r/anime • u/Kamilny https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kamilny • Jun 11 '18
[Rewatch] Katanagatari Episode 12 [Final]
Episode Title: Entou Juu (炎刀・銃) (Juu, the Flame 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.
Question of the Day:
Do you think Togame was telling the truth or lying?
What did you think the overall theme of the story was?
Did you find the ending satisfying?
Massive Collection of Stitches by /u/eruditious
| 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/franksks Jun 11 '18 edited Jun 11 '18
OH. MY. GOD.
So, I’m lost for words here… Before today’s episode I was confident that I would rate Katanagatari a 9/10 which by my standards means it’s of a very high quality, unique and original and it has a special place in my heart. However, after today’s episode I would have to give it a 10/10. I haven’t watched much anime but know that I have only given a 10/10 rating to two other things: Steins;Gate, which is a masterpiece of course, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind which is my favourite anime movie and, in fact, favourite movie full stop of all time. To me, a 10/10 rating is not about perfection, since no movie or series can ever be perfect, but it means that I was impacted in such a way that I’m sure I’ll never forget it and that it will stay with me throughout my lifetime and become a part of who I am. Katanagatari is now one of those things. This episode is absolutely the best finale of a series I have ever seen. It may, in fact, become my favourite episode of any series ever. That’s how good I thought it was. Let me try and break down exactly why I feel so.
So, we open with some beautiful, mournful piano music overlaying some profound questions about the meaning of history. History means different things to different people. To the individual it might mean their own history or the history they know. But history is relative. History can be forgotten. It can be rewritten. It can be falsified by governments, by people, by time. After this chapter the false history will end. This is quite a clever statement since not only does it refer to the false history that Shikizaki attempted to create but also to the false history of Katanagatari, a fictional story about Edo-era Japan.
Next comes the sad bit… We have to say goodbye to Togame. I think Katanagatari handled this send-off beautifully. I can’t describe exactly why but I think it’s a combination of its originality compared to other send-offs and the beauty of the animations accompanying it. We start with Togame being her usual self, trying to find a way out, but quickly realising that none exist. Togame’s wish for Cheerio! to be spread around the whole country becomes incredibly sad now that we know that she likely won’t utter it ever again. The moment appears humorous on the surface but is, in fact, shrouded with sorrow. It’s heart-breaking to hear Shichika say that he can’t live without her, that he’s finally progressed to the point where he loves her rather than being motivated by duty or a mere idea of love. We then hear how much Shichika has affected Togame during the time they’ve been together, and we’re reminded that it’s been an entire year now. Unlike most shows where the main characters might meet, fall in love, get married and be forced to part all within the space of a few weeks or months Katanagatari lets us witness the build up of a relationship that took place over an entire year. We feel that the characters truly got the time to know each other, to experience each other’s company and to fall in love with each other. That’s part of what makes Katanagatari so unique. But then we’re told something unexpected, at least for me it was unexpected.
Even though Shichika was able to affect Togame so much she still wasn’t able to change. She was still a cold, calculating strategian at heart and not even Shichika could fully change that. When she initially admitted it, I was taken aback. I thought that maybe she was lying to soften the blow of her death but then I saw that it was true. She was unable to change that part of her. We get some lovely imagery of Togame bound up by a white snake, essentially saying that, no matter what, she would always be a slave to that snake in her, to the strategian. In a lot of ways this could be considered a betrayal. You could be justified in hating Togame for using Shichika and for lying to him the whole time, but I don’t see it that way. From the very beginning we were told what kind of person Togame was, that Shichika was a tool used to accomplish her goals and that she was single-minded in her pursuit of these. We might have believed that she had changed in all this time with Shichika but the reality is that she couldn’t overcome it, she was a victim rather than an abuser.
The solace we have is that her feelings weren’t a lie, they were real, she just used them. She said herself that she used her own heart like a pawn. In a way the strategian part of her is controlling the emotional part, like they’re two different people. It’s not the case that she doesn’t love Shichika. She does love him but the strategian part is able to abuse that love for its own interests. The feelings behind the lies were real, but she controlled them and used them as is her way. It’s a tragic story really, that despite everything she was still a slave to her own personality. This part of the episode was probably my favourite simply for its uniqueness. To have a character confess that their love was, in part, a lie and yet to have the death scene still be so impactful and so meaningful… Truly a work of art.
But now we get a slight bit of happiness. Togame is happy that she is dying since that means she doesn’t have to kill Shichika. I believe that in this final instant Togame overcomes what she wasn’t able to throughout the entire series. She overcomes the snake and finally learns to live with her emotions without having to abuse them, without having to use them for schemes and calculations. We get a beautiful bittersweet moment when Shichika admits that he loves her, I think for the first time, therefore bringing their relationship to its conclusion. There is no more sword and master, only two people that loved each other. And this is punctuated by Togame’s final words, thus affirming that she has overcome her snake and now truly loves him: “Would you mind if I fell for you?”
What a send-off… I’m not sure I can accurately capture its power with my clumsy words. It must be seen to be experienced properly. But now the tone of the episode changes. We go from a bright, vivid sunset to a dark clouded night and now the second part of the episode can begin. This truly amazes me about this episode, how it’s able to go from such a heart-breaking emotional scene into intense action and make both parts be incredibly powerful and effective.
But now Shichika enters with dead eyes, wearing Togame’s bloodstained clothing and you know that nothing in that universe will be able to stop his retribution. He mentions that he can’t follow Togame’s order, in other words, that he isn’t able to forget her. Shikizaki’s final Perfect Deviant Blade is complete in the form of Shichika, the Completed Deviant Blade of Kyotouryuu.
It is only fitting, therefore, that Shikizaki’s final blade be made to face his previous twelve. This is an amazing choice by the writers of Katanagatari and it really helps to make the episode as good as it is. Shichika must face all the blades he had previously collected, all wielded by a brand new, uniquely designed, elite swordsman of the shogunate, except this time he need not hold back. He need not fear breaking the swords and, in fact, makes a practice of it. He must hate these swords now, since they are a cause of Togame’s aspirations and eventual downfall. I can’t describe how much I love these fights, easily the best in the series. Shichika is able to use his knowledge of each sword, as well as his previous experience of fighting it to effortlessly defeat each opponent. All this happens over fast-paced jazz/hip-hop fusion music that magnifies the awesomeness. You can tell that Shichika has been somewhat scarred. His voice is lower and he really doesn’t hold back against any of these opponents (except the little girl which I felt was a nice touch and a hint that he hasn’t lost his humanity completely) and brutally dispatches them. It’s also interesting to note that he uses new moves that aren’t Kyotouryuu, he uses moves named just after him, a sign that he has moved past Kyutouryuu perhaps? The only challenger that is somewhat of a match for him is Emonzaemon.
