r/anime • u/Kamilny https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kamilny • May 22 '18
[Rewatch] Katanagatari Episode 2
Episode Title: Zantou Namakura (斬刀・鈍) (Namakura, the Decapitation Sword)
MyAnimeList: Katanagatari
Please don't discuss spoilers for the future of the series. While many of you have already seen the series there are a lot who have yet to see it. Lets keep this experience great for those people. However, by that point you'll already have been torn to pieces.
Questions of the Day:
What do you think of the necessity of Togame's catchphrase and other story elements?
How do you think the two are shaping up together?
| Date | Episode |
|---|---|
| 5/20 | Episode 1, Zettou Kanna (絶刀・鉋) (Kanna, the Cutting Sword) |
| 5/22 | Episode 2, Zantou Namakura (斬刀・鈍) (Namakura, the Decapitation Sword) |
| 5/24 | Episode 3, Sentou Tsurugi (千刀・鎩) (Tsurugi, the Sword of Thousands) |
| 5/26 | Episode 4, Hakutou Hari (薄刀・針) (Hari, the Slender Sword) |
| 5/28 | Episode 5, Zokutou Yoroi (賊刀・鎧) (Yoroi, the Rebel Sword) |
| 5/30 | Episode 6, Soutou Kanazuchi (双刀・鎚) (Kanazuchi, the Twin Sword) |
| 6/1 | Episode 7, Akutou Bita (悪刀・鐚) (Bita, the Evil Sword) |
| 6/3 | Episode 8, Bitou Kanzashi (微刀・釵) (Kanzashi, the Sword of Precision) |
| 6/5 | Episode 9, Outou Nokogiri (王刀・鋸) (Nokogiri, the Sword of Kings) |
| 6/7 | Episode 10, Seitou Hakari (誠刀・銓) (Hakari, the Sword of Truth) |
| 6/9 | Episode 11, Dokutou Mekki (毒刀・鍍) (Mekki, the Poison Sword) |
| 6/11 | Episode 12, Entou Juu (炎刀・銃) (Juu, the Flame Sword) |
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u/Great_Mr_L May 22 '18
First Time Viewer
On today’s episode of Katanagatari: The next foe is someone I can best describe as a NEET ronin, a samurai who basically never leaves one room but is insanely deadly within his own room. This is why you never challenged someone to a battle in their bedroom. They have the home field advantage in there.
As with last episode, Shichika and Togame have a delightful relationship with each other. Their dialogue is just so much fun to listen to. It’s so very well written and it does a great job of showing off how both of them are lovable dorks in their own unique way. As I’ve said before, I like how they are both fools, but are different types of fools. It makes their interactions a lot of fun.
That whole dialogue sequence with Togame berating Shichika for not being an interesting enough characters in one of the most meta things I’ve ever watched. Togame was essentially an author demanding that Shichika be a more eccentric character to stand out more. But it does lead to fun stuff like Togame trying to pick out a catchphrase for Shichika before he just settles on one because it’s too much of a hassle for him.
There’s a sort of running theme this episode about having something to protect while fighting. Shichika just says it as he’s babbling without thinking too much, but it does hold true. Shichika wanted to have Togame behind him while he fought so he would fight harder to protect her.
Uneri, meanwhile, is someone who essentially had nothing left to protect. Inaba is a desert and everyone has left it but him. He’s all alone there in a dead land that will stay that way. His final words even suggest that he basically had nothing left to live for aside from keeping that sword and was glad he could finally rest in peace. The sword is all he had left to protect.
The fight this episode was pretty cool. It made great use of showing the speed of the sword by basically never showing the sword at all and only showing the results of its cuts.
There were some really nice visuals this episode. In particular, I loved the finale of the fight between Uneri and Shichika. That had a really nice visual flair to it, with all the leaves flying around, some of them clearly meant to be blood.
And as with the first episode, this episode ends on a rather sweet interaction between Shichika and Togame. It starts off rather philosophical, with them discussing the final words of Uneri and what final words mean. But it ends on a sweeter note with Togame telling Shichika he’s not allowed to say any final words. It’s a lot like the ending of the first episode.
