Jigoku Shoujo - 56
Short Synopsis: A guy who gets bullied joins a Kendo-club.
Highlights: These cases are getting more and more extreme…
Overall Enjoyment Value: 8/10 (Excellent, although that may not be exactly the right word…)
Okay, new theory: either one of the following two must have happened somewhere between the production of the second and third season:
- The important creators were introduced and got addicted to some strange sort of crack.
- Hiroshi Watanabe (the one who originally proposed the concept for this series) sent the production-staff a long list of his own suggestions for stories.
I mean, it has to be ONE of these two; otherwise this episode just can’t be explained. It was just that weird. Basically, we have a bunch of bullies who are into bsdm, and they strip their victim butt-naked and throw stones at him. The victim then gets saved by a strong upperclassman. The latter then pushes the bullied guy into joining the kendo-club, the two of them develop a crush for each other and then the bullied one sends the upperclassman to hell because he couldn’t save a victim of a bus-jacking because he was too scared. I mean… what the heck?!
Still, I absolutely can’t deny that this episode wasn’t entertaining. Heck, it was awesome to watch, although in a strange way, especially after those two guys started to develop feelings for each other. What I especially loved about this episode (probably due to my inner-sadist, which is probably the most excited about this third series), is that the guy just quits the kendo-club and goes back to being bullied. No moral message, no lesson to be learned, just an angsty teen who can’t seem to forgive others.
I’m really baffled. I shouldn’t be liking this series, and yet at the same time it’s such an awesome third season. If this is only the fourth episode, then what the heck are the creators planning for those other 22 episodes? And here I thought that Shigofumi was the extreme one, but Mitsuganae proved me more than wrong within just four episodes.
Again with the uncertainties regarding episode counts, wasn’t Mitsuganae set for 13 episodes? I mean I’m overjoyed with the thought that we might be getting an additional season on crazy characters sending other crazy characters to hell over something that can be talked over. No matter how sarcastic that comment sounds, I think Jigoku Shoujo is ok if a little absurd. More episodes are welcome.
Comment by Ivy — October 25, 2008 @ 22:47
Ivy: the thing is that the source of those 13-episode rumours is rather unclear. See this link:
http://www.moetron.com/2008/09/17/jigoku-shoujo-mitsuganae-latest-trailer/#comments
Comment by psgels — October 25, 2008 @ 23:07
I like the atmosphere of this series but I can never make myself to like the show. It’s too ridiculous I have to see the better person of the two go to hell every single episode on and on. I mean what the heck , most of the time good people just got sent to hell for whatever misunderstanding or stupid reasons. Is the theme of this show is the world is not fair or something?
Comment by saris — October 26, 2008 @ 1:17
I agree that this episode was awesome to watch, and it kept me on the edge of my seat and wasn’t predictable as the previous episodes of this season.
I can somewhat identify with the protagonist. He looked up to his senpai and saw the senpai as his role model. He had this idealized image of him until the bus incident and that image was completely shattered and he felt utterly betrayed. What he said at the end pretty much sums up his reasons for pulling the string, and reverting back to his old self. Sad story, but true to heart.
And yup this is an odd episode. The girl who got possessed by Ai (I forgot her name) was merely a spectator (more so than the previous episodes).
Comment by kanazuchi — October 26, 2008 @ 10:43
The only thing I don’t understand was that evil smile he had at the end. It’s as if he planned/expected it to be like this, kind of a self-righteous smirk - sticking to his old philosophy that he can’t change anything and other people can do whatever they please.
sorry for the double comment!
Comment by kanazuchi — October 26, 2008 @ 10:47
I was as put off by the whole thing as anyone else, but the main event was what happened in the first five minutes.
**POSSIBLE SPOILER** I had to listen to the bit where the nurse speaks twice to make sure, but that sure as heck sounds like Nana Mizuki to me. Those who don’t know who she already voiced in the Hell Girl series can look it up, if they like, but I’ll try to keep from spoiling it too obviously and leave the name off.
Comment by Lexi — October 27, 2008 @ 1:39
I also feel bad for the guy. It was one mistake. There’re things people don’t think they’re strong enough for yet.
*Possible Spoiler* The nurse’s voice cast is Nana Mizuki indeed.
Comment by Hiraku — October 27, 2008 @ 23:53
i beg 2 differ, honestly…i thought they tied up all the loose end in 2nd season and leaving the rest of the stories and outcomes 2 the viewer’s imagination. But no, obviously, they had 2 do somethin more idiotic and overrated…my god…im disappointed…
Comment by Asia Lay — March 13, 2009 @ 6:15