#put a sad movie on . Ryoma will be BAWLING

[silbeni]

Ryoma….

[akumanoken-archive]

Peacemaker movie thoughts

I’m still wiping my eyes from it.... but I feel like I should give my two cents.

Obviously I had hoped for a new season or new series, but I will be satisfied with what I get, obviously.  My entire brain is trying to go through just a brief overview of my thoughts just fresh from watching it. 

First thing’s first, Ryoma’s death being just a flash in the story so far, Itou’s appearance, betrayal of the Shinsengumi, and Saitou’s role in it also being a flash in the pan, as well as the death of Heisuke made me sad.  I know that they have to make room for the life and times of those who will be moving forward, for the battle of Toba Fushimi and the death of Susumu, but Heisuke’s deaths were important things to the lives of the Shinsengumi, and Ryoma’s death is a pretty major point historically as well!   I am also a huge Ryoma fan so his death put on the back burner without any mention of the part he plays in the subsequent events surrounding the Shinsnegumi leaves me more than a little miffed.  Also I feel that the omission of Yamanami-san’s death was also a boo hiss moment.

That being said there was a lot that I enjoyed!! One of them happens to be the way they portray Souji’s desire to be useful and there by everyone’s side.  No other way to put it really.  He inherently hates the illness he has, and is desperate to show Hijikata that he can still be useful if he was just able to go out there, which is why Hijikata gives him orders, jobs, that involve him going out of trouble... to take care of Kondou-san... because he knows that if he doesn’t, he’ll do like he did the first time and make his way back.  He’s just as stubborn if not more so than Hijikata.

Hijikata will have his moment to shine as the heart and backbone of the Shinsengumi in the next movie I’m sure, but they really did a great job of setting him up for it.  You see him really stretching himself out there as leader while Kondou is away and being treated. The trust between Hijikata and Kondou is strong and I hope to see more as well.

TATSUNOSUKE!!!! LOOK AT DEADSHOT GIVING PEOPLE THIRD EYES LIKE NOBODY’S BUSINESS HELL YEAH!!! Once he had a drive, he has his own slightly berserker mode, especially protecting his brother.  I was very impressed!

Susumu’s growith was magnificent, especially seeing how he was in the first series. To see him as a doctor, to see him care for others, but especially the calm relaxed way he is with Tetsu and Tatsu, his genuine concern for them, and his understanding of Saitou’s intent at the end....

LET ME GET TO SAITOU!!!

As I said in an earlier post perhaps what affected me the most was Saitou’s change... in the beginning he was particularly detached apart from a few friends, as knowing the dates of death for the people around him would make him more than a little discouraged from making attachments...

But like Susumu, his interactions with Tetsunosuke has instigated a change in his thinking, and starts to become more personal, more protective.  At first I thought he was being protective of the Ichimuras because of their bond, assuring that he woudl protect them no matter what... but then I realized he was saying this to Susumu.... 

Only to Susumu.  He knows the Ichimuras still have life left to live, so it would mean nothing to say such a thing.... but he knows when Susumu is going to die... and despite the fact that it is already predetermined... he’s telling Susumu not to worry because he’ll take care of it... 

Because he knows that’s how Susumu will die....

It’s a painful lesson to learn, a painful burden knowing what is going to happen and not being able to stop it, and therefore it’s what made me sad most of all.  Even if he wants to change it, even if just by being there, he should be able to do something, he cannot stop destiny... but it’s also not stopping him from moving forward with all he can.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was a worthy addition to the series and I can’t wait to bawl my eyes out in the next one.... 

[nanashi1869]

🌼Flowers for my wounds🌸

(@kondo-hijikata @liuet in case you feel like reading it? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

~Yes, woo what a surprise, a long rant about the Shinsengumi again, how original Nashi. ~

Why thank you, dear reader ;) In all seriousness though, all the previous rants I made were spoiler free and it made me ridiculously furious that I held back all the salt and awe I have in me just for the sake of not spoiling any potential newcomers. I’ve covered some of this in vague posts hundreds of times, but today I will break that habit, I will spoil this to hell and back and enjoy it just as much.  

You've been warned.

PS: I’m doing this entirely based on my memory and some snippets I’ve seen one time too many for my own good. Inaccuracies are bound to happen. 

As always, what better way to begin than with the infamous episode 33...

I'm kidding, today I'm starting by digging into the post office. As with the usual routine the theme to talk about with this wreck is - guilt. Guilt over losing money in a gamble like a complete fool, guilt over buying a book and being too big of a shit (with rather solid arguments) to admit it, guilt over making rules you can't break even though going through the consequences once was enough to make you regret it for the next few miserable years... (Yes I lied, inadvertently everything comes back to the foolish daffodils). But let's talk about our pure accountant who is one 'i' short of being nothing but cute. Let's talk about the edge they put us on a bit before the main event took place, when the (drama version) of the idiot trio tore that scroll. Never forget that could have been the reason for all our tears, yet in the end it still had to be some more complex scheme. An act with the convict being an innocent man and the true criminal roaming free, while Toshi had all the time in the world to steep in deep, raging self-denial over the legitimacy of his past actions and life choices, all the while ending up the scapegoat to whom all the anger can be directed towards. The subtlety with which we were deceived to think the "actual events" of episode 38 were to play out earlier is truly commendable. But with this drama nothing is ever easy. You get to know a new character, someone moves a chess piece and then instead of moving forward everything takes a step back and lets you seethe with nervousness because, without realizing, you've been tricked and have to wait for all the heartbreak a while longer. Takeda's resolve to keep to his decision, regardless of consequences, was in his eyes, completely justified. It did make sense to try and prevent Kano from buying the book for Ito in order to protect the group from his growing power, the action simply failed due to Toshi's own greed after it. Kawai innocently, perhaps naively, thought lending money more than once would not be punished in hopes his friends would be saved from harm. It is his kindnesses that is ultimately his doom and it is the unexpected, usually harmless twists in life that turn it into a spiral with no point of return. Takeda's following quest for redemption ends up being just as pointless as Kawai’s death - he is killed in an instant of hate directed at him, where the assailants are unaware of his reasoning for the justification of his friend's demise. The book too, loses value as Ito gets his own copy later on.

