Mayoiga – 02
How long until food supply becomes an issue?
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Irene kept comparing this anime to And Then There Were None in the first impressions post, and after the mysterious email that Koharun received that led them there, I’m inclined to believe in her comparison a little more… |
So much for paradise. Everyone’s personalities clash so much that all the group seems to do so far is argue about everything. This was probably to be expected in bringing 30 random people together and having them interact, but you would think that things would go smoother considering that they now have to live together and tolerate each other’s presences. However, it seems like from all of this, maybe the characters are realizing that this trip isn’t exactly what they hoped for.
The characters are still so numerous that it’s hard to tell who’s who, but they seem to be mentioning that names pretty frequently, which makes it all easier. Of course, Mitsumune had a lot of attention on him. He still seems like such an odd character, and especially after his issues this episode with falling for girls easy. I guess it goes to show how something is probably wrong with him psychologically, if something Hayato/Speedstar mentioned offhand affects how he views himself so much. Plus he vocalizes his thoughts all the time, where other characters (minus Masaki) don’t seem to. His parents seemed kind of clingy in the last episode, so maybe that has something to do with that too. Hayato seems more normal, and is probably a good guy if he decided that he’ll protect Mitsumune like he did. Lion is kind of quiet, but seems to have some pretty dark thoughts. It seems like she’ll be important from how much she’s been interacting with Mitsumune, and she appears in the later promo art where most of the other characters have disappeared.
As for the older characters, some of them seem to be getting some sort of attention. We have the chuunibyou, the two survival enthusiasts, and the girl who thinks that everything is about people killing each other off that we kind of know better now. Or at least we know what kind of stock character they seem to be. Some of the less flashy characters also had some characterization though, like Nanko, who seems like a quiet, but calm voice of reason. Maimai was revealed to probably have issues with her ex or something, but now that she’s snapped at Mitsumune, maybe she’ll leave him alone now. Mikage also had some attention in coming up with the wallets idea. He seems like one of the manipulative “keikaku doori” types, so he might be one of the people trying to screw things up for the people who want to live in peace. Valkana certainly gets a lot of screen time since he’s normally yelling at everyone. However, he also seems genuinely concerned when Yottsun and Masaki went missing, so he might not be that bad of a guy.
But characters aside, it’s definitely mysterious how the village is completely deserted. Though seeing how it’s been untouched for at least a year, the hidden village thing seemed slightly more believable. However, there don’t seem to be anything the characters have discovered that characterize the houses (like, distinct furniture or even toys to show that the house once had children), so it seems kind of like the villagers left peacefully if there ever were villagers at all. If everyone was killed off suddenly, there would probably be plates or other household objects to something left out to show that people were carrying on their lives like normal before disaster struck. Though of course, they only just started looking around, so maybe they’ll find something later.
It’s kind of amazing that they thought they could push a bus up sheer cliff.
Mayoiga seems to be building up the tension. Are they even in the right place? All they have to go by is a suspicious email. Where is everyone? What do people keep seeing in the woods? There have been hints that things are off. Whatever surprised the bus driver enough to join the rest of the group is out there (or with them?), the email that Koharun received that sent them all there in the first place is strange, the footprint is unexplained, and so many other things are still unknown. They’re leaving a lot a mystery still, so it will be interesting to see where the anime goes. There’s still enough room to play all of this off as a harmless mystery and they could spend the time figuring out what happened to the inhabitants. Or the anime could start killing people off and turn this into a murder mystery on top of the missing villagers. Of course, there’s the more immediate mystery of what happened to Yottsun and Masaki, but from what he seemed to be planning, there might be a good reason why they seem to have disappeared right now.
I’m really glad that all of the characters have different point of view on things, even if the characters themselves are pretty one dimensional as of right now, and all they do is argue with each other. Pretty much everything is a debate, and while this might slow things down later and become annoying, it’s more realistic this way. Should they have pushed the bus more? All sides of that argument were interesting from the wallet thing, to the fact that they were pushing the driver to go on even though he said it would be a bad idea. Everyone seems to have a different idea of what is moral, and that will become interesting to see develop when even more things go downhill. Because let’s be honest. From what we’ve seen, there’s a really low chance of these characters settling down and actually working out how to live there.
About Karakuri
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.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Man, was this post quick! I just downloaded the episode this morning.
What everyone did to the bus driver was uncalled for. I mean, come on. The guy tries to be considerate issuing a friendly warning and they all treat him lower than dirt. That’s begging for retribution in the worst way. To have the driver do a 180 and decide to join up, whatever he saw must have really got to him. His eyes give it away despite not talking.
So they’ve all arrived at their promised location Sotoba… er… I mean Nanaki Village (Yeah, the latter was what was meant) and as I assumed, the place is a ghost town. Kind of comes with the territory when the subject is about an isolated rural location. Paradise exists only in fairy tales, people! A year’s time is probably enough to cover anything up.
Face-palming was inevitable at Koharun’s naïveté after confessing she got the village’s info from an anonymous e-mail. Honestly, the number of warning flags that alone should’ve raised should be in the double digits. Now it definitely feels something bigger is in play and the lambs have been brought in for the slaughter.
Koharun’s lack of good judgment and misguided curiosity aside, it’s hypocritical and convenient how she’s getting burned when the others are just as much in contempt for following them in this far without posing a question. The point of no return was crossed the moment they left civilization behind. So it’s fair game from here on out.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
The longer I leave my posts, the more time there is for life to suddenly give me more work to do. Hahaha…
I imagine trying to kill them all earlier probably didn’t create any friendly feelings towards the bus driver, but yeah. It was pretty coldhearted that they all just kind of ditched him in the middle of nowhere.
