A brief intro for starters: Think of AME (Anime Manga Enthusiasts) as the counterpart of Genshiken; it’s the anime/manga organization in one of the top universities in the country, UP Diliman. I don’t have much inside info about this organization since I’m neither part of it, nor do I hail from the aforementioned university (Animo LaSalle!), but from what I gather, AME is most known for the annual anime event they organize, and has since become one of the most anticipated anime cons each year.

This year marks the 8th anniversary of AME (hence the ‘8th Avenue’) and the organizers opted for a Harajuku-centric theme, so on top of the usual individual and group cosplays, they also had this “Harajuku fashion contest” (since Harajuku is a well-known fashion district in Japan), which I was no longer able to witness because I had to hurry home. Blah blah blah, I know you’re tired of reading this intro so on with the event coverage!

A Stormy Prelude

The weather gods bestowed us their blessing last Saturday, putting the 雨[ame] in this AME event (literally). Before the outpour of otakus in the place, there was an outpour of RAIN (freaking rain with semi-turbulent WINDS, demmit), which got me all soaking wet from waist down because I was by the roadside for about 20 minutes waiting for my jeepney ride! RAWRR. Good thing I wore a jacket so at least my blouse was kept safe from the rain, whew. I met up with my officemates, who accompanied me in buying a pair of slippers because my rubber shoes was all soaked (wouldn’t want my feet to stink now, would I?), before finally heading to the venue.

Into the Heart of the Con

A few minutes later, we found ourselves joining the long queue of people buying tickets, and I took this opportunity to take random shots of people in the queue and other cosplayers arriving in the scene, particularly this bunch of Naruto cosplayers who really stand out from the crowd (that’s a compliment btw). The venue was bigger than where Anicon and Cosmania (report on this has yet to materialize lol) were held (SM Megatrade Hall), but it was still jampacked as ever, despite having a second floor for other activities. Fortunately, it was more organized than the aforementioned cons, so there wasn’t much of a hassle despite the long queue and overall crowded-ness.

Strolling Around

There was this Q&A/gift giveaway session going on in the first floor by the time we got inside, and since we didn’t want to miss out on the fun (or the lack thereof), we decided to take a little peek, curious as we are. Apparently, it’s an Animax Promotion gig; they’re the major sponsor of this event, after all. Might as well pimp as much as possible, right? So the emcees ask the audience Animax-related questions, and every correct answer earns you an Animax freebie! w00t? We never bothered checking what the prizes at stake are though; none of us were zealous (and thick-skinned) enough to want to go up the stage and answer the questions that would’ve led us to fame. I guess it’s better that way too, at least we won’t know what we missed out on, heh. Oh, and a Yankumi cosplayer was one of the brave souls who went up the stage for this, and she was made to catwalk first before answering the question lol

We headed upstairs not long after, to check out what’s in store for us in the activity area, only to find out we had to pay extra monies the darts game, whose promised plushie prizes already ran out of stock T__T; Not like playing darts will be any memorable or worth posting about, unless I tried out and ended up hitting someone else instead. Then it would’ve been quite a hit! (literally)

We proceeded to the fanart exhibit after that, which made me all nostalgic about fanart-ing. Ahh, those were the days~ My faves among the fanarts has got to be this watercolor art from Bleach, and the one beside it… from Trinity Blood, if I’m not mistaken.

BL biases aside (not like I have ‘em), I found this Kurama x Hiei fanart pretty impressive as well.

There was also this Soul x Maka fanart which I found rather cute.

On the same floor was the AME 8th Avenue Café (pun on RuroKen’s 4th Avenue Café?), which catered to both fanboys and fangirls as it featured meidos and butlers cosplaying waiters and waitresses! The meidos in Anicon were cuter, but hey, at least they’ve got guys here! I didn’t get up-close-and-personal with the mighty waiters, however, since that would rob me of the right to call myself a ‘stalker’, so I just stood by the sidelines and took pictures. Which reminds me, there was also this Photo Booth within the area, which is like a part-time photo studio and part-time stalker, as you can pay them to take your pic, or ask them to take a picture of a certain someone. Pandering to the shy otakus, I see. Gotta wonder who availed of this.

And of course, let us not forget to mention one of the main highlights of UP AME, no other than… *drumroll* the Speed Dating! The perfect way for otakus to find the love of their life!!111ONE11! *insert cute onion head emoticon here* It turned out to be a big hit (no surprise in that), seeing how there was about 6+ rounds for the speed dating event. I didn’t dare joining because I’m a wimp, and the thought of meeting “super otakus” kinda scared me off -___-; I bet most of the participants are in their teens anyways, so unless I want to be called a shotacon, no way. Then again, I could easily pass as a teenager, haha.

It would’ve been great for the kicks though. And I guess if I really wanted, I could’ve taken a look at the guys signing up to see if my predictions were any true. If there ever was a guy I deem worthy of my affection then I wouldn’t have hesitated to sign up… NOT! But darn, it only occurred to me that the speed dating would’ve been the perfect opportunity to pimp our blog!! Would love to see their reaction when I say “Wanna get to know me better? Visit my blog *wink* “ I guess I should start making business cards of our blog now, like tj, it’ll come in handy in times like these lol. Any one of our readers who participated in the Speed Dating and would like to share their stories? You can drop us an email if you’re too shy to comment

A few minutes later, our rumbling tummies led us downstairs, to the food stalls just outside the venue. We grabbed some takoyaki for snacks, and tried out some of the curry potato balls that Dean bought. Our happy snack time was accompanied by the sirens of the karaoke participants, many of which made me wanna scream 原曲レイプ[1] (Genkyoku RAEEEEPPP)!!!!!! especially the off-key rendition of YUI’s LIFE -_-; Someone also sang Cruel Angel Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion OP), Triangular (Macross Frontier OP), and Mystic Eyes (Vision of Escaflowne ED), but alas, there wasn’t quite justice for them too (but at least it wasn’t off-key? >.>). There was another participant who sang Hare Hare Yuukai, which was pretty good, but would’ve been much better had it been accompanied with the famous dance

Then, as we were taking a look at the booths around the place (partially ignoring the karaoke competition going on), one contestant emerged from the shadows… it’s a Ranka-chan!! I’m not really a Ranka or Macross Frontier fan, but I got [subconsciously] excited and found myself recording her performance. I was imbued by the spirit of the Ranka / Macross Frontier fans, I guess, so yeah, this one’s for you, ghostlightning, Crusader, Shin, Martin, also otou-san and Kabitzin (a little (?), since it doesn’t seem like these two are really fond of Ranka lol), and other fans out there. Given her all-out performance (with the costume and dance choreography), I really thought she was gonna win the competition, but the results said otherwise, as she has very well said in her blog. The one who sang Hare Hare Yuukai won, according to her, and I’d have to say it was well-deserved. Does this mean no extra points for the dance choreography and stuff? D:

