Everyone Is Hated – An Anime QandA Review of ‘Boogiepop and Others’ Episode 6
What’s the show? Boogiepop and Others, Episode 6.
So how’s this episode? Boogiepop (the anime) continues to impress–against all odds–by being completely batshit insane while simultaneously making complete sense to me.
You’re not exactly selling this to me, you know… And I’m not trying to do so either! By now, you’re either all aboard for the ride or left behind at the station.
8/10 at the moment.
Right, so what happens in this episode? I’m oversimplifying slightly but this episode is basically just two concurrent conversations happening at different points in a narrative but still concerning ~vaguely~ the same thing. And it’s compelling as heck while still being a sort of slow-burn series of exchanges. And there’s something admirable in this show’s confidence in being able to deliver an episode like this where action-wise very little happens but still it feels like a lot has transpired.
Ganbatte!
You’re being vague again… It’s hard not to be in this environment–suicide finds itself as a recurrent theme as Orihata contemplates taking the leap off the school building only to be talked down by Kazuko who has all manner of contemplative and deep psychological things to say about the nature of mankind and the normality in being hated by people and how it’s unreasonable to live a life in which you please everyone. Suffice to say Kazuko is probably my new best girl–I say “probably” because there’s so much going on and so many characters coming and going that that could very well change next week.
I don’t know what’s going on but I like it.
Anything else happen? Oh yes. Jin–the guidance counsellor introduced at the start of the ‘VS Imaginator’ arc–has started taking female students into a dark room, getting them to take their shirts off and touching their bare chests. But don’t worry it’s nothing seedy (probably) he’s just getting the ‘flower’ that he sees inside them all to grow so all their fear is removed. Also, after (presumably) her conversation on the roof with Kazuko, Orihata wants her boyfriend Masaki to become a “reaper” like Boogiepop.
Mood.
I’m confused. Trust me, it makes sense when you watch it. Or maybe it doesn’t, I don’t care, either way I’m just enjoying the heck out of the show!
Terminal Velocity – An Anime QandA Review of ‘Boogiepop and Others’ Episode 5
What’s the show? Boogiepop and Others, Episode 5.
So how’s this episode? So this is probably the most cohesive, linear and sequential an episode of ‘Boogiepop and Others’ has been so far. And you know what, as much as I extolled the virtues of the show in previous episodes–comparing its confusing overall experience favourably to the works of David Lynch among others–this show works best when its straightforward with its narrative. Only obfuscating when it makes the most impact rather than for the sake of it.
And in layman terms that means…? It’s a good episode because it’s not as confusing as others but it’s still a little confusing but only when it needs to be.
One good lick deserves another.
Right. So what happens in this episode then? So first of all we’re introduced (or rather re-introduced) to a duo we probably presumed were merely extras in the previous episode. Misaki Taniguchi is a ~nice guy~ and he comes to the “rescue” of Aya Orahito a strange girl who can’t say no to anything asked of her for an innate fear of being “hated”. The two form a sort of bittersweet relationship throughout the first half of the episode until we’re introduced to Shinjirou Anou a bully by any other name, but also a boy infatuated with Misaki. Though it’s not long before his observation of Misaki and Aya draws the ire of a ‘Synthetic Human’ who erases all his desires and passions and turns him into a “terminal”–a servant of the mysterious ‘Towa Organisation’.
As much as the whole “I don’t know why I’m crying” thing is a pretty stale trope, they pulled it off here because it was so unexpected.
Wait I thought you said this wasn’t confusing, I’m confused. Silence, I’m not done yet. So ~things~ happen, Shinjirou comes into contact (not for the first time) with our previous episode’s protagonist Jin. The “Snow In April” motif recurs, Shinjirou is broken from his status as a “terminal” and goes to meet a girl who left a love letter in his locker–except it was a faked letter written by Boogiepop in order to drawn out the ‘Synthetic Human’. They fight a bit, some vague truths are revealed and Shinjirou goes about his life. And all the while this has been happening Misaki and Aya have been dating and getting closer and it’s all very sweet and endearing–if slightly ominous. And then at the end of the episode we get the reason why for this ominous feeling–turns out Aya’s real name is ‘Camille’ and she’s (probably) a terminal for the ‘Towa Organisation’ too.
