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Jan 20, 2015 12:35 AM

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Nov 2014
48
So at first I was confused because, in court it sounded almost like they wanted to eat the main character so her not actually being eaten didn't make sense but, as of this episode it's obvious they are eating other people than the main character. Is she possibly used to gather the "power" to do so?

I think more will become clear as the series goes on it's only been three episodes we're just getting started.

When love and death embrace.
Jan 20, 2015 12:38 AM
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Mar 2012
9
Okay, I feel like I'm missing something big here.

The invisible storm, people are saying it targets the lesbians but isn't everyone lesbian? Aren't there only females in this world? Besides the male bears?

Also, didn't the classmates choose who gets targeted? Why are they doing this? Because people who dont fit in are evil? What the hell who brain washed them with this bullshit.

Also why haven't Lulu and Ginko already eatten Kureha? Why are they protecting her? To eat her later? I don't understand.
Jan 20, 2015 12:55 AM
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Jul 2009
111
misha0angel said:
Okay, I feel like I'm missing something big here.

The invisible storm, people are saying it targets the lesbians but isn't everyone lesbian? Aren't there only females in this world? Besides the male bears?

Also, didn't the classmates choose who gets targeted? Why are they doing this? Because people who dont fit in are evil? What the hell who brain washed them with this bullshit.

Also why haven't Lulu and Ginko already eatten Kureha? Why are they protecting her? To eat her later? I don't understand.


Given the show goes out of it's way to mislead you we can't really say much for certain...

However, sometimes I think it's addressing Yuri in anime more-so the real life lesbians. My current line of thinking is that status-quo, aka Invisible storm, supports the traditional Yuri relationship. One of chaste love between innocent girls. It never actually goes anywhere and they are expected to grow out of it. (Class S relationship.)

The (visible) bears on the other hand are openly sexual.

We haven't seen all of Kureha and Sumika's back story yet. It's possible they actually did something we haven't been shown yet.

Another idea is that the invisible storm chooses to sacrifice members in order to maintain invisibility.
Jan 20, 2015 1:46 AM

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Jul 2014
329
Still no idea what I'm watching nor do I know why I'm still watching it. The opening still appeals to me.
Jan 20, 2015 1:55 AM
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Jan 2015
1
LegnaOnFire said:
Shaba-daa-do...

I wonder if every time they want to save the main character, they have to kill someone.


I think they are just eating everyone who opposes yuri, that girl who's gonna get munched started that class vote thing afterall.
Jan 20, 2015 2:09 AM

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Jun 2008
25957
Ok....so everything is symbolism and psychological shit....

I STILL DON'T GET IT!

Fuck, it feels like watching the lesbian version of NGE.....I just want to see cute girls fucking each other, why can't the anime be about that?!

Why so much symbolism....and where is it going?!?!?
Jan 20, 2015 2:22 AM

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Dec 2009
2958
Quirky, funny, sexy, cute, creepy, and twisted all in one. My emotions still don't know how to interpret what's going on. Is this all like super dark or not? lol. I have a feeling we'll see a handful of twists.
Still enjoying this absolutely bizarre show, courtesy of japan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAfS-qoivKY
❀桜舞う空〜                   Cute is Power.           🔗CosmoGenesis Project
“You cannot know what you do not know.”
“Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.”
“A truth seeker has no patience for BS.”

I seek only to improve myself and others.
Jan 20, 2015 2:51 AM

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Mar 2011
86
Xerain said:

However, sometimes I think it's addressing Yuri in anime more-so the real life lesbians. My current line of thinking is that status-quo, aka Invisible storm, supports the traditional Yuri relationship. One of chaste love between innocent girls. It never actually goes anywhere and they are expected to grow out of it. (Class S relationship.)

