Enoshima Reviews

[Deleted]

So this person you all apparently know as 'Alberenza' used to do reviews for this site. He claims that recently he hasn't been seeing many anime that he's particularly interested in, or at least anime which he doesn't feel deserve reviewing. For example he was going to do a review for an anime called 'Psycho pass'.


But he's so f***ing lazy that he never got around to it! Figured he could justify himself by saying that he might as well condense his review into the words 'Go watch it.' I mean seriously how low do you get?


So he contacted little old me! Saying how would be telling! He figured that my super highschool level charm and talent could do some reviews for him in order to pick up the slack whilst he lazes around! And honestly, who could blame him for thinking that someone as adorable as I would be able to do a much better job?


And of course, I am Super highschool level despair, who you mortals may refer to as 'Junko Enoshima!' Quiver in fear and bow down at the mere presence of despair incarnate!


Well I've talked long enough so I'll explain things now before this gets too despairingly boring. Like Al before me I will be reviewing anime and games in a very similar format to his reviews. However, I am Obviously a different person to him. Whereas he likes to take as objective position as possible and review an anime with what he seems to think of as being 'minimal spoilers'


I love despair! I'm one for emotional highs and especially lows, so don't go around thinking that I share the same stupid opinions as he does!


I also have my various trademark personas which I will employ. After all these reviews would become incredibly monotonous if I always approached a topic from the same angle. I lied. I would be the one to get bored, just like in real life, I am fickle who needs to keep herself interested with various personality shifts at random times. That said, I have a couple that I am rather fond of, so you'll likely see them repeat as time goes on. For the pictures which easily distinguish the personality I currently have adopted, credit goes to orenoren from something awful who managed to capture my super high school level beauty and fashion in these screenshots, as a part of his LP of my glorious PSP game of mutual killing, Dangan Ronpa. Dangan Ronpa and my character also belong as trademarks to Spike chunsoft, and these reviews are non profit and purely for fun.


Discovering that I am fictional, whose events thus mean nothing in this reality made me ecstatic, it must be said. Having one's life be pointless is so very despair inducing, so I'm more than willing to help Al out for showing it to me. That was a lie. It's just that the current students really aren't doing anything... there hasn't been any deaths recently... on another note my existence here is a huge walking spoiler. I only wish I could see the spoiler-induced despair on your faces...


Upupupu... if you bastards were wondering why the much more marketable Monobear didn't decide to help out, its because I've got an academy to run! I don't have time for any of this stupid review business. I am a bear, after all, I can bearly type. That said, due to technical difficulties, including this entire post getting accidentally deleted as it was nearing completion, not to mention the fact that the image data will have to be replaced in order to make things easier on those over at SA, this post has run into the early hours of the morning!


what the h*** is this I start and I don't even have any content? I should have picked a better time!



Looks like the first review will have to wait... it will be odd, I just turn up out of nowhere with nothing to show for it? That's absolutely despicable! Well, I have an idea of what I want to do first, besides perhaps redoing one of Al's old and awful reviews with the Enoshima touch, but I'll be willing to take any suggestions and requests. Here's hoping that I'll be able to stay for a while. If not, the despair of rejection should tide me over. Of course, seeing Al's face twisted in despair would also be a sight to behold... I think he's got a weird thing for me. It would be more creepy if he wasn't also tragically pathetic.

[Stove]

I don't know if I'll be able to take any of these reviews without laughing, Junko.
That aside...if you want despair so much, go watch SNQ (again.)
Maybe rehash that "Another" review? Maybe see if you like it any more?

[Indigo]

[Stove]

Jul 15, 2013 4:38:27 GMT Indigo said:

Is there something you would like to say?

[Deleted]

Jul 15, 2013 3:47:18 GMT Stove said:

I don't know if I'll be able to take any of these reviews without laughing, Junko.
That aside...if you want despair so much, go watch SNQ (again.)
Maybe rehash that "Another" review? Maybe see if you like it any more?

... Is that what you people really watch? Perhaps I should cover up a bit more in this world...

