Aoi Bungaku

[aulzon]

Originally Posted by the.Merines

Spoiler for Umm...:

Didn't the villagers find her body floating face down in the ocean?

Spoiler for episode 1:

Yeah, I thought he was imagining that. A bit of overreaching on my part. Most likely she did die.

[miroku2192]

So does episode 1 conclude the first of "x" many stories to be adapted/told in this 12(?) episode series?

[Von Himmel]

This is the part from what I got from Bungaku Shoujo, but I don't know whether it's in the novel or not

Mine has been a life of much shame.

Amongst a flock of white sheep, I was born the peculiar black sheep.
I cannot experience the joy my companions can feel, or the sadness my companions can feel, nor can I eat the same things my companions can eat.
Alien to its companions’ feelings of affection- love, kindness, empathy, and many others, all the tragic black sheep can do is cover its black wool with white powder, and pretend to be a white sheep.

Even now I am still wearing the mask, and play the part of the clown.

Just by reading that phrase, I think that the anime didn't give me enough 'dark vibe' in my chest compared to that phrase itself

The anime is good, but somehow...it lacks something ;(

At least, that's what I thought until I've seen the second part of the anime. I like those flashback sequences and the drama that it building up. I also wonder about his father and the protagonist perceive his existence in his life...and what he would do, what kinds of emotion that the protagonist feels after all of this.

Watching him molested by the girls on his childhood managed to made me shiver a little >_>;

[Dop]

That was really rather good - reading the first post in this thread did explain why the main character kept reminding me of Light from Death Note...!

It also reminded me a bit (stylistically speaking) of Mouryou no Hako, and I hope this series escapes the subbing hell that series fell into...

[ClockWorkAngel]

Originally Posted by Flyvedelta

This is the part from what I got from Bungaku Shoujo, but I don't know whether it's in the novel or not

Just by reading that phrase, I think that the anime didn't give me enough 'dark vibe' in my chest compared to that phrase itself

The anime is good, but somehow...it lacks something ;(

At least, that's what I thought until I've seen the second part of the anime. I like those flashback sequences and the drama that it building up. I also wonder about his father and the protagonist perceive his existence in his life...and what he would do, what kinds of emotion that the protagonist feels after all of this.

Watching him molested by the girls on his childhood managed to made me shiver a little >_>;

Spoiler for Novel:

Its taken from the novel, though since translators differ so will the analogy sometimes. Effectively speaking, Yozo (The main character) has felt since his youth a certain gap between him and others, this continues to grow as he ages, from many things.

IMO it would have been better if they followed the novel's original pacing as it would be probably be easier to understand that way. There's alot of meaningful dialogue and interactions that's been taken out in order to shorten the amount of story telling needed (No Longer Human could easily take an entire season to animate if you're bent on it and want to get into huge amounts of internal monologue) Once you know a bit more about Yozo's childhood will you get the significance of the first episode and the woman that he tried to suicide with.

I was only left with an incredibly sense of guilt.

[miroku2192]

^Are there any english translated versions of this novel that i can buy somewhere?

[ClockWorkAngel]

The "official" one you can buy from Amazon (Which I did) It's a beautiful book.

http://www.amazon.com/No-Longer-Huma.../dp/0811204812

They also seem to have a new cover art; mine is the one which displayed an abstract painting.

Its a relatively cheap book. Also I'm giddy that the books that Amazon recommend to me; Kokoro and The Setting Sun; I have already bought

[drobertbaker]

Oh yeah! I have something to watch this season after all! And an adult show with "experimental" techniques that are actually used effectively to enhance the story telling to boot.

I haven't read the story, but this theme strikes me as very Nabokovian; the alienation and existential angst.

I love the 1930 Japan setting, the beginning of the "era of enlightened peace" that went so badly awry. I look forward to the other historical settings.

Adapting a novel is always a risky business, but I like what I see. I think leaving ambiguities about whether he meant to commit suicide or just kill the girl, and whether she's dead or not, adds to the story (at least between episodes).

This is quality viewing!

Originally Posted by scr

Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita:
Is this the story about the sakura tree where the poet-priest Saigyou died?

No, this is about a woman who gets kidnapped by a robber and ... well ... let's say... entirely transforms the nature of the relationship.

[sintaki]

this anime seems interesting

[monir]

Originally Posted by drobertbaker

Oh yeah! I have something to watch this season after all! And an adult show with "experimental" techniques that are actually used effectively to enhance the story telling to boot.

