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Ultenth
Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 229
Location: Washington State
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:31 pm
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BrothersElric wrote: |
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote: | It felt a little like the climax slipped past without me noticing. My biggest problem was I only felt like I half-understood what was going on at the end; that is, I knew what was happening, but not really why. |
Yeah, I kind of felt the same way. Although I will say I agree with what some people have already said about liking a happy ending with a little bit of focus on the characters the way it did, I just couldn't help but feel like there was something missing. And it was that exact thing that seemed to be missing that made it feel quite a bit underwhelming. I don't know, it might have to do with how this last episode was built up towards or something. I guess I was just expecting soemthing a little more touching or emotionally powerful or epic and exciting or something like that, because that's the impression I was getting from how it was built up towards. |
See, and I felt that it fit well because the show did a good job of showing all the crazy religion and psychology and supernatural stuff in a realistic light. And the ending to me was just a continuation of that, Though I can understand how a lot of the stuff in regards to the bioods and the ryuujin could be easily missed or misunderstood. Personally I wouldn't have been opposed to a couple more episodes, to make the show 24 or even a full 26 episodes, but I thought they did a good job of ending it like they did. Maybe try rewatching it a few times if that what it takes, but they do a pretty decent job of tying up loose ends and following the plot to the climax.
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HellKorn
Joined: 03 Oct 2006
Posts: 1669
Location: Columbus, OH
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:10 pm
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I really like it. Only complaints would be the general pointlessness of the shamans/monks and the really awkward animation when Taro runs to rescue Miyako, but otherwise I can't really find much fault.
It's obvious without being preachy, and also has enough low-key elements that really bring everything together. Things come full circle and there's enough sentimentality without it coming across as cheap and melodramatic (which some anime have sadly fallen to... Hello, Denno Coil).
It's not as ambitious and unique as lain and Texhnolyze (or powerful as the latter), but it's a very fun and surprisingly accessible with a fair amount of intelligence -- something I didn't think Konaka is capable of pulling off, but does.
The apparent side characters also really grew on me, Michio and Suzuki in particular; hell, even Otori is thankfully fleshed out, and doesn't look half-bad in that get-up, to boot! Really impressed how most of the cast is actually pivotal in one way or another (the reappearance of the Mayor and the scaredy-cat is hilarious).
Speaking of, there's also a pleasant amount of humor, too. I love the fate of the Ogami household: bluntly poetic.
It is kind of a weird feeling, something I haven't felt in a while from an anime ending. While it's one of those incredibly, incredibly rare endings where I wouldn't mind more, so to speak, I'm quite content with where it ends.
I laughed and smiled a lot and it comes full circle, so I can't find fault with it. Really hope that the eventual license for this series comes soon.
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Ishmoo
Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 413
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:47 am
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BrothersElric wrote: |
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote: | It felt a little like the climax slipped past without me noticing. My biggest problem was I only felt like I half-understood what was going on at the end; that is, I knew what was happening, but not really why. |
Yeah, I kind of felt the same way. Although I will say I agree with what some people have already said about liking a happy ending with a little bit of focus on the characters the way it did, I just couldn't help but feel like there was something missing. And it was that exact thing that seemed to be missing that made it feel quite a bit underwhelming. I don't know, it might have to do with how this last episode was built up towards or something. I guess I was just expecting soemthing a little more touching or emotionally powerful or epic and exciting or something like that, because that's the impression I was getting from how it was built up towards. |
Yeah, I have to agree. I was kind of underwhelmed by the ending. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a happy endings. This one just didn't seem to fit with the tone of the series overall. There were some pretty nasty themes being explored here, even though it was dealt with in a gentle way. Horrific childhood trauma, kidnapping children to sell their organs on the black market, the worst kind of medical research imaginable, potential matricide. I mean, this wasn't exactly disney (except for the matricide part). To have a joy joy happy ending wrapped up all neat and tidy with a pretty bow seemed incongruous to me, but that's just my opinion.
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Murasakisuishou
Joined: 22 Jun 2006
Posts: 1469
Location: NE Ohio
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:11 pm
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I loved the ending, personally - the last few moments where they show the picture of the guys' parents together and then the picture of all of them really made the series for me. I thought that ultimately the series was more about the frayed relationships of the characters and their families and not the cults, kidnappings, or scientific experimentation; all of that was more like a way to explain why the characters had these frayed relationships. Seeing everyone talking and smiling together at the end was more than enough of a resolution.
I'd love to see a second season where they show what happens to everyone; after all, if I'm not mistaken, Ghost Hound was more like a prequel to Masamune Shirow's original concept, so there's probably even more storyline floating around in his head somewhere.
