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Jul 26, 2008 5:48 PM
#1
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THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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This episode made me think about a few things. It would often be easier without self-consciousness I think.


I'm glad I have mine though.

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Oct 21, 2008 12:55 PM
#2

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May 2007
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I would hate not having self-consciousness(I wouldn't if I didn't have it but you know)

Anyway another sad tale, I would love to revisit the women in the second half again.

And what was with that guy killing so she can push anti-violence, that was messed up.
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Oct 22, 2008 2:18 AM
#3
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the hypnotist himself was wise. i loved his concept ^^ but his face was jst... frickin hideous ><
Nov 17, 2008 6:39 PM
#4

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I think I saw somewhat of a parallel to Diogenes.

It would be easier to live without self-consciousness, but then, you wouldn't exist, would you, being unaware of yourself. Great episode!
Nov 21, 2008 6:39 PM
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He lived life without a purpose and to the outside observer appeared as a wise man who exalted self sacrifice. In reality, here you had a man who gave up his existence a long time ago.
May 12, 2009 7:57 AM
#6

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Why do I feel like this episode is a critique on Asian group culture?
The lack of self seems to have become a foundation of Asian culture.
Perhaps that's what this was essentially addressing, given it's China-like setting.

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Jun 9, 2009 1:19 PM
#7

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Ahhh so THAT was the master mentioned in the very first episode :O
The wise man/king scene...Alexander/Diogenes, much? xD
And wow, that was really sad how he lived...but it's even more that he regained his consciousness shortly before death.
I love Kino's 'real blue sky' concept :)
'I'm trying to live my life consciously.' - I like this girl's view.

EDIT:
Otto said:
I think I saw somewhat of a parallel to Diogenes.

Ha, so I was right XP

And that gunman/bodyguard...I think if the peacemaker girl ever found out, she'd feel betrayed...
- If you believe this place holds you, it is a prison.
If you do not wish to leave, it will become a fortress.


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Jun 14, 2009 8:03 AM
#8

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Nov 2008
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Too much stories in only one episode, I didn't like it -__-'
But the lsecond middle was great though ...
Aug 12, 2009 4:22 PM
#9
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Jun 2008
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Yeah, this episode was like a summary of a lot of stories, but I liked it =)
Sep 14, 2009 4:48 AM

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A few stories but the last one ended up leaving the impact... probably -because- it was the one seen before the end. I felt kind of bad for the old guy, but the hypnotist was pretty clever.

Kino's very philosophical. x] This has been proved before, and now it has been proved again, haha.

I wonder how the traveler without weapons would react if she found out her partner really was the one who killed the husband? Maybe Hermes is right about her committing suicide? Hmm.
Nov 25, 2009 1:12 AM

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Jan 2009
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One word I could say to sum up this episode....

Deep.
Nov 25, 2009 9:24 PM

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Jun 2009
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Another great episode, i'm impressed.
"Yes, I have been deprived of emotion. But not completely. Whoever did it, botched the job."

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Nov 27, 2009 5:30 AM

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Jun 2009
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Maybe it's the fact that I realize the importance of self consciousness made me appreciate this episode less... This episode is the reflection to why I fear death, the fear of losing self conscious.

^_^
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Jun 13, 2010 3:09 PM

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Jan 2010
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wow crazy episode :D

my self-consciousness???
the difference between humans and (most of the) animals are that we have a consciousness...so yeah i'm better with it :p

5/5
Sayonara,papa!


"Just how a mirror reflects you,people will also reflect your heart."
~Athena Glory,Aria

"Whatever happens,happens"
~Spike Spiegel's thoughts on dying(Cowboy Bebop)
Nov 5, 2010 5:43 PM

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Lepchin said:
One word I could say to sum up this episode....

Deep.
Mar 7, 2011 4:39 PM

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Jun 2009
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Great episode, as always.

Self-consciousness is a wonderful thing. Some might say it’s unneeded, that it hinders a person’s rightfulness thus being bound to become a cruel and selfish individual; there’s no way something that it’s can’t be replaced or disposed of, it is there for a reason. If we have no self-consciousness, what are we? Nothing, that’s it. We’ve lost any purpose in life, we’ve given up; our desires never fulfilled leading to a pointless life.

We try too hard looking for answers, when we have them in front of ourselves.
I think, then procrastinate.
Therefore, I am.
Nov 9, 2011 9:18 PM

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May 2010
8126
This was probably the best episode as far.
Even when I was in crowd, I was always alone
Dec 20, 2011 5:54 PM
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An amazingly existentialist episode.

I felt really sad for the old man, coming to terms with how he wasted his life being indifferent/non-existent. Kino's living it "consciously" and aware.

