Zankyou no Terror Episode 4 Notes – Playing a Game Requires Others

(Note: Episodic notes are still mostly to be found on the Episodics Notes’ page, but up to a couple every week will have their write-up appear on the main page, when I think they warrant it. For those who don’t know, I take the notes as I watch the episode, and merely re-order them afterwards.)

So, where are we going? We’re heading towards a conflict. Nine wanted a rival, and he got one. They even gave him a face. It’s been made personal. Lisa left home, her ties are all being severed – “But for you who have been abandoned, love does not exist,” was it? But it doesn’t matter if you’re truly abandoned, or only consider yourself so. Perhaps it’s even sufficient if you’re the one who abandoned others.

Three sides. Order and chaos, and Lisa in the middle. Now it remains to be seen how this thriller will keep playing out.

Screenshot album. A few too many, also because I tried for subtitle-less for some shots, and they’re hard-subbed.

Thoughts and Notes:

1) Call-outs:

1) Every episode begins with Lisa. Last episode did not end with her, unlike the first and second episodes, but we still begin things with her. It’s her journey, leaving society, cutting her ties, that frames this.

House M.D. – When a Mystery Show Is Not

Is not what? When a mystery show is not a mystery show.

I love House M.D. I’ve been watching it every week on the cables for several years now, and have just watched the last episode of season 5 (brilliant!) and the first half of season 6. Now, House M.D. is billed as a “Medical Mystery Show”, but it’s not. After season 3, it seems the writers had figured out for themselves how much it’s not either. I’ve said it before, but it’s still true: All stories are human stories. The mystery is almost incidental.When we re-watched season 1 (re-runs in preparation for season 4), my mother remembered the “solution” to each of the cases. I usually didn’t. But that’s because in my mother’s mind, the important thing, and thus the core that she remembered was what the mystery, and its solution, were.

I didn’t remember the mysteries, because they were only catalysts for the important thing. The interaction between the cast of characters, and House’s personality. Seeing the ridiculous, often funny, often amusing, sometimes deep, that he’d throw at us, and at his “friends”.

In season 4 or 5, first Wilson and then Cuddy comment on the manner in which House works, how from a seemingly random thing that occurs he makes the connection. A deus ex machina of sorts. If this were truly a mystery show, then this would be horrible, as the solutions are such that are not only very remote and unlikely, but the kind that you as the (non-doctor, or even doctor) watcher could never figure out on yourself – which is the opposite of what mystery/suspense shows want – they always want to make you feel as if you’ve got a chance.

But this is all ok, because you don’t watch the show for the preposterous medical anomalies. You watch it for the people. It’s almost like Gilmore Girls in that sense! :D

So, do you watch House M.D.? What do you think of it?

Media Consumption: August; Main Test Crunch.

Another monthly media consumption post. Yes, this month is rather lean, because I had a lot of studying to do. And I have a lot more studying to do until the 13th of September. After the 13th of September I could return to my wanton consumption of books and anime. Dependant on whether I get a job or not, of course.

Movies:

• Ever After: A lovely film. It’s not a great film if you compare it to movies in general, but as a cute fun movie, it’s very good. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. My favourite Drew Barrymore role.

TV:

• Californication Season 1, reviewed.
• Californication Season 2, aside from the last two episodes which aired in September. Feel free to head over and read the review post of season 1. Season 2 was not as good, but a thoughtful review is forthcoming.
• House M.D. reruns of season 4.
• Boston Legal season 4 and Damages season 2, one episode a week. Enjoying both.
• Didn’t watch it yet, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I found out the last three episodes of Pushing Daisies were released, and I obtained them. One of my favourite series of recent years.

Books:

• Sabriel by Garth Nix. A bildungsroman (coming of age story) which is enjoyable. I notice the pattern in which it was built much more now, on my second read. I need the other two books in the series.
• Too many philosophy books to mention, and hardly enough.
• Reading Wheel of Time books 6 and 7 not in order still, when I feel like it I’ll spend the couple hours to fix the connecting parts and finish them in order (this happens when you are re-reading books you’ve read half a dozen times before, you skip to the juicy bits).
• Ribbon Drive RPG and Mix-CD(!). Not a book for reading, but here it is.
• No Quarter Magazine #25, for Privateer Press’s Iron Kingdoms setting and games.

