Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin – 11 [END]
Sometimes you just have to pick on your rival
My first series to end from Spring, but unfortunately it’s because it’s a short 11 episodes. How was the series finale of Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin?
Tensai Saves The Day
Classic Tensai
How funny is it that Tensai has some old-style 6 barrel revolver? Her whole look, from the big floppy hat (which isn’t a deerstalker, but still looks detective-y) to her cape, to her waistcoat over the skirt, is just so in character for a Master Detective. But it doesn’t necessarily take a detective to bluff Hiiyo, it just takes a lot of guts, which she also has in spades. Even though he’s definitely got the upper hand, Hiiyo ends up taking the deal with Tensai because he doesn’t know what she knows and what she doesn’t know, and she’s right in her assumption that he’s out of tricks. But it’s still a huge bluff, and quite the public repudiation of Juugo that she doesn’t trust him (of course, she’s repeatedly said that he’s her arch-rival, and evil to boot). I even liked the call back to her other quirk: Asking your name, then asking your REAL name, as if everyone’s got aliases. And Hiiyo’s reaction to that is the same as everyone else’s: repeating his name with that slightly annoyed tone. That may be one of my favorite jokes in the series.
“You know you want to…”
And to think that they were fighting only because they didn’t realize right away that the puzzle on the chest was a fake (or maybe Tensai did). I wasn’t sure if the entire chest was a fake, too. It’s funny that Tensai says she’s swearing off ruins for a while, since they’re not worth it. To her, it would be worth it to be interesting puzzles to solve, because she sure doesn’t seem interested in any of Nanana’s Collection. But we’ve seen that no puzzle has even stretched her as far as being difficult. And she also solves something for Nanana, why Juugo hasn’t been forthcoming about what’s going on, and Nanana realizes that he was doing it for her sake. And she still has fun with Tensai after that, making a bet about whether Juugo would keep his promise, which of course he does even if the item is supposedly named “You Can See Events From The Past.” Like he’d fall for that. Even with Tensai pushing it at him.
True Feelings
Batteru Time!
But that’s not the end. Juugo finally realizes the best way to find out is to get Nanana to say what she really wants. And it’s quite the touching confession of how he feels about her, that he needs to know what she really wants to have the resolve to help her move on, because otherwise he’d rather just have her stay. Her answer is the kind of thing that will make it easier for him: She doesn’t want to go yet. She’d rather stay with Juugo and all of the group around him. How much more fun has this been for her than her past time with Hiiyo? And Shiki certainly seems pleased with Juugo as a roommate for Nanana as well, even if she’d rather have him for a keeper.
Overall Series Review
I always liked Shiki’s appearances, maybe my favorite character
This really was the rebound of what I think most people want to see from noitaminA. A smart, exciting series, and while it was complicated as to the backgrounds, motives, and aspirations of the many members of the cast, it was well-written and extremely coherent. There was enough fantastical element in the futuristic setting of a super high-tech island and the presence of supernatural artifacts to make it believable when strange things happened, but generally it was some people who were really good at fighting helping the action along. The show struck a good balance between searching through ruins solving puzzles and character development and story time.
Nice reprise of the first episode, also
The voice acting on the show was excellent, and done in such a way that it only added to the appeal of the show. There were no virtuoso performances here, and none were needed, just a lot of tremendously competent work and well-developed characters. And the show turned out to be not bombastic or show-off, just interesting and fun. I found the ending to be in a good place as far as where the story sits, and it certainly leaves us all wanting more of the series. There is a LOT more in this universe to talk about, and there are at least 7 books out already, although I don’t know how many this first series got through (I’ll take a wild-ass-guess at 3, maybe 4, although it didn’t feel so rushed as to have gotten through 4 different stories). In case you didn’t notice, I’m being hopeful in talking about this ‘first’ series, because I’d definitely want to see more of this story, and hope that noitaminA will pick up a second, or even allow it to move to another slot, since I think the show can hold up without that brand to prop it up.
Thanks for joining me for Nanana’s Buried Treasure! I’ll definitely miss this show, and not only for the fact that now I’ll have to find some other way to justify using this awesome purple color for titles. And one other reason I’ll miss it is the great designs of the characters, and especially the way all the eyes were drawn. I really enjoyed the stylized two-tone irises. So what did you think of the show overall, and what specific things did you like or dislike?
Let’s look to the future for more of Nanana!
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
The 7th book has no inside illustrations, since LN illustrator Akaringo has fallen ill.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
At least they are being honest abt it. There are times where I bought chinese LNs due to promising story + good art and turns out there no art in it. Even the ones that have art are masterful at wasting illustration space.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yikes!! Best wishes for the illustrator to recover quickly. It bites when a production is halted due to an important member’s poor health. Trinity Blood‘s story advance suffered that fate when its author passed away. That’s why the anime never got a deserved second season.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
So the power behind Hiiyo’s ring was as I thought. It puts the target under the user’s suggestions. Theoretically, I’d like to think it first attacks the mind for the injuries to manifest physically because stress on the brain is known to cause damage to the body.