Well I don't think SNQ is my kind of show but... Another is horror right? Plenty of despair to go around. I'll give that one a go.

[Deleted]

I don't do anything according to plan so I decided that before I forget anything about the show, I'll do a short episode by episode review. Probably not every episode, but most of the important ones.



Another is an anime based on a horror novel by Yukito Ayatsuji, it is 13 episodes in length. 12 plus an extra OVA. Since Al had already watched this in Japanese with subs, I decided to watch the show with the dubbed English voice cast.

The first episode starts with a school kid explaining a mysterious event that took place at 'Yomiyama north' high school.



You just KNOW that a place named after the land of the dead is going to have some supernatural goings on! I'd say they weren't trying if the name 'hopes peak' wasn't also similarly ridiculous.
Teehee so apparently there was this PRECIOUS little girl who was beloved by the high school's class 3-3.



However she died unexpectedly... it's a shame that I wasn't able to get to know her, otherwise I may have cared more... then again this is back story and its already cementing this location as one drenched in blood and despair. So far so good.
The love for this girl was so strong that the students continued to act as though she was still alive, all the way up to graduation, where the kid stops his story. So, I guess these students found bliss in a lie... reminds me of a gift I tried to provide once.



The show then cuts to the opening animation which I found quite pleasing. The imagery including the dolls was suitably creepy as was the music, which I felt had a good blend of slow, atmospheric rifts combined with an energetic pace. However Al tells me that it sounds nearly identical to two of the endings in Code Geass, a show which he wont shut up about. It's a shame the band can't make themselves sound a little different... but on its own merits, I enjoyed it.
So we then cut to a different kid lying in a hospital bed.



IMMEDIATELY I can see that he looks and EVEN MORE average than Naegi! And he's SUPPOSED to be average! Doesn't that deserve a certain kind of special prize for reaching that level of blandness? He's lucky he first appears with that sickly look of despair on his face, or else I would already hate him!



He is our main character and his name is Kōichi Sakakibara, stricken with pneumothorax before his transfer over to Yomiyama north. His Dad appears to be a researcher over in India and he is to be staying with his grandparents and aunt while he attends the new school. Soon, his family leave off screen and we see three students, who introduce themselves as representatives of class 3-3 which he'll be moving into.



The music sounds quite creepy and the way it is shot and animated,  I already have a discomforting feel, although that may also be because of the lack of context... I appreciate the straightforwardness and atmosphere, soaked in despair but unfortunately I have a few problems. While I enjoy slowly sinking into the world they created, seeped in despair and atmosphere, I don't feel as though it is incredibly... deep. Besides being in hospital, nothing really seems to warrant the atmosphere just yet. He seems to be recovering and all he's doing is talking to his family and meeting students who seem sickeningly nice enough. During transitions, there is also a random, one second cut to a creepy doll with seemingly no context.



I can't quite believe I'm saying this myself but... couldn't this part be a little more cheerful? Couldn't there be a little more hope?



Our host is currently throwing up right now, due to the words that came out of her mouth. However here's a bear's eye perspective. To have a deep despair there must first be hope. Despair is the result of one's great hopes being dashed and crushed like the flesh of the butterfly crushed between the claws of defeat. As it is the beginning of the series, it would make more sense for them to be building up a cheerful atmosphere, to make these characters seem more happy and on top of their own destinies. This makes the despair all the more poignant, deep, and ironic when, being a horror anime, their hope is inevitably crushed. By building up sympathy with likeable characters achieving their goals, we can relate alongside them when the despair catches up with them. As a bear, I have no compassion, sympathy, or pity, but I know from experience in the wild that watching a squirrel who very almost managed to climb the tree and collect the nut which I am holding out of arms reach is far more satisfying than watching the squirrel who has resigned to never take the nut, and as such prefers to sit at the bottom of the tree in a vegetative state.



  Haha did you think I was really down for the count? Well, lets get this over with, as I've said just about all I really wanted to say about this episode for the time being. After all, whilst the atmosphere continues I decree that based on what's going on, the tone is suitable and deserves that creepy feel.



