alpha-liveblogs

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Not a lot to say on the episode, since I also agree it's great, so... since 'were' is just an old world for 'man' (including in the non-gender specific sense, such as 'mankind') they should just call them 'were-beasts' instead of trying to get fancy with the Greek.

Yeah, that is how they named them all anyway, probably because trying to come up with Greek names for them all would be too hard. Therianthrope is the proper Greek term for werebeasts, but it's not as immediately recognizable so I guess they didn't use it.

Actually, I don't think coming up for names for them using Greek would be that hard...

Werebear would be Arctanthrope, which sounds like you're turning into a trigonometric function, wereboar would be capranthrope, wererat would be arouraianthrope, which can't be right, that's way to long, maybe we could use the word for mouse and say ponticanthrope instead, weretiger would I guess just be tigranthrope, which brings us nicely to the issue of when the Greek name and the Engilsh name are just kind of the same.

You know, like for example, how Leopard comes from leo (lion) pardus (spotted) so you wold probably use leopardanthrope, although you could probably also just use pardanthrope.

Just to pick a random example.

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I guess not. I mean, they’re not the same kind of secrets, or rather they are, in that they are both secrets that only really pertain to Kipo, but one is being kept by her and one is being kept from her. We’ll probably get that reveal next episode instead, unless they want to really chew on it, which I’d be okay with.

I said that I didn’t really like the note hiding plot last episode, but they turned me around on it, because this was great, and it really worked for me, and I think it’s because it focused less on her hiding it, and more on why she did, and why she realized that she had to tell Kipo. Less situations, more emotions, if that makes sense.

I was also a little annoyed last episode because I felt like they didn’t justify Kipo’s decision to hide her fur, or what she thought about herself, and this one did a good job of going into more detail, and I feel like I understand her feelings regarding being potentially a mutant a lot better now.

Yeah uh so... I think this was the best episode of Kipo so far. In terms of flaws, there was maybe one shot where the interaction between character and Water (bear) looked a bit off? Seriously, i think this episode was more or less perfect. That’s all I really have to say though, the episode kind of explains itself.

In D&D, were-anythings are called lycanthropes even though “lycan” is Greek for wolf, so it just means werewolf.

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Just... a really good scene. Wolf knowing what’s coming while Kipo is excited, and then angry, and the guilt, and of course Kipo forgives her, and we don’t have to do the whole Avatar thing. Now I wonder if Kipo will tell them about what she and Benson learned on their half of last episode or not.

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“If you do this, I’ll be gone forever.”

Nice. Again, I love the various tactics tried as she wakes up, and how quickly they admit to it, but try to convince her to stay anyway.

“I’m going to take time to do some thinking at the mountains. And also at the sea. And maybe outer spaaaaace...”

Good joke, episode.

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“Her fantasy is my best work yet. I had her mom come back to life. I made her strong in the face of adversity. I don’t get jealous, but if I did, I would be. Of me.”

I think that he’s trying to invoke Wolf’s guilt, by pointing out that Wolf’s goal right now is to pull her out of her perfect world with her family, back to the surface with her.

Very anime of you, Wolf.

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Oh, yeah, she can. That was pretty easy actually.

And Dave just knew it wasn’t real and didn’t care. Classic Dave.

Although neither of them actually want to leave.

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“You mean the first time someone has woken up out of one of your messed up dreams before you digest them?!”

“Oh, that doesn’t sound right. That sounds sad.”

Mulholland is so weird and creepy and I love it.

But can you defeat... YOURSELF?

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“Wolf. You didn’t show her the map.”

“You’re right! I can’t keep a secret forever!”

Don’t want to repeat myself, but yeah, pretty much this. And Wolf’s voice changes back, as well as being in the goat voice.

The only move that Mulholland really has here is to have Kipo just brush it off, but that just doesn’t make sense. The only reaction that makes sense is a bad one, but that would make Wolf unhappy. Wolf notices, and realizes that this isn’t real. It’s very Order of the Stick.

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Oh! I just noticed when rewinding a bit to start back up, but when Wolf sees the symbol and says “Huh?” it reverts to her normal voice instead of the gravelly one for a bit.

And it looks like we’re also seeing how Kipo’s dream is tainted by her worries, although this one feels a little less obvious to understand for me.

Maybe nothing is really happening with Kipo though, comparing her expression to Wolf’s.

I think it’s interesting how Kipo’s dream is probably the most complex, and involves the most ups and downs, while Wolf’s is the second simplest, after Mondu’s but she’s the one who is having problems with it.

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Okay, so I feel like what this is kind of pointing out is that even if this did happen, if Wolf did get this reality, what would it mean if the only way she could get it was to never tell Kipo about the letter. Kipo learns to love life on the surface, sure, but it’s all built off of this lie between them, and I think that’s going to taint it for Wolf.

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Five out of five characters.

Five out of five stars.

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Words can’t describe how amazing this scene is. I loved seeing Dave go through his molts at superspeed with full control to pull off cool stunts like this.

And the fan’s are all recolors of each other, a nice touch to show how they aren’t real characters in the dream in the way that Kipo’s parents are.

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Yes! Now just Mondu.

Also, I noticed that they were right next to each other, and their ripples were touching, so I guess Dave and Benson are sharing a dream because they are satisfied in a very similar environment, and close friends, so that tracks. I wonder if Wolf’s realization is going to be related to that she and Kipo didn’t share a dream like that.

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Yeah, her mom is also part mute, specifically, having the ability to transform into a muppet, and will be able to guide her through this.

Oh, I didn’t comment on seeing Kipo with her hair down. That also happened.

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Oh, it looks like instead, this is going to be them explaining that actually this is a cool thing about her that she shares with one or both of them, and so she will be proud of it. I’m still not sure whether it was a normal part of the dream, or if the dream is adapting to it though. I mean, they have to get out of this situation somehow.

Maybe I overestimated the dream’s adaptability somewhat, because Dad does a terrible job at this. Although it looks like the Mom might just handle it instead, which makes more sense, since it would fit better for Kipo to have a big reveal about her mom than something her Dad never told her.

Side note, comparing this dream to Wolf’s this one is much more detailed and realistic. I wonder if that’s because Wolf’s happiness comes in a much simpler form. Also, if we don’t get to see Benson’s and Dave’s, and just get them saying some line about what it was when they wake up, I will be very disappointed, just warning you.

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They do a little revision to the story of her death to make it something more likely for her to be alive than illness, and also something heroic instead of just sad, and then Kipo shows her around.

This whole scene is really cute, but also made really well. I love how Kipo is animated doing gestures like putting her hands behind her head, and the voice acting is top notch, she really conveys her excitement.

Oh! I wonder if this is partially supposed to represent whatever is different with her biology interfering with the process of the dream? Either way, given how she was acting about it earlier in the episode, and her reaction of shock and horror here, it’s pretty clear how she’s going to react.

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Oh, I was right about it being a fake-out! I didn’t really think about it, or want to talk more after saying so much in that huge first post, but having this be the whole plot of the episode makes that make a lot more sense. I’m glad that the uncanny dream-like vibe it was giving off was intentional.