Yeah… I just like The Case Study of Vanitas. I read a bit further into the manga, and I have to say it’s the type of story that is really suited to an anime adaptation. Sure, the lavish and intricately detailed cityscapes are great but I’m willing to sacrifice them for the lush animation and bright colours.
And the voice acting! Did I mention the voice acting is really good in this show. Like everyone is pretty fantastic in their part and the chemistry between actors is setting in. It really makes the story better than what it is in my head.
I actually read something pretty awesome on the net a few days ago and I can’t get it out of my head. I stumbled across an old fan theory about the true identity of the Big Bad in The Case Study of Vanitas. Maybe not Charlatan itself but whoever is pulling the strings.
Now, I think it’s pretty obvious that there’s a connection between Noé’s sensei and Charlatan. We often see the two narratively superimposed. They often mirror each other. Last week Sensei even looked a lot like a malicious formless shadow for a second there. I’m pretty sure that the connection is canon by now. And what does sensei call Noé? Mon chaton. For those who may have forgotten their French classes: kitten.
Yup, the theory was that the ultimate evil mastermind behind it all was actually Murr al along!
Now don’t get me wrong. I want this to be true with every fibre of my being. But I actually have a different, not necessarily mutually exclusive, theory about Murr. I think he’s Vanitas. Not this Vanitas. Not pretty boy jerk face we all know and begrudgingly love. The OG Vanitas, the Vampire of the Blue Moon.
What am I basing this on? Pretty much nothing but hear me out!
First of all, Murr is always there. Even in places where he shouldn’t be. If you pay attention, he always seems to pop up whenever something’s going down! He’s in every single scene of the OP as well. He never gets hurt, even though there’s nothing that says cats are impervious in this universe. And he has those weird mismatched eyes. I don’t actually have a theory about that, cats often have heterochromia, it’s not that big a deal. But they usually don’t have one blue and one purple eye!
Also, Murr seems to more or less be annoyed at everyone and everything, because he’s a cat, again nothing weird there, but he likes Noé. And Noé is one of the very few people who is openly supportive of the Vampire of the Blue Moon. Huh..HUH!?! Nudge!
Maybe Murr is the one who started this whole thing and now he’s just kicking back and watching all play out while pretending to be an innocent cat. That would make him the ultimate troll. And I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to see Murr as a troll.
Hmmm…I guess I ended up not talking about this episode at all. But I think we can all agree it was for a good cause. o. k, super short post: I liked it!
Previous episodes
- The Case Study of Vanitas ep.1 – Blue Moon Rising
- The Case Study of Vanitas ep.2 – There’s Always a Jeanne
- The Case Study of Vanitas ep.3 – What A Jerk
- The Case Study of Vanitas ep.4 – Sexy
- The Case Study of Vanitas ep.5 – The Sad Sade
Oh man, villain Murr would be great (if they do it right). I’m seeing more the observer/troll type who nudges things in “interesting” directions, than the master mind type. Though the mastermind type has its own charm.
I’m really liking the show. The characters are all interesting, fun, and/or charming, and the style is exactly my thing (and there’s a Yuki Kajiura soundtrack). I should probably watch Pandora Hearts soon; I mean I’ve had the DVDs for years now. I think if I want to make sure I never watch a show I just buy the DVDs? It’s just so much easier to click a link. I mean I don’t like e-books; physical books are so much more attractive. I don’t have the same attachment to silver disks. The boxes look pretty, though, and I’m happy to have them. I could just stream the show, but then I’d feel bad for the disks… (Those aren’t even first world problems anymore…)
In any case, I can’t find anything to say about this episode, beyond a generic I had fun. And writing something like that makes it sound like a bad thing, but it isn’t. Enjoying shows without needing to talk about them is really a great gift, especially during trying times where I feel I already talk too much… (and use too many elipses…)
Completely unrelated, I’m re-watching Mokke, a show with a set-up similar to Natsume, but with a more lesson-of-the-week feel to it (not moral-rule type of lessons; more experience seeds – important stuff will make more sense to the characters down the line). I wish I could watch it legally, but at that point it’s probably not popular enough to licence. It’s much better than I remember it being, though.
Pandora is a little more striaghtforward but it’s superfun. At times more fun I would say. It does have a tragic lack of Murr.
Mokke? Like the rabbit thingies in Hanako-kun?
I don’t remember ever figuring out what “Mokke” meant when watching the anime. I immediately recognised the name in Hanako-kun, but couldn’t remember any sort of connection. And as far as I’m currently in the show, there still isn’t one. Mokke introduced to a lot of youkai/spirits/apparitions, such as the kamaitachi, or the keseran pasaran, that would later show up in other shows. It didn’t introduce me to the mokke, though, if what appears in Hanako-kun is any relation. “Mokke” seems to be an adjective that means “unexpected”, so that might just have been a naming co-incidence.
I’m sure I’ll watch Pandora Hearts sometime. (Aside: It, too, has a Kajiura soundtrack.)
“introduced to a lot” –> “introduced me to a lot”
Typos can sometimes confuse.
Thant sounds very insteresting. I won’t be holding my breath but I hope it gets a distribution deal.
I don’t click much with this show, but the art is absolutely beautiful… Nice of Vanitas to take up Vivy’s mantle. And yes, the acting is also suitably theatrical…
Personally, can’t get enough of Sensei’s soft-spoken voice, smooth as silk yet seeping with subtle menace. This is the dignified dude from the rakugo show I’m sure. What a legend!
Doubt I could ever get away with calling little kids “my kittens”. Bold fool that I am, though, wouldn’t mind proof-testing that theory.
This type of spoof is really not for everyone.
Worst case scenario, the government grants me free food, new lodging & some lively company. You’d be dumb not to want that.
There you go
Yes, he is. And he just appeared in Idaten, too. Akira Ishida. One of my favourites.
Dawnstorm-chan, you gotta teach me how to code that quote thingy. If you would be so kind.
[blockquote]text[/blockquote] except with instead of [] will get you:
Well that didn’t work. The things you need instead of square brackets are “”. I hope they show up this time.
Nope. Okay
54
Use the signs between the numbers. If they still don’t show up, think “greater than” and “smaller than”.
Okay, I don’t know how to make the signs appear. And software swallowed a whole line of numbers, too. (“5[smaller than]6″/”5[greater than]4”) They’re the standard html-brackets. Any html-code will have tons of them.
Sorry for post spamming. It should have been a single one.
– Dawnstorm
Thanks a lot for wasting 8 minutes on my account! XD
I will forever be in your debt.
Given Mochizuki’s love for twists, I wouldn’t be surprised if Murr is the villain, whether it be the real Vanitas or Noe’s teacher hiding inside him.
One can only hope!