Let's Watch: Asura Cryin

[Atria35]

Ooops! DtB stands for Darker then Black. It's rather notorious for being an all-questions, few-or-no answers anime. Very good regardless. But it's okay if there's no spoiler box- if someone came in here and complained about it, they'd be the party at fault since we're *duh* talking about the series.

I like luck characters. They can be interesting in changing situations for the better or worse. I like playing them in RPGs, because then I can take on a chaos charrie.

And she's actually the first that I've seen in an anime, so I'm curious as to where you're getting the idea that all characters like that are only good for cheap jokes. I would have thought that it would be her being a loli and obvious addition to his growing harem that would provide the cheap jokes.

As for episode 9, the first season is over half over and they're still only baiting us with half-hints to the truth of things, and backtracking over things that we've gotten (we know that those girls were sacrifices to the Machines! Just explain why they need them already!).

The thing is, this doesn't have enough substance to it to keep me interested in the story. DtB had enough well-done action and actual plot to keep me interested, even if nothing was really explained. This forgoes that for boob and sex jokes. I'm going to keep watching, but I'm not impressed.

I think I'm going to start watching Galaxy Express 999 to offset my disappointment in this. It definitely has/had potential.

[rocklobster]

What we're witnessing here, Atria, is what's called the Chris Carter Effect, after the creator of the X-Files. He had this habit of leaving threads hanging so that the fans would keep watching. It really helped with the X-files for better or for worse.
As for luck-based characters, I know about them because of comics. Scarlet Witch is one, and I find her powers downright annoying. The only thing that makes her interesting is her connection to Magneto (she's his daughter, btw). And then there's Disney comic character Gladstone Gander. God, he is annoying. The guy has such an easy life because Lady Luck will go out of her way to make sure he never has to work! (Don't be surprised if you don't know him. He only shows up in the comics, and had only a couple episodes on Duck Tales.)

[Atria35]

Ah! Well, I will admit to having made luck-based characters before, but with proper limiters on their powers, they can become genuinely interesting characters. Like not being able to use luck for themselves, and not being able to influence the luck to affect one specific thing.

But again, I'm not saying that not having answers is a bad thing- DtB is a great show, and even though you don't get many answers, the story and plot itself is so compelling that I don't care. Same with X-Files- the stories are so compelling that I'm okay with having no answers (personal opinion, of course).

Asura Cryin' has so little actual story and plot that I do care that I'm not getting any answers. Boobs cannot distract me from asking 'why'.

[MightiMidget]

YES!! I'M CAUGHT UP! And my opinion as of this point...!!!

Asura Cryin' has so little actual story and plot that I do care that I'm not getting any answers. Boobs cannot distract me from asking 'why'.

This.

I don't caaare. Now, I'll finish the first season just 'cause I dislike dropping things just 'cause they're boring, but this is giving me very little care about.

Reishirou is my favorite character at this point. He is so very "get things done" amidst the turmoil of "but that's not right!" and "duuude. you should sleep with her and be a cool weapon (?!?! really? really.)" and pointless battles.

and Yo is giving me a "Okay, so you're a girl. But I keep thinking you're just a guy that looks and sounds like a girl" complex.

dtb and x-files ftw.

EDIT: Oh! And what happened to Misao being a normal person? She's back to being floaty. And if people can see her shouldn't that spark questions...? And if they can't see her why can't they see her again??

[Atria35]

EDIT: Oh! And what happened to Misao being a normal person? She's back to being floaty. And if people can see her shouldn't that spark questions...? And if they can't see her why can't they see her again??

From what I understand, the limiter having been processed/eaten by the Asura Machine allowed Misao to be seen by normal people, but she's still a ghost of the Burial Doll.

But yes, that should spark about 5 billion questions. However, this being anime, no one thinks anything about having a classmate who is essentially dead (she floated into the classroom and was introduced as a ghost, after all).

[rocklobster]

Ep 10: Bound by the Chains of Time
[spoiler]Having lost Ania to Asura Cryin' Kagakagari, Tomoharu and the others search the room of Kotori, a student teacher working at Rakurowa High School during Christina's stay in Japan. On the other side of the city, Ania is reunited with her sister, her body already vanishing from the strain of powering the Splitter, a machine used to separate burial dolls from their Asura Machina. Requiring the luck eater's abilities to power the Splitter, Kagakagari attempts to use Ania in place of her weakened sister...
Thoughts: Poor Ania! She gets reunited with her sister, and already she's vanishing! And I'm really beginning to hate Kagakagari. I guess every show needs its complete jerk. And the new handler was just awesome! I think this was one of the best episodes so far.

