Forum - View topicRequiem from the Darkness (TV).
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Deltakiral
 Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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Volume 4 of Requiem from the Darkness.....well it's been quite a journey to get here, and more importantly I think I need a third viewing of the entire series to get a better hold on everything. That said I hope that this discussion will take off now that Right Stuf included all four volumes in their sale, I hope more folks can view this unique story.
Flame Lance: spoiler[ this is the beginning of the end for this series. As the weapon that can destroy the heaven themselves is revealed. With the story being so foggy, this episode puts the series in a clear focus. Human darkness, how dark and evil can we be on the inside? Reminds me a bit of Kingdom Hears II, which really did a good job ok asking us who we are at the deepest part and can we ever return from that darkness. There is a great discussion whereas Author attempts to level with Mataichi about how he nothing but a murder, and yet the Author by his own words is also nothing but a lowly murderer.] Final Two episodes the dead spirits of seven man point: spoiler[Well here it is, the last two episodes and of course it's wouldn’t be a RFTD episode if someone wasn't being slaughter in the opening scene......gross, and beautiful. Ogin in the castle being the lady of the point was very scary, that line raise a shrine to me as her face moves closer to the screen. The author quote at the start of the (final) episode seems so much like a foreshadowing, is it the beginning? Or is this the end? It’s strange because it’s bound to the end, but yet it’s a new beginning for the author after his time with his companions. And from the start of this episode Mataichi planning to place talismans all around the castle and the land, to protect the soul of the people or was it just to use them? Well now we get into the S&M with the dungeon and damn this one mature anime….and of course Shiragku is back. There is a really sick comment here, how people will do anything to survive much like how the prisoner beat, raped, and killed. And yet now these prisoners enjoyed causing such pain on one another. Once again there is a comment on how darkness can consume a person heart. Much like how the Author is worried that he didn’t feel sick enough when he saw the prints of the dead. Now it’s time for the trio to start there plan after the guards are cut down by the beast…..and even Shiragku’s sister see what happens when you mess with a beast master. So in the end Kyogokutei was behind it all, testing the people wanting to see the darkness in people….At that moment there is cut where it shows the villagers running away and a lady drop her baby and we seen how no stop to help, in fact they trample over the baby, very gross and very disturbing. So in the end Kyogokutei is killed by the very darkness he sought after, and Shiragku was dies by fire somewhat fitting I’d say. As our Author falls there is a moment where the Author rather cross over and enter the dark and go with Ogin……very sad, some people are just destiny to never be together. And the final quote to take us out is “Evil and ambition scatter in the darkness leaving dubious rumors to fly in public” One thing about the ending that is strange is that although Ogin say hello to the author in the final scene, I felt so sad for both of them. In fact I am not really sure how to feel about the ending overall, after watching the entire series twice through I am still in-between on hating and loving the ending…..I am hoping to get some thoughts.] Small item to look at here, although was dub is very good there are some differences that are more noticeable in this volume from the subtitled. But however you can listen to any Overall I rated this series as very good and wanted to almost go excellent on this series however I felt like I wanted more from the ending, maybe I can get a better perspective once I get some feedback and perhaps I sit and think about the series over…… Till next time, Delta Kiral Last edited by Deltakiral on Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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joel_s95387
Posts: 1804 Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn |
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Dargonxtc
 Posts: 4463 Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋 |
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Episode: Marine Spirits
Right off the bat we are faced with a supernatural scene, although most likely the least gruesome in the series. Turns out some "ghosts" are terrorizing a port city. spoiler[3 months have passed since the authors otherworldly friends vanished before his own eyes. We find out that that did not stop him from looking for them the whole time. He figures out that if he just follows where ever strange rumors appear that he is pretty much on there tale. It takes a couple of rumors passed on from his editor in chief to get him on the right trail again though. (both of which turn out to be this episode and the next) Also, the shapeshifter turns out to 200 years old.(Kind of makes me mad we never learn very much about him.)]  Anyway, spoiler[As wondering through town he runs into Kyogokutei. Which of course begs the question, what the hell is this thing, and what does it have to do with the group? None of that is answered but he does get pointed to the docks. This is where he hears of the evil spirits of the Kawakubo clan(although it takes forever to find someone that will tell him that). As he is poking his nose around, so some men try to kill him. Just in the nick of time Ogins cute little puppet comes to the rescue. Ogin pulls him in to a small pond where she holds him underwater.]Which is one of the prettiest pictures of the whole series. spoiler[Ogin also reaffirms she doesn't want the aurthor to turn out like her, again.]
