(CR) Gosick

[Hooves]

Originally Posted by Mycanid

It does imo.

It also develops the eerie, disjointed feeling of the village much more.

But we can say the anime did a somewhat good job in developing the feel of the village a little, but I can't compare without reading the novels exactly.

Edit: Just finished listening to the full version of the opening, and it was just wonderful

[kitten320]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

3. This is something so many people are getting wrong, it seems to me: the speed with which the fires sprang up was not shown in real time, but was a narrative technique to show H moving across town to the gate without having to take time to show all her movements. Clearly, the technique didn't work, since so many people still think it was supposed to be real time. And it does seem she had a magical supply of gasoline to spread around, lol.

She didn't seem too tired after all the running and village doesn't seem to be that small!
Also whu no one had stopped her and is a maid in maid costume faster than several young guys? Especially Kujou who is so proud of finishing military academy or whatever, so far he did nothing to show his skills.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Which begs the question of why she spoke at all, if she's the one who did it. If she'd just kept her mouth shut, Victorica would never have had the details necessary to deduce anything.

What I thought is that Herminia was the one who found the body, and that she had the same kind of deductive abilities as Victorica. That they were, in fact, the so-called "power" of her people. Thus she would know that Victorica was innocent, and that the Elder knew it, too. And had exiled her in spite of it, making him the prime suspect. That would explain her talking to Victorica. Her being the culprit all along? It doesn't. It doesn't explain why she'd resent Cordelia like the rest of the villagers, either, since she'd know with absolute certainty Cordelia was framed. By her.

1. She spoke because she was psychologically a bit unhinged. The fact that she was conscious of her own guilt might have been part of that, but even her thin motivation for the killing in the first place shows some kind of natural mental instability.

2. I also expected the elder to be the guilty party, and thought H was hinting as much to Victorica. My mistake, lol.

3. She adopted the same attitude toward Cordelia as the villagers did because that absolved her of guilt and covered up her crime. Twenty years of it would cement it pretty firmly in her psyche.

Plot is not this show's strong point, by any means, but at least I think it has some level of consistency. The mysteries are nothing to write home about, although at least this one was not a foregone conclusion from the beginning.

The show's strong points are the general situation; the feelings between Vicky and Kujoe; Vicky as a character, along with her history; and especially the work of Yuuki Aoi. And the music is good, both the OP/EDs and the OST.

The fairly old-fashioned, somewhat childish feel of the show may come from the director, Nanba Hitoshi, who directed his first show in 1989 (Dash! Yonkuro). He did an Anpanman movie in 2005 and Heroman last year. Not the richest list of credits in the world. And lead writer Okada Mari, despite her popularity this year, and credits like true tears, Toradora, Canaan, Bantorra, and Zakuro, may just not be getting this one right.

I think Ao-chan is more or less carrying this show on her own fairly broad shoulders. Eguchi Takuya is not very good as Kujou, in my opinion.

I see in the cast list that Cordelia herself is played by Ao-chan's idol, Sawashiro Miyuki. I look forward to scenes between them.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Hooves

But we can say the anime did a somewhat good job in developing the feel of the village a little, but I can't compare without reading the novels exactly....

Of course! I was not criticizing it in a black and white way but simply was saying the the book was better in a matter of degree - but then again I tend to like books/manga/novels medium in general more than the anime medium, so I am admittedly biased in my tastes.

BTW ... to being up a possible point of frustration for some again - is there a release date for the full version of "Resuscitated Hope"?

[Seihai]

Originally Posted by Mycanid

Of course! I was not criticizing it in a black and white way but simply was saying the the book was better in a matter of degree - but then again I tend to like books/manga/novels medium in general more than the anime medium, so I am admittedly biased in my tastes.

Isn't it a bit non-sensical to point out things by comparing it to a Light Novel and say it had more depth in it etc.? From what I know, Light Novels always have more depth. The only things that take some exceptions are the executions. For example when it is described that someone sings or something, that's obviously better in an anime because then you can listen to it and you don't read it.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Vanish

Isn't it a bit non-sensical to point out things by comparing it to a Light Novel and say it had more depth in it etc.? From what I know, Light Novels always have more depth. The only things that take some exceptions are the executions. For example when it is described that someone sings or something, that's obviously better in an anime because then you can listen to it and you don't read it.

I don't think so - imo sometimes an anime does an excellent job at "re-creating" the feel/impression I got from something in written form. Sometimes it does an even better job! (At least for me.) Sometimes it is able to brilliantly bring out a dimension of the story that I missed when I read it.

