8:40 PM: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to another showblog.
8:40 PM: Tonight kicks off a series of features based on NIS.
8:40 PM: Specifically, three titles released in the west by .@nisamerica :)
8:40 PM: We’re going to start with their newest title, Pandora Hearts. So, to start off, I’ll get the basics out of the way.
8:40 PM: Directed by Takao Kato (Buso Renkin, Sorcerer Hunters)
8:41 PM: Created by Jun Mochizuki
8:41 PM: Music by Yuki Kajiura (Madlax, Noir, My-HiME)
8:41 PM: Animated by Xebec
8:41 PM: Opening theme: Parallel Hearts by FictionJunction
8:41 PM: Ending theme: Maze by Savage Genius
8:42 PM: And I notice this is a Square-Enix show. Taking bets on how long before angst and emo!
8:42 PM: Anyway, I’ve wasted enough time… let’s get this thing rolling :)
8:42 PM: Opens to… rain. Lots of rain.
8:42 PM: And a castle…. and a bridge… in a thunderstorm.
8:43 PM: Moo-dyyyyy
8:43 PM: And grainy… as we see dead people and… Ky Kiske?
8:43 PM: Oh god it’s a bondage club D: “My chains of justice shall judge you :3”
8:43 PM: “Uour sin… is your very existence T_T” Well ain’t that a kick in the head
8:44 PM: Now we’re seeing a huge town? wat ‘-‘
8:44 PM: ….and Large Hadron Collider :O
8:44 PM: “They called it the darkness that swallowed everything. : (” …black holes do that
8:44 PM: “But that didn’t mean there was no light >_>” wat. ‘-‘
8:45 PM: Into the opening… I have to admit – I love FictionJunction. :D
8:47 PM: Wikipedia tells me this is ALL of FictionJunction – Wakana, Keiko, Yuriko, AND Kaori. Epic
8:47 PM: Anyway – episode starting >_>
8:47 PM: No longer grainy… yay :D
8:48 PM: “Oz-chan :3”
8:48 PM: He’s in a closet with a little girl? wat ‘-‘
8:48 PM: “GIRUBAATO :O” poor Gilbert ‘-‘ Getting grilled by crazy overreactive school marm lady
8:49 PM: SCARY school marm… using poor Gilbert’s fear of kitties against him.
8:49 PM: And out they go. toward the lake… while Oz was in the closet >_> wat
8:50 PM: And off the three go. “Mrs. Kate” – awesome name :D
8:50 PM: “They cleaned it up all for you :3”
8:50 PM: Something tells me Oz is a sacrifice.
8:51 PM: “This is where the ceremony will be :D” yep – sacrifice
8:51 PM: And Oz is staring at a giant clock… wtf?
8:51 PM: “That’s the silent clock :O” …gotcha
8:52 PM: Hah :D Uncle Oscar got ’em. Lots of engrish names in this so far – unintentional fun
8:52 PM: “I can’t help but tease her :3” he is a cruel kid.
8:52 PM: Ohhh… not a sacrifice – coming of age ceremony.
8:53 PM: Just as bad? I dunno
8:53 PM: blah blah 200 year old mansion before the Tragedy of Sablier
8:53 PM: AKA “huge black hole eats city”
8:54 PM: “You’re like a father to me :D” “O___o” Gilbert seems easily shocked
8:54 PM: Poor Gilbert’s gonna get his ass kicked…. or just teasted by the cat >_____>
8:55 PM: “Don’t mess around during the ceremony tonight T_T” Bondage clubs don’t take that lightly
8:55 PM: “MISSES KEITO :O”
8:55 PM: “Where are weoing? :D” “To the secret place :3” …I don’t wanna know
8:56 PM: “What’s the abyss? :D” Hell.
8:56 PM: “Is it the same place in that book? ‘-‘ ” yes. Yes it is. >_>
8:57 PM: This show loves its landscape shots.
8:57 PM: Can’t say I disagree – the backgrounds are fantastic
8:57 PM: Hah :D Gil’s gonna be in the ceremony too
8:58 PM: Oz is cruel. >_> Crueler than Mrs. Kate
8:58 PM: “I have no right to take part D:” aw..
8:59 PM: Oz doesn’t get the idea of social classes.
