Due to a mysterious disease, the genius Iria Akagami has been forced by her family to stay in a mansion on the isolated Wet Crow's Feather Island with only a handful of maids. To keep herself entertained, Iria invites a variety of fellow geniuses to stay as guests in her home, including computer savant Tomo Kunagisa and her unnamed assistant, skilled fortune-teller Maki Himena, famous artist Kanami Ibuki, academic scholar Akane Sonoyama, and renowned cook Yayoi Sashirono.
These visits progress as normal until one of the guests is found gruesomely murdered in the night without a single clue as to the identity of the killer or a possible motive. Tensions rise between those on the island as the killer remains at large, and Tomo's assistant takes it upon himself to uncover the culprit's identity before the murderous events progress any further.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
LouysG
:: NO SPOILERS :: Zaregoto is a Nisioisin show. Who ever told you it was a mystery probably told you PMMM is a kids show, and Shokugeki No Soma is a cooking manga. Bottom line, if you like that Nisioisin flavor you're gonna like this OVA, if you don't, well, at least ep. 7 has a beautifully animated scene directed by Akiyuki Shinbo that's worth the 8 ep. price of admission. Without reading any of the other reviews I can tell you what they're gonna say. Zaregoto is a slow build. The main character is an edgelord. It's a little bit too much of a stale whodunnit?without a sense that something tangible is at stake. Yeah, forget that noise. Like Monogatari, the big flashy genre set-pieces are sideshows, the character drama is the main event. All the mansions and murders and mauve color palettes only really matter to the extent that they give us greater insight into the characters themselves, the demons they're wrestling with, and whether or not they can actually overcome them. Deep breath. So yeah, the story starts with a lot of talking heads and not a lot of lopping heads. That's the point. When the characters and the hidden forces that drive them are the meat of the story its natural to spend 2-3 episodes listening to them subtly unveil the workings of their inner psyche. Of course, this is what makes Boku (MC-kun) seem like a member of the edge nobility. You already know him, he's the world-weary hoodie-donning teenager who abuses his privilege as narrator to preach his profound-as-a-puddle philosophy of not caring. Thankfully the show knows better. Half the fun of Zaregoto is watching the people around him pick away at his shell. He's a moaner, but he's not trash. You genuinely hope he'll evolve into a better person by the end of the series.
What are you waiting for? I gave you the bottom line in the first paragraph. Stop reading reviews and just go watch the thing!
Veronin
Until the final moments of the second episode, it is extremely unclear what Zaregoto is supposed to be about, or even what it wants to be about. Little of significance happens during this time: character introductions interspersed with surreal 'SHAFT-ness' (this should be coined as a word if it hasn't already) and philosophical discussions about the meaning of life and why the protagonist is apparently such a big fat loser. Cool, so everyone is a weirdo, and the setting makes no sense, but why are we supposed to care, again? I expect most people who are not already fans of Nisio Isin or SHAFT animewill lose interest somewhere during this time and potentially drop the series altogether.
Which would be a mistake, because the third to eighth episodes are an absolute joy to watch, and constitute some of the best content SHAFT has produced in years.
Zaregoto (Kubikiri Cycle) is, rather, a murder-mystery anime, which those familiar with the Danganronpa series will find quite similar. The unnamed protagonist, trapped on a solitary island with a dozen others, must wrack his brain to solve a bizarre string of seemingly impossible murders. The natural response would be to call the authorities and let the professionals do their job, but circumstances prevent the police from being called to the island. And so begins a traditional battle of logic: the construction of alibis, theories to be argued out, and proof to be sought— and sought desperately.
Those well-versed in the mystery genre will find it relatively easy to work out the culprit's identity via the clues left behind, but the actual process through which the murders are committed, and especially the culprit's motives, are a bit harder to predict, if largely because they contain elements that would be implausible in an actual real-life incident. So, if being surprised by absurd events is more entertaining to you than an ordinary, realistic murder case, you will be in for a fun little ride. And conversely, those seeking something plausible will be a bit more exasperated. But I am not sure you would be coming to a SHAFT anime in the first place if you were expecting realism. I mean, hell, in the final episode, with 200 cars exploding into an atomic-bomb sized ball of fire, directly behind the characters during their peaceful car drive, with them not so much as even acknowledging it (what?), it became clear to me that this show ain't based in our universe. The SHAFT universe is indeed a strange one.
If surreal artwork and mystery was all Zaregoto had going on, perhaps it would merely be an average, albeit fun series. The debates between the characters at the round-table aren't particularly compelling, with the protagonist and his opponents simply going through the motions of a mystery story: a theory and an inevitable rebuttal. Compared to the Danganronpa games, which made things much more complex and interesting by means of characters speaking in red herrings and complete untruths (even when they are innocent and have nothing to be gained from lying), in Zaregoto's case, there just isn't a whole lot to applaud.
So it's a good thing there is more to Zaregoto than mystery. The frequent philosophical discussions between the protagonist and his opponents, characteristic of Nisio Isin's catalogue, make even the moments where the story is at a standstill a pleasure to watch and listen to. There are a couple scenes that veer towards preachy or even arrogant territory ("this is my, Nisio Isin's, way of thinking, and other perspectives on life do not and cannot exist"), and a scene involving one of the maids uttering the most disparaging comments that could possibly be uttered to another human being (ending in them, literally, no joke, telling the protagonist he should kill himself), when said maid has only known the protagonist for a grand total of three effin' days, was quite... nay, extremely uncomfortable to watch. But by and large, the philosophical discussions in Zaregoto add an extra bit of flair, a more cerebral quality that many anime lack, even if the themes of these discussions aren't necessarily new or profound.
