Diabolik Lovers – 03

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These characters have way too much spare time on their hands.

…Do the brothers even do anything? Seriously, all we’ve seen them do is stand around the house casually (occasionally together, if something interesting is happening) and we’ve seen them eat once. I guess they’re vampires, but their lives seem pretty boring when they’re not harassing people. Anyways, I can hardly believe that we’re 3 weeks into this. The other anime of the season haven’t even started yet, and this is like, 1/4th over already.

Here I was expecting the story to expand on the triplets more, but I guess Shu is fine too. He explained the family division neatly as well this episode, which I expected Reiji to go into if nobody else did. So yeah, they’re a rather divided family, despite the fact that they all live and go to school together. Anyways, back to Shu. If you couldn’t tell, he’s a bit… odd. Or at least, I can’t say I know that many people who would be too lazy to take off their clothes for a bath. Though more than that, I wanted to know if Shu’s music player could atill function if he got it wet, considering that he seems too lazy to take that off too. Clearly, this was the most important question raised by the episode.

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As is the fact that either Yui is extremely slow at changing clothes, or Shu has magical instant-drying powers.

There’s quite a bit to Shu past, as you saw in the flashbacks, but I don’t know how much the story will go into that if they’re going to reveal it all now. Well, for sure I can say that Shu used to be friends with a human named Edgar, who then died in a rather mysterious fire (which I assume they’ll go into later. …Maybe). Long story short, he’s another character who was screwed over in his childhood, and that haunts him to this day. Shu’s different from the triplets in the sense that he’s not as obviously a sadist like them, but as you saw from the episode, he’s not exactly nice either. I’d take Shu breaking the mirror in the first episode as him directing everyone’s attention off Yui, but in the end, he’s still out for her blood too. He just doesn’t want anything more to do with Yui than that (for now, due to reasons; mostly because his one human friend died in a fire).

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His face was too mature for a show about abusive vampires to handle.

Maybe if I was more emotionally invested in this show (you know, as opposed to using it as a comedy), I would have felt differently about the struggle this episode. As it stands though, watching Ayato and Shu fight over Yui was just really… cliche, I guess. Of course, they’re treating Yui like property more than anything romantic, but still, it boils down to the fact that harem members are fighting over a girl. Ayato’s part in this I get, since he has that superiority complex and has to be number one at absolutely everything, but Shu isn’t exactly the person I would expect to bother taking up challenges like that. Well, I guess he participated in Ayato’s challenge due to Reiji saying a bit too much (I’m not entirely sure, but I think that Shu and Reiji have a strained relationship), but being in a competition, let alone for Yui, seems rather unlike what we’ve seen from his character …Or maybe that’s just because I haven’t gotten to Shu’s route yet. If anything, I bet it was due to Reiji calling him spineless. In any case, there was less plot this episode. Or at least, less hints of this overarching plot that I assume they’re going to have. When they put it like that, this seems a bit more like the game, where it’s just a bunch of S fanservice with little connecting it all. …Is ‘S fanservice’ even a thing? Well, I guess it is with this show…

…And as a final note, I told you that Kanato was a psychopath.

Hmmm, I think I like this better when it’s pretending that it has a plot. This episode was closer to the game formula (kind of), but just watching two guys (kind of) fight over the heroine just felt really… mindless, I guess. It felt like petty drama as opposed to anything important happening. Not that anything really important has happened yet outside of the first episode, but aside from the diary entries disappearing (and Ayato claiming Yui), nothing seemed to connect to anything else that’s happened so far. It seems really weird that Yui now “belongs” to Shu too, though that might just be because his character doesn’t seem that proactive to begin with. …Yeah, maybe it’s not the fact that the vampires took  turns owning Yui this episode that I have issues with, it’s the fact that the chain of events somehow went from Ayato to Shu. Is she eventually going to come under the ownership of all of them or something at some point? If so, I guess Shu going first makes sense, since I doubt he would bother even trying if the competition was bigger (and therefore, more troublesome). He’s invested now (I guess), so him keeping interest in Yui later makes sense.

On one hand, restricting the character interaction like that kind of makes sense, considering that the game was entirely one on one with barely any interaction from the other characters. For the most part though, I can see this formula getting old pretty fast if the brothers try to solve all their sharing issues through competition every episode or something like that. It was okay this episode, but I don’t know about it if they keep it up. Though of course, I’m ready to be proven wrong if they can make this work without making it seem petty. …Assuming that they even use this plot formula.

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…It looks like it’s Laito’s turn the next episode. This should be… interesting.

About

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.
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49 Responses to “Diabolik Lovers – 03”

  1. Di Gi Kazune says:

    Triple 20… Triple 20… Triple 20. 180!

    Darts is a good sport.

  2. BlackBriar says:

    Anyways, I can hardly believe that we’re 3 weeks into this. The other anime of the season haven’t even started yet, and this is like, 1/4th over already.

    That’s what happens when you let a series start half a month early. I wonder what the rush was. Anyway, 15 minutes every time always makes it feel something is being cut out.