The (visible) bears on the other hand are openly sexual.

ooh. I like this theory. Yuri approved. Shabadadoo.
Jan 20, 2015 3:14 AM
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Jul 2011
215
Ginko And Lulu Want To Be Friend With Kureha so They Crossed The Wall To Become Her Friend, Mitsuko Thinks Kureha Be Friend With Her Junior so she Killed And Ate Sumika then she is going to kill kureha and Ginko And Lulu Is Going To Protect Her.
Jan 20, 2015 3:15 AM
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Jul 2011
215
I Think Yuri Kuma Arashi Isn't Extremely Confusing Than Mawaru Penguindrum.
Jan 20, 2015 5:02 AM

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Mar 2011
86
Yuri Kuma avatars starting to pop up on twitter. Gold or trash, this is going to become a cult hit, isn't it?
Jan 20, 2015 6:57 AM

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Jul 2014
36
I don't get it... Am I the only one?

Are Lulu and Ginko in love with Kureha? Why are they saving her? What is "eating"?

I'm not a fan of all this fanservice, but I'm still watching this because of Utena and Penguindrum. I hope the fanservice will somehow fit in with the show or it will calm down.
I always love it when Sumika fixes her hair in the flashbacks, though. xD
And I'm still waiting that tomboyish girl to be more important. She looks interesting, like some kind of detective, lol. I think she won't disappoint.
Jan 20, 2015 7:56 AM

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Feb 2012
394
At this point, I'm pretty sure all the missing girls have already crossed the barrier into the world of bears. The parts that were left behind the flower garden can possibly represent old aspects of themselves that they themselves left behind in the process of becoming bears (coming out, possibly, maybe more to it than that but I don't know).

Regardless of how true Kureha's love is, she has not been able to cross that barrier because she is still unsure of her sexuality.

The human world in the Yurikuma world is simlar to the school of Utena. Both represent a closed state of mind that people can eventually grow out of as they learn more about the world and themselves.

And about the male judge, prosecutor, and defendant: some say it's sexist that only the males get to make all the judgements, but it's in line with how modern civilization is still very much a patriarchal one. The standards of female sexuality, it seems, are still being regulated by the attitudes of males and a majorly male-run society. I'm sure the girls and women of MAL can shed more light on this issue. As straight male, I can only speak from an outsiders' point of view regarding this.
Jan 20, 2015 8:03 AM

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Jul 2007
23708
Xerain said:
misha0angel said:
Okay, I feel like I'm missing something big here.

The invisible storm, people are saying it targets the lesbians but isn't everyone lesbian? Aren't there only females in this world? Besides the male bears?

Also, didn't the classmates choose who gets targeted? Why are they doing this? Because people who dont fit in are evil? What the hell who brain washed them with this bullshit.

Also why haven't Lulu and Ginko already eatten Kureha? Why are they protecting her? To eat her later? I don't understand.


Given the show goes out of it's way to mislead you we can't really say much for certain...

However, sometimes I think it's addressing Yuri in anime more-so the real life lesbians. My current line of thinking is that status-quo, aka Invisible storm, supports the traditional Yuri relationship. One of chaste love between innocent girls. It never actually goes anywhere and they are expected to grow out of it. (Class S relationship.)

The (visible) bears on the other hand are openly sexual.

We haven't seen all of Kureha and Sumika's back story yet. It's possible they actually did something we haven't been shown yet.

Another idea is that the invisible storm chooses to sacrifice members in order to maintain invisibility.


This is correct, for most of the part.

The Yuri Trial represents the malegaze otaku to whom the usual class-s yuri shows are targeted. And they are judging the two bears whether their yuri is "sexy" "cool" "cute" enough to be aired and not thrown through wall of severance(homophobia). When they approve them they are then treated to a fanservice filled male-gaze scene for their sakes which is in direct contrast with how other sexual/erotic scenes are handled in this show(ex: even the ones in the OP focus on less "mainstream" erogenous zones like feet)

The School is pretty much a reprogramming camp for the "Visible" to be "turned invisible" as per current japan standards. Those who openly declare their sexual preferences are shunned.

The "intimate friends young girls" stuff is okay for otaku, but real lesbians are a turn off because they will never be sexually interested in them, while the stereotype of class s will eventually grow out of it(how many yuri stories in mainstream end BEFORE adolescence? A lot) and growing out would be interested in being housewives serving males and birthing babies.