After all, what follows is Sakakibara's introduction into the class, and more importantly meeting Mei Misaki, who seems to have a few skeletons in her closet. She has a persona which screams mysterious which does set her up for obvious plot twists and importance, but it does make the despair filled composition of the visuals and sound seem more appropriate in these scenes, if not for the various school scenes. The final scene in particular is a real hook that makes me interested to see the next few episodes.



So that is episode one. I have some problems with the series but I really do enjoy the despair filled aesthetic, even if some of the other areas seem lacking at this point. Here's hoping that I'll get more into the story and characters as the series goes on, not just the despair.

So far, I think I'm liking this more than Al does. As someone who much prefers to analyze the plot and characters over the composition, emotions, and despair; on his second viewing he still doesn't seem able to really get into the series, where as I can wallow in the atmosphere, even if it is rather shallow for the time being.

[Deleted]

So lets move onto episode 2 of Another.


After a chilling and somewhat random opening scene, we once again go through the opening credits. We meet our cast in art class, where they are drawing lemons.


However one kind is drawing the goddamned scream! As a lemon! It's not every day you see that. He comes across as a complete dork but already I like his style!


It's just a shame that he looks so similar to our main protagonist... I guess I'm just more used to everyone around me having more distinct character designs. It can't be helped though... I thought I should also mention that the music here is quite melancholic, which I think suits the peaceful portions of the show much better than the creepy music. I'm still vying for more hope that will create a larger fall, but as is I'm thinking that perhaps I was too hasty in judging this show's atmosphere, as throughout this episode the mood created by the music and animation is appropriate for the context. I'll likely have to watch this a little more before I can say for certain that this is the standard.


Following this, the kid named Mochizuki and Sakakibara discuss a feeling of 'uneasiness' the answer to which Mochizuki gives pleases me, as he seems to understand that wonderful feeling which you can derive from feeling negative emotions. Uneasiness, at the least, but perhaps in time I could train him into a pretty decent member of SHL despair. Unfortunately we run into someone called Naoya who is disgustingly upbeat. I very much dislike his attitude. Although, to see someone cheerful does please me.


Mainly because it will be pleasurable to see him die, I love seeing the deaths of hopeful characters. Right now if anyone currently dies in the cast it will be like seeing the despair filled death of an already half dead sloth. And I eat sloths for breakfast, give me a chimpanzee like Naoya to catch!


The catharsis found in killing someone like him would be ecstatic! I think I'm starting to warm up to some members of the cast at this point.


If I seem to be making a big deal over minor characters based on first impressions, it's generally because this is one of the first anime shows I've seen from this world, and I've already talked a great deal about the composition at this point. Plus, I guess these are the first characters to really *grab* me. Besides Misaki and what her deal is, anyway.


At least compared to that boring Naegi wannabe, anyway!


Following this Naoya lets slip mention of a 'curse' in relation to class 3-3 but before anything intriguing can happen, Sakakibara catches sight of Misaki and instantly leaves the conversation to go talk to her.


I really do question this guy's attention span, did he really just leave the conversation to go talk to a girl who has already made it perfectly clear that she doesn't want to talk to him? At the very least, she doesn't THINK that they should. I may be fickle when it comes to personality but even so, I STILL seem to have more focus than him! At least, when Misaki is involved he seems to have less. What draws him to her?


After a short conversation which doesn't appear to be fundamentally different to their previous two conversations, we cut to Sakakibara talking with his aunt at home. In short, she gives him some cliche speech about hope and not giving up when he asks her about wanting to go to art college.


I probably shouldn't comment but... doesn't he understand that by believing in himself he is setting up expectations that he probably wont meet? I guess that not everyone can be as cute and as talented as me so that they can do what they want without really trying, but if he accepted despair in himself and the world around him, don't you think that would give him the license to do basically anything? I'd say she was giving bad advice but honestly I've probably taken this too far out of context.


