 |
 |
 |
My name is Guardian Enzo, and I admit it – I really liked this episode.
If I’d read a detailed description of this episode before I watched it, or hell, even the whole script, I would have bet a considerable sum of money that I wouldn’t have liked it as much as I did. These sorts of eps are brutal to write about and hard to justify, but I guess for me they either work or they don’t – and this one did. But if you’d have told me we were going to get an episode dedicated to Hiwako’s driver of all people, I’d have laughed and said that was about as likely as a gorilla with a guillotine in its stomach showing up in Samurai Flamenco.
Sorry, not her driver – Hiwako’s father’s assistant, Yoshizumi. He’s played by Nojima Hirofumi, and it’s always a nice moment when one of the cast of Seirei no Moribito shows up in a cast these days. This episode also formally introduces the Student Council President, Kirishima Seishirou. He’s played by none other than Tomokazu Sugita, which means at long last Gingitsune has its Tomokazu-tachi and Seki-tachi officially on-board.
That also means that Hiwako now has three potential love interests on-board. She’s obviously deeply into Tatsuo-san, Kirishima is obviously deeply into her, but of most importance this week is that Yoshizumi is also in-love with Hiwako. To say that was an unexpected turn is an understatement – not only is he a very minor character but he’s also, by his own admission, her father’s employee and ten years older than she is. And you know, I might just be getting a little vibe that his feelings might not be entirely unrequited. We already know Hiwako has a thing for older men, and although Sugita imbues Kirishima with a super-sized helping of his trademark bakayaroucity in about four minutes of screen time, it’s enough to give the impression that he’d have a better chance selling T-bone steaks to a Buddhist monastery.
I’m not going to pretend there was anything remotely profound or even substantial about this episode, but it was the essence of that “it either works or it doesn’t” slice-of-life thing I mentioned earlier, and for me it worked. I found myself quite liking both Hiwako (who hadn’t make much of an impression on me before) and Yoshizumi by the end of it, and I especially enjoyed the awkward and funny scenes where he accompanied the girls to the mall (sorry, but a tie is a terrible present for a dad) and got invited to the girly frou-frou cafe afterwards and then to the Shrine. Of course the elephant in the room is that he’s right, he really has no business crushing on a high-school girl (I could care less about the boss’ daughter thing) but at least Yoshizumi had the decency to pray that he wouldn’t fall for her (too late, even for Gintarou, to fix that).
There’s not much heraldry here, it’s true. We do get one good bit of Shinto lore I didn’t know – the bit about the right hand being lower during the prayer. And Gin and Haru (who provides hilarious facial expressions) frame the episode with some clever commentary about how weird humans are. But I’ll admit I missed their presence here quite a bit – fundamentally I do like this show (like Natsume Yuujinchou) better when the youkai are heavily involved. And next week appear to be a focus on the bozu who’re friends of the little girls with the cat. Gingitsune is acting very much like a show that has all the time in the world, though I can’t imagine there will be BD/DVD sales enough to encourage a sequel – so unless there was one pre-planned I assume this is all we’re getting. But it wins points for being committed to the slice-of-life ideal, and for having the chops to pull it off in entertaining fashion.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
thedarktower
November 25, 2013 at 1:41 pmIf I'd read a detailed description of this episode before I watched it, or hell, even the whole script, I would have bet a considerable sum of money that I wouldn't have liked it as much as I did
I felt like that too!
yet of course, as the minutes passed by at the ep, I noticed that I lost my urge to say "no no", in fact, it never really was there, naturally I was watching without even care about it.
I think it's the..magic of shinto anime. you can't help but love it. even when it might sound bizarre, it's simply..magic of shinto anime. you can call it the atmosphere if you like, for me it's "Mahou" 😛
(side note: speaking of which, I am eagerly waiting for 'Inari Konkon' next season^^)
the ep was funny and it went pretty well. I mean..it flowed well. so hell why not?
yes, although there was almost no focus on our main cast, not even on the main.. "issue" of Shinto/Heralds. but it was a good mid-episode which changed the focus and course a bit. and it's OK.
we got a more of Funabashi than just a mere friend of Makoto. although we did saw her special ep at the beginning, this time it was different. it's not only she has changed..it's just the whole atmosphere around her, the way the ep focused and present her, it was very different, in a good way.
poor driver, I mean assistant, guy..who had to spend his time shopping in the mall with 3 teenagers. I found it bizarre, yet funny. I guess assistants don't really have work to do XD
thinking about it again, kinda funny to have this kind of series, trying to..partly laugh, partly expose the.."forbidden love" issue. they didn't get into it too much, and that's what it was meant to be, more like telling a story, without too further implications of such issue.
and it was funny to watch Gin and Haru with their side glimpses. poor Haru ended up being confused HaHa
p.s
Gingitsune is acting very much like a show that has all the time in the world, though I can't imagine there will be BD/DVD sales enough to encourage a sequel – so unless there was one pre-planned I assume this is all we're getting. But it wins points for being committed to the slice-of-life ideal, and for having the chops to pull it off in entertaining fashion
I think I said something about it before.
but I think we should praise Gingitsune for not kick in plot in high-pace. let it to the job quietly, in its own pace. and that's what gingitsune meant to be. BTW same pace was with Natsume first season..so technically it's OK. THO I don't know in what status was Natsume first season BD sells.
I do hope for a second season, clearly BD is a big question. maybe the fact that there is actually an anime, can attract people to the manga too and help in that direction.
I don't what the future holds, but I do hope for a second season, yet I think Gingitsune should keep its own uniqueness.
drasca
November 25, 2013 at 5:39 pm"who had to spend his time shopping in the mall with 3 teenagers. I found it bizarre, yet funny. I guess assistants don't really have work to do XD"
haha. more like no life outside of work! It was his day off and he volunteered. About the only way you could tell he was 'casual' however was he didn't wear a neck-tie. Also glossed over that he used the company car to do the shopping with. Main reasons being time/budget/animation resources, but in doing so it implies he has no life outside of work.
Kaname
November 25, 2013 at 4:00 pmMy name is Kaname and I agree with you, Enzo!
TQ
Sylpher
November 25, 2013 at 4:34 pmI really liked it too! It was sweet, gentle and soothing with a bit of character development for Hiwako. Normally I would fault cute moe girls show for the same type of episodes with terms as insubstantial, boring and pointless. In this case however, while it was insubstantial, the execution and my emotional investment made up for the lack of an interesting plot.
It’s gonna make me sound like a hypocrite, but I don’t really mind it. I’m not the type of person who always watches anime objectively, unbiased and with a fair mindset.
moodytot
November 26, 2013 at 8:12 amI can't believe Hiwako has more love interests than the MC. Note how I even forgot her name.