I’m kind of put off that the Adventure Club’s confrontation with Hiiyo ended in an anticlimactic fashion. The guy was utter trash so I was hoping for the royal ass kicking he so deserves but given the circumstances, Tensai had no choice but to take one for the team. Though I’m sure at the back of her mind, she actually had an idea how Hiiyo’s last trump card works. Well, at it looks like Yukihime will be finishing the job. Surely, Juugo had something to do with it, making good on his promise that he wouldn’t forget him.
Kind of shocking someone level headed like Nanana would contemplate killing but I guess it’s a natural enough feeling in anyone who has been greatly wronged, especially if they’re killed and condemned to be imprisoned to a state of limbo in an apartment room which can be lonely if left uninhabited. Out of curiosity, if she were to find her killer and because her connections to the island which are her reasons for not moving on, would she able to roam beyond Juugo’s room? For some reason, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia came to mind on Yuuko being able to move about more freely after finding out the hidden truth about her death.
Overall, Nanana was a good, well-written series that did better than projected expectations thanks to a surprisingly serious tone in the story, comedy that worked in well and a great cast of characters. Particularly the lead, Juugo, his rival Tensai and the awesome titular pudding loving ghost NEET girl herself. It’s one of the Spring season’s best though a shame to be only limited to 11 episodes when it feels like things are truly beginning. That’s about the only aspect I find reproachable. With that open ended finale, that would be a strong chance for a second season (a bit of doubt much material was used for the adaptation) and if it is granted, I’d easily welcome it. Yoshino Saki was obviously possessed. Thanks for blogging the show, Highway. I had fun watching it.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, as Tensai said, there were never any actual injuries, so there was nothing to heal. I do wonder if Kagetora ever figured that out, although it also looked like he was getting beaten up when he was down, so that might explain his injuries. I don’t think Yukihime would be doing too much to Hiiyo, although I kind of wonder how they crossed paths anyway. I would say that Hiiyo seemed a bit more ruthless than Yukihime, but she’s probably significantly stronger than he is from a fighting standpoint.
I thought the series fit well into 11 episodes the way they made it. I don’t know if having 12 or 13 would have been better, since they found a good stopping point, so any other episodes would have either been stretching the story out to fill them, or some sort of filler or side story. While I’d watch either one, it’s not really necessary.
Thanks for watching!
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
I quite enjoyed Nanana overall but i felt that the writing to the series could have used a little bit more work. It started straightening itself off more and more towards the ending run of the series, and delivered a finale that had some of the series strongest writing to date. I thought some of the show’s plot progressions where a bit clumsy and the set for character drama slightly off, but when the character drama actually took off it worked so i appreciated that a lot. It was a series that improved itself as it continued its run and that was definitely a good thing. This series was fun, it was energetic, and there were some surprising developments for the characters that really intrigued me. There’s plenty of potential in this series and id like to see a second season for it to be tapped into
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I didn’t really see much problem with the writing throughout. The early part of the series was challenging to the viewers because it seemed all of the characters were a little off-kilter, almost reveling in introducing new turns to their personalities. It certainly kept everyone off balance until we learned that Shuu could be anyone, that Juugo’s not just the nice guy that he seemed, that Tensai could figure anything out, and that Kagetora was faultlessly loyal to Isshin. I thought they did well setting up the remainder of the show with those personalities so there weren’t any surprising reveals, but it wasn’t predictable. They set up the characters well so that they could just play off of each other to great entertainment.
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
I dont know i just felt like sometimes the series didnt properly set up the character drama; a good example would be the feud between Yukihime and Juugo at about halfway through the series. Tension was suppose to be between them for him tricking her with the fake treasure and the fact that he seemed to be turning his back on what they saw as their ultimate goal when they were younger, but you dont really see any of this tension building up until all of a sudden Juugo just happens to lose his composure when speaking to Nanana that he feels betrayed by Yukihime; I felt that lacked a bit of polish.
Another example would be the developments that took place in ep 4. I know what they were going for but it didnt work in my opinion. There wasnt enough build up to make surprises like that work (although there was some slight foreshadowing of certain details so ill give it that) but the overall execution of those plot details ended up feeling clumsy. In order to build suspenseful twists and “Ah ha” moments, I feel that you need to build tension and and a tone to match that tension prior to it, properly pace and execute your reveals, and then capitilize on those reveals (to which ep 5 didnt do whatsoever) which is why i didnt think ep 4 was that strong of an ep; I followed everything that was going on regardless of how fast and erratic it was, but the impact ended up being diluted because of the execution.