With a dozen characters and only eight episodes (and constituting only the beginning of a much larger light novel series), naturally, the characters are developed to wildly varying extents, with some being relegated to the sidelines and existing as little more than one or two-note tropes. The cook, Yayoi, is particularly guilty of this, being some incredible genius in the kitchen and capable of differentiating hundreds of thousands of tastes (how the heck do you even count that in the first place?), yet we see nothing of her cooking or her character besides her blowing her gasket at one point before withdrawing to the shadows again. Maki, defined largely by her love for wine and her verbal abusing the protagonist, is perhaps the most mature and intriguing member of the cast, which makes it a shame how little was seen of her. Instead, we get to see Tomo a million times... cute she is— especially in her twintail incarnation— but 'cute shut-in savant girl' is a trope I've seen seen more times in anime than I want to. The unnamed protagonist— or Ii-chan, I guess we could call him as Tomo does— is unsurprisingly the one with the most depth, a sort of darkness, a depressive nature hidden inside him that is teased but little revealed throughout the series. Mature and logical, he stands his ground in arguments, keeping his emotions tucked away inside himself. Though I wouldn't go as far as to claim him 'fun' or 'likeable', he's completely inoffensive and is one of the more compelling protagonists anime's mystery genre has birthed.
Yes, Zaregoto looks, sounds, and feels like a typical SHAFT anime, a visual cross between Madoka and the Monogatari series. Surreal artwork, embracing style over realism, is ever-present, particularly in the final episode which is SHAFT cranked up to eleven and completely and entirely visually incomprehensible. The surreal artwork coheres with the story, considering the ridiculous supernatural skills most of the characters possess, but at times the artistic and sound design becomes overbearing. No, the characters do not need to do the trademark SHAFT head-tilt, and no, we don't need the protagonist's inner monologues sounding like he is talking in the bathroom of some abandoned house. It's as if SHAFT is incapable of letting go, of letting the story take the lead and the artwork being complimentary, as it should in Zaregoto's case. There's an almost arrogant nature here, and, honestly, after over a decade of the same thing, it's about time the studio experiments with a new artistic style. But, yes, look and sound pretty Zaregoto does, especially with its background music and tight transitioning between opening sequence and story.
Zaregoto is a thoroughly enjoyable, if unfortunately brief experience. It is also obscure: obscure in the sense that mainstream audiences— those who are not active fans of Nisio Isin or SHAFT— will not be aware of its existence. It is, after all, an OVA series. It didn't air on TV. It is an adaptation of a series already fifteen years old. It went straight to disc, the only choice being to buy it or not. In Japan, where streaming services and illegal downloading aren't half as much a thing as they are in the west, this has made Zaregoto completely and utterly impenetrable to newcomers.
And that's unfortunate, because Zaregoto deserves to be watched.
Detective
Superimposition and retrospect ultimately lead to this abomination. This is an amateur work by NisioIsin developed, marketed, packaged, and sold in a post-Bakemonogatari world. This is the greatest undoing of this work, but to understand why this project failed beyond direct content we have to tackle a series of other shortcomings first. 1. Closed room murder mystery featuring a cast of geniuses. 2. The ever tired and tiring fantasy that is the coming of age narrative. 3. The once-iconic now-generic SHAFT direction style. 1. Vagueness is not profundity The story is set on an isolated island where an assorted group has been assembled by a quirky patron ofthe arts. There are around ten characters in the story. Only two are men, including the protagonist. Most of the other characters are famous in their universe for their ability, not much unlike the setting of Danganronpa fused with the backdrop of Umineko. They are blandly introduced with a title card to signify their importance. There is the adorable chef, the hotheaded fortune teller, and the disabled artist among others. This is the first sin of Zaregoto, as it uses this introduction as a heavy crutch to get it's weird premise off the ground. The rule of "show, don't tell" is a simple filmmaker principle that if you want someone to relate to something on film, do not haphazardly state "that character is smart." Show the audience through visual work the aforementioned character is capable of being smart.
Our protagonist, a high school age male, is visiting this island with a "genius engineer" whose abilities are never really explained as she is almost completely absent in this story. He is quickly entrenched in a murder mystery, and instead of the homeowner calling the police, she insists they solve the mystery themselves. The stage is set for the sleuthing to begin, but... it never really does. The completely tone devoid foray into motives make this first a whodunnit which then rapidly develops into a coming of age story. The deaths are played off as inconsequential compared to the ravings of young adult self-deprecation. Our protagonist is unsure of himself and of his intellect and spends all eight episodes frustrated about his severe normalcy. After being foisted into an unbelievable and at least interesting scenario it is very disappointing that most of the work is spent soliloquizing about "being average." This lead me to believe the goal of Zaregoto was never actually to be a story of intrigue but a story of growth. So if Zaregoto isn't a mystery it must be something else?
2. Zaregoto doesn't know what it is.
The word zaregoto is used in japanese to mean "nonsense" and it's supposed to be tongue in cheek but it's also supposed to be extremely serious. Irony, which worked more easily in NisioIsin's other works perhaps because they are partly comedy, is frustratingly used in this work to hide shortcomings. Where a character development should happen a platitude in the form of irony rests. The script drones on and on about vague notions of "sense of self" and "knowledge" to wind up at a head-tilt and smirking quip. This would be fine if Zaregoto didn't do this in every interaction. What once was novel is now textbook. Most scenes feel redundant, and the dialogue between any two characters feels alien. Each character is so weirdly inhuman that eventually you become desensitized to the weird interactions and just shrug them off. When every character is a suspect, every interaction trumped up as hugely important, and every thing that happens supposedly integral to solving "the mystery" you begin to doubt how honest this work really is.
3. SHAFT no longer innovates
SHAFT's work in Bakemonogatari is monumental for editing in anime. Since 2009, SHAFT has begun to use the same wide lens shots, cut-to's, framing, and jump cuts in every work. The fact that shots and even color pallet in works like Nisekoi are almost identical to Bakemonogatari is alarming. Tonally those two works don't have a thing in common. Sadly, Zaregoto is no exception. Where this style worked in Bakemonogatari, where the literal and metaphoric often became visual gag or symbolic, the script of Zaregoto cannot hold. Tracking shots or wide lens shots feel lazy and often lead to a sense of disconnect. The close-ups are held too long, the backdrops feel empty and surrealistic, and the characters are framed jarringly. The true visual irony of the work is that while this work boasts a strange direction style, it would actually benefit with less "creative" shots. This "auteur SHAFT style" has become a crutch, and Zaregoto is the sloppiest offender yet.
