Tale of Genji (2009 adaptation)

[Kaoru Chujo]

Just watched ep11 (final) raw. On the whole, I loved this show, particularly for the look and for the voice-acting. But especially in the final episode, I thought they didn't need to alter the plot as much as they did. But I thought they made a good choice of where to end.

Spoiler for ep11:

There is zero fighting in the entire novel, so I fail to see why they needed to introduce some on Genji's flight to Suma. Just seemed stupid to me.

I would have preferred it if they had kept more of the original plot regarding Genji-Murasaki, too, but I can understand why they made the change. To include the fact that he made love to her before she had any idea what was going on, and so that she was resentful of him for a while, would have been a strong addition, but probably is too complicated to include.

This show is getting strong ratings: #10 in the top ten anime, tied with Keroro Sougun with a rating of 4.2% of the audience. It's by far the latest broadcast anime in the top ten. The other shows in the top ten are early evening or weekend morning family shows like Chibi Maruko-chan (1), Doraemon (2), Precure (4), Atashi no'chi (5), Major (6), Inazuma Eleven (7), Shugo Chara (8), Onegai My Melody (9). This show is on in the Noitamina slot, at a quarter to one in the morning this past week.

[Celestial Kitsune]

Episode 8 Screenshots.
Episode 9.
Episode 10.
Episode 11 (End) and a brief review.

[Shiroth]

Thank you Live-Evil.

Spoiler for Episode 02:

This show is breathtaking. You really don't need to be told that this is based on a novel to notice it --- just going by the dialogue that's presented. I just feel that the stunning visuals pull me into the same world we're seeing, and i never want to leave. It's such a shame it's taken this long for subs to appear, though at least now we who have waited are able to witness this adaptation for ourselves.

As expected in this episode, we see the player Genji show us how he works. Yet again with the beautiful dialogue. I'm glad i haven't read the original book yet, because i'm able to experience this show, with it's elegant visuals for the first time.

[SuperKnuckles]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I would have preferred it if they had kept more of the original plot regarding Genji-Murasaki, too, but I can understand why they made the change. To include the fact that he made love to her before she had any idea what was going on, and so that she was resentful of him for a while, would have been a strong addition, but probably is too complicated to include.[/spoiler]This show is getting strong ratings: #10 in the top ten anime, tied with Keroro Sougun with a rating of 4.2% of the audience. It's by far the latest broadcast anime in the top ten. The other shows in the top ten are early evening or weekend morning family shows like Chibi Maruko-chan (1), Doraemon (2), Precure (4), Atashi no'chi (5), Major (6), Inazuma Eleven (7), Shugo Chara (8), Onegai My Melody (9). This show is on in the Noitamina slot, at a quarter to one in the morning this past week.

The Noitamina thing really describes it perfectly. Some of the more palatable shows (as in being lighter, not being about a notorious adulterer like Genji) of that animation block used to do noticeably better. But it's still impressive.

And wow, Onegai My Melody hanging up near the top after all these years. Crazy (one of my favorite shows too, btw).

The more I watch the show, the more the animation style of the Tezuka studios comes through. Most noticeably, it looks basically identical in style to that latest Ultraviolet anime. No surprise due to character designer.

[Sinestra]

I just watched episodes 1 and 2 (thank you Live Evil) and i must say how breathtakingly stunning the artwork is. When i see a series like this it makes me remember why i started watching anime again kind of like reknewel. These period historic dramas are my favorite genres.

Listening to Genji speak is almost listening to someone speak in your dreams. He elegance as a man of higher stature is portrayed very well. Yet his sadness becomes so apparent once you peer into his eyes. He almost reminds me Romeo before his he met Juliette or perhaps maybe but only in the way he phrases certain things about the world but I also see traces of Hamlet in his as well.