10/10.
Feb 2, 2012 6:55 PM

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Feb 2009
3436
Didn't enjoy much the first half of the episode, but the wise-man part was another brilliant story.
May 6, 2012 10:10 AM
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Why did the old man suddenly become so sad when he was supposed to have no self-consciousness? I understand that he remembered what the hypnotist said to him, but as the man himself said - the hypnotist couldn't cure him anyway. Or is self-consciousness the 'thing' referred to in "There is no such thing"? I'm confused.
Mar 17, 2013 6:03 AM

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May 2012
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That was sure an interesting story! That ending especially! Great setting as well, but these last episodes seem to be quite depressing.
May 25, 2013 6:04 PM

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Jan 2013
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Good episode.
May 31, 2013 3:19 AM
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Jul 2018
564074
This episode really made me think. I love all the philosophy that this series throws at the audience. :)
Aug 2, 2013 3:59 AM

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Mar 2010
1111
really enjoyed the second half
Nov 21, 2013 3:45 PM

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Nov 2011
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You can thank your self-consciousness for bringing up our desire to watch anime.
Dec 24, 2013 4:45 AM
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Oct 2011
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hmmmmMM
Feb 21, 2014 7:39 AM

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May 2013
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That was a pretty insightful episode, talking about self consciousness and living life without a purpose...
Apr 1, 2014 11:10 PM

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You only have a couple of days to live then finally realized you have wasted your life. Rude awakening. How sad is that?
"May those who accept their fate be granted happiness."

"May those who defy their fate be granted glory."
May 1, 2014 7:16 AM

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Apr 2014
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deep
Jun 6, 2014 3:43 AM

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Sep 2013
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Wow, LOVED the old man story.

Especially the climax where Kino reminded him the words. In a way, the hypnotist was right, there is no such thing as a cure for it. The thing that cures it, is nothingness.

The man came to realize that without even being aware of it, deep in his subconscious, he had a drive to know what those words were, that even if he had no drive to return to his former self, he still couldn't help but wonder, what were those words he said.

When someone came along, not necessarily to help him, but when Kino informed him, it suddenly all came crushing down, having lived for so long not knowing those words, the words that supposedly could cure him, were nothing, and he realized his entire life, the one thing he truly wondered about was a lie, just like the rest of his life, which made him come to the realization that it was all a waste.

Really depressing, but it might be one of my favorite episodes. Damn Good.
Jun 21, 2014 12:50 AM

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Nov 2012
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Self-Consciousness is important, this episode provides how important it is. people believed that he was a genius cause he didn't desire any of the human desires, they thought it was "wise" as if those human desires were evil or bad. while the humans desires can really be evil, but it's only natural and your life would be totally pointless without it.
he wasted his life living for nothing, and those people thought of him as a "wise man" for that. how ironic.

First half is okay, second half is great. so it's a 4/5.
Drastic-MeasureJun 21, 2014 12:56 AM
Aug 3, 2014 10:46 AM

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The true wise man would have known that he did not waste his live. There is no purpose in life, therefore it's pointless to cry over something he didn't have. His life was a journey in it's own way. Let go and enjoy the moment.
Aug 14, 2014 2:09 PM

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Homolust said:
Lepchin said:
One word I could say to sum up this episode....

Deep.
Aug 23, 2014 11:45 PM

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Nov 2013
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The first half wasn't very interesting but I loved the wise man story!

Dec 9, 2014 6:15 AM

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Aug 2011
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the story of the wise man strangely resembles China
not talking about just the attire and the shot of the country structures, lol
but how China's society is nowadays. pretty cool
Dec 9, 2014 5:47 PM

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clannad4ever said:

the difference between humans and (most of the) animals are that we have a consciousness...so yeah i'm better with it :p


/facepalm. There is nothing proving that most animals don't have self-consciousness. Something like a reflection test isn't sufficient evidence. It's repulsive to the see the extent to which some Homo sapiens go so far to feel superior to other animals. I have had close connections with various animals and have observed numerous actions from them that unveil that they are indeed self-aware. They do no act purely based on instinct and needs.
MischievousGhostDec 9, 2014 5:51 PM
Apr 7, 2015 8:07 AM

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Sep 2013
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Was that a biblical allusion to Jesus lol? Maybe, maybe not.

The whole sky thing though is somehow... less impactful if you know physics and actually know why the sky is blue.
Jun 26, 2015 7:23 PM

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alpir said:
The true wise man would have known that he did not waste his live. There is no purpose in life, therefore it's pointless to cry over something he didn't have. His life was a journey in it's own way. Let go and enjoy the moment.


