(L) Bonen no Xamdou (Xam'd: Lost Memories)

[Xander]

This series was consistently great but the ending didn't fully meet my expectations, although that has probably a lot more to do with the lack of enough episodes to properly flesh out some things, like the revelations and twists that came up during the final two or three episodes. You have some characters who had a good conclusion, which is always nice, but I'm still not quite content with the way Akiyuki was handled in the end and some confusion still remains. I'm actually a little glad I wasn't the only person who didn't "get" every single thing.

Yes, as it is I obviously like the ending on an emotional level because it makes me feel happy and all that, this is not a complaint from my point of view, but sometimes I feel like wanting a bit more. I would still say it's one of the better series from this past year.

It may be wishing for too much, but perhaps when the DVDs come out in Japan we might get some new material? I don't know what track record Bones has in this regard.

[Nosauz]

best part of the finale was when kaylee's song busts out in the middle of the episode, god thats definitely one of the best eds of the year

[fleng]

Well marathoned Eureka 7 before episode 26 of Xam'd, bawed. Ending of episode 26 also left me bawed , am watching RahXephon right now, creepy haunting show.

[Kanon]

A good ending to a good series. There were times I felt very disappointed with it, but looking back, it's actually pretty good, just not really what I had expected.

Spoiler:

Damn, they totally got me with Hinokimaru, not matter how impossible it might be (and after seeing all those characters alive), I really thought it was Raigyo for a second.

It's sad to think Ishu and Yango will wait for Nakiami their whole life, even though they know they have pretty much no chance to see her again, unless she gets out of the chamber early. Nakiami's fate reminds me of Gunbuster.

[Shiroth]

No surprise, i get a bad rep just for saying that i like the ending.

[aardvark]

Good and pretty satisfying ending to the series. It could have been better like many things about the series, but it still managed to tie up pretty much everything that mattered. Glad that they devoted it entirely to a mostly epilogue too.

There are so many great moments and aspects to the series, yet at the same time, so many missed opportunities. I'm glad it was made however, as flawed a series as it is, I enjoyed following it the last 6 months, though I was never as engaged as much I was with Eureka Seven or Rahxephon, but I really enjoyed the ride, as much as I bitched about certain things.

I could probably write a good deal on it, since this was my most anticipated show of 08, but I don't know. I wish that it was better, but in a way, I don't really mind the way that its turned out. I'm glad that even the new younger staff at BONES are keeping the studios traditional spirit alive (even if they arent as good yet), rather than succumbing to the soullessness and ugliness of shows like Geass.

[ghstwrld]

Hm. The neg rep probably has something to do with that bit in which you dismissed some folks' honest opinions/contributions because they don't align with your own.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by ghstwrld

Hm. The neg rep probably has something to do with that bit in which you dismissed some folks honest opinions/contributions because they don't align with your own.

& that's a reason for a bad rep?

I'm just stating that a lot of people were expecting something different for the ending, and going by past Bones shows what we got was very expected.

[Majek]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

& that's a reason for a bad rep?

I'm just stating that a lot of people were expecting something different for the ending, and going by past Bones shows what we got was very expected.

I told you, they're hilarious

[7Th]

Such a laid-back and down-to-earth could have benefited from more atmospheric direction. It was just there and without much purpose in itself other than providing some kind of hackneyed explanation of what happened to the characters.

Bones has been able to provide similar action-less episodes with more satisfying storytelling and compelling visuals in the past.

[cerrian]

Pretty good ending and it brought just the right amount of closure. As someone else pointed out, it's incredibly bittersweet a la Gunbuster but that's what makes it so damn good.

The only thing they really needed to show in this last ep was

Spoiler:

Akiyuki breaking out of the stone...or Nakiami awakening a 1000 years later.

Having rewatched the early scenes of this ep. I'm reminded of just how important the Nakiami and little Akiyuki on the hill top scene was to setting up the ending with Akiyuki and Haru.

[Nosauz]

Question kinda contains spoiler

Spoiler:

I really didn't get the Ishu/Nakiami relationship, it seemed like it was at first a love polygon between ishu, raigo and the poet but then at the end ishu is crying about nakiami while she sits in her room. Did I miss some yuri developments? Also on closure since they brought up this other dude in raigo's death scene it would have been nice to see that idea fleshed out.

[Samanosuke]

Originally Posted by Nosauz

Question kinda contains spoiler

Spoiler:

I really didn't get the Ishu/Nakiami relationship, it seemed like it was at first a love polygon between ishu, raigo and the poet but then at the end ishu is crying about nakiami while she sits in her room. Did I miss some yuri developments? Also on closure since they brought up this other dude in raigo's death scene it would have been nice to see that idea fleshed out.

