The art is perfectly accurate, the characters are just disproportionately transformed.
Summer Anime: The Eccentric Family (Uchoten Kazoku) |OT| Dad Became Stew
- Thread starter TheOddOne
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I keep forgetting that this show has it's own thread and posting in the general one instead;
Uchouten Kazoku 10
For some reason, I still refuse to believe that
I await the heroic deeds of
Actually, hopefully, there will be heroic
deeds.
Uchouten Kazoku 10
For some reason, I still refuse to believe that
Benten was complicit in his father being boiled to the point that she'd just watch it happen. Any Tanuki can transform, and taking that form to keep him from transforming (as they'd previously set up) would make sense. I guess the logic in the show is a bit warped, but I don't think it's warped to the point where Benten would still be able to look Yasaburo in the eye if she had actually done that. If that's actually what happened, I'll be pretty bummed. Scratch that; I'll be crushed. She goes from "I'm going to eat you suckkkaaa" to "Poor thing, you'll be eaten by me" in the span of a couple hours; Either she's got dual personalities, or it wasn't her.
I await the heroic deeds of
Frog Nee-san and Sensei.
Benten
Episode 10
Drama to the max this week. This wouldn't be my first preference for the direction towards the finale, but the execution wasn't too bad. More Kaisei flashbacks are always a good thing after all. I really miss the mystique around Benten though. With her not having a big role in the recent episodes, and the other family being played up as cartoon villains, I hope the show is doing it as a diversion so when they finally bring Benten back into the mix it can close the show with the tone that I really liked about the narrative in the first place.
Either way, it looks like the climax is shaping up to be pretty exciting. I hope it doesn't just focus on the physical danger aspect though. Benten's motivations and the mystery behind her intentions will probably be the point everything revolves around at the end, so I hope that ends up being satisfying and fulfilling. Really looking forward to how it all unfolds. Only 3 more episodes!
Drama to the max this week. This wouldn't be my first preference for the direction towards the finale, but the execution wasn't too bad. More Kaisei flashbacks are always a good thing after all. I really miss the mystique around Benten though. With her not having a big role in the recent episodes, and the other family being played up as cartoon villains, I hope the show is doing it as a diversion so when they finally bring Benten back into the mix it can close the show with the tone that I really liked about the narrative in the first place.
Either way, it looks like the climax is shaping up to be pretty exciting. I hope it doesn't just focus on the physical danger aspect though. Benten's motivations and the mystery behind her intentions will probably be the point everything revolves around at the end, so I hope that ends up being satisfying and fulfilling. Really looking forward to how it all unfolds. Only 3 more episodes!
Dedication Through Light
Member
Other preferences?
Passive Assassin
Member
Ep 10
Damn. Didn't know it could go down like that. I'm sort of feeling eh on the direction of the series, aka bring more Benten.
Damn. Didn't know it could go down like that. I'm sort of feeling eh on the direction of the series, aka bring more Benten.
Less drama, more Benten standing and sitting around being mysterious and sexy.
It's the cartoon drama that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Jealous estranged uncle schemes to kill more popular brother who is a community leader and raises his kids to hate his nephews.
that sounds more like a Shakespeare plot than a cartoon plot though
Lollipop Dave
Member
Everything suddenly getting all serious did destroy the atmosphere a little in my opinion. Though I am very interested to see where episode 11 goes.
I have a suspicion that it's a bit of a foil though. Obviously it doesn't excuse how the tone has definitely suffered a little in the recent episodes because of it, but it could also pay off if they play it right.
Soun is such an obvious villain that it's hard to see him as the real actual threat. He is simply the cartoon tanuki villain who pulls off stupid schemes and tries to put characters in mortal danger, but by right his plans should fall apart and everyone gets away at the last moment.
The true danger seems to ultimately lie with Benten. She is the reason things go badly, she is a constant reminder that humans are the most dangerous ones in this world, and the most frightening thing is that she is a complete enigma.
