Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou – 13 [END]
That moment you realize your favorite series just ended…
Well we have finally reached the end of this crazy series, but how did things turn out for Akari and her magical tarot card friends? Hopefully we get some kind of happy ending for all the main characters and what about a possible season two? I sure hope so…
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Thanks Fosh, for letting tag along on these all season~. Yay magical girls! It’s definitely been an interesting ride with it’s ups and downs both in the actual plot and the execution. Now let’s see how Genei ended…
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Epic boss battles
Bitch you got owned hard by a little girl…
The moment we have waited for finally came true! Akari, Luna, Ginka and Seira square off against Cerebrum and speaking of Ginka I guess she never died but instead she was sent to another dimension where she fought her evil copy forever and the answers as to what that mysterious key unlocked was answered! I guess it was keeping Etia and Ariel’s tarot card powers locked away? All I have to say is damn their combination attack was amazing; however we really never get any answers as to WHY their powers locked in the first place. I kind of wonder if they became too powerful for The Leguzario to handle and they had no choice but to lock their cards away or maybe they were forced into a lame contract deal with them? I mean whatever the case they owned Cereberum’s chamber thing which freed Akari who managed to fight off Cerebrum and save Fuyuna. That still seems strange to me because she magically fixed that time loop of endless death with the power of yuri friendship, besides all of that who would have guessed that Cerebrum also had the sun card, but why did he see Akari’s mom before he died? I was wondering if Cerebrum was Akari’s dad, but that would be REALLY creepy considering he wanted to “mate” with Akari.
The cycle of depression ends (…?)
This whole scene was awesome!
Well then. …Did anyone manage to catch what the point of this all was, or was that just me not paying enough attention? I get the part about Cerebrum wanting to save the Daemonia from… their fate or whatever, but why was the mysterious voice playing both sides of the field? What was the point of the Anti-Tarot subplot (other than taking out the most likeable character for a few episodes while everyone else’s life grew increasingly more depressing)? And speaking of, Cerebrum tried to take out Akari so that the 22 Tarot cards would never be complete. …Did he just forget about The Lovers disappearing, or did The Lovers just deus ex machina themselves back into the plot like Ginka did? Oh well, ignoring that, Cerebrum’s last attempt at attacking the characters felt rather pathetic, considering that they had all long overcome their problems. I guess because of that, the girls finally winning over Cerebrum felt less satisfying than it could have for me. His Daemonia form didn’t even seem threatening at all, and it was totally an easy win for the girls (…or maybe that was the point, to show how the girls had easily overcome despair at that point). Akari breaking out of her nightmare was nice to see though, despite being really cliche. She never really got to see Fuyuna off properly, since the story went right into her depression over the situation and she didn’t really make a decision about Daemonia until afterwards So having her say goodbye here really had some closure for that part of the plot. Plus they had her and Fuyuna finally talk things out. With that conversation, I finally felt sad about that whole situation, where I was merely just angry with Akari’s hesitation over it before. Maybe things could have worked out if they had sat down about things (or maybe not, since Daemonia is still incurable, but still).
Extra magical fun
Orochimaru called and he wants his attack back…
I found this scene hilarious and I don’t know why.
I will miss her the most…
Love him or hate him Cerebrum was a great bad guy.
End thoughts
Wow that sure was an excellent action packed final episode, especially all of the action scenes when the OST started playing along with the opening song? Damn that got me so hype! Now I just need to get my hands on the OST. So what was your favorite moment from the final episode? I mean the majority of this episode focused on the team coming together and kicking Cerebrums butt which is cool because we have waited for a long time for him to get kicked around! Also his cool monster form at the end made me think of a giant raid boss; however it was dumb that his weak point was that obvious to EVERYONE! I couldn’t help but laugh when Akari owned him. Overall I think Genei was an excellent series to blog even though at times I did find some episodes to be quite boring, but as for the action and story it kept me guessing every week and left me wanting more! Thankfully there is a OVA for this series, but I just want to know if there is a possible season two for this odd magical girl series? I honestly could see it because the ending had the main girls visiting other tarot card branches all over the work which leaves plenty of open doors for future battles.
