(L) Dance with Devils

[LKK]

Here's why I speculated that the masked person is Mom. There are 2 reasons. The first was an instantaneous reaction to seeing the masked face in profile. I immediately flashed back to the earlier image of Mom on the floor with her face in profile. The profiles struck me as so similar, they had to be of the same person. I've learned to trust those instant mental reveals.

The second reason follows along those lines. I'm convinced that Mom is powerful herself. I've thought that since episode 1. I suspect she's so powerful that I'm surprised she was taken prisoner and is still a prisoner. I just don't buy it. So if she isn't a prisoner, then why is she missing? Because she chose to disappear. Why choose to disappear? To force her daughter to endure circumstances that will awaken her powers. And because Mom wants the grimoire too.

By the way, I suspect the grimoire isn't a book. Or at least not a book in the traditional sense. I think the grimoire is Ritsuka herself or at least the Ritsuka is the living key to where the book is. (Suggested by that OP scene.)

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by LKK

Here's why I speculated that the masked person is Mom. There are 2 reasons. The first was an instantaneous reaction to seeing the masked face in profile. I immediately flashed back to the earlier image of Mom on the floor with her face in profile. The profiles struck me as so similar, they had to be of the same person. I've learned to trust those instant mental reveals.

The second reason follows along those lines. I'm convinced that Mom is powerful herself. I've thought that since episode 1. I suspect she's so powerful that I'm surprised she was taken prisoner and is still a prisoner. I just don't buy it. So if she isn't a prisoner, then why is she missing? Because she chose to disappear. Why choose to disappear? To force her daughter to endure circumstances that will awaken her powers. And because Mom wants the grimoire too.

By the way, I suspect the grimoire isn't a book. Or at least not a book in the traditional sense. I think the grimoire is Ritsuka herself or at least the Ritsuka is the living key to where the book is. (Suggested by that OP scene.)

The problems I see with the masked person being the mom is why would she even need to ask where the grimoire is. As Ritsu's mother you'd think she'd know best of all what Ritsu knows and doesn't know. Also there's that scene in episode one where the person in the masks seems surprised and annoyed at Ritsu's pendent, which we know her mom gave her just that morning.

[kuromitsu]

Plus the pendant is supposed to have anti-evil powers or something, if she was one of the bad guys she wouldn't be able to even touch it.

Also, the masked vampire is male. Voiced by a male voice actor and everything.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by Cloudedmind

The problems I see with the masked person being the mom is why would she even need to ask where the grimoire is. As Ritsu's mother you'd think she'd know best of all what Ritsu knows and doesn't know. Also there's that scene in episode one where the person in the masks seems surprised and annoyed at Ritsu's pendent, which we know her mom gave her just that morning.

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

Plus the pendant is supposed to have anti-evil powers or something, if she was one of the bad guys she wouldn't be able to even touch it.

Also, the masked vampire is male. Voiced by a male voice actor and everything.

Aw, c'mon now. Stop defeating my fantasy with logic, okay?

[GDiddy]

Originally Posted by LKK

By the way, I suspect the grimoire isn't a book. Or at least not a book in the traditional sense. I think the grimoire is Ritsuka herself or at least the Ritsuka is the living key to where the book is. (Suggested by that OP scene.)

That's actually what I think as well. It's not a book, it's Ritsuka.

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

Plus the pendant is supposed to have anti-evil powers or something, if she was one of the bad guys she wouldn't be able to even touch it.

Also, the masked vampire is male. Voiced by a male voice actor and everything.

Triage X had a character voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto of all people that ended up being a woman. Although I agree that in this instance that's not likely to happen here.

[Stark700]

Ritsuka's bro went yandere a bit this episode. I wouldn't doubt if he was actually thinking about killing Mage. That Mage theme song made me laugh more than I had expected.

Based Mage this week lol

[ookamigirl]

#5

Spoiler for plot:

School just got interesting.
Student council members completely lost it.
Didn't think Nanashiro would go so far.
He actually showed her his true form!
That guy is just too full of himself.
Rem seems so much different from Nanashiro..
Ritsuka seems to be more & more torn between her brother & devils.

[kuromitsu]

Mage!!!! Best devil! His song was actually fun!* He himself is actually fun! (this is what Kanno Aya called "tsunsama" I guess? tsundere + oresama ) This was probably the first episode in this show that I really, honestly enjoyed, and it was in 90% thanks to Mage. The other 10% was the Lindo vs Mage fight (finally Lindo showed that he's actually capable of a flashy fight), and Ritsuka having a pretty nice dynamics with Mage.

Now if only Rem wasn't the main devil and designated love interest. :/ Meh, get out of the way, Rem, Mage is so much better than you.


*even the lyrics were a bit less crap than usual

[zztop]

I see why they called this episode the Breakdance (B-boy) of Impulse. Mage wasn't shy about admitting his true nature!

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by Stark700

Based Mage this week lol

LOL! I was going to post the same screen cap and say "Mage, that's not how you get a girl to fall for you" - *face palms*

But Mage was actually really lovable near the end...going full blown tsundere with blushing cheeks and all. He would actually be quite good as the MC (although I still prefer Rem...although Rem's been put on the back burner for a few eps now ).

...so...Lindo may truly be a vampire after all - his eyes glowed red like that antagonistic guy - or at least has vamp blood through his veins. And Ritsuka's friend (forgot her name) isn't a normal human either, I take it, since Mage's magic didn't affect her.