    Based on last week’s preview, I thought the focus would be on Kanato instead of Shu. With the most of the siblings born from different mothers, it kind of makes sense why they can’t relate and with Reiji calling Shu a deadbeat, it’s a safe bet some don’t approve of the others based on who they’re descended from. Deadbeat is right, though. I can’t believe anyone could be so lazy they’d still be clothed going into the bathtub. If he’s like this, what’s his reason for even being alive?

    • Karakuri says:

      …I can’t provide much background on Shu, since I’m far away from his route (still on Ayato) and you seriously don’t see the other characters very often aside from their routes. But, uh, maybe his laziness is supposed to be charming? I don’t know.

      • BlackBriar says:

        Well then it’s causing an opposite effect because it makes him look useless and irresponsible. Sheesh, I have a feeling that would be something Reiji would say.

        • Karakuri says:

          Well, he’s certainly the low tension type.

          …I’m pretty sure that’s a dating sim character cliche (you know, there’s normally the tsundere, the childhood friend, the older character, the shota or loli character…, etc)

  3. Soul says:

    sentai has licensed this anime! this show’s gonna get a dub woohoo! I’m so happy right now :D!

    • BlackBriar says:

      But right now, it’s been claimed by Crunchy Roll along with several other anime names this season. Strike the Blood recently joined the group as well and it starts later today. I can’t wait!!

      • Highway says:

        Generally, if Sentai licenses a show in the US prior to broadcast, it will end up on CrunchyRoll. They’re not the same company, but they tend to run in the same circles.

        They don’t necessarily do a dub, tho. Unless it’s announced separately, their release will be subs generally.

        • BlackBriar says:

          To my knowledge, I’ve never watched a dubbed anime from Sentai. So far, I hear it has a bad reputation in that section.

      • Highway says:

        Oh, and CR has a boatload of shows already announced, and they’re not done announcing. Last season, half of what I watched was on CR, and this season feels like even more.

        • BlackBriar says:

          CrunchyRoll has acquired so many names this season that I’ve lost count of the number.

    • Japaninspired says:

      Ugh, I hate dubs in any forms. Expecially when anime is dubbed. I’ve seen a few, because I was curious. But they gave a different feeling to the characters, which I felt isn’t right.
      Maybe because I admire seiyuu’s so much, I cant really imagine removing something, that creates the character.

      But it will be interesting to see how the dub ver. of Diabolik Lovers will look.

    • Namika says:

      A dub, yaaay~ <3
      And I found out yesterday, that Titans were licensed by FUNimation. That's amazing, isn't it?

      • BlackBriar says:

        Actually, that was announced a long time ago. Funimation was simulcasting Attack on Titan during its entire run. They did the same with Blood-C, Dance in the Vampire Bund, Date A Live, Hataraku Maou-sama!, Jormungand (and Jormungand: Perfect Order), Mirai Nikki, Psycho-Pass, Robotics;Notes, Senran Kagura and Shiki.

        • Namika says:

          I had no idea, actually. So cool ^_^

          • BlackBriar says:

            FUNimation knows big name, popular animes when they see them. If I’m looking for anything dubbed, it would be one of their works.

  4. Japaninspired says:

    I don’t know if they are changing the “plot” a but.In the game, Shu wasn’t really interested in Yui, he was trying to scare her off. Since, you can already guess, he doesnt want to be friends with another weak human. And he drank her blood only when he “won” her in the darts game, to show everyone that she’s his.

    At the darts game, it seemed that Shu really cared for Yui, but it was more likely that Shu doesnt like to be called lazy and good-for-nothing. That is because Show ▼

    And as for his relationship with Raito Show ▼

    • Liza says:

      That bastard. Stupid Raito. Good thing I never liked him. XD

      • BlackBriar says:

        As far as I’m concerned, none of them deserve anyone liking them. One is no better than the next, each one is screwed in their own personal way.

        By the way, Liza, welcome to the top 15 commentators!

        • Liza says:

          Very true. Personally, I just need to root for one of the guys in an otome adaptation so I’m more or less leaning towards the least messed up one. XD

          And thanks! ^_^ I vow to get as many comments as you one day BlackBriar! XD

      • Japaninspired says:

        It was Reiji, not Raito. I guess I was too tired then I was typing the previous comments, so I messed up with their names.
        Sorry.
        Thanks to Karakuri-san, who pointed that out.

    • Karakuri says:

      Ah, did you ever finish his route? I remember you saying that you weren’t done it before the anime started… That’s good background info though.

      Oh really? That was Laito? I could have sworn that I read somewhere that it was Reiji who did that.

      • Japaninspired says:

        Yeah, I didn’t play it when the anime started, but I pushed myself even thought I don’t have much time on games right now. But I’m stuck with random things again, so I havent finished it yet, but I’m close.

        Oh, did I say Raito? Whoops, sorry. Wow, can’t imagine what made me mix that up. Thanks for pointing it out.

  5. Namika says:

    Okay, I really liked Shuu. Compared to the others, he seems like a most normal one. Sure, not a gentleman, but at least he doesn’t call her rude names or anything. And he probably has an inferiority complex, too. Because he was so easily provoked by Reiji, and teased Yui the way he did.

