Ranked #390

Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae

Maybe not as good as Futakomori, but still a must watch for every fan of Enma Ai.

The story is pretty much similar to what we have seen in the two previous seasons, people are being sent to hell and hatred is released, though this time hatred gives birth to more hatred.

Throughout the season it can be noticed that the creators have decided to use the ideas the fans found rather pleasing in the past. Once again someone tries to make a stand against the jigoku tsuushin, similarly to what has happened in the first season of the series. While new characters are introduced stories about their past are told to eplain their bonds with Ai, this has already been ecountered in Futakomori.

There is however something fresh about the series, the element of possesion. It is not only an interesting concept, but it plays a vital role in the story throughout the season and builds up the tension until the very last episode.

Unfortunately, what seems to be a great material has it's downside. Some of the grudges people hold against each other are simply speaking too typical and therefore boring. While watching some episodes I actually had the feeling that they were nothing more than mere fillers, which had to be squeezed in so that the series would be 26 episodes long.

Art-wise, we get the same old esthetic and mysterious animation as before, which perfectly fits with the nature of the show as well as the score playing along. In one episode though we get even more than that. While watching the finale one might say that the creators have implemented an inexplicably eccentric idea into the show. The effect is awkward, but it gives you something new to look at therefore adding value to the experience.

What I found the most pleasing aspect of season three is the sound. Although when it comes to opening themes I preffered SnoW, the music in Mitsuganae is outstanding! It fits the feelings which play a crucial part of the show more than ever before. Some of the themes are actually worth listening to even without the video and voice play.

The newly introduced chracters are great, they are intresting and as a viewer I was actually interested what was going on in their minds while watching the series. I was pleased to see how the bond between Ai and her companions thightens. The single-episode chracters were pretty well designed as well, some of them were pitiful, others scary. Several however were completely forgettable and tasteless like a bad meal.

On one hand, Mitsuganae combined all the best ideas of the first two seasons. On the other, some of the typical strictly grudge based episodes were not as entertaining as in the past.

Mitsuganae is a must watch for every fan of Emma Ai. For the rest, it's a good, or maybe even very good, way of wasting some spare time, while waiting for the next episode of your favourite series. read more

Story:
Basically the frame of each episode is the same as season 1 and 2 *people sending other people to hell*, but the new twist of Ai being reborn with Yuzuki as the medium is very interesting. It get's interesting with every episode because it unfolds the deeper story of Yuzuki's involvement with Ai.

Art:
Effects are basically the same as 1 and 2 but I love Ai's new kimono. The effects of it is really great. Opening and closing vids are amazingly colorful.

Sound:
Timing and choice of sound effects add the eerie effect at key points of the story. Making you anticipate something coming.

Character:
Though old characters retained their personalities, they have matured more, especially Ai, and how she depicts herself. Kikuri, have had a major change of personality, she is no longer the manifestation of the Lord of Hell, with a body borrowed from a toy *based on episodes watched*. Kikuri, now has a CHILDISH character. Though for me, with 3 episodes to go. Kikuri's personality is still bound for change. A new addition to Ai's disciples is Yamawaro who's origin is hidden from the start, though it is shown that he is very submissive to the very annoying Kikuri.
Yuzuki, the girl whom Ai was reborn is a character who's the center of Mitsuganae, why and how is she deeply involved with Jigoku Shoujo and the Jigoku Tsushiin is what you have to watch for in Mitsuganae.

Enjoyment:
Very enjoyable, though some episodes are plain and boring. You can always get enjoyment from the very annoying Kikuri *why I keep saying Kikuri is annoying is what you have to find out for yourself :)*.

Overall it gets a rating of 8.6, I would definitely recommend that you watch this. read more

Quick Review (For lazy readers!):
Thinking back to the time I watched the other Jigoku Shoujo seasons, I guess this was the one that took me the longest to finish. I just didn't feel like it, and it seemed worse than the other 2.
You can probably get bored of it, after all it is really similar to what we have seen so far. The last episodes were pretty good though.
A- for fans, and probably an C+/B for other people watching it.
Worth watching. Overall: 8/10
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Story (6/10):
This is surely the worst season of the 3. The story was not BAD, but it was rather boring because you mostly got more of the same: People make bad stuff, People get frustrated about it, People get sent to hell. I think I could make it a 7, if the anime was 13 episodes long, but 26 was just too much. The reasons to sent people to hell were also really plain, and you mostly knew who would send who after watching 2/3 minutes of each episode (Except for some rare occasions).

