(L) Ousama Ranking

[Decel]

Originally Posted by frubam

I actually found the first 3 to be paced quite well. There was a bit of something in each episode that sparked my curiosity, but in ep 4, everything felt like it moved so fast... maybe too fast D0=.

I agree ep 4 really wooshed by.

[frubam]

Another interesting ep for the books =03.

Spoiler for 5:

As many had expected, Kage came to the rescue. I never thought he was already in the knapsack from the very beginning though, that surprised me.

Very emotional reunion. Its clear they really care about each other even though their interactions together was so short-lived.

The flashback moment with Domas and Daida was pretty good. I thought Daida would be the arrogant a**hole when he asked Domas why he chose him to be king, but what Daida said made perfect sense to me. I was impressed that he called Domas a coward and was so upset about it. Indeed, his loyalty should be to whom he serves, not the crown, and even Daida could see that such a person could not be fully trusted.

Daida also impressed me by not taking that (potentially evil) serum the mirror concocted. I thought for sure he'd succumb to the temptation of power, but an old recollection from his mentor Bebin made him forego that plan. I don't sense hostile intentions from the mirror, which seems to be affiliated with the woman king in Apeas's flashback where he kills the griffin, and that makes me wonder what the connection she has to Bosse. The fact that her minions where in the lower stratum of the castle makes it seem like they were apart of something Bosse knew of, but hard to tell anything concrete with the current information =0(.
Bosse.
The underworld knight's king seems to have an special power, and revealed some interesting info about our protagonists. Bojji had his power taken, and Kage is in an "altered form", whatever that means; both curses of some kind. Bojji's stolen power might be the reason for the laugh by the devil in ep 3; it probably knew of the circumstances of Bojji's curse. The "altered form" of Kage is also interesting, since we've only seen him and his kind in that flat shadow form. Would be kinda cool to see him in a more humanoid form in the future, if that's what the underground king meant. Now I wonder if that's who Kage was looking for, and what can he do to help Bojji become stronger?

[Wandering Soul]

So it was really was Kage looking out for Boji. As expected he was enlisted by Bebin to protect Boji while the kid is surrounded by all sorts of dangers.

Say what you want about Daida, but he does have his values. He seems to essentially value trust and hard work. Instead of being happy about Domas supporting him, he's actually disappointed with Domas for not standing up for Boji and thinks lesser of him for it. He also goes on against the mirror for the first time when it tries to persuade him to go against Bebin's teachings and take the easy way to strength. He's made it clear he won't be as easy to control as the mirror hoped.

It's no surprise that Domas is torn about supposedly killing Boji and we see his first coping mechanism. He cuts off his own hand and considering he is supposed to be a skilled swordsman, it's sort of the equivalent of saying he no longer feels worthy to be regarded a a great warrior.

[Kanon]

I love that the show provided an explanation for the conveniently placed bag when Bojji fell. Kage and Bojji's reunion was very heartwarming. The King of the Underworld confirmed Bojji had his power stolen from him. Still think it's a Dororo case of Bosse making a deal with the devil to sacrifice his son in exchange for power.

The scene with Domas and the young knight was so good.

Originally Posted by frubam

Another interesting ep for the books =03.

Spoiler for 5:

The flashback moment with Domas and Daida was pretty good. I thought Daida would be the arrogant a**hole when he asked Domas why he chose him to be king, but what Daida said made perfect sense to me. I was impressed that he called Domas a coward and was so upset about it. Indeed, his loyalty should be to whom he serves, not the crown, and even Daida could see that such a person could not be fully trusted.

Daida also impressed me by not taking that (potentially evil) serum the mirror concocted. I thought for sure he'd succumb to the temptation of power, but an old recollection from his mentor Bebin made him forego that plan. I don't sense hostile intentions from the mirror, which seems to be affiliated with the woman king in Apeas's flashback where he kills the griffin, and that makes me wonder what the connection she has to Bosse. The fact that her minions where in the lower stratum of the castle makes it seem like they were apart of something Bosse knew of, but hard to tell anything concrete with the current information =0(.
Bosse.

Daida says that, and then he tells him he can earn his trust back by betraying Bojji harder, which is the very reason he claimed he can't trust him in the first place. The whole thing didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

I think you're also giving Daida too much credit for not drinking the potion. Me thinks that if he hadn't been shown how it was made, he wouldn't have started getting those second thoughts. The mirror was pretty dumb there. Who would drink a potion made from their father's corpse?

[SeijiSensei]

In a simpler show Daida would have drunk the potion. From the earlier episodes I knew that wouldn't be the case here. Ousama Ranking subverts the standard tropes in fantasy stories.

What should we conclude about King Bosse? That he was an evil man from whom an evil elixir could be extracted? Or that he was possessed, and the elixir was the essence of his possessor? I'm leaning toward the latter interpretation myself.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Daida says that, and then he tells him he can earn his trust back by betraying Bojji harder, which is the very reason he claimed he can't trust him in the first place. The whole thing didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

I think you're also giving Daida too much credit for not drinking the potion. Me thinks that if he hadn't been shown how it was made, he wouldn't have started getting those second thoughts. The mirror was pretty dumb there. Who would drink a potion made from their father's corpse?

