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ローゼンメイデン 
I'm sorry for the lack of update in the past few days. I just got a bit lazy since real life has been kind of hectic lately. Anyway, much to my surprise, episode 40 is the start of a new arc for this series. I certainly didn't expect this since I've been kind of attached to the Munich arc's characters. Plus, the change from the tense situation within that arc to this new one feels a bit abrupt. Having said that, I understand that the writer needs to change the setting since there isn't much story left in that arc. Besides, the majority of the main characters such as Tenma, Johan, Nina and Dieter have left Munich to begin with. At any rate, it's a relief to know that the series still maintain the quality of its story regardless of the change in its arc. The characters and mysteries presented in this new arc seem to be as interesting as the Munich arc's characters and mysteries.
Episode 40 begins by introducing Grimmer, a freelance journalist who's in the middle of investigating Kinderheim 511. Grimmer is a rather mysterious character who claims that before working as a journalist, he used to work as a spy for the government. Despite how this may sound, Grimmer seems to be a genuinely kind person. For example, when he encounters a boy who's crying after a group of bullies took the boy's shoes, he takes off his own shoes and gives it to the boy. He tells the boy that people can survive without shoes since they're born without one to begin with. Besides, there's no use crying over something that's been done by despicable people like the bullies. The advice seems to be taken very well by the boy who immediately stops crying after this. Having said that, Grimmer's kindness also means that he is an easy target for con artists. He, for instance, willingly gives a stranger inside a train station some money after the stranger tells a lie about how he lost his bag.
Grimmer eventually meets Tenma when the two share a cabin inside a train that takes them to Prague. It is here that Grimmer reveals that his son has passed away. Before the two can talk further, however, a train conductor comes to the cabin to check their passports. It soon becomes apparent that the conductor is suspicious of Tenma's passport. Because of this, once the conductor goes out of the cabin, Grimmer tells Tenma that he thinks the conductor knows that Tenma has a fake passport so he better run away now. Grimmer himself ends up helping Tenma to escape by blocking the corridor with his bag to temporarily stall the police. Later on, he also offers himself to guide Tenma to reach Prague through some uncharted valley. After the two part ways, Grimmer ends up going to the inner city of Prague and greets an old man called Petrov. A man who used to be the Director of Kinderheim 511.
Episode 41 begins with Grimmer tailing Petrov as the old man walks back home. Grimmer knows that Petrov used to specialise in brainwashing. Because of this, Grimmer wants to know where Petrov hides the Kinderheim 511 experiment results. Grimmer also asks if Petrov enjoys treating human beings like guinea pigs and promptly gets hit by Petrov's walking cane in response to that question. Undeterred by Petrov's reaction, Grimmer adds that he thinks that the experiment was a failure, especially after the Orphanage was burned downed in 1985. Petrov, however, claims that when that happened, he wasn't the director because otherwise the incident would not have happened to begin with. This answer is enough to convince Grimmer that the document that chronicles the Kinderheim 511 experiment still exists. Petrov, however, has had enough of Grimmer. He tells Grimmer that the journalist has now crossed a dangerous ground.
Before Grimmer can say anything further, however, 2 little boys come running into their direction looking for Petrov, who turns out to be their grandfather. Grimmer, who doesn't want to involve the children decides to back down for now. The next day, however, Grimmer is awakened by a concierge who tells him that there is a delivery from Petrov. Grimmer tells the concierge to wait and closes the door to presumably change his clothes. Not long after this two MIB barge into the room carrying a gun. But much to their disappointment, Grimmer has escaped through the emergency stairwell. This incident doesn't seem to deter Grimmer and he continues to tail Petrov throughout the day. Grimmer eventually realises that he's encountered 3 different sets of Petrov's 'grandchildren'. Upon investigating Petrov's apartment, he finds out that the children are basically Orphans that Petrov has gathered inside his apartment.
Grimmer thinks that Petrov tries to repeat the experiment using this new set of children. However, Petrov once again claims that the experiment was a success and therefore there is no need to repeat it again. Upon hearing the explanation, Grimmer tries to persuade the kids to leave Petrov. Eventually, however, he realises that the attempt is futile. However, during a soccer game with the children, Grimmer realises that unlike Kinderheim 511 children, these kids are able to laugh like normal children. Grimmer is curious about this and runs back to Petrov's apartment to get some answer from the guy. But when he arrives there, he finds Petrov dying from a gunshot wound which seems to have been inflicted by a mysterious woman who looks a lot like Nina. In his dying words, Petrov revealed the location of the test result to Grimmer and tells him that he wanted this new set of kids to become people who can resist the darkness within them.
