It's over. I'm crying right now. Spoiler: EPISODE 11 So again, I didn't know what was coming from knowledge of history, but what a fitting ending to the Tale of the Heike. They fought valiantly for one last stand, had the faintest glimmer of hope, only for even that to be taken away. The death of the entire clan was unbelievably beautiful. As in I cannot believe I just watched a mass suicide and called it beautiful. And yet I couldn't see this story ending any other way. Everything worked so well together from the animation to the soundtrack to the voice acting to convey its message, and while other anime that recap its thesis at the end manage to miss the point, I felt The Heike Story really managed to tell its story in the best way possible. All we are is dust in the wind... I'm gonna have a lot to think about for my review. I don't give a damn about what other people may think. This was a 5/5 anime for me. It'd have easily been Anime of the Year if it weren't for Odd Taxi. Naoko Yamada and the entire staff at Studio Saru created a masterpiece and it's a shame that this show is not going to be nearly as successful as it deserves to be. I'll write a review before the end of the week to try to rectify that in my own little way.
Here for an EDS Groupwatch. I was not expecting this to be as sad and frustrating as it was. Not much about Biwa is explained but I guess that makes some sense as it is called the Heike Story and she isn't technically a part of that clan even after being brought into the family. I wanted to know why she didn't age. I wanted to know how she got that second eye from the guy who took her in. I want to know why she couldn't change the future, and Spoiler Why she seemed to go blind right at the end. I have to admit I watched it all in one go and I still have questions.
So I have a weird interpretation but here's my theory: Spoiler Biwa is the physical mannifestation of the Heike's story. She has the powers she has because she's the Heike's muse, not just figuratively but literally. She obtained the powers that she needed in order to tell the story, the future sight from her mother, and the ability to see the dead from her adoptive father. She doesn't age because the Heike's story is timeless. She went blind at the end because the Heike's story was over, she no longer needed to see (physically or supernaturally) in order to tell the story anymore. Obviously that's just my interpretation and attempt to fill in the blanks. There's not really anything explicitly explained in the show about that.
Here for an EDS/ABC groupwatch Spoiler: Episode 1 If someone did that to my father, someone helpless like that... to hell with the Heike, I would hope they all die. Spoiler: Episode 2 Jeez, what a horrible thing to see someone dear to you going through. It almost felt like the girl accepted her fate no matter what would happen, what a sad life. Spoiler: Episode 3 What a messy episode. I know that war and battles are messy but I don't like it regardless. Spoiler: Episode 4 More and more mysteries surround our mc, as she has now taken on the "curse" of the man who took her in. I hated to see him die this episode, I felt it was going to be inevitable but expected it to come as a penultimate thing, not a midway point. Spoiler: Episode 5 I haven't mentioned it yet, and I don't really have many thoughts on this episode so I will say this here, the dad is an exile junkie and needs to chill with his vengeance about it. Spoiler: Episode 6 This was the most heartbreaking ending to an episode. Where a character, vibrant and pacifist gets to the point where violence is their only option... man it hit and will continue to hit through the night I think.
Spoiler: Episode 7 Oh darn he died...... anyway! He was not a good character, I did not enjoy him 90% of the time. Very glad to see his corruption gone. Spoiler: Episode 8 The brothers and Biwa are my last bastions for this show, otherwise I am just muddling through this until the end. Spoiler: Episode 9 Losing Kiyotsune made me really sad, especially when Biwa had to experience that secondhand. Such a cruel power that she has. I'm glad she did get to reconcile with her mother though, that was something I hoped but didn't honestly expect to happen. Spoiler: Episode 10 To see the two brothers have to come to terms - or lack thereof - over the loss of their other brother was a gut punch imo. That family is the backbone of this anime for me and I really care about them. Spoiler: Episode 11 And the show, like the era, is over. I got really emotional at the mass suicides of the Heike people in the final battle. The Japanese people have always held pride higher than most countries and feudal eras I think it was even more noticeable. It makes sense historically for them to do it but I dislike that it had to happen. Overall, this show didn't captivate my like I assumed it would with the hype I heard about it, but it was ok overall. I don't think its a show for me, but when the show got me (like the final episode) it got me.