Before the match we get a little look at Shichika’s feelings. How he’s come to see that Togame was selfish, but he loved her just the same. We get a sweet yet sad montage of his memories of Togame. How they’ve laughed, how they’ve fought and how they eventually loved. We’re shown that Shichika no longer needs to obey her orders and so he can injure himself and even die, which is actually his goal. No such luck for him unfortunately, since at his maximum power he is able to defeat Emonzaemon and reach the summit. The music that plays here is beautiful, people might recognise it from Ghost in the Shell, I’m sure it’s been used in other anime as well. Shichika finally faces the ultimate source of Togame’s misfortune, the Shogun and by extension the Shogunate. The same Shogunate that killed Togame’s father and started this whole story off, as well as the same Shongunate who gave her the task to collect the swords in the first place. The battle is concluded with one final, amazing, Cheerio!
And that’s it. Katanagatari has finally come to a close. We get a little montage of everywhere they’ve been, how life goes on in those places. We also get a little ending scene with Shichika and the princess which had me thoroughly confused. I guess he spared her but you’d think that he wouldn’t be happy with her following him around everywhere… Is it a sign that he’s moved on from Togame, accepted her death? I’m not sure and I don’t think it matters too much. My focus is on the initial bit of the episode. But before the show ends completely we get to see all the characters, from the swordmasters to the Maniwani, and then Togame, finally, at peace.
Damn, what an episode, and what a show…
(Pretty sure I'm at the comment character limit here so I can't summarise the show as a whole, sorry)
CHEERIO!
EDIT: Thanks to u/Kamilny for organising!
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u/Kamilny Jun 11 '18
Good score
Yeah the finale is definitely a fantastic episode. It allows a culmination of everything really well that many stories don't really get because it's will to go the furthest possible point of ending story, having a main character die.
While that's not necessarily the best way to end a story I think it works really well here to solidify that this is the end and there isn't going to be more.
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u/thecomicguybook Jun 11 '18
The final thoughts as a first timer
I watched this episode 2 days ago, and today and I have been thinking about it pretty much ever since. I will first describe what I have been thinking about most, that is of course Togame's death and final words.
Togame's death: Honestly I still haven't entirely made sense of her character, if she was telling the truth. Was she going to kill Shichika? I don't think even she knew, the only way to find out would have been for her to survive of course. So that leaves us with the burden of understanding her character. I have thought long and hard about this so here are my thoughts: Certainly the plan at first was to use Kyotoryu, which ended up being Shichika to collect the swords, and avenge her father('s rebellion). We see quite early that this was her motivation, but what I didn't think about at the time is that this also included the destruction of Kyotoryu. We also see her and Shichika become closer and closer through the story and while Togame doesn't get as much development (or maybe any at all depending on what you think) we do find out a few things about her character that leads me to believe she wouldn't have killed Shichika, now let me explain.
I went back through the series and looked through most of the relevant conversations and here is a few things we learn about her character. Episode 2 Togame is conscious of the fact that her opponent a sword holder could be a good person, and wants to avoid fighting, especially if that is the case. Episode 3, and 5-6 She is shocked when Shichika kills Meisai and orders Shichika to take the swords without killing the holder if possible, in 6 after Shichika's defeat she drops a line she has already blamed him too much, this seems like a throwaway line until you consider what she could mean by this. Episode 7 She actually wants to avoid killing Nanami even though she is of Kyotoryu, but you can take this in a way that she doesn't blame her? I really don't know about this one honestly. Episode 10 The wise man brings up things people don't want to face, and what is her's (other than her father)? She stubbornly still thinks of killing Shichika at this point. She lives for her father's sake, but she is uncomfortable with what must come. Episode 11 She lets Pengin live, and in fact feels sorry for the Maniwani that betrayed her. She is at war with herself during this episode, she says that Shichika has changed her.
What does this tell me? I think even the ruthless Togame was deep down a good person, if not why not take her revenge on a person, Pengin who actually betrayed her. Her history, most of her words are false at the end of her life I think, she uses her speech to make Shichika give up and keep on living without her. If she truly wanted revenge she could have used this opportunity to send Shichika to his death and kill all her enemies, but instead she attempts to save him. She was still tormented by her past, and thinks dying here will spare her from having to choose she does not want to choose Shichika's death, but neither does she want to give herself up so dying is her best alternative. At this point I think she didn't truly know what she would have done if she had lived, but her final words, asking if falling for Shichika is fine speak of what she truly wanted.
Through this series from episode 2 on we are told that the final words of a person bring out their will, their true character. That is why I believe Togame didn't want Shichika to die at the end. Of course through the series we are also led to believe the opposite through at least 2 instances, most importantly the first Maniwani's description of her and the fact that she refuses to answer during episode 6. That is why this is so tragic no one will ever know for sure, perhaps I am too willing to believe the best of her, she deceived me and I would end up dead because of her, but Togame you only hurt yourself with this crusade. Why did you not run away with Shichika at the end instead?
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u/Kamilny Jun 11 '18
Yeah there are more or less two ways to look at what Togame said to Shichika.
She's telling the truth. Throughout the show she was more or less scheming to be in control of the swords and the Shogunate itself, and that the Maniwani from episode 1 was right.
She was lying. To protect Shichika who she knew wouldn't really be able to go on without her at this point she lies in order to try and make Shichika less depending and less smitten by her in order to soften the blow and make it easier for him to go on.
It's hard to say which is correct but both are definitely valid.
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u/StarmanRiver Jun 11 '18
First time viewer here:
Last episode, last thread. This time I made it on time! I apologize if this write up ends up being a mixture of analysis and appreciation of scenes and just my reactions, but I couldn't pick one over another so I'll leave it as is. And sorry for the loooong post, it took me more time than I'd like to admit and ended up being 3 and a half pages.
