Forum - View topicMushishi: The Next Chapter (TV) (w/ index).
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darkhappy1
 Posts: 495 Location: PA |
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Episode 5 is one of the more simplistic, overt, and angsty stories of Mushishi, but that is certainly acceptable considering that Ginko meets all sorts of people and mushi. It was another well-done episode regardless. Going beyond the common lesson of appreciating the gift of life, free will, and individuality by not drowning oneself in self-pity and hopeful delusions because of the rejection and abandonment by another person (which is a lesson I appreciate being reminded of), Mushishi added its signature perspective of the balance between ourselves and nature. Much of what happens in our lives and in nature are independent from our will, but we can't allow the things we can't control to overtake us.
I also agree with what the protagonist of this episode concludes about Ginko. 
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danilo07
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What a beautiful,melancholy and emotionally complex episode.It really portrayed psychological state of Teru quite brilliantly.My favorite scene would have to be the one near the end of episode where spoiler[Yasu almost dies due to her seeming inability to produce weather.You can see how Teru is mentally torn apart.She of course wants Yasu to live,but this entire situation might mean that her curse has been lifted.]The entire scene has been directed very well.When Teru sees Yasu on the bed, a lot of quick cuts and close ups were utilized to bring out chaotic state of mind and emotional distress.But at the realization spoiler[that nothing has truly changed,the camera takes a step back and slowly pans over her entire frozen body.This produces and effect which again put us in Teru's mind,everything has remained same,you won't find true happiness and you will have to drift forever.It really lets us sink in these emotions and thoughts.]
I also notice how the animation although it isn't very fluid,provides a great service to the show.Simply observe how character moves,everything is in subtle motion.From hair, fabric to the shoulders hence the environment and characters seem very natural. |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Okay, well, so much for making goals that take forever to reach. But it's August, a new month, and there's no point crying over spilled milk. So I might as well accept my shortcomings and missed opportunities, suck it up, and proceed to be better about it so I can be done with this before the 2nd half starts to air in, what, October?
Oh, and I updated the title pic in the Index post. It looks way cooler, now. Episode 03: Beneath the Snow (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Plot Summary The episode begins with a young man named Toki walking alongside the lake with his little sister, Sachi. She's amazed at the sight of the snow falling and asks her brother why it won't stay on the water. He tells her it's because the water isn't cold enough, but when it eventually freezes, the snow will be able to stick. Fast forward to a while later (weeks, months, maybe?) when Ginko is traveling through the town on a survey to study some mushi that take the shape of snowflakes. The girl attending to him, Tae, becomes curious and asks about some of various snow mushi, when Ginko mentions a particular one that catches her interest, the Tokoyuki ("never-ending snow") mushi. According to studies, this particular mushi travels in packs "possessing" a host (usually animals) and slowly steals its warmth. In addition, hosts that usually have these mushi attached to them are said to have snow constantly following them around. And it just so happens between then and now, Toki had acquired this mushi and had been living with that condition for a while.. since about the time he lost his sister in a drowning accident. ---------------------------------- Comments I love winter. There're no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Just the very idea of freezing weather and snow put me in a really good mood. And yes, even as sad as the circumstances were for this episode, I still felt a good vibe from the very first frame they started showing all that snowy-white goodness. So this story was one about loss, guilt, and hope; an allegory we see often in a lot of mediums, but that's the beauty of the human spirit, right? Things happen to us, we deal with it, and then move on. It's dynamic, stimulating, and sometimes even enlightening. As mentioned in the plot summary, the loss comes in the form of Toki losing his sister, Sachi, in a drowning accident. And it really was an accident in every sense of the word. She wanted to see the snow on the frozen lake, she went a little too far out, fell through thin ice, drowned, and was unable to be saved. This, in turn, caused Toki to feel guilty, maybe for not keeping a close enough eye on her in the first place, not being able to get her out of the water fast enough, or whatever. And after he acquires the Tokoyuki mushi, he sort of mulls around in a lackadaisical, almost suicidal manner being unable to cope with himself. When personal tragedy strikes, especially within your own grasping vicinity, it can take a real emotional toll. Perhaps it's because we feel we know so much, have so many things available at our disposal, and yet, when that last ounce of life disappears from someone right in front of us, that powerlessness makes us feel all kinds of negative emotions. What could we have done to prevent it? Or could we have even prevented it at all? We see Toki sort of dealing with that for much of the episode. And just before he caved in and almost got himself killed, he saved Tae from the same