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What did you think of this episode?
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May 2, 2019 9:21 AM
#1
THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE. ---------------------------------------- Hmm, it seems Toi has his reasons to not let Kazuki have a Dish of Hope. We still get the usual weird themes and performances in the show. At this point, I'm pretty on board with how this show operates in terms of its style. A rather thrilling episode if you ask me. (felt more serious than the previous ones) |
May 2, 2019 10:25 AM
#2
According to this tweet next week appears to be the actual first content that Mappa has any hand in whatsoever. I'm wondering how this will affect the production. About this episode. I'm speculating on all kinds of things but I feel like I need more episodes to truly make concrete theories on this & that. I love the tonal quips from quirky funny to serious so much tho! |
May 2, 2019 11:00 AM
#3
This episode reminded me of Patlabor the movie 1. The scene where two detectives walk around Tokyo's hidden/ruined areas. |
May 2, 2019 2:05 PM
#4
Wonder how Mappa will handle next week episode? Can’t wait and see |
May 2, 2019 2:17 PM
#5
Wait WHAAAAAT Well ok it was expected that him killed a person But yoooo that scene after the credits And looks like the policemen are going to make their moves |
May 2, 2019 2:29 PM
#6
God i know he is like 14 but Kazuki is such a dumb piece of shit lmfao You should be the one going with your brother to that event not Enta and you just made a dumb fucking plan cause u are scared ur lie will be exposed, get a grip dude, Haruka just wants his brother back. Also I guess he will never stop ignoring Enta damn my heart bleeds for the boy cause he at least deserves to be treated like a friend. Tbh Toi and Enta's interactions were actually quite deep and intense this ep I wish we saw more of that instead of KazuToi pairing up for everything lol Idk it might be my bias tho cause i find them more interesting and im rly being meh abt Kazuki recently. |
May 2, 2019 2:29 PM
#7
Your weekly reminder for the after credits scene. This episode was a big tonal shift. First we establish a weird magical boy type of anime. Then they talk about crossdressing. Then they talk about loving your best friend. And then they are talking about killing a dude with a gun while your own little brother is watching. I welcome the variety, but jesus. And if you mind me going on a rant here, all I watch of every episode of this series is the first half, the "leak" and the after credits scene. I like the animation on the fight and transformation parts but they become repetitive fast. I know that repeating transformations are common in anime, but that doesn't make them less repetitive and even then this anime takes it too far, making even the fights play out all the same. The best part of this anime quickly becomes it most tedious part and I don't like that. |
May 2, 2019 2:32 PM
#8
Suddenly I feel like the repetitiveness of some scenes has deeper meaning. I'm super hyped for next episode and hope the gay cops will have more screen time |
May 2, 2019 2:43 PM
#9
Finally, it looks like the characters will meet Sara, Reo and Mabu. I love those three characters. Glad to hear the policemen say each other's names. When I was reading the spin off manga, it always felt like they say each other's names in a very affectionate manner. I wasn't wrong, I think. Kazuki has become quite comfortable cross dressing in front of the two boys. Didn't think Kazuki would give his dish of hope to Tooi. He's a good guy. The animation changed a little, but didn't lose quality. I really like that fact. I have rewatched the previous episodes so many times cuz I really like this anime so far. But now, it feels like I have taken the humour away for me, and replaced it with sadness. I feel bad for Enta. His crush keeps ignoring him. The last scene shocked me. Hope Kazuki was lying. Harukappa really loves him! |
May 2, 2019 3:14 PM
#10
just realised that the kuji brothers are actually named distant (toi) and close (chika) |
May 2, 2019 3:20 PM
#11
without lesbians this is not fun :( |
May 2, 2019 4:31 PM
#12
What a brilliant episode, Kuji might become my favorite after all. We got a small glimpse before of him and his connection with his brother seeing them doing illicit stuff, but now, thanks to his leaked secret and the flashbacks, we are finally getting to know them better! His parents were tricked into a large debt and ended up dying, leaving their sons behind to suffer with it. They were going to lose it all, but Kuji's plight moved his brother, who did something insane and stole the money of his gang to pay off the debt and keep their place. Of course he became a target after it, and Kuji, trying to help him, got involved resulting in that shared homicide. I don't know if Kuji's shot would have been enough to kill the guy, but what matters here is that his brother didn't let Kuji carry the burden alone, and was quick to "finish the job", sharing the weight of it with him. I don't think he had anything to gain by doing it, so at least then, he really, really cared about Kuji, and now I understand why he likes him so much. The ending was really surprising though, Kazuki's feelings might be even more complicated than what I thought. After getting to know about Haruka's condition to an extent, I just assumed that Kazuki wanted the Dishes of Hope to cure his brother, but even though he crosses the line by stealing pets, and pretends to be someone else to connect with Haruka, he still said that he hates him and offered what he had to Kuji. Right now he feels closer to Kuji than to Enta or Haruka to be honest. I want to know why his connection with Haruka got so complicated in the first place. Oh, on the lighter side, I loved how Kazuki just jumped to hug Kuji, and nonchalantly asked him to commit a crime for him. I also loved how he was "charmed" and blushed with the sight of Kazuki gulping down that soba broth. xD It was also nice to see Kuji's transformation and him singing at least. I wonder what's going to happen to the greeting with Sara now. |
May 2, 2019 4:49 PM
#13
Cops dance does not become any less enjoyable no matter how many times I’m watching it. The episode was amazing tho. Regardless how ridiculous whole setting is, the story gets deeper and darker with every episode. This scene after credits gave me chill. Can’t wait for next episode |
May 2, 2019 5:15 PM
#14
The episode was great, and i love how Kuji secret is so different from the others two. For those interested, next episode will be the first one handled by Mappa. |
May 2, 2019 6:17 PM
#15
this anime confuses me 70% of the time but still manages to captivate me and make sense |
May 2, 2019 6:34 PM
#16