Pretty much.
Aug 19, 2015 3:56 PM
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Jun 2013
1207
This anime is sooo good. I'll be watching it and the next ting I know, there's only one minute left!!! :( I wish this could last forever...
Nov 28, 2015 7:53 PM

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The second half was so impactful, wow. It shows the extremes of both excessive self-consciousness/ego and detachment as being equally harmful to the human soul. Interesting to note the contrast between traditional Eastern philosophy + values and modern hyper-consumption and materialism. I love that although this is a deeply philosophical story, Kino reaches no judgement. It's open to the viewer to reflect and conclude.

Xynical said:

The whole sky thing though is somehow... less impactful if you know physics and actually know why the sky is blue.


^Not really. The question isn't about why the sky is blue or what shade of blue is best. It's about the quest for perfection being counter-productive. The sky is perfect just as it is because it exists in perfection in that moment. The physics of it neither adds nor detracts from this.
Dec 11, 2015 3:29 AM

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I liked this, but I would have liked it more if it were just concentrated on one story.
And the perfect blue sky thing was really cool.
Feb 15, 2016 8:22 PM

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May 2014
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Wanted to see more of Kino's master, I can't believe they just showed her for like two seconds. I also thought it was interesting during the Wise man part of the episode that the "successful" experiment who should not have had self-consciousness wanted to be called wise by everyone. I guess that experiment was a failure too huh?
~ The world is not beautiful, therefore it is.
Feb 19, 2016 9:56 AM

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What a thought provoking Episode this was. The wise man's story was quite depressing. I mean what was his life for ???
Apr 30, 2016 12:55 AM

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I watched Kino's Journey a long time ago, but I remembered this episode and decided to watch it again. The second part truly is profound, but I really enjoyed the first part too and oddly it's been much more memorable to me. That bs about dragon in his heart really annoyed me and I enjoyed she didn't let him get away with it.
Jaywalker.
May 5, 2016 3:18 PM

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One of the greatest episodes i've seen in this medium.
Jun 7, 2016 4:27 PM

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Feb 2013
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Finally got a short peek into where Kino got the guns.

The "wise man" part was pretty interesting.
Sep 15, 2016 10:51 AM
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Jan 2016
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Haven't delved exactly into the nuance/significance of jiishiki, but the context vibe I was getting from the show that rather than self-CONSCIOUSNESS, it was alluding to SELF-consciousness.

Why? His very basic desires were still there and he was aware of that, it seemed more like the procedure done to him eliminated his ego or sense of "self." Given how this show examines real world ideas, it makes much more sense that way in the context of Eastern religions.

If it was simply his consciousness that had been eliminated, what's to say he would even change at all to the outside observer rather than become a "philosophical zombie"?
Oct 11, 2016 11:34 AM

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Jun 2013
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I wish the second part had been expanded into a full episode, but maybe that wouldn't have improved it. I'm not sure if I got what the first part was trying to accomplish.
Oct 12, 2016 8:26 AM
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LeeTailor said:
I wish the second part had been expanded into a full episode, but maybe that wouldn't have improved it. I'm not sure if I got what the first part was trying to accomplish.
I think I got it and they're both connected and related to the same theme: self-conscuiousness and human desires. The first part tried to show the ugly nature of humans desires (which derives from self-consciousness) - the man who killed the fiance of the woman the he loved, the revenge she took upon him, the guy who'll even destroy the whole world just for the sake of one person that he cares for. The second part however showed the opposite- here's a man without any self-consciousness hence without any desires (except the basic needs for him to survive) who lived his entire life invain becuase of him lacking self-consciousness, altough the society saw him as a "wise man". In my opionion they tried to show that both can be equally destructive for us if taken to extremism. Hope you'll find my explanation helpful.
Oct 15, 2016 5:35 PM

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kaysersoze said:
LeeTailor said:
I wish the second part had been expanded into a full episode, but maybe that wouldn't have improved it. I'm not sure if I got what the first part was trying to accomplish.
I think I got it and they're both connected and related to the same theme: self-conscuiousness and human desires. The first part tried to show the ugly nature of humans desires (which derives from self-consciousness) - the man who killed the fiance of the woman the he loved, the revenge she took upon him, the guy who'll even destroy the whole world just for the sake of one person that he cares for. The second part however showed the opposite- here's a man without any self-consciousness hence without any desires (except the basic needs for him to survive) who lived his entire life invain becuase of him lacking self-consciousness, altough the society saw him as a "wise man". In my opionion they tried to show that both can be equally destructive for us if taken to extremism. Hope you'll find my explanation helpful.


Ah, that makes sense. Interesting take, thanks for breaking it down!
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