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Sep 30, 2008 12:07 AM
#1
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THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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Wow, that was really good. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Jan 12, 2009 4:54 PM
#2

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May 2008
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meh, not bad. but you know, since it was "not bad" and not "ZOMG SPECTACULAR", I think it'll be good ;] The series that I love from the begininng tend to be the ones that go straight downhill, so ...

yea. looking forward to next ep :P


Jan 12, 2009 7:32 PM
#3

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Jan 2008
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I usually hate it when people say to me about an anime that 'it will get better, honest!' so it pains me to say that Juuni Kokuki really really gets so much better later, that if you dont like the first few episodes, please just keep with it for a while.
"I'm starting to think mal is run by Xinil generating electricity on a bicycle." - idklol
Jun 19, 2009 3:05 AM
#4

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Beatnik said:
I usually hate it when people say to me about an anime that 'it will get better, honest!' so it pains me to say that Juuni Kokuki really really gets so much better later, that if you dont like the first few episodes, please just keep with it for a while.


I hope your right, cause that first episode... i'll just say the heroine annoyed the hell out of me.
"Yes, I have been deprived of emotion. But not completely. Whoever did it, botched the job."

- Geralt of Rivia
Jun 19, 2009 3:07 AM
#5

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usasoldiern said:

I hope your right, cause that first episode... i'll just say the heroine annoyed the hell out of me.


She does, yeah. The first few eps are painful, but it really does get hugely better later on.
Jul 5, 2009 2:53 AM
#6

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beatnik and asako are right; By the time you're done with the second story arc (ep 15-20) you'll be happy that you picked up this anime.
"...our faces marked by toil, by deceptions, by success, by love; our weary eyes looking still, looking always, looking anxiously for something out of life, that while it is expected is already gone – has passed unseen, in a sigh, in a flash – together with the youth, with the strength, with the romance of illusions.” - Joseph Conrad ('Youth')
Aug 8, 2009 12:08 PM
#7

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Jun 2008
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Kinda good start, but Yoko is really annoying...
Jan 24, 2010 10:43 AM
#8

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Sep 2009
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I really liked it!
It reminds me of the start of Fushigi Yuugi.
May 7, 2010 3:51 AM
#9

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Jun 2009
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Still not a very good first episode, but I'm more patient now so whatever.
"Yes, I have been deprived of emotion. But not completely. Whoever did it, botched the job."

- Geralt of Rivia
Jun 11, 2010 7:07 PM

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Asako said:
usasoldiern said:

I hope your right, cause that first episode... i'll just say the heroine annoyed the hell out of me.


She does, yeah. The first few eps are painful, but it really does get hugely better later on.

I hope so. She just couldn't shut up and she didn't even have anything to say except scream and say "what the hell is happening"
Oct 8, 2010 3:42 AM

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honestly i was expecting yoko to be so much worse since so many people are like "OMG she's soooo annoying early on" but seriously she was just acting as any person would in such a situation. Why the fuck would you be pissed off with a character that acts as they should? Would you prefer her to calmly accept that there's a bunch of monsters and all this talk of going to another world? all in the space of like half an hour?

To be honest this is one of the best first episodes I've seen. Fast paced, introducing lots of shit you want the answers to, and most importantly it's unique.
Oct 12, 2010 1:38 PM

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Jun 2009
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BigSimo said:
honestly i was expecting yoko to be so much worse since so many people are like "OMG she's soooo annoying early on" but seriously she was just acting as any person would in such a situation. Why the fuck would you be pissed off with a character that acts as they should? Would you prefer her to calmly accept that there's a bunch of monsters and all this talk of going to another world? all in the space of like half an hour?

To be honest this is one of the best first episodes I've seen. Fast paced, introducing lots of shit you want the answers to, and most importantly it's unique.


I'm now 40 episodes into the series and, in retrospect, I agree with BigSimo on his description of Youko. She is, in fact, completely realistic in her reaction.

