Katanagatari

[masamuneehs]

so i actually loved this episode, which was surprising considering i'd read a bit of spoilers before watching.

watching that little girl go hardcore nasty bitch on the poor praying Mantis Guy.... holy cow, i haven't been that struck by epic murderous moe in years...

it seems like the theme of this episode was: "Those guys who are acting like heroes are gonna die". it was a bit more subtle for the commander "I'll go on ahead. I'm the strongest and the leader, after all." "You guys have no regrets, right?" but I like how they started really pouring on the THis Guy is Gonna Die cliches with the butterfly ninja. If there's one thing I've learned from anime, it's that you never quit smoking (or drinking) or arrange to get married unless you've got top billing...

i probably would have been furious if i'd watched this episode without knowing i'd not see the fight against "the strongest swordsman", but knowing what i did, i thought it was actually quite clever (if not a ridiculous troll) to just show us the fight concerning "the strongest" and not the fight for the sword...

edit to above: the comments about the Father seem to be pointing in Ryl's direction. he expressly says that the reason he is not training Nanami (sp) is not because she is a woman or because she is ill. he says he is going to spend his entire life and all of his energy, until his body decays, so that Shichika can learn their fighting style.

the problem is this. he says "I really wanted yo (Nanami) to become the head of the Kyotoryuu style, but that is not possible." There's a difference right after with Muri and Fukanou (literally no reason/logic (as in the mind) and fukanou (no physical capability). He uses fukanou to talk about her becoming head of the Kyotouryuu style. Because he is unable, and that is why i think Ryl has the closest interpretation, that he's frustrated and intimidated by her mere presence (and, thusly, more than a little bit afraid of her). I think it's understandable that the Maniwa Mantis was looking at her in that same light, that he thinks it's impossible (and frightening and shameful, because i think he somewhat understood that she'd used his own ninpou against him after seeing it only twice) that he could encounter such a monster or a person

of course, the true mystery is why Nanami's ridiculous skill and power excludes her from becoming the heir to the family (it's not just a matter of her father being unable to dedicate himself to her, it's that he thinks she would not be a suitable family head)...

[fireheart]

Didn't Shichika say that they're swordmen that can't use swords and since Nanami the ability to learn how to use swords as such it contradicts the tradition.

Anyway wonder if Nanami have anything to do with what Shichika talked about in the end about their style being left behind by Shikizaki.

[einbreaker]

When is the new one coming out? I'm getting impatient, and antsy.

[Kraco]

It only came out today, according to AniDB and ANN, so you have to give Mazui a bit of time to sub it.

[kenren]

[Mazui]_Katanagatari_-_05_[6778BC74].mkv

GET !

[Buffalobiian]

Pretty sweet episode.

-Onsen scene was really distracting. Togame might have a small stature, but damn~

-A Maniwani ninja who lasted more than 1 episode? Well, you don't see that every day. He took out those pirates just as effectively as the other Bird-like one did to his boat-driver, but Decapitation Circle just seems cooler. Maybe it was the suddenness.

-Shichika's obviously been developing mentally as he's absorbing the world around him, and I liked how they played into that this episode with him getting ahead of himself a bit.

-The fight itself was paced nicely, and Shichika even had some good lines to boot. Ultimately, the pirate didn't prove to be too difficult though, so I'll be looking forward to next month, where Shichika's no-damage streak comes to an end. (or so the preview suggests).

[Kraco]

Yeah, this was a jolly episode once again. Especially after the troll last month. It seems to me Togame would gratefully accept more from Shichika but isn't overly much pushing forward either. Maybe she's mindful of Shichika's more than obviously immature personality. In light of that it was good to see Shichika's shows of jealousy.

The fight was all in all pretty easy but maybe it was needed right here, with Shichika already forgetting some basics like Bill said.

Togame didn't take very well the cheerio revelation...

[shinta|hikari]

What I found hilarious was the fact that the simpleton Shichika actually knew about the Cheerio mistake. I also enjoyed how Shichika expresses his feelings with violence immediately while wearing such a deadpan expression. It makes sense considering his lack of emotional growth and martial training since a very early age.

[Archangel]

Frostii is a group of assholes, but at least i got to enjoy 3 episodes of katanagatari in a row. My blood is boiling in fanboysh excitement

I also enjoyed how Shichika expresses his feelings with violence immediately while wearing such a deadpan expression. It makes sense considering his lack of emotional growth and martial training since a very early age.

I also enjoyed that part but was annoyed by Togame's lack of realization that they were outbursts of jealousy, i felt we were stolen of some character development right there. Not much, but some.

Yeah, this was a jolly episode once again. Especially after the troll last month..

Lol, not sure if anyone else noticed but they even went as far as to change episode 3's preview to make it look as the fight was going to happen.

