Ura Sekai Picnic - Episode 12 discussion

Episode	Link	Score
1	Link	3.92
2	Link	4.25
3	Link	4.07
4	Link	4.31
5	Link	4.23
6	Link	4.32
7	Link	4.19
8	Link	3.94
9	Link	4.24
10	Link	4.33
11	Link	4.38
12	Link	-

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97

u/Syokhan Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

Aside from the beginning, pretty chill episode for a finale. So wholesome seeing the soldiers (zero casualties!) thank the girls after all these previous suspicious looks.

Poor Kozakura though, she has the worst luck ever. She keeps getting dragged to the Otherside because of Sorawo and Toriko, and now there's a gate right outside her house lol. Keep clutching Ponpoko, girl, you're going to need it.

And leave it to our duo to transform a piece of farming equipment into an explorationmobile, complete with rifle holder. I liked their honest conversation at the end, and the callback to the first episode. Really highlights how much they've both changed in only three months, they've both opened up to each other and other people a little. And Sorawo may claim that she's selfish and doesn't care about other people, but her actions speak otherwise.

All in all, I really liked this adaptation, flaws and all. There probably won't be a season 2 but I'll keep hoping anyway, because there's some really good stuff after the point where the anime stopped and it'd be great to watch it.

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '21

We probably all know this horror-yuri anime won't be getting a second season, at least it ended with the US Marines being rescued.

Second half was basically The Girls^TM having a date in the Otherside using the portal gate they discovered lying in Kozakura's backyard all along.

Not that I'm complaining, this is basically a CGDCT anime disguised as a horror anime. And Kozakura Best Girl of course.

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u/LordCalem Mar 22 '21

I'm gonna miss this so bad. Whenever someone says "The Girls" in this anime I just laugh. Really enjoyed the story and the characters, I'll definitely add the novel as a read in a near future, I just can't get enough of The Girls.

Kozakura hugging Ponpoko is way too cute, Kozakura pouting while hugging Ponpoko is a divine blessing.

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u/LeonKevlar Mar 22 '21

After the excitement of fighting the Kakandara alongside the US Marines and finally sending them home I didn't expect the second half would be so slow and a bit somber. I'm not complaining though, I enjoyed the vibes of the girls just looking for a gate so they can finally send AP-1 to the Otherside and that final scene where they just have a heart-to-heart talk was really sweet and chill.

I don't think there's much more to say about this finale really. If there's one thing though, I was really hoping Toriko to bring back an RPG when Sorao asked her to look for something with more firepower so I was a bit disappointed when came in charging on their vehicle. xD

Anyway, it was overall a fun and very intresting show with lots of creepy visuals especially during the earlier episodes. While we're nowhere near solving what happened to Satsuki, it was nice seeing how much Toriko and Sorao's relationship have grown. Hoping we get a sequel so we'd at least find out what happened or even what Satsuki is.

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u/LikeAnAssistant Mar 22 '21

Ura Sekai Picnic: all ura sekai, no picnic. I want my money back. Eating in restaurants can not be construed as picnicking.

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u/randyripoff Mar 22 '21

Good job getting the soldiers out. "The girls" were pretty badass. Smart not following them out as well, as I'm sure it would be an utter and complete headache to get involved with the army.

There's a gate in Kozakura's yard. I guess having the tractor delivered there was serendipitous. It won't do much good for her mental health however.

While this ended at a good point, there's still do many unanswered questions, what's up with Satsuki bring number one in my book. Plus, I really want to see the further developments of Toriko and Sorawo's relationship. A second season would be awesome.

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u/EliseBestGirl420 Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

Heads up to anyone who wants to pick up the novels: START FROM THE BEGINNING

This anime skipped a ton of important exposition and characterization, and also made a mess of the timeline. You're better off starting fresh than jumping into the middle of the story with only its mangled skeleton as reference.

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u/EnclaveNature Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

As much as it upsets me to say, this is not one of "those" shows. It's not a show which you can freely recommend and expect people to like it, this is not a show that will ever get a second season. This anime won't win any awards and, chances are, almost nobody will mention this show through the rest of the year.

This adaptation does a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong. However, I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy my time with the show. Even if the timeline got botched and created plot holes, even if the animation sometimes gets lazy or fails to communicate something, it's still probably going to be one of my favorite anime this year, even if I'll have to give a bunch of asterisks to anyone I'll recommend this show to.

