Kara no Kyoukai Movie 8: Shuushou

Kara no Kyoukai review Part 8

Finding a way to end a story can be a little tricky if the tale in question has no "natural" conclusion, and in cases like those there is a tendency towards overemphasizing key events in the plot or particular moments of character development through the use of flashbacks or the ubiquitous clip show before the big finale. There is a problem with this method though, as while it can be effective in the right sort of setting, it also has the potential to ruin a perfectly good narrative. That said, the last hurrah of the Kara no Kyoukai franchise is ... an interesting variation on this idea that may see more use in the future.

Set after the events of Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2, the Epilogue takes place on a deserted road overlooking the town, and is nothing more than a conversation between Mikiya Kokutou and Ryougi Shiki after the two meet on a snowy night.

The main thing to realise about this installment is that its sole purpose is to close off the series, but the approach it takes may not sit well with certain people as it adopts a far more introspective and thoughtful stance than any of the previous outings. The plot has one goal, and that is to explain Kokutou and Shiki (who they are, why they are, their relationship, etc), and as part of this it also resolves some of the questions that were left unanswered at the end of the final movie.

What's interesting about Epilogue is the manner in which it delivers the information to the audience. Gone are the dark storylines with their action based resolutions, and replacing them is a much quieter, dialogue heavy look at Kokuto and Shiki as individuals. The method used to reinforce specific points about one or both characters is also intriguing as it utilises the recounting of previous installments, but rather than use the traditional flashback sequences (which would really ruin the mood), Epilogue weaves them into the conversations in a manner that is more referential and comparative than anything else.

The overall atmosphere of quiet contemplation is heavily influenced by the look of the show, and the orange-yellow glow that permeates the town and its outskirts gives this episode the feeling of warmth and tenderness. One highlight of the visuals is actually the gently falling snow, which may not be obvious at first as quite often people make judgments based solely on the strength of the foreground and characters. Weather effects are common in anime, but studios rarely distinguish themselves in this department so it's nice that Ufotable have decided to redress that imbalance in a small way, and one look at the panoramic views across the town will highlight just how much effort they have gone to. The overall effect of both the illumination and the snowfall gives the show an ethereal quality that is rare in anime, as rather than relying on special effects and tricks to fool the viewer, it instead uses reality as the benchmark. The only flaw with the snow is that it doesn't stick to clothing or settle on the umbrella, but this is a relatively minor gripe that doesn't really affect the episode as a whole.

There's not much of a change in the overall look of the characters except for the fact that they appear older and more in tune with themselves than before. The difference is actually in the details, in particular in the facial expressions of Kokutou and Shiki. Both have undergone a metamorphosis over the course of Kara no Kyoukai, and this is reflected in the way they look at each other in this episode.

One thing that stands out in this franchise is the quality of the acting, yet while there have been some great performances throughout the series, Epilogue's quiet nature is a very different proposition from the bouts of frenetic activity and angst in the movies. To their credit both Suzumura Kenichi and Sakamoto Maaya offer very good performances, but along with this is the sense that the pair are more comfortable with their roles than at any time before, and this has the effect of "relaxing" the flow of the story.

Another key area for the franchise is the music, and Epilogue is no slouch in this department. The show begins with a haunting classical piece dominated by flute and piano, which leads into purposely subdued background music that at times is barely audible, especially during conversations. The subtlety and slightly off kilter nature of the music, together with the occasional "enhancing" of the speaking roles, add to the dream-like atmosphere of this episode, and all of this is rounded off by a choral, hymn-like ending theme.

The strangest aspect of Epilogue is that it doesn't focus on characterisation or development in any tangible manner. Instead the viewer bears witness to what appears to be character affirmation, which is surprising as the series has studiously avoided this in a number of ways. The interesting part about this though, is that the script has been written in a way that conveys a sense of inevitability, and the focus on introspection and explanation is a major shift away from the more dynamic dialogue of previous outings.

At first glance Epilogue may appear to be a strange and far too wordy addition to the Kara no Kyoukai franchise, but don't be fooled. There is a depth here that may surprise a few people, and while there are no knives, guns, action and the rest, it more than makes up for this by allowing the viewer to empathise with the characters in a way that the movies have ignored up to now. That said, while I enjoyed this addition to the series there will undoubtedly be others who find it far too slow to be entertaining.

Taken as a stand alone episode this may seems more like an art house anime than anything else, especially with the introspective dialogue laced with psychology. As part of the whole though, Epilogue offers closure on one of the major themes of the franchise (the relationship between Kokutou and Shiki), and also provides the series with something that has been missing from day one - a proper ending.

What was the point of this Epilogue? Lets toss around a few scenes of characters standing in the rain on a roadside and listen to one of them talk for a half hour about deep deep things (tm) like PHILOSOPHY and EXISTENCE and WHO ONE IS.

I really really wonder why this episode was rated so high. Maybe people were afraid that if they didn't rate such DEEP THOUGHTS high, others would find them dull.

DEEP THOUGHT equals not enjoyable anime.

DEEP THOUGHTS + PLOT can equal enjoyable anime.

Plot, plot, where are you?

Oh boy. So I watched this a while ago, so I may have forgotten a bit about what happened in terms of story... er... well, I think, anyhow.

Story: 1

Yeah so, there's not actually any story in this. I know, sue me, but there's storytelling in the dialogue, should you be inclined to follow it. I'll warn you though, it's deeper than the subsonic frequencies produced in the Mariana Trench while watching Boku no Pico. It's harder to follow than a blind and deaf man in a pitch-black labyrinth while drunk, dizzy, and inexplicably blindfolded. Or maybe I'm just not smart enough to figure it out. ...

From watching, here's what I can tell in terms of a non-verbal story.
The guy goes and sees her on the hill. The snow is pretty. They have a conversation while walking slowly on the road. The snow is pretty. There's a gust of wind and she vanishes. And the snow is still pretty. The end.

If you enjoyed the previous seven Kara no Kyoukai movies, for their beautiful artwork, compelling plots, great soundtracks, exciting and sometimes gruesome fight scenes, and all the good things that come with that, then you'll probably notice the epilogue is a bit of a change from all that. It's still pretty looking. It's just boring as hell. 45 minutes of a bunch of nonsensical dialogue about how the body is made of the physical being, the spirit, and the bullshit.


Art: 10
That snow is so pretty.

That's all you're gonna be watching.

It's beautiful snow.


Sound: 6
Kalafina. There's not much background music, and no sound to speak of other than talking. I guess it's soothing.

Character: 3
The characters are obviously here from throughout the series. This lies right in with story though, there's character development in the dialogue, if you can pick it out. I'm sure. At least, I desperately hope there is. I mean, there has to be, right? Right?

Enjoyment: 1
I sat there with my eyes crossed watching the snow and laughing about stupid comments I made with my friend while eating a cookie cake, and other than that I barely even noticed the movie at all. Other than the snow. That snow was so beautiful.

Overall: 3
Yyyyyyyep. In retrospect, the epilogue was entirely not necessary for a conclusive end to the series, especially since it DOESN'T MAKE ANY GOD DAMN SENSE.