Why does she do what she does? What are her motivations? What does she really want? Deep down, what does she think of the magical word she grew up in? Does she resent being kidnapped? Does she feel detached from the rest of humanity because of her powers? Does she just enjoy messing with everyone? Without knowing any of that it makes her unpredictable, and as such a larger threat than any of the characters in the story - because they're all mostly predictable.
The true danger seems to ultimately lie with Benten. She is the reason things go badly, she is a constant reminder that humans are the most dangerous ones in this world, and the most frightening thing is that she is a complete enigma.
Why does she do what she does? What are her motivations? What does she really want? Deep down, what does she think of the magical word she grew up in? Does she resent being kidnapped? Does she feel detached from the rest of humanity because of her powers? Does she just enjoy messing with everyone? Without knowing any of that it makes her unpredictable, and as such a larger threat than any of the characters in the story - because they're all mostly predictable.
I think how the show addresses these points in the final 3 episodes will determine whether this is simply a good show, or one worth remembering for a long time.
yeah i'd agree with this, she is manipulating everyone, but to what ends? her actions/thoughts are still the central mystery of the show. why did she want to join the Friday Fellows in the first place, what's in it for her? we've seen the father's last hours from the professor's viewpoint, the tengu's viewpoint, the son's viewpoint & now the brother/uncle's viewpoint, but we've yet to see her side of the story. i really want an episode narrated by her that explains her viewpoint/actions.
Jex
Member
I would argue that there's been a pretty dark undercurrent running throughout the whole series which has slowly been seeping around the edges of the story for sometime. It's been pretty obvious for a couple of episodes where the story was heading (all that foreshadowing) and so these developments are not unexpected. I would certainly agree that I'm far more interested in Benten than the villain characters but I trust that the show isn't going to develop into a very dull and route finale. The writing seems too sharp for that but we'll see.
The show definitely could use 50% more Benten. They've still got so much to sort through in the final couple of episodes though. I assume that they'll want to show the events of his fathers death from her POV (which I'm hoping will acquit her of wrongdoing), as well as the incident where Sensei lost his ability to fly. Then there's Benten's backstory before she was kidnapped (unless they're not showing that at all) and Sensei's sorta-feud with the Kurama tengu.
I think the "last boss" will end up being the leader of the Friday Fellows (the guy that wasn't there at the last meeting) and not their Uncle. He's undoubtedly a villain at this point (as well as the two brothers who seem to know what they're doing), but I agree that there's probably someone pulling the strings, and he's really the only person yet to be shown.
That's how I'd have written it. That's mostly because I think this series will be a horrible waste if my YasaTen fantasies don't come true.
I think the "last boss" will end up being the leader of the Friday Fellows (the guy that wasn't there at the last meeting) and not their Uncle. He's undoubtedly a villain at this point (as well as the two brothers who seem to know what they're doing), but I agree that there's probably someone pulling the strings, and he's really the only person yet to be shown.
If I had to choose what happened, I'd go with the leader being a Tengu (angry that their Dad transformed into a mountain and made them look like fools) and that one of the other members is a Tanuki. He had a grudge against their father, and enlisted their Uncle to help take him down. Armed with the knowledge that the mere sight of Benten keeps him from transforming, he transformed (or had someone transform) into her and set the trap. Meanwhile, the real Benten actually is trying to join the Friday Fellows, and after getting drunk one night, told him the story of how Yasaburo's father went "POOF!" and reverted back to his Tanuki form at the sight of her. At some point she wakes up in front of the cage containing who she doesn't know is Yasaburo's dad, and she gives the "You poor thing" speech. Cut to the present and she's obviously found out that the knowledge she let slip (that he'd lose the ability to transform) was what caused his death, and she's leaned into Tengu society after pretty much all of Tanuki society shunned her or else feared her so much that they wouldn't interact with her.
That's how I'd have written it. That's mostly because I think this series will be a horrible waste if my YasaTen fantasies don't come true.
Whole point of the Fellows are that they are human, though. Above the fate of tanuki and others. We had half an episode dedicated to exploring that idea, when Yasaburo chats with the human professor.