Manga:

• Rurouni Kenshin 16. Need to step up and finish it this month, not to let it fizzle. Also planning to get back to reading Fruits Basket. Seeing the omnibus at the comic book store helped there I guess.

Anime:

• 07-Ghost episodes 1-21 (up to date). I thought the show was slow to begin, well, it was. I found it odd as I thought it’d be a 26 episoder, but seeing as it’s based on a currently running manga series, I understand. But at this rate, it’ll take 500 episodes, dude.
• Toaru Majutsu no Index(A Certain Magical Index) episodes 1-17. This series has different arcs in them, of varying lengths. It’s an enjoyable series, it has one of my favourite girls in anime (Misaka Misoto), but I’m not sold on it being anything special.
• Voices of a Distant Star. Short, beautiful. The animation is not as good as I rememebered, but then again, I remembered just the story :)
• Kannagi season 1. Reviewed.
• Element Hunters episodes 1-2, reviewed. It was horrendous.

I might still do a review of August in terms of how this blog did, but August, the first full month of posts on this blog saw it receiving 154 comments (including my own) and 1,955 hits. Thank you to all the readers :)

Month in Review: July

I hope to get to do this every month. Basically an outline and a line on two on what I’ve done the past month. Some of these things will still get their own post.
Stuff done in whole, so I might mention some other things, but we’ll see.

July was a month I was feeling crappy for much of, and had tests in the University, so it may be both more and less than usual. More anime and less books, certainly.

Movies:

• Ice Age 2: Turns out I have this on DVD. Watched this in preparation for Ice Age 3. Wasn’t very funny or good.
• Ice Age 3: Went to the cinema for this one. This one was quite hilarious, which is something I like seeing in movies. A rollicking good fun.
• Don’t Mess with the Zohan (uncensored): An ok movie, I guess. It could’ve been considerably better with some better editing. Cutting a 1-2 minute here, another 1-2 minute there, that were simply awful, would have done the movie good. It did show people what an Israeli accent sounds like though.
• Yes Man. An ok movie, relatively good time. Loved the music, loved Zooey Deschanel.
• Japan: A Love Story. A documentary. Voluntary slavery almost comes to mind, but of course, I’m an outsider looking in.

TV:

• Daily House M.D. re-runs continue, season 3 and 4. I guess when this ends next week or so we’ll get season 5. I’ve watched the episodes before, still, fun.
• Boston Legal season 5 started showing.
• Damages season 2 is showing. I am enjoying it a lot thus far.

Books:

• Wheel of Time 6, large portion of 7. This is where the going begins to get tough, but it’s easier than I remember it, because I was reading it quickly. Then again, barely touched it the last three weeks or so.

Manga:

• Fullmetal Alchemist 19: I had a great time, we’re finally getting to uncover more of the past of the series. Mood considerably different from the beginning of the series, I might need to read it all again when it’s all out.
• Future Diary 1: I did not get to read this one, apparently Tokyopop has issues. I thought the concept was cool, still want to read it.
• Rurouni Kenshin 1-15: I’ve decided to re-read the series.

Anime:

• Mai-HiMe: I’ve really enjoyed this series. I’ve loved Mai, I liked her Seiyu, the art, the story, the emotional impact. A+.
• Gintama: Watched episodes 1-8. Since I’ve had it, decided to watch it already. Highly suggested to Hayate no Gotoku fans. I like this one better, funny.
• Zero no Tsukaima / The Familiar of Zero; Seasons 1-3: I like how they are doing this series right, with the story continuing in its own pace, season by season. Series is nice, series is cute. Series is by no means “something special”. You do get a Yuki Nagato clone in it, and another “Sanzenin Nagi”.
• Tenjho Tenge 1-10. As I’ve covered it during the month, I decided to watch it again. Undecided if I’ll watch it all again or not.
• Onegai Sensei / Please Teacher: A series designed to appeal to teenaged geeks. It has some moments where it can “get you”, emotionally. Its backdrop is especially designed for that effect.

Had been reading bits and pieces of the Transhuman Space RPG.
I also got to eat at “Black Bar and Burger” for the first time. The hot-wings were a bit skinny and tough, the burger was delicious. Medium.