side, he just doesn't want to see death and destruction of the citizens of Japan. And yet, almost as if ridiculing his efforts to make Edo a bloodless takeover, everybody still goes right back into battle. Like the battle of Ueno, and then we have Parkes....
Is it futile, really? Shinmon has expressed this to Katsu before. Especially with the Head around, are Katsu's efforts really going to be in vein?
Well, we shall see... personally it is precisely because the situation is the way it is, that we need people like Katsu to maintain some semblence of sanity.
I mentioned that the cannons were a sign of abnormality in the normal civilian safe lives of the audience and somwhat less so for the troupe. I think Katsu is more than aware of this and of the truly destructive power of those cannons.... no wonder he'd be so shocked.
Then another shell hits - and Kotoha worriedly calls out "Sou-san!" She does seem worried for him... which is another support for a theory I recently started believing in after seeing it proposed on the 2ch boards - that Kotoha is really Soutetsu's spy sort of thing. Doesn't it make sense? Firstly, Kotoha gets to hear the secret conversations of Parkes and Katsu. And she very conveniently appeared in Shinagawa after Soutetsu sent her a letter, etc. When Katsu mentioned the troupe's scriptwriter in episode 12's sake session, Kotoha immediately put down her shamisen and wanted to call it a day... Hm. Well, it isn't impossible.
This is where people die and stuff
I like the way the next few shots flowed. You really felt the fast moving impact of the water and the instability of the situation with the way those boats just sort of went past you. Add in the new music - it fit excellently!
Needless to say, I was very happy at this shot:
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/wereinthesameboat_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/wereinthesameboat.jpg)
Somehow it made me... well... what's that term, 胸キュン? Like "ooh!" sort of. It's very nice to see both of them together but Kakunojou can stand on her own too. Not like one is better than the other but that they're equal and they're... literally and figuratively, in the same boat. Kakunojou's "NAKAIYAAA!" was pretty nice too. (She really has gotten blessed by the sakuga gods today.)
Another shell. This time, it brings us....
This!!
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/hug_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/hug.jpg)
I can't even think of a lame caption for this.
Awwwwwwww...
Kakunojou does look a bit too "oh no I need to hang onto a man!"-ish, but it works well enough for me because Akizuki also has his hand on her. Need more proof? Here, (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/kabau.jpg) he's got his hand on her back. (I am a real maniac.)
Like I have said earlier y'all should be glad that there's someone like Ori around for me to pour out all my most shameless fangirling. Though despite this it isn't actually my favourite scene...
Akizuki sees Nakaiya on his boat desparately keeping the Head on the boat by pulling on the ropes tied to it. And then....
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/ebisukirakira_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/ebisukirakira.jpg)
Appearing with twinkly bits of water in a situation like this is a big hint that you're going to die soon.
Ebisu appears on a boat... that's a lot of boats. Well, the boat doesn't last long because Ebisu leaps up in the air after another shell hits - and he has a bondage session (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/bondage.jpg) with Nakaiya. GJ! The Head slips out of Nakaiya's grip and falls into the sea. I go whee again because I just can't help but grin when I see these two together (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/tehnos.jpg). I'm also thankful that Kakunojou yells "Ebisu!!" in worry as she should righfully do, instead of clinging onto Akizuki the whole while (that'd have turned me off, TBH).
The music gets really good here. Actually, it's still a variation of the main theme, but I really like it. Obviously there's a 2nd OST, and damn I sure want to hear it.
On one hand, we get to finally feel that Ebisu has accomplished something because he's so glad that he has finally, finally got Nakaiya under control... meanwhile, the rest of the Troupe is seeing this and getting more and more worried.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/ettuebisu_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/ettuebisu.jpg)
Oh my god, Ebisu! I never knew you were into S&M!
Kanna is very cutely trying to grab at the Head himself. He's really desparate... I'm keeping an eye on that.
Kakunojou is crying out at Ebisu in a nice "EBIsuuuu!!111" kind of voice and Akizuki is uh, more interested in other things. Firstly, can you stop looking cool (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/otherthings.jpg) for a bit?
Yet another shell hits, and it's getting close to Nakaiya's half-boat now. "Nakaiya Juubee will not die - not until he sees the hell and (something I didn't catch) of this world!" Another shell is released by the cannon...
Kanna is also interrupted by Akizuki again...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/stopinterruptingme_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/stopinterruptingme.jpg)
NOW what, incoming Youjirou at -
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/haaaa_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/haaaa.jpg)
TWELVE O'CLOCK!!!!! HAAAAAAR!!!
Wham! Akizuki tries to cut the Head in two (and this part is all very pretty and shiny and cool, etc. On par with the scene in episode 1 - and with lovely music to boot! I'm very happy.)
The very funny thing is how he yelled "Fuuin!" ("Seal!" - not the animal, mind you...) just before jumping. It really made it seem like he was doing it partly because it's just so damn cool... but I guess it also sort of brought out his youth. An older eien no shikaku might not have wasted his breath on that.
Unfortunately, it looks like Akizuki only managed to cut through the container when the final shell comes plowing its way through the sky, directly onto the boat where Nakaiya and Ebisu were.
If you tell me you didn't laugh at the face he had before the fatal hit, I think there's something wrong with you.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/DEE_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/DEE.jpg)
Nakaiya Juubee, passed from this world with a final bit of comic relief.
Boooom.
There. Ebisu died. And then we get the very shounen-anime-esque cries of "EBISUUUUUUUHHH!!!" from the troupe, which of course I gleefully watch because I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff.
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/restraint_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/restraint.jpg)
No, Shiranui, I know you had the hots for Ebisu, but you're mine now, so STAY PUT BIATCH. *glares at audience for no particular reason* - by Kakashi
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/iyaaa_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/iyaaa.jpg)
This bit is soooo shounen-anime/Sunrise-ish that I get a huge kick out of it.
I actually admit I liked Kakunojou's "iyaaaaaaaaaa" scream, she didn't sound off or anything, which is sort of admirable...
Actually, I might have had a similar reaction if I didn't read the spoilers in advance. Not because Ebisu died - if anyone here bothered to read the kill list on my site, I don't particularly care for him. But I was shocked that they'd kill off a good guy so early on. All the better for me, of course, because I am a sadistic evil fangirl who was hoping for this exact outcome and is amazed + delighted that it came true.
Kamajirou goes batshit insane. STFU, I know his name's Enomoto Takeaki.
Now that Akizuki has cut open the container - but failed to cut the head - the Head floats out and the red star in the sky appears once again. I still don't get it. When does the star appear? When the Head is sealed or feeling particularly nasty or what? It appeared in episode 1 before Akizuki cut it but it was sealed and at Nakaiya's place... then it disappeared when Akizuki cut it. But then it appeared again later, didn't it? Maybe it's just there for cool effect.
It's good that Katsu recognized it as the Head (and even bothered to look up - once again the only one with any senses in the crowd, it would seem) and said Head decides it doesn't need (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/noveilneeded.jpg) a sissy veil-thing and floats towards the Kaiyou-maru....
Enomoto (Yay! I didn't say Kamajirou! Whoops, I just did.) has been watching the goings-on from his ship and sees the Head floating in the sky, and says "It can't be - Awa-no-kami's..." Remember that Awa-no-kami = Katsu. So it seems like the posession of Katsu/Saigou by the Head has already spread around to other officials. I like that touch, it reminds us that it wasn't a mere small issue but something serious.
Brunet is impatient and yells at Enomoto to order the ships to depart (i.e. get the hell out of this insane place with majikku shows and strange red lights). Enomoto seems to be hesitating, however, as he stares at the direction of the Head, and Brunet has drawn his sword and is about to get at him... when Enomoto starts growling and grabs hold of Brunet's sword angrily, telling him with sudden growly conviction - "I will not make it a futile battle! [referring to war in the North] Anything but futile!" Uh-oh (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/glowinthedark.jpg)...
His voice become all evil-amplified and a red burst of light pushes everyone back, as the Head revolves around Enomoto...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/checkout_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/checkout.jpg)
Guidebook to being a Head: Always check your host out properly before possessing it. Is he dashing? Is he powerful? Does he also have many handy posessions? Bonus points if he has a moustache and sounds like Agent Smith.
It's kind of funky how it actually literally closed in (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/closein.jpg) on his head. It vaguely reminded me of the Berserker suit of armor thingy in Berserk...
Now that Kamajirou is all geared up, he yells out orders for all hands to prepare for immediate departure. Yelling, that is, with the requisite Evil Influence Amplifier-Echo Effect.
There is this very nice pan of Soutetsu which unfortunately I cannot piece together properly so here is a somewhat hastily touched up version...