Now for a little segue. I don’t know much about these karaoke events, considering this is the first time I got to witness one, but I really thought it would be comprised of divas / competitive singers, since only 15 people could participate. And what can I say, I underestimated the power of the gutsy zealous otakus, who had the courage to go up the stage, with their love for singing anime theme songs, even though singing doesn’t love them! Yes I’m an egotistic bastard, sue me. This actually made me relieved, since I was also trying to gauge the standards in these singing competitions, and seeing how the so-called “standards” isn’t that high made me gain the courage and confidence to join one, because even if my performance turns out sucky, someone is bound to be suckier hahahaha I just hope I won’t eat my words later, lol. It’s also reassuring that the participants are allowed to have the lyrics in hand while singing, so mental blackout (with regards to lyrics) isn’t something to be afraid of. RAWR.

…and this post has become incredibly long and self-indulgent, more of the cosplay piccies and lengthy commentaries in the next part!Similar Posts:

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• My Moe-mpathy for Taiga (and Lack of Sympathy for the Novel/Manga Elitists)
• Playing Shugo Chatch-up!
• WordCamp Philippines 2008 Shout Out
• Thoughts on Kamichama Karin and other ‘ponderings’

1. I Can See Dead Blogs and Posts

The heading says it all, if you’re subscribed to an RSS feed, you’re sure to access the site during downtimes, even when the blog becomes dead or deleted! Even deleted posts won’t escape your sight. Awesome right? For readers, that is. Because for bloggers who want to erase something they’ve written on the interwebz, well, sorry to say but you can’t, not unless Google dies together with your cached data. Once it’s published, it’ll be there. Forever.

Lelangir’s blog, for example, has undergone quite a number of death and revival “cycles”, and if you’re subscribed to his blog’s feed in Google Reader (I’m not sure about the persistency of feeds in the case of other feed readers/fetchers), you won’t have to worry about his future decision to delete/undelete the blog because his posts will right in your Google Reader inbox, available for your reading pleasure.

Still not convinced about the “you can see dead blogs” I’m talking about? Well then, let’s try a little experiment, shall we? We all know that Os’s old blog Karoshi as well as jpmeyer’s あいとゆうきのおとぎばなし are long dead, right? While it may be true that you can no longer access their sites/posts directly, Google Reader allows access to their feed (thanks to the Great Google Cache), which means you can see their posts come alive if you know their blog feed’s URL and subscribe to it (though of course in the case of jpmeyer this isn’t a big deal since he imported his posts from the old site to the new one)! Here’s the feed URL for both Karoshi and あいとゆうきのおとぎばなし, if you feel like trying this out, to prove me right. I also tried this out with Wrex’s Anime Whirls and Helspectre’s blog, just for the kicks. You can try it out with other sites that disappeared from the face of the web, if you feel like reminiscing the good old days when they were still alive.

If the blog don’t offer full feeds however, you’ll only see the snippets of their posts, which means you still have to visit the site to read it in full. So if the blog is already dead or the specific post has been deleted, well, sad to say but you can no longer [fully] read it. Moral of the story (for bloggers)? Provide full-feeds, for posterity!

2. Unblock the Cockblockers! Images not included.

Simply put, you can read posts from blogs and other sites, even if they’re blocked by your cockblocker network administrator through Google Reader (again, I’m not sure how other feed reader fetch/synchronize the feeds, so I’m just going specific here, on the reader where I tried and tested this). This is particularly useful for those who read blogs at work, school, or other places with secure/strict network policies. The images uploaded in the blocked sites, however, will still not be visible in your feed reader since that would have to be fetched from the site itself.

And yet again, this will only be an advantage if the blog offers full feeds, otherwise you’d still have to visit the site to see the rest of the post. But since the site is blocked, well, boohoo you still can’t read it. Feel free to use a proxy site and hope your net ad won’t catch you red-handed.

Do take note however that you might run into image-loading problems with blogs that have hotlinking protection enabled (and not disabled for the feeds), and you’ll see this “NO HOTLINKING” image plastered all over the posts — one of the disadvantages of subscribing through RSS; not like that can stop you from going RSS, right? Right?

3. Avoiding Bad Design Like a Plague

Admit it, there are sites out there which tick you off with its aesthetic unpleasantness and activate your “design elitist” genes — the ones that make you wanna scream “OMGZ YOUR SITE DESIGN SUCKS BUTT”. Now if you don’t want to get distracted by the ‘horrendous’ theme design (that you yourself labeled), then do yourself a favor by subscribing to the blog’s RSS feed so you can read it in your feed reader instead — simple and clutter-free. Minimalists will surely opt for this.

Again, this will only happen if the blog offers full feeds (I know I’m sounding like a broken record here, but this just goes to show how much advantage full feeds will give); otherwise you’d be left with no choice but to visit the blog and put up with its fugliness. Poor you.

4. Oh Notes!

The notes feature of Google Reader was brought to my attention by feed crazy Ryan, and it’s not until recently that I started getting into the habit of blog post note-taking. This goes hand-in-hand with otou-san’s helpful tip on how to use Google Reader to follow comments, with the latter allowing your Reader to act as a Breadcrumb application of some sort, as you’ll be able to keep track of your “commenting trail” in the ‘sphere, and the former for writing scribbles and notes about the post — either why/how it compelled you to comment, or anything else about it that you found rivetting, or other sentiments you may have about it — taking “tagging” one step further, in a way (omg long sentence is longgg).

Both of the aforementioned tips are a godsend to me, since I’ve been meaning to find a way to keep track of remarkable posts I run into, for future reference, or for future commenting (since there are posts which are ZOMG AWESOME, leaving you starstruck and unable to churn out an insightful comment in a whim).

5. Let’s Zoom In!

Time for a little personal narrative.

Back in the day, I never thought I’d find much use for RSS feeds, or aggregators for that matter, since I was an egotistic blogger who was far too engrossed in my own blog to bother about the whole blogosphere.[1] The moment I finally decided to stop being lazy and discover the anime community out there, I relied on Anime Nano and Animeblogger antenna, and found them pretty neat, as they provide you with this “wide angle view” of the blogosphere – the horde of blogs out there, the latest buzz, trends, and issues that you shouldn’t miss out on.

