(L) UN-GO (noitaminA, BONES)

[miketyson]

Thanks so much for translating that for us, Quarkboy, it really helps clear up what the show's about.

[Guido]

Recently concluded this show's last episode.

I admit they did a fine job pacing the development, the climax, and the conclusion. Shinjuurou unraveling the greater scheme of the conspiracy up to explaining the device behind the culprit's impersonation was well-rounded.

What I do not understand were Hayamis' motivations for helping Full Circle, hence, it would require from me to watch the last episode a second time around to pick-up on the details.

Spoiler:

He confessed to used Bettenou's power so that his superior would look at him with greater eyes, as she did for Kaishou Rinroku?

Is that what truly motivated him?

I'm using pop-culture references between Kaishou and Shinjuurou, because although those two will never be able to see eye for an eye to each other both can be driven to pursue same commonalities.

Kaishou, basically, focuses that people can find an inherent good within themselves but this can only happen eventually confronting their truths and gaining experience from the regrets or mistakes they did once facing their personal truth.

On the other hand, Shinjuurou is quite the anti-thesis to Kaishou. Shinjuurou doesn't suggest he's fatalistic with human nature but rather realistic. He exposes people truths, because by nature humans are unwilling and reluctant to face the truths hidden in their personal shames, regrets, vulgarities, and every nastiness that they commit or were commited on them during the span of their lives.

Overall, when I picked-up this show three months ago I didn't expect what would I be getting from it, but it was nice mystery-thriller ride.

This is the first title I've concluded for this fall season, and, overall, likely the first anime which I would be closing with the entire year.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by fertygo

So how come police not caught him and everybody is like "umm.. ok"?
Comes to think about it, maybe I'm not missing something, but more like their act make me dumbfounded. Still satisfying conclusion though.

Shinjurou didn't have any concrete evidence to back up his accusation. Furthermore, Izumi would do everything in her power to protect Kaishou. He's not exactly above the law, but he's damn close.

[DezoPenguin]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Shinjurou didn't have any concrete evidence to back up his accusation. Furthermore, Izumi would do everything in her power to protect Kaishou. He's not exactly above the law, but he's damn close.

In addition, the Public Security Force guy whose name I can't remember immediately claimed responsibility for the killing, making Kaishou, at worst, an accessory to the crime--but given the complete lack of evidence (indeed, Shinjurou specifically stated that one of the reasons for having the explosion be the cause of apparent suicide was to conceal the evidence of how Mizuno died, so not only wasn't there any proof as to who killed him, but even that it was murder at all).

But hey, let's talk about the good news! Sentai did get Episode 0 to go with their North America release!

[wandering-dreamer]

There are also some stills of episode 0 up on the official website (spoilers obviously) and the series is getting an artbook it seems. Finally, some merchandise, Kazamori plushie and Inga's hat.

[ifk]

Originally Posted by Guido

Recently concluded this show's last episode.

Spoiler:

He confessed to used Bettenou's power so that his superior would look at him with greater eyes, as she did for Kaishou Rinroku?

Is that what truly motivated him?

Spoiler:

He likes her, but she likes Rinroku. So he is doing all this because he is jealous.

[ookamigirl]

This anime had a lot of potential to have a whole bunch of episodes and lots of fans, but ending it after just 11 episodes was a mistake.
UN-GO was something I would have continued watching since it was really interesting with a bonus of Inga & other unusual characters.
It's a shame it's over so soon.

[felix]

Yes it definetly ended too early. Probably one of the more solid shows of the year.

Then again one has to wonder if they could have kept the quality if they had continued.

Regardless I hope it comes back at some point.

[Master_Yoma]

A good ending and Sasa in twintails

8/10 maybe worth getting if its dubbed

[blue_sora]

Oh wow, I just watched this because Irino Miyu, I never thought his supporting character will turn into the main villain Explains the ED with arrows pointing at Hayama.

UN-GO was satisfying as a commentary of politics and conspiracies, but not so much as a mystery series. From the beginning I already know Hayama has Bettenou, heck, the series doesn't even try to conceal with leaving very apparent hints to the viewers. I was never convinced that Kaishou had her so Shinjurou's accusation to Kaishou just become a 'when will he realise he was wrong' moment to me, which I don't know if that was the intended effect.

Hayama's motive of love towards prosecuter disappoints me a bit, I thought he was tired of covering up Kaishou's tracks that motivates him. I feel weird too that Inga saves him because of Bettenou but maybe this is a case of you should live to face your punishments.

As a conclusion, the mysteries of UN-GO is very entertaining but not that good, its strong points lies on the conspiracies and political setting lies behind the mysteries, not the mysteries itself.

[mechalord]

I will probably marathon this show now that it's done. Is there going to be a second season or is it a one shot deal?

[felix]

Currently, it along with the Movie, which is a prequel, seem to have been intended as a oneshot deal.

[Battler-kun]

Sure has a lot of allusions
But other than that it is hollow.

Pretentious

6/10

I like both opening and ending though.

