Excellent, this episode did exactly what I hoped it would do. While the tongue-in-cheek storytelling of the first two episodes was fun, it was bound to get old after a while. this episode drops the comedy (aside from one scene, perhaps), and instead takes itself seriously. The result is my favourite episode of this series so far.
Unlike the first two episodes that made a bit of fun of the villains, we finally could explore this episode’s sword wielder to her full potential, and this episode did well in fleshing her out, and telling about her backstory. She wasn’t exactly rounded, but as a flat character she was pretty good. This of course amounted to a lot of exposition, but I felt like it was more balanced than in the first episode. It’s also good to see that this show intends to be varied.
I’m also surprised by the music in this episode. Taku Iwasaki isn’t someone I’d name amongst my favourite composers, but his scores definitely know how to hit the spot. I like the use of choirs in soundtracks (as long as they’re not overdone, obviously), O I quite liked the musical score at the end of this episode.
In any case, this episode showed that Katanagatari is another one of those shounen series that suffers from the “I’m about to attack you, but first let me tell you my life story”-syndrome. The reason why I like it here, compared to shows as Bleach, is that the dialogue adds something to the characters, and the fact that the action scenes themselves are short and sweet, and pretty much what action scenes involving deadly weapons should be: deadly. Battles here are very much built up with the dialogues, resulting in a short but sweet climax.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
I was a little lazy about watching this, because my expectations were low; the second episode was an improvement over the first, but it was still a little boring. This episode on the other hand was pretty good. I think the style is growing on me, it was well-animated, and I didn’t feel like I was buried in word humor. I still don’t like the ninja, but the ire they earn makes their deaths cathartic. All-in-all, I’ve become more optimistic about this show after watching this installment. I hope the next one is as good.
I agree with you guys, this is turning out for the better as each episode airs. Hopefully it keeps getting more refined, because aside from that stupid “cheerio” thing and the too-much-battletalk syndrome, this wasn’t too bad an episode. I am even starting to like the running gag of the “useless demon ninjas” who’s sole purpose is to die quickly in arrogance.
that so called “syndrome” is pretty annoying most of the time, but this episode did a perfect job executing it. its so perfect that I REALLY sympathize with the character to the point that I want her alive. (ofcourse that is the point of it, to make viewers like the character, BUT 4 sum reasons when other animes do that, it just pisses me off to the point of hating the anime even dropping it)
(bleach is mostly the reason why i hate that so called “syndrome”)
too bad she DIED, but she had certainly had it comming. my CRITIQUE mind wanted her dead,but i know that deep inside me, I wanted her alive and well. that just shows that they were successful at executing this episode
This episode is better than the previous two (more tense) and im looking forward very much to the next episode.
About Taku Iwasaki, i like very much his scores for the Rurouni Kenshin aka Samurai X series. Especially for its OVAs, I cant help considering the anime OVA and the soundtracks as an excellent masterpiece.
i listen to some of his composition when i sleep, especially d samurai x OVAs
This was a powerful episode. I would like to second Alec’s comments. I really sympathized with Meisai, and hoped that she would be spared. I’m finding Shichika to be a bit of a monster at this point. He follows Togame’s instructions without question, and acts as if he has no moral conscience of his own. His casual cheerfulness at having won the duel, with Meisai’s bloody corpse lying beside him, was a bit crazy. I’m really curious about where the story will go in terms of his character.
One more thing I would like to add. I’ve been reading several bloggers recently expressing their declining enthusiasm for anime, and complaining about this season’s lack of good shows. For me, nothing could be further from the truth. For me, this season is one of the best ever. I think anime is getting better than ever, and we are in the middle of a true golden age, despite the industry’s financial woes.
Katanagatari is just one example of his. Sora no Woto, Durarara!!, Kimi ni Todoke and Nodame Cantabile Finale have all been fantastic. The latest episodes of Sora Woto, Kimi Todo, and Nodame are all hitting their peak, and I’m enjoying them immensely. I know that Psgels doesn’t like Nodame, and he likes Bantorra & FMA far more than I do, so to each his own, I guess…
Koromi: I’m not sure whether you were already following anime regularly in 2006 and 2007, but at that time the amount of great series was abuot the double of what it now is. Still, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything worth watching. I’m also very much enjoying the Toei kids’ shows.