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BrothersElric
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Posts: 1996
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:29 pm
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Ultenth wrote: | See, and I felt that it fit well because the show did a good job of showing all the crazy religion and psychology and supernatural stuff in a realistic light. And the ending to me was just a continuation of that, Though I can understand how a lot of the stuff in regards to the bioods and the ryuujin could be easily missed or misunderstood. Personally I wouldn't have been opposed to a couple more episodes, to make the show 24 or even a full 26 episodes, but I thought they did a good job of ending it like they did. Maybe try rewatching it a few times if that what it takes, but they do a pretty decent job of tying up loose ends and following the plot to the climax. |
Well, it's not like I didn't like it or was disappointed by it or anything. I thought it had a nice, satisfying sense of closure and everything. I just felt like it was a bit underwhelming for how powerful the series was shaping up to be is all, like I was expecting more of it, and that that something more was missing. I mean, it still could have had a happy ending and all that if it had ended in a more powerful way, who's to say it couldn't? I didn't really feel like it was cheapened or anything either, almost more like a feeling that it was rushed or something. But yeah, not a bad episode or ending by any means at all. Just underwhelming is all.
hako wrote: | I'd love to see a second season where they show what happens to everyone; after all, if I'm not mistaken, Ghost Hound was more like a prequel to Masamune Shirow's original concept, so there's probably even more storyline floating around in his head somewhere. |
Oh, well I didn't know that, that'd be a real treat if he did! I guess we'd have to see but I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it either. And if what you say is true, then chances are probably pretty high that he will.
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HellKorn
Joined: 03 Oct 2006
Posts: 1669
Location: Columbus, OH
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:25 pm
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Murasakisuishou wrote: | I thought that ultimately the series was more about the frayed relationships of the characters and their families and not the cults, kidnappings, or scientific experimentation; all of that was more like a way to explain why the characters had these frayed relationships. |
Same for me. It is disappointing that Konaka isn't able to bring the entire narrative together like he does for lain and Texhnolyze, but as a coming-of-age tale Ghost Hound works wonders.
I really don't expect a sequel, though, and don't see a need for one.
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Raven Shinobi
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 12:44 am
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Watched the final episode. After being quite miffed about how they kind of overplayed Ohtori's boobs, I was relieved that they didn't overdo or prolong the cross-dressing part. The ending was quite satisfying, nice to see that Masayuki's parents were back together, Makoto sofetened up and learned to smile more and I found it cute that it seemed that Taro and Miyako may end up together just like Makoto's parents
As much I'm happy to have viewed the conclusion, it makes me kind of sad because it's very likely that it will be a while before we see a series with this quality again. I hope that the licensors won't take long to pick this up and maybe put on TV, this series deserves all the attention and popularity it can get.
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Ishmoo
Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 413
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:46 am
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BrothersElric wrote: |
Well, it's not like I didn't like it or was disappointed by it or anything. I thought it had a nice, satisfying sense of closure and everything. I just felt like it was a bit underwhelming for how powerful the series was shaping up to be is all, like I was expecting more of it, and that that something more was missing. I mean, it still could have had a happy ending and all that if it had ended in a more powerful way, who's to say it couldn't? I didn't really feel like it was cheapened or anything either, almost more like a feeling that it was rushed or something. But yeah, not a bad episode or ending by any means at all. Just underwhelming is all.
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I'm with you on this one. I DID like the ending, it just seemed "off" somehow. It was really nice to get closure and I'm glad everyone ended up alive and happy.I just didn't see this as an overwhelmingly "happy happy" show overall so I was surprised. It was all concluded so easily. It seemed too simple for such a complex show.
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BrothersElric
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Posts: 1996
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:09 pm
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Ishmoo wrote: | I'm with you on this one. I DID like the ending, it just seemed "off" somehow. It was really nice to get closure and I'm glad everyone ended up alive and happy.I just didn't see this as an overwhelmingly "happy happy" show overall so I was surprised. It was all concluded so easily. It seemed too simple for such a complex show. |
Yeah, that's mostly what I was trying to get at. If anything, it was a very unexpected ending based off of the way the series was building up. I guess it's just one of those endings you could take either way though, that's what it seems to me is the case right now.
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Kruszer
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7992
Location: Minnesota, USA
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:57 pm
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I also thought the rescue was way too easy.
So did I miss something or did they totally neglect to explain one of the main mysteries of the show. What exactly happened to Taro's sister? I know they mentioned something about the real kidnappings being a front for illegal organ harvesting of children but Taro never remembered all the details of the fiasco so we don't really know. At the end he decides to forget about it and move on which I suppose is healthier for him but that was one of the points that kept me interested. Also that subplot with Masayuki's mother just seemed to come out of nowhere. Was she one of the women worshiping at the Ogami cult or something? I'm going to have to say while the ending was good it left loose ends.
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Dorcas_Aurelia
Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5344
Location: Philly
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:04 pm
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Kruszer wrote: | So did I miss something or did they totally neglect to explain one of the main mysteries of the show. What exactly happened to Taro's sister? I know they mentioned something about the real kidnappings being a front for illegal organ harvesting of children but Taro never remembered all the details of the fiasco so we don't really know. At the end he decides to forget about it and move on which I suppose is healthier for him but that was one of the points that kept me interested. |
She died while they were being held at the abandoned hospital. Presumably of exposure. That never really was a mystery, as we were told that almost immediately. As for why Taro couldn't remember, well, he was young, and it was a traumatic incident. I'm pretty sure they touched on those points on at least one occaision.
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Lil Kis
Joined: 30 Aug 2010
Posts: 163
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Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 9:44 pm
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I just bought the blu-ray dubbed version at amazon.com I will be posting my thoughts on Ghost Hound when I get this in the mail.
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