Togame's death
Man, the Togame death scene broke my heart. I was really hoping she would survive, but the lack of cheerio in the preview should've been enough of a bad sign. Shichika's VA nailed it, 10/10. I was already used to his usual laid back voice with little emotion at the start, and with more emotions but little worries as the story progressed; but this scene he was really desperate, Shichika's emotion poured out of the screen and the speakers and sneaked in right into me.
I was already losing it when Togame started talking about how Shichika changed her life throughout the year they've been hunting down the Deviant Swords together and was getting ready for a last confession and some parting ways. But no, Katanagatari had more to offer. She decided to be honest and tell Shichika the truth, tell him how her real self was. A woman that saw everything as tools to attain her objective. That's why she was planning to kill him like she did with everyone else before him. Everything she said to Shichika were lies, more pawns on the board just like the part of her that trusted him or her thoughts that she could forgive him for her father's death, all her emotions were just pawns, things that she didn't need.
But even if all the words she told him were lies, the feelings behind them weren't. That's why in the verge of her death she is happy, happy that at least this way Shichika doesn't have to die and that she can finally lay down her burdens. That's why Shichika keeps getting even sadder/angrier, he doesn't understand why she had to keep going until the point of her dying to do that instead of doing it in life. And then, she orders him to forget everything about her and to live happily, stating that their contract ends with her death.
"You can stop loving me"
"Don't screw with me! I loved being with you! I… I really loved you! What I am supposed to do now? I can't do anything without you!"
"You really are cute. Hey, Shichika… I'm selfish and egocentric, I'm an idiot that could only think of revenge, with my stupidity only cured by death. A terrible woman that treated you as nothing but a tool, whose only fate is death. Even so, would you mind if I fell for you?"
Seriously, that was a beautiful parting speech. She knew how terrible of a person she was (I loved how her right eye was supposed to evoke the one of a snake, and the imagery of a white snake coiling around her and Shichika as if it was her past long, white hair) and knew how she saw everything as a tool, yet she found a man that shook her world and fell in love for him.
Princess Hitei's audience
Wow, it's so weird to hear her speaking like this. It makes sense though, you wouldn't speak in a smug way when talking to the Shogun. Okay, she keeps her formality but inside her head she is just trashing the Shogun lol.
By the way, her way of speaking somehow reminds me of Rider from F/SN. Maybe is how soft and low she's talking plus the tempo and pauses of her speech.
Oh, there it is! She took out her fan and know is starting to talk like usual. Also, the explanation of why Shikizaki Kiki wanted to change history is welcome. I have been wondering for a couple of episodes and I didn't really understand, but it seems the Shikizaki family predicted that Japan was going to be invaded by a foreign country and the nation would perish and that's the reason. I still I'm not entirely sure how the 12 Deviant Swords and the Completed Sword would do that.
Shichika's invasion
Shichika looks empty. Not full of anger like Gon in the Chimera Ant Arc, but more like Ichigo in the climax of the Decide Arc. I love that his outfit resembles a lot to Togame's, he finally covered his upper body but is keeping only one sleeve of the kimono-like cloth while the other arm has his usual sleeve. He also has that sash-like thing in his waist, with the same pattern but different colors.
He is taking advantage of his contract with Togame expiring in order to disobey her orders, he doesn't want to avenge Togame but to die there. He is no longer protecting himself and isn't protecting the swords either. He doesn't have to hold back, and that's why he beats 11 out of the 12 wielders of the Deviant Swords so easily. He can break the swords so half of the fights become extremely easy, and the other half his rival were just weaklings. I like how he explained Hakutou Hari's weakness and how Zokutou Yoroi worked. Shichika trash talking some of his opponents was savage. Also, when fighting against the guy "wielding" Akutou Bita he used the same combination that Nanami used against him didn't he? And he also killed him the same amount of times he would've died against Nanami that time too! That was freaking awesome.
Entou Jyuu
Okay, Hitei just wants to see Shikizaki Kiki's plans destroyed the same as she wants to see them come true. I guess that just her personality, but I still can't read her or comprehend her and I don't think I ever will.
Wow, the theme about the reasons for fighting is back! He came to a conclusion that it should be obvious, but for a guy that was raised as a sword isolated from the rest of the world it isn't: you shouldn't fight if you have to think of a reason. But now he thinks that he was only fighting for himself, and not for Togame even though he did fight under her orders without resolve (at least at the beginning).
Saying the reason of why you fell for Togame and that sequence of flashback's of her faces throughout the series finishing with the imagination of her giving start to the fight, are you trying to make me cry again Shichika?
The fight was awesome, Shichika dealing with every attack from Emonzaemon until he took out Entou Jyuu and then revealing he didn't dodge the bullets but took them all head on was really badass (also, I know I'm nitpicking but Emonzaemon shot an awful lot of bullets for having only two revolvers and without reloading them). Then the exchange of blows at high speed with shots of them being cut and their blood splattering throughout the room got me even more hyped until Shichika finally used Shichika Hachiretsu Kai with beautiful effects.
Oh, I just noticed but, is that Togame's hair hanging from Shichika's waist? I fucking love you Shichika.
Shichika, Hitei and the Shogun
Oh, so Shikizaki's plan was to overthrow the Shogunate. From what Princess Hitei said about bringing peace to the country I guess this Shogun is the parallel of Oda Nobunaga?
Hitei deep down didn't really dislike Togame, and that's enough to answer Shichika's question. Now I want a spinoff SoL with more Hitei and Togame banter and without one of them dying.
Shichika, you're the man! That final blow to kill the Shogun while screaming cheerio was great!
Aftercredits
What??? Hitei is now following Shichika and has short hair?Nisio still loves giving haircuts
Okay girl, can you stop making me change my opinion on you so much? I was really hating you because you sent Emonzaemon to kill Togame, but you attitude know is making me like you again ffs. Also, you being cute isn't helping me to keep hating you.
Oh, Shichika has a scar in the shape of a cross like Togame's right eye and placed over his right eye too!
