[C] - Episode 6

I know this show's genius. xD You could already see a few of what the staff has researched from the opening theme alone. What I totally didn't expect though, is that the same goes for the ending theme. The colors and the character designs are actually MORE than what they seem O_O

Amazing... amazing...

And the episodes that air each week get more and more exciting~ (No, it's not because of the bloody stuff, silly~ Haha! There are many other things to fangurl about in this episode~)

I'll start with the things I didn't like in the episode (since they're not that many, haha). What I'm not happy about the most was that they didn't show the development on how Kimimaro and Mashu suddenly had good teamwork. It focused more on developing their romantic relationship than on their initial partnership. *sigh*

Yeah, that's it.

Hahahaha~

Fine, okay, apparently, this episode has followed a number of shounen cliches that usually annoy me:

1. Sexy chick nekid on a shower scene. (anime just loves that fanservice)
2. Pure pure boy being "sexually harassed" by hot babe. (he isn't perverted but boobs love him)
3. Opponent gives main characters time to do their drama scene.
4. Main characters shall win.... even if they're in a really really bad state already.
5. Beating more powerful opponents is never impossible to leading characters.

Yeah, cliches suck, but if used well or not exceedingly, they're alright.

• [1] + [2] = Perverted fanservice like this only started in this episode. Obviously, fanservice here is just fanservice, not the highlights nor the only things the show has to offer.
• [3] = The opponent isn't really a bad guy in the first place. He also said that he underestimated Kimimaro, so it's safe to assume that he didn't think of hurrying to finish Mashu off. (Also, he seemed quite fond of Mashu)
• [4] + [5] = At least he hadn't been the "leading character who NEVER lost" type. Moreover, he was a skillful Entre to be able to control Deals on the first time he became serious about winning (which is JUST on his THIRD battle).He really had The Ability.

Okay, now a list of the stuff that got me really impressed with this episode:

1. Leading charavter thinks pretty boy is CREEPY xD (Masakaki not? LOLz)
2. Pretty boy has no fangurls in the show?
3. Pretty boy genuinely cared about the children he helped.
4. Pretty boy can look like a freak even if he's not the "wolf in sheep's clothing" type. And he's only like that when in battle mode.
5. No revenge or butthurt feelings after losing. They know they're responsible for whatever happens to them... they're being matured about it.
6. No signs of Heroine "confirmed" to be in love yet since she isn't familiar to human emotions in the first place.
7. Leading characters developing romantic feelings are obvious; no need to drive the audience crazy just speculating about that.
8. BGM on the drama scene is OMGSOTRAGICALLYBEAUTIFULWAAAAH
9. Bye bye possible love triangles~
10. Leading character's an honest person and has been consistent about it.
11. Sexy chicks carefree attitude fits her love for junk food, LOLz
12. Sexy chick only offers to share her junk food ONCE; if you don't accept, she ain't offering the same thing again
13. The car used in going to the Financial District has... other uses! Take advantage of the District not just on earning money~
14. Character's background really affect one's perspective in things.
15. Candidate Main Antagonist does not pretend to be goody-goody; and he has valid defences on the not-so-good actions he does
16. We get more than two opinions. None of them black and white; all have BOTH good points and bad points.
17. Leading character is not forced to agree with any of them.
18. Even if opinions differ, they could actually get along and agree to some points.
19. Leading character may be "the only one who sees things other than money" right now, but he's not "the only one who's not drawn to the District"
20. Even though Leading character had decided on something earlier, he's still open to other opinions
21. Leading character can be influenced, but final decision is still upto him. And whatever his decision is, it's still connected to what he originally wants.
22. This series involves philosophy, sociology, and ethics as well.
23. The fights had never been the focus of the series... and the staff wants to be VERY clear on that by intentionally CUTTING them, even if they seem to be BIG fights.

The majority's disappointed on the unshown fight scenes though. I was not happy on the first fight that was cut either (it could've shown how the teamwork of the leading characters started to have progress... but instead they just rushed on that and showed the fight when they already cooperate well. But then again, they already do a good job even though they haven't cooperated well yet). But thinking about it, if we have already seen the attack and we know that it's a win anyway, there's no point to show the audience the same thing over and over until we start to get sick of it. It would be so wrong to cut the climax and outcome of a significant battle IF this were an action series....

Which [C] isn't.... 

and that's clearer now.

Yes, it has action stuff, but it was not "just a card game series" from the very beginning. It seems that the staff wants to end the perspective of this series as "mainly an action show" once and for all by doing The Cut.

At the same time, this episode is also being clear that it's not an "economics anime" either. [C] isn't just a card series that happened to have attack moves named after economic terms. It's more of a thought-provoking type of show.

As I've said earlier in this post, this series is really GENIUS xD *wants to kiss its staff for being awesome*

Now about Kimimaro, he's open to different opinions, and will accept those that complies to his own. In the past few episodes, wee see Kimimaro so undecided on things but he has been consistent on the following:

1. Live life simply. Money is not the most important thing in the world.
2. He doesn't like having others hurt. Much more if they're people dear to him.
3. He doesn't want to win when others suffer. But he doesn't want to lose either especially if he and his loved ones will suffer.

Kimimaro may have embraced the Guild's method, since so far that's what's closest and most achievable to satisfy his current beliefs. But now that he's being introduced to more perspectives, he's back to being very confused on what he should do.

Those three have come similarities though:

1. Financial District is evil.
2. The lesser the effects in the real world, the better.
3. If you have no choice but to fight, you would need to win.

Kimimaro seems to agree to all three, but he's still not fully recruited to any side, haha. Well, though he is still not clear on what he thinks he should do about the Financial District, in this episode he had finally stated what he's exactly fighting for: not to lose the ones closest to him

Now, since losing will affect his loved ones, losing is no longer an option to him no matter how minimal. Apparently, one of his loved ones is directly involved in his battles. You think he could stand to see her suffer again in more battles?

I believe that after losing, the Financial District is the next thing he could no longer tolerate. I think he didn't consider it before because Mikuni told him that it was impossible. But now that Jennifer has opened to him a possibility on accomplishing it, Kimimaro will find a way. I believe that he will finally have a stand on what he thinks he should do about the District starting in the next episode. Oooo... I can't wait~

Though I have a feeling that.... in order for him to finish off the Financial District, the catch is that he'll have to sacrifice Mashu as well.... the one he holds most dear right now. Pretty ironic, and it feels like a certain shounen series all over again.... crap, please don't. I no longer care about stupid cliches if it would such tragedies would need to happen without them ;_; Unless the series will give an ending similar to a certain series? Then it wouldn't be so bad....