New Blade of the Immortal Anime

[Fevvers]

@TinyRedLeaf: Pretty much my sentiments as well. I love the manga (though I still don’t know what to think about its ending) but... come on, there were parts that felt meandering. I’m looking forward to what Hamasaki does here. I thought his Shigurui was one of the better manga adaptations ever despite not being a straight adaptation.

Episode 4: I’ve always loved Anotsu/Rin interactions! Despite the title of the series, this is really their story. A lot were laid out on the table here... the nature of samurai, vengeance and power. . I especially liked how we slowly get to see the cracks in the characters, their nuances.

Oh, and the post-credit scene. So sweet!

[Haak]

I feel like there has to be more to Kagehisa's reasoning in killing Rin's family. Vindicating his grandfather's martial style would be a petty reason to kill and he clearly hated his grandfather so I have a hard time believing it was for revenge. I wonder if he realises that the only reason Rin's grandfather killed his grandfather was to protect him. Because if so, he sure as hell didn't learn the concept of gratitude.

Of course there might not be a good reason: Makie clearly knew better than to follow him so maybe he is just that much of a dick.

[Forsaken_Infinity]

Originally Posted by Haak

I wonder if he realises that the only reason Rin's grandfather killed his grandfather was to protect him. Because if so, he sure as hell didn't learn the concept of gratitude.

Sosuke Abayama isn't Rin's grandfather. He's an unrelated person, and as pointed out in the episode, a better swordsman than Kagehisa's grandfather. Rin's grandfather was weaker, at least per Kagehisa's story and we haven't been given enough reason to doubt that.

[Haak]

Oh okay. I guess what he learnt growing up is that "might makes right" regardless of honor, martial traditions or even morals.

[Forsaken_Infinity]

Well, his grandpa was the better swordsman but the honor of succeeding the prestigious school went to Rin's grandpa. His grandpa clearly had some bolts lose after that, and seems to have gotten only crazier. Raised by someone like that, you can imagine what he has learned but he puts it into words himself. He wanted a school of swordsmanship that doesn't care for the traditional restrictions that other schools followed. Somewhat might is right I suppose but I think it's more do whatever you need to do to win, even if that means swallowing your pride on the short term. Samurai traditions in particular were self-defeating in some sense as hinted by his Grandpa this ep. If his grandpa was still a samurai when the flashback occured, he would have probably been forced to commit seppuku for "honor". I think his biggest motivation is just being anti-samurai or sth. He doesn't kill Rin, or really even harm her, for sport (whereas Samurais were well known to do that with the vulnerable) and tells her to survive so she can avenge her parents some other day so I don't think he's completely lacking in morals.

[Amarantine]

See, this is the problem with the heavy condensing the anime has done. In Rin's flashback to the Itto-ryuu killing her father in episode 1, Kagehisa was supposed to give a long speech where he describes in detail the circumstances of how Rin's grandfather was chosen to succeed the Mutenichi-ryuu sword school instead of his grandfather. But the anime skipped over all that (I doubt they'll still show it now, but since there's still a chance they might, I'll refrain from saying more here), so now our main villain's motivations aren't as clear and seem more shallow or petty.

I would say being anti-samurai is indeed more accurate than simply might is right (remember, Magatsu, from episode 2, despised samurai more than anything as well). Samurai shun the use of anything but a traditional katana, whereas the Itto-ryuu are willing to use any weapon and style because all they value is victory. Samurai greatly concern themselves with things like etiquette, form, decorum, face, shame... to them, if you're defeated, you ought to commit seppuku for "honor", which Kagehisa finds absurd, as he told Rin in this episode. Instead of being so eager to die, why not live and grow stronger so you can best your foe next time? To Kagehisa, such doctrinal concerns, like whether you employ a traditional katana style or the "heretical" style of one sword in each hand like Miyamoto Musashi, are merely the symptoms of a weak and soft age of peace, that has forgotten that what truly matters is whether you triumph or perish.

