Jigoku Shoujo: Mitsuganae

[KiraRin]

Episode 7 has just been subbed by Aero. Noone is doing it particularly quickly, and the quality isn't especially breathtaking, but got to love the repetitive storyline :p

H.

[Vinosec]

Originally Posted by KiraRin

Episode 7 has just been subbed by Aero. Noone is doing it particularly quickly, and the quality isn't especially breathtaking, but got to love the repetitive storyline :p

H.

XD yep atleast it's not an anoying repetitive.

[Mr. sickVisionz]

I think this is the worst season by far because so many of the cases are more comedy than drama, but I love Hell Girl so i'm still entertained by it. If they can pull together a nice arc at the end, i'll be satisfied and excited for a 4th season.

[KiraRin]

This series is seriously up and down. The first 10 or so episodes, I wondered if the writers were on crack.... some of the hellish tortures were so bizarre, you couldn't help but laugh.

Episode 16 seemed to do a complete U-turn and tackled quite a dark subject, and looked more at the emotions of the cursed.

I agree that this is the weakest series so far, but I'm looking forward to the next part of the saga for Ai.

H.

[KiraRin]

Episode 20

Wow, its taken a long time this season, but this episode was definitely worth the wait. I think this could well be my favourite episode out of all seasons so far. Finally someone pointing out all of the things I thought were wrong with the whole hell website thing.

It probably posed a few more questions too, such as Yuzuki's role in the whole thing and whether she can escape from her fate.

It has been a long struggle to get here, and the writers do seem to have been taking crack sometimes, but the final push could be quite good ^^

H.

[purplemo]

Well I guess it's rather nice that all the people who are being taken are all linked very closely this time, giving the story more continuity (as well as using a "vessel.") I'm kind of sad Ai's furisode looks so boring this time after Futakomori's gorgeous one. The OP and ED are subpar this time as well. And while I know they must've been running out of death sequences as early as S1, they really should've picked a better one to begin ep 1. Though I guess it's okay; it's not like I expect to be scared of them. So far the series is starting off stronger just on the fact that there is some story continuity and Kikuri adds an extra . . . spice to things.

Mamiko Noto's "Ippen shinde miru" is starting to sound really bad now though. It's like she's begging.

[purplemo]

Ah I KNEW this show would break the string of ambivalent and angry Suikas. Though the pre-ep 20 is not as strong as Futakomori, the ending of this series is the standout.

This is classic Jigoku Shoujo, meaning classic Kyuuketsuki Miyu style storytelling with a few extended "arcs" floating around and the endtale beginning around ep 20. This time more of the episode stories are filled with Axis II people which changes up some of the stories (i.e. make them a little bit more far out) and the deaths can be more eccentric (the manga kid's death was really out there but gets points for being . . . well, see it for yourself).

The Good
- Yuzuki is a VERY strong lead, very sympathetic. Her VA does wonders at making her come alive. One of the best "real" leads period (though she'll never be recognized as such given Jigoku Shoujo's niche audience)
- Another solid soundtrack (with amazing piano pieces, especially late) accents the mood
- Using a central "hub" allows much more character interaction and building that was very much needed in an episodic show going onto episodes 52-78
- Gorgeous!
- Kikuri is well placed to break some of the high tension and gives a lightness when needed
- When it wants to, this show can still grab your heart and twist like mad
- The sakura tree, my god, looks just like the Saigyou Ayakashi!! Anyone who knows the Saigyou Ayakashi will get an extra hearttug out of seeing this! This story, even more than the two previous arcs, will remind one of Yuyuko
- The spider lilies
- The new member of the cast near the end
- The last 5-6 eps are about as good as it gets
- The second furisode
- The ending dialogue
- Did I mention Yuzuki?
- Don't forget about Yuzuki


The Bad
- It can be slow!
- Had to dredge up some memories of the past series to fully get the impact of some of the stuff
- Ai's furisode is nowhere near as good as in Futakomori, though her spin helps hide that
- Some of those Axis II characters can be quite stupid for people who don't deal with those kind of people


I know most people do not like shows like Jigoku Shoujo, but Mitsuganae is a beautiful way for it to end (if it ends). Though Futakomori's ending was also built to tug at the heart (and did quite well), it really stretched the rules of the world. Mitsuganae is like a tragic ballad. It tugs, but without the intensity of Futakomori. Futakomori ends like someone fighting to live; Mitsuganae ends like someone in their final reflection. On the ending alone Mitsuganae tops the trilogy (a rare thing for a series to end at its best).

Very highly recommend (though ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WATCH THIS BEFORE THE FIRST TWO SEASONS!) This one gets double

And if I ever get around to it, the series earns a spot on the lists. Possibly even higher than the Kyuuketsuki Miyu.