Rozen Maiden – 04
Aaaand back to tea time we go.
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…Wow, last week came and went extremely fast. Maybe it’s because I didn’t write a post for Makai Ouji this week, but I feel like it’s still Wednesday or something. Anyways, in comparison, Rozen Maiden is still continuing on it’s own pace. |
Shinku is back! …And there’s not much else to say. She treats the unwound Jun exactly how she treated the wound Jun, and her personality is the same as ever. It’s kind of funny (and yet, expected) how the unwound Jun somehow winds up complying with Shinku’s demands like the wound version did. They really are the same person deep down. Shinku’s appearance was useful for information… but sadly, I don’t think much else was accomplished this episode with her. It was basically just Shinku’s daily life in this world. Oh, but what she said about having 7 days left should make the plot a bit more interesting. Remember that she said that her body in this world is only temporary.
Another thing they never mentioned before, but mentioned in passing here, Suiseiseki and Suigintou are also kind of out of commission. If my memory serves correctly, Suiseiseki was trapped in the N-Feild due to Kirakishou using Souseiseki’s soulless body or something to lure her out. …Or maybe it was that Kirakishou made an illusion of Souseiseki to trap Suiseiseki, I can’t remember exact details. As for Suigintou, her medium was kidnapped by Kirakishou, and Suigintou followed her in there to get her back. Though that story will probably be covered in the next episode, since they’ll probably have Suigintou explain why she’s there.
In contrast to the trouble the dolls are having, Jun seems to be a bit happier at the moment. I’ve always liked the exchange between him and Saito in the store about the costume ideas and how to coordinate an outfit. Jun obviously has talent and he could put it to great use, so it’s unfortunate that the immaturity of his peers and pressure from society (or at least, the pressure in his head) set him back so much when he was younger. And I guess Jun’s happiness now comes from the fact that Shinku is present, if his monologue about winding and not winding is anything to go by. Of course, he’ll find more answers and directions in life as this arc continues on, but I can’t deny that the supernatural occurrences in unwound Jun’s life haven’t been somewhat positive.
Interestingly enough though, with Jun’s decision, Rozen Maiden never existed in his world in the first place. …Which raises some questions. From my understanding, I guess his decision changed the history of the world itself? The Alice Game has been going on for a really long time and I assume that there have been other mediums before Jun’s generation of them. From the way the dolls all have established ways of interacting with humans, I don’t think that this whole medium and contract thing is new for the Rozen Maiden. So I kind of have to wonder what the heck happened to the mediums before Jun when the Rozen Maiden were erased from existence in that world. Were they just erased from history too? As far as I know, the general history of the world is the same (other than Jun not winding). I just wonder how much changed overall.
…Though the series also mentions that there are multiple worlds (like, a countless number of them) and so I guess a world based entirely on one guy’s single decision isn’t so far fetched. Plus this isn’t really vital to the storyline, so they can be loose about details. The whole “Rozen Maiden never existed in the world due to your decision” thing is something that’s mentioned once and barely important to the plot line other than to explain why Shinku didn’t just go to another medium when Jun decided not to wind (and why she won’t be running into an alternate version of herself or anything here… as awesome as that might be). There’s only one of each Rozen Maiden doll for the entire span of worlds.
…And Kirakishou is the creepiest of them all.
Hmm, so not much to talk about this week other than what I already covered. Rozen Maiden isn’t a bad show at all, but I feel like nothing really happened this episode, to be honest. I was kind of hoping that they’d pick up the pace again. On the plus side though, watching Shinku be herself was great, and they kind of (but not really) explained a bit as to why she’s in the unwound world. Things should get back to how the first half of the story was soon(ish) with the dolls coming back. I know I said this the last episode, but I thought Suigintou would have made an appearance in here, even if it was at the end. …Obviously not though. I really hope the anime can find it in itself to put more than one chapter in an episode soon. Though I’m not getting my hopes up anytime soon since the next episode looks like it will involve flashbacks between Suigintou and her medium that weren’t present at this time in the manga.
And on that note, Suigintou WILL be back next week! Yaaaay!
