(L) UN-GO (noitaminA, BONES)

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

What a pleasure to be watching an anime that gets better as it goes along. Professional writing. Interesting characters. Inga (Toyosaki Aki) is terrific. And so is Kaishou (Miki Shinichirou).

Don't forget Kazamori! I've fallen in love with that character and her voice.

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

I went to see Episode 0 in the theaters tonight.

(Part of my job, I guess, but I paid for the ticket ).

I think the story is pretty dang crucial... It explains completely where Shinjurou and Inga came from and what happened, and also how he came to become a detective and help out/antagonize Kaishou.

Spoiler for major points only:

Shinjurou is an orphen who couldn't find purpose in life, so went to a 3rd world country to show children films, ends up with a 5 person non-profit singing group and they all get attacked by rebels. Shinjurou's killed in the accident, but ressurected by inga who eats everyone's souls except for Yuka (the girl in the beginning of ep 1). Yuka kills herself to prevent her soul from being revealed, which frees Shinjurou, and he makes a deal with Inga possessing Yuka's body to feed her/him souls as long as he/her doesn't kill people.
Bettenou (the girl you see with the novelist) originally was attached to shinjurou's old friend and member of the group. She has the power to make people see a different reality, whatever her master says becomes the truth for the people in the vicinity. In the end Shinjurou helps solve the case with her for Kaishou and he's given a new name and identity and becomes the "Defeated Detective" as he has to keep feeding Inga souls...

Spoiler for plot of episode 0, major spoilers:

Shinjurou was an orphan, and a near olympic level swimmer in school, but quit swimming when he realized he was never going to be good enough. He heads out to some war-torn south asian country (I think) and shows old films (on film reals) to poor children trying to make a difference, but they all have PSPs so they aren't really interested. Depressed and out of money he runs into an old swimming mate who is a part of a group of 5 people from Japan going around and "singing in the war zone"... a kind of hippy charity thing? He knows the area so gets roped in to drive their van around. One of the other members of the group is the woman in the ending and the opening to episode 1, her name is Yuka and she clearly has a thing for Shinjurou. They drive somewhere they aren't supposed to and get ambushed by RPGs, and Shinjurou crashes the van inside a cave... He smells leaking gas and hurries everyone out of the van, which explodes.
Everyone is knocked out, Shinjurou is impaled through the neck by a wooden shard. This is the scene "Am I dead? You are dead" from episode 1. Inga takes over his body, heals his wound (his blood seems to have unleashed Inga), and he, possessed as Inga begins to eat the souls of all (except 1) of the other 3 members of the group, revealing their purposes to be completely false to what they claimed (and killing them in the process).
When he gets to Yuka she stabs herself instead of allowing her true soul to be revealed. Inga tries to possess her instead, but it's too late, she's really dead.
Shinjurou, freed, threatens to kill himself too and reseal Inga before she/he fully awakens, and they make a deal: He'll show her a place with lots of souls (Japan), and Inga won't kill anyone. Inga takes control over Yuka's body and remodels it.

This all is shown interspersed with the story in the "present" (takes place prior to episode 1 by quite a bit), where Shinjurou is back in Japan with Inga and called to help investigate a new religious cult which is lead by one of the members of his group that was supposed to be dead. A lot of intrigue happens here but basically any non-believers are eaten by some kind of god beast and the police get involved, and the leader of the group has the same girl "the novelist" has with him (she's Bettenou). It turns out that in the same cave Shinjurou got Inga, his old swimming buddy friend found this "kami" and has been using its power... which is that anything he says _becomes reality_.
More intrigue happens and eventually Shijurou is framed for the murder of the group's leader... It's then revealed that Bettenou's power isn't to change reality, but just what people see as reality. The police shoot the mastermind, Shinjurou is exonerated privately, and Kaishou sets him up with a new name (Yuuki Shinjurou) and new job. Meanwhile he has to keep feeding Inga souls for eternity, but he's okay with that since he wants to force people to reveal the truths they keep hidden anyway.
In the very end there's a little scene with Kaishou and Rie, where Rie's like "who's that?"... "It's not like I think he's cute or anything!"... But Kaishou instead looks closely at a monitor that shows Bettenou walking away somewhere, but the feed cuts out. Probably hints that Kaishou is interested in Bettenou...

That sounds crucial indeed. I didn't think the storyline of that movie would be so relevant. I wonder what they were thinking, releasing this only in theaters...

[orion]

Originally Posted by Kanon

That sounds crucial indeed. I didn't think the storyline of that movie would be so relevant. I wonder what they were thinking, releasing this only in theaters...

It dovetails completely into the current episode with Kaishou's comments about "one truth". Almost like he knew who was behind it.

As to what they were thinking.. Make more money off these viewers!

[LKK]

Does anyone know how long (timewise) episode 0 is?

