Hakkenden: Touhou Hakken Ibun 2 – 13 [END]
Using the power of yaoi to save the last episode
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Phew, Hakkenden finally ends. Now that last week episode was pretty disappointing, let’s see how DEEN wraps its up. |
Hakkenden literally ended like how I predict it was going to be. Fuse-hime appears after she was summoned. I didn’t expect for Fuse-hime to grant Shino’s wish though. Thankfully, he wish for Sousuke to be alive again, and the only way to do that is by making him one of the Eight again. I guess no matter how powerful the bead is, it still can’t defy its original master. Such convenient plot for the resolution, but since they laid it out that the warriors will get their wishes granted once Fuse-hime appears, I can’t complain…
But I still want to complain anyway. If Fuse-hime appears, how come only Shino’s wish is granted? Obviously the other warriors have their own wish also, but the only one whose wish was granted is Shino. While this obeys the law that was laid out earlier in the plot, it’s also inconcistent with the reality. So does this mean that Fuse-hime can only grant one wish at a time? Man, that would be so inconvenient to summon Fuse-hime eight times. If I were one of the warriors, I would retire.
Anyhow, now that Sousuke is the warrior (yay!), this means that the Eight Warriors are not one anymore. The beads scatter, and Fuse-hime is pulled back to heaven whatever it is. That’s not the en though, since Shino is dying, and Murasame is sucking its blood again only worse than before. Murasame turned into a… Dog? Wolf? I thought it was a raven? I just don’t get anime.
Through the power of yaoi bond, Sousuke goes to the old church to see Shino which happened to be a dog/wolf/whatever it is. Doggy Shino keeps throwing tantrums here and there, but Sousuke still reaches for Shino. Oh the power of yaoi. After remembering some “we’ll always be together!” promise they made long time ago (flashback), Shino recovers and turn back into a human.
The beads scatter (except Shino’s and Sousuke’s/Ao’s), so the Eight Warriors have to get them all back again. But it’s alright since everybody have each other. Whee!
Nice pose, but you guys have to start ALL OVER again
….Not. Know that feeling where one feels as if he wasted his time by watching something that gives an unsatisfying ending? Well, that’s what I felt after I finished watching the last episode of this season. I don’t know whether this is an anime-only ending or not, but I’m not satisfied with it. I know that DEEN wants to leave some room in case fans demand the third season or when the manga has enough material to be animated, but… What’s up with that ending? Shino was dying, but his wish saved Sousuke, and because of that Fuse-hime disappears again. Murasame throws some tantrum that left the old chuch in ruin, and the beads scatter. After everything that happened, the characters are back to zero and have to repeat the let’s-find-the-bead process all over again. Wow, such a half-assed ending. Everything for nothing. Like whoa.
I just don’t get how such great anime with such potential is all wasted because of the main plot. In fact, the fillers are way better than the main story. I guess this is what is called as “side stories plus the main plot”? Like damn, the beginning of the series, started by fillers are small quests, was great. Then it deteriorate into some lame cliché dramatic anime that relies too much on the power of love etc. I guess this is the main problem with generic main plot. It will always disappoint at the end unless the mangaka pulls some deus ex machina that will give some unexpected twist at the story. But even if the mangaka does that, many will complain for the mangaka trying too hard. See, this is the problem with such cliché and generic story. One can do nothing with it. Except sitting down and complaining about it, which is what I’m doing right now.
Well, at least Hakkenden some plus points with the exception of homo-centric pretty bishies as the characters. Like I said before, the fillers are great. The fillers have depth, and it was presented in such a way that it can touch the heart of the audience. The slow Oriental background music also helps at setting up the atmosphere at times, making some of the good fillers even better. The characters have little development, but at least their interactions were entertaining to watch because they are all friendly with each other. Also… That’s it, I guess? It’s hard to find the good stuff about the anime when the ending ended badly like this. Well, at least it was a good anime to pass time, so I got nothing to lose.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah, the side stories seemed waaay more entertaining than whatever the ending was supposed to be. I hope it was just an anime ending, since that would really suck if the manga went like that too. …Not that I even really understood what the whole point of the bead collecting was in the first place (something something revive the Fuse-hime… or something. I must have missed the part about the wish granting.)
