Rokka no Yuusha 02-04
Why yes I am a suave individual. Why would you ask?
Now I’m not really into things like democracy or listening to the voices of the oppressed, but a decision has to be made and as a magnanimous soul I’ll let you Mr/Mrs Reader decide. Are we going with Fremy or Flamie? Now I’ll put my bias out here and say I’m partial to Flamie, but I do understand that Fremy is the way a normal English speaker would go about it. I swear that I will most likely stick by what ever decision you readers come to, so comment and cast your vote! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
…Two can be as bad as one
Watching the sun together is an automatic bonding technique
So far there have been massive doses of characterization and plot going on in Rokka. So I’ll split this post up into those two categories.
If Rokka has been doing one thing well so far, its been developing Adelt and his interactions with his companions. Also the fighting and the music and the scenery (though we’re starting to lose some quality in the character drawings themselves) and… FOCUS! Lets start with pair one: Nashetania and Adelt. These two really show some great synergy in their early outings. We saw how in episode 1 Nashetania disguised herself and went to the jail to get a closer look at Adelt. Episode 2 is largely devoted to seeing these characters interact and develop a clear bond.
I quite appreciate the way that Nashetania’s story seems to add a lot more depth to the world. We got a lot of the lore of the world in episode 1, but Nashetania’s story makes it clear that all is not simple and good in the human territory. As her and Adelt had their little adventure I really felt like their friendship was quite charming and fun to watch.
Tell me how you really feel
And on the other side of the spectrum you have Adelt and Flamie. If Adelt wasn’t the single minded fellow that he is, I imagine there might be some hope for these two. But considering his unwavering faith in his own strength and his mission as a Flower, it makes sense he would try to befriend Flamie. Even when it is revealed that she should be by all rights an enemy of the Flowers, Adelt still puts his neck out for her to say that he believes in her. This goes to show just how much faith Adelt has in his mission and to what extent he wants to defeat the Majin.
As for Flamie, we need a lot more information, information she isn’t willing to disclose for now. Why kill the heroes if you are going to become one? If no one else has heard of the Saint of Gunpowder, whats up with that. Will she ever say “Say hello to my little friend!?!” Important stuff.
The last pair we see, with a helping of end credit clues, are Nashetania and Goldof. It is blindingly clear that Goldof has strong feelings for the princess. And clearly Nashetania doesn’t like being fawned over. The credits image hints at what their relationship was built off of, but details like that are a long way aways.
Who Done It?
OK folks, its time to put on your thinking caps! The real hook of this part of the show is gonna be the mystery, so lets start thinking. I will say that I know who dun it, as of now we have about half the clues needed to solve the mystery. Not that I will point them out. Since we still haven’t truly been introduced to 3 of the main characters, I’ll avoid poking fingers for now. But either way our Flowers seem to be in big trouble, with their “keep the Kyouma out” plan turned spectacularly against them. We stand now with the mystery being formally introduced, but no clues actually being addressed. Later I’ll go into full speculation mode, but for now I really like the set up.
Before I close I need to talk about the more technical aspects. First, I do approve of the CG in the show. It isn’t great, but because the Kyouma look so alien compared to everything else in the show they create quite an impact when they are on screen. Plus they are animated fairly well. I like how while a single Flower can easily defeat multiple Kyouma, it isn’t an effortless fight. This really helps and weight to the fights because while these fights are most likely going to end in victory, we still see effort put into these battles. The studio behind the show really loves spinning the camera around in shots such as when all seven Flowers arrived, I feel like the spinning works better in fight scenes than conversations. I say it is a simple trick, but knowing what I do about animation that trick would be an incredible task for the animators. While character models are losing some quality, both the action and settings are retaining high artistic standards so I will deal with it. Production wise this show is still standing strong if a little wobbly.
This show is truly off to a wonderful start. We have interesting character dynamics, a neat mystery, a cool world, and much much more! I came into this series with the advantage of source material, so I will say nothing has been surprising per say. But a good Light Novel has been excecuted very well, so there is nothing for me to complain about. Almost every aspect of Rokka has been strong so far, and I can’t wait to see how this adaptation goes from here.
About Samsura
As someone of questionable tastes and even more questionable ethics; if we laugh at the same things you are one of two things: A person of discerning taste or a weirdo. Guess where I fall.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
But a good Light Novel has been executed very well, so there is nothing for me to complain about.
