Yes, again with Darker Than Black

Well.  Wow.  The sudden ultraviolence means this title is definitely not for everyone.  The series in general keeps you off balance, and the early inclusion of several scenes of hideous and unexpected gore was definitely a successful part of that strategy, but, ewwwww. 

The problem is that unlike other shows, there isn't necessarily warning that things are about to get unbelievably gross, and sometimes, you can't look away because, you know, important plot is happening.


Other ways they keep you off balance:

• killing people who seem important
• inexplicably letting others live
• the most excellent two-episode story arc
• the way the inhabitants of this world don't have everything figured out

That last one is my favorite.  Ten years ago the world changed for these people.  Things they thought were givens (laws of science, common sense, etc.) got tossed out the window.  Or over the wall.  These people are trying to figure their world out on a fairly basic level, and there are a lot of guesses and lies running around.  Even stuff everybody who knows knows is wrong.  It's subtle and breathtaking.  Bravo! 


Because of all this, it feels much more immediate, engaging, and compelling, and you as the viewer must participate because they are not going to spell things out for you, and when they do, the truth may or may not be involved.  Monologues and info dumps can be "full of fail."  Pay attention, or else you miss all the great nuances, contradictions, and bunny trails that make this show a jaw-droppingly great ride.


Up through volume 4 where I am going to stop because I wish to own this series and meticulously pick apart each and every episode to analyze how the story-telling and world-building are so awesome.  I wouldn't want to know the ending and let that influence my obsessive re/watching.

I wonder if I should wait to read this tantalizing novel until after I'm done with the series . . .  Anyone heard anything about it?

I love being a nerd.

Are there any shows you stopped watching partway in so you could start over obsessively?

Saikano (My Girlfriend, the Ultimate Weapon)

Saikano is kind of a downer.  


Reading it is not a pleasant experience, nor is watching it (even with the slightly sanitized ending), but it is an emotional experience.  You need quite a bit of willing suspense of disbelief to get past the premise: the government picks a slow, klutzy Japanese girl to turn into an experimental weapon in a global war.  Get past that, and it's a touching, gut punch of a love story/war drama about a lot of imperfect people trying to live their lives in a world being destroyed by a war. 


If you thought regular teenage relationships were awkward, what are you supposed to do when your girlfriend stands you up on a date because she was on a mission where she sort of accidentally blew up an entire city?  How do you write about that in your exchange diary?

The part about this work that hits hardest is that you can tell they're just two kids who wanted to fall in love and have a relationship.  The world of adults is too busy fighting a pointless war of annihilation to even let them graduate from high school. 


Nobody wins.  And I want to punch the guy who just keeps saying, "It couldn't be helped," because it could, sir.  It usually can.  It takes money, supplies, and a lot of organization to fight a war.  It's way easier to not fight, at least in the short run, especially when so much damage had already been done, but I digress . . .




SUB/DUB:

I advise you to watch in Japanese with English subtitles.  (Also, have some tissues handy.)  It's available in an inexpensive boxed set. 

CONTENT RATING:

This one is rated M as a manga and definitely R as an anime.  It's not one to watch with the kids, which is fine because you wouldn't want to explain why you're on that second tissue package or what exactly happened at the end, there.  You may feel like you've been pummeled when you're done, but you won't regret the fictional journey.  Probably.

OUR RATINGS:

J: -
K: b


Are there any anime you like that have ridiculous body counts?  What makes a show where almost everybody dies worth watching in your opinion?