Kekkai Sensen Episode 11: Flashback time

This week’s episode prepares for the final battle by explaining White’s background and finally explain why she calls herself a ghost (among other things). I’m not entirely sure if I understand the ending of the episode, though. Are White and Black both dead now that the Second Collapse has started? That would mean that the King of Despair is just letting his allies handle the rest or something…which wouldn’t exactly surprise me.

Next week finishes up this series with the final episode. More than likely, the ending will be something like “stop the collapse and then life goes back to the way it was”. Is there ever going to be any resolution on Leo’s sister? She’s pretty much been in the background for this entire series.

Kekkai Sensen: Epic Recap Time

Nothing but recap for this week…you know something’s wrong with a show if they feel the need to recap a series that has only aired 10 episodes. I’m pretty sure even the studio realizes that no one has any idea what’s happening. But all that aside, I’m feeling very lazy today, so I don’t have much of a replacement post.

As consolation, have some thoughts about the game I’m currently playing (Final Fantasy XIII). The game system, while probably better than other Final Fantasy games because it feels like timing and reactions actually matter, can be infuriating at times because of one specific aspect: the handling of AOE attacks. Because of the way team members move around, it can sometimes feel like situations depend on luck when it comes to teammates clumping together or spreading apart. Let’s see if I can make it through the game this time (I’ve never actually completed a Final Fantasy game in my life that wasn’t Tactics).

Kekkai Sensen Episode 10: Finding a meal

Is it sad that with the other stories that seemed to be happening in this episode, the only thing I could focus on was watching Leo try to find some decent food? I seriously feel his pain…though usually on my end, it’s indecision rather than bad food that stops me. But I certainly know how it feels when every restaurant decision you make just seems terrible (though I’m getting better).

So Leo is captured once again and it looks like White might actually try to take his eyes. Sadly, it looks like we won’t get an ending any time soon. Based on the preview and the news I’ve been reading, next week’s episode is a recap episode. It’s upsetting that they need something like this in a one-cour series. I guess we’ll have to wait an extra week to pick everything back up.

Kekkai Sensen Episode 9: Two stories in one?

This week’s episode seemed a bit too jumpy for me. I understand that it was meant to show the two stories side-by-side, but it felt like it was doing too much. Plus, I couldn’t help but care less about the Libra half of things because it was basically following the same formula of battling a Blood Breed and introducing a new character. On the White and Black side of things, it looks like the evil personality is planning on using White to take Leo’s eyes. While slightly more dramatic than the other half of the story, I’m sure this won’t really do much but establish White’s feelings for Leo.

As usual, the preview doesn’t really give any hints for next week’s episode. Everything in it seems entirely unrelated to this week’s content. I’m sure there will either be a bunch of scenes with White having some internal strife or just missing a bunch of opportunities to trap Leo (this second scenario is less likely because it seems out of character for White even if it’s for her brother).

Kekkai Sensen Episode 8: Eat more chicken

Not too much going on in this week’s episode…we just get introduced to another character, Zapp’s former teacher. Zapp gets to show off a little bit here, but the battle this week is fairly easy. On the other front, it’s revealed that Black and the King character are two different personalities. Presumably, Black and White were put into a situation similar to Leo and his sister. It surprised me a little…I was legitimately convinced that Black was just faking it around Leo and his sister.

Based on the preview, it looks like next week’s episode might go more into the antagonists in this show. The battles have seemed fairly random up to now, but maybe they’ll have some bigger purpose overall. My guess, though, is that it’s more likely that they’ll just be ignored and a final “plot arc” will begin now to carry us to the end of the show.

Kekkai Sensen Episode 7: First rule of fight club

So this week’s episode puts Klaus into the ring to help Zapp out (though not in the way he expects). It doesn’t do too much other than highlight the battle between Klaus and Zapp and really emphasize how much of an advantage Klaus has. But was a scene skipped in this episode? After the blood breed reveals itself and knocks Klaus against the ring, what exactly happens? Does Klaus beat it? Does it just let Klaus go? It just leaves a bad taste because the resolution is abrupt.

From the preview, it looks like next week’s episode brings up another character that appears in the ending theme. There really isn’t that much to predict other than that…this show pretty much does what it wants. The only consistent thing so far is the interaction between Leo, White, and Black, which isn’t progressing too quickly.

Kekkai Sensen Episode 6: What just happened?

So this week’s episode ended up being pretty uneventful. The main enemy ended up being a couple of small-time workers desperate for some cash with baseball bats…pretty strange in contrast to the monsters we’re used to seeing. Just a quick note: I think it’s scientifically accurate that Leo remembered to buy the burgers for two despite no longer remembering Nej. If I remember correctly, habits are in a similar area of the brain as procedural learning, both of which are separate from standard memories (which should be stored as facts).

Next week is pretty much back to business as usual…Leo probably gets captured and Klaus has to enter some sort of boxing ring to save him. I’m really trying hard to pay attention to what’s happening with White and (trying not to laugh too hard) Black in the background, but there’s really not too much happening. Does White even know about all of the scheming we’ve seen Black do in previous episodes?

Kekkai Sensen Episode 5: Super clingy

Wait…let me get this straight. Leo has a conversation with the creature that captured him and he suddenly starts a relationship of sorts with mystery hospital girl? I guess I should be gaining some hope because something is happening outside of the episodic battles. But I can’t be the only one having trouble figuring out what’s going on in this show, right? Maybe I’m supposed to be getting more excited about what’s happening in these battles. I’m just tired of watching Leo get kidnapped again and again and again…

So next week’s episode will by using another one of these “Kings” (presumably to kidnap Leo as usual). This enemy(?) doesn’t look as dangerous as any of the others we’ve seen so far. Also, this week’s episode introduced the blood/man combo as a member of the team (though based on the ending theme, maybe not a largely recurring member)…so I’m assuming someone else will be introduced next week? The blond-haired guy with the mask in the preview?

Kekkai Sensen Episode 4: Vampires now?

I’m pretty convinced that I was right to be wary about this show. It’s becoming extremely episodic in nature and I’m not sure where it’s going with the story. You could literally watch the first episode and skip to this one and not miss a beat. That being said, it’s possible that this pattern changes now. I’m wondering whether the vampires are going to be the main enemy for the rest of the show. I’m basing this guess off of two things: the King of Despair (who is presumably a vampire) seems to be major character and the show was marked with the “vampire” tag from the start.

I’ll probably check out the next episode tomorrow to finally catch up with this show. From the preview, it looks like another blood manipulator just like pretty much everyone else in this show. Also, I’m assuming the female character from the preview is a member of the team or at least soon will be?

Kekkai Sensen Episode 3: Epic chess time

I’m going to spend some time catching up for this show. For an episode with as little action as this week’s episode, I would have hoped for at least a little more mental battling or something of that sort. The episode focused on a chess-like game where the pieces and the board evolve. The main “antagonist” for this week’s episode plays a game against people, giving them their wish if they win or hit some time limit and taking their lives if they lose. Klaus is strangely introduced as someone with the stamina to stall the game out long enough to survive these games. As a side note, was there any particular reason that Beethoven was playing in the background for this game? To emphasize how classy it was supposed to be?

I understand this game is not chess, but I’m not sure I can imagine stalling a game out for 8-9 hours (much less 99) especially given the pace at which they were moving the pieces. In a normal game of chess, you would probably want to reduce the game down to much fewer pieces and just run your king around forever. But this game seemed to add extra pieces as it went along, so I can’t imagine how it could be stalled similarly. Anyway, from the preview, next week is vampires?