Little Busters - Episode 13 Discussion / Poll

[Kairin]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Little Busters, Episode 13.

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[ars89]

Good thing Riki found that book when he did. Still don't get how she has no shadow though. Hopefully he can hold onto his memories of Nishizono.

[Meltyred]

This episode, felt alright with pacing... surprisingly.
... I can't hate "Nishizono" at all..
But this is just wrong..

[Entravity]

Pretty good episode with all the build up. People are saying we haven't gotten to the meat of it yet. Waiting for it now

[bhl88]

Spoiler for it almost looks like a netorare H scene that got interrupted:

[novalysis]

Looks like Key famous Mysticism has made it's entrance. Who is Midori? This is the central question right now.

[matrixhazard]

The new voice actor when she voice Midori, the accent looks very weird too me. (Not sure how to describe in English, but it may just like the Kansai-Accent ?) but she still do a good job even though I rather still like her old voice anyway.

But just like in the game, Midori is seriously tempting. Hope they will have more scenes in Mio's route from the game.

[bhl88]

Diverged route: Midori's.

Full speed annoyance to Riki-kun.

[Benigmatica]

I have the feeling that this is a twisted version of Fuko Ibuki's story from CLANNAD. Why Key, WHY DO I HAVE TO CRINGE AND GET MAD?!

[orpheus2]

Originally Posted by Benigmatica

I have the feeling that this is a twisted version of Fuko Ibuki's story from CLANNAD. Why Key, WHY DO I HAVE TO CRINGE AND GET MAD?!

No kidding. They now added a replacement when you will disappear... I am now curious why she has no shadow? Is she or both of them fake existences or they are the same person but separated into different beings. Can 't wait to find out.

[kitten320]

I have mixed emotions about this episode... it finally got to the good parts but somehow it lacked in presenting them =/

[Kanon]

Now that's more like it. It wouldn't be a Key story without a supernatural element of some sort. The plot is finally getting more interesting. What's happening to Mio is very intriguing. Her shadow is trying to replace her... why is this happening? Is Midori really just a shadow? Why are everybody's memories of Mio disappearing? So many mysteries.

For once I'm actually looking forward to the next episode.

[GDB]

Enjoyed the episode, but I felt there was something fishy with Midori. Like, not the obvious no-shadow or replacement thing. But how everyone's memories were completely rewritten as if she had been there from the beginning. Almost like a fanfic writer forcing their own character into a series and having everyone get along with them.

[Triple_R]

What I want to see after this episode: Yuki Nagato and Mio Nishizono throwing totally deadpan jokes at each other, with each replying with a completely flat "Ha ha ha" after the other one makes a joke.


Anyway, that was a really good and fascinating episode! It was probably the best LB! episode yet. However, as good as it was, I bet it would be even better as part of a full-fledge romance. I mean, the story of a guy trying to rescue his disappearing girlfriend, and then getting groped by her seductive "Dark Twin" who has his girlfriend's hands but not her personality... That could be gold, baby! Total gold!

In all seriousness, this route was probably totally awesome in the VN, since I can imagine actual romance making it that much more compelling. Part of me can't help but wish that Mio was the "main girl" of this anime now. But oh well.


Speculation Time!:

There once was two little twin girls named Mio and Midori. Mio was soft-spoken, reserved, and bookwormish while Midori was outgoing, extroverted, and enjoyed sports. The two girls were very different from each other, but still loved each other a lot. Mio made some friends thanks to Midori. Then Midori died in some tragic Key-esque way.

Mio went into a deep shell over her sister's death, and never got over it. She became steadily more and more introverted, only finding comfort in books.

Recently, Mio has felt that it would have been better if Midori had lived on instead of her (Riki and the Little Busters! almost changed Mio's mind here, but not quite). So Mio decides to say goodbye to the world, and "become" Midori (or maybe Mio somehow relinquishes her body to Midori's actual spirit - This being a Key anime, it's possible that this will be somewhat vague). If everybody forgets the real Mio, then "Midori" takes over for good. It's up to Riki to remember Mio, or Mio will disappear forever, replaced permanently by Midori.


If this speculation is right, Riki will likely resolve the matter in a way that "the spirit of Midori" is finally able to rest, while the real Mio moves on, stronger and happier than before.


As a non-VN reader, this is total speculation on my part. I could be hilariously far off. In any event, I hope that VN readers enjoyed reading this speculation.

[Kanon]

I still find it unlikely it will involve twins (even if one of them is dead) since we already have a set of twins in the story. Plus, it's too obvious. It's probably more complicated than that. Not that I have any clue what it is.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I still find it unlikely it will involve twins (even if one of them is dead) since we already have a set of twins in the story.

Clannad had at least four notable pairs of siblings amongst its cast. It wasn't just Kyou and Ryou.

Plus, it's too obvious. It's probably more complicated than that.

I felt my speculation was reasonably "complicated". I don't recall the heroines of Clannad and Kanon having personal backstories much more complex than what I laid out here.

Really, I currently see only two possibilities for Mio/Midori - Sisters, or Split Personality. Part of me would honestly prefer the latter, but Key has always liked going back to family issues for drama, so that's why I'm guessing that here.

[kitten320]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Clannad had at least four notable pairs of siblings amongst its cast. It wasn't just Kyou and Ryou.

Siblings, not twins while here it will be a double set of twins.

So no.

Besides with whole memory re-writing she clearly is not a twin besides she herself confirmed that she is Mio's shadow for 80%.

I believe it is her other personality or something else but defiantly not a twin or sibling.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Clannad had at least four notable pairs of siblings amongst its cast. It wasn't just Kyou and Ryou.

What kitten said. It's very unusual for a series to have two set of twins.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I felt my speculation was reasonably "complicated". I don't recall the heroines of Clannad and Kanon having personal backstories much more complex than what I laid out here.

Really, I currently see only two possibilities for Mio/Midori - Sisters, or Split Personality. Part of me would honestly prefer the latter, but Key has always liked going back to family issues for drama, so that's why I'm guessing that here.

Maybe complicated is not the right word. Let's just say unexpected then. I only see these two possibilities as well, and I think they're going to surprise us with a third one. At least that's what I'm hoping for. Split personality would be disappointing and it wouldn't explain the lack of shadow.

By the way, I liked how Mio's clothes cast a shadow while her body did not. Usually, when a character has no shadow, he really has no shadow whatsoever.

[ThereminVox]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Speculation Time!:

Are you sure you don't write for Key?

I confess, I like your speculation better than mine. I was thinking back to Mio's comment about books being a rebellion against having only one life to live. My thought was that she was unsatisfied with her one life and created a new one in Midori, rather than Midori being a real person who once existed. The tragedy of it of course being that Riki is the first person to care about her for who she really is/was, hence her comment that it was "too late" for her. Midori, then, is the person Mio imagines would be well-liked and accepted. Mio crafts the Midori persona like writing creates a protagonist in a novel; as a proxy to live another life. Either way, I guess we're knee-deep in the supernatural at this point.

My only concern is that I assumed this means Mio's story is being fully explored already. I feel like I'm going to miss it when it's over, because the other girls haven't grown on me like she has yet. I love how effortlessly she pulls Riki into her pace when they talk.

[Team Rocket Elite]

Anybody know if they showed Mio's shadow at all before this episode? From what I could tell, during the times when she isn't hiding behind the shadow of something else, the camera is positioned so you can't see her shadow.