Forum - View topic(The) Summer Hikaru Died (TV).
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#7
Easily the heaviest episode of this adaptation to date. The episode preview and title give no hint of what is to come, and casual viewers will only realize the significance of Yoshiki's actions when he does the deed and then explains why he did it at the end. Yoshiki was clearly affected by Asako's near-miss, and it's clear he must have wrestled with the decision overnight before making up his mind. It struck me as extremely odd that Yoshiki would ask Hikaru to skip school on the day they were supposed to hold the inter-class singing contest which Hikaru had practised so enthusiastically for. Nounuke, thinking Yoshiki was still upset with him for the night before, didn't question the proposal and tagged along anyway hoping he could make it up to Yoshiki. The next thing I found odd was Yoshiki calling his mother, since he doesn't get along with his family at all and uses school and Hikaru as an escape. Doubly so when we see Yoshiki's father at work as a lumberjack and his own admission that he doesn't speak to his son at all for various reasons. The short conversation he had with his mother sounded like someone mentally prepared to never see his family again, yet I wasn't sure why he would broach the topic. The conversation between Yoshiki and Hikaru by the riverbank was another harbinger of something to come. The conversation is normal enough: Nounuke looking forward to seeing the sea together with Yoshiki, yet Yoshiki's very obvious pause when he replies to Hikaru's suggestion as well as the expression on his face indicated something was very forced about the reply. Finally, we see why Yoshiki has chosen to skip school and what he had planned. Although he was prepared to say goodbye to the life he knew (literally and figuratively), Nounuke's decision to hand him part of his self has changed his mind. Yoshiki has now made his bed with regards to the dilemma he has wrestled with since he broached the issue with Nounuke, and now he is on a one-way track to oblivion or salvation depending on how things progress. Nounuke cannot be killed by conventional humans like most humans; so if the hunter from outside does track him down it will be some kind of ritual which will imperil Nounuke's current existence. That last shot before the cut to the credits also confirms one other thing: Yoshiki is fair game to the hunter having accepted part of Nounuke's essence and the hunting bell now has two targets to go for. Kurabayashi will have plenty to say to Yoshiki should they cross paths again, likewise Asako's reaction to Yoshiki after they meet again in school will be something to watch. The class song they were practising for these last few episodes is now heard in full in the ED credits. A surprising apt choice given the current relationship between Yoshiki and Nounuke. I would need to look up external sources to discover whether the song is a traditional Japanese one for schools or something original for the work, but it doesn't really matter as far as the plot is concerned. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#8
It's taken a while, but the main plot is starting to accelerate its pacing. Life in the village Yoshiki and Hikaru live in is no longer the same because the unclean entities have started to not only congregate in greater numbers, they've also started to either possess or directly influence unsuspecting humans into doing unspeakable things. At the same time, Yoshiki and Hikaru have discovered something about their village's past thanks to the hint from the old man, but they don't yet know its true significance. To make things worse for the pair, the outsider has made contact with Yoshiki (by accident) and has immediately realised Yoshiki is deeply involved with Nounuke-sama. If he meets Hikaru as well, he'll definitely make a move as that is the target he's been seeking. Asako has lost her sense of hearing in her right ear, which isn't great but in the larger scheme of things one could say she got off lightly. Had Yoshiki not intervened she might not even be alive. Unfortunately it might also have affected her innate talent at hearing the supernatural, which is something that will bother her especially if her left ear cannot pick up the slack. Her account of other students going crazy the same way the naked man with the knife did does not bode well, since Nounuke-sama immediately realises what's behind the incidents. Meeting old woman Matsuura's daughter in the library at the next town turns out to be a huge stroke of luck for the pair. Not only did they learn about the past of their village from the old maps, they also know Nounuke-sama is one of the typical Japanese taboo spirits which has been worshipped to ensure its wrath is abated. Hikaru might not know it, but being one of those entities (the same way as that former emperor who is worshipped at Hakata) means if he's outside of his bounds bad things invariably happen to humans. Only way to reverse it is to seal him back in the mountain he came from, but the ritual mentioned many times in fragments over the adaptation failed and that may not be a viable solution any more. As well meaning as Hikaru/Nounuke-sama is, there's a limit to how many spirits it can absorb in Hikaru's body. It seems this week's entity is one too many, and somehow Kurabayashi managed to avert a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure what she'll make of Hikaru now that they meet in person, or whether Nounuke will do something to her since she's one of the few who realises his true identity. Now that the brakes are off, will the show go full-horror on its unsuspecting casual viewers, or will it take a different approach to the characters faced with something completely divorced from reality? |
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Eilavel
Posts: 484 |
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The show has great vibes so I haven't minded the pacing too much, but its definitely felt like it could have moved along faster, especially around eps4-6. I'm glad to have things moving now; this is fundamentally a good show, animation is a great medium for otherworldliness.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#9