A terrifying moment.
Yeah, I don’t even know at this point… Come on, you expect a synopsis written by a drunk to make any more sense the events themselves?! Listen, I know its not exactly a) to b) storytelling but surely you can keep up, right?
Do I even want to at this point? You know what, you’re absolutely right. If your (for some reason) reading these reviews and not watching the show there is no point to continue to do so. This show (and by extension, these reviews) are exclusively for those watching the show as its almost impossible to offer an adequate recap without sounding like an absolute madman.
A tender moment.
And so your review then? Yeah, great episode! Lots of weirdness but likewise lots of heart and character development. Boogiepop in her brief appearance was unexpectedly badass and the rest of the show was perplexing but entertaining. At this point–regardless of authorial intent or execution–I’m just along for the ride. Thank you, more please!
Seeking Counsel – An Anime QandA Review of ‘Boogiepop and Others’ Episode 4
What’s the show? Boogiepop and Others, Episode 4.
So how’s this episode? So last week I made a bit of a proverbial song and dance about how “confusing” this show is–which is a very surface level reading of the series, heck it’s not even a reading it’s just an observation. And as pointed out by some commenters that episode wasn’t in fact as confusing as I made out–which given a moment of reflection was entirely true. That’s not to say that things were straightforward by any means but I was simplistic in my review for the sake of not having to over-explain things and for that laziness I apologise.
How very ‘Disney’ of them.
Wow, an apology right of the bat, what a tone to set for this review. So how’s this episode? We’re given some answers but too we’re given more questions–we’re introduced to some new characters and re-introduced to some old–and there’s also a lot of repeated phrases especially to do with the one “Love is like snow that falls in April, unexpected but not unforeseen.” It’s a gorgeous quote and speaks a lot to the overall sentimentality of this episode. This episode also fits into the formula I spoke about last week and it being similar to ‘Twin Peaks’ and other David Lynch projects (don’t worry this is the last time I’ll bring it up) with soft speaking mysterious figures visiting otherwise normal people and giving them powerful information not to mention the sudden bursts of bloody violence.
This was such a ‘Twin Peaks’ line! (Okay I swear no more mentions of it… this review)
Okay back up a bit. What’s this about new and old characters? Well we’ve got Suiko Minahoshi, the girl people thought committed suicide but it turns out she’s something called an ‘Imaginator’ she has an ability that allows her to see into the future due to something about the brain processing things faster than reality. She appears to the high school guidance counsellor Jin Asukai, who’s an otherwise normal guy aside from the ability to see what’s “missing” inside people which he visualises as a rose. She shows him a vision of the future where he’s violently using his power but he rejects this reality and goes about his business. Later he comes across Imazaki Shizuko, another of the girls who disappeared and she holds a knife to his throat demanding money for her drug habit. Suddenly possessed by Suiko the ‘Imaginator’ the drugged up girl slits her own throat instead. After being released by the police after questioning he sees some bad guys trying to get at a girl and so decides to test his newly developed abilities on them.
Jin’s got a bit of a David Tennant ‘Doctor’ vibe in this screencap, no?
Right. So by the sounds of it this is a new arc with a lot of differences? On paper it may seem like that but this very much still feels like the same Boogiepop we’ve got to know over the last 3 episodes–everything feels connected even as disjointed it may seem on the surface and I appreciate the show for having this overall feeling. Maybe I made a more concerted effort to pay attention, maybe I’m just understanding the rhythm of this show or maybe this was a genuinely more easy to follow episode but I wasn’t left a sense of confusion about this episode. Certainly we have unanswered questions but that’s what the rest of the series is for–to answer them. More than any of the previous episodes this episode felt like it had a promise of something genuinely interesting to come and that’s exciting!
