A new OP? Already? For a 39-episode series? The ED also got a make-over. That certainly was… random, and yet it gave a totally different feeling, even though the visuals stayed the same. Ah well, it probably has to do with some licensing issues surrounding the break-up of the band who sung the original opening theme. And I must say, for something that had to be done on such a short notice, it works surprisingly well.
This episode wasn’t mostly about Sasuke, but he still cracks me up whenever he appears. As someone obsessive over aesthetics, he first marvels over the beauty of a horse, only to later outright steal. I must say, it’s very subtle how he did it, but especially his face as he swapped the wooden stir thingies was priceless. Bee-Train have always been really focused on non-verbal communication, but this show is on a completely different level on that. It’s both really subtle, and straight at your face.
What this show is also excellent at is keeping up its atmosphere throughout these long conversations between two people. The music obviously really helps there, but it’s also the above-mentioned characterization that’s just excellent: characters aren’t just talking with words, but also with their expressions and gestures. That makes the talking in this series much more than just exposition for the sake of exposition.
Oh yeah, and I know that I just keep repeating this and all, but I just can’t get over it that someone actually had the balls to make this series. Beyond being really good, Hyouge Mono is also the most unique series that Bee-Train made since .Hack//Sign. It probably won’t turn this way, but I really hope that this series’ mindset catches on. And with that I don’t necessarily mean make more shows that are about old dudes talking, but rather the mentality to take risks: the mentality to just immediately plan out the full length of your series, or the mentality to try something completely different for a change.
My only criticism with this episode: recaps. What were they doing there, and more importantly: will they get annoying in the future?
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Actually, the people who sang the OP broke up because one of the members was caught with marijuana and it caused a huge stink.
That’s really interesting. Japan’s always been kind of weird when it comes to drugs
Its sad they pulled the OP, but yeah drugs and stuff aint that appreciated with the elevens.
Yeah, like someone said before, the band’s guitarist was arrested for drug possession and they disbanded. But this new song is pretty cool, and it kinda reminds me of the Cowboy Bebop OP song.
Oh, c’mon. You’re a BeeTrain fan. You should be used to their bullshit. Episode 2, FUCKING EPISODE 2, of Noir had a 4 minute recap/flashback to the first episode.
This is indeed, a series without fanservice, moe, bishies or bombastic dialogues, I watch the series and I kinda agree that is “unique”.
But in my opinion bee train`s style, of using long silent pauses, weird camera angeles, don`t create atmosphere, is just “hipster” for the sake of being “hipster”, this gets more cliche than some random mindless shounen.
The excess of this factors, is like the director crying “please, just categorize this as deep, cunning, not mainstream”, just too forced.
I see that Psgels wrote this: “Hyouge Mono is also the most unique series that Bee-Train made since .Hack//Sign”. Well, the series is not an original story created by the studio, it’s the adaptation of an award-winning manga. Out of curiosity, I read the first chapters of the manga(there are only some raw versions available, because nobody translated it) and I noticed that the scenes from the anime are exactly like the ones from the manga. I mean absolutely no change, even the scenes shown from weird camera angles that people mention are drawn the same way in the manga, even the flashbacks (though they are shorter in the manga,)it’s almost like a verbatim adaptation. So take this into consideration before blaming Bee-Train for whatever negative aspects you may find.
So did this show get subbed in the meantime?
Nope, still standing idle at episode 3 I am afraid.
At first, I was mildly amused by the antics of Sasuke in the first few episodes, but the greater over-arching story is growing on me.
So, I am thoroughly enjoying this anime right now, even though it aired like 7 months ago. A little late to the party, but luckily I’m on holiday break.
I’m enjoying this series quite a bit.
I have an interest in Japanese history, so it probably helps that I know who Oda and Hideyoshi are, and it’s got me reading up stuff too. So I like it when a show can pique my historical interest.
Sennou and his painting of everything black, including the ships, made me think it was a nod to the coming of the black ships that ended the Tokugawa period
As of yet I’m not tired of Sasuke’s faces, his face when he was stealing the tea scoop was LOLs, the political intrigue is also interesting. The cross is also significant, because of the persecution of Christians that happen (later on, I think)
The fashion elements from epi 4 I also enjoyed. Not sure Oda actually wore zebra skin pants ever though. Visuals are interesting to say the least, and I like the soundtrack.