[xDisturbedjeans]

now, i haven't watched episode 11 yet(im about o watch it now) but i know they had one of the episodes on theaters in between 6,7 or 8. (i forget) is it ever going to be available for us to see?

[LKK]

@xDisturbedjeans: You're talking about episode 0, I suspect. It was a 45 minute episode that was shown in Japanese theaters for about 2 weeks. It has a separate Blue-ray/DVD release in Japan. Here in the US, Sentai has announced that episode 0 will be included with the US Blue-ray/DVD release. Whether CR or TAN will stream episode has not been announced.

[xDisturbedjeans]

Originally Posted by LKK

@xDisturbedjeans: You're talking about episode 0, I suspect. It was a 45 minute episode that was shown in Japanese theaters for about 2 weeks. It has a separate Blue-ray/DVD release in Japan. Here in the US, Sentai has announced that episode 0 will be included with the US Blue-ray/DVD release. Whether CR or TAN will stream episode has not been announced.

Thanks a lot. I'm really looking forward to watching it. because it got me confused in the middle of the series.
But now after watching the last episode, when yuuki and rin were talking on the bench at the end I was wondering why they muted it, and now I figure hes talking about what happened in episode 0. SO now I really gotta see it!

I really liked this series . Even though some of the mysteries in the beginning were blah and kind of had no relevance to the mystery after episode 7. It really shows you a strong imagination of political conspiracies,make-believe fantasies and absolute truths.

[DezoPenguin]

I think the main problem that people have with Un-Go, especially when they begin watching, is that they think it's a mystery series. At most, it's using some of the storytelling techniques of hard-boiled mystery (Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, etc.) to make its points, which appear to be a philosophical discussion about the nature of truth, lies, and deception and how we as humans use, seek, and react to each. The identity of the criminal and the "puzzle" that must be solved to identify him/her are secondary matters compared to the reasons the criminal committed the crime, the motives and reactions of the victims and secondary characters, and the actions taken by the authorities to reveal or to conceal the truth.

Mind you, even if you do know that, you might still not like the show (Battler-kun, above, for example, seems to be focusing on what the show was actually trying to do and finding that it failed for him), but if you watch it seeking brain-twisting riddles that you can pit yourself against the Defeated Detective to try and solve the case, you're pretty much guaranteed to be disappointed.

(Mind you, that's also to some extent a marketing/advertising failure, although "this is an anime series about detective fiction as an allegory for humanity's search for truth and the nature of their corruption as they move through life" doesn't really do well on a sound-bite.)

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by DezoPenguin

I think the main problem that people have with Un-Go, especially when they begin watching, is that they think it's a mystery series. At most, it's using some of the storytelling techniques of hard-boiled mystery (Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, etc.) to make its points, which appear to be a philosophical discussion about the nature of truth, lies, and deception and how we as humans use, seek, and react to each. The identity of the criminal and the "puzzle" that must be solved to identify him/her are secondary matters compared to the reasons the criminal committed the crime, the motives and reactions of the victims and secondary characters, and the actions taken by the authorities to reveal or to conceal the truth.

Mind you, even if you do know that, you might still not like the show (Battler-kun, above, for example, seems to be focusing on what the show was actually trying to do and finding that it failed for him), but if you watch it seeking brain-twisting riddles that you can pit yourself against the Defeated Detective to try and solve the case, you're pretty much guaranteed to be disappointed.

(Mind you, that's also to some extent a marketing/advertising failure, although "this is an anime series about detective fiction as an allegory for humanity's search for truth and the nature of their corruption as they move through life" doesn't really do well on a sound-bite.)

Actually the marketing was perfectly fine _for the market_. Everything was billed as "based on the works of Ango Sakaguchi", which is an author that you pretty much have to read the essays of when you're in high school in Japan.

People hear that name and think "philosophical essay" because that's in their educational background.
The fact he also wrote some mystery stories is second in their mind.

[amasposu]

Post #493:

Originally Posted by poisui

Just watched episode 9:

Based on the clues, Hayami is most likely the culprit. However, judging by how the series has been going, it is entirely possible that this is a red herring.

If Hayami really is the culprit, then his motive is something that hasn't been revealed yet.

What I am more interested in is why Inga is acting so weird. I am guessing that whoever is controlling Bettennou is trying to control Inga, or maybe that person is blackmailing Inga (blackmail would explain why Inga is so powerless in this episode).

Post #526:

Originally Posted by poisui

Just watched episode 10.

My only thought when I finished was, "Wtf?" I still think that Hayami is the one who is using Bettennou. For it to make sense, this whole episode has to be some kind of red herring. In other words, there is red herring on top of red herring, on top of even more red herring. >_>;;

Episode 11 better explain everything. It will be difficult because there is so much to explain. Please don't troll us with a Blood-C-esque ending.

I am watching episode 11 right now:

I knew it!!!!!!!! The culprit is Hayami! 8D

[zero7090]

really a good solid series which beg a question why it only has 12ep while guilty crown has 24...