In an essence this is a brilliant commentary on the state of misogyny and homophobia in japan and in the whole world


It is sad that so many people are too dumb to get it.
Jan 20, 2015 9:36 AM
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Dec 2011
21
I'm one of those who's still pretty confused 3 episodes in, but I'm still drawn to it for some reason, not least because it's so weird and stands out from anything else I've ever seen. The interpretations here do help a lot in guiding my understanding.

CookingPriest said:
It is sad that so many people are too dumb to get it.


Unfortunately with the multilayered symbolism and metaphorism that I'm seeing it may take some people longer than others to actually get it, myself included. Not everyone wraps their head around these at the same rate.

Going back to rewatch and slowly digest the meaning so far.
Jan 21, 2015 12:35 AM

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Mar 2012
2884
I'm not even going to bother with the symbolism for now. I just wanna Kuma Shock.
Jan 21, 2015 2:02 AM
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Jul 2011
215
AnimeFan500 said:
So Lulu and Ginko will protect Kureha's love.

So they ate Oniyama because she was after Kureha who was on the EVIL list eh.

Every time she gets a call her love is being challenged.

That place where the flowerbed seems really important.

Mizuno got her arm shot so I doubt she's dead.

The Principal ate Kureha's mother because she loved her. She might go after Kureha next : 0

She is not the principal but is the Teacher Of Kureha's School.
Jan 21, 2015 2:12 AM
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Jul 2011
215
Xerain said:
misha0angel said:
Okay, I feel like I'm missing something big here.

The invisible storm, people are saying it targets the lesbians but isn't everyone lesbian? Aren't there only females in this world? Besides the male bears?

Also, didn't the classmates choose who gets targeted? Why are they doing this? Because people who dont fit in are evil? What the hell who brain washed them with this bullshit.

Also why haven't Lulu and Ginko already eatten Kureha? Why are they protecting her? To eat her later? I don't understand.


Given the show goes out of it's way to mislead you we can't really say much for certain...

However, sometimes I think it's addressing Yuri in anime more-so the real life lesbians. My current line of thinking is that status-quo, aka Invisible storm, supports the traditional Yuri relationship. One of chaste love between innocent girls. It never actually goes anywhere and they are expected to grow out of it. (Class S relationship.)

The (visible) bears on the other hand are openly sexual.

We haven't seen all of Kureha and Sumika's back story yet. It's possible they actually did something we haven't been shown yet.

Another idea is that the invisible storm chooses to sacrifice members in order to maintain invisibility.

#XERAIN
I Think That The Key Point Is One Innoncent Young Girl Kureha Avoing Becoming Lesbian And Another Key Point Is Kureha Her Lesbian Love Whether Or Not Is Strong Enough.
Jan 21, 2015 2:15 AM

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Oct 2011
57
Still have no clue what this show is, only reason I'm sticking around is for 'Kuma-Shock!'
Jan 21, 2015 2:29 AM

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Feb 2014
337
CookingPriest said:
In an essence this is a brilliant commentary on the state of misogyny and homophobia in japan and in the whole world



Rather than brilliant, I would say its an interesting artistic way to deal with it. I think Ikuhara make art (yes, I think he makes art anime) for a small audience and I can't see this man receiving much love for what his works stand for. As much as I find him interesting and unique, his work is mostly overblown and exagerated, it leaves the sensation that he had a lot to say but couldn't fully express it. Sometimes I wonder if he just do it for fun or to fuck the enthusiasts, as he is one of the many directors that leave the message open for the audience (a way to rather express that its a work that finishes with the viewer in a sense to absorb and improve your way to view things or that he simply didn't meant nothing at all)

Blue_RockShooter said:
Still have no clue what this show is, only reason I'm sticking around is for 'Kuma-Shock!'


You should read this episode's discussion. Plenty of things are explained of what we got so far, and the episode itself tells a lot of somethings but we have to watch it closely enough.
Jan 21, 2015 2:46 AM

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Jul 2014
36
CookingPriest said:

The Yuri Trial represents the malegaze otaku to whom the usual class-s yuri shows are targeted. And they are judging the two bears whether their yuri is "sexy" "cool" "cute" enough to be aired and not thrown through wall of severance(homophobia). When they approve them they are then treated to a fanservice filled male-gaze scene for their sakes which is in direct contrast with how other sexual/erotic scenes are handled in this show(ex: even the ones in the OP focus on less "mainstream" erogenous zones like feet)

The School is pretty much a reprogramming camp for the "Visible" to be "turned invisible" as per current japan standards. Those who openly declare their sexual preferences are shunned.