[DragoonKain3]

So it's possible that Ritsuka's entire family are vampires? Meaning the theory that the masked figure is actually her mom trying to awaken her powers actually has some credibility to it? It's kinda funny how a vampire is using exorcism (like isn't there a chance he'd exorcise himself?), but it is interesting to think whether or no Lind is in cahoots with the 'evil vampires'. XD

Me personally, I didn't like Mage nor his song. I mean sure, I'm pretty darn biased towards Lind, but I don't mind Rem so much (considering the title of the show, he's the front runner by a mile now that Lind is a vampire). The rest of guys are already 'just filler' in my mind, so I don't think I'm going to like the next guy either. Can it be the next next episode already?

[BPD Renegade]

After last episode and the beginning of this one, I was thinking about letting this show go from my simulcast list, but I ended up actually enjoying this episode. And not like "for a reverse harem" enjoyed, but actually enjoyed it (insert song aside -- but I was laughing too much anyway). It started off shaky, with the kidnapping and all, but Mage turned into a fun character. He's the only one of the males I like so far. Rem is way too bland, Urie disturbing/fake, and Lindo psycho-possessive. Gotta like the idiotically honest types.

The entire Shiki grooming the dog scene was amusing. That little devil (no pun intended) did not tear out a hunk of dog hair by accident -- he was stuffing a bear with it. Judging by the preview, I don't think I'll end up liking him, though. Also, I think this might be the first time I've heard Cantonese in an anime. (That was Cantonese, right? )

One thing that did come to mind, plot-wise, is that when Ritsuka's bro went berserk, at one point, it was starting to look like he had been cursed into protecting her. The whole "must protect Ritsuka" chant seemed robotic. It was hard to tell if he went full-blown yandere, or if he was completely bewitched. If it's the latter, then this could give credence to LKK's speculation that the mother is in on it.

[kuromitsu]

Hehe, I have a low tolerance for characters like Rem, and I'm not entirely convinced by Lindo's melodrama either, but I do love characters who are not taken very seriously. Mage's idea of how to woo Ritsuka was a hilariously bad one, the awkward dinner scene was great, and the post-Rem scenes were adorable ("why are you so upset dammit? OK, here, I'll show you something pretty, are you cheered up yet?" tsuntsun-deredere). I also like their dynamics a lot, with Mage it doesn't feel like Ritsuka is not in control at all.

Of course he has no chance whatsoever, given that Rem seems to be the love interest, and after this episode he'll probably end up getting shoved into the background again... But still.

I think if Lindo is a vampire he more likely gets it from his own mother's side. Or father's. Come to think of it, neither him nor Ritsuka have their fathers around, they could be half-vampires or something. Unless the show wants to be even more like Vampire Knight (no no no no no no please no) and pulls a "she was really a vampire all along" trick.

(Btw, I don't know the official romanization for his name but IMO it's probably Lindo, like the flower... Ritsuka most likely also has "flower" in her name, and of course their family name is Tachibana, also flower.).

ETA:
If mom is in on the whole thing (not saying she isn't, just that I don't think she's the masked vampire ), and assuming the grimoire is either Ritsuka herself or hidden inside her or something like that, it would make a lot of sense to get Lindo (possibly vampire or half-vampire) involved with the exorcists to protect her. I wonder if Lindo is even aware of his nature, though, it's possible that the isn't.

[AntonKutovoi]

"I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now WHERE'S THE F*CKING GRIMOIRE!"

P.S. For a second, I thought that Lindo is casting Dragon Slave.

[Kakkou]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

(Btw, I don't know the official romanization for his name but IMO it's probably Lindo, like the flower... Ritsuka most likely also has "flower" in her name, and of course their family name is Tachibana, also flower.)

It's Lindo, the website has their names in English. While I'm at it, Rem's real surname is Aronde, not Arlond as Funi's subs would like you to think.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by Kakkou

It's Lindo, the website has their names in English. While I'm at it, Rem's real surname is Aronde, not Arlond as Funi's subs would like you to think.

Ha, I knew it.

As for Rem, though... I don't know how the writer got "Aronde" from "アーロンド", even if it's supposed to be French the "a" definitely shouldn't be long (the "o", on the other hand, should ).

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by BPD Renegade

It was hard to tell if he went full-blown yandere,

Understandable if he were. For a while now, Ritsuka's had something horrible happen to her every damn time she steps out of her house, and she seems to have a deathwish. I'd get pretty stressed out, too, in his place.

[GDiddy]

Mage, Mage, Mage......you awesome fuckin' TSUNDERE! My favorite demon is now Mage.


And his song/date was pretty fun too! None of the squick factor we got from before, especially Rindo/Lindo and his incest song. Spinoff with Mage!

WTF IS HE EXACTLY?


And HELL YAAAAAAAAAAAAASSS NEXT WEEK IS THE YANDERE

[andromeda0201]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Understandable if he were. For a while now, Ritsuka's had something horrible happen to her every damn time she steps out of her house, and she seems to have a deathwish. I'd get pretty stressed out, too, in his place.

True, but although he has been going at it for a while now with the 'protect Ritsuka with all my life...protect her or die' chant. ..it was especially evident this time where he seemed totally possessed, muttering it on and on as if everything had been programmed in the first place and he had just flipped into auto-pilot mode?

Anyways, I do share the interest for Mage in this episode. He reminded me of those simple-headed characters you find in most shonen manga who will crush anyone in their path because ..hey, he's awesome
Even that brief fight with Lindo at the end..heck, his dialogue could pass for a page in a shonen manga (minus the Ritsuka will be mine).

Ritsuka so far, isn't annoying. And I consider that a GREAT feat for otome game adaptations (this is an otome game right?). At least she talks back, questions and puts up a struggle (though in vain) for those crazy guys surrounding her