This was by far the best episode of C yet, and that’s a great sign, especially considering how this was the point at which Eden of the East started to dull in. It’s here where this series really shows off its messages as a social commentary and I have to say that I really like how thought-provoking this is getting.
With this episode I have finally found something that makes up for the status of the main character as the “destined rookie”: this episode actually made great use of this by having three people with completely different views contact him and try to influence him to join, and they all have their valid points here. Seriously, in terms of background and motives this series is definitely among the best of the season. Based on the first episodes, this is not something that I saw coming.
The guy of this episode had some pretty harsh criticisms to Minuki, and this really seems to be a harsh criticism to modern day Japan’s economy as well. And yet at the same time this show doesn’t pretend that that view is 100% right or wrong, but instead it offers a lot of different view. Mikuni also has a very interesting defence for his actions. The same goes for that woman that contacted him.
Also, the animation of this series has always been choppy. I’ve heard that the creators were hit hard by the earthquake, so I guess that there’s no avoiding it. But holy crap, the fight scene at the ended was animated wonderfully. Kimimaro was bound to win such an outclassed match and all, but the direction and animation there totally made up for that. It was a wonderful climax to an awesome episode.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
I have to agree; 3 view points – work the system, destroy the system, or avoid the system. And all of them had well thought out defenses why that approach should be taken.
I gotta say, the main focus of this show seems to be social commentary with fights to jazz it up a bit. Not that that is a bad thing, it seems to work nicely. Definitely underrated by many people.
I’m not sure what to make of the outcome. Sennoza’s speech at the end seems suitable if he’d managed to get out of the financial district but from the convo, it seems that both survived bankruptcy which means Sennoza will have to do another deal each week as usual. If he’d gone bankrupt, I imagine he would have lost his entire organization. Curious to see how far the teacher’s situation has deteriorated after at least a month after going bankrupt. Did he really get away with his life, a roof over his head and his job? Curious also about the consequences of passing. Would Yago have had to suffer real life consequences of the financial equivalent of losing half his midas wealth even though it was covered by a third party?
I concur as well, this episode certainly drew out some great focus for the series as a whole. (I’m impressed how well the non-black/white opinion on everything is) Its only a pity because of how rushed the episode felt, I think it could have been stretched more effectively to utilize the series’ short length.
I wanna see the end fight QQ
Incredible episode. It’s often difficult to come across such intelligent discussion in anime. Not only was opinion not painted in black or white, but they were all practically equally valid and mixed with their fair shares of good and bad.
No choice is without consequences. And in this show, those consequences can be incredibly devastating. Every one of the people Kimimaro meets has heavy burdens, but perhaps none more so than Sennoza. He has been involved with so many people in so many countries, that any loss in the financial district mean a loss of the children he helped. Children who’s first real taste of kindness in the world probably came at the hands of Sennoza, and who would have likely tried harder than most at accomplishing something in life because of their appreciation of how precious happiness is. Those very children could have been the best chance of a better future for their respective countries.
Sennoza essentially has the potential futures of entire regions and countries hanging on his shoulders. The others are also in situations with similar potential fallout, but his really hit me hard. So many bright futures gone at the whims of an otherwordly deal.
social commentary? the whole show is riding on the hinges of the audience accepting the absurdly childish claim that “THE BLACK MONEY IS EVILLL.” I don’t see a subtle critique of capitalism here, I just see a shounen fighting drama with an angsty yet apathetic protagonist and a director that has made a mess of a seemingly interesting premise and world.
all of the character interactions in this episode are forced and lifeless and to be honest, the CG clown is the only character worth anything in the entire show.
I have to agree with you psgels. This is probably the best episode yet. The thing is, this show has been more of a social commentary since episode 4. You can tell this not just from the people in the Financial District but to the everyday people Kimimaro interacts with. Kimimaro in the middle of all these conflicting ideas (each with their good and bad sides) equally forces the viewer to put themselves in his situation and understand why these people are trying to convince him to adapt their thinking.
This show is thought provoking, it aims more than just ‘tell a story’ or do ‘character development’. While some people may not like it, I like how the people behind C look like they have a different aim in mind.
