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Shadow star Narutaru


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vylo



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 94
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:11 pm Reply with quote
Didn't notice a thread for this anime, so I figured I would start one up.

After hearing about this from several on the boards (usually commenting on how disturbing it was), I decided to see what the fuss was about.

I found the show enjoyable, though I must admit, the later episodes do invoke much cringing. I thought the animation was decent, the sound was good, it had interesting characters, and bizarre plot.

I think my only beef is that the series didn't really finish. It has been a few years now, but I guess I can still hope for a sequel that would help finish the story.

One thing I'm trying to figure out is spoiler[ why Akira stabs her father. There are some things hinted at in their sparse interaction, but maybe I'm reading too much into it. ]
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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:27 pm Reply with quote
Ah! Shadow star Narutaru! I love this series. I like stories that start out nice and innocent and then gets super super F***ed up!

I heard the manga finishes it off but the manga was stopped as well. I think when super manga blast went down. Plus I never seen a single GN for it anywhere. The only way to see more of this is scanlations I guess.

Why spoiler[Akira stab her father?] Well I even read that in manga form and there isn't an answer. It probably is if we can get some manga or they can extend the anime. I want to see after the ending where...

spoiler[You see Shiina in a panda H.S. uniform and hear Hiroko calling her. ] What kind of ending was that! Arggh!

But back to the Akiraspoiler[ could it be just be dad hatred over time? Maybe not since we seen that wonderful montage of her daddy loving childhood.]
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vylo



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 94
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:42 pm Reply with quote
Well spoiler[ the way he was calling her daddy's little girl, and when he put her on her shoulder she freaked out, I thought there might have been some abuse going on in the past, especially since that seems to be all too common in this series.]
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Alestal



Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 605
Location: Dallas, Texas
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:25 pm Reply with quote
Yay, for super F***ed up!

This sounds interesting.
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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:46 pm Reply with quote
vylo wrote:
Well spoiler[ the way he was calling her daddy's little girl, and when he put her on her shoulder she freaked out, I thought there might have been some abuse going on in the past, especially since that seems to be all too common in this series.]


What episode was that. I totally missed that.
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vylo



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 94
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:46 pm Reply with quote
Episode 8, right near the end.
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NocturnalUX



Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 448
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:52 pm Reply with quote
vylo wrote:
Well spoiler[ the way he was calling her daddy's little girl, and when he put her on her shoulder she freaked out, I thought there might have been some abuse going on in the past, especially since that seems to be all too common in this series.]


I got that impresson as well although I cannot quite recall that particular scene. To me it seemed that spoiler[there was some sort of sexual abuse that had been going on for a long time. One of the things that I think lead Akira to kill her father was Sudo's persuasive argument that killing a fish is the same as killing a person.] I always found Sudo's character to be extremely disturbing. His amazing suavity is simply...evil.
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 6867
Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:26 pm Reply with quote
Oh look, it's a discussion on fansub-worshipping ANN about a series that's licensed and readily available on DVD! Shocked

Regarding the manga, apparently seven volumes were released by Dark Horse, but they were stopped, and I remember reading some comment of DH's to the extent of, "Well, if fans want to finish it, they know where to look."

Like others, I picked up this series after hearing it come up numerous times in "disturbing anime" threads. And on that count, it delivers...the theme of "what depths of cruelty will children sink to when given the tools of violence" is effective. I've never read the manga, but I didn't think too much of the "technical merits" of the anime...it shows its budget limitations, and something about the super-skinny character designs bugged me. It wasn't "unwatchable" or anything. Part of the problem with the series, and this is likely due to "manga compression syndrome," is that too many characters and plotlines get introduced and then forgotten about, like spoiler[the genocide-scheming kids, and that girl who tells that one guy she's pregnant.] Unless I missed something. I liked episode 10, even though it felt like filler -- it was a nice bittersweet love story of side characters that Shiina happened to meet. The last three episodes were good, but hard to take, as spoiler[bullying always gets to me in some way or another. And the techniques and motives of the bully girls in Shadow Star Narutaru were among the most senseless and cruel I've seen, even exceeding the Aeka Shiraki arc of the game Yume Miru Kusuri. I have to say I didn't feel too much sympathy when Hiroko used a Dragon's Child to exact her revenge -- if you're going to be that senselessly cruel to your fellow human being, you'd better be prepared for the hammer of karma to come down on you.]