I can say this Ep far too fast than the novel, so it's not caught my feels at all... (I'm crying during Ep 4 and 5 in the novel tho) but the directing in this Ep was so good, I know it's same guy that single handled Penguindrum #9 but only the music, it feels little bit off just in some parts, also little Toi's voice acting didn't really fits him Overall, great episode! Now, I'm so curious how Mappa will handle next week episode (#5 was sad in novel, I hope they do same good job as BF in this) Also, it reminds me about interview that Ikuhara said we should at least watch 4 episode to know about Sarazanmai, that's mean because his staff handled that? 😂 |
May 2, 2019 6:56 PM
#17
I feel Kazuki is either trying really hard to perfect the character of Sara or he has some alternative purpose for wanting to do so. Like not to say Haruka has nothing to with it, but I just feel like he enjoys it too much perhaps. Also I think Toi is getting some new feelings based on this look Another thing I noticed is that Kazuki's moral blind spot is revealed to be bigger with each episode. Like Toi was clearly set up to be dangerous from the start, but Kazuki's darkside is really coming out too. The fact he was totally cool with kidnapping Sara and seemed totally unfettered by Kuji's secrets really speaks volumes. |
May 2, 2019 7:00 PM
#18
Damn the ending's visuals were so mind blowing! Kuji's story with his brother was touching. Wonder why Kazuki hates Haruka though? Still don't get Reo and Mabu's role in this series!?? |
How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb --- Dr Strangelove |
May 2, 2019 7:06 PM
#19
Man, that took a turn. I should've known!! After all, suddenly getting REALLY dark is an Ikuhara hallmark. I will say that some of the decisions made in this episode just straight up confuse me. Like to an extent I can tolerate and appreciate the tonal gymnastics that this show puts me through, BUT I PHYSICALLY CAN'T LISTEN TO TOI'S HARROWING LIFE PHILOSOPHY WITH KEPPI AND KAZUKI CRRRONCHING IN THE BACKGROUND LI k E ENTA RECEIVES A DEATH THREAT FROM TOI AND PROCEEDS TO CRAB WALK ON OVER yeah no but fr tho this was a rlly good episode and the character motivations are really well fleshed out q_q and u g h Toi hugging Chika just broke my heartu ;m; I wonder if Kazuki always hated Haruka. He seems pretty dismissive of him when they talk one-on-one. Maybe that could be related to why he injured him. .... Kazuki: slurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp Toi: Toi: I'm gay now apotheosi said: just realised that the kuji brothers are actually named distant (toi) and close (chika) Huh, ironic. Neato detail tho ngl |
birdiverseMay 2, 2019 7:22 PM
May 2, 2019 7:17 PM
#20
May 2, 2019 7:24 PM
#21
I really enjoy the idea of Weird/Edgy/Shonen Ai Mahou Shonen here and I don't mind the repeated transformations, etc. at all. I hope mahou shonen becomes a thing |
my dark magical girl webseries https://unsafemahoushoujo.wordpress.com/blog/ |
May 2, 2019 7:31 PM
#22
I was not expecting to get the FEELS!!! This episode made me tear up and just wanna give Kuji a big hug. And it's laughable how so many people take Kazuki's words about how he hates Haruka at face value. I'm expecting lots of answers in next week's episode! |
May 2, 2019 7:42 PM
#23
Well, Kazuki is indeed a bad person, and the fact that hides it very well makes me think that he can be even worse than Toi. |
May 2, 2019 7:52 PM
#24
shiori09 said: it's laughable how so many people take Kazuki's words about how he hates Haruka at face value. birdiverse said: ****exposed****I wonder if Kazuki always hated Haruka. He seems pretty dismissive of him when they talk one-on-one. Maybe that could be related to why he injured him. but yeah lmao I agree, it is more complicated than that. From what I've observed, the "connections" of each of the main trio are all secretly love connections (I'm led to believe this as whenever the police extract someone's desire, they say "Desire? or Love?"). In short, Kazuki's relationship with his brother is.. complicated. I'm still trying to put the pieces together as to what this show is trying to say about connections, secrets, love, and desires. Regardless, those four concepts are vital. |
birdiverseMay 2, 2019 8:00 PM
May 2, 2019 8:23 PM
#25
Toi had a really fucked up childhood after his parents died.. I'm surprised he shot the guy at such a young age but as Toi himself said, it was self defense so yeah. Also the police couple are going to step up their game, eh? I wonder what they will come up with. Now talking about Kazuki.. in this episode he continues to be selfish as ever, and what he said at the end is obviously odd. Up until now it seemed to me like he was doing everything he could to make Haruka happy because he's maybe ill, so is he really going to wish for him to be healed or not? If Kazuki doesn't want to collect the plates anymore there's also the possibility the wish could have been something else that is also connected to Haruka then. Just a thought, I feel like what Toi said at the beginning about people being replaced if forgotten could ~maybe~ aplly to Kazuki to a degree. His "hatred" could be because their parents care more for Haruka because he's younger or if he is really is ill and Kazuki feels left out. I also dont think we've ever seen him eating with his family even once, plus he is always expressionless when around them and keeps hearing their 'family talks' from another part of the house. Is he adopted? Maybe their parents remaried..? I'm interested to know more in further episodes. |
ayumiisMay 2, 2019 8:36 PM
May 2, 2019 8:34 PM
#26
woahhh ok. soooo kazuki is proving himself every episode to be a little cwazy.... and he really does distance himself from people in his life, some shit mustve happened, for him to act like this and to hate haruka while going to such lengths to make him happy. it makes me wonder if the acting as azuma sara is really for haruka's happiness. in the first ep, kazuki emphasizes that he doesnt want to lose his connection with haruka. for some reason that connection, which is his impersonation of azuma sara, is really important to him while he supposedly hates haruka. inchresting. and i wasn't completely surprised about toi having killed a dude. his older brother's violence sometimes seem to be exaggerated for... comedic effect, or rather absurdity in general, for example when he is like drowning a dude while maintaining casual conversation. in this episode though it was used to establish his character more. toi copies his brother in his expressions and mannerisms, like his catchphrase when he's threatening people and when he grabbed the kappa's face. if you watch the episode preview it makes it pretty clear that that's what's going on. so it seems like toi idolizes his brother, although we kinda get that sense from previous episodes too. and toi's brother is shown to have some more complex motivations too, and shot the dude to try to bear the guilt of killing instead of toi i assume. although the damage was already done. and although kazuki has seemed very obsessed with making haruka happy(?) and doing anything to achieve his