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threecheersforinking · 1 month

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Anime Review: Pluto

*this review is Spoiler free!*

Hi everyone! I'm back for the first time in a while with a review of Naoki Urasawa's Pluto anime that debuted on Netflix in the fall. Let's check it out!

Here's a short summary of the plot: Pluto focuses on a detective robot named Gesicht who is on the case of a serial killer who's targeting both beloved well known robots and humans who champion for robot rights. He hopes to find the killer while grappling with the knowledge that he is a target himself.

I think the series started off a little slow/rough, but I was hooked by the end of the first episode. The episodes are all 1 hour long, which allows for more time to develop the plot in each episode. As a mystery anime enthusiast, I thought the story was super compelling. The characters are all extremely likable, even if they appear for only a short time, and they all have memorable designs and characteristics. I was especially fond of Epsilon and Atom.

Something everyone should know going into this series is that Pluto is a retelling/reimagining of one storyline in the Astro Boy canon. Astro Boy is an extremely popular comic series in Japan that originated in the 1950s, and Naoki Urasawa was given permission to adapt the story in 2003. I’ve actually never seen or read anything about it, and I was worried at first that I'd be confused. However even though I had no prior knowledge of Astro Boy I had no issue following the story of Pluto. If anything, it just made me more curious about the original series and made me want to check it out later.

I will say, some of the animation in this series I was less than pleased with; during moments that in other anime would typically be higher budget, more detailed, or a higher frame rate, in some cases actually looked worse than the regular non-action scenes. This may be due to my personal gripe with the use of 3D models in 2D animation, so I'll write it up as a me thing for now. Either way, in my opinion the animation is definitely the least impressive aspect of this series.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable show and honestly a great introduction to Urasawa's works for someone who might not be familiar. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys mystery or sci-fi anime.

Thanks for reading!

-threecheersforinking

#anime #anime review #pluto anime #pluto #naoki urasawa's pluto #naoki urasawa #anime review blog #anime recs #mystery #mystery anime #netflix

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fishbaiit · 1 year

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𓁿 Anime of the day ༄

Mononoke

Genre: Psychological, horror, fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural

Languages: both sub and dub

1 season with 12 episodes

The “Medicine Seller” is a deadly and mysterious master of the occult who travels across Feudal Japan in search of malevolent spirits called Mononoke to slay. When he locates one of these spirits, he cannot simply kill it; he must find a form, it’s truth and regret in order to wield the mighty exorcism sword and fight against it. He must begin his exorcism with intense physiological analysis and investigate, having to first confront and learn about the Mononoke before he even has the means to defeat it.

꧁ • 𝒯𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓉𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 • ꧂

Fishbaiit’s note:

( I was mesmerized! This may not be for everyone, this this was one of the most captivating anime’s I’ve ever seen. It’s animation styles is so unique and the color choices were so abstract and explosive. The story was always compelling and suspenseful, truly was amazing. Unfortunately it’s so short and it went by before I could even realize that was it. I highly recommend it if you’re into psychological horror mystery ^^ )

#anime #anime recommendation #anime of the day #Mononoke #mononoke 2007 #psychological #psychological anime #psychological horror #fantasy anime #mononoke medicine seller #mystery anime #supernatural anime #supernatural #supernatural horror #anime gif #horror anime #psychological horror anime #highly recommend

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animehouse-moe · 7 months

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Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective Episode 2: The Case of the Locked-Room Piggy Bank Theft

With two episodes under its belt, the inner machinations and ideas of Ron as a series are better understood. Its formulaic approach and comedic routines are further exposed, and viewers get to grasp what the season as a whole will look like. And it looks like it's going to be a whole lot of fun, for quite a few different reasons.

Just to get it out of the way, I'll chat about the episode direction to start today. Where the previous episode focuses on three dimensional space through more nuanced depth of field and blur, this episode does so by placing objects in the foreground. It's a simple idea, but decidedly different from the previous episode as it uses something more concrete to create that awareness. Similarly, it has more angled shots compared to the flatter style of the first episode. Coincidentally, the usage of faceless characters appear, which I always think is a fun style since it presents the challenge of expression.

But lets talk story for this episode, the direction is pretty closely tied to the "gear" that the story's in.