I hate being out of the loop, especially with riveting topics that I want to piggyback on, knowing well that I would’ve contributed some insights in the whole discourse (if I’m not being lazy). But I digress.

Despite how aggregators provide a convenient means to keep in touch of / reach out to the anime community, at one point I just felt it wasn’t enough. I wanted to get closer not only to the “community”, but the people / bloggers who make up this community in the first place. I looked for a way to “zoom into” the bloggers, and Google Reader did just that — now I have the anime community, right at my fingertips. All that’s left to do is to stop procrastinating and get into reading their posts, and participate in ongoing discussions.

Like Kabitzin, I never thought I’d find much use for RSS feeds, until I finally started using Google Reader to keep track of blogs, and has then become an indispensable part of my geeky otaku life.

UPDATE:

6. Be More Social, Share.

omg how could I have not included this! Thank you lolikit for reminding me about this.

The notes feature mentioned above, is one of the ways you can get more “social” with Google Reader, and it all boils down to one thing — sharing (or “pimping”). You can share notes, in connection to a post that you want to pimp to your friends (in Google Talk), for whatever reasons. And this turned out shorter than I expected, oh well.

…and that’s basically it for my so called “testimonial”. Feel free to add to this list, the more RSS testimonials, the better (better chances of converting more people too! )!

If you remain unconvinced to take advantage of feeds after reading this post, well I still hope you guys will drop by and continue to read our random babblings. Now if this post actually did convince you, I suggest taking a look at otou-san’s RSS guide (for those who still haven’t seen it, or have no idea how to go about using Google Reader), and I can only hope that you’ll add us in your feed reader — if you deem us worthy that is. Earning a spot in your reader = earning a place in your heart, after all (whether that’s good or bad only you can tell). Oh gawd this is getting cheesy, have to end this before it gets worse.

Hope you learned something from this, at the very least :3

Toodles!

[1] Proofs of my egotismSimilar Posts:

• One Month in the Books
• Countdown to Christmas #2: On Being Part of the Anime Blogging Community (in general, not simply ABC)
• Last Call for ABA Nominations, Before Earth Day Ends
• WordCamp Philippines 2008: On Being a Remarkable Responsible Blogger
• Micro-blogging is Confusing the Heck Out of Me Now, But I Has Gained Englightenment!

twitter-ing. SRS BSNS.

I never quite understood the rationale behind having multiple twitter accounts (I first noticed this with Icy’s twittering escapade), until Impz announced the birth of the THAT merry bandwagon twitter, and everything just started to make sense! As you’ve noticed (or most likely not), I invaded the sidebar with my self-indulgent twitter-ing, which is, to say the least, a useless pile of crap that no one really bothers to read in the sidebar! I mean, would readers bother checking the site just to see the latest trivial happenings in my life, like a BLOODY paper cut event, for example? If I was just a casual reader who wants to know about animu/manga and couldn’t care any less about the blog author’s boring real life events, I sure won’t give a damn about that.

So, what better way to make the twitter sidebar more useful but to follow the footsteps of THAT, and transform it into a mini blog where the chefs can spit random blurbs on the animes they’re watching, mangas they’re reading, and on other otaku-ish/blogging endeavors! This way, it will be Scrumptious Blog-relevant, and allow me to separate my otaku/non-otaku persona for the sake of my RL friends on twitter who are not into anime too X__X Sorry for spamming your twitter updates with my nonsense babblings lol. You’ll get to see more of the chefs this way too (you might not see a blog update, but you’d most likely find a blurb there or two, will make sure we update it on a regular basis to keep you guys updated on what’s happening behind-the-blogging-scenes), especially our dear hamster chef Seleria who has become too lazy to post (she needs your encouragement, dear readers!! Show her that she has fans! ), but still has enough energy to watch animes and tweet blurbs about it. I’m still finding ways to make updating this easier, especially for my fellow chefs. Hopefully, absolute0 and BeLe can join us in this diabolical tweeting plan too. In case you missed the twitter link, it’s here.

Your feedbacks will be much appreciated! If you think the twitter sidebar still sucks, then tell us what you think we can do to improve it. Cheers!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.Similar Posts:

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• usagijen: Tweaking the blog to aggregate my blog ‘Asides’ w/ my MAL blog and twitter. Once this blurb gets syndicated into the blog, success it’ll be.

Had I stuck with my initial “plans” for Sunday — writing backlogged blog posts, tweaking the blog theme, or studying for the upcoming JLPT — it would’ve turned out dull and boring (and totally geeky =P). But I slacked off, and got enticed to watch the last two episodes of One Outs instead (despite the lack of english subs for episode 5), turning my day a bloody GAR-awesome-filled one. And now I feel like leaping through time to watch episode 6… fast!! (episode 6 is out by the time I finished this post lol) Though I ended up neglecting my “plans”, I have no regrets~!

One Outs may have started on a seemingly depressing note, but it took a turn from episode 3 onwards, as it finally steps out of the shadow of its misleading predecessor Kaiji. It’s at par with Akagi in terms of the badass awesomeness, and could very well outshine it, as it’s shaping up to be its inspirational yang counterpart. That I can assure you, Sasa. One Outs has the same effect on me as Skip Beat, it seems, in terms of making me brim with energy and optimism to face whatever adversities I have atm, or that I will encounter in the near future. The screencaps down below serve as proofs of this. These pictures might not paint a thousand words, but they are powerful, unless you’ve grown tired of seeing these words of wisdom.

Toa certainly has a way with words, just like his brother Hiruma, making both of them GAR and BADASS charisma-filled.

Yes, we all need the drive to succeed — the drive to pass JLPT, for example, which should be reminding us JLPT takers to go cram mode as the exam is less than a month!! Hopefully, I’ll enjoy the “cram ride” as I pressure myself to memorize more kanjis and vocabs, yeah! I’ve already come up with various ideas to make this fun, details of which I hope I can delve into in another post.

Underdog stories always provide much room for GAR-ness.

You’ve probably heard this line a thousand times already, but I believe it’s something you shouldn’t get tired of. It’s a timeless mantra!

There were more quotable quotes in episode 5, and I was forced inspired to translate them due to the lack of subs:

“…you haven’t been thinking of trivial things like ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ in this game, have you? There’s only one thing you should think of right now, and that’s whether or not you’re fit to call yourself an ‘ace pitcher’. This game does not concern the team, the batters, or the spectators. Pitch for your own cause.”

Reassuring words, enough to rid a team-mate of his doubts and fears.