I haven't read the story, but this theme strikes me as very Nabokovian; the alienation and existential angst.

I love the 1930 Japan setting, the beginning of the "era of enlightened peace", that went so badly awry. I look forward to the other historical settings.

Adapting a novel is always a risky business, but I like what I see. I think leaving ambiguities about whether he meant to commit suicide or just kill the girl, and whether she's dead or not, adds to the story (at least between episodes).

This is quality viewing!

Well put! I'm pretty much shivering with excitement as well. I thought this season was lost as far as something-different goes. Episode 1 is by far the best opening episode for me from these array of shows in the month of October.

[Thoguht]

Originally Posted by drobertbaker

This is quality viewing!

Mostly, I would agree. The lack of attention to period detail is annoying me, though. Like the plastic IV drip bag - it would be a glass bottle back then. I'm not convinced about the very modern-looking fixtures in the rest room either

[SuperKnuckles]

I thought the attention to the period was adequate. And besides, the story is not about being pertained strictly to the time period anyway.

I liked the quality of the show (typically good Madhouse production), but man, does Madhouse make a LOT of dark shows. That first ep, to me, seemed a lot darker in nature than the original novel made things out to be. As fatalistic as many dark novel stories can be, Madhouse just pours it on.

Shigurui, Himitsu- The Revelation, Mouryou no Hako and this. Maybe even add Akagi/Kaiji. Basically some of the creepiest memories I have of anime in the last 4 or 5 years has come from Madhouse.

[White Manju Bun]

An anime with "issues" so into this right now! After the glory that is Mouryou I was hoping something else like it would come out since I need my fill of psychological/weird/wtf anime from time to time.

Madhouse delievers on this so far plus I love Obata Takashi so how could I not watch this!!

The main characters voice is oddly calming its having a weird effect on me, even when he states he wants to kill the girl. Oh and Paku is awesome as always

[roundboy2005]

The subbed version of episode 2 is out.

[Zu Ra]

I hate segmented or disjoint plot unless its Tarantino. But have procured this yet to watch . The thing that attracted me to this KT . Depending on the first episode I can make up my mind to follow the series or not ^^

[aulzon]

Great second episode.

Spoiler for Episode 2:

Here we go again. The MC finds himself with another woman that seems like she is on the verge of suicide. I have a feeling he is going down the same path with her (double suicide?).

Getting to see Oba's past we get a vague sense of the angst of him growing up. His father seemed intimidating, he was molested, and he lived as a joke for others. The "monster" was creepy and it actually gave me Monster (the manga/anime) vibes. I have to wonder how much of an impact this book had at the time on Japan and future literature and culture (Itoshiki in SZS) . There are a lot of parrallels between this book and The Catcher in the Rye (the angst and self examination) and I wonder if No Longer Human was Japan's Catcher.

Anyways, can't wait for the next episode. Also does anyone know how long No Longer Human is going to run (how many episodes in the series of Aoi?).

[orion]

A little late to the party but I loved ep. 1.

Originally Posted by aulzon

Anyways, can't wait for the next episode. Also does anyone know how long No Longer Human is going to run (how many episodes in the series of Aoi?).

An early post in this thread said 4 ep. There's a website blog that summarized ep. lengths of the different stories nicely in an earlier post. Hyper Parfait did a good job.

[aulzon]

Originally Posted by orion

A little late to the party but I loved ep. 1.



An early post in this thread said 4 ep. There's a website blog that summarized ep. lengths of the different stories nicely in an earlier post. Hyper Parfait did a good job.

Thanks for that.

[SageGaiGar]

Just watched ep 1, quite incredible. Have yet to read the source material but definitely going to hunt down a translation after this.

[golthin]

Originally Posted by aulzon

Great second episode.

Spoiler for Episode 2:

Here we go again. The MC finds himself with another woman that seems like she is on the verge of suicide. I have a feeling he is going down the same path with her (double suicide?).

Getting to see Oba's past we get a vague sense of the angst of him growing up. His father seemed intimidating, he was molested, and he lived as a joke for others. The "monster" was creepy and it actually gave me Monster (the manga/anime) vibes. I have to wonder how much of an impact this book had at the time on Japan and future literature and culture (Itoshiki in SZS) . There are a lot of parrallels between this book and The Catcher in the Rye (the angst and self examination) and I wonder if No Longer Human was Japan's Catcher.

Oh no! i fear for megane-chan.