And I don’t think I need to say who he looks like in this screencap, everyone on Twitter already made that comparison!
Puzzling It Out – An Anime QandA Review of ‘Boogiepop and Others’ Episode 3
What’s the show? Boogiepop and Others, Episode 3.
So how’s this episode? So, uh… this show huh… uh-huh *wipes sweat off brow* umm… does anyone have a clue what’s going on here because I could use a cheat sheet or something… no? Err, well okay then, I’ll try my best with what I know then!
What happens in this episode? This series is absolutely committed to making the least amount of sense of ~any~ anime this season… and yet… and yet I can’t resist its inexorable allure. I think that says more about me as a viewer than it does about the show itself.
Boom! Headshot!
Okay then, tell me what it says about yourself then, since that’s something you can talk about in length and detail! Right, so first of all I love the films of David Lynch, the only (media related) thing I love more is anime so imagine my burgeoning increased affection for something that at least has a passing resemblance to one. Fractured narratives, cryptic observations, repeated conversations, characters appearing and disappearing, characters being different people entirely. a mystical entity that talks deliberately and only intervenes when absolutely necessary, bursts of graphic violence in mundane situations. I just described both this episode of Boogiepop and ~many~ things (namely the US TV series ‘Twin Peaks’ but also ‘Lost Highway’ and ‘Mulholland Dr.’) written and directed by David Lynch. That’s not to say ‘Boogiepop’ is derivative, certainly it’s appropriating an ~atmosphere~ less than copying the blatant “weirdness” that Lynch’s works is often described as.
Love this smug bitch.
Well that was very int— Another way I could describe this series that’s in line with David Lynch’s cinematic sensibilities is ~dreamlike~ things kind of float together, scenes and characters passing by one another then occasionally colliding in a frenzy before settling down again.
That’s enough! Geez, I wouldn’t have figured you’d have so much to talk about and say so little. Ouch. Mean much?
The pen is mightier than the sword!
Sorry I just mean I don’t see how this helps in a review of Episode 3 of a TV show you’re not imparting a lot of useful information you know. I know and neither does the show—or rather it’s hard to know what’s useful information and what’s just ~things happening~. Put simply unless I’m theorizing or speculating there’s not a lot to talk about. I know that might make me reviewing this week to week seem kind of pointless but I’m enjoying being able to talk about it at all.
“He doesn’t even go here!”
Right so overall th— I’m also reminded of Nicolas Roeg’s 1976 ~magnum opus~ ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’, starring David Bowie as the titular character. In Boogiepop we have a sort of similar character with Echoes literally being a man who fell to earth from space and who in this episode seemingly returns to space too. Even their initial mannerisms draw compa—
—Guys I don’t think he’s going to stop, so I’m going to cut this review off now. Thank you for reading and I promise to never mention ‘David Lynch’ or anything vaguely arthouse cinema again…
Back where we started.
Previous ‘Boogiepop and Others’ Reviews:
The Evil In Plain Sight – Episode 1 & 2 Review
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The Evil In Plain Sight – An Anime QandA Review of ‘Boogiepop and Others’ Episode 1 & 2
What’s the show? Boogiepop and Others, Episode 1 & 2.
So how’s this episode(s)? One thing’s important and I’ll mention it first, they deliberately released two episodes at once. I don’t think the tone of the show can be properly conveyed in the first episode and so to get an idea what this show’s like two episodes at minimum are necessary.
So do you feel like you’ve got a handle on what this show is about then? Oh no clue, I felt stupid watching this show because things were presented out of chronological order and I wasn’t sure if people were their real selves or cloned, and it doesn’t help when a bunch of characters look similar–or maybe they were the same character. Anyway my head hurts.
Some disturbingly interesting imagery in this show. I like it.