After that scene Sakakibara heads to the hospital during the night to ask the nurse about the girl who died the night he met Misaki in the elevator. She tells him that she'll look into it.


My god-like powers of deductive reasoning tell me that this is setting up important plot points for later!


There are some more scenes that suggest a secret amongst the class 3-3 student body. But as they talk the protagonist once again spots Misaki leaving the school and he follows her. The students clearly seem to dislike the idea of him talking to her, so why don't they stop him?


Sakakibara is informed that the nurse may know something about the mystery death, then he heads into a store owned by a creepy old lady. The store is seeped in despair and tension, and it seems to be the location of the various dolls which the show occasionally cuts to. He sees a doll that looks like Misaki, then the real Misaki approaches him and asks him why he is following her everywhere.


I'd quite like to know that too! This isn't merely intrigue, this guy is a borderline stalker!


Lastly Misaki shows him her favorite doll, one of two twin sisters combined and looking peaceful. She wonders why they look so peaceful when they would clearly be more happy if they were separated.
I can't say I share those sentiments...
That's why I'm glad I removed my 'other half' as it were...


It pisses me off that I have to agree with this annoying main character, though!


So the episode ends with Misaki about to reveal whats under her eye patch. And I have to listen to that really sappy and uninteresting ending theme...

I have to say that I enjoyed this episode a lot more. The atmosphere was better and I was introduced to some characters who actually intrigue me, to however minor a degree. Al also tells me that he liked this episode more, too, tells me that he's now picking up on some foreshadowing for later events which are making him feel more engaged. So perhaps this is a show that is better on a second watch for him. All in all, I have to say that I'm a little more 'up' on this episode.

[Deleted]

Agh this is already getting so boring! For today I'll condense the review into episodes 3 and 4 of Another!


The episode begins with Misaki immediately revealing what's under her eye patch, as that was the cliffhanger from last episode.
Aaaaaand... aww... I thought it would be a bigger deal then a dolls eye. I think it looks kind of cute! I was expecting something horrible under there to justify the eyepatch. At the very least it draws a nice little comparrison between her and the dolls.


Not to mention it's only episode 3... it seems a little early to reveal is all. Since it wasn't particularly interesting, I guess I can cross it off the checklist...


It's also here that Mei decides to tell fish-for-brain the exact same story that we heard in the beginning.


Don't push it episode 3 I was just starting to warm to this show! Seriously, ITS THE SAME, BLOODY STORY! I know episodes are released over a period of weeks, but do we really need such an exact recap?


It is here however that I must note how good Misaki's english voice actor is, at least for this scene. It's a very good blend of creepy and cute, making this scene the better telling. Her voice nearly salvages this otherwise pointless scene. Nearly.


Obviously, her voice doesn't compare to mine, the voice that makes a million sirens flee in jealousy and shame, but then again, whose voice really could?


But of course I boldly lie! She does in fact add that in the graduation photo, the empty seat reserved for the dead girl actually had what can only be described as her ghost sitting in it. Did. Not. See. That. One. Coming.


Wait yes I f***ing did! Agh this show is making me despair for all the wrong reasons!


So what follows is the main reason I decided to put the two episodes into one review... its so... boring... lots of setup and talk about the future. If the students seem to think its also dumb why should I? Besides that the protagonist tries desperately to find someone who will tell him what the plot is but no one does...


Turns out this was just buildup for a really good finish. So Misaki doesn't exist and then someone DIES! Yes! The glorious despair of death, its like sweet release after so many episodes of teasing and building up to this one glorious climax... one of the girls from the first episode trips over on the stairs and gets impaled through the head with an umbrella! Haha, that's got to be a new classic. Maybe I'll intergrate that into an execution sometime. Just a few more flashing lights and a bit more character specific irony and... ahh that ending made me so excited! Excuse me whilst I go calm down before reviewing the next episode.