…I feel like this could have gone so much better than it actually did. Oh sure, it was great for an interesting episode every week, but let’s be honest here. The story telling wasn’t the best, and I really felt like things weren’t explained very well. But let’s focus on the good here. The art style was interesting, and this was a rather new combination of a bunch of things we’ve seen before in other shows. The action was certainly interesting. I can’t say that I was overly fond of any of the characters, but Ginka definitely stood out where everyone else seemed to just be a bunch of cliches (even Cerebrum). I’m normally not fond of the generally happy characters, but her acceptance of things made me like her a lot. …I wasn’t fond of the way she got out of fighting her anti-tarot (actually, I wasn’t fond of that subplot at all, since it seemed like it had more potential), but I’m glad she came back and was allowed to stay. I don’t know about anyone else, but I want that unaired episode 14 to be a retelling of Akari’s mother and Cerebrum’s story about how they met and such (it all being terribly tragic, obviously). Screw the rest of the story and characters, give be a depressing romance and a better look at the past. Anyways, like Fosh, I can totally see this continuing on in the future. They left the ending open enough. I wouldn’t mind a season 2 to be honest. The ending here wasn’t terrible by any means (sure, it could have been better, but I don’t mind what they did with it) and this was a really interesting watch.
Thanks for following me and Kara on this magical adventure!
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I should do a review on my blog but in the end I would end up taking everything to bits and overanalyse things so…
First off:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! My shota Palpatine! Thrown into the reactor shaft!
Can you not see the similiarites? Both underestimated their opponents. Both were seductive villians. Both wanted to turn the protagonist to the Dark Side of the Force(tm). And both lost it completely when the protagonist refused to join.
That said, it wasn’t surprising that he was Card XIX. He was basically the Anti-Akari or Iraka. I still think he is her father or at least her twin-brother. (Mmm… Wincest…) Note how Hinata is smiling at the end when the both of them are floating about in the lower levels of the Astralux.
The Leguzario are likely to be a bunch of mad scientists and they split Aeon Tarot and this is an experiment for them and Sefiro Fiore are the cleanup crew. Literally Laplace and Schrodinya sums up the theme running throughout the series: It is your destiny! vs Screw Fate! The ending however is not unexpected considering the title of the show: The Sun that penetrates Illusion.
Sheryl and Grace being sealed (how many realised that it’s The Galactic Fairy and her manager running the school?) was expected given that their cards were The World and The Judgement, nerfed so that they cannot cause trouble for the bosses.
My beef with the series: Story pacing. Almost everything was wrapped up neating in 12 and 13. A lot of the pressing questions answered. Character development was weak throughout and wasn’t particularly coherent. We got Ginka’s wrapped in one episode, Seira’s in another but Luna’s wasn’t particularly good. Throughout the initial episodes it was obvious jealousy was her weakness but we did not get closure regarding as to what her relationship to her sister was or why she was considered ‘damaged goods’. Which brings us to Akari: her character development was basically stunted until the end; in a sense that probably part of the objective to deliver the wham.
Also, there is a lot of background missing, as you said, WTF are the Leguzario and why do we have an American Daemonia (pardon the reference) running around trying to fight for Daemonian Freedom from the oppressors… Why do we have a politician in there? I expect some of the answers lie in the LN where Taiyou Hinata is the protagonist alongside with the wielder of the Lovers card. And speaking of Hinata – WHY does she wear black?
In the end, our lolis are safe and are going on a Grand-world Tour. Watchout for lolicons, Tarot Quartet!
Overall, I would rate this **** of ***** (Same as I gave for Prisma Illya, the best I would give is ****1/2 of ***** unless it is exceptional: Only 12 Kingdoms and F/Z are 5-stars). Lost 1/2* just because of pacing issues. The music was good. The art, eventhough some would say it is simple and poor etc2, makes it stand out from the usual moe fare. And the scenery porn… oodles of scenery porn here. The only one thing I would say is our heroines are too scrawny. Even Ms. Chicken Salad cannot even build up muscles!
Overall, took a blind guess and watched this show and enjoyed it from the get go. So it makes it a 100% success this season! (2 of 2!) 😛
The OVA probably is a side episode since it is coming with Volume 4 and not 7. (Episodio 7 and 14 are listed on the website on the same disc.)
