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I cant help but be a bit dumbfounded at how this show is recieved. "Great but too long with too much dialogue" - really? This show seems to go by incredibly quickly when I watch it. It doesn't pander to the audience, it cuts between dramatic and funny dialogue elagantly, and the directing keeps things interesting.
This episode had a lot of subtle "show don't tell" in it. Immediately through the atmosphere you could tell who the villians position in this world was - a lonely old man clinging onto the past with no one to save the decay of his clan. His secluded nature as well as the disinant feel of the castle really set it up well. It was hidden subtext that you could pick up on. In the last scene where they look at the sandy hills and talk about the fading memory of the castle i was so touched.
The talking during the first half dragged on for too long when it was pretty much just the writer projecting himself through Togame. Breaking the 4th wall is nice and all (although it was disguised as part of writing a report rather than the novel/story itself) but it didn't contribute anything to the story itself nor was it entertaining enough to drag on for 5+ mintues.
As for the fight itself, it was quite underwhelming but that's what happens when the opponent specializes in an attack so fast that you can't see it. Also, I don't get why he couldn't try to dodge Shichika's final attack sideways or even try blocking with his katana. It would've be an awkward sword draw but he would've had a chance at blocking Shichika's attack which would also cut him down due to his katana's special sharpness.
If he had enough time to do that then he most certainly could've drawn his katana.
The blank slate that is Shichika's personality is might start filling up with details starting now. I like that things like the bait-and-switch line about protection keep him unpredictable. Part of the fun with him is never being quite sure if he meant what he said.
Togame continues to be a huge dork with a big mouth. I don't mind, because I like her voice a lot, but I want her to get a chance to show off her strategic skills for once. At least some of her exposition this time featured some stills as illustration. I'm considering the possibility that some of her quirks are a mask, but I have no evidence for it at this point.
I keep thinking about the conflicting feelings that Shichika must cause in her. On one hand, he's the son of the man who wiped out her family. On the other hand, he didn't have anything to do with the conflict directly, he's a blank slate that she can guide to be a better person, he showed her kindness and joined her side, when no one else seems to want to stay with her, and on top of that, he's hot. Now, her reaction to Shichika licking her and generally getting all up in her business are understandable even without context, but with context it's even more awkward.
Uneri was such a tragic character. I liked him. Though I couldn't stop thinking: when does he go to the bathroom? Does he eat/sleep/bathe in that room? Also, possibly the easiest way to make him abandon his turf would have been to light the castle on fire, but that would have risked melting the sword, so I'll allow it.
Still really loving this series. The setting and premise this time were pretty damn cool. I continue to really enjoy Togame and Shichika's dynamic. The whole wrapping her hair around him thing is pretty cute. And feels very Nisioisin. And I continue to find myself really drawn in by the dialogue. While the action scene at the end was really cool. I think my favorite part of the episode was just them walking through the desert talking about catch phrases. I'm also for the record very fond of the combination of the phrase "Cheerio" and Togame's appearance.
I also like that Shichika is starting to learn already. How he determined that the swordsman wouldn't leave the room to follow them was pretty clever. And definitely smarter than he could have come up with when he first showed up. I look forward to seeing where this series goes. As it continues to impress me with its tight story telling, anachronistic soundtrack and pretty animation. And also the Ninja who talked backwards and Togame trying to adopt his shtick in the tag was pretty hilarious.
This anime has such an insufferable amount of pointless dialogue, and it isn't even done in any interesting way, making the episodes 50 minutes each was a huge mistake.
I'm in the slightly-more-than-average rating camp right now.
The dialogue is easier to get into without having the first swordsman around. (He added a lot of more energy that wasn't needed.) I think part of the reason it's overwhelming at first, at least for me, is that I am going into this show knowing little about it besides decent ratings and genre.
Togame wrapping him in her hair and making him do all sorts of kinky stuff just for him to recognize her more easily was very eccentric but that height comparison can't help but make me think that she's just a smol loli~
The villain of the episode was quite the tragic one. His final words topped by the quick but rewarding fight scene with his last shot in the desert as the icing on the cake just showed that he's a respectable badass.
