What is the worth of Kuuchuu Buranko?
It is made of excellence and deserves to be on our Enlightenment list.
70.0%
7
It is too unremarkable to be on on either of our lists.
10.0%
1
It is vastly overrated and deserves to be on our Relations list.
0.0%
0
I did not watch this series because my doctor told me not to.
20.0%
2
10 votes
| Kuuchuu Buranko is now up for vote. Decide if it will cure the ailing anime world with Enlightenment or if will be deprived of Mayumi's vitamin shots in the Relations. RULES: 1. You can only vote for a title if you've finished watching/reading it. You must’ve read or watched at least 60% of the published content for unfinished titles. There might be exceptions for very long finished titles – they are decided on a case by case basis, but usually amount to more than half of the published content. 2. Write your vote at the very top of your comment. 3. Below your vote, give a substantial explanation to back it up. It doesn't have to be lengthy; it just needs to cover the points you want to make. 4. If you have only read/watched the adaption/source material of the respective nominee, please state so in your post. 5. It will take a minimum of 5 votes for either Enlightenment or Relations to make it into any of the lists as an anime (3 votes for manga). If it fails to reach that, it will be deemed Invalid. 6. The votes for Enlightenment will have to outnumber the votes for Unremarkable and Relations for it to be included in our list; the same goes for Relations. If it fails to reach that, it will be deemed Unremarkable. 7. Behave yourself. We accept discussions and debate, not flaming and incoherent fanboy/fangirl behavior. 8. The fate of the poll will lie in the hands of the officers if it turns out that there are more first time voters than regulars or the series cannot be gauged by both voting and discussions. This polling process will last 14 days. BEGIN! |
Ducat_RevelApr 13, 2014 6:48 PM
| Option 1 - It deserves to be on our Enlightenment List This show is very strange and surreal, yes, but never is it random. It doesn't get weird just for the sake of it, but rather, gives a very unique and controlled experience to the viewer. Everything is placed just as is needed, planned and choreographed. What this series has is an acute eye for detail. Even the background music is placed just so to perfectly play off of the particular symptoms and characters of that episode. There is a certain cafe that many of the characters frequent throughout the course of the series, and because the holidays are approaching, the cafe always has Christmas music playing in the background. A minor detail, until you actually pay attention to the songs they use in correlation to the characters sitting and dining. One patient was a man struggling with the inner frustration of never being able to speak up for himself and release his pent up anger, thus, playing softly in the background was “Silent Night”. Another such patient was suffering from OCD, always tormented with the thought that he was repeating himself and reusing ideas, and what should be playing other than “Jingle Bells”, with it's repetitive chorus and tune. Again, was a man who was afraid of death and the afterlife, and “Joy to the World” was on with the portion “and heaven and angels sing”. It is this amount of care and concentration by the writers that make me really appreciate this show. Everything about this show was precise and deliberate, using it's surreal nature to better impact and deliver the story. Having each person turn into an animal to represent their illness is just a clever gimmick at first, but looking into it, you see how much better the show becomes. Having the author who obsesses over reusing ideas become a nervous hen when a bird has already been used before. That is the difference between silly imagery, and true characterization with art. What would normally be a silly theme of polka dots also gives totally different atmospheres and states of minds depending on who is seeing them, and it's used brilliantly in the final episode to create a truly unsettling and suffocating tension. So we know that yes, from the technical side it is very precise and well crafted, but is it still good in other respects? This is a show about patients after all, they are the driving force. Does it work on the human level? And to that I say yes. This show can be very impactful, and not just in a deep or meaningful way, but also in a lighthearted and fun way. Balancing so many elements in a way that I'm not quite sure how they pulled it off, Kuuchuu Buranko presents to it's audience the many different faces of mental illness in a not so scientific, but extremely human way. I went from intense sympathy from the cruelness of the reporter's condition, to fall down hilarity from the actor, to closer and a gentle sense of peace 3 episodes in a row. This show can be creepy, funny, erotic, peaceful, and full of childlike wonder