Anime/Sengoku Collection

Well, all 26 episodes of the anime is finished... Which is why I'm surprised at how sparse the entry to the show currently is.

Hmm. Given how the season has just started (which is to say it's still not clear which show is a keeper or not), I figure that I'd help out with this one to fill the time. Because it's a shame, really, especially given how each episode is pretty much a Shout-Out to either a classic or contemporary movie. Observe: [1]◊

Anyway, going to spend my rewatch time on this (hopefully I got all the episodes that I need), then use this article as a reference (Midonin has a better way with words) ... and lets see where I'll end up with in a few weeks.

edited 5th Oct '12 10:24:31 AM by MyssaRei

So, episode one. Apparently this is the only episode on airing that didn't have a title, but since all the other episodes go by the titles of each Sengoku girl, I'm assuming that it's Sweet Little Devil.

This episode, by the way, is the one that references Roman Holiday, and plays the Pretty Freeloader card to the hilt. Oh, and this is where we first see the convenience store (which will turn up in another much later episode), as well as the three Miko who send Nobunaga on her quest in the first place.

The assumption post series is that the three Miko were both messing with Nobunaga, and wanted to teach her a lesson at the same time. The lesson of course is that, while Nobunaga might get what she wants after she collects all the Treasures from her fellow warlords, the world she'll return to will turn up empty of familiar faces because all of them are coming to OUR world in a constant stream. Too bad Nobunaga is too much of a big thick idiot to realize this.

I don't think I'm going to be able to add much to the page while at work later on, but I'll try. Really wish I could bring the episodes to work on my phone, but ah, no memory card space.

edited 6th Oct '12 10:38:56 AM by MyssaRei

So, episode 02 is, at least in my version, left untitled yet again, but given how its Sengoku Girl for the episode is Ieyasu, I am assuming that it's Peaceful Empress.

Pretty straightforward really. Ieyasu drops into the modern world disoriented, but the first thing that she gravitates to is an aired performance of the idol Rosary. Exactly why she focuses on this isn't actually commented on here, but it will be in the second half of the show where we see that Ieyasu has always liked singing, but couldn't really indulge herself because of the fact that she's one of Nobunaga's generals.

There's a bit of Heroic Self-Deprecation going on with Ieyasu herself, even when she finally catches the eye of a talent producer willing to bet on an unknown who literally dropped out of the sky during the day and is given the chance to actually perform — she feels like she can't measure up, particularly to her mental image of Rosary, when everyone else can see that she has the potential to be a massive hit.

Rosary incidentally seems to have gotten to where she has by not giving up, when all others had thrown in the towel. However, the idol seems to have hit a plateau, and has gotten rather bitter about it — and doesn't hesitate to tell Ieyasu that when they finally meet. But then Ieyasu throws the argument back at her, and says that she'll continue as far as she can.

edited 7th Oct '12 8:24:54 AM by MyssaRei

On to episode 3, which I think is the first example of a double-billing with two Sengoku generals — in this case, it's Kenshin and her retainer Kanetsugu. The movie reference this time around is apparently Wings Of Desire, with the most blatant nod being Kanetsugu's monochrome view of the world.

With the waning of Kenshin's desire for conquering in light of being stuck in the modern world (and actually LIKING The peace), Kanetsugu's world literally drained of color, as she doesn't see much worth in it (and more importantly, herself) when Kenshin isn't actually, you know, passionate in her goal of uniting the Sengoku world under her banner. The color returns later on, of course, but only after angst, overreacting, and a bit of drama.

Incidentally, this is also the first instance of blatant Les Yay in the series, and certainly not the last.

P.S. This episode was titled Pure Angel. FINALLY noticed that the title cards are actually at the end of each episode rather than at the beginning.

edited 7th Oct '12 5:23:13 PM by MyssaRei

Ah, Kenshin Uesugi, avatar of the god of war, Bishamonten. Now, a lover of peace. I have to say it was weird how this anime portrayed Ieyasu Tokugawa and Kenshin Uesugi especially how these contradicted with the portrayal of Shingen Takeda, Kenshin's rival.

edited 7th Oct '12 6:25:40 PM by MarquisDev

I loved Takeda's episode though, but it was very weird having her call herself the Cavalry Queen, but spend the whole episode without even a single horse.

Also, Kenshin has acclimated to the new world by this point, hence Kanetsugu's distress.