Another - Episode 9 Discussion / Poll

[Robotech Master]

Alright, let me go out on a limb here...

What if the secret the guy left behind is based on the idea that the deaths described to us before the tape got cut off were not due to the phenomenon?

The past phenomenon related deaths have been the result of huge random acts, final destination style--well we don't know exactly how the one dude hit his head on the stairs, so might throw me off...

But based on what we know, the lightning struck guy was, well, carrying an umbrella during a lightning storm. Maybe the phenomenon altered probability, but there isn't a whole lot it has to do outide of that. Even more so for the girl who fell off the cliff. Her death is fairly undestandable. She was in a hurry, she tripped, fell off the dangerous terrain. It's not like we saw the phenomenon make her heel snap off unexpectedly.

So what if his "sin" isn't that he discovered who the Another is and killed them, but that he discovered that if a certain number of deaths are caused outside of the calamity in class 3, then it will stop? So he killed someone and made it look like the Calamity, and it stopped.

Any thoughts?

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by Robotech Master

Alright, let me go out on a limb here...

What if the secret the guy left behind is based on the idea that the deaths described to us before the tape got cut off were not due to the phenomenon?

The past phenomenon related deaths have been the result of huge random acts, final destination style--well we don't know exactly how the one dude hit his head on the stairs, so might throw me off...

But based on what we know, the lightning struck guy was, well, carrying an umbrella during a lightning storm. Maybe the phenomenon altered probability, but there isn't a whole lot it has to do outide of that. Even more so for the girl who fell off the cliff. Her death is fairly undestandable. She was in a hurry, she tripped, fell off the dangerous terrain. It's not like we saw the phenomenon make her heel snap off unexpectedly.

So what if his "sin" isn't that he discovered who the Another is and killed them, but that he discovered that if a certain number of deaths are caused outside of the calamity in class 3, then it will stop? So he killed someone and made it look like the Calamity, and it stopped.

Any thoughts?

That's actually very interesting. I do wonder if the 'curse' stops at a certain number of deaths, regardless of how they are caused.

Originally Posted by Forsaken_Infinity

If you're implying that Kouichi told her to come - I seriously doubt that. He was most definitely worrying over her safety even after she joined so he would have tried his best not to involve her. Especially because he is definitely romantically interested in her, as we know from his pulp fiction daydream. That excuse from Mei is more than likely a bold-faced lie but it only means Mei knows more than she lets on and not that Kouichi invited her behind the other two boys' backs.

I didn't say he was. Heck, we saw that he avoided the subject when he was with her. All I was saying was that, despite his best efforts to not get Mei involved, she knew what he was going to do anyway and decided to join the party.

And yes, Mei knows a lot more than she's telling. But, I don't think she does this because she doesn't want to share her thoughts with the others. She must have a very good reason not to do so right away. Maybe she can't do it unless certain conditions are met, or maybe there's something else going on that prevents her from telling everything she knows.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Lumir

And also what if believing in the phenomenon is the cause of the entire situation? It all started with people saying the dead girl was still apart of the class room, and they even took measures to make it seem like that. It would seem this entire issue is related to believing something that is not. What if their actions are actually empowering the thing they are so desperately trying to stop?

Originally Posted by Robotech Master

What if the secret the guy left behind is based on the idea that the deaths described to us before the tape got cut off were not due to the phenomenon?

...Maybe the phenomenon altered probability, but there isn't a whole lot it has to do outide of that. Even more so for the girl who fell off the cliff. Her death is fairly undestandable. She was in a hurry, she tripped, fell off the dangerous terrain. It's not like we saw the phenomenon make her heel snap off unexpectedly.

So what if his "sin" isn't that he discovered who the Another is and killed them, but that he discovered that if a certain number of deaths are caused outside of the calamity in class 3, then it will stop? So he killed someone and made it look like the Calamity, and it stopped.

Any thoughts?

I'd say that both of you have hit on a similar idea but from different directions. Like Lord of Fire, I think it's an interesting theory that fits well with the way the deaths have occurred — they were all caused by freak accidents that aren't completely outside the realm of possibility.

The main problems, however, stem from the foreshadowing that has been building up throughout the series, namely those that swirl around Mei, her dysfunctional family and her mother's macabre occupation. It almost seems as though is a parallel mystery unfolding at the same time and, given the nature of the plot, it's very likely that Mei's circumstances are key to the phenomenon.

There is the pervading theme of hollowness that invites death. Then there is motif of dolls. There is also the underlying issue about "seeing", what it takes to turn something unreal real. The ultimate answer would, I hope, tie all these elements together, so I don't think the phenomenon would just stop with whatever actions Kouichi would take. There is something that Mei herself must do, given her own particular closeness to death. More likely than not, Kouichi is just there to be an enabler, the person who makes it possible for Mei to take the final step.