from one episode to the next, and that is because this show is its patients. It becomes them and their lives. This is a show that early on manages to make a 20 minute boner joke both funny and character building, only to create a later episode about the stubbornness and resilience, but eventual exhaustion of the human spirit in one of the most heartwarming things I'd seen in a long time. It is hard to name any show that has tried so much, and at such a wide range that didn't result in a train wreck. But not only does Kuuchuu Buranko stay on the rails, it exceeds far past its expectations. I think one of my favourite aspects of this series, and one of the things that garners the most of my respect is the resolution that each of these episodes have. We are dealing with the mentally unwell, and as I said, this show doesn't exactly heed to the medical side of things. If one sees a fictional representation of mental illness, it often receives the Hollywood effect, and some miraculous cure can be installed in the patient, like switching out a broken part. People don't work this way, and Kuuchuu Buranko does not do the dishonor of belittling their problems. No one is cured by the end of the show. No one's struggle is completely cleansed or eradicated, that's impossible in such a short amount of time to anyone not selling you snake oil. No, the patients of Dr. Irabu don't hop out of bed the next week cured, but they are a little better off. They've made a first step, and they're getting there. I love this show because we don't see the insta-heal sticker slapped on these people, but we get to see a bit of tender hope growing inside them, and starting them down the path of recovery. |
| Option 1 - It deserves to be on our Enlightenment List What I liked most about KB is how the exaggerated traits/disorders are mostly universal problems that are present to a degree in most people, which makes the characters genuinely relatable (hopefully it’s not because I’m a psycho or something). As the audience learn about the characters’ problems, they simultaneously learn about themselves. Though it might not say a whole lot about the show’s quality, it at least makes KB one of the most pertinent shows around. It really takes the psychological genre to the next level. I think the biggest strength of KB is how well it delivers its “nobody is perfect” message. Every episode end on a happy note, which may seem cheesy in and of itself. Nevertheless, it’s not blindly optimistic as the disorders don’t always become cured. It is the outlook on the problems that change by the end of each episode, and that does an excellent job at delivering its message. It never takes a bleak outlook as it’s always possible to find a solution, be it a complete cure or just a change in attitude. It shows that the human psyche is an extremely dynamic being. KB doesn’t take the patients’ disorders lightly, as they are often present to an exaggerated extent. These problems have a very real severity, usually more so than in real life. Yet, the comical presentations of the disorders give the viewers a light-hearted and sometimes ironic view on the problems that they themselves often display. This is also seen when characters appear outside of their stories as extremely eccentric oddballs. The seemingly detached standpoint on the veritably personal problems stresses the importance of perspective when dealing with psychiatry. This contrast between detachment and involvement is perhaps best shown by the psychiatrist, who on the surface seems almost indifferent to the patients’ predicaments. In reality, though, it is visible that he cares deeply for each of his patients as he often involves himself with what his patients do (such as buying cellphones or playing baseball) to get deeper insight into their situations. Speaking of the psychiatrist, I had difficulties trying to interpret his character. His shifting forms and pervasive presence portrays him less as a character and more as a concept. I think he maybe embodies the idea that when dealing with mental disorders, it is the patient rather than the doctor who is source of the cure. The doctor merely facilitates the patients’ self-discovery. This is also implied by the useless vitamin shot each episode, which pokes fun at the public’s reliance and belief on medical science. One of my favourite episodes is the one with the CEO/manager. Just as the other episodes, it takes a universal problem, condenses it into a character, slowly provides perspective and insight into the problem, and ends on an immensely satisfying manner, be it conclusive or not. Then there is also the not-so-subtle but nevertheless powerful reveal in the end of that episode, and acts as a prime example of what the show is capable of doing with its characters and their relations with the message. Rather than dealing only with the often deceptive notion of youth, pride and strength, it discusses the mismatch between