As Irene said, maybe Koharun is in on the whole thing? It would make sense that one of the people there is on whatever is going on… Someone on the inside to make things run smoothly, you know? But yeah, with the bus out of commission, they’re pretty stuck there.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
There are at least 29 potential emergency food sources if the situation becomes dire. 🙂
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Whoa, now! That’s a last resort!
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
As soon as the bus fell, I thought of Grisaia and winced…
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Oh, good lord no. I’ve heard enough cannibalism stories to last me a lifetime.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Let’s build a snowman!!!!!
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Haha, well I’m sorry I can’t watch that potentially traumatising video you’ve kindly linked me, Cuz I don’t live in America XD.
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Oh, no my comment was cannibalised by Spammy
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Omnomnomnom! your comments are food for spammy!
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Fun episode! I’m glad we finally see the village, but holy crap what the hell happened there?! Where did the people go? Why is the village still intact? I think it’s aliens! Yes ALIENS! Just kidding, but for real I think it has to do some some government experiment gone bad like a virus? Which makes me think Higurashi?! oh god I hope so or its a giant hunting game like Btooom? Either way this series needs to start killing people off fast because the cast is a bit big.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Residing in a secluded, rural village is not a good thing. You’re out of contact with outside help. Shiki taught us that lesson profoundly and aggressively.
So the hedge needs trimming, eh?
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I wouldn’t be too surprised if it actually was aliens–the Invasion of the Body Snatchers kind.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
I imagine there would be more blood if it was a hunting game? Though maybe those aliens are really good at cleaning up after they have their fun. Haha hopefully they kill people off soon. I want to see this anime kick things into action!!
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I thought of that again this when I heard of that email too! My first thought went back to all the letter that were from Mr. and Mrs. U. N. Owen in that story, and while I’m pretty sure that folklore girl is in on this, I’m not quite sure if this is going to be that easy.
As for the rest of the episode…
Okay, they are doing their best to make the majority of these characters as annoying and irritating and unlikable as could be possible. I’m just waiting for one to die.
And of course they continue with the stereotype that the black guy gets axed first (and of course he’s the one who’s a probable rapist too.*rolleyes*) However, I’ll be happy when they all get killed off.
I think the only ones that I care remotely about are Mitsumune, Speedstar, and Lion. Everyone else can die right now.
This whole situation feels like a set-up and something staged. The buildings are well taken care of but dusty. The strange email to that guide girl and the fact that she just appeared out of the mist to find them with no car, no nothing.
The bus driver is extremely suspicious and I’m wondering if that’s even him anymore. How do you go from wanting to be as far away from these guys as possible to now wanting to join them?
I’m not sure if we have a supernatural or a human killer in this one, but right now my bet’s on human. Supernatural feels like it’s too easy and that that’s what they want us to think. So, I’ll go with the opposite.
But then again, I’m also pretty sure that something has killed the driver and assumed his shape, so I’m not too sure what’s going on yet…
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Oh, I never even thought of if Koharun is in on it or not. She very well could be… though maybe she’s just really gullible or something. Though what you mention about the mist thing is true enough. That scene, I was thinking something along the lines of “man, the character who normally emerges from the darkness like that is normally the serial killer in a horror movie”.
Wah, you put my thoughts into words haha. Yeah, none of these characters are actually endearing. And while I can appreciate the arguing now, people will have to die, or this thing will go nowhere… A death would be nice (or a disappearance that turns out to be a death).
Oh yeah! The bus driver too! You know, I kept wondering this episode if his hair was always that dark. It was hard to tell in the lighting of previous scenes since it was night time before that, but it just seemed so much darker when he appeared in the day time…
I’m with you on being unsure about if it’s supernatural or not. Though I’m still equally on the fence about both possibilities. I’m so excited to see where this goes!!
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’m finding that the unlikability of the characters is pretty authentic. These are people who are so out of step with society that they want to essentially abandon it (even if they don’t realize what the whole consequences of that are). So they are going to be pretty annoying, because they’re the people who annoy us everyday.
It would almost be a worse punishment for all of them to be stuck together for a significant amount of time. And sheesh you guys are bloodthirsty. I think the reactions to a death would be fairly boring and standard and not good storytelling.
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Hi there Karakuri, right after I said you haven’t blogged something I follow for a while… tada you blog Mayoiga lol. When Koharun said she found the village from an anonymous email. I facepalmed so hard. I mean if that doesn’t sound like a set up idk what does, everyone is so screwed 🙁 RIP. I would also like to add that I can’t believe Yottsun decided it was a good time to do what I think he’s trying to do (Another moment when I smashed my face into the desk), shouldn’t he be more worried about what’s currently happening? I mean they’re in a deserted village with no transport… at least worry about food or what happened to the villagers, jeez. Ah, I’d like to add that despite Masaki appearing to be the female lead she’s boring me to bits atm.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Haha nice to have you on board for now! And yeah, everyone seems pretty screwed…
If Yottsun is the first to go, I guess we can count on Hollywood horror movie stereotypes to be true in this anime? The whole situation probably hasn’t occurred to most of the characters, considering that they’re not panicking yet…
And yeah, Masaki is kind of boring as of right now. Though this episode didn’t show her that much, so maybe further episodes will improve upon her character.
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Ah, this is an insignificant point, but I think Mitsumine’s heart beat didn’t rise when Maimai was touching his hand because he’s could sense her insincerity (she did after all admit she was only teasing him cuz he reminded her of her crush/ex) Maybe Mitsumine has a 6th sense like that, I wouldn’t be surprised given what this series seems to be about.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Oh, maybe. If he does have a 6th sense, that would explain why he had those visions of a time bomb right before the bus driver had his outburst.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Spammy seems to have eaten the emergency food supply comment…
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
So…No Casualties for this moment? No matter…I’am Still Waiting for it!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*passes the BBQ sauce*