@akari mizunashi
What !!!!? who is the idiot that told you that the whole show is riding on the hinges of the audience accepting the absurdly childish claim that “THE BLACK MONEY IS EVILLL” … nobody did not even the characters in the show .. did you even bother to read the above ep review .. there were three completely different views on how to deal with the financial district deals and all of them have valid reasoning behind them .. and the series shows the effects of capitalization very well .. every fight can easily be replaced by a real-world deal and you can start imagining how much damage a financial deal between two industrial giants could cause damage to the lives of numerous simple people .. there are many other more subtle concept and ideas here but it seems you didn’t even get the most clear in-your-face exapmle .. so whatever.
Oh … and “Black Money” isn’t EVIIIL .. it is the equivalent of FAKE money .. or a country that’s printing more and more money without having something of value to back it up (i.e causing inflation) .. that’s why it is precieved as bad by SOME of the characters as the blonde woman and precieved as GOOD by some others like Mikuni becasue he is using it to pay for Japan’s Debts.
And if you think the CG clown is the most interesting ting in the show (the character that we don’t know anything about nor has any useful purpose in the plot so far other than recruiting random people to go to the F.District) then seriously … you don’t even get what this show is trying to say .. stop wasting your time watching it .. and wasting our time reading your comments about how you don’t like it XD
oh sorry I didn’t know that the comments section was only for praising how well the reviewer’s comments matched with your own personal views.
my point wasn’t that the show doesn’t present multiple views on the financial district’s legitimacy/purpose, but rather that since it is a shounen series that most viewers should want to/feel that they can relate to the protagonist. from my vantage point…unless you regard the money from the financial district as something ‘immoral’, then the protagonist is just an incompetent, indecisive, whiny bitch.
apologies again for expressing my opinions.
I think the problem with your comments, akari mizunashi, is that all your criticisms seem to be directed at a similar anime from another universe. It’s like you haven’t been watching the same [C] as everyone else.
This can be seen by you criticising themes this anime deliberately goes out of its way to avoid or question, and your praise of a generic and two-dimensional “zany clown” character over a cast of well developed people with intriguing and conflicting motives.
You just don’t get it, simple as.
@ akari mizunashi:
i have to disagree with your initial view cause it’s not just about the fighting, it’s more to do with the state of the world’s economy getting messed with all the “fighting” and the resulting cash transferring from one to another (with the bank taking more of it as a third party); and while I’m there, I find the effects of each of the bankruptcy very interesting, with whatever was bought with the “black money” being taken away…
the characters may seemed forced and seeming lifeless because they’re either already neck deep into the perception of requiring the so-called “black money” to keep the real world afloat (or forced, your pick), or wanting to take down the entire district altogether just so no more harm will do to the world…(in other words they’ve already decided on what to do and they’re sticking to that)
Though you may be right that we might ended up seeing the Midas money is evil.the show’s trying too hard showing that point, that’s all…I was simply trying to be coy with the mention of the clown as the best character and so on, so spare me the insults. my complaints with the show purely lie with the boring characterization and protagonist.
@info600: yeah man, I get that fighting is symbolic and how it relates to the real world etc…I was def overboard with the generalizing.
my views may be different than others, but I can’t help but be very sensitive to dialogue and character issues. I appreciate series that try to break the mold through premise and conceptualization, but the execution is done (for me) in a disappointingly teen anime-like fashion. sorry for wasting your time if you think I still don’t get it.
I actually thought this was the WORST episode to date. First of all, the writers completely forgot the cliffhanger from last episode with the creepy spider-woman asset. Then there was an unneeded boobs-in-your-face scene with Jennifer.
Finally, they put Kimimaro and Msyu in a seemingly unwinnable situation, only to skip the battle and tell us that Kimimaro cast two mezzoflations and won? WTF???
Definitely agree with Son Gohan though I don’t think the episode was exactly the worst either. I hate the cliffhanger they left in the last episode then the skip at the battle…I mean how did he even win?! I was pretty sure Angel would have roasted them!
I think they’re saving lots of budget by lazily skipping through some detail. Cutting up scenes.
And lastly, I do agree with Akari about how angsty/apathetic the lead is. Oh I like him but I think it’d be nice if he had…a life, you know haha. I mean yeah he goes to work, to school…but a hobby maybe? I supposed that’s what Akari is missing in her posts about how bland the characterization is.
I don’t think the show’s purpose is to criticize capitalism however. I just picked it up and thought that it was about a person’s existence. Why we exist, who we exist for, and what power we have. Power being money.