goal, he gives toi his plate. once again incheresting. and it seems like toi is somewhat infatuated with kazuki so its being set up as a love triangle maybe, which i kinda expected. but aforementioned kazuki is a little cwazy and doesn't seem to have a lot of interest in other people. but he seems to feel some sort of connection to toi, like he relates to him or something, once again incheresting. poor enta is getting mixed up in all of this. his line abt kazuki saving his life is interesting too, did he mean it figuratively or literally? was he suicidal or something? idk why my mind jumped to that but that was my first thought upon hearing that line. also, it seems to have resonated with toi. the three mcs smiling together in the op gives me hope that within the show they'll undergo emotional growth and shit which i would really like, thatd be sweet, all these boys have a lot of issues as we're seeing. and the concept of their secrets being exposed gives an interesting dynamic to the show, because every tiime they go to fight a zombie they go into it aware that anything they keep a secret might get exposed to the other two. which is a great premise for a show abt emotional growth bc the mcs are forced to be vulnerable and also to work with each other and form relationships even after finding out their dark secrets and sides of themselves. i rly like the premise of the show |
wawawawawawawawaMay 2, 2019 8:39 PM
May 2, 2019 8:59 PM
#27
apotheosi said: just realised that the kuji brothers are actually named distant (toi) and close (chika) Actually his brother’s name is chikai which means oath. |
May 2, 2019 9:00 PM
#28
El_Caguai said: without lesbians this is not fun :( Why are you still watching this then? Both wlw and mlm rep is good. Don't fetishize lesbians, that's gross. |
May 2, 2019 9:38 PM
#29
Kuji's backstory was actually something that I wasn't expecting based on how it was executed but for me it makes sense for how Kuji is as a person. I also liked how the scenes were transitioned in the episode. Based on the 4 episodes so far, out of the trio Kuji is my favorite (Kazuki is my least favorite only because he doesn't stand out as much compared to the other characters in the show). On the other hand I wasn't expecting to hear the final line of the episode to be said at all. |
[url=https://myanimelist.net/animelist/meganecraz&sclick=1][IMG] https://myanimelist.cdn- |
May 2, 2019 10:49 PM
#30
Man the otter cops are truly the most random and strange characters in an already random and strange show lol, another pretty good episode in the books, interested to see where it goes from here |
“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 |
May 2, 2019 10:55 PM
#31
Haruka and Kazuki's relationship could be stepbrothers or Kazuki is somehow adopted, which pretty much collides with how Kazuki is distant from his "family". And pretty much, Kazuki is the one responsible for Haruka's disability, and he's helping Haruka out of guilt as a brother on the outside. The reveal of Tooi's past might have had impact on Kazuki cause it's opposite to his situation. Tooi wants to get close to his brother but can't due to the complex situation while it is the opposite for Kazuki as Kazuki is actively trying to distance himself away from Haruka and only do the opposite while cross-dressing as Sara. Tooi could sympathize more with Enta with their chemistry of wanting to get closer to a person but the other is oblivious to their emotions. |
May 2, 2019 11:55 PM
#32
Yo what the fuck? I didn't expect that last line. I want otter vs kappa fight soon. At least I hope it happens. |
May 3, 2019 3:14 AM
#33
papsoshea said: After hearing so much praise about this director, I am now convinced that he's being praised for re-using the same tricks and re-telling stories in the same way. Everything is a mess so far - lack of focus narratively, the re-use of animation is just short cuts, let's be real - how many times do we have to see it because "it will have a special meaning to it" hmm? "This is just classic Ikuhara" - this shit doesn't fly in other shows. And taking a page out of Japanese folklore and fetishizing the crap out is just tiresome and annoying. The characters arcs I can get behind but here's the thing - this show is all about connecting with others but its done a shit job so far in giving me a good reason to care for the protagonists. Maybe its too early, but I already have a gut feeling. I mean, look at this. Image from - https://www.reddit.com/r/Sarazanmai/comments/bk04pg/my_ikuhara_bingo_is_coming_along_pretty_well_have/?ref=readnext There's nothing original here. To enjoy Sarazanmai, first, you have to get through the self-indulgent schlock from Ikuhara. It's fine if you don't enjoy it, but it's definitely not "shit". The butt stuff isn't even sexual, it's very heavily stylised, I don't see any fetishisation anywhere. Ikuhara likes to create morally grey characters, and I think Toi is quite a sympathetic character. Although Kazuki can come up as unlikable, his motivations are a mystery and I am intrigued to find out more about him. The reusing animation comes from magical girl shows where reusing animation is quite common, and becuase this is a magical boy show it's not a big deal if it reuses animation? |
May 3, 2019 3:50 AM
#34
A bunch of the bingo slots don't even make sense in the first place, and nothing in Sarazanmai is original just because "some of the wild tropes that any author could reuse" can apply here as well?? Jojo must be a complete crap of reusing tropes if that's the case. It's fine to not like his style but at least be sensible when giving reviews. |
May 3, 2019 3:52 AM
#35
Oof that was quite an episode but I gotta admit that the secret was not as juicy as the ones before. Probably because I already saw it coming from how they set up the whole episode. So many small things are happening and I can see some dots finally connect. Kuji playing around with the soccer ball in ep 3 and the decoration of his room before 'the incident' clearly show that he also loved soocer at some point. He had to move away and just recently moved back which could mean that... Kuji and Kazuki/Enta already met before when they were younger through soccer. Just think about it, I mean that would be a typical Ikuhara thing to pull. Since Enta was living abroad for some time it could also be possible that just Kazuki/Toi already met before which would make them destinied lovers or sth XD The only scenes which show Kazuki smiling are the ones he shares with Kuji.(coincidentally that's also when he's in cosplay mode) He seems to rely and acknowledge Kuji and also doesn't mind being close to him(hugging scene) while he seems more distant with Enta despite being great friends in the past(never answering his text messages and being annoyed everytime Enta gets into white knight mode. Thinking about it we never got a glimpse of Kazukis perspective on their friendship. We just saw Entas magical memories from when they were 'the golden kombi' and how Kazuki supposedly talked to him first. Is that really true though is the real question? Was that friendship really that magical and beautiful? Enta being a great friend to Haruka and arguably a better big brother is also sth that comes to mind. I can't shake the feeling that he's only doing it to be close to Kazuki though.. In Ep 3 he did care more for the Micanga than his own sisters well being so it wouldn't be far fetched to think that Enta just tries to be close and somewhat relevant in Kazukis life. And then the after credit scene ooooh boy. No one saw that one coming I would assume. There could be many reasons why Kazuki said sth strange like this. Maybe he is just lying to make Kuji not feel bad about taking his dish or maybe Kazuki really is a nutjob after all. I can't wait to see what Kazukis and Harukas relationship really is. It probably won't be pretty! |