We get exposition on Ron's past, actually. It's a really really cool idea, providing a fancy detective school that Ron attended where he was top of class... before he got kicked out for being attached to a string of suspicious deaths. Even more than that is the stake that Ron raises with the discussion of his past: if he's discovered to be doing detective work, he'll be put to death.

In concert with the talk of BLUE, we're reminded that Ron does not have his tattoo/mark on his neck during his early days. With his comment of being banned from BLUE, it brings forward the possibility of being a marking in relation to his expulsion. Can't say for sure, but what I am certain of is that we'll explore its origins and meaning at some point.

Let's talk humor though. Crass, heavy handed, and plain silly. Ron delivers in spades with things you'd not expect at all, and pieces you'd see coming from a mile away. This one's definitely the former.

However, with more of a taste for the humor with this second episode, you can begin to realize how pivotal the humor is to the mysteries. It's able to hide clues in plain sight, covering them up with the excessive comedy expressed largely by Ron. It's a really cool idea that plays to both extremes of the concept incredibly well.

And that's not all for the humor either, no. Diomeda isn't a bad studio, which is something quite a few people can't seem to agree upon sometimes. Regardless, they are able to deliver expressive and fluid cuts, just like this one. They don't comprise the episode by any means, but they add to the energy a good deal, keeping spirits high and momentum going.

I think that finally brings me to the formula though. Key pieces like Ron answering his door before Toto can knock, or the waffling of Ron during Toto's attempts at explanation, stuff like Ron laying down next to the dead bodies, and of course things like Ron ordering the suspects to die. They're all pieces of the routine that exist within this detective mystery series.

But they present a challenge. How can you make something that happens routinely interesting, how do you make it fun. Well, it's a two part answer for which we only have one piece. Subtle differences with heavy handed humor. Bringing intense energy and individuality to these pieces creates an identity, one that you'll associate with Ron. You'll grow accustomed to the introduction and its purpose. And that's where the second part will come in down the road: the shake up. We're only 2 episodes in so we won't see it yet, but the further we get into this series, and the more its behind the scenes scheming goes on, we'll see a changeup in the routine. Like I said though, that's still a ways away though, so I'm more than happy to savor what we have currently.

#ron kamonohashi #isshiki totomaru #totomaru isshiki #kamonohashi ron no kindan suiri #ron kamonohashi: deranged detective #ron kamonohashi's forbidden deductions #mystery anime #comedy anime #anime and manga #anime #anime reccs #anime recommendation #anime review

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doublesama · 5 months

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The biggest issue I had with Baccano! is that it has way too many "main" characters. Most of these characters aren't actually that important. And, some of them don't add anything of value to the plot.

#baccano #anime review #anime blog #anime series #mystery anime

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pillar-of-light · 1 year

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Anime suggestions? Im not sure what to watch next. Any genre will do

#anime #anime suggestions #anime recommendation #manga #sports anime #mystery anime #shonen anime #fantasy anime #comedy anime #horror anime #music anime

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ahb-writes · 1 month

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Yomiko Readman.

For collectors and hobbyists of all types, there are items, objects, or crafts one pursues with an acute, vulgar obsession (i.e., "white whale," "Holy Grail," "glorious purpose," etc.). Sometimes, this is passive; other times, it's dynamic. But as I unbox my latest haul of animation production artwork, I can scarcely believe I've successfully tagged "The Paper."

R.O.D. the TV is a wildly entertaining and dramatic anime series (even more so the precursor OVA), and I came upon a good amount of Yomiko art while hunting and tracking various auctions for anime art. In total, I nabbed a 43-sheet set of Yomiko and other characters, plus a 17-sheet set of Yomiko solo.

Additional recent finds (cel, douga, genga): Haruhi Fujioka (Ouran High School Host Club); Kiba (Wolf's Rain); Lina Inverse (Slayers); Armitage (Armitage III); Hitomi Kanzaki (Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea); Tuberov Bilmon (Gundam Wing); Taiki, Youka, others (12 Kingdoms); Mirai Yashima (Mobile Suit Gundam).