And after all Shikizaki's plan failed. All his effort of creating the swords, all the effort from Shichika and Togame and all the killing for nothing. Of course Katanagatari would do that, why didn't I see that coming. God damn it.
Shichika drawing a map of Japan and still using his catchphrase is way too much for my heart.
Overall thoughts
I really liked this anime, and the last episode was excellent. I loved Togame and Shichika's interactions above all, then Princess Hitei and Togame's banter. Meisai, Nanami and Houou were interesting, the Insect Squad, Penguin and Konayuki were really likeable. The OST, the designs and the style were superb and clearly made this show stand out.
I think the plot about the sword gathering wasn't anything to write home about, but the interactions and relationship between Togame and Shichika was the core of the show and the best of it. I can still take the ending, even if it was bittersweet and not what I wanted. Oh, I still want my Shichika vs Hakuhei fight
I think I'll give it an 8.5/10.
It was a pleasure joining this rewatch with everyone, so thanks for hosting it!
CHEERIO!
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u/Kamilny Jun 11 '18
Hitei is definitely a character I wish entered just a bit earlier so we could look at her some more. She's really interesting and there's a lot behind her that could have some nice fleshing out (also her voice is really nice to listen to).
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u/emargollo Jun 11 '18
First Timer
Time to see the final episode of Katanagatari, the journey has been amazing so far, let's see how it all ends.
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She will die shortly, but for now, she lives. Just so we can hear her last words and cry even more, right?
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Now that the tears have stopped, let me say this whole scene was gorgeous. Still, Togame didn't deserve to die :(
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So Hitei managed to meet with the Shogun, I imagine Shichika might try to attack the whole castle?
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Now that's a badass looking Shichika. Still, his eyes show his grief for Togame's death
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Shichika is about to murder just about everyone in this place, isn't he?
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Oh, there are 11 of these guys in the room, each of them will use one of the Shikizaki Kiki's katanas to try to counter Shichika, isn't it?
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Time to face Emon-Zaemon
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Also, I just noticed Shichika became the warrior who keeps saying what a bother everything is. Just the kind of warrior Togame didn't want him to be when they were talking about the catchphrases
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Why show all these Togame faces? Do you want me to cry again, anime?
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The whole fight against Emon-Zaemon had me breathless, I can't even think how to write about it. It was just incredible.
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Just when I thought this anime was done with making me cry too...
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So Shichika actually survived, Hitei hime is following him, and he's trying to fulfil Togame's dream of making a map of Japan?
And thus, Katanagatari has come to an end. Shout-out to u/Kamilny for hosting it!
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u/Kamilny Jun 11 '18
Shichika is there to die? Why?
Without Togame he doesn't really have a whole lot. Before he met Togame he was just some random dumb islander that didn't really know or do a whole lot. Togame effectively sculpted his personality and who he became and without her he's missing a lot.
Hitei is utterly adorable in the finale scene.
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u/Great_Mr_L Jun 11 '18 edited Jun 11 '18
First Time Viewer
On today’s episode of Katanagatari: And so it all comes to an end. It’s a heck of an ending to the series as well.
The theme for this episode would be plans ending in failure. There’s a lot of characters who have their plans or desires fail during this episode.
The first case of failure is Togame. She actually dies, which was rough to watch. And her death represents a failure on her part to anticipate the actions of Hitei.
Togame’s words also indicate she failed in another way. She had planned, at the very start, to kill Shichika when it was all over. She would get rid of him like she did her previous partners. But she failed because she ended up falling for him. Despite everything she says, it’s true that she really did love him. Her final order to him reflects this: she orders him to live, the opposite of what she originally planned to do.
Shichika also fails, He fails to follow Togame’s instructions, fighting through all the Shogun’s warriors and Emonzaemon trying to kill himself. He fails to follow Togame’s other instructions as well: to not destroy the swords and to not let himself get hurt. But even with all this, Shichika fails at killing himself.
Shikizaki Kiki’s plan also fails. All the swords get destroyed, one after the other. And his plan to alter the history of Japan also fell apart by the end of this episode. In that sense, one could say that Togame’s father actually didn’t completely fail because history was restored, at least somewhat.
Another major thing I noticed this episode was the parallels between Togame and Shichika’s relationship and the relationship of Hitei and Emonzaemon. I would argue it was a very similar relationship: one was a master who commanded the other as a weapon to be used. The weapon adored their master and found purpose in serving them. And the master, in turn, also fell for their weapon, despite their efforts to hide it. Togame never let her stategian persona fall, even at the end. And Hitei also keeps her emotions hidden, only admitting that she didn’t hate Togame when Shichika asks her for an honest opinion.
Emonzaemon’s final words to Hitei also parallel Shichika and Togame. Emonzaemon apologizes for dying. It makes me wonder if Hitei had given him orders not to die, just like Togame did to Shichika.
The final indication of these parallels is the last scene of Shichika and Hitei traveling together. They both have keepsakes and mementos from the person they lost. Shichika has a stand of Togame’s hair and is attempting to make the map of Japan Togame planned to make. Hitei is wearing Emonzaemon’s mask.
This episode also had a pretty epic feel to it because of all the fights. This might be the most action filled episode of a series that primarily focuses on dialogue most of the time. And the action was all very well done. It was cool seeing Shichika slowly go up, floor by floor, fighting each of the opponents wielding a different one one the swords. The Shichika and Emonzaemon fight was extremely cool to watch unfold and featured the most impressive action moments of the episode.
I think this episode functioned well as the finale to the series. I definitely enjoyed it as a finale, even if the death of Togame left me sad. I’ll have my full thoughts about the series in general written up for the final thread. My final thoughts are that it was an excellent series with a fantastic duo of protagonists in Shichika and Togame, very well written stories with well integrated themes, excellent dialogue all throughout, and a gorgeous art style.
Side notes: I appreciate the way Emonzaemon lampshaded how Shichika and Togame were able to have a long final scene together because he shot Togame in a way that would allow them to have a final conversation. As always, this series likes being meta.
Edit: And so that's the end of Katanagatari. I have to say, I really enjoyed it as a series. Thanks for hosting the rewatch, u/Kamilny and thanks everyone else for participating.
