Forum - View topicKemonozume
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adonais
Posts: 302 |
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That could be, I guess I have to go back and watch the stuff again.
I guess you could be right about that. Somehow that just doesn't feel quite right to me. I mean, where's the responsibility? Toshihiko tries to take it on, and as a result he should have been dead several times over (the only reason he isn't dead is basically because he's a cartoon). Meanwhile, the monkey remains as happy-go-lucky as ever. And in the end they both lived happily ever after. If there's a philosophy in that, I'm not sure I like it; I certainly can't relate to it. Or are you saying that, because the monkey was the reason Toshihiko and Yuko got together in the first place, it is trying to take responsibility for that slip up? Btw, like I said before, I'm rather bad at seeing the subtle connections sometimes, but I'm also wary of seeing patterns in the Pollock, if you take my meaning. |
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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I'm here! I wanted a few days to let the last episode to seep in before I tried to write about it. Plus I wanted to read what other people have thought, to help me sort out my final thoughts about it. Well, it's no secret to anyone that the aspect of Kemonozume I find most appealing is the artwork and small-scale character interaction; the external plot is almost irrelevant. In this sense, I found the last episode *extremely* satisfying. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and every two minutes my fiance (who watches it with me) or I would mutter "Oh my f*cking God, what the hell just happened?" or something along those lines. Very energy-infused, eye-pleasing visuals with great, tense pacing--exactly what a climax should feel like. And that Ooba. I still don't even know what to think about him; he just scares me shitless, to be honest. I like that the animators took full advantage of the one quality of animation that sets it apart from live-action film--its disconnection from reality--and pushed it as far as it would go. The effects that were created for Ooba's constantly shifting and transforming body in that final episode were unreal. It's almost as if Yuasa said to his team, "Think of the most absurd animation you can come up with, and then multiply it times 10. Animate that." In terms of story, I agree with previous comments. Ooba was never fleshed out as a villain (although I wonder if he really needed to be; I enjoyed him prefectly well as an eccentric lunatic) and I felt the story ventured a little too far from the central Yuka/Toshihiko relationship. I am happy that the last shot of the series was the couple, though. It was very fitting. Yikes, I have more thoughts to write, but I have to go now. More later! |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11453 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Uh.. wow. I finished the series at about the end of December, but after reading the level of depth the rest of you put into analyzing this series, I feel like my comments will just pale in comparison -_-.
But I just want to say I really enjoyed the series. Anyone who has seen Mind Game should easily notice Yuasa's unorthodox, though incredibly addictive directing style. While it's not exactly the same in presentation and overall tone, much of the similarities were very easy for me to pick up. Ultimately, this just felt like an action/adventure/romance rendition of Yuasa's persona (if you want to call it that). Production-wise, it's a shame the series wasn't done by Studio 4°C, but I feel Madhouse did an exceptional job for the most part. Not having that keen an eye for animation, I always tend to grade this particular aspect in terms of overall continuity. While Madhouse has always been praised for their level of consistency in 2D animation, it's nice to see them sort of experiment with the particular way Yuasa likes to draw things. I would never have noticed some of the said deviations had I read this thread, but from an overall perspective, I feel they still did a great job. In terms of the music, I really like the jazzy opening and background instrumentals throughout the series. As far out as the story might have seemed, I feel the music does a great job keeping the show grounded. There's little synth and a more natural sound to a lot of the instruments, with piano and saxophone being my favorites. But what captivated me the most were the story and characters. At first, when I read the plot summary I was thinking it sounded like another spoiler[ "against the odds" and "disapproved from both sides" tragic romance between two members of the said conflicting forces.] However, I was pleasantly surprised at the direction of how things started and eventually progressed. spoiler[ The sex scenes at the beginning felt especially realistic in their portrayal of how raw and emotional that kind of attraction can become. Not that I've experienced it myself yet (*ahem*), but I've observed these kinds of situations through various mediums throughout my life, and I was amazed at how well it was depicted (a first for anime, by the way).] And later spoiler[ the conflict faced by the two lovers, the craziness and violence that would befall them, and the way they sort of strive to achieve their own little happiness at the end was just a very enjoyable and entertaining story overall. The level of violence never really bothers me, but the way it's presented also did not deter from any of the other elements (story, characters, etc.).] With that said, I really have to compliment Yuasa for writing in a lot of these subtle humanistic qualities into yet another of his works. What I loved so much about Mind Game was his ability in symbolizing, not necessarily "deep," but very fond and expressive messages through his characters, their personalities, and in some of the ways certain plot points worked out. In Kemonozume, though, it helps a lot that he had some very good seiyuu representing these characters. Hidenobu Kiuchi (who I will always dearly respect for his role as Dr. Tenma in Monster) does a excellent job playing a strong, passionate, yet conflicted Toshihiko. I had gotten a good sense of his remorseful, yet stalwart nature through Dr. Tenma, and a lot of it carries over, but with a little extra something because of the different circumstances. Hekiru Shiina also compliments him well through her role as Yuka. This is the first time I've heard her, but she gives a capable performance for the caring, somewhat sassy, though very sensual role of the female lead. Her voice fit very well with the demeanor I inferred from her character and even won me over with a few moments of "that was sexy." Not to misconstrue things and say I get some kind of sick pleasure out of hearing her spoiler[ orgasm during the sex scenes  ], but she along with the rest of the cast help provide this series with a very mature presence the whole way through.