The reason he let Rin live is because he's amused at how, despite her being the official successor to the Mutenichi-ryuu, she's now using throwing knives as her weapon of choice, something which would be forbidden by the traditional rules of her school. So she's now more like the Itto-ryuu, rogue warriors using all kinds of weapons and styles to kill their enemies and achieve victory, than her father and ancestors, who lived concerned with following the so-called proper tradition.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Amarantine

I would say being anti-samurai is indeed more accurate than simply might is right (remember, Magatsu, from episode 2, despised samurai more than anything as well). Samurai shun the use of anything but a traditional katana, whereas the Itto-ryuu are willing to use any weapon and style because all they value is victory. Samurai greatly concern themselves with things like etiquette, form, decorum, face, shame... to them, if you're defeated, you ought to commit seppuku for "honor", which Kagehisa finds absurd, as he told Rin in this episode. Instead of being so eager to die, why not live and grow stronger so you can best your foe next time? To Kagehisa, such doctrinal concerns, like whether you employ a traditional katana style or the "heretical" style of one sword in each hand like Miyamoto Musashi, are merely the symptoms of a weak and soft age of peace, that has forgotten that what truly matters is whether you triumph or perish.

Which is strange & ironic because during the golden age of samurais (the sengoku and before it), they used a variety of weapons like the spears (Geki, Yari & Naginata) and axes (Ono, Etsi & Masakari). Even the well-known warlords of the time period used them. This is why figures like Musashi was needed coz he didn't care much for etiquette and all the shitty samurai rules in his time period. He used two katanas in each hands because he liked it and katanas are prerequisite for him to challenge other samurais to a fight with acknowledgement.

Originally Posted by Amarantine

The reason he let Rin live is because he's amused at how, despite her being the official successor to the Mutenichi-ryuu, she's now using throwing knives as her weapon of choice, something which would be forbidden by the traditional rules of her school. So she's now more like the Itto-ryuu, rogue warriors using all kinds of weapons and styles to kill their enemies and achieve victory, than her father and ancestors, who lived concerned with following the so-called proper tradition.

You know, with his non-conforming principle and all, I always think that Anotsu would've been better off establishing a "mainstream" ninjutsu school than forcing himself to make a samurai school . Ninjutsu are always more flexible with all forms of weapons and they can use any means necessary to achieve success in a mission, be it a fight or gaining information. I mean, if you see all the fighters from the Itto-ryu, they're not really different from the ninjas of the Iga & Koga villages. Furthermore, the samurai families of his time period are already starting to decline anyway, just like how many recent Kung-Fu schools and their supposed leaders got exposed for being fakes with not much practical skills to speak of in actual real hand-to-hand fight by that MMA fighter.

[Amarantine]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

Which is strange & ironic because during the golden age of samurais (the sengoku and before it), they used a variety of weapons like the spears (Geki, Yari & Naginata) and axes (Ono, Etsi & Masakari). Even the well-known warlords of the time period used them. This is why figures like Musashi was needed coz he didn't care much for etiquette and all the shitty samurai rules in his time period. He used two katanas in each hands because he liked it and katanas are prerequisite for him to challenge other samurais to a fight with acknowledgement.

Yeah, that's part of Kagehisa's point. The only reason the sword schools of his time can get away with their focus on etiquette and restrictive doctrines is because they live in what he considers to be a soft and weak age of peace, where sword schools simply exist to make money. If they still lived in a world at war like the sengoku or other periods before it, rules more concerned with face and reputation than survival and victory would never fly.

Of course, I'm not suggesting that any of this justifies his decision to kill Rin's parents. There's a reason he's the villain after all. But his philosophy and motivations do run a bit deeper than what might be apparent in the anime (thus far).

[Kanon]

Episode 5 was fantastic. Raised some philosophical questions and subverted expectations at some points.

Between dying without achieving your dream and living forever knowing you'll never be able to achieve it, which is worse? Definitely the latter, I'd say. Manji has the hope he'll be freed from immortality if he kills enough evil men, but what if that's a lie? Who qualifies as "evil" and who's going to keep track?

When the old lady showed up in front of Rin right when Manji needed her, I bet a lot of people screamed bullshit... and it really was bullshit. I thought that was well played. In a lesser story, it really would have been her and she would have cured Manji and provided some exposition on the enemy.
Rin being offered immortality was good too. The method sounded believable, but of course it's not that easy.

[Wandering Soul]

I hope Rin gets to do more soon because so far she has just been getting captured before either being let go or being rescued by Manji.

