Tokyo Ravens – 11
Nothing to see here.
Tokyo Ravens takes it easy again with yet another humorous interlude. This time, starring the trouble-making duo of Suzuka and Kon!
Kon-tastic
Spider Kon does whatever a Spider Kon does.
Every time the lovable fluffball of attitude we know as Kon appears, we’re sure to be in for a treat. Despite the fact that this episode is technically supposed to feature Suzuka, the fox girl familiar manages to steal the show with her idiotic antics and hilariously concerning dedication to Bakatora. How everyone managed to believe that she was a tiger is beyond me, but I’ll take it since the ensuing confusion and mayhem resulted in an absolutely delightful romp. Everything from the ridiculous overkill of deploying Onmyoji enforcers to the scene (they proceed to comically bust into each room while yelling TIGER) to Zenjirou’s overly enthusiatic response to being entrusted with protecting the future of promising young students made for an over-the-top entertaining experience. And the Divine General’s ludicrously named finisher, Reckless Flame Blade: Indiscriminate Explosive Slash! (which sounds like it shouldn’t ever be used indoors around students), as well as his spouting the signature “judgement is served” line after smugly surveying the results of his devastating attack on what was once the unfortunate Bakatora’s vintage jacket sealed the deal.
Mellowing the Genius
Dat grin.
Anyway, let’s move away from the comedy, which can stand for itself, and talk about Suzuka instead. As anyone could have guessed, her discovering Natsume’s identity and gender is essentially written off. Sure, she blackmails Natsume and Bakatora for a bit, but she’s definitely backed off after getting in trouble twice now for getting into a scuffle with Natsume in the dorms and for contributing to the tiger incident. I’m still not sure why she figured draping Bakatora’s jacket over the two of them would make them look anything less than suspicious, but clearly the former Divine General can’t afford to be naughty any more lest she incur more wrath from the Shaman Bureau for her mischief. While we’d already been getting not so subtle hints that Suzuka is warming up to the gang (and specifically Bakatora), I must say that her need to avoid any more trouble was a rather smooth device for formally bringing her around. And not a moment too soon, because the gang is going to need all the strength they can get to stand up against Douman’s nefarious plans, even if it comes in the form of a haughty sealed former Divine General with a penchant for licking choco-bananas and cutting off Johnnys.
Speculah
Enough tigers for one day.
With the meat of the episode out of the way, it’s time for some speculation again! First and foremost is the question that most of us are probably pondering right now. Just what is in Natsume’s closet? Intuition tells me it’s just girly clothes or something else that’s ordinary but embarrassing along those lines. Or, you know, she could be hiding dead bodies in there. Now that would certainly be a twist. But no. Next is something that I’ve been wondering for the last few episodes ever since they introduced some history on the Onmyoji society. We’ve been told that the now defunct Spirit Department which colluded with the Twin-Horned Syndicate was headed by a Dairenji. No doubt it’s no coincidence that Suzuka is also a Dairenji. The only thing we know about her parents so far is that they were scumbags who conducted human experiments on their own children, but could they also have been directly involved with the Yakou cult (namely, one of them being the Dairenji in question)? As much as I don’t believe in coincidences in the narrow worlds of fiction, I’d hate for Suzuka’s past to keep getting worse than it already is.
Are these the faces of Yakou and Hishamaru?
Last but not least is the question of Hishamaru’s current identity. Current indications, as suggested by Jin, are that Bakatora is Hishamaru reincarnated, just as Natsume is Yakou reborn. But that hinges on whether Natsume really is a reincarnation of the legendary Onmyoji, which I personally doubt. We know that Yakou cast the Taizan Fukun Ritual before he died and that the ritual can be used to revive the dead. But regardless of whether he succeeded, there is one major problem with this. If Yakou cast the ritual on himself and died, would he not have just been reaminated on the spot? We know that the soul returns to its original body, as was the case with Suzuka’s brother (though he might have been possessed). Why would Yakou need to reborn when presumably his original body was right there? Moreover, while we were told that Yakou’s two familiars disappeared with him, we’ve now seen that Kakugyouki is actually alive and well (and not reincarnated as Touji as we might have been lead to believe). So it stands to reason that Hishamaru might also still be kicking, which leaves the main trio as their own selves, an idea I quite like for developmental purposes.
Extras
So then who is Hishamaru and where is he hiding? My only guess is he’s Douman because the guy is clearly interested in the trio for reasons related to Yakou. But then this very fact would contradict my belief that none of them are truly linked to Yakou since a surviving Yakou familiar would presumably be able to recognize his old master’s soul in a reincarnation, thus making Natsume the real deal. Unless of course, the catch is that the familiars actually cannot distinguish their master reborn or if he even has been, and Douman and Kakugyouki are just working to “awaken” Natsume on baseless rumors. But you wouldn’t believe that, would you?
