Forum - View topicMalevolent Spirits: Mononogatari (TV) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 04: Arrangement ---------------------------------- Summary: When Zouhei had initially asked the Nagatsuki to take Hyouma into their fold, there was one special condition that had yet to be revealed. In exchange for helping to refine Hyouma as a person, they also agreed Hyouma would be subjected to observation as a potential future marriage candidate for Botan. ---------------------------------- Comments: At first, the rom-com reveal threw me for a loop. But it surprisingly didn't get as cheesy as I thought it could've. Something about the pacing of this show feels very '90s, where it manages to be a mix a little bit of everything in just the right amount, but still never feel like too much. As uptight and serious as Hyouma usually is, seeing him blush after the presentation of the marriage thing was really funny to see. I feel that kind of surprise will do wonders for his psyche and help him loosen up. It's not just about seeing and knowing that all tsukumogami aren't all bad, but now that he'll get the opportunity to actually live a little around Botan and company, he'll be getting back a little of that family life that was taken away from him a few years before. The real challenge will be finding the balance between his rigid duties as a Saenome, while also re-gaining the joys of his life as a teenager. Too much of either could make him a great warrior, but terrible person, or a great person, but terrible warrior. I've watched so much media (anime and live-action movies and shows) since I finished this, I can only remember bits and pieces of what actually happened. I do recall feeling this show was pretty good for what it was, though. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:57 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 05: Suspicions ---------------------------------- Summary: Zouhei, Haori, and Kushige visit a powerful tsukumogami named Kai. Meanwhile, Hyouma is going around town and removing talismans he had put as spiritual barriers to help protect Botan, when two other tsukumogami appear and inform him there's a great "power" that Botan possesses that could turn the tide in favor of either human or tsukumogami kind. ---------------------------------- Comments: We start to delve into a little bit of conspiracy territory, here. It's a little weird that Kai seems so formidable, but his "exception" limits him to how much he can really do. I wonder if he's more of a neutral type entity, or if the Saenome can eventually use him like some kind of attack dog, like Hellsing did with Alucard. And then we also get a bit of mystery with Aogi spouting that stuff about Botan's power being able to shift the scales between sides, should she decide to pick one. I'm slightly reminded of X/1999 (TV), though I don't feel like this will get nearly as dark, dramatic, tragic, and apocalyptic as that. Or maybe it will? I remember enough from the first viewing that Hyouma and Botan do get much closer by the end of this season, but not quite on a lovey-dovey level. And this show is much more cheery than X, so I should just give that up, and take this for what it is (although, I am curious to go back and re-watch X and review it, at some point). I was also a little surprised that Hyouma got his butt kicked. But that just goes to show that overconfidence can sometimes humble you, which everybody needs a little reminder of every now and then. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:57 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 06: Botan ---------------------------------- Summary: Haori dresses up and decides to take Hyouma out on a fake date so they can stalk Botan. In the process, Hyouma learns of Botan's secret. And upon this revelation, he decides he will protect her. ---------------------------------- Comments: So it turns out Botan is basically a magnet for tsukumogami because her body is a vessel for a god and has the potential to bring about results of cataclysmic proportions. Now I'm thinking less X/1999 and more Saikano, which is even more tragic than the former, in my opinion. I've only seen that show once, and had never intended on seeing it, ever again, because it was so damn depressing the first time. Although, I will say I've become much more emotionally desensitized to tragedy since then, so maybe I won't feel as bad, if I ever do re-watch that one. I'm kinda' wondering if there's any more to Botan, outside of being a love interest for Hyouma and the emotional core to the Nagatsuki tsukumogami. I suppose if she actually did develop any kind of powers, and not necessarily any combat prowess, that it would make that whole group a bit over-powered. Then again, from what I remember about the bad guy group towards the end of this season, they weren't particularly tough, either. Giving Hyouma some purpose seems like a good idea for him, though. It'll give him just the right amount of balance and something else to fight for. I think we've seen enough examples of revenge stories sending their main characters askew and ending in sadness. But I do likes me some overbearing vengeance! ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:58 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 07: Quickening ---------------------------------- Summary: Suzuri has a conversation with Aogi and learns there are three factions pining for possible control of the power that lays dormant in Botan. Hyouma encounters one of these factions, whose leader makes an offer to him, but he instantly turns it down, resulting in a scuffle. ---------------------------------- Comments: Looks like the character roster got bigger. I'm sure the ones they highlighted in the montage are the key players of each group, and only one of those few is probably the boss. But I like how much deeper the world is getting. Hopefully, the roster won't get too big and difficult to manage, later on. It's good to see Hyouma so readily stand his ground and just outright refuse Kadamori's offer. His demeanor of said refusal felt like it was more logic-based, but I think it's more of an emotional one because Botan and company are starting to grow on him. Something about Hyouma makes him feel more badass than he appears. I don't know if it's his lack of ego or what. But I'm a fan of well-written logic-based personalities, which might also have to with me just recently finishing season 1 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, where it features a young version of Spock who, if you're not familiar with Star Trek lore, is a Vulcan. And Vulcans are a race of people who drive on logical thinking, while suppressing their emotions. Hyouma's uptight and logical approach to everything feels very Vulcan, but he's also a human teenager, which I feel introduces a whole slew of other possible boons/problems in terms of character progression. So it'll be interesting to see how much logic he retains as his emotions start to slowly resurface from that turbulent time of trauma that sealed them away. Externally, in terms of his fighting prowess, he seems pretty solid. It's just a matter of how he'll handle all the internal stuff, because that's the only logical progression he'll probably be making from here. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:58 pm; edited 6 times in total |
