(L) UN-GO (noitaminA, BONES)

[Kismet-chan]

I'll agree with most others in that this episode was better than the first. However it's still leaving something to be desired in some way that I can't put my finger on... But it's definitely not bad in any way.

[Dop]

I definitely agree that the point of this show is not the 'mystery of the week' but the bigger picture. Censorship, cover-ups, conspiracies, and the conveniently deceased framed for crimes they did not commit. There's something rotten and I think that's the purpose Shinjurou and Inga are there for.

This week we saw that our detective wasn't entirely defeated as some downloads were made and An's song spread around. Nice song too.

Shaping up to be my favourite of this season's Noitamina shows.

[DezoPenguin]

Watched the first two episodes yesterday and today, and I have to say, this is shaping up to be a fascinating show. The noir sensibilities are very strong (I have to agree with the comment mentioned by someone else on another forum where the ending of episodes were compared to the classic line, "It's Chinatown, Jake"). It was one thing where...

Spoiler for Spoilery stuff:

In the first episode, the crime was blamed on the dead woman to save the reputation of the political elite. The dead are, after all, dead, and can't be hurt any more. However, in the second episode, Aramaki was, apparently killed by the Prosecutor's Office specifically so that he couldn't defend himself against charges. So not only is the government involved in information manipulation, cover-ups, and conspiracies, they're also going out and hunting down innocent people in order to preserve those conspiracies.

I was also struck by how, in Episode 1, Koyama Izumi was openly contemptuous of Shinjurou when they encountered one another in the elevator. However, it was quickly shown that Koyama knows very well that Shinjurou is always right, and that Shinjurou apparently doesn't have any of the "I will fight for the truth!" attitude of someone who would be Koyama's actual opponent in terms of her political goals--so where does her contempt come from?

Then, of course, we have Inga. He/she is a fascinating addition to the series, whether supernatural or scientific, since he/she seems to be the one character who is genuinely devoted to discovering/revealing the truth of things--but for his/her own reasons that have nothing to do with concepts like "justice" or "right/wrong."

Shinjurou's comments about "entropy" and "humans falling" tend to come off as a little heavy-handed, though are certainly fitting. I'm rather interested in his background, his relationship with Kaishou (they apparently have a past together), and where Rie is going to fit into it all.

Definitely an attractive new show, with interesting mysteries, setting, and social commentary over the first couple of episodes.

[Flower]

Hrm ... well, after ep 2 I am even more doubtful about following this one. The "looking in the mirror and intellectually posing like a tragic quest seeking hero dialogue" by the male lead atthe end really ruined the ep for me....

6/10 vote from me on this one....

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by DezoPenguin

Watched the first two episodes yesterday and today, and I have to say, this is shaping up to be a fascinating show. The noir sensibilities are very strong (I have to agree with the comment mentioned by someone else on another forum where the ending of episodes were compared to the classic line, "It's Chinatown, Jake"). It was one thing where...

I've seen other people compare Un-Go to noir and honestly as a noir fan I just don't see it. Then again I also like the classic stuff more than neo-noir.

Perhaps that is what the creators were aiming for with the corruption underneath the surface here but the mood & style doesn't feel right to me at all. I just can't see a character like Inga in a noir. But then again maybe you would in anime noir.

Although I have to say I think the closest anime ever got to a noir that I have seen was Monster

[FateAnomaly]

Murdering her mother just because she doesn't allow her to sing is too much. If her desire is so strong she should just made herself independent of her mother.

This series just isn't doing it for me. There doesn't seem to be a point in the detective's presence except to show the viewers how corrupted the setting is. Sure some people managed to download some music which incidentally is also to the benefit of the murderer. Sorry but i have no sympathy to someone who murders for no good reason and tried to frame some other innocent people.

[kuroishinigami]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

Murdering her mother just because she doesn't allow her to sing is too much. If her desire is so strong she should just made herself independent of her mother.

This series just isn't doing it for me. There doesn't seem to be a point in the detective's presence except to show the viewers how corrupted the setting is. Sure some people managed to download some music which incidentally is also to the benefit of the murderer. Sorry but i have no sympathy to someone who murders for no good reason and tried to frame some other innocent people.

You forgot that her mother is an influential person in the music industry. One word from her and no one would be your producer, especially in Asian society like Japan. That's the reason she has to kill her mother, not that I say it's the "right" decision, but it's not as ridiculous as you said.

The detective is there to bring the truth to light, although it might be very obvious to the viewer even before the detective character said it, so he does has a role besode showing the viewers how corrupt the world setting is. As for sympathy, yes, I also can't sympathize with murderer no matter the reason, but the music symbolize more than just the girl's benefit, it synbolize freedom of expression.

[FateAnomaly]

She could have just sing on youtube or something. She is willing to just put her voice on the doll program without getting recognition so i assume she just really wanted to hear her songs played. She doesn't really need any producer.