While I think Daida might have believed in what he said about Domas not being trustable, I think he mainly said all of that to give Domas a guilt trip of sorts so that he would agree to assassinate Bojji

I know, right? She surely had the chance to make the potion without him seeing it?

[Guardian Enzo]

Manga sales are getting a solid bump from the anime. Hopefully the series winds up turning a profit.

[Eater of All]

That was one heck of an elaborate manufacturing process for the drink.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

I know, right? She surely had the chance to make the potion without him seeing it?

Maybe it was necessary for the elixir to work properly. Maybe the bird needed to be by a blood descendent upon awakening. I dont think she is stupid at all. Manipulating him this far, im sure there is a proper reason; unfefor her Daida didnt bite.

Originally Posted by Kanon

Daida says that, and then he tells him he can earn his trust back by betraying Bojji harder, which is the very reason he claimed he can't trust him in the first place. The whole thing didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

I think you're also giving Daida too much credit for not drinking the potion. Me thinks that if he hadn't been shown how it was made, he wouldn't have started getting those second thoughts. The mirror was pretty dumb there. Who would drink a potion made from their father's corpse?

It could have been a manipulation move, but I wouldnt consider Daida the manipulative type. He does however respect Domas in some way. If Domas is willing to completely sever the strongest bond he has for the crown(Daida), then perhaps he would be trustworthy enough to have around.

I dont think his father being cremated into a drink made a difference, at least not a big difference. Even with the drink being made from his father and the actual look of the drink, he was still willing to drink it until he remember Bebin's words. To me, that made me think it had the most impact in his decision. Even his reluctance was mostly due to his own pride rather than the dubious method to create the elixir.

Originally Posted by Eater of All

That was one heck of an elaborate manufacturing process for the drink.

Niw that you mention it, I'm calling chevkov's gun here. When i saw it, i just watched in awe as the meticulous process kept going and going, wondering what would happen next, but thinking about it now, knowing this show i think there will be a defined reason we need to see it.

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

What should we conclude about King Bosse? That he was an evil man from whom an evil elixir could be extracted? Or that he was possessed, and the elixir was the essence of his possessor? I'm leaning toward the latter interpretation myself.

Interesting question. I wouldnt think he was evil, but there is a few questionable things shown. His interactions with his people and Bojji would have him come off as honest and noble, but like you said, this show subverts standard tropes. I think he could have done some dirt in the background to solidify his ranking position, similar to what Daida is doing right now.

I also think , as said above there's a reason for the way the potion was made. The fact that there were many beings in that basement cellar, not to mention all the facilities, tools, and instruments to make the elixir were down the as well could mean that this is a process that has been used before. The bird Apeas slayed and gave to the king looked rather similar to the red on slain in front of Daida. Its possible that this is a method to steal the powers of another being and give to someone else. Else how can no one know king Bosse in a block of ice down there after he passed away?

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

While I think Daida might have believed in what he said about Domas not being trustable, I think he mainly said all of that to give Domas a guilt trip of sorts so that he would agree to assassinate Bojji

That was my reading of it.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

While I think Daida might have believed in what he said about Domas not being trustable, I think he mainly said all of that to give Domas a guilt trip of sorts so that he would agree to assassinate Bojji

I think so too, but it's contradictory. He calls him out for not staying loyal to his brother, and tells him to betray him again. Doing so makes even less trustworthy, especially when his first "betrayal" was done out of concern for Bojji's well being.

Originally Posted by frubam

I dont think his father being cremated into a drink made a difference, at least not a big difference. Even with the drink being made from his father and the actual look of the drink, he was still willing to drink it until he remember Bebin's words. To me, that made me think it had the most impact in his decision. Even his reluctance was mostly due to his own pride rather than the dubious method to create the elixir.

I personally believe it's at least half the reason he didn't drink the elixir. He was shown to be utterly disgusted multiple times, and it's the reason he paused to ponder his decision again.

[Alchemist007]

The 2 guards/drink manufacturers listened to the mirror-creature instead of the king. Grounds some high capital punishment I think.

[Kanon]

It looks like the mirror (I've already forgotten her name) might still be working for Bosse, or at the very least that's what she made Apeas believe. No other reason for him, who was extremely loyal, to agree to help her give the elixir to Daida like that. We now have confirmation it won't increase Daida's strength, and neither Apeas nor the mirror give a damn about him (quite the opposite), so I'm thinking it's a way for Bosse to come back to life. Especially with the whole process involving a phoenix.

The number 2 king was a bust for Bojji, but it looks like his little brother, who was said to be extremely knowledgeable, might have a way to break his curse. It's really the only way for him to ever become strong, it was made crystal clear than having 100+ agility means nothing if you have 0 strength.