Okay~ so what can you tell me about the plot of the show? It’s mysterious, it’s kind of creepy, there’s bursts of violence amidst an otherwise ‘normal’ surface, and there’s the titular ‘Boogiepop’ who may or may not be a split personality of the main character’s girlfriend. Except she’s not his girlfriend and he’s not the main character and ah~ my head hurts again!
Boogiepop is weird, yo.
Slow down… surely it can’t be that hard to articulate what’s going on? The first episode is a slow-paced, meditative experience that involves a white-haired man shambling along the streets of Tokyo in some degree of distress. Boogiepop ~appears~ and admonishes the crowd for ignoring someone in obvious distress. There’s some obvious social commentary about how society is callous towards a fellow man’s suffering, nothing that’s too uncommon in these kind of darker anime stories. In the second episode we learn (from an unreliable second-hand source) that this white haired man is named ‘Echoes’ and he’s apparently an alien from space sent to learn about the “true nature” of mankind–except he’s not because a manticore says that he’s an experimental being from whom the manticore was cloned from and he’s tracking her down in order to right the “mistake” of her existence. Also she’s a man-eater, like she literally eats people.
My money is on not an alien, just sayin…
I don’t know how but you’ve somehow made it make less sense than before. I know I’m totally overthinking it and there’s probably a bunch of my readers out there going “come on, it wasn’t that confusing.” But for me, as a writer, the writing part of my brain always likes to be 10 steps ahead of the author, thinking about all the possibilities for the narrative to go in and honestly, this whole show had me baffled.
That kinda sounds like a bad thing. Ordinarily it might be but I’m kind of intrigued at how convoluted it felt and how lost it made me feel. Sometimes it’s nice going into a show and knowing nothing, expecting something and getting something else entirely.
I like this girl, I can’t remember her name but I like her!
Right. So then your overall thoughts on the first two episode? Would you recommend it? Something like this is pointless to recommend because everybody’s experience with it is going to be different, even for people who may ordinarily *like* this kind of mystery, horror, whatever, this show is might be turned off by it’s fractured narrative or slow pace or confusing story beats. But for what it’s worth I enjoyed myself throughout, it’s dark and mysterious and dramatic… even if it did make my brain hurt for a couple of hours afterwards.
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Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs – Full Season QandA Rundown
What’s the important information? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs is a Summer 2018 harem/ecchi/comedy anime that aired 12 episodes from July to September. It is based on an ongoing shonen manga series by Tadahiro Miura.
What’s it about? Kogarashi Fuyuzora is a spirit medium who has lived a luckless life, frequently possessed by spirits and constantly homeless because of it, he finds himself at the doors of Yuragi Inn, a suspiciously cheap boarding house and former hot springs. The reason for the affordable accommodation is because it is haunted by the ghost of a high school girl named Yuuna. Immediately sensing a connection both physical and spiritual between himself and the girl he endeavours to find out Yuuna’s “lingering regret” that keeps her from moving on to heaven while also encountering the other ~supernatural~ secrets of the other female tenants of the inn.
The girls are all here, well until more join later in the season…
Why did you watch it? Aside from the fact that I’d read some of the manga before the series started it’s also an ecchi heavy harem series that is filled with beautiful anime girls who happen to tick off so many boxes both visually and characteristically. Of course I didn’t hesitate to watch this show!
Did you enjoy the show? I adored this series—while there’s plenty of things to nit-pick on the presentation side of things it’s easily overlooked for just how much fun this series is.
Don’t get on Sagiri’s bad side!
What was your favourite episode? It’s hard to pick because of every episode—regardless of the actual ‘plot’ of the individual episode—contributes at least a little to the overall story and characterisation while also endearing us to one or more of the characters in a substantial way. The episode that perhaps balanced the fan-service and the wholesomeness that this show became noteworthy for is Episode 9, “Chisaki of the Yuragi Inn” which puts Kogarashi amidst a cavalcade of harem shenanigans and yet has him acting gentlemanly and respectful throughout despite the ludicrous temptations thrown at him!