Benten seems like the obvious 'final boss' to me - it's her actions that have driven this whole mess along, and we still have to resolve the angle where Yasaburo helped her remove Akatama from power, willingly or not. Shying away from the ramifications of her actions by substituting the blame to others would feel cheap. Not ruling out just what could happen, but I hope the writing confronts her issues head-on, instead of absolving them.
Benten seems like the obvious 'final boss' to me - it's her actions that have driven this whole mess along, and we still have to resolve the angle where Yasaburo helped her remove Akatama from power, willingly or not. Shying away from the ramifications of her actions by substituting the blame to others would feel cheap. Not ruling out just what could happen, but I hope the writing confronts her issues head-on, instead of absolving them.
It's been shown that Human's can develop Tengu powers to the point that they are basically referred to as Tengu and accepted into their society somewhat. It stands to reason that one of them could take it seriously enough that a mere Tanuki making them all seem like fools was enough of an insult for retribution to take place.
It just seems odd to me that she would capture his Dad through an underhanded scheme, boil him in a hotpot, eat him, and then...cry about it alone at a well for the next few years, while trying to maintain contact with his son. It's just odd to me.
In the episode where she sees a tanuki in a cage and gives the "you poor thing" speech, she refers to herself as Benten. In this recent episode, taking place just mere hours before, she uses her real name. When she talks to him to begin with, she's got an almost angry look on her face, yet hours later she's talking in a gentle tone and saying "You poor thing, you'll be eaten by me" as if she wasn't the person that..you know...shanghai'd him and doomed him to be boiled and eaten.
Dual personalities
I'm almost certainly wrong. There needs to be some reason why she turned into a heel if that's what actually happened though. I think it would be too boring if they said that she got his Dad cooked for the entire show and then revealed that...yeah, she got his Dad cooked. It's boring to me in comparison to there being some twist. Their uncle being in on it wasn't really a twist at all; I'm pretty sure everyone saw that coming, even Yasaburo. Maybe her choices were "Help us capture him, or we'll boil Yasaburo instead" or something. Either way, I like that character too much for the mystery not to be paid off in a fulfilling manner. If she's just someone that gets peoples dad's eaten, then...well...screw her? I guess?
YasaTen forrrrreverrrrrrrrrrrrr
Dedication Through Light
Member
Episode 11 - Back in the Game
Well opening scene and the one immediately it with Yasuburo was the most memorable parts to me. I guess the opening one for the stroll along the river made it look like a place that would be nice to visit so nice in the rain
.
One of the better episodes around.
Well opening scene and the one immediately it with Yasuburo was the most memorable parts to me. I guess the opening one for the stroll along the river made it look like a place that would be nice to visit so nice in the rain
and then Yasuburo inquiring to Benten about her motives etc.
Otherwise diner scene with Ginkaku Kinkaku and Yasuburo did make me chuckle a bit, them getting a chance to shine temporarily was worthwihile. Just sad the next preview kind of ruins how he manages to get out of it.
One of the better episodes around.
Lollipop Dave
Member
Although I assumed that was coming. The preview done a great job of hiding it.
dakkumauji
Member
Episode 11
That amazing Kaisei.
That amazing Kaisei.
11 -
Kaisei being best girl, Benten being sexy, and as everyone expected,
The idea that their father accepted death willingly makes more sense when you consider his relationship with Soun (and the latter's attachment to Mother), and Yajiro's crush on Kaisei.
Kaisei being best girl, Benten being sexy, and as everyone expected,
Yajiro coming to rescue next episode.
The idea that their father accepted death willingly makes more sense when you consider his relationship with Soun (and the latter's attachment to Mother), and Yajiro's crush on Kaisei.
metsallica
Member
I just wanted to stop by and say I really love this show but watching it makes me angry that I don't have a Tatami Galaxy bluray. That is all.
Dedication Through Light
Member
Episode 12 The False Eizan Electric Railway
Electric Part was as fun as I had expected it to be and more. Really well done and nice considering how the previous two or so episodes have been.