our conceptions self and others’ conception of us. The issues dealt with are usually far broader than the surface value, but still do not suffer from the superficiality commonly resulting from broadness, due to the depth and effectiveness with which the specific issues are presented and developed (in conjunction with the wonderful and wonderfully informative psychology explanations, of course). The quirky style of KB is quite the blast to watch, especially the mix between live-action and animated content. It blurs the boundary between what is real and surreal, which gives the story a life unseen in most other shows. While it’s arguable that the quirkiness may be a superficial attempt at adding to the psychological tone of the series, it is also befitting of the series as it literally deals with the human psyche in which the line between reality and imagination is blurred. In addition, it grounds the strange characters with a sense of realism, while further invalidating the doctor’s identity as a character since he is the only person without a real face. |
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| Option 1 Part of me wants to just say "Enlightening because of Mayumi," but I won't. Based from the award winning short story collection, Kuuchuu Buranko is an obscure and questionable look at people with psychological problems. A strength of this show has to be Irabu. While his unorthodox methods make his credibility questionable, to the point where I was pretty sure he was a quack, his characterization and involvement in the plot are enjoyable. His point is to have the audience doubt the events of the story. We can't be certain of who he is or if his methods work, heck, his office is so audacious and crazy, he might as well be part of a nationwide hallucinatory epidemic. But that's intentional. It gives way to more internal development. A doctor is usually a person with an answer or a method of treatment. Irabu has none of this. He's more like a nuisance, but a nuisance that allows for some solid character development. Sadly, while that is a strength, it doesn't work all the time. Especially if the episode is inherently weak. And Kuuchuu does have a couple of weak episodes. It suffers the traditional pitfall of episodic anime: some episodes are good, the others are stale. The episode with the kid celebrity stood as one of the weakest in the series while the 10th episode stood as the strongest. Quality tends to fluctuate from episode to episode. But if I were to be completely honest, the real winner for me has to be the style of the show. Kuuchuu looks and feels like nothing you've ever seen. It's equal parts art explosion as it is an acid trip. Proof that modern day Toei works better when colorful (along with Kyousougiga and Mononoke.) It's such a trippy anime. Yet the style works with the obscurity. The absurdity further heightens the obfuscation of events. It questions perception as a means of understanding reality. Which is exactly what this anime is about. Well, that and character exploration. All in all, this anime is freaking stylish with enough substance to back it up. Also, Mayumi. Seriously. Mayumi. |
Ducat_RevelApr 11, 2014 6:25 AM
| Option 1 The part I liked most about this was it's portrayal of Irabu's profession. Each of his patients' problems are contained within their own episodes, but to Irabu it's all going on at the same time; he's a doctor, so it's only natural that he'd take on multiple patients at once. He also knows other doctors and attends major hospital events. And even though he puts on such a frivolous front to his patients and others, the presence of Fukuicchi, who appears and discusses things from a more clinical and informed perspective, suggests that there is always a professional mind at work. This is reinforced in the last episode when he's not dealing with a patient or even someone who has a problem that can be diagnosed. In that episode he's interacting with someone he doesn't need to put on a facade for, and he speaks straightforwardly. For once we get an insight into his worldview, and he definitely is a professional even if he doesn't look or act the part. |
| Option 2 I'm not really sure what to think of this series, yet at the same time I do - as some fair experimental little thing, but not one that particularly worked for me. I tried watching this series with various approaches; as a comedy it wasn't funny, as an educational tool for certain psychological illnesses, it felt slight and as some potentially substantive metaphor-laden anime it felt thin. The stuff Forgone has been outlining as meaningful imagery to me has just been minuscule accentuation and hasn't provided any profound awe or some large meaty ulterior meaning. In the end, the series was just...quirky. It just kind of bombards the screen with so much color and experimental animation and imagery that didn't unveil much more and just came off as rather exhausting if