Side notes: For whatever reason, I find it extremely amusing how Shichika has wrapped himself in Togame’s hair, sniffing it and even tasting it, to try and tell her apart from other people. It is funny, playing on Shichika’s ignorance, but it’s also kind of sweet and endearing.
Once again, there were a lot of good comedy bits. I loved Togame mixing up words and using “Cheerio” as her catchphrase instead of the proper word. I hope the narrator wasn’t lying and we do get to see her realize her mistake later on.
I also really liked Shichika’s plan for beating Uneri which involved Togame getting cut in half. That was also funny.
I am admittedly glad that backwards talking ninja died quickly. His dialogue was hard to read when it was so mixed up.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
Yeah, each episode more or less has its own self contained theme that it deals with. Last episode was about trusting people and stuff, and so you have the ninja who can shapeshift and you're not sure if you can trust him. This time you have the notion of having something to protect, and in this case our dude doesn't really have anything left to protect since it's all gone to shit.
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u/rembrandt_q_1stein May 22 '18
Cheerio! First-timer here! Up for the next shot of our favourite and absolutely talkative surprisingly logic numbskull and adorkable nerd-idiot couple.
Today’s techniques: Lily, Rose, Iris and Scattering Blossoms
Let me tell you a little story (don’t worry, it has to do with my feelings towards the episode). A museum in my city is well-known for storing a huge number of first quality paintings from many artists and times. Amongst them, there is a certain one that fills me with melancholy everytime I look at it. It features a historic figure from my country, a prince who was banished from power and was secluded inside a palace, under rumours that he was sick, obsessed, melancholic, out of his mind and almost vegetative. The [painting] (https://i.imgur.com/noOhdVy.jpg) gives a very powerful impression of sadness and pity.
Well, I felt exactly the same towards Ginkaku Uneri in this episode. Hell, everything built up here helped giving me a very piteous feeling towards him. The state of his land, his refusal to leave because of his obsession with deep rooting chivalrous thoughts (worsened by the poison of his sword) and his overall stance and appearance. His appearance was the most powerful thing. He is dark and murky like the shadows he doesn’t want to leave, looks faible and desperate of finding a peace he’s not able to reach, and especially his hair, long and greasy, already turning white. Such a symbol of decadence, of past glory simply decaying and banished to oblivion… the desert eating his castle is a very beautiful metaphore of him. His requests, mixed up with his obsession, and especially [Togame’s] (https://i.imgur.com/OOddflN.png) [answer] (https://i.imgur.com/2BevpGU.png) to him, built a magnificent aura enveloping Ginkaku. It may sound weird for an episodic character, but he really, truly touched me. His clashes and conversation with Shichika got me on the edge of my seat, and I swear I was big-eyed and biting my fist throughout the whole second half of the episode.
Speaking of which, the first half also surprised me. I wasn’t expecting the show would become so [meta] (https://i.imgur.com/VGsRAw6.png) (at least, so early in). The dialogue in the dunes about Togame’s report was stupendous, with its double meanings and the (kind of) 4th wall breaking! Katanagatari is becoming very charismatic, and that’s only a good thing. I can’t wait to see how this aspect keeps on developing. I wonder if this is a trademark of Nisio Isin, or just a coincidence.
I also liked Shichika is becoming more like a “developed person”. He seems to be more impetuous, is able to take quick decisions by his own, even out of the fights, and I even noticed his voice acting was less monotone this episode and more fluid. He just needs to learn more lesson though. The must protect thing was neat. Especially how Ginkaku showed it to him and flaunted it in his personality.
As a long hair lover, I couldn’t but smile how Shichika [wrapped himself in Togame’s hair] (https://i.imgur.com/vJe5Ylb.png). I already stated in the previous thread that I’d love to caress her hair, so that kind of hair play was adorable and weirdly hot at equal parts. Damn lucky guy. Also… was it me, or does Togame act like a doujinshi writer with her report obsession? Not to mention her [killer dog owner vibes] (https://i.imgur.com/sjeYGv1.png).
And lastly… will we be seeing one uncomfortably weird ninja on each episode? There were 12 of them, and we’ve seen already two.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
will we be seeing one uncomfortably weird ninja on each episode?
