Well, this would be my yuri fix for this season, now that Saki Zenkoku is ending.
In my defense, the premise sounds very interesting. Apparently, there is a “black class” which would be composed of 13 students; 12 of those student would be assassins while the remaining student will be their target.
While reading that, I thought. Who is this person and why does it need 12 assassin to kill her? Is she an unbelievable badass or something? Or perhaps this is a weird ritual in assassin school? Like the first person to kill the target wins <insert something here>.
Considering I have not read the manga, I’m eager to find out.
The first scene pretty much sets up our protagonist as competent top of her class Assassin. The animation is also quite fluid (I hope that they keep it like that) and the BGM is pretty nice as well, it really carried the testing part.
And we also meet this guy which I mentally dub as the dice guy.
He’s practically brimming with evil cliche that I will expect him to turn out to be a good guy just to be contrary.
Anyway, he’s the one ordering our protagonist around.
I also like the look of our slightly futuristic school where everyone is going to kill each other.
Those touch screen boards.
I want one. ^^
We also meet our first classmate, Haru Ichinose. She was seen reading the list of her classmates, framed by the light of the sun. Her voice is also the most sweet and innocent out of the entire class.
Well, I guess you can’t go overload with symbolism. lol
Animators :heh:
Btw, interesting information. There are 13 people in the class. With Haru as number 13. Unlucky gal.
And please take a look at this.
1. Azuma Tokaku
2. Inukai Isuke
3. Kaminaga Kouko
4. Kirigaya Hitsugi
5. Kenmochi Shiena
6. Sagae Haruki
7. Shuuto Suzu
8. ???
9. (Namatame Chitaru) —> got it from the student dorm round up
10. Hashiro Nio
11. Hanabusa Sumireko
12. Banba Mahiro
13. Ichinose, Haru
8 and 9 wasn’t said. (And I’m not really sure. please check this) But, I believe except for Banba (I have no idea where BA goes in the Japanese alphabet) and Ichinose. This list is arranged in an alphabetical order.
I wonder if there is any interesting reason for that. ^^
And we have our customary clueless teacher.
… Or not so clueless since Tokaku wasn’t able to notice him, until she turned around.
Anyway, we are followed with the most dysfunctional introduction ever. Assassins don’t have a subtle bone in their body after all. lol
Considering the premise, its not unusual to think that this can have some sort of tracker or bug right?
Quite cute though. I won’t mind having them strapped on my cellphone.
I wonder about our dear protagonist actions though. She seems more affected by Haru than she let on.
And I’m really really getting suspicious of Haru. I don’t think she’s that innocent and naive as she is currently being portrayed to be. Even if she’s the target. Wait. Specially if she’s the target.
Come on. Take a look at this.
Those knife wounds. I don’t think anyone can get that by accident. Someone tried to cut Haru’s legs off her somewhere in the past.
That said. This episode gets plus points for being the first to incorporate a blown up skirt as a plot point. I really wonder what Tokaku would have done if Haru managed to have the reflex to stop her.
And then Haru also says this sort of dialogue.
This pretty much implies Haru has some sort of secret that Tokaku would hate her for.
Combined with her answer to this question.
The world is filled with FORGIVENESS.
But, only if Haru gets to decide.
What I took from that?
Haru does not personally believe that the world is filled with forgiveness. But, that is what she wants the world to be. Perhaps, it is what Haru personally wants. Combined with Tokaku’s flashback, I wonder if Haru has anything to do with that grisly murder scene.
Notes:
Well, this show has successfully captured my attention. Well, not much as the whole show, but Ichinose Haru. Her perceived naivety is quite a contrast to other clues that the series presented and it makes a very compelling character even on episode 1.
Something I would like to note:
Her dream was to graduate.
If she’s the target, I’m going to bet that she’s aware of the assassins around her. If she’s not and a fellow assassin, I can only applaud her strategy. After all, while the assassins are presumable concentrated around her, she have more freedom to look for the real target.
… That said. I don’t believe the show have denied that the target can’t be an assassin as well. ^^
PS. Why are there partner dorms? Wouldn’t that give an unfair advantage to whoever managed to room with the target?
I smell something rotten.
Verdict:
Nice strong opening.
Will keep watching.
The Japanese alphabet rows go "a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa n". (The "b" row comes right after its unvoiced, basic form, "h", which is also the rule for all other voiced consonants: g, z, d). So your list is in perfect alphabetical order except for the final Ichinose, who should be one of the first names. The alphabetical order is standard procedure for Japanese schools, and often determines the initial sitting order of the class.
Probably watching this, too. I get the impression this might not be the first "black class" that Haru survived through…
Cytrus to the rescue. I can always count on you to fill my inadequate grasp of Japanese culture. ^^
This is pretty nice to know. Having Haru's name added at the last possible spot and conspicuously out of the order really leaves the impression that she's the odd man out. As if the class list was already there and she was inserted late.
And yeah the last sentence uttered by whoever was stalking the black class on camera, "this year's black class". Meaning there are other black class.
Your speculation of Haru surviving a previous black class might be right. ^^
Maybe Azuma didn't notice the teacher because she was too focused on Haru at that moment.
Yeah. Thar's also a possibility. The show practically goes out of its way to show us that Haru affects Azuma quite a lot.
Still, I'm going to be rooting for clueless teacher to have a "clue". The client is the head of the academy right? They won't put someone who can't handle the black class in charge.right?
… Oh wait. Remembers countless anime with clueless supervisors. Don't answer that. lol.
When clueless supervisors get too clueless, it's a sure sign they are actually just that good at hiding their training/presence/killing intent etc. TV Tropes calls this "obfuscating stupidity".
That said, the Haru theory might also be true. With the episode discussing Haru's scent in detail, I wonder if she's not emitting some special kind of pheromones to mess around with the minds of those around her – right now, it wouldn't surprise me if Haru was a walking biological weapon of some kind. Might be one of those secrets Haru is afraid of getting out.
Reading your impression tempted me to watch it …. so I watched it ^^. Just this first episode give us a lot to think about. What's the goal of the Black Class? What is so secret about the past of Haru? What's the goal of Haru (though it may be tied to her secret)?
Anyway your verdict is spot on : will keep watching
I'm glad you liked it Kiukun!
The "riddle" on the title is pretty spot on. I really hope that they will manage to give us satisfying answers. Though, I won't mind if they keep the mystery for a few more episodes. ^^
Obviously if they give us all the information in the next episode it won't be fun, and it will be the same if they keep all the answers until the two or three last episodes. So I hope for a constant release of answers, small nuggets of information until we arrive at the end and the final conclusion. It doesn't seem this anime is about fighting, it's all about the answers ….. at least I think, we only have the first episode ^^.
wow, awesome article post.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.