Forum - View topicDark Gathering (TV).
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#16
I actually like this episode for two reasons despite following on from last week's supernatural extravaganza. The first reason is getting an insight into Eiko's mindset following on from the last hunt. As twisted as it is, Yayoi probably has a point regarding the family's predilection for the supernatural. Eiko's science background (she's majoring in cultural studies at University but would have taken a STEM course easily had she felt like it) means she might be on to something regarding Yayoi's dolls, but she'll need to use this next adventure to properly test out her hypothesis. The second reason I like the episode is it transitions to the next adventure without really feeling like filler. Keitarou gets a well-deserved break for once and it's up to the remaining pair to secure for themselves accommodation for the multiple Graduates under Yayoi's control. Unusually for this franchise, they've taken an actual location from real life and used it as-is for the episode. Last week's S-tunnel and the others usually use proxy names which can be matched with their real-life equivalents with a bit of background checking, but Taira no Masakado's infamy is so widespread the author felt it worth a cameo in this franchise. Although Yayoi said he was past his prime, her alien doll's eyes were locked on to Eiko during the exposition and it was quivering most of the time while inside the site. Compared to what the two of them have been through, simply visiting the site won't do anything to them as Masakado only lashes out defensively unlike the other Wraiths they visit. There's a reminder why our intrepid trio are jaunting across Japan, as well as what the star mark in Ai's eyes really means. The entity venerated at the shrine Ai is looking at is so well known it doesn't really need further mentioning, but for those not in the know an explanation should follow soon enough in this franchise. Not sure if Ai's god and Kuubou are going to have a throwdown, but it would take the focus off Eiko and Yayoi so most likely not. If Eiko survives this next haunt without losing her nerve, she'll definitely stick with the others for how ever long it takes for Yayoi to achieve her goals. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#17
I'm not sure what impresses me more: the in-your-face horror this episode dishes out, or the cold explanation given by Yayoi for the grisly past of the house and its doomed residents. If this series gets an upgrade in age rating, it would this episode alone which would be solely responsible. In a way, it's a better fit for this episode for two females to take on the wraith. Yayoi has her favoured guardian spirit to absorb harm, while the curse's properties mean it's poetic for females to exorcise it permanently. Keitarou gets nothing more than a cameo here, although I'm glad to know my previous assertion he was an only child was proved wrong. Got a few Araragi Koyomi vibes from the introduction. Two down, but the third one looks like it's trapped Eiko. The trailer also features Ai's god, so what's the connection there? This arc is longer than I expected, but it should end next week and I'm keen to see how it's resolved, even if the outcome shouldn't be in doubt. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24122 |
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I'm finally caught up. The show certainly more than earned the "Dark" in its title. Poor Eiko certainly hasn't been having an easy time of it these last few episodes. Such are the trails and tribulations of ghost hunting.
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dm
Subscriber Posts: 1460 |
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I've never seen horror in animation form quite up to the level this show has been pulling off the last few episodes, with this most recent episode really seeing a high bar.
(That said, I tend more toward the creepy than the body horror end of things in my viewing.) |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#18
MVP for this arc is undoubtedly the wraith bound to Yayoi's grey alien doll. More powerful than anything it had to take on, it even gains strength and memories from consumption of other powerful wraiths. Curiously enough, the final key to securing the house required one participant with Sight and another without, otherwise there would be no way to find the relic keeping the pregnancy curse active. Did the daughter do it as part of the ritual? Or did the monks at the castle give her advice? Yayoi's task just got harder now that her primary target has also strengthened. The advice from Ai's god was right on the mark, so it too can evolve after successfully eliminating Kishimojin. There's a hint to the identity of Ai's god as well; that power is based on folklore from the Chinese mainland. Not enough to identify it yet based on that scene alone, so further encounters are something to look forward to. Now that Keitarou is well enough to actually go jogging, he can resume his role as wraith bait. Eiko is even more insane after this experience, but she shouldn't be directly affected for a while yet once Keitarou is back on active duty. The courtesan in the ED will make her bow in the next arc. Like the priest, another weapon that is just as likely to kill the wielder and allies given half a chance. An appropriate stage for it to showcase its talents as well. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#19