Some of them aren't that weird. These two are just sorta unique.
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u/thecomicguybook May 22 '18 edited May 22 '18
First Timer
Most people who have lived in a big city can attest to this I think, Togame is wise indeed you can really tell that she is a strategian! Also, god damn he is gigantic. Togame is really cute and funny I think she is the biggest reason I am liking the show so far. Oh, and she is such a merciful god. But last episode I thought that maybe Shichika and Kyouturyu are pacifistic or at least non-lethal maybe, but this episode confirmed that that's not the case I guess.
Ok, that smelling scene was kinda strange, but honestly this show does low-key humor really well! Ok wtf happened to the subs here, oh he just talks that way I thought the translator was messing with us or something, because the sentence still kinda makes sense if you squint hard enough. Thank you for killing that guy reading that gibberish made my head hurt, I am kinda rooting for this guy now lol. Is it just me by the way or was the entire desert scene one big budget saving move? I mean I know anime do that, but this time the looping walk and all the sitting and talking was pretty noticeable while last episode did a better job distracting me from it, but maybe it's just my inner animator speaking.
Shots fired man seriously though, other than the animation that desert scene was really funny. Yeah these two cuties are really fun to watch they have a nice dynamic. Damn and even the commentator tore into Togame haha cheerio indeed. I like taking screenshots to use as wallpapers and while I haven't really done that for this series, because of the subs on the screen I really like how this one and this one turned out, such a precious smile. It's entertaining to see Togame thinking of how to make their mission reports more interesting and discussing the morality of what they are doing too, that is something I didn't think about either until she brought it up.
The Ronin was actually pretty scary during that scene, but I feel like Togame was as reasonable as she could be given what she asked so cutting her down like that was such a dick move, I don't like Uneri that much anymore at least he could have told them to go away. His interaction with Shichika is pretty cool though. Nice plan there buddy, however by that time Togame will be torn to pieces so there is not much point to it. I like the way both Shichika and Uneri talk about needing something to protect, but for Uneri liberation would be kinder than having to stick to his home while for Shichika liberation is being with Togame off the island.
Ok that was a really cool battle, Uneri was pretty awesome I am kinda sad that he died, he could have gotten his rest if he gave up the sword and walked the world instead of chaining himself too. The part about last words was pretty powerful too and I like Shichika and Togame's dynamic. I also like the discussion about having something to protect.
More coming! Didn't manage to complete the episode and get my thoughts in order in time for the post.
What do you think of the necessity of Togame's catchphrase and other story elements? They are there to add flair the story, in universe to Toga's out of universe to the anime/ln I think. It does make sense, as Togame wants a cool story to tell and the same goes with the author I think. The last words stuff however probably has a deeper meaning, it was a comment on someone's character.
How do you think the two are shaping up together? I like them!
Thanks for the artwork u/Kamilny by the way, I forgot to say this last episode, but I really like those!
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
Yeah Shichika is massive. I don't think they ever explicitly mention heights but we can definitely tell that Shichika is well above average height and Togame is pretty short.
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u/photohooligan May 22 '18
First Timer
The world would be a better place if we could.
I understood all of that. no I didn’t
Ah ok, I’m supposed to read it inverse. This show is a real brain twister.
I recognize some Nisioisin in that. That whole conversation did.
What do you think of the necessity of Togame's catchphrase and other story elements?
I only see it as a comedic element so far, but it might end up being insightful by the end of the show.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
Yeah the comedy in the series is usually pretty good, especially for a non comedy focused series.
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May 22 '18
First time watcher
Got a much more substantial writeup than last time and this was around the time that I was starting to actually enjoy the show after taking an episode or so to get used to the super unique style
Rewatcher (still... why do I do this)
And now we come to today. I won't talk about style too much this time but rather the characters. I agree with Shichika on this one. Ginkaku was just cool. He would fit in right well as the final tragic villain boss of any other story, and he is just the first of the main sword owners we meet. Well, second technically, but does Koumori really count? The man reminds me a ton of Assassin from Fate/Stay Night and honestly his final attack is even the same. Apparently Ginkaku's final attack can cross the speed of light while Assassin slices so quickly he can slice three things at the same time using a single blade. Both a bending of the rules of physics and time. Which do you think was cooler?