“The ones we’re up against are not the Mariners of the past, but that of the present. What you’ve simply been doing is looking at the Mariners as they were yesterday, and cowering in fear at the sight of them now… If you think that past data can predict the outcome of this game, then that means our team […] is bound to lose against [them] […] If you want to win against the current Mariners, you’d have to rely on nothing else but what you see of them right now.”

Past data isn’t necessarily useless, but if you get dwell too much on it, you’ll most likely end up overlooking opportunities at present and in the future, and the results will become predictable even before the game begins. ROW ROW FIGHT THE POWER!

Despite the lack of attention One Outs is getting, it remains a solid watch for me. Sports anime bias aside, perhaps one of the reasons why I’m enjoying it so much is because I’m a baseball noob. That way, I’m able to look past the “stupidity” of the series which baseball fans like omo are able to notice and find off-putting. Then again, seeing how baseball fans (in the person of sho, who’s been playing the sport ever since he was a little tot) could actually enjoy this series makes me think that we can’t simply arrive at the conclusion that “knowing less about baseball will make you enjoy this more” nor can we say “you’re less likely to enjoy this if you’re a baseball fan“, though it can be a good pessimistic forewarning to whoever you’ll recommend this series to.

The biases must lie somewhere else, outside of the whole baseball realm, outside of gambling, even, seeing how those who’ve come to like this series aren’t really “gambling fans” per se. While the common remark about One Outs that “It focuses on the gambling aspect rather than the sport itself” is valid for the most part, I don’t think it quite captures the essence of this series. If you care to dig deeper, you’d see that apart from “baseball” (or “sports”), apart from “gambling”, or the “mind games” — at the heart of it all — is a team, unable to escape their fate as ‘losers’, until finally, after years of living under the shadow of their past, they find hope in Toa — the harbinger of their long-awaited comeback.

The gambling aspect makes this all the more COOL and SPICY. You have the Lycaons team all set for the much-coveted championship title, on one hand, and the team owner who’s now doing everything he can to prevent that from happening, all for the love of money, on the other (stupid as he is for thinking that Toa is stupid, heh). A pretty exciting tug-o-war, if you ask me.

You need not be a fan of baseball, sports animes, or gambling (or otherwise) to like One Outs. In fact, all you probably need is a thirst for excitement (or for GAR-ness), a penchant for underdog stories, and most importantly, eyes and a heart that hasn’t become jaded and is still able to enjoy a show for what it’s worth, despite the borrowed archetypes and the “been there, seen/know that” ‘clicheness‘. I guess this really is shaping up to be the TTGL of sports animes, as Owen speculated.Similar Posts:

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Sekiguchi is looking at dismembered body parts scattered on the floor. In his hand, he holds a bloody knife. And he wonders why it didn’t go well. He wonders if it’s because the method was sloppy. He thinks that if a certain doctor knows, he should meet him. He plans to go out soon.

Kanako’s sudden disappearance left everyone in the room shocked. Kiba tells Fukumoto to take Youko and Yoriko outside. He also tells him to call the policemen stationed outside. Kiba asks the policemen if they saw anyone enter the room after they came to visit Kanako but according to the policemen, only Mimasaka and Suzaki did.

More policemen arrive. They ask Ishii about what happened. Ishii, still shocked by the event, tells Kiba to leave.

Kiba wonders whether Kanako was in the room in the first place. Could it be that the Kanako they saw was just an illusion? He then inform Youko about Amemiya who seem to have left before she and the others entered the room.

Fukumoto asks Kiba that since Kanako is in a critical condition, she might die while being abducted. Youko, however, tells them that Kanako will not die easily. Fukumoto says that if that’s the case, it’s a relief. Kiba then punches him for his insensitive words.

Yoriko tells Youko that Kanako indeed will not die because she has already become a heavenly being. She says that since the train incident, Kanako was a chrysalis but finally, like a butterfly, she has ascended to heaven. Kiba remembers Yoriko’s words that she and Kanako are past and next lives of each other. Kiba thinks it’s absurd.

He approaches Youko and asks her for detailed information regarding Kanako but she says he won’t be able to do anything alone. She also tells him not to get involved any further. Kiba tells her that Ishii can’t find Kanako. He asks Youko who the enemy is. Youko replies it’s him.

Mimasaka suddenly arrives announcing that Suzaki has been killed near the incinerator.

Meanwhile, Kanako wonders if she is already dead. She remembers Yoriko, Youko and a stranger visiting her. She wonders of it was all a dream. She sees disembodied limbs moving about the room but it disappears. She moves her hands and feet and is relieved that they are still there. Her limbs, however, have been replaced by mechanical ones. She then remembers Amemiya and her sister, and malicious rumors about them.

A man takes a peep at the sleeping Kanako and exclaims it’s a wonderful work of art.

On September 6, a right leg encased in a wooden box was found at Hachiouji.

The following day, the left leg was found at Chofu and a right arm at Noborito.

On September 10, Sekiguchi visits a publishing company to discuss the sale of his collection of short stories. The editor rearranges the order of Sekiguchi’s works and suggests that “Vertigo” be the title for the collection. Sekiguchi tells them that he needs to think about it first.

Atsuko arrives and and hands some documents to one of the editors, Koizumi. The documents contained some works by a certain Kubo Shunkou. The other editor comments that Kubo Shunkou and Sekiguchi’s literary style are similar, both contain surreal elements.

Atsuko tells the editors and Sekiguchi that two left arms were found that day at Akishima. It would be the third victim already. The incident has sparked rumors that the dismembered body parts were scattered by a kasha, a ghostly chariot of fire.

On September 15, a girl engaging in prostitution went missing. The next day, a body part was found at Tanashi.

Kiba was placed under house arrest as punishment for interfering in affairs outside of his jurisdiction. In his house, he continues to reminisce the events that happened. After Youko learned of Suzaki’s death, she had a change of attitude and implored Kiba for help, fearing for Kanako’s safety. However, Kiba was not able to do anything due to his condition.

Kiba’s junior at work, Aoki, visits him in his house to consult about the Musashino mutilation inicident. Aoki thinks it is connected to Kanako’s abduction. Kanako was abducted on August 31 and a right leg was found on September 6. Kiba asks if it was Kanako’s. Aoki replies that it wasn’t. The blood type was different and besides, they have already confirmed the victim’s identity. The victim was the daughter of a photographer in Kawasaki who was prostituting herself after the influence of her friends.