anything. As I said earlier, I tried to connect with some of the characters to see if their issues would hold some resonance with me, but I just feel like nothing was gained; like the episode where the person is always anxious and is afraid of breaking stuff and wreaking havoc and then the doctor just makes him go nuts, and I don't remember being much closure to it and he's just kind of let down and feeling a bit uncomfortable. Heck, I don't remember hardly any of them having much closure. I'm not saying they have to become totally reawakened, but just a little more stable evidence of their growth would be nice. The series has some decent elements to it though, like episode 10 with all the intersecting stories like Ducat mentioned, the doctor going between Freud's 3 psyche structures of the ego, superego and the id was obvious but interesting to see the drastic shifts of character and their approaches to make things more refreshing. There wasn't that much doing it for me, but there were some decent bits; quirky and unique, but not enlightening I'd say. |
ChrisTucker said: I don't remember hardly any of them having much closure. I'm not saying they have to become totally reawakened, but just a little more stable evidence of their growth would be nice. But that's how nearly every episode ended. None of them got the cheesy, miraculous Hollywood full recovery, but they all got a little closer to healing. Whereas they were lost before, they at least now have a path to walk on. If I have to break it down I will. The man with social anxiety and fear/lust/doubt boner over his ex-wife was able to let a portion of that resentment go and was able to finally speak up for himself at work. The Yakuza man had been paranoid of his irrational fear taking away the tough lifestyle he had built, and worried about that almost as much as his phobia. In the end he was able to connect with someone who also shared a phobia, he became less self conscious about it, and when his wife used a cake knife, he was still startled and scared, but he was willing to stay in his seat, and listen to her comfort rather than running off. The reporter didn't find much of a cure for his worrying and OCD (something that's very hard to be rid of) but realized there might be some comfort and less to worry about in a support system. The doctor and son find at least a semblance of solace in their lives to being rebuilding the family. And of course, episode 10, the politician is blessed with realization and acceptance. I really don't feel like going through each and every episode, but perhaps you were watching this through half-lidded eyes? |
| I'm not saying they need a full blown recovery is the thing though, I'm all about compromise, I just feel the episodes just kind of ended out of the blue. Maybe I did miss some bits though because I watched a lot of it during lectures, or maybe it's because the development wasn't stationed at the end like a typical story, but perhaps I'll rewatch at a later point. Still fixated on my choice, and I don't think there will be too substantive a change, but maybe it'll improve my thoughts on it a tad next time. |
| You watched it during lectures? That's bad form, man. For your anime and studies both. |
ForgoneReality said: You watched it during lectures? That's bad form, man. For your anime and studies both. Easy class, nothing relevant going on at the time, but I guess overhearing my prof may have conflicted with tuning into the episode. |
| I’m not convinced by the doctor changing between id, ego, and superego, since these are mostly superficial connections which serve no purpose (that I can think of) to the themes or messages of the show. While I do see where it's coming from, there is also a striking similarity between all three personalities, which are closer to sides of the same coin rather than layers. Another factor which discredits the theory is the series’ somewhat critical stance toward conventional psychology. DystopianLove said: The whole point of the show was to transcend beyond customary treatment; to essentially make your own treatment; to close the textbooks and graduate your “designated school of thought”. By attaching a Freudian notion, there would be an automatic assumption that would ascertain the practices and ideologies set forth by Freud or make a case for psychoanalysis over others. Therefore, just for that natural fact, I can’t really be bothered with that argument in the first place. Some more analysis on the doctor by DystopianLove-dono, with some minor adjustions done so that she's doesn't refer to me. |