There were a lot of optional dialogue on how to come up of a catchphrase and how to make Shinchika more interesting but those seemingly unimportant talk being a trigger-event for the emotionally powerful final words discussion made up for the time spent big time.
And with this compelling episode, this anime will be scored an 8 or higher by me depending on how it goes but this is just the second episode so I have high hopes~ Togame using Cheerio at the end of the episode is the only part where she used it right lmao
Man I really love the catchphrase part, pretty sure it's blatant meta about NisioIsin's work style, if ever that is then glad to learn some of it like from the way he writes his characters, catchphrases stuff
Felt bad for Ginkaku though, man he just wants to restore his homeland.
Man, I'm starting to like this show now from Togame and Shichika interaction, interesting villains, also even the extra characters in this series like the reverse talking ninja or the samurai who got killed with that random cheesy line made me chuckle a bit, and of course the fight scene which I'm hoping for more though.
Togame is so stupid and irritating, wish she had died. Still have no idea why Schichika agreed to go on her quest with her, hopefully that gets explained soon.
Only good thing about this episode was Uneri, man was he likable..too bad we won't see him anymore
Two episodes in and I'm already kind of in love with this show lol
“I love heroes, but I don't want to be one. Do you even know what a hero is!? For example, you have some meat. Pirates will feast on the meat, but the hero will distribute it among the people! I want to eat the meat!” - Monkey D. Luffy
Pointless dialouges all over the place, but I love it. The dialouges really entertains me, example when they are making a catchphrase, when they think a strategy and when they talk before they fight. Other than that, I love Shirasagi because of his reverse-talk.
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This episode was great really hooked me in. however, there was a lot of talking. I know at the end that catchphrase conversation had a meaning. It didn't have to be that long.
I loved this episode even more than the last one! I didn’t care much for the catchphrase discussion, and I’m glad that backwards talking Ninja got killed after just a couple lines lol. But man I LOVED the villain this time around, he was so tragic/ relatable? Just an old man wanting to protect something that no longer exists... also that whole “people who have something to protect are stronger” line really struck a chord with me. Kinda sad shichiki backtracked and said he was just babbling T.T
So far I really love it! Hope it keeps this up (also please no more ninjas they’re all so annoying)
Edit: I also want to mark this as the day I found out kissanime shut down forever T.T
Shichika knows so little about the life apart from the island he grew up on. It's funny how Togame is trying to teach him things every normal person learns automatically. :D
Shichikas new clothes look cool. I like it a lot.
I love the way she says Cheerio, even if it seems that's it's not the word she really wants to say.
I felt bad for Ginkaku. Completely alone in a desert is he trying to protect the only thing which is worth protecting for him. I think if there would have been more dialogue of that backwards speaking ninja I would have gotten a headache lol.
But damn Ginkakus sword style is fast. The fight between him and Shichika was definitely something else, but like we could see at the end he had a big weakness. At least now he can rest in peace.
Maybe it's just that Togame is really small, but man standing next to her, Shichika is HUGE
Also just realized that this was released on a monthly schedule back in 2010 it aired, spanning from January all the way to end of the year in December. It's just something interesting to note.
This second episode slaps pretty much as hard as the first. I like all the dialogue and build-up up until Shichika takes down his opponent in a quick fashion. I like how we got to know this character, the wielder of this 2nd sword before Shichika inevitably finishes him off. At least now he is at peace.
Just checking when I watched the first episode, and it was nearly a month ago actually lol. But I'm back on board watching this for good now and will probably binge the rest in the couple days off I have right now.
Loll the author was not hiding themself when Togame was talking about how bland Shichika is. Hopefully he can develop and not be so clueless.
I like Togame a lot, she’s obviously self centered but still has morals like to not needlessly kill people. I found the dialogue in this episode entertaining, a lot better than other shows where they may just be talking about their current situation and not about other stuff like normal people do
It's too talkie and it aint interesting talk or horny talk like bakemonogatari. Its just numbing. Maybe they're doing cool wordplay and exquisite usage of flowery language, but i wouldn't know since io don't speak Japanese. Maybe someone familiar with the language can appreciate it more if that's what the show is good at. which is also just a guess from my part. I might keep going but seeing each ep is an hour long i dont know how far i'll last :(
I don't know why, but watching the episodes a second time makes me love it even more than my first watch. I watched the first episode five times cause of how much I got invested in how it begins the story. Watching this episode the first time made me like the episode, but the second watch made me appreciate it even more.
