Forum - View topicMalevolent Spirits: Mononogatari (TV) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11442 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Season 01: Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari (TV) Season 02: Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari (TV 2) Source: Manga (completed @ 16 Volumes, by Onigunsou) Demographic: Seinen Animation Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures Genres: action, comedy, drama, mystery, psychological, romance, supernatural Themes: coming-of-age, conspiracy, exorcism, factions, magical items, martial arts, revenge, sorcery, spirits, superpowers, transformations Plot Summary: When spirits cross over into the human world, they can possess old objects and gain a physical form: a tsukumogami. Tsukumogami can be gentle, violent, or somewhere in-between, so the Saenome clan peacefully helps send them back to the spirit world to avoid destruction. Kunato Hyouma is a member of the clan, but is...less than peaceful, since he holds a grudge from when a tsukumogami robbed him of something important. Afraid that Hyouma's brash anger in dealing with these spirits will lead to supernatural catastrophes, Hyouma's grandfather sends him to live in Kyoto with Nagatsuki Botan, an unusual young woman who actually lives with tsukumogami like family. Air Date & Platform: Season 01: January 9, 2023 (Monday) Available on: Crunchyroll Season 02: July 3, 2023 (Monday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: Season 01: 12 episodes Season 02: 12 episodes Total: 24 episodes ---------------------------------- EPISODE INDEX (Clicking on the episode will take you to my post that has a summary, comments, and screen-caps) - Season 01 Episode 01: Hyouma Episode 02: Shoreline Episode 03: Overflow Episode 04: Arrangement Episode 05: Suspicions Episode 06: Botan Episode 07: Quickening Episode 08: Circumstances Episode 09: Fire Episode 10: Radiance Episode 11: Ambush Episode 12: Efflorescence OP1 (w/ Lyrics): "Love Clothes" by Arcana Project ED1 (w/ Lyrics): "Rebind" by True - Season 02 Episode 13 (S02E01): Entrance Episode 14 (S02E02): Dance Performance Episode 15 (S02E03): Specter Episode 16 (S02E04): Draconic Episode 17 (S02E05): Moonset Episode 18 (S02E06): Vow Episode 19 (S02E07): Turbulence Episode 20 (S02E08): Unseasonal Episode 21 (S02E09): Advent Episode 22 (S02E10): Dance Episode 23 (S02E11): Sparks Episode 24 (S02E12): Fluttering OP2: "For Whom" by Megatera Zero ED2: "Private Room" by Azusa Tadokoro Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:13 pm; edited 35 times in total |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2967 |
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#1
I've been looking forward to this adaptation, since I'm familiar with the source material and I think it deserves its shot in the limelight. Whether or not it becomes a hit really depends on how well the next few episodes are received by anime-only viewers, because there are a few factors that count against it achieving popularity outside of its home market. The title itself is already a problem for non-Japanese speakers: Japanese can easily distinguish between Mononogatari and Monogatari (the well-established Nishio Ishin franchise), but non-Japanese won't necessarily tell the difference between the extra "no". The fact that the English title had to add "Malevolent Spirits" just to help differentiate the two doesn't do it any additional favours. I personally think the English title has its flaws as well, but marketing doesn't think the original title can cut it on its own so the decision has been made and I'll have to see how it pans out. Another problem is the world-building. Tsukumogami are not a popular topic for adapting into manga and anime so recognition of this concept is alien to those not familiar with the concept to begin with. The first episode does try to explain what the series spin on them is, but if casual viewers don't take to it then it's going to be a hard sell as the series really focuses on them (after all, the title is 物 の 語り). As mentioned elsewhere, Kunado Hyouma is going to be another obstacle for casual viewers as there's no empathy to be had for him in this first episode. Yes, his beloved siblings were slain by a hostile Tsukumogami, so he's wanted revenge ever since and that has coloured his approach as a Saenome (humanity's wardens for the Marebito). Unlike this grandfather, who is head of household and is very happy to negotiate out of an impasse, Hyouma fights first and asks questions later which is a headache his grandfather can no longer resolve on his own. Hence our main storyline: the embittered Hyouma is now forced to live with six special exception Tsukumogami who form a family unit with Nagatsuki Botan in Kyoto. The very idea of this is blasphemy to Hyouma, but if he refuses he is stripped of his status as a Saenome and with it any chance he has for taking revenge for his slain siblings. How he deals with this is something which will hopefully hook viewers to tune in for more. Production-wise, one of the reasons this series hadn't been picked up earlier for adaptation is the art style. The artist who does this series has a very distinctive drawing style which looks great on paper but is difficult to adapt on screen without sacrificing quality. From what I can see, the studio picked have done a good job so far and the action sequence so far was satisfactory. The character designs won't confuse viewers, since the Nagatsuki Tsukumogami have a penchant for formal suits as their attire of choice which makes them stand out from the more casually dressed humans. The voice cast is packed with well-known VAs, so there's a lot riding on this series to be a success. Each airing season gets bigger and bigger as more works vie for attention, so it's a tough environment for this franchise to debut in. If it's successful, it would be in spite of its shortcomings rather than on its strengths. I'm seeing this through to the end since I'm already an established fan, but it would not surprise me if I'm the only user who patronises this thread for the rest of the quarter. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24156 |
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I am not familiar with the original source material but I'm liking this very much so far. I love the premise of a guy who has a legitimate beef against tsukumogami being forced to live with a group of them and their human chief. I'll be very interested in watching the relationship between Hyoma and Botan play out. Things are off to a strong start, imo.