Impression:
Like I said before, it takes a while to get used to this new arc. I'm so used to seeing Dr.Schuwald and other Munich residents so it's not easy for me to immediately warm up to Grimmer and other new characters. Having said that, Grimmer seems to be a genuinely kind individual so after a while, I ended up liking him a lot. I find his advice on dealing with the bullies to be spot on. It's interesting to watch this episode while the place where I work for is in the middle of working together with public authorities to launch an anti-bullying website. I think that Grimmer is right in saying that there's no point in crying over what the bullies have done. That will simply give them the extra satisfaction from their victim. While it's easier said than done, at the end of the day, the victims will have to start making a stand against the bullies themselves. I don't think anyone should let someone else take satisfaction from his/her own misery.
Another interesting character in this arc is Petrov himself. I think it's intriguing that he conducted his experiments in order to produce kids who are able to feel emotion and be good, decent people. But as Grimmer says, no experiment was needed. Maternal love is something that happens naturally. Petrov probably thinks that he raises the children for the sake of the experiment. But I find it hard to believe that he doesn't feel some kind of affection towards them sooner or later. Anyway, it's interesting to know that Johan seems to be a far bigger monster than Kinderheim 511 itself. It's hard to believe that a child can turned evil without being provoked by the people around them. But Petrov seems to believe that Johan is the devil incarnate himself. And that's probably true to a certain extent considering the fact that he single-handedly turned the situation inside Kinderheim 511 from bad to worse.
I was so suprised when Petrov wasn't the horrible guy I thought he had to be. To me he was the director of Kinderheim 511 and thus had to be one of the bad guys. It threw me for a loop. It also made me wonder just where did Johan get warped, if he wasn't born that way, because they're saying he was evil enough then to turn an entire happy orphanage into a battle ground in under a year.
To me also, the long haired woman looks like Nina. But I don't want Nina to kill such a good person. Tenma was borderline for me when he shot Roberto... but Nina killing Petrov is way over the line that keeps them good people for me. Its gotta be someone new, maybe her mother. Besides, how could Nina get there so quickly and know so much?
He, for instance, willingly gives a stranger inside a train station some money after the stranger tells a lie about how he lost his bag.
Quote from Garten.
I am not sure if it was really a lie.
The truth is that anyone who has the ability to work would not want to stood to this level of cheating others. No one would feel good about it anyway. Therefore, even if they would to lie, they have their reason in doing so.
I think Grimmer understand this perfectly well and that is why he gave the person some cash whether he is lying or not.
I say it was Johan with a wig. They're twins after all. Anyway, if Petrov wasn't the bad guy he was supposed to be, who sent the killers(?) to go after Grimmer?
I agree with Chris. I don't think Petrov is that good of a guy. Grimmer was hunted by those MIB a day after Petrov threatened him. Plus, anyone who thinks that maternal love can be created out of an experiment has to be warped one way or the other.
Johan with a wig did cross my mind too. After all, didn't Nina said that there are two 'Johans'? Maybe one of the 'Johans' is this cross-dressing 'Nina'. It makes perfect sense if Johan really does suffer from MPD.
Gprei wrote:
> I am not sure if it was really a lie.
> The truth is that anyone who has the ability to work would not want to stood to this level of cheating others.
Heh, you obviously never heard of a job called "lawyer" - amusing that it sounds a lot like liar, isn't it? No offense but you seem to be as naive as Grimmer himself, at least if you extend your conclusion to reality.
Trust me, people pull all kind of horseshit out of the thin air to get some money - for drugs. Once, I gave in to such a guy. The next day, I saw him again, he noticed me as well and rushed away. Another one blathered some bullshit like "It's about life and death, I need money for a phone call". I told him to go to the police which is just around the corner and he got rather angry but walked away. Must have been *very* important...sure.
The point is, you don't help people at all even if it feels selfish or heartless. They'll just continue living on the streets wasting donated money for drugs.
Why do you think those people are always at train stations? That's where all the drug dealers are. Go figure. Especially in Germany there's *zero* need to support their life style. The social system takes care of them, if they just ask for support. Nobody has to starve or live on the streets.
Another odd thing - also it might just have been a plot device - was that there were only boys in the new "Kinderheim".
The comment about the wig was really just a gag but looking at your screenshot...well it's a possibility. The boys also said that "she was very beautiful". However, I think Nina is actually there and she got this strange look (more than once) as if Johan was talking to her mind or something like that.
I think we're supposed to assume that Nina is the second monster - the good one - from the fairy tale. Maybe that's actually too simple and would have been too much of a hint.