One example that immediately comes to mind is the anime adaptation of the Aqua/Aria manga. I thought it did a brilliant job.

Just my taste, of course - I know not all will feel the same way.

[Hooves]

Originally Posted by Mycanid

BTW ... to being up a possible point of frustration for some again - is there a release date for the full version of "Resuscitated Hope"?

Still not announced on Wikipedia sadly, makes me curious because I like the ending so much

[Seihai]

Originally Posted by Mycanid

I don't think so - imo sometimes an anime does an excellent job at "re-creating" the feel/impression I got from something in written form. Sometimes it does an even better job! (At least for me.) Sometimes it is able to brilliantly bring out a dimension of the story that I missed when I read it.

One example that immediately comes to mind is the anime adaptation of the Aqua/Aria manga. I thought it did a brilliant job.

Just my taste, of course - I know not all will feel the same way.

Alright, point taken. Didn't mean to jump at you but I personally believe that what I said is fact. I guess it comes down to opinion though so that's mine. And btw. I was explicitly bringing up Light Novel and not "source material" as I don't deny that an anime can surely do a better job than its manga.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Vanish

Alright, point taken. Didn't mean to jump at you but I personally believe that what I said is fact. I guess it comes down to opinion though so that's mine. And btw. I was explicitly bringing up Light Novel and not "source material" as I don't deny that an anime can surely do a better job than its manga.

No offense taken.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Mycanid

...is there a release date for the full version of "Resuscitated Hope"?

The show's 2channel thread says 27 April. That would be five days after the first DVD/BD comes out.

There's no confirmation on the official site, but amazon.jp gives that date for the release of the ED, although it doesn't give the title. The show itself will likely have 24 episodes and be on TV into June, so such a late date is not really that odd.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

The show's 2channel thread says 27 April. That would be five days after the first DVD/BD comes out.

There's no confirmation on the official site, but amazon.jp gives that date for the release of the ED, although it doesn't give the title and says a VA is the singer.... The show itself will likely have 24 episodes and be on TV into June.

Hrm ... 2 months from now, eh? Ah well. Thanks for the update.

BTW ... I have looked through this thread and other than a mass posting of images from user Kanon there have not been a large number of avatars, sig images and such ... although I have seen some links to some beautiful desktop images.

[Guido]

I believe that Gosick's strength lies at how each individual story arc is constructed without inconsistencies.

Overture -> Issue -> Investigation -> Evidence Reconstruction -> Climax -> Closure (Epilogue)

The ending for this current story arc left me aghast with excitement, because it moved things fairly quick, and yet Victorique was able to move her pieces in order to deceive the true murderer of the late-Elder into exposing herself.

Moreover, Houko Kuwashima continues to impress me, as she delivered a realistic portrait of Harminia's insanity.

Spoiler:

It does worry me the Elder Sergiu's prediction for both Kujo and Victorique, coming that ironically the more Harminia meaninglessly fought so hard, even to the point of committing murder, to avert her sealed fate, at the end she became the architect of her own demise.

However, the prophecies are just to be taken at face value, and nothing more.

But at the end, the Elder told both that their heart will never be set apart. Hence, I strongly believe that when both Victorique and Kujo become separated by the pages history and chaos, they won't ever fell in love with anyone else but remaining faithful toward each other.

An important, foreboding aspect about Gosick's setting is that it takes during the Interbellum period, or period between wars. Hence, the strong wind that the possessed Elder prophecied that will drive both Victorique and Kujo apart, metaphorically interprets as the Second World War, taking 15 years into the future of Gosick's storyline setting.

Now, as for the cameo surprises...

Spoiler:

I can only think that the red-haired Magician at the plaza from the start of this story arc is no other than Brian Roscoe, and the mysterious woman with blonde-hair and small stature standing by his side is, nonetheless, than Cordelia Gallo.

[azuma-blade]

Everytime when i look at maid in episode 7 and 8 it reminds me of this...

Spoiler for Off topic:

[DezoPenguin]

A number of interesting comments here which provoke my response:

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

1. H attacked V in the study, and knew the details of the old king's death. Might start you thinking. V saw the doves and thought of misdirection, then just put two and two together: coins for doves, and small person to hide and stop clock (she herself hides in a similar way so it would be in her mind). Neither easy nor magical.

Ah! I'd totally forgotten the way in Episode 6 where they actually show us Victorique hiding in that tiny cupboard in the library, to give us, the watchers, the clue to start thinking of a small person hiding in a small hiding place!