A one week break with a recap of the first eight episodes, and this week is the starting gun where everything the last two months has been building up starts to happen one way or another. Kurabayashi is a lot more than just a woman who can see the supernatural: if what she said is true then she has at least rudimentary exorcist ability. She won't be as skilled or as knowledgable as an actual Shinto priest, but for minor supernatural incidents she can help people without them having to find the nearest temple or shrine. She managed to ward off the hunting hound set up a few weeks ago, which counts for something. Even if she did not ward it off (because the hound is bound to the bell and forced to return to where it was summoned for the Outsider to find out who Nounuke really is), she has helped enough people both locally and elsewhere that she has a reputation for helping out with supernatural problems. That's why old man Takeda wants to see her as he believes she is the only person locally he can trust since he knew his days were numbered. Even with this episode, it's not entirely clear to non-Japanese viewers what exactly Nounuke/Hikaru really is. Some of the characteristics are described in some detail, but viewers only have a distorted and partial impression of what the entity now perceived by the local elders as a deity requiring veneration to avoid calamity really is. Nounuke's intrinsic nature of drawing the entities from beyond the physical world to its proximity is an issue since these entities negatively impact human beings to the point they become lethal if left unchecked. Yoshiki's ideal conclusion would be to find out enough about who or what Nounuke/Hikaru really is and then try to keep the lightning rod from negatively impacting the village just by living in it. That said, he can't do anything to further that goal if the outsider's beheading of Nounuke/Hikaru is permanent. We know Hikaru can regenerate, since the last shot showed Nounuke doing exactly that despite being beheaded by an extremely rusty katana. If Kurabayashi is correct and Nounuke really is something which exists outside the cycle of reincarnation, then the only options are to exorcise or to seal Nounuke-sama. The latter was the family duty of Hikaru and his father for the sins committed by their ancestors centuries ago, and with the death of them both with no issue that duty can no longer be continued even though it is clear the debt they owed the deity centuries ago wasn't fully repaid according to Takeda. That is a story angle which I'm personally interested to see elaborated upon, since it will go a long way into explaining why Hikaru's father died and why Hikaru himself was selected for possession when on death's door. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#10
It's starting to come together now. The way I see it the story is now a race between Yoshiki and compatriots to discover the truth behind Nounuke-sama and find a way to keep it from killing any more villagers out of instinct before the visitor from the Company can finish his own preparations to claim Nounuke-sama for himself. Not only has Tanaka recognised what Hikaru/Nounuke is, he has also identified it is weak enough to be contained or claimed for his own purposes. Considering he is blind without the sunglasses issued by his Company, it's clear he's concluded bargains with the supernatural before and continues to pay the price for his bargains. Takeda is out of the picture, but Yoshiki has one more lead he can pursue provided he can put aside his own misgivings: his father. Both of their families were close so Hikaru's father would have at least let Yoshiki's father know even part of the key mystery which his family has paid penance for centuries. With the dwindling number of sources due to supernatural action and interference, time is short for Yoshiki to gather enough information and act before Tanaka does. Kuribayashi is at least aware of what Company Tanaka works for and knows it by infamy, so that will at least help with buying time in case he makes a move while Yoshiki is still gathering information. One small detail which is easily missed is the ED having a slight update to reflect Hikaru's current appearance: the line across his neck where he was beheaded is also shown in the ED animation. He feels pain now, which should give the entity a better understanding of why Yoshiki is so angry when he does things which are anathema to humans. Yet he can't be completely human, so something needs to be done to restore the village and give him a place to call home without exile again to the mountain he came from. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#11
If there is one thing which sets this adaptation apart from just about every other offering this season, it is the unexpected nature of the main storyline and how the protagonist is mostly incapable of agency despite his best efforts. Yoshiki has done more than anyone else in piecing together the mystery behind Nounuke-sama, yet even his father's revelation of what the Indou family did which led to their generations-long penance still doesn't give him the decisive information required to solve the current predicament and save everyone. Could Yoshiki's goal be a mirage all along? Even Hikaru/Nounuke realises the apparent futility in trying to blend in with human society when the aberration locked within occasionally reaches out to claim souls through sheer instinct. I'm not sure if dividing up that part of its core to Yoshiki really did make such a difference that it can now be sealed, but something tells me Yoshiki is going to be key to how Hikaru is going to end up at the end of this adaptation. I'm not even sure if next week's finale is even definitive, as it seems there's more story to be told and another quarter is required to finish the job. The other wildcard which is back in play is Asako. Having seen Hikaru nearly consume Yoshiki and connecting the dots to what happened when she lost consciousness, she has her own reckoning to make. Will she seek help to exorcise what she thinks is possessing Hikaru, or will she offer Yoshiki a hand in accomplishing what he seeks? Kurabayashi is also someone who has a part to play in the finale to come. The visitor who came after Hikaru/Nounuke is Tanaka's boss in the Company. She knows her by reputation as she has the Sight and would have had run-ins with the Company before. The question is whether the Company tries to coerce her into working for them or if she can maintain her independence and continue helping Yoshiki and Hikaru (or at the very least not try to bring harm to either). It's been a ride, and this series is certainly not for everyone due to the themes it handles. Looking forward to seeing if the conclusion is a definite one, or if there's a second season to be planned and executed to finish the story. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#12 End (for now)