I'm not too upset about it, we got some amazing yandere action instead and it's not like it was a complete waste seeing as the title of strongest is providing Shichika with some invaluable experience along with his newfound fame

Also i feel pretty stupid for only noticing it now but Shichika's lack of any sort of wounds while fighting master swordsmen and ninjas makes him look all the more impressive and his sister all the more Deus Ex Machina. Every episode she's looking more and more like a final boss as we learn about her.

[Kraco]

I also enjoyed that part but was annoyed by Togame's lack of realization that they were outbursts of jealousy, i felt we were stolen of some character development right there. Not much, but some.

Considering she realized it a minute later, I don't think we were robbed of too much development. She's reading Shichika quite well in my opinion. She was purely lucky with her initial love plan but afterwards she has been learning more about his mentality, though being somewhat selfish, it's not like it would all the time show. Still, it does when it needs to, like how easily she got Shichika out of his slump and beat the pirate.

The one thing I've hard time explaining about this episode is Togame's fetish. I thought at first it was massage but to trample on her head? It must be some sort of masochism, but how does it connect with her forceful, selfish, motivated, and ambitious personality? Yet forgetting that paradox I find it quite interesting how Togame actively seeks such symbolism: Her dad was slain by Shichika's old man, and now she has Shichika stamp on her. It's obvious she couldn't care less about the past but still...

[shinta|hikari]

The head stomping is also a form of massage. It stretches the neck muscles when done properly.

[Archangel]

The head stomping is also a form of massage. It stretches the neck muscles when done properly.

That's how i saw it too, you might be reading a bit too much into it Kraco...

[Kraco]

Yeah, I guess so. I know little of massage so I didn't recognize it as such.

[Buffalobiian]

I thought it was a massage (rather than a stomp), but I had no idea it was legit. I used to get my brother to walk on my back (back when he didn't weigh 80KG), but head-stomp's a first.

[masamuneehs]

episode 05 was great. it got back to alot of basics, and it really relied on the characters.

i do feel like they're selling some of these "sword holders" a little bit short. random bad guys whose biggest traits are some run of the mill sob backstory and likability never do it for me. this felt like the female temple woman all over again, except at the end (according to the narration) the pirate is going to fuck them over (but, man, Hokkaido is at least three times as far away from Kyushu as the capital... they'd figure that out sometime, i hope...)

really good character interaction in this episode, particularly people finally getting jealous. I also liked the introduction of the Princess character, and a Maniwa who isn't a throw-away character. when he said that half the Maniwa Corps were dead, and had just cut off one of his two arms, i thought that was pretty badass. i'd be plenty pleased if Maniwa turned out to be the real big bad in this series, because we've been dealing with them since episode 1, and, aside from the Princess, I can't imagine anyone who can make moves and physically match up to what Togame has right now.

[Kraco]

I failed so miserably to anticipate the next episode so soon that it's safe to say with my perception skills I'd be a dead swordsman.

Episode 6 - Mazui

[shinta|hikari]

Togame is getting a haircut. Nooooooooooo!!!!

[animus]

Can't say that I'm happy learning that Shichika will have to kill his sister (and will succeed, clearly). Then again, I'm sure it's just some silly premise to make them fight, but whatever.

[Kraco]

Togame is getting a haircut. Nooooooooooo!!!!

Nooooooooooo!!!!


Anyway, this was a rather interesting episode although the fights were somewhat dull in my opinion. But then again, I've rarely been a fan of overly powerful little kids so maybe that's my bias. Somewhat funny a little kid was the first one to wound Shichika. On the other hand the lesson should be all the more powerful.

Keeping in mind the earlier trolling episode I wouldn't yet fully believe Shichika is going to kill his sister. But who knows, it could happen, and would also mean the prediction the last opponent being her would be wrong. Personally I wouldn't consider that a bad thing because a major villain that would slowly start to get carefully planned exposition yet remain largely unknown until the last ep would be more interesting. I can't consider Nanami an overly intriguing character.

The best parts of this episode were those clearly developing Shichika and Togame's relationship. Each and every time I also view those scenes where they are close to each other very cute and nice. Maybe it's because in 99% of anime a guy and girl even accidentally touching each other means they will instantly blush, scream, and jump farther away from the other. So, to see them stick to each other like this is so refreshing. The verbal confirmation that Shichika likes to play with Togame's hair and Togama on her own part exploiting the fact actively was also funny.

[Archangel]

She has her hair back by the end of the preview and the artstyle was all funky so... like kraco said, after that massive trolling i won't believe anything they tell us till i see it with my own eyes

Besides she took out a fucking village in half an hour, what sort of last minute final boss could they find to top that??

About this episode, i'm glad they didn't kill the little girl. I was thinking that the reason the ninja got there with her power was so they had an excuse to kill the little one off, glad i was mistaken.

I felt a little cheated with this month's sword though, not only was its special attribute boringly obvious but the meaning behind the name as well. I mean sure you can hold it both ways, but why the hell would you want to?