The Case Files of Jeweler Richard – 06/07 [Perilous Turquoise/ The Jade of Succession]

I certainly didn’t see that coming at all. While Housekishou Richard-shi still utilizes its episodic format, the last two episodes reveal some backstory regarding our pretty boy and very quickly that plot thread becomes my favorite part of the show. So far, we see Richard as an all-too-perfect specimen that it’s hard to regard him as a full-fledged human. Not until the closing scene of episode 6 that is. Throughout the previous episodes we have seen how Richards always ticks off whenever people (especially Seiki) comment on his good look, and episode 6 expands on that with the case regarding scammers who try to sell their fake gems to young girls. Normally this could be a cause for our local hero Seigi to stir up, but surprisingly it’s Richard who does. Richard’s scheme is a bit far-fetched if you ask me, but it’s all the service of that flashback at the end. It turns out that Richard used to be a schemer who uses his good look to deceive customers, and with that he suddenly appears to be much more complex than he normally lets on.

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Dorohedoro – 07 [All Star Dream Game]

This is my new frontrunner for Best Episode of the Season. I had heard rumors about Dorohedoro’s legendary baseball chapters, but this thing surpassed my vague expectations by several miles. What’s most impressive about it is the huge number of genres and moods it cycles through, despite featuring one of the craziest sporting matches in anime history during its second act. Hell, the baseball game itself was a pitch perfect mix of action, comedy, drama, horror, and even a dash of romance. I usually take notes while watching episodes I plan to blog, but for this one? Not a chance. The whole thing ought to be experienced, rather than analyzed, but I’ll try my best to put out something decent. Hit the jump if you want to read my thoughts instead of just re-watching the episode, for some reason.

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Dorohedoro – 05/06 [Caiman in Wonderland/The First Smoke]

This was the worst possible point at which to write a Dorohedoro double post. Not only did I start a new job last week, but the show started unloading all its groceries in a single trip beginning with episode 5. I can just picture director Yuuichiro Hayashi with fourteen sets of plastic handles digging into his palms, carrying too many bags of source material at once in the name of efficiency. Not being a manga reader, I don’t know which part of the story he’s trying to reach before this cour ends, but I sure hope it’s worth this frantic pace.

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The Case Files of Jeweler Richard – 04/05 [The Fighting Garnet/ Opal of Encounters]

An update in regards to Housekisho Richard-shi coverage. Amun decides to drop these cute boys and their gems so I will take over full-time now, with him covering Kyokou Suiri instead. These past two episodes saw Housekisho Richard-shi goes through some highs and lows, but overall I’m happy with what the show has to offer. The drama in its weekly case is low-key and mundane, and while Richard and Seigi aren’t necessary there to “fix the issues” (well, at least Richard doesn’t), in this show, inconsistencies in how the customers behave reflect their own insecurities and their own personalities. Add that to the gems they seek in which they usually have some interesting message behind, and it’s pretty much the appeal of Housekisho Richard-shi to me. The other aspects of the show, namely the chemistry between the two leads and Seigi and Shouko’s romance, aren’t that interesting to me, which I will address that in later paragraphs.

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Kyoko Suiri (In/Spectre) – 4 [Idol Dies by Steel Beam]

3D life has taken its toll on Amun, but we’re back with our favorite amputee and spooky company!

First of all, Saki. I haven’t seen a supporting character this good since Kilua’s introduction in HxH. I think introducing her at this point is brilliant, since we’ve become a bit accustomed to Kotoko’s peculiarities. Also, having a normal professional at this point is refreshing, given that the recent cast consisted of a giant snake and a human shaped yokai poison capsule. Plus, Saki seems capable, level-headed, hot…all the things Kotoko is not (shots fired).

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Dorohedoro – 04 [Roast Duck with Sorcerer Sauce]

Dorohedoro is making it really hard to construct these posts around particular themes. The show is so inventive, and covers such a wide range of topics every week, that it’s hard to know how to structure my discussion without the copout of chronological order. I shouldn’t have blown the food connection last week, because there was an actual recipe for roast duck in this one. Granted, the duck turned into a doppelganger after being basted with Shin’s smoke and veal stock, but assuming the transformation was simply cosmetic, the doll was composed largely of duck meat. I’m surprised Ebisu didn’t start chowing down after Shin punched a hole through its chest and the juices began to leak from its gaping wound.

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Dorohedoro – 03 [Night of the Dead]

When this show’s OP dropped, featuring Nikaido preparing the meat for her famous gyoza, the catchphrase “Dorohedoro is a cooking anime” started to make the rounds. It probably existed even before that, when the manga was the only available version of the story. I get the humor behind the phrase – the show is so ambitious, so violent, and so unpredictable that referring to it as a cooking series is a fine bit of irony. But upon further reflection, Dorohedoro is as much about food as it is about anything else. How many meals have we seen the characters eat in just three episodes? Caiman and Nikaido’s relationship is built on food, and the cleaner duo of Shin and Noi relate to each other best when they’re eating. Sitting down and sharing a meal is the one real-life practice that made its way into the potpourri of madness that is Dorohedoro, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. When Shin talks about his past with Noi over lunch, or Caiman helps Nikaido buy that meat grinder she’s been eyeing, we’re reminded of how closely they resemble ordinary people. If Dorohedoro is a three course meal, the humanity of its cast is the main dish.

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Kyokou Suiri – 03 [The Rumors of the Steel Lady]

Hey it’s me Mario who cover this eccentric little talky show this week. I have a confession first, I always have a thing for anime with excessive amount of dialogues, as long as they don’t try to sound like a broken talking dictionary or quote some philosophical nonsense (looking right at you Psycho Pass and Ghost in the Shells the movies), and I think that’s an important aspect to decide whether or not you are in for this particular ride. I mean, Kyokou Suiri is so gutsy that it features its entire second mystery in a single settings just by one character talks things out to another character. When you think of lengthy conversations in one setting, you might think it’s a dull experience but Kyokou Suiri (mostly) gets away with it. I will demonstrate this point by comparing the approach with other talky shows. For Monogatari series, whenever it gets to a lengthy chatter banter it utilizes its quirky visual to keep audience from feeling bored. For shows like OreGairu, it relies on characters gestures (usually a glance) to hint on their subtle inner feelings, for Kyokou Suiri it uses the flow of the conversation to suggest something deeper about its cases.
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Hōsekisho Richard-shi no Nazo Kantei – 03 [The Cat’s Eye’s Insight]

Amun is up for this episode of “Case Files of Jeweler Richard”. As hinted last week, my excitement for this show plummeted after the stellar first episode. Can episode 3 get us back on track? Let’s find out!
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