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rules-have-been-broken · 2 years

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spooky Anime recommendations for October (pt 1/2)

I figured since my old magical girl recommendation post keeps still going around, I’ve decided to do a new one + some personal recommendations for All Hallows’ month for y’all

A tame* spooky time

Interviews with monster girls

Rosario + vampire*

*harem

Is this a zombie?*

*harem, uhhhh parody ‘trap’ character

Invaders of the Rokujouma?!

*harem, I cannot for the life of me find a gif for it. But, imagine you move into an apartment already occupied (by a ghost), then a magical girl (that no one believes is actually a magical girl, and instead just an elaborate cosplayer), and other mystical beings begin to stake claim over said apartment and found family ensues.

Mystery Horror

Beautiful Bones

Shadows House

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia

Vivy: fluorite eye’s song

Brynhildr of darkness

Madoka Magica (series, movies, + Magia Record)

post 2

*by tame i mean no excess gore, mostly horror themes

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afabstract · 7 months

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Migi to Dali Episode 1 Review

Read our quick review of episode one of the 2023 anime series "Migi to Dali," which is about a pair of twins deceiving an elderly couple.

The phrase ‘twin-trouble’ perfectly describes twin brothers Migi and Dali from the 2023 Japanese anime series “Migi to Dali,” which is based on a manga series of the same name by Nami Sano. Set in 1989, Episode one introduces Migi and Dali as two orphaned twins who scheme their way into getting adopted by an aging wealthy couple. The twist? The couple only adopts one kid, known to them as…

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#Animation #ミギとダリ #Entertainment #Manga #migi and dali #migi to dali anime #migi to dali anime series review #migi to dali episode 1 review #migi to dali review #mystery anime #twins

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dawn-in-the--adan · 2 months

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higurashi no naku koro ni kai - op

#higurashi #higurashi no naku koro ni #higurashi no naku koro ni kai #when they cry #anime #horror anime #mystery anime #rika furude #hanyuu #keiichi maebara #rena ryuugu #mion sonozaki #shion sonozaki #satoko houjou #anime opening #anime edit #adan edits

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sir-klauz · 1 year

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what is with this guy whipping out a random Hatsune Miku cross dress on us all bc apparently it would be too suspicious for Mayumi undercover as a guy walking around without a girlfriend on his arm bc she turns out to be such a good looking guy so this dude decided to dress as Hatsune and pretend to be her fake girlfriend out of nowhere

(Mayumi before and after)

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threecheersforinking · 3 months

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Paranoia Agent: Anime Review

(spoiler free!)

Paranoia Agent has been on my to-watch list for a while, since I've seen all of Satoshi Kon's movies and generally like his work. I had a lot of mixed feelings about this show and want to talk about it, so let's get into it!

Here's a quick summary of the plot:

After work one evening, a popular young character designer stressed about her upcoming deadline gets suddenly assaulted by a young boy on rollerblades with a bat. Soon afterwards, various people all over the city begin to claim they have also been attacked by this boy, known by the media as 'shounen bat', and the citizens began to speculate whether shounen bat is real or a figment of the victims' imaginations.

Knowing that Satoshi Kon's other stories often focus on the disparity between reality/unreality/imagination, I was intrigued. I am critical of many of his portrayals of individuals with mental illness in these stories, but overall enjoy the way he writes about the uncertainty between what is real life and what is not. With this show, the audience is in the same position as the characters. The entire time, you will be questioning who shounen bat really is, and why he exists.

I thought this anime was great for the first couple episodes, but around episode 7, it really stagnates and the quality drops significantly, in my opinion. To me the show seemed like it was reaching its climax at that point, but this is a 13 episode show, so I knew there had to be more of the story left. The episodes in between episode 7 and the finale aren't bad by any means, they just seem to disrupt the flow set by the first several episodes. This is just my opinion though, I'm sure some people may disagree about the pacing issues.

This is a side note, but I also think this show has one of the most unsettling opening songs/animations I've ever seen in anime. It's just deeply unsettling, lol. I don't know how else to describe it. This is a good thing though, I think it captures the mood of the show perfectly.

Overall, if you like some of Satoshi Kon's other works and are curious about Paranoia Agent, I'd say it's definitely worth a watch, but it's not something I'd necessarily recommend, especially to anyone who isn't familiar with Kon's directorial style. But that's just me.

Thank you for reading!