Most, if not all, tragedies in this drama happen because someone is trying to protect or shield - and idea, a person. Toshi's friends die because he must protect the order of the group for Kat-chan, Yamanami and Akesato have a rift in their final moments because they cannot be honest (likewise Souji and Hide), Kat-chan's relationship with Tsune suffers because he lies about Miyuki, Nagakura and the others write the petition to shield the group from Toshi and Kat-chan's (propensity) ego. The pattern is pretty clear.

I'm going to loop back to the script for just a second - watching this drama knowing what will happens adds a thrill, it makes you question when an event will take place even though you know the chronological sequence, because the “mini-arc” leading up to it has to be completed first and the tension must be just right. How long that is depends on the episode and event of course. But each arc is a stepping stone to a new point of no return.

I think, since I've mentioned him, I'll take a bit to talk about Ito as well. I love, love, love the confrontation Kondo and Ito have right before his death. It's absolutely stunning despite being simplistic in nature, because what Kondo states is in fact the very obvious truth and in no way some overly wise notion of the situation. However, it's that simplicity (to me) that adds to the charm of the scene. If you expected some courageous battle of wits, you might have been sourly disappointment, but otherwise - see the pattern? - what brings people to their knees is once again the basic things in life. Kondo’s sincerity, the fact that life is and always will be (mostly) separated into black and white for them. Farmers and samurai, poor and rich - they fit in a narrow grey zone, yet even there they are bullied, pushed away to leave. It's everything complex they're trying to achieve being haunted by little things. It's the desire and determination to be something big and more buried into the ground by the small things they were raised with, holding them back.

Ah, it’s about time this goo got to the good part.

No, it’s still not episode 33. Firstly because I’m sure everyone is tired of my whining about it and secondly because I like to leave best (in my opinion) for last.

This is for our Gargoyle and Tofu. Just imagine, for a second imagine that final hug again and bathe in it, then come back to me, okay? The wedding rings champagne caps and Toshi’s little grimace when he tries to convince himself ‘it’s not over yet’. (At this point I would just like to praise Mitani again for giving us closure with that hug, unlike some other shows I watch *side eyes knife pile*). I’m really glad the two of them got to hug it out before the whole deal blew up. Everytime a ‘Kat-channn’ or ‘Tossshii’ came around my heart melted a bit. THE DYNAMIC IS SO GOOD. (I get so, so jealous each time I see well written relationships between two guys. Doesn’t matter if it’s boyfriends/best friends/would-die-for-you combined or only one of these included. (*cough* NIF & Bleach for one *cough*) I don’t even know what to say! We all know Toshi would sacrifice the world for Kat-chan. We all know Kat-chan trusts him above all else. The guilt one feels and the content of the other having come so far together and being such a power combo…*noises*

I don’t even know how to put this.... (@kondo-hijikata help this is your expertise)

I’m going to move on to some more feathery stuff because I’m really at a loss about these two (analysing NIF’s LC/MCS has engraved so deep into me it’s ruined my perception for everyone else, I apologize).

Right, feathers…

I wrote about Serizawa and his issue of not being able to get over his “I’m a bad guy, therefore I must act like it” complex...somewhere before. I can’t find it, but I’m very sure that was once a thing. I know most people hate the man with a burning passion and part of me probably does too, yet the way he is presented also makes him fascinating, like he is very self-aware but cannot change anything about that (this is similar to Toshi’s “indifference” (we all know he actually cares) of his path to become the villain - he knows that what he is doing is morally wrong and has no intention of stopping). I feel like in the end both of them continued with “bad guy” roles simply because they were too far down that road to stop.

I would analyse Serizawa’s character more, but I honestly don’t remember much anymore. I did want to mention this though.  Toshi on the other hand…feels like someone who desperately wishes to rage quit everything, but keeps on going out of pure spite.

And since I’m speaking of our beloved vice-commander - one thing that opisses me off is that Kotetsu got mentioned, but the whole wow deal with Kanesada got dropped out, even in the movie. *cue bawling over that Katsugeki finale* I was hoping for that when Tetsu showed up dammit!

Am I tiring you yet? Come, sit down, have some tea Gen-san made because he is totally ok and alive an happy and you cannot convince me otherwise because the hugging thing did not happen. Period.

…

Lastly, because my mind is going blank this is quite long - the bane of my existence and the one thing (to me) more cursed than Ryoma himself. (I’m lying PMK upped this x100000 and I am not over that either. I’ll confess immediately I did not read the whole thing yet but this, this haunts me).

This stupid episode with it’s stupid ending and it’s stupid decisions. *insert me yelling about rice balls on the Mibugishiden review post* I mean what is it with this drama and ending brutally sad episodes with (unintentionally?) funny moments? *cue Toshi’s squeaky crying* I have covered my thoughts about Akesato here and here though and since that essentially recaps everything I want to say, I won’t repeat myself. (Thought you’d have to read through 5 more pages of me screaming? I did too before I forgot what I wanted to say.)

I might make a part 2 someday, if I think of more to say, but for now, I’m done, leaving you with this stressful mess. Feel free to add your own opinions, I’m really curious about what the rest of you think.

~Nashi out~