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/soutetsu_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/soutetsu.jpg)
And at the end of that he has this smirk (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/smirk.jpg) which is a bit mysterious, but it sort of felt as if on one hand (based on earlier reactions) he was a bit surprised, yet also going "Hm, this is unexpected... but this too will be interesting!" Sort of.
As the hubbub dies down...
The ships leave almost immediately, and Katsu back on shore realises what's happened - that the Head has taken over Enomoto. Then he's disgusted (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/disgusted.jpg)to hear the sound of clapping - Parkes' clapping.
This time Katsu is seriously annoyed and he shows (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/okaythatsit.jpg) it. But Parkes simply gives him a scornful look (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/hmph.jpg). But of course... It's kind of funny how everyoen else started clapping and waking up from their stupor after Parkes started clapping. To quote Henrietta on her blog (http://irohanihoheto.typepad.com/irohanihoheto/2006/12/commentary_epis_2.html), it's like us watching, on TV, wars waged in distant areas which we don't know anything or really feel anything for. These people - and Parkes - see all the lovely amazing action and entertainment, but do they realise it's real people being killed and seriously dangerous things going on? Again, only Katsu (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/gravity.jpg) gets the gravity of the situation. "Don't go rushing to your death, Kamajirou..." he says in a very deep and concerned tone. >_< Ouch. Being a Katsu fan this really had me go "ouch" out loud...
Meanwhile, the fun and excitement is over and the candles are beginning to die down... and then the music goes really awesome-ish, and the aftermath (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/angst.jpg) appears before us...
Ah, Akizuki angst (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/sadangst.jpg). :cool:.
Except this time... perhaps it's not just the fact that he has failed to seal the Head again (and not just that, it's gone and possessed someone too!), but also because he is quite aware that the troupe has lost someone dear to them, too? I'm sure he couldn't have missed this....
http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/crying_jpg.t.jpg (http://s01.imagehost.org/view.php?image=/0714/crying.jpg)
Ebisu... Oh, Ebisu, your poor taste in bondage is what did you in after all....
Kakunojou very obviously crying. :( And couple that with the dramatic music, it's all very "awww" and :(-ish and stuff. And then...
He passes her Ebisu's bandage (http://s01.imagehost.org/0714/bandage.jpg). And holds it there for her, and she grabs onto it, and lets it fall on her hand...
*Sniff* Aww, throw all my uptightness about sentimentality to the bin, this was so touching. I already like seeing the two of them together, but this moment was really very nice. It's really good how there were no words exchanged or anything, just him silently passing her the bandage. Meanwhile you (or well, me, because I'm insane and think too much about this show) wonder if Akizuki is actually feeling some sort of sympathy for her... After all, he's more than familiar with the loss of people - first Ryouma, and then Okita. I'm sure that at the very least, he is perfectly aware of how to deal with it delicately....
Awww, I need to kind of go :3 in a corner now...
And to end off this most dramatic and exciting and well-choreographed and entertaining episode, we have an epic narration! Replete with epic music.
"It is the 19th day of the 8th month in Keio 4. The escaping old-Bakufu fleets commandeered by Enomoto Takeaki departed from Shinagawa - towards the harbinger of misfortune, the North." (Or something like that.)
Tadaa.
Apologies for the double post, but I must embarassingly admit that my post up there is so terribly convoluted and lengthy that... when I tried to add this bit in, it went over the word limit for posts (50 000 words).
So I have to paste it here.
----
I actually wanted to write my thoughts in, but it said my post was too long (gasp!) and ate the words up. :( [note: this was the first time...]
So I'll just say that I actually enjoyed the action, overdone or riduclous or whatever as it may be, and was generally very pleased with this episode. It also provided many fangirling points, which is always a bonus. Still, I feel like the serious side of me may have enjoyed episode 12 more in certain ways, if only for the particular charm and detail about it. But I like this sort of stuff too, so... yep. Very satisfied. Excellent closing for the first 13 episodes. So sue me if I don't have a refined taste. I think I've stopped caring.
One last (crap) translation of the preview for episode 14. I love the previews for this show.
Kakunojou: There's just nothing I have left to say. Everyone - keep in good health, ok?
Zagashira: And you, Zachou, where will you be heading to?
Kakunojou: I will...
Shiranui: Zachou!