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camseyeview140
Posts: 241 |
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So is this based on the infamous franchise or no?
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2967 |
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No relation to Monogatari series (different author, different premise, different everything).
As expected, people get confused with just the Japanese title romanized and they'll troll the series on its name alone. |
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Edjwald
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I'm two episodes in and liking it more and more.
The MC has issues, but he's not just some edge lord using his background story as an excuse to be a dillhole to everyone he meets, and he's not OP and better than everyone in every scene, so I don't have a problem with it. There's a decent human being trying to get out. I like both the leads and the dramatic tension that comes with their polar oppositions, The female lead is right - we don't know anything about her life. I imagine the background story of a young girl growing up with six guardian spirits who love her must have some legs. I like the monster hunter format. And I'm interested in the revenge story brewing in the background. I see myself staying with this one past the three episode rule. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2967 |
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#2
The series has already failed its first test on this website: getting shortlisted for weekly reviews. I expected this, since the first episode didn't do it many favours and most of the reviewers here don't mince words if the premiere isn't to their liking. No matter, those who stick around might be pleasantly surprised (or not depending on how well the adaptation does its job). Yes, viewers know by now that Hyouma is inflexible, has a fixed mindset and is blunt to the extreme. However, he's not a lost cause and he will work towards improving himself if there's a goal he's aiming towards. He's got his work cut out for him, since he has three days to earn signatures from the six Nagatsuki Tsukumogami or be evicted (and in doing so be expelled as a Saenome as per his grandfather's directive). He's got zero emotional intelligence, but he takes his job very seriously and despite his callous comments borne out of ignorance and prejudice even Nagi accepted he's not being prejudiced against Tsukumogami for the sake of it. The rest of the episode is spent on Hyouma getting into the Nagatsuki Six's good graces. Nagi's shift came surprisingly easy, since Hyouma is a capable fighter in his own right and Nagi likes his bluntness as it means he doesn't hide anything. Having given his rationale behind his hatred for Tsukumogami, Nagi keeps his word and gives his signature. As for Suzuri and Kagami, a commission from the same authorities but of a completely different nature. For uninitiated viewers, a good excuse to show what Suzuri and Kagami are capable of, and world-building thrown in for good measure (Tsukumogami are effectively ageless when they reside in the human world and Hyouma is right when he says they need neither food nor sleep like humans do). I like the part where Hyouma stayed his hand after seeing Yagen's expression; that part is quite important for the rest of the series and if the animators didn't nail it any viewers sticking around past the first episode might have gone for good. So Hyouma is halfway to his goal, but he has to win over Yuu who has outright said she has no intention of signing to keep him around past the deadline. Hyouma's immediate goal is winning her over, which should be the focus for next week. Quality-wise I'm satisfied with what I've seen so far. I'm not a stickler for anime production values, but the episode looked competently drawn and animated for both dialogue scenes and the brief action sequences. The big test will come in future episodes, as the series has its own selling points for action and I'm looking forward to how the animators approach those challenges. The VAs are a stellar cast and it shows, although it's still early days and how much is animated will determine how tough a job the VAs have at getting through some of the more dramatic elements. Last edited by Harleyquin on Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2967 |
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#3
Personally, I thought this was the episode which would either keep or lose its prospective viewers. To date, the series is about a young man consumed by hatred against Tsukumogami and looking for any lead for the killers of his siblings. It is from this episode onwards that the franchise reveals the other aspect which is one of its main selling points from its innumerable competition. If viewers not familiar with the source material weren't interested to see what happens next from here, then the series has failed to draw in casual viewers to the print franchise. Viewers have already seen what Nagi, Kagami and Suzuri are capable of. Now they see what the fourth member of the group, Yuu, has in her armoury. As expected from the Japanese hairpin, her powers revolve around her innate ability and can be used both as stabbing weapons and as immobilizers. She's also the Yuri archetype of the Six Nagatsuki, so expect more of that reaction each time she's pressed about Botan. As for the actions scenes this week, it's not Ufotable Fate Series quality. But it's good enough as an adaptation of what is seen in print so I'm not complaining. Those who are more selective of what they consider quality action pieces may beg to differ though. There's more to come, since a lot of the franchise is about the battles between the Tsukumogami. As for the episode trailer next week, well that's going to be a surprise for non-acquainted viewers to discover for themselves. I actually like what's coming next as it's a big comedy high point and I'm looking forward to seeing how it's adapted. Last edited by Harleyquin on Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1586 |
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Wow, Harley, you weren't kidding. They just put it all right out there didn't they?