Conclusion: Safety, Redundancy, and Resignation
NisioIsin wrote this as his first published work. Re-contextualizing Zaregoto for a post-bakemonogatari audience only hurt whatever this work originally intended. It became muddled in the mixed tone, the "tried and true" direction, and finishes feeling like a diminutive version of other works. Zaregoto is in actuality a generic coming of age story about a boring Japanese highschooler dressed in extremely elaborate lace. It is done up as a mystery, where the mystery is unsolvable and trite. It has these wacky characters with titles like "Genius Artist" that really don't feel any different from any other anime. It is even occasionally shot as a harem with needless sexual shots of characters that the script can barely justify for existing. All these come together and ultimately just feel insulting. It's too much yet it's trying too hard to look like it doesn't care. It intends to wow, but never executes. Forced restraint simply gives this poorly written hodgepodge an air of superiority it can't justify. I don't know if Zaregoto can ever be done well given the content, but I am certain that this anime was the worst way to handle it.
SpoopsterCH
Zaregoto, much like most other Shaft and/or Nisioisin productions requires a certain mindset as well as expectations to enjoy. While I don't like how pretentious saying this sounds, I still have to say it: This isn't some 'Whodunnit'-rhomp you can watch after work or school while being half asleep. To truly get most out of it, I recommend really focusing on it as much as possible. That, or get drunk and enjoy the pretty pictures and lovely sound. I've been guilty of that too occassionally. Now on to what you can actually expect. Zaregoto is a character study donning the guise of a murder mystery, with some good indulgent waifu material,as is Nisioisin's law.
Now, one could say that this sounds a lot like the Monogatari series, which is also a character study pretending to be a 'Girl-of-the-week' harem, but there's differences beyond the genre.
While The Kubikiri Cycle certainly has a good cast of characters, the main developmental focus is actually cast on our protagonist, Boku (or refferred to as Ii-Chan, by his friend Tomo), which alludes to the entire story being told in his perspective, as it was in the novel. Not once does anyone actually say his name.
Throughout the story, the anime touches on themes such as one's place in the world as well as society, the blessings and curses that come with being a genius/savant, one's calling in life, the dependancy upon other people and lots of other tough to swallow subjects you'd probably rather hear about in school than anime.
I'd say, though, that it's precisely what's so interesting about this OVA. You can easily read into it as much as you want, you can just enjoy this as a surface level murder-mistery (even if it falls a bit flat on that level) or you could even get an epiphany and become the next Buddha.
We're not quite sure yet if Nisioisin is that smart or if he's just good at pretending to be smart.
Anyway, if that managed to catch your interest, I'll now cut to the dry part of my review and talk about the subcategories specifically. Ready? Cause I aint.
Story:
As alluded to before, the actualy murder mystery is quite solid. Nothing amazingly new, but it utilizes the classic 'Locked Room' mystery quite well.
It also doesn't fall into the more modern trap of not actually giving the audience the hints they need to figure stuff out themselves.
You'll know as much as the protagonist, guaranteed.
One thing to be critiqued especially, is that the entire cast sometimes just doesn't think about something every person who's familiar with mysteries would think about. People lying about alibis? The murderer didn't act alone? The persone we think is suspicious doesn't actually have a decent motive?
Yeah, it'll take a while, if at all, for the cast to even consider these questions at times.
Still, solid like I said, and it's more of a vehicle to make our characters encounter new experiences and question themselves, so it's not key to the enjoyment.
Art:
This is highly subjective, but I'm a sucker for Shaft's Monogatari-style directing, which they heavily used for this title. Head-tilts, eye close-ups, supremely intricate and beautiful backgrounds, colour-shifts, it's all here.
Even without the directing though, I think it's needless to say that the art is just extremely nice.
I've heard people say that the characters look a bit too 'plastic-y' at times thanks to the lighting, which I think is a fair point, but I can't say that I dislike it.
Sound:
The sounds was for me, especially in the first few episodes, phenomenal in complimenting the atmosphere. It constantly creates an atmosphere of unease even before the murder(s) and keeps you on your toes.
As the episodes went on, however, I noticed the soundtrack less and less. Not that it ever got bad, just not as obviously good as before.
I'll have to note though, that this might be because I binged the series, so maybe I just lost focus as time went on.
Shoutout to both OP and ED, as they're really good songs.
Characters:
Usually, on any other Nisioisin production, this is where I'd praise him for cleverly subverting character stereotypes, but with Zaregoto I really need to commend him on writing characters that complement his main goal, which is to explore Boku (and to a lesser extent Tomo) as characters.
Every character pretty much stays true to what you'd think they'd be like. But only in this circle of very defined and rigid characters can an undefined character like our protagonist truly shine.
In that sense, I can see how giving this section a 10 could be controversial, as I'm praising the choice and usage of characters, and not the characters themselves.
If it's any comfort, can I say that I really liked all of the characters, both personality and design? Especially my girl; sleazy, drunkard fortune teller, Maki Himena.
-----
I really shouldn't have written all the stuff before my ratings, as it'd fit better in here, now that I think about.
Trying to find any closing words, I'd have to go with the following:
If you enjoy the idea of analyzing something again and again, and want to see just how far anime as a medium can be pushed, then you'll really like the Monogatari Series.
And if that's too much time investment or a bit too big of a plunge (or I guess you already consumed everything Monogatari, but want more), then watch this OVA, cause it's a great start to Nisio's writing and Shaft's directing while not outstaying its welcome.
kokuborou
We all know Nisio Isin as a genius writer for the Monogatari novel series but what remains unknown is his first work: Zaregoto Series who inspired him later to write the Monogatari series. Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregototsukai is the first volume from that series that was adapted by Shaft into a 8 Ova and as any monogatari fan you can notice some similarities in the plot, story and character traits. The main story is set in a mansion on a remote island where 12 geniuses with special abilities in their own domains and with different circumstancesare gathered to prove their worth. The build is slow in the beginning , it takes 2-3 ova until the main plot is revealed but if you are patient you will be rewarded with a great mystery , with clever tricks behind the crimes and dialogue lines used for characterization.
The characters and the good world building around the mystery is what makes this ova series worth watching for. Having different quirks and personalities the characters will be the first to catch your attention, their adorable and pleasant art style design will make you love and cheer for them and finally the unique male main character will help you understand and put in order all of the chaos from that mansion using his nonsense logic to solve the mystery. The mystery is damn good and you will be fooled by the many well handled plot twits until the last ova were everything starts making sense.