While this is still far from my favorite episode as far as pacing and such, I will say that Youko will change in the course of the series. In fact, I'd say she's one of the best written characters I've seen in an anime. That alone makes this series worth watching.
"Yes, I have been deprived of emotion. But not completely. Whoever did it, botched the job."

- Geralt of Rivia
Oct 30, 2010 4:25 PM

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I remmember watching some ep of this series long time ago, now I don't remmember very well but I wanted to see this because I like it when I use to saw this, I don't really know what to expect I guess I want something good, hope this is like that
Dec 3, 2010 10:11 PM

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-LU- said:
I really liked it!
It reminds me of the start of Fushigi Yuugi.


Yea, I was thinking the same thing. It's kind of like that except a lot more mature.

Dec 4, 2010 8:15 PM

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May 2010
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Is everyone an asshole or an a bitch in this Anime? That was like 4 different types of dislikeable characters in one episode.
Even when I was in crowd, I was always alone
Dec 28, 2010 6:56 PM

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Kei ki sounds like cake in Japanese. lol
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Feb 1, 2011 3:26 PM

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BigSimo said:
honestly i was expecting yoko to be so much worse since so many people are like "OMG she's soooo annoying early on" but seriously she was just acting as any person would in such a situation. Why the fuck would you be pissed off with a character that acts as they should? Would you prefer her to calmly accept that there's a bunch of monsters and all this talk of going to another world? all in the space of like half an hour?

That's exactly what I thought, too. I mean, a guy telling you all this weird stuff without explaining anything, summoned huge-ass beasts, an entity inside you that makes you swing a sword around...
Anyway, a solid start, can't say it gripped me right away, but I've heard much good about this series and will definitely keep watching.
- 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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May 26, 2011 4:41 AM

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Cenedess said:
BigSimo said:
honestly i was expecting yoko to be so much worse since so many people are like "OMG she's soooo annoying early on" but seriously she was just acting as any person would in such a situation. Why the fuck would you be pissed off with a character that acts as they should? Would you prefer her to calmly accept that there's a bunch of monsters and all this talk of going to another world? all in the space of like half an hour?

That's exactly what I thought, too. I mean, a guy telling you all this weird stuff without explaining anything, summoned huge-ass beasts, an entity inside you that makes you swing a sword around...
Anyway, a solid start, can't say it gripped me right away, but I've heard much good about this series and will definitely keep watching.


actually that's not it either. THe problem in the beginning has more to do with the fact that the characters are extremely annoying at first (read confucius' post).
BUT, the series gets WHOLE lot better later on.
"...our faces marked by toil, by deceptions, by success, by love; our weary eyes looking still, looking always, looking anxiously for something out of life, that while it is expected is already gone – has passed unseen, in a sigh, in a flash – together with the youth, with the strength, with the romance of illusions.” - Joseph Conrad ('Youth')
Jul 6, 2011 1:01 AM

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Mar 2009
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Cenedess said:
BigSimo said:
honestly i was expecting yoko to be so much worse since so many people are like "OMG she's soooo annoying early on" but seriously she was just acting as any person would in such a situation. Why the fuck would you be pissed off with a character that acts as they should? Would you prefer her to calmly accept that there's a bunch of monsters and all this talk of going to another world? all in the space of like half an hour?

That's exactly what I thought, too. I mean, a guy telling you all this weird stuff without explaining anything, summoned huge-ass beasts, an entity inside you that makes you swing a sword around...
Anyway, a solid start, can't say it gripped me right away, but I've heard much good about this series and will definitely keep watching.


only part that really pissed me off was when she flung the sword down like a dumb*ss- WHY MEEEEEEE?!?

shut. up. and pick up the damn sword.
Jul 27, 2011 2:55 PM

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Regardless of the remarks that the series will go uphill from here, I was going to keep watching it. :D I didn't absolutely "love" the first episode, but thought it was certainly an interesting start and seemed very original. Youko did annoy me a little bit, but I have to agree with BigSimo that she was merely acting as any normal, frightened teenaged girl would. [Obviously Sugimoto isn't the normal one, here. Can't think of too many people who would willingly throw up their hands and volunteer themselves for a trip to another world that they know nothing about, but one that seems to involve lots of really weird, deadly monsters.]
Feb 5, 2012 10:38 AM