-threecheersforinking

#anime #anime review #anime review blog #paranoia agent #mousou dairinin #satoshi kon #anime recs #shounen bat #manga #perfect blue #psychological anime #horror anime #psychological thriller #mystery #mystery anime

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pixelatedanimereviews · 7 months

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Fall 2023 Plan to Watch

Happy Fall Ya'll

As today is the first day of fall, and the last season of anime for 2023 is fast approaching, I figured there was no better time to list out what we'll be watching for the Fall 2023 Season.

This is in by no means order of rank, just how they got colleged together. All in all, we'll be starting the season with 25 shows and 4 (at the time of posting) that we'll be keeping an eye on for an official release as they still haven't been picked up.

Spy x Family Season 2 《Action ▪︎ Childcare ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} If you haven't seen Spy Family (btw I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be Spy vs Family, but whatever) then that's on you I guess. Like you still have time to go watch season one, and you should because it's about to get good! I'm just excited for some good comedy mixed with just the right amount of James Bond style action.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End 《Adventure ▪︎ Drama ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Magic》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Sept 29th} I first heard about Frieren from one of Gigguk's videos when he was talking about the manga. I love me some true fantasy anime, and I have a feeling that if the anime is as good as the manga is, that I'll be writing probably several think pieces about it.

The Kingdoms of Ruin 《Action ▪︎ Adventure ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Gore ▪︎ Sci-fi》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 6th} The premise of Machine vs Magic/revenge plot seems really interesting, and I'm intrigued by the Gore tag.

The Vexations of a Shut-in Vampire Princess 《Fantasy ▪︎ Vampire ▪︎ Comedy》 {HiDive ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} This looks like silly nonsense, and we love the "Vampire that doesn't drink blood" troop.

I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness《Fantasy ▪︎ Romance ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 4th} This title is a mouthful, but I'll forgive it as long as there is a good amount of sassy comedy.

The Apothecary Diaries 《Drama ▪︎ Historical ▪︎ Medical ▪︎ Mystery》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 21st} I know a lot of people are super excited for this show. We really enjoyed Raven of the Inner Palace and are excited to see more shows just like it. The animation and artwork in the promo video look gorgeous, so we'll see if it lives up to the hype.

The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2 Part 2 《Fantasy ▪︎ Magic ▪︎ Mythology ▪︎ Slice of Life》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 5th} I'm so ready for this part 2! We fell in love with series back when season one first started airing. The art, the world building, the characters and their growth, and the mix of mythology is just so perfect! So excited to get to be back in this world and experience the journey it takes us on!

Ragna Crimson 《Action ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Isekai 》 {HiDive ~ First Episode Aires Sept 30th} Dragons. That is all.

Undead Unluck 《Action ▪︎ Supernatural ▪︎ Comedy》 {Hulu ~ First Episode Aires Oct 6th} Look, all I know is that the last couple of anime that Disney has acquired have been bangers so I'm not going to miss out on this either.

I'm in Love with the Villainess 《Fantasy ▪︎ Girls' Love ▪︎ School ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} This is one of two Yuri that we are getting this season. This one looks to be silly and goofy, and I'm always down for some silly girls love fun!

Butareba - The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig - 《Fantasy ▪︎ Isekai ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} This.........I mean why not. As long as it doesn't take an Inukai-san's Dog turn then I'm sure it'll be entertaining. I'm hoping for my sanity that it's just wholesome fun.

I Shall Survive Using Potions! 《Fantasy ▪︎ Isekai ▪︎ Reincarnation 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} You know, every seasons got have at least 3 dumb, turn your brain off, lazy writing but oddly fun Isekais. This will probably be mine for the season.

FLCL: Grunge 《Action ▪︎ Avant-garde ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Mecha ▪︎ Sci-fi》 {Max (HBO) or Adult Swim ~ Currently Airing (Sept 8th)} Oops, I guess I'm already behind. Oh well! I'm also adding Shoelace to this as well because it aires in a couple of days (Sept 30th), but other than an article saying that it'll be on Toonami there's no official release posting for it. Anyways, I'm excited to see it, as that grunge punk artsy look is something I don't see often, but I enjoy it when I do. I heard the last two spin-offs didn't do great so I'm hoping these don't fall flat.

Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange 《Action ▪︎ Adult Cast ▪︎ Drama》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Sept 30th} I'm going to give this 3 episodes. I'm hoping for some intense drama, but have a feeling that this will feel like one of those "cop propaganda" shows that are prolific here in the US.

Shy 《Action ▪︎ Drama ▪︎ Super Power》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} Who doesn't love a shy Super Hero trying to overcome their shyness to save to help maintain the safety of the world! I'm gonna give it at least 3 episodes because this could either be really good or really bad.

KamiErabi GOD.app 《Action ▪︎ High-Stakes Game》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 4th} I was really worried at first that this was going to be some kind of spin-off of King's Game. None that the synopsis is out, we're worried it'll be some kind of mash-up between King's Game and Platinum End. I want to be wrong. Please, let me be wrong.

16bit Sensation: Another Layer 《Adult Cast ▪︎ Otaku Culture ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Workplace》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 4th} Hehe haha, twist of fate, now you work on this hentai game in order to help us save the studio and also your job. I'm just enough of a degenerate that I'll probably enjoy this.

Migi & Dali 《Mystery ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} Mystery Comedy? Spooky twin boys that pretend to be one boy. Huh.

Protocol: Rain 《Drama ▪︎ Video Games》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} Take the "High School Idol group that's trying to save their school" troop, but make it e-sports, net boys, and the net cafe that "saved" them. Hoping it'll be interesting.

My New Boss is Goofy 《Adult Cast ▪︎ Slice of Life ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Workplace》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} I don't know why, but a part of me was hoping that this man's boss was actually Goofy, but it's not Disney Jailed so there was, not gonna lie, a bit of disappointment when I realized that wasn't the case. I'll still watch it. Just means that I'll have a few less "Hyuck" jokes when I do my review.

A Girl & Her Guard Dog 《Romance ▪︎ School》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Sept 28th} We are...apprehensive about this one, but will give it at least 3 episodes, but if it gives us the creeps due the Age-Gap Romance troop then will probably drop it.

Stardust Telepath 《Girls' Love ▪︎ School ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Supernatural 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 9th} This is the other comedy Yuri this season, but this one has an alien girl instead!

Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductuons 《Detective ▪︎ Mystery 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} Wow are we a sucker for these kinds of shows. However, we've seen these swing from really good to truly awful. Hopin' I don't have to drop this one.

The Family Circumstances of the Irregular Witch 《Fantasy ▪︎ Slice of Life ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Supernatural 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 1st} A funny, lighthearted story about a Witch and her silly little human she raises. This will probably be what I watch to wind down in the evening.

Tearmoon Empire 《Drama ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Romance ▪︎ Time Travel》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} Ah, the old is Time Travel just Isekai debate. We, for one, do not think that it is as it's still that same world even if time has changed. That aside, there isn't enough of these one world time travel shows these days, so it'll be interesting to see how this one shakes out.

These are the 4 that, at time of posting, do not have an official release (streaming or other media) to the US

The Four Brothers of Yuzuki - Where are there parents? Who is the main brother this story is about? Will there be overwhelming merchandise of these brothers who look the same but are different ages as well? These are the important questions that may never get answered.

Paradox Live - I don't know why, but for some reason, I'm getting DMMD vibes off these guys. I love DMMD. Why is this not available here in the US?

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You - I very vaguely remember playing this clicker idol game. Kinda sad I probably won't get to see how this show turns out.

You Were Experienced, I Was Not: Our Dating Story - Experienced how? I need to know! Don't keep secrets!!

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animehouse-moe · 9 months

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Undead Girl Murder Farce Episode 5: The Immortal of London

I know, you know, we all know. Undead Girl Murder Farce sits atop this season twirling its crown around its head. Rather than resting on its laurels and taking credit for all that it's done, it reaches higher, it digs deeper, bringing us closer to the goal of the Oni Hybrid and Bodiless Immortal. And by God if I don't want to gush about how much I love this episode more than anything else in the world at this moment.

The episode opens with Arsène Lupin stealing The Phantom of The Opera alongside a specific ruby, so we're treated to quite the farce of a conversation. A really great personification of the sentiment of this story, and an interesting opposition to Aya and Tsugaru. Also Mamoru Miyano as Lupin is just an insanely good fit.