And lastly: The Favourite Character Ranking –
1) Schrodinya~! (Is just cute and didn’t have enough screentime until the end)
2) Shota-Palaptine
3) Did not think much for #3 😛
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
That’s an interesting inference as to what was really going on.
In fact, I find it very surprising the show never elborates upon the backstory and what the villian’s plans were.
Like, what kind of arrangement did Cerebrum and the politician have? What arrangement did the Leguizario even have with Cerebrum?
What is the Leguzario’s true goal, and why were they pitting the girls and Cerebrum against each other?
Who leads the Leguizario, and why are they so mean?
Is Cerebrum even Akari’s father? If not, how does he know her mother?
At leat the OP was nice to listen to. I really liked the guitar riff in LiSA’s song.
Which should tide us over until the holy duo of TM Revolution and Mizuki Nana give us ‘Kakumei Dualism’ for Valvrave hahaPOWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…Oh right, I had forgotten about the politician. Maybe that was a “Cerebrum is pure evil, look at him corrupting absolutely everything” thing
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
amen
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
And that is why we love him.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s what makes him so despicable.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I thought this show was pretty good. It wasn’t afraid to kill off characters, but their deaths never felt born from their own stupidity or meaningless (like some other shows…). Even the people who turned into Daemonia, it’s hard to fault them, because it’s not like they were greedy power-hungry people or anything like that. For the most part, they were desperate or hurting, and just didn’t realize until too late how badly that would effect them.
There was a lot of complaining about this show that I didn’t really go along with (overtroped, plot conveniences, melodrama), maybe it’s just I’m more willing to accept plot holes and mechanics if they give me an out (like “Magic, that’s why”). I thought the way they brought Ginka back was acceptable, and I liked that Priscilla and Meltina got into the final fight as well.
We sure didn’t learn anything about the Leguzario, tho, and that kind of feels a little off. About the only thing I can think of is that they’re trying for some sort of balance between the Elemental and Daemonia sides, so when Cerebrum gets too strong, or off his leash, they allow Ariel and Etia to help rein him in.
I don’t know if Cerebrum was Hinata’s lover, or perhaps he was Akari’s anti-brother or something, born at the same time Akari was but in the ‘other side’.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Every show out there is full of these. Shows are made of the same building blocks, just arranged differently. If this show is overtroped, it would be Star Wars overtroped.
Despite my views on the pacing et. al., Gene’i Taiyou somehow kept me wanting more. The creators created a world (XXI) that actually is engrossing. In a sense, leaving things unexplained actually made me want to know more.
As for Ginka vs Aknig, no one ever specifically mentioned what exactly would happen if they had mutual kill. Everyone in the show itself “assumed” mutual kill but no one exactly knows what would happen.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
That’s how I feel about the world, too (and in general with anime). If you explain the whole thing, then why would you need any more of the show? But if things are left open, either because you don’t get to the answer, or because the characters don’t know the answer, then that’s fine. There is a bit of a line that you don’t want to cross, you have to give people SOME answers, but you don’t need to give them all (again, some shows don’t actually answer anything, and eventually you just learn to understand that it doesn’t matter what questions you’ll have, they won’t get answered).
You’re right about Ginka, and find it interesting because it also allows a path for the other girl to come back, as well as get rid of *some* of the fear of having to fight your own cancellation card.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
TAKOYAKI!!!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That was the troubling part of the series. There was hardly any development on the group who was apparently playing both sides for who knows what reason and to who knows what end and it doesn’t seem they’re finished with their agenda. Same with Gatchaman Crowds’ JJ who only served as a means to give power to the characters then was pushed aside for the remainder of the series. Such obvious flaws leave a huge plot hole in the story, one that nothing could be used to fill it up.
By the way, congratulations on reaching 3000 comments, Highway! You’ve ascended from the anomaly status.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Oh yay! I’d seen I got to 3000, but didn’t realize that meant I went from blank to Meta Team.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, you’ve reached a new milestone and status. Get a cigar for your efforts!! As for me, I hope I can reach 5000 before reaching my 3 year commenting mark on November 1st. I like to challenge my abilities and there’s a lot of people here to talk to in the meantime.
