Forum SettingsEpisode Information
Forums
New
What did you think of this episode?
DO NOT discuss the source material beyond this episode. If you want to discuss future events or theories, please use separate threads.
DO NOT ask where to watch/download this episode or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Anime Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.
Apr 22, 2012 4:10 AM
#1

Offline
Oct 2010
114
THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
----------------------------------------
;A;
no closure in this episode!

i didn't elaborate much on this coz i want you guys to watch then say how it's like ^^
hopefully it's like what ilovepockyy said in the Ep3 discussion that there are more episodes >w<
Apr 22, 2012 9:46 AM
#2
Offline
Aug 2010
1
There is something strange with this episodes.
When I first saw there was going to be a remake they said
that there are going to be 12 OVAs and now everyone says 4 Oo
I like the remake so far, but I really hope that they're going to finish it.
Apr 22, 2012 8:00 PM
#3
Offline
Sep 2010
69
This is the end, really? :S
Apr 23, 2012 5:14 AM
#4

Offline
Dec 2011
20
There's a big chance that it's not the end of the whole anime (it couldn't be,unless they want to cut it without an ending) but just of the first part that contains all of those 4 episodes.
"(...)who the hell is going to save me? he thought.
as the knife stopped spinning
the answer came:
you're going to have to
save yourself (...)"
- Charles Bukowski "Question and answer"

Forgive me my English, I'm trying my best.
Apr 26, 2012 6:41 AM
#5

Offline
Dec 2011
20
Yaay, finally I could see it. I liked it pretty much, however somehow I prefer old Iason, dunno why exactly. Hope it's not the end.
"(...)who the hell is going to save me? he thought.
as the knife stopped spinning
the answer came:
you're going to have to
save yourself (...)"
- Charles Bukowski "Question and answer"

Forgive me my English, I'm trying my best.
Apr 26, 2012 2:37 PM
#6

Offline
Mar 2010
123
i was very dissapointed in this version of Ai no Kusabi, I wanted it for so long...and all for nothing.
The only good part about it is art, but after the last episode I feel that the older vesion art was much better.
You try and you fail. Try again. Fail better.
Apr 26, 2012 8:29 PM
#7
Offline
Apr 2008
2
Weren't they going to see how the reception for these first 4 episodes went before they finished producing the rest of the series? I think I remember reading that somewhere, anyway. Hopefully, they'll finish it.
Apr 27, 2012 1:05 AM
#8

Offline
Jul 2011
62
I have searched and searched and found nothing that says it is only 4 OVAs, or that it's been cancelled. So hopefully MAL is just wrong (which they have been before)
Apr 27, 2012 1:47 AM
#9

Offline
Mar 2010
1339
One thing is for sure, this definitelly isn't the end. Maybe, they'll do something like a second season and air 4 more OVAs where they'll wrap it up. That would be cool.

Anyway, very... "actiony" (if you know what I mean) last episode, what is really good. (Note for future: I shouldn't eat breakfast while watching AnK) I loved how they revealed how Riki and Iason met. It was very interesting and realistic imo. I'm very happy that they relationship had sometime to evolve and that it was quite slow (in a realistic way) not a sudden change of heart of both of them. I also liked how Riki was portrayed. He is obviously interested in Iason but refuses to admit it to himself. This anime has one of the best character evolution and realism I've seen. I give this 10/10. There's nothig that would let me down about it (aside from the no end but I hope for more so I won't judge that). And it was finally a not overly cheesy and girly realistic yaoi. It's rare to come across those lately. Am I messed up that I like yaoi with men acting like men??
Apr 27, 2012 5:07 AM

Offline
Dec 2011
20
"Am I messed up that I like yaoi with men acting like men??"
I feel exactly the same. The sad thing is that there are only few good yaoi series, and for me AnK is the best of all- exactly for the realism and good portrayal of the characters that you've mentioned. "Normally" Iason would just simply rape him and they'd fall in a great love, happily that's not possible.
I'm curious about how they'll go on with Iason as a character, cause till now we haven't seen much of him.
"(...)who the hell is going to save me? he thought.
as the knife stopped spinning
the answer came:
you're going to have to
save yourself (...)"
- Charles Bukowski "Question and answer"

Forgive me my English, I'm trying my best.
Apr 27, 2012 2:13 PM

Offline
Mar 2010
1339
ritsu-san said:
The sad thing is that there are only few good yaoi series, and for me AnK is the best of all- exactly for the realism and good portrayal of the characters that you've mentioned. "Normally" Iason would just simply rape him and they'd fall in a great love, happily that's not possible.
I'm curious about how they'll go on with Iason as a character, cause till now we haven't seen much of him.

