Oh, I have to admit that this show is shrewd. In the previous episode they introduced the most stereotypically evil characters for the story centred around Victorique’s background. Their personalities were so obviously out there , with a group of three random respect-less guys on one hand and this completely deranged maid on the others. I’ve been watching detective stories for so long that it totally didn’t occur to me that they could also be the culprits and that this was just a story in which everything was just as it seems. Har, har, very clever for this show to use an overused trope to its advantage. For once I can’t blame Victorique for refusing to explain how she found out about their identities.
This episode was well told, though. For once the two different murder mysteries in this arc proved to be quite effective red herrings for each other, and the atmosphere was actually quite excellent. Especially that bridge scene was well directed and shot and surprised me how I actually ended up caring for Kujou, of all people.
I also like how the creators wrote their stories into the European history. I mean, it’s not like Seyrun ever existed (or nothing with the same name at least), but this episode came with an entire background of how the village came to exist in the first place and where their ascendants came from. That actually worked very well here.
Oh, and the revelation that Cordellia was still alive only spiced things up even more at the end. This definitely was the best arc of Gosick so far. If it can keep this up, it’s actually going to become a pretty good series here. If not then it still has enough ways to become a total chore to sit through, though.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Another good Gosick episode. I too, liked the red herrings. While I’ve seen better mystery series, Gosick does action scenes and creates tension incredibly well. I especially liked how they drummed up the “inevitable separation” divination. There’s also much bigger mysteries in play and that’s great news for the future.
This series is pretty clearly what it says on the box: Gothic and Sherlockian. So yeah, often the adventure is more important than the mystery, and sometimes the obvious baddies are more there for you to take down than track down.
This episode had a lot of powerful scenes.
The elder was not evil as many had imagined, the petty visitors had their role to play (especially the culprit), Grevil actually came to a proper conclusion and lunged epically at the bad guy. Is there more to Grevil than meets the eye? Apparently — his motives are a bit more complex than simply fame and glory (though those do seem to fuel his occupation in large part). He isn’t as dramatic and ridiculous when not in Victorique’s company either. He has proven to be shrewd enough to make deals, use informants, and come to the proper conclusions on his own. But yet he “entertains” Victorique — perhaps this is his own volition, not because he absolutely needs her to solve crimes (though I’ll admit –as would he, no doubt– that having a connection to someone who “knows the script” probably comes in handy).
Victorique herself also has/had more to her than meets the eye. She has quite the interesting backstory, much of which we were treated to in this arc, and since her past also involves Grevil to large extent, perhaps his role will increase in the future as well. The redhead magician is sure to return again (who was it that brought electricity to the town again? XD). Some or much of this probably involves Victorique getting kidnapped, of course (as if the intro wasn’t obvious enough). Avril will maintain her peripheral status and there will probably be very few if any shocking twists from the small group of central characters remaining in this show, excepting our fushigina, fushigina Bikkutorika.. Ms. Cecile seems entirely the cliched oddball teacher of the same ilk we see heaps of in anime these days, but there’s a slight chance (given how she’s always there at the right time whenever something occurs close to home, and how she introduced Kujou to Victorique in the first place) that there’s more to her than meets the eye. Maybe.
But this ain’t Madoka, kids. Though GOSICK does mystery and twistedness, Madoka IS mystery and twistedness. That’s not to say it’s better, but if you want to get immersed in “gothic” mysteries, go for Madoka. To be immersed into a lush pre-modern world rich with action, genuinely likable leads and dynamics, and some amount of sleuthing, go sick for GOSICK. Or just watch both and save yourself the trouble. That’s my pitch for today.
Not a bad episode, but that bridge scene.. was just way too much. I was just starting to get into this series and then it had to turn into every other half-assed shounen.
But on the plus side, I honestly have no idea what to expect from this show now except forced scenes of romantic development that strain credulity.
Really though, that whole “we’re actually a country” thing was a laugh-out-loud moment. It’s hard enough to buy that they’re self-sufficient, let alone just accepting that they an independent country. I guess I’ll suspend my disbelief for now.
> if you want to get immersed in “gothic” mysteries, go for Madoka
Both shows have elements of Gothic fiction, Madoka being loosely based on Faust, and Gosick being a collection of character archetypes from Gothic romantic fiction (as I understand it).
But neither is a mystery show.. at least Madoka certainly was not – it was a morality play. Gosick seems to want to be a mystery show, but hasn’t quite found it’s footing yet as of this episode.