New Blade of the Immortal Anime

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Kanon

On a completely random note, that's got to be the best reason a woman cut her hair short in an anime.

The important haircut is a pretty standard trope in anime but that one was definitely among the best I've seen.

[Kanon]

This week's episode showcased the full extent of Shira's madness. Dude's completely nuts.

Manji jobs even to random grunts
I wonder how many times he would have died over the course of the series if he wasn't immortal. That's kind of problem with immortal characters, the authors constantly want to showcase their immortality so they get hurt/"killed" in nearly every fight.

[Wandering Soul]

TBF to Manji when you're immortal and can recover from any injury, it does sense that you just find yourself taking it easy a but during combat. You'd think the pain would motivation to stop getting hurt though.

[King Lycan]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

TBF to Manji when you're immortal and can recover from any injury, it does sense that you just find yourself taking it easy a but during combat. You'd think the pain would motivation to stop getting hurt though.

This ^

[Amarantine]

They don't make villains like Shira anymore. He's a very old school bad guy (the manga started in 1993, after all): unabashedly cruel and wicked, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and 100% self-aware. I love how incensed he got when Manji showed he harbored no particular enmity towards him and was willing to pass up the duel to Magatsu. Many people struggle with unrequited love, but for Shira it’s unrequited hate that really stings.

It was great finally seeing this battle animated, since it was definitely one of the most memorable fights in the whole manga. So far in this adaptation most fights have been cut short (or cut altogether), but I suspected if there ever was to be an exception, it would have been this one, and thankfully they kept pretty much all of it and managed to do justice to its grittiness and brutality. We even got some moments of proper solid animation, like when Shira kicked Magatsu into the shed.

The only thing that bummed me out was the ending of the episode, since it shows that once again they've skipped a large portion of the story, since Anotsu was supposed to have a whole solo journey before finding Rin (and the preview for the next episode seems to confirms this was basically cut and not just reordered). I find this especially regrettable since, out of all the major players in the story, Anotsu is the one that most desperately needs more screentime and development in this adaptation, as he’s sorely lacking in presence in it thus far. But I suppose I'll wait until I actually see the next episode to see what they do with him this time.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Let me be the first to comment here on the latest instalment, Episode 12.

I'm very glad to have left behind the manga so long ago that I don't remember much of the story at this point of the series any more.

That means I get to experience it effectively as an anime-only viewer myself, and I think it was a terrific episode, featuring three reunions. Although, to be sure, the eventual resolution was just a tad too contrived.

But I'll add this, though. Much as it's understandable to draw comparisons between the anime and the manga, it's ultimately inconsiderate to bring too much of this into a discussion thread that's meant mainly for anime-only viewers. It's unhelpful because it leaves out anime-only viewers. And it's also distasteful, because it often just comes down to criticism — however well-meaning — of how the anime doesn't do the manga justice.

I get it. After all, I was a fan of the manga too. But it's the anime we're discussing here, and endless comparisons between it and the manga distract from what the anime adaptation is doing well (and I think there's enough to discuss on that point alone). Let's keep the focus on that in this thread.

[Kanon]

We've been praising this adaptation and the staff though, so I really don't get where you're coming from.

[Kanon]

The scene where Makoto gets killed felt random since there's been zero focus on him. How did he even get found out?

It's a really small thing, but I loved the answer Hyakurin gave to Rin's question regarding Shinriji's whereabouts. "He went back to his mother".

Manji fell head first into a trap. Given Kagimura's strong interest in his immortality and the equipment in Manji's cell, it's not hard to guess what they're about to do to him.

[Wandering Soul]

Yeah, Manji really should not have given in to his curiosity and chose to visit Kagimura. It was only a matter of time until we ran into someone that was extremely interested in Manji's immortality.

[Amarantine]

Well, they haven't said it outright in the anime, but it should now be clear that the Mugai-ryuu are all former criminals (death row ones, no less) being made to work for the government. Giichi wants Habaki to let Hyakurin go, which is pretty nice of him, but Habaki doesn't seem to care. He's a great new antagonist now that Anotsu has decided to lay low, especially with Nakata voicing him.

We've finally reached the infamous prison arc, which could actually use a lot of trimming, so maybe this time the anime's frantic pacing will be a blessing in disguise.

[Forsaken_Infinity]

As an anime-only viewer, I for one like to get brief hints at what had been trimmed away after we are past the point and it's no longer a spoiler. Lets me use my imagination a bit to fantasize what was cut out, and also provides additional context.

On the other hand I sympathize with how discouraging it can feel to come into a thread for a show you're enjoying only to have its shortcomings compared to what could have been laid out over and over, even as everyone readily admits this is the best that was possible under the circumstances. It kind of gets to beating a dead horse at some point I guess.

Perhaps it'd help if the comparisons to the manga were put into spoiler tags even after the events have passed as long as they didn't happen in the anime?

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by Forsaken_Infinity

As an anime-only viewer, I for one like to get brief hints at what had been trimmed away after we are past the point and it's no longer a spoiler. Lets me use my imagination a bit to fantasize what was cut out, and also provides additional context.

On the other hand I sympathize with how discouraging it can feel to come into a thread for a show you're enjoying only to have its shortcomings compared to what could have been laid out over and over, even as everyone readily admits this is the best that was possible under the circumstances. It kind of gets to beating a dead horse at some point I guess.

Perhaps it'd help if the comparisons to the manga were put into spoiler tags even after the events have passed as long as they didn't happen in the anime?

The rules of the forum state that's exactly what's supposed to happen. People are supposed to spoiler tag comparisons and label them appropriately.

[Kanon]

I wasn't expecting an episode this week, but since it's not broadcasted on TV, I guess it makes sense there would be one.

The experiments have started, and so far seem to be working. I still feel bad for the guy they're using as a guinea pig since he seems nice and he's going to have to undergo a lot of suffering. Manji tried to escape but his timing couldn't have been worse.

Rin's side of things was fun, with Doa making herself at home. Somehow she just seems to have a thing for attracting Itto-ryu members.

Be sure to watch the scene after the credits.

[Wandering Soul]

Manji's prison mate seemed like a cool dude. It's too bad that now he's going to get wrapped up in their experiments.

[Amarantine]

Huh, I somehow missed it in the previous episode, but that's Kugimiya Rie as Doa. Awesome casting, I love her in these types of roles.

[Kanon]

Burando falling into insanity was well done. He's no doctor anymore.

[Wandering Soul]

The direction for Burando's descent into insanity was great. Sure he started out trying to help people, but the things he did would eventually take their toll on him.

[Amarantine]

I'm surprised they're spending this much time on this arc. When the anime was announced and they said director Hamasaki and mangaka Samura had talked about which parts of the story could be more easily skipped so the anime could try to tell the whole thing in 24 episodes, I was convinced they would blaze through this arc in particular, since as is already obvious it's a bit removed from the main plot of Rin's quest for revenge on Kagehisa.

But as it turns out, they're actually taking their time with it (relatively speaking anyway). Maybe Hamasaki liked the arc's potential for thriller-like creepiness. He's certainly doing a good job at bringing it to life. Though personally this is still my least favorite part of the story. But it certainly has its moments, like the scene with Burando painting the walls of his room with soy sauce, which was pretty haunting. And it's great to hear Kusao Takeshi (a seiyuu rarely heard these days) playing such an expressive role.

[Guardian Enzo]

It's certainly my least favorite part so far.

[Amarantine]

Most manga readers would agree it was the low point of the series. It just grinds the story to a halt too much. But hey, at least in the anime it'll only last a few weeks rather than years.