2. In that small monarchy, the king's word is law. He exiled Cordelia in a similar autocratic way. Seems unjust to us, but normal in a mediaeval autocracy.

True enough--though I'm interested in Grevil's claim that the village was part of Saubure, which raises the question of what Sergius's true authority is...but seriously, this is so not the place for a discussion of the sovereign rights of what may or may not be a tiny European nation inside another fictitious nation.

3. This is something so many people are getting wrong, it seems to me: the speed with which the fires sprang up was not shown in real time, but was a narrative technique to show H moving across town to the gate without having to take time to show all her movements. Clearly, the technique didn't work, since so many people still think it was supposed to be real time. And it does seem she had a magical supply of gasoline to spread around, lol.

Well, the problem as it seems to me was that there was just one panning "camera" shot over the village. Had there been a number of tighter scenes and jump-cuts showing her lighting fires here and there the theory of time-compression might hold true, but when we're just shown a single shot with no references other than the suddenly erupting fires, it doesn't give us any reason to think it's anything but one continuous shot. The only reason to think that it is such a narrative technique is simply that the obvious result is ludicrous.

(Either way, it still does not explain how Harminia was able to so easily outpace her pursuers while jumping from roof to roof and starting fires all the way.)

4. Decent point, but Ambrose may be bigger and stronger than Kujou. And he didn't so much overpower her as surprise her and wrest the spear from her, throwing her temporarily off balance.

I assume that he is--after all, his love interest is a 26-y.o. woman, so it seems very likely that he's a full-grown adult while Kazuya is a teenage boy and apparently small for his age (some of that might just be the way he's presented as an Asian among Europeans, but I think he's also meant to be short and slight of build as well). Also, since Harminia and Ambrose were apparently in love, Ambrose's opposing her would have an emotional context while she could let loose fully on Kazuya without hesitation.

6. I agree with this point, but I know it was to leave them alone for the drama.

Plus, Victorique was probably at the back of the group (easily the slowest runner given her size, full skirts, and general lack of athleticism). Here's where that time-dilation narrative comes into effect, too, like when a ticking time bomb takes ten minutes for one to elapse. She probably didn't have to hold him for more than a few seconds (indeed, if she was able to hold him for more than a few seconds without letting go or being unable to brace herself against the ground and being pulled over it would be very surprising) before he climbed up. It would be all over before anyone caught up to them.

[miroku2192]

Originally Posted by azuma-blade

Everytime when i look at maid in episode 7 and 8 it reminds me of this...

Spoiler for Off topic:

I lol'd. I was wondering why that expression looked so familiar. Now I know the reason .

Also...was that one scene of her mom :O!?!?!? Who's the dude with the red hair :X?

[Flower]

Originally Posted by miroku2192

....Also...was that one scene of her mom :O!?!?!? Who's the dude with the red hair :X?

Sure seems to have been V's mother.

The guy with the red hair was the magician who took Kujo's books in ep 6 and turned them into the Indian hat.

[Marcus H.]

Watched episode 8, but not buying that "mysterious Victorica look-alike" as Cordelia.
Wasn't she depicted as a dancer with at least non-loli features?

Anyway, aside from the SUPAIDAHMAN-worthy fire jumping antics, the episode is pretty rock solid.

[broken270]

Spoiler:

The first part of the mystery was quite easily solved, ending with that guy getting caught red-handed. So, that "nun" was actually someone working for Grevil to keep an eye on Victorique when she was far away from him. That case was easily set aside and out comes the true case that Victorique wanted answered for so long. So, the murderer was actually Hermione, which, given from Victorique's point of view, does make sense if it is seen that way. Hermione goes berserk and starts burning the village down, even the bridge that separates them from the other world. No help from Kujo though, since he once again failed to live p to his expectations as a great fighter. Ironically, it was Ambrose, who originally saved her, that led her to her downfall. Now, someone tell me how Victorque is strong enough to grip a grown man and hold him in place off the cliff? WEll, at least we get to see Brian Ruscoe again along with whom I believe is Cordelia. How sweet, Victorique asked if they would every be together again, like Kujo. Well, at least the two will still be together and loyal to each other.

[orion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Watched episode 8, but not buying that "mysterious Victorica look-alike" as Cordelia.
Wasn't she depicted as a dancer with at least non-loli features?
.

She was also implied to be short like V with long blond hair. Also, the line that the redhead said to her pretty much clinched it.

[Marcus H.]

Hmm, maybe, but this images makes me doubtful about Cordelia = Victorica...

Spoiler for img: