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Sarazanmai (TV).




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Stark700



Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:01 am Reply with quote

Sarazanmai (TV)

Genres: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural
Themes:

Plot Summary:
Quote:
One day, three second-year middle school students — Kazuki Yasaka, Toi Kuji, and Enta Jinai — meet a kappa-like creature named Keppi, who is the self-proclaimed heir to the throne of Kappa Kingdom. Keppi forcibly takes the students' shirikodama (a mythical organ kappa steal through a person's anus) and they are transformed into kappa. Keppi informs them, "If you want to return to your former selves, you need to connect in 'that way' and you must bring me the shirikodama of zombies." At the same time, two policemen, Reo Niiboshi and Mabu Akutsu, try to do something at the police box where they are stationed.


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miketan



Joined: 29 Mar 2019
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 5:57 am Reply with quote
the colors in this anime are strong and vibrant.

the local folklore in regards to Kappa is so alive here in this anime.

non-locals will find this anime difficult to understand unless they learn to appreciate the local culture.

overall this anime is fun to watch.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 02, 2019 8:59 pm Reply with quote
Episode 4

I am not big into the show, at least so far. But I thought that this episode was interesting in how it only now kind of showed what was going on with the younger brother, that he is in a wheelchair bound, which is interesting that this was not shown till now.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11602
PostPosted: Sat May 04, 2019 10:31 pm Reply with quote
It's more interesting if you read the reviews. Jacob throws out a lot of good insights, and stuff I don't know and don't catch while I'm watching it. Makes it all a little more accessible for me.

It's still weird as shit, though. I like the otter cops best.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2019 2:03 am Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
It's still weird as shit, though. I like the otter cops best.


Are they straight up killing people and can be held responsible for the events?
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11602
PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2019 3:00 am Reply with quote
Seems that way, but we don't know why yet. They might be being forced to do it.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2019 9:47 pm Reply with quote
I am really going to follow my own observations for now.

Episode 5

I am wondering if I am just slow or something, but there has to be something more in particular with Sara, right? The episode kind of pushed that Sara is a kappa, but I only really put it together that it should not be a coincidence at this point that the lucky item she says on her show just happens to be the thing that kappa zombie is going to take. It isn't the zombie just deciding the lucky item she chooses, so out of some sort of thematic coincidences, kind of pushes the question that she may not be as innocent as she portrays herself, and is somehow related to the villains.
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vonPeterhof



Joined: 10 Nov 2014
Posts: 729
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2019 4:33 am Reply with quote
DuskyPredator wrote:
The episode kind of pushed that Sara is a kappa, but I only really put it together that it should not be a coincidence at this point that the lucky item she says on her show just happens to be the thing that kappa zombie is going to take. It isn't the zombie just deciding the lucky item she chooses, so out of some sort of thematic coincidences, kind of pushes the question that she may not be as innocent as she portrays herself, and is somehow related to the villains.
The (prequel?) manga apparently reveals that spoiler[she was raised by the two otter cops as their adoptive daughter.] I haven't seen it myself though, so I don't know if it says anything about her possibly being a kappa.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2019 7:56 pm Reply with quote
Episode 7

Oh good, trying to make us feel sympathy for people who heartlessly killed mostly innocent people, including trying to kill one child that we have seen.

Plus, to be real, the betrayal of one of them in creating that mess should be enough to label him as toxic and to cut off friendship with him. If someone was doing things like that, then the relationship is clearly unhealthy for everyone involved, and you should end it, regardless of anime friend rules.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:43 am Reply with quote
Episode 11 (Finale)

Finished it. I am sure that there is some sort of super subtle story telling that has everything being symbolism, that tells a really compelling and relatable story, like the whole soccer bit at the end that they said was along the lines of a possibility. But I am going to judge it on how I understood it. I was already pretty peeved like last week or so when they tried making the police characters redeeming, when those two were really full on murderers with BS motives. What, you are totally justified to throw 8 year olds into blenders because you think that your dead boyfriend is a fake puppet?

I know that the whole thing was about everyone having secrets, where they could hide something that is a shame, but has reasons for your desires, and accepting those are part of connections. But there are points where those connections are hugely unhealthy, and you should totally cut it out of your lives. I think that was maybe what Toi was trying to do when he shot the otter in the form of his brother after he was killed, before going to juvi. But that sort of thing does not stop at literal murderers who believe that the strong should walk on the weak (the motives of the brother itself odd), but the likes of Enta showed himself as being a toxic friend to Kazuki, who would literally cause conflict to have it on his terms. To mention nothing about his wanting to get into Kazuki's pants through the mutual friendship, which shows that he needs some boundaries. I am still not sure what to think about Kazuki having stolen someone's pet, without any consequences.

My opinions are not really much of a surprise, since I am not such a big fan on this type of series by the director, as they do feel a little bit obnoxious. I give a rating of Decent (6/10). Despite my history of a big anime fan, I still can't fully accept some of these shows despite how popular they may be.
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tojikomori



Joined: 08 Jan 2017
Posts: 71
Location: Minnesota
PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:56 am Reply with quote
It would have landed a lot better without the final scene. That "potential future flashback" would have wrapped the series up decently with its message that maintaining relationships is hard and sometimes painful work but those connections matter for their own reason. What followed – the "opening credits as an ending" ending, and especially the bridge/water scene – clashed with both that message and the tone.

Otherwise, this series was pretty strong for me: the vibrant aesthetic, the obscene slapstick, the juvenile humor inflated as art, and of course the message itself – it all resonated immediately and mostly held up throughout.

It did suffer for having rushed through so much in 11 episodes. Enta and Kazuki's relationship gave me some whiplash, and the off-hand explanation of Reo and Mabu as kappa vassals felt disappointing: I think those two needed to stew a little longer. It's not that the series used its time unwisely – I totally get why Toi needed so much attention – I just wish there were more time for it to flow at its own pace.

Despite that, and even despite its larger-than-life antics, this show managed to convey some difficult and nuanced ideas about personal boundaries and relationships. The idea here wasn't at all to show characters being forgiven or wrongdoings and hurtful behaviors being overlooked. It's not that simple at all. It's that our connections to our friends and loved ones are ultimately what gives us existence outside of our own minds and that's something to bear in mind when we're in the thick of an argument or deciding how or whether to bear with a friend who's making bad decisions.

That was my big takeaway here. It didn't hit me with a wallop but I do feel it, so I'm calling this one a success.
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