[Fish Sandwich]

Yeah I completely adored this one. The Horror stuff was at peak creepiness without tipping too far to the point where I start finding it funny, and then it's also like this extremely emotionally raw, important episode for the overarching plot on top of that. It's really, really great!

Naturally, I especially loved how everything blows up in Kouga's face at the end. It's exactly what Amon was talking about in the previous episode, where his refusal to get close to people has left him trying to maintain a comfortable uncommitted middle-ground that was always doomed to end like this. Kouga would never be cold enough to kill Kaoru, but he also didn't have the courage to actually engage with her in a way that might've prevented things from getting this bad. Like you said, this one was very much driven by the characters, and the writing and performances are insanely strong here.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enchilada645

but man is this a rather unique beast.

The only other episode that I can think of that comes even remotely close is the "Scar Flame" episode from Carved Seal of Flames. And even then I would not at all try to directly compare the two anytime soon. Love both episodes equally though.

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There's also something almost magical about how what is basically a standard Horror of the Week plot basically snowballs into the ending we receive here. Just the amount of tension in the scene where Kouga confronts the Horror and her lackey, like, it's so thick you can cut it with a soul metal sword. All culminating in the Horror just badmouthing Kouga and basically blabbing about everything.

Like, despite the formula we ended setting up for the show with Kaoru and Kouga and how we get kind of comfortable, from the start you can tell that this is not a perfect situation and that the shoe was going to drop eventually. And boy did it drop, huh?

Thinking about it, the title of the episode is actually kinda brilliant. Not only is it describing what the gate for the Horror is this time around, but it's also the episode where, figuratively speaking, the bubble bursts.

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Also while I don't want to say spoilers in regards to like, story stuff, I will say at least that uh... after that ending? Yeah we're in for something different going forward. I mean we have to be, you know? You can't just end it like that and expect everyone to go back to their usual routine.

I'd be incredibly disappointed if there wasn't at least some sort of shake up going forward! You don't just pull something this big and then try to sweep it under the rug, ya know?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Yeah I completely adored this one. The Horror stuff was at peak creepiness without tipping too far to the point where I start finding it funny, and then it's also like this extremely emotionally raw, important episode for the overarching plot on top of that. It's really, really great!

I feel like whoever wrote/and directed this episode had a serious phobia of koi fish when they were young. And if so it certainly contributed heavily to the atmosphere of the episode!

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Naturally, I especially loved how everything blows up in Kouga's face at the end. It's exactly what Amon was talking about in the previous episode, where his refusal to get close to people has left him trying to maintain a comfortable uncommitted middle-ground that was always doomed to end like this. Kouga would never be cold enough to kill Kaoru, but he also didn't have the courage to actually engage with her in a way that might've prevented things from getting this bad. Like you said, this one was very much driven by the characters, and the writing and performances are insanely strong here.

It just makes the previous episode all the better by extension, and it makes me wonder if the other things that Amon warned Koga about are going to come to a head soon too.

[Switchblade]

This is probably the episode of Garo that freaked me out the most. I generally don't find the show to be very scary, but something about the fish lady just really wigged me out.

[Mesnick]

A memorable, creepy and important episode. Oh, those prickly fingers!

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

This is probably the episode of Garo that freaked me out the most. I generally don't find the show to be very scary, but something about the fish lady just really wigged me out.

so what ur telling is that ur not into mermaids

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

A memorable, creepy and important episode. Oh, those prickly fingers!

Who knew a box cutter could be so dangerous? (The answer is everyone should know that)

[Switchblade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

so what ur telling is that ur not into mermaids

More that I have a pretty intense fear of something unseen being in the water with me. It's the main reason I could never finish Outer Wilds.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

More that I have a pretty intense fear of something unseen being in the water with me. It's the main reason I could never finish Outer Wilds.

I totally get that. There's a reason it took me forever to finish Monster Hunter Tri, despite how much I love that game.

[DreamSword]

Episode 18: World Charm

So much going on in this episode too!

The biggest standout for the franchise as a whole is Jabi, who would serves as the inspiration for almost every Alchemist in the anime entries.

And while Jabi is certainly cool, if we're strictly talking characters the big standout for me in this one was Rei, because I personally find him to be everything that Date from Kamen Rider OOO should've been.

One thing the two definitely share is their method of basically outright challenging people to put their worst foot forward. The main difference being that Date is often called cool, or smart, or kind for it, despite his blatant disregard for the safety of others.

Rei, however, does it here as a way of measuring Koga. He does it solely because he's conflicted on whether or not Koga really is the one that he should be taking his revenge out on, and if Koga steps forward to kill Kaoru, or tries to stop him from telling Kaoru the truth, then that dispels any and all doubt from his mind. It's not dolled up as anything glamorous or noble; It's very much a selfish endeavor and Rei's' way to easy his own mind.

Speaking of the Dark Knight though, I could easily be wrong, but I'm calling now; It's Kaoru's' therapist. There's a brief shot of him talk to her, where you can just make out that he wears a necklace, and it sure as heck looked like a Mado Necklace to me. Add onto that how he had no trouble believing everything Kaoru had to say about Koga and it all lines up perfectly.

...Man, I haven't even really talked about the plot of the episode, have I? It's a wonderful extension of the previous one; Continuing on with its themes and how everything is coming to its natural boiling point in terms of both characterization and plot. There's not even a standard Horror to get in the way this time either, just the internal politics of the Watchdogs and Makai Knights going awry every which way, and a new Makai Alchemist, Jabi, arrives to make everything even more chaotic.

And Jabi makes a good point that I'll admit I never thought about: Why exactly DO the Watchdogs keep all of the Horrors sealed in little daggers and then inside a carrying case? Wouldn't it be simpler and to everyone's' benefit to just chuck them back into the Makai Realm? If it weren't clear that something were going on before, it definitely is now, especially with the revelation of a legend that any Makai Knight who consumes 1000 Horrors would be granted ultimate power unlike anything ever seen before. And I have a feeling that if that's not what they're after, then they certainly are connected to the Dark Knight somehow.

I also wanna note a neat little touch of color symbolism I noticed here too. Koga's' eyes when donning the armor are white this time instead of the usual green, which I think helps to reflect just how lost he is in all of this and that his mind really can't take much more of it. Even if it weren't there, the fact that he struggles hard against Zero when they were an even match before would be telling enough. But still, it's the sort of small detail that I definitely appreciate.

The emotions continued to run high all throughout this episode, and I dug every second of it.

[Fish Sandwich]

Really loved the way this one just continues blasting the status quo apart. As usual with this show and its cohesion, everything is all tied together by the specific theme of (again just like Amon said) people not knowing who to trust... you know, except for the one person who specifically assures us he's unquestionably on Kaoru's side, which does not at all stand out as suspicious in an episode where literally everyone else is questioning these things.

[Enchilada645]

First, I appreciate the meme image. Very nice.

Second, you know I'll be completely honest, totally forgot Kaoru's therapist was a thing.

Anyway yeah, Jabi! She makes a pretty strong first impression here and she's definitely a favorite of mine.

That being said, I vaguely recall this episode, mostly because we're sorta just starting to kick into gear our next act of sorts. Lots of fun character work here, to where we don't even need a Horror to detonate! Always a fun time.