The "intimate friends young girls" stuff is okay for otaku, but real lesbians are a turn off because they will never be sexually interested in them, while the stereotype of class s will eventually grow out of it(how many yuri stories in mainstream end BEFORE adolescence? A lot) and growing out would be interested in being housewives serving males and birthing babies.

In an essence this is a brilliant commentary on the state of misogyny and homophobia in japan and in the whole world


It is sad that so many people are too dumb to get it.

That was insightful, thanks. Calling people "too dumb" is going too far though...

But is it really so true that male yuri fans are not interested in lesbian characters? They are fictional after all...
Jan 21, 2015 3:26 AM

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May 2010
276
OMG Sumika was such sweet girl!

Flashbacks really got to me ;__;

Why you killed her and laugh at her dying moments you evil monster?!

Evil!!!
Jan 21, 2015 3:42 AM
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Dec 2012
32
invisible storm = bears hidden (basic yuri love as talked about prior) who decided who to eat (kill off, shun) next based off of who is showing signs of True bear Yuri love.

Bears= bears are simply the sexual nature of humanity or another way to put it being true to your love.

Humans = Those who are not a Hidden Yuri Aka invisible storm or a Human true to their nature. part of the storms choice to make evil or eat.

The point of the trial is to Filter out those who will protect their love or if it is true. if yuri is approved then the love is protected. in each case as below

In ep 1 blonde class prez yuri hidden storm bear ate the true love of the protagonist and the trial was so the two new Yuri bears could protect the love they have for the protagonist with gun. which might mean since her Yuri love was true she is a bear and not a human.

in ep 2 class prez bear killed her hidden bear yuri false friend and the trial was so the two could eat her and further protect the Protagonist

in ep 3 the trial was again to protect the protagonist and to start to open her true self and break away from the invisible storms influence.

im just spit balling here any way.
Jan 21, 2015 4:12 AM

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Jun 2013
6123
Another interesting episode..
Jan 21, 2015 5:05 AM

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Aug 2014
65
i did'nt like this episode because episode was repeating episode 2 week ago
Jan 21, 2015 5:10 AM

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Dec 2013
10536
DeathGun1 said:
i did'nt like this episode because episode was repeating episode 2 week ago

Nothing was repeated, except he judgement scens, which was also quite different.
Jan 21, 2015 7:55 AM

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May 2013
220
lol

can't take the yuri seriously im sad
hair behind ear
i smell recipe for fascist setting, what is up with that random (?) selection process
flowerbed rain scene gawrsh thats adorable-- oh wow naked looks like they already did the do
is this supposed to be deep with the whole love thing cause im not getting shit
oh fuck no thats freaking low yurizono
is mc ever being eaten or
its gonna be like this at the end of every freaking episode
shabadadoo
and there's the faint, dont think its healthy to keep doing that girl
kuma fucking shock
gao gao
music is op still
Jan 21, 2015 9:26 AM

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Feb 2014
337
Pabilsag said:
But is it really so true that male yuri fans are not interested in lesbian characters? They are fictional after all...


Who knows? Without a serious study of it or a significant poll you can never be sure.
Jan 21, 2015 10:13 AM

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Nov 2012
2078
Everyone loves reused scenes
http://a.pomf.se/tizfsh.webm
Jan 21, 2015 10:39 AM

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Jan 2014
89
Wow the symbolism in this anime is huge, pretty good and told in a way that you don't really hate what is told. Well, not that you hate it, but mostly society.
Although the great message that this is leaving behind, i don't feel anything from this show yet.
5~6/10
Jan 21, 2015 12:17 PM

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Oct 2012
1917
@VirtualStar: Thank you for posting that awesome scene from "Revolutionary Girl
Utena". Recently I have been slowly working my way through the series, and I had
not seen that part yet. Thank goodness they finally installed an elevator. A long time
ago, I started RGU, but very quickly lost interest. I made a new attempt after reading
all of the comments on these threads.