Also Nanana’s character herself is not that strong either and when Hiyo was introduced, a good portion of what was going on demanded that at this point, you were slightly invested in her character but i really didnt care. Honestly, the only well-done characters in this series was Juugo, Tensai, Yukihime,….yea dats it. Regardless tho there is a lot of potential in the series and the last couple of eps stepped it up in the writing department so i was pleased. The eps prior were enjoyable and kept me watching the series with a feeling of entertainment, but it was the final arc that sold me that this could be a great show (and not just good or enjoyable) if handled with more polish. The strength of this series was definitely the more-than-meets-the-eye cast of characters, and while not all of them were particularly engaging, it was refreshing to see characters you couldnt really peg down which is why i would love to see a second season if it gets one.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, you also have to think about what you’d trade for that additional character development. Time is not an infinite resource, and I can’t say that there were any parts of the show where time was wasted. So given that time budget, I don’t know if you could have given much more investment in character motivations, or even done enough to make those side characters be that much more interesting, without significantly reducing the scope of the show. I think the three characters you mention – Juugo, Tensai, and Yukihime – are the three main characters of the show, and as such, they’re the only ones who really needed to be well done. Saki was a McGuffin, Shuu and Shiki were utility / comic relief, and Nanana, at this stage in the story, is pretty much an oracle. I think the important thing with Nanana’s character is that they left the way open for her to transition to a friend for Juugo.
But for me, I thought they made the most of the time they had, and considering the 11-episode series, did about as much as they could.
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
I agree with you on the time factor and yes ur right, the series did its best with what it had; that’s why im hoping a second season because i have a strong feeling it will take what has been established so far in a very interesting direction, as seen by the little teaser at the end. Unfortunately, Im hearing news that this series didnt bring in the sales figures one thought it might.
Oh and i absolutely agree with your observation of Nanana transitioning as Juugo’s friend…after the finale, that was made pretty clear in my opinion, which also made Tensai and juugo’s sort of flirtatious, mutual bond that much more prevalent.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
You wonder if anything will have good sales after Love Live! sucked up all of the sales. Over 82,000 sales of the Season 2 volume 1 BD. That’s after the ED single came out at #2 in the charts.
It’s so hit or miss what gets a continuation. All we can really do is wait and see.
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
holy crap!!!! Guess we can assume there was a lull in sales for all anime and that once the lull is gone, sales will go up for other anime BD/DVD’s haha
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
This. Just this. Yeah, one of my most looked forward to shows this season, and for many of the reasons you point out so well. It felt a touch weak about two or so episodes back, but it rather quickly regain ground for me. I think any time not spent with Nanana, Juugo, and Tensai was not as well spent as it could have been.
So, yes, s2 please. Or just a Tensai series…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
No!! Not just Tensai. The pudding loving, martial arts trained, adventuring NEET ghost girl (wow, that’s a mouth full) Nanana is also a must.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I would think a Tensai only series would get a little too monotonous. Plus, we’ve seen what happens when we get too much Kana Asumi in a series… Nyarlko. I’ve come to understand that I think she works much better in a larger cast, as a co-main or supporting character, like she does in Nanana or Mekakucity Actors.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
You can get to much Kana Asumi, this is true. But they could try until they get there, right? Tensai is not Nyalko, after all.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Tensai is almost like Nyaruko. They’re both very energetic (Even more because of the same seiyuu adding an energetic voice). Just that Tensai applies logic into whatever she does.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
This series had a lot of promise and it has been one of the few out of Spring season, which has lived up to it. Even with an array of characters, there was enough progress to keep us glued. With how things ended, I hope there’s another season. After all, Juugo has to find Nanana’s killer and I want to find pleasure in her killing whoever it is.
On a different note, I don’t hate the Sugitan character anymore. I really do want to know his deal, which was left very much open-ended as well.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I wouldn’t think that Juugo would find Nanana’s killer for 3 or 4 more series if it came to that. I doubt this anime would get that much tho.
Hiiyo ended up written very well, in that nobody likes him, but he’s a good bad guy for the series, an unrepentantly selfish person, but not necessarily an evil person. I mean, is he any more evil than Isshin, whose stated goals include world subjugation?
I thought the show ended up with just the right number of characters, in just the right number of factions. One person I’d have liked to see more of, and maybe it would get explored further in another series, is Yumeji, who seemed to have an altogether normal interest in Juugo, who is an interesting and handsome enough guy.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
A fun series in my book, But only because of Tensai, for if it wasn’t for her involvement the series wouldn’t do too hot for me.. Right!?
But no really, this series was quite fun and enjoyable to watch, Nanana and Juugo are a cute pair,
I’d prefer Tensai be the one with Juugo.‘waits for second season, Totally would watch 10/10.