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Sep 1, 2019 6:30 PM

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Feb 2017
2389
One nasty aspect to this episode is that I'm sure the police Chief would have been perfectly happy if the kid had confessed to committing all the crimes. Would have wrapped things up and he would have kept his job. And maybe after a few more aggressive interrogations, the kid would have cracked and that would have been the final result, a "happy ending" for everyone except the scapegoat. So it's actually rather important that the kid died before he was able to take the blame for all of the attacks.
Sep 28, 2019 11:41 AM

Online
Oct 2013
7625
Detective Maniwa seems to be losing his sanity as well.

I'm curious who is this old guy. He seems to be significant.

I knew that kid wasn't the real Lil' Slugger. The question now is: who is the real one?

Chief really is bad at his job and kisses his patience so easily.
Jan 15, 2020 9:50 AM
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Apr 2016
13215
What an amazing episode! I am baffled. If I were Ikari Keiichi (the detective), I wouldn't believe in Maniwa's (detective's partner) story either, since as we all know, supernatural doesn't exist, and while this is an anime, you gotta look at it from real life's perspective. Maniwa did a good job surprisingly--I guess interrogation wasn't the only thing he was good at--so as I was saying, Maniwa figured everything out! However, while his dreams seem to be telling him how it is, does he consciously realize that he's the "cornered person"?
Apr 3, 2020 10:22 AM

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Apr 2016
2207
I doubt the criminal is human, is this series going to a supernatural development? I don’t know where the series’ going, there are different options.
May 28, 2020 7:37 AM

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May 2016
12380
Maniwa might be slowly losing his marbles over Shounen Bat but at least he's a step closer to the truth compared to the Chief who's gained a very short temper out of all this. I actually felt pretty bad for the kid since he got killed after being treated so poorly by his interrogators.

Hirukawa and Taeko just smiling together was pretty disturbing. This was easily the creepiest episode yet and it's starting to look like Shounen Bat's a malicious supernatural entity that poses itself as an escape mechanism. That has a bit of a Paprika vibe and that's cool.








Jun 17, 2020 3:38 AM

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Jul 2016
819
I love how people are drawn in Satoshi Kon works. they're drawn in such a creepy way that you can tell they're human, but look like empty shells so they end up looking "humanoid" or "doll-ish".

Also I think Maniwa is in the same boat as Kozuka where they both have a difficult time distinguishing reality from delusion which is why Maniwa was able to go along with Kozkuka's RPG delusion in that earlier episode compared to the other detective.
Mar 22, 2021 7:29 AM

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Nov 2018
1030
Satoshi Kon was the best mindfucker in the entire anime industry :(

I doubt Shounen Bat is a person as well.
I hate everyone equally
Mar 23, 2021 2:01 AM

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Aug 2012
3305
This was solid entry, probably my least favourite episode that I still liked though. Mostly commenting just to keep up my sweet streak of commenting on every episode, I find myself with little to say about this. I did find a lot of this episode kind of predictable, with Kozuka being Shonen Bat's next victim or Maniwa being the man behind those weird transmissions, and it also wasn't until the latter half of the episode that I actually found myself enjoying the experience. Maniwa getting closer and closer to the truth was interesting, and Ikari handing him a vacation slip was funny. It was also pretty heartwarming that Ikari did trust Maniwa enough to go through with his last minute rescue attempt. It's nice that Maniwa has picked up on what many viewers have already suspected of Shonen Bat.

At this point, I'm guessing Shonen Bat is a Tulpa. A being that is a physical manifestation of thought. Which would mean that Maniwa's current method is only likely to aid Shonen Bat if I'm correct, though clearly he needs something like that to be able to catch him so that might be intentional. But it just makes the most sense, Tsukiko being a renowned character creator in a way with he doll designs at least, and how Shonen Bat managed to grow through walls after Maniwa's own associating that ability with him in his mind with the whole magician act.
Aug 24, 2021 10:27 PM

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May 2019
789
Now the paranoia is on full throttle as it wraps around Mitsuhiro.

The editing between slow and fast pacing just really amps up the creepiness to all of this.

Whoa.
Dec 11, 2021 9:22 AM
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Nov 2020
2445
Definitely the best episode so far. Leaning more into the psychological horror side of things was a great idea - very reminiscent of Perfect Blue in style but entirely different in subject matter.
Feb 28, 2022 7:32 PM

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Dec 2018
2154
Holee shit, nice mystery psychological thriller. This episode was so Texhnolyze. The narrative, audiovisuals and tone pretty much feel almost exactly like a Texhnolyze episode.
. . .
Aug 22, 2022 4:28 AM

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Jun 2020
297
That was one of the best anime episodes I have ever watched in my life. This show really fucking stepped up huh. I swear it felt like I was watching Texhnolyze for a bit, the stylistic choices were similar. Man this episode is a fucking full on full all round masterpiece.


Sep 4, 2022 4:24 AM

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Jul 2020
1463
Dammmn can't wait to see how all of this unravels in the end. I'm almost sure the actual Shonen Bat doesn't exist and desperate people hurt themselves while putting the blame on their figment of imagination. I mean, it all checks out except how come all of them see the same-looking imaginary person? I honestly can't predict anything at this point, fuck, I love this show
Mar 24, 2023 2:20 AM
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Jul 2018
564612
I like the tone shift with the bleached lighting. Also It seems like lil slugger is becoming more and more of an entity especially with the ending. Also Maniwa descent into obsession is well done.
Apr 12, 2023 4:18 PM
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Jan 2019
4
Something to do with Epstein IDK
Jun 4, 2023 4:13 AM

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Oct 2022
216
No! i don't want Maniwa to go mad!!! ahhh he was so cute as well. RIP fake shounen bat kid, though he was a copy cat, he didn't deserve to die.
opin·ion
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  1. a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge:"that, in my opinion, is right" ·

Aug 21, 2023 3:46 PM

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Sep 2018
2065
Oh I see, it's that wonderful Japanese media trope that anyone with an "unusual" hobby is a disgusting disgrace or a lunatic or both.

Also, I don't think I like the direction this show is going, I'm giving it one more episode before I drop it though.
KristiwazhereAug 21, 2023 3:57 PM
Feb 1, 4:24 PM
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Jan 2021
15
The plot gets more and more cloudy.

It's really hard to tell what is a red herring and what isn't. The elderly characters seem to be at the centre of it all, but the plot also leans towards SB not being real at all.

Did the radios have any relevance, or were they all in Maniwa's head? The prophesies mentioned 'striking through the broadband' early on. Could it be that the radios are being used to coordinate something? I'm getting cult vibes from the imagery.

That being said, all 3 police officers (2/3 being sane) saw SB glide through the wall. I'm beginning to wonder if SB is a spirit dedicated to helping 'cornered' individuals, and the elderly people are sages guiding him. Maybe it's a mix of faked attacks, real attacks, and paranormal attacks all in one.

I'm excited to see how the remaining episodes manage to wrap up so many loose ends.
lkj509Feb 1, 4:29 PM
Mar 6, 1:01 AM
Offline
May 2021
18
I like this episode, it's dark and depressing. It reminded me of the movie "Seven".
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Feb 6, 5:08 AM
It’s time to ditch the text file.
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