Aku no Hana

[David75]

Kasuga Takao is a boy who loves reading books, particularly Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal. A girl at his school, Saeki Nanako, is his muse and his Venus, and he admires her from a distance. One day, he forgets his copy of Les Fleurs du Mal in the classroom and runs back alone to pick it up. In the classroom, he finds not only his book, but Saeki's gym uniform. On a mad impulse, he steals it.

Now everyone knows 'some pervert' stole Saeki's uniform, and Kasuga is dying with shame and guilt. Furthermore, the weird, creepy, and friendless girl of the class, Nakamura, saw him take the uniform. Instead of revealing it was him, she recognizes his kindred deviant spirit and uses her knowledge to take control of his life. Will it be possible for Kasuga to get closer to Saeki, despite Nakamura's meddling and his dark secret? What exactly does Nakamura intend to do with him?


So far, I've been watching this for the atmosphere and for the reference to Charles Baudelaire.
I do not expect much, nor I did from the start, so I'm open to good surprises from this show.
Thing is, the rotoscopy just ruins the visuals. It's really unconfortable, awkward and horrendous most of the time. Somehow, that's not a bad idea to induce that in the audience as reading some of Baudelaire's work clearly produces the same reactions... It's just a shame the manga had decent character designs and this is lost on that show.

The ED really did work on me. I also think it integrates well into the subject. Many will be put off by it. But it's one of the very few EDs I've been able to watch from ep1... Usually I just skip OP and ED. But for that one, I've been immediately hooked... when I skipped the OP easilly.

[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_01v2_[0F69A819].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=view&tid=423006)
[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_02_[DF0473DD].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=view&tid=423007)

[Inazuma]

Ok so I was curious about this show because of the immense net activity it creates.

Let me tell you what I am refering to:
Number of posts on 2ch

Aku no Hana - 16,368 posts
Shingeki no Kyojin - 12,463
Kakumeiki Valvrave - 11,901
Suisei no Gargantia - 9,982
Hataraku Maou-sama! - 6,790
Devil Survivor 2 - 6,513
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince - 5,852
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. - 5,560
Red Data Girl - 4,620

[enkoujin]

So far, I've been watching this for the atmosphere and for the reference to Charles Baudelaire.
I do not expect much, nor I did from the start, so I'm open to good surprises from this show.
Thing is, the rotoscopy just ruins the visuals. It's really unconfortable, awkward and horrendous most of the time. Somehow, that's not a bad idea to induce that in the audience as reading some of Baudelaire's work clearly produces the same reactions... It's just a shame the manga had decent character designs and this is lost on that show.

I agree wholeheartedly. The visuals in this are awful.

[shinta|hikari]

I love works that try to make a statement or try something new with its animation, especially if it reflects the theme and atmosphere of the story.





datface :(

[David75]

Rotoscopy is nothing new. Just that it might not have been used for a whole show...



Ok so I was curious about this show because of the immense net activity it creates.

Let me tell you what I am refering to:
Number of posts on 2ch

Aku no Hana - 16,368 posts
Shingeki no Kyojin - 12,463
Kakumeiki Valvrave - 11,901
Suisei no Gargantia - 9,982
Hataraku Maou-sama! - 6,790
Devil Survivor 2 - 6,513
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince - 5,852
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. - 5,560
Red Data Girl - 4,620

Woow. I wonder why so much reactions.

[shinta|hikari]

I was being sarcastic.

Posts are because of datface, which means it was a success essentially.

[David75]

Seems like I start getting bored with that show.
I kept asking myself if I was just sugar coating what I was seeing with past reads/experience instead of actually watching that.
I understand how the strings are pulled and kinda get the context of a young boy who can't free himself from the blunder he made, much like a little brat but with guilt feelings from someone older. It's just that it was not particularly well rendered.
Same with Nakamura and her actions, it felt off. I guess the rotoscopy thing really is ruining the show even more now.

[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_03_[1591D8CE].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=view&tid=425341)

[Inazuma]

Ok guys. Seriously. I puked.

Lock this thread, take the key, melt it, make a 9mm bullet out of it and shoot the one in charge.

[shinta|hikari]

It is unfortunate because I love the manga.

[David75]

It is unfortunate because I love the manga.

The pages I've seen just make me sad for the poor choice they made on the visuals...

[Inazuma]

So I've taken a look at the mango and I really can't understand how they could fuck that up this badly. There was potential, I mean you have the chance for something truly deep and intelligent and you turn it all into a monstershow.

David you can understand me on this, Les Fleurs du mal didn't deserve that.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm watching this. The discordance makes you watch in horror (but not really). Nakamura's apeshit and I don't like her.

My favourite character has to be the friend with the hair. His typical-bro commentary only serves to highlight how far our MC has drifted from the mainstream.

[David75]

That's it, the artistical choice is awful, yet you have to watch. And that kind of uneasy situation is also a good match for Les fleurs du mal. But I'd rather have nice art...
I'm pretty certain I'll watch it bitterly to till the end and I might try the manga.
I still like the ED a lot.