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rewatching this with the blu-ray version, one of my all time favourite tv series

now i think eps 1 is actually very good, apart from the sometimes out of propotion charaters

also realised the later change of Youko is that big after seeing her here again
Feb 28, 2012 11:33 AM

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I really liked it. And I actually like Yoko, it's nice when characters have at least a somewhat realistic reaction to things. She seems like a character that can mature over the course of the show, which I enjoy watching.
Apr 28, 2012 8:36 PM

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-LU- said:
I really liked it!
It reminds me of the start of Fushigi Yuugi.


very much so, and that can only be a good thing.

whenever a first episode appeals to me as much as say, Ga-Rei: Zero's , which it in fact did, then i'd expect it to shine throughout the entirety of the series... i just hope i'm not expecting too much
Jul 18, 2012 10:43 AM
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Sugimoto-san final boss
Aug 1, 2012 3:27 PM

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This series definitively has shaky start. Things are pretty confusing so far and nothing is explained, but i imagine this is just part of the mythology that is introduced in this fantasy series. Yeah Fushugi Yugi is very similar.

Honestly i don't know how people can think Yuko was annoying, she acted as if any real human being would act. I mean you have to think for a minute, all in the midst of 30 min, her school ends up in shambles, beasts come from another world to attack her. This guy saves her and explains all these weird things to her. She is stripped from her sudden friends and family, only to be told that is not from that world. If your a girl, you have to put your self in her shoes. I mean the way they protrayed this character was very real and thats what i like bout this first episode.



Jan 23, 2013 3:18 AM

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Jan 2008
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just watched, the first episode and while I agree with most people here, who say that Youkos' reaction is the way any normal person would react in that kind of situation, I have to say, what didn't sit right with me, concerning her Character, was that she threw the sword away...
I mean there she is, clearly being attacked by something she doesn't quite understand (which nevertheless clearly is a threat to her life), she gets a weapon handed to her and she throws it away. I mean I obviously don't expect a normal High-school girl to channel her inner Samurai and slay anything in her path, but expecting some self-preservation isn't too much I think, especially considering that she supposedly is the "heroine" of this story.

Well anyway, I will continue watching and I hope she will grow on me.
"Truth is always a delusion." - Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Apr 28, 2013 11:50 AM

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Jul 2011
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Well I'm hopeful that the protagonist will develop in 44 episodes. Those pictures of her in armour look sweet. Couldn't stand her this episode, wish I could punch her or something.
I did not expect her personality at all while reading the synopsis. And the bullying. =______=
Her reactions were annoying, but mostly because of her voice for me.

WHY WOULD SHE THROW THE SWORD, or rather, WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THE SWORD FROM HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE IF YOU DIDN'T WANT IT.

Otherwise, great action and plot is still confusing, but I'm sure it will clear up in the next few episodes.

The opening and ending are b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. Honestly. Very fantasy-like and I love them.
Jan 20, 2014 4:56 AM

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BigSimo said:
honestly i was expecting yoko to be so much worse since so many people are like "OMG she's soooo annoying early on" but seriously she was just acting as any person would in such a situation. Why the fuck would you be pissed off with a character that acts as they should? Would you prefer her to calmly accept that there's a bunch of monsters and all this talk of going to another world? all in the space of like half an hour?

To be honest this is one of the best first episodes I've seen. Fast paced, introducing lots of shit you want the answers to, and most importantly it's unique.

My thoughts exactly. She didn't annoy me at all, she reacted very realistically to the situation.


Good first episode, I will definitely keep watching this.
Feb 16, 2014 1:13 AM

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Jul 2008
10527
Well this is my first viewing and I rather liked the episode, I didn't like how everyone was a bitch to Yoko, that would make me rather introverted like her. Hell even her parents and teacher treated her poorly, that's rough, and then whan super monster attack? How the hell would you react.

