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Harleyquin
Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2866
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 1:34 am
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This series is not focused on normal characters and personalities, so in a way I wasn't surprised with the way the mystery was solved nor the identity of the true culprit.
Bearing in mind that this series is an adaptation of existing novels written by a long-dead writer, this is going to divide viewers between those who are fans of the author and those who are looking for a good mystery series.
Despite the macabre theme, I'm more interested to see what the personality of Kobayashi has for future cases. There aren't many children who fear the spectre of boredom and normality more than the threat of imprisonment and public ostracism.
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ookamigirl
Joined: 15 Jul 2012
Posts: 2274
Location: Croatia
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 2:40 pm
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Art is nice.
Can be a bit flashy sometimes..
Somehow I expected more from this anime.
The story is fine, but it's missing that something to hook me.
Dropping it.
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WhiteHairGirls
Joined: 27 Apr 2011
Posts: 4713
Location: New York City
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 4:14 pm
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This first case reminded me of the Ice Truck Killer from Dexter.
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Harleyquin
Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2866
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 12:56 pm
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#3:
This series is twisted, befitting its name as a collection of horror stories from the late Showa author.
The "Shadow Man" features in the opening animation so it might not be the last time viewers see him in this series, but his motives and actions are just as disturbing as the fat kidnapper Watanuki even though he has the girls' best interests at heart.
This episode also marks the first time Kobayashi exploits his outward appearance to solve cases, it certainly won't be the last given how successful he was in this episode's endeavour. I could do without Hashiba and his reaction to Kobayashi's "hobby" though.
Akechi is surprisingly skilled at hand-to-hand combat for someone who looks like physical exercise would be the death of him with his languid personality, but he doesn't get much to do other than end up as a conduit for Kobayashi to get things done.
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Stark700
Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 1:20 pm
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Episode 3:
This Shadow Man (paper bag dude as I like to refer it) is kinda strange. Apparently, he thinks little girls as goddesses? Then again, we find out his reasoning with that logic.
Also, Kobayashi seriously does look like a trap with that dress on LOL. It's almost scary...
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killjoy_the
Joined: 30 May 2015
Posts: 2460
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:18 pm
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The OP and ED have really grown on me lately.
I agree that the Shadow is almost as disturbing as the fat dude. I mean, he was disguising himself as several different people to visit this one girl he had never previously met (or at least it didn't seen like it). I also have no idea how he got the money to pay for the surgery, but I can probably guess it wasn't something legal.
Also the fat dude's mom should be going to prison as well, wonder why they didn't show that.
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DuskyPredator
Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15487
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:16 pm
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While I would say that the Shadow Man is not entirely sane, some might say his interest in young girls is not normal, he does not seem dangerous to them. Perhaps this will only confirm some dislike of him, but I think he was likely a paedophile, but I do not think he was likely a molester. I have read a few things in places that create a distinction that a subset of people who suffer from paedophilia have a strong attraction to the young, but lack tendencies that would have them harm the objects of their affection. Mentally ill but not as likely as public perception would have it in being the type of sicko the villain was.
I also took the fact that he had ended up out in the cold homeless and not eating for 3 days may have been a consequence in funding the girl's surgery. Sure you can call that twisted, but he helped someone.
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Stark700
Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:27 pm
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Episode 4:
Well this is a rather bizarre case.
Interesting to see Kuro Tokage this episode though. Is she a sadist or what?! And it seems like she has a thing for Akechi in a rather lustful way.The episode also shows that she is in a prison of sorts; well maybe not exactly but more like behind bars.
The plot twist about Kagami is an interesting addition to this week's story though.
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DuskyPredator
Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15487
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 10:29 pm
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How in the world was that all committed by one person? Are we meant to believe that in one week a guy tracked down and killed 15 different criminals in ironic ways, made videos, and still did usual police work?
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Sunny milk
Joined: 22 Jan 2014
Posts: 695
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:00 am
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That ass wiggle shot of Kobayashi was as if it came straight from a hentai. I guess if it's a boy, it's somehow fine to do that with a 13 years old.
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Harleyquin
Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2866
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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:09 am
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DuskyPredator wrote: | How in the world was that all committed by one person? Are we meant to believe that in one week a guy tracked down and killed 15 different criminals in ironic ways, made videos, and still did usual police work? |
Some of the crimes were committed by copycats, note that the police department had to make a separate case file for each copycat case since the "genuine" villain only resurfaced after a gap of 3 years.
With this episode, all members of the cast featured in the OP have now made their bow on stage. The Black Lizard is treated very unusually despite being in a special prison, but whatever information she coughed up certainly helped in the end.
I rewatched the OP animation and it seems all viewers were given a hint as to the identity of this week's villain, however it would take a firm grasp of the source material and some leaps of imagination to connect all the dots.
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Stark700
Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 5:07 pm
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Episode 5:
I had some mixed thoughts on this episode mostly with the way it's done but overall, I thought it was alright. It's also unique so far with the case that the main characters aren't directly involved in this episode but rather a background character named Kagami.
I feel bad for his sister though since a psychopath apparently killed her in brutal fashion for vengeance. So of course, as a law enforcer/investigator and brother, this would be the single worst thing that would ever happen to him. Not sure what he is doing is the right thing though. I mean, torturing the guy that killed her sister won't bring her back :s
Last edited by Stark700 on Sat Aug 01, 2015 6:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Harleyquin
Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2866
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:41 pm
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After seeing this episode, it takes a bit of the sheen off last week's denouement since Akechi knew all along that Kagami's sister had been dead since the first episode. As soon as the crimes from last week were announced and committed in the peculiar manner unique to the masked killer, it wouldn't need a lot to connect the dots and bring Kagami into the open.
It does mean the identity of the masked killer (original incarnation) remains unknown, so Akechi's search for the killer must continue. It seems the Shadow Man has also fallen under the spell of vigilante killing as well so he'll need to be caught as well. No sympathy for the fat otaku kidnapper though, he played the system for what it was worth but didn't reckon against forces outside the (flawed) legal system.
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killjoy_the
Joined: 30 May 2015
Posts: 2460
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:00 pm
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Harleyquin wrote: | After seeing this episode, it takes a bit of the sheen off last week's denouement since Akechi knew all along that Kagami's sister had been dead since the first episode. |
I was pretty certain she died only after the fat lolicon dude got arrested and then released, so after episode 3.
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Harleyquin
Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2866
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:03 pm
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killjoy_the wrote: |
Harleyquin wrote: | After seeing this episode, it takes a bit of the sheen off last week's denouement since Akechi knew all along that Kagami's sister had been dead since the first episode. |
I was pretty certain she died only after the fat lolicon dude got arrested and then released, so after episode 3. |
Thinking back, the fat otaku kidnapper said he'd been arrested before on similar charges of kidnapping but got away with a reduced sentence because of his psychological state. That would indicate he had been arrested at least twice for the same category of crime. The police confirmed this at the end of episode 3, but I'm not very sure of the timeline between episodes 3 and 4 and the flashback featured in this week's episode.
I don't remember Kagami getting his usual phone call in episode 4, might have to rewatch it again to make sure. If he didn't get the call in 3, that might be revealing as to the timeline of events.
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