Anime-Centric
Watched two more episodes of Saiyuki last night, one involving the gang rescuing Yaone, and one with the four sisters of doom (or some equally dramatic title). It keeps getting better and better. I love the sometimes different style: geographical patterns, odd colors, splashes of black and scarlet. It plays with the format, and so far, it works wonders.
I am also entirely too predictable, as my crushes in this one are Hakkai and Kougaiji, with Hakkai being the most favorite one. At least I am nothing if not predictable. I adore Sanzo (so no need to lob bricks at me, crumpeteer :P), but he just doesn't do it for me the same way.
The episode with Yaone being captured by some bad guy spearheading an army of humans who kill demons so he can become one himself made me realize a number of things:
1. Kougaiji is the nicest boss ever. If it wasn't for the fact that his ultimate boss is the Big Bad, I'd hire on with him in a heartbeat, dental be damned. Of course, he is also the first 'bad guy' I've fallen for, but I don't actually think he is a bad guy, even. He really reminds me of Aoshi: a good person who's been turned around a few too many times by events. I have yet to see him do something evil or even ignoble, which is not something I can say for Sanzo's gang. I'd say Hakkai might be nicer, except for the deep well of crazy Hakkai seems to keep in his backyard.
2. I think there is more than 'best boss ever' when it comes to him and Yaone. When she fails to return from her mission (is it just me, or do all her sneaky missions just not work out?), you see him flip and then Yaone's face flashes in his mind and he orders the battle dragon. And then at the end, when Yaone lingers a bit too long with Hakkai, he is all "Yaone, let's go" all curt. Jealous, huh? Heh.
3. I think Yaone is developing a bit of a thing for Hakkai. Not in a romantic "I want to have your nearsighted babies" kinda way, but she is developing a genuine liking for him: not only is he very polite (their manner is rather similar) but he keeps rescuing her. Though it's a good thing it's not romantic, because Hakkai is, in some ways, even more closed off than Sanzo, and unless your name is Kanan and your pet skill is rising from the dead, you need not apply (though actually, I think he is so different now, that even with Kanan it would be hard work).
4. The reason Hakkai decided to go rescue Yaone wasn't because he was deeply invested in her as Yaone, but because of what she represents. Hakkai is forever scarred by what happened with Kanan. If he went off, leaving a woman he knew to be captured and tortured, it would be a little like letting Kanan die all over again. And I love that Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku had no particular interest in rescuing the girl, but since they knew Hakkai was going to go by himself (and I love that he wasn't going to ask them to join him), they all went, no complaining. Not for Yaone, but for Hakkai (Weird tangent, but Husband thinks the reason Sanzo sort of views Hakkai as an equal is because Hakkai is very self-aware, even of his weaknesses. Gojyo and Goku aren't).
5. The evil guy doing the whole 'I bet you didn't know bathing in a blood of a thousand demons makes you a demon' made me ROFL, considering who he was talking to. Ah, dramatic irony.
The ep with the four doomed sisters who the gang bonded with and then ended up having to kill was also visually striking, if a bit over the top in its concept (really, they only knew the girls for a day) and a bit too convenient (there is a girl that fits each person?) Also, the cleavage on Gojyo's girl cracked me up. But I did like it. There really was no happy ending. They were wonderful women. And they couldn't be saved. And the ep really showed how detached Sanzo is, and why I can't ever see him in a relationship: Goku gets himself a crush, Gojyo almost ends up in bed, and even Hakkai ends up having a pleasant drink with one of the sisters. There might not be love or even lust there, but there is genuine interaction. Sanzo? He is sitting by himself in the hotel room, and the most his opposite number manages to get from him is understanding and respect, for her guts and integrity in a horrible situation. He is much too closed off for anything more.
But the ending scene definitely shows why, as Sanzo realizes there is no way to save them, and he has to kill the demons inside them, even though that will mean they will die as well. And as they are immobilized, Goku grabs his gun arm and keeps pleading with him, and all Sanzo says is "let go of my arm, Goku." And when Goku finally does, Sanzo shoots and the monster but also the sisters, are dead (and how scary is that Goku is the only one flipping out. Both Hakkai and Gojyo have seen too much). And this scene is totally the crux of why Sanzo is so closed off. It's his knowledge that he has done and will have to do things like this. He can't allow himself to feel or he will have screaming fits. He has to freeze himself, because otherwise he'd be incapable of dealing with situations like these, which he KNOWS will arise. After all, here the women were still alive, even though the monster was inside them, and it was Sanzo's comments to the known demon inside the eldest that made the demon reveal that he is in all the sisters and as he tells Sanzo "you've said too much. If it wasn't for you, I would have let them remain themselves." After all, he doesn't have the luxury of choice: he is ordered by the divine messengers or whatever, and it's not a hobby for him. Gojyo can deal with this better because he is a lot less complicated as a person (and for him, he can quit at any time) and Hakkai? Hakkai is even more fucked up than Sanzo, though in a different fashion.
I also ended up checking out Saiyuki manga in the store, and it's beautiful, though I find fights incredibly hard to follow when done manga style.
In other news, I saw another episode of Gawl which was good, but I had to stop, because the dub was driving me insane. The men were OK, but whoever was doing the heroine made me want to kill her: she sounded shrill and stupid and made me want to strangle her.
I also tried an ep of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen which I also liked just fine. No mad pash, but Orphen himself is kinda cool from the little I saw. The only thing is, please tell me he doesn't hook up with Cleo? I have rarely been as annoyed by a character as I am by her. Their first meeting takes place when (in a favorite scenario) she mistakenly thinks he's been peeping on her. So what does she do? She grabs Daddy's sword and tries to kill him. Repeatedly. While complaining he won't stand still. I don't know if it's supposed to be cute, but it comes across as bratty and psychotic. Other anime women who are violent, I don't have a problem with because hitting someone on the head is unlikely to be permanent. She is dreadfully annoying.
