(L) Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

[MrProphet]

The question is: is it DRM'd?

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by wao

...Unless, of course, they block foreign IPs (which would be sad).....

The GyaO service agreement says that viewing is limited to residents of Japan, and the registration page asks for a postal code and an e-mail address. But I don't know if that means the broadcast won't work for foreign IPs. There are lots of Japanese residents who are temporarily working or studying abroad. The new episodes of this show are posted at noon on Fridays, Japan time.

In any case, there are such things as Japanese proxy servers.... I don't think the small number of foreign residents who would take that route, if it was necessary and it worked, would be a big problem for GyaO's server load. But they would be breaking the service agreement.

As for being DRM'd, am I right in thinking that we wouldn't have that first episode if it were? Or did the raw for that come from some other source? Or would the poster have somehow been able to bypass the DRM?

And I checked Shouboi Calendar, which shows no TV broadcast, just the GyaO one -- at least into December.

[wao]

You can find postal codes if you look at the right places (which I've done before), or if you have a sympathetic Japanese friend (which I don't have).

And surely it must be DRM'd - but obviously that doesn't stop people from being able to rip it anyway, otherwise how would it have appeared? The content of this show is also more 'generally appealing' than FLAG so I really hope it doesn't get stuck in raw limbo like FLAG. Then again, Wings of Rean had 'generally appealing' content PLUS the Tomino label but we've yet to see episode 4 and 5...

Of course, this is absolutely awful on our part because it's really outright begging, but what the heck... I really do want to see what happens, and also, Akizuki is just too damn cool and angsty in a non-teenage-kid way!

[sanachan]

Just a quick post... I watched this series and I really liked it, I wonder if part of the Ergo Proxy staff is working in this one?? Because the main character's eyes were just like Vincent Law's, and also some other details in character design...

The opening was great, loved the song and the animation... a really good anime intro!!! And the whole episode felt really great, I was so happy Sunrise was making such a good product, I still remember Escaflowne... but I also remember stuff like Cluster Edge xDDD So, watching this made me feel like going back to those old days when you could actually watch a series and know from the first episode it was going to be great and, maybe, change your life xDDDD

About the main character, he kindof reminded me of FFVII's Cloud Strife :P I even thought they shared the same seiyuu (but don't), but you know, that cool face, almost inexpresive, but having a good heart... it's still the first episode, but he didn't talk too much either... and even his face reminds me of FFVII AC Cloud.. just a thought ^^u

[duckroll]

FLAG isn't in raw limbo. Ep1-6 is the first season. The second season doesn't start until Winter.

Wings of Rean raws are all out, you just need to know where to look.

The Bakumatsu ep2 raw is available too, same rule applies.

And yes, Gyao blocks all non-Japanese IPs and all the files are DRMed.

[wao]

Well, I do wish I knew where to look besides on Sh*re and ***ny because I can't get the former to work and the latter is usually very bad at finding things like that. I'm currently trawling chinese websites to no effect. Oh well.

[MakubeX2]

Originally Posted by wao

Well, I do wish I knew where to look besides on Sh*re and ***ny because I can't get the former to work and the latter is usually very bad at finding things like that. I'm currently trawling chinese websites to no effect. Oh well.

For Sh*re, you need to be "recommended" by other people who have download stuffs from you to expand your node. For NY, you just have to dump a lot of stuffs into your Down folder.

[wao]

Well, I've included just about everything I have in my down folder (which includes quite a large amount of raws now) but while I have no problem getting more popular titles like Eureka 7 and Blood+ (i.e. the kind of things that are broadcasted nationwide), and still not too bad for things like Noein, it's really awful trying to look for things like this. Too bad, I guess.

Another thing that's stopping me from frantically running it again and trying everything is the fact that it uses up tons of memory on this memory-lacking computer. I do wish I didn't have to live on 256 MB of RAM, but it can't be helped now.

I guess I can wait anyway, it only aired what, yesterday (Friday noon)?

EDIT: Ah look, it's out already.

[evil-samurai]

Spoiler for episode 2:

Watching episode 2 and Wow! =) Its looking good, though I didn't think they would flash through last episodes, but it was quick the way they did it was I didn't mind at all.

The lead up to the first part of the fight was Great, simple yet I liked it, and the fight itself was Fantastic! After looking at how his oppenent stabed his sword in-to the ground one can only expect what would happen next

The animation was wonderfull in the fight scenes, but still being picky.. >.> they are moments which could of been done a little better, Never the less I still enjoyed them.

Still going strong with that.. face

EDIT//

I quite liked this scene so it gets turned into a Avatar!