An easy thing to sleep through apparently.
What were your most favourite things about the show? Kogarashi is the most ~feminist~ a harem protagonist I’ve ever come across and I don’t use that word lightly as it’s practically unheard of that “harem” and “feminist” are combined favourably in a sentence. Never once does he underestimate or speak down to any of the women in Yuragi Inn, never once does he objectify or sexualise them. Sure he ends up getting involved in ~shenanigans~ but they’re never caused by his conscious efforts but as the results of genuine accidents or misunderstandings.
He’s also a badass fighter, which is pretty damn cool! Even if the fights take a backseat to the harem shenanigans.
What were your least favourite things about the show? This show will be infinitely better on blu-ray. Gimme them uncensored shenanigans already!
Who was your favourite character? Yuuna is a beacon of wholesomeness and innocence despite the ~shenanigans~ her sleep spreading gets her into with Kogarashi. She’s endearing and sweet but with a depth that’s rare for a character like her (amnesiac ghosts have seldom seen so fully realised). Sagiri comes so close a second that I’m tempted to call it a tie, but while this yandere has a ton of body-issues that are absolutely unfound of, not to mention all the other insecurities that come with being a feminine ninja her connection to Kogarashi and therefore the audience by proxy is just a bit weaker hence why I’m picking Yuuna as best character!
It was an accident!
Thoughts on the OP (opening) and ED (ending) and the soundtrack in general? Initially I wasn’t too thrilled with the OP, “Momoiro Typhoon” by Luna Haruna but the more I listened to it week after week the more I enjoyed it—especially the latter part. And my opinion in the ED “Happen ~Kogarashi ni Fukarete~” by the female cast is somewhat similar, I enjoy it more now than I did at first.
What’s something unique about this show? The very concept of this show is unique, a harem anime but where the male protagonist’s goal is to never see the female main again by having her ~ascend~ to heaven because she’s a ghost with “lingering regrets” that keep her tied to the living world? Whether or not the series actually goes through with having Yuuna “cross over” it’s still a dark ending that the show is all too aware is the expected end goal.
Protect that smile.
What other anime are most like it for the sake of comparison? Monster Musume is a pretty solid comparison—though Kimihito—the protagonist in that series doesn’t hold a candle to Kogarashi but likewise the girls in Monster Musume are far more unique and distinct. As far as anime go, regardless of what you think of the harem genre’s tropes this is still a considerably unique anime and well worth the time spent on it!
I mean obviously there’s going to be a tentacle scene…
Who would you recommend it to? As long as you’re fine with excessive fan-service and harem related shenanigans this series is worth a recommendation to almost anyone—despite its genre its surprisingly wholesome and character driven—in addition to being ridiculously sexy—what, it can be both?!
Sum up the season in one sentence: ‘In death we’re privy to the allure of life in all its unexpected minutiae, aka ghost girls just wanna have fun.’
Final score? 92 out of 100.
Any excuse to use this gif again. lol
Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:
Phantom in the Twilight – Full Season QandA Rundown
What’s the important information? Phantom in the Twilight is a Summer 2018 action/supernatural anime that aired 12 episodes from July through September. It is an original anime project produced by Happy Elements and is a Chinese co-production.
What’s it about? Ton Baileu and Shinyao Mu are two Chinese exchange students and best friends who’ve moved to London to attend university, immediately they are swept up in supernatural shenanigans as Shinyao is kidnapped by ~bad guys~. Ton finds help from an unexpected source, Umbra who are non-human creatures created out of the public’s collected consciousness on fantasy and supernatural beings. The four umbra who help her are Vlad, Luke, Toryu and Wayne—who run the ‘Café Forbidden’.
One big handsome happy family
Why did you watch it? While Kakuriyo was Spring’s anime for the irlwaifu, this was Summer’s, though it was arguably less directed to a female audience than the poster and synopsis suggested.