Kiba asks Aoki about the connection between the various mutilation cases. Aoki replies it’s a box. At first the body parts were found encased in metallic boxes but later on they were found encased in boxes fashioned from paulownia wood. The two wonder if the second set of murders were done by a copycat. However, the fact about the boxes is not yet made known to the public. Besides them, only Sekiguchi knows since Aoki and another police officer, Kinoshita spilled the beans to him one night (Kiba remembers the night when Sekiguchi and the others came upon the strange facility). Aoki says that it is not yet known whether the crime was committed by one person or a copycat, well, unless Sekiguchi is the culprit. Kiba tells Aoki it’s a bad joke.

Aoki also tells Kiba there are rumors about a kasha. It digs corpses from graveyards and scatters the body parts around villages.

Kiba then asks Aoki how the Musashino incident could be related to Kanako’s abduction. Aoki replies it’s due to a gloved man. Youko released a statement that on the day Kanako was kidnapped, she saw a man wearing gloves, similar to the one Yoriko described, lurking outside the facility. The man, however, disappeared after she saw him. Also, according to witnesses of the Kawasaki incident and the one prior to that, a man wearing black garb and gloves were seen around the area where the victims disappeared.

Kiba soon visits a movie director who is also an acquaintance. He asks the director about Youko. He saws he has never directed a film with Youko in it but he knows her. According to the director, Youko was hounded by some rumors. Not long after, she quit the industry. The director says that gossip about Youko eloping with her assistant is false though there was a modest man who was always with Youko. Kiba wonders if it’s Amemiya.

Kiba also asks him about the strange facility. The director tells him that he’s heard that during the war, a doctor was attempting to create something like the Frankenstein monster, a soldier that will never die. That doctor’s name was Mimasaka.

As Kiba walks on his way home, he remembers what the movie director said about a soldier that will never die. Kiba then sees a vision of soldiers standing in formation being run over by a huge tank. Kiba wonders if it’s the kasha.

On September 23, Masaoka visits a certain agency.

********

At first, it was shocking to see Sekiguchi wielding a knife at the start of the episode but I realized that most of the episode introductions were lines from Kubo Shunkou’s The Girl in a Box. It could be that Sekiguchi is reading the novel aloud and imagining himself to be part of the story. Still, I wonder about the significance of that novel. Perhaps it is a parallel to the actual events that occurred.

As for Kanako’s abduction, no clue has yet been found except that it may be related with the Musashino mutilation incident with the gloved man as a link. Although Yoriko’s account of the gloved man pushing Kanako was dubious (since she could have fabricated it just so she can see Kanako), I wonder if Youko actually saw the gloved man. Could it be that she was fabricating it too, making the gloved man as some sort of scapegoat? I don’t see any reason though why Youko would do such a thing. At first, she told Kiba not to get involved any further but when she learned of Suzaki’s death, she pleaded him for help. I wonder what is it that drove Youko to have a change of heart. For certain, Youko knows of something that the others don’t.

The movie director spoke of a Mimasaka who was attempting to create the perfect soldier. This Mimasaka could be related to the one at the facility. Or it could be the same person. In the second episode, when Sekiguchi and the others, came upon the facility, Sekiguchi thought that they encountered a demon when he saw Mimasaka standing at the doorway with Youko. Also, Kanako thought that she was being dissected by two demons, who were actually Mimasaka and probably Suzaki operating on her.

I wonder what Mimasaka did to Kanako. We don’t see the rest of her body as it is covered with a sheet. Though the sheet was removed in this episode and mechanical limbs were revealed, it could just be Kanako’s dream. Or it could be a metaphor for some change in her body. For all we know, it could just be Kanako’s head with no body under the sheet. If so, it would be an eerie semblance to the girl in the box. When the stranger peeped at Kanako and exclaimed something to be a work of art, could he be referring to Kanako’s body or to what Mimasaka did to her body?

Amemiya’s whereabouts are still unknown. It is somehow possible that he is involved in Kanako’s abduction. He could be involved in Suzaki’s death as well since Kiba saw Amemiya near the incinerator earlier and Suzaki’s body was found near the incinerator too. Or is Amemiya a victim?

All the present events in Mouryou no Hako seem to be related to something that happened in a war. It could be the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (1931-1932), which the movie director mentioned. After the invasion, Inner Manchuria was proclaimed as an independent state, Manchukuo. Many atrocities were committed during the Japanese rule in northeast China. These atrocities include human experimentation were prisoners of war were vivisected and experimented upon. According to the movie director, Mimasaka was involved in these. The Manchukuo background reminds me of Murakami’s The Wind-up Bird Chronicle which also explored this dark episode of Japanese history.

All in all, Mouryou no Hako continues to be intriguing. Many pieces were laid out in this episode but the big picture is yet unknown.
Similar Posts:

• Mouryou no Hako - 03 “A Sense of Release”
• Mouryou no Hako - 02 “The Deception of the Tanuki”
• Mouryou no Hako - 01 “The Five Decays of a Heavenly Being”
• Seirei no Moribito - 11 “Flower Wine For Tanda”
• Baccano! - 08 “Isaac and Miria Sprinkle Happiness Around Without Realizing It”

Well, it seems that our random lulz convo “post” turned out to be a big hit!! The two Scrumptious chefs also gained the reputation of being Konata twins because of the said endeavor. I guess this is finally time to bid goodbye to our furry pet personas? :3

On the other hand, while we, the loyal Taigaism zealots, march on with our LOVE for Taiga (pardon the random linking), he-who-shall-not-be-named continues on his crusade to spoil ToraDora for everyone T__T It’s not just the RAGE-filled oh-so-intelligent episode-per-episode anime vs novel comparison aimed at informing us puny-ToraDora-fans-who-can’t-think-logically-when-watching-because-we-just-want-to-have-fun of the inconsistencies (I’d like to think the rage already simmered down, at least for now) but the BIG FAT NOVEL SPOILERS that should very well be enclosed in [spoiler] tags! Rawrr So, in lieu of the Taiga hate, or just to make our ToraDora experience all the more fun, let’s just sing a happy song~!

♪ If you’re happi[ly watching ToraDora] and you know it, say “OHAA~!” (OHAAA) ♫

♬ If you’re happi[ly watching ToraDora] and you know it, say “OHAA~!” (Hay Hay Hay) ♪

♪ If you’re happy and you know it, then your post/comments/whatever will surely show it ♩♪

♬ If you’re happi[ly watching ToraDora] and you know it, say “OHAA~!” (OHAAA) ♪♪

If enjoying ToraDora, loving Taiga for her moe-ness despite her violent tendencies, and not being able to nitpick on the “flaws” of the series makes us not witty enough, or lack a sense of taste, then so be it. We all just want to have a good time~ Also, I think it would be better to allow the series to run its course first before giving the final verdict as to its success or shortcomings. *continues to sing the happy ToraDora song*

Cheers to more ToraDora fun times!

