Tasogare Otome X Amnesia – 08
“Or fall through the floorboards, or impale yourself on a piece of glass laying about, or accidentally fall out a window”
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…Yes, I realize that the next episode for Tasogare airs tomorrow, but I shave an extreme dislike of putting different episodes in the same post. I swear I’ll get one of these out on time someday. OTL |
Long story short, Yuuko tells Niiya to go away since she figures that she forgot about him because he cause her pain. …And so he goes off with Momoe. Momoe got more exposure this episode, but I just can’t find myself disliking her as much as I did at the beginning of the series. There’s just something about her ability to laugh off things like her chopsticks getting slapped out of her hands that’s kind of charming. She’s still a fool, but now I view that as a positive part of her. …Plus I’ve always liked how accepting she was of Niiya loving a dead girl. She just kind of goes “Oh, I never stood a chance! Ahahaha, okay!” and continues on with her life.
There are just so many great spots to stalk people from in this school
On the other hand, Kirie decides to nag Niiya the entire episode asking if he’s just going to let Yuuko forget about him like that. She’s just another member of the harem, but even without Yuuko around, he still doesn’t pick her. …I’m are you could twist this into some sort of yuri logic where she’s jealous that Niiya is stealing away her sismance partner, but it’s hard for me to picture that since she’s still throwing herself at Niiya. When she suggested growing out her hair to replace Yuuko, it was so hard to watch. She does the same thing in the manga, but it feels more like she’s trying to cheer him up from the visuals rather than blatantly hit on him. Even worse, towards the end, she suddenly changes her attitude and starts saying that Niiya and Yuuko could never be together. Wtf, girl. I’m sure Kirie had some pretty mixed feelings about the whole thing since it’s hard watching Yuuko depressed while Niiya goes prancing around with Momoe, but at the same time, if he got back with Yuuko, Kirie still wouldn’t stand a chance. …That doesn’t make her actions any more appealing though.
Now it’s interesting that Shadow Yuuko was the one to violently tear away Kirie from Niiya (and she was most likely the one to push away Momoe’s chopsticks). One, it means that Yuuko indeed shoved more negative emotions on her Shadow (…it sounds like I’m talking about Persona 4), and so Shadow Yuuko remembered Yuuko’s feelings for Niiya in her place. The other interesting thing is that both actions are pretty similar to what Yuuko herself did in previous episodes. She might be closer to her Shadow then she thinks.
Finally, Niiya’s side of this. Sure, Yuuko’s words were hurtful, but that doesn’t mean you go running off to the nearest member of your harem! Though of course, in the end, he’s never gonna give Yuuko up. The ending was totally cheesy though. Niiya’s confession (and groping) suddenly bringing her memories back? Even I found myself rolling my eyes at that one. But hey, on the bright side, this series has a few episodes left and we’ve already confirmed the OTP. …Not that the other members were much competition.
He’s never gonna give her up, never gonna let her down.
Never gonna run around and dese- …Nevermind.
So overall, the anime made Niiya’s harem seem …well, more like a harem. From my point of view, they made Kirie out to be THE unrequited love interest since her actions seemed less …painfully desperate in the manga. They also really played out on Niiya’s decision to hang with Momoe when Yuuko rejected him where the manga was more focused on how awkward Yuuko and Niiya’s relationship was. It’s interesting though that as opposed to when Yuuko was hanging out with Yuuko, this episode felt so much lighter than the ones before it. There were little to no supernatural rumours that Niiya looked into and the only ghostly activity was due to Shadow Yuuko.
Less horror, back to the harem. That being said, the visuals weren’t that all that stunning this episode. I don’t normally talk about this much, but I enjoy when they play with imagery such like when they added in the symbolism of the colour behind the broken glass back in that episode with blonde Yuuko. This episode sorely lacked that. There wasn’t any real complex metaphorical imagery, it was fairly straightforward. …Though it wasn’t completely disappointing. The roof scene was brilliant, as was the random music insert that they threw in there beforehand. To SILVER LINK’s defence as well, this episode wasn’t meant to be mysterious with hidden meaning everywhere. It was about Niiya sorting out his feelings and finally announcing what we knew from episode one.
So now that the relationship part is out of the way, what lies ahead? This was a perfectly safe place for SILVER LINK to stop and say “okay, relationship solved. This will keep the viewers quiet. We can continue this in another season.” and not give us any more answers. However, there are still quite a few episodes left and after skipping so much stuff of lesser importance, I think it’s safe to assume that the next episodes will tell us more about Shadow Yuuko. …Or they could piss us off by going back and animating all of the non-important stuff in an attempt to hit the 12 episode anime average.