May 3, 2019 4:16 AM
#36
This episode was great. The characterisation was awesome, finally we have more insight into Kuji's personality. The wordplay was as good as ever. With Kuji's name being "Tooi" (far) and his brother "Chikai" (close) and the episode being about soba (which phonetically also can mean "beside", "alongside")... Just, wow, Ikuhara. Right in the kokoro of the Japanese studies major. The reveal at the end of Kazuki hating Haruka... Didn't expect that. Wonder what they'll do it with it, especially since Mappa is taking over. Also, pls more gay cops I love them |
May 3, 2019 4:42 AM
#37
People want to deny what they don't understand. That's totally okay, I think. It's better than thinking about nothing. |
May 3, 2019 5:15 AM
#38
I was expecting this episode to be a lot bigger than it was, considering episode 4 was supposed to be a special one(or something was said along those lines). It was certainly darker than the previous episodes, for sure, and the ending might be a turning point in the story. Does Kazuki actually hate Haruka, or does he perceive Haruka as a burden? |
May 3, 2019 5:37 AM
#39
papsoshea said: Tsukizono said: Of course you don't. It's so clear - disgusting and gratuitous. Just knowing that this is a self-indulgent director speaks for itself. Ikuhara clearly likes telling the same sort of story and the same sort of characters. It would be fine if this was a series with sequels because that would be the series shtick but he's doing this with all different shows with different stories and characters, and already it has grown tiresome at episode 4. The excuse of reusing animation is just stupid, just because its a staple in Mahou Shoujo doesn't mean he has to use it in everything (which he obviously does). If there is suppose to be some big meaning behind this there how many times must it be jammed into our heads, like, I get it now. From everything I've heard about Ikuhara the past month, especially from his fans, Sarazanmai is already showing all of his trademarks – self-indulgence, and lack of narrative focus.It's fine if you don't enjoy it, but it's definitely not "shit". The butt stuff isn't even sexual, it's very heavily stylised, I don't see any fetishisation anywhere. Ikuhara likes to create morally grey characters, and I think Toi is quite a sympathetic character. Although Kazuki can come up as unlikable, his motivations are a mystery and I am intrigued to find out more about him. The reusing animation comes from magical girl shows where reusing animation is quite common, and becuase this is a magical boy show it's not a big deal if it reuses animation? At this point I'm not sure if you're trying to bait people here or if you're just being ignorant of what you're saying. I'll give you the benefit of doubt and go with the second one. First off: using the bingo you posted to say "Ikuhara is not good because he rehashes his own stuff" makes absolutely NO SENSE. All of its fields are either plot elements that are so basic (such as anti-heroes or magical girls) that are absolutely necessary if you're wanting to write some specific type of story, or themes that are so generic that you can't really consider them a cliché without a bigger context. Tell me how the presence of symbolism, poses, princesses, animals or incest make something not original just by their presence, without knowing how they're treated or the context behind them in the story, for example. They just don't. Furthermore, you quite clearly haven't watched any other Ikuhara shows other than this one. It's true that all of them have a similar artistic style, but other than the symbolism, the reused scenes (which he does in order to save resources), gay/lesbian characters and his little bit of social criticism and taboo breaking, they never are the same thing. Go watch Utena and tell me how similar it is to Yuri Kuma Arashi other than having reused scenes for stuff such as transformations, visual symbols and gay characters. They clearly aren't. Utena starts to flesh out its characters little by little since the beginning in recurring arcs of two episodes or so and doesn't really become a metaphorical shitshow (in a good sense) until you're about two thirds in (especially since its duration permits itself to do that), and its movie is completely different from the anime series itself, while Yuri Kuma pretty much starts completely metaphorical already, focuses on a handful of characters when it goes into developing their backstories later on and has a lot more focus on its plot themes and main criticism than its characters. And that's just comparing two of his animes between themselves with a focus on their plot structure. If we compare it to Mawaru Penguindrum or Sarazanmai, or even Sailor Moon, the differences are even more blatant. By the way, criticizing him for being "self-indulgent" is literally the worst criticism I've ever seen done to Ikuhara. An artist being self-indulgent just means that he's honest in his works and that he does things out of love for what he does and out of his own creativity, instead of adapting himself to the market because he needs to sell. That's a trait that every artist should actually admire on him: he wants to convey a message in his own style and never let go of his style or his messages, and he does not care if it bombs financially, instead of bowing to executive meddling because "it does not make money". You can easily not like his shows - they aren't for everyone - but please refrain from criticizing him on matters where you clearly need to watch more than one of his shows to say anything about. Especially if you're doing it by pointing out basic plot or animation elements that are so generic they can't really be considered even a trope or a cliché in order to talk about "how he rehashes everything he does". |
SStrikerV3May 3, 2019 5:44 AM
May 3, 2019 5:56 AM
#40
Toi has such a messed up life :S I guess as far as tone and themes are concerned,this was my favorite episode so far. |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
May 3, 2019 6:47 AM
#41