certain fate that took his sister. But in doing so, it also provided a much-needed act of redemption and catharsis. In saving Tae and carrying her on his back towards the end, he not only rid himself of the mushi. But he also gave himself a second chance at living. Literally, Tae's warmth had rejuvenated his will to live again. And I guess it's safe to assume that something inside Toki's mind was able to accept that, although he wasn't able to save Sachi, at least he saved Tae. And in doing so, that burden of guilt was largley mitigated, if not completely removed. I believe the moral of the story is be aware that accidents can happen. And despite whatever hardships those situations result in, it doesn't mean that your own life should be any less valuable than it was for something you couldn't even control. Spiritually speaking, if you believe in the afterlife, I'm sure the person you lost wouldn't want you feeling guilty. Just be grateful for the time spent, remember them, and keep living for their sake. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- Thanks for reading. EDIT: Proofreading: done. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Okay, so long-story made short, August was filled with a bunch of obstacles: had to play nurse for my mom for a week sleeping 2-4 hours at a time and waking back up (then going back to sleep) to make sure she took her medication, tried catching up on sleep the week after, but never quite did, then went to visit my girlfriend's family the following weekend, but came back and caught a cold from, I'm guessing, the foreign germs of Oklahoma (my first time there) that kept me sick for about 2 weeks, then spent the month of September trying to catch up with other shows (both anime and U.S. live-action) before the Fall season started and getting into an NFL craze and watching football, so here I am.
I'm just gonna' rush through these episodes and post 1-2 every day so I can catch up and be done with it before the 2nd half starts. Episode 04: The Hand That Caresses The Night (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Plot Summary Ginko comes upon a forest where he detects a sweet smell that then becomes sour. He sees a figure and becomes petrified upon the smell and sight of it, but then it turns away and frees him of the status. When he goes to the village beyond the forest, he decides to look for some food, but notices most of the merchants are only selling vegetables. When asking where he could get some dried meat, he's directed to a boy (Usuke) who has some, but is warned that their meat has a bit of a rotten taste to it. Seeing the meat, Ginko asks Usuke if they have any more that are fresher. And in meeting his older brother, Tatsu, Ginko discovers that Tatsu possesses a particular mushi called fuki that acts a sort of symbiote, giving its host the ability to give off a sweet scent, then inject its toxin into things (in this case, animals). The fuki, however, comes with a toxicity of its own that goes a beyond its ability for incapacitation, though, as Tatsu's personality begins to drastically change for the worst. ---------------------------------- Comments I thought this episode was a perfect allegory for the old saying "absolute power corrupts absolutely." Obviously, it's a bit different since the fuki itself has a symbiotic relationship with its host, but the basic principle still applies; having an, almost, god-like ability to just lure, paralyze, and and kill stuff at will leads to all kinds of creepy and crazy, as is very apparent when Ginko and Usuke go looking for Tatsu in the forest and we see him with that dangerous look in his eye. This is actually a very interesting episode, in that I believe it's also the first one to show any signs of malicious intent. Previously, I think pretty much all mushi encounters and dealings with people were either portrayed more as "natural" and "matter of fact" occurrences, as opposed to an outright willingness to do harm (well, aside from, maybe, that pillow episode in the first series, but I think that one was more the result of the guy's insomnia driving him off the deep end). Furthermore, I also like how this episode illustrated a sort of "predatorial hierarchy" along the food chain, painting man as *probably* the most fearsome creature, not for any particular reason, but perhaps sort of implying that the actions and multitudes of emotions that people can control are for more dangerous than a simple instinctual animal. I can honestly say there were a couple of parts that felt downright scary when Tatsu was in the forest. It had this kind of "serial killer" vibe where the guy was just following, freezing, and taking things out at will. And if he hadn't lost the fuki liked he did, later, I'm pretty sure that thing would've drove him to murdering people just as easily because of the power trip it gave him to possess those abilities. It's also kind of ironic how when he lost the fuki and all those birds ganged up on his arm, maybe to show the fault in his hubris and the cost of what it meant to have had all that power, then losing it (the higher you are, the harder you fall, as they say). But yeah, great episode. It was different in the general ambiance of things (more people-creepy than nature-creepy, I guess you could say). And it was a great testament to the morality of power and over-confidence. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- Will proofread, later. Time to work out. EDIT: Proofreading complete. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I meant to post this late last night/early this morning, but I literally fell asleep in the middle of typing the comments, woke up 3 hours later, decided to just save the text, and finish it up after I got enough sleep to make up for the obvious lack of it from the day before.