Hell I'd bet most of us would act similar to her in wanting to know WTF was going on when you are suddenly asked to kill a giant crow monster.

On a friend's high praise I am finally watching this, and it is interesting. All I ask from a first episode is to be interesting and it delivered in spades. Excited to see what is to come knowing this series' high praise and the posts in this thread.
Mar 25, 2014 5:42 AM

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Aug 2013
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This has "epic" written all over it.

I never got to finish this years ago when I first watched it. Hopefully I finally get to see the ending :p
"May those who accept their fate be granted happiness."

"May those who defy their fate be granted glory."
May 28, 2014 1:28 PM
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I watched it. It was kinda meh and the art was terrible; I was rolling my eyes the entire way through. I was astonished by the amount of cliches packed into a single episode.

Yet, there seems to be some kind of 'potential?' I mean the red-haired girl was kind of screaming the whole way through, but she was only reacting believably. A guy crashes into your life and wants you to go with him; would you honestly do what he was asking??? He didn't even give any explanations for anything. T

he part of her character that annoyed me was her timidness. I hate that; a lot. However, I sense major character development happening for her.

The character that I thought was extremely annoying was that black haired girl. Like, could you be more of a downer for no reason? I think she has a reason for it, probably, but she really rubbed me the wrong way; so annoying, seriously.

Bah, I'll continue this I guess.
Dec 6, 2014 12:15 PM

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Nov 2013
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I've been wanting to watch The Twelve Kingdoms for a while. I'm rather partial to well-realized fantasy settings like those in Kemono no Souja Erin and Seirei Moribito, so I hope this series meets my expectations.
Dec 11, 2014 5:45 AM
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Yikes. Main girl's voice is irritating, it grates my ears.

Thankfully Koyasu Takehito was there to ease my pain a bit.
Jan 6, 2015 5:13 AM

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Jan 2012
31481
insan3Inquisitor said:
Beatnik said:
I usually hate it when people say to me about an anime that 'it will get better, honest!' so it pains me to say that Juuni Kokuki really really gets so much better later, that if you dont like the first few episodes, please just keep with it for a while.


I hope your right, cause that first episode... i'll just say the heroine annoyed the hell out of me.


same thought here her attitude is fucked up and boring
OT:first impression. art is ok and the ost.
btw wtf with creepy beginning.

Jan 13, 2015 5:12 PM

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Oct 2013
1348
I have net to zero patience with this anime. The MC is dumb as fuck I gathered after the first two episodes. Can someone just tell me when she turns into a badass so I can skip to that episode. Otherwise this show is heading to the dropped list.
Apr 16, 2015 6:10 AM

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Jun 2013
6123
That was decent, but nothing special
I've heard that this is pretty good, so I have high hopes! :)
Oct 26, 2015 8:56 PM

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The red-headed girl is incredibly, incredibly, irritating, but I hear she gets way better. I don't know if it's the animation, but she acts weirdly slow, disconnected, and unnatural.

Well, so far, this show isn't my up of tea with the Yugioh-esque beasts and everything, but I'm still going to give it a shot.
DawningFogOct 26, 2015 9:06 PM
Dec 13, 2015 10:49 AM

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Feb 2013
6196
Better than I was expecting. It has a quality classic feel to it (it is older afterall).
Dec 21, 2015 12:00 PM

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Sep 2013
2420
The protagonist acts so annoyingly Japanese-like it hurts.
May 3, 2016 4:26 PM

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Jul 2015
1640
This was so fucking good, i took a 1080p version but still for 2002 it look incredible, great first episode, the summoning were cool, everything was great, expect maybe the main girl crying and whining but it's just me who get annoyed by this kind of character
May 6, 2016 11:29 AM

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Jul 2015
227
Ahh the heroine is fucking annoying :D
I will continue though.
Sep 12, 2016 3:40 AM

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Feb 2016
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Rewatching a second time certainly is rewarding. All the huhs, uhs and general clusterfuck of references and names make for better storytelling should you understand it.