So episode 4 begins by showing us the girl dying once again.
She shouldn't have been running, really its her own, pitiful fault.
Two random people start having a gossip about a supposed 'curse' which is rumored to kill someone in or connected to class 3 every month, and then Ace detective here goes to talk to the nurse during his checkup and... *sigh* he just doesn't get any leads! I've heard of dramatic irony but isn't the point of a mystery story supposed to be that we learn about events before the protagonist does! I swear this series echo's itself more than my childhood home!
That would be a cave, by the way.
An echoy, empty, cold and despair filled cave.
Because I'm a bear.
He meets a school friend... though I honestly don't recognize her as these side characters seem disgustingly disposable, much like someone else I know, and the scene has no worth until a nearby window pane tries to kill her. Luckily our protagonist shows some initiative and pushes her out of the way, making this a pretty good scene but I can't help but wonder why the show is starting the fake outs NOW and not BEFORE the first death.
Though I suppose I'd be calling this death unorigional and taking place too soon if it had happened.
So I guess despair exists in every paralell universe for this show.
... that's actually beary impressive.


Umm... Ahem...


I think I've finally calmed down now.


So without really a whole lot of rhyme or reason he decides to head back to the doll shop, perhaps because he's expecting to find Misaki. Despite having failed on numerous other occasions, he tries to get her to tell him what is going on but she stubbornly refuses, leaving only a few more hints as to what is going on.


Despite the fact that we as the audience learned why at the beginning of the episode... perhaps the show should be building up to a larger reveal, I know the show has the talent needed to pull it off...
is the word dumbobnoxioussillystupidtiresome or lazy?
So after that we learn that his aunt was in class 3... and has headaches.


The next part has the students discussing why they haven't been filling the maggot in on the situation. And I'm very impressed! They filled in some plot holes which I had had in mind for a little while. Who would have thought that characters so insignificant could raise my spirits... so insignificantly.


The nurse calls as Sakakibara confronts Izumi and Naoya about the incidents. He hears her die over the phone, the elevator malfunctioning and falling at a high speed whilst she's inside it.
...


Well... nice try but appealing to my sensibilities two episodes in a row isn't really going to work the second time. I don't think the death was even as creative as the first one. I mean, would that be like me dropping the elevator as the hope's peak student head to the school trial? It's not creative, but its also killing them during the buildup to the trial, my ultimate creation of despair and tension. What would be the point?

Well, anyway the series is starting to show more of its true colours. Its still really well done and the death scenes...


Well, I'd tell you what they do to me however this is supposed to be a clean forum... and also I still have a lot of dignity left which I plan to keep.


... yes, are really well done. As for Al, he's starting to remember more of what made this series rub him the wrong way. He can stand the gore just fine, but he's wondering if this is the turning point where the level of gore in this show becomes meaninglessly excessive.
However, that's exactly what I came to see, so why should I complain about a horror anime delivering what a horror anime should? But we shall see.

[Deleted]

Only one episode today. As ants at my boot, do you seriously expect extra special double reviews out of the kindness of my black heart every day? Please.


So we start with another short recap of events from the first episode.
Another recap...
I see what they did there.
Aaaaaaaand we cut to people mourning. Only this one old dude seems to care though, the rest seem to treat the death closer to gossip.


Deny me my aftermath of despair why don't you! Anyway the lemon scream guy seems concerned that dip-s**** aunt might be ill. Except she isn't. FASCINATING!


After another scene where they establish that Izumi head of countermeasure disproves but doesn't intend to do anything about, Sakakibara's behavior towards Mei, Sakakibara recognizes his mother in an old class 3 photo, to the librarian Chibiki's interest when Sakakibara tells him that his mother died 15 years ago, shortly after giving birth to him.


Now that is sad... I suppose he's so boring now because he never had to live with the despair of growing up with a mother. Lucky for him, unlucky for me who has to put up with his schtick.


The police question lucky here to confirm that the unfortunate accident caused by loose cables, was, in fact, an accident, before he gets dismissed from class for the day,  and on the way home with his classmates they inform him that 'something unpleasant' may happen to him in the future.


Ooooooo, are they gonna kill him off and replace him with a better protagonist?


