Kurau: Phantom Memory

Episode 5-8 review

[details=spoiler]Episode 5: Looks like Kurau has the ability to call other Rynax twins. This rynax seemed to be in a lot of pain and seemed angry, but didn’t try to kill Kurau or Christmas. It was nice to see that Kurau didn’t lose her powers to the guy in the mecha.
Episode 6: Kurau shows that she isn’t the normal rynax. She was able to beat an “A” ranked squad, so that has to mean something. The fact that Ayaka was perplexed that Kurau was crying makes me wonder if Kurau is a rynax that is otherwise different from all others. Are they mostly evil? Why else would they go all out to catch them?
Episode 7: Nice and fun episode. I loved the reaction of all the fishermen when they say that Kurau and Christmas were to be waitresses in the restaurant. Kurau doesn’t seem to understand how to do any type of household chores, while Christmas seems like a pro. Maybe they have taken certain parts of one personality. A Kurau is the brawn and Christmas is the brain, and two parts make a whole type thing?
Episode 8- Ayaka has some real issues. Makes me think that she is a hater. She did notice Kurau crying, so that may show compassion. I wonder if Doug had something to do with Ayaka’s families deaths. He took a quick shine to her. Finally, Christmas shows that she has Rynax powers. [/details]
Slick

One scene that got a chuckle from me

spoiler

After the new baby arrived at the restaurant, Christmas remarked how she would like to know how she could get her on baby. My first thought, “Whoa, I do not want to be the one to give her THAT talk” but the reaction from every other male in the bar made me laugh!

[quote=redshirt1]
One scene that got a chuckle from me

spoiler

After the new baby arrived at the restaurant, Christmas remarked how she would like to know how she could get her on baby. My first thought, “Whoa, I do not want to be the one to give her THAT talk” but the reaction from every other male in the bar made me laugh!

LOL, that scene seems to be “Universally Chuckle Worthy”

I need to watch eps10-12 now and I must say I am loving this anime much more than the first time I saw it(and It was one of my favorites back then)

Has anyone tried watching an ep in Dub than Sub to compare it yet?

Episodes 9 - 12

[details=spoiler]It was nice to see Kurau and her father reconnect in these episodes. I felt it really showed how much he has come to accept her as she is. It was touching when he called Christmas his daughter and I think Kurau appreciated it.

I know that Ayaka has a tragic past, but she has really let it warp her into a bitter woman. Judging from her expression, Doug really hit close to home when he called her vengeful, even perhaps hateful. I think she needs counseling. It was interesting to me that her superiors are keeping her in the dark about their plans.

I was glad that Kurau was able to help the victims of the Rynax. She is certainly different from the other Ryna sapiens. Helping them seems to have given her a purpose. I wonder how she will be able to help the other Rynax.[/details]

I still have to catch up episodes 9-12, but as for 5-8

[details=spoiler]The episode where you saw Ayaka leaving the home and then seeing the flashes of light as her family was gunned down was amazing. I was a bit surprised they went as far as having her fall in her family’s blood though. But it was still well handled, and really gave you sympathy for her character. Tiffany Grant does an amazing job as her!

I also agree with Red and MkMod about the baby skit. It was hilarious.

What did everyone else think of the apple salesman? “I can just feel the STD’s fleeing my body!” LOL[/details]

Another great 4 episodes. It’s fun to watch it at this pace, as the first time I watched it, I had to wait a month or two between singles.

I just got back from the fruit stand, I picked up 3 different kinds of apples just to be sure…

Episodes 9-12 had plenty of action, but had some very powerful emotions too.

[details=spoiler]I knew they were going to end up in San Diego. At least Doug is trying to find them. Nice of Kurau’s father to try to warn Doug. The Rynax seems to be able to call to Kurau. And her father’s warning was for nothing. The girls get caught!

The girls are captured and contained, but Kurau manages to escape. And she gets injured! I think that is the first time that’s happened to her. The Rynax at the power plant react to her and they get killed, but at least Doug got to Kurau in time to get her away from the GPO. Dr. Amami is told to examine Christmas, but when he sees her, he realizes it’s Kurau’s pair. This scene was very emotional.

I knew Kurau wasn’t going to wait for Doug. She also feels more Rynax in the facility. I’m glad Doug got there in time to rescue her too. But it’s another very emotional scene when Kurau finds Christmas. I’m also glad her father told her to take Christmas and get away and not take the offer. Doug to the rescue again and this time Dr. Amami goes too. Ayaka seemed surprised that the doctor and Kurau are father and daughter. I guess she wasting told everything about her assignment. Maybe she should try to find out some things on her own. It was nice of Doug to cover their escape and sacrifice himself. I think he is beginning to have some feelings for Kurau.

Doug gets caught but I hope he gets away at some point. The girls and their father end up at a hospital where there are victims of another Rynax accident. Instead of fusing with the bodies, this Rynax energy is eating away at them. It was very cruel of the GPO to experiment on them instead of trying to help them. Dr. Amami did want to help them and created the ARS, but the GPO turned it into a weapon instead and the doctor feels terrible about that. However, Kurau thinks she can help these victims with her power and cure them. She does, but gets very weak. It makes me wonder again just what Kurau is. There is another emotional scene when Kurau speaks with her father and isn’t sure how to go about returning her body and yet stay with Christmas. It was sad when she couldn’t save Midori – another very emotional scene. And the GPO has found them, but his time their father makes the girls escape without him. I hope they are reunited someday. But will they ever be safe from the GPO?[/details]

OK finished 9-12 and really looking forward to the second half.

Sit down, put on ur seat-belts and keep hands inside the car kiddies…The ride begins… B)

[details=spoiler]I picked up something new this time, turns out the big explosion on the moon 2 years ago was caused by Kurau’s dad as he was pissed how the GPO was mis-using his experiments (so that’s why he says he is responsible for the poor patients in the clinic)

One other thing if you missed it, The Rynax were drawn to this world by the Power experiments of the GPO, once here they are captured and used as an advanced power supply (yellow Power). Kurau and Christmas are capable of becoming a gateway for the Rynax returning them to where they came from. When Kurau and Christmas get close to the power station in San Diego the Rynax notice but the power surge freaks out the Power plant workers who rather than have another meltdown like on the moon fry them all (they don’t realize the accident on the moon wasn’t a meltdown but caused by Kurau’s father. Wong Shun Yee as well as Kurau’s father seem to be the only 2 that know the truth of the meltdown on the moon [/details]

I finished watching 9-12 last night. Series just keeps getting better.

[details=spoiler]I really like the way this series is progressing. Just the right amount of action and story telling.
Kurau and Christmas are captured in Los Angeles. Christmas is hurt, but Karau keeps getting up, and getting more powerful. She’s pissed!
Kurau(first) and Doug, a great character in itself, go after Christmas. I see Doug as more of a father figure than a protector to Karau and Christmas now. He does stuff only a parent would do in terms of breaking the law and doing whatever it takes to help them.
Kurau finally sees her father after 10 years. Things got really emotional. Of course her father sees himself as the soul reason why the Rynax and people involved have gone through so much pain.
After watching episode 12, I have the feeling Kurau is the only Rynax who can truely control her powers. It was interesting to see her turmoil in trying to separate between her Rynax and human form. Does she want to stay a Rynax for Christmas only, or does she like being a Ryno-sapien? In the end, of course, Ayaka has to be a biznatch and show her ugly face![/details]
Slick

[quote=MKmods]

I picked up something new this time, turns out the big explosion on the moon 2 years ago was caused by Kurau’s dad as he was pissed how the GPO was mis-using his experiments (so thats why he says he is responsible for the poor patients in the clinic)

I thought he felt guilty because it was his research that brought the Rynax here in the first place. It does seem like he was the primary researcher. If it was sabotage, wouldn’t the GPO have locked him up or least kept him on a shorter leash? Hmmm, it could also be the difference between watching it sub vs. dub.