Certainly because your brain goes into autopilot with all the lore, you can actually focus in on the immense character development that takes place every episode, as well as get a general picture of the psyche before and after when humans experience hardship, the bad way and the good way going about it. The quotes littered throughout this series are absolute gold. The characters leave a deep impression on you after you finish the series, they are certainly not your garden variety cardboard tropes. They are complicated, flawed human beings. Adversity does not change that, all you can do is dig deep and draw strength from your mentality which is what this show absolutely nails.

A very nuanced show that depicts the difference between pride and confidence, humillty and modesty, jealousy and envy, utilitarianism and kantism.

1) A few things resonated with me is the ironic depiction (given the settings) of the dangers of taking the easy way out of dreaming instead of doing, blaming others instead of looking inwards. After all, at the end of the day, all your crying and wailing will get no assistance from the rest of the world. Practically, you only have yourself to rely upon.
2) Treating others the way you choose to, period.
3) Backing yourself, even if it feels like you are disappointing the world.
4) There is a difference between ignoring recurrent pains in your life and believing yourself become stronger and actually trying to prevent the pain from occurring again, even if it hurts.

All these people ranting about how annoying Youko is lol, she's my second favourite character.
Cloud_IllusionSep 12, 2016 3:55 AM
Nothing can happen until you swing the bat.
Dec 14, 2016 3:00 PM

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Jun 2015
3463
Looks like a rather mediocre RPG-based anime. Lame start to a series in any case.
Mar 19, 2017 6:56 PM

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Not bad.. This should be interesting.
Apr 26, 2017 3:54 PM

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Jun 2016
821
I definitely like the plot.

Though the first episode seems a bit off, it is slow-paced, which causes some absurd moments in the action scenes.

Still, it looks promising. Looking forward to further episodes.
Jun 15, 2017 8:01 AM

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Oct 2012
7188
That was pretty intense first episode
I still know nothing :(

What an annoying female MC
I hope she can become a better character later xD

I liked it so far, it was far better than anime these days!
The music especially, I'm diggin' it
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Oct 8, 2018 11:06 PM
Supreme Tsundere

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Nov 2012
4061
Saw this just last night, was a major wtf since I though this was straight medieval fantasy and first episode is on a modern Japan... all things considered, I do think it was very mysterious, and I definitly want to see more now.
Sep 22, 2019 12:29 AM

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May 2015
5885
Moooomm , I'm going on adventure.
"The future is always blank. Only your willpower can leave footsteps there."

"Ruling over death means ruling over life. Death is the climax of life. To have the best death, you must honor life."
Sep 25, 2019 6:37 PM

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Jul 2016
1651
i thought that sugimoto was the annoying one, not yoko - i thought she was down to earth. so now that i see that most of the comments here strongly unanimously agree that she is, i do feel conflicted... like was she? but no... although one thing that did irk me was that she ignored sugimoto. like bitch? bitch. all she said was hi, least you could do was say hi back. good thing the other guy just ditched her after that exchange xD i love it

yoko's hair is pretty nasty too. she ugly. (if only she looked a lil more like sugimoto?) she has natural red hair but it's like... dull, mousy, and unappealing, like a librarian. sugimoto is cuter. BUT sugimoto is most likely going to be a huge antagonist, dear god when she started begging to tag along into the other world with yoko i was like hold up sweetie cakes this ain't about you and i know for a fact that you gon try to do sum'n later on in the plot so sit cho weird gothic azz down...

anyways, lovely animation and art oooooh yea. this has been on my back burner. and the various spirits, monsters, they're cool! i'd be freaked out by them but i'm not. except for the white-blue old man ghastly thing that went inside yoko lol, i was like ew yeah i wouldn't like having that in me either. TOO BAD she can't remove him
Oct 3, 2019 9:20 AM
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Oct 2017
284
She's fn USELESS and pathetic. Waste of carbon.
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