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| Unremarkable I really enjoyed this show! I think my friend and I watched it in just a few sittings, and both found it joyously entertaining. We were also disappointed didn't really continue to really improve over time. It's a fun, stylish experience, but something that I everyone should make sure to see? I wouldn't say that. Something that will improve you as a person? I don't think that's the case, either. Who is it for? People like me, honestly. People who are sick of seeing the same thing; this is for people who want to have a new, fun experience. Because it is different, though, does not mean that it's inherently enlightening. A had a few issues with this show that likely could have been resolved if it just had a normal episode count. I found the variety in illnesses to be a bit lacking. When working with fewer episodes than most, with a premise of dissecting a new problem each episode, would should be safe to assume that every episode will cover a new illness. Unfortunately, that's not the case. One may also expect the characters that are always present to be developed even a tiny bit (I suppose Mayumi does, actually! Sadly, that development seems to completely disappear). I personally felt that it lacked the depth necessary for the subject matter, but it sure was a fun ride! It's something I enjoyed watching, but it's really for a specific audience, I think. Ducat_Revel said: Option 1 All in all, this anime is freaking stylish with enough substance to back it up. Also, Mayumi. Seriously. Mayumi. I'm telling your girlfriend. |
| 2 - Unremarkable Kuuchuu Buranko stands out because of its style, but I don't think it lives up to that regarding its substance. Now I don't think it's really necessary to say a lot about the animation, it's striking and well executed. There's a lot going on however, making it somewhat distracting instead of complementary. It's the thing you'll most likely remember after having seen the show; unlike other shows where the art is brought up after the story/narrative. This is not necessarily a bad thing as I personally hold a couple of shows very dear mainly because of the quality of their animation; but as I said I don't feel like the art in Kuuchuu Buranko is so much complementary as it is overpowering. Because despite having great art there should be a good narrative to accompany it, which is where I feel Kuuchuu Buranko is severely lacking. In a sense though, maybe it shouldn't even be called a narrative in Kuuchuu Buranko, but more like a psychological exercise. At times this made it feel like I was looking at the animated version of a college textbook titled 'An Introduction to Psychological Disorders in Modern Society' (with a ton of distracting pictures in it). This made me feel very disconnected with the patients (and there's not much to relate to in regards to the doctor either), with the episodic nature making a lasting connection to the series even less plausible. In short, I think it's most effective to say that Kuuchuu Buranko really does feel like a textbook, and not like literary fiction. Which is why I think the show is interesting (like a textbook) but not enlightening (like a novel). And then there was that terribly cheesy ending statement on having to pay attention to others, which made it feel even more like 'I hope we taught you something'; I remember that as being terribly cringeworthy. I guess they really wanted to teach people to pay attention to others as well as basic knowledge on psychology. The way they chose to draw attention to the show, so unwilling people would learn all this without noticing, is by disguising it with some crazy art. Which is not what I actually think was the show's only intention, but that is sort of the idea the show left me with, which is a shame. |
| "The view from the bottom of a well may not be much, but you can see the sky and the stars really well. My world is small, but since I'm looking up at space night after night, you could say I'm a frog on a universal scale. When you gaze up at space all alone like that, the back of your mind goes quiet, and you feel as though you've gained an extraordinary amount of wisdom." |
AlabastreAizo said: Ducat_Revel said: Option 1 All in all, this anime is freaking stylish with enough substance to back it up. Also, Mayumi. Seriously. Mayumi. I'm telling your girlfriend. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| @superzarop Not sure I agree with the quote per se; I think how his argument kind of conflicts with itself, but maybe I'm oversimplifying here. He says that the treatment is mostly internal or hardly involves the doctor which I can see, but saying that it is a promotion of Freud's practices seems to ring false given the proclaimed lack of involvement with him. If anything, the doctor is simply exemplifying the 3 forms of personality, not giving evidence of a positive (or even negative) effect from Freud's dissection of the mind and the actions of the doctor. I think it is just the anime just throwing together iconic psychology elements to catch on to people who know of various fields of study and ideologies. As for Dr. Irabu as a character, I think the cohesiveness of the 3 realms of Irabu's character is due in part to him having no internal conflicts to tear him asunder and he's just trying to communicate something of some degree to each patient (again, in a very unorthodox way where his treatment maybe isn't directly apparent) but with different levels of extremity and conviction with each of the three forms, but all being somewhat relative to what Irabu sets out for the patient I suppose. Just my messy little two cents, probably not the most well articulated, kinda drowsy, but take of it what you will. |