8:59 PM: And daddy issues.
8:59 PM: He’s definitely got daddy issues
8:59 PM: “What’s that sound? :O” we’re gonna find out
8:59 PM: “A music box? ‘-‘”
9:00 PM: And down they go… right in front of a grave. How convenient for the plot
9:00 PM: Eyecatch.
9:00 PM: “Is this a cemetary? :O” …just one grave, kid
9:00 PM: With a swanky medallion on it
9:01 PM: That Oz grabs… thus desecrating a grave. >_>
9:01 PM: Smart
9:01 PM: And what is it? A watch, of course :D
9:01 PM: “A melody I’ve never heard before…” IT WAS JUST PLAYING, IDIOT T_T
9:02 PM: Whoa O_o oz is transported to LSD land where dolls stare at you with dead eyes O_o wtf Japan
9:02 PM: “Where am I? :3” Drug trip
9:02 PM: A bad trip, specifically… everything looks like it’ll kill him.
9:03 PM: “He’s back :D” …acid’s one hell of a drug
9:03 PM: “She’ll be overjoyed ^_^” …wat
9:03 PM: “She” is here… and she’s a girl in white that… goes right through Oz >_> Ghost?
9:03 PM: “I don’t understand! ‘-‘ ” that makes two of us.
9:03 PM: “You come here all the time ^_^” …wat ‘-‘
9:04 PM: This girl is freaking creepy.
9:04 PM: But does she have a name?
9:05 PM: She can make the flames of hell spew forth when she’s pissed… that much I know.
9:05 PM: “I’ll kill you T_T” -CHOKE-
9:05 PM: She wants him dead. And… damn is she scary under the bangs O_o “No matter where you hide, I WILL find you T_T” … T-3000? ‘-‘
9:06 PM: “Are you afraid of me? ‘_’ ” I sure as hell am.
9:06 PM: “Fear me :3” …she’s gotta be a demon.
9:06 PM: “In your final moments, I shall use my own hands TO KILL YOU :O” demon or vengeful spirit. Not sure which yet
9:07 PM: But Oz is rightfully disturbed.
9:07 PM: “Should you have taken the watch? :D” probably not
9:07 PM: Poor Oz is guilting the hell out of Gilbert now… scary bastard.
9:08 PM: “You’re filthy :O” falling in a ditch does that
9:08 PM: “My neck still hurts from where I was strangled ‘-‘ ” And it’s still bruised… wtf
9:08 PM: …This is like La Petit Cosette only less bloody ;-;
9:08 PM: And Gil’s got mystery demon girl behind him now… fun
9:08 PM: And there she goes. >_>
9:09 PM: Lord Rumsfeld’s arrived :D And he’s going to fuck the populous and cause them to rise up against their own self interests to make more money!
9:09 PM: Sorry – I shouldn’t make political swipes ^_^;;
9:10 PM: Random girl in carriage… and two mystery people talking about the Silent Clock again
9:10 PM: Oz is swanky in his new suit
9:10 PM: As he broods… less than an episode it is :D
9:10 PM: Poor Gil’s being possessed, I gather? o_o
9:11 PM: He has the creepy smile that girl had
9:11 PM: Yep… posessed. And he’s gon’ kill his buddy D:
9:11 PM: In the abyss, we see that girl again… wat?
9:12 PM: “I know this sound D:” Pocketwatch can summon zombies. Got it.
9:12 PM: And end credits.
9:12 PM: With a rockin’ song by Savage Genius
9:13 PM: OK… I honestly have NO idea about what to think with this one. On one hand, the concept intrigues me.
9:15 PM: On the OTHER, I can’t help but draw parallels to Le Portrait de Petit Cossette – which I deemed an absolute turd, and 90 minutes of torture.
9:15 PM: So.. it could get awesome from here, or it could get godawful. There’s no clear indicator of either.
9:17 PM: The one thing I will single out is how grainy the video was. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but it was distracting at points.
9:22 PM: But, well, yeah… if they keep up the creepy angle this could be really fun. if not, it could be a decent show with some flaws to it. :p
9:22 PM: Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble on. Have a nice night, everyone!
9:27 PM: UPDATE: Apparently, the grain is intentional. http://bit.ly/aPnAcK – No more complaints there, since it’s not a technical issue.