This site is designed for accessibility. Content is obtainable and functional to any browser or Internet device. This site's full visual experience is available in a modern browser that supports web standards. Please consider upgrading your browser.
ファイト／ステイナイト 
February 18, 2006 | 
5 Comments
I was going to recap Karin 11-12 but since don't have the motivation to watch anything right now I decided to write something else instead. So here are some more spoilers and this time they are specifically for Jigoku Shoujo. I personally think there is nothing exceptionally revealing here. Having said that, a spoiler is still a spoiler so you'll risk spoiling yourself by reading further than this. The spoilers basically cover episode 20 to 22. As expected, since it's almost close to the end, the story starts to focus more on Tsugumi, and presumably Hajime. I probably should also mention that there are some minor spoiler on episode 23-25 listed under the cut. But again, I doubt it'll ruin your enjoyment of the episodes themselves.
Episode 20: Hell Girl vs. Hell Boy
A psychic lost to a young boy in a psychic confrontation TV program. In order to defeat the boy, the psychic decides to contact Jigoku Shoujo.
Episode 21: A Gentle Neighbour
Tsugumi sees a vision of a place where an acquintance, Yuuko, meets up with Ai. In order to stop Yuuko from from exacting revenge, Tsugumi goes to Yuuko's house. When she arrives at the house, however, Tsugumi finds out that the place is in desolate state.
Episode 22: Rain of Regret
On the anniversary day of his wife's death, Hajime becomes angry and decides not to visit Ayumi grave. Because of this Tsugumi goes out with her grandparents and along the way gets to find out about Jigoku Shoujo's next target. This spoiler originates from Animage because Newtype Japan hasn't got a summary yet.
Additional spoilers
This site reveals that the title for episode 23 and 24 are The Light of a Ward and The Twilight Village. They both sound like stand-alone stories. On the other hand, with title like Jigoku Shoujo/Hell Girl for episode 25, it is obvious that this one will specifically deal with Ai herself. There is no title for episode 26. I wonder if it's actually a two-parter continuing from episode 25.
Impression:
I can't wait to see a confrontation between Ai and Hell Boy. Having said that, I doubt that anything earth-shattering is going to happen in Episode 20. Episode 21, on the other hand, sounds interesting. The spoiler mentions that Tsugumi sees an acquintance meeting with Ai. This unfortunately does not explain if she really knows the girl that well but either way, this must be the first time Tsugumi doesn't want someone to go to hell. I supposed when someone that you know starts using the service, you get to see it from another perspective. The strange thing is, why does her friend's house is in desolate state. Episode 22 continues the Tsugumi-themed story. I find it a bit weird though because I thought it wasn't that long ago that we saw Hajime visiting Ayumi's grave. Or was that just a casual visit for him? My first thought when I read the spoiler was "No way, don't tell me Ai is actually either Tsugumi's mother or her grandma or ancestor". I supposed we will get our answer about Ai's identity starting from episode 25 considering the title for that particular episode.
It's about TIME that they pulled Tsugumi and Hajime in more - they wasted almost half a series getting up to them, then outside of a few outstanding eps like 17 or 5, really don't use them all that well... or for that matter show much 'plot' outside of the weekly 'torture the target'.
I really, really wish they'd started this sooner. It feels like they wasted half the series with 'revenge' stories which are either rather petty or rather 'not horrific' since we couldn't empathize with the victms or the targets... or even feel a sense of righteous indignation like we could with Ep 19.
I agree that they've wasted half of the series on not so interesting revenge stories to the point that I wonder how many people are still left watching this. I got the impression that most people gave up after the first half of the series (around episode 12).
Well, hey still have 7 episodes left. I hope they do something drastic to make the ending satsifying. I was hoping that they'll show what happen to those who is now in Hell. What kind of torture do they get? I want an explanation about Ai and her grandma.
I want them to explain Ai's association with Tsugumi and Hajime. Maybe some backstory for Hone-Onna, Ichimoku Ren, and Wanyuudo if they still have the time. In other words, less stand alone, more character-based stories please.
Stand alone stories are fine... so long as they're interesting, like Ep 17, which was not a revenge tale - or at least, not a direct one - or the episode where Ai leads Hajime to the painter. Those are probably two of the better episodes, at least ones without a good revenge component to them. Others, like Riho in Ep 5 or Ayako in a later ep worked well because the villains were either contemptible (or the victims were, in Misato's case), or there was a twist which made it more interesting than the 'two girls with a cake shop get hit on, and so send the TV chef to hell', or the Baseball Star episode.
Honestly, would it have killed them to bring Tsugumi and Hajime in sooner, or to have given them more interaction with the rest of the cast? The Hone-Onna Box Trick in Ep 16 was hilarious, as was her response to the "Obaaaasan" title that Tsugumi conferred upon her. Heck, even stories which actually focus more on the revenge and what comes after... or at least which are truly horrific 'revenge' scenes would have been better than the bunch of mediocre scenes which have occured so far. Ep 19 wasn't bad since it too had a twist, if only by showing that the Jigoku Tsuushin could only do so much to help one, and that one's poor choices could make a Hell on Earth for oneself that even Enma Ai couldn't rescue you from.
Honestly, the only thing I've liked about most of the recent eps is that Ai gets a bit more screentime, and gets to do something other practice than her 'stern' or 'poker-faced doll' expressions... especially at the end of 19. Something about that look made me want to just hug her... and if they'd do more with Ai, I'd be at least semi-content. Right now... the show's so much wasted potential.
I WANNA SEE THE HELL BOY (I wonder what he'll do?)
those screencaps reminds me of Samurai Champloo ... have you seen that anime? It's really good...
Note:
Please be aware that the following type of comments will be deleted from now on: spams, comments containing l33t talk or rudeness. Check Animesuki, Tokyo Toshokan, or D-Addicts before asking where to find a series. If you want to post spoiler, please use <spoiler>write your spoiler here</spoiler> tags.
The comment area allows post without email address. However, all posters have to fill out the name field. If you have a question unrelated to the particular entry, please email: designchronicle@NOSPAMgmail.com. Make sure you remove the NOSPAM part of the email.