[C] 10-11 - FINAL/OVERALL

Now that Kimimaro is now sure that he is willing to fight Mikuni, along with Jennifer Satou and the informant, they planned on their move in defeating Mikuni, by devaluating the yen via hyperinflation and they must grab a Darkness Card for them to have control of the rotary press. And so, the final battle begins.

To start things off, this is the only time the informant was this awesome. I mean, he created hyperinflation by playing with his connections and by sending a truckload of messages to warn everyone that the yen is “losing” its value thus, they need to convert their currency into dollars. Wise move I say and once yen loses its value, it will cause Mikuni to print more money, which will devaluate the yen more, and once yen ends up as just plain paper, the strength of his assets will weaken. Good move I say.

As for the battles in the finale, it was intense and awesome. What’s more is that the animation was well done and really jive well with the epic battles in the last two episodes. Also, I love the fight scenes during Mikuni and Kimimaro’s final battle. More on the final battle between those two, it is more like a fight of ideals about the future and the present. Mikuni keeps on thinking about the present and he doesn’t care what will happen to the future, while as for Kimimaro’s case, he thinks that the present exist for the future. Both ideals have their own good points and bad points, in short, if you look it in a neutral standpoint; they are both wrong and correct at the same time.

Now to Q, why I talk about Q? That is because we finally saw her skills and boy, I was amazed and get scared at the same time. I mean seriously, cannibalism?! It’s both awesome AND scary at the same time! Also creepy if you considered that Q looks like your average loli who happens to have large fangs once she uses her skills. As for Msyu’s Macroflation, it was amazing, ‘nuff said.

And as for the final scene, it was a bit satisfying. Why a bit? Because the world learns about the black Midas Money and it would be interesting if it would remain for a long period of time in the series and the humans tried to live with using the black money but what did I get? A happy ending that felt like one of the endings from Kamen Rider Ryuki in which at the end, everything came back to normal like it never happened. In [C]’s case, they still use the dollar instead of yen so yeah. To add more on the bit side, it seems that the Japanese Financial District finally collapse… until at the last minute in which Masakaki appeared out of nowhere and trolled Kimimaro by saying that the District still exist, I think I will kill someone right now.

Overall, animation wise, the ending was satisfying, same goes with the story until it went downhill with the bad use of the precious reset button. Also, the series felt like it ended up a bit “short” that you want to ask for more for you to have a proper grasp with the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The series was a bit satisfying. Animation wise, the series was good less than the bad CGI in some frames, but hey, those bad CGI scenes only lasted for about 2-5 seconds and you can easily ignore it. On the art side, the art was mediocre with the humans since their eyes look like that they were taking crack or some other drug while as for the Asset designs, they all look good, and so far, Sennoza’s Asset is still my top fave Asset design in this series.

In the story side of things, they did quite a good job in incorporating economics with monster battles that if you took Economics classes, you are quite familiar with some concepts in Economics that were incorporated in the series. In short, while you see Assets beat the crap out of each other, you will learn bits of lessons from Economics. Now to the show’s both strong and weak points: the characters, to be honest, the series has a weak protagonist and had a rush character growth. Why rushed? Because he was able to realize why he is fighting for at the show’s 9th episode! Sure, they slowly tried to develop his character in some episodes, but he always ends up returning to Mikuni’s own ideals.

Now to the strong part with the characters, most of the human characters can keep you interested for quite a while, same goes with most of the humanoid Assets. What I can praise about the humanoid Assets is that they did quite good job in making Msyu more human. Also, I love that Mikuni’s character felt like he was neither the good guy nor the bad guy.

Last words: The series has so much potential, but due to the small amount of episodes (11 episodes), it forced them to rush things a bit such as proper characterization. Animation wise, it was good less the bad CGI in some scenes but fails with human character designs and shined with Asset designs.

[C] 09 – Collapse

Yes, the Southeast Asian Financial District collapse which caused Singapore’s disappearance and the effects of this event called, [C] stars striking towards Asia, which caused some crashes in some stock markets, disappearance of some renowned buildings and Mikuni to invest truckloads of Midas Money to save companies being affected by this phenomenon. But was the possible effect of his actions in the future?

Continues the events in the previous episode, it properly explains what is this "[C]" and why Mikuni and co. are saving a lot of money for this event. Turned out to be it is the after shock after the collapse of one Financial District. About the disappearance scenes, I love how it was animated; it looked simple giving this sense of realism in it as if it was slowly disappearing out of plain sight. More on the animation, I am disappointed that the amount of bad frames increased.

For the actual episode, finally Kimimaro started to have a solid ground in his beliefs as he saw the effect of Mikuni’s actions affect everyone. From his co-worker, his love interest and to the most unimportant group of people that we shouldn’t care about that are now hobos thanks to Mikuni’s actions. Also, we it turns out that his father is indeed similar to him after we learn that his father’s Asset, Mua looks like Msyu!

Overall, it was a good build-up for the show’s last two episodes and finally had proper Kimimaro character development, which in my opinion was build-up thanks to the previous episodes in which we learn about Mikuni and Sennoza’s own beliefs about spending Midas Money in the Financial District.

[C] 08 – Confidence

In this episode, we take a glimpse of the Southeast Asian Financial District and its possible collapse. Meanwhile, back in Japan, the effects of the slow downfall of the Japanese Financial District is seen and people are starting to disappear, and the only people who noticed it are those in the District.