[rocklobster]

Whoops I did it again!
Ep 11: Together in the Ordinary and Extraordinary
[spoiler]Successfully stopping Kagakagari's ritual that would have killed the city's demons, Tomoharu returns to regular school life. Aine's bouyant mother Kirie invites Tomoharu to a party to celebrate the anniversary of her daughter's death in cheerful fashion. Much to everyone's surprise, Kirie describes the late Aine as boisterous and mischievous, and Reishiro and Reiko's pasts are revealed. With these thoughts on their minds, the party goes on...
Thoughts: This was a nice episode and a great way to break up all the tension that's been going on lately. Kirie was a sweet mother and I wished she could see that Aine was still there.[/spoiler]

[MightiMidget]

So, Reishirou is the only reason I'm watching. I like him.

This episode was unfunny filler that relied on fanservice to fill its pitiful existence. Still waiting for something to be explained. I highly doubt I'll watch the second season. :/

[rocklobster]

It appears I may have made a bad choice for a Let's Watch. Oh well, can't win em all. My next one should fix that. (PLUG!)
Ep 12: “Until the End of the World”
[spoiler]While Shuri and Reishiro are enjoying their vacation in Hawaii, Tomoharu discovers part of the statue he received at Kirie's party is actually an Asura Machina plug-in. Wanting to avoid another catastrophe, Tomoharu follows Shuri's advice and takes the mysterious plug-in to Toru, president of the Science Club. Kanade makes Tomoharu promise her that he won't use his Asura Machina's powers again. Still wanting to free the burial doll from the Asura Machina, Kagakagari comes after the igniter.
Thoughts: Never make the hero promise not to act. It never ends well. This was an ok episode at best.[/spoiler]

[rocklobster]

Note: As per Subtle Doctor's suggestion, I am no longer using spoiler boxes in any Let's Watch thread I create.
Episode 13
“Mark of the Cursed Criminal”
Having failed to take the igniter by force, Kagakagari takes Rakurowa High School's sophomores hostage. Still unsure of the igniter's purpose, Tomoharu slips out to make a deal with Kagakagari while Toru and Rikka quarrel, followed secretly by Kanade. Can they stop the Asura Cryin' out to destroy the alleged “second world?”
Thoughts: Stupid Tomoharu. Don't you realize that you're breaking a cardinal rule of heroism? NEVER MAKE DEALS WITH THE VILLAIN! It's like making a deal with the devil, you just don't do it. It gives them an excuse to screw you later. All in all, this is a great cliffhanger and I eagerly await the second half. (Although, it looks like I will be the only one participating. Oh well)

[MightiMidget]

Asura Cryin' went up a smidgen in my estimation because they did NOT kill off Reishirou. With that bit of hope, I may. Possibly. Maybe. Watch the latter half. Maybe. xD

[rocklobster]

Starting season 2!
Episode 14
“The Disappearing World and the Ruins of Memoryâ€

[Atria35]

Okay, finally got caught up.

My thoughts on eps 10-13 of the first season? Egh, Urgh, and really? It keeps balancing ecchi comedy with srs bzns, and it just doesn't work. Especially when they keep pushing the envelope with the ecchi- I don't even know what was up with the beginning of ep. 12. BRAIN BLEACH! Stat! And to top it off the terrible physics (srsly, they were on top of an airplane. There is NO way they'd be able to stay on, since it would be going at 300+ miles an hour. And they wouldn't be able to breath at that altitude).

The storytelling is terribly choppy. There's a pattern to these-
1. Ecchi jokes and comedy
2. Action
3. Reveal about important fact about the Asura machines/Some actual plot
4. Maybe some more action

I can even tell you about how much of the show each section is going to take up. It's very repetitive. And half of it unnecessary.

Ep. 14- uuuuuuuh...... Yeah. Okay, now they're throwing in.... alternate dimentions? Past lives? What? I kinda liked the koala, since most pokemon now look like pokemon rejects- especially in the later seasons >.>

I suppose if it's something along the lines of a suffed koala was the only thing nearby that they could seal the Prez's soul in, it might work. You can see the zippers after all, and it might be like Al in FMA.

But I don't like the cast getting so large. I don't have a reason to like or care about half of them, and they're all blending together.

[rocklobster]

Episode 14
“The Disappearing World and the Ruins of Memory”
Summary:Tomo's misunderstanding gets the Science Club in trouble once again, and as punishment, the members are made to clean the school pool. However, Tomoharu and the others follow a suspicious koala and find themselves in a labyrinthine underground tunnel system. Led by the koala, Tomoharu and the others find themselves at the Rakuroa ruins...!
Thoughts: I agree with you on the cast expansion, Atria. I think new characters should only be added to a story if they're actually necessary. If you add them in for things like sacrificial lambs or just for the sake of doing it, it gets annoying.
ANyway, I thought this was an OK ep.

[rocklobster]

Episode 15
“The Burial Doll Eaten by the Demon”
Summary:Since the disappearance of Aine, Tomoharu's head is full of thoughts of saving Misao. Seeking his brother Naotaka who started everything, Tomoharu goes to Toru to find out how to reach Naotaka. Toru surprises Tomoharu when she asks him to convince Science Club president Tokiya to go to school in exchange for her help.
Thoughts: Well, here's a switch. No ecchi stuff this time. I think this episode was a big improvement. Maybe the rest of the series will be better?