papsoshea said: You just ignored the point that he's already told stories and characters this same way over and over. At this point, I fail to see how he gets a free pass while other creators don't because this is his "style" - well it's obviously dated. He really didn't. How someone thinks that Utena has a story that's told "in the same way" as Sarazanmai or Yuri Kuma baffles me. Have you even watched Utena, Mawaru Penguindrum or Yuri Kuma Arashi? Their plot structure, their themes, even their characters are in no way equal to Sarazanmai or between themselves. Tell me how Anthy Himemiya is the same as Himari Takakura seeing how they're the characters that are technically in distress in both shows. Tell me how Kanba and Touga are the same since they are "red-haired playboys". You can't. His shows' themes often aren't even equal between themselves, and when an overlap does occur it's pretty much not between the theme itself but some greater, more generic message such as "love is important" or something such as a character's sexuality, which in no way defines him entirely. The only thing that really aligns between them are the symbolism, the gay/lesbian characters, his social criticism and taboo breaking and scenes being reused so he can use more resources in the rest of the animation. The rest are elements so generic that I could make a case for most of them appearing in pretty much anything. Again, tell me how swords, animals or suffering are not things that are generic enough to be treated as "rehashing" instead of simple plot elements that are necessary to certain kinds of stories. Fate/stay night has a complicated sibling relationship, has incest, has anti-heroes, has swords, has sacrifice and has suffering. So does Utena. I'm fairly sure other stories that aren't Ikuhara's have all or most of those things. Are you going to imply that Utena and Fate/stay night are the same story, or told in the same way? Are you going to imply those other stories I mentioned are told in the same way as Utena because of elements that are common between them because you *heard* people saying that? Of course you aren't, this is just absurd. papsoshea said: You also ignored the point that to enjoy these things you named, first, you have to get through the self-indulgent schlock from Ikuhara. Outside of that, it is basically the same shit. And from what I heard, those shows you named, they bring up many subplots or themes and go nowhere with it - that's what he's also known for. papsoshea said: Of course you think that way, you're a fan. I mean even years back I have only heard of this guy being described as self-indulgent and this is the part where I have to repeat myself again, because of this, many of his shows have a lack of narrative focus, and I believe that because we are seeing it with Sarazanmai. Ikuhara never seems to complete a thought. Too many distractions and diversions crop up along the way and leave you unfulfilled after each episode. About you having to go through you don't like: that's your problem, not the artist's problem. If you don't like to go through his "self-indulgent shit" or his supposed "lack of narrative", which a lot of people do not see as being present there or actually like, just don't watch his shows. It's not automatically artistically bad because you don't like it or because you don't understand why he does this when he could have done something else. And I won't take what you "heard from others" seriously. When you actually watch those shows and tell me how all their subplots or themes go nowhere or how Ikuhara does not ever complete a thought we might have a a serious discussion. papsoshea said: I don't think I have to watch any of his shows to understand the guy. I'm sorry for having trouble joining the Ikuhara elite club. Not that I don’t like symbolism or metaphor, but to get that stuff, first I have to go through all the loopiness, antics, lucid trips, and distracting visuals - and at times disgusting. And again, from all that I've heard, that’s all just part of the Ikuhara routine – he seems to need to push people away at the same time he’s trying to win over those he deems pure enough to understand him. The show is clearly caught up in itself and drowning in its own excess - there is so much excessive bullshit clearly for Ikuhara's pleasure. You obviously don't see it that way (of course). "I don't think I have to read any of his books to understand this author." "I don't think I have to listen to any of their music to understand this musical group." See how this is absurd? As for the rest, I actually find it good that there's a lot of excessive bullshit for Ikuhara's pleasure. That means he made the work with all his passion, instead of trying to appease people who only care about how much money it'll make or that don't like his style to begin with. I praise that, that's being an honest artist. It's much better than letting go of your style because executives think it won't sell or to appease people who'd never like your shows because of your style anyway. Fortunately, from what we've seen in interviews, even the executive people and other studio members behind this seem to have realized how good he is and gave him pretty much full creative freedom over this. I commend them for that. |
SStrikerV3May 3, 2019 6:54 AM
May 3, 2019 6:54 AM
#42
Jesus chirst people, don't like then drop it, no need to come here every week complaining about how you don't get this and blablabla. |
May 3, 2019 7:30 AM
#43
4 episodes into Power Ranger Anal Frogs: The Musical and I'm still very much enjoying it, love the admittedly obvious symbolism of Toi dropping the lollipop after watching his brother off a guy. Also those cops are fabulous af and I love it |
May 3, 2019 9:02 AM
#44
papsoshea said: From everything I've heard about Ikuhara the past month, especially from his fans, Sarazanmai is already showing all of his trademarks – self-indulgence, and lack of narrative focus. I've also never watched another Ikuhara show, and similarly, I've heard that the story/narrative of his past works (Utena, Penguindrum, Yurikuma) can be hard to grasp because his style is so unorthodox. But, I think Sarazanmai's narrative isn't hard to follow or "unfocused" at all. The first scene of the anime introduced the show's narrative interest and crux—the want (desire) to form connections with other people, and, the troubles and tribulations this urge involves. That is, you may yearn for connection, but barriers abound: you may not be physically close to the person, you may not be emotionally close to them, you may not mentally understand them, etc. We then have our (so far) episodic formula that explores these questions. The first half of the episodes reveal some type of information about one of the boys, and focuses on what they're up to. They inevitably interact with the other two in some fashion. All three learn new aspects about each other—they grow closer in some cases (Kazuki and Toi find relatability in one