Did you enjoy the show? I enjoyed it for what it was, I was glad the series never took itself too seriously—in fact it was at it’s best when it was leaning into the almost over-the-top Supernatural-esque shenanigans. The narrative itself—while adequate never pushed itself to be more compelling or unique and some of the characters felt underdeveloped at times. The best way to sum up the show is that it was fun—but hardly ground-breaking or innovative.
*woosh*
What was your favourite episode? Episode 11 felt the most over-the-top and silly and contained one of my favourite lines in the entire series. The four Umbra and Ton are speeding toward where the bad guy’s were and they’re in a speed-boat going along the river Thames, Luke comments why they decided to go by speed-boat rather than pick something more subtle and Vlad replies “doesn’t it make sense to take the most picturesque approach?” Which kind of tells you everything you need to know about how serious this show takes itself at times.
Also from Episode 11.
What were your most favourite things about the show? I thought it was interesting that the Umbra manifest from people’s ideas about what monsters are, so Vlad is ~literally~ Dracula from Bram Stoker’s book. They’re also all immortal as long as they still have presence in the collective consciousness, which is an interesting way of getting around ideas like extended lifespans and not dying in battles. I also enjoyed the post credits ‘Phantom Plus’ segments which had Chibi versions of the characters addressing the audience and cracking jokes and references about the episode. Sometimes these kinds of segments can feel tacked-on and sometimes cringe-worthy but here they were legitimately funny and something I looked forward to each week!
Magic is the answer to everything!
What were your least favourite things about the show? Ton’s great-grandmother is often mentioned as she was a famous Umbra Hunter 100 years ago, she also opened ‘Café Forbidden’ and had some sort of relationship with Vlad. But I never really felt like anything was gained from having her character mentioned and found her a bit pointless to the story overall. Also it’s worth mentioning that Ton’s friend Shinyao spends 90% of the series kidnapped, which isn’t a great storytelling device and kind of gets ridiculous (but in a not-fun way), but at least Ton’s a strong enough female character to balance it out.
Who was your favourite character? It’s probably obvious but I think Ton was the sole reason I kept watching this show, from the very beginning I loved her energy and attitude and charisma and found her to be a compelling lead with both physical and mental strength.
Totally necessary combat roll.
Thoughts on the OP (opening) and ED (ending) and the soundtrack in general? The OP was “Flowery Song” by Jiro Wang and despite the title this wasn’t a delicate track, it was in fact a pretty strong and energetic soft rock song that I never got tired of. The ED on the other hand “HOME” by May’n, while competent and technically fine was a ~bit~ too sleepy for my liking.
What’s something unique about this show? Probably the most unique thing was the aforementioned plot point of Umbra being tied to the public’s perception of a typical “monster”. Other than that it wasn’t particularly unique in any respects—although watching Toryu ready for battles by pulling a full sized Gatling gun from out of his sleeves was endlessly amusing.
And now for my next trick!
What other anime are most like it for the sake of comparison? I hate not having an answer for this segment but because this is a genre of show I don’t usually watch I don’t have a basis for comparison! It shares some similar elements with Butlers x Battlers (which I watched last season), but comparing anything to that show seems mean.
Who would you recommend it to? While it wasn’t my favourite series of the Summer, in-fact it was pretty low compared to everything else I watched, I could probably recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of Supernatural-inspired action, handsome monster boys and a strong female lead. But only if you’re really bored and have nothing better to watch.
Sum up the season in one sentence: ‘The epitome of “pretty good”, it didn’t do anything dreadfully wrong but nor did it do anything particular noteworthy.’
Final score? 70 out of 100.
Punishment for Vlad.
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Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast For Spirits- – Full Season QandA Rundown
What’s the important information? Kakuriyo –Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- is a Spring 2018 supernatural romance anime that aired 26 episodes between April and September. It is based on a Light Novel series by Midori Yuma and has been adapted into a Josei manga series too.