[creb]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

She could have just sing on youtube or something. She is willing to just put her voice on the doll program without getting recognition so i assume she just really wanted to hear her songs played. She doesn't really need any producer.

Call me crazy, but I get the impression they don't have a Youtube in this big brother society they live in.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

She could have just sing on youtube or something. She is willing to just put her voice on the doll program without getting recognition so i assume she just really wanted to hear her songs played. She doesn't really need any producer.

Given that nearly every download of the song she sang on was blocked almost immediately, I agree with creb that YouTube and unrestricted Internet access is not allowed. (Think China and its Great Firewall that restricts the Internet.) It's becoming obvious to me that the people in this show live in a rigidly controlled authoritarian society.

[Kismet-chan]

I noticed something. In the first episode, when Inga turns into Panda Lady thing, he/she/it's very playful and loving towards Shinjurou. In the second episode, Inga was aggressive and even sort of threatening after turning into that form.

Makes me wonder more about how they met and conditions of their relationship, but of course, that will be in the movie... >_> Perhaps I'm reading into it too much.

[creb]

Originally Posted by Kismet-chan

I noticed something. In the first episode, when Inga turns into Panda Lady thing, he/she/it's very playful and loving towards Shinjurou. In the second episode, Inga was aggressive and even sort of threatening after turning into that form.

Makes me wonder more about how they met and conditions of their relationship, but of course, that will be in the movie... >_> Perhaps I'm reading into it too much.

He hinted at the relationship in episode two, and when we look at episode one, my guess is that Inga saved Shinjurou's life in exchange for Shinjurou agreeing to reveal the truth of the world or some other philosophical mumbo-jumbo to him. Regardless of how it may appear on the surface, it seems apparent that Inga is in the driver's seat in this relationship. It's basically a variation on the devil who gave the mortal a gift and then owns that mortal theme.

[kuroishinigami]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

She could have just sing on youtube or something. She is willing to just put her voice on the doll program without getting recognition so i assume she just really wanted to hear her songs played. She doesn't really need any producer.

When you have someone that can ban songs from a group to circulate on the net, I reckon posting it on youtube will only get it removed 1 second after it's uploaded, or even during the uploading and no one will be able to hear it.

[Battler-kun]

I like this show, i like it already.

People shouldn't look into this show because of the "detective" part. They will be disappointed.
As someone said ,it is much more about the bigger picture but at the same time, there is much to be explained in case of Inga (sexy, devilish violent) and the main protagonist.

And in the OP you could see that the main prot. will wander around in "Heibo (DtB)"-style.

I will follow it until the end.
Also i like the OP.

[wandering-dreamer]

Spoiler for episode 3:

Ooooh, two parter this time, I had been hoping the story would have some multi-episode stories. Really liked the world-building bit in the beginning (and Rei's way of getting around the law, she does have a point, she's not allowed to break the law so she has to do weird stuff like that) and nice to see it tie back into the mystery. It's really interesting to compare the world building to No. 6 which had a lot in the original novels but not int he anime, UN-GO is shaping up to be my favorite of the noitaminA shows this season.

[miketyson]

EP 3: I really like how Inga and Shinjuro interact. Just all-around funny. I also like Shinjuro's personality the way it's developing, he's reserved but not boring.

Spoiler for Spoilers:

So glad this is a 2-parter, b/c it literally just stops cold at the last second. Like, it stops @ a place where they *could* have stopped it, but if they'd stopped it there it would've been completely, shark-jumpingly terrible. The preview for part 2 looks like it'll be a lot of fun.

The actual "mystery" was probably the most obvious it's been so far. My suspicion is that there's some other Inga-like entity involved this time, based on the way the power dropped out early in the episode. We'll see.

Also: the prostitute from early on: I didn't see her get introduced. First time that's happened for someone with more than 1 or 2 lines.

[Haak]

I just knew Kazamori was a robot. The masks and the history lesson on their father was just too big a giveaway.

Anyway, it's at least a good thing that it's a two parter.

[creb]

It was another solid episode, and I suppose we can see some more crystals of an overarching plot as we are shown Rie is a young, naive, entitled, little girl who won't stand for all the covering up of everything those grownups do! So, I can already see that the crusts on Shinjuuru's cynicism and fatalism will be shaken in the face of our resident cutie-pie. Whether this culminates in some climax where they upend the Big Brother society they live in in only eight more episodes is questionable, as I'm still not sure the Big Picture Plot is really going to play any real part outside of window dressing.

I just wish I cared about any of the actual mysteries they've covered so far.

[Sides]

Kind of like Rie, I like how she justifies using a horse as transport. I suspect that all cases are somehow connected.

[ars89]

Lol at the Prostitute's case. Nice job by Rie not breaking the law. Think the father's research gave away what Kazamori was. Nice to see Inga's actual transformation. Nice its a 2 parter.