Sol Falling |
2012-01-29 00:52 |
This show, guys. Holy crap, this show. At this rate, I think they've easily surpassed Bake already.
One comment on Crunchyroll's translation which is relevant to Shinobu's characterization. The line where Shinobu says "I do like [pon-de-ring]. However. Golden Chocolate is my favourite. So if you're going to buy two, buy those." "Pon-de-ring" should probably be "pomme-de-ring", i.e. some apple flavour of donut.
Another tidbit I happened to run across: you know all those red and black cuts we thought SHAFT has been throwing in ever since Bakemonogatari just to be stylish? Aside from the cuts SHAFT used in Bakemonogatari's original run to mask production delays, each of the ones which have been purposely left in actually represent a section of text which have been skipped over/left un-adapted from the original novel manuscripts. Holy crap guys, is this light-novel adaptation on another level or what.
So, anyway, I won't comment too much on Shinobu for the moment as her background is still a bit unclear at the moment. We need to wait for Kizumonogatari to get the full story ("kizumono" = something damaged, broken. "damaged goods" is an evocative translation. "kizu" can mean "wound".). (For the record, "nisemono" = fake, imitation; "bakemono" = monster, literally "shapeshifter".) Let's talk Hanekawa though. Specifically, her characterization.
So, who is Hanekawa? Like, in this episode she and Araragi talk about weakness vs. "strength". Araragi's sisters are still children, are just playing around, because they lack "strength". Araragi himself is weak, perceives himself as worthless, because he lacks "strength". Hanekawa is the one all people seem to identify, even Hitagi, as "strong". That's one aspect of Hanekawa.
More than being strong, though, this episode seems to lead me to ask, what does Hanekawa want? In more concrete terms, why did Hanekawa get mixed up in Karen and Tsukihi's incident with the bad-luck charms? What is the purpose of Hanekawa's involvement in this part of the story.
Araragi says, that what Hanekawa has to come to terms with, is her own strength. That if she goes after something, she is likely to find it. The "thing" that Hanekawa found, this time, was Kaiki (and Karen, lacking real strength, got hurt because of it). But why did Hanekawa go after Kaiki in the first place?
The answer here, I think, is Hanekawa is still chasing after the supernatural. She's still searching for an escape from her repressed life, the world of adventure opened up by her "prince" Araragi. That's what Hanekawa's involvement in the present plotline means, and that may be an issue Araragi will have to deal with again in the future.
Anyway, the revelation that Oshino talked endlessly and filled Shinobu's head up with trivia about kaii's is interesting. That repository of knowledge is basically a huge key/security for Araragi's future dealings with kaii. Knowing that Oshino knew of Shinobu's special connection with Araragi, it seems like his (Oshino's) departure must've been carefully planned.
Araragi's martyrdom, his morality, his sense of duty, all of them seem to have made him certainly committed to persisting together with Shinobu into eternity. With Hitagi afraid of even Hanekawa, is a happy ending for her even possible? This is the overarching plotline of the entire series: the uncertain resolution of Araragi's final destiny.
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