That said, I liked that they're not prolonging and tiptoeing around the romantic tension. I really like the way these two leads play off of each other. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2967 |
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#4
Ah yes, one of my favourite moments in the early volumes of this franchise. Not difficult to animate, so it's down to the voice work to make it come alive. Very left field, especially with the welcome the Six gave Hyouma when he first entered the mansion. Still, the whole scene made it absolutely clear to him that his initial hypothesis of the Six manipulating Botan is completely wrong and that they really have her best interests at heart. Both the scene right at the start of the episode and the entire ED animation should now make sense to viewers only watching this adaptation. Hyouma's ability to keep his poker face right up to the very end without betraying his position has already raised his worth as far as they are concerned as they expected him to fluster. He did eventually when out of sight, so it means he's not completely dense and absolutely hopeless with romance. However, since he's so consumed with vengeance he's had zero time to think about such matters so he's got no "immunity" so to speak against matters such as these. Keeping his usual stoic face is enough to get him by, along with his usual training regimen and patrol activities to keep his mind busy. The rest of the episode deals with the aftermath of that bombshell, with another comedy moment being Kagami taking out her frustrations at his emotional density. There's not much action this week since it's all about the laughs; what little there is competently handled. More characters next week, so viewers can enjoy more antics from an even wider variety of Tsukumogami. Last edited by Harleyquin on Tue Jan 31, 2023 8:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24156 |
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My initial favourable impressions from the first episode have been more than reinforced. I love this show. The reveal that the six tsukumogami are all items from the same bridal trousseau and the implication this has for poor Botan is hilarious. I am kind of surprised they revealed it to Hyouma, however, since logically you'd think a proper evaluation of this sort would include the target not knowing he's being evaluated for his matriamonial suitability, but the comedic benefits of doing so are simply too good to pass up.
The continuing collision of Hyouma's painful earnestness and Botan's exquisite embarrassment thanks to the meddling of her bodyguards/matchmakers will be absolutely delightful to watch. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1586 |
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Agreed. In terms of growing on me more each episode - in a good way I mean - this one and Handyman Saito are probably my top picks. |
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b-dragon
Posts: 497 |
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I'm definitely glad I didn't drop this one- with each episode I like it a bit more. Hyouma sidesteps a lot of my issues with "dumb protagonists" by being both goal oriented and willing/able to learn. Still unsure about Botan, though- hopefully the narrative gives more to work with on her end.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2967 |
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#5
More Tsukumogami, and it's a wide variety not unlike the types of humans there are on this planet. Straight-laced Hyouma has never interacted with anything other than hostile Tsukumogami, which makes his interactions very one-sided and simplistic. When up against Tsukumogami with agendas of their own combined with non-trivial combat prowess, it's a bad matchup for him. Although this fracas was partly his fault for acting prematurely, he gets a lead on his host which he has to follow up on. More entertainment for the viewers, since this isn't a one-off arc and reveals more about the world this franchise is trying to sell. Not all Tsukumogami are sealed and sent back to their world, some like Kai are so powerful they are invited as special exceptions like the Nagatsuki Six to live amongst humans. Unfortunately Kai is more than they bargained for and they can't even send him back permanently, hence he's perpetually accompanied by his personal barrier Itsuki. An interesting bargain he made with the humans back then, it means for as long as his seal holds any of his guests have to survive surprise attacks and the experience of killing time with him before they are allowed to leave. Not a summons that anyone would appreciate receiving. Interesting how long it's been since Zouhei last met Haori in the flesh, yet he did not hesitate to call her regarding his grandson. Although Tsukumogami don't age and don't need food nor sleep, it's interesting that they do mimic the habits of humans (sleep) and alcohol DOES have an intoxicating effect on them. Perhaps it's because the Six have been with Botan for so long they've adapted too well to the human world and its many attractions, since Kai either has fantastic tolerance to alcohol or it just doesn't affect him since he's not human. Haori appears to have faked her collapse, since she kept listening when the order was given to monitor Hyouma. I was wondering who'd they cast for Kai, and I REALLY like their choice. Definitely sounds the part, so fans of the print franchise should be satisfied with the performance. Next week's episode is titled after the Nagatsuki centre of the household, so curious viewers will want to keep watching to find out what on earth Ougi was talking about when he used the untranslated word Yorimashi. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1586 |
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Seems more like a minion than a barrier. Side note: I thought the idea of a war fan tsukumogami that could fold in on himself was pretty cool. Same with the hairpin Tsukumogami who can bind people by their hair. I'm seeing some interesting powers in this show that I've never seen before. |
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