Art (8/10):
I guess I like JS' art a bit, but some times I get the feeling that some characters look retarded. About the backgrounds and so on, I have nothing to point out; they were good. The production quality was good in my opinion, and if you watched one of the other season, you already know what to expect.

Sound (9/10):
The biggest score I gave to JS3 was in the sound department, because I simply love it. It fits the series, and what is happening. You never feel like the music is in the wrong place. The OP was really good in my opinion, and the ED, even though it wasn't one that I like really much, was good for the series it was in.

Character (7/10):
You already know almost every one that appears in this series from the last 2 seasons, and there was not much of a improvement over what we knew before. Enma Ai was great once again, and her servants remain the same they were before. The characters we were introduced to were bland, and some of the older characters also get some new personalities. You'll understand once you see them.

Enjoyment (7/10):
As I already stated before, the series was really boring and repetitive, so for the most time I wasn't really interested in it. I mostly kept on watching because of two things:
1st: I try to never, EVER, drop an anime unless I really hate it. Some of my favorite animes were almost dropped, so I don't drop anything anymore [Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni...]
2nd: The other 2 seasons left most of the plot developments to the 2nd half, so I was waiting for them to appear. It took a little more time than I expected though....
Anyway, I'm glad I did keep on watching it, because the ending was quite good. But it wasn't always that interesting thanks to bad reasons to send people to hell, and a lack of plot (most of the time at least). If you loved the other 2 seasons though, or if you just like seeing people go to hell and/or the bad of society, you can probably make this a 8 or a 9.

Overall (8/10):
As said in the Quick Review, this was probably the worst of the 3 seasons. It wasn't as good (plot-wise) as Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori, and if feels boring compared to the 1st season. Also, most of the time, people were sent to hell for 'no reason'. I guess that it would be better if the series was shorter... =) read more

Enma Ai has really gotten creative this time. She has resurrected herself in a young girl, Yuzuki Mikage. This season's people who sent people to Hell, and people who get sent to Hell are very interesting. But pointless. Most people that get sent to Hell don't deserve to, in this season of Jigoku Shoujo. Most of the people who want to send a certain person to Hell is just jealous, or doesn't like how they do things. It's never for the right reasons. Except for Episode 5, whereas the person actually deserved to die.

Story: Most of the people who want to send a certain person to Hell is just jealous, or doesn't like how they do things. It's never for the right reasons. Except for Episode 5, whereas the person actually deserved to die. The stories are basically mostly the same, and if you look closely, you could see similarity between Jigoku Shoujo, Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori and Mitsuganae. Of course, they all want people to die, but seriously, it's all mostly the same thing. Basically. Like in a picture, the outline of it would be the same, but if you add some meat and colour to it, I'm sure it's going to be a different picture.

Art: The art is the same, too. Many of the girls look similar, but I guess it's the author's style of drawing. The art is nice, anyhow. I like the distinct features of the kids, and of the little girl. (The one with big eyes who helps Enma Ai? Her name?) She's a cute and unique girl who has a great personality.

Sound: Uh... I never could judge the sound, but the music is great. Gives a creep and eerie feeling to the anime.

Character: They're great, let me tell you! Yuzuki is cool, and shy, she reminds me of all those typical, shy, anime girls. But, Itsuko is my favourite! She is energetic, but she is also quiet at times. She can be serious, and she is Yuzuki's best friend. The other characters, like Ren, are awesome, too. They are funny, and good-hearted, even if they are working for Hell. Totally different from what'd you expect from Hell's descendants. The other ones, the victims and the suspects, they really show the bad side and good side of people; especially when they use Jigoku Tsuuchin. It shows that even the shiest, quietest of people can hold a grudge. It shows that everyone has a rebellious side to them, no matter how good-two-shoes they are.
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i didn't like the plot of story in Jigoku Shojo Mitsuganae that much, that Emma Ai come back, but i like that she got more emotional in the third season. and the cause in this season it not good as the last 2 season. this season the client pull the string because of jut hate ppl.

I've been a fan of both anime producers and anime songs(artists). but for this season, i did like the fact that enma is back. but the fact that she possessed a girl to take her form(enma form) i didnt like it. same w/ the op of the anime. i think Snow can make a better song for it. but it's worth watching for the sake of curiosity.

If you're a fan of the Jigoku Shoujo series, you gotta watch this one! It still deals with people being sent to hell, but Ai Enma got resurrected to Yuzuki's body. One thing I didn't like about the series is that the main plot starts again late in the series. They didn't also explain how did Ai came back... But I still enjoyed it especially in terms of the OST's... (The ones being played when Ai is about to send a person to hell)...