Kotoha: Just give up already, with your ambitions! I'm sure you can figure out who Zachou is going to go after at the very least.
Kobako + Benimaru: No... No I dowanna!
Kakunojou: Please, let me be alone! Don't go along with me!
Kobako: But, even you're going to go along aren't you? With that o-samurai-san!
---
Well then, I should get along to sleep... this sleep pattern is no good if school starts in 3 days... ah but no, I guess I'll hang around for half an hour more.
Heh, I haven't much useful comments atm, other than that ep13 was a highlight episode which I enjoyed greatly. Especially that bgm piece at the end together with the imagery was wonderful.
I wanted to share a fun thing though. When I saw the Sentai Squad I kept asking myself why one face seemed somehow familiar to me. And now I finally remembered.
Bakumatsu
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7526/bakumatsuchamploovu9.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bakumatsuchamploovu9.jpg)
Samurai Champloo
Akizuki better watch his backside when those guys are around. ;)
PS: I wholly agree with Wao on the engrish parts. Ye gods, they do such a wonderful job with the japanese side of the voice acting, different speech patterns, accents etc. It would have done wonders if they had put more effort into the english side as well. Or let them at least speak in accent free japanese when they're in "english mode".
MrProphet
2006-12-30, 16:50
LOL
Well, that guy was Dutch. 8)
I have to keep my selfs tempted from reading wao's long summary... though I couldn't help but look at first couple screenshots. That Akizuki's close up brought out the fangirl inside me again... Iroha does that to me a lot, it seems...
Slightly off topic but I just rewatched ep.12 and remembered something I've been wanting to say since watching it first time....
Near the end, after Kanna helps Kakunojyou, Kakunojyou calls out Akizuki's name and he turns. I can't help it but doesn't he look almost mouse-like when he turns? If I could possibly beg of someone to take screencap of that... i would greatly appreciate... I cannot help but laugh in that one particular scene...no matter how much I loved ep. 12
Dernhelm
2007-01-01, 11:08
of course i'm only watching the subbed versions so i'm very delayed in reacting to a particular episode.
SS just came out with Episode 9, and...
OKITA!!!!!!!
you look......
agh, breaks my heart. you poor tragic soul. tragic young soul...
so it seems the popular stand remains that the Shinsengumi were not liable for Sakamoto's death. is it considered a spoiler if i mention the common belief that it was the Satsuma/Choshu group (same group that accused and had Kondou executed) is the one responsible? of course even up to now there have been no valid proof to support this argument. and yes, Kondou was executed because he was (also) accused of masterminding Sakamoto's killing. but there have been witness accounts which say otherwise, which the other camp denies.
*i would like to point out that in another Shinsengumi-related movie, they made Saitou the killer LOL. but that was because he was acting under orders not from the Shinsengumi but from the Choshu/Satsuma sympathizers that separated from the Shinsengumi (Saitou was then Hijikata's spy). that group told him to kill Sakamoto and Kondou. of course he couldn't kill Kondou. this is all of course, merely fictional. but it somehow illustrates what the general consensus' feelings are.
I finally started on the Prince of Tennis series a few weeks back, so now that I'm done, I was able to watch several episodes of Iroha in one sitting. Such bliss!
Definitely a character development episode. Once again, we see that the troupe has been so single-mindedly bent on revenge that they do not know what to do now that they are free to do what they want with their lives. Like it has been stated previously, it is ironically the fact that Nakaiya is still alive that brings them all back to life again.
Oryu is as graceful and dignified as ever; I'm really starting to like her character design a lot. Her face exudes a sharp intellect and gentleness at the same time. And when she tells Kakunojou that she and Akizuki "onaji nioi ga suru" ... I wonder if that is another reference to the OP images, where Kakunojou appears to be carrying a complement to Akizuki's sword.
My first thought upon watching this episode was ... Shiranui really needs some advice on colour coordination. I mean, pastel green and pink??
And the barechested Akizuki ... I don't think I've seen such blatant female fanservice since ... well, I don't know when.
This episode was another good one for character development, I think. We get to see more frantic and emotional Akizuki.
More theater is always a good thing. It was interesting how I immediately thought, "Chinese!" when Kakunojou appeared on the stage as the first Eternal Assassin. It certainly shows attention to detail in terms of costuming.