Spoiler for answer:

They had a parent - child relationship. Well at least that's what I understood/how I saw it. This is also one of the reasons Ishu may have appeared to be hard on Nakiami at times , she was just an overprotective parent . That and the fact that she couldn't express herself well . I don't remember much in the older episodes but I'm pretty sure Nakiami regards Ishu as her parent too.
well , someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[fleng]

Originally Posted by Samanosuke

Spoiler for answer:

They had a parent - child relationship. Well at least that's what I understood/how I saw it. This is also one of the reasons Ishu may have appeared to be hard on Nakiami at times , she was just an overprotective parent . That and the fact that she couldn't express herself well . I don't remember much in the older episodes but I'm pretty sure Nakiami regards Ishu as her parent too.
well , someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Spoiler for "Answer for the ending":

Yeah thats right, Nakiami and Ishu have a Parent/Child relation. Ishu was crying because she lost her 'daughter' Nakiami.

Just to help those in lost of the series.

Nakiami sacrificed herself to be sealed for 1000 years so those idiots(thousands and thousands) would not have to kill themselves at the chamber (those people in the purple robes).

Akiyuki sacrificed himself by ending the Emperor, once the Emperor had a name, he can finally rest in peace.

[Celestial Kitsune]

Episode 26 (End) Photoessay.

Nakiyame

Spoiler:

She looks great

Spoiler:

[Yushi]

Spoiler for Ep 26:

T_T Oh WHEW I'm so glad Akiyuki 'woke up'. I was worried that the series would end with Haru going to visit that rock for the rest of her life O_O And I'm also glad that Akiyuki ended up with Haru ^_^ In the beginning, I was worried that he would end up with Nakiyami.
Speaking of Nakiyami... =< I feel so bad that she has to be sealed for 1000 years. But I think this was what she wanted. O_o
Goodness, Yango sure changed! And I really thought that was Raigyo LOL. But I was like, "? When did Raigyo turn into a loli?"

Overall, I really liked this series. I would prefer it if they stuck with one "party" instead of multiples, because it made the pace a bit strange at times. But over all, I really liked it ^_^
They never really explained why Haru could hear the Xam'd's voices though. ? Maybe it was just some "natural talent"?

[Nosauz]

Spoiler:

another question, so is nakiyami really the daughter of sannova? it feels like in the last meeting that it could be the metaphorical daughter, but since the ishu issue has been said to be a mother-daughter thing, it just makes me wonder.

[SageGaiGar]

Originally Posted by Nosauz

Spoiler:

another question, so is nakiyami really the daughter of sannova? it feels like in the last meeting that it could be the metaphorical daughter, but since the ishu issue has been said to be a mother-daughter thing, it just makes me wonder.

I'd say, more metaphorical daughter... definitely her successor.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

No surprise, i get a bad rep just for saying that i like the ending.

Bad rep for stating a personal opinion is certainly childish. If a person disagrees, it would be far more helpful to post a rebuttal. But, ah well, that's the way the rep system works.

That said though, I, too, disagree strongly with your opinion. I'm not disappointed with the conclusion because of overly high expectations for the show — that's an unfair statement for you to make in the first place (you're essentially saying, "I think it's great, and if you don't agree with me, it's because you're too dumb to 'get it'.")

I like action when it's done well. I like happy endings, especially when they are well deserved. Xamdou succeeds extremely well in the animation, action and music departments, but when it comes to its story, it falls completely flat — the entire storyline is actually a half-baked interpretation of Nausicaa's main theme of the value of struggling against inevitability.

Those who've read Miyazaki's manga would know what I mean. Watching Ep26, I couldn't help wincing at how badly Xamdou's writers misunderstand the very concepts that they are trying to portray. And that detracts tremendously from my viewing pleasure. Ultimately, Xamdou's story makes very little sense, in terms of character motivations and plot development.

If you think differently, try explaining why Nakiami and Sannova made the decisions that they did. Try examining the logic behind Sannova's "religion". In the end, what are the writers trying to say? That nihilism is good? That it's something to struggle against? How so?

They've tried to cast Nakiami into a messianic role, similar to Neo in Matrix Revolutions, but failed to build up her motivations effectively. Her actions, in the end, just don't add up. Hence this hollow feeling despite a gloriously animated ending.

[Twisted Reality]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

& that's a reason for a bad rep?

I'm just stating that a lot of people were expecting something different for the ending, and going by past Bones shows what we got was very expected.

You're saying that you liked the ending for what it was.

We're saying we hated the ending.

It's just that you're taking the extra step to imply that were just so stupid for not anticipating it. Shame on us for actually having some basic expectations. We hoped would Bones would make a halfway decent shot at redeeming themselves. If not, no biggie. We'll just talk about how much we hated it and move on. We're just posing our opinion on the show, just like you are.

Oh yeah, then there was that time you deliberately mistook my rhetorical affect for simple illiteracy. That was fun.

Let me bottom-line this for you:
We *can* tell when you're being a condescending prick. So don't claim foul-play or ignorance. It's certainly done nothing to win my sympathies for you.