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| Novelist Rieko Hinata's completed 4-volume fantasy novel, hope this is a complete adaptation. Also, it's been ages since WOWOW last had an original anime production. Director Junji Nishimura and series composer-cum-scriptwriter Mamoru Oshii is back, and Signal.MD's production is gorgeous as heck, as such that's adapted from a period-accurate fantasy novel. For a premiere episode, this episode felt kinda slow, but this is tantamount to showcasing the main MC Touko, the cursed child whose journey has not been set in stone, losing her parents in a blazing inferno. Everything is made for a reason, and Touko's guarantee of staying alive while improbable, she is set on moving to the capital and away from her village home, aided by Koushi. OST is kinda decent. Very interesting, the deep investment is there, for a world where fire was once worshipped, but now was declared an enemy. |
KANLen09Jan 15, 2023 9:14 AM
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| Interesting premise for sure. I can't wait to see how the story will develop. |
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| Y’all—— I can’t.. this has all the makings of the hidden gem of the season. What an absolutely incredible first episode. Signal M.D delivered movie quality art and direction for the first episode. The premise is unique, world-building interesting and the adventure/journey aspect is really attractive. Hope this keeps up all the way throughout! Touko’s aunt’s voice really thru me off because her character design looked like a dude I couldn’t tell who was talking at first lmao. And fuck the factory guy who was just gonna let Touko become homeless |
Marinate1016Jan 14, 2023 8:25 AM
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| Signal M.D is a studio that I've hated, primarily for their work on Platinum End, but nevertheless, I was highly anticipating this show, and it delivered. The art quality and direction seems more of an older style, and it's great, something you would expect from Junji Nishimura, and Mamoru Oshii, two highly respected veterans of the industry. The world building was quite interesting and complex, almost giving me Ghibli movie vibes. I swear Touko's aunt looked like a man at first, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought that, but the characters overall seem interesting, and the world feels very unforgiving. Touko and Kanata are going on the a long trip to the capital, and who knows what they'll encounter along the way. Awesome first episode. |
| Good premises for a show that developed an interesting World building. A lot of mysteries. The quality art is old fashion style looking like the Ghibli movies. Sure i will deep invested to the series |
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| Nów, this is how u should open a refreshing and great show. Definitely AOTS pretendent if it keeps up, who knows if not even AOTY. What a gem. |
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| Always nice to see anime catered toward adult viewers... I mean, no surprise since it's based on a novel and has big names like Oshii behind. World building and the 2000s artstyle/animations are on point. |
| Color me intrigued. I get Dororo Mushishi mashup vibes and the world being so stark and unforgiving in contrast with its bright backdrop (if not hopeful outlook) seem to be headed into one hell of an emotional (and action-packed) ride. This one's for sure a keeper! |
| HAPPY SCANS! Bringing the COOL in old school! |
| It's nice to have something genuinely somber with more grounded direction. So far it lives up to my expectations. |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
| This seems like it could be promising but also could be a dud, like I'd give it a 50/50. I think the first episode has the problem of using too much exposition. It was sorta boring, nothing much to get invested in character wise. I'll stick it out for a few more episodes because it'd be cool if it manages to get going, fantasy series like this aren't that common. The setting is kinda interesting, I just want it to be shown and fleshed out more organically. |
| Interesting first episode with the setting looking like early 1900's but with some knowledge of technology lost. I have questions that hopefully will get answered as this series progresses such as why is Touko responsible for the fire hunter's death (my guess is that he was protecting her), why does fire cause these people to burst into flames, etc. Next episode looks crazy as the collection trucks appear to get ambushed and the dog springs into action. |
| Liked the semi-realistic art and the setting, the atmosphere is pleasant. Still trying to figure out what I feel about the premise but I will go with it. The characters seem a bit boring yet, to be honest. I haven’t seen anything from Mamoru Oshii except for Ghost in the Shell, but GiTS is one of my favorites. |
Alice_HuxleyJan 14, 2023 10:20 AM
| Great start. most probably gonna be the gem of the season. Although it was kinda rushed, i'd prefer if things were to slow down a bit. |
| Now that made me take notice. Looks very promising but I cant help by feel an element of disaster hanging over the main character. Methinks its one of those shows that would be better binge watched than waiting every week for a new episode. |
| May the Uguu be with you. |
| Feels like will be one of those where the nicer people die, and the ones with bad attitude live and b**ch about it. How even should Touko had introduced Kanata? Like "This dog who isn't mine and I dont know, whose name is Kanata"? Good ol asbestos deaths. |