The four-way encounter near the end of the episode was also interesting. Although Kanna still doesn't get to say much, I think the animators are doing a good job of developing his character through facial expressions. His face when Kakunojou moved away from him spoke volumes.
I don't quite understand the part about the roles in the play. Here, the troupe knows that Akizuki is supposed to play the role of the Eternal Assassin. Is that what the script says? Do they know that he really is the Eternal Assassin yet?
As for whether Akizuki knows that Kakunojou is female or not ... I'm starting to think that it is a non-issue after all. It seems like all major characters immediately know that she's female, like Kanna and Oryu.
The moment the new action theme kicks in is a magnificent moment. It might not be as soaring as the lighting of the beacons in Return of the King, but boy is it a great scene in its own right. The music works perfectly and is so well-coordinated with the on-screen action. I love the shot of the candle light rushing towards Soutetsu. Is the pentacle meant to assist in the sealing of the Head or some similar form of exorcism ritual? So what does this say about Soutetsu's schemes, that he would create the opportunity for Akizuki to seal the Head?
As for where all the boats came from ... there are tons flanking either side of the quay.
And finally, when the action has come to an end and all that is left is the reflection upon what happened, we see a quiet tableau with Akizuki and Kakunojou unmoving on their boat. Looking at Akizuki's bowed head, I was struck with the thought, 'Is that regret?' Was there a choice between saving Ebisu and sealing the Head - and by choosing the Head ...
And, as a result, is there a tension between the grieving Kakunojou and the stiffly-standing Akizuki? Does she come to the stark realization that Akizuki is more a single-minded inhuman force and unshakeable destiny than a boy she can have feelings for?
But then ... Akizuki hands her Ebisu's blood-stained bandanna and everything suddenly felt alright again.
After the episode ended, I went back and looked at the images and sequence of events preceding that dramatic moment. I suppose it doesn't really look much like he had to make a choice, although it's debatable.
Regarding ep 13 (to Sonhex)
But then ... Akizuki hands her Ebisu's blood-stained bandanna and everything suddenly felt alright again.
Maybe it's just me, but what you described earlier (Which was very well put, btw!) about there being that bit of tension - I felt that while it was indeed eased after the bandage thing, it still felt like... hm. Well when he gave the bandage to her we never saw his face. It felt to me that they were trying to say that while he does seem to empathise with those feelings, at the same time he isn't going to let go of his conviction to get at the Head. Sort of like "well... I'm sorry, but... that's the way it is." kind of thing.
It felt like he gave it to her more out of "this is the least I could do" sort of thing.
Well I guess maybe this issue will be cleared up in coming episodes. I really do like the way you put about Kakunojou's possible realisation that he is indeed completely detached from this and not even somebody she should have considered the way she did all this while. I would very much love it if they had something along those lines, actually. Go be the scriptwriter!
Dernhelm: I don't think it'd be a spoiler, actually. They don't seem to have made it obvious who Sakamoto's assassins were yet, I think. So speculations are perfectly great (I'm not familiar enough with the situation to make any sort of educatd guess).
My apologies for yet another double post; however to make up for the lack of an episode this week I bring a few snippets of spoilers from the usual spoiler-site (ttp://blog.goo.ne.jp/kouryakukan).
It appears that she is still updating the post continuously so this may not be the whole thing.
The episode spoilers aren't up yet, but Newtype finally has an Iroha spread again and it appears this time Kakunojou is dressed up like a female? Finally? And LOL, they have the subtitle "大和撫子の肖像" (The portrait of yamato nadeshiko (http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ejwb/afaq/yamatonadeshiko.html)) (Oh and of course there's still Akizuki in it. ... And nobody else. 神無くんどこまで無視されているんでしょう) Also she is holding that white sword thing from the OP.
Seems like it's about time that they got around to that. Eh... Again I may be relying too much on the author's wording, but it seems like Akizuki and Kakunojou's journey to the north will... be the two of them. And it's during that they come into possession of "another Getsuruitou" (もう1つの月涙刀). So it wasn't a sheath/scabbard/stick, but another Getsuruitou? How nice. I hope Kakunojou gets to LVLUP and, well, be able to.... use.. it in some way. Alright, that might be asking for too much (one does not simply learn to use a sword so quickly).
...And get this, now apparently there's some link between the Eien no Shikaku (well, the line of Eien no Shikakus) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu). Yup.
