Tokyo Ravens

Tokyo Ravens - The Anime

So, am I the only one enjoying this?

Granted, it's not a revolutionary piece of art, but I'm actually delighted by the character interactions. This seems to have the subtle quality, that so many of the paint by the numbers works miss, of having the characters just work on some deeper level. It's in the small touches.

I'm not completely hating the plot either and by ep. 3 they've managed to turn some of the twists I saw coming around in ways I didn't expect. I mean for the first time in a while, I'm not absolutely hating the show diminishing the death of a character by having that character not be quite so dead after all.

I can't help but compare this to another series of this season, Strike the Blood. They both look far worse on paper than they end up being. Of course, plenty of the season left for me to be disappointed.

Maybe part of the reason I'm seeing no discussion on this anywhere is that it's probably the only 20 minute series out this Fall that isn't simulcasted on any of the streaming sites. Anyway, give it a chance if the mood catches you.

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edited 23rd Oct '13 4:47:09 AM by GabrieltheThird

You know, some time ago I was gonna say that the childhood friend was being selfish, overbearing and inconsiderate for trying to convince the dude to get a job that included risking his life on a regular basis when he said himself that wasn't qualified for it. I refrained from doing that when I watched ep 2.

Then along comes ep 3. I... Feel conflicted about the revelation. Conflicted and cheated, considering the implications.

I actually sort of like how the situation ended up, it makes the whole thing deliciously messy if you think it trough. Like if you look it from Natsume's perspective, she comes off delightfully evil mastermindish, which probably wasn't the intent though.

She sends her shikigami to watch over the target of her crush who doesn't realize its her, or even a shikigami at all, then has him get attached to the shikigami. So, when the shikigami gets "killed", he comes to her and swears his eternal devotion in exchange for power to get revenge for, well, herself. I mean that's one way to snare the guy you have the hots for.

Another reason the twist didn't really bother me was that I knew that Hokuto was going to die from the first episode already. It was obvious that they were gonna get rid of her so she wouldn't be in the way. That (and the revelation that she was a shikigami) lessened the impact her death had in the second episode, so the twist at the end of the third actually felt like it made the whole thing worth it.

edited 23rd Oct '13 8:16:43 AM by GabrieltheThird

Yeah, this turned out better than I expected. This is based on a light novel I bet, with the first 3 episodes being the first book. Felt like a prolog however, so it's hard to see where it's going form here.

Any, if troll-blond shows up in Tokoyo, I think that would be a good start.

Also, didn't Hokuto have the same name as the dragon? Sort of implying that the dragon was running it or something. Anway, I'm hoping Natsume has more of Hokuto's personality than she let on, as she's kinda boring so far.

What's up with horses in anime recently? Seems like every anime has got one...

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

It's all things I've seen before, but the execution has been good enough to keep me watching

I do admit I haven't seen the "Girl uses shikigami to stalk her crush" thing before.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

I'm enjoying this quite a lot. But wow, I never really expected that Hokuto was Natsume all along. Well, there were some hints, but it's still a surprise.

It was rather obvious that Hokuto was Natsume. But man, how Harutora manages to miss that, and Natsume's reaction to that and Touji (involving copious amounts of flustered Kana Hana), now that's just delightful.

Pretty much like everyone else is saying, this is well-trodden ground, but it's executed well enough that it has a semblance of freshness.

Just saw ep. 4. In wich we were hit with a storm of cliches.

Also, gotta love that skill list.

Still, Natsume is cute.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

So is Kon.

Meh, I was hoping Suzahka?(?- the blond from the previous episodes) would show up again.

edited 29th Oct '13 8:46:06 PM by kiukiuclk

Episode 4:

• Mr.Ohtomo, I thought of you as a eccentric, but in the end, you're pretty cool.
• Kon's cute. Also seems to have the tendency to point swords in people's faces.
• Natsume's cute. And scary. I liked her red eyes of doom. I also like Harutora's reactions whenever something bad's about to happen to him.
• Whoops. For a second, I forgot that Harutora's a familiar

You wouldn't be the only one. In the only other similar case I know, the shikigami was powerful enough to get her own shikigami. It was pointed out to me that Harutora's shikigami was only passed on so power might be irrelevant. Then again, I am still wondering how Harutora broke out of the talismans in episode 3.

"If music be the food of love, PLAY ON" - William Shakespeare

I gotta admit. Having a familiar that can have familiars is one way to game the system. Sort of like summons that can summon.

Reminds me of the infinite Gate Loop in D&D. (they fixed it later on)

Basically:

• Use Gate to Summon a Pit Fiend.
• Pit Fiends can use gates.
• Order your Pit Fiend to Gate in another Pit Fiend.
• Infinite army of devils!

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

It helps that Harutora is working for Natsume willingly, so she doesn't have to worry about him being too strong to control. Likewise, Hokuto and Kon presumably have some degree of family loyalty that makes them easier to use.

Also using humans as shikigami is pretty rare (taboo even?), while most Youkai who know enough Onmyodo to have their own shikigami would be far too powerful to control. The character mentioned was only able to manage it because she was a powerful youkai herself.

edited 31st Oct '13 11:55:40 AM by Prime32

Wait, so Natsume dealing with the world as a man is actually a thing and not just a formality? And the other characters actually fall for it?

Well, I didn't expect THAT development :p

Also, Touji's hilarious.

So many misunderstandings.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

I like thed fight scene. You don't normally see that. He got is butt handed to him and teacher stepped in quickly

Natusme is fooling people who don't have male-lead-style obliviousness? WTF?

I like Harutora dealing with what-is-name by apologizing. Again, not something you normally see.

Tourji is great. That is all.

Was there a stupid field back home, Haru seems more perceptive all of a sudden. Or maybe he's only perceptive of peoples feelings that don't involve him.

Didn't expect that. that one she promised was Harutora I guess. LOL

Well, that was better than I expected.

So, this episode we see that one of Harutora's defining character traits is being an extremely likable guy. We also get more Yakou shenanigans, and a few minor hints here and there as to how the plot is going to progress.

Haru's a nice guy.

"Does it bother you?" Touji wins everything.

Worry not, Natsume. In friends you can trust.

Stupid fanatics these days...

I'm rather impressed that The Masquerade is going strong without any worries. However, Kurahashi's gonna be in for a rude awakening if the masquerade ever gets undone...

We only got to see Harutora getting his butt kicked. Nice. As is Harutora being likable and stuff.

Touji surprise-trolled Kurahashi wahaha.

The fanatic was hilarious. ...I may have a strange sense of humor. The fight against the ogre was rather weak though, and surely the fanatic could have put up more of a fight?

That Tsuchimikado family tradition is stupid and oh man people actually fall for it how why. They even allowed Natsume into the boys' dorm, just to keep the illusion real. This amuses me.

Kurahashi seems to have misremembered the kid she made a promise to. Hmm.

edited 7th Nov '13 6:53:19 AM by fillerdude

I don't suppose anyone has a translation for this?

Episode 6.

... Natsume is really, really terrible at the entire "keeping a low profile" thing.

Also, Kon's tendency to say innocent things in a way that sounds worse than it is makes one wonder if it's just Obfuscating Stupidity.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent