After seeing so many 1-cour series screw up with their pacing, I’m glad to say that C actually knows that it should not slack off. For three episodes in a row, it has been straight to the point, with no intention to waste time. That’s definitely a good sign.
At the same time, this episode also leaves the battles for what they are, and instead focuses on the characters. Also, very important for such a short series. The introduction for that female with a lollipop was actually very good in the way that the creators turned her into a temporary narrator. These inner monologues of her were well written and took a good look at both who she is and what this setting is like.
This episode also showed the main character’s parents, what happened to them and also Souichiro’s reasons for participating in the financial district were a welcome addition to this series. If you want a mundane episode to bring some variation in the pacing, this is the way to do it.
At the same time though, I’m still a bit surprised that this show does have its share of cliches here and there. The disappearing father and especially being really angry at him for it have been done quite often now, so it’s going to matter even more for this show to make good use of them. The crying scene perhaps wasn’t the best way to do that, though. The acting in this series isn’t the worst of this season, but it also doesn’t stand out either, so that also will have to be compensated by something else.
Rating: * (Good)
it’s surprising that the visuals did not drop yet (that’s some battle with the illusions and fog). There’s also some surprising English and Engrish in the end (bravo w/ bringing in someone who can actually speak it fluently)…
…btw, DAMN that cliffhanger…it literally left us hanging…
I don’t know if all the hard cuts between frames were a stylistic choice or not, but they got real annoying real quick.
1-cour
what is that?
1-cour: 1 season’s length, so between 11 and 13 episodes.
I was waiting for an episode to shed some light on the financial district and the main characters. Interesting how they keep making Mikuni a future kimimaro of sorts. The parallels are overwhelming, and even if Kimimaro is different in some of the details, Mikuni definitely is a possible future.
I like it when they develop their antagonists so well.
Also, clichés aren’t bad at all! Sure, some of them might seem a bit overdone to the point where you shrug when you hear about someone’s traumatic childhood, but they’re clichés for a reason. They’re easy to convey and even though they’re clichés, you can play with the expectations of the viewers by giving them your own twist.
All in all, good episode!
I am in favor of changing up narrative structure, but I have to admit it was a little disappointing that the subject of our perspective shift was rendered so boringly. With the exception of when she voiced concern over the dissemination of the demonic money, it seemed that she couldn’t be bothered to exist as a person and was intent on being a spectator in her own life. That she is the ‘watcher’ character leaves her feeling one dimensional and like little more than an instrument for exposition. It’s possible that it’s all intentional, because even during her battle she played the same passive, nonexistent role. Maybe she’s established in this way to eventually throw aside the indifferent role of observer to perform a crucial action that enables the protagonist. Otherwise she’s the world’s most boring stalker.