And the apple seller was hysterical!

Episodes 13-16

Space pirates turned out to be nasty business. It is nice to see where Coral grew up after she left her father. But two sad scenes in this four episode span, one even harsher than the other. Eventually, the officers are going to want some answers from their superiors, which is going to make an interesting development.

[quote=shadycat]

[quote=MKmods]

I picked up something new this time, turns out the big explosion on the moon 2 years ago was caused by Kurau’s dad as he was pissed how the GPO was mis-using his experiments (so thats why he says he is responsible for the poor patients in the clinic)

I thought he felt guilty because it was his research that brought the Rynax here in the first place. It does seem like he was the primary researcher. If it was sabotage, wouldn’t the GPO have locked him up or least kept him on a shorter leash? Hmmm, it could also be the difference between watching it sub vs. dub.

And the apple seller was hysterical![/quote]

[details=spoiler]The Sub makes a lot more sense to me(everything fits better)
in Ep 10 around 18:20 Wong is sitting at the table from the DR. and he says “I knew about the accident 2 years ago, you broke the safety sys because you were angry”. The Dr says “Of Course”.

As the series progresses Wong will be more important.

Ok no more babbling, back to the watching…[/details]

And thanks shadycat for the help B)

[quote=MKmods]

The Sub makes a lot more sense to me(everything fits better)
in Ep 10 around 18:20 Wong is sitting at the table from the DR. and he says “I knew about the accident 2 years ago, you broke the safety sys because you were angry”. The Dr says “Of Course”.
[/quote]

I went back and watched that scene again. The dialogue in the dub was different (not particularly surprising). Now I want to see it with subs, too! :laugh: Maybe next time around.

Thanks for letting me know (its really been bugging me). The first time I saw this I was seriously a noob and had very little knowledge (less than the little I have now, lol). But I could swear there are quite a few differences in the whole anime, If possible watch the subs.

Episodes 13 - 16

[details=spoiler]The story with Yvon was really interesting. There are others as powerful as Kurau. The battle scene between them was one of my favorite action sequences so far. Plus, I really got a sense of how important the pair relationship is for them.

Not only are the GPO trying to catch and imprison the victims of the Rynax, someone is creating Ryna sapiens. And it looks like the GPO isn’t telling their subordinates what’s going on. The plot thickens. I wonder what they are really up to.

Did anyone else notice that one of the names on the gravestones was Dolph Lundgren. :laugh: [/details]

Episodes 13-16

[details=spoiler]I’m glad Jose got Kurau and Christmas off the moon, but the GPO went after them right away. At least Ayaka is beginning to ask questions. Space pirates board Jose’s ship and it was sad to see Ed get killed protecting the girls – I wasn’t expecting that, but that red headed pirate seems a little on the crazy side. This time, the GPO shows up at just the right moment. Kurau and Christmas sneak onto the pirate ship and I think Jose was upset that he couldn’t save them after all. I’m not sure why Kurau tried to save the pirate at the last minute, but it seems that she is driven to save people, whether they are Rynax or human. I really thought Kurau and Christmas were dead after the ship exploded, but I see that they survived as energy. Maybe now if they are thought to be dead, they will be left alone for a while.

After that last accident with her father when she was a little girl, her father gave her to her aunt and uncle to protect her. That was a very emotional parting. And now Kurau takes Christmas back to her aunt and uncle. Kurau’s father is told she is dead, but I see that he thinks of the aunt and uncle too and maybe doesn’t believe that the girls really are dead. But I like how he turned the situation to his advantage and asked for the care of the Ryna sapiens. Doug is also told that the girls are dead and I don’t think he believed it either. But I’m glad they released him. The call to his son was pretty emotional too. So, it was the uncle that inspired Kurau to become an agent. Inspector Wong finds out that Chief Ichise was a victim of Rynax energy as well. And a Rynax boy appears to Christmas and thinks she’s his pair!