[Sonhex]

Yes, yes another awesome episode.

Spoiler:

The big fugly guy gave me the creeps. He had a pretty devastating attack, clever of Akizuki to lure him into the swamp so the troupe could wear him down. I thought the troupe looked pretty intimidating in their war paint.

We even have our first Akizuki + Kakunojo moment.

Who was the Brit on the ship? Another historical figure from the period?

[wao]

Whoaaaaa. That scene with Akizuki that evil-samurai and Sonhex referred to was SO aimed at the girls, I swear. I literally pointed at the screen and grinned at that moment (sorry, I can't help it!!) What was with that look?! Quick, I need to hide in a hole and giggle girlishly...

Anyway, it was a good episode; not as good as episode 1 but still went along fairly quickly, no major complaints.

Spoiler:

I'm relieved that the bad guy's gone because then they can move on better. The Jiwariken brings back the ol' memories of Rurouni Kenshin once again... I think there was a character who used something like that.

But the thing that felt the most nostalgic was Akizuki's sword position when he gets ready to fight. Especially that cool cut where they focus on his face and move the camera so that he faces us... I kind of tingled at that moment..

Frankly speaking though, I was a little disappointed by Kakunojou - I get the feeling that she's not really very much of a leader. Soutetsu seems to come up with all the plans, and the good scripts for the plays, and the guys do most of the fighting anyway. She had to be expectedly saved by Akizuki if she wasn't going to be split in half by Hario. I guess we'll have to expect her to fall head over heels for him, of course :P I just hope she's, well, useful...

Her seiyuu really doesn't impress me either (the pre-fight dialogue really felt forced), so at least I hope her character improves soon. I'd hate to see a Mary Sue happen, really. That would cheapen the coolness of Akizuki, you see... >_> (and of course it would make the story better.)

And the war paint + pre-fight dialogue really wasn't necessary, it reminded me of typical samurai anime where they talk a lot and be all cool and then get down to fighting.

Except, of course, in the case of Akizuki who is leet and all. Thank goodness he's refreshingly practical; he isn't interested in the luxury of watching plays or anything and leaves once he's done, only coming back so that he can use them to help get rid of Hario. But at the same time, he's not totally emotionless; we can clearly see that he is perfectly capable of angsting . And he was listening to the play...

Also, the animation was not bad but could have been better, I think. More movement would have been nice. And it's really amusing to see that Akizuki's eyes are sometimes drawn in a way that looks very similar to Raul from Ergo Proxy - after all, they do share a few animators.

Anyway, I don't know how much of this will appeal to the viewer who wants something very realistic and less dramatic. But while I'm ready to admit it has its weaknesses, it's right up my alley so what the heck. At the same time I think I'm probably going to end up going silly over this series, making me incapable of having a proper, level-headed discussion of it... Whatever. I can't wait for next Friday!


For now here's a peek at episode 3.

Spoiler:

The troupe is relieved at having carried out their revenge. However, Soutetsu's script for the next play is based off the murder of Kakunojou's parents. She objects, of course, saying that they've already taken revenge for that and the matter should have been finished. However, Soutetsu replies by telling her that it ain't over yet because their real enemy is behind Hario. So he plans to use the play as a ploy to lure them in.

"Anything that shows a face has also got something hiding behind it. And the same goes, I'm afraid, for all things political!"

The troupe advertises for their new play among a procession of oiran (courtesans) in Yokohama's red light district. However, the mouth of a gun is silently aimed at the loudly-speaking Kakunojou.

Ah, but of course... Dare I say that the proceedings almost feel very old-school?

[Sonhex]

Originally Posted by wao

Whoaaaaa. That scene with Akizuki that evil-samurai and Sonhex referred to was SO aimed at the girls, I swear. I literally pointed at the screen and grinned at that moment (sorry, I can't help it!!) What was with that look?! Quick, I need to hide in a hole and giggle girlishly...

Spoiler:

I was puzzled by the look. There was deep affection, but also a little resentment? Clearly Kakunojou was woefully out classed by Hario, forcing Akizuki to step in and save her. It's rather like Akizuki knows Kakunojou and people like her (helpless victims) are his weakness. He will always act selflessly because he's honour bound to do so; but ultimately this gives monsters like Hario, who have no such morals, an advantage.

Which kind of makes the OP interesting because it shows Akizuki and Kakunojou at opposites, although neither of them appear to be wanting it to be so. OMG doomed love Difficult to interpret OP sometimes though...

[wao]

That's true.　