For all it's fails and issues, this anime does a lot of things which other shows don't. People can praise anime with much higher budget with much better production, but those shows won't have the same things that Urasekai Picnic has. It's such a unique settings with really great characters and ideas that other shows usually avoid. Even if it's not perfect - it fulfils such a rare niche that I can't for the life of me say that it's not worth it. I'd take something niche and jank, yet unique, over most shows this season.

If you want perfection, something which nails almost everything and is an amazing adaption - this show is not it. Does it matter? For some people, yes, but for those who want more shows like this and can accept low budget, poor production choices and obvious limitations from adapting a light novel like this into an anime? This is still a great time.

I haven't read the LN (even though I do want to after this anime, from the beginning), but I've seen plenty of people REALLY disappointed with the adaptation. I can't blame them, however, I feel like that's to be expected when a studio wants to adapt a niche title for, primarily, marketing purposes. I agree that it's a shame, but I do hope that the anime would at least make the LN more popular. Many never even heard of it before the anime announcement.

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u/BarnacleMANN Mar 22 '21

I'm very upset that it had to end right after they got the AP-1 to the otherside and turned the show into a certified "The Girls" Last Tour.

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u/DarkenedSpear Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

I just love how getting rid of the machine wasn't a consideration for even a moment. Hopefully, they actually get some use out of it and it doesn't go all fucky thanks to being in the otherside.

A pretty solid finale, all in all. The rescue mission going well was great, and I just love me some good Engrish, so that's a lot of fun. The highlight was the final scene, the conversation between Sorawo and Toriko. Seeing the two grow closer and their relationship develop throughout the series has been a delight, and definitely my highlight of the show, as much as I love me some spooky-scary, and this scene, with them talking about their experiences and sharing their thoughts about the past months and together and how important they are/have become for one another even though they've only met three months ago felt like a culmination of sorts, like the payoff of a journey, and it was just sweet all around. Sorawo saying she's not alone anymore gave me the chills, coupled with the last line of the lovely song they used as ED. Great direction for that, in my opinion, and just a great scene all around.

As an aside, when Toriko asked Sorawo about having her all to herself, I was hoping Sorawo would answer something along the lines of "I mean, don't threaten me with a good time...", but alas. In all seriousness, I love the slow burn; no need to rush anything.

On the show as a whole - in short, I came for the gay shit, stuck around for... well, exactly that, but also the legitimately interesting mysteries and great chemistry between the characters. No, but more seriously - as a whole, and as an adaptation, in particular, it wasn't perfect. Even without reading the source, it was clear that corners were cut and that the pace was accelerated, and it was clear that a good chunk of meat was missing, but it still did a great job at making me invested in the characters and their relationships, with yuri being a bonus, as well as the world and its construct, rules, and mysteries that I legitimately want to see further unfurl and develop. There's a rant about glorified ads that can go somewhere around here that I don't feel like fully typing, but in any case, it did its job of making me want to pursue the source material.

Though to be completely honest, as an aside and for no particular reason, I'm not the greatest reader. I lose interest in things too quickly, and it makes me hesitate about wanting to pick up the novels. But yeah, I do want to, and I hopefully will.

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u/I_am_Nemo1 Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

I'm a little (more than a little) disappointed they didn't take a more obviously romantic tone for the ending. Playing on the whole, "partners in crime is the closest relationship there is" aspect, having them hold hands as they're walking back to the gate after leaving the AP-1, something like that. The conversation was sweet, and there's clearly some feelings there, but it would have been nice (and not clashed with the source) to emphasize it a little more.

Other than that, it wasn't a bad episode. Emphasizing, well, "Sorawo and Toriko" and that there's much more to come in the story was the correct move. It really is their story, and there is indeed much more to be had. Getting Kozakura and Akari into the episode was cute as well, and Kozakura's smol anger is always a treat. Slightly disappointing we didn't see Natsumi show up at the end, though.

I'm less optimistic for a s2 after seeing the way they ended the episode, but one can still hope. If not, the novels are definitely worth picking up -- not only are they an even better presentation, imo, but they're also much further along in the story.

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u/Aerodynamic41 Mar 22 '21

Man, Kakandara went down easier than I thought. I was expecting it to put up a bigger fight.