About Karakuri
University student and the one at Metanorn who's known for wearing glasses. Likes blood, insanity and plot twists, but also plays otome games and adores cute romance anime. It balances out... somehow.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 95 comments
Yaaaay Suigintou and Megu next episode!!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I hope Suigintou gets most of the screen time next episode. I really like gothic, attractive and manipulative female characters. You know they’re bad news but you can’t resist their charm.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Suigintou is an… interesting character. The next episode should have a lot of her in it since this anime seems to like it’s long flashbacks, if Jun’s trauma is any indication.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Another slow episode. Hopefully the gothic Suigintou (I prefer her charming personality over Shinku’s bratty personality) will make everything worth it but other than that, I can’t really see where this is all going.
It honestly pisses me off how prissy, picky and ungrateful Shinku is, especially when she just ups and call people her servant without consideration. All that unnecessary complaining. Someone needs to tell her to be satisfied with what’s available and that she can’t have everything she wants.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Oh man, we have totally different opinions about Shinku. I think she’s just about perfect, and maybe I’m imagining it, but there seems to be a caring and concern in those long looks, that she’s not ungrateful, just haughty. I said in the first episode that I just loved her character, and this episode was the same way.
And all I’ve seen of Suigintou was her fight with Shinku in the first episode, but just from that, I didn’t like her. Maybe with more exposure, especially when she’s not solely antagonistic, I’ll like her more, but I’ll stay on the Shinku side for now.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
What Highway said. Shinku sees a lot and understands a lot, so there is concern there. However, her haughtiness prevents her from ever coming out and directly consoling or helping a person. Instead she’ll do something that’s pompous, but it’s her way of caring.
Hmmm, I don’t know how you’ll react to it Highway, but Suigintou’s relationship with her medium changes her character a lot. Plus her relationship with Shinku is cute in a way.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Uh, there’s some bickering ahead and Jun moving forward with his life a bit. Things don’t really get as -interesting- as the first episode was until Shinku’s 7 days are almost up (because anime timing is always the worst timing).
Eh, I find Shinku cute in a way. I don’t think I could ever live with someone like her myself, but I like seeing her interact with Jun.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
To me, this was really an excellent episode for atmosphere. It doesn’t hurt that I absolutely love Shinku’s character, and watching her inspection of Jun’s apartment with that impassive look, her patient waiting for him in the dark, even her instructing him about the tea, just added so much feeling to the show.
The development between Saitou and Jun was pretty good too. I do fear that something bad will happen to Saitou, just because this seems like the kind of show that’s not afraid to do that.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Nice for atmosphere, but sloooooooooooooooow. And there is no good place to stop this except the end of the arc, thus my concern.
Yeah, I think Saitou compliments Jun’s character really nicely. Hmmm, this was common knowledge in the manga (not so much here) but Kirakishou likes targeting mediums, not normal people. Saitou might get caught up in a bit, but the immediate concern should be for both versions of Jun.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
shinku…is so cute, i’m almost barfing raimbows! *-*
i never actually saw the manga…even though i wanted…it always got pushed back, i like it!
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
She is!!!
Hmm, the manga is better for a bunch of background knowledge. Though Jun can get kind of annoying at a lot of points due to him running away all the time and some of the dolls can get annoying too (in the first series of the manga). …Though I’d still suggest reading it since if you skip right to the second half, you’ll miss so much information.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
i will!thank for the advicce K-chan(i now proclaim you my k-chan!one day every member of meta-team is going to have their personal nick to me!is my strange and annoying way of caring…i just don’t have a lot of creativity) *w*9
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hahaha, awesome! Hey, if you ever see Karakuri and Kyokai Tag Teaming a post, just call them Kara no Kyokai. 😀
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Ahaha go ahead and call me that~! Nicknames are always welcome~ (*⌒∇⌒*)
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I think this is an interesting story. I did enjoy the first series, but one of the things I thought was good about it was the way it presented Jun as being very broken, and how he needed to be mended. Here we get a very different insight into the broken Jun, the one that was never properly mended. The battles between the dolls are fine, but I think Jun’s story gives the show its depth.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
I think you would enjoy the arc that goes on after this one with the younger Jun. Of course, we’re not going to see that animated this season, but maybe to help motivate you to pick up the manga…?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Also, the OP for this series is the second one to catch my fancy this season. The whimsical circus calliope-esque main figure along with the fairly subtle techno beat under the even more calliope style vocal line just sounds great. The only thing that I don’t really like is that there’s a distracting dirty guitar part near the end of the song… in just one side. But overall, just a lot of fun.