The most powerful weapon in the world is the strength of words and Genji has more ammo than most to spare. If his good looks and manners were not enough the guy is one of smoothest talkers i have seen in a while. He can woo any women even the ones that can not be wooed. That last scene in episode 2 was perfect he knows how to wait for him move and it seems he can read people quite well. Game that gives up too fast is no fun to chase.

The dialog through out the series is catching and although my Japanese is not nearly good enough yet even i could tell that many of the phrases and words used were old many words not used in modern Japanese i wonder if the VA's had trouble with the dialog at all.

The visual just pull right in like you are living in this period. I believe this is suppose to be the Heian period someone correct me if im wrong. I cant wait for more and im willing to wait for quality subs. I have heard of the novel in passing but i never got around to attempting to read it this might be the time for me to do so.

[achirist]

The lake under the bridge of dreams has frozen over; there is a new episode!

Though this was sort of a 'prequel' to what we saw in the book regarding Genji and Rokujo's relationship (and otherwise regarding Genji's young life), it was extremely beautiful, and it encapsulates so much of what I felt eight years ago when reading the book for the first time. The moon reflected in water; over wind-shaken trees and inside the places in-between people. This was such a good way of bringing in the poetry of Genji, and I muchly prefer this over the first episode. I like how the episode also hinted at Lady Rokujo's mental instability.

It would be nice if they would show the sequence where Genji shows up to romance a young lady, but ends up spending the night with her brother instead.

[SeijiSensei]

Having watched the three subbed episodes now, one thing that seems missing in the anime adaptation so far is a sense of the depth of Genji's emotions. We see how the women he seduces become enthralled by his attentions, but we don't see Genji's own internal emotional struggles that Murasaki details in the novel. He seems more of a cad in the anime than in Murasaki's original portrayal.

It is strikingly beautiful to watch and is certainly the most erotic mainstream anime I've seen. Maybe we should check to see whether there's an uptick in Japan's birth rate a few months from now.

[Shinkun]

Keep watching. We get to see more of Genji's emotions and inner struggles in future episodes. I agree, though, that the novel does a better job of depicting it.

[Dop]

Nice one Aoi-Anime - up to episode 4 now! Wonderful stuff.

[achirist]

Thoughts on Episode 3:

I really don’t like the way they twist the relationships in The Tale of Genji into modern forms; these women did not react or say or feel these things in the book, and nor would they have historically. Polygamy was extremely common among the Imperial set in this period, and the people did not act during such ‘dates’ or ‘affairs’ the way people act today.

It was implied in the book that Lady Rokujo and Genji had grown apart quite a bit before the Yugao episode; so it seems almost as if the director is trying to drum up sympathy for Lady Rokujo’s murders, as opposed to Genji. Further, Lady Aio never said that, would never have spoken of such things to her brother, and didn’t know every single thing that Genji did. She rejected him early on, and would have known for a long time by that point that Genji went out and met people. I remember none of the women obsessing about their age and comparing themselves thereby; that certainly wasn’t Rokujo’s nor Aio’s motivations towards each other. Furthermore, if Lady Aio and To No Chujo really both knew about Yugao

Spoiler for in book:

Than there would have been a huge plot change, since To No Chujo was Yugao’s recent lover, and the father of her infant child, and he was looking for her.

Genji and the women did not lie in bed saying things like ‘I will love you forever, we will get married and go away from here,’ they made sparse poetic comments about crickets and the moon and sleeves. Yet of course, as we know, Genji did end up taking care of women he had very short affairs with in the past. Also, there was definitely more to Genji, more to his poetry and ambience than just having affairs.



Episode 4:

I rather enjoyed this, I felt they did the aftermath of Yugao well enough, though, again, they mixed up the order of events and made it seem like the context is all about the women.

[achirist]

Episode 5 is out now; I thought it was very beautiful, and sad. Thank you Aoi-anime!