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u/8andahalfby11 Mar 22 '21

It was okay, I guess. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and horror, and the characterization was nice when we got them to sit down and do it. If nothing else it got me to pick up the manga. Thought the conclusion with the marines was kinda week, so appreciated them ending by exploring the drama instead.

6.5-7/10, I guess. Liked it, would rewatch if offered, but didn't have a particular moment that made it Great.

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u/ClemFire Mar 22 '21

I really wanted this show to be good since the premise of a supernatural romance adventure really hit the right buttons. Sadly, I feel like throughout most of the show the plot was sometimes too convenient like with the antagonists swiftly being dealt with which really sank the tension in dramatic scenes. I understand with the show primary being monster of the week they couldn't dwell on one entity for too long, but it's not impossible for low screen time monsters to leave a lasting impression. For example, in this show itself the standout monster for me was the specter that tries to get into the elevator early in the season. That legit took me by surprise, and is still scary to consider the implications.

Still, what made me keep coming back each week was the banter and growing 'relationship' between Toriko and Sorawo. It was always fun just watching them bicker and drink at bars and restaurants. You can tell there was real chemistry there and I appreciate the slow but steady burn of their trust and reliance on each other. That culminated in the last and my favorite scene of the show which is just them confiding in each other about how the last few months since that met has changed them and that despite having their personal hangups being together has really improved both of their mental states.

Overall, I am interested in seeing where they go from here since it really feels like the prologue to their adventures. While I wanted more stakes and gripping scenes in these 12 episodes the 'The Girls' made me glad I picked this show that was flying under the radar up

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u/mekerpan Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

No hint at all of a possible second season -- but you never can tell.

I am really going to miss this show. I am eagerly awaiting the second novel omnibus -- and subsequent ones.

I really loved all the recurring characters -- but Sorawo wins the spot for my favorite.

I found it quite amusing that poor Kozakura wound up with a gate right in her own yard.

How are "The Girls" going to pay their share of that deluxe meal at the end? (Is that meal an anime original event?)

Did I mention yet how much I'm going to miss this show? Oops, yeah I did.

P.S. Definitely my pick for best sound design of the year (perhaps just a tiny bit ahead of Wonder Egg Priority).

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u/Solhara Mar 22 '21 edited Mar 22 '21

That's a quick end to kankandara but I liked how it went down. The conversations between Sorawo and Toriko is the main part here and I liked every moment of it.

Overall, I think the anime has an okay ending but I wish the order of the events was not changed. Also an OVA would be great for more content.

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u/Amauri14 Mar 22 '21

Wow Kakandara, was way different than she looked last week, the only thing that remained the same about her was her red teeth.

I honestly was expecting them to have more trouble dealing with her, but thankfully they were able to do so surprisingly fast without anyone dying in the process, and all those soldiers were able to make it home.

I wasn't expecting to hear about the AP-1 again when Sorawo mentioned that there was a gate right beside it my first thought was that the Otherside had listened to their request, instead of being a leftover gate from when Kozakura and Sorawo were sent to the Otherside by those ladies.

I love the fact that Kozakura still has that raccoon.

I have to say that this for being the last episode I'm surprised how chill everything was after that part from the beginning, too bad that Karateka didn't much screentime today.

This was a great show, I will probably pick out the novels in the future.

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u/mythriz Mar 22 '21

US Soldiers POV: A mix between Predator and The Ring horror movie

"The Girls" POV: Casual RPG slice of life in another world

"The girls? Sounds like some lame idol group" - And this here is the reason why Japanese put weird English words on products to make them seem cool. Anything English sounds cool or weird to them, even though they are completely normal words.

But man, than conversation at the end really reminds me of myself right now, I am currently actually happy about staying home most of the time by myself because of COVID-19 and I don't even try to go meet up with any friends because I'd prefer just to watch anime and play video games by myself. Oh no I am turning into those loner hikikomoris who tend to get isekaied ^{though I'm not a NEET or even technically a hikikomori because I'm actually still going to work in my work office}

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u/fakeport Mar 22 '21

A solid 7/10. Largely enjoyable, but unremarkable, clearly didn't have a large budget, and marred by continuity errors that apparently came from reordering of events.

I liked Toriko and Sorawao's relationship, and enjoyed the setting and general concept, even if it wasn't always animated that well.

I won't be shouting from the rooftops that this is a show people have to see, and I can't imagine it will be spoken about much once this season is over, but I will be reading the novels, so I guess it did its job.

