Utawarerumono: a proper post
Nov. 18th, 2007 10:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreWhilst I wait for megaupload to give me more eps, I shall go ahead and make a proper Utawarerumono post, as at 15 eps in, I think I've finally met everyone(btw, if you watch, don't get scared off by the animation in ep 14...it's very, very bad but goes back to great in ep 15)
Random reasons to watch:
1. Unlike many epic fantasy anime(or epic fantasy in general), which centers around the hero beating one villain and then we assume things are for the best after, the Evil Emperor is overthrown early on(fortunate, as his Very Unfortunate Afro kept distracting me), with the rest of the series focusing on whether or not the new government can last, especially as other empires come to try to take over before the new government is strong, as well as the secret of Hakuoro's identity, and whether or not he's actually the greatest evil of all.
2. Karura: The biggest buttkicker on the show? The one the most legendary candle in the land couldn't take down? The laid back sake lover? The walking army? A female escaped slave.
3. For that matter, pretty much the entire female cast. For such a large female cast, I'm surprised that I either like or don't mind pretty much all of them. There's also Touka, an enemy warrior who initially wants to kill Hakuoro because she has been told that he was a murderer(including of his own wife and children) in his previous life, but who tries to take her own life in penance when she learns she was used, only to be stopped by Hakuoro. There's also the sisters who become Hakuoro's family, Eruruu and Aruruu, characters who could easily annoy(especially Aruruu, who possibly has a bit much of the "shy kid" thing going at first) as well as the sister's of a winged race, Urutori, an ambassador(who is either involved with Karura or likes trading knowing glances and drinking sake in the moonlight with warrior women) and her flighty younger sister, Kamyu, who, again, could annoy but doesn't. There also the twin archers, Dori and Gura, who, granted, don't do a lot outside of battles but are great when they do.
4. Hakuoro: He may be the great hero and leader, but he's no simple man. When called on to lead, Haukoro does so, and he makes no apologies for what he has to do, nor does he dissemble. He may not WANT to be the leader, or the emperor, but he understands that he is the one best suited for it. There is no ego to this, just acceptance of the fact. He also wastes no time pondering right and wrong, only what is needed. He is aware at all times that his force is the smaller one, and the one with more to lose. To win, he has to be crafty, underhanded and smart, and he is. He also sees no problem with accepting forner enemies as retainers, and most members of his inner circle started out as his enemy, or at least, opponent.
5. Oh heck, most of the male cast too. You want your noble, obligation driven, kickass general bound by duty even when it's to the wrong lord? Benawi. You want the loyal, open, laid back big guy who'll become your friend even as he's trying to kill you and also kicks butt? Kurou(actually, he reminds me a lot in character and design of Dokugakuji in Saiyuki.) The young but loyal hothead who's not half as rough as he seems? Oboro. Sure, they're the well done cliches, but when they work, they work, and they definately work.
6. The relationship between Hakuoro and Eruruu and Aruruu: where most anime would simply forge a romantic relationship between Hakuoro and Eruruu, and make Hakuoro and Aruruu bickering sibling, Utawarerumono takes another path. Eruruu and Aruruu become Hakuoro's family, his only family, with Aruruu adopting him as her father, and Eruruu filling the roles of mother, sister and wife(but not lover) for Hakuoro. While there is potential for romantic development down the line(and Eruruu does seem to have at least some romantic interest in Hakuoro...a good bit, actually) the point of the relationship isn't whether or not they'll get together, but that Eruruu and Aruruu are his home.
7. Mukuru. What can I say? I have love giant deadly pets in anime and manga. Especially when they come equipped with cute little girls who orders him to defend her "daddy."
An MV:
Random reasons to watch:
1. Unlike many epic fantasy anime(or epic fantasy in general), which centers around the hero beating one villain and then we assume things are for the best after, the Evil Emperor is overthrown early on(fortunate, as his Very Unfortunate Afro kept distracting me), with the rest of the series focusing on whether or not the new government can last, especially as other empires come to try to take over before the new government is strong, as well as the secret of Hakuoro's identity, and whether or not he's actually the greatest evil of all.
