Oh my god, No Longer Human just keeps getting better and better. This isn’t just a great adaptation, but also an adaptation that makes optimal use of the fact that it’s adapted in a media that also uses music and graphics. From the perspective of someone who hasn’t read the novel, setting aside some of the scenes that were cut, I think that this really was the best possible adaptation that it could have hoped for.
It’s also amazing how much stuff the creators managed to squeeze just into one episode. It feels like the creators got two episodes’ worth of content in just twenty minutes. This series just hopped from one tense situation to the next, with an eerie silence in between. This episode really was a roller-coaster ride.
The plot of this episode was also far more subtle than I imagined. I originally thought that this episode would see the beginning of a mass murderer, but instead it’s about someone who’s struggling with his own sense of humanity: he still blames himself for having survived that double suicide back then, and because of that he never really allows himself to bond with his new wife and daughter that he found, who were really nice enough to take him in.
While he’s got a great daughter, and a girlfriend who supports him all the way (she even managed to find him a job as a manga author), he instead hangs around in bars, visits prostitutes and gets drunk. Especially after the rumours start floating around that he’s a killer he starts to get out to drink even more. On top of that, his old friend keeps returning to remind him of the past he’s trying to leave behind.
And then comes that saleswoman, who meets him as he lies in the snow after a particular rough night. Here I thought that the entire setting was trying to be as dark and gritty as possible, and then she comes. She refuses to believe the words of a hopelessly drunk guy, and instead fully trusts in his kind nature. That his story about having failed a double suicide was just a story he made up because of his talents as a storyteller as a manga author. While on one hand, she;s obviously wrong, but what counts is that trust she has in him, at a time and place you’d normally suspect people to just turn a blind eye and walk away…
Anyway, long story short: awesome series; watch it. Especially now that subs are actually coming out fairly steadily, against all my expectations.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
I’ve read the novel and I’m still pleased with the adaptation xD (I have also expected him to become some mass murderer. Maybe I read too many novels with serial killers. haha!) They made Youzo more evil here though, but still, I love this xD
I’m happy that the subs are going steady xD Yay!
it seems to me like a lot of his problems stem from his meeting with Youzo, who constantly manipulates him.Yeah, he had some serious issues because of his cruel dad and his sisters who molested him, but its Youzo’s constant gnawing away at his self-worth that seems to keep him from any kind of healing.
I’m torn between checking out this series, and worrying that I’m too young to enjoy it, but I think I will eventually.
As I thought, subs were made for this series – unlike it was with mouryou, because mouryou is so difficult to translate – it’s even difficult to understand when you have a proper translation, because so many terms are unknown to eastern viewers.
So let’s get ready to rum- err… to watch this! ^_^
This anime is awesome. I love the music in this episode…so emotional. I feel really sorry for the main guy. He was screwed growing up and he has no self-worth. He thinks he’s no good as a human and is a monster. He tries hard to live and break free from his monster self but that dumbass friend of his keeps messing him up.
The girlfriend is supportive but the main guy still doesn’t feel worthy of having good things…he resorts to alcohol and prostitutes.
I do hope that his life doesn’t end in tradegy. The girlfriend, daughter and shop girl with red umbrella are glimpses of hope and life. However, no matter how much others around him help, he could only break free from his monster self if he helps himself.
Can’t wait for next episode…it’s disappointing that this anime is only 12 episodes 🙁
This series just doesn’t disappoint. Every episode makes me look forward to the next one to see where the plot goes.
Seems like he’s jumping from woman to woman unintentionally ruining(?) their lives.
Where are you guys getting the subs for this? I can’t find a group that has 3 and 4 done yet.