    I hope it won’t become a slightly more sadistic Amnesia, though. As you said, if they will take turns with strictly one character per episode, it will be so bad T^T But I don’t mind fighting over her. After all, 1 girl can’t be easily shared between 6 guys, who, apparently, hate each other.

    • Karakuri says:

      Shu is probably the second kindest. Though apparently he’s all for injuring Yui too, so he’s not too nice.

      Uhhh well, Ayato wasn’t down and out this episode (and I highly doubt he’d fully let Yui go because of one loss), so maybe there will be fighting. I know the Laito isn’t overly opposed to 3somes (or any number of -somes, really), so I assume that will play a part too (maybe).

  6. Liza says:

    Shuu is adorable! In a weird way… Well, he seems alright compared to some of the other guys! XD

    Overall the episode was the same old, same old to me. Yui gets manhandled by a guy, cue neck biting and then flashback! It’s fine for now but hopefully it will get spiced up a bit more? I can see it with Raito….

    And I’ve been wondering, did Yui actually take a bath in the end? 0_o. Or did she just change clothes?

    Also I’m really proud of myself because I got my friend to watch this and she’s upset with me for introducing this to her and now she’s going to be watching it every week and we will have *ahem* serious discussions about the events that transpire. And I might have convinced her to cosplay this with me.

    • Karakuri says:

      Oh right, the blood sucking and flashbacks. …Man, if they put some of the more S things in here, maybe that would change up the formula a bit. Or maybe I just really want to see Yui suffer more.

      Uh, I think she probably changed clothes. I can’t see her willingly taking a bath with any of the brothers at this point in the story.

      AHAHAHA corrupting your friends? Nice!

  7. Liza says:

    Spammy ate my long post. -_-

  8. anaaga says:

    So how is the anime going to fit all the crazy stories of the brothers in 12 episodes?

    And man, watching this anime is like watching an indirect porn or borderline hentai. All the bloodsucking noise and moans make me blush so hard to the point where my roommate teased me about it.

    • BlackBriar says:

      Hahaha, it comes with the territory, my friend. That tension is detailing the sexual aspects of vampirism, especially when you think on the parts where the fangs are piercing into the human’s neck. As for Yui moaning, while it looks like she’s in pain, it could mean her libido is overriding her sense of self because in some lore, being bitten by a vampire is supposed to be the ultimate pleasure. I mean, with what I’ve seen, whenever someone gets bitten, they start to blush.

      • anaaga says:

        Though I can understand why Yui becomes sexually excited whenever she gets bitten *cough*, I wish the whole episode has something else except that and the boys fighting for Yui like mad. And flashbacks. I’m getting tired of the flashbacks

        • BlackBriar says:

          I think the flashbacks serve to show they’ve all been screwed up by something.

    • Soul says:

      No wonder sentai licensed it!!! Sentai always goes for ecchi titles (like HOTD, Majkoi) but Funimation always beats them by dubbing titles like Dxd and We Without Wings !

      • Highway says:

        Funimation also did the two Sekirei series (speaking of ecchi). And my impression of We Without Wings was pretty bad. Talk about a disjointed mess…

        • anaaga says:

          I liked We Without Wings, though further research is needed to understand the visual-novel-adaptation anime better. The focus of the visual novel is not like how most visual novels are now, though the anime did ruin it

    • Karakuri says:

      …Not a clue, that’s what I’m wondering.

      All the bloodsucking noise and moans

      Oh man, if only you knew what the game sounded like. That Kaji Yuki. I just couldn’t bring myself to play that route in public, even with my headphones in. xD

      • BlackBriar says:

        Oh, Kara. You’re starting to make me imagine some strange things. I bet the way Kanato drinks blood is completely different from the others and that he enjoys hearing the slurping sounds he makes.

    • Liza says:

      All the bloodsucking noise and moans make me blush

      All I could think of when I read this was Seikon no Qwaser. XD

      • BlackBriar says:

        I can vouch for that similarity. I have both seasons on my external hard drive but still have yet to finish the first season and start the second. It’s damn near explicit especially when Ekaterina is involved with her masochistic partner Hana.

  9. d-LaN says:

    …….I have to admit, I thought Ayato bite Yui n!pple when he says he want to made a mark below there. >_<

    Wow, is this really the DiaLovers tht caused me to rage quit the route summaries? My NOPE button is only pushed a little bit on this episode. Aside frm the flashback its just "bloodsucker of the week". Oh well, I'm sticking with it to see how it going to turn out. I am kinda half expecting a School Days-like ending XD

    On an unrelated note some ppl really need to realize tht not every1 find DiaLovers offensive and stop forcing their opinion on them. Not every1 have super high moral standards when it comes to entertainment you know.

    • Karakuri says:

      This certainly seems a lot… lighter than anything that happened in the games. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a nice boat somewhere in here.

      Here seems okay for that, since all the people who complained left of episode 1, but I’ve been avoiding other conversations due to that.

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