This "gem" was also disappointing. The series feels more like we're being told (literally) mundane historical facts. With Biwa functioning more as a self insertion of Naoko Yamada trying to make connections to history but it's inconsequential and only detracts from the time (despite being the most charismatic of the cast). The fact that Biwa can see the future but does nothing to change it supports this proposition of mine. Especially when Biwa hasn´t grow physically or when she has white hair and directly sings-narrates what happens. There is no real tension, no outstanding dramatic moments and the characters are too simple for me to care about their trivial conflicts. The audiovisuals are different from the usual but don't add much to the narrative, at best you'll remember this series more for its aesthetics than its characters or plot. I noticed a lazy effort in this anime unlike her other works by Naoko Yamada. Not being able to keep her story interesting all the time, with irrelevant and boring dialogues with no chemistry between the characters. Score: 3/10
This is for an EDS Group watch. Spoiler The story was confusing at first, but once I started to get deeper into the series and form connections with the main cast this was a very melancholy yet captivating story. Yes the writing could've been fleshed out better, but there was raw emotion and tension from what I view, and the tragic end to the Heike in the finale was a fitting conclusion. I admit I don't know much about Japanese history but this series was a good way to learn about one of Japan's historic battles. The Biwa character was a good medium to tell the story, but her character left more questions once the series ended. There was no attempt to explain Biwa's origins, though that make sense since the series is about the Heike and not her. I gave it a 7/10 mainly for the historic elements and the overall character of Biwa.
Here for EDS groupwatch This had good animation and seemed it is educational about the Heike, don't know much about the history there to confirm for sure.
Here for The Eleven Deadly Sins Challenge Groupwatch Epis⁶ode 1 Spoiler immediate sadness. A father murdered for protecting his child left her to face futures she dreads. My eyes are leaking. Episode 2 Spoiler A happy future for 1. To 4 an end for others Balance or cruelty? The eldest son is pulling at my heart. He wants to play with Biwa but she's dismissive and jumps up to greet his aunt. The bald guys are identical to me, when they aren't speaking I'm not sure whose on screen. An 11 year old raising a 7 year old. Uh-huh that'll be a story. Episode 3 Spoiler saddest part was the pinning kid until the husband went off to continue his affair until the monks were victimized until Biwa ran after her second father in desperation. Taking a break from this sad tale for a while Episode 4 Spoiler I did not like how this episode started. The ending of the last one was familial clashing with prepared for war overtones. This one starts with a woman thrashing in pregnancy pains. Yeah her unborn child is apart of the familial opposition but going from a son calling out his father for the latter's crimes to an expectant mother being harmed from within by her developing son was not the transitional parallel I wanted to see. In the last episode the father of this newborn son was having an affair. There's just going to be another pregnancy and fedelity/sucession issues >> Biwa seriously didn't ask why she was cut off from telling her second father what she saw by his eldest son? Biwa gained the curse because she was with him when he died? Episode 5 Spoiler timeskip. Seen you before. Yep another child. And another. Biwa's vision is fast approaching. He wakes alone and cries with no comfort. Episode 6 Spoiler I adore the flute bonding. She poisoned him so she could spend time with him. I'm calling it. He does not want to go to war but he stays to command. This will not be happy. Episode 7 I like the cat carrier. Episode 8 Spoiler so another battle he does not want to be apart of starts and he flees. 70,000 human lives and likely as many horses perished and his response is to abandon his family. I no like. The lack of willing and component Heike leaders for battle is not their sole downfall though it certainly does not aid them. Episode 9 Spoiler Into the sea. The final destination for the clan. Episode 10 Spoiler Farewell Neko. Episode 11 Spoiler She sits and watches a woman take her grandson and commit suicide but then jumps up to stop one from drowning saying she has to live because she just does. What was the point of the I'll tell your story if you and you alone live plee condition? After sitting and allowing her mother to take her son and jump from the boat she decides to follow, gets angry when she gets pulled up then agrees to live cause Biwa cries and tells her about her eyes. !?!?!?!? She should have saved her child! Overall ThoughtsOh how the first episode pulled me in. Following episodes less and less so. Took me longer to finish this 11 episode anime than typical for me. I did not enjoy. I did not follow a lot of the names and it would take a few watches to get them down, something I am not going to do. The sadness in the 3rd episode was a fine set up for the following and final episode and prompted me to step away and watch some comedy. Returning I watched eps 4-7 in one sitting and took another long break from this and I was not all that interested in continuing this after Biwa Spoiler lost her second father, was unwilling to confirm the rumors about her and was told she was never wanted by one of her second family members. After even more time I watched the rest spaced out; it was not a story I care to know.