During the same encounter one of the classmates finally decides to take some initiative and resolves to tell us everything about whats going on. As he is about to do so he... suddenly dies of a random heart attack.


Don't mind me just passing through!


After this... tragic loss? We see Sakakibara head into class the next day to discover that in a similar fashion to Mei, he is being completely ignored by his class and teachers.


So this was the 'something horrible?' That doesn't sound horrible that sounds like a god sent gift to run wild and do whatever the hell you want! I'd definitely do my favorite dance as a cub on the top of my desk in order to test their patience.


After class he goes to talk to Mei in the doll shop with the class roster and... yes, he finds out that Misaki exists and that now they're both being ignored, which obviously Misaki is used to. Misaki also lives comfortably in the doll shop, and her mother makes the dolls.


To finish up Mei explains that since the incident with the dead girl, an extra student who is supposedly dead but in physical form has appeared in the class which has prompted a member of class 3 or someone in their family to die each month. Apparently they tried many different obvious solutions to the problem such as moving rooms but the only proven method to stopping the death is to pretend that one student doesn't exist.
So, that is that.


I do find it a shame that there is no motivation behind the murders, after all arcane magic doesn't really have a point to it, nor does it really feel despair. It just *does* because reasons. In a sense this devalues much of the emotional investment I can have with the show. On the other hand, some unstoppable force with no rhyme nor reason is not only daunting, but also something that I strive to be.

Even so, to see student driven to such despair that they are willing to kill one of their friends is a delicacy I am sorely missing. For both hunter and prey to feel such despair is what truly makes the experience of murder so beautiful a sight.


It feels like I only have half the package, since rules can't feel despair, but then again that really is just my personal preference.


The preference of the most potent incarnation of despair to ever grace the earth with her deathly presence!


As such, both Al and me will have to wait for now to see if these new revelations pay off as we hit the halfway point next episode.

[Deleted]

 Well, time to take a break from Another! You expect me to do the same series all the time? Foolish fools! I'll get back to it eventually but for now lets take a look at the first two episodes of season 3 of the world god only knows!


 Juuuuuuust kidding! I was gonna do TWGOK but for some reason I can't come up with anything funny or interesting to say! Despite all my booming personalities, charm and talent, I guess I got to remind myself why I feel despair sometimes! I had more fun talking about the first two series in a broad fashion, but that just lead to unfocused pointlessness!


 I'm sorry as this is a shameful display, but I'll lay down some general opinions in a break from my usual style, and perhaps I'll come back to this again when more episodes come out, or maybe a different anime altogether. Next time, however, will be Another. And perhaps I should also mention that both me an Al probably consider the first two seasons of TWGOK to be the best harem anime to hit the genre. Not that the bar was particularly high to begin with...


 So the idea of the new series is that Keima will have to re-conquest some of the old girls. So, why the hell are some of the returning girls from the manga which was never adapted? Sure they spend roughly 2 minutes catching us up to speed, and there was that unlicensed, unheard of OVA for ONE of these characters, but why do that to purely anime watchers?


 Seriously this confused the fur off of me when I first saw this. If the plan is to bring back old favorites, why not bring back old favorites?


 This show of course is very lighthearted and filled with hope, right from episode 1... however there have been a few things to stop my eyes burning, including the tragic character of Keima, who is just too stubborn and methodical to truly get interested in the girls he romances, and the forced element inherent in the exploding collar around Keima's neck. The memory loss also makes Keima's progression in the social world delightfully pointless, as he never gets any real recognition for his deeds, just the reward of 'not a punishment.'


 Well that's all I have to say for today... lets make the next post a super review.

[Deleted]

 Agh! Lets get back to this, because Al has been pissing me off with his constant gaming. Here's episode 6 of Another!


 After the opening credits we see the prominent members of class 3-3 discussing who might be dead. Specifically, they mention that after Sakakibara arrived, they were one desk short, however they weren't at the ceremony.
... Al has told me to file away this scene for later, tells me it might be useful to keep in mind going forward. Not sure what's so special about it other than suggesting that Sakakibara might be the dead one, which would be interesting, although according to Izumi, it is unlikely.


