Forum - View topicSaiyuki Reload - Zeroin- (TV).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Saiyuki Reload -Zeroin- (TV) Genres: action, adventure, comedy, supernatural Themes: bishounen, demons Plot Summary: When the monstrous Gyumaoh was defeated by the war god Nataku Taishi and imprisoned in Houtou Castle, an era of peace began in the land of Togenkyo. Now, hundreds of years later, those seeking to resurrect Gyumaoh have unleashed a plague upon the world. The wave of negative power generated by his attempted resurrection has driven youkai to the brink of insanity. To save humanity from violent slaughter, Kanzeon Bosatsu sends Son Goku, Genjo Sanzo, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai to the west in order to prevent Gyumaoh from rising once again. Jan. 6, 2022 (Thursdays; HIDIVE) ---------------------------------- |
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Gina Szanboti
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This is apparently a retelling of the second half of Saiyuki Reload Gunlock, wherein these characters were named Hazel Grouse (rather than Growth) and Gato (like the Spanish cat). Since they're taking a whole season to tell it, and the story arc is actually finished prior to production this time, they seem to be doing a more thorough and thought-provoking job of it, and I'm liking how it's going so far. And this franchise always manages to get rockin' OP music.
Even after all this time, while I get tired of Goku's whinging about everything, when he goes into full-on innocent child mode, he's irresistible, and Hakkai is always delightfully intimidating when he switches gears from his normal, affable mediator role to "you do not want to test me" stormbringer.  And I appreciate how they get his below-the-surface simmering anger across with just a look, and without overdoing it. When they do it right, as they have been here, he's got one of the most pleasant, bone-chilling smiles I've ever seen. But I think a lot of that is actually due to Akira Ishida's performance, and his ability to blend just the right amount of menace into his gentle delivery when it's called for.
Wouldn't ya know it, the Trolley Problem, on a 1:1 scale, shows up in this, but hey, it was written circa 2004, long before that became a ubiquitous trope, so I'll give it a pass. Things should definitely get crazy now that Ni-Jianyi has come out of his cave to toss a few wrenches into the works. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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4
Yes, this is definitely going in a much more detailed direction that when this story was done in Gunlock (which I guess I'm going to need to rewatch to recall just what they did there). Since I can't remember exactly how it went down before, a lot of this is feeling new to me, even if it's not. I'm also not sure if referencing knowledge from previous seasons/iterations of anime is considered a spoiler. But in case you don't recognize the name "Seiten Taisei" well, that's spoiler[Son Goku's official name for his true form, meaning "The Great Sage Equaling Heaven." While you could still figure it out from the hints about "golden eyes," it might not be so apparent if you didn't already know that his golden eyes were what initially tagged him as a heretical being back in Heaven. Lots of characters in lots of anime are shown with golden eyes with no real significance, so some people might barely notice Goku's eyes being exceptional here, other than being big and cute.] Anyway, one of the things I've always enjoyed about Saiyuki is how Minekura-san just boldly handwaves off improbable contrivances when she needs a (in this case literal) get-out-of-jail card. She's so cheeky about it you just have to laugh instead of getting all exasperated over it. Like what's not to love about a lock-picking correspondence course even existing in Shangri-la, let alone his being able to get mail along their Journey. 
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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So Lord Geo has noted that the original anime diverged from the manga after the first two episodes of this arc, so no wonder this is feeling new to me. 
And I did go back and watch Gunlock to refresh my memory. Hoo boy, I'd forgotten how bad the animation was with all the off-model derp faces. After watching Minekura-san spend over an hour (or two? I forget now, but it was amazing) drawing a single illustration of Sanzo for a promo poster, I can only imagine her dismay at looking at what they did to her boys in the older anime installments. At least her beautiful work was preserved in the end credits. But for being mostly anime original, it was still a pretty good story and worth watching again. And that haunting piano theme closing out the end of Episode 20 remains a mystery to this day. Anyway, I guess I'm going to have to go read the manga now. Nah, if I do, it'll have to wait until this installment runs and then I won't have time. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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5
Uhh...what did I just watch?  Everything started out normally, with the introduction of Zakuro and his illusions, which all turned out to be a bit...sillier? than I was expecting, given his role in Gunlock. But that's ok, it was fun, especially Hakkai being devious.