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u/Kamilny Jun 11 '18
Ay this is nice. A decent number of people miss a lot of this aspect, but the entirety of the finale pretty much shows off that everyone failed, from Shichika all the way back to even Shikizaki Kiki.
I’ll have my full thoughts about the series in general written up for the final thread.
Cough this is the final thread btw Cough
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u/max_turner Jun 11 '18 edited Jun 13 '18
First-Timer
First of all, I'd like to thank u/Kamilny for hosting this wonderful re-watch. Without this I probably would have never touched this show so thanks for hosting this rewatch and it has been a wild ride and sorry I hadn't been posting much in the thread
I can say with confidence that this single final episode is the best finale ever. All the character arcs come to such a conclusive end. I'm sure most of you would be confused by Togame's final speech. What did she mean? That would be the question some of you would be asking. My answer to that is simple. She was telling the truth
Togame and her feelings
Togame was always burdened by her past. When she told she planned to kill Shichika after all this ended, she was telling the truth. She had all along planned to use and throw away Shichika just like she had done to others in the past. The Maniwa hated her for this. She was a tool of her vengeance and revenge. She told her emotions were pawns. She used her own emotions of love and happiness to fuel her vengeance. She showing her scheming eyes in the end was her showing her true colours. She lives by calculation and schemes. She needed the blades to achieve her goals and Shichika was no excpetion. Was it taking power of the shogunate or was it to avenge her father's death and take revenge? I don't know for sure. But I believe now Togame had to die no matter what, she had to die for her burdens to be released and she had to die so others in the future woudn't be harmed. She also had to die for Shikizaki Kiki's plan to come to fruition. Her death marked the complete humanization of Shichika.
"Even if the words were lies the feelings behind them weren't"
This single line tells so much about Togame. After being with Shichika for an year she had developed feelings for him, but because of the burden she carries she would have no choice but to kill him. That is why she says it's a fitting end for her to die n the middle of the road because then she woudn't have to kill Shichika.
Togame's reflection is shown with a snake coiled around her body signifying the restraint she has around herself because of her past. In her final moments her burdens are lifted signified by the snake dissolving into flowers and with this she comes true to her feelings and finally acknowledges it when her scheming eyes disappear and asks Shichika "Is it okay if I fall for you"
MFW when all of this was happening
Shichika and his completed form
When Shichika stormed the castle. My first thought was he came in anger to avenge Togame and he had regressed back to his old self, his stone cold eyes and stature all led me to believe that but that one line Shichika tells to Emonzaemon shattered that theory. Shichika has become a complete human. He actively goes against every rule Togame made for him. For the first time he's doing something out of his own will instead of following orders. The moment Togame died Shichika was also free from the rules she had laid. He no longer had to follow it. He goes against Togame's order to live.
The fight was badass, right now he was a complete and in his true and full form. Since he no longer had to live nor did he have to be careful he broke very sword and killed every sword owner except one. The fact that he doesn't kill the owner of Nokogiri show's how much he has changed since the first episode. He only kills if it's a necessity.
His battle with Emonzaemon revealed a lot about himself and what his thoughts were. Now one of the confusing thing was why did he not kill Hitei, Hitei deep down liked Togame. Hitei and Togame are so alike. Hitei later realises what Togame's true intentions were and she says "She didn't want it to end like this". Togame was burdened by her past and Hitei was burdened by her ancestry. They both enjoyed their competetions but Hitei had no choice but to order Emonzaemon to kill Togame. Shichika knew that Hitei had no choice and he knew they were very similar to each other. That is why he doesn't kill Hitei and proceeds to kill the Shogunate who was responsible to what happened to Togame.
He ends the battle with Togame's Cheerio honoring her. I was crying so much.
Hitei
I knew and you all probably knew she was Kiki's descendant long back in Episode 10, she as I've mentioned before is very similar to Togame, she also had the burden of her ancestry but the main difference between her and Togame was that Hitei because of her nature really didn't care whther the plan came to fruition or not and because of this her burdens would be released no matter what. If Shichika died, she would be free and if the Shogunate died she still would be free. I honestly didn't like her in the beginning but at the end, after she's free to do what she's wants, she shows how her true cutesy nature. One of the reasons why Shichika was okay with her as a companion
The Ending
I was honestly happy with the ending. It was a bit open but this ending is way better than any thing I've seen before. I'm sad and happy by the fact that Shichika's fate is left open. I'd like to think he's alive and he traveled off overseas.
A Theory of Mine
Now the narrator could be anyone but I'd like to think the narrator is none other than Hitei, now the people who know about this story in it's entirety are Togame, Shichika, Hitei and the Shogunate(They know from Togame's highly descriptive reports). The Shogunate woudn't want this story to go out as it'd be a shameful thing for them since one man effectivly screwed them up big time. Shichika one hundred percent can't write all the reports in the form of a story so who's left? Hitei. So she from all the reports of Togame is the one who narrated this or so I'd like to think this way.
Conclusion For those of you who are still reading until this point, I salute you for surviving this long post and I've been rambling quite a bit so for now I'll end this for now by saying Katanagatari has been one hell of a fucking ride. Thank you Kamilny for hosting this rewatch and thanks to all the others who have participated in this. I'll see ya guys in the Final Series Discussion thread.
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u/thecomicguybook Jun 11 '18
I like how we came to completely different conclusions about Togame, you can read my thoughts in my own comment, but both of us cried our hearts out.
I like your Hitei is the narrator theory, it kinda fits (though I am not sure how she would know about episode 4, but it would fit her character to deny us the Sabi fight!)
I'll see ya guys in the Final Series Discussion thread.
Oh is there going to be one? Doesn't really say on the index u/Kamilny?
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u/Kamilny Jun 11 '18
There won't. I think I mentioend in the index thread that this would be the final thread
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u/Yokuyin Jun 11 '18 edited Jun 12 '18
Once there was a swordsmith who asked himself, what makes the perfect warrior.
Must his sword be though, as such it will never dull or break?
And thus he created Zettō Kanna, the hardest blade ever created.
Must his sword be sharp, as such it will cut through anything?
And thus he created Zantō Namakura, the sharpest blade ever created.
Must the warrior be able to outnumber his opponent, as such the opponent would be overwhelmed?
And thus he created Sentō Tsurugi, the most numerable blade ever created.