My question: How come we never see Utena coming back down that spiral staircase?
okanaganJan 21, 2015 12:22 PM
Jan 21, 2015 5:31 PM

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Jun 2014
1377
This show fucking sucks. Just a mish-mash of color and weird imagery and no plot. and well as recycled scenes and animations.
If it does one thing well... it would be the train-wreck effect. Its horrible, but i cant look away.
Be sure to message me if you quoted me and want me to respond! Just give me a link to the forum, because usually I leave my comment, then leave the forum.
Jan 21, 2015 7:19 PM

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Apr 2012
2375
This show is far too repetitive.

Smudy said:
If you didn't understand a bit even in this episode, you should honestly drop it, guys lol

There's nothing to understand, because almost nothing happens. The message is "guys, we should accept lesbians more, really", but if you're going to create a 12 episode show to represent such a simple message, at least use less obvious symbolism and metaphors.
Jan 21, 2015 7:19 PM

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Jul 2012
48251
wow im actually in the minority

i dont understand any of the symbolism shit but it's quite interesting and fun, as always.

shabadadoo
Jan 21, 2015 8:02 PM

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Jul 2007
23708
Oddyeus said:
This show is far too repetitive.

Smudy said:
If you didn't understand a bit even in this episode, you should honestly drop it, guys lol

There's nothing to understand, because almost nothing happens. The message is "guys, we should accept lesbians more, really", but if you're going to create a 12 episode show to represent such a simple message, at least use less obvious symbolism and metaphors.


If you can't get the symbolism and message this early in ikuhara show, tHe show is not for you. Drop it.
Jan 21, 2015 8:28 PM

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Aug 2013
2274
Well they finally explained the invisible storm.

Looking forward to them explaining the yuri court down he road.

Because when they start explaining things...that is sexy!

Shaba-da-doo.

KUMA SHOCK!

okanagan said:


You're watching the wrong anime if you're looking for that kind of detailed logic.
Jan 21, 2015 8:58 PM

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Oct 2012
1917
Jonesy974 said:
You're watching the wrong anime if you're looking for that kind of detailed logic.


I totally take your point. However, many fans of the series in Japan have been
commenting on the specific make and model of Kureha's gun. It would make a
huge difference to the story plot if she had something like an AR-15. In that case,
Mitsuko Yurizono wouldn't have been able to knock her down the stairs like that.
I think Ikuhara is aware of this and chose this kind of gun purposely. It could
symbolize Kureha's internal ambivalence about actually wanting to kill the bears.

It's Chekhov's hunting rifle, not Chekhov's M-16.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChekhovsGun
okanaganJan 21, 2015 9:15 PM
Jan 22, 2015 5:14 AM

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Jul 2012
157
I really felt connected emotionally to Kureha in this episode. Yay, finally! :P

I'm genuinely surprised at how overt this episode was with how it pretty much just flat-out said "this is the invisible storm", though it is kinda nice to know I'm on the right track (I think?) with my understanding of it. It makes me wonder, though, if it's this overt so far, will there be subtler things in the next few episodes. Also, in a way I can see how it might be necessary. If you think about group-think and tribalism, it's all sort of an understood thing that's completely unstated. We know it instinctively. For things like that, sometimes you need to really say clearly, "this is what you're doing, and it can lead to some really shitty, hurtful behavior toward other people". Honestly, I really hope it doesn't go the route of simply condemning it, as that's sort of a poorly-formed view of humanity. By our very nature we form groups, so just saying, "that's bad; we shouldn't do it" is somewhat naive. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, though.

Watching this episode, and looking back on what I noticed in the first two episodes, it seems like a lot of the emotion is in the visuals and direction, rather than the dialogue (though the acting is pretty good at conveying emotion), which makes sense given the repressive nature of the school society. Though I do understand that it can make the characters and story harder to relate to or empathize/sympathize with. I definitely need to re-watch this episode, and episode two, at least once before the next one comes out, as I'm sure I missed quite a bit.