2. Karura: The biggest buttkicker on the show? The one the most legendary candle in the land couldn't take down? The laid back sake lover? The walking army? A female escaped slave.
3. For that matter, pretty much the entire female cast. For such a large female cast, I'm surprised that I either like or don't mind pretty much all of them. There's also Touka, an enemy warrior who initially wants to kill Hakuoro because she has been told that he was a murderer(including of his own wife and children) in his previous life, but who tries to take her own life in penance when she learns she was used, only to be stopped by Hakuoro. There's also the sisters who become Hakuoro's family, Eruruu and Aruruu, characters who could easily annoy(especially Aruruu, who possibly has a bit much of the "shy kid" thing going at first) as well as the sister's of a winged race, Urutori, an ambassador(who is either involved with Karura or likes trading knowing glances and drinking sake in the moonlight with warrior women) and her flighty younger sister, Kamyu, who, again, could annoy but doesn't. There also the twin archers, Dori and Gura, who, granted, don't do a lot outside of battles but are great when they do.
4. Hakuoro: He may be the great hero and leader, but he's no simple man. When called on to lead, Haukoro does so, and he makes no apologies for what he has to do, nor does he dissemble. He may not WANT to be the leader, or the emperor, but he understands that he is the one best suited for it. There is no ego to this, just acceptance of the fact. He also wastes no time pondering right and wrong, only what is needed. He is aware at all times that his force is the smaller one, and the one with more to lose. To win, he has to be crafty, underhanded and smart, and he is. He also sees no problem with accepting forner enemies as retainers, and most members of his inner circle started out as his enemy, or at least, opponent.
5. Oh heck, most of the male cast too. You want your noble, obligation driven, kickass general bound by duty even when it's to the wrong lord? Benawi. You want the loyal, open, laid back big guy who'll become your friend even as he's trying to kill you and also kicks butt? Kurou(actually, he reminds me a lot in character and design of Dokugakuji in Saiyuki.) The young but loyal hothead who's not half as rough as he seems? Oboro. Sure, they're the well done cliches, but when they work, they work, and they definately work.
6. The relationship between Hakuoro and Eruruu and Aruruu: where most anime would simply forge a romantic relationship between Hakuoro and Eruruu, and make Hakuoro and Aruruu bickering sibling, Utawarerumono takes another path. Eruruu and Aruruu become Hakuoro's family, his only family, with Aruruu adopting him as her father, and Eruruu filling the roles of mother, sister and wife(but not lover) for Hakuoro. While there is potential for romantic development down the line(and Eruruu does seem to have at least some romantic interest in Hakuoro...a good bit, actually) the point of the relationship isn't whether or not they'll get together, but that Eruruu and Aruruu are his home.
7. Mukuru. What can I say? I have love giant deadly pets in anime and manga. Especially when they come equipped with cute little girls who orders him to defend her "daddy."
An MV:
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no subject
Date: 2007-11-19 06:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-19 06:12 am (UTC)(and are you saying most of the anime I watch DOESN'T sound good? Barring, of course, the ones I only rant about...)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-19 06:27 am (UTC)Things I like about what you've said about the show so far:
* Epic fantasy done with a different twist.
* Female characters who kick arse and are not doormats.
* Character relationships which go beyond the soppy lovey dovey sort of stuff.
About the only down side I can see is that I'll never remember the name (My brain is already calling it "Otanomomo" instead...)
* Some of the choicer items in my existing backlog include: Rob Thurman's "Nightlife"; Jenny Lindskold's "Through Wolf's Eyes"; six volumes of "Full Metal Alchemist" (for which Keith can take ultimate blame); four volumes of "Samurai Deeper Kyo" (see: "you evil young lady, you", above); and DVDs: "Genesis of the Daleks"; the first season of "Life on Mars"; "Survival"; "Sleeping Dogs"; "Howl's Moving Castle"; "Underworld Evolution"; etc., etc., etc...
no subject
Date: 2007-11-19 12:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-19 02:33 pm (UTC)