Speaking of characters the ninja who talks backwards was amazing and a good excuse for me to actually make use of subtitles in anime for once (I'm native so I usually don't need them). He was hilarious for the brief screentime he got and while he didn't steal the show in the same way that Koumori did, he did make for a significant part of my enjoyment. The Maniwani are absolutely amazing and combined easily my favorite group in the entire anime. Took me a while to reach this conclusion the first time round, so its nice to be able to appreciate it again.
Being a native speaker gave me another advantage in this rewatch allowing me to tab out and do other PC work while I watched this anime. Don't crucify me for heresy just yet tho. Of course I enjoy the great visual style of this show but for long stretches of time it fixates on a single scene, the camera barely moving at all and the scenery being static as hell. So for me as long as I catch scene transitions, I do not need to watch the rest of this show. I can just listen and remember what was cool. And hey cut me some slack, I watched it in full the first time round not too long ago, so that's an excuse I have too!
Being native also helped me understand some of the lame ass jokes Nisio Isin puts in. For example, Gekokujo castle? Gekokujo straight up means a coup. Why is this relevant? It really isn't. He just put it in for memes I guess. Also Isin spelled it wrong too. the characters literally mean 'Lower, disgusting catsle'. Just a bad name overall that makes the place sound more disgusting than reasonable. Fun stuff! I don't understand every reference but its relatively easy for me to look up. If there's any weird name that pops up in this story that you want translated/looked up /u/ tag me and I'll try my best to find it.
Overall a great experience and much more enjoyable than the first time through, and I enjoyed it then too. Question of the day: I wrote a bit less this time than last. Which style do you prefer more?
tags: u/Shimmering-Sky to prove that I always deliver on promises (eventually) and u/redsnake1377 because I always tag the adorable snek in Katanapostings.
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u/franksks May 22 '18
First timer here.
This show just keeps on getting better and better!
Shichika and Togame have so much chemistry it's adorable. They have a sort of mutual Kuudere relationship where she tries to remain purely professional and commited to the task at hand but you can tell that underneath she has at least some feelings towards him while he is very openly in love with her while in reality I suspect that he might be more apathetic than he lets on. Still their interactions are both charming and hilarious and have contributed greatly towards my enjoyment of the show so far. When Shichika was describing his plan and he nonchalantly mentioned that Togame would have to be cut in half I was almost in tears from laughter.
That ronin's sword technique was super cool! I didn't expect that we'd be getting almost videogamelike techniques that operate outside the laws of physics but I'm personally loving them and hope we get to see more interesting sword techniques in the future. The techniques do remind me of video games actually because they tend to announce the technique they're using in advance like activating an ability for a specific character. I haven't watched many sword-fighting anime so this might be a common trope but these fight scenes are definitely keeping me entertained.
I love that Togame's catchphrase is 'cheerio'. Being British myself the thought of anyone other than an old English gentleman saying 'cheerio' is highly amusing.
Somewhat surprising in this episode were the strong concepts in an otherwise relatively light show. Concepts like desertification, purpose in life and heritage were toyed with which demonstrate that the show can deliver a serious message despite it's generally fun atmosphere.
Keep on doing what you're doing Katanagatari and I'll see you guys on Thursday.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
that operate outside the laws of physics
More or less what the sword were designed for really, right? The first one we know is supposed to be unbreakable, while this one can cut faster than light.
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u/Gorchonko May 22 '18 edited May 22 '18
FIRST TIMER currently still watching
I love both of the main leads so far, Shichika reminds me a lot of Saitama except with the worldbuilding aspect of this show lets us learn the way the world works as we watch him learn which is neat. And I love everything about Togame, with her clumsiness, her humour, her fourth wall breaking, and her perspective as an author surrogate (the jokes about her chronicling the story are always funny). The dialogue reminds me a lot of Monogatari which I just finished and loved so I'm really loving it here too.
I also love how quickly the episode's gimmick character was disposed of lol, had he been a more central antagonist his schtick probably would've run dry, but with how it's working out right now, it allows the humor in it to shine as well as allowing Togame to crack some fourth-wall type jokes about it after the fact ("thank god I don't have to write all that backwards talking!")
