Karakuri Circus Anime

[Nectar]

Oh, so they did skip some stuff. I wasn't sure, been a while since I read those chapters. Not sure if they'll tackle all the puppets or not. Maybe a couple more and then end the arc. In fact, I don't see this arc lasting more than three more episodes.

[DestinyDogma]

Episode 4 was the weakest for me so far, they skipped lots of things this time around, I think even the anime-only watchers will find the pacing too fast... One single more episode to adapt this arc would have been great, then they could have included.

Spoiler:

-Two whole puppets enemies (the gun and the jumping one)
-The "RUN or STAY" thingie
-Masaru forgiving his uncle and trying to save his life
-Narumi breaking a wall and filling the room with water, that´s how Masaru survived
-And a few more things, but not so important

I don´t mind they skipping "filler" arcs, but the fact that they cut things that result in the series making less sense (Masaru surviving the fire without the water) worries me a little. I still enjoyed the episode, but now even if Fujita is in charge of the changes I am not sure he can pull it off like he wants, mostly because it´s just too much content to adapt.

I still look foward to the anime and will enjoy it, but man, Fujita deserved a HxH 2011 type of anime for Karakuri.

[DestinyDogma]

They announced 8 seiyuus more for the series: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-11-02/karakuri-circus-anime-adds-8-cast-members/.138961

And after seeing a few anime-only reactions, most of them are positive, so maybe having read the manga is making me less unbiased about it.

[They call me D]

I am an anime only follower, and the ending of the 4th episode based on sheer shock value got me more interested in the show, despite the pacing seeming incredibly fast.

[Nectar]

Glad anime only watchers are liking it. Again, I want it to be a huge hit.

I liked this episode, but part of that is due to me not remembering much of the first arc. Yeah, the pacing will vary, but I'll glad they're trying to make it cohesive. If they can continue hitting the major points, I'll be okay.

Spoiler:

I expect Team Masaru 2.0 will join back to back, probably get an episode each (Of course, Rock Grandpa and his sons only need one episode).

I still look foward to the anime and will enjoy it, but man, Fujita deserved a HxH 2011 type of anime for Karakuri.

Yes. Yes. And, yes. I'm still upset over the series' length but I'm working through it.

[DestinyDogma]

The episode was fun, but I am gonna miss the car chase and the murder tiger, those were cool things... What worries me is that next episode is gonna be the hospital with the kids already, that´s a little too much of a cut, I hope they simply changed the order.

[Nectar]

Wasn't sure if the Uncle somehow survived, but he's dead. Too bad, I liked how scared of Masaru he became. They squeezed in a lot, but it didn't feel bloated. I guess they'll add Vilma next episode, no reason to wait. The Midnight Circus arc will probably start in a few more episodes.

[DestinyDogma]

I guess they'll add Vilma next episode, no reason to wait. The Midnight Circus arc will probably start in a few more episodes.

Actually, this is the next episode preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNSglQeD-Eo

[Nectar]

Thanks. Guess she's showing up later and we are about to dive in the Midnight Circus arc. At the rate, the anime may hit the last English scanlation sooner than I thought.

[DestinyDogma]

Well, episode 6 had the most original content so far, but I still liked it. Narumi´s character points are still clear and seeing him bonding more with the children was nice, the last scene was pretty damn cool as well. I suppose that the origin of the Midnight Circus will be covered in the next episodes. Lucille´s flashback is one of my favorite moment, so I hope they keep it.

Spoiler:

In the manga Arlequino went to the shirogane mansion because Narumi destroyed that automata that captured Lucille and the other granny, in the anime I suposse he will go there because Narumi defeated the teacher/student duo.

[Nectar]

Good episode. Everything is flowing nicely considering the abridged treatment. I'm doubting any characters other than the main three are getting decent backstories, unless, they tie into one of the three.

[DestinyDogma]

The 7th episode was enjoyable and has good paralels, Narumi throwing away his humanity while Shirogane becomes more human.