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by miketyson

Quarkboy: I thought of one more question about ep 0, and I don't think the question needs spoilering, so here goes:

Is there anything in ep 0 that explains why Shinjurou is so good at detective work? Does he just have a knack for it? Do his experiences in ep 0 give him a deeper insight into human nature and he uses that? Is it left unaddressed?

I'm really curious, because in the main series he seems phenomenally brilliant and clever with his deductive reasoning, but the background you described doesn't seem to address that at all.

Not addressed. The movie does take place 2 years before episode 1, though, so maybe he wasn't actually such a great detective at first but got better since he constantly had to feed Inga souls.

Actually if I had to hypothesize, maybe at first he totally abused Inga's hax question ability to solve mysteries at first and slowly developed his intuition over the past 2 years.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by orion

It dovetails completely into the current episode with Kaishou's comments about "one truth". Almost like he knew who was behind it.

As to what they were thinking.. Make more money off these viewers!

I overheard some people talking after the movie basically saying "How are people supposed to understand the series without seeing this?" and the other one responded "I guess they want people to have to buy the blu-rays...".

FYI, the theater I went to only had about 40-50 people in it (1/4-1/6th full), even though it was the 9 PM showing on Saturday night (opening day).

I went to see it in one of the theaters that was probably the least popular (Fuchu city), although it's only playing on night showings (7:30 PM+), and only at 10 theaters or so total in the entire country, and only for 2 weeks.

Note that even though it was 50 minutes the ticket cost the same as a normal movie late show (1200 yen).

[miketyson]

Thanks again for the information, Quarkboy, and your theory's certainly a good one. And I agree with the people you talked to at the theater: the information in your summary changes a lot of how I interpret what's been happening in the story so far. "Is there only one truth?", indeed.

[amasposu]

Lots of story development in this episode 6. This episode shows that although Kaishou is a well-respected individual, he is far from perfect; he even commits adultery. I'm very curious who the two people are at the end of the episode and whether they will play a significant role in the story.

5 episodes left. =(

[wm4]

Originally Posted by poisui

Lots of story development in this episode 6. This episode shows that although Kaishou is a well-respected individual, he is far from perfect; he even commits adultery.
5 episodes left. =(

Kaishou as a tyrant in his area as he always is, but he shouldn't deserve a bad name
for something he didn't do, such as adultery.

I hope it have more seasons later.

[amasposu]

Originally Posted by wm4

Kaishou as a tyrant in his area as he always is, but he shouldn't deserve a bad name
for something he didn't do, such as adultery.

I hope it have more seasons later.

What are you talking about? He did commit adultery.

[karice67]

Originally Posted by poisui

What are you talking about? He did commit adultery.

And I have to echo wm4...where are you getting this from?

As someone mentioned before, the 'affair' thread was a red herring.

[amasposu]

Originally Posted by karice67

And I have to echo wm4...where are you getting this from?

As someone mentioned before, the 'affair' thread was a red herring.

I'm using Doki's translation so I don't know how the other subgroups went about this episode.

The episode is very subtle about it but the three pieces of evidence are:

#1) Shinjuurou says to Kaishou: "So you covered up the evidence of child abuse, and as a result, the children's lives were... the same way you covered up your own crime."

The "your own crime" that Shinjuurou talks about is referring to Kaishou's adultery. There really is nothing else "the crime" can be referring to, except for adultery.

#2) Kaishou's response to #1: "After people experience love a number of times, aside from realizing how boring it truly is, they realize they are really none the wiser. As a result, they become unable to live without love."

If Kaishou had not commit the "crime" that Shinjuurou talked about. Kaishou could have defended himself. But he didn't.

Also, notice that Kaishou's response to Shinjuurou's comment is related "love." If Shinjuurou was talking about a crime that is not adultery, then it would make no sense for Kaishou to suddenly bring up the subject of love. Deductively, the love that Kaishou talks about and the "crime" that Shinjuurou talks about are the same thing. It is adultery. Had Kaishou and Takako not commit adultery, there also would be no reason for Kaishou to respond to Shinjuurou the way he did in #2. "They become unable to live without love" is likely a confession of how weak he and Takako were when they committed adultery together.

#3) Yajima Takako is sleeping on a different side.

This is self-explanatory. If Takako hadn't been sleeping with Kaishou or some other guy, she wouldn't suddenly sleep on the other side of the bed.

[karice67]

Originally Posted by poisui

The episode is very subtle about it but the three pieces of evidence are:

#1) Shinjuurou says to Kaishou: "So you covered up the evidence of child abuse, and as a result, the children's lives were... the same way you covered up your own crime."

The "your own crime" that Shinjuurou talks about is referring to Kaishou's adultery. There really is nothing else "the crime" can be referring to, except for adultery.

I may well be mistaken, but adultery is not a crime (犯罪) but a sin/indiscretion (つみ) in Japan - i.e. the term you'd use in Japanese (and in English!) is different. My feeling is that the crime (or crimes - Japanese doesn't differentiate between singular and plural) Shinjuurou is referring to is a separate matter - possibly the fact that Kaishou constructs lies to cover up inconvenient truths, possibly something more sinister that we haven't found out yet.