What’s it about? Aoi Tsubaki is a lonely college student who has the ability to Ayakshi in the world, a trait she inherited from her now deceased grandfather. One day while walking past a shrine she meets an Ogre god named Odanna. After offering him some food she kidnaps her to the ‘Hidden Realm’, the spiritual home for all Ayakashi. There she learns her grandfather owed Odanna a great debt and in order to repay it she offered Aoi’s hand in marriage. But rather than succumb to his wishes Aoi negotiates with the Ogre god and decides to pay off the debt at Tenjin’ya an inn for Ayakashi.
Such handsome, much mystery, wow.
Why did you watch it? Every season I watch one or two shows that I have little-to-no interest in but that would be of interest to the irlwaifu—lots of hot Ayakashi boys vying for one woman’s attention—this was the one for Spring, other than that there was no other reason for me to watch it.
Did you enjoy the show? I reviewed about 6 episodes before deciding I couldn’t review it episodically but that’s not to speak of the show’s quality—just that I didn’t have anything to talk about! The show is pretty casual and light-hearted but at times it feels like too little actually happens in the show, it certainly didn’t need to be 26 episodes. As much as I complained about the ~creepy~ aspect of framing a love-story against kidnapping and arranged marriage, Aoi is a strong enough character that she’s never taken advantage of by the “good” characters.
Why is the only thing I can think of what kind of damage those nails would do “in the bedroom”…
What was your favourite episode? The episode that had the most emotional gravitas for me was the finale—Episode 26, with the revelation about the Umi-bouzo’s true nature being particularly touching.
What were your most favourite things about the show? Despite seeming at first glance to be as a show about hot boys and one girl amongst it, there’s actually a lot of other female characters and while Aoi’s interactions with these characters are never ~quite~ as deep as they are with the men they are still interesting character with differing levels of friendship (or rivalry) with Aoi.
You know it’s a show “for women” when the man in the scene has bigger and brighter eyes than the two girls.
What were your least favourite things about the show? Aside from the aforementioned pacing issues the animation can vary in quality at time, never to horrendous levels but it does come off as a little rushed sometimes. Also the stakes in any given episode never really feel all that high—even towards the finale it feels like nobody in the show is taking anything too serious.
Who was your favourite character? While it would be easy (and expected) of me to pick Aoi as I did praise her earlier on in this review she isn’t my favourite character. I’m tossing up between Ginji the white haired wolf-boy who’s just an all-round “good boy” and a lot more likable as a potential love-interest than Odanna. But my love of waifu’s is wanting me to pick the shy, dark-haired beauty of the bath-houses Shizuna, but because of how little screen-time she has I probably should just leave it as Ginji being favourite.
I like how Shizuna’s character design emphasises the fact she works all day in a hot springs, that’s the hair of someone who works in a wet and humid environment!
Thoughts on the OP (opening) and ED (ending) and the soundtrack in general? The first OP “Tomoshibi no Manimani” is a gorgeous and moving song and is actually sung by Aoi’s voice actress Nao Toyama, and when they announced a new song for the second cour I thought nothing could compare but rather than trying to replicate the emotional power and sweeping beauty of the first one they went for a straight up banger; “Utsushiyo no Yume” by Nano. As for the ED’s, well there’s way too many to go through them all as nearly every character gets a character song during the end credits but they’re all fairly decent.
Beast mode, activate!
What’s something unique about this show? This show has a large emphasis on food—which is nothing new for anime considering the Japanese people’s obsession with it, what is interesting is how it permeates every aspect of the narrative—at first seemingly like a hobby for Aoi (one she’s very skilled at mind you) but then becoming intrinsic to the overarching plot-line of the final arc of the anime. It doesn’t make the earlier episodes dedicated to it feel less ~slight~ of content but it does justify the existence of it throughout the story as being something other than just a hobby.
What other anime are most like it for the sake of comparison? I don’t have a great basis for comparison with this genre. However while I haven’t watched the show, I actually own Kamisama Kiss on blu-ray (it was cheap, so I bought it) and that show looks very much like Kakuriyo.