Preview:
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: 400-499 with 428 comments
‘Persona!’
You have summoned Yuuko, a nudist-freak, from the depths of your soul!
…
Girls: WTF?
Guys: YES! TIME TO SCORE!
…
Yeah, I had the Persona vibe too every time they described Shadow Yuuko, couldn’t hold this one back 🙂
Ok, having watched this episode, I have to admit, I was happiest at the end, not because Yuuko remembered Niiya, and not because of Okonogi’s calm acceptance and ridiculous expression of Niiya’s love for Yuuko, but because the one episode of separation was over.
Guess it’s just something every anime lover never gets used to, I mean, some episodes where a group/team comes back together are done better than others but with the Yuuko/Niiya duo of trouble back now, the story will go on (since it was just lovey-dovey, which I feel didn’t fit with the mystery air of this show).
Yes, Kirie did seem all the more desperate to be with Niiya, especially after saying if she’d grow her hair out and other things, she’d look like Yuuko; less of the vexed Kirie and more of the sleuth trying to discover the secrets of the past Kirie; much better character this way. 🙂
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Hahaha I was waiting for a line like “No! You’re not me!” …but it never came. OTL
But yeah! The ending scene was cute… if cheesy. The separation was painful to watch!!! I’m glad it only lasted one episode. I don’t think I could stand to watch another one of these, no matter how much it set a mood/ atmosphere.
You’re right about it totally not fitting in, but it does look like a minor distraction. I’m really surprised that they didn’t make it the main point of the series to be honest (like so many anime before it). SILVER LINK has been upholding the harem well, so I’m surprised at them doing that while somewhat breaking anime tradition a bit by focusing on the backstory more.
Ehhh… I think I like Kirie better when she’s not trying to insert herself into Yuuko’s place. It’s so painful to watch her insecurities. Though if her character comes out stronger for this, I guess I’m up for it.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hahaha, hey, better late than never even if the next episode is right around the corner. Lately, the visuals have a taken a darker tone in color like the conversation between Teiichi and Kirie.
I like the explanation Kirie gave on what amnesia is. Defining that one’s personality is a product one’s memories of past experiences. And it’s true, once you learn from your mistakes, you’re less likely to make the same mistake but if you lose the memory of those experiences, you basically lose a part of yourself and risk ending up in the same troubling situations.
I couldn’t help but laugh when Yuuko regained her memories just by being groped. How is that possible and as a matter of fact, how can she even have a heartbeat when she’s supposed to be dead? Just like vampires, it looks likes ghosts have changed as well: Being solid enough to touch, being able to touch physical things and the other things Yuuko’s capable of doing. What’s next?
Finally an anime where the characters have confessed their feelings way before the ending of the series. Normally, when I see supernatural romances and both sides have confessed, that’s when I start thinking on the hybrid theory, about how would the child look if they actually had a child but this one is a stretch. Yuuko is a ghost and by such, shouldn’t have a body but has one to those that can see her. Shinigami babies, maybe?
Kirie is once again in Shadow Yuuko’s range. Can’t she ever catch a break and why is the shadow so interested in her?
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
My god Shadow Yuuko is stalking Kirie….. wincest?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hahaha, maybe. They are related and anything is possible in the world of anime.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
After the last episode, it seems there is no ‘cest that Tasogare won’t explore.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…this has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but NICE AVATAR!
THE MOVIE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!!1!!!oneYeah, I liked her explanation about what you learned in the past making up who you are. Without memories, you’re just like a child. It certainly explains a lot about why Yuuko is childish (aside from the innocence factor).
Ahahaha yep. Groping seems to be the universal solution to problems with the supernatural in this series. The heartbeat comment threw me off as well. She’s dead. How the hell does she have a heartbeat? …Or will that play out in later episodes? Who knows. Yuuko’s ghostly abilities have been ridiculously undefined. …though most of it has been stuff that the anime threw in there.
…No kidding. I was thinking dead babies or something. Or maybe children without a heartbeat (Yuuko’s comment throws that one off though). If Yuuko doesn’t get older, is she even able to look pregnant/have children? (You know you’re over thinking something when.) though asking that, you have to wonder what would happen if she cut her hair. Would it grow back? SO MANY QUESTIONS.
Ahaha yep. Sucks to be Kirie. Nothing bad ever seems to happen to Momoe (though she is 110% more agreeable then Kirie will ever be).