All in all, I'm hoping the plot will end with that little bit of heft that would put it head and shoulders above your average scary movie, something that would put it more on par with the horror novels that are said to have inspired Another. To do so, the resolution must not just explain the mechanics of the phenomenon, but also connect at the same time with deeper moral/ethical issues that define the murkiness of humanity itself.

We have had hints of these deeper issues earlier in the show. The way the ostracism was supposed to work as a solution, compare and constrast it with the way an otherwise affirmative act became a perversion of nature (students seeking to keep alive the memory of a good friend only to unwittingly initiate an enduring curse). It almost seems to suggest that a balance is necessary. To negate a kind deed, commit an act of unkindness. To plug an emptiness, fill it up with sorrow.

Forgive me, I'm rambling. Suffice to say that I've long since given up on the mystery. Like many others have said, it isn't really the point of the show any more, as many things are already starting to play out as expected. At this point, I'm more curious to see how the various themes will tie together, and whether the revelation will spark more meta-discussions in the future.

[taichi-kun]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Er... no. "Kumo" was my best guess at reading her surname, 小椋, which should actually be read as Ogura, as confirmed by haguruma. That's the difficulty with kanji: they can have multiple pronunciations, depending on the context. Her full name is Yumi Ogura, 小椋　由美, following Japan's convention of putting given names before surnames when written in romanji.

And since we're on the topic of supporting characters, I thought I'd add my admiration for what P.A. Works did with them. While it's remarkable that a minor character like Ayano, who barely had 10 lines in the series, would evoke feelings of sadness and sympathy after her death, I think it's even more remarkable that quite a fair bit is "said" between the supporting cast — if you pay close enough attention.

Perhaps the students were given fuller details in the novel, details that an anime production could very well have just ignored to save time and money. That P.A. Works chose not to deserves praise, I feel.

oh sorry and thanks!

I agree with your opinion about minor characters

It was also hinted that nakao had a crush on izumi,he was worried about izumi going to tokyo with kouichi

I'd like to read the novel after the anime to learn more about the characters.. but I don't know japanese

edit: I think izumi is crying because ayano was her friend,they were in the same club

[warita]

In my opinion it was the best episode so far in the whole series.

The tension before the death was almost tangible, I expected somebody to die any second. I believe that the reason why suddenly people are dying so quickly one after another is, because the Sakakibara team is trying to outsmart the curse.

This is why I think so. Obviously everybody believed, that you cant die outside Yomiyama, because obviously nobody has ever died outside the town before.... but that car sick dude did. One could argue, that he was doomed to die because of his head injury and that would be correct, but he was run over by a boat nevertheless. Seems like the curse wanted to go double sure on him. And when did it happen? When they decided to visit that student from 1983 to ask him questions about the curse and I dont think it can be a coincidence..... nobody died before outside Yomiyama and now somebody did. There is a connection.

Then this episode the curse striked twice. The girls were not involved directly in the investigation, but they knew about it. And again, there is the connection to the investigation.

The bagger death served the purpose of demonstrating, that you cant avoid dying by staying at home. One of the girls said it... that the only save way is to stay at home.... well obviously that wont do it.

I loved the death on the rainy road. I knew they were gonna die, but I imagined that they will get hit by a car or aqua planing will send them flying off the cliff.... I didnt expect the stone at all, it scared me to death too, when it hit the windshield.

[germanturkey]

yeah, i jumped about a foot when the rock hit.

[Tiranas]

This has been bothering me for a while now but maybe I am just missing something or didn't pay attention: How do they reconcile the theory of the phenomenon only killing inside Yomiyama or whatever their town is called with the deaths during the class trip in '83?
That old shrine is somewhere else right? I don't have an opportunity to rewatch any episodes right now so I can't check but that would be one lame trip if they did not even leave town.

[Hakuromatsu]

Originally Posted by Tiranas

This has been bothering me for a while now but maybe I am just missing something or didn't pay attention: How do they reconcile the theory of the phenomenon only killing inside Yomiyama or whatever their town is called with the deaths during the class trip in '83?
That old shrine is somewhere else right? I don't have an opportunity to rewatch any episodes right now so I can't check but that would be one lame trip if they did not even leave town.

The name of the shrine is "Yomiyama Shrine," and it's on Mt. Yomiyama, so it's probably in town.

[Oyashiro]

Hmm... More or less, most of these deaths have been hinted at/foreshadowed before they happened: Yukari sprained her ankle a few days before she tripped and fell down the stairs. Heartattack!boy was noted for having heart problems before he had his heart attack. The elevator/hospital were already shown to be old/dysfunctional before the nurse crashed in the elevator. Boat!boy was getting sick before he passed out in the water. Not to mention we saw the boat floating around before it ran over him... The actress was almost crushed by broken glass long before something broke on the glass in the front of her family's car and made them crash.

In this episode, those lockers fell on top of Teshigawara in the old Class 3. He was fine then, but what if that's foreshadowing he'll be crushed to death later on? I mean, there is a clip of a falling chandelier in the OP...