Episode 05: Mirror Lake (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Plot Summary One day at the lake in the mountains, a girl (Masumi) stops to fix her hair whilst looking at her reflection in the water. After she leaves, a humanoid form takes shape from the lake itself and begins to follow her. Upon observing her, Ginko goes to visit the girl and her parents, deducing that phenomenon was caused by a mushi called Mizukagami ("Water Mirror"). In its lifespan, Mizukagami are said to copy animals that see their reflection in it, and in doing so create a sort of "shadow" to follow the subject around. As it follows, the subject gradually becomes weaker, while the shadow starts to become more and more physical. And at the point that the subject is at its weakest point, the Mizukagami, then, takes full physical form, replacing the original, while the subject fades away into the mushi world. ---------------------------------- Comments As was mentioned above by darkhappy1, this one is, indeed, a little more simplistic and angst-filled than the other stories. Particularly, the angst part coming from Masumi and her low self-esteem from not receiving the attention and affection she desired from the mirror merchant guy she used to see. I guess if you think about it, this story addresses one of the more basic, yet occasionally difficult-to-understand concepts of life; romance. Granted Masumi is just a teenager, and we all know teens do questionable things, but at the same time, I think the episode does a great job of looking past the mundane and teaching a valuable lesson: that no matter how difficult you think your life becomes, continuing to live it and make your choices freely is better than none of the above (as the result would've been, had the Mizukagami replaced Masumi). I especially liked the scene where Ginko was explaining the differences between living things in our "plane" of existence versus that of the mushi world. The fact that we have souls, emotions, and the ability to do what we want, while the mushi are merely "reaching towards the light" of our world puts a lot of perspective on just how valuable life is. If you look at the Mizukagami that took Masumi's form, it really was absolutely lifeless and without a soul. And the mere thought of relinquishing our freedom to switch places with that, in my opinion, is a bit horrifying. In fact, seeing the pale and lifeless Mizukgami clone was reminiscent of a zombie. The look, the behavior, even the presentation (camera angles, music, etc.) reminded me of those poor unfortunate shells that live only to eat and/or die, but never feel in the process. Of course, the conditions and circumstances for zombies, as we've come to know in popular fiction, are much different than the more "natural" occurrence of mushi, but I'd like to think there's a bit of allusion from the former to the latter. Then finally, to top it all off, as emotionally divisive as Masumi's arc might've been (the angst, the horror, etc.), I was pleasantly surprised to see them end the episode with a little humor. Despite all the drama and almost being replaced, it still embraced the fact that Masumi was a wishy-washy teenager by having her hit on Ginko. This type of comedy isn't really something you see in the franchise very often, if ever, and I think it did a great job of lightening the mood a little. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- Will proofread, later, got other stuff to do, right now. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Since the newest episode aired today (or yesterday by Japan's time), I'm gonna' try to finish the remaining episodes this weekend, if not by Monday, at the latest.