Episode 3

(Feel free to blame me for the lack of “convo”-ness)

oh sparkly sweat~!

Episode 3 was said to be a “filler” episode by those who have read the novel, and while Seleria and I both found this episode subpar and totally random (especially when compared with the amazing episode 2), we thought it was a good idea to show “the other sides of Minorin”. Who would’ve thought there’s more to the super genki (and dorky?) girl we perceived her to be! That’s probably the greatest thing this episode did, allow other people to see Minorin in a better light (especially those who weren’t really fond of Minorin’s super genkiness at the start of the series)

Surprisingly, no one seemed to have mentioned/highlighted one VERY IMPORTANT detail about this episode, which is probably J.C.Staff’s way of “poking” fun at the show (or is it just a product of our silly minds, particularly Seleria?). “Poking”, get it?

You guys must be scratching your heads, wondering just what the heck I’m talking about, so I’ll just spill it. I’m referring to Taiga’s “habit” of poking Ryuuji’s eyes throughout this episode, which probably seemed silly and random for most people, but not for us.

This is actually very “logical”, in the sense that it could’ve made Ryuuji’s life long wish come true — to be rid of his GANGSTA EYES! Remember what he said in episode 1? Just a few more eye pokes, and it could’ve turned into a life-changing experience for Ryuuji!! Just have to wonder whether the OC (obsessive compulsive) Ryuuji will be able to survive without being able to distinguish what’s “clean” and “dirty” in his surroundings =P

Both the Eye of the Taiga (c/o Sakura) and her Mighty Eye-poking skillz will then be FEARED.

Ok, enough corny jokes. I blame Seleria, or myself for losing the conversation logs, and its humor thereof.

The Episode 4 Dialogue

[00:18]
Seleria: stalker? o.O
usagijen: he stayed up until 2:30am just to check that? orz

[01:09]
*sees Taiga’s photo album filled with Kitamura pics*
Seleria: now that’s the real stalker.
usagijen: hahaha, she effin’ fails as a stalker.
usagijen: or as a photographer, whatever.
Seleria: well its hard they probably haven’t made image stabilization in cameras
Seleria: and anti-shake mechanisms
usagijen: how come my shots are still all blurred, to think that my cam has IS =/
usagijen: do I suck that much?
Seleria: do you really want me to answer that question?
usagijen: ok, forget that, not relevant to this anime anyways.
Seleria: lol

Seleria: lol, negotation FTW!
usagijen: XDD

usagijen: OHAAAA
usagijen: kawaiii~
Seleria: aww that’s so cute
usagijen: that’s quite a new way of greeting
usagijen: let me try that in the office
usagijen: O-Ha~! <3 \(^o^\) (/^o^)/

[04:46]
Seleria: hmmm i wonder how that is
Seleria: kitamura being popular
usagijen: Kitamura doesn’t seem like the heartthrob type o.O
usagijen: he’s supposed to be the GEEK, the otaku!!
usagijen: well I guess this is one of the few shows that break that stereotype.

Seleria: ojou-sama?
usagijen: w00t! the new girl appears
usagijen: why not just pass the megaphone to Kitamura, o forgetful president?

usagijen: Taiga’s getting all jelly jelly (jealous)~
Seleria: loool

Seleria: not so ojou-sama after all
usagijen: she lacks elegance
usagijen: and a certain “pride” or “dignity” factor

…and obviously, it’s not until after watching episode 5 did we realize that the president is not the “new girl” Ami, heh.

[07:02]
Seleria: waaaaaaaaaiiii
Seleria: loolololol
usagijen: the perfect way to calm down the tiger
usagijen: sasuga kitamura!
Seleria: that little girl will explode
usagijen: and I’m gonna explode from too much Taiga moe moe <3

[07:25]
Seleria: wahehehe
usagijen: what the heck was that
Seleria: lol
usagijen: she sure is living up to her furry Tiger nickname

Seleria: eating in class kinshi!
usagijen: this is the first time I’ve seen such a student
usagijen: in animes, that is

usagijen: waku waku carnival~~! o(^-^o)
usagijen: Taiga’s so moe *dies*

Seleria: DAI PINCHI
usagijen: Minorin’s doing the trademark :9 smile of Peko-chan

usagijen: dun4x
Seleria: how honest of Taiga
usagijen: honestly stupid, but still… moe~

Seleria: nice thinking!
usagijen: naisu ryuuji!
Seleria: usagi bento box!
usagijen: tsk, ryuuji should join the club so he can spend more time with his Minorin~

[10:30]
Seleria: waheheheh
Seleria: thats how you shut up a hungry person
usagijen: people here are learning how to deal with her!
Seleria: lol

[11:25]
usagijen: OCccccc
usagijen:
Seleria: BADASS MOLD KILLER
Seleria: lolz

[12:03]
usagijen: roflll, fangirlll
Seleria: lolololol
usagijen: stalkers should be proud! hahaha

[13:13]
Seleria: loool
usagijen: Sudoh Bucks!
usagijen: wow, this series knows about intellectual property rights

[13:21]
usagijen: rofll drooolzzzz, I can haz yummy pics? =D~
Seleria: wow
Seleria: he wiped the drool off with his own hanky o.O

[14:34]
Seleria: o.o
usagijen: now… I don’t know if that was an ingenious idea…
usagijen: “peeling” the potato…

[15:13]
usagijen: another paw cup! D:
Seleria: paww!