If they're going to drag in even the Tokugawa family, then I'm wondering if that cryptic anonymous mention about Sensei having something to do with the the Tokugawa-Imperial Court relations might just reappear or something. I don't know man, this is all just getting really tangled up now...
Am wondering when the next Studio Pastoral ep will come. I hope it's soon so that all the outsourced eps get out of the way, and that the last 6 or so episodes at least can all be pretty and nicely animated and what not.
Will update this post when more information comes in.
=====
Update: Episode spoilers are in.
Th-They're changing the scriptwriter?!! To the Speed Grapher scriptwriters (him (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=24238) and him (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=10617)). (Maybe they came through the Kozaki connection?)
不安...
-Actually, what's even more worrying is that they don't even have a subtitle for episodes 17 and 18. Granted, this bunch of five episode previews might be a bit more tahn the usual three or four, but a subtitle at the very least...? (Unless they don't want to reveal it now?) Not just that though, the enshutsu is undecided as well. Uh oh. But I guess it's still some time away so it's reasonable to expect it being produced only in the coming weeks.
By the way, another friendly nudge, just like I guessed episode 16 is the next Studio Pastoral = outsourced episode. Hm... might they sneak in another one of those in the last batch of episodes? I hope not; they managed to survive the first 6 without that.... I just hope it turns out more like episode 11 than 7. PLEASE.
Anyway - time for spoiler-o-rama! Seems a bit skimpy this time around... Pardon my lousy translating skills as usual; I'm more than welcome for suggestions to reword the episode titles in particular...
Episode 14 - To the North (Kita e)
Nothing new, go look for my previous blab about the episode 14 preview from the official site.
Episode 15 - Resonance of the Secret Swords (Hitou Tomonasu)*
Heading towards the North, Akizuki Youjirou and Yuyama Kakunojou proceed along the Nikkou Highway**. It is then that Akizuki receives a private letter from Shouten-sama...
*? Did I get the romaji right? 秘刀共鳴す is the Japanese title; now 共鳴 on its own is read as "kyoumei" but with the okurigana making it 共鳴す, it is more like a verb like 裏切る so I figure 鳴す must be read as "nasu" rather than "mei"; and accordingly "kyou" would become "tomo". Not that this show shies away from unusual readings, of course...
** The Nikkou Highway (Nikkou Kaidou, 日光街道) is one of the great Five Roads (http://www.hku.hk/history/nakasendo/5roads.htm) from the Edo period. One of the stops is Utsunomiya city (HINT HINT: Another part (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Utsunomiya_Castle) of the Boshin war, anyone?) and it ends at Nikkou (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikk%C5%8D%2C_Tochigi). It was developed by Tokugawa Ieyasu...
Episode 16 - The Travelling Four (Doukou Yonin)
Akizuki and Kakunojou, while trying to divert towards Yonezawa, meet up with the Byakkotai*.
* Yes, the famous group (http://www.cs.ucla.edu/%7Ejmg/ah/byakkotai.html) of teenaged samurai who committed seppuku after they thought their domain's castle had gone down.
Episode 17 (No title yet)
The morale of the troops at Sendai Castle are low. Seeing this, Hijikata* gets frustrated.
*There's only one Hijikata it could be - none other than Toshi-san (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijikata_Toshizo)... cameo'd in episode 9, now you get the real deal!
Episode 18 has only the staff credits.
Just a few random cursory thoughts (god, I have to go to school at 8am tomorrow and I'm still up at 2:09 am. Go me.)
As an Aki/Kaku fangirl - HALLELUJAH. I need not say any more. (Alright, I do.)
--I know, I'm probably going to be disappointed or I'm just shooting myself in the foot here, yet I can't help but really look forward to them travelling together. (I have been hoping for it since long ago.)
I will frankly be sorely disappointed if they don't give Kakunojou more character development here. Especially her attitude towards Akizuki and her new life away from the troupe.
-On one hand, there's Akizuki's quest for the Head. Why would he let the un-strong Kakunojou tag along with him? It must be because of the sword thing, of course; but maybe we'll see him open up more to her which would be perfect and awesome for me, etc.
-On the other there's Kakunojou's break away from her old lifestyle. I'm counting on you to prove your worth, scriptwriters, by doing a credible job on this. You'll make or break my true impressiosn of this show depending on your depiction of her reaction to a new situation. I really hope she doesn't expose all her weak and dependant sides and becomes a bit more useful. She puts up a strong front when the Troupe's around, but now that she's living for herself and not for other people...