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| A show I've been waiting for so long! Ahh it didn't disappoint in the least. Awesome premiere. I can already feel that it will be something special. Hopefully it doesn't go unnoticed. This episode was an excellent introduction to the world. Will watch this one with special attention. |
| This feels sumptuous. Can't wait to sink my teeth into it. Little things like the attention to detail ith the trucks moving in the snow leaving trails. Mmmmm, I want moar!!!! |
 To have you, Id give a billion lives A-Chan best girl |
| This is definitely the hidden gem of the sesason. |
| The artstyle reminds me of another anime that came out in spring and it had great direction. I'm suprised. Forgot to mention that the opening song is a banger, it's such a calm song, a bit fast at the same time. It also has some amazing smooth scenes. |
SideCharacterKalJan 14, 2023 2:29 PM
   “You yourself have to change first, or nothing will change for you!” ' |
| A really interesting and mesmerizing first episode. Definetly gives me some sort of Mushishi or Wolf's Rain vibes. Extremely captivating OP and ED. Hoping for the best. |
| Interesting premise so far. |
| Absolutely loved the first episode! Love the atmosphere, the mystery, the heavy aura of desperation! Hopefully the quality won't fall. |
| i finally got around to the first episode, sitting down with my family after we cooked a big pot of steaming noodles. and what i have to say is that this was a wonderful, well-awaited work of art. if i can remember, news of the adaptation imparted in 2020. though i expected it to be a winter seasonal, early 2023 has been a while - for cause. everything so far is great. opening, ending, team, choice of seiyuu. touko's in particular. very atmospheric, pleasing backgrounds and scenery, nicely animated facial expressions. the rich colors... this was an anime clearly spent ample effort on making sure it would be presented to awe. i may hold off on watching it weekly after episode two releases... 'these' do not come often at all in this day and i intend to treasure that. |
| Finally something to look forward to watching this season other than Tsurune and Mou Ippon. This kinda gives me Shinsekai Yori vibes but I'm sure they're nothing alike, still a great 1st episode |
| Oh a Mars Red style, Signal M.D behind this, no wonder. This is screams a classic fantasy story that i like in an instant. Then Touko va is the one that suits well with such a character, and also the one that i like. In a short, this is an interesting watch to begin with. Theme song also doing fine and the art style, that's what im searching for when i start this. So yeah, its solid and hopefully to stay solid till the end of the season. Let's see... |
 Hide and seek is the best offline games on this fatamorgana-called-world-thing. Please comment nicely. I am newbie here. I'm level  on mal-badges. View my badges  |
| Welp. I found my anime of the year. |
| I like the rustic texture of the aesthetic they're looking for. I'm hooked with the premise, just needs more exploration if that's what needed. |
| Who was expecting another great new show this season? Not me. This one was like a gut-punch, had to pause it for a few hours to revel in the style and character design. Love that block-print style at the beginning, and rich character of the faces. Touko, her aunt, her cousin, the paper shop owner, the train guy. Love their faces. And, what the fuck is up with the story and world-building? Wild. So, like, if they are even near a flame humans will burst into flames from the inside? Crazy stuff, man. Crazy stuff. Love the OP with those triplets. Amazing show, can't wait to see where this goes. |
mrpervasshatJan 14, 2023 11:31 PM
| Style, mood, art, music… all works for me. A late entry for the season, but an intriguing one. Nice OP and love the doggy. Waiting a week between episodes is gonna be tough. |
| Great start. Looks like there's a good team behind it, and it has the participation of the great Mamoru Oshii. The best part is that it gives me Mushishi vibes. Promising. |
| Had to speed this up at some point. Yamada´s designs wasted on some snorefest , as usual. |
| :v |
MichaelJackson said: Yeah I don't really know what people are seeing in it, it kinda dragged. It could get good in the future but nothing about this episode jumped out to me as all that greatHad to speed this up at some point. Yamada´s designs wasted on some snorefest , as usual. |
| Finally something I will be watching in this season... it was on my radar from beginning but damn they got a whole lot of beautiful visuals. |
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| Decent start overall. Quite atmospheric with some really nice OST pieces and the "rough" art-style is something I'm really liking so far. |
| Very very interesting start, with a setting that is filled with possibilities. I think I can sort of follow what's happening, but I can't explain it yet. Humans combusting definitely reminded me of fire force and humanity being restarted after, except there's no superhuman abilities here I think so far, but we have supernatural folklore kind of things happening, and this feels very grounded. Really looking forward to see what kinds of things we'll see during Touko's journey to the capital and finding out more about this world, also getting to know the other lead Koushi. |
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| nice! the OST is really something! true, surely the concealed gem of this season! 5/5. |
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| The art is really good and feels nostalgic, but their choice of Kuno Misaki to voice Touko is really a shame. Her voice is too high-pitched and more suited to cheerful characters than the seemingly introverted Touko, which ruins the atmosphere to me. |
| it was soothing throughout the episode op is bop |
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