As any Shaft anime the visuals play a huge role in these ova series making the dialogue scenes more interesting and giving meaning to the characters actions who are playing with the words. The dialogue lines are the very essence in this show they take you on a trip full of adventure and mystery and present how each character perceives the world around them. The characters speech habits , manners and personality quirks are portrayed through their dialogue lines, they are likeable from the first ova and you will get easy attached to them. The opening song is catchy and the ost used overall is great.
If you are a monogatari fan you will surely enjoy and love this ova series , if you are new and unfamiliar with the author’s writing style the first 2-3 ova will seem kinda boring to you but if you have patience later you will rewarded and amazed on how the author managed to connect all the dots to cover the plot holes and give you a mind blowing conclusion. So what are you still waiting for go watch this ova series it’s a hidden gem!
JuneNephthys
The Zaregoto Series, also known as The Beheading Cycle (because, y’know, people get beheaded and stuff), is another brain child of Studio SHAFT and NisiOsin. If you didn’t know, it’s the duo that made the Monogatari series. I initially thought it might be a good combination, along with the same character designer, a murder mystery, and Kalafina being behind many of the music compositions. I felt like I could jive with all of that. Little did I know, that this would not only be a lower budget production than Monogatari, with jarring cuts that looked like they were clipped in Window’s Movie Maker, but that itwould have the WORST last of episode of ANY series. Actually, I think it might be the WORST episode of any anime that I’ve EVER fucking seen!
But, before I get to that! Let me preface all of this by saying that, the characters were more enjoyable than I initially thought. Though the only characters that really had chemistry were the main two. And that was marginally there. She just acted like an overly excitable cute girl and he acted like he was too good for anything the world had to offer, even though he was the only normie on an island full of super geniuses. Typical SHAFT lead!
The mystery was somewhat interesting, before NisiOsin had to really hammer it into your head that they were clever by making everyone on the island switch places. Who was who? No one is how they seem. There were triplets, but which one is which? The other two cases of it are spoilers, so I won’t reveal it. But, the series did the same thing several times and did it proudly, like it had taken a shit of gold.
I wish that SHAFT would realize that pretty visuals and implied deepness, when your story is nothing but pretentious garbage, doesn’t cut it. I think that I’m the only person who rated Owarimonogatari Part 2 a low score based on the same stipulated bullshit that they keep churning out in each of their stories. Mekaku City Actors was practically unwatchable, because it was just artsy visuals with no substance!
The story wasn’t bad; I felt satisfied with the way that it was wrapping up… until the 42 minute migraine of a finale. In all of my years of reading Agatha Christie and watching Detective Conan, I have NEVER seen a more irritating way to conclude a mystery. Kikoushi Enma practically plagiarized Christie’s novel And Then There Were None and it was infinitely less annoying than NisiOsin’s “original” beheading mystery.
Let me just say the near hour of the last episode was pretty much just a spiraling monologue. They more or less explained the mystery within to first 10-20 minutes of the fucking car-ride clusterfuck, but they just kept hammering it into your skull, as if you weren’t deep or pretentious enough. With unnecessary allegories and allusions to the hollowness of self ー that really had nothing to do with the fucking story.
SHAFT made it seemed like the whole series had been an above-your-head allegory, auteur-type End of Evangelion piece out of fucking nowhere. You know the second to last scene of End of Evangelion where there’s a monologue about how creativity is reality, that was this except with NO point! And I was shocked when I saw that there were no complaints about it on MyAnimeList, because it is THE FUCKING WORST. I was marginally okay with SHAFT before, but now I cringe at hearing there very name. Seriously, fuck all of them. I’m done, SHAFT.
First you make me projectile vomit all the way through Moon Phase, things start to go south with Nisemonogatari, with Araragi more or less cheating on his girlfriend with his little sisters AND her friends, then Kizumonogatari is a fucking piece of trash visually and ethically, then you make the bidet of a show called 3-Gatsu no Lion, the ending of the Monogatari series was fucking bullshit, and now I watch the worst episode anything I’ve ever seen. Nope, fuck you. I’m done.
Overall, Zaregoto was alright until the final episode, just stop watching after silver-haired maid girl talks, then turn off the episode. The ending is worse than trash, the characters are empty, the visual direction is all over the place, and you’re left with the empty contentious novelty that all of SHAFT’s shows are comprised of. The Beheading Cycle gets a 2/10.
AnimeEnjoyer420
I love a good mystery, and Kubikiri Cycle does at least somewhat deliver on that, so it's hard to entirely dislike it. While it does get a little too convoluted at the end, the actual murder mystery portion of the series is the most sound and enjoyable part of it. It's the other parts of the series that are a letdown. In particular, there are two elements that stand out above the others as critical issues: the characters and the dialogue writing. These problems are distinct, but related of course. The characters are insufferable virtually without exception, and a big part of that is the pretentiousdialogue. Conversations feel about as authentic here as they do in an Ayn Rand novel. Characters talk in grand philosophical statements and go on endless, preachy monologues about their personal outlooks on life, most of which tend to be miserable and nihilistic. Even characters that are meant to be viewed positively tend to be gratingly wacky and quirky instead (I'm thinking of Tomo, the "blue savant" from the series' subtitle here). When the murders begin to happen, you feel nothing because the victims feel more like bundles of college undergrad philosophy essays that have been clumsily arranged into the outline of a human than real characters that you can identify and empathize with.
Visually, Shaft brings its B game to this series. On the positive side, get plenty of Shaft-isms here - the head tilts, the dramatic use of blacks and reds, and so forth - the animation looks good and occasionally great, and there are some strong storyboards late in the series. On the negative side, the 3D backgrounds look comparatively chintzy and there is too much use of camera rotation, almost as though the director decided he may as well take advantage of those 3D environments and spin the camera all over inside of them, whether or not it was appropriate for the scene. It still looks better than the average anime TV series, but probably will not rank among Shaft's best in that regard.
If you're really into mysteries (or a huge fan of the source author's better-known Monogatari series), you may give this one a try and find that you like it. I find it hard to recommend because of the unlikeable characters and a style of dialogue that I find deeply annoying, but if you can get past those issues, you may get more out of it than I did.