Apparently Rokka’s author, Yamagata Ishio, previously wrote another LN series; Tatakau Shishou/Armed Librarians – The Book of Bantorra, which got a 2-cour anime in 2009-2010.
Some have praised Bantorra for its broad and distinctive cast, a very involved story which featured multiple intersecting plot lines, and its non-adherence to typical LN cliches.
Has anyone read or seen Bantorra, and how does it compare to Rokka?
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
I’ve watched the Book of Bantora and would highly recommend it to just about anyone. So far, having read whats been translated so far for Rokka, I like Bantora more. That’s not to say that Rokka is bad, just that Bantora’s world is just a lot more developed (and the Head Librarian of Bantora library is a grade A nutcase, bad ass powerhouse who takes down WWII era armies with nothing more then a sling and pebbles she picks up off the ground). Were still waiting for that here, and I’m sure it’ll come eventually, it’s just not there yet.
Also, yah, you can definitely tell their author doesn’t care for the typical anime tropes, their a much more mature and unique author then most who produce light novels.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think the show is doing really well, but really dropped the ball with an ugly thud when they had Nachetania freak out at the barrier control. It felt out of character and completely unnecessary. Has she had doubts before? Sure. But that was way out of line.
Of course the early suspicion about who is the fake brave goes to that sketchy guy they introduced last. But I feel like the story really wrote itself into a corner with that introduction and that character. If the fake brave turns out to be Hans Humpty, it’s “of course it was him all along”. If it turns out to be someone else, it will be “of course it wasn’t Hans all along.” Maybe if they had introduced him earlier to the audience, he’d feel a lot less like a plant, but as it is it’s pretty iffy.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 154 comments
Although that could be the case I feel that our Saint of Blades could be the culprit here, but that is just based off her possibly moving the blade remotely. For all I know it could be the sketchy assassin.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Gah, my post was cut off again. :/
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
She already had precedent for bulking under pressure highly tense situations. Remember back in ep 2 she was shaking like a leaf before her first battle before Adlet calm her down. So this really unusual for her. Even Adlet describes he as an emotional fragile person due living most of her life in comfort.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
There’s a huge difference between being weak in the knees at the first time you have to face a real enemy, and having a major freakout when something doesn’t go your way. Even conceding that she is certainly scared of what she’s been asked to do, the reaction on the dais was something I’d consider out of line for her character.
And even if one could consider it as plausible in-character, it’s still ugly and unnecessary to include.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Why through? She’s shown to be pretty naive and nowhere near hardened like Adlet and the others. Freaking out when something doesn’t go their isn’t unusual for that type of person who rarely dealt such scenarios. The sudden fiend attack and the temple suddenly trapping then is an example of such out of control circumstances. If Adlet hadn’t been with her I could see she being like a deer in headlights when they were attacked.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
There will always be a red herring in a whodunit, and Hans just happens to be it.
As for Nashe, she’s a little annoying of a character, but I’m going to give that them the benefit of the doubt. What if her actions actually were a clue and have a purpose? I mean? She trashed some papers and broke some tablets in her little outburst. I wonder if those were important for anything? And if so, she could always cover it up by saying she was “emotional” or something.
Hmm…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Flamie. That’s her name in the subtitles on Crunchyroll, which is where I’m watching it.
POWUH: 400-499 with 462 comments
Except Crunchyroll is incredibly and infamously unreliable when it comes to researching the source to actually get the correct spelling for names, places, objects, whatever. Their philosophy seems to be “eh, it sounds like (insert spelling here) to me, that’s good enough.” They have been known to change spellings from episode to episode, sometimes multiple times, and sometimes even change it within the same episode. They are perhaps the least trustworthy source for proper spelling of translated names.
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
Except Flamie is in the official website so you can’t blame Crunchyroll on this one as they’re just following that.
Then again, the novels have it as Fremy written directly in English as well.
It’s only a matter of which source you would use. Either go with Nachetanya(anime) or Nashetania(novel).
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…of course this also sounds like a case of “CR pls” which always looks to make a mountain out of a mole hill. It’s that R vs. L thing that will always and has always been a thing. I recall seeing some IRC virtually exploding when Gargantia came out with a “nations at war” mentality forming around Ledo and Redo. As far as the whole of the thing goes, I find the complaining far more irritating than what I read in a particular sub track.