At least this series was entertaining (and also surprisingly nice to look at considering DEEN). I’ll always love what Hakkenden does with the supernatural aspects.
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
I think miracles are supposed to happen when the beads are together?
I think that was how it was worded…
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I think someone said that it was an anime ending (thankfully). It was mentioned before that Fuse-hime would grant the wishes of the warriors if she is summoned, but I don’t know the point of that. I think it’s supposed to be more complex than that, but I guess we won’t know because of that anime-only ending.
Yes, I love how the supernatural aspect of Hakkenden is taken into consideration properly. At least they are not some half-assed supernatural stuff, and we the audience can relate to it in a way. Love how Abe is combining reality with some supernatural stuff. And DEEN is finally doing something right after Hatsukoi (though I don’t know what happened to your Zulkpuckr or whatever that doll anime is)
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Nah, I liked what they did with Rozen Maiden (…I’m not even going to attempt to spell whatever that Z word is at the end). The animation fit really well with the theme of the show.
…anaaga, what are we going to do? We won’t be able to make fun of DEEN if they keep improving.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think we’ve passed the point of making fun of Deen. Sankarea, Hakkenden, Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen, even Kore wa Zombie, they’ve definitely got at least enough to not be considered derpy.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I just recently found out that they were involved in Victory Gundam… WHOA.
But! Let’s not forget about those who were ruined under DEEN’s hand such as Fate/Stay Night, Fruits Basket, Higurashi…
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Holy crappp you’re right, their anime did get better every season. Did they change CEO or something? I should totally dig more about DEEN’s history.
Don’t worry, there’s always Meganebu to decide their fate this season. Though I’m not so sure about you since you have a megane biass
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yes, my extreme megane bias will definitely override any terrible animation I see. xD
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
what happened in this episode…seriously the whole thing was…”Inu to Hasami” level
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Yeah, it was a disappointing way to end an anime with such great potential. I think it’s because of the anime-only ending. I’m sure the mangaka would do a better job than this crap *sigh*
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
The ending was anime original. Lots of the character development for everyone was skipped for them to fit certain arcs in the amount of episodes they had. Ending was certainly disappointing but I still loved the series overall (I guess that comes from the fact that i’m also very devoted to the manga). So much crammed into the ending and info left out…
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
Ohhh, that explains a lot. Dang, I’m going to need to read the manga at some point to see what the anime missed.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…You and me both.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Me three. I know her yaoi are always good for a reason 😀
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Ah, that’s why it feels so crappy compared to the filler. It was a shock since the fillers are sooo good, and the ending of the first season is better than this one. Turned out that this is an anime-only ending.
I can understand in a way why the characters have such little development. The anime has been emphasizing on the eight warriors, and the studio wants to focus on that aspect of the manga only. That’s why the characters have more action but less development.
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
So…I guess Fuse-hime and Hamaji aren’t the same person? 0_o Well, there goes that theory…
This episode felt really rushed and I was disappointed in the ending. Well at least they have all 8 warriors out of it so they aren’t really going back to square one.
However, barring the ending, I really did enjoy Hakkenden. Surprisingly I was actually not viewing this season with my yaoi glasses as much as S1.
Crossing fingers for S3 although I really have no idea if it’s going to happen at this point…
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Yeah, there goes that theory. Damn, I invested too much on this anime *sigh*
But the eight warriors aren’t really warriors if they don’t have the bead, y’know. Now they have to search all over the place just to get the beads they lost. Such a hassle.
The only yaoi pairing in this season is AoXshinoXsousuke, and the rest is just bleh. But there’s Dousetsu thinking that the dancer is a female… Tehehe
If they want S3, they better do something to make sure that the story stays manga-only.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
What the hell man. I want all the hours back of watching this anime.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I could have spent that time reading yaoi
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
IKR?! Boo! =3=