I wanted to get some of these out of the way, yesterday, but I was unexpectedly drawn to another live-action show I got from Netflix and instantly became obsessed with (Hannibal, for those who care or know of its awesomeness; watched the entire first disc of season 1 'cause, well, it's that awesome). Anyway, here's the next one: Episode 06: Floral Delusion (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Plot Summary Ginko comes upon an area where he's heard rumor of a famous cherry blossom tree. He meets a boy who had traveled from the other side of the mountain to obtain some medicine for his mother, who takes Ginko to this tree, only for the both of them to find that it hasn't bloomed at all, yet. Ginko, then, discovers 2 things: a mushi (Kodama; "Tree Spirit") living inside the tree and a beautiful girl (Saho) sitting on the other side of it. The medicine man (Masaki), who turns out to be a mere gardener, comes to retrieve Saho and explains to Ginko that his family had been taking care of the tree for some time, now (a few generations). But suspecting more than meets the eye, Ginko later discovers that Masaki had, in fact, been using the Kodama sap as the renowned "medicine." In addition, however, Ginko would discover a few more disturbing things... ---------------------------------- Comments Okay, so I could've gotten more detailed with the plot summary than that, but I try to make those only about half the story, 'cause watching the twists and reveals unfold is the other fun part. That being said, this episode felt a little more like something from The Twilight Zone: mushi living in a tree, part of mushi lives through human, mushi-human hybrid child is taken care of for centuries, guy who takes care of her is a little on the "extreme" side, but luckily, the cycle of craziness stops after Saho dies and the tree burns. Personally, I found this episode harder to empathize with or find any underlying themes/allegory like most of the others. Although, you could probably argue something like "sentimentality" or "tradition" in the sense of how far the gardener family went to keep Saho alive all this time by basically luring travelers under the guise of a "miracle medicine," then occasionally keeping some of those people to chop up and graft on to Saho, a la Frankenstein's monster, of sorts. A couple of times in the episode, it mentions something about Saho having a "radiant, but chilling beauty," so perhaps that was some kind of by-product of her being a hybrid. In any case, it obviously drove Masaki and his family to such lengths that they were even killing to preserve Saho's beauty, so yeah, a *little* bit crazy, there.. >_> Though I guess the same can be said for a lot of people, as humans are creatures of habit, and once we get used to things, most of us prefer them to stay that way. Stability gives us comfort, becomes easy to maintain after enough practice, and, I suppose, even gives us a sense of purpose. So, naturally, if something attempts to upset that balance, we can go to extreme measures to make sure that balance isn't disturbed. But, as many an episode has already alluded to, sometimes we also need to realize when to let things go. In this particular case, I think with Saho and the Kodama's death, it kept the tree itself intact and allowed it to bloom beautifully in the epilogue. Not sure if that a was restoration of balance for a natural blossom tree or another possible Kodama living in it, but at any rate, things seemed to have gone back to normal as they were. And, thus, repeats the cycle of balance. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- Thanks for reading. Will try to put up a few more episodes, today, in order to catch up to 13. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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Even though I've stopped commenting, I am still reading, and your efforts are appreciated! Keep up the good work!
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Episode 07: Cloudless Rain (clicking this will take you back to the Index)
---------------------------------- Plot Summary The episode opens with Ginko traveling to a village suffering through a harsh drought, where he meets a woman, Teru, who predicts that it will rain within the next few days. But as she passes him by, he even notices the peculiar scent of rain emanating from her. As the days pass with an impending rain on the horizon, one of the village men Yasu attempts to woo Teru into staying at the village. However, because of certain circumstances, she insists on moving on, as there's more to her rain predictions than we know.. ---------------------------------- Comments Yeah, okay, another really short and ambiguous summary. But that's the cool thing about mysteries, right? To observe, deduce, and solve them based on the facts and evidence. A lot of the episode is actually flashbacks, which obviously would not be cool to just explain away in the summary and defeat the purpose of watching it in the first place. But hopefully it's safe to assume that by reading these comments, you've, at least, already seen the episode, as is the normal routine around here for these reviews. This was a really interesting episode in many ways: it reinforced the existence of mushi as a natural phenomenon, alluded to the parallel of Teru being like Ginko (a drifter, of sorts), and then provided a kind of moral quandary in respect to how "special gifts" can be considered a blessing or a curse. I'm sure by this point in watching the series, we've all come to accept and acknowledge the mere presence of mushi as "just something that is." For all the weird stuff that happens as a result of their being alive or as an after-effect of their actions on other people, there's a kind of inevitability in the way that Ginko explains the Amefurashi ("Rainmaker") mushi to Teru. And as much as the idea has been instilled into our expectations for the show, I think the way it was addressed in the episode was a great reminder of that. Furthermore, I also very much enjoyed Teru's character from a comparison standpoint. Up to now, while it's true we've seen other people with special abilities as a result of mushi, I think Teru was written very closely in the breadth of Ginko, in that she's a wanderer going from place to place and helping people, but is unable to stay in one location for too long. Much like how Ginko is a mushi-magnet, Teru brings about unyielding rain. And while both characters mean well and do good things, it's a bit of tragedy if you think about the fact that neither of them can really ever stop moving and that "it's their burden to bear" for what they're able to do because of said special circumstances. Which brings me to the moral quandary of their abilities. To quote the classic line from Uncle Ben Parker, "with great power, comes great responsibility," which I'm sure we've all seen or heard in some other iteration across film/literature (just plug in your favorite version of that concept, I guess) that basically implies we not take anything for granted, let alone the power to change. Specific to this episode, the part where Ginko explains to Teru that, while having the Amefurashi has caused some suffering, her finding a way to co-exist with it wasn't so bad, either. And much like anything that exists in the world, there are always 2 sides to everything: good and bad. I thought this was a very well-rounded episode and dipped into a lot of different themes and emotions. Yes, it's pretty to sad to think about a kind of "lifelessness" for Ginko and Teru in that they're stuck wandering around. But in a way, I guess it all just depends on your perspective and whether or not the idea of sacrificing certain things (stability, a place to call home, etc.) for the greater good (helping, saving, teaching people, and so forth) is worth it. But like I said, there's a "good" and "bad" to every aspect in life. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- I'll try to do 1 or 2 more, later tonight. |
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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Really great to see the show back again. Right away, I was entranced by the way the latest episode was done with Ginko and his journey again.