So as far as CR is concerned, I consider them miles ahead of the direct competitor, Funimation; which has actually bought into production committees, so you would think they would be a better choice…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
The solution is… Aegisub. Where you batter the script to your liking. Like spelling IllIllIllIlllya correctly.
Other than that, install in an auto-correct filter in your head to correct any spellings to your liking.
(Hmm… sakura clicker does not have enough pettanko…)
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I think that the auto-correct filter is dependent on if the head has the correct GetOverIt firmware installed.
POWUH: 400-499 with 462 comments
Leggo my reply, Spammy.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Well, I like Flamie. It sounds cooler, and her goes with her awesome design. She looks like a walking blue/white flame.
POWUH: 400-499 with 462 comments
I would personally support Fremy, because I have seen no indication that they’re trying to use English words for any character names in the series.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
I think that’s true too. Rokka’s author gave non-English words for character names in his previous novel series too. (Unless you consider Hamyuts Meseta, Noloty Malche and Kachua Binhas to be English names.)
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Goldov doesn’t need normal armour – he already has abs of steel! ୧(*・ω・)୨
*listens for intensifying sounds of fangirling*
IIRC, the novels describe him as being unusually big and muscular for his age; he’s only in his late teens.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It’s not perfect, but I’m definitely enjoying this show. The mystery of who the 7th person is and who locked them in is really drawing me in. Looking forward to seeing you go into full speculation mode because my current thought process is something like this: it’s probably the bunny girl…just because. I’m not blogging it so I can leave the heavy thinking to you!
I like Flamie instead of Fremy because it just looks nicer. It’s probably not as accurate but she will always be Flamie in my heart.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Flammie is a dragon in Secret of Mana. Person transportation service.
Fremy is a Frenemy.
😛
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Overall they’ve done quite well to escape from the weak first episode, at least by my estimation. The alternate fantasy background has grown very well, and they’ve added color along the way, making it feel much more lived in and practical rather than the “desktop theme” I accused it of in the beginning.
As you point out, the relationships are the backbone of the show, and Adelet is a great lead for this. He doesn’t give an inch on his stance with any character, which leaves the other one to do the heavy lifting in the give and take of learning about them.
Flamy is coming out as a favorite so far, as I love the mystery behind her.
As for the mystery of who the fake is, that question still leaves me cold. We’ve not seen jack for how the heroes of old acted in the past, and are only told over and over again. “There are only six”. It feels half baked still yet. It lacks immersion and consequence that the audience can feel and relate to.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
This is a great series, though even better than the series is the great BGM! I simply MUST have that OST when it comes out.
As for the story, with the introduction of all seven braves, this story has really kind of transformed from an adventure tale, to a whodunit. They even have all of them stuck in a location until they find out who the
murdererfake is.As of episode 4, these are my suspicions:
My biggest suspects are Nashetania, Goldof, Mora, or Chamo.
The rule of thumb is that it’s always the one that you least suspect. In this case, I would usually suspect Adlet however, because of a small spoiler as to the nature of the fake, I no longer think it’s him.
Hans is TOO obvious. He reminds you of a character like Ichimaru Gin who serve as red herrings for the real villain. He looks too shady, and thus it’s very unlikely he’s the one.
Fremie as the Brave-killer is useless as a fake since no one trusts her and she wants no one’s trust. She also already had her “is she, or isn’t she?” plot line.
As for the rest, Chamo, I know nothing about, but she looks like a kid which can make people think she’s innocent and is a good cover for a fake spy. But other than that, got no real vibes concerning her.
Goldof has been gone for months since Nashe saw him last. And there was a long period where he just stopped keeping in contact. Whose to say that he wasn’t killed and replaced by a fake during that time?
I don’t know much about Mora, but she has the legendary background that can get people to trust her. Also, she was the one who kept emphasizing that there was no way there could be 7. Also, as a leader she could easily lead them astray. And she did happen to be the first one to get to the area…
Nashetania, well, something has always been off about that girl to me. Especially that moment when the demon god awakens and she’s standing off in the distance watching. It’s just off. Also, she’s the main female lead as well, which is one of the least likely to be seen as the villain.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I thought we meet then at the end of episode 4?