And then halfway in we suddenly have a brief "Ura Sai" vignette about theater etiquette (no smoking or shooting in the theater). Ok, that was cute. Now back to the -- movie trailer? About serial murders at the haunted Hexagon Manor and a cursed scroll, with not only all of Sanzo's and Hazel's parties present, but half of the Gyumaoh storyline's cast as well from previous seasons. All out of character but for their names. Then it rewinds so Goku and Gojyo can take the mic and tell different stories with the same footage until Sanzo takes over and narrates a preview for Ep. 6. So I guess this means they didn't have enough story in this arc to fill the whole season's episode count? I mean, there's padding, but this was on a whole other level, another dimension of padding. I can't say it wasn't entertaining. Just baffling. Maybe it was all Zakuro taking revenge with his illusions? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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6
Bad idea you got there, Hazel.
Loved the conversation between Hakkai and Gojyo on the bridge. The dialog was poignant (assuming you know Hakkai's backstory) but the artwork and facial expressions made it shine. I just loved how the whole thing was rendered. Also lol at Gojyo's reaction to his apparently still being single in Hakkai's daydreams. I dunno, the unspoken sense of camaraderie between them really came through and was heart-warming. Same with the Sanzo/Goku scene. Sanzo's always a short-tempered mood, but he seemed to soften up a bit at Goku's struggle with the central question of the episode, and actually spoke to him like a person instead of an annoyance. Did I imagine it, or did he almost smile? I really want to give a shout-out to Houchu Ohtsuka voicing Ni Jianyi/Ukoku Sanzo in this. The character has always been an intriguing antagonist, but Ohstuka really brings out all his nuances. He's amoral, world-weary, sadistic, slimy, intelligent, manipulative, and nihilistic (appropriate for the holder of the scroll of Nothingness), among other negative attributes. He's practically the Devil incarnate, without the ambition to rule. He just wants to watch the world squirm, and to contribute to that where he can. It's not easy to make one's tone of voice both sympathetic and evil, but somehow Ohtsuka pulls it off. He really makes this character live, no less than what he did with Satou in Ajin. Ukoku gives him even more to work with though, and he's not letting it go to waste. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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7
The way Gojyo and Hakkai were acting, I thought the writers had forgotten this isn't the first time they've seen Goku's Seiten Taisei form, but then they did a flashback to it, so I don't know why they were so surprised by it. Glad they got things taken care of before Sanzo got back. For some reason it cracks me up that Hakuryuu has a parking brake.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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8-9
Poor Goku. First having an existential crisis about what kind of being he really is, then falling in love (they grow up so fast!), getting his first kiss while simultaneously being literally, and I mean bodily, dumped, and seeing everybody die. But he still could've done more to protect the villagers before they set the place on fire, instead of hiding out with the kids. Also an interesting development in Gato destroying the amulet. Kinda suicidal, that, though he's already dead. Hazel's attitude was kinda interesting. "Not gonna help you, not because I disagree with you, but just because you lied to me." Overall though, given current events, this episode hit different. 
On a lighter note, seeing the smoke billow out of Hakuryuu's tailpipe tells me he's in serious need of a ring job... Hakkai, your engine maintenance needs work. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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10-11
So I guess Hazel can still save Gato as long as he's got some souls handy on site. He just can't store them up without the amulet. Finally Ukoku is in da house and he's kickin' Sanzo's butt and erasin' names! Seriously, it's not that Sanzo doesn't deserve a good ass-kicking now and then, but this was kinda pitiful. But the boys are also back in town, and they're ready to throw down too, so looks like melee time next week. Still, lol at the bickering over whether it's Goku's fault for violently tossing Sanzo so randomly or whether Gojyo's to blame for not playing "kappa keeper" and catching him properly. And of course Hakkai is calmly bemused by it all. Anyway, it looks like the Muten scroll's power of Nothingness is no match for Goku's infinite Earth powers. Kid's been on ice for 500 years, so I guess he's not on board for being so easily deleted from existence. Or is it that his heretical existence is outside the realm of the Founding Scriptures' purview? |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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12-13
Well, since Ukoku is pretty much an eternal foe for the boys, he kinda has to be all but invincible. It's funny that he's the real final boss, rather than Gyumaoh, who' the Big Bad that must never be resurrected. Anyway, things turned out about how I expected them to go, and I'm not disappointed. I think I don't understand the rules of rock-paper-scissors if there are more than 2 people. But that was a funny scene.
I particularly am delighted by the sorta-title-drop in Kanzeon Bosatsu's ending narration and the callback to the first series with "Are you ready, you bastards?" to cap things off until next time. |
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