Ah, the classic love triangle.
Who would you recommend it to? There’s a certain demographic for this show and they’ve probably already watched this show—or at the very least have it on their watch list. That’s not to say people who aren’t a part of that demographic won’t find things to enjoy about the show like I did but the effect will be greatly lessened.
Sum up the season in one sentence: ‘Much like vanilla ice-cream its sweet but kind of ordinary, pleasant but nothing bold and more or less delivers the expected experience.’
Final score? 72 out of 100.
Just so damn mysterious and handsome…
Previous Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast For Spirits- Reviews:
Summer Lovers – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 12
What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 12.
So what happens in the final episode? What, no jabs about how ‘perverted’ this show and by extension I am for liking it? I expected more from you!
Oh I’m sure it’ll come up naturally in the course of this review, so go on then… I will never cease to be amazed at how quickly but at the same time how seamlessly this show can transition from being all lewd and harem-y and fan service-y, to being heartfelt and emotional and genuinely touching. After Nonko once again is put under the pump to meet her publishing deadline and has to enlist the help of Kogarashi, Yuuna and Oboro (as the others are all away for Summer break) she decides the treat the 3 of them and herself to a beachside getaway in Okinawa!
I mean where else are you going to put a phone in an outfit like that?!
Wait, didn’t we just have a beach episode like two episodes ago?! I know! Aren’t we lucky! So after the requisite beachside shenanigans of skimpy bikinis and suntan lotion application we get into the proper story of the episode. Turns out there’s a ghost other than Yuuna here, a bound ghost who is stuck with her “lingering regret” at having lost her lover while waiting for him at the cliffs edge. They were to elope you see but she crashed his motorcycle on the bend before the cliff side and plunged into the ocean so she jumped in to try and save him and they both died. So Kogarashi being the gentlemanly spirit medium that he is tries to get them to reconnect (he’s stuck haunting the bend he crashed at) so they can both pass on.
I’m glad Yuuna is the kind of ghost with legs, not like this other girl.
And what’s this got to do with anything? Well, if you’d bothered to pay attention to my reviews you’d know that Yuuna too is a bound ghost with an unresolved lingering regret and a burgeoning romantic connection with someone who wants to help her ‘pass on’. This episode, flawlessly and emotionally brought that particular bitter-sweet factor of their relationship back to the forefront while solidifying Yuuna and Kogarashi’s connection. Duh!
A happy ending.
Right. Sorry. So what else happens in this episode? A lot of Kogarashi getting into harem-related shenanigans and being thrown out windows by Yuuna’s poltergeist abilities. And, while this episode doesn’t stray too far from the tried and true formula this series has enacted since episode one it does have a definite wistful, almost melancholic feel—that’s not to mention giving us plenty of “god-rays” and well placed fog that’ll soon be in wonderful uncensored glory soon enough!
Moshi moshi, uncensored pls.
You’re such a pervert it boggles my mind sometimes… and there it is! Wonderful! Wouldn’t be a Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs review without your scornful words! And so the episode and the season ends with our whole cast having a bath and Kogarashi crashing in, much like he did in the first episode. In addition to that melancholic feel I mentioned above there’s something very cyclical about this season that I really like. Immediately after this episode I went back and watched the start of episode 1 (which for those who don’t know starts with a scene presumably takes place years in the future with Yuuna ‘passing on’) and there’s a definite sense that should this show not get a second season we’ve at least got a sense of closure that you usually don’t get with these types of anime.
Naww, these two! ❤
And do you think this will get a second season? Out of all the anime I watched this season this is the one I think most likely to get a second-season. It’s not my preferred, as that goes to How Not To Summon A Demon Lord, but it’s a close second. Here’s hoping there’s enough perverts out there like me buying up the uncensored blu-rays in Japan to warrant another season!
Nonko is breast girl (not a typo).
Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:
Anime QandA 