Zengaea
I don't know anything about Nisioisin further than Monogatari series. The infinite abstract art style the character designs and monologues. I see as the (monogatari style). Although I think it's a unique presentation and interesting. I don't really want to see anywhere else except Monogatari. I like Monogatari series , although i'm not a big fan of it. Why I talking about Monogatari tho? Because it has the same misconceptions. Zaregoto is a crime story, and a weird one. But not so interesting though. The characters are quite one dimensional and simple. In theory, they are the smartest of the smartest. And that's also monogatari.Characters conversation are like they mind are in a perfect harmony. And that's makes them geniuses, at least that's what it seems. Of that espects we can also say all monogatari characters are geniuses. Because they are. In fact, what is really make them so interesting and unique? The way they talk. The way they interact. How they say things the way YOU want. As you, I meant the main character ,the narrator, the main protagonist. (He) is in the main focus. He's brain is the main force for the others knowledge. That's it. The converstations was like you talking with yourself. Even though there are different personalities, the characters still feel the same. Ergo, predictable. And regardless it's working in Monogatari, it will never work any other anime ever again.
Basically as I see this (monogatari style) made it worse. It was a mess. Some unusually ordinary scenes, thrown together. The outcome just like a throw up. They also used the first person singular because they can't tell a s tory otherwise. And the isolated locations, focused only the characters. And all this isn't really means it is bad. That is just not enough to be entertaining in this show. Therefore, It was completely,empty.
Agent_Redacted
Kubikiri Cycle is a vague, arbitrary, mechanically indefinite story. An average tale of nothing at all with an unnaturally empty certainty at the heart of it. Ending anti-climatically like a red, red fantasia. The anime is over-the-top and over-complicated. And by over-complicated I am talking about piling a layer of one thing with another and another and another. All the messiness revolves around a boy and his perspective/perception from the beginning to the end of the anime. Ironically this anime could be a very strong Theory of Knowledge as it shows several aspects of things and how the boy perceives them. It's very bizarrely unique likemost of the shows Shaft produced.
Enhanced by the weird-ass animation and art style of Shaft which made the show even more inexplicably ludicrous and bizarre. I'm just lost for words at this point. My brain says "I'm out" and so am I now. See ya.
Overall I find Kubikiri Cycle very good though. Solely for how dumb it is. Kubikiri Cycle could easily be in the plan to watch for everyone who's into weird shits.
Maurex
NO SPOILERS "There is no great genius without some touch of madness"-Aristotle This what I can conclude from watching this anime and enjoying the hell out of it. First episode is really slow but it introduce you the characters wich are awesome so it's not an issue at all. Story(10): Basically, there are 12 people on an Island in a mansion; in these 12 people, there are 7 geniuses from different specialyzations, add some mystery and a heavy atmosphere et voilà, you got the plot. Fairly easy to understand but done masterfully, but be aware that you'll probably have to rewatch some passages to fully understand what's goingon(or it can be my bad because I'm really bad at remember names and stuff)
Art(10): What can I say about the art? It's the same pallet of colours as Tsuritama and Gatchaman Crowds wich are really close to my heart so you guest it: Fanboy. By the way, it's the same studio that made the monogatari series so the direction is also really good.
Sound(10): Nothing much to say... You just feel that the mansion is huge wich relate to the heavy atmosphere.
Character(10): I can't say much without spoiling so... The mc is not like any other mc in my opinion, I couldn't relate myself to him nor the other characters(because I'm not a genius obviously and they are not thinking in the same way as I do...) Also, the female mc is really good(not gonna explain why(best girl)) I really don't wanna talk much about them because I wanna keep you from knowing too much before you watch it ^^
Enjoyment(10): Well, let's recap. I love this anime because it reminds me from shows I really like(Tsuritama, Gatchaman crowds) but also shows that I don't like too much because it was missing something(monogatari series) and this anime made what the monogatari series wasn't able to do(Probably because the mystery genre works well with the direction of the monogatari series). I also love it because of that satisfaction when everything clears up and you remind yourself everysingle details you had forgotten about through out the show ^^
In conclusion, I gave this anime a 10 out of 10 (obviously from what you read before). Do I miss something? Please no :(
Hope this review helped you out ;)
mayoiko
Overall: 1. The protagonist is typical nihilist wannabe. 2. The case scenario is typical Agatha Christie's locked-room murder. 3. The irrelevant cool genius Aikawa is typical Sherlock rip off. At the moment I start watching it, I knew this anime is all about nihilism and existentialism, but it's definitely nihilism for the protagonist, plus it was started with a quote by Nietzsche, the godfather of all nihilism fanboy, so at that moment I assume that the writer of the story must be one of those nihilist f*g. Later, I found out that it was by Nisioisin, and tbh I never really finish the monogatari series, I only watched thefirst season, as it was dreadfully boring for some reason I just gave up. So, all I know is that Nietzsche's nihilism must be his primary inspiration for this.
At second episode, the moment Ilya start mentioning about this "interesting character who is like a detective", Aikawa, for some reason it reminded me of Agatha Christie immediately, since this is mystery anime with murder case, Agatha's work is most likely to inspire the story of the case in this anime. Like any other anime and movies or whatever, Agatha is a well known writer of detective novels and the one with strong influence of locked-room mystery subgenre, this anime is influenced and of course use the locked-room type of murder to create a case. And guess what? yep, locked-room murder! with the possibility of everyone could the suspect! how very Agatha Christie-ish!
Aside from Agatha as another inspiration for this anime, I suspect Aikawa's character is Sherlock rip-off, even before she actually shows up. BBC's Sherlock especially, not a detective but a consultant, both of them. yes, consulting detective. And when she shows up, "an expert at humanity", knowing where the protagonist wanted to go by deduction, yep, it confirms it.
I know Nisioisin's inspiration are primarily these three: Nietzsche, Agatha Christie, and Sherlock. It's so so very obvious. So this anime isn't a work of someone talented, this is a work of a "hardworking" person, because it's bland, and it's as if he just ripped those so called inspiration off and mixed it in one, without much of modification. Why did he write the novel I wonder? with this anime adaptation I can see how he isn't good at this genre. I'm sure, the only reason it even got an adaptation was because it's a work of Nisioisin, someone with reputation and fanbase, not necessarily because it's actually good. I do admire of the possibility that he might want to prove a point that nihilism is realistic or something like that.