I did like the fact that we got some fitting alterations to the post-trial scene with Kureha, Ginko, and Lulu. There was also a noticeable difference in Kureha's resolve and response to the "challenge from the Severance Barrier". With the whole triumph of love thing, and Kureha's reaction to grazing Mitsuko with the bullet, I'm really leaning toward her being sort of a medium between the two sides. Where her house is also hints pretty strongly at this.

I've finally come up with a more concrete idea/theory of why all the bears are after Kureha after reading Gabriella's review/analysis of the first three episodes on Anime News Network (you should really check it out, especially if you're unsure of what's going on in the show). She mentions that the human girls who are lesbians and the bears each represent a stereotype in how lesbians are portrayed in media. The human girls are pure and innocent, and the bears are lustful and aggressive. Both stereotypes are constrained by society's views of what it thinks lesbianism should be like. And both the human lesbians (who you can say are "bears" in human guise because they stifle their desires) and the bears conform to these stereotypes. If Kureha is somehow a link or bridge between the two sides, she would be very attractive to them as a means to allow them to be themselves without risking the rejection of society. This is really kind of a hodgepodge idea at this point, and there are some holes.

It also seems like Ginko and Lulu (or at least just Ginko) have some other interest in Kureha, since they actively crossed the Severance Barrier just to find her. And there's also the fact that Kureha's mother is wearing the same necklace that Ginko wears in bear form and humanoid bear form. That could be what the opening hints at.

I'm still somewhat worried about the overall absence of much story progression and character development (although, the characters that have recurred in these first three episodes have been gradually fleshed out a little bit; it's just everyone else who's been left undeveloped). Although, from all the anime I've seen so far, I do think you can do quite a lot story-wise in just 12 or so episodes, so I'm not too worried yet.

At this point, to me, the show is largely ideas and messages that I find genuinely interesting (though not really personal, as I'm a straight guy), portrayed in a way that is particularly intriguing to me at this point in time (I've just started learning about film and how it conveys meaning, so I have a very, very small foothold for understanding this show in ways that I would've been unable to previously), but there's not a whole lot of emotional connection through the characters and/or story (though, we're getting there with this episode!; and I could change my mind on a re-watch). With that said, I'm really excited for the next episode!
SejinJan 22, 2015 5:20 AM
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Jan 22, 2015 6:35 AM

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Oct 2012
1917
Episode 4 information:

Four hours ago, the official Twitter account for Yurikuma announced that the
mini-synopsis for Episode 4 has been posted on the official website. Here is
the link to that Tweet, which is in Japanese:
https://twitter.com/yurikuma_anime/status/558208102613258240

Here is the text of the mini-synopsis, in Japanese, without any translation.
But I did provide "romaji" for people here who understand spoken Japanese
even though they can't read it. Sorry, the "romaji" probably has some errors
which I take responsibility for.
okanaganJan 22, 2015 6:46 AM
Jan 22, 2015 6:47 AM

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Jul 2014
36
Sejin said:

I did like the fact that we got some fitting alterations to the post-trial scene with Kureha, Ginko, and Lulu. There was also a noticeable difference in Kureha's resolve and response to the "challenge from the Severance Barrier". With the whole triumph of love thing, and Kureha's reaction to grazing Mitsuko with the bullet, I'm really leaning toward her being sort of a medium between the two sides. Where her house is also hints pretty strongly at this.

I see Kureha as just being in a conflict rather than her being a medium. To add to her house, there is also the black and white pattern on top of the school which is symmetric from out of the "line" in the middle. The characters are always standing on the line in the middle (between the two sides) when they are "duelling" (if I recall correctly). The black and white colors in the floor-pattern blend in each other. I think this shows her conflict with herself and society and she tries to resolve it in the climax on top of the school.
Kind of like Utena.
Jan 22, 2015 12:49 PM

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Dec 2010
1862
I am finally starting to understand this show. Looking forward to the next episode!