Last thing, I wonder how the DVD/BR sales will be.

[shinta|hikari]

Apparently, in the Blu Ray, it is properly animated according the manga art style.

[Buffalobiian]

The pages I've seen just make me sad for the poor choice they made on the visuals...


I just flipped through some of the manga. It's not scary at all. I felt like I could possibly put up with Nakamura.

In the anime version, I just want to hightail the hell out. I guess it depends on whether you think it's a good idea to make this story as creepy as possible or not.

[David75]

Apparently, in the Blu Ray, it is properly animated according the manga art style.

So the BR would get another animation?
That'd be expensive to have 2 versions. Or rotoscopy really is cheap...

[shinta|hikari]

Yeah, they are actually working on both versions right now. Rotoscoping actually reduced the budget significantly allowing for this sort of production. I guess they want to offset the costs of doing double the animation work by forcing people to buy the superior manga style animated BR version.

That, or they decided to invest a bit more on another version for the BR knowing this horrendous one would tank.

[David75]

Now the question is:
Should I wait for the BR release...
Damn

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 04 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=427604)



---------------------------------













Guy needs to grow a pair. Find an incinerator, burn the package. If you want, tell Saeki about the the fact that you stole her clothes. Before you tell her the story, ask her to listen to it in full. After you tell her the story, say that you understand she needs time to consider.

Say you'll meet her at a certain place at a certain time tomorrow. Whether she comes to meet you or not will be the only answer you need.

If all goes well, you win. If she dumps you, well at least you'll have a pretty good chance of being on ground zero since she's kinda fond of you right now. Hopefully she'll see that you're a guy with a sense of right and wrong, so she'll really believe in the accident.

[Buffalobiian]

So who's given up and who's still with me?

gg - Episode 05 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=430803)

[David75]

I'm here.

I like that show a lot. It's all about internal struggles and I think that if you can get some of the context, you trully understand what happens in that teen's head. You can really get uneasy as if you were 15 again :D

I still think Rotoscopy kills it a lot, but I can't stop myself from watching. I would not be able to wait for the BR releases.

Nakamura is great.

I guess that the same story, but adapted with adults that have a greater range of activities, would be pure gold. But that would be X rated (or at least parts of it). And we know how hinting at sex is so much worse than having a video of a woman beheaded with a knife... (personal rant, sorry)

[Buffalobiian]

The struggle is starting to wear off on me at the moment actually. It basically stems from the fact that I know the best course of action is to stop right here before it gets any worse. It's like gangrene. Chop off your arm to save your body. The boy hesitates at the last moment every time and lets the disease continue to devour him slowly.

Nakamura is just fucked up and lonely. Okay, maybe not fucked up - just lonely. She is open with her corrupt desires and expects/desires someone else to be exactly like her. She's so not going to let things ride smoothly and just screw it all up for the boy.

I'd really vouch for him to have faked a speech of thankful gratitude towards Nakamura this episode, then kill her when she turns around. Given that he cant' even dispose a set of clothing however, I doubt he could hide a corpse. Who knows though, perhaps the magnitude of the event will drive the "maybe everything will be alright" thought out of his head and make him act.

Regarding the rotoscoping, Saeki looked pretty disinterested in certain scenes (especially the bookstore ones). I don't know if I'm misinterpreting the frames or if the rotoscoping just appeared that way, since even if she was lost/confused she turned out to be rather fond of the boy's hobby.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 06 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=432746)

[Killa-Eyez]

[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_07_[29819120].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=434817)
[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_08_[779B1954].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=437315)
[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_09_[D4DCEE87].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=439451)
_______________________________________________

So I guess I might be the only one still watching this.

Haven't seen any manga material and animation-wise it surely leaves a lot to the imagination but I've grown accustomed to it and accept it as it is. It seems somewhat fitting considering the anime's nature. Gives a more serious/realistic tone to it, imo.

I like the psychological aspect of the series. In fact, it's the only reason I'm watching it. Especially Saeki's psyche, she amazes me with her reaction in EP 9. I feel that she also might be an "Aku no Hana". :p
An interesting watch, to say the least.

[David75]

I'm still following that for Nakamura and Saeki.
Kasuga really is a piece of shit, he annoys me to no end. Of course he's a teenager facing his hormones, his society's rules, his naïveté and Nakamura's rules... But I really can't bear his shouts.

I liked the scene where they remodel their classroom :D

I'm waiting for the last ep and will probably read the manga to rid myself of the rotoscopy. I somehow managed to overcome it, but it's still painfully awful.

[Killa-Eyez]

[gg]_Aku_no_Hana_-_12_[2BC16902].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=446103)
________________________________________________










Well that was... Open. Can't say I'd really love to know how the story ends up but this is just lame.
I'm not a manga reader and I won't start becoming one, not for this anime.

Just... Lame. -_-

[David75]

Wait for ep 13 maybe?

[Killa-Eyez]

They're continuing it? Thought they'd only make 12 eps. Lol, I guess I'll watch 13 if it comes out.