But, something about the protagonist's characteristic just feels off. Nihilist but righteous? Apathetic but empathic? He is supposed to be nihilistic and apathetic, but with his close minded mind he thinks murder is definitely wrong and unforgivable under any circumstances, it's as if he blindly swallowed the norm's definition of what's right and what's wrong, because he said that there is no reason needed to believe that it's wrong. Someone like this can never be a nihilist and an apathetic person, because being apathetic in the first place is wrong by society's standard or morality. To be a nihilist you need to be open minded and realize that nothing matters, hence you will be apathetic and you will not concern yourself about anything banal.
But then again, its either that, or the protagonist is actually not nihilistic and apathetic at all, being with Tomo who he likes and jealous of at the same time, makes him wants to be able to get rid of his emotions, hence behaving like a nihilist and claiming to be apathetic, for the sake of staying at her side. But then again, he said that he is naturally nihilistic and apathetic and that Tomo is the "moisture" for his "dryness", so maybe the protagonist's characteristic is indeed kinda off. But who knows, in the end, whichever it is depends on mere perception.
agahtha
Story: 10 Art: 8 Sound: 6 Character: 6 Enjoyment: 10 How the hell do you write a decent review for an anime that is perfectly written? Nisiosin created the zaregoto novels when he was 21 yo, the same age as I am right now, and in comparison I feel like a kindergarden kid. Before starting this anime I was brainwashed into thinking this was not a mystery story and that the mystery parts were just a facade. That is not true, this is a mystery story. I don't know how the zaregoto novels progress because I didn't read them, but the anime was definitely a mystery, and an impeccable one.You will be exposed to the mentality of the different characters. The key word here is "twist", how do we perceive reality? do we blindly accept everything we see as true or do we go deeper? do we have the curiosity to go further and is there even a reason to do that? what can humans accomplish if they point all their focus towards a goal? what does it mean to be a genius? As I said, the mystery is not only in the plot, but also in the way these characters relate to life. I can't say I was satisfied with the ending and I'm deciding if I should or should not read the novels, I can just say that for now the romance elements were completely pointless and annoying, and that was probably what they were meant to be. The more I think about the way the romance plot was developed the more I get angry, I was left with a conclusion I can't accept, it goes completely against my philosophy in life, and I decided that if an anime makes me think outside of my comfort zone then it did its thing. The second thing that annoyed me were the shaft shots, which I find particularly irritating.
Overall: 10
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ZenuKun
(Spoiler free) Yes... Okay Im basing my review on personal preferences but this is by far if not the one of the best works by Shaft. Now I really loved this mainly because of the characters and artsyle.. I am a very big fan of Shaft's works and I got to say that they made this the way it should be made. The story itself was great as well, given that it is only 8 episodes, it did really well in portraying the plot. And just a fair warning before you watch, you need to have focus on watching especially during the first 2 episodes.. Ifyou liked The Monogatari Series and Mekakucity Actors (which I highly recommend as well, also made by Shaft) then this one is definitely for you.
The Characters were straightforward, the storyline was just perfect being that I am a fan of all the genres in this. The artwork is a masterpiece and did I enjoy watching this? I don't think I need to tell you. anyway the sound effects and music are amazing and I recommend watching this!! well done Shaft
moozooh
This won't be too much of a review because the current top reviews already do a great job at that, and I fully realize that most people won't get to read this one. However, if you don't find them convincing enough and are trawling for some more articulated opinions that avoid the "it's by of fame" kind of arguments, there are probably some more things I could iterate upon further to convince you to watch this short series. See, this, for me, is one very good reason to watch anime at all. Zaregoto is a product that intentionally works on multiple levels: it's pleasingto hear and look at, it's intellectually challenging, and, perhaps the best of all, it interacts with a viewer in a very specific way that I shall describe as 'endearing' for the lack of a less corny term. And by that I mean it lulls you into thinking this show is about something else—when in reality it's actually about YOU, dear viewer, as seen through the deliberate self-insert protagonist going by the telling name, 'Me', that works so well BECAUSE it is anime, and having watched a lot of titles you automatically expect to see certain tropes. And so the protagonist, who's probably about as jaded and genre-savvy as you are, stumbles through the events of the story reluctantly, somewhat self-righteously, with confidence in his intellectual prowess but lacking in commitment. Why, I'm sure many of us—if not most—will begin watching with largely the same attitude towards the show itself.
Then, in a pretty subtle but no less powerful fashion, it begins teaching its lessons. About managing the expectations one has of oneself and the situation. About realizing that, perhaps, there is more to stories and characters than you'd assume based on first impressions. About the value of passing judgment or abstaining from doing so. About humility and commitment. And these lessons work exactly the same way for the protagonist in the context of the story as they do for the viewer in the context of watching the show. Quite... endearing.
But yes, it's truly wonderful that anime like this is being made. This kind of clever postmodern social commentary doesn't happen too often, and even then it isn't necessarily executed well—but it is here, thankfully. So if you're a fan of being tricked into looking in the mirror (if only in terms of expectation management), please put aside some four hours of your time and watch Zaregoto.
Marco_Yooo
THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW Okay, this is a hard one to review. „The Kubikiri Cycle „ or „Zaregoto Series“ is the first work of the famous or infamous NisiOisiN. Having already watched and reviewed the „Monogatari Series“ as well as „Katanagatari“ i decided to go back to the start of his career as a writer. I had incredibly high expectations for this one, but were they reached? I proceeded to watch the entire show in one sitting. Story – 8/10 First, we have to talk about the mystery aspect of the show. I absolutely LOVE classic murder mysteries. I also think they are incredibly hard to pull off,because they are either to short and simple, or extremely predictable. The setup is very classic: A set group of people on an island completely disconnected from the outside world. What i liked is that this show really took it´s time. The first murder doesn´t happen up until the very end of the second episode. It sets up everything it needs to do. The murders themselves are classic „locked-room“ cases, which are always a treat to watch. I personally was constantly questioning every little detail and up until the final episode, i did not figure out the identity of the killer so that´s a plus. The show always gave you little hints, little things that bug you in your head start to pile up, questions that the viewer wants to get answered. Little comments become hints and small details are explained episodes later, which means that the author really thought out his story from beginning to end. What i have to critisize however, is the way the deductions are portrayed. Series like „Hyouka“ or „Detective Kindaichi“ constantly question their own solutions while games like „Danganronpa“ try to throw out red herrings here and there to switch things up. Comparing „Zaregoto“ to other works of it´s kind, i almost got the feel that is was a bit to apathetic and robotic in it´s deductions. Characters never question themselves enough and everyone seems to always tell the truth when it came to the alibis. The cases themselves were interesting, but they never blew my mind in the way the „Hyouka“ Novels did.