GAO GAO!
Deliveries go here pls <3
Candy Kingdom
(∩^o^)⊃━☆゚.*・。゚
Jan 22, 2015 2:14 PM

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157
Pabilsag said:
Sejin said:

I did like the fact that we got some fitting alterations to the post-trial scene with Kureha, Ginko, and Lulu. There was also a noticeable difference in Kureha's resolve and response to the "challenge from the Severance Barrier". With the whole triumph of love thing, and Kureha's reaction to grazing Mitsuko with the bullet, I'm really leaning toward her being sort of a medium between the two sides. Where her house is also hints pretty strongly at this.

I see Kureha as just being in a conflict rather than her being a medium. To add to her house, there is also the black and white pattern on top of the school which is symmetric from out of the "line" in the middle. The characters are always standing on the line in the middle (between the two sides) when they are "duelling" (if I recall correctly). The black and white colors in the floor-pattern blend in each other. I think this shows her conflict with herself and society and she tries to resolve it in the climax on top of the school.
Kind of like Utena.


Yeah, I definitely agree that Kureha is conflicted. What I was saying about thinking she might turn out to be a bridge (I should've used this word instead of medium) between humans and bears was more about taking a stab at what actions she takes as a result of (the resolution of) her conflict.

Something else I thought of is that every time Kureha goes to the roof, she has the rifle, and she's ready for a fight. By doing that, she's not actually giving herself to the bears. Would giving herself to the bears mean that she fully embraces her sexuality in the way society says she should (being a bear)? Or does "giving herself to the bears" just mean being receptive to who and what they are? If it's the former (embracing her sexuality), then on top of that, if the voice she hears over the phone when she's being called from the Severance Barrier is Life Sexy's voice, that means that the people telling her to embrace her sexuality are the men/society/the patriarchy. It's essentially saying, "You can't go on like this. You either have to be a lily, or you have to be a bear." If that's what's going on, then Kureha bringing her gun to the roof and looking for a fight every time she goes there would mean that she's not willing to just give up her self-determination and be forced into one of two categories just because someone else says those are her only choices.

In general, the more I think about the show, the more I'm really getting strong Utena vibes. At this point, I'm still unsure of whether or not I think the metaphors and symbols are too in-your-face, but that's not something I'm even considering making a judgment on until I've seen the whole show.
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Jan 22, 2015 2:21 PM

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Any sort of bridging of different opinions is done via conflict.

Kureha is BOTh the conflict and the solution, because the solution will not come without conflict(which in itself is message about prejudice and fighting against prejudice)

I am thinking the LAST Court sequence will be Kureha turning a gun towards the court and shooting them. Finding herself in a world not limited by perception of duality or demonisation of good and evil (akin to how Utena movie outcome is handled) , with Sumika being alive(because "eat girls" or EAT girls is perception issue)
Jan 22, 2015 2:40 PM

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Sejin said:
Pabilsag said:

I see Kureha as just being in a conflict rather than her being a medium. To add to her house, there is also the black and white pattern on top of the school which is symmetric from out of the "line" in the middle. The characters are always standing on the line in the middle (between the two sides) when they are "duelling" (if I recall correctly). The black and white colors in the floor-pattern blend in each other. I think this shows her conflict with herself and society and she tries to resolve it in the climax on top of the school.
Kind of like Utena.


Yeah, I definitely agree that Kureha is conflicted. What I was saying about thinking she might turn out to be a bridge (I should've used this word instead of medium) between humans and bears was more about taking a stab at what actions she takes as a result of (the resolution of) her conflict.

Something else I thought of is that every time Kureha goes to the roof, she has the rifle, and she's ready for a fight. By doing that, she's not actually giving herself to the bears. Would giving herself to the bears mean that she fully embraces her sexuality in the way society says she should (being a bear)? Or does "giving herself to the bears" just mean being receptive to who and what they are? If it's the former (embracing her sexuality), then on top of that, if the voice she hears over the phone when she's being called from the Severance Barrier is Life Sexy's voice, that means that the people telling her to embrace her sexuality are the men/society/the patriarchy. It's essentially saying, "You can't go on like this. You either have to be a lily, or you have to be a bear." If that's what's going on, then Kureha bringing her gun to the roof and looking for a fight every time she goes there would mean that she's not willing to just give up her self-determination and be forced into one of two categories just because someone else says those are her only choices.