I've just ffw'ed through some older episodes. Nina's hair never has this color, even in darker scenes. Another guess:
It could be their mother. We've been told she's still alive and she'll have to appear sooner or later.
Hmmm, maybe the mother is actually the monster from the fairy tale but unlike the tale, the monster continues to gains power through her children - or at least Johan. So they might be natural born monsters whereas Johan gives in to his "nature" whereas Nina tries to fight it.
I think Petrov doesn't want to kill Grimmer. It seems he only wants to scare Grimmer because Grimmer is interrupting his "experiment". So Petrov is not a monster but is not a saint either.
I don't believe the guy from the station either. What's more, he wants Grimmer's address too. (to steal more things?) Whether this guy is fake or not, it seems they left the decision to the watcher.
BTW, after I read Chris message I think it's Nina with a wig. :)
In case you didn't notice, Grimmer gives him 500 DM that's about 250 Euro:
http://home.rhein-zeitung.de/~merians/500dm.htm
I think that's quite a huge amount of money - whether the story is true or not - to give to a stranger with a dubious story. Actually, in this scene it looks to me as if Grimmer just plays dumb. Maybe he doesn't need the money or thinks that he deserves it for being "such a good liar" as Gprei wrote.
Also, in Germany nobody has to beg for medical help either.
After all, I guess this scene is just there to show how that Grimmer is really a bounteous person of good nature just like Tenma who helps strangers over and over again. Otherwise, him helping Tenma later would have been appeared somewhat unrealistic.
Chris wrote:
Heh, you obviously never heard of a job called "lawyer" - amusing that it sounds a lot like liar, isn't it? No offense but you seem to be as naive as Grimmer himself, at least if you extend your conclusion to reality.
I am not sure about lawyer being a liar.
I only know lawyer are capable of looking for loopholes in law to protect their clients.
Chris wrote:
Maybe he doesn't need the money or thinks that he deserves it for being "such a good liar" as Gprei wrote.
You misinterpreted my message.
Chris wrote:
Trust me, people pull all kind of horseshit out of the thin air to get [ until ]....sure.
I know.
Remember these words that I had said ?
"Therefore, even if they would to lie, they have their reason in doing so"
Whatever the reason is, be it drugs or whatever, the fact is they needed the money.
Grimmer gave the money not because of the so called good liar, but he see and understand that they really needed the money.
Hmmm i agree bout Nina being the other half of the monster fairy tale. I have the feeling that she will be the greater monster to ease Johan's act together with Tenma.
Its kind of weird to see a look alike Nina shot two ppl, and especially right into the head ( roberto is the only one who does this). I believe its the mother of the mosters who did this. Johan being her duplicate would definitely not have worn a "nina costume" to do this. And i dont think Nina would go around looking for those who has worked at Kinderheim 511, and start killing those who took care of her brother. Her aim is her brother. hihihi this is defintely an amazing thrilling anime, there are so many possiblities on whats going on or whats going to happen. Respect to the writers of this story.
I am not too sure about the mother of the twins killing off other people.
As far as I can see, the age difference is about the same......if that is so.
How old was their mother when they were born ???
Did the twin's mother gone for a plastic surgery ?
Tezuka-kun.
Johan would definitely not have worn a "nina costume"
An advice for you.
Just remember that assumption is very dangerous.
Maybe their mother was very young when they were born. This could also explain why she didn't take care of them. If she's 3x-4x she can look *much* younger than she actually is and we merely saw the legs and the neck of this woman so far.
Surely that can't be Nina. Otherwise we would have seen Dieter as well when that woman got out of the apartment. I doubt that Dieter is the sort of kid who'll just stay nicely in a hotel room while Nina goes around the town.
And oh, this may sound silly but I think that woman's legs are way too big for Nina. There has to be a shot of Nina's legs somewhere that we can use to compare to this woman's legs.
Woah, ep. 42 is just too fucking great. That has to be the creepiest episode so far. Well, maybe Nina is actually the one with a multi-personality syndrome. While Johan is the obvious bad guy - for us watchers at least - Nina might be the worse monster in disguise. Then again, we might just be supposed to assume this.
Another thing I've noticed is that everytime I think the last one or two episodes were a little slow and just a tidbit boring, the next episode just blows me away. Did anyone else have the same experience?
Balthier.
That was a good observation.
Dieter will not leave tenma behind as seen from previous eps. So it is the same as Nina. If the person that we saw is Nina, Dieter will be there as well, together.
So, the possiblity of Nina being the woman that we saw is very low.
Mother of the twins as the woman, possible.
Johan in a wig as the woman, possible.
maybe it was Nia because Tenma left Dieter behind for his assasination on Johan. maybe Nina did that too.
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