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b-dragon
Posts: 497 |
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@Tony K. - I think your read of Hyoma is pretty spot on- the guy has almost no artifice whatsoever- easily believing anything he's told, no desire to lie or deceive, even when it would be tactically ideal. The one major exception is that his typical presentation is...if not an outright lie, something in that direction. He presents himself as very rational, logical, and results oriented. But he isn't really- he's a creature of emotion; leashed, harnessed, and channeled. You see it when he really cuts loose, and terrifies even the allies around him. And you see it here, with his response to Kadamori.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Yeah, he's basically Batman. Logical and straight-laced is his mask, but his true face is that of raging vengeance. The cool part will be when he eventually finds balance for that duality. Although, I feel if something does happen to Botan after he's already grown to like her, it'll just make his vengeful side that much more fearsome and harder to come back from. I don't think this franchise will get that tragic, but I also wouldn't mind it. I'm a sucker for tragedy building character.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 08: Circumstances ---------------------------------- Summary: During his battle with Kadamori's group, Hyouma encounters a controlled Yagen. But to Kadamori's surprise, Hyouma frees her of the control spell and saves her life, instead of harming her like Kadamori initially thought he would. When Hyouma takes Yagen back to the Nagatsuki compound, everyone welcomes and helps her. Meanwhile, Botan and Hyouma grow a little closer, after she learns of his tragic past with tsukumogami. ---------------------------------- Comments: A nice show of resolve for Hyouma. Even in his first encounter with Yagen, he seemed to be pulling his punches. But the fact that he took a an almost-lethal hit just to save her in this fight is a good sign of his character progression. And him taking her back to the compound sealed the deal even more. Like I mentioned in an earlier comment, I feel the style and pacing of this is very '90s, in that there are lots of different genres being represent, but not one of them seems overdone. You've got your action in the fights, the drama of Hyouma's progression, the mystery of what's gonna' happen with Botan, the rom-com elements of Hyouma and Botan (Hyou-tan, Bou-ma?), and the stylish supernatural mystique of tskumogami in general. There's a neat balance to everything, so far, and I think it's coincidentally reflective and symbolic of what's happening to Hyouma as a character. I can think of various other titles that attempt to balance all of these elements, but there's usually one or two genres in those that are much more excessive. Seeing all the scars on his body also makes me wonder what kind of hellish training he did between the incident and his present self be able to kick so much butt at this age. I'd say it even gives him a little mystique. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:59 pm; edited 6 times in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion starts here.
---------------------------------- Episode 09: Fire ---------------------------------- Summary: After Kadamori discovers the remnants of a fight between a badly injured Saenome, he determines it to be the work of the Sogenbi. Yu and Hyouma go out to investigate, when Tsubaki ambush glomp-straddles Hyouma from behind. They meet with Aogi and Uchiki to check on a lead, when they are ambushed by the Sogenbi. ---------------------------------- Comments: With the Kadamori feeling more like the "grey area guys,"" the Sogenbi are the obvious bad guys, which is great for me, because I love seeing overconfident d-bag villains getting their butts kicked. The little bits of rom-com between Hyouma, Botan, Yuu, and Tsubaki were surprisingly cute. It's almost like a harem, but without all of them actually living together. The big difference is that Hyouma is so serious and not your typical trope-y perv, I think the writing comes off even funnier because he has no real ego or desire to pursue any kind of romantic/sexy situations. And then, of course, you get the fight at the end. Lots of cool explanations for mechanics and a little bit of lore explained in that. Tsubaki seems deceptively stronger than she looks. Her remark about observing Hyouma's strength has me curious. Will that observation be more for the Kadamori, or for her own personal intentions? Maybe it'll turn into a love triangle down the line? Yuu being able to wrap an entire house in her hairpin was unexpectedly badass. I wonder if the show will turn out to have what I call "expendable badasses," where some characters who don't necessarily get a lot of screen time, story-wise, still manage to get in a cool one-shot action sequence (or few), so they're not completely useless, otherwise. With what she just showed, I feel like there won't be as much room for the other Nagatsuki tsukumogami to show off as much. They all seem pretty cool in their own way. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:00 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 10: Radiance ---------------------------------- Summary: After defeating the Sogenbi, Tsubaki makes an offer to Hyouma for a team-up, which he respectfully declines. Meanwhile, House Nagatsuki decides to celebrate, both, Botan starting her third year at university and Hyouma starting his third month of residency by having a hot pot night. ---------------------------------- Comments: Another rom-com and slight character building episode. It was pretty fun, all things considered. We get a little bit of Tsubaki's background and learn that she was a child prodigy and got easily bored from the training. Which is interesting, because she didn't come off nearly as uninterested in her first appearance than what we saw in the flashback. Then again, maybe hearing about Hyouma, then seeing him take everybody down got her excited. It could also just be that she's just a little more free-spirited as a teen. But it should be intriguing to see what kind of dynamic she adds. I can see Hyouma's fighter side being attracted to her, while his non-fighter side is attracted to Botan. And speaking of which, Hyouma finding the "interrogation list" was cute. I'm just gonna' assume ever since the incident, all he's been doing is honing is combat skills as a Saenome being an almost complete shut-in. But since he's also a teenager (and having hormonal imbalances, like all teens do), there are probably a whole of other emotions flowing through him outside of anger and vengeance. If anything, since he's opening himself up to House Nagatsuki, as well as having those hormones, his positive emotions will probably be even more amplified, since he hasn't used 'em in a while. This is was a very good-natured episode, and I'm always surprised at the level of restraint the writing has to keep everything so balanced. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:01 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 11: Ambush ---------------------------------- Summary: Hyouma and Botan go out to see a special tailor and acquire some clothing upgrades for combat armor, where they also run into Tsubaki. Later, Hyouma accompanies Botan to her school. But as he's wandering about by himself, he is ambushed by Kai. ---------------------------------- Comments: So the possibility of a love-triangle increases! It goes back to the whole duality that Hyouma has as a fighter and a person. With Tsubaki being a combat prodigy, she clearly has the combat hots for him. While shy ol' Botan, who might be a little tsundere about it, looks to have a slight thing for him, as well. It's good to see the two girls, at least, get along. The special clothes armor is a neat concept. I recently finished re-watching all of the John Wick films (because my mom hadn't seen 1-3 in a while, and so we re-watched those to lead into 4), and this episode reminded me a lot of the how John started getting bulletproof suits in Chapter 2. It actually makes a lot of sense that everyone in this show would need special (spiritually-imbued) armor to battle all the tsukumogami. I feel it adds more depth to their world and looks especially stylish, thematically. The ambush by Kai was a nice surprise, though not unexpected. Upon his initial introduction back in Episode 05, the mystique I got from his presence felt like a fairly big thing. And it looks like he came out of hiding to test Hyouma's proficiency, so that should be a cool scuffle. I wonder if he'll come to play a more important role, later. If Botan supposedly has the power to control all tsukumogami, and let's say her power does, for a small moment, fall into the wrong hands, then the show could get quite crazy during that peak. Or, he could be on the opposite side (the one that fights the baddies) just for the heck of wanting a good fight. I feel like a lot has happened in just these eleven episodes, even though it's really not that much, in terms of runtime. I guess that means it has good writing and pacing? I'm getting pretty excited for season 2 to start. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:01 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2667 |
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3 or so days left until the first episode of the second season. I really want to see more of umbrella lady and what her deal is.
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Edjwald
 Posts: 1586 |
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Yup. I'm planning to start rewatching season 1 this weekend.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11443 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 12: Efflorescence ---------------------------------- Summary: Pending ---------------------------------- Comments: Pending ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:02 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2667 |
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That was a good first episode of the second season and it had a bit of everything. We were re-introduced to all the characters we already knew and we got some more information about their pasts. We also met a group of new capable seeming characters with some unique quirks who made short work of a hostile tsukumogami. The real surprise is seeing umbrella lady pop up so soon though. I expected Hyoma seeing the umbrella to be a fake out, but it seems to be the actual thing.
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Edjwald
Posts: 1586 |
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This is a show I'm not objective about. If I rated it based on how much I liked it, I'd give it a 10 out of 10, but if was forced - y'know, at chainsaw point or something - to try to rate it objectively, I'd probably give a 7 out of 10 unless I couldn't bear giving it at least an 8.
I'm also not objective about sequels. If a sequel season really disappoints me, I'll be one of the first ones to grab a torch and start trying to rally angry villagers. Well, not really, but that's how I feel. But as long as a sequel season maintains a fairly consistent vibe and level of quality, I'll cut it all kinds of breaks even if it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. That said, this didn't feel like a sequel. Today's episode was labeled as 13 and a continuation of season 1, and it felt like it. If this episode had come right after 12 a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have blinked, and I'm all for that. A few random observations and questions. I get that one of the musical types could slash with instrument like strings, and another could use music to manipulate emotions and such, but what was with the one who could replicate stuff? Whether I'm objective or not, I think the villainous mojo that the paper umbrella woman has accumulated is a real accomplishment. She's not just a run of the mill antagonist - she's really chilling IMHO. Still struggling with the question of what Hyouma's IQ would be if it was written down in number form...still like the character either way. |
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