| Thankyou Alabastre for giving me something to work with, I'm feeling lazy right now and I still haven't gotten my head around what I want to write about this series so I'll just plagiarize you (with your permission of course). AlabastreAizo said: Unremarkable I really enjoyed this show! I think my friend and I watched it in just a few sittings, and both found it joyously entertaining. We were also disappointed didn't really continue to really improve over time. It's a fun, stylish experience, but something that I everyone should make sure to see? I wouldn't say that. Something that will improve you as a person? I don't think that's the case, either. Who is it for? People like me, honestly. People who are sick of seeing the same thing; this is for people who want to have a new, fun experience. Because it is different, though, does not mean that it's inherently enlightening. A had a few issues with this show that likely could have been resolved if it just had a normal episode count. I found the variety in illnesses to be a bit lacking. When working with fewer episodes than most, with a premise of dissecting a new problem each episode, would should be safe to assume that every episode will cover a new illness. Unfortunately, that's not the case. One may also expect the characters that are always present to be developed even a tiny bit (I suppose Mayumi does, actually! Sadly, that development seems to completely disappear). I personally felt that it lacked the depth necessary for the subject matter, but it sure was a fun ride! It's something I enjoyed watching, but it's really for a specific audience, I think. Basically this, I really enjoyed the show but I didn't find the depth to be all that spectacular, it could have probably worked with a little more time fleshing out things I imagine. So, yeah sorry, unremarkable from me. |
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Jody32 said: sushiisawesome said: *grabs the drinks*Ducat_Revel said: AlabastreAizo said: Ducat_Revel said: Option 1 All in all, this anime is freaking stylish with enough substance to back it up. Also, Mayumi. Seriously. Mayumi. I'm telling your girlfriend. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *grabs popcorn* Don't add to the hype, guys! He might actually do it! Also, Jody. I can't accept the plagiarized vote. It has to have some input from you. But vote or not, this looks like the end for Kuuchuu anyway. |
| 2 - Unremarkable (In case the voting is still legible) A good, and relatively original show, whatever that may stand for these days, but in the end, Trapeze feels like a rough, unfinished product. I didn't mind the rotoscoping despite the fact that Mayumi looked dreadful in her animated form, and the weird colours and real backgrounds added to it's style, but as others said before, the show lacks substance. The mental issues are based on real problems that frequently occur in modern society, and it was even shown how the random daily interactions were interconnected, as a way of showing how society influences the individual(?), but that didn't add the feeling of the episodic stories being connected in some way. The sloppy presentation made it feel as if all the episodes were standalone showcase episodes of some experimental animation. I liked it, but the lack of substance and subtlety are the reasons why it's not enlightening. |
 |
| With 4 votes for Enlightenment and 4 votes for Unremarkable, I draw this poll to a close. thank you all for voting! note: I couldn't count Jody's vote due to the lack of his own input. |
| Damn, I thought there was one more day. Was about to put in my vote for option 1. ;_; |
Matas said: Damn, I thought there was one more day. Was about to put in my vote for option 1. ;_; Oh damn, that is unfortunate. But, the poll was scheduled to end on the 13th (States side.) At least this poll generated debate (and threats via Alabaster.) Plus, it was a close call. I honestly couldn't ask for more. |
Ducat_Revel said: Matas said: Damn, I thought there was one more day. Was about to put in my vote for option 1. ;_; Oh damn, that is unfortunate. But, the poll was scheduled to end on the 13th (States side.) At least this poll generated debate (and threats via Alabaster.) Plus, it was a close call. I honestly couldn't ask for more. I just remembered that it was 14 days and for some reason I thought it was posted on the 1st and not 31st. My bad. Oh well. |
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