So, the mystery was pretty good, but this is a NisiOisin show, so of course dialogue and psychology are a key factor in his storytelling. The dialogue is always king here, like in all of his works. The psychological aspects of this show were actually really interesting. It questions the act of murder in a very interesting way and really takes it´s time with the progression of it´s themes. There will be a lot to talk about in the character departement later.
Art – 9/10
This show looks absolutely beautiful. This came out right when the „Monogatari Series“ reached
it´s peak in the animation departement and Studio Shaft put all of their creative talent in this. The camera is used in a very slow and steady way, with long weaving shots almost like in a documentary. It highlights the scenery in a very aesthetic way. The lighting is also very apparent.
The biggest treat are the character designs. They are immaculate from the design to the clothes, the hairstyles everything. The movements are smooth and the colours are vibrant. The artistic and surreal backgrounds gives this show it´s identity. I heard some people say that the style of Studio Shaft is getting redundant and boring but i would rather have more of this than any artstyle from one of the hundred generic light novels coming out in this day and age.
Sound – 8/10
Really interesting sounddesign here. Some themes sound like your typical BGM but every track has something that is a little...off. I can´t really put my finger on it, but for some reason the soundtrack becomes more recognisable and you start to hum the different melodies while watching. The voice actors are great like always. The OP, while not an insane banger or something was still good and the ED reminded me a bit of the soundtrack from „Fate stay/night“.
Characters – 8/10
The main character was incredibly interesting. I have rarely seen someone talk and interact the way that he does.He does not even have a name and is just called "me" or "i". There are hints about his past but the show never really goes into it and only uses it to subdue the viewers expectation. You really feel like you want to know more about this guy, and what brought him to the island itself. He seems quite and uninteresting from the outside and the way he acts does not portray his thoughts accurately but he has some real problems and issues behind his mask and i personally found them very relatable and authentic.
Our female lead, Kunagisa, is the complete opposite of him, maybe this explains their dynamic. She can be a liiiiitle bit annoying sometimes but i was expecting a character like her to be in a NisiOisin show, so nothing to bad.
The murderer on the other site had a motive that i cannot even put in words. Like, this was some truly insane stuff. When i see some peole on MAL saying „Oh, i figured out the murderers motive really fast hehehehe“ i am 100% sure they are joking. The final episode tries to explain it but there are some big logic leaps here and sometimes the anime really pulls on your suspension of disbelief a little bit. On paper it makes sense, but not so in real-life.
All the other characters were pretty good. My favorite is definitely Himena. I like it when anime doesn´t give everyone a sad backstory or something like that to explain their behavior. Some people are just assholes, and that is it.
Enjoyment – 8/10
I think the ending held this show back a little bit. If it had maybe 6 episodes instead of 8 and told a more dense and focused story it could have been truly amazing, but instead it does a few things to much. This was still a fantastic watch, i saw all the episodes back to back in one sitting so that tells you a lot. If you like your murder-mysteries this is a must watch. Especially fans of the „Monogatari Series“ , „Hyouka“ or the „Danganronpa“ games will be intrigued by this show.
- Marco_Yooo
FINAL SCORE - 8/10
Edward979797
An adaptation of the first in a series of acclaimed mystery novels by Nisio Isin (of Monogatari and Katanagatari fame), Kubikiri Cycle plays out much like a traditional murder mystery on the surface, but manages to do enough to set itself apart, even in anime format. Any viewers familiar with SHAFT's visual style should know what to expect here. The overall style and art direction are as stunning and compelling as one would expect. Vivid backdrops and imagery effectively complement the show's numerous monologues and dialogues, forging a link between what is being said and what is being shown. This adds a new dimension to mostscenes, and keeps the hours upon hours of talking from becoming stale. In addition, character designs are imaginative and unique, and do a solid job of conveying the various personality traits and quirks associated with each member of the cast.
Animation is lackluster at moments (which is probably the result of SHAFT tackling so many projects at the same time), but decent for the most part. The signature head-tilts and unconventional movements that the studio is so famous for make a return here, which may turn off viewers unfamiliar with their previous projects. Nonetheless, fans of the Monogatari Series, Madoka Magica and so on will be right at home with the visual presentation as a whole.
Murder mysteries, for the most part, tend to put too much of their weight on one thing: the reveal of the killer. The problem with this is that it usually goes one of two ways: the viewer either "sees it coming" and subsequently considers the story too predictable, or the identity of the killer ends up being too unexpected, almost illogical, which leaves the viewer feeling cheated, and as if the whole thing was a waste of time since there was no way they could have made a successful prediction. Very rarely does one such story manage to find that sweet spot in the middle, and remain standing as a work worth experiencing. Fortunately, Kubikiri Cycle does not put all of its eggs in one basket, seeing as its reveal is ultimately too clumsy and convoluted to stand on its own.
The mystery behind the murders is initially presented in a compelling way, laying all of the cards down before the viewer and keeping them on the edge of their seat awaiting answers. The problem is that the show ends up being too self-indulgent in its own plot twists and deceptions, to the point where it is still making game-changing reveals long past the time when most of the suspense fizzles out and the viewer stops caring. In an attempt to tie up all of its loose ends, Kubikiri ultimately provides an explanation that is way too convoluted and wishwashy to be as satisfying as it needed to be. Its saving grace is the appearance of a fascinating character towards the end which sustains interest in the storyline as a whole, and makes it easier to forgive the shortcomings of the murder mystery facet.