Think its set for a good ending episode with everything finally in place.
Electric Part was as fun as I had expected it to be and more. Really well done and nice considering how the previous two or so episodes have been.
The fans power moment(2) made me laugh quite a bit at how they tried to be light with it and ended up doing massive damage. It was a nice conclusion to the Train over the Moon scene
Think its set for a good ending episode with everything finally in place.
12
There's no way there is enough time to properly explain any of the events that occurred before the start of the anime (except for the one that has already been explained). That kind of bums me out, but I hope that the conclusion explains at least a little bit of it. I hope the novel gets translated at some point so that the blanks can be filled in.
This episode was great, but the huge and obvious spoiler in the promos for it kind of dulled the surprise and eliminated any sort of suspense. I get the feeling that Jurojin is playing a trick on them, the way that their father played a trick on the Tengu but I'm not sure if Benten is in on it or not yet. I've wanted some sort of explanation or justification for her actions for the past 12 episodes, but I don't know if we're going to get it. This show seems more caught up on the election than that, which kind of sucks as the election is secondary to what I actually care about in this show, which is her past and Yasaten in general.
Again though, this was a fantastic episode from start to finish, and this show is the best thing currently airing.
Edit: In searching for any fan translations of Uchouten's novel, I found a partial one of The Tatami Galaxy and Shinseki Yori.
There's no way there is enough time to properly explain any of the events that occurred before the start of the anime (except for the one that has already been explained). That kind of bums me out, but I hope that the conclusion explains at least a little bit of it. I hope the novel gets translated at some point so that the blanks can be filled in.
This episode was great, but the huge and obvious spoiler in the promos for it kind of dulled the surprise and eliminated any sort of suspense. I get the feeling that Jurojin is playing a trick on them, the way that their father played a trick on the Tengu but I'm not sure if Benten is in on it or not yet. I've wanted some sort of explanation or justification for her actions for the past 12 episodes, but I don't know if we're going to get it. This show seems more caught up on the election than that, which kind of sucks as the election is secondary to what I actually care about in this show, which is her past and Yasaten in general.
Again though, this was a fantastic episode from start to finish, and this show is the best thing currently airing.
Edit: In searching for any fan translations of Uchouten's novel, I found a partial one of The Tatami Galaxy and Shinseki Yori.
Nothing for Uchouten though. Oh well.
dakkumauji
Member
Episode 12
The train scene was awesome to look at.
Really looking forward to seeing how this ends.
What is fun is good!
The train scene was awesome to look at.
Really looking forward to seeing how this ends.
What is fun is good!
Episode 12
Train scene was great as expected. Jurojin is shaping out to be the main villain as everything seems to be playing right into his hands at this point ( the room reservation next to the tanuki meeting can't be a coincidence). Kinda worried how they are going to wrap everything up in one episode.
Train scene was great as expected. Jurojin is shaping out to be the main villain as everything seems to be playing right into his hands at this point ( the room reservation next to the tanuki meeting can't be a coincidence). Kinda worried how they are going to wrap everything up in one episode.
Lollipop Dave
Member
This episode was so pretty. The whole series has been. So glad I decided to watch it. Only one more episode is sad
but it's been a good and extremely pleasant run.Definitely not a coincidence. I'm hoping we get a lovely Benten and Yasaburou moment at the end and as long as the story wraps up nicely, I don't mind what the outcome will be!
I'm kind of resigned to the fact that we're probably not going to get much if any of the back story between Yasaburo and Benten. We've seen a glimpse of it, but we probably won't see the incident where Sensei lost the ability to fly, what led to Benten wanting to join the Friday Fellows, etc. I'd imagine that they'll spend quite a bit of time talking about the election, showing the fallout of that, and of course they'll need to wrap up the fates of the Ebisugawa's (punishment of some type, assuming that they don't, you know, win) etc.
There's just not much time left =/ I want a show next season just called "Benten" that starts with her as a normal girl, and ends with her decision to join the Friday Fellows.