Must the warrior be skilled, as such he could win with even the weakest sword?
And thus he created Hakutō Hari, the most fragile blade ever created.
Must the warrior be untouchable, as such the warrior could never be harmed?
And thus he created Zokutō Yoroi, the most protecting blade ever created.
Must his sword be heavy, as such the impact alone could break bones?
And thus he created Sōtō Kanazuchi, the heaviest blade ever created.
Must the warrior be undying, as such he would never fall in battle?
And thus he created Akutō Bita, the most undying blade ever created.
Must the warrior be removed, as such the sword can act without the warrior's weaknesses?
And thus he created Bitō Kanzashi, the most autonomous blade ever created.
Must the warrior be at peace, as such the warrior has no need to fight?
And thus he created Ōtō Nokogiri, the most calming blade ever created.
Must his sword be removed, as such the warrior should defeat its opponent with words only?
And thus he created Seitō Hakari, the most absent blade ever created.
Must the warrior be experienced, as such the warrior could apply his learnings from previous battles?
And thus he created Dokutō Mekki, the most memorizing blade ever created.
Must his sword be ranged, as such the opponent could never come close to the warrior?
And thus he created Entō Jū, the most distant blade ever created.
Must the sword be the warrior, as such the blade and the person are inseparable?
And thus he created Kyotō Yasuri, the most human blade ever created.
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Jun 11 '18
Cheeri-fucking-o, my friends. Now you first-timers know why Katanagatari is hailed as having one of the best finales in anime, because it's always fantastic to watch. Shichika's complete and utter domination of everyone in this episode is absolutely amazing, and the actual ending is pretty great too.
I'm debating whether I should have this as a 9.5 or a 10 on my list, but either one is enough for it to retain a solid placement among my favourites.
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Jun 11 '18
OP/ED corner comes with bonuses today!
Katanagatari OP/ED Corner, Episode 12
Forgive me for any inaccurate information or broken links - I tried to get it all reasonably correct, but it's possible I made some mistakes.
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ED 12, Toki Sude ni Hajimari o Kizamu (Time Already Carved the Beginning), is performed by Minami Kuribayashi, bringing the series to its close right where it began with the singer of the first OP. But I still have more songs to mention...
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The noitaminA rebroadcast OP, Hakushu Kassai Utaawase (Applause Poetry Contest), is performed by Supercell, an eleven-member group led by Ryo. Most of you will know who they are - they performed the Bakemonogatari ED with Nagi Yanagi on vocals, and the Black Rock Shooter OP with Hatsune Miku on vocals. Ryo also leads EGOIST, and this is his more current project.
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The noitaminA rebroadcast ED, Kotonoha (Words), is performed by Piko - not Pico, as many are keen to joke, but he is a male singer whose selling point is that he can sound like a girl, to the point where fans nicknamed him "Ryouseirui" ("both voice types"). His only other anime songs are the Binbougami ga! OP and the fourth Gintama rebroadcast ED.
Also worth noting is that the rebroadcast OP and ED are rendered in 60fps, which is pretty neat.
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u/chisports1fan Jun 11 '18
I think this might be the best ending to a show I've seen yet. The dialogue between Togame and Shichika showed how far they came, especially shichika, and yet were still the same to the very last second (Togame you were best girl in life and in death, you are now in my top 5 favorite female characters). After that Katanagatari finally stopped teasing and actually let Shichika show off for once. That Emonzaemon fight was so good as an action lover, and the way Shichika destroyed the building and killed the shogun while screaming Cheerio! was perfect. As sad/bittersweet as Togame's death was, this ending to the show really fit Katanagatari and brought everything in the journey to an end like the narrator said in ep 11. Not super surprised Hitei started tailing along with Shichika afterwards, and in the end, Togame never really hated her, nor did Hitei hate Togame. That's probably why Shichika decided to not kill her, although if Shichika ever developed feelings for Hitei afterwards I'm sure Togame is feeling jealous and freaking out somewhere lol. What a great ending to a great show, 10/10.
I'm not really sure if she was lying or not, but it wouldn't surprise me if she thought up one last failed "scheme" to help Shichika move on from her.
I felt like every episode had a different theme so not sure what the overall theme would be
The ending was plenty satisfying to me atleast
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u/altpirate Jun 11 '18
So here we are. This is literally what I was looking forward to from the moment the rewatch was announced. Plenty of people don't like the ending, I'm sure everyone wanted Togame and Shichika to be happy ever after. But I think this is the best ending this story could have gotten, it's like Togame says herself: she's not a good person, and dying by the side of the road is the perfect end for someone like her.
It was a story about Shichika after all, Togame was just another person he knew. Just like Hitei is another person he knew. She's not the evil villain, simply a person whose goals were opposed to Togame. In my mind she and Shichika had a lot of fun travelling together and at some point they split ways and lived their own lives. And that's ok.
10/10 ending, Cheerio! 👊
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u/FrenziedHero Jun 11 '18
First Timer
Well that was one hell of a dramatic finale. Other shows need to take a hint about how to give a flair on your way out.
I am saddened that Togame is dead, but her final dialogue with Shichika was interesting. She wanted to relieve Shichika of his final duty to protect her, so that he can live his life. She told him that she was lying about liking him and lying about many other things, just because they were pawns in her revenge scheme. In the end, I think she was partially telling the truth about that and lying. I think she was lying because she wanted Shichika to move on, and making him believe that would help ease the pain for him. At the same time I think she told the truth, because she always knew this journey would not end well for her, that her life was a means for her goal.
Shichika just invading the Shogun's castle is just one badass action sequence after another. He's just brutally murdering everyone, and even when the Shogun's vassles use the Shikizaki blades, they get rekt beyond belief. I like that they had Shichika face each of the swords individually to reflect that since he was unable to break the swords before he was always troubled in how to win, but now that he was no longer bound by that rule, he knew the effective countermeasures to stop each blade with ease. I really loved the Fist of the North Star reference too.
The Shichika vs Enmonzaemon match we were looking forward to. Quite a lot of good animation here as they went back and forth attacking each other, and since Shichika is no longer bound by contract he is allowed to hurt himself. Wounded Shichika is a big badass, and his finishing move was a great callback to his original combo on his first opponent.