Originally Posted by Kanon

Episode 5 was fantastic. Raised some philosophical questions and subverted expectations at some points.

Between dying without achieving your dream and living forever knowing you'll never be able to achieve it, which is worse? Definitely the latter, I'd say. Manji has the hope he'll be freed from immortality if he kills enough evil men, but what if that's a lie? Who qualifies as "evil" and who's going to keep track?

Yeah, I would definitely say the latter is worse. The antagonist here experienced that and he was pretty much a husk that did not even feel anything after going through multiple wives and children.

[Amarantine]

Probably the best paced - and therefore most enjoyable - episode so far. It helps that Shizuma Eiku's story was quite suited for a single episode affair (unlike Makie's). His VA was absolutely spot-on as well.

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

I hope Rin gets to do more soon because so far she has just been getting captured before either being let go or being rescued by Manji.

Well, it may not be much, but she was helpful in battle here, with her technique serving as a distraction for Manji to strike the finishing blow. And let's not forget that her bravely interfering and shielding Manji was the only reason Makie did not go through with finishing him in episode 3. So for a very inexperienced fighter, I'd say she's managed to be reasonably helpful thus far.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

I hope Rin gets to do more soon because so far she has just been getting captured before either being let go or being rescued by Manji.

Don't forget the premise of the show: Rin hired Manji to be her yojimbo as well as her avenger (not the Marvel kind) because she is more or less helpless against the Itto-ryu group. So, of course she's gonna need Manji's help & rescue a lot in the story. That's why she hired him in the first place .

[Fevvers]

Hamasaki and his penchant for bugs strikes again!

It’s quite clear in this episode that there will be no black and white answers to the issues we’ve seen so far in this show, whether regarding Rin’s vengeance, Manji’s immortality or Anotsu’s cold ambition. If anything’s clear, it’s the symbolism of the water wheel at the ED, everything will come full circle, no matter how long it takes, as seen with Shizuma’s life.

[Applehell]

I guess itto-ryu member of this week was more wrecked by guilt then he let on and which is why he couldn't accept Rin deciding to leave him be. He was paranoied about any element of his sordid past being known to his son that he couldn't take that chance of it getting in out. Actually, he might still be a member since he knew who Manji was.

Smart move on Rin and Manji faking the later death so Renzo's life wouldn't be consumed revenge like Rin's. Especially against someone like Manji who can't even die.

[Kanon]

For some reason I remembered that story quite well, even though it's probably been more than a decade since I read it. And the anime really did it justice. I was surprised they spent the whole episode on it, in fact, given the limited amount they have to work with. I think this shows they really like the manga.

[Wandering Soul]

I was impressed by Rin's inner strength when she decided to just let guy be because she didn't want the cycle to continue with his son. Too bad the guy didn't take up her offer

For a second there I thought this episode would end on a somber note as Renzo went down a revenge filled path, so it's nice to see that Rin and Manji planned for that happening and faked Manji's death.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

I was impressed by Rin's inner strength when she decided to just let guy be because she didn't want the cycle to continue with his son. Too bad the guy didn't take up her offer

For a second there I thought this episode would end on a somber note as Renzo went down a revenge filled path, so it's nice to see that Rin and Manji planned for that happening and faked Manji's death.

Yeah, this way he probably gets to starve on the streets as an orphan.

[Amarantine]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I was surprised they spent the whole episode on it, in fact, given the limited amount they have to work with.

The story was 7 chapters long in the manga (an entire volume). If anything I'm surprised it turned out so well when told in a single anime episode.

Gotta give Hamasaki props for that. Even the fight seemed to have more actual animation this time and not that many quick cuts, making the choreography easier to follow and enjoy.

It was also nice to see Magatsu again, even if only in flashback form. His attitude towards that situation was a good way to show how he's a bit different from the average Itto-ryuu member.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Amarantine

It was also nice to see Magatsu again, even if only in flashback form. His attitude towards that situation was a good way to show how he's a bit different from the average Itto-ryuu member.

Only a bit though. XP

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Yeah, this way he probably gets to starve on the streets as an orphan.

Yeah, unless he can some how take over his dad's mask making business. If not, oops.