 Back at Mei's house average brown asks why he wasn't informed about the 'ignore Mei' rule. Apparently since he talked to her that made it difficult to bring it up but... wait a moment, wouldn't him talking to Mei be a huge incentive to inform him of the rule right away? Just say 'ignore that ghost or we all die' sure it's nonsensical and the ghost part is a lie, but surely keeping people alive would be their top priority? Actually, they did mention that some of the staff seem rather incompetent when it comes to the issue of the curse, but the librarian guy seems pretty competent. Wouldn't it be nice of him to inform Sakakibara about the rule in a letter? We find out this episode that people not directed to class 3-3 are safe, so I'm surprised that this life or death rule doesn't have more enforcement. Of course, none of this would be a problem if Mei really was a non-existent ghost as the beginning of the series suggested.


 This story feels as though it's making itself up as it goes along! As a horror mystery, there needs to be clues setting up later events! Red herrings are fine but NOT as a substitute for clues! I know I'm looking too much at the grey hairs in favor of the pelt of fur, as all stories, even the best, have problems, but mystery stories absolutely need to get the basic logic correct because they invite the viewer to nitpick so that they can theorize and solve the case on their own! I just KNOW that there's a horror mystery anime, perhaps game out there that did this right. I wonder what it was called.


 So yeah repeated exposition of basic concepts... Mei has an apathetic relationship with her mother... at the park there's just more repeated exposition... Some of these exposition sequences repeat themselves, but they do fill in questions and plot holes I guess. Well, they would if most of it didn't just boil down to "This stuf happens and they're doing this just because" however... such a shame.


 So Misaki lost her eye because of a tumor, and her eye is a custom made dolls eye but... you know, maybe Misaki would have maaaaaaaaaybe liked her new eye to match with her current red eye colour? Just an innocent suggestion, since, you know, its a bit of a waste to make a nice eye like that just to have your hard work covered by an eyepatch. Maybe she'd feel less inclined to do so if the eyes were matching, thus making it harder to tell the difference between the real and fake eye, where as green looks fake and unnatural? Take it from a fashion girl.



 So a call home suggests that derp might be dead, except its already established that due to Izumi's research into his past and family connections that its unlikely, so that was pointless... then...


 ...


 Wha... they just danced but then it was a dream and... that's a fantasy apparently? My lord Sakakibara you're really, really boring in baffling manner... but other then that... what was the point I mean... did they just need that scene to show that... He likes Mei, he's enjoying the freedom... I guess but... where else does he show that... I don't get it. It did give me something to watch over and over in complete bewilderment however, I would never expect so pointlessly random and immersion breaking in a show so thick with heavy atmosphere but... I mean I know I asked for a brief happy moment to make the despair more potent but... hope kinda has a point to it too, you know? Much as I don't fully understand and loathe it.


 After... that, they're on the roof talking about cooking and drawing and Yaaaaawn... so boring. I know they're building character and relationships, but I don't really see how cooking is supposed to pay off. Cooking! There's all these deaths going around and you're being treated as non-entities, can't you build your character and relationship by reacting to all that mess? Priorities!


 Then they go to the art club! Shiver in fear at the non-presence of the non-entities! Oh, I guess they're alloud to recognize Mei and they also really like her. Lemon screamer comes in though and tries to get the art club away for... some reason, I guess he didn't want to be in a room around people acknowledging Mei's existence. Fair enough but if Mei and he were in the art club, how did all that fair out before? Sounds rather awkward if I do say so myself!


 So the libraian talks about not wishing to leave the school after a perceived failing during one year of class 3-3's life when he was home room teacher... and he also explains that the force behind the deaths is less a malicious entity and more a natural entity, like a natural disaster.