[rocklobster]

Episode 16
“Free and Restricted Choices”
Summary:Tomoharu and the others spend their summer vacation working at a seaside pension. Tomoharu's heart is heavy with the secret of the burial doll, but that doesn't stop Higuchi and An from scheming to hook up Kanade and Tomoharu by sending them to legendary love spot Kuremizaki fortress observatory under the guise of a test of courage. Meanwhile, Misao's unhappy that Tomoharu is keeping a secret from her.
Thoughts: Except for the fanservice right out the gate, this was actually a good episode. Let's hope they can keep it up.

[rocklobster]

Episode 17: “The Cost of Calling the Sacrifice's Name”
SummaryTomoharu is attacked in the ruins beneath Kuremizaki by GD Kyomu. Unable to call on Kurogane, Tomoharu loses Nia to Kyomu. Tomoharu awakens to find himself in the company of Kagakagari, where he learns the reason Christina and Kotori are helping Kagakagari and the terrible cost the trio is paying. The group sets out for the technology to free burial dolls, but...!
Thoughts: I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm digging the second season. Kyomu was a great villain and this episode was very action packed. I may give this show a 7.5 out of 10 if this keeps up.

[rocklobster]

Episode 18: “The Sad Connection between Magic and Love”
Summary:Rakurowa High School is buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming Sports Festival. Thanks to Higuchi's scheme, Tomoharu and Kanade are paired as a team in the three-legged race, but the two quickly find themselves in trouble. When a coagulant is spilled on the ribbon tying their legs, the two are forced to spend all day and night attached to each other! The next day, Tomoharu accompanies Kanade to her mother's grave on the anniversary of her death, but...
Thoughts: I guess the good stuff was bound to stop sooner or later. Every time I think this show has potential, they bog it down with ecchi. I can think of lots of shows I enjoyed that had very little ecchi, or even none at all. It's a shame that they think they need this to entertain.

[rocklobster]

Episode 19: “The Truth Dedicated to You”
Summary:“Get out of there immediately.” Upon receiving a phone call from the missing Naotaka, Tomoharu and the others are attacked by a mysterious figure wearing a strange mask. Shuri and Kanade desperately fight back against the mysterious biker, but they cannot escape. They finally make their way into an abandoned factory, but...!
Thoughts: Now we got a masked villain? Okay, any thoughts on the identity? Anyone still reading this at all? [spoiler]Misao's a burial doll now! NO! I like her too much! I hate when a favorite character gets shafted. And Tatsuki's magic is going haywire too. This is no good.[/spoiler]

[rocklobster]

Episode 20: “Moment of Annihilation, Darkness of Extinction”
SummaryImmediately after learning Naotaka is actually Tomoharu from the first world and this world's Tomoharu died in that plane crash three years ago, Tomoharu and the other members of the Science Club find themselves under arrest by the Student Union. During the Student Union's investigation, the mysterious masked woman strikes again and makes off with Ania. Tomoharu and the others seek Toru for help, but their assailants seem to have predicted their actions and pay a visit to the Third Student Council first. With no choice but to turn Tomoharu over to their attackers, the Science Club finds an unexpected ally in the GD assigned to kill Hiwako, Yo.
Thoughts: Just when I thought I was beginning to understand everything, now it's getting confusing again. Oh well.

[rocklobster]

Episode 21: “Future Without Memories”
Summary: In the battle against Takaya, the new Asura Cryin', Tomoharu, Kanade, and Ania are sucked into the whole in space opened by Hagane's powers. On the other side, a solitary Tomoharu wakes up at the Meiotei. His new home is a world much like his own but with subtle differences. Wandering city streets in a confused state, Tomoharu witnesses a daughter attacking a human. The daughter is easily defeated by a mysterious blonde girl who seems to know something about Tomoharu's situation.
Thoughts: You know, I'm really getting tired of these bath scenes. They really do nothing for the story. Except for that, this episode was actually pretty good. And Nia is bad now? Cool! I can't believe I'm so close to wrapping this up. And it seems Takatsuki is now brought down to normal. We are in trouble, folks.

[rocklobster]

Episode 22: “Adjoined Death and Peace”
Summary:Through the kindness of Toru's older sister Aki, Tomoharu is reunited with Kanade and Ania, who arrived five years before him. However, Kanade is without her powers, and Misao is still missing. Tomoharu goes to Rakurowa High School with Aki, and the company of familiar faces reminds him of the loss he experienced in the second world. A Yukari reminiscent of the second world's Shuri approaches the devastated Tomoharu. When asked what he wants to do, Tomoharu expresses the strong decision not to lose anyone else.
Thoughts: Nia sure is hot now that she's older. Not to mention took a few levels in awesome. Her personality's totally changed. I like this version better. Only four more episodes to go, folks!