How do you rate Episode 8 of
The big names to know this week are . While she’s built a résumé for herself at KyoAni over the years, this episode marks her first storyboard work outside of that studio. That in itself is a huge takeaway from the production, and it speaks to the hard work that goes behind the scenes. An adaptation of this caliber didn’t come out of thin air. But the real proof is in the artistry of the layout throughout the episode. She is skilled at framing characters meaningfully within the geometry of their environments, balancing them between angles and structures, or purposefully throwing them off balance. Usami’s transitions between light and dark environments reflect his tormented state of mind, and the half-light of dusk suggests the bittersweet calm of his final resting place. Note also the expressiveness of the hands, which Fujita often places in the center of the frame as a window into the character’s emotions.
The rhythm of the material is also very stand out . By not rushing to tell the story, the animation creates a patient, quiet and cinematic atmosphere, synchronizing the visual language and The score by kensuke ushio grafts the emotional weight onto two characters we barely know. I didn’t cry during this part of the manga, but seeing this made me choke up. Hiroshi Ishiguro himself tweeted something along the lines of “I wrote it even
I Cried. Of course, the influence wasn’t limited to Usami and Hoshio; The shot on steadying his hand is the
An image I’m taking away from this episode. One also can’t help but compare these two couples. In the cruelty and injustice of this world, they have no choice but to rely on each other to maintain each other’s humanity. Without it , and nothing else matters.
I want to emphasize that the art choice was made in this episode because I don’t think it’s the most compelling part of the manga. Despite the excusable sci-fi plot, Startail is a bunch of miserable clichés, if it weren’t for the anime’s take on the moment Attention, such as her transfer to the balcony, the clichés can feel undercooked. In the manga, it’s a 2 page sequence that could be compressed, but the anime embellishes it instead, showing everyone meeting her final The care shown when asked. I’m also glad that Kazuo Ishiguro gave her some personality through her tablet messages, and Fujita chose to focus on her eyes as a window into her inner self.
Later in the manga, Usami is off screen Shooting himself. Trauma is sudden and blunt. Here, Fujita lets the camera linger on the tenderness of Usami’s body holding Hoshio. Every subtle gesture conveys the greatness of his love, while the crow heralds his sorrowful The end. The approaches have meaningful distinctions. Kazuo Ishiguro’s manga has a disturbing and nonchalant directness that ultimately makes it stand out from its peers. By contrast, this episode is traditionally more cinematic. — maybe even a bit sentimental in execution — but it came together beautifully. In retrospect, it’s easy to see why Fujita was recruited to work on this particular part of the story.
This episode cleverly cuts most of the content and the Liviuman also raids Usami’s clinic. Stone Kazuo Kuro tries to comment on how leaders often manipulate populace for selfish ends, but the message is rote, cynical, and an odd pairing with Usami’s story — doubly so, since anime families have emotional How much. The animation wisely ignores the raid itself, letting the deceitful incitement (eagle-eyed viewers will note that Waterbridge isn’t dead) and the costly victory speak for themselves. I think it’s more important that we see humanity in the clinic’s patients and in Usami herself. He probably doesn’t consider himself a doctor, and what he knows about Hiruko (plus the symbol on that button) suggests he has other secrets being taken to the grave. Yet, knowingly or not, he finds true redemption in helping those people. He’s created a small world where little girls can still find joy in the company of the stuffed giraffe.
Usami and Hoshio’s Tragic Darkness Transitioning into the darkness of Mimihime’s nightmare, we are finally, albeit briefly, back at the facility. The outside world may be hell, but the facility is a cage with its own set of evils. Now we have another connection between the two stories: the disease that took Tail’s life looks like the discoloration of the skin on Startail’s face. Now that we know that humans are the same as cannibals, neither heaven nor hell is spared from the plague that caused it. One wonders, then, what kind of redemption Mimiji foresees in her dreams. A hand reached out and took hers as they walked into the unknown together. In the end, that’s all Hoshio and Usami are left with. That’s what Kiruko and Maru are all about. Maybe, in this world, that’s all anyone really has. Maybe, that’s enough.
Rating: is currently on Hulu.
Steve on Twitter. He wanted to try Tongzi’s cooking skills. You can also catch him talking about trash and treasure on This Week in Anime.