I mentioned that, though Kubikiri's resolution to its mystery storyline isn't ultimately enough to carry it, it does manage to get other things right. Namely, its characters, and the window into their psyches that we are provided. The concept of "genius" is explored thoroughly and is deftly woven into the overarching narrative. Ii-chan and Tomo, the genius he is attendant to, have a complex and intriguing relationship which we are privy to through the inner dilemmas Ii-chan faces as the murder case develops. At its heart, this is more a story about him and the nature of his relationship with Tomo, as well as why he sticks by her as the shadow to her brilliance, than it is about the killer and their identity.
As a whole, the cast is appropriately eccentric and likeable, with each genius carrying a sort of magnetism that reels the viewer in, and it is quite interesting to see Ii-chan, who is somewhat of a blank slate, interacting with these larger-than-life personalities. A couple of the geniuses, notably Maki Himena, the expert fortune-teller, felt a bit underexplored and underused, and I was really hoping to learn more about her than what the series ultimately provided.
For diehard fans of either SHAFT or Nisio Isin's other novels, especially the Monogatari Series, it would be a shame not to give Kubikiri Cycle a try. The same trope subversions, psychological explorations of its characters, and surreal, visually-explosive visuals are present in their full glory.
One key thing to note is that this is a very dialogue-heavy show, and feels akin more to reading a book than watching a TV show at times. Though there is an "action" tag, only one fight scene is featured towards the end, and certainly won't be enough to tide over hardcore action fans. If you are the type to enjoy stories that zero in on characters' motivations and psyches more than what the characters are actually doing, then this anime surely won't be a miss for you.
As a fan of both studio and author, I found this show quite enjoyable, simply for the fact that it retains a part of what made Monogatari such a great series, while adding in some novel ideas and personalities to keep things fresh.
Come for the murder mystery hook, but stay for the exploration of profound themes, insight into the characters' behaviour, signature visual style of SHAFT, and an introductory glimpse into a much larger world and series that may one day be fully adapted. Thought it fumbles with the execution of its underlying mystery elements, Kubikiri still has plenty to offer viewers who are looking for a wordy and thought-provoking anime, with an added whodunnit flair as a bonus.
asei
I wasn't sure about writing the review. But I just have to express my thoughts about this anime. I love the shaftness in anime. That's my aesthetic 100%. Therefore visually I find this anime pleasing. I guess the only anime made by SHAFT which visuals I disliked was their take on Fate. There it felt unnecessary. Here it is on point. Sound in this OVA is good too. The ost that plays during the episodes is soft and relaxing, I find it almost meditative. And OP/ED songs are so great I haven't skipped them even once. Story isanother deal. It is not boring per se, yet I see how people might dislike this anime because of it. Kubikiri Cycle tries to be both: a "coming of age" story and a "murder mystery" one. And I feel it is neither. During my watch through I set myself to receive it as a murder mystery, but all that soliloquy of a main character about his relationship with a blue-haired maiden and other feelings just set me off. Yet, I can't say that his monologue and some dialogues on that matter were not interesting. Just felt out of place.
The protagonist therefore is not the one who I liked. The main character from similar story of Umineko is far more appealing. This guy felt bland. And the absence of his name made the situation even worse. Second male character is a cool dude, I would drink with him in a bar and chat, but as a character in a story he is nothing great. The female characters are amazing. Obviously from the design standpoint. As far as it goes for their personalities they are actually good too. Each of them are unique and each of them are likable in their own way. Though again, the anime says who they are, but rarely shows. At least they are more developed than male ones.
So I can't say I did not enjoy this OVA series. It is just not on the level of Monogatari, for example. But you should have never expected to be so. It is its own story. If you a great fan of MS, watch it and praise it. But keep comparison to this OVA away from discussion. If you can be open minded you are very much welcome to watch Kubikiri Cycle. With all its flaws it is still worthwhile to watch.
Kyarai
Note: No Direct Spoilers - but some general/implied ones "And Then There Were None" - as written by aliens. Not a single character in this series acts like a human. There is a brief refreshing outburst where someone actually mentions the fact everyone is not acting normal, but aside from that, you are effectively dealing with a series where no one acts normal, or is even remotely relatable or likeable. This is readily apparent from the very first sequences after the murder that establishes the premise. Nobody is particularly bothered by the decapitated body, they all talk robotically around a round table as if they were discussing thelatest quarterly report. That being said, I took this to be a stylistic choice.
After trudging through the obnoxiously distracting and tiresome editing/cinematography (whatever you want to call it) of SHAFT, I was hoping for a decent conclusion to this mystery. It gave glimmers of that, then decided to conclude it off-screen (the exact details apparently we'll never know - they do give us the big speech revealing how they did it at least...).
Then it gets flipped on its head in the final episode but then it doesn't seem to matter anyway? Seems to be the director trying to convey their own "hah! got you... nothing matters" rhetoric at you. As people who actually like this series say - it's all nonsense.
And it really is.
denpoki
spoiler free! i never thought i'd actually ever write a review but i enjoyed this anime so much, i had to say at least a few words. story - 9 i would have given it a 10 but i disliked the fact that i had no idea what this anime was about up until the last few seconds of episode 2. other than that, i think the plot is wonderful, even though sometimes it gets confusing and kind of hard to follow. also, the last episode really threw me off, i didn't expect that. art - 9 found it really cute, that's allsound - 6
omg i almost dropped this anime because of the sound. normally it was fine but when we could hear his thoughts the sound was so bad i wanted to rip my ears off. idk if this is because of the website i watched it on or if it actually sounded like this but it was horrible. again, at any other given moment, the sound was good.
characters - 8
gave it an 8 because, usually, when i watch an anime, i look for characters i can relate to. however, i am not a genius lmao. i do think that all of the characters were nicely written tho but felt like something was missing.
enjoyment - 9
this is truly one of the best animes i have ever watched. at no point did i know what was gonna happen next. i did, however, subtract 1 point because, personally, sitting through 30min episodes is tiring since i am used to max 23min.
overall - 8
once again, truly one of the best animes i have seen up until now. i strongly recommend it!! now it is time for me to read the light novels :]