I started following anime TV series by download sometime in 2002, I think. I was definitely following Princess Tutu & Haibane Renmei via downloads, if not on the day of broadcast as we do today.
So yeah, by 2006, I was really deep into it. Mind you, I haven’t watched nearly as many hours of anime as you have. (Reading your blog, I think that you might be close to holding the record for the most anime watched outside Japan…)
But my TV favourites from 2006-2007 were Simoun, Ouran, Honey & Clover, Glass Fleet, Ergo Proxy, Manabi Straight, Sketchbook, Gurren Lagann, Lucky Star, Darker than Black, Zetsubou Sensei & Haruhi. Nodame’s first season was enjoyable, but not a favourite.
So far, my favourite TV shows from 2009 & 2010 are Darker than Black, Zetsubou Sensei, Haruhi, K-ON, Soul Eater, Aoi Bungaku, Casshern Sins, Natsu no Arashi, Bakemonogatari, Eden of the East, Xam’d, Maria+Holic, Michiko e Hatchin, as well as the aforementioned Sora no Woto, Katanagatari, Durarara, Kimi ni Todoke & Nodame Finale.
So things change & things stay the same. As you can see my list includes some shows you have not enjoyed. It’s largely just differences in personal preference.
@ Koromi
i disagree about being this season being 1 of the best.
the only highlights this season are FMA, Bantorra, Durarara, Sora Woto & (Katanagari??? and Railgun?????)
the current episodeS of Kimi No Todoke are superb, but the previous episodes were a not good , pacing was slow.
Letter Bee & Fairy Tail were supposed to be one of the highlights this season but MOST OF THE EPISODE ARE A TRAINWRECK.. too many annoying fillers.
Nodame Cantabile Finale to me is just mediocre
Kiddy Girl-and the worst this season. compared to kiddy-grade, this anime is crap. IF THEY JUST STICK WITH THEIR PREVIOUS PLAN (1. Asceour giving a Lumiere Vibe, making the anime more serious and a bit dark like its sequel, but instead, they change it to an annoying one and easy to hate asceour. They probably did that so that EVERYONE (mostly kikds) can watch and understand it, but it seems like they FAILED at the process. Theyre prolly losing viewers now!. They took a huge gamble and paid for the price
BOOK OF BANTORRA and SORA WOTO are DEFINIELY THE BIGGEST SURPRISE THIS SEASON.
DURARARA (there were already too much attention for this anime, so the creators has to live up to its expectations, they’ve been succesful thus far
at kiddy grade ( i meant prequel) my bad for posting again.
MY FAV ANIME and TOP ! OF ALL TIME HONEY AND CLOVER!!!!!!
@Alec:
We all love anime, just not in the same way. I keep a list of anime moments that for me are sheer joy. They don’t happen very often, but in the space of a week, I had three, the duel in Katanagatari 3, The temtation of Faust in Nodame Finale 8 & Rio’s farewell in Sora no Woto 10. Really really enjoyed them all. It’s moments like these that make me keep up with so many hours of anime. Then I realized that there are 5 currently running shows that I would rate as favourites. That’s almost never happened before. Hence my statement about the quality of this season.
I’m enjoying Bantorra for its unpredictability, but I can’t get past the mediocre visual direction and the lack of any complex characterization. Each character is more symbol than human being. Noloty is the ideal of doing no harm, Hamyuts is the thrill of flirting with death, etc.
Nodame on the other hand, while a flake, is an adult human being who has things churning around just below the surface that belie her goofy façade. The way she behaved with Chiaki in the first half of ep. 8 is a case in point. Something is off, because she is hurting inside, but she herself doesn’t realize just how much. Then when Chiaki rejects her proposal because he knows her too well and doesn’t know himself well enough, the dam brakes, and then we have the marvelous Faust seduction scene. In some ways, it’s the opposite of Bantorra.
