Mayoiga – 09
Following things that tried to attack you before into unknown areas is definitely a good idea.
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Well this certainly was an interesting turn of events. Now if only they had bothered looking for the bus driver instead of going “gosh, he’s disappeared somewhere. Oh well.” |
Well, who knows if Masaki actually knew where the tunnel was leading or not when she told Mitsumune that it was the way out, but it would be nice if her actions could start making sense. Her bad feelings about things is a really vague excuse, and whenever she does share what she knows, it always seems like she’s withholding something important. Why does she not want anyone to go past the tunnel? Plus it kind of seems like she doesn’t really want to find her cousin, if the words on the rock are true. She has a solid clue to where he is, but she didn’t even seem to want to follow it (though maybe it’s because Mitsumune and the others were there). Though her comment on multiple villages finally makes sense. She saw the one when she went through the tunnel. If only we knew why she wanted to keep everyone in the village beforehand, how she escaped Nanakimura, what made her so scared during Yottsun’s disappearance, and pretty much everything else she’s ever said and done during the trip.
But the whole new village is interesting at least. From the looks of things, it seems far more run down than what we’ve seen of the village the tour group has been staying in. There’s also the creepy fog surrounding the place too. Is there another Nanakimura in the direction that Mitsumune wandered? In any case though, it’s nice that the story is kind of moving towards the bigger mystery. If there are semi-populated multiple villages (or at least one), that might explain why the Nanakimura the tour group came to was so well maintained. Plus there’s the mystery of where Mitsumune is now. Though of course they didn’t show us where Mitsumune woke up because this show needs to work in at least one cliffhanger every episode.
“Accepting Nanaki” is probably going to be a big thing if it involves the characters accepting their pasts and living in Nanakimura in peace. The penguin that was chasing Mitsumune looked slightly less creepy, it was smaller, it didn’t attack him this time, and instead seemed to be leading him somewhere. Also, as he was walking through the river, it looked like the penguin was accompanying him. It was very different from Valkana’s experience, where he’s still obviously traumatized by what drove him to Nanakimura, and the monster attacked him. It should be interesting to see what happens to Maimai when she goes through the tunnel, since if Nanko is correct, she’s getting over what happened to her in the past. Plus if the faceless person at the end of the episode is Reiji, he probably got over his monsters if he’s been around the area for that long (well, maybe). …Though at least another person’s appearance (plus Jack) makes Hyouketsu’s sudden acquisition of a bow and arrows make a lot more sense.
Hayato’s past makes a lot of sense too. …Even if he seems to have lost a lot of the yandere personality he displayed in the last few episodes. The next thing you know, Lovepon is going to start wanting to talk things out. His need to control Mitsumune to gain some control over his own life still makes him an asshat, but at least we can understand why he’s being one. Hayato and Mitsumune’s argument is the perfect set up too, since each character represents what they’re fighting for. Mitsumune in trying to be himself and Hayato in wanting to control someone’s actions. It was pretty convenient timing too, since Mitsumune has recently gained more resolve in becoming himself. If Hayato had admitted this before, maybe Mitsumune would have been more compliant. But overall, seeing Hayato clash with Mitsumune was actually really great to watch, since it felt like actual character progression as opposed to what the show has been so far.
This feels like some of the most progress Mayoiga has made in a while. The overall mystery is progressing, Mitsumune progressed as a character, and there wasn’t too much arguing over ghosts or other silly things. I do kind of want to see how the group as a whole to react to what’s on the other side of the tunnel, but if they all decide to stop having screen time in order for the show to finally explain everything, then I really wouldn’t mind. …Minus Nanko, Lion and Maimai. Give them all of the screentime.
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
Simply going with the flow, things are getting more and more interesting while at the same time, continuing to be an insatiable tease raising more questions than answers.
Among the interests, a disturbing, rule changing piece of information to keep in mind after the bus was traveling through the tunnel. Looks like these creatures can do physical harm. Hayato feeling the hits from Mitsumune’s monster. It’s one case to see something based on one’s traumatic past but it’s another if someone else can feel the impact coming from a monster only you’re able to see.
As for the bus driven, maybe he was spirited away by his late daughter.
No guess as to who saved Hyoketsu and supplied him and Jack with arrows but definitely can’t be good news based on the former’s behavior. Hyoketsu’s whimpering and crying suggests his life was threatened if he didn’t comply with whatever he was told to do.
At the risk of sounding pessimistic, being in a secret village engulfed in thick clouds of fog should raise an untold number of warning flags. As if one hidden away in an isolated rural location isn’t foreboding enough. One can blame weather conditions for all we know but here, it just doesn’t feel right. It’s the kind of setting that demands disappearances and “accidents” to occur.
My dislike of Hayato/Speedstar intensifies. If the story simply left his background as the reasoning behind his personality, I’d have been sympathetic and lenient. Because, hey, that kind of life where you’re treated as an object instead of a person is a special kind of hell. However, that opportunity blew sky high when it made apparent Hayato only saw Mitsumune as a means to an end to ease the inflammation of his own wounds. “Staying loyal and obedient” for his sake? Obviously he doesn’t realize he’s acting no better than his parents who used him to enhance their own image. A punch to the face would’ve made a just reward.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah, I hope the next few episodes are generous with the answers…
I think for the bus driver, he probably just wandered off somewhere again to find her.
Though with Hyouketsu, he was kind of at Jack’s mercy in the first place, so without the rest of the mob to back him up of course he’ll listen to Jack. Plus he was a drama queen in the first place. Maybe Jack attacking everyone else now is because they ganged up on him and threw him in a basement.
Haha well if anything, Mitsumune declaring his independence was probably a punch to the face.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I wish Masaki would explain more too. She says “don’t go through the tunnel…!!!” but never gives them a good reason why. It just makes her more suspicious in the end. She would help dispel a lot of misunderstandings if she would just explain herself in the first place.
…I second the movement that Lion, Maimai and Nanko should get more screentime
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
We also have to consider possibilities. Chances are if she did explain herself, anything Masaki would have to say would be so far from reality that anyone obsessed with rationality might quickly discard it and label her a lunatic. Especially with people like Mikage who has a near god complex.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah. I mean, at this point they’re willing to recognize that giant fake boob monsters can and will appear. It’s not like anything she says will be more ridiculous…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Misaki, stop being the random stuttering plot holer! Sthaaaap!
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
She will when the plot allows her to!
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Well, at this point I think I have a feeling where this series is going and I have a sincere feeling that no one is actually going to die at all. This is all just some weird experiment to get everyone to face their emotional scars and make them better members of society with a new life. We’ll have to see where that goes from here.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah, if we’ve gone this far without people dying constantly, then it would be really silly to kill more than half the cast off in 2-3 episodes.