I've recently completed the manga as well so and this series does a fairly good job at adapting the show too. It looks like they are going to use the same OP song for the remainder half of this season, a song that I find very appealing and fitting for this season. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Episode 08: Wind Raiser (clicking this will take you back to the Index)
---------------------------------- Plot Summary Ginko is traveling on a ship where he meets a young sailor named Ibuki who can call/whistle to a particular kind of mushi called Torikaze ("Wind Bird"). And with this ability, Ibuki is able to manipulate wind currents at will. Ginko is impressed and says that some mushishi possess a hand-carved whistle that does the same thing. But he also says, rumor has it, that you should never use the call/whistle at night. He's not sure what would happen, exactly, but he's pretty convinced it would be bad. When they reach land, Ibuki decides to purchase a seashell ornament for his mother-in-law as a token of his care and appreciation for her. But in his excited forgetfulness, he accidentally uses the Torikaze call later that evening. But instead of summoning the birds, he would inadvertently summon something else.. ---------------------------------- Comments Based on the previous episode, I think this one was a great compliment to show the flip-side of "possessing special mushi powers." Unlike Ginko and Teru, who had come to grips with their abilities and the limitations of their circumstances, we get a much different approach with Ibuki. Instead of embracing what was and finding a natural balancing point, he was pretty much borderline abusive with his power. Not much back-story is given about the relationship of Ibuki and his stepmother, but it's obvious enough that he's seeking some of her approval and admiration. And in wanting to obtain those things so badly, he made a major mistake that not only cost him work, but nearly his family life as well. I think it was simply a case of "trying too hard to do too much." In many ways, we all seek some kind of approval every now and then, be it through societal norms, as employees, popularity contests for our ego, the interest of the opposite (or same, depending on how you swing) sex, etc. It's part of what gives us meaning or purpose, and, in turn, can be a good source of motivation or drive. In Ibuki's case, he certainly had a distinct advantage. But as apparent by the moral of the story, it's important to remember that *everything* can have consequences, regardless of any original good intentions. Fortunately for Ibuki, Ginko was able to talk some sense into him and help him realize that all-so-important moral compass that comes with something as delicate as mushi. On a side note, I also really liked the overall production in this episode. Sea-faring plots are my second favorite setting next to snowy-mountains-scapes. I particularly loved the animation for the wind effects they used at the beginning on the boat and at the end when the Torikaze wreck the house. And to tell you the truth, these last few days I've been doing these reviews, I've actually been watching them at 2x speed, which really brings out the frame rate even more. I know I've praised this show for its technical merits on several occasions, prior, but holy moly, does it look even better in native HD. Oh, and while it's definitely on the lighter side of analyses, I have to say it was nice seeing Adashino in this episode. For what little time we actually get to see him throughout the series, I think the relationship he has with Ginko as something of an "eccentric pawn shop/collector junkie" kind of guy is real funny to watch. And it seems every time they meet, Adashino seems to become more and more insistent on getting something from Ginko's travels. It makes him appear compulsive and, in a way, subtly hilarious. Not sure if that's just a "guy with monocles" thing or the fact that I know his seiyuu to be fairly apt at playing that kind of role. But yeah, great seeing him, again. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- That's it for tonight. Will proofread this and do the remaining first-half episodes, later, today. And hopefully, a 720p version of 13 (from the group I prefer) will be available for me to review for Monday. Thanks, again, for reading. EDIT: Proofreading complete. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11445 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Okay, so I said I'd try to do the remaining first-half episodes, today. But I actually ended up getting more engrossed by football than I thought I would, instead. So.. here's shooting for a Monday completion (heh, hopefully >_>).