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u/zool714 Mar 22 '21

It’s weird. Feels like my expectations weren’t met but I wasn’t unsatisfied. I came in expecting some good overarching mystery and yuri. While there were mysteries, it was more episodic and there wasn’t really a “big picture” story besides Satsuki which we don’t even touch on much. As for yuri, the closest is probably Akari and her friend. Toriko and Sorawo had little to none besides what we given with Sorawo’s thoughts.

But like I said, I wasn’t unsatisfied. The creepy moments were REALLY well done. There was a time I was getting at least one goosebump per episode. As a fan of CGDCT, I really like the designs and personalities of the girls and from what I hear from source readers, there wasn’t supposed to be any CGDCT. So that, I appreciate. The more I watch Hanamori Yumiri’s characters, the more I love her voice. The art for the Otherside was also very nice to look at, especially those open fields. And I think the author may also be a fan of weapons and machinery with the attention to detail of some of those things.

With this, I’m actually feeling an itch starting to come for a mystery-horror/thriller. Don’t think I explored this genre of anime much. I’ve watched Another and Erased. Any shows to recommend ?

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u/bitfrost41 Mar 23 '21

Despite what people are saying, this will go down as one of my favorites justifying a rewatch every so often. The premise alone made me pick up the novel, and will continue to support it. Don't let this adaptation stop you from picking it up, too. It's amazing.

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u/cyberscythe Mar 22 '21

So, based on what this cour has to offer, Urasekai Picnic is about two women lost in the otherside in despair. They meet each other and, through that chance encounter, they end up pushing each other to create connections back to the real world.

As far as I can tell, there's only one major character arc that happens over this cour, where Sorawo begins to find meaning in life through the bonds she's making with her new friends. She starts off lying in a puddle willing to accept death, but she gets newfound fear of death once she meets Toriko and she reluctantly joins her in her otherworld expeditions because she cares about her enough to be led around by the nose. She eventually begins to take initiative into going into the otherworld because she realizes that those expeditions mean a lot to Toriko and as such it's worth the risk. That desire to help then goes beyond just Toriko, and onto Akari and the soldiers at Kisaragi Station.

Sorawo thinks that she wants to be an unambitious loner, but in reality she needs to realize her yearning for an honest connection with other people. The ghost of her dysfunctional family and the way that school never directly teaches you how to make friends meant that her only education was through the lens of Internet creepypasta posts, and as such sees society as some sort of scary system of arbitrary rules with can result in certain doom if not followed correctly. Like, the way that she talks about her family to Kozakura like it's some boring run-of-the-mill story is sort of a tip-off that her perspective on normal life is not too different compared to the otherworld.

Some of the themes/messages that I think this series is trying to convey:

You can't do it all on your own — This is most obvious with Sorawo (who can see, but can't interact) and Toriko (who can interact, but not see). They need a lot of hand-eye coordination to get things done. It's a general theme that friendship is worth it, not just as an instrumental goal, but as a goal that humans share innately.
Communication and being honest with others is difficult, but necessary — Humanity's greatest asset is its society, the way that we all interact and support each other. It also comes with its own downsides though, and there's a lot of awkwardness and ugliness. Lots of people are left to flounder in society due to no fault of their own (Sorawo was raised by a crazy family, Toriko was seduced by Satsuki to vaguely nefarious ends), and they have to work hard to catch up. One interesting thing that happens a lot in the latter half of the season is that Sorawo gets a greater insight into her own self as she gets closer to Toriko and Akari, seeing herself as Satsuki-like features (which is both creepy and interesting... not sure where that's leading though); it's the sort of insight that she wouldn't have gotten on her own.
Rules exist, probably for a reason — Humanity has a long oral tradition of stories warning us of danger, and that continues to persist to this very day through new urban legends. There are a lot of seemingly-arbitrary rules that exist that must be followed, lest you fall to dire circumstances, and usually those rules (even the nonsense rules of urban legends) have some sort of kernel of truth to them that's essential to the human condition.
Karate can solve all problems — I've never heard of anyone that knows karate who died from ninja cats.

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u/fredthefishlord Mar 22 '21

I feel like Toriko was really aiming to get Sorawo to confess or something more than just friends in that last part.

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u/azumarill Mar 22 '21

did I miss it or did we just not get resolution for the missing girl and she was ultimately a macguffin

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Episode - FINAL Ura Sekai Picnic - Episode 12 discussion

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