(L) Mononoke (Noitamina in July 2007) (Bakeneko sequel)

[Iwanihana]

Spoiler summary of the next story-arc 'Nue' is up.

[Hao Asakura]

Just watched ep 5 subbed.
Ep 5 is definitely the best episode so far in Mononoke series (excluding Bakeneko arc). Good animation quality and unexpected storyline. Love the BGM so much.
I'm fully confident now to say that these animes ('Mononoke' and 'Higurashi Kai') are the two best animes in this season.

[kirs]

Definitely an interesting arc, better than the first arc. But I still think storywise, bake neko still wins hands down. I too enjoy the atmosphere of mononoke, it certainly feels much different from other more generic animes out there. The seiyuu voicing the medicine seller is just divine, he talks slow, but in a good way. It sets the atmosphere of the series.

heheh.... thanks for pointing that out.

[Snoop']

Originally Posted by kirs

But I still think storywise, baka neko still wins hands down.

Surely you meant Bakeneko ?

[Hao Asakura]

Bakaneko??? o.O
That's actually quite funny for a typo. Goblin cat became dumb cat ^^
Btw, Mononoke ep 6 & 7 subbed are out by Shinsen ~dancing in joy

[Dagger]

That was an incredible pair of episodes. And what amazing voice acting--Hikaru Midorikawa & Houko Kuwashima put me in heaven. Not to mention more Sakurai~

Does anyone know what the first press extras for the R2s will be?

[White Manju Bun]

I loved in the beginning of 6 when he's in jail (which I didnt realize in the raw) that he was kinda venting about being there XD very non-ms like but it was fun to watch.

[Snoop']

Originally Posted by Magus IX

Does anyone know what the first press extras for the R2s will be?

- For all arcs : DVD box ; DVD bonus (cast commentary and interview, conceptual art gallery)

- Zashikiwarashi : booklet
- Umibouzu : file
- Nopperabou : postcards
- Nue : stickers
- Bakeneko : poster


All of them are already preordered.

[wao]

Originally Posted by Snoop'

- For all arcs : DVD box ; DVD bonus (cast commentary and interview, conceptual art gallery)

- Zashikiwarashi : booklet
- Umibouzu : file
- Nopperabou : postcards
- Nue : stickers
- Bakeneko : poster


All of them are already preordered.

I want your money ;_; DAMMIT!

[Snoop']

Heh, now that I am a highly skilled consultant (read : overpaid and clueless weasel), I can afford those expensive DVDs... Only problem is, I don't have time to watch them.

I'll scan and post the stuff as soon as I get them (i.e from October to February).

[wao]

Evidently, I need a job (if only to get anime goods... what kind of a sad reason is that?)

The most recent episode was not bad. While I think they solved things in a rather straightforward manner, I don't know why but I found myself quite genuinely surprised at the fact that

Spoiler for episode 9:

it turns out everyone in the house was already dead, and that the lack of colour was actually a sign of this. But what was MS really seeing? What was he really doing when he was offering those smells? Was all that we saw just an illusion created by the mononoke or was it just spirits lingering around before their truth was discovered?

Whatever it was, I liked the ending enough. And the three different characters were again quite different from what we've seen so far...

I also CANNOT wait for next week's Mononoke. It's finally the modern version of Bakeneko... but actually it's not modern modern, but seems to be more like early-Meiji modern, including trains and stuff. I am so excited to see everyone in different clothes. I think I saw Kayo there! But of course, since it's Bakeneko the original cast wouuld probably come back... wait, does this mean Odajima-sama as well?

[Snoop']

Spoiler for ep.9:

Exciting episode, as usual. Rather straightforward, as wao said. Covetousness, desperate men and greedy men, a princess (?), and a piece of rotting wood... The creators again put a lot of thought in the combat techniques of super-apothecary.

I really liked this arc : the characters, the story involving scents, the setting, and most of all, the colours. White and grey, snow flocks (some of them going in a horizontal fashion !), subtle colour spots... This show changes the atmosphere at each arc.

One of the men says that fragrances "come" to the back of the head and recall deeply buried memories, long lost places. That is so true. Smell is our most archaic sense, and is tightly connected with what we have lived though.

[White Manju Bun]

oh wow

Spoiler for epi 9:

That was awesome! I really liked this arc (hell Ive liked them all) I didnt realize til wao stated that they were already dead (some how the fequent shots of the gravestones didnt sink in with me XD) but the battle at the end was so cool. I love MS's little transformation

As for epi 10

Spoiler:

I think I saw Kayo too!! So this is a slightly updated vers of Bake Neko then? And it appears theyre on a train...exciting!!

[SeijiSensei]

Apparently Mononoke is not to everyone's taste (why am I surprised?). I just got beat up in the Suggestions thread on anime with high production values for recommending this show. I'm of sufficient age that I can handle a bit of criticism, but those of you who share my belief that this is a rather extraordinary show might want to pitch in over in that thread. (If not, I think I'm holding my own. )

[TinyRedLeaf]

^ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Mononoke has a very different aesthetic; it's ukiyo-e come to life. It's hardly surprising that kids who are looking for their usual formulaic fare would be turned off by this show's sense of style.

[White Manju Bun]

Its sad so many judge this show based on its animation style cuz those who do are sorely missing out. Ive recommended this show to a few ppl and I say just watch it, if you dont like by the end of the 2nd epi then drop it but I havent had anyone drop it yet if they made it through the 1st arc

Btw I posted my 2cents in the suggestions thread XD

[mika163]

glad to know i am not the only one who's captivated by this unusal animation style

[wao]

Oh wow!! I was just looking through the official site looking for those hidden greeting cards, when I came across a section with comments from other professionals about Bakeneko... and guess who was there? (As usual, pardon my awful translation that takes more liberty than a certain statue in America could stand for.)

-Shouu Tajima (M.P.D. Psycho manga author, character designer for Kill Bill [anime segment], Kaidohmaru, Otogizoushi)
I might sound a bit bad saying this, but... watching this, I get the feeling that TV anime (late-night ones?)... still has hope.
You're making a sequel, right? I'm looking forward to it.

-Mahiro Maeda (Gankutsuou director - this comment really really made me LOL)
"Psychedelic banzai!!!!!
What's wrong with pasting something chock full of beautiful colours, beautiful patterns and beautiful pictures!?
Do more of it!!
...However, I really do like cats so I would like to request that this time it be a story not about cats, please."

-Michael Arias (Tekkon Kinkreet director)
"I was really surprised to see that ukiyo-e prints (which may even be called the roots of Japanese animation) would get turned into film exactly the way it is.
Bakeneko's got cool, absorbing visuals but at the same time it's contents and story are deep, too.
I was exhausted [by?] watching it the first time but I'd like to watch it again."


-Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, Kemonozume director)
"Dazzling! Suspence! Spectacle!
Nakamura's prolly going to make something interesting again, oh dear..."

Can't stop grinning.
It's not often Japanese anime sites contain comments from other people about the show, but this is not a normal anime.

[Snoop']

Speaking of, the official site added a little feature : an e-card is hidden somewhere in the OP picture (the one with the apothecary and the merry foxes which appears when you load the official site window)...

You can send friends 3 types of cards, like this one :

Spoiler for saving space:

(I wrote the body of the message )

[SebaZ]

is any group still subbing this?