[Shinkun]

You're welcome.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by achirist

Thoughts on Episode 3: I really don’t like the way they twist the relationships in The Tale of Genji into modern forms; these women did not react or say or feel these things in the book, and nor would they have historically. Polygamy was extremely common among the Imperial set in this period, and the people did not act during such ‘dates’ or ‘affairs’ the way people act today.
It was implied in the book that Lady Rokujo and Genji had grown apart quite a bit before the Yugao episode; so it seems almost as if the director is trying to drum up sympathy for Lady Rokujo’s murders, as opposed to Genji. Further, Lady Aio never said that, would never have spoken of such things to her brother, and didn’t know every single thing that Genji did. She rejected him early on, and would have known for a long time by that point that Genji went out and met people. I remember none of the women obsessing about their age and comparing themselves thereby; that certainly wasn’t Rokujo’s nor Aio’s motivations towards each other. Furthermore, if Lady Aio and To No Chujo really both knew about Yugao

Spoiler for in book:

Than there would have been a huge plot change, since To No Chujo was Yugao’s recent lover, and the father of her infant child, and he was looking for her.

Genji and the women did not lie in bed saying things like ‘I will love you forever, we will get married and go away from here,’ they made sparse poetic comments about crickets and the moon and sleeves. Yet of course, as we know, Genji did end up taking care of women he had very short affairs with in the past. Also, there was definitely more to Genji, more to his poetry and ambience than just having affairs.

This is all true, but I'm still happy they gave us a coherent version of part of the novel. They probably felt it would have been very hard to keep people's interest without some of these familiar modern (or at least post-Heian) tropes.

As for Lady Rokujo, I think it is a good thing to develop sympathy for her. She is a deep and human character, I think, and probably not an intentional murderer.

Now that we've had an eleven-episode Genji, how about a 52-episode version that comes closer to the original? Unfortunately, commercial realities make this extremely unlikely. And if it were done, it would be an even more denatured version made for "family viewing" on World Masterpiece Theatre.

Just maybe, they could do an anime of the last ten chapters, telling the story of Kaoru and Niou, the Uji sisters and Ukifune. Even if they wrote an extra chapter to give a different ending.

And let me add my thanks to Aoi. Now I have a good reason to watch the show again.

[achirist]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

This is all true, but I'm still happy they gave us a coherent version of part of the novel. They probably felt it would have been very hard to keep people's interest without some of these familiar modern (or at least post-Heian) tropes.

As for Lady Rokujo, I think it is a good thing to develop sympathy for her. She is a deep and human character, I think, and probably not an intentional murderer.

Now that we've had an eleven-episode Genji, how about a 52-episode version that comes closer to the original? Unfortunately, commercial realities make this extremely unlikely. And if it were done, it would be an even more denatured version made for "family viewing" on World Masterpiece Theatre.

Just maybe, they could do an anime of the last ten chapters, telling the story of Kaoru and Niou, the Uji sisters and Ukifune. Even if they wrote an extra chapter to give a different ending.

And let me add my thanks to Aoi. Now I have a good reason to watch the show again.

I definitely think Lady Rokujo is a compelling character, and I remember that, even after Genji realized what she had done in the novel, he still was able to express compassion, coming to see her in what was one of my favorite scenes (she doesn't even seem to have a daughter in the anime; I hope they won't try to say the child is Genji's, too.) I just disagree with excessively 'siding with her' on the matter.

And yes, I've thought that (roughly - longer or shorter depending on the chapter) one episode per chapter would make a really good anime series. But perhaps that isn't practical, especially not in a way that artistically conveys the book. I could see a sequel being made to this anime based on the Uji chapters, which would certainly be more manageable, though I think it is much easier to hate, or even think of Niou as the 'villian' in that story than anything in Genji.

[Shiroth]

It's funny how my original plan was to wait for the subs to finish so i can marathon the series, though thanks to listening to the score at least once a day since it's release has finally made me decide against it.

Thanks Aoi, will check our your subs today.