Episode 09: Valley of the Welling Tides (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Plot Summary In the midst of some snow-laden mountains, we find Ginko huddled up in a cave he found for cover, where he's passed out from an apparent leg injury he suffered during his journey. He's discovered and rescued by a man named Houichi, then taken to his home to be taken care of by him and his family. After coming to and recuperating, though, Ginko finds it odd how Houichi's valley can be bustling with such bountiful spring-like weather in the middle of winter. Even stranger, Houichi seems to have an unusually high level of endurance, as it's been claimed that he's gone days upon days mounting himself with vigorous work, but hardly getting ever resting or sleeping. The reason for his endurance and the land's rapid growth, however, have a deeper story behind it; one that Houichi's father has kept from him for some time, since the passing of his mother. ---------------------------------- Comments Taking a slight divergence from the previous 2 episodes that, I thought, complimented each other so well, this one skewed a bit back towards the franchise's roots by telling a story that's more "fantastic" and "mystical" in nature, rather than allegorical. Although, really, as great as the writing is for all these stories, *any* of them can be an allegory for something; I felt this one, though, was a little less so than others. The circumstances of how Houichi came to cultivate his land so well is something of a dual-layered story. On the one hand, before learning the truth, he spent his life thinking his mother had died from complications after childbirth. In a way, he sort of blamed himself for taking his mother away from his father, and, thus, made a vow that he'd work relentlessly so as to provide for his own family, while also making up for taking his father's wife away. As was obvious by his, seemingly, endless energy and the land's fertility, though, all of it was, of course, being caused by the presence of a particular mushi. I suppose his willingness to work so hard can be traced back to the never-ending human journey of finding life's purpose. Perhaps in realizing that his being born and raised caused so much physical or emotional stress on his mother, that he, himself, had inadvertently contributed to her deterioration and eventual death. And in establishing this belief that he must, literally, "work till he drops," that idea, in addition to the Chishio ("Milk Tide") mushi, resulted in him justifying everything he had accomplished by that point in his life. The real cause as we've come to predict, however, was something completely out of his control. It was simply another instance of natural occurrences where mushi did their thing and just happened to have said side-effects on Houichi and his mother. Even after learning the truth, though, I have to hand it to Houichi for having the resilience to still be so accepting of the power that took his mother away. Heck, I guess you could even say this the 3rd consecutive episode that put an air of "responsibility" on the story's main (non-Ginko) character. Because despite the harshness of the truth, and regardless of the saddening circumstances, Houichi turned out to be a pretty great father and family man after all, while also making is own father a very proud guy. In essence, the whole story can be seen as a bit tragic, but, overall, it seemed to bear more positive results than negative ones. You could probably even argue that the moral of the story is the importance of your beliefs and how maintaining them can be for the better. Not really sure what happened in the epilogue. The valley was hit by a harsh winter several years, later. So I'm guessing Chishio might've left his body, since the ground wasn't all springy anymore. There seemed to be a small window where Houichi's wife was pregnant with another child, so maybe he tried to lose the mushi on purpose, so as to spare his wife. And then I suppose they just adapted to living without the Chishio. Pretty good episode. Always love seeing snow, be it live-action or animated. In fact, I really loved the artwork in general for this one. I tried to get more caps to showcase it, as the hills, forest, and paddies looked freakin' awesome. You could probably use some of these as backgrounds if I ever get them in 1080p. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- Gotta' be up in a few hours, so sleepy time, now, and proofread, later. Will try to shoot for completing 10 and 11-12, today, then 13 on Tuesday. Hope you enjoyed the read. |
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Crisha
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Anime Marathon Discussion (Nov. 6th, 2015 - Nov. 15th, 2015)
Spoilers Reminder for Marathon Discussion: Tag all spoilers within your post(s) and record the episode number(s) you're discussing at the top of your post. |
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