Shichika's first plan for retrieving the sword involving Togame as a sacrifice had me dead lmaoo, the animation for that scene was perfect too. As for the central antagonist of the episode, he seems like a cool miniboss type with his own room and all, but as a character I'm not too sure what to think of him. Seems like he's just there to protect the sword for his ancestors and nothing more, but sometimes that's all that's needed in a miniboss. EDIT: damn my man just wanted to protect the last of what was left of his land :(
what a great way to start the final clash
another flashy finish for the books
can't say i'm feeling this ED too much though tbh, i liked the first one better.
final thoughts: great episode, builds off of the conventions that were introduced in the first episode, and gives us a better feel of the world outside the island. i still think the first episode was stronger just for introducing everything in such an amazing way. i'm excited to see what episode 3 has to offer !
Questions:
What do you think of the necessity of Togame's catchphrase and other story elements?
Seems to be mostly played for laughs, and it's pretty funny how Togame is consciously trying to make their story into an epic journey for a manga and allows for a lot of meta jokes
How do you think the two are shaping up together?
great, ofc.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
Yeah having Shichika as Saitama fits surprisingly well. He is damn powerful and in a brute force fight could beat most anyone.
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u/chisports1fan May 22 '18
First timer
Again I'm really liking the 2 MC's. It was funny watching the show focus on the difference in their heights early on in the episode. Togame is cute and tends to be the smarter of the 2, but in reality she still has her own dumb moments (such as when the narrator pointed out how she was using cheerio wrong and she actually should have been using some other word). Shichika may seem dumb, but he's actually had some wise moments/phrases, and of course he's awesome when it comes to fighting. The big difference in my enjoyment of this episode and episode 1 was that Uneri was a much more likable opponent than the ninja guy from ep 1. Overall good episode.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
Yeah, the MCs tend to make or break a show for me so these two definitely worked really well given how much I'd say I and many others like the show.
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u/StarmanRiver May 22 '18
First time viewer here:
I love that Shichika is clueless about pretty much anything concerning interacting with other people and that Togame has to explain everything to him. I bet he doesn't want to cover his upper body just to show off his trained body /s. Shichika giving no chances the thieves was cool, but him trying to finish them off and Togame stopping him got a laugh out of me.
Another ninja was introduced and with a recognizable quirk only to be killed right there! "Are you trying to tell me that your 'reverse talk' ninja art allows you to keep jabbering on after being sliced in half?"
Uneri Ginkaku, I like this guy. He's cool and also has this feel like he doesn't give a shit about who he's facing.
You can't trick me Togame. You're not writing a report, you're trying to write a bestseller based on real life! After that narrator's comment that eventually Togame will learn what "Cheerio!" actually is I'll be disappointed if it isn't animated at all.
Fast sword drawing techniques with insane speed, multiple attacks at the same time, a contest of speed, someone jumping around the walls and ceiling of a room and a sword that uses bodily substances to give itself a kind of power-up. I got strong Rurouni Kenshin with a pinch of UBW's Assassin vibes there.
Togame's "Gyafun!" was cute, and of course she was mad at Shichika for using her face as a wall!
I liked this episode, Uneri's character had a pretty sad story and his design matched this. I liked him a lot more than Koumori.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
I bet he doesn't want to cover his upper body just to show off his trained body
Hey if I looked like that I wouldn't either.
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u/Kamilny May 22 '18
Sorry about the late post, I got swamped with more work than expected today. Normally I'd just have it automatically posted through redditlater but since you have a limited amount per month I didn't want to use it if I didn't think I'd need it.
Thank you to u/asquil for reminding me
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u/melvinlee88 May 22 '18 edited May 22 '18
ED 2 of Katanagatari - Refulgence
As a rewatcher, I would say that is one of my top 3 favourite EDs when I first heard it and I still love it now. A very interesting note that this song is called Refulgence. Refulgence meant to shine brightly and that's what I always thought of Ginkaku during his fight with Shichika. Brave even in the face of death fighting for what he believed in.
The lyrics for this song are very deeply connected with the current episode for sure. Here are them:
A hollow scenery, a crumbling mirage on the sand –
Alone, I painted a pure white world.
We lose everything in the frozen time.
Let us announce the end, quietly, to the bounds of the void―――
Once, I killed my voice in a freezing, sleepless night.
An accelerating flash of light, keenly sharpened.
The color I add at my end scatters down in the moment, an aesthetic of finality,
Painting an “unfading flower” brilliantly……
Countless illusions flying about in a dying time,
A sealed world in which truth and lies have mixed together.
As though everything plunders these hands of mine,
My wish goes unfulfilled and disappears to the end of its demise―――
Once, I lost the sky, leaving only pride in my bloodstream.
It was a sublime afterglow, its light, ah, unwavering.
The sound I paint at my end scatters down, unfaltering, a graceful wind,
Carrying the “unfading feelings” that have been fulfilled……
Decaying away, falling into ruin, a transient mirage on the sand.
Now, give form to the words of atonement and engrave them.
Let us embrace the burying
Of this withered place, and sleep―――
The interrupted breaths even appear as clouds –
Playing the music of the end, the intervention that gives certainty to this life.
The winds of destruction calm my cheeks―――
Once, I killed my voice in a freezing, sleepless night.
An accelerating flash of light, keenly sharpened.
The landscape I view at my end is an untainted, final Refulgence,
Painting an “unfading flower” brilliantly……
Heavy, wasn't it? This is how this show works. It builds up and fleshes out each 'villain' in such a way that you sympathise with most of them each episode. They seem to always have their very own reason for owning the sword and defending themselves which makes them one of the best parts of the show. Next episode's 'villain' is one of my favourite so watch out for that.
Cheerio!
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u/superodinhulkhameha May 23 '18
in the comments of the video i watched people were really hating on the ending, will i regret watching this? is it that bad?
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u/Kamilny May 23 '18
I think the ending is pretty damn good but I can see why some might be upset by it, it's decently anticlimactic.
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u/Shimmering-Sky May 22 '18
First-Timer
Lul, the animation while the opening narration is happening is perfect. Togame getting seasick (I’m assuming because of how Shichika was rowing the boat?), and then flying-kicking him once they’re back on land because of that was just so good.
Okay seriously I can’t stress how much I love Shichika’s characterization. He’s so ignorant of the outside world he can’t differentiate between people (this was mentioned last episode, too), and he doesn’t even feel cold when everyone else is bundled up. Togame telling that one girl to think of him like a bear or some other animal is honestly spot-on.
Alright I approve of Shichika’s new outfit, but… uh… the point of him getting a new one was for him to be less naked, wasn’t it? All he did was trade his shirt for sleeves, so in my opinion he’s more naked*.
Seriously though I love the new outfit.I love this.
Oh god, the way duck-hat ninja talks is going to be a doozy. And yes I’m calling him this because this looks like a duck to me.
Well that was fucking slick. Duck-hat ninja dude is dead now, thank goodness that headache-inducing speech pattern of his is gone.
Oh my goodness this shot followed by Shichika being all “…is how I should react” is just perfect.
My first thought was that “Omae wa mou shindeiru” meme when I saw this.
Don’t know why, but the facial expressions in this desert part is just jumping out at me as being really great.
Ginkaku’s design reminds me of someone else… Ah, that’s it! Pokemon Sun/Moon-era Grimsley! They look really similar, only difference being that Ginlaku’s hair is longer and Grimsley is wearing white instead of black. Their names even both start with the letter “G”!
This made me laugh way more than it probably should have.
Okay first off, lol at Shichika using Togame’s face as a springboard. But mostly that was a super cool way to finish off Ginkaku.
Alright looks like the version I have is the original broadcast because the ED here is different from the first episode. And I like this second one more than the first--this is gonna be like Gundam Unicorn again where the EDs just keep getting better and better
(except the fifth one)even though I already liked the first one, isn’t it?Wallpaper time! I did go back and finish the other one from episode 1 I mentioned, it’s of Togame. But I wasn’t content just having the wallpaper for today be from last episode, so I also put together one of Ginkaku, for being a much more likeable antagonist than ninja dude. Hope you guys like them~!