I've been down for any and all train related anime since Galaxy Express.
For what it's worth, this is supposed to be the first part of a "tanuki trilogy". The author is currently writing the second book.
That episode was great all around
Like others though, it doesn't seem like enough time to finish everything that's started and it may not be the conclusion we were hoping for. I'll be sad once it's over, that's for sure.
and that part where they rammed into the building with the train was pretty hilarious.
Like others though, it doesn't seem like enough time to finish everything that's started and it may not be the conclusion we were hoping for. I'll be sad once it's over, that's for sure.
This knowledge has left me with a deep sense of despair.
Well, hopefully that gets animated sooner rather than later. The chances of the novel getting translated are so slim
The book came out 6 years ago though. I'm not holding my breath!
hosannainexcelsis
Member
Is he George RR Martin? What the fuck?
He's been writing other books in the meantime; he just hasn't bothered to come out with a sequel to this one.
I meant in terms of keeping fans waiting. Hopefully the first novel has a satisfactory ending =/
Scratch that; Hopefully he finishes the next novel and the sequel can get animated rather quickly/by the same team.
I don't really know what the author's intentions are, but my understanding is that the novel is self-contained and conclusive. Otherwise there's no reason why he would not have bothered with a follow up in 6 years, while writing many other novels instead. It's not like he's taking a break or anything, he puts out a new book or two every year or so.
Even if he does eventually write another book about tanuki, don't expect it to be animated in this decade. I'm sure PA Works has a ton of other projects lined up instead, and the planning for this show alone started over 4 years ago. It's not going to happen overnight. It doesn't look like the show is going to sell very well either, so there's no commercial incentive to rush anything either.
Aah, when he said trilogy, I assumed he meant a direct continuation of the current story. If it's conclusive, then I digress. I realize that getting an animated sequel is probably a very long way off, but I'm hopeful that the conclusion to the anime is enough to wrap up at least some of what I'm interested in.
Hopefully it will sell well enough to at least make an animated sequel seem like something that could happen in the future. I guess we'll know soon enough.
He said he was writing the second book just a few weeks ago though.
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
This anime season hasn't been that great, but this particular show makes everything worth it.
Passive Assassin
Member
We got another George R.R Martin on our hands? >:l
I really don't know where you guys are coming from, with those comments... He wrote the first book some years back, other novels since then, and he's currently working on the second tanuki book. What's the problem with that?
We're down to the wire and it really seems like there isn't enough time for a lot of the back story to be filled in. I think some of us are assuming that the next novel would have that back story, even though we could be wrong on that front. It could be that the novel had all of the back story and the show just didn't have time for any of it of course. It's also a possibility that there is no back story and there was never any plan to reveal it at all.
I wonder if there is an audio book version of the novel. I speak moon, but I can't read it.
Episodes 10-12
Such a rollercoaster
of emotions these past few episodes have been. I hope the
I can't help but feel that
I guess we'll all find out in the next few hours!
Such a rollercoaster
(or bendy flying train)
Ebisugawas (cept for metal gear kaisei) end up boiling in the worlds shittiest hotpot. Raijin only knows they deserve it.
I can't help but feel that
Benten's been scheming something with the mysterious old man in the Friday fellows and that maybe this entire thing has been a ruse from the start (the dad getting captured). Of course, all I have to go off on this is the "What's fun is good." line at the end and the fact he booked the room next door to the elders meeting.
I guess we'll all find out in the next few hours!
Dedication Through Light
Member
13 - The Eccentric Family [end]
That was a fantastic ending episode
I kind of wish we could have spent a bit more time with the family + kinkaku/ginkaku + friday fellows folks. Every group just quite interesting. Probably would have the train moment and the mountain backstory as favorite episodes
That was a fantastic ending episode
laughed when I finally realized they were in rooms beside each other and then the whole chaos that ensued.
I kind of wish we could have spent a bit more time with the family + kinkaku/ginkaku + friday fellows folks. Every group just quite interesting. Probably would have the train moment and the mountain backstory as favorite episodes
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