Guilty Crown Episode 12 [end]

Guilty Crown, I am disappiont. So ends a series that lived up to very little of the massive potential it had. Where it had the space to be an interesting and innovative narrative, it instead went the road of being another distopian, teen angst, rushed ending, genetic-remake-of-the-human-race route. Inori, Ayase and Tsugumi's character designs are the primary redeeming points of the show.

Oh, isn't Mana cute?

This final episode more or less sums up how the whole series went. I lost track somewhere about midway of how many deus ex machina leapt onto the scene in order to further muddle the plotline by trying to explain it. Like who the hell is Daarth? We seriously aren't going to learn anything about Shu's parent's involvement in this whole virus situation? What the hell is Mana, really? If when a narrative is trying to conclude i constantly find myself saying "what the hell" (in confusion not excitement) then you know you have problems. This series more stopped than ended.

Mana giving Gai CPR in her see-through dress. Not suggestive at all.

I am doubly disappointed because of the high quality of the art, sound, and overall production of the series. This could have been amazing if executed properly. But it just wasn't. I almost wonder if the writers were hoping that people would watch thinking "wow, that's pretty" and simply not payclose attention. That's what i get for actually thinking i guess.

Not so cute anymore.

What in the hell?!

Overall Series Rating: B

Guilty Crown Episode 11

no review. just inori.

although i will say, this episode was bizarre. this show is bizarre.

Guilty Crown Episode 10

Oh Shu, i am so disappoint.

coward hangout.

What to say about this episode? I have finally decided that i don't really like this show. I don't like anti-heros. I don't like wanton slaughter of innocents. I don't like the tired old "let's advance humanity through our destructive science" tropes.

Hare, you are WAY too good for him.

Shu is so painful to watch in this episode. Honestly, he has been painful to watch throughout the show. I cannot believe that a character that selfish, that stupid, and that cowardly could survive any of the missions they have been on. For me that is a MASSIVE hole in the narrative.

This almost made the show better.

With this ep, we see the begining of the final arc of the story. The virus is re-released, some weirdness is happening with Inori, the *real* enemies have emerged, and Shu is being a massive coward. I don't think i am looking forward to the resolution.

Please, Gai, say no. No, you don't Inori.

My predictions on how this will wrap up? Shu will miraculously overcome his unbelievable cowardice to be part of saving the day. Gai and a whole lot of other LIKABLE characters will get triaged for effect (i expect that at least one out of Hare, Tsugumi, and Ayase won't make it to the end). We will have massive population death. There will be some asanine/trite moralizing at the end that will ultimately be fulfilling. Basically, it is going to have an even more suck ending than No. 6 did.

emotional black hole.

Rating: B


glamshots:

Guilty Crown Episode 9

Gai is out of town for a spell and Shu is left to his own devices. He ends up getting roped into a shopping trip with Hare that gets cut short when he suddenly runs into Yahiro, the very one who betrayed him a few episodes before.

Yahiro has been trying to keep his brother alive after having fled the facility where Jun (the brother) had been treated.

Yahiro ends up begging Shu for help and (like the genius he is) Shu agrees. He calls in some help and they make plans to harbor Yahiro and his brother.

But things don't turn out quite right. Not only does the escape end up a mess, but Shu makes a tough decision that is going to make it hard to face Yahiro. And it seems Hare has seen more than she should have (Lord knows from where).

I mostly liked this episode. No silly harem drama, less stupid Shu drama, etc. And i liked that there was something explicit about Yahiro being a total bastard but that Shu helped anyway because Yahiro's bastardness wasn't Jun's fault. There was just a little too much happening in this episode which made it a little hard to follow.

Rating: B+

Guilty Crown Episode 8

You even put a service ep in Guilty Crown. Shame.

Shu is off on a trip and his clingy (who hangs around in her *cough* service *cough* underwear) mom is loathe to let him go, but joking aside reminds him to "visit his father" while in Oshima.

Oh, that's his mom.

Visiting fathers aside, that means this is the BEACH EPISODE! cliche, right? AND we get a hot tub scene. Service all OVER the place.

What are friends for, huh?

Apparently Shu's dad had been the leading research on the Apocalypse Virus before everything went to hell. He died and Shu doesn't really know much about him.

I had a hard time figuring out why Ayase was embarrassed given that she was adequately
dressed. WHY WAS THAT THE CASE? WHO FAILED HERE? 

But the trip is all a ruse and the real reason everyone is there is for Shu to use his classmate's Void to infiltrate a GHQ facility.

We also get more teen angst. Which i like about as much as i enjoy throwing up on myself.

"I need a favor..."

Decent ep. Everything has been better since uber-whiney Shu was retired for the new more compliant version. And we get a little more intrigue in a fan-service filled ep.

<3 Ayase!

Rating: B+

Guilty Crown Episode 7

Apparently it is safe enough for Shu to go back to school (plot hole?) and that is where we find him and Inori. Of course, everyone is a little surprised to see him again...and a little wary of him.

of course they did...

Everyone except the Student Council President who seems overly concerned about him and what happened. Her efforts quickly make him into a bit of curiosity.

fujoshi?

We also get to meet Shu's mother.

has a high school age son? yeah, right. 

The Undertakers are in need of weapons and transportation, so they crash a party held by a big conglomerate family. With Shu, Gai, the conglomerate, and Shu's mother all on board, things get dicey when they come under attack.

exactly.

Thank God, Shu actually has gotten over his cold feet (except maybe when it comes to women) and is ready to pull his weight (and recognize that his context limits the reality of his choices).

what a heart-warming ending.

This felt like a Disney movie at times. A TOTALLY AWESOME DISNEY MOVIE. (and is it just me or did Gai shack up with that girl at the end?)

Rating: A-

gratuitous Inori shots. you can thank me later.