The sword.
-Shouten-sama's letter probably is going to talk about it. (How the heck would the letter get to Akizuki though, I wonder? I mean, how do they know he's on the Nikkou route...?) I also secretly think Shouten-sama misses him. /delusion
-Either somenoe has to come and give them the sword, or they go get it on the way. I seriously hope they do not associate it with Kakunojou in a cheesy manenr, although I wouldn't be surprised if that happened.
The content.
-So just like Okita Souji, the Byakkotai was another お約束. This is really turning into Tour De Japanese History. On the left, ladies and gentlemen, you can see the prerequisite fangirl objects of the Bakumatsu... Well, whether it works this time or not depends very much on the way they're written in, although the whole introduction of them just does feel like they're going to do it just because they had to feature them. Um. It's cool seeing all these historical people appaer, but if it's going to feel awkward or overly contrived...
-Why are they so desparate to write in EVERY historical highlight? I still think it's fascinating, but it's quite easy to see why people can get sick of it (like I got tired of the continuous references in Ergo Proxy that just started feeling pretentious after a while and detracted from the quality of the show). I certainly understand the war stuff and all of that, but the Byakkotai... I hope they'll show us the Aizu women warriors at least once, if they're going to the extent of appealing to the history wotas.
-Hope they don't mess up Hijikata. I don't think the fact that Ep 17's preview only mentioned him means that the whoel ep will be history/war based, but at least he'll definitely be a major part of that ep.
-I need to go look up a bit about Yonezawa-han, I think.
-And yes, the conclusion is - with all this historical stuff, it really seems to send a firm signal that that's pretty much the end of hte kabuki we've been enjoying so long. While I'm glad the Troupe will not be tagging alogn with Kakunojou, at the same time I will GREATLY miss the kabuki. It has always been my opinion that this show is much better at the kabuki/cultural things (dodoitsu, the yuukaku, etc.) than the history and fighting bits. I personally enjoyed them more, anyway. I seriously hope this doesn't mean a complete departure of those elments from the show.
I do hope we get to see Kakunojou act once again before the end of the show. The motif of scriptwriting and plays and the controlling of history should not be dropped since it's doing well. Kakunojou's role as an actress for Soutetsu's scripts was both literal and figurative but I wonder what they'll do with that idea now.
A new storyboarder appears on the scene - 桑原智. I am too tired to really look up the guy but it appears he's the director of Black Jack. On one hand I don't know what that means since I don't know if it's really a good series or what, but on the other hand if he's senior/experienced enough to be chief director for a big show like that, then I figure he can't be.... really bad.
Apart from episode 14, no KAMI COMBINATIONS like they had with episode 10 the last time, I'm afraid.
Episode 15 - Episode 8's episode director. Well, I can only hope that the animation will be better, and it'll be another opportunity for me to get a better grasp/guses of the episoe director's skills. I hope the storyboard would include nice details like the fight in episode 8. The animation director is the same guy from ep 5/6, which means... another AD Cosmo episode? Maybe not, episode 5 was one but 6 wasn't (or vice versa). Either way I hope it's animated like episode 5. It doesn't seem to be an action-oriented episode which lets me keep my hope up, episode 8 had some nice, albeit short, person-to-person scenes in my opinion.
Episode 16 - Studio Pastoral. Who wants to bet with me that the only Japanese animators will be Shinichi Wada, Ken Sakuma and some other random guy... again. But this time it's a different storyboarder from ep 7 and 11? In fact it's Teraoka. Back so soon?! He's storyboarded 6 whole episodes (and half of another) so far in the whole show, by far the most! Well, I'm not complaining.
Episode 17 also has a Teraoka storyboard but I figure it'll be more along the levels of quality as episode 9, due to the animation director.
I still don't know entirely what to make out of episode 16's combination... outsourced ep but with that storyboard. Hm... but I think that Teraoka's amusing cameraangles/transitions (refer to episode 5/6, 12) will not make it into episode 16 because it seems like that director may not bother with that.
Whether it transfers to episode 17 depends again on the episode director too, but we're not told who it is. I wonder if they'll get the same guy from ep 9.
And finally episode 18, again no episode dierctor listed but we're back to episode 15's storyboarder, which I still can't say anything about at all. The animation director's the guy from ep 3 and 8... Hm. Whatever. No comment.
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