With word that the series, which is ongoing in manga form, is going to
get a second season, I have to admit reduced hopes for the end of this
season in terms of really finishing things out. Especially when you
realize that the next episode appears to be a recap episode. Nura: Rise
of the Yokai Clan is doing rather well and it's not a surprise why since
it's a pretty easily accessible show for newer fans that can get into
it and gush all over it since it uses the mixture of comedy and
supernatural action well at times. The manga itself is gaining a lot of
traction in Japan and the timing seems ripe for the Next Big Series to
start showing up. While I don't personally see this as the next Bleach
or One Piece, it's definitely got a whole lot of Inu Yasha potential to
it.
The battle has certainly heated up a fair bit here as Rikuo
and Tamazaki go at it, though a lot of the time is spent with it just
being stylish more than actual attacks. The style side does work well as
it seems like the A team showed up to animate it here. Backgrounds are
still weak but the actual character animation is quite strong and the
visuals for it all is really appealing with the cherry blossoms for
example. There's an actual animation budget here, especially when the
two sides of Rikuo come together in a very unusual moment and fight
against Tamazuki. It's not exactly a strong point in terms of
storytelling, since it's the kind of thing that feels like it's a slim
chance in hell of happening, but it provides for a fairly epic moment as
Tamazuki goes over the edge in trying to cut down Rikuo.
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