Sometimes I wonder: If Yayoi isn't so short, female and has powerful wraiths as her bodyguards and damage sponges, would she be able to pull off all of her observation tricks she's done over the years since she started her grand quest? Although she picked a suitable location to park the courtesan Graduate, Keitarou literally went through a hellish version of a brothel to complete his mission. As he rightly admitted, he didn't get through it on his own and the real Eiko certainly pulled her weight this time round. Yayoi's role this week is surprisingly relegated to minor wraith sealing and the instructions she learned from previous visits. The instructions given by Yayoi were very peculiar, as it involved switching room numbers and opening and closing specific doors. Almost like a game where players lead lemmings to their doom or salvation through certain triggers. The room switching might be done to speed up the process; I honestly cannot imagine how she figured out the sequence when no one else is physically changing the room number cards when she was last there. The franchise might flirt close to the adults-only rating with the horror it regularly churns out, but this week marks the first time it would chance the ratings board with actual adult-rated content. Fittingly this is an abandoned love hotel, so thematically it's not out of place even without the usual obsessive Eiko's unsubtle hints to Keitarou within earshot of Yayoi. To Keitarou's credit, he does care for Eiko in a non-physical manner and that loyalty came in big during the big trial in the jacuzzi. I'm not entirely sure what the final sequence of vignettes was meant to be about, enough for the animators to remove the usual ED animation. I HAVE read the tale told by Eiko about the man and his son, although the variant I read was slightly different in the small details. The animators don't throw these vignettes out without reason, so perhaps we'll find out the significance of wraiths masquerading as regular humans after permanent possession in the next arc. The trailer indicates the organization behind Kuubou is going to make contact with Yayoi's group for the first time, which is going to be very interesting if they clash immediately. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#20
Another S-rank haunt, but the wraith for this arc has his own backstory which is illustrated in the most grotesque manner imaginable. He's got more in common with the tunnel axe murderer than anything else, but unlike that wraith he has good reason to seek victims because of the nature of his grudge. Now that the competition is out of the way, it is Yayoi and company who have to take him head on. The courtesan looks like she's the trump card, but how she's used will be decisive in getting Yayoi another weapon in her armoury. The corrupt Buddhist monk cartel has a problem: some of its members are being possessed by powerful wraiths capable of perfectly mimicking their human vessels, right up to free use of memories, special powers and other abilities they might have. The Yakuza connected monk didn't notice his erstwhile colleague had already been possessed, and it looks like the possessing wraiths in turn have their own agenda in setting up relics to drive more spirits like the castle wraith insane to fuel their numbers. The medium this time round failed the S-rank test, but who knows how many more of these specimens are running around the country working towards their aims. Even Keitarou wasn't able to fully obtain a read on the medium, with Yayoi having at best a suspicion all was not what it seemed. For a first contact, nothing noteworthy yet between the two opposing factions but depending on where this adaptation stops there might be more to come. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24122 |
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Another episode and another zero punches pulled with respect to tragic and grotesque backstory. I move the show be retitled Very, Very Dark Gathering. I believe the reveal that some wraiths are capable of possessing humans is new and definitely adds an interesting wrinkle.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#21
It's a familiar formula, but the animators haven't failed to keep things interesting by throwing in the odd surprise. Eiko's experiment needed a while to get going, but without it she would be meatballs so it's safe to say that's been a success. With this episode, the last of the Graduates featured in the ED animation formally makes his bow. A different type of rage from the axe murderer, and his gimmick means he's nigh on impossible to defeat unless that is taken away from him. Even then, he still has his second form where direct pulverisation works just as effectively. To that end, the series introduced Yayoi's existing Graduates in a sequence which directly counters the problem. Both wraiths have surprisingly similar abilities, relying on a combination of damage over time and concurrent regeneration to wear down their opponents. Meatballs boy had the upper hand after clearing his environs of stray spirits, but Otogiri Oiran with Yayoi's help has deployed her final stage. Even if the outcome isn't in doubt, this is likely the last time Yayoi has to go prospecting for Graduates so I'm letting the animators have the benefit of the doubt dragging the arc out by one more episode. The axe murderer didn't get background exposition, but the courtesan gets hers and it's not pleasant as expected from powerful wraiths. Her life story mirrors her abilities, in a similar way to the devil sergeant. She wasn't entirely responsible for shaping her protégé's mindset towards betrayal, but she certainly paid for it and would have passed on had the truth not been revealed. The problem for Yayoi and co is how to restrain her again and secure their new graduate without getting themselves killed by the wraiths' powers. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#22
If and when Yayoi succeeds in her grand quest, she's going to face the problem of what to do with the powerful graduates under her command. At least two (Oiran, axe murderer) bitterly resent servitude and will kill or damn her given the slightest opportunity. Even if she doesn't take up the offer to be the surviving Shami's disciple, her advice might prove useful in helping the wraiths pass on safely. That, or she'll get them to kill each other and then hope one of the cooperative specimens remains who can continue to serve her until Yayoi passes on. Like the priest graduate before her, the Oiran is a genuine double-edged sword who cannot be let off the leash once her task is completed. Good thing Keitarou has practice; it's also good to see the princess wraith again as she's surprisingly adept at defence thanks to her veil and ghostly hands. Like the sergeant, she's cooperative and accepts payment in sake for her services which is a lot cheaper than part of a soul or limbs. The duel is even more outlandish than previous, but it's the second last arc as there's only enough airtime for the next one with Yayoi on her own against the Replacements Dorothy. Meatballs boy gets to serve, but Yayoi has work to do before he can be unleashed. Right now he sees everyone as his mother (and by extension meatballs to be consumed). Unless she figures out how to "train" him to distinguish between friend and foe, he'll be on standby. Pity, I was hoping to see how capable he is under Yayoi's command with his sketchbook and fusion powers unrestrained. |
