Samurai Deeper Kyo: Volume 3

Introduction

Where's a postal strike when you need one? I have not been looking forward to this third volume of Samurai Deeper Kyo, and its arrival, delayed only by a measly two weeks was greeted by groans of dismay. It does prove though that time is indeed relative. Do something you enjoy, and the time simply flies past. Watch an episode of Samurai Deeper Kyo, and you're there for days on end, or so it seems. This third disc has seven episodes on it, a total running time just ten minutes short of three hours. I may not live long enough to see the end of this one.

The year was 1600, and the Battle of Sekigahara was coming to a climax when warriors Kyoshiro Mibu and Demon Eyes Kyo faced each other across a carnage-strewn battlefield. Except their battle was rudely interrupted by a whopping great meteorite, and the two vanished in the explosion. Four years later, Kyoshiro is working as a medicine seller, when a bounty hunter named Yuya captures him. She doesn't have him in custody for long, as a Kenyou demon attacks, intent on slaughtering Kyoshiro. The demon isn't expecting Demon Eyes Kyo to wake up and tear him apart. Somehow, the soul of Demon Eyes Kyo has become resident in Kyoshiro's body, and now that he's finally awake, he wants his original body back.


14. Satan Again
Benitora's eager to rescue Yuya, but Yukimura advises patience. Kyo on the other hand is more intent on searching for his body, but that insouciance is just a mask. He's been hurt worse than he's letting on in the previous battle, and though he fails to admit it to himself, his concern for Yuya is a distraction. While the others search for Yuya, and face off against the Jyunishinsho, Kyo is left to recuperate with Okuni at his side. But Okuni has some telling questions regarding his fractured memory, and what really happened at the battle of Sekigahara. Meanwhile, the identity of the Dark Lord is about to be revealed.

15. Our Friend Red Tiger
Yuya's at a festival, a rather familiar festival from her past. She sees her brother again, and then relives his murder. The killer turns out to be none other than Kyoshiro Mibu. She wakes up in a dreadful meadow, flowers and skulls, an enchanted place where people are driven to relive their darkest moments. Meanwhile, Kyo is battling the Dark Lord himself, Oda Nobunaga. The warlord has been resurrected, although he lacks a permanent corporeal body, which is why he wants Kyo's. Kyo is outclassed against the warlord, and it falls to Benitora and Migeira to rescue him. Seeing a chance, Benitora races after Nobunaga, but the price for buying Kyo time will be a high one.


16. Perfect Victory
Always one to look after his minions, Kyo sets off to rescue Benitora, but Okuni gets there first. The recently unmasked spy keeps on switching sides, but this time she's helping Benitora against Nobunaga, something that earns his ire. It's all that is needed for the rematch between him and Kyo to begin. Elsewhere Akira has found Kyo's body, frozen in ice, but he's about to turn traitor to the Jyunishinsho too, freezing the others, including Yuya. In the middle of the battle now raging between Kyo and Nobunaga, suddenly Kyoshiro reawakens.

17. The Secret Talk of Girls
Nobunaga has been defeated, but elsewhere events are turning against Demon Eyes Kyo, as Akira makes off with his icebound body, leaving Yuya trapped in ice, unable to do anything but think. It's time for a flashback sequence. Then, when Sakuya appears to Yuya, it's time for another flashback sequence.


18. Nurturing the Devil
Akira gives everyone an ultimatum. He has Kyo's body, and he's taken Yuya's life. Kyoshiro tries futilely to stop Kyo from reawakening, but Kyo is really p***ed off at Yuya's death. What looks to be a fight to the death is halted first by a not dead Yuya's arrival, and then by a firestorm that destroys the forest. Now the Mibu clan are on the move following Nobunaga's defeat. Rather than operate from the shadows as they have done for centuries, they've decided to become the open rulers of Japan, and shape the future to their design. Kyo still wants to find his body, and a lead to Akira points to Muramasa village. But when they get there, they find Sakuya instead, in the hands of the Mibu.

19. Thunderbolt Attack
Now Makora has joined the Mibu, causing more consternation for Sasuke. Kyo on the other hand has met with Muramasa, and realises that if he is to have a chance of defeating the Mibu, he has a lot yet to learn. It may be that he will never have a chance, as the Mibu have targeted former clan member Muramasa for assassination, and soon one of their number named Shinrei has Kyo at his mercy, and is preparing to finish off Muramasa. Then Muramasa picks up Kyo's sword…


20. Far Away to Absolute Zero
Now that is how a Muramasa Sword is used. In the hands of its creator, Shinrei is hardly a worthy opponent, and Kyo's signing up for classes. Using it takes a horrible toll on Muramasa though. Migeira and Okuni have reached Kyoto, following another lead, and they are horrified to find the capital reduced to ashes, just like the forest. It's no surprise that Akira has hidden Kyo's body there, and it's no surprise that the Mibu have made their influence felt. What is surprising is the identity of their agent, another of Kyo's former minions, Hotaru. Soon, battle erupts between former allies Akira and Hotaru.

Picture

The 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer is unproblematic. It's an NTSC-PAL standards conversion quite naturally, but other than a slight softness and the odd uneven pan, it's all pretty much par for the course for anime. The colours are bright and consistent, the image is clear and well defined, and there's no problem with artefacts or compression, even with the bumper six episodes on the disc. The animation itself is cheap and unimpressive, simple character designs out of place with the setting of the show, lots of use of chibi and deformed moments for comedy, and an egregious amount of freeze frame used instead of actual animation. Anime usually gets away with a lower frame count than its western counterparts, but there were times that this felt like a slideshow.

Sound

You have a choice between DD 2.0 Stereo English and Japanese, along with optional translated subtitles and a signs only track. I opted for the original language track, and the dialogue is clear throughout, the action is adequate, and the forgettable pop-rock opening theme is on a level with the equally dull closer.

Extras

The sole extra on this disc is a 6½-minute interview with producer Tomohiro Yamada. He talks about the difficulty of adapting an ongoing manga, and the appeal in reviving the samurai genre in anime.

Conclusion

Procrastination is such an ugly word, but I just can't find the effort to wax lyrical about Samurai Deeper Kyo. Normally you can't shut my inane babble off, and indeed, my verbose approach to reviewing is usually applied liberally, regardless of the quality of the product. I just can't summon the motivation to belabour my strained response to yet another volume of Samurai Deeper Kyo. I can't believe that I have to write, for the third time, explaining just how bland, how clichéd, how cheap, how dull, and how uninspiring this series is. I'm not going to. You can take it all as read.


In this third volume of seven lacklustre episodes, more stuff happens, lots of male posturing occurs, lots of people fight for little apparent reason, and the only, minor bright spot is that Kyo is a slightly engaging character in that he has a devil may care attitude. Kyoshiro makes an appearance in this volume, but rather than the entertaining comedy pervert, he's tall, moody and serious… Seriously dull that is. I may have liked the show, if it was more interesting, if the animation was even half decent, if the story was clearer (there are too many characters, too many factions, too much technobabble for any genuine clarity), if the show wasn't cliché laden to the point of capsizing under the weight, and if the characters were half way interesting. I've forgotten to mention that the incidental music is painful and monotonous. Basically, I'd like Samurai Deeper Kyo if it was another series altogether.


Frankly, the only reason I can consider recommending this disc, is if you need a cure for insomnia.