Also also, if it wasn't clear, both these people are not explicitly human. They weren't exactly all that subtle about naming conventions here, as Arsène Lupin translates to "Male Wolf". Though I should also say, it isn't this anime that gives Lupin his namesake, but French author Maurice Leblanc.

It's right about now that I started getting goosebumps about where this piece was going. Arsène Lupin is frequently stated to be the French counterpart to Sherlock Holmes, who just so happens to be working this case. Not only that, but we have Aya Rindo in on it.

This is Yugo Aosaki putting his wit in contention with the greats of the detective world. An arc all about challenging himself as a creator by pitting his characters against the giants in the history of detective novels.

I don't know if people really understand that. It's like if you made a superhero and placed them in the same story as Superman and Batman. It's like if you stuck a character of your own making in between Mickey Mouse and Popeye. The sheer confidence. No, not even. The scale of the challenge in balancing the world of the greats alongside your own is something else entirely. It's not Aosaki borrowing the personalities of authors for the basis of their characters, but bringing in historical greats to provide the foundation for the detective equivalent of Dark Horse and DC vs Marvel.

Anyways, rant over, take a look at these super pretty layouts from Lupin and The Phantom.

The idea of Lupin being in Sherlock's silhouette/shadow is just such a great piece. I love it. Also, the consistency in characterization through visuals? I actually can't get enough. Lupin and The Phantom are almost always shown from a side profile. It's just so subtle yet so good. Such a great detail to provide life to a character through things as simple as positioning and angles.

Anyways, look at Tsguaru's silly little walk here. The man is so deeply unserious and showboat-y that you can't help but love him.

In terms of more serious pieces though, I loved this pseudo first person view of Tsugaru from a perspective similar to Aya's. The camera movement really sells the fact that it's supposed to be her looking up at him.

And finally, we reach our first rival. And he doesn't disappoint at all. Right away, his quick wits and observations are put on full blast as he analyzes Aya, Tsugaru, and Shizuku at a glance. It's such a great cut that immediately sells this character's observational ability. The way he looks over Shizuku sharply, reasoning that she carries a weapon, while Tsugaru is a more casual gaze that traces his blue vein. It tells the story of the fact that Holmes (who we do not know is Holmes at this point in time) is wary of the empty handed maid carrying something large, and is more relaxed about the person carrying a bird cage.

The entire approach to how analytical Holmes' is is just impeccable. I love it, all the little details and the focus on his gaze and how it shifts and softens or hardens depending on what he's presented with.

And then of course there's this scene of the unknown duo from Aya's perspective. Absolutely love how they dance around the fact that it's Sherlock Holmes and Watson in this whole exchange. So creative and well done.

Anyways, our pair of duos gets apprehended by Scotland Yard and they become frenemies in their brief carriage ride together. Absolutely love how they compare and contrast Aya and Holmes through various cuts and that they are in competition with one another. Aya is the first to make note of the redness on the hands of an actual pair of delinquents, while Holmes is the one that correctly deduces what it is they were carrying. Really commendable work to have such a solid back and forth.

Also, the fact that Aya is looking downward while Holmes holds his gaze upwards. Just great visuals to set in stone their rivalry and opposition to one another.

Moving forward, the reveal of Sherlock Holmes is made in the carriage, and is quite funny at that. But it does its job and doesn't linger. Rather, we move onto a pair of characters we've only been teased about, our duo of vampires shown at the end of the previous episode. It's interesting because at least between the two of them, there doesn't seem to be any sort of incredibly strong bond or history. Which is even more surprising due to them both being vampires. Of course, the piece that gets me with this moment isn't the odd conversation between the pair, it's the ending cut of Moriarty. It's hard to convey with just a gif, but the way that the woman vampire greets Moriarty at the beginning of the cut, and it continues up until where it ends, there's just something so satisfying with how it reaches past where you expect it to.

Alright, so we now arrive at the mansion that is the source of this mystery: Phileas Fogg and the Penultimate Night. There's a lot to take in, but this cut is absolutely my favorite. The way it makes use of the conversation and building layout to create something so simple yet so striking is just wonderful.

From here however we flip to and from Lupin and The Phantom and our group at Fogg's mansion. For the sake of clarity I'm going to see through the cuts of the former before returning to the latter.