[frubam]

Bojji "fight" was great, but I guess there's nothing he can do with his power stolen. He can't even pick up a stone. I initially thought "power stolen" meant only the superhuman aspect of an titan, but it might go as far as making him weak even from a child's standard. Looks like removing the curse will be the start to making him viable in combat, aside from being practically untouchable(so far anyways). Hopefully this prince Despa will be the precursor to that happening.

Kage being the voice and moral support for Bojji was great as well. Always good to have that kind of person in your corner when the chips are down.

On the Daida front, I guess it should have been expected that Miranjo wouldn't have Daida's best interest. I dunno what the heck I was talking about in my previous post, about her not having ill-intentions, when in last ep, her snicker just before Daida was about to drink the elixir pretty much confirmed it would have detrimental effects. I didn't expect Apeas would be so subservient to Miranjo, as the flashback in the previous ep gave me an impression Bosse sent him to do something malicious to her. Today's flashback gives me an impression that Bosse isn't as squeaky clean as his initial image let on. Perhaps it really was as SeijiSensei pointed out; that the elixir is some kind of evil essence/poison left behind in Bosse's corpse, and wishes to see Daida suffer by having him consume it. Guess we'll see what it actually does next episode.

It was interesting to hear how much a deterrent Bebin was to Miranjo's plans. Perhaps he was more of a father to Daida than Bosse was. Seeing Daida's perception of Bojji was also interesting. In one respect, it looked like jealousy; at least Hiling part was. But what I got from seeing the scenes after was that he felt that he could get stronger because his brother was "strong" and he was still young and growing. Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but whatever, I let my head canon do what it needs to in order to entertain myself =03.

I still wonder about the connection between Miranjo and Bosse, especially since she dwelled under the castle and sat on a "king-like" altar. Clearly they have a symbiotic relationship, known only to them and Apeas. Real curious as to why both her and Bosse were frozen in that basement cellar, who put them down there, and what Miranjo's actual intentions are/were.

[Wandering Soul]

I guess this is means Daida has played his role as far as Miranjo is concerned. There's no way Daida would still take advice from her after this so she is fully willing to sever the relationship now. I have to wonder if it will still be Daida that wakes up from drinking it or someone/something else using his body. That would explain Hiling feels like she would never see her son again despite being in the same castle as him.

[SeijiSensei]

Bojii keeps finding new brothers. Bosse was a busy man!

[Kanon]

I admit I had some doubts about Despa, but the end of the episode makes it clear he's already made Bojji a lot stronger. I'm really curious what the weapon that allowed Bojji to destroy a giant boulder is. I'm okay with Bojji relying on a magical weapon (if it is one) since he's also training his speed.

And yup, Bosse is back. He actually seemed a bit saddened he had to sacrifice his other son as well, so he's not completely evil, but still bad enough to put himself before his sons.

[Wandering Soul]

So Bosse is back and is effectively wearing his son's body as a meat suit. He clearly isn't happy so why he does do it? Is it because he feels thr Kingdom will only really be safe under him, or is it part of the whole deal with that demon that cane out of his body when he died?

[frubam]

Well I do wonder about this Bosse business. It could be that to him, the idea of it is sad, but in reality, he'll do what he needs to for his own self-preservation. Could also be the "original" version of him before all of these resurrection shenanigans happened. Probably been doing this for generations. I moreso wonder; if his intention(or Miranjo's) was to come back to life, why did he make Bojji king instead of Daida? He probably already knew about Bojji's stolen power. I could see him making a deal with the devil to get Bojji's strength as his own, which may have made Bojji weak and no voice. Did he think Bojji had more potential than Daida, despite his deficiencies, or was there some other aim? Because Bojji being made king over Daida made no sense to anyone, at least in the series.

Originally Posted by Kanon

I'm okay with Bojji relying on a magical weapon (if it is one) since he's also training his speed.

Nah, I'd rather it not be a magical weapon. In the end, I don't believe I'd be disappointed with anything it'd be, but if I had a choice, I'd rather it be something common that's practical to use. That way if the weapon breaks or he loses it, he's not back to square one or needs some special weapon again.

I was thinking and prefer it to be something more technical in theory, like Ranma's Ryouga special move. I want to say the little stint with the crow-like birds were some kind of clue, but not sure what it could be.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by frubam

Nah, I'd rather it not be a magical weapon. In the end, I don't believe I'd be disappointed with anything it'd be, but if I had a choice, I'd rather it be something common that's practical to use. That way if the weapon breaks or he loses it, he's not back to square one or needs some special weapon again.

I was thinking and prefer it to be something more technical in theory, like Ranma's Ryouga special move. I want to say the little stint with the crow-like birds were some kind of clue, but not sure what it could be.

I just can't figure out how someone with zero arm strength would be able to make a boulder explode. I guess it could be something like him being so fast he can use momentum to deliver incredibly strong attacks.