That's about all I can think of right now, but I highly recommend if you're either a fan of Yuasa or just looking for an anime that's a little different from the rest to check this out. |
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philg
 Posts: 193 |
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Well since I haven't seen Mind Game or any other of Masaaki Yuasa's work and am free of comparisons I'll say that the series was stunning up until episode 11. The opening scenes were just amazing, and I think the first 2 minutes of episode 10 were the most beautiful. However, episode 11-13 really let me down - as everyone has been saying. I don't want to just repeat what Steve Berry said (since his and Cloe's posts were almost as thrilling as the series itself) so I'll just keep this short.
I thought Kemonozume became a bit too quirky and introduced too much humour in the end. The series lost it's elegance, probably because the romance saga (which I absolutely fell for) got a bit lost. Ooba made me dislike the last episode very much and I'm afraid to say that it reminded me a bit of spoiler[Berserk's ending]. Although the first 10 episodes are unforgettable and there are some images I will never forget, such as the Salt Lake and Ferris Wheel scenes. I will definately be exploring more of Yuasa's work. 
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Oh wow, that was Tenma's voice? I didn't even notice. I was already a fan of Hekiru Shiina from her role as Alpha in YKK--especially in Quiet Country Cafe, in which she performed the ending song. I thought she made the perfect Yuka. I meant to mention this earlier, before I forgot about this thread and let it die, but while the last half of Kemonozume was structurally weaker than the first (I was expecting a series about sexual frustration when suddenly a "crazy man taking over the world" plot shows up), I felt its storytelling had a kind of retro charm. Ooba's outrageous villainy, combined with the color palette, music, and Toshihiko's suit, felt really reminiscent of a 60s spy movie. (All the hallucinagic drug-trip visuals only added to that 60s feel.) Or a 1940s superhero cartoon. So while I feel the finale lacked the emotional depth of Mind Game, it partially made up for it with such a clever throwback to classic "good vs bad" cinema. I mean, that Ooba isn't just any old villain; he's a SUPER villain. Who devises elaborate plans involving giant rolling spheres in this day and age? Despite its shortcomings (which were numerous), I still thought Kemonozume was easily the most refreshing and enjoyable series to come out last year. I'm going to keep tabs on Yuasa for sure. I'm looking forward to his short film in the upcoming collaboration Genius Party. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11453 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Ooh, good analogy to the throwback feel. Thinking about it now with what you mentioned, it does seem to have a retro "good vs. evil" theme. I totally forgot to give praise to Daisuke Gouri for playing a manaical and sadistic Ooba. I mean, some of the stuff he did was just plain sickening. His thirst for power, his total disregard for any life other than his own, and his sheer lack of any decency epitomizes the role of a classic villain. And yes, he's a super villain on top of that because of his abilities and more-demented-than-usual mentality. At least there was a happy ending or sorts.
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10円
Posts: 605 |
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Sorry if this is already answered previously but I'm doing my best to avoid reading too much about this series before I see it. I did a search at yesasia and amazon.co.jp but nothing came back. Is there any news for folks looking at buying this anime on DVD in the future? If it comes out with subs in R2 then I'll be certain to pick it up. I really enjoyed Mind Game and Cat Soup so this sounds like it might be right up my alley.
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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I've been checking almost daily for any news about a DVD release, and so far nothing has come up. I'm more than willing to pick up the R2s if and when they come out and was planning to post any Kemonozume DVD-related news here as soon as I found it. |
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Finally, the news we Kemono kids have been waiting for!!!
According to Ben Ettinger's Anipages blog, Kemonozume finally hits R2 DVD on June 22. Source here. And here's some more information about the DVD. If anyone here reads Japanese, I'd love to have some of that translated! I have just one word for this: YES! Get your wallets ready, Kemono fans, because this is likely the only release we're going to get. |
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Amasa
 Posts: 340 Location: Japan |
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This is great, I'll definitely be supporting Yuasa. I'm so happy that there is audio commentary. Can't wait, Kemonozume is top notch. I'm glad to see more people will be exposed to this unconventional style since it almost is as good as Mind Game.
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Me too. I can't tell whether the release has subtitles or not (I'm hoping it does) but I'll buy it regardless, considering I've already seen the fansubs, and I can grab one of my Japanese friends to watch and translate the commentary for me.
And I'm so happy it comes with the soundtrack!!! One of the best anime soundtracks in recent years, by far. |
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