[15:31]
Seleria: perfect! anti-drool measures!
usagijen: yes! laminate!
usagijen: just like how laptops have “spill resistant keyboards” now
usagijen: I guess it was also made to be “anti-drool”?
(pardon the OT conversation)

[16:41]
usagijen: awww
usagijen: Ryuuji should borrow Taiga’s camera, to take pics of Minorin…
usagijen: oh wait, guess there’s no need for it now
Seleria: pudding
Seleria: yummy
Seleria: i miss it
usagijen: that thing is huge, BUCKET SAIZUU!
usagijen: I don’t think I ever tasted a purin when I was in Japan, now that’s more sad =/
usagijen: what… the…
usagijen: that… pic… looks… wrong O_O
usagijen: …but right for Ryuuji =P
Seleria: lol

[18:48]
usagijen: awww
Seleria: hohum

[19:03]
Seleria: SEEEEEE
Seleria: SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe
usagijen: yes yes, I know I know
usagijen: -___-
Seleria: THEY TOLD IT (the “confession”)
Seleria: SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seleria: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seleria: I TOLD YOU
Seleria: TCH
usagijen: x__x

Seleria: now the scene lost its impact, and it’s all because of you! T__T
usagijen: yes, I’m a bad spoiler bunny
Seleria: yeah
Seleria: you suck
usagijen: >_<
Seleria: i told you it would be revealed in its own time
Seleria: tch
usagijen: ;_______________________;
Seleria: baka tsuki has the novels
Seleria: but im restraining myself from reading them
usagijen: don’t read them first
usagijen: otherwise if I prod you to read it you’ll go blaming me for ruining your excitement over this… again =/

usagijen: wow, Inko actually talked properly o.O
Seleria: weird parrot
Seleria: cant say his name, but can utter a japanese sentence perfectly
Seleria: tch
usagijen: hahahaha
usagijen: iinjanai? =P
usagijen: I don’t think think he likes his name
usagijen: or more like, he doesn’t consider it a name at all!
usagijen: inko = parrot, after all

Seleria: we didnt get to see much of the new character
Seleria: but she’s pretty badass
Seleria: and she looked hot in street clothes
(side comment: people who read the novel and know so much about her, please refrain from spoiling, OK? If you’re going to mention novel tidbits, make sure to enclose them in [ spoiler ] [ /spoiler ] tags)
usagijen: yeah, oh well, we’ll see more of her in the next ep!
usagijen: I need to rewatch this ep and go emo ;__;

Post-dialogue

usagijen: hm… was thinking of Taiga’s infatuation to Kitamura…
Seleria: Kitamura isnt so bad
usagijen: I actually want him for Taiga
Seleria: i agree
usagijen: he seems less of a pushover than Ryuuji
usagijen: then again that’s be because Taiga won’t really do to Kitamura what she does to Ryuuji coz she likes him
Seleria: yeah

Seleria: there’s not much physical violence in this ep (no physical violence with casualties, that is)
Seleria: there’s actually 0 as far as i remember
usagijen: lol, you want more physical violence?
Seleria: …and just as i was reading lupus’ comment
Seleria: he’s making it sound that it’s taiga’s fault that ryuuji is so nice?
Seleria: hehehehe
Seleria: totally dissing taiga and letting it slip that ryuuji is not responsible for taiga’s behavior?
Seleria: people only treat you that way because you let them
Seleria: people have power over you, because you let them
usagijen: hehehe, yesss
usagijen: bateszi doesn’t like ryuuji because of that
usagijen: because he’s a pushover

Seleria: well i think its compassion
Seleria: Taiga is moe after all
Seleria: i cant really blame him
usagijen: it’s his… *gasp* motherly instincts
Seleria: he takes care of his mom too
usagijen: Taiga should spend more time with Kitamura than Ryuuji
usagijen: she can be rehabilitated with Kitamura
usagijen: with Ryuuji, she’ll only get worse -___-
Seleria: lol
Seleria: you people worry too much
usagijen: what
Seleria: just let her be
Seleria: people always seem to forget that these characters are in high school
usagijen: which means…?
Seleria: you should let them be
Seleria: youth is a time filled with vigor, confusion, friendship, discovery, change, and all those stuff
usagijen: haha
usagijen: but what if violent people like Taiga get worse after that “stage”? or do you think she’ll simmer down later, when she gets tired of being violent?
Seleria: lol
Seleria: she is only violent to ryuuji
Seleria: and no one else so far
Seleria: into the series at least
usagijen: and yes, you’re right =O

usagijen: she might become violent to the blue-haired girl
usagijen: for now, it’s only verbal
Seleria: Louise was so much more violent than her
usagijen: She was the total violent psychopath, I guess
usagijen: she gets all violent, even with the very person she likes! Or more like, she gets violent ESPECIALLY towards the person she likes.
Seleria: anyway
Seleria: im not really bothered by it
usagijen: me too… hmmm
usagijen: I’m kind of wondering about that
usagijen: it’s like, every violent rage of Taiga makes me chuckle, while it irks people on the other side of the globe
usagijen: they’re… taking it too seriously?
Seleria: who knows
Seleria: they have their reasons
usagijen: I wonder where they were when Ranma 1/2 aired
usagijen: I think of Taiga’s violence to be the same as Akane’s…
usagijen: Akane’s violence is worse, even… but it’s all for comical relief

Seleria: meh
usagijen: you’re meh-ing me? D:
Seleria: lol
Seleria: is it even a verb?
usagijen: now it is
Seleria: lol
Seleria: im meh-ing to the whole issue
usagijen: I just wonder, is our bias coming into play in all this?
usagijen: like, we’re overlooking taiga’s violence because we find her adorable or something? and it’s fun seeing her rage attacks or what haha
usagijen: or we just genuinely want to enjoy the show
Seleria: hmmm
Seleria: im just waiting for the show to do that for me
Seleria: to explain all this rage
Seleria: if it comes it will, if not then well it would just be another one of those anime
usagijen: spoken like a true and mature anime fan! Similar Posts:

• The Taigaism Dialogues (1-2): The Humble Beginnings of a Taiga Worship
• My Moe-mpathy for Taiga (and Lack of Sympathy for the Novel/Manga Elitists)
• Deep Frying Shion no OMGZz 01
• Shugo Chara - 06 “The Prima Donna”
• A Last Supper of KimiKiss Spoilers, A Melancholic Reminiscence

With an explosive display of stars and blossoms, Junjou Romantica(純情ロマンチカ) rallies forth its troupe of blushing bishies onscreen to —-you guessed it—- the solid beat of yet another perky anime intro. And once the (star)dust and petals have settled, and the fanfares have finally echoed out, most viewers would think that there really isn’t anything else in store beyond the inane razzle-dazzle of JR’s premise: cute guys on cute guys doing things cute guys don’t normally do on prime time TV.  But I’d like to think them wrong, and so please allow me, in my first post, to explain myself—-albeit, a scandalous post at that

Frequent viewers would be familiar with JR’s manner of introducing every episode with a tenet in life(however trite), written in a pink and fancy script, with flowers all around as garnish.  And so us brave few patrons read and reflect for a moment on this bit of wisdom(and for us JLPT takers, try to improve our vocabulary, too) drawn from an age when what was true and good, really was true and really was good.  Subtly, Junjou Romantica reveals for a moment its true theme: idealism.

