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REVIEW: Dr. Ramune: Mysterious Disease Specialist Streaming




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ab2143



Joined: 09 Jan 2021
Posts: 749
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2021 11:24 am Reply with quote
Yeah, the popcorn head arc really irked me. I found the dad to be an a-hole. His lies led to his son becoming incredibly stressed and nobody called him out on it.

Same with the first episode’s case. It took the mother to lose her possessions for her to start caring about her daughter (at least that’s how I saw it...)
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MagicPolly



Joined: 26 Nov 2020
Posts: 1617
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2021 11:53 am Reply with quote
This show reminded me a lot of Hell Girl as well, but the difference is that not all the "bad guys" were not-so-nice-people (like in the dumpling and chili pepper stories). I guess what makes Hell Girl more satisfying is in that you actually get to see people get what's coming for them when in Ramune they sorta just learn how to be a better person (seriously, like the popcorn dad and mayo mom. Nothing?)

The show was enjoyable enough for what it was I guess, but the only episodes I remember really liking were the dumpling ones and the Tohru ones.
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DRosencraft



Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 671
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2021 8:36 pm Reply with quote
I liked the show enough. I suppose I've seen enough anime to where I didn't at all mind the neat endings to the plots. So many shows go super dark and melodramatic with these stories, being so overbearing on the message, that I actually went into the series expecting it to be grating.

My issue came with the good doctor instead. For me his manner of handling the cases didn't align with the show overall. They tried to play him off as being super caring about his patients, overly so, but for me he seemed aloof most of the time, intentionally taking the most circuitous route, even by the apparent "teach a lesson" standard they were apparently aiming for.

Last thing I'll say is that in my mind the comp for series for me wasn't Hell Girl, as the overall tone and tenor of Hell Girl was far more grim-dark than this show ever presented itself to be. For me it was the earlier parts of xxxHolic with Yuuko getting "requests" in her shop. In Hell Girl, while there may have been lessons presumably taught, that was never her goa in the least. It was to dole out ironic comeuppance in the process of send someone to the afterlife, deserved or not. Most lessons taught in Hell Girl were for the audience's benefit, having little to no recognition or impact on the characters themselves outside of guilt for cursing someone. At least Yuuko's goal was to resolve the source of the client's issue, even if she seemed uncaring for whether they took her help or not.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11557
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2021 9:56 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, I agree that this gave me strong xxxHolic vibes, with a little bit of Hell Girl (which I didn't like because the victims of terrible abuse also ended up in Hell), and just a pinch of Little Shop of Body-Horrors thrown in.

But after the first two episodes, which I watched in wtf amaze, I really got into it. I loved Aona and Kuro's friendship (it broke my heart when he spoiler[sent his balloons adrift]), and I especially enjoyed how the cult got its due.

Since I already wrote it, I'll just quote myself from the series discussion: "What a nice finale! I can't remember the last time I saw a series end on such a satisfying note, still with room for more if they want (and I'd be there for it), but perfectly fine as is. There was a little bit of drama to keep things interesting, but it didn't feel like it was racing to the finish line to tie up all the major loose ends while carefully baiting hooks for another season. Instead it was a pleasant stroll through the emotional scenery of the series, leaving me feeling that everything was as it should be at the end. And considering all the food-centric ailments and content, spoiler[a picnic] was just the perfect way to sign it off. Smile"
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DanQ



Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 114
PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2021 1:05 am Reply with quote
I like this show a lot, to my own surprise...
For me, all stories landed well and I really like positive attitude.
Frankly, Hell Girl never came to my mind as comparison, but when you talk about it... Ramune was about healing, not punishing (although with cult it was nice bonus, but you can view it as eliminating public threat). And what exactly punishment do you want for pushy mother od overbearing father? Same disease as their child had? Drag them to the hell?
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2638
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2021 7:30 am Reply with quote
DanQ wrote:
And what exactly punishment do you want for pushy mother od overbearing father? Same disease as their child had? Drag them to the hell?


I can't speak for anyone else, but I didn't want anyone punished; I just wanted it to be clear that healing can take work, especially in cases like the ones with the condiment girl and Aona. I don't think it's a great message - or even especially cathartic - to have everything resolved neatly and perfectly. That's why I mentioned Phantom Tales of the Night rather than xxxHoLiC, because in that series it's not about punishment or easy fixes, or even being careful what you wish for, it's more about working through an issue with supernatural help.
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DanQ



Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 114
PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2021 1:42 pm Reply with quote
Princess_Irene wrote:
I just wanted it to be clear that healing can take work, especially in cases like the ones with the condiment girl and Aona. I don't think it's a great message - or even especially cathartic - to have everything resolved neatly and perfectly.


I think that is out of range of Dr. Ramune - he just help patients and their families figure out what is the problem, and healing have to be done by them, not Ramune... yeah, it's kinda simplistic, but sufficient storytelling.
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SaneSavantElla



Joined: 25 Jan 2013
Posts: 245
PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 10:05 pm Reply with quote
This was the unexpected wholesome fare of the winter 2021 lineup, which, while stacked with hyped long-runner sequels and new shows, ended up pretty flat for me. Small, simple shows like this, which while admittedly below average on a technical level, help lift up the mood when some of your most anticipated series go downhill with each passing episode.

This show reminds me of a lot of 90s anime and is probably something I would really love watching as a kid. Recently I've been enjoying back-to-the-basics entertainment like this, perhaps out of nostalgia. I guess I'm getting old. Laughing
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Sat May 22, 2021 5:31 am Reply with quote
Have to give a shout-out to the OP, "Shake Shake Shake," one of my favorites from last season.

https://youtu.be/6c0_naQMI8c
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P€|\||§_|\/|ast@



Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 3498
Location: IN your nightmares
PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:00 am Reply with quote
There were other titles mentioned that this show may have reminded them of, but I strongly feel the creators of this show may have gleaned a lot of inspiration for it from Tezuka's classic manga, Blackjack. Not because the main character is also a doctor but because it was less about treating the sick and injured than it was an examination of the ills of society. I remember Blackjack getting a bit deep at times (which was one of the things I loved about it, as expected of The Master), conversely Dr. Ramune seems to stick to a bit more of a lighthearted and goofy feel.
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