I remember the manga´s creepy narrator saying something similar to that, I wonder if they are gonna add him or not, since he appeared in the first promotional image for the anime.

[Nectar]

Good episode. Like you said, the parallel between Shirogane and Narumi is interesting and Vilma! Welcome to the party. More Vilma x Shirogane, please.

EDIT: And in overly obsessive/desperate for new scanlation news: Someone translated (no scans yet) volumes 26, 27, and 28 into English. Start the scanlation clock!

[DestinyDogma]

I have some issues with this episode pacing, mostly how they arrived at china and we see them already walking with the master´s daughter. Narumi having to explain to us what let to that instead of showing it normally felt weird to me. That said, I really liked the flashback and I am looking foward to the rest of it, perhaps we will get Lucille´s version of the story in the next episode.

And in overly obsessive/desperate for new scanlation news: Someone translated (no scans yet) volumes 26, 27, and 28 into English. Start the scanlation clock!

Good to hear that, I am really glad someone picked up the trasnlation.

[DestinyDogma]

Last episode was enjoyable, but it hurts me a little seeing anime-only watchers commenting on plot holes or weird things that are result of skipping dialogue from the manga, mostly because Karakuri Circus manga strenght was how much thought Fujita put in connecting and foreshadowing lots of things. If they keep at this pace we will reach the half of the manga in less than a half of the anime episodes, wich doesn´t make a lot of sense...

[Nectar]

Thinking about it, this episode would've been in season 2 if there was one. We're getting the basics but I can see how anime onlys would care less about what's happening if we only get blips of character interaction and development from everyone except a certain few.

[Nectar]

Meet Faceless, the newest breakout Karakuri Circus character.
He's dead.

Yep, my fears are coming true. You can't cram this much material into thirty-something episodes and have it make sense without major sacrifices. There's no time for any of the supporting characters. There's barely time for Narumi. Why would anyone care about these characters? There's no time to breathe. Remember the soft stone? We're hitting the big beats, but they mean little without the small ones. I give the showrunners points for trying to make it work, but this an abridged series trying to act like it isn't.

Oh well, I'll keep going until they hit where the scanlations stopped like I originally planned. Why? Why do this? I hate unresolved cliffhangers but I'd rather have the studio make a genuine well paced season one and leave it at that than this. So frustrating. Karakuri Circus deserved better than this. I really want to know how this came about. Clearly, someone wanted a legit adaption (I feel the love in the animation and attempts to make it work), but along the way, something happened.

[DestinyDogma]

To be fair, we didn´t know Faceless that much in the manga either, but you are right. Without all the build-up and the arcs to develop the characters, the cool and epic scenes lose strenght. I know the guys making the anime like the manga, mostly because adapting Karakuri was more risky that adapting other manga, but putting so many chapters in so few episodes without hurting the quality of the story wasn´t doable.

Fujita said that everything that wasn´t interesting would be cut, but that shouldn´t include things like characters interactions that make them likeable and help giving them depth. The big strenghts of Karakuri were the cast of secondary characters and how many details were foreshadowed many chapters before, the anime doesn´t have those things and it´s sad.

For example, next episode is Lucille´s moment to shine and be cool, but the anime didn´t make her half as likeable as the manga did and neither gave us time to know her better, so people won´t be as invested as they would be in the manga. Wich is a pity, because she was one my favorite characters in the manga and Paku Romi is amazing as her voice.

[Nectar]

Well, I don't recognize any of the stuff that happened at the end of episode 14 so that's it for me. Overall thoughts: the same that's been said already. Great animation. Great source material, but abridged to hell and back. Long as you don't mind a story moving 80mph, watch it. But, most stories have fast and slow parts for a reason. You have to give the audience time to breathe and process. Oh well, if this leads to more scanlations it was worth it.

This could've been one of the best anime adaptions in years. Damn.