Agreed. In "normal" yaoi, Riki would fall in love with Iason after a week. XD (or the said rape) I also liked that the Blondies (and other elites of the same rank) avoid having direct sex with their pets, that is something very unusual in yaoi world but kinda realistic. After all, Riki DOES belong to the lowest caste in AnK.
About Iason, I agree that we haven't seen much but IMO we saw everything necessary to know his nature. Not like he has a reason to hide any part of his character anyway. Actually, althought he appears cool, I find him the most complex character in the show. He undergoes the biggest change because of his love for Riki. Suddenly, he forces himself to go against his beliefs and customs and has to handle it somehow. He is my favourite exactly for this. His character evolves in a natural slow way, yet fast enough even for himself to notice the changes.
Apr 27, 2012 11:26 PM

Offline
May 2008
2310
This can't be the end for real. With how it ended it needs to be finished. It was amazing but there's no way it can be wrapped up in four episodes. I really hope they do continue it and make more OVAs in the near future.

9/10

Apr 28, 2012 7:03 AM

Offline
Aug 2010
69
This OVA was pretty weak in my opinion. The original seemed to be a more solid piece than this. Then again this was slated to be a 12-13 episode anime, by I hear that the animation company didn't have enough money so it was shuffled off to yet another company. Still though, these episodes didn't really provide a complete story that the intro hints at.

I also guess this OVA was aimed at the people who already read the books, like how some OVA out there are for those that played the game or listened to the drama CDs, etc.

(I half want to say if this was one of those ecchi/harem anime it'd have gotten it's full 13 episodes... *grumble*)
Apr 28, 2012 11:30 AM

Offline
Dec 2011
20
HikaruIzumi said:

Agreed. In "normal" yaoi, Riki would fall in love with Iason after a week. XD (or the said rape) I also liked that the Blondies (and other elites of the same rank) avoid having direct sex with their pets, that is something very unusual in yaoi world but kinda realistic. After all, Riki DOES belong to the lowest caste in AnK.
About Iason, I agree that we haven't seen much but IMO we saw everything necessary to know his nature. Not like he has a reason to hide any part of his character anyway. Actually, althought he appears cool, I find him the most complex character in the show. He undergoes the biggest change because of his love for Riki. Suddenly, he forces himself to go against his beliefs and customs and has to handle it somehow. He is my favourite exactly for this.


These are all the things I was saying about AnK, however I've seen the old version which I'm totally in love with, first. No other remake could be better than the original for me (I'm happy though I can watch it with plot that's more complex), no yaoi could fascinate me more. My friends who had to hear all of that "ohmygawd that anime is soo so so so amazing so I will keep telling you about it for hours and oh, check that fanvid!"stuff were just wondering about what can I possibly see in a story about a wardrobe-sized blonde man raping another guy with a ring on his penis. They laugh when I say there's something deeper in that :P
I have to say that Katze's character is also very interesting and tragic, though in this version it's not totally showed yet, but we can already see him as a intriguing man hiding some interesting story behind his back. I really enjoy watching him on the screen as well.
If they won't finish it, I'm gonna pay a little visist to the makers aaand I'll do some bad things to them, I swear!
ritsu-sanApr 28, 2012 11:40 AM
"(...)who the hell is going to save me? he thought.
as the knife stopped spinning
the answer came:
you're going to have to
save yourself (...)"
- Charles Bukowski "Question and answer"

Forgive me my English, I'm trying my best.
May 20, 2012 6:03 AM

Offline
Aug 2009
2554
I want moree!! ;~;
May 20, 2012 1:34 PM

Offline
Dec 2011
20
Me too! :(
"(...)who the hell is going to save me? he thought.
as the knife stopped spinning
the answer came:
you're going to have to
save yourself (...)"
- Charles Bukowski "Question and answer"

