Black Rock Shooter: Final Review

Back with the 4th final review of the Winter 2012 season, Black Rock Shooter. This series adaptation of the OVA goes more in-depth into the mysterious world of the Black Rock Shooter. Acting as an alternate to the high school girl, Mato, BRS locks into battle with the alternates of other girls Mato encounters in her life, such as Yomi (Dead Master), Yuu (Strength), and Saya-chan sensei (Black Gold Saw). Ultimately leading up to Mato’s confrontation with her powerful alternate, Black Rock Shooter, in an attempt to save the girls who have become disconnected with their emotions after their alternates were killed by BRS in the other worlds.

After being stunned with quality animation in the OVA, it’s a bit of a let down to see the slight dip in quality, but overall, this series still ranks high in quality relative to other series. For the same reasons (cost, mostly) I was also disappointed that it was only eight episodes. A full cour would’ve allowed for more awesome-tastic fighting, would it not? The plot was well suited for eight episodes, so it’s not such a big deal. The BRS series certainly gave more of a glimpse into the mysterious world that operates so near to Mato’s own world than the OVA did. And to see Mato come into conflict with Black Rock Shooter herself was a treat in and of itself.

Though I would’ve liked to get more information on BRS, I think that if too much is explained, she loses of her mystique and intrique. This seems like a good place to leave off…for now. Final rating:….9.1 I don’t really have any complaints, this is a good addition to the OVA and the style of the show is really cool (thinking of making a cosplay using BRS’s general design, actually). Though, like I said, more episodes=more awesome fight scenes (in my mind, anyway), and I wish Koha-sempai could’ve had an alternate so her emotional part would’ve been involved with the others.

Until next time,
- BeldenOtaku

Black★Rock Shooter: I Just Don’t Know Anymore

Back with the 7th and second to last episode of the Winter 2012 series, Black★Rock Shooter. Mato is locked within BRS as the battle rages with Yuu’s alternate, Strength. As the title suggests, I’m left confused as to the whole workings of Black Rock Shooter and the alternates, and their relations to Mato and the girls in the real world. BRS has put Black Gold Saw and Saya-sensei’s attempt to rescue Mato down, now it’s up to Yuu to bring some resolution to the crisis raging in Black Rock Shooter’s world.

Against a backdrop of jaw-dropping action and violence, Yuu drops her story and connection to “Strength”. How Strength carried the pain Yuu suffered through in real life, and how the alternates in the other world would fight instinctively and without feeling. Without concern for winning or losing, the alternates simply locked horns, fueled by the emotions of the girls in the real world. Until Black Rock Shooter appeared, that was when Yuu and Strength made a connection, for the first time, Strength could feel the pain she was shouldering. From there out, she no longer sought to fight, but merely to survive. If Black Rock Shooter were to kill Strength, who would then shoulder Yuu’s pain?

But Black Rock Shooter isn’t so cut and dry as Strength puts it. Mato seems to be able to accept and hold onto the pain of everyday life. Though she sees it as running away, it’s this quality of Mato that has made BRS so powerful. Black Rock Shooter, while still confusing to me, seems to be a key to reconciling the pain experienced by the girls and shouldered by the alternates. With only one episode remaining, I’m going to be very disappointed if this series doesn’t give me a somewhat logical (or at least heartfelt) explanation. I’d really like some definitives with the connection between Black Rock Shooter’s world and Mato’s, and what kind of power they hold over the two (if any).  I’d hate to simply chalk this one as a visual treat but not worth reading into, when the potential for excellent plot and character development is there.

Until next time,
- BeldenOtaku

Black★Rock Shooter: Yuu’s Protector, Black Gold Saw

 ”There is no world as painful as this one.”

 

Back with the 6th episode of the Winter 2012 series, Black★Rock Shooter. After Mato crossed over into the other world, unleashing Black Rock Shooter’s true power, she now shudders at the horror of having killed Yomi’s alternate, the Dead Master. Now it’s up to the red girl to take on BRS in berzerker mode.

In the real world, Yuu takes Mato to Saya’s apartment after she doesn’t wake up and return from BRS’s world. Apparently, Yuu and Saya have been in league the whole time to protect the girls and save them from the grief they experience. Saya did this to Yomi by putting enormous mental stress on her until the Dead Master’s true power was awakened. All a part of a story Yuu and Saya-sensei share, ending in her promise to protect Yuu, with the power of her alternate, Black Gold Saw.

As Black Rock Shooter and Black Gold Saw duke it out, Saya tries to reach out to Mato, who struggles to accept the idea that only killing their alternates will free them from their grief in the real world. Clad with a new piece, BRS has BGS on the ropes until she’s taken to a place where BGS can gain a home field advantage. Spawning new fighters until she finally has BRS pinned, Saya, speaking to Mato through BGS, tries to bring her back to the real world. I’m quite honestly shocked to find out that Saya is technically a “good” guy, though I feel her methods will be proved futile eventually. And I’m even more surprised to find that Yuu is much more mysterious than the OVA would ever have me guess. I’m hesitant to make any predictions on what the remaining two episodes have in store, because, so far, I haven’t been correct (and I love it!).

 

Until next time,
- BeldenOtaku

Black★Rock Shooter: Who are Yuu?

Back with the 5th episode of the Winter 2012 series, Black★Rock Shooter. I’m more convinced than ever that the counselor is conspiring against Mato and the girls, she came this close to choking her, for crying out loud. Yomi’s about to go off the deep end, supposedly Koha-sempai already has, and Yuu knows more about Black Rock Shooter that I would’ve ever guessed.

 

Yomi’s alternate is locked in epic, mortal combat with Black Rock Shooter, while Mato and Yuu struggle to make sense of her strange behavior. Though seemingly cheerful, she scares the rest of the class and has to leave school when she starts cutting her hair with craft scissors in art class. Yuu also finds that the bracelet Yomi made to match Mato’s was woven using Yomi’s own hair, and Yomi’s mother stands in awe at the shambles that her room now lies in.

Yuu (who I think was suspicious that the counselor had something to do with Yomi’s breakdown) goes to see Saya-sensei. She finds out that Saya’s “advice” seems to have driven Yomi to her actions, and now she’s become aloof as Mato can’t seem to find any trace of her. Even other students seem to have forgotten about her and Mato’s own memories of Yuu have grown hazy. Mato goes searching for Yuu as Black Rock Shooter and Yomi’s alternate begin the final showdown, one-on-one.

Mato and Yuu meet up at sunset, for some reason, probably more intricate than I can conceive, Yuu’s shadow has been non-existent this episode. Yuu reveals that her statement about the girls in that other world weren’t mere speculation. She has intimate knowledge of that world, and it’s connection to Mato’s. From her understanding, only by dying in that world does one become removed from the grief in this one. Too see for herself, Yuu takes Mato to that world, through Black Rock Shooter’s own eyes as she pushes the blade through Yomi’s alternate…

Mato refuses to accept that this is how it works, and I agree. Mato has to be the one to hold up her friends, to relieve their grief. But I’ll admit that it’s nice to see they’re attempting to logically explain the connections and relevances between the two worlds. Supposedly Kagari and Koha-sempai only overcame their grief after dying in that world. I think it has more to do with Saya’s workings than Black Rock Shooter’s. Mato saw the bird in the storybook as Yomi, but I think Mato is the better analogy. Desperately trying to rewrite the story so Yomi can have a happy ending, Mato is taking on the fears and emotions of others, burdening herself along the way. But coupled with the strength of the Black Rock Shooter, I think Mato has a few surprises in store…

Until next time,
- BeldenOtaku