Another interesting (but unfortunate) point: At this point in time, Shadow Star Narutaru is the last TV-series ever released by Central Park Media.
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Rhesian



Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 49
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:20 pm Reply with quote
Shadow Star Narutaru is a series that should be seen by everyone... and then never seen again. I've never had a series give me so many WTF moments. Many of its scenes have come up in the "Most Disturbing Scene" thread. I still think the most disturbing thing about it is the completely chibi/cute OP it has AND the fact it was aired on a children's channel!
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Greg Aubry



Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 224
Location: Detroit, MI
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:23 pm Reply with quote
I loved the original manga, discovering it years ago in Super Manga Blast. The anime version has long been on my "to get" list, but relegated toward the back somewhere for whatever reason (mostly my fear that it wouldn't stand up to the source material).

I'd really be happy if Dark Horse would put out a finished "Omnibus"-type version of this series to conclude it.
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HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:37 am Reply with quote
I thought the anime was great aside from the non-ending. It's a shame Dark Horse had to edit and then ultimately cancel the manga. I"m still hoping the re-release it (and 3x3 Eyes) at some point or that someone else (Del Rey, I'm looking at you) 'rescues' it.

But even after watching stuff like Higurashi and Elfen Lied, nothing has beaten Narutaru for the most disturbing scenes I've ever scene in anime. I mean, that bullying was f***ed up and the revenge against the leader was as bad or worse.
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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:49 pm Reply with quote
The bullying in Narutaru was so intense and cruel it makes me wonder if kids can do that. I mean I was brutally bullyed in school close to the extent of spoiler[Hiroko but I was never raped with a test tube! Lesser types of abuse in similar veins was personal exp. It makes anything I saw seem like people saying "nah nah nah nah boo boo"]

I really don't blame spoiler[Hiroko going dragons child on their asses. Anyone would go mad with parents and classmates like that. The leader's death was one of the best killing in anime I ever seen. I know saying that is quite macbre. ]

I also agree this is a must see anime. Even picky otaku might watch this. Most will get turned off by the 1st 2 episodes. Venture past those as well.

I need the manga where the story isn't compressed. So i'm looking it up today to see if people still sell it. It might end up as a dealers room gem.
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v1cious



Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Houston, TX
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:57 pm Reply with quote
HitokiriShadow wrote:
I thought the anime was great aside from the non-ending. It's a shame Dark Horse had to edit and then ultimately cancel the manga. I"m still hoping the re-release it (and 3x3 Eyes) at some point or that someone else (Del Rey, I'm looking at you) 'rescues' it.


actually i wish they would just give up the license, or at least sell it to someone else. they have made it pretty clear that they don't intend to go on with this series, so why do they still have it?

anyways, it's too bad the anime didn't just go on with an original story, like they are doing with Bokurano now. i still love that misleading opening.
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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:10 pm Reply with quote
v1cious wrote:
HitokiriShadow wrote:
I thought the anime was great aside from the non-ending. It's a shame Dark Horse had to edit and then ultimately cancel the manga. I"m still hoping the re-release it (and 3x3 Eyes) at some point or that someone else (Del Rey, I'm looking at you) 'rescues' it.


actually i wish they would just give up the license, or at least sell it to someone else. they have made it pretty clear that they don't intend to go on with this series, so why do they still have it?

anyways, i wish the anime would have at least went on with an original story, like they are doing with Bokurano now. i still love that misleading opening.


When I was listening to Geeknights and they mentioned the similar storytelling of Bokurano and Narutaru. Starts nice and kiddie then BOOM death destruct WTF macbre OMG shiz. I agree. Misleading anime is awesome!
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HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:11 pm Reply with quote
v1cious wrote:
HitokiriShadow wrote:
I thought the anime was great aside from the non-ending. It's a shame Dark Horse had to edit and then ultimately cancel the manga. I"m still hoping the re-release it (and 3x3 Eyes) at some point or that someone else (Del Rey, I'm looking at you) 'rescues' it.


actually i wish they would just give up the license, or at least sell it to someone else. they have made it pretty clear that they don't intend to go on with this series, so why do they still have it?

anyways, it's too bad the anime didn't just go on with an original story, like they are doing with Bokurano now. i still love that misleading opening.


I think its been implied that there is a tiny glimmer of hope if omnibus re-releases like Gunsmith Cats do well, but it was nothing definite. I've given up hope of reading the rest of these series, but I would be ecstatic if someone proved me wrong.
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