Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen - Episode 1 Discussion / Poll

[Sacredus]

Well, it's not like Hakuoro was working day and night (from his own will - paperwork).

Anyway. I just loved Kuon reactions in this episode. I will not judge series based on this episode, but it feels just like first Utawarerumono series. IMO it's best 1st episode this season ATM.

[Om Nerabdator]

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

previous series, but I'm not holding my breath. For all I know this series could take place long in the future and the original cast of characters could be long dead.

im guessing this is set like a hundred years after the other ones, so im guessing only hakoru and maybe the angel girls are still around

[Nachtwandler]

Originally Posted by Om Nerabdator

im guessing this is set like a hundred years after the other ones, so im guessing only hakoru and maybe the angel girls are still around

I repeat once more. This series takes place less than 20 years after the first one. They already announced 6 charas from S1 reappearing. And there's a big spoiler about Kuon. Although anime only viewers won't get it.

Kuon's words about Hakuoro being a long-time legend doesn't mean that couple of hundreds years passed. You just got it wrong.

[tsunade666]

ah the savior of this season!!!! this season is full of mediocre harem shows that its utterly boring to watch! thank goodness for small miracles like this and owari.

First episode is also the best of the season for me.

They are just introducing the character of the characters and its not done in an overly cliche way.

One is a responsible person and the other is a lazy smart guy I like the dynamic.

Though I didn't expect for Kuon to be a heavy eater. She kept eating those huge pancake? or okinomiyaki? or whatever it is called.

[Key Board]

Originally Posted by Nvis

Is Haku going to be a badass?

His VA is the guy that voices all the badass characters (ex. Toujou Basara's dad, Jin from Testament).

Doesn't seem to fit him, kinda old, IMO.

Anyways, Kuon is awesome!

His VA usually plays villains or bad people. I find this hilarious and entertaining.

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by tsunade666

ah the savior of this season!!!! this season is full of mediocre harem shows that its utterly boring to watch! thank goodness for small miracles like this and owari.

First episode is also the best of the season for me.

They are just introducing the character of the characters and its not done in an overly cliche way.

One is a responsible person and the other is a lazy smart guy I like the dynamic.

Though I didn't expect for Kuon to be a heavy eater. She kept eating those huge pancake? or okinomiyaki? or whatever it is called.

Wait Owari is a small miracle (didn't that show just basically steadily decline immediately after the first episode?)

Still, I agree this was a really good first episode. They managed to introduce the cast in a nice way, keeping the focus on the main duo almost entirely from start to finish.

It was a bit surprising that she ate so much, though makes sense with how hard she works. Probably needs to eat to keep up the amount of energy she throws into everything .

[ookamigirl]

I've watched the original from 2006 so decided to give this a try.
Seems similar, but like an alternate version of the original.
According to ANN it's related to the original, but not a sequel.
Bath time was LOL
Kuon seems nice enough ^^
Haku is just lazy...
This looks interesting enough.
Might give it a try.

[Nachtwandler]

Damn. I repeat last time. It is a sequel. And ANN never to be trusted.

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Green²

So true. I believe that the other guy is still learning.

Indeed, when I saw that tail grab, I too thought he's clumsy about it. Hakuoro just gently stroked Eruru's tail without placing any real pressure on it, but Haku just grabbed as hard as he could, like he meant to pull whatever creature he was seeing out from its hiding place. You can sometimes touch a cat's tail, but you absolutely never grab it like that. He's lucky she didn't try to rip his face off.

I must admit I too have taken a very fast liking to Kuon. A very fun, cool-looking and cute little cat-girl. One of the good things about Utawarerumono was that it generally avoided the stereotypes without letting you miss them. I love the different stereotypical characters, but these more real characters are just awesome. And Kuon's interest in Haku is precious. Her reactions when peeping and immediately afterward were adorable. Still, she's made it quite clear that she doesn't know what curiosity does to cats.

My one concern is someone's statement that this takes place only 16-18 years in the future. If the game was a strategy game just like its predecessor, this doesn't bode well. Hopefully this takes place far enough away that Haku's kingdom won't have to butt heads with the empire Hakuoro built, but it seems that'd take quite some distance considering how thorough he was. The only alternatives I can think of are either Haku's going to have to butt heads with them, damaging everything Hakuoro built, or something happened after the end of the previous series, returning the land to its former war-torn and unjust state. Both sound unpleasant for a fan. One might suggest that he just allies himself with the empire, but the previous series generally made it sound like Hakuoro conquered the better portion of the land available for the simple purpose of eliminating enemies who actively attacked, which would mean his empire's a little too large and powerful to make a mere "ally".

