(CR) New Gegege no Kitarou

[serenade_beta]

*sigh*
Right? These days, those parents spoiling their kids and accusing teachers of being harsh. And all that other entitlement.
I remember the good old days. That good spank for misbehaving.

[AntonKutovoi]

That was a good comedy episode.

[Guardian Enzo]

The part that really made me LOL was when Catchick and Kitarou were standing behind Hihi to the left and Mana to the right, and they kept randomly switching sides for no reason.

[AntonKutovoi]

Oh, BTW - for Ace Attorney fans - Hihi is voiced by Masaya Onosaka (Larry in AA series), while reporter is voiced by Eiji Takemoto (Edgeworth in AA series). So we once again have an Edgeworth bullying Larry

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

The part that really made me LOL was when Catchick and Kitarou were standing behind Hihi to the left and Mana to the right, and they kept randomly switching sides for no reason.

The animation and script were top-notch this episode. And I think it was an one-animator episode too.

[SeijiSensei]

Looks like Johnny in the Fog and his hypnotic guitar will be making an appearance next week.

I rewatched all of Hakaba Kitarou over the past day or two. It appears to showcase a number of Mizuki's characters like Johnny, sometimes in single episodes like his episode nine. Neko's story appears as episode four. Episode ten presents a somewhat different view of Brigadoon. Mizuki and his wife appear as themselves in two episodes. One has a plot rather similar to Re:Creators where Kitarou and friends appear to their creator and stay at his house. Nezumi-otoko is Kitarou's foil and sometime enemy pretty much throughout.

I did learn why Neko always wants to abuse Nezumi-otoko. It's because he's a rat, and she's a cat. I'm so dense sometimes; I never really thought about it that way!

BTW, this is the period when noitaminA kept turning out some of the best OP and ED songs of the time.

https://youtu.be/PDLW7N2iduE

YouTube

https://youtu.be/T3bb84Bkdko

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YouTube

https://youtu.be/OKbcBnu6FtI

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YouTube

https://youtu.be/ce5hw-8DWys

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[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I did learn why Neko always wants to abuse Nezumi-otoko. It's because he's a rat, and she's a cat. I'm so dense sometimes; I never really thought about it that way!

Been that way since her very first appearance in 1968.

This episode felt like it kept trying to say something, but I never figured out what it was. The training scenes reminded me of Ace wo Nerae.

[Faux Mecha]

imagine Hihi appearing in The Prince of Tennis.

[AntonKutovoi]

Originally Posted by Faux Mecha

imagine Hihi appearing in The Prince of Tennis.

Well, in a way he is. Same VA as Takeshi Momoshiro

[akumaten]

Damn! Elite was legit terrifying.

[AntonKutovoi]

Another great episode. In the end you still can't help, but somewhat feel sorry for the Elite, even though he is a scum.

[Guardian Enzo]

Fascinating episode, really good. And so much wonderful visual flair - the guitar playing was gorgeously animated, and I loved Nezumi-otoko's dance number.

[Faux Mecha]

i guess its the return of the western Yokai.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

the guitar playing was gorgeously animated

I thought so, too. It was certainly more intricate than the strumming animation used in the parallel Hakaba Kitarou episode. And the performance was more intricate as well.

I, for one, look forward to seeing Agnes again.

Wonder when we'll return to the main plot about the capture of the four generals. It's been a while now, but as I recall, Nanashi wasn't too prevalent in the first half of season one.

[Guardian Enzo]

Carole & Tuesday: Let's be a music show and have guitar playing every week!

Gegege no Kitarou: Let's do guitar once in 56 episodes and have it look and sound way better.

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The whole syringe sticking into the ceiling just to drop on Elite and no one seemingly noticing where the dangerous liquid-container went felt forced, but overall, it was a really good episode.
Frieza's VA is so good at what he does.

[AntonKutovoi]

Can't say I liked ep 57, to be honest. I did have a few laughs over La Seine being terrorized by Kitaro's Chanchanko, but overall it was really bland.