Forgive my narcissism. 😉 That and I notice Irenesharda has been tearing through the ranks recently.POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
You’ll do that in less than 2 weeks, especially with a new season.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
The Leguzario is GOD. The Father. Fits my description that God is someone who is toying with us.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
A good final episode for this despair and suffering laden series. You know, at first, I went into this show with no expectations thinking it was another mild magical girl show but I don’t think I’ve even been so proud to be proven wrong because Genei was something else, a total surprise and deserves some recognition for creating a story that’s out of the box. Akari’s statement as she chose her path pretty much left a possibility that things can continue and the finale was open-ended so it’s anybody guess if another season comes along. Not to mention we still haven’t seen the leader of the Leguzario whom Cerebrum and Laplace were speaking to.
What was my favorite moment? Seeing Cerebrum finally getting his arrogant and vile ass kicked, of course! It couldn’t come soon enough! After recalling all the awful things he did, the defeat was nothing short of satisfying and I couldn’t care less that his weak spot in his transformed state was so obvious. There will be a lot of speculation coming up as he faded into the light. Akari’s mother, Hinata, showing beside him for that matter. If I had to guess, a part of him infected Akari’s father and maybe he doesn’t know it. From what little the flashback showed a few episodes back, the father and Cerebrum looked similar in appearance.
The storytelling was shaky in some areas but wasn’t cliché, like the reasoning behind how the Daemonia claimed their victims. It could be a plot used in reality because the people were preyed on by their weaknesses, their sense of insecurity, things most people can relate with because they’re everyday feeling like that girl in one of the episodes who was willing to give anything if it meant saving a her friend or Ginka’s uncle Honda who would do anything to be able to see her grow and be happy. People have a price they will willingly accept, even for what they hoped never to sell.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, the thing is that maybe the price is something that was a lot higher than they thought it would be, and they weren’t really told all the consequences. But they were desperate anyway. It wasn’t even necessarily their weaknesses, it was people in pretty dire straits, like Uncle Honda.
And speaking of Honda, I liked the way Ginka’s dad acted as a character in the show. His encounter with Honda, his suffering when Ginka was lost. I hope there was a happy reunion there (iirc, he didn’t forget about her, because she didn’t turn into a Daemonia, correct?).
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
Watching this episode, I was happy that it ended on a bright note but at the same time I was disappointed. It is hard to explain. I think it was because going in, this looked like the type of magical girl that would end dark with everyone dead, ect. All four of the girls survived(and Ginka through…magical means?) and they continue on their lives.
One of the things I liked about this series was the character development. Seira learned how to accept friends into her life, Luna realizes her weakness, Ginka…I forgot if Ginka learned anything and Akari finally got closure.
On the other hand, the thing I did not like was the pacing. The show seemed to jump a lot from one thing to another. I though the “shadow” selves would play a bigger part than they did(maybe even being the real villain of the show) but it seemed like it was pushed to the side after a couple of episodes. Plus did we ever get closure on Cerebrum and the politician guy?
So overall, this anime was good. Not great, not bad. Just good. If an S2 happens, I know I will watch it and hope they tie up the loose ends such as the backstory of Etia and Ariel and maybe more about Akari’s mom.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yeah everyone living was a bit of a shock, but I am glad we didn’t have a depressing ending with Akari saving everyone at the cost of her own life.
Yeah I think out of all the characters Luna and Seira went through the most character growth next to Akari of course who finally discovered where she comes from…
I thought those shadow copies would play a bigger role, but it really only affected three characters and agreed what about that politician guy? I have no idea what happened to him!
S2 might happen and I would love to see more with Etia, Ariel and Akari’s mom…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Hot yuri foursome together with the wielder of Card VI? 😛
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
Why not? XD I would on board for that.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I’m already waiting in line to see that.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 175 comments
well i have just finish watching this series yet give it was very late last set add to watch.
give it was worth watching those magical tarot girls anime series.
notice whole compare to madoka & yet shown same season in magicial illya (same voice lead) yet there some difference to them.
overall series itself worth a checking to see wonder give ova ep coming up.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
magical talking animals…they always appear in magical shows…
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
i think i’m going to watch the series now…