[David75]

They're continuing it? Thought they'd only make 12 eps. Lol, I guess I'll watch 13 if it comes out.

Seems like you do not watch the very beginning of each ep then, as it always mention ep X Thirteen total...

;)

[Killa-Eyez]

I do, but I thought it was twelve? ;)
But you're right. There's also no preview at the end so that's why I thought it was over.

[David75]

There's a preview... an audio one, well after the end track and author's message. This week too ;)

OP and ED skipper I guess?

I'm like that too, except for this very anime whose soundtrack I'm fascinated with. I guess this is the only anime I do not skip OP and ED...

[Killa-Eyez]

Well, again, I'm not... Lol. But the last preview was only "Nakamura-san"... Usually you get a whole bunch of dialogues which gives you a grasp about what next week's ep is about. That's why I thought it was a lame ending. Again, made the mistake on the ep count. Thought it was 12, not 13. Dunno why. :o

And I agree that the OP and ED is very catchy indeed.

[Buffalobiian]

I stopped watching after episode 06 or 07 because I expected Nakamura to sabotage Kasuga's relationship with Saeki and dreaded at the thought of how it'd turn out. I caught up over the past few days though, and I really don't get these people. All of them.

-Saeki: you're awfully accepting. That's like.. perfect-anime-girl level of embracing someone.

-Kasuga: wtf's going on in that guy's head? Stockholm Syndrome? He had at least 2 chances during which Nakamura was willing to let him go, but he goes and dives his head into that shit again. Now he thinks Nakamura is going to be alone and tries to be her friend "for the greater good" (since Saeki can live happily without him apparently). He calls himself selfish and tries to become a deviant (read: he's not currently one) for her sake.

Firstly, you don't change like that unless you really like someone. I don't think he's secretly in love with her though.

Next, she's the one who dragged him into her shithole and fucked with his thoughts. Now that he's "gotten out" it's now selfish to leave her alone? Who's the selfish one here?

I'm impressed by Saeki's friend Ai-chan and Kasuga's dad. Ai-chan really looked out for Saeki (even supporting her when she likes this unpopular guy), while the dad didn't lose his cool and actually tried to be constructive about his son's actions. I hate the "we raised him wrong" bullshit. It pisses me off so much.

I only just noticed recently that there's no internet nor cell phone in this anime. If you wanted "out", there really wasn't an alternative to doing it physically.

[David75]

Kasuga does not even have a PC it seems.

I can't talk about this, because I'd spoil. Just that the manga, once you accept the overly young faces/characters, is mangitudes better than the anime and of course goes a lot farther.

I'm only waiting for ep 13 to see how they manage the end of the anime.

Regarding how Saeki and Kasuga act, you have to remember that people are not rational, they are emotional. Society/Culture has rules to prevent our emotional side to act too much, but it doesn't always work. Especially at puberty.

[MFauli]

Question: Is this anime worth watching, even if I don´t like the "unique" visual presentation? As in, is the story really good?

[David75]

I'll be able to tell you by the end of next ep...
Since I read the manga at a high pace, it felt better, good rythm and all, I'd say the story is good and I liked it.

On the other hand, I have to pause every week between eps for the anime and rotoscopy really kills it a lot.
If you haven't touched it yet, maybe it'd be better to wait for the BR release, since they should properly animate it and get rid of the rotoscopy.

Try the manga, some chapters in order to get used to the style and characters. Then you decide if it's for you or not.

[Buffalobiian]

edit: Forgot to say this when I noticed it last week: Nakamura's room had hinges on the outside, but Kasuga opens it inwards. ;)

gg - Episode 13 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=447707)


-------------------------------------












Nothing happened.

Part 2 looks like it would escalate (if they ever get a reason to animate it). Looking back though, it's really been a waste of time.

I stand by my previous judgement. Kasuga should have killed Nakamura around episode 3 or 4.

[David75]

Yeah right, like that teen without a spinal cord would be able to commit murder. Only on drugs or if his mental disorders took control.
Nakumura could be able to murder someone, but that would also need another mental shift.

That speedy glimpse of part 2, you can't really understand without reading the manga. Out of that, I only want 2 scenes animated.
I wonder about one of them though, as per law it should be censored I guess (not a spoiler, rewatch the preview ;) )

Once you're caught, the manga clearly is orders of mangnitude better than the anime. But the anime really has a catchy and nice OST. Only watch this to complement the manga and for the OST, otherwise, it's only a useless piece of shit (Nakamura Speaking)

[Buffalobiian]

Throughout this anime, I've been wondering if I would be more accepting of Nakamura if she was hot (well, ever since I saw the manga art, anyway). How susceptible am I to having someone's appearance change my thoughts about them?

After all, in the anime world there are plenty of characters who have a shitty personality, yet we still like them overall - assumingly because of their appearance because there's nothing else.

[David75]

Just an update regarding the BD release...
They did not make another version... rotoscopy all the way!

[shinta|hikari]

If you were basing your assumption that it would be changed from what I said a while ago...

I was lying.