[SeijiSensei]

I was also annoyed that Agnes was imprisoned in that sand circle. Why didn't she just travel to Japan as she has done in the past?

The last few episodes have made me a bit concerned that the writers are running out of new material. Backbeard again?

And am I the only one who expected La Seine to be female? (Yes, I know it's "la Seine" in French.)

Finally, Kitarou's rescue by Mana was a total non-starter. How did she know where to dig? (I just rewatched the scene where Kitarou recounts this fact to La Seine. Kitarou never explains why Mana knew where he was buried.) Moreover, Mana is a pretty ordinary 13-yo girl. I find it hard to believe she could have dug up three or four meters of dirt without help.

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I was also annoyed that Agnes was imprisoned in that sand circle. Why didn't she just travel to Japan as she has done in the past?

To be honest it had the opposite effect on me. Because bringing her to japan right now would mean there is some clear and present danger only she can deal with. Remember last time she was running from, when she appears again (in the flesh) I expect a big battle (or Kitaro being imprisioned) had made her travel to japan.

The last few episodes have made me a bit concerned that the writers are running out of new material. Backbeard again?

AFAIK this is the first time ever that Kitaro has run for more than one year and the writers did not have the luxury of having a year or two to think stories for the next season (Like Super Dragonball will have). Chances are they were taken by surprise by the high and consistent ratings in the japan top 10 animation ranking, so instead of doing a re-run of Super DB they decided to let Kitaro continue.
I do not mind old foes appearing again (since most of the times they had their soul balls intact and we already had some of them resurrect in the tantanbo castle episode early in the first year stories) but I hope they do not repeat stories, that is truly where it would become boring.

And am I the only one who expected La Seine to be female? (Yes, I know it's "la Seine" in French.)

I am already used to it since quite often in anime foreign names are used disregarding any gender. So yeah, it is a mistake but I have seen it even in american comics.

Finally, Kitarou's rescue by Mana was a total non-starter. How did she know where to dig?

Neko-nesan told her (off screen) where they fought and it should be pretty obvious where a fresh mound of earth was recently dug and/or sand witch should be able to do some kind of divination magic.

Moreover, Mana is a pretty ordinary 13-yo girl. I find it hard to believe she could have dug up three or four meters of dirt without help.

This is not limited to school girls, the truth of it is that for your average white collar worker (japanese or otherwise) digging that much earth is beyond the scope of their stamina. Again, it is a mistake, but one I see just about every time an story includes digging one or more meters of raw earth.

It would have been a nice touch if sand witch had helped her with some magic to prevent the neighbors from calling the cops, I know I would have.

Now, for the meat of the matter. Maybe it is the well known toei dbz art of changing character designs at leisure (albeit I would argue that Mana having sometimes pointed ears was a foreshadowing that something supernatural was happening inside her), but in this episode it was clear to see how neko nessan had a more heroic build.

Here is her well known original character design

Here are some screencaps taken directly from this episode, notice how she now has an hourglass figure (I mean, broader shoulders).


So yeah, she was beaten (off camera) this episode, but that was a given since the vampire attacked by surprise (and no doubt his ghoul companion helped land the a one-two combo finish) but maybe she now packs more punch (we will notice if old enemies are now defeated by her faster or several at once).

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by mangamuscle

AFAIK this is the first time ever that Kitaro has run for more than one year and the writers did not have the luxury of having a year or two to think stories for the next season.

I believe the last three series ran for 2+ years each. With movies thrown in, too.

This is not limited to school girls, the truth of it is that for your average white collar worker (Japanese or otherwise) digging that much earth is beyond the scope of their stamina. Again, it is a mistake, but one I see just about every time an story includes digging one or more meters of raw earth.

Yeah, good point. It's one of those storytelling conventions that everyone uses without stopping to think about it being unbelievable.

Meanwhile, wasn't the friend Mana was talking to about yokai the girl who went to forever-childhood land with the tasty mud pies? Nice that Mana has a human friend she can tell about this stuff now.