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dm
Subscriber Posts: 1460 |
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Am I misremembering, or did I imagine it, or did the courtesan end up being in room 404, as in the HTML error code? |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#23
This is the start of the final story arc for this adaptation, and it looks like the animators are going to go out with a bang and try to leave enough of an impression on casual viewers to get them to tune in for future adaptations. This is the only time to date we've seen Yayoi work on her own without Keitarou and Eiko to help her, and she's up against one of the Possessed who's from the same school. It's hard to imagine, but it's been less than two months since Keitarou first met Yayoi and they've embarked on her grand quest together. Now that school is back on, Yayoi's field trips to different parts of Honshu are on hold until the next long break, which would be Summer for her and the university students. As much as she'd love her school to be suspended, she's also beholden to Eiko and her family for taking her in after her parents were killed so the least she can do is do well academically to make them worry less about her. Since her IQ after the accident is at genius-level, she doesn't have to work hard at all to maintain her grades especially when Keitarou actually tutors her properly. So no surprise she spends most of her free time looking up ghost stories and urban legends for research into her grand quest. It's not surprising Yayoi has no friends either. Carrying around her doll and with an aura which shuns company, it's a wonder anyone in her class even talks to her. That said, the possessed Dorothy is laying down the gauntlet and Yayoi has no choice but to take up the challenge and save her classmates. As for this arc's featured wraith, the seven mysteries highlighted in the school are actually a montage of the most famous Japanese urban legends which feature Japanese schools of all grades. It is the seventh and final one (the sobbing teacher ghost) which is the focus of this arc. Even the supernatural game of hide and seek this arc features is the series retelling of a very infamous urban legend featuring school children which I've read, which has been redone to include the unfortunate bullied teacher Yayoi has been looking at through his memories. Because this week's arc is a chimera of different urban legends featuring schools, all bets are off as to how Yayoi is going to approach the problem and get even with the possessed Dorothy. As for her tools, she still carries the Alien doll (proven its worth multiple times since Ai's apartment) but none of the other Graduates are with her. I think she still has the finger appendage which can laser through spirit binds, but she might not get the chance to use it much. It's down to her smarts and physical abilities to escape the ritual and save her fellow school mates. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#24
I'm surprised this arc ended in two episodes instead of three, but the season finale is next week and by all accounts it is setup for the next major story arc. Since the adaptation finishes here, fans will have to hope home video sales do well enough to justify continued adaptations. A short arc, but it does showcase Yayoi's alien doll and finally gives the resident spirit a name. Unlike the other Graduates, this one is quite cooperative and will happily feed on hapless spirits in its path when given the order to do so. Each time it consumes, more of its memories and power returns. A fully restored spirit will be quite the handful, shame viewers won't see it in this adaptation. Eiko recruiting others into the Church of fear is unexpected, but not a complete surprise. All of the adventures she's had with Keitarou and Yayoi have left her addicted for more, and she's happy to have someone she can talk to on the same wavelength. The creepy eye highlights which denote Eiko in crazy mode are again on display, and they're replicated by Yayoi's classmate. Yayoi calling Shami for support in the upcoming war is a clever move: after all Yayoi on her own doesn't have a hope of taking on an organization of body snatchers. Having backup evens the odds slightly, but Shami needs to be careful to keep things discreet. Not sure what the last episode will bring, but I'm not expecting any huge action set pieces. If the animators do it well, there'll be a seamless transition to future adaptations should they be greenlit. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2956 |
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#25
An interesting way to finish this adaptation. There is no announcement of future adaptations, yet the episode has set out Yayoi's stall for her plan to confront and kill Ai's god. They have little time to act, as Ai is soon up to join the god's larder just as members of her family and ancestors were. Both Eiko and Keitarou will join Yayoi on her quest, and they have each brought tools of their own to assist. Eiko might have found a way to keep the trio protected from the expected barrage of supernatural attacks, while Keitarou's contraption minimises the chances of them getting killed by the Graduates. It's an uphill task, made even harder by the body snatcher organisation starting to target Yayoi and company with Shami and her followers doing what they can to keep Yayoi safe. It's been a long ride, and a highly entertaining one. The franchise found its niche despite the crowded seasons it premiered in and the brand of entertainment it provides cannot be matched by competitors. Niche as it is, supernatural horror of the kind provided by this series has its admirers and if enough of them in Japan and abroad bring in the money needed to motivate the animators to do another season it would be well earned. The source material has someway to go before it finishes, so I'm fine with future adaptations having a break between broadcasts to give the animators more time to deliver quality horror, hopefully over multiple seasons. |
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