We immediately open with our two phantoms in a very unique layout. Definitely adore the depth of the layout, but more than that appreciate how they immediately immerse us in Lupin's sensibilities as we see (presumably) stolen art in the room alongside all sorts of plans regarding the mansion.

Now, how did they get plans for the mansion? As it turns out that question is answered later on in the episode as Fogg bought it from the Temple Church, rather than having it built himself.

The layouts in this sequence are just plain satisfying as Lupin and Erik dance around one another in conversation. Also, for those that are curious about the order of events, there's conveniently a clock placed in the room during Erik and Lupin's conversation, and we get a few looks at Big Ben throughout the episode.

Alright, back to the mansion. Right away, it's established how crowded and full this mystery is with people eager to solve and stop it before it can occur. While not of the highest fidelity, the bold decision to separate the characters on the x and y axis rather than just one of them provides a more loose sense of how "together" this group is. That is, they're joined by circumstance, not purpose.

Also, here's a really interesting scene. Yes, the chairs obstructing parts of the characters is one thing, but pay attention to the layering of characters here. Our newest addition, the one that thinks themselves above shaking the hand of Fogg is the one that appears at the front of the group intruding upon Fogg's mansion. Following that we have Holmes and Aya on the same layer, then their subordinate/partner in Watson and Tsguaru. Following that we have the loose stragglers alongside Shizuku, who always separates herself when involved in mysteries.

Speaking of that congested and overfilled feeling, this cut of the group walking in a cramped hallway conveys it incredibly well.

As I'm running out of space for images, I'm going to speed things along and just make mention of loose ideas.

Firstly, there's an interesting detail on the massive pillar that exists in the middle of the massive basement lurking beneath Fogg's mansion. To me, it seems like two people (possibly even children) holding hands. Considering that the space is called the Chamber of Additional Crimes, one can only wonder. Especially since there's only a sole throne within the massive empty space.

What is more interesting however is the fact that the silver box, the throne that it's sat upon, and the pillar that creates the exterior of the chamber all share similar design language. Apparent on the exterior of the chamber and on the silver box is the design of flowers. An oddly specific choice considering they should have nothing to do with one another.

Breezing onward, Aya reads aloud the inscription (which pertains to werewolves) on the Penultimate Night that Fogg produces from the silver box, and we're treated to some very out there visuals once more. The confidence in the exploration of color and oddity to complement detailed exposition is really something else. Works incredibly well to keep viewers engaged with what they see as well as what they hear.

During an explanation on the history of the gem, we also get treated to a surprisingly stylized piece of art depicting the battle between werewolves and dwarves. Was very surprised to see it, but I really like the style.

We make a brief stop back in with Moriarty for some conversation, and get treated to a wild Edward Allen Poe (alongside others). Nothing of note really, but I did want to point it out.

We quickly return back to Holmes and Aya, and a really interesting exchange (if you can call it that) takes place. Holmes talks confidently about his observations and their meanings, while Aya takes the silent backseat and explores the details of the chamber. It's a great and subtle piece regarding the approaches of each of the detectives and how their personalities influence their interaction in regards to the mystery.

It's also during Holmes' explanation that we get this interesting piece. For whatever reason Watson and Holmes are shown separated by Tsugaru's hand. I know it's not at all likely, but given the separation I can't help but feel like there's a chance it's trying to tell viewers that Watson is a traitor/spy.

And the episode's end. Ishikawa Goemon. For those who don't know (like myself 15 minutes ago), Ishikawa Goemon is Japan's Robin Hood equivalent. More specifically though, Aya is undoubtedly referencing a Kabuki play in which Goemon appeared in. In my research the only one that remains popular to this day is The Golden Gate and The Paulownia Crest. Realistically, it does make sense as the chamber has a golden gate. For those interested I'd definitely recommend taking a look into the plot of the play.

Either way, we've reached the end. I've talked about so much and so many different pieces here that I can hardly tell up from down and left from right in the thoughts. It's a damn good episode. A damn good episode. And I think I'll leave it at that.

#undead girl murder farce #アンデッドガール・マーダーファルス #mystery anime #supernatural anime #anime recommendation #anime review #anime and manga #anime

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