another, as each yearn to be "closer" to their brother. Toi and Enta find relatability in that they are both treated distantly by the one they yearn to be close too), and more distant in others (Enta and Kazuki's friendship is challenged as they each discover the hidden facets of the other [Enta wants more then friendship; Kazuki seemingly doesn't care to maintain the friendship]. Enta and Toi, interestingly, are set up as "rivals" for Kazuki's affections, resulting in a distance between them, despite their other similarities). Next, you have the cop's Mabu and Reo sequence. Here, the narrative turns completely to desire extraction. Mabu and Reo are the story components literally making desire physical. Further, this embodied desire becomes the enemy that the Kappa-transformed boys have to face. When the Kappa-boys clash with the desire-enemy, we have the "stock animation" fight sequence. This is the part of the narrative wherein the connections between all the characters merge. Mabu and Reo (and their supposed bosses, the otters) aren't at the fight, but the desire-enemy they've extracted is. When the boys fight it, a connection between them and Mabu and Reo forms. It's inevitable that they will "connect" through clash/confrontation latter on. Also, the Kappa-boys fighting together deepens the connections between them. They sing a fight song together (and they have to cooperate to sing, as who takes the lead vocal role changes), they join hands to physically make a weapon (again, they have to cooperate), and then, they share a mind when they experience the "leak". This is the most interesting way they connect in my opinion. By sharing a mindscape, they transcend the normal rules and laws of relations. In reality, you can't literally get inside a person's head and view their memories. Yet this is what Kazuki, Toi, and Enta are experiencing. They're forced to connect in a myriad of ways. And once they extract the shirikodama, a venn diagram pops up. It shows the status of their connection. So far, it's been four "No beginning. No end. No connection"s (image below). IE > They've yet to connect. They still don't quite understand each other, they don't know enough about each other, and they can't believe in, depend on, trust, and be close friends with one another. As the story proceeds and they continue to do the sarazanmai, this will change. They'll connect. And that's the narrative focus! Ikuhara is creating a narrative that is wholly interested in the ability of people to connect. And he's focusing entirely on that. Sure, there's a lot more stuff going on. There's the social media commentary, the desire-over-love-or-love-over-desire argument, there's the Japanese folktale stuff, water + circle + technology imagery and metaphor, there's interesting silencing going on (Sara is only visible through a screen most of the time), and even more subtle things! But Ikuhara isn't messing around and becoming lost in all this. It's there, but it's periphery to the main narrative beats. Hence the formula and structure that's developed for the show. What it does, is keep the narrative focus. Intensifies it. The audience is primarily invested in the bond and relationship's between Kazuki, Toi, and Enta, because that's what every 22 minute episode explores! The only segue away from them is when Mabu and Reo take over in the middle—but because Mabu and Reo are creating the desire-enemy of the week which will force the boys to do the sarazanmai—their section of the show is central to the narrative. Sorry for the long ramble! I just can't agree with the assessment that this show has a "lack of narrative focus". To me, the show doesn't waste a minute of its time on anything that isn't central to the narrative. As for self indulgence, well, an auteur is only an auteur because you can identify components in their work that makes it distinctly theirs. At the end of the day, we've seen every story there is to tell: A romance is a romance—boy meets boy, and falls in love; girl meets girl and falls in love; boy meets girl and falls in love; etc! A fantasy tale is a fantasy tale—magic exists and can be cast; monsters exist and are invading human society; vampires, ghosts, wolves, fairies, and so on. It's the style and approach to how we tell these ever-occurring stories, that makes reading/watching/playing books/shows/games endlessly fun. And Ikuhara? Man, the guys got a really fascinating style. As I said at the beginning, I've never seen his stuff. But boy, am I excited to see some more after this, because I think his style is so much fun! Of course, it's always a matter of personal taste whether you like someone's style or not. I just don't think it's "self-indulgent" to palpably have a style. [Wow. Sorry for the essay length post/reply; I blame the English major part of me.] |
MahouShoujoLainMay 3, 2019 10:52 AM
May 3, 2019 11:40 AM
#45
So big bro isn't just a bad guy, he's a good guy who does bad things for his family (specifically, his brother). He not only wanted to take the responsibility away from Kuji about that man dying, but it really says something when he got on his - a child's - eye level. That's what you do with children when you want to form a connection, you get close and kneel down. And then that comforting hug oh man. It didn't look like Kuji even minded the jump hug, the reaction came from what Kazuki said haha. Kazuki even coming up with such a plan shows he's more twisted than we thought? Stealing a cat is one thing, an entire person another. He's not afraid to get what he wants, and I like that kind of selfishness in a main character. You don't get that too often. Across the board all the kids are flawed and I like how we get to see the extremely personal, unpleasant sides. The ending credits scene! I'm eager to see what he means by that and how it contrasts Kuji's own relationship with his brother. MahouShoujoLain said: [Wow. Sorry for the essay length post/reply; I blame the English major part of me.] Don't apologize, others like me enjoy reading these rambly walls of text ;-) I also don't understand when people say the narrative is hard to follow. Yes it can be confusing at times, but it's not entirely hard to digest; you just have to think about it a little. We don't have to be spoon fed everything all the dang time. |
CMYKMay 3, 2019 11:58 AM
May 3, 2019 6:20 PM
#46