Without going into a complete summary. spoiler[The author makes it to an island, where he finds out that the Kawakubo clan is real and that the ghosts are actually the port authority to scare people away from the island. The leader of the clan it turns out is in fact a powerful weapon called a flame lance, which 20 years earlier had destroyed it own twin island. To resolve this darkness he ends up killing himself and the imposter ghosts as they invade the island, sinking the whole island in the process.] Two birds with one stone style. Quote of the Ep: Author: spoiler[He's your boss isn't he?] Mataichi:spoiler[No, he's not. I once thought he was, but then he started thinking terrible things, I could not accept. Rather than calm the darkness inhabiting mens hearts, he decided to draw that darkness out. And for that purpose the flame lance is most suitable.] I thought the story for this one was pretty good, and it set up the next one pretty perfectly. We also get to see a little caring from Ogin. Her evil little winks and grimaces really do convay a sense of affection. ------------------------------------ Ep: The Death Spirits of seven man point, pt.1 We start with a fleeing women who no one will helps out. Once caught she is burned alive at the stake, along with 6 others. Melting eyeballs and all. This whole episode is pretty much just a build up for the final episode. spoiler[We are reintroduced to a samurai from last episode who tells of a town that is curse be this seven man point thing. We learned that lots of people from this town are disappearing, and outsiders are killed on the spot for being spies. Towns folk are totally paranoid. And we learn that the samurai pregnant wife has also vanished.] The author says at this point he is no longer scared of death. Is this because of all he has been through and seen, or because he longs to cross over. spoiler[to be with Ogin] spoiler[After running into an old friend, learning that people in the castle want these torture manuels, the author figures out that this is no curse. Dashing off to warn his buddies(like they need it) of the danger, he finds some goons that want to kill him. No problem, the samurai will take care of them.]Blood everywhere. So they make it to the castle. Got to love the sound effects of a lady jumpingspoiler[pushed] off a tower head first. spoiler[Shriagku] is one of the people behind all of this. spoiler[The samurai ends up captured, and the author finds his friends and tells him his theory. They end up decideing to do something about it. As they go in to the castle they see prison cells, and what appear to be a flame lance under construction.]End. Quote of ep: Ogin: spoiler[That's the dumbest samurai I've ever seen.] Again this is a set up to the end, but I liked this episode, it had lots of action, lots of fights, and delt with some disturbing concepts of cruelty. spoiler[There is also conflict between what the author wants. I also think this episode concretes the fact that Mataichi and the others are on the side of good among anything else.] Athough I doubt they would ever actually say that. ---------------------------------- Ep: The Death Spirits of Seven Man Point, pt.2 Is this the begining or the end? His speach during the prologue does make one thing clear, he faces danger for his friends. It is hard to describe this episode, but one thing is for sure, it is very gruesome. spoiler[Our other worldly heros are succesful in there plan to change the minds of the towns people, and get most of them to start praying. During this time our author decides to go and see if he can rescue the samurai, by himself of course. When Ogin finds this out she will have none of it, and goes and looks for him. The author is of course caught right away by Shriagku , and exposed to the grand plan, and scenes of depravity.] I could describe it, but it is better if you just watch it. spoiler[Anyway, my hero Ogin arrives and needless to say she saves the day, and kicks some ass to boot. The others do the same. In between the gore, there are several touching moments between Ogin and the author. As expected in the end it is Kyogokutei behind the whole thing and a spectacular ending ensues as he is vanquished. In the end it is sad as we all see the author wants to go with Ogin, and she does too, but we can infer from all of her coments she's made before this she doesn't want that fate for him.] spoiler[During the credits we see our author struggle home, he goes to the place where Kyogokutei once lived, and all that is there is bright shiny fields, with a bright shiny sky. He finishs his book, and thinks of his adventures and his friends. It is implied they still look after him.]End. Quote of Ep: Ogin: spoiler[You have spent too much time with us in our world Author. You've seen so many aweful things that you are no longer surprized by them. But don't worry. No matter what happens your still human.] Does she love him or what? I thought this episode was good as an individual episode, but as an ending, not so much. ------------------------------------------- Overall: I really like this series, I think it is very entertaining and is tottally re-watchable. The animation is good and the art while abstract really helps to bring you into the world they are trying to sell to you. The colors black and white are used very often, to bring you in to a creepy world, and sets up the mood of light and darkness. When colors are used it is usually a non-standard color which when watched in a dark room really turns the whole thing into eye-candy. With the exception of the first episode the dub is done well. And the ending them and outro animation is just wonderful(I like the op too). The whole thing just drips style. Where RftD suffers is that it is a great episodic anime. It can bring you in, pump out a story, and wrap it up in 30 minutes. Like I said it does this great. It is very entertaining. The problem is that it slowly and methodically slips in this other overall story, and you start to become just as interested in that as for any of the other stuff. Do I think an anime can be both episodic and have an overall story. Yes. And I think RftD does a good job at this, up to a point. The end. The end. They build up all this interest in these characters only to just have zero resolution(hero characters wise). I feel if they had extened this anime by just one episode and dealt a bit more with these resolutions it would have made this a truely great anime. As is though, I agree with Delta, that it is a very good anime. The sad part is that it makes that rating alone on style and entertainment value of the actual 100 stories. Which is even more sad, because the characters are hella neat. I love you Ogin. So while I like this anime very much, and the way it sits on my shelf, I think if I ever recommend it, I will describe it as a very well done episodic tales of horror stories. |
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