[tsunade666]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Wait Owari is a small miracle (didn't that show just basically steadily decline immediately after the first episode?)

Wait its going bad?

I haven't watched the episode yet so I can't tell and I also didn't look at the thread. All of owari will be a totally new experience for me.

But its bad? ughh....

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

I liked the atmosphere and it was a fine introductory episode (first time this season?), but I couldn't help but notice the heroine(?)'s speech pattern and "watakushi" thing.

What's the problem with watakushi speech pattern?

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

My one concern is someone's statement that this takes place only 16-18 years in the future. If the game was a strategy game just like its predecessor, this doesn't bode well. Hopefully this takes place far enough away that Haku's kingdom won't have to butt heads with the empire Hakuoro built,

The world map was already revealed before.

This is happening around Russia and Tuskuru or the country that Hakuoro built is around norther Japan.

[Hmm....]

I actually like both of new MCs than original ones. Hakuoro and Eruru is too much of gentleman and good housewife, too typical of protagonists. I especially like Haku's smart.....ly lazy attitude. He should be more fitting at leading role than Hakuoro. Perhaps not as respected ruler but more as a cunning advisor.

[ReddyRedWolf]

After almost 10 years here we go again!

This new incarnation of Hakuoro is less serious than his previous self. Cat girl while being like a nagging wife is a bit of a pervert, not to mention a big eater.

Kuon calling him Haku saying its historically significant... If she only knew.

I don't remember Hakuoro being pathetic with manual labor and being lazy. Well there was a time he wants to run away from paper work.

Oh those blobs... They are still suffering for what they did to Hakuoro's wife. Well they wanted to live forever and they got it.

[watisit]

Haku's VA sounds like 8man to me

Edit: Only when he's complaining though

And I think Kuon knows about people with no tails nor furry ears. And it's probably in legends/myths.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I loved Taneda Risa as Kuon. Brilliant, subtle voicing, full of character. And I know Fujiwara Keiji has talent and skill, though I didn't get much of it in this episode. As for everything else, I was pretty meh about it.

I'll be back for ep2, if only for Taneda-san, but after starting with high hopes, I came to feel the ep was slow and pedestrian -- as I felt about the original series. Your mileage is free to vary, and I hope my own enjoyment will grow, too.

[HayashiTakara]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Wait Owari is a small miracle (didn't that show just basically steadily decline immediately after the first episode?)

Still, I agree this was a really good first episode. They managed to introduce the cast in a nice way, keeping the focus on the main duo almost entirely from start to finish.

It was a bit surprising that she ate so much, though makes sense with how hard she works. Probably needs to eat to keep up the amount of energy she throws into everything .

Yes, Owari, became garbage immediately after the first episode. From it's dark serious tone, to friendship is magic shonen.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by tsunade666

What's the problem with watakushi speech pattern?

Like I said, noticeable is noticeable, that's all. Just like how people speak normally with "I" or "Me", but you come across a person that is different and you stop at that for a moment going, "Oh..."

[Elestia]

Damn has it been so long since Utawarerumono? I feel so old right now. Was a great series. This episode started pretty strong as well. Kuon peeping on Haku was a nice reversal of tropes.

[Flower]

I thought the first ep was pretty good on the whole. Have already been thinking of possible connections between the original series story and characters and the ones that have shown up thus far.

This series is doing a good job thus far in my opinion: just enough to remind the original series viewers of events and yet different at the same time AND able to stand on its own as a story, so it engages many different audiences ... and rather successfully, I think.

[Iron Maw]

This was definitely my favorite premiere out everything I've watched this season by far despite little happening in it. I was surprised when it eneded. Definitely a breath of fresh air after coming off Asterick and Rakaudai moments ago. Loved the reverse of usual tropes at play here.

Kuon and Haku are immediately likable on first episode just because well they play off eachother. I don't mind Haku being lazy (and kind of klutz) at all either since it just means he's not Hakuoro 2.0 nor doesn't suggest he's not just as capable when comes down to it as hinted at during the watermill scene. Kuon is just fun character all round and is surprisingly balanced personality wise. She has just right amount respectability and playfulness without over doing either and becoming annoying.

So unless the next couple episodes go extremely south here on this is keeper for sure.

[Random Wanderer]

Speaking as someone who didn't watch the first series, didn't play the game, and knows very little about the universe beyond some fragments of discussion caught here and there, this wasn't a particularly bad first episode. I found it interesting that Kuon is apparently several times stronger than Haku.

Since I am aware that the VN for the original was adult oriented, what are the odds of Kuon being the child of one of the previous heroines? It seems like a thing that some authors would like to do.