This series really loves its red herrings. It doesn’t really work to make this show unpredictable (the two deaths of this episode had it coming from a mile away), but ti does make the episode ery nerve-wrecking. It cannot keep pulling this forever, though: all deaths in this series have happened right at the end of each episode. This cannot carry the series forever at this pace.
I like the use of the tape, but it’s too simple. Because of that the creators had to pull that weird twist of one of the characters screwing up before the most important parts were revealed. If you’re going to do that, then build in some extra challenge in trying to find the tape or something. Instead, this just screamed “oh no, we need to pad out this story a bit longer!”
In any case, Misaki was acting a bit weird in this episode by almost playfully nearly triggering accidents. I doubt that she is the real shost, though: that would be too obvious. My biggest candidate for this right now is Naoya, that blond kid who broke the tape. After all, that action does make perfect sense if he was the ghost, and either consciously or uncosciously wanted to prevent people from finding out about what stopped him. And with this episode, I also think I have an idea of what that might have been, after he called it a “sin”: he probably ended up killing the ghost student somehow. In the wy he told it it probably was a fortunate accident, but that would also explain why no student turned out to be the ghost that year.
There was also one particularly interesting twist that I realized just as I finished writing up this entry and taking screenshots. I’m not going to say it right now because I think it’s something everyone should figure out for himself, but I finally realized the link between a lot of the deaths.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Wait what? Was that twist you spoke of hinted in this episode in particular? If so, I think I have to rewatch a bit since I don’t really have a clue about the deaths yet. Thanks for the info.
I don’t think he killed a ghost student. I think he killed a live student. It’s a logical progression from trying to “correct” the number of students in the class by ignoring one, since it actually changes the number. I also doubt he’d display that sort of guilt about “killing” someone who is already dead.
in that case, then the calamity would have stopped since students have died now and before.
Can the dead student even be killed?
possibly? if they think they’re still alive then it’s possible they can be killed again but more self-aware?
it’s hard to explain.
The tape breaking right at the important part was such a killer for this episode. It just seemed way too convenient. My question is why that teacher popped in all of a sudden. Do they normally check in there frequently? If so could that be something to the story as well? I am not sure I understand the links to all the deaths yet. The only thing I could possibly assume is whenever they get closer to finding out the ghosts identity someone dies…but that could also just be coincidental plot sequencing.
I can’t wait for the next episode though. The ending of this series is bound to be pretty good mind fuck.
My big question is why did they need to hide? I mean what would happen if the teacher found them? Hell even if the teacher found them and got angry at them all they would need to say is that the tape is a important clue to stopping the calamity. It’s not as if the teacher would say “No, get out, go home and die.” and it’s obviously not something the class 3 students would joke about.
So why did they need to hide exactly?
yeah that was pretty much a cop out, and no teachers in Japan usually dont check the A/V room or even walk around the halls after school, especially if that school was in a small town like yomiyama is, teachers in Japan have WAAAY too much work to do to have time to do that. So yeah, total Cop-out there.
but I still like the show regardless.
I was Spoiled by Wikipedia about the real ghost so for me this show is all about gore and good execution right now…I lost the fun of figuring who is the dead one thanks to f***ing Wikipedia…
The only thing I will say is that there have been clues about who is the dead one…
Or maybe it is something you would notice only if you have been spoiled…but it makes some sense at least…
I got spoiled because some person posted a comment without a spoiler warning. I was so pissed. But it’s still pretty fun to watch other people try to figure out who the dead person is!
so. . . you spoiled yourself on purpose and you get mad? lol wut?
Does anyone remember how the first dead student died? Was it on a school trip?
You mean the classmate that died since she fell down the stairs and the umbrella punctured right trough her or the very first student to that died and then people started to say that she wasn’t dead after all? I just started to watch the first episode again and they just say there that it was an accident and nothing else hasn’t been revealed yet about that I suppose?
The very first student, I mean. I’d check some site but I’m afraid of getting spoiled, lol. Thanks.
I’m actually suspecting the art guy who is going to fix the tape, because he might just mess up/change the message on it to put everyone on the wrong track
By the way. Since Misaki is blind from her left eye it’s not really weird if she is a little clumsy at times if the creators have taken that into notice.
I actually figured out who the ghost was myself and checked up on Wikipedia. Turns out I’m right 😀 *proud* If you feel like a challenge, try looking for people acting strange for no particular good reason.
Even if I figured it out, there’s still lots of fun in not knowing for definite. And if I got it wrong, well then, that’s a massive spoiler. Basically, if you figure it out, just watch as normal. Who knows, you may have flaws in your theory. And the creators may just troll you.
My reasons for not putting in ::effort:: xD
but they all act strange at one point or another!!
I have no idea who the ghost is!
Well the librarian is my guess
The librarian isn’t a student of class 3. Ultimately making him invalid. There is someone I have pegged who could be the ghost and isn’t a student. But if it turns out that it’s that person it would be very cheap and based on a technicality.
oh,, yeah.. haha well there goes my theory.
Well they’ve thrown a lot of red herrings..
I could still be main chara dude after all.
So Im pretty sure I figured the dead person out. (wont tell as I already showed people how to figure it out in the previous anime episodes) but I still have some q’s if psgels is right about killing the dead person to stop the curse,(the whole “my sin” thing is a dead giveaway) how the hell do you find out who the dead person is in the first place??!?!? the only way I would think would be to leave the town and then like send a mail or something to someone in the class or whatever. they could leave the town, take the school roster with them, then wait till the effect wears off/memories return/roster turns to normal and then contact some people. But that still may not get through the effect. It seems like the writer may have made an unfixble curse?
and how the hell does Mei know if koichi is dead or not?
oh oh oh . . . .I just spied some epic forshadowing (dont worry not a spoiler) but just watch VERY carefully at episode 1 for the first minute and a half. Especially at :12-13 where you see a pair of legs floating in the river (probably more forshadowing of future deaths I suppose) and I’m guessing that the person they are showing opening their eyes is a hint as well. but thats not so important as just the scenes themselves. . . dont worry, this isnt to find out who the extra one is, just something cool I noticed, and why I absolutely love shows/movies like these
Too true: when it comes to deaths, it’s rarely a question of who or if, but when and how, which has worked so far. Nothing I’ve come up with to link the deaths so far has worked for all the victims. Discussing the calamity with Sakakibara has led to a of people or their relatives being killed, but I don’t remember him discussing it with his teacher. The weather (rain/wind/lightning) plays a role in many deaths directly and indirectly, but neither the nurse or the teacher’s deaths had anything to do with the weather. I’m not to worried about having all the answers though, I’m just enjoying the ride.
Interesting that the tape was pulled from the cassette player while it was still playing. On a top-loading cassette, that’s just not possible, since the capstan roller would be engaged. You’d break the cassette housing.
Fixing the tape is a piece of cake, and the materials are probably right there in that old AV room.
Now, on to the “other”. Does the dead one have to be a current student? Could it be a family member or a faculty member who had been a class 3 alum?