Please refer to nearest fortune cookie as citation

It’s a sort of tug-o-war dynamic that flutters about in each episode, between the viewers sense of how the gears of love should turn in real life and how most writers would have it written.  And in the first season, there were plenty of moments where the main character, Misaki, catches himself indulging on these same lackadaisical fantasies. But who can blame him, we all want a happy ending, and that’s what Junjou offers.  Instead of your usual romantic tragedy where the leads have proven time and again their love, and yet the fickle finger of fate never cooperates(I’m looking at you “Boys Be”), Junjou offers a place where we get to see things work out in the end, and usually in the most dramatic ways possible.

Abrupt reality check

And while we watch the naivete unfold, Shungiku Nakamura leaves us a constant reminder of her awareness of the fantasy she so freely indulges in. Just in case you’ve forgotten, the show is all about guys meeting/going-out/having coffee/holding hands/kissing/having smex/kissing some more/hugging and just about everything else short of upsetting the censors.  And how ever we’d like to call ourselves urbane and unprejudiced, we all know that stinging truth that these kind of situations are not the type we normally encounter IRL .  I believe this is the reason the author chose to play male characters against male characters, to underline, highlight and drive the point that these are all whimsical tales of fantasy.

It’s a strange point to make, too.  And I only realized it when I tried imagining the series with male and female couples instead. In that sort of scenario, the edge is definitely lost.  For one thing, most of the emotional moments are purposefully more powerful when a guy tears up instead of a girl.  These memorable moments of weakness Junjou offers prime the scenes with raw, uninhibited, emotions that accentuate the sweet aftertaste afterward.  And from the reviews of Shungiku Nakamura’s other 2 works( Hybrid Child, Tsuki wa Yamiyo ni Kakuru ga Gotoku ), I think it is with this that she explores, portrays and ultimately triumphs in when fleshing out her characters in the subtle plots of love and loss she weaves.

You must watch, in spite of risking burning your eyes, for these tearjerker scenes

I think it’s easy to take this show for granted and I do admit there’s something wrong with it if most people who’ve watched it think it’s simply 30 minutes worth of fluff.  Then again, who’s to say the audience haven’t got their own faults? Gender-bender allergies? Righteous indignation for bed scenes? Or could it simply be a general skepticism of happiness?

I can’t help but wonder if most of us just got jaded, that when they watch something so special, so wonderful unfold so perfectly, we immediately think it’s not real enough.  What made us so cynical, that before our romantic couple lives happily ever after, they have to, no, they must, suffer, struggle and succumb to the whims of fate—-at least 12 to 23 episodes worth of tragedy after tragedy.

I guess it helps marketing(hell! XX episodes of keeping you at the edge of your seat worked for Dragonball), and there is such a thing as a dramatic build up.  But sometimes, when you encounter something innocent and sweet, like love, it might not hurt to forego the grain of salt, and simply enjoy the ride—-trail of flowers and starshine notwithstanding.

This is didinskee, btw. A 23 yr. old Software Engineer that grew up on Gainax, Hello Pandas and Hardy Boys. Usagijen’s a good friend and cubiclemate of mine and she thinks I’ve got something to say on this topic. Here’s hoping I did her confidence some measure of justice. 

Doozo Yorushiku Onegaishimasu!

Similar Posts:

• My Two-Sided Relationship with Junjou Romantica
• I Will Neither Blog Nor Watch Junjou Romantica Ever Again, But…
• Junjou Romantica: A Word of Advice
• KimiKiss Love Forecast for October
• Here is Greenwood: Love Truly is Better the Second Time Around

I am trying to embark on something ambitious. Due to problems with the subs (the accurate one being slow, and the fast one being inaccurate), I have decided to blog from the raws while aiming to provide the same level of detail as my previous episode summaries. Now if I were blogging Mahou no Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora from the raws, it wouldn’t be difficult but I am blogging Mouryou no Hako, the words they use aren’t the kind that usually appear in modern casual conversations. Furthermore, Mouryou no Hako has Buddhist concepts here and there. Oh well, it would be an opportunity to brush up on my Nihongo and besides, since I am dying to watch Mouryou no Hako, I’d be driven to translate as accurately as I can.

********

Kanako awakens and finds herself in a strange place. She sees two men in surgical garb. Kanako thinks they are demons dissecting her. She recalls the train incident and then her mother who wanted to kill her. She also remembers Yoriko. Kanako wants to meet with her and talk about their next lives.

It is the 30th of August and Kiba reminisces the events that transpired after Kanako’s initial operation. Her sister Youko has made arrangements for her to be transferred to another hospital. A nurse informs her that the ambulance has arrived and that a member of the family can accompany Kanako in the ambulance. Noritada volunteers. Youko objects but Noritada says it’s his responsibility. He feels that if he only guarded Kanako carefully, the incident would not have occurred. Youko tells him that as Kanako’s sister, she should be the one to go. Fukomoto then arrives and offers to drive Youko to the hospital.

It’s already late when they depart for the other hospital which is located in a secluded area. Everything is dark and Fukomoto nearly crashes his jeep into a parked truck. Kiba reprimands him for not being careful, especially since the ambulance is following them.

The hospital turns out to be the box-like building that Sekiguchi and the others chanced upon in the previous episode. Yuzuki is then carried inside as a grey-haired middle-aged man, who seems to be the hospital’s chief physician, watches. According to Kiba, Kanako’s life was miraculously saved that night.

In the present, Kiba returns to the box-like hospital. Rumor has it that patients who are admitted there never come out again. Several policemen are now stationed around the building. Kiba glances at it and comments that it was an empty box before.

Since Kanako has been brought to the strange hospital which is actually a research facility, Kiba has made it a point to come and visit, becoming acquaintances of sorts with some of the staff, Kouda, an engineer, and Suzaki, the chief physician’s assistant.

A few days before August 25, Kiba finds Youko in a state of shock. She drops a letter from her hand. Kiba picks it up then reads it. It was a threat announcing that Kanako will be abducted and that the concerned party should prepare a ransom. Because of this, prefectural police, under the command of Inspector Ishii, are stationed around the facility to strengthen its security.

Ishii questions Kiba why he continues to visit the facility despite it being outside of his jurisdiction. Kiba, however, seems to have taken the resolve to protect what needs to be protected and to fight the enemies that need to be fought.

Meanwhile, Yoriko wishes for her mother’s death. After those words, Yoriko’s mother starts to act strangely. She has come to believe that Yoriko is indeed a mouryou. So on the 18th of August, Kimie and S