[DragoZERO]

It's like the curse decreases your luck stats so that things that wouldn't normally kill you, do.

Like Lancer.

[Frailty]

now I'm beginning to wonder how sturdy those cliff barricades are
the car isn't running that fast and the driver's reflexes are so slow the driver forgot to hit the breaks. even though it was raining, it should still work

oh well ┐(￣ー￣)┌

Another Physics lol

[Hakuromatsu]

Originally Posted by Frailty

now I'm beginning to wonder how sturdy those cliff barricades are
the car isn't running that fast and the driver's reflexes are so slow the driver forgot to hit the breaks. even though it was raining, it should still work

oh well ┐(￣ー￣)┌

Another Physics lol

It's possible her father hit the gas instead of the brake in the heat of the moment; the car would've had to accelerate to break through the guard that easily, like you said.

[Guido]

In terms of suspense thriller and high tension, the ninth episode ranks amongst the best.

The tape recording found at the old-school building was probably one of the most tense moments, heightened by the eerie atmosphere and the haunting soundtrack.

Spoiler:

My first thoughts were that something would be thrown out of the blue as the kids attempted to play the tape like, for example, one of the kids accidentally short-circuit any of the old electronic equipment triggering a fire that surely would have claimed either of Mochizuki or Teshigawara.

But, my suspicions for the previous episode took an interesting in turn. That's because I did not believe in any moment that it would turn easy to retrieve Matsunaga's memento, and then the kids use it right away. The forces behind the calamity would make sure to interfere.

And, they did because Teshigawara's little, stupid blunder with ruining the tape costed Kouichi and the others Matsunagas' efforts. Subsequently, that tape is lost momentarily in limbo for the moment, but it's gonna be hard to get it fixed due to the forces interfering.
I'm pretty much worried about Mochizuki, because he commented that the tape could be fixed, and Teshigawara nominated him for the task.

I'm glad the accidents and incidents are executed spontaneously, because many of them that I witnessed could happen in real-life.

Spoiler:

Getting struck with the lightning bolt is possible but not likely in a general scenario, unless the material for the umbrella is metal or some conductor material.

Running down the mountain while raining and on slippery terrain it's definitely both possible and likely to end up in disaster.

The car accident on the roadway by the cliff is as well possible if one is not careful while driving by the side or beneath an area where rock landslide can happen.

[TinyRedLeaf]

A quick question: The official English title of the next episode is "Glass Eye". I don't think it's a direct translation of the Japanese title, 漆黑, is it? The kanji literally mean "pitch black".

I ask because "Body Paint" doesn't seem to be a direct translation of 連鎖 either. The kanji literally mean "connected locks".

Similarly, the title for Ep8, "Hair Stand", doesn't correspond with its Japanese version, 紺碧 ("dark blue-jade green").

[Squarecrow]

I think someone mentioned they have a different Japanese and English title so they can have 2 different titles for the same episode.

Pretty sure that was in the Guilty Crown forum though.

[sa547]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

A quick question: The official English title of the next episode is "Glass Eye". I don't think it's a direct translation of the Japanese title, 漆黑, is it? The kanji literally mean "pitch black".

I ask because "Body Paint" doesn't seem to be a direct translation of 連鎖 either. The kanji literally mean "connected locks".

Similarly, the title for Ep8, "Hair Stand", doesn't correspond with its Japanese version, 紺碧 ("dark blue-jade green").

Reminds me of those episode titles used in Eva, in which there are two completely different titles, one in English and another in kanji.

[Dengar]

You know... I thought it was established that the calamity was like a force of nature. So it would make absolutely no sense for it to "magically cause a fire just because kids were listening to some tape".

If you ask me, the whole thing works more like a script. That's like kind of this:

if (conditions unknown)
{
var victim = selectVictim(parameters unknown);
victim.changeOdds(parameters unknown, but it presumably changes the odds of bad stuff happening to this person);
}

[NoemiChan]

Watching this episode over and over again... still leaves me wondering...

It's not a pleasant way to die....

Spoiler for [B]Avoid the following habits[/B]:

Running down the stairs with a umbrella.
Always using the elevator of an old building.
Speaking of stressful things when you have a heart disease.
Failing your teacher regarding classroom policy. It's gonna be messy.
Chasing Wilson.
Always inside your room.
Driving on mountain roads in rainy day

[TinyRedLeaf]

It's actually surprising that no one has thought of it yet...


...where's "Shrimp", aka Reiko?



For a hint:

Images

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Spoiler for my guess:

Top picture: Front row, first from right.

Bottom pic: Second from left.

[ookamigirl]

So there's one less schoolmate around... + some more ^^"
It was a pretty stupid way to die, but I guess they just can't escape the curse no matter what they do.
Well, at least the others are still trying to figure out a way to stop it.
Searching through the old classroom was a good idea!
Dammit, I really wanted to hear that tape whole.