 How boring. How are you supposed to feel despair and hate towards your hunter if you're hunter doesn't even hate you. Furthermore doesn't this curse revolve around dead spirits? Shouldn't they be carrying a whole lot of baggage about all this, preventing them from being all objective? If this were a natural process then this would happen elsewhere in the world. And it wouldn't be so needlessly complex. And it would have a point. If this phenomenon had malicious intent and demands to be met, then that would be all the point and sense you need. Cliche's are dumb but not making sense in avoidance of cliche's is even more retarded.


 So that's all I wanted to talk about here but...


 Oh hey look at the end and episode hook! The homeroom teacher walks in looking nervous and crazy, he's rambling on about despair driven defeatism, and he draws out a knife! Yeah! Kill someone with that! Oh the episode ends there so I'm coming back next time, obviously I mean I would anyway but finally something interesting! Where did this come from considering this character was barely even a background character before this point? Who cares look a knife, and he has deep, dark emotional baggage! Now THAT'S interesting and he only got, like, a minuet! Best character!


 Ahem well... this show entertains me more when it isn't trying to be serious and comprehensive. Because its become clear to me that this show will not work on a narrative level. Nope. Doesn't draw me in. It could turn itself around but... it really wont.
It might.
But it wont.
Horror! Just kill people! Thankfully I seem to be forgetting that this is happening on an episode by episode basis by now but... it really doesn't feel like it given the other character's reactions. Oh well. I'm still liking this more than Al because he doesn't fully enjoy gore, whereas I can't get enough of it. That's his problem, I mean, this show has lots of narrative problems that its laughable but... look! Atmosphere! Animation and beautifully shot scenes! Pointless annoying dance scene TEACHER WITH KNIFE! Some people are just so difficult to please. I hope this show gives up and degenerates into a meaningless massacre by the end.

[Stove]

*Reads the most recent episode review*
*Sees text*
Comprehended Version: BiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasComparingThisAnimeToDanganRonpaWhichIsSettingYourExpectationsEvenHigherBiasBiasBiasBiasBias BiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasSayingThisSucksBecauseIt'sNotAsGoodAsTheGodlyDanganRonpaBias.

[Deleted]

Jul 26, 2013 3:26:10 GMT Stove said:

*Reads the most recent episode review*
*Sees text*
Comprehended Version: BiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasComparingThisAnimeToDanganRonpaWhichIsSettingYourExpectationsEvenHigherBiasBiasBiasBiasBias BiasBiasBiasBiasBiasBiasSayingThisSucksBecauseIt'sNotAsGoodAsTheGodlyDanganRonpaBias.

 No s*** I'm bias it's where I come from! Its also fine to compare works of fiction, and Dangan Ronpa and Another are about the only one's I know right now, and the world god only knows has nothing to do with Another.


 I really am just about the most bias person on earth even more so than literally everyone else is, so don't get on your high horse just because my critical spectrum isn't perfect. I can't stand people like you who call people out on bias when they're clearly but hurt and worse still, are plenty bias themselves. Which is fine, it proves your human. And perhaps a child, given the presentation of your post.


 Besides didn't you know from reading? I like this anime. I'm allowed to poke fun at it either way though, as is anyone, at anything, because nothing is perfect. Even then this show is waaaaaaay below perfect which is fine, it's part of why I like it. The level of enjoyment one gets from a show has far more range than just 'like it, ignoring all imperfection' and 'hate it, ignoring all of the good things' you know!
I've never pretended that I've tried to be anymore than a work of comedy with very mild and bare bones genuine criticism. I exist mainly to nitpick and gauge how much despair I'm feeling, since that's what I'm best at. So that's what I'll keep on doing!


 I really am sorry though... I'll tone down the references to Dangan Ronpa. I've been watching a few more shows recently, and I'll start watching more after this to gain more points of reference. I can't expect all reactions to be positive but It's still sad to see negative criticisms...

[Stove]

I get comparing works of fiction to each other; I also know this anime is far from perfect, but comparing any horror anime you watch to Dangan Ronpa is just unfair.
I'd be suprised if anything in that sort of genre is found by any of us that we actually like MORE than DR.
Honestly I should rewatch this...
After I stop watching the rediculous insanity that is Sgt. Frog.