I am also entirely too predictable, as my crushes in this one are Hakkai and Kougaiji, with Hakkai being the most favorite one. At least I am nothing if not predictable. I adore Sanzo (so no need to lob bricks at me, crumpeteer :P), but he just doesn't do it for me the same way.
The episode with Yaone being captured by some bad guy spearheading an army of humans who kill demons so he can become one himself made me realize a number of things:
1. Kougaiji is the nicest boss ever. If it wasn't for the fact that his ultimate boss is the Big Bad, I'd hire on with him in a heartbeat, dental be damned. Of course, he is also the first 'bad guy' I've fallen for, but I don't actually think he is a bad guy, even. He really reminds me of Aoshi: a good person who's been turned around a few too many times by events. I have yet to see him do something evil or even ignoble, which is not something I can say for Sanzo's gang. I'd say Hakkai might be nicer, except for the deep well of crazy Hakkai seems to keep in his backyard.
2. I think there is more than 'best boss ever' when it comes to him and Yaone. When she fails to return from her mission (is it just me, or do all her sneaky missions just not work out?), you see him flip and then Yaone's face flashes in his mind and he orders the battle dragon. And then at the end, when Yaone lingers a bit too long with Hakkai, he is all "Yaone, let's go" all curt. Jealous, huh? Heh.
3. I think Yaone is developing a bit of a thing for Hakkai. Not in a romantic "I want to have your nearsighted babies" kinda way, but she is developing a genuine liking for him: not only is he very polite (their manner is rather similar) but he keeps rescuing her. Though it's a good thing it's not romantic, because Hakkai is, in some ways, even more closed off than Sanzo, and unless your name is Kanan and your pet skill is rising from the dead, you need not apply (though actually, I think he is so different now, that even with Kanan it would be hard work).
4. The reason Hakkai decided to go rescue Yaone wasn't because he was deeply invested in her as Yaone, but because of what she represents. Hakkai is forever scarred by what happened with Kanan. If he went off, leaving a woman he knew to be captured and tortured, it would be a little like letting Kanan die all over again. And I love that Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku had no particular interest in rescuing the girl, but since they knew Hakkai was going to go by himself (and I love that he wasn't going to ask them to join him), they all went, no complaining. Not for Yaone, but for Hakkai (Weird tangent, but Husband thinks the reason Sanzo sort of views Hakkai as an equal is because Hakkai is very self-aware, even of his weaknesses. Gojyo and Goku aren't).
5. The evil guy doing the whole 'I bet you didn't know bathing in a blood of a thousand demons makes you a demon' made me ROFL, considering who he was talking to. Ah, dramatic irony.
The ep with the four doomed sisters who the gang bonded with and then ended up having to kill was also visually striking, if a bit over the top in its concept (really, they only knew the girls for a day) and a bit too convenient (there is a girl that fits each person?) Also, the cleavage on Gojyo's girl cracked me up. But I did like it. There really was no happy ending. They were wonderful women. And they couldn't be saved. And the ep really showed how detached Sanzo is, and why I can't ever see him in a relationship: Goku gets himself a crush, Gojyo almost ends up in bed, and even Hakkai ends up having a pleasant drink with one of the sisters. There might not be love or even lust there, but there is genuine interaction. Sanzo? He is sitting by himself in the hotel room, and the most his opposite number manages to get from him is understanding and respect, for her guts and integrity in a horrible situation. He is much too closed off for anything more.
But the ending scene definitely shows why, as Sanzo realizes there is no way to save them, and he has to kill the demons inside them, even though that will mean they will die as well. And as they are immobilized, Goku grabs his gun arm and keeps pleading with him, and all Sanzo says is "let go of my arm, Goku." And when Goku finally does, Sanzo shoots and the monster but also the sisters, are dead (and how scary is that Goku is the only one flipping out. Both Hakkai and Gojyo have seen too much). And this scene is totally the crux of why Sanzo is so closed off. It's his knowledge that he has done and will have to do things like this. He can't allow himself to feel or he will have screaming fits. He has to freeze himself, because otherwise he'd be incapable of dealing with situations like these, which he KNOWS will arise. After all, here the women were still alive, even though the monster was inside them, and it was Sanzo's comments to the known demon inside the eldest that made the demon reveal that he is in all the sisters and as he tells Sanzo "you've said too much. If it wasn't for you, I would have let them remain themselves." After all, he doesn't have the luxury of choice: he is ordered by the divine messengers or whatever, and it's not a hobby for him. Gojyo can deal with this better because he is a lot less complicated as a person (and for him, he can quit at any time) and Hakkai? Hakkai is even more fucked up than Sanzo, though in a different fashion.
I also ended up checking out Saiyuki manga in the store, and it's beautiful, though I find fights incredibly hard to follow when done manga style.
In other news, I saw another episode of Gawl which was good, but I had to stop, because the dub was driving me insane. The men were OK, but whoever was doing the heroine made me want to kill her: she sounded shrill and stupid and made me want to strangle her.
I also tried an ep of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen which I also liked just fine. No mad pash, but Orphen himself is kinda cool from the little I saw. The only thing is, please tell me he doesn't hook up with Cleo? I have rarely been as annoyed by a character as I am by her. Their first meeting takes place when (in a favorite scenario) she mistakenly thinks he's been peeping on her. So what does she do? She grabs Daddy's sword and tries to kill him. Repeatedly. While complaining he won't stand still. I don't know if it's supposed to be cute, but it comes across as bratty and psychotic. Other anime women who are violent, I don't have a problem with because hitting someone on the head is unlikely to be permanent. She is dreadfully annoying.