So, here we finally get to the background episode. Or to be more specific: the start of the background arc. The creators really wanted to give this its time to unfold, and so this episode merely deals with the introduction: we get to know what’s up with Takashiro, we get to know exactly what everyone is, and what has been causing the reincarnations. The actual past is left for the next episode.
But seriously though, this did exactly what I hoped, and it solidified the characters even more. The depth of these characters really prevented this episode from turning into a dull exposition episode, and instead it filled in the blanks in the storylines really well. I also now understand why this series is named the way it is: before this series started, I thought that that somehow was some sort of spoiler to the relationship between Luka and Yuki, but instead it refers to the nature of Takashiro: in which he’s forced to reincarnate everyone in order to stand a chance at taking down Reiga.
I guess that the whole reason for Takashiro to be infused with a Dumas, it is probably to make him able to actually kill Reiga, without reincarnating him, but that will probably be answered in the next episode. We already know that Reiga did something really bad, and Takashiro was probably the cause of that. The question now remains where Yuki ties into this: was she just “there”, or she also have an important part in that tragedy? Beyond that, we also have Luka, who seems like the only character who doesn’t seem to fit here so far. I doubt that he was there when Takashiro got his scar, and my guess is that he met Yuki at a later stage.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Luka doesn’t come into the picture in the past life that Takashiro is about to explain. However that life does explain the origin of Reiga and Takashiro’s enmity.
Actually, thus far even in the manga, the flashback explaining the life where Yuki and Luka met and fell in love still has not been shown.
Is it me, or do all anime with guys who have pointy faces also have gay undertones
The depth of these characters really prevented this episode from turning into a dull exposition episode, and instead it filled in the blanks in the storylines really well…
Agreed, the series has just the right amount of character development and emotional depth without becoming emo, lol (for example, can you imagine how annoying a character like Yuki would have turned out in a lesser series?!). I particularly like the use of the bamboo(?) forest background and the lighting/ CGI in this epi, but then it’s hard not to like the consistently detailed and gorgeous visuals in this series, it’s so beautiful and atmospheric.
And yes, as mononoke mentions, the yaoi undertones and other fanservice elements are, of course there, but I think this is done quite well on the whole, either pretty subtle or comic in effect.