Welcome to Anime Rants! Here are some of my thoughts and notes on four anime currently airing in Fall 2020.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou
Episodes 8-9
This installment was the end of the Mion/Shion arc. It was slightly anticlimatic. It is also quite a different story than the Mion/Shion arc in Higurashi (2006). There were many differences, such as Mion/Shion locking Keiichi away in a secure cell, supposedly to keep him safe. Even I am not sure whether that was Mion or Shion, but I expect there will be an “Answer Arc” later in the series. I was sympathetic to “Mion” for locking up Keiichi, though I don’t consider it right. I also don’t know if she actually meant to harm him later. It was a highly interesting episode.
Episode 9 is the start of Satoko’s arc. It was so far quite similar to other versions. Satoko and Keiichi got to know each other, but the episode ends with the return of Teppei Hojo, the abusive uncle. It was a fine installment. I like Satoko and seeing her happy was great. It’s always a but difficult to watch the arc where she gets abused, but I’ll bear with it.
Majo no Tabitabi (The Journey of Elaina)
Episodes 8-9
I thought this episode was mildly entertaining, though over the top. The culprit who had been stealing hair was quite the character. Ironically, I loved the way Elaina looked with short hair. Elaina’s anger at the Ripper was funny. At this point in the series, it’s clear that there won’t be a lot of truly interesting or thought-provoking content. However, it’s still enjoyable as a light-hearted and colorful little adventure anime.
Just kidding. The next episode suddenly turned incredibly dark and violet. Even with the warning for mature content at the start, I wasn’t expecting such a gruesome outcome. The episode also served as a slap in the face for Elaina’s pride, leaving her shaken, humbled, and weeping at the end. It was a grim episode but I appreciated it.
Kamisama ni Natte Hi (The Day I Became A God)
Episodes 7-8
Episode 7 was about filming Sora’s movie for the film club. It was fun to watch the comedy and chaos as everyone tried to play their parts. Meanwhile, Hiroto is still using his powers and intellect to find out about the mysterious Dr. Korogi. At the end, he finds the professor’s notebook, and a picture of Hina is inside. Just as expected, Dr. Korogi is probably a relative of Hina and may have given her those powers. Only 6 days left until the end of the world.
Episode 8 revealed a lot of important facts about Hina’s past and family. Yota and Hina even went to visit Hina’s father, who abandoned her due to her terrible condition having Logos Syndrome. It was a very interesting episode overall. The major mysteries still remain, however. What is the so-called end of the world that’s coming? How did Hina suddenly heal from the syndrome and attain her godlike power? I’ll have to wait and see.
Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Episodes 7-8
While episode 7 wasn’t too bad, and had some cool moments, it still felt a bit anticlimatic. Thanks to Makoto, Shadow, and the Red Angels, the war was stopped before it became serious. One thing that caught my interest was how King said that Makoto was always pretending to be a nice guy, implying that Makoto does have a dark side somewhere. I hope this topic is expanded in the coming episodes.
Episode 8 was a heavy and beautiful episode, and my favorite so far. It focused on the single mother Yui and her issues raising her son Kazushi alone. Ryouichi of the Red Angels wants to help her since she is a fan of his dancing and because he cares about families. He enlists Makoto’s help. Thanks to Makoto and his mother, Yui is saved from a man who would have gotten her into the sex industry she didn’t want. Topics like child abuse due to stress, social services benefits, and the great struggle of being a single mother were also covered. I truly appreciated this episode.
Thanks so much for reading and please stay safe and well!
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