[achirist]

Episode six is out; very beautiful and atmospheric, as always. I wondered how Murasaki was going to come in; I guess they decided to cut everything about her father, including the scene where he and Genji check each other out. Oborozukyo was interesting, and certainly not a passive girl; though I felt a little bit dissapointed that they couldn't mention how much the Kokodine consort hates Genj, has always along with her family hated Genji and his mother, and explained how the Kokodine consort, Genji's elder brother and the others are on the right, while Genji is on the left (not in modern political definitions, no), thus making it even more bitter. One of the themes of the novel was supposed to be the destructive power of hatred, symbolized by the Kokodine consort, Lady Rokujo, and others. I'm kind of afraid they are about to majorly break continuity in a much bigger way than they have so far.

I loved, loved, loved seeing the Dance of the Blue Waves, which is, along with Genji meeting Yugao, one of my favorite parts of the book, along with the lady from the village of falling flowers (because it is evocative, memorable) who of course won't make it into here. For a second I almost thought that Oborozukyo was going to be someone else; that girl who has a birthmark on her nose, but I guess she probably won't be in the show either.

[SeijiSensei]

I went back and reread the scene in episode six which occupies merely a page or so in the Waley translation. The anime appears to reverse the roles of the two characters. There's no suggestion that Oborozukyo tried to lure Genji to her chambers; in fact, it's suggested she didn't know who he was until after he had entered her room, and only then because she recognized his voice. Rather than the princess seducing Genji, Waley describes the encounter as one where "she was far too young and pliant to offer any serious resistance, [so] he soon got his own way with her." The anime does seem to portray the women as much more forward than does the novel, giving it that anachronistic feeling that achrist mentions a few posts above.

As achrist also observes, it would be hard to understand the depth of Kokiden's antipathy toward Genji just from what we've seen in the show so far. In the novel she's obsessed with insuring that her son succeeds the mikado and fears that Genji's much closer relationship with the emperor threatens her son's position. (The emperor resolves this by making Genji a commoner as we saw earlier in the series.) By the way, along with being the intended wife of the heir apparent, isn't Oborozukyo also his aunt?

The voice of the actress portraying Oborozukyo sounded very familiar to me, but she doesn't seem to be listed on the ANN page unless her character appears under a different name there. Any ideas?

Something always seems to be falling from the skies in this show, whether it be rain, snow or sakura petals. Will the remaining episodes skip over the dry summer months to show the falling leaves of autumn next?

One amusing little scene comes during the preview. While the womens' nipples are always carefully hidden from view with falling hair or wrapped arms, in this case our view is blocked by Genji's hand.

One thing I noticed when visiting the ANN page is how the recorded opinions on this show are so dichotomous. Granted there are only a dozen or so votes there, but people apparently either love this show or hate it.

One other question: Have we seen Aoi yet? Is Genji already married, or is that still to come?

[Shinkun]

Aoi has appeared in several episodes. They were married after Genji's donning of the trousers. The next episode focuses on her and is titled "Aoi no Ue".

I agree that it appears the roles were reversed with Genji and Oborozukiyo's encounter. In the novel, Genji enters her chambers and his way with her. When she is about to scream, he tells her something along the lines of "resistance is futile, I always get what I want."

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Shinkun

Aoi has appeared in several episodes. They were married after Genji's donning of the trousers. The next episode focuses on her and is titled "Aoi no Ue".

I guess I missed that. Scanning the novel I realized he was married by the time he meets Murasaki. I know they don't have a close marriage (indeed Genji's long absences from Aoi's home is a major source of conflict), but it says something about the presentation (or my fading memory) that I didn't recall her presence in the story so far.

[Shinkun]

Must be the memory . They clearly explain in episode two that the daughter of the minister of the left is chosen as his wife. I used the word betrothal in the translation which may have caused confusion. She later appears complaining to Tou no Chuujo about the rumors about Rokujo no miyasudokoro and in episode five she watches the snow with him and warms up a little to him.