Christmas runs from the boy and I don’t blame her. She also looked a little shocked. And the boy seems very weak too for all his power. The GPO is sent after the boy, Yvon, and it turns out he was created intentionally and there is a chip in his brain. He also escaped from the moon, but I wonder what this is all about. He is also ranked an “A” class – just like Kurau – and is just as powerful as her. But he seems to be dying. Christmas makes it to Kurau and Yvon is even willing to kill Kurau to make Christmas his pair, but then asks Kurau to be his pair instead. He’s told it doesn’t work that way and while they fight, they share memories at one point. Yvon is jealous of Kurau’s happy memories and angry that she has a pair. But Kurau can see that he lost his pair when he was created. When Kurau is knocked out, Christmas protects her and rejects Yvon again. He finally realizes his pair is gone forever. He flies off and shoots himself in the head. I wasn’t expecting that either, but now I see how important these pairs are. But I wonder who the girl in the last scene is.

This girl with the scar was on the moon too – also a victim of Rynax. It seems that Yvon’s death saved her from killing herself. The GPO arrives to look for Yvon, but Kurau thinks they are there for them. Ayaka asks about the tracking chip in Yvon’s head. I’m glad to see her asking more questions. I was surprised to see that Yvon survived and now he thinks the girl that saved him is his pair. He gets a new will to live and so does the girl, Jessica, but I get a sense of foreboding with these two. And it comes to pass when the GPO finds Yvon. Yvon is captured, but Jessica won’t leave him. She finds her power, but disintegrates, promising to always be with him. Yvon, in anger and grief, causes an explosion. I wonder if he’s really dead this time. I got more insight into the pair relationship and I see that one is really incomplete without the other. I don’t know how Kurau managed to survive for those lonely ten years without her pair. But this side story with Yvon and Jessica was still very sad and emotional.[/details]

I watched episodes 13-16 yesterday. Again, fantastic series. I don’t have the will to write a review of the 4 episodes, it’s too rainy and dreary here. I will say:

I think the whole “bad” pirate thing was a waste of space. It really didn’t add anything, and detracted from an otherwise great series. I love Kurau’s aunt and uncle. Good characters.

Slick

[quote=slickwolfie]
I watched episodes 13-16 yesterday. Again, fantastic series. I don’t have the will to write a review of the 4 episodes, it’s too rainy and dreary here. I will say:

I think the whole “bad” pirate thing was a waste of space. It really didn’t add anything, and detracted from an otherwise great series. I love Kurau’s aunt and uncle. Good characters.

Slick[/quote]

It seemed a bit like it may have been rushed/or an afterthought. But it gives a chance for Kurau and Christmas to stopped being chased for a bit. I feel really bad for the dad, Jose and Doug believing Kurau and Christmas are Dead

I’m a bit behind, so I’m trying to get caught up tonight. I actually just finished up episode 12.

It was a nice episode, and it was good to see Kurau going around to help everyone. Too bad she couldn’t help the last woman, though her goodbye sweet.

Another great volume! I’ll be starting volume 4 here in a little bit!

Just a little tidbit from the booklet in volume 3. The Japanese VA who does Dr Amami, Mitsuru Ogata has also done a lot of dubbing of American properties in Japan. He is the voice of Kenny in their adaptation of South Park, as well as Piglet in Winnie the Pooh. Now that’s a resume! Ha!

Episodes 17-20

spoiler

In the end separation from his pair was too much for Ivan. Coral is now more determined to help other Renax. I wonder if Wong is gone for good or just under lock and key? And I had a feeling that other Renax might view human life as insignificant. It will be interesting on how Coral and Christmas deal with them. Also, I got a had a bad feeling that Coral is more responsible for everything than she thought, and now it is starting to look more so. The Renax world must be bland, and here she is showing them everything of the human one.