I never imagined the ED animation of the pair on the throne would end up being reused in this episode. I'm not sure if it counts as a clever ploy to save costs by using one existing scene from a future episode instead of something completely original like the OP animation, but the context behind the scene actually makes a lot of sense when combined with the ED lyrics. Hikaru/Nounuke has indeed become more human than it originally was at the start of the episode. It does acknowledge the debt it owes Yoshiki for all of the experiences shared and the knowledge gained while using Hikaru as a vessel, but it has also learned enough about human society to understand that its continued presence in the town will eventually destroy everyone and everything as an increasing number of entites swarm the town and Nounuke's own instincts to fill the void vacated by gifting part of its soul to Yoshiki start to overcome the human nature it has not acquired. Leaving for the mountain once more doesn't feel like a solution though, since Tanaka wants Nounuke for himself with the town's inhabitants being an accidental beneficiary of his own selfish desires should he succeed in acquiring Nounuke for himself as a supernatural tool. Is homosexual love really what's driving Yoshiki? I'm not entirely sure after watching this episode. Yoshiki's family troubles and his own desire to escape his childhood birthplace for something more certainly play a role in his decision to investigate Nounuke's background and a solution which will make everyone, including himself, happy. At the very least he's stalled Hikaru/Nounuke long enough to postpone the decision to disappear back into the mountain, but with Tanaka now involved and season 2 likely starting from the beach that option is no longer on the table. The other wildcard to this story is Asako. Having confronted Hikaru/Nounuke and come to terms that the real Hikaru died during that disappearance has allowed her to grieve his death, something Nounuke has come to learn. Whether or not Hikaru/Nounuke will keep its promise to keep Asako safe from harm is also up for debate, since base instincts taking over might lead to Asako's death or worse. What I'm certain of is Yoshiki needs to work together with her and Kurabayashi if they are going to find a solution for Hikaru/Nounuke without Tanaka getting his way. To start with, Asako has to talk to Yoshiki that she's confessed to Hikaru/Nounuke about knowledge of its true identity. That's for season two, and unless that happens she's not going to be of much help to Yoshiki's cause and he needs all the help he can get even it's all for his own selfish reasons. This adaptation getting another season to finish its story was probably expected. Ending it here with no further adaptation would have been a travesty as the stage is now set for the main event to begin. Everyone wants Nounuke-sama for their own reasons, and Nounuke isn't aware that others less friendly than Hikaru's classmates have ulterior motives. All the while inhabitants of the town will continue to die horrific deaths unless something is done about this status quo, and time is running out for the competing factions to achieve their goals. The story isn't for everyone, but for those who have stuck around this story is quite unlike anything that has aired in recent years. Not sure if the second quarter is enough to finish the tale, but for a premiere season this has been solid in telling a Japanese horror story with its own twists. Definitely looking forward to the next season, but don't want it to be rushed to do the source material justice. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 25602 |
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I suspect that I did not enjoy this show as much as many others who hung in. It is undeniably a quality work, but there has been an element in it that has been keeping me at bay: namely the character of Yoshiki. Previous to the finale, I merely disliked his character because he was such a joyless mope. Now, after the finale, I actively hate him. At least he recognizes he is a selfish asshole, I'll give him that much. But I loathe when characters make super dumb choices, especially if those super dumb choices are selfish in nature. Because he doesn't want to let Hikaru go, he is prepared to risk the lives of his family, his schoolmates, everybody who lives in the area. fudge you, asshole. I really wish Hikaru would kill him. Zero loss to humanity.
The fact that I never liked Yoshiki meant that I didn't give a toss about his relationship with Hikaru. That's a problem because what this show loved more than anything was revelling in quiet, slow-paced relationship moments between the two. Yawn. There was lots about the show I liked... anything without Yoshiki in it, for example. I'm totally on board with the sequel and will watch. It just would be great if Yoshiki buggered off somewhere, so I never had to look at his mopey face ever again. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 5049 |
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While my feelings on Yoshiki and his relationship with Hikaru are not anywhere near as intense as yours Blood it was the least interesting aspect of the show for me. The history of the town, the different factions, the charm of the countryside and well done creepy moments, those kept me watching. I am looking forward to the second season but I couldn't care less about the couple.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 25602 |
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The fact that you don’t care about their relationship is significant because the show so clearly wants us to care. And I do find the Hikari side of things interesting. His combination of childish wonder and lethal abilities is intriguing. I just wish he was paired with someone else.
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