papsoshea said: Yet again, you've done nothing to prove that he *actually* does that. The only thing you've done is say a lot about how you've heard about how he does that from other people, and accuse him of not being original while you can't even point where the lack of originality comes from and prove its existence. A shame, really.[From what I've heard from people who have watched these shows of Ikuhara have said Sarazanmai is predictable - because he loves his tropes. Don't mistake me for saying that every single detail is vividly the same but the way he tells his stories, the way he tells his characters is basically the same, it baffles me how I have to keep repeating this. It's really simple to understand. papsoshea said: I don't like what you're saying but it's not because you don't like Ikuhara's shows. It's because it's completely stupid and nonsensical. I just recommend you to not watch them since there's no point in watching things you won't like, and since you don't seem to have any intention of watching them in order to give any basis to your claims, anyway.You've shown your cards here, basically, you don't like what I am saying and are telling me what to do - don't watch. Well if you don't like what I am saying here, then don't pay attention to it. You have a problem with me saying "heard from others" but have no problem with yourself saying "which a lot of people do not see as being present there". Actually, you're not saying anything that I haven't already addressed, and I don't want to repeat myself. I can understand people not liking Ikuhara shows. My literal *best friend* doesn't like his shows a lot because he finds them too avant-garde for him, even if he recognizes that he's a genius. The problem is that you're trying to imply that Ikuhara rehashes his own stuff when all you've done is watch four episodes of Sarazanmai and nothing else that he did. He has his own style for sure, there are similar elements between his animes... but it does not go beyond what any other author would do. Tell me what would be of Gen Urobuchi without idealistic characters suffering when faced with reality and lots of moral conflicts and plot twists, for an example. The stuff that is common between Ikuhara's works is not any more pronunciated than any other author's writing style, except for maybe the reused scenes, which I've already given the reason as to why he does it. papsoshea said: It still applies. You've watched literally four episodes of one of his shows, which isn't finished yet, and still wants to say a lot about how he lacks creativity in all of them, on top of saying he's rehashing everything he already did before in this one. Excuse me: this is complete bullshit. I refuse to discuss this matter any further until you actually watch those shows (preferrably all of them) and tell me how it's all the same thing. I will not accept hearsay as a valid argument, because it isn't one.I mean, you replied like an hour later (at the time) when I already edited some grammar (well I tried) - http://prntscr.com/nk4ygb - and if I edited this recently, it would've had the edited time stamp. papsoshea said: Oh, no, you won't call me a fanboy when I heavily disliked Yuri Kuma Arashi for a full SIX MONTHS back in 2015 because I found it too confusing until a person told me to rewatch it from another perspective and only then I actually liked it, even if still less than his other shows. I am very critical of his works, I won't accept anything I find bad from Ikuhara just because I love his style, thank you.Basically what I am getting from you is that even when with his flaws, to you, its a godsend. Well, there isn't any point in having a conversation with a fanboy of this level. And if he was given true full creative control then why did he hide the anal fixation of Sarazanmai when he pitched the idea? He waited until it was approved then added it in, another example of his fetishes and self-indulgent schlock making its way to screen. Your argument that they didn't give him full creative control because he supposedly hid something in a pitch makes absolutely no sense. First off, in the interview where he says about it being hid, he says he does it exactly so it could be approved in the first place, because such an outlandish idea wouldn't be so well accepted by an executive committee at first glance, and especially because it wouldn't be easy to express such an outlandish idea such as "kappas entering butts" in a pitch, which I'm pretty sure both of us agree with. It then follows that literally NOBODY stopped him from doing that once he actually revealed said idea to the staff. I don't see how that configures executive meddling or lack of creative freedom when there was no intervention from higher-ups on his work. If anything, Ikuhara is smart for fooling the executive staff at first and then making them go with all his bullshit after that so he could avoid disapproval and executive meddling at the same time. To be honest, I highly doubt the executive staff didn't know what they were getting into: this is Ikuhara, it's literally impossible that they hadn't heard about him. Furthermore, Ikuhara quite literally quit Toei back in the 90s and then founded Be-Papas with other artists because he felt he wasn't having enough artistic freedom there. It wouldn't make sense for him to do something if he felt he didn't have a high enough degree of artistic freedom, and just by the strangeness of Sarazanmai we can easily infer that he does have such freedom. I also find it funny that you criticize the presence of "butts" in Sarazanmai because they're supposedly there because of a "fetish" of the creator. I guess you find it gross and that's your thing, but I find its strangeness hilarious and amusing. It's particularly hilarious because the butts in Sarazanmai are quite clearly there due to a cross of folklore references - since Kappas DO get the shirikodama from people's butts -, a comedic effect that uses out-of-place sexual suggestiveness as its basis, and Ikuhara wanting to reference gay stuff like he always does, not for the pure sexualization of a character (really, zombie kappas aren't sexy in any way) such as what you see in literally every other ecchi/harem anime. By that, we can conclude that even when Ikuhara supposedly puts his "fetishes" on screen he does it in a more creative, less generic way than other creators. This is awesome. Again, it's good, artistically and creatively speaking, that he's self-indulgent. That means he is in honest love with his work and that he's giving the best to make it memorable, unique and something that can be easily recognized as his, and not caring at all about whether its strangeness is going to drive people away and make him lose sales or anything of the sort. I *heavily* prefer this to artists rehashing decade-old tropes that are present in other 300 series or so because it sells. |
SStrikerV3May 3, 2019 6:51 PM
May 3, 2019 6:23 PM
#47
Really good episode, it felt a more serious than the rest. I really wanted to see the cops dudes fight Kazuki, Enta, and Toi, but I guess that's probably going to be a later...Toi's backstory was really interesting....overall, a good episode this week. |
May 3, 2019 6:24 PM
#48