Koromi: ah, in that way. I was perhaps mostly thinking about the the past two seasons and the upcoming spring season. The winter season of 2009 indeed was an excellent one.
The only thing about the recent anime that really bugs me is that it’s getting harder and harder for me to find 12 interesting series to blog each season. Especially in this season it became a bit of a nightmare. This is both due to the decrease in amount of series, and also that the series’ lengths keep getting shorter…
What I found fascinating about this episode was the amorality of it. Essentially our main characters are not particularly good or evil, though you could definitely say they were a bit evil in this episode. These characters could easily be portrayed as moral heroes or vicious villians, depending on your prespective. For instance, an anime could focus on Meisai, and these characters would’ve been portrayed as evil interlopers. But the writers of this anime keep a fairly neutral perspective even in the face of a brutal and callous killing. This is quite rare in a show and is a nice contrast to the pacifist samurai animes where no one is ever killed. I can’t say I particularly enjoy it, but I can definitely appreciate it.
@Michael:
Yes, absolutely! Did you notice the part where Shichika casually let out that he killed his father? What’s up with that? And I still haven’t quite figured out what happens when Togame’s eye changes, if anything. Does she have him under her spell (in an evil-magic sort-of-way?)
I wonder if Meisai’s comment about her successor was hinting at Togame for being the one who has not yet surpassed her pain.
dude koromi, i dont know why you think this is the best anime season ever. . .unless you like fanservice shows about loli underage girls flashing their panties boobs with milk fake sexual tension in a japanese school setting bordering…err actually crossing the line in to pedophillia, . . .if thats what you like then sure ok this is the best season ever -.-
@theone:
I made it quite clear that I like this season because of five shows:
Sora no Woto
Nodame Cantabile Finale
Kimi ni Todoke
Durarara!!
Katanagatari.
So yeah, you’re absolutely right. All that sexual tension in Kimi ni Todoke in a Japanese school setting… Panties everywhere in Sora no Woto…
Disgusting shows! What was I thinking?!!
I think that the thing with this season is that people tend to look at the worst shows, rather than the best. Every season has its array of crappy series, so this one obviously is no different. Look at the good ones instead. 😉
Yes, the episode was great and the climax nicely done. And it seems the next foe is the one that makes his opponents say the “kakkoi” after being striked to death :).
And well, for a season just having two good series I’d call it a success. This time for me the katanagatari, sora no woto, gundam unicorn and the baka test (sorry but for me it hits very well the humour spots and I enjoy every chapter with a good laugh).
why did it say that they’ll be collecting their fourth sword for the next ep? shouldn’t it be fifth?
everything that lead to that final battle was great. that choir as a bg music before the clash was fantastic. i guess shichika was too busy thinking of a way to escape sentouryuu that’s why he had that expression after defeating meisai. he really is but a sword after all.
This episode and rethinking of previous episodes has got me thinking, Shichika is a psychopath isn’t he. If that is the intention, then katanagatari = win for having a psychopath lead character.
I’m getting the impression that some of you guys here think of Shichika as the “bad guy” and Meisai of being “morally correct” after watching this episode. You are forgetting that even though portrayed sympathetically and having a noble goal, Meisai is still a villain. She killed countless people as a mountain bandit, which even for those violent times is not something to be taken lightly. She then killed the previous Meisai who was probably a good guy for all we know and then she killed her comrades, who were villains, but her comrades nonetheless. So, I think in the end her demise was totally justified.
On the other hand, she repeated several times that she would not yield to Shichika which gave him no other choice but to kill her. He could have gone easy on her, but since he is a human weapon that would be a hard thing to do. Besides, she was probably the strongest enemy he had so far, so going easy on her and trying to spare her life could potentially cause him to lose.
Other than that, I also thought this episode was brilliant and better than the previous with much less exposition and gimmicks and more characterization, action and strategy. This show seems to get better with every episode and judging from the preview for the next one it seems like the trend will continue.
I really loved the revelation that Shichika killed his father. I think this is probably some rite of passage for Kyotoryuu users in which the final test is to kill the current master. It was the same way in Rurouni Kenshin as well.