Forgive me my English, I'm trying my best.
May 23, 2012 9:34 AM

Offline
Aug 2007
892
Very underwhelming. Also, am I the only person that is disappointed that the hetero sex scene showed more than the yaoi parts? What the hell...
suusuuMay 23, 2012 9:42 AM
Jul 1, 2012 6:41 PM
Offline
Oct 2010
59
Gosh, it obviously needs the 5th ep... No ending no game ><
Also, the four-episode OVA (=this one) seems to be more detailed with the background world... or I was simply prepared having watched the original OVA before. For I recall I haven't understood all the things about the state system and caste relationships, etc. first. Or the two-ep OVA was a bit rushed here. Dunno.
ArrviljaJul 1, 2012 6:48 PM
Jul 2, 2012 12:37 PM

Offline
Jan 2010
667
Is this the end ?
oh, I expected it would be romantic end :(
but it was interesting to see past Riki ))
all in all, not bad yaoi anime ))

I'm waiting for the new episodes (if they do),
Anime is not complete and it saddens me T___T
Jul 18, 2012 5:51 AM

Offline
May 2011
17
At last, I got to watch all the current episodes~ It's a total bummer about the rumors concerning whether this project is still going, but I am happy we at least got what we did, assuming the fourth is the last. ;_;

On one hand, much disappointment for the fact that the whole thing goes without conclusion, but then realizing how this was originally planned for much more, it's understandable; it's not like they could wrap things up in such short notice.

in the meantime, still gonna keep my fingers crossed that this will continue onward!
<img src="http://osu.ppy.sh/stat2/Deitra-0.png" />
Aug 31, 2012 12:20 PM
Offline
May 2007
2190
Katze, why so handsome and manly! And OMG your voice ♥ I want to see more of Riki with Iason, also Riki with his friends especially Kirie. There has to be more! That Riki and Iason first encounter was quite intriguing. I think Riki makes a cute delivery boy somehow. Riki later stalking Iason. That was interesting to see! 9/10 for now. I will be crossing fingers for a AnK2013, I'd be giving a higher rating if that ever happens.
Nov 2, 2012 5:41 PM

Offline
Feb 2012
868
This is BS. Only making 4 of these and ending it like that is pure torture.
Probably the best Yaoi i've ever seen.
Nov 3, 2012 10:21 PM

Offline
Jan 2012
647
I have to say, this yaoi had the best plot out of anything that I have read or watch is a while... It didn't even need the yaoi stuff, I would have still watched it. The animation and everything else is great in this series. I would give this series a perfect score if it wasn't for 1 Catastrophic flaw, which is where is the ending? Damn, if I had a nickle for every series I like that has No ending (by my defination), I would be a millionair.
Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines.
Jul 9, 2013 7:07 PM

Offline
Dec 2009
182
I haven't watched the original series, but now I will; if only to find out how it wraps things up. I enjoyed much about this version such as the art/style, the voice actors, and yes, even the story, despite feeling somewhat unfulfilled at the end.

Hmmm, given that "unfulfilled" was an obvious theme, could it be that leaving the viewer in a similar state (emotional rather than physical) was deliberate? A pseudo-interactive experience, if you will. Clever bastards! ; )

Mentioned in at least one other post was just how masculine the characters were given the strong current of homosexual sex and relationships. I, personally, liked it very much! No disrespect whatsoever meant toward the more effeminate.

Cheers!
Sep 15, 2013 4:43 PM
Offline
Jul 2018
564088
I haven't watched the original version either.
I really liked this OVA and I rated it pretty well. I hope this isn't the end though. If that was the end of it all I must say it was really bad. There's nothing wrong with an "open ending" but c'mon...we all want to see how their relationship evolves...
Dec 25, 2013 1:25 AM

Offline
Jun 2012
160
God damn it! Shit! The anime is over. Geez, I really wanted it to be finished. If your gonna remake it, finish it to the end. I soo wanted to see the death scene at the end of the original. Still, the episode itself was good, but I wish there was more. 9/10 for the whole series, It got a 9 cause the whole thing was awesome, but it didn't go all the way to the end. Oh, there was also something I was wondering about. I haven't read the novel so I don't know anything that's not in the anime btw. So in the opening, Iason's hair changes color once. It changes from blond to blue, but that never happened in the original nor the remake so I was wondering why and if it was just something from the novel.
SusuBitesYouDec 27, 2013 3:03 PM
Jan 3, 2014 7:00 AM

Offline
Jan 2014
174
I just need the continuation....><
Feel just like wanna scream so the industry who remake this anime heard..
Dammit finish what you hve done...So disappointing..tsk..:/