About Sumairii
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Tokyo Ravens has some pretty funny reaction faces, but I find its crowning glory to be the sakuga(super-fluid) animations employed at least once within an episode.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 167 comments
Dat eggroll scene a couple episodes back.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Eggs have never looked more realistic!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The CGI for that was done better than the other stuff for the show. Even better than Natsume’s dragon.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Nah, nothing is better than Hokuto, tail sticking out of the dorm room. 🙂
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I wonder what those outside of the dorm thought of that. Probably “What the hell?!”.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Dude, dragon butt
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Dat ass
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Just what is in Natsume’s closet?
A giant shrine to Harutora, of course. 😀
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yet she drills knowledge into him in a Spartan-like way? Wow, that’s some twisted devotion.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Mmm… Kon-chan~ so cute and lovable~ <3
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
They should make a plush toy version of her. They’d sell like hot cakes.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Shut up and take my money!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Ditto. Kemonomimi fetish is bad especially combined with cute shotali.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Then people with such fetishes would be mercilessly exploited.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Just what is in Natsume’s closet?
A portal to Nadeko’s closet….
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
I support this claim, especially considering their VA’s.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Yay. Someone saw what I did there…
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
So what Kaiki saw was the Tokyo Ravens world? And that shocked him so visibly? =O
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Yep.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hey, everyone loses their step eventually.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
And Natsume and Nadeko are both voiced by Kana Hanazawa. What a coincidence.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
A-K subbed the tag line as “Judgment is served” (either that or Justice, but I think it was Judgment) which works a lot better than just “punishment”.
I thought this episode was kinda too silly. I’m not a fan of the blackmail plot thread that’s going on, it just doesn’t sit well with me. And while Kon is cute enough, she’s almost a little too “cute kid” and doesn’t really fit in that well for me. I like the “mostly competent protector with an adolescent crush” characterization for her a lot better than the “overly attached stalker” one.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
I can see how some would feel that way, but it should be kept in mind that her blackmailing antics are pretty harmless and really just played off as comedy. Futhermore it has ultimately led her get to closer with Harutora so it’s likely happened and change to something more positive.
As for Kon it seems like she’s just a worrywort rather than a stalker. She is Harutora’s shikigami who are charge to be with their masters 24/7 and it is something she takes pretty seriously her personal interests aside.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, it really ran on a fine line between comedy and seriousness, for me, especially given Suzuka’s status. Ultimately, I didn’t really think it was that funny, mainly because of the power imbalance.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
They loaded the joke up too much, it started to get encumbering to soon. Should have mixed it up with other bits of humour or mild drama.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
That’s it! That’s what I was grasping at when I talked to you about that line lol.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, that’s what I figured. And that’s what I thought it meant when you described it, I just had to watch it.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
For half this episode being an anime original material it was pretty entertaining. it’s good to see Suzuka bonding more with Harutora and surprisingly Kon.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Ah, finally (half) an anime original episode? It’s good that at least you as a LN reader appreciate it, since adaptations adding things in can be hit or miss.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
This was a fun episode and a heavily tiger themed one. Kon was adorable but seriously, all that manpower is overkill for one supposed “tiger”. I don’t think it was like this during the school’s prior exam before things got out of hand.
What could be in that closet that Natsume is so desperate to keep secret? So, there’s a powerful barrier protecting it. Someone just Touma Kamijou to dispell it by using his Imagine Breaker.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Maybe a spare Hokuto (human) is in the closet? 😛
Let me dreamFinally I marathon TR up to date and I can safely say Suzuka is in competition for Hokuto “Best Girl” spot. Suzuka trolling is hilarious XD And Natsume should just give up and wear the female school uniform IMO.
Even though I was laughing throughout the first half, I find the 2nd half a bit…. lacking. Though its still amusing to see Spiderman Kon and how things spiral out of control XD Also RIP Bakatora porn mag in the previews.
Sometimes I wonder, what exactly is the key for well received LN adaptation for both LN readers and anime-only viewers? As noted by LN readers, TR and StB had quite a bit of contents cut out/altered in the anime. Yet TR is more successful at pleasing both anime-only viewers and LN readers compare to StB. Some ppl noted “execution”, but I wonder is that really the case or does it have to do with the source material? Budget maybe?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t think there is one single key for it. First of all, both have to be entertaining. If it’s not entertaining, then it’s going to be a flop no matter what. And if it *is* entertaining, then a lot of ‘problems’ are essentially painted over, because people are more willing to overlook them.
I think the biggest source of friction between LN readers and anime adaptations is the choices of what to adapt and how to adapt it. A lot of times, a book can be written poorly for an adaptation, like if the characters go on extended thought monologues (like lvlln is describing in the Monogatari posts). Other times, things that sound great in the book just don’t translate well to the screen.
And in the case of anime original additions, it’s that whoever is doing the adaptation thinks that there’s a hole in appeal somewhere that they need to fill, either with another character, or some additional story. When those work, it’s not a problem, but when they don’t, it’s a point to start things unraveling, like peeling paint.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
just for information though,
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