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I liked all but the last episode
Given how I am quite a fan of the genre (meaning, Japanese horror), I just *had to* watch this "Kotodamasou".
And upon completion, I'm happy to announce it was quite a satisfying watch, except for the very last episode, which left me with a bitter aftertaste - more on that later).
First things first, what I liked:
1) The script (again, apart from the 10th ep.) was of pretty high quality; no cheap tricks, intriguing and subtly scary without being obnoxiously trying too much (if you're reading this while being in California and you hear a giant sneeze, well, it's because I'm thinking about Hollywood right now, LOL)
2) The cast: in all fairness, I bet most of the male audience would move to that residence right away, regardless of the fact that's haunted; I mean, Nishino Nanase, Hotta Mayu, Miyoshi Ayaka, Ishii Anna, Uchida Rio, Nakamura Yurika and Morita Misato all under the same roof? Count me in! Right? ^__^;;;
Honorable mention also for Eita's younger brother, here blissful among women...^_^
3) The production value: definitely pretty high! Directing, editing, photography, music...all very nice!
So, back to what I *didn't* like - namely, the last episode:
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(WARNING: huge spoilers ahead, ignore what follows if you don't wanna see them! ^___-)
**************************************
I know it's so common in horror stories, but the last twist, used to give that last cheap scare (and possibly *cough! cough!* to leave the door open for a second season?), was imvho not only unnecessary but also detrimental to the story itself, as was part of the explanation and of the solution of the haunting (I didn't like how the owner was portrayed - a ridiculous villain - nor how Sugai-san's deeds were so easily forgiven at the end - I could sum up the whole episode saying that it seemed written in Hollywood, indeed, as it had all the typical faults of a Western production - lousy wrap-up, morally questionable message, etc.)
Here's how *I* would've written the last episode:
a) I would've removed the owner's role altogether;
b) I would've had Sugai-san commit suicide right after Mitsuba-san's death (perhaps by jumping off a cliff or something, anything that might have explained how her body hadn't been found immediately - it could've been found later on, not recognized, and therefore she would've been considered to be still at large);
c) Sugai-san'd deeds shouldn't have been so easily pardoned in the end; she had still killed three people, hardly a behavior deserving of "and they lived happily ever after in the afterlife"!!!
d) instead of Ayaka-san coming back as a new evil spirit, I'd have written the last scene like this: the car stops at the seaside, the FL turns and sees Ayaka-san's ghost in the backseat, smiling and pointing towards a small house on a cliff; while the ML's busy with the engine, the FL leaves the car, follows Ayaka-san's hint and checks the house, which ends up being for sale/rent. The FL decides to take it and they move in; a few quickly edited scenes then show glimpses of the future, with the leads having a daughter and calling it Ayaka.
And THEY lived happily ever after, 'cause THEY deserved it.
Not the dangerous psychopath.
All imvho. Peace! ^___-
And upon completion, I'm happy to announce it was quite a satisfying watch, except for the very last episode, which left me with a bitter aftertaste - more on that later).
First things first, what I liked:
1) The script (again, apart from the 10th ep.) was of pretty high quality; no cheap tricks, intriguing and subtly scary without being obnoxiously trying too much (if you're reading this while being in California and you hear a giant sneeze, well, it's because I'm thinking about Hollywood right now, LOL)
2) The cast: in all fairness, I bet most of the male audience would move to that residence right away, regardless of the fact that's haunted; I mean, Nishino Nanase, Hotta Mayu, Miyoshi Ayaka, Ishii Anna, Uchida Rio, Nakamura Yurika and Morita Misato all under the same roof? Count me in! Right? ^__^;;;
Honorable mention also for Eita's younger brother, here blissful among women...^_^
3) The production value: definitely pretty high! Directing, editing, photography, music...all very nice!
So, back to what I *didn't* like - namely, the last episode:
**************************************
(WARNING: huge spoilers ahead, ignore what follows if you don't wanna see them! ^___-)
**************************************
I know it's so common in horror stories, but the last twist, used to give that last cheap scare (and possibly *cough! cough!* to leave the door open for a second season?), was imvho not only unnecessary but also detrimental to the story itself, as was part of the explanation and of the solution of the haunting (I didn't like how the owner was portrayed - a ridiculous villain - nor how Sugai-san's deeds were so easily forgiven at the end - I could sum up the whole episode saying that it seemed written in Hollywood, indeed, as it had all the typical faults of a Western production - lousy wrap-up, morally questionable message, etc.)
Here's how *I* would've written the last episode:
a) I would've removed the owner's role altogether;
b) I would've had Sugai-san commit suicide right after Mitsuba-san's death (perhaps by jumping off a cliff or something, anything that might have explained how her body hadn't been found immediately - it could've been found later on, not recognized, and therefore she would've been considered to be still at large);
c) Sugai-san'd deeds shouldn't have been so easily pardoned in the end; she had still killed three people, hardly a behavior deserving of "and they lived happily ever after in the afterlife"!!!
d) instead of Ayaka-san coming back as a new evil spirit, I'd have written the last scene like this: the car stops at the seaside, the FL turns and sees Ayaka-san's ghost in the backseat, smiling and pointing towards a small house on a cliff; while the ML's busy with the engine, the FL leaves the car, follows Ayaka-san's hint and checks the house, which ends up being for sale/rent. The FL decides to take it and they move in; a few quickly edited scenes then show glimpses of the future, with the leads having a daughter and calling it Ayaka.
And THEY lived happily ever after, 'cause THEY deserved it.
Not the dangerous psychopath.
All imvho. Peace! ^___-
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