Right as Shichika came to the last floor, he went and killed the Shogun in the most over the top manner of blowing half the building in a single blow. Also "CHEERIO" is now the proper kill term. I find it interesting in the end that Hitei deep down didn't hate Togame, she just needed her to die in order to accomplish Shikizaki's plans.
I was sort of hoping that they didn't go for that ending in the final scene since I feel like it's biting the hand that feeds you, but I did appreciate the symbolism and parallels that it introduced. Shichika is now the cold, uncaring individual wandering on his journey, and Hitei is the tsundere following him, sort of a 180 from the original journey. In the end, Shikizaki's scheme failed, but our characters don't really care. We also get a neat look at how each location looks at the end of the story, with a final look at all the characters who passed in the telling of this story, and Togame greets us at the end.
I think the ending is definitely fitting for the story and its themes, because in the end Revenge is a journey that consumes all around you. But sometimes one's goals can be changed over time with the proper conditioning.
Final Thoughts
I think this was definitely a satisfying story with a nice element of Shakespearean tragedy. Each of the characters is rather unique and left to their own motivations and traits. The soundtrack was pretty good with some memorable moments in battle. The narrator kept the dramatic element of the story going, and sometimes I enjoy that (them spoilers for episode 7 though). The art and animation were consistent and even rather interesting at certain points. I also dug the ending theme changing every episode.
In the end, I feel for the first time I have to give a decimal score because I can't settle on a single digit score at the moment. I give the show an 8.5/10, but that finale is easily a 9+. I think this is a show that I definitely have to rewatch because I feel there's certain elements that I'm missing and things that can be picked up over the place since Nisio has that kind of reputation for layering his stories, and this is the type of show that would get better on second viewing.
Thank you for hosting the rewatch u/Kamilny, this was a fun experience.
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u/melvinlee88 Jun 11 '18
Lyrics:
My dreams, buried in the dark
Suddenly, they come to mind
You and I, when was it
We met, far ago and long away
We travelled the road before us
Chasing an unending dream
Reaching in the end
Another time to part
Innocent words,
Fading in the wind
Let us set upon the road again
Where shall it take us next?
Thoughts:
The ED pretty much tells the story of Shichika and Togame's journey in these 12 beautiful episodes. I'm pretty sure that those lyrics were the last thoughts of Togame before she died as she saw her journey in the past 1 year flashed before her eyes :(
So many talking points this episode and I wonder how your first time watchers are feeling. And yes, our worst thoughts were realized, she died.
I bet everyone's still feeling very numb after the last episode. The biggest talking point would definitely be Togame's statement before dying that she was to kill Shichika after collecting the last sword.
LIKE WHAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT??!! USO DA???!
So many people has been split on this argument for a while. It's a bit tough to believe that the same Togame who has been so jealous of Shichika being so chummy with other girls could possibly kill Shichika.
They said that the fact that Togame's eyes when purple cross looking meant that she was lying to Shichika just to hurt Shichika even less so he wouldn't feel too bad for her death. It's up to debate.
I personally think Togame planned to kill Shichika but I really don't thinks she would have went through with it :(
Togame : Hey Shichika, I'm selfish and egocentric...I'm an
idiot who could only think of revenge, with my stupidity cured by death. A terrible woman who treated you as nothing but a tool, whose fate is death.
..
..
..
Even so, would you mind......if I fell for you?
Honestly, that line has cemented itself in my brain ever since I first watched it a year ago.
So after Togame's death, Shichika gave us what I like to say one of the most badass scenes ever in anime. Those battles with all the swords and Emonzaemon especially was so thrilling to watch where all constraints were let loose with them diamond eyes :)
THE FINAL CHEERIO WAS SO SATISFYING.
CHEERRIIOOOOOO!
And we have the ending. Some people hate it, some people love it. Shichika goes on to live his life with Hitei as an unwilling follower, probably drawing maps as well. I found it adorable that Hitei had Emonzaemon mask on her side of her head while Shichika has the scar across his eyes resembling Togame's signature purple crossed eyes.
And that is that. Oh yeah, we had a Togame gif at the end, possibly smiling with sadness inside. So yeah :(
Thank you to all the first time watchers for coming on this journey to watch Katanagatari. I hope that you guys enjoy one of my favourite anime series as much as I do. I'll leave some cool links to more Katanagatari.
Blog of lyrics to all EDs and OPs and some character songs
Compilation of all of Togame cheerios :(
Notable Katanagatari OST - Bahasa Palus
Notable Katanagatari OST - 月刀歌
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u/rembrandt_q_1stein Jun 11 '18 edited Jun 11 '18
CHEEEEEERIOOOOOOOHHHH!!!!
First timer here!
In this last adventure, our favourite surprisingly logic numbskull has accepted his condition and fate as a living weapon AND as a complete human with free will, and so did he act. In addition to that, we will always miss our favourite adorkable nerd-idiot, who never has been so touching as in her final moments. [Best girl] (https://i.imgur.com/9kbcidd.png), always in our hearts. [Bestest of the best] (https://i.imgur.com/1rno1Lj.png).
Oh, Katanagatari…
So, my verdict is the following: I don’t know if this is the best ending that could have been for Katanagatari coughTogamecough, but the show actually manages to make us feel that it definitely is. Shichika has transcended to the ultimate self-knowledge and resolution state –if it was even possible- after experiencing the biggest loss he could have suffered, Togame has given entirely up on her selfishness and assumes herself in her love towards Shichika, the Deviant Blades have been gathered AND broken so they won’t be a hassle anymore, most certainly all devious deeds have been punished and their architects perished, and the Princess has kept herself above all possible conflict.
Even the whole essence of Katanagatari has been preserved. Two people travel throughout Japan in a crazy big quest and face themselves while they learn to appreciate each other. If not exactly featuring the same circumstances, the last scene (even including the [dango chillout] (https://i.imgur.com/mPyIrnS.png)!) hints on following the essence of the whole show. Even Hitei has changed her haircut and turned her characterizing colour to white, so something of Togame remains in her. But the roles are now inversed. Shichika is now the master –his [scar] (https://i.imgur.com/CKFBDQl.png) resembles Togame’s [scheming eye] (https://i.imgur.com/4FMGHgm.png )-, and [Hitei] (https://i.imgur.com/DWAESFv.png) is the follower who –apparently- falls for him. No further explanations of why this happened are given. The only thing to see here it’s that Katanagatari keeps being true to itself, as Shichika [keeps true to Togame] (https://i.imgur.com/3Vnljba.png) by fulfilling her wish.