Jan 15, 2014 12:10 AM

Offline
Jan 2014
3
i really loved this anime. i love Rikki, how he behaves, his appearence and his feelings for Iason and Guy. i love that he looks much like a seme, rather than a uke. that manly look and behaviour, in contrast to that he has been got as a pet... really captivates me. i have DEEP feelings for him really.
i havent watched the original version completely, but in comparison to the remake, it wasnt that attractive. i liked the remake much more.
in the original one, everything gives me the feeling that Rikki hates Iason and its just because of the ring that he enjoys the sex. but in the remake, it seems Rikki likes Iason much more.
I really got angry when i watched the endging in the original one. its so sad... and truly ennoying. i hoped that in the remake they would change the ending. i dont expect a happy ending but hearing Rikki saying"im no longer a man" makes me awfully angry! I cried when i heared this sentence.
it has been 4days that i have watched the remake over and over. cant stop thinking about it.

is it rediculous that i hope other episodes in 2014?!!!! cant believe it is canceled. that was a masterpiece, im my opinion.
(sorry, i cant speak English well)
Aug 4, 2014 2:32 PM

Offline
Jul 2012
48255
That was good overall. It needs more. I love the sci-fi atmosphere and technology they pulled off in such a short amount of time. I gotta read the novels and watch the older version.
Sep 16, 2014 7:45 PM
Offline
Jul 2018
564088
Even thought the artwork is much prettier now (we're comparing 2 animes made with a 20 year gap) I really recommend sticking to the first ova instead of this 2012 remake. It isn't worth it imo.
Jan 13, 2015 12:03 PM

Offline
Jul 2012
48255
Juhnny said:
Even thought the artwork is much prettier now (we're comparing 2 animes made with a 20 year gap) I really recommend sticking to the first ova instead of this 2012 remake. It isn't worth it imo.

I thought they were both worth it. They switched up the order of scenes, but still. I didn't watch both back-to-back though, that's just being stupid.
Feb 22, 2015 12:56 AM

Offline
Aug 2013
128
Wow...probably the best yaoi anime I've seen.
I'd like it to be 12 episode anime but I'm happy with this too.
Anyway...I watched both version and one fills holes in another one.
So...they're both worth watching^^
Jul 26, 2016 11:28 PM

Offline
Aug 2010
1286
No....! Why did it end there?? I need more!! TT____TT

I rarely watch BL but this is a pretty good one considering there's actually a considerable storyline/plot to it
Feb 24, 2021 2:07 AM
Offline
Aug 2020
630
I really liked this version but was disappointed with were they ended it, not much explanation no proper ending :/
Jun 4, 2021 1:16 PM

Offline
Jan 2021
5854
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!T-T
This can’t be the end
Jan 8, 2023 1:59 PM
Offline
Dec 2021
1365
great anime. very hot. this forums comments are quite cringe.
Jun 13, 7:59 AM

Online
Jun 2008
5016
Riki hot af as usual. Iason same pos as always. Katze still the coolest.
Appreciated the backstory with the female pet but I guess I'm in the minority.
Old OVA was darker and more erotic, and - obviously - tragic.
Animation/art were good, no complaints except for the CGI abundance.
Maybe if they planned a shorter series since the beginning (like 8 eps instead of 13) we would have seen a proper end instead of a butchered adaptation.
Anyways, wasn't Riki older originally? He's only 15 here, wth?

watching, waiting, commiserating

More topics from this board

Poll: » Ai no Kusabi (2012) Episode 1 Discussion

yaoiisgood - Jan 23, 2012

43 by Crowsimage »»
Dec 15, 2022 12:48 PM

Poll: » Ai no Kusabi (2012) Episode 3 Discussion

otakuhime - Mar 22, 2012

28 by CalmTeaTime »»
Jun 4, 2021 1:15 PM

Poll: » Ai no Kusabi (2012) Episode 2 Discussion

otakuhime - Feb 15, 2012

27 by CalmTeaTime »»
Jun 4, 2021 1:13 PM

» Media Blasters will be releasing this!!

DeWinter - Jul 23, 2012

1 by walker1007 »»
Jan 15, 2014 1:11 AM

» Whats similar?

Eruanna - Jul 11, 2012

0 by Eruanna »»
Jul 11, 2012 5:24 PM
It’s time to ditch the text file.
Keep track of your anime easily by creating your own list.
Sign Up Login