CMYK said: MahouShoujoLain said: [Wow. Sorry for the essay length post/reply; I blame the English major part of me.] Don't apologize, others like me enjoy reading these rambly walls of text ;-) I also don't understand when people say the narrative is hard to follow. Yes it can be confusing at times, but it's not entirely hard to digest; you just have to think about it a little. We don't have to be spoon fed everything all the dang time. Rambling is my forte, I guess. And I think people may find it hard to follow because it doesn't slow down and give the audience time to process? The show just chugs along and expects its audience to be able to understand everything right as it is happening and to keep up. I can definitively see how that is aggravating. papsoshea said: MahouShoujoLain said: You pretty much explained everything we already know in bigger detail. When I say a lack of narrative focus, I am not having trouble understanding it, it's just that it's jumping all over the place like it feels like the director has ADHD or something - and that's distracting, messy and when you combine that with his visual staples, its quite disgusting and gratuitous. And all the use of the same scenes, it is like 7-8 minutes of these (with minimal changes) is starting to be a bit tiresome, like how many times do we have to see it to get to the "connections between all the characters merge" part? There are many ways to switch things up but this is "classic Ikuhara" and apparently, "saving effort/cutting costs" is also a good excuse. Every week, we get a new focus put on one of the three protagonists, some new details about them but in terms of format, it is the same stuff, this series feels more than loopy, and what I've heard from others that have watched most of his previous works, I am not surprised. It's groundhog day and the idea that it may stay in this format any longer is a drag. We see it in a different light but I'm glad you enjoy it.[Wow. Sorry for the essay length post/reply; I blame the English major part of me.] Thanks for taking the time to respond. I realise I come across as super lecture-y, and apologise for that; I think, more than replying to you, I was also unpacking the first 4 episodes. I really should have done it in a new post rather than as a reply to you. Sorry! Also, the "jumping all over the place" assessment is completely fair. I can see how his style would be aggravating to people who just want the show to slow down. And if it didn't have as much re-used animation, then you're right, we would have 6ish more minutes of time that Ikuhara/the-rest-of-the-anime-team could use to flesh out the characters, show us deeper and longer conversations, etc. I agree that that could also be interesting and strengthen the show. Right now, you don't have too close a connection (ha!) with Kazuki, Toi, and Enta because we've really only gotten time to know them for 10 minutes each episode. I feel like Ikuhara sacrifices nuanced characterisation for his fast-paced symbolic stuff. It definitely would be exciting for him to change things up and break the formula! I am anticipating the time the characters really connect and merge, and for a time when we don't see the same end result. As for the other thing, I can see how his style comes across as gratuitous and disgusting. He's really very . . . uh, shall we say, up front about showing us stuff. It can be polarising to come face to face with slime/goop, the naked body (or silhouettes of it), and he really sexualises bodies. And it is a little weird when it involves 14 year old boys. But I don't think he does all of this pointlessly. He's overt—he's not hiding that what the boys are doing is, well, sexual in nature. Magical girl/boy transformations involve the de-clothing of the body; they inevitably get naked. They extract an organ from the butt; a mimicry sexual action. I kinda like how transparent he is about all of this? Again, it's such a personal taste thing as to whether this interests you or grosses you out. It's a genuine response to be annoyed by his presentation and find it gratuitous. I think Ikuhara loves visuals that drip excess. And not everyone wants to see it. Thank you for understanding that I, and others, enjoy this style (I always liked Groundhog Day >_>). And it's great that you are unafraid to voice your opinion. Your perspective on the show has merit, you are right—how you've understood and reacted to the show makes total sense—and it's actually made me see the show in another light. |
MahouShoujoLainMay 3, 2019 6:29 PM
May 3, 2019 9:06 PM
#49
Something about Sara that may be a spoiler, I'm unsure as I only know it because I read the synopsis on the manga about the cops, is Sara was raised by the cops. The cops extract desire from people who desire something related to the lucky dish. Therefore I wonder if they work together so the extracted desire is what Sara announces as the lucky dish. A prediction for what's to come regarding Sara is that if Kuji does kidnap Sara, perhaps as thanks to Kazu, then that may then link the main kids to the cops directly! I noted this episode that no one is traditionally morally good in the main cast. Kuji due to his hard life has taken after his brother, the weak perish and are forgotten and the strong survive so get by no matter what. Kazu due to the anything for Haruka mentality of course. However, Enta is the most innocent it seems where he's been characterized by emotions he cannot control and unrequited love kinda making him a reactive character as opposed to the other two active ones. I liked the scene where Chikai took the gun and killed the gang leader himself as to shoulder the blame of killing him. In the family photo Chikai looked happy.. I guess when it came to the debt and loss of his parents he decided that he'd rather be the one who does the conning and killing than the one conned and killed, huh. And Kuji tries to rationalize his actions the same way but the way he protected Enta and gave him his box back definitely make me think he goes out of the way to help people. He may even do it for Kazu now that a love triangle is starting. |
May 3, 2019 9:23 PM
#50
Kuji was already my favorite character and this episode only cemented it. Not even surprised by that post-credit scene honestly considering the way Kazuki has interacted with his little brother this whole time. The crossdressing act seems more like an obligation at this point than it does some kind of passion. ShadowMega said: Tooi could sympathize more with Enta with their chemistry of wanting to get closer to a person but the other is oblivious to their emotions. Kuji's older brother doesn't come off as being oblivious to his desire to be next to him at all to me; he's purposely keeping him at arm's length because he already unwillingly let his younger brother fall into a life of fairly mild crime (I barely know anyone around my age that HASN'T sold weed in some capacity and killing someone obviously isn't mild but if that hasn't had any legal recourse yet then it likely never will so it practically never happened) and is trying to keep him away from getting any deeper. I feel like Big Bro's text to reschedule their reunion is some foreshadowing of shit hitting the fan for him. EDIT: Some typos. |
JGrdnsnMay 3, 2019 11:59 PM
Mendokusai |
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