Early Access: Herald Anime Club: Ikebukuro West Gate Park Episode 8

Meeting Date:  11/28/2020

Disclaimer:  The Herald Anime Club discusses shows in a generally unmoderated format. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!

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Samantha Ferreira: Hi there, and welcome to the Herald Anime Club. I'm Samantha, and this week I'm here with Anthony.

Anthony Simpson: Evening.

Samantha Ferreira: Tonight, we're heading back to the streets of Tokyo for Ikebukuro West Gate Park episode 8: "No pithy comments, this was just sad as heck."

Just... wow.

Anthony Simpson: This episode...my God. This whole episode felt like a sub-story in a Yakuza game and not one of the fun sub-stories at that. When your episode starts with a kid falling off a balcony that tells you what you are in for this episode

Samantha Ferreira: Indeed. This is right up there with the Jazz Taxi in terms of its tone - it just did not pull any punches.

Anthony Simpson: It didn't.

Samantha Ferreira: Like the episode where Makoto's sister came in (does... does she still exist?), it really just dug into a social issue and tore it out for everyone to see.

Anthony Simpson: A lot of commentary on this one and a lot of backstories for several characters.

Samantha Ferreira: Indeed. And it really just built up so well - like... this was an episode that hurt to watch at points.

Anthony Simpson: It was a tough episode, but it also shows that they did not treat the subject with kid gloves either.

Samantha Ferreira: Truth.

Anthony Simpson: We also got to see more sides of Makoto here and some more of his abilities.

Samantha Ferreira: Indeed. Also, Makoto's mom was just... amazing this episode.

Anthony Simpson: She was the best.

Samantha Ferreira: That moment at the end, though, was just powerful.

Anthony Simpson: I'm not always one for tears when I watch anime, but I was damn close to it at the end.

Samantha Ferreira: I'm not afraid to say it: I teared up at that point. Yuko Kaida's performance was nothing short of amazing.

Anthony Simpson: True. I think it is safe to say that all of the antagonists we have met so far, the sex industry scout is by far the worst in terms of being a bad person. He was just straight scum, and I was cheering when he got arrested

Samantha Ferreira: Agreed. he was just a garbage human, and I was genuinely happy to see him confronted by Yui, then by Makoto's mom, then by the cops who hauled his ass out.

Like, that was just amazing.

Anthony Simpson: Yes, it was that was my favorite part of the episode.

Samantha Ferreira: That said, this whole episode was just chilling. Like... it's totally grounded and realistic.

Anthony Simpson: Probably one of the darkest episodes so far of the series.

Samantha Ferreira: It wasn't like the YouTuber or the reefer madness, or even the gang wars... this was something that could absolutely happen.

Anthony Simpson: True this is something that legit could happen to someone. I was glad to see Yui not fall into the sex industry and is trying to turn her life around.

Samantha Ferreira: Indeed. I'm glad it had that hopeful ending.

Anthony Simpson: Especially with Yui's son drawing that picture of him and her in front of the airplane.

Samantha Ferreira: Yeah... that just hit the feels.

Anthony Simpson: Bullseye in the feels.

Samantha Ferreira: Yeah... Honestly, this is what I was hoping to see out of the series at the outset. Like... it's hard to watch, but so well done.

Anthony Simpson: The show is hitting its potential of what it should be doing. We saw that in episode 4 and I have to agree this is what it should have been out of the gate.

So according to ANN, we are back with Fumihiko Shimo for the script for episode 9.

Samantha Ferreira: Ah, neat.

Anthony Simpson: I wonder if we are going to see the director for the show do anymore scripts or if we are going to see it go between Fumihiko Shimo and Masashi Sogo doing the scripting from here on out.

Samantha Ferreira: I'm hoping it's the latter.

Anthony Simpson: I wouldn't mind seeing the director do another script since the scripts for Jazz Taxi.

Samantha Ferreira: Ah, true. Either way, I hope we get more of these human-interest stories... this is where the show is at its strongest.

Anthony Simpson: Agreed.

Samantha Ferreira: Aniwho, any final thoughts this week?

Anthony Simpson: None from me.

Samantha Ferreira: OK then... that'll do it for this week, then. 'Til next time, remember: Don't give single mothers shit - they're doing the work of two parents.

Have a great night.

Anthony Simpson: Goodnight.