Spoiler:

It's one of those deliciously ambiguous looks that he has, they're kind of sharp but tinged with a bit of sadness all the time, though here it seemed softened by a bit of a reassurtive touch. Like a "don't worry you won't die" kind of feel.

But you know, the first thing that jumped at me was... why WERE they so close in the first place? Why was he even looking at her when blocking Hario's attack? Ah, but anything's allowed for the name of coolness I suppose

I can't look at that image too much, it causes me to go awfully silly... and laugh in very weird ways...

[Kaoru Chujo]

Yeah, still great. The poor video makes it a little hard to appreciate the wonderful animation, but it's still there for me -- even if a little less wonderful than episode 1. And the stylishness of this puppy carries me through.

Spoiler for ep2:

I am certainly glad that particular baddie is gone. It would have been both boring and nerve-wracking to have him keep popping up and threatening the civilians. But his evil, confident smile and style of attack were both wonderful.

[aohige]

Spoiler for episode 2:

I was taken aback when I saw a SCOPED sniper rifle used in this episode, and went over to wikipedia to find out.

OMG, it DID in fact exist (barely) in that era.
"Confederate troops equipped with barrel-length three power scopes mounted on the then premium British Whitworth Rifle had been known to kill Union officers at ranges bordering 300 yards, unheard of distances at that time."

Japanese Bakumatsu era is shortly after that American Civil War era, so it's not impossible for someone with a connection to get hold of one.

Wow, I never knew a long-range (relatively) sniper rifle with scope was around that early o_O

[Aniki Meiski]

This show is surprisingly very accurate with regards to history up to now. It takes place Feburary 1968 gregorian calender, 2 months after assasination of Ryoma (the narrator stated this specifically at the end of Ep. 1), 3 years after the end of American Civil, one month into the Boshin War (Japanese Civil War).

[wao]

Maybe that's what the cultural advisor person they had was for... Nice to know it's chronologically accurate to that extent

As for the baddie in episode 1/2:

Spoiler for episode 2:

I did say I was glad he was gone, but Kaoru Chujo's comment reminded me that I did like his evil confident smile. Although the war paint bit didn't impress me, it didn't leave a bad taste because he then smirked in a VERY badguy smirkish way, but it also genuinely felt like he wasn't impressed either. So I didn't feel like I was supposed to be impressed. Anyway, it was refreshing that, consistent to a character like his, he didn't even bother remembering who he had killed.

EDIT: Gah, I should be going to sleep... but I can't resist it, so here is my rough transliteration + translation of the OP if this will help anybody:

It's actually one of the easier OPs to transliterate, not like many others which you can't make sense of... thanks for the clear enunciation, Yuuka Nanri!

P.S. It's really rough because I usually don't translate songs at all and it's also 4:26 am

tsukikage kooru daichi wo
korogari fumiwaketeyuku

The shadow of the moon spills over the frozen earth and parts it in two

horobi to saisei no
jidai ga hajimaru

The era of destruction and of rebirth is beginning

jiyuu wo omoku kakagete
michinaki michi wo erande

Hanging your heavy freedom on you (?)
Choosing a path without a road

mahiru yori mabushii
nichibotsu wo koete

Brighter than the midday sun
But past the evening sunset

yume wo kataru you ni
toki no fune wa yuku

As if speaking of dreams
The ship of time continues on/leaves us (I don't know which)

sono yamiji no mukou ni
atarashii yoake

Beyond that dark road
There is a new dawn

bokura wa kitto kurayami no
kaina kara umaretekita

We must be born from the arms of darkness.

kanawanu koi wo suru you ni
hikari e to samayotteru

Like falling into a love that will never be returned, you/we wander into the light

doko made mo hateshi no nai
kono michi wo kaeru sube wa nai

There is no way to change this road, which goes on until forever.

Try listening to the OP and taking note of what happens along with the lyrics...
EDIT: I even made a lousy banner using one of my favourite slices from the OP I fail at extracting the logo though...

[Fighter Volk]

As I read all these positive reviews, I become frustrated at the fact that, so far at least, NONE of the three series I am most interested in this season have yet been subbed (Bakumatsu being one of them). And yet Death Note and Kanon have been subbed by numerous groups each. I know that people complain about this every single season, but stilll - it's so stupid.

[physics223]

Well, you can't help it - I'm thankful enough someone's subbing my NHK ... but it's sad. I wish I knew stuff about fansubbing but all I've been was an editor and QCer.

I wish I knew Japanese.

[kauldron26]

i am still in awe nobody has subbed bakumatsu, code geass or ayakashi. WTF??