Probably, one of the strongest episodes so far and in my opinion, it has the same intensity like that of the episode were Sennoza appeared in which they talked about caring about the possible future more about the present. One thing I noticed on those people who are affected by the possible collapse of the District is that they are acting lame and that they are not in themselves.

As for Kimimaro, as he sees the effects of the District in front of his eyes, he is starting to have doubts about the future and how can he restore the lost future, starting with his teacher. Meanwhile, one thing that bothered me in this episode is that what is this “C” that Mikuni is talking about? Also, like I said about Mikuni slowly turning into his father was right.

Seriously, he is willing to sacrifice some people for the sake of the District not to collapse even if it will have a great effect in reality. The episode hints a possible deeper connection between Msyu and Kimimaro, which is interesting since as we all know, Kimimaro’s dad went bankrupt in the District, losing his future as collateral. Could it be that Msyu might be Kimimaro’s sister? It also revealed that Mikuni’s sister is still alive, only that she is under comatose.

Overall, probably one of my favorite episodes to date due to what’s happening around the episode which includes the collapse of probably, one of the strongest economies in Southeast Asia, Singapore and its disappearance in the world map due to the collapse of the SEA Financial District. And most importantly, we saw Mikuni’s other side that Kimimaro is not aware of.

[C] 07 – Composition

In this episode, Mikuni’s past is finally unraveled and why he ended up like that. Meanwhile, Msyu seems to become quite close with Kimimaro.

If there is one thing that surprises me in this episode is that before he ended up becoming the Mikuni we know, he is once a musician who gave up his dream after his band disbanded. More on his past, he was basically a rebel if you ask me as he tried to oppose his father in which in my opinion, he has every right to oppose the guy due to the fact that he cares more about his business than his family.

Another thing I observed is that after this episode, it seems that he is slowly turning like his father in terms of his actions. He builds his own networks in the present, his father build his own network back in the past. More on it, based on the next episode, it seems that I am right.

Now to Msyu, she slowly mellows down and starts acting more like a human and less of an “object” like most Assets act in the series. She tries to copy human behavior from eating till getting curios about an act called, “kissing.” Along with it, she starts getting close with his Entre, Kimimaro. Is it me or Msyu will end up like Shakugan no Shana’s Shana at the end of the series?

Overall, it was a good character background episode and the fact that we have a scene in which we have Msyu’s thoughts about Kimimaro makes the character more human and less of a regular object that we shouldn’t care about.

[C] 06 - Conflict

In this episode, an L look alike made an appearance and gets close with Kimimaro, Msyu's teamwork with Kimimaro improved... along with her appetite for cup ramen and lastly, Sennoza (the L look alike) talks about his different view about the future.

Probably one of my favorite episodes in the series due to Sennoza's ideology which conflicts Mikuni's beliefs about the future and causes Kimimaro to start having doubts about the future. Quite complex in my opinion. Another thing, Jennifer officially introduces herself to Kimimaro and after she explains her side, it seems that Kimimaro doesn't know whom to trust, this is getting interesting.

As for Msyu's teamwork with Kimimaro, it seems that they are getting much more closer compared to the previous episode asides that Msyu agrees to research their opponent even if she isn't into researching... and their research paid off. Also if there is one thing I noticed with Msyu and Kimimaro's current battle style is that Msyu doesn't rush towards her opponent that much compared to the previous episodes.

Overall, it was a really good episode. Asides from the ones mentioned above, the battle with Sennoza really stunned me in terms of action and intensity of the scenes. Seriously, I really thought that Msyu will really die in the episode due to her appearance.

[C] 05 - Cultivation

In this episode, got teamwork problems with Msyu, Kimimaro gets to experience a loss and see its effects on reality and lastly, the old man from the previous episode gets to experience the biggest lost in his life, and the Guild starts to make its move.

One thing that I can say good about this episode is that they explored the teamwork between Msyu and Kimimaro and that's about it. While as for Kimimaro's first loss in the District, I find it fitting quite well with the amount he loss in the District. The episode also properly explains the guild's job of minimizing the effects of the District when Mikuni decided to buy Basho Pharmaceuticals after its owner lost in the Financial District.

Overall, it is a fine episode. Asides that they still remembered Kimimaro's professor who now is single thanks to the effects of the District, Kimimaro officially joins the Guild. Another thing that I can note in this episode is that they explored each member of the Guild and their abilities. Seriously, the one with the Dead Man's Trigger still bothers me the most.

[C] 04 - Conversion

In this episode, we learn that Assets have at least 10 stocks which you can sell and earn something and see some guy went bankrupt in the District. What's more is that he is your Management professor and because of his bankruptcy, he lost his kids! This is scary.

To sum up my thoughts on what happened to those people who are in the District and went bankrupt, I find it scary. Its hard to find the perfect words to describe to those who went bankrupt in the District. I guess the closing phrase for this case is, you don't know the difference between dream and reality since you are the only person who is aware that it all happened and you saw them disappear after you returned home.

The episode also introduces to us the Starling Guild, a group led by Mikuni in which their job is to minimize the effects of the District in reality by winning a little and losing a little. I find their mission really fascinating since based on Mikuni's actions, it seems that they are the group who are not engrossed much in earning a lot in the District since they understand a bit the possible effects of their actions in the District.

Overall, it was a really good episode and cleared up things that is bothering me since the first episode on what will happen to those who lost in the District since Masakaki was a bit vague when he said that they will have the future as the collateral.