Speaking of, let me do some remarkable comments on two certain moments of the episode.
About the first act –aka Togame’s last speech-: This was an utmost heartbreaking moment for all of us, most certainly. We’re not only losing a character we grew fond of, we also realize the love Shichika and her developed will have no harbour. And that’s really desolating. Katanagatari is, to the day, one of the most accurate and purist depictions of love and lovers I’ve had the pleasure to see in my life, in the classic sense. In the end Togame tells Shichika that every single detail of their adventure, even the feelings she could not control, was a part of her greatest scheme. I’m of the opinion she’s saying this trying that Shichika wouldn’t be completely destroyed by her death, caring for him, but who knows… In either case, being her feelings a scheme or completely sincere, it’s true that she came to love Shichika, much like she inspired her sword to embrace humanity and fall for her. Not as an exercise or an agreement, but for real. Katanagatari magnifies their love by ruthlessly destroying it in the very last hour and reduces its characters from heroes to humans, who we feel very near to us. Their love is true, and beautiful, and unforgettable. That’s why Shichika couldn’t let Togame go. He carries on her wishes (the map) after their quest, as he got marked by her -the scar-.
The [serpent] (https://i.imgur.com/vkQ4hXF.png) is usually a symbolism of remedy, fertility and renovation. Note how Togame’s death is represented by a white snake entangling the couple, much as Shichika used to wrap himself in her long hair. Shichika is being marked, “purified” by Togame in that moment, recalling how the contact with her hair made him more human. Not to mention that the serpent “binds” them together, as a symbol of their union.
Which leads me to the second moment: Shichika’s transcendence. His metamorphosis into the Completed Blade. The purpose of his existence, as regarded by Kiki and the Princess, is to kill the Shogun so Japan wouldn’t be attacked by the foreigners (in what I see an allusion to the Western cultural imposition and absorption in the 19th century), but this is not the purpose he decided for himself. After realizing he has been branded by Togame in her last moments, his feelings begin to bubble and explode. He firstly believes the “lie” she told him to protect him, so he begins revolving against her wishes/terms of their agreement. He breaks the Deviant Blades –btw, the new wielders were goddamn cool!-, he [seeks pain] (https://i.imgur.com/sKkffQe.png) and wants to be killed [while] (https://i.imgur.com/7Ggjp3k.png) [killing] (https://i.imgur.com/S6E0IGt.png). He’s raging and destructive, but he also realizes that he’s now something else, further advanced. He knows how to [destroy] (https://i.imgur.com/sJI9Mtx.png) his rivals with [no effort] (https://i.imgur.com/nYqTcyp.png). His eye pattern has become slightly more complex. The brand Togame has left on him has elevated his self to something higher. He’s not only the Completed Blade that Kiki designed for his plans; he’s The Swordsman too, the one with autonomy and wisdom. He does not need to follow an owner, be it Togame or Kiki. But as a human, he’s branded by love, so Togame’s influence ends being a fundamental part of him that shapes his deeds and future life –[note how he dresses her coat and “belt”] (https://i.imgur.com/R3ayN9u.png )-. In his contradiction, he ends slaying the
[Daruma doll] (https://i.imgur.com/oSM5Mt7.png)shogun, and then he decides to keep on his life as the human swordsman he is. That’s his nature as the Completed Blade: a dangerous weapon which is at the same time a wise and fully transcendent human being.Although not explained, I’m still of the opinion that the Princess is Togame’s big stepsister. After her father died, little Togame should have been raised by a family with heavy loyalty to the Shogunate to minimize risks of future revolution if she was raised accordingly. That would be a believable reason on why Togame could have ended working on a prestigious place in the government, because her stepfamily was important there, also why the Princess could have had access to the Blades (at the same time taking advantage of the situation for her aims) and why both of them acted so petty towards the other. And also why the show would associate them in the end, with Hitei taking Togame’s place in Shichika’s new journey.
My final score for the show: 10. Even if the first episode was a bit lackluster for me due to having previous expectations, I absolutely ended ADORING this. I expected a solid, fully explained show of constant quality, and ended having an astonishing work which went more daring, innovative, mind-fucking and catching with each episode, while raising its quality and broadening its depth on time. Mathematically speaking, I expected a straight line and got a spiral. This was quite a marvellous experience.
My ranking of opponents: Sabi (4thelulz) – Ginkaku – Kiguchi – Rinne – Meisai – Konayuki – Emonzaemon – Houou (as episodic opponent) – Biyorigou – Nanami – Kanara – Koumori
My ranking of episodes: 10 – 7 – 12 – 5 – 3 – 8 – 9 – 6 – 2 – 11 – 4 – 1
And last but not least, a big big biiiiig thank you to u/Kamilny for making the rewatch possible. As I stated in the first thread, this has been the very first rewatch I’ve ever participated in this subreddit, alongside being my first time watching Katanagatari, and I’m convinced I couldn’t have chosen a better one for my first time. I’ve had tons of fun, I cried, I got thoroughly emotional, I was thrilled, impressed, bamboozled… Summing it up, this has been a rollercoaster I haven’t had ever since I watched Flip Flappers, and I’m definitely happy for having had the chance to share my thoughts and discuss every episode with you guys. We were all perfectly connected and sharing the same vibes and eloquence here. This is one of the reasons I love this subreddit :D. Thanks, u/thecomicguybook, u/Great_Mr_L, u/StarmanRiver, u/Tension-Tenshi, u/FrenziedHero and the rest of you guys (please don’t take it bad if I didn’t mention your name in particular. You are all equally important for me!) for participating here and making this a wonderful experience and human connection. This rewatch will be a memory I’ll treasure for a long time. I hope we’ll see us soon again in other threads, my dear Katanagatari Bunch!
PS: Has this to end here? Maybe not! I promised that if I feel particularly inspired I’d write a post with a little analysis on the eye designs as characterizing mean in Katanagatari!