Also, Shinjuurou's incomplete sentence: "as a result, the children's lives were..." => lost and buried? or something similar. At this point, Shinjuurou thought that the children were dead. IMHO, he assumed that Kaishou covered up their deaths to protect Takako (and Yajima's reputation).

Originally Posted by poisui

#2) Kaishou's response to #1: "After people experience love a number of times, aside from realizing how boring it truly is, they realize they are really none the wiser. As a result, they become unable to live without love."

If Kaishou had not commit the "crime" that Shinjuurou talked about. Kaishou could have defended himself. But he didn't.

Also, notice that Kaishou's response to Shinjuurou's comment is related "love." If Shinjuurou was talking about a crime that is not adultery, then it would make no sense for Kaishou to suddenly bring up the subject of love. Deductively, the love that Kaishou talks about and the "crime" that Shinjuurou talks about are the same thing. It is adultery. Had Kaishou and Takako not commit adultery, there also would be no reason for Kaishou to respond to Shinjuurou the way he did in #2. "They become unable to live without love" is likely a confession of how weak he and Takako were when they committed adultery together.

Kaishou is talking about it in rather general terms. I personally believe that he was talking about Takako in this instance, about how she was unable to go on without her husband beside her loving her.


As for Kaishou not defending himself.

#1 As noted above, I don't think he and Shinjurou were referring to the supposed adultery.
#2 Even if they had been, would you believe someone who simply tells you "No, I wasn't"? IMHO, the reveal of the kids, along with Kouyama's explanation, told Shinjuurou everything he needed to know about the situation.

Originally Posted by poisui

#3) Yajima Takako is sleeping on a different side.

This is self-explanatory. If Takako hadn't been sleeping with Kaishou or some other guy, she wouldn't suddenly sleep on the other side of the bed.

Her husband had been gone for three years - i.e. there was no one on that side of the bed anymore. She was going crazy. Might it just be possible that her habit changed because of these two facts?

======

As Kaishou says at the end: "Is there always one truth?"


edit: Good heavens. What's the point of telling me that something 'doesn't make sense' anonymously if you're not even going to discuss it?

[amasposu]

Unlike my post, which is based on deduction, yours is entirely speculation. It lacks credibility. Sorry. I don't buy any of what you say.

[karice67]

Originally Posted by poisui

Unlike my post, which is based on deduction, yours is entirely speculation. It lacks credibility. Sorry. I don't buy any of what you say.

Which is PRECISELY the point that this series is trying to make, IMHO. That what people 'deduce' based on the evidence they 'perceive' isn't necessarily the truth. Or 'the only truth'.

Ever heard of postmodernism?

Anyway, I'm happy to wait til more is revealed. But I think your so-called 'evidence' that Kaishou was having an affair with Takako is rather thin as well, since you're basing it all on dialogue that isn't actually specific enough.

===

Oh, and about the "hanzai" (犯罪) vs. "tsumi" (罪) issue: my dictionary tells me that "hanzai" is basically what we'd call a "criminal offense" in the West. So unless "adultery" is a criminal offense in the Japan of UN-GO, I strongly contest your first piece of 'evidence' and half of what you said supports your second piece of 'evidence'.

[Quarkboy]

Calm down, everyone. Let's all agree on one thing at least:

Clearly Kaishou is hitting his head maid.

Anything other than that is pure speculation .

[karice67]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

Calm down, everyone. Let's all agree on one thing at least:

Clearly Kaishou is hitting his head maid.

Anything other than that is pure speculation .

Did what I wrote come across as being really forceful? I didn't intend it to be...

LOL. I'll buy that.

[konart]

Spoiler for made my day:

[miketyson]

EP7: Wow, very interesting episode, 100% not what I expected from the preview. Just make sure to watch past the credits.

Spoiler for speculation:

I'm guessing the film crew is all made up from random prisoners, but who's the director? Might it be Rinroku (in which case Shinjuro's now taken him out, albeit accidentally and without knowing the truth)?

Long-shot scenario guess: ep6 was a set-up by Rinroku, who wanted to test out white-haired girl's powers with the novelist's help, and coordinated the novelist's use of the prison facility. At some point the novelist double-crossed him and added Rinroku to the hallucination as the director...for the lulz, presumably?

[DezoPenguin]

Wow, my mind is completely screwed now. I can only assume that...

Spoiler for References Quarkboy's earlier Ep. 0 spoilers:

...what's occurring to Shinjurou, particularly in light of the post-credits sequence, ties in with the Episode 0 girl's ability to manipulate people's perceptions of reality. Miketyson's speculation about how it might be a "test setting" for Kaishou, with his information-control/manipulation obsessions, of which this would be the ultimate upgrade, is a fascinating possibility.

[Quarkboy]

All the clues needed to understand exactly what's going on are in the episode if you look very closely. Or you can cheat and look at the next episode preview .