From this episode, it's clear that the anime has a straightforward story to follow, but it's going to focus a lot on the characters and how their interactions go throughout their adventure. I like how it still shows Shichika not knowing how to distinguish people apart, and I thought the training moment was, er, cute :3
Just playing around with Togame's hair seemed fun.. and I love how Shichika sometimes has it wrapped around him as if it were a big scarf :3
I also like how the interactions with Shichika and Togame make the comedy work. The way Shichika just doesn't understand many situations and why it's meant to be a shock to him, sometimes giving an unfazed reaction, makes it funny to watch as he is still trying to understand the lifestyle outside of the island he lived in for many years.
I liked the entire conversation on 'catchphrases' and how to stick out as a character. It just adds up characteristics to the characters as they keep going along their way to collect the second sword. I always knew about Togame's 'Cheerio' before watching this anime, and it's funny to see how she uses it when she just needs to hit Shichika for thinking something that seems dumb to her. I didn't know about her second term, 'Gyafun' though, and it was funny how it was used at an instance that happens later in the episode.
Before watching this anime, I knew beforehand about Shichika's catchphrase, 'However, by that point, you'll have been torn into pieces.' I honestly believed it would be made up in one of the last episodes of the anime. It apparently comes up as early as this episode, which surprised me. Honestly, though, I feel that the catchphrase conversation might be a build-up for the coming anime episodes. Speaking of that, I also didn't expect the narrator to mention how, in some future episode, Togame will realize the true meaning of the term 'Cheerio.' I actually saw an animated wallpaper of her talking about that beforehand. It seemed as if it would be one of those comedic moments, but apparently, it's being built up by the narrator for another episode??? Interesting..
I have to say that they did a great job making me invested in a character who stays in his room in a castle for so long. Knowing his backstory and ideologies, you get to understand him and why he is protecting the second blade.
The few moments before the fight were also quite funny. The way Shichika thought of a 'brilliant' plan that Togame obviously thinks to be terrible and Shichika agrees himself, the way Ginkaku slices part of himself to add blood to his blade to make it stronger and Togame suggests to retreat so that he'd stay bleeding to death because of his technique, and the way Shichika suddenly uses Togame's face as a wall to jump-start his attack towards Ginkaku, making Togame yell 'GYAFUN' were moments that were just hysterical.
But the part that actually stuck with me in this episode has to be the final minutes after the narrator says the chapter now ends. It's nice to see how Shichika learns that people who have something to protect are strong and that some people need something to protect to keep living. It just gives a sense of Shichika's growing loyalty towards Togame.
What got me as well was the final words. After taking out Ginkaku, Shichika was amazed by his final words after being defeated since they brought out his character, believing it was his catchphrase. Togame corrects him and says how it's actually his final message before dying. They discuss it in a profound manner because it's a statement one only says once in one's whole life, and it should only be said when one knows one's time is up. If anything, it's such a profound moment that makes one realize how one doesn't know when one's time on this planet will be over and how one's final words could impact others and yourself. It's something that should be considered, but not something to prepare, as was shown when Togame tells Shichika that he isn't allowed that one chance and shouldn't think about making up such words, for he still has a goal on this planet and how there's still much for him to do. This moment also made me love the type of character Togame is with how she is being considerate with Shichika and trying to ease him to not think of such a deep thought since he is, after all, still an innocent person who just began experiencing life outside of his home. I'm not ashamed to say, but it actually almost made me cry since it's a deep thought everyone would have to go through eventually. (Also, cause I have a feeling this moment might be foreshadowing something in the anime.. *gulp*) I also like how the lyrics were written for the ED song since they describe the morals and ideals that were brought up in this episode.
I have to say, the second episode made me understand what kind of story this anime is trying to portray, and upon rewatching the episode twice, it made me appreciate the messages it was trying to represent as well. I love this anime so far and am glad I finally got into it after all this time.
Edit: Oh yeah.. does anyone happen to know the ost piece that happens around 31:07?? I love how it sounds, but I can't seem to find it anywhere!!! X/
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