Ushio & Tora

[LumRanmaYasha]

There's a few popular 90's/00's Jump and Sunday series that I can think of that never got a tv anime for some reason. Off the top of my head:

Rookies
Rokudenashi Blues
Kyo Kara Ore Wa!
Sekimatsu Leader Den Takeshi
Niji Iro Togarashi

Though, the former three have had quite a few live-action tv adaptions. Only the latter two are battle shonen, though, so yeah, Fujita's other manga have little competition in getting dug up as a follow-up for U&T.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem people here or in Japan are particularly excited about the series. It also has a surprisingly low score on MAL, which isn't a positive sign of the general fandom's opinions in it. Interest might pick up now that the show is entering into the meat of it's story, though, so we'll have to wait and see.

[Spark Of Spirit]

That's a real shame. People who are actually watching it really like it, but I guess it's something more general fans would like. It's a show that would have gone over huge airing on Toonami back in the day.

15. Gatchaman Crowds insight
16. Ushio & Tora

What.

Oh right: ANN.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Spoiler

[close]

Ushio is nothing if not clever. That was a great action packed episode, being up in the air they had to change their usual way of doing things and still managed to come through.

The next episode is the final one to be adapted in the OVA from the 90s. Looks like the OVA changed it from being part of Ushio's journey to having it take place in his hometown. I guess they didn't want to hint at the main storyline back then and wanted to keep it only to the manga to get people reading. Either way, it will be a nice contrast to watch. On the other hand it looks like they might be skipping one story to get to it that looks rather important, "The Houriki Heretic", but they could just as easily put it in the next episode after, I suppose. He is still on the journey, after all.

[gunswordfist]

I got around to episode 6 today. It made me like Onee more. I'll get to the other two hopefully tomorrow.

[Spark Of Spirit]

If you caught the clip at the end of the ED, you should be aware that the main story is starting. The last two episodes were part of it.

[gunswordfist]

The preview? Yep, my scary ass always skips previews.

[Spark Of Spirit]

And that's the end of the OVA material. This episode was originally a two-parter in the OVA but Nishimura wisely culled a lot of the repetitive and slow parts (such as making Ushio look far too weak and the scene after scene of pointless gore) and distilled the plot beats out straight while leaving all the important bits. Especially cutting down on the whole soppy PSA stuff that the OVA had way too much of which was basically relegated to Ushio empathizing with a story of his own and thereby keeping it in character for that one scene.

The OVA went too far out of its way to make Juuro look like a victim and tried to make him sympathetic despite the fact that he butchered countless innocents. Here there is no mistaking the Juuro is the bad guy choking on his own rage who chooses death instead of repentance at the end even though Ushio doesn't want to kill him. It was an improvement as far as I can tell because Juuro did nothing that merited sympathy: he chose out of his own free will to do what he did and was even willing to let his siblings die. The only sad part was that he was too blinded by his own hatred at the end to atone for his mistakes and chose death instead.

I'm not going to lie, this was my least favorite part of the old OVA, so it was a surprise that it was so much better here. But the strange part about the anime so far is that I've enjoyed the stuff the OVA didn't adapt more than what they did. The last two weeks of episodes in particular were quite great. So I'm excited to see what comes next more than anything.

[gunswordfist]

Just finished episode 9. I wouldn't want anyone to tear down my jungle gym either. I'll watch 10 later. Jeez, I'm farther behind than I thought.

[gunswordfist]

I just watch ep. 10. I like how it felt like a small movie with some of its beautiful scenes. Also, I wonder if Zakfwrkgfwplkenaglrn expected Tora to kill Saya's family when she said she expected him to be far crueler. But it probably just means that she didn't expect him to risk a painful death while helping her.

Spoiler

[close]

[Spark Of Spirit]

Episode 11 involved a few returning characters and a story that strengthens the relationships between Ushio and Tora and Asako and Mayuko. It was nice to see just what kind of an impact Ushio had back home now that he's gone.

Next week is the beginning of a two-parter that should close out the first 13 episodes. I'm excited to see what it'll be about. I'm assuming he'll finally be at Asahikawa and hopefully we'll learn more about Tora's past by then.

[gunswordfist]

And I just got caught up in the series. It was nice seeing Ushio & Tora return home.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Whoa, things just got crazy. Ushio is up a creek and Tora has to finally make a decision whether to join him for real or not. Not to mention we now know who Hakumen no Mono is, and its one crazy bad guy.

Can't wait for part two next week.

[gunswordfist]

I just finished the episode. Whoa, so much to wrap my head around all that was said.

On another note, I love how Tora can be such an annoying tourist. He's like a little kid whenever he gets on a new kind of transportation.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Spoiler

"My name is Tora!"

[close]

I think that cements whose side he's on.

Another great episode. I like how everything appears to be coming together now. Barring any more distractions, they should reach Asahikawa soon and we can finally learn the whole deal behind Ushio's mother and her relationship to Hakumen no Mono.

On the negative side, we'll probably be losing the ED next week. They've been teasing a second ED for awhile, so it'll probably play from episode 14 through 26 at season's end. I just hope it can stack up to the great one we already have.

[gunswordfist]

That ED was just starting to grow on me.

I love how Hiti..whatshisname the snake scarred face guy showed how youkai have grown close to each other ever since the conflict started with how angry he was about how many have died and other things concerning them. Also, Tora's time pinned to the wall really did make him rethink his life, like I've been suspecting. I had fun rewatching part one of the Touno episode and then part 2.