In general, the more I think about the show, the more I'm really getting strong Utena vibes. At this point, I'm still unsure of whether or not I think the metaphors and symbols are too in-your-face, but that's not something I'm even considering making a judgment on until I've seen the whole show.


But that way she's fighting against growing up, isn't she?
I mean, Utena never gave up her determination and that was the point that lead her to
so it would be kinda different this time.
jasqueJan 22, 2015 3:09 PM
Jan 22, 2015 2:56 PM

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Sejin said:
[...] Would giving herself to the bears mean that she fully embraces her sexuality in the way society says she should (being a bear)? Or does "giving herself to the bears" just mean being receptive to who and what they are? [...]


The fact that its a male in charge of the phone calls leads us to think he is mostly interested in "fanservice" acting between the girls, but objectively I think that to give herself to bears is to accept herself and to not be influenced by the infinite storm (the society standards Ikuhara goes against). But then she goes on against the bears... why? Because she has yet to realize what the bears actually stand for (thats how I perceived it but just watched each episode one time).

CookingPriest said:
I am thinking the LAST Court sequence will be Kureha turning a gun towards the court and shooting them.


Thats too western for anime. I know that Ikuhara is always infiltrating western elements in his works but well, I just don't think he'll do something like that.
surfboard_Jan 22, 2015 3:00 PM
Jan 22, 2015 3:13 PM

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jasque said:
But that way she's fighting against growing up, isn't she?
I mean, Utena never gave up her determination and that was the point that lead her to leaving ohtori at the end of the series so it would be kinda different this time.


I...don't think so? I mean, part of growing up is recognizing what reality is and realizing that you can't just ignore it, but at the same time, another part of growing up is coming to a better understanding of yourself, and how you fit in (or don't) with said reality. "I don't fit in with the world, so screw the world" is definitely childish, but there are other ways to go about resolving something like that that are more grounded. On the other hand, if reality is really terrible, why should you just accept it as is? Why shouldn't you reject it, or seek to do something to change it? Again, there are various ways to go about this, so I tend to think that what determines how grown up a person is in this vein is how they handle such conflicts.

surfboard_ said:
The fact that its a male in charge of the phone calls leads us to think he is mostly interested in "fanservice" acting between the girls, but objectively I think that to give herself to bears is to accept herself and to not be influenced by the infinite storm (the society standards Ikuhara goes against). But then she goes on against the bears... why? Because she has yet to realize what the bears actually stand for (thats how I perceived it but just watched each episode one time).


That makes sense. Kureha definitely seems like she's not really very aware of what's going on around her, with this episode marking the start of the turning point with that.
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Jan 22, 2015 3:15 PM

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Smudy said:
If you didn't understand a bit even in this episode, you should honestly drop it, guys lol
I don't understand anything XD what does that "falling down the stairs" even mean..

But i ain't dropping an anime with awsome yuri xD
Jan 22, 2015 3:41 PM

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CookingPriest said:
I am thinking the LAST Court sequence will be Kureha turning a gun
towards the court and shooting them.


I certainly don't want something awful like that to happen. Let's just hope
that Ikuhara has never seen the 1981 movie "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun"
( セーラー服と機関銃 / Sērā-fuku to kikanjū ).
Jan 22, 2015 3:56 PM

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surfboard_ said:

CookingPriest said:
I am thinking the LAST Court sequence will be Kureha turning a gun towards the court and shooting them.


Thats too western for anime. I know that Ikuhara is always infiltrating western elements in his works but well, I just don't think he'll do something like that.


He did originally want utena to fight with guns. And Utena did

So yeah I am guessing it will happen.

Or maybe it will even be revealed that the court trio are not bears but someone else masquerading as bears. Which kind of fits the theme of the so called "yuri otaku" who are so supporting of class s stuff yet rage at actual real life homosexuality/lesbians.
Jan 22, 2015 6:23 PM

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Yurizono's voice actor is top notch in this episode. She's so sly and creepy.
LoneWolf said:
@Josh makes me sad to call myself Canadian.
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