Warning: This recap contains violent and disturbing images. Read at your own risk.
Well folks, another year has come and gone. Once again, I lament I am behind on projects that I wanted to do earlier in the year.
That said, I am looking forward to 2015. Apart from Mattel giving us our Hoverboards and the Cubs having won the World Series for he first time in years; some of the anime I’m looking forward to include second seasons of Durarara and Sailor Moon Crystal; as well as the 15th anniversary Digimon Adventure series.
Sadly; it means I must also bury the hatchet on an official recap of Future Diary. My first impressions still hold true that I do not share the fans’ enthusiasm of the series. I must also point out that, by nature; my blog is opinionated, and you are free to agree or disagree with what I write. That said; let’s open up “Broken on Arrival;” a surprisingly accurate title for this anime.
We open on Sakurami Amusement Park on a beautiful afternoon; with all sorts of rides in motion.
Just as well, it seems even Yuki is sharing my apathy now.
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| Help. Police. Murder. |
Yuno comes in with some ice cream; which does little to alleviate the blandness that even Hayden Christensen would find too off-putting.
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| Can I get you some bland milk? I mean warm bland? I mean warm milk? |
Look at the face Yuno makes. It’s the same kind of face that Kathy Bates made in Misery. Still, I think even Annie Wilkes would find Yuno crazy! Highly suspect!
So, we have two characters I don’t care about in a plot that makes no sense in a year that was filled with anime I enjoyed writing about more even when I hated it. Let’s go.
The opening sequence once again plays; but the music is still just noise to me. So, I’m putting on something that’s even more appropriate.
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| Do I creep you out? |
We then see that one of the diary holders from the last episode is revealed to have lost her family in a war zone. While the intention is noble; I have still found the diary holders, including Yuki and Yuno themselves; to be murderous assholes with this as halfhearted justification for their actions. Thus, I have little reason to be invested.
We then cut to a police station where Yuki and Yuno are being debriefed on the other diary holders.
Unfortunately, one of them also happens to be the officer doing the questioning. So much for my desire to have this be a crime anime.
It seems the diary holder from the last episode is still at large; as she had attacked the school. It is also highly uncomfortable after certain events of the past few years.
As for why I haven’t learned her name: as opposed to over anime I’ve covered, I didn’t see any point in it. They’re all such horrible people, and they’re usually dead before they can have any impact on the plot. Thus, I have little to no reason to be invested.
So, until the school is repaired; they’re spending time at this amusement park. OK.
Oh, and the café at the park is called Near Cafe. I wish he were in this, he could help fix it.
They share a drink together. Obvious symbolism is obvious.
Upon finding out Yuno rigged the straws, Yuki rightfully asks “what the Hell is wrong with you?!” I ask that question every single moment she’s onscreen. She just isn’t my type.
The police are still searching for the rogue diary holder; but it’s little consequence with how ineffectual they are. Somehow, they never think to check the dilapidated buildings; which are known hideouts for most other criminals.
She checks her diary for information to get away. Something tells me this won’t end well.
Back at the theme park, we then see the “Original Haunted House,” about as original as the many “Original Ray’s” parlors in New York.
I’m not kidding, the sequence in the haunted house goes on for a full 3 minutes of awkward teenage fantasy filler. It’s really not a good sign when a series that touts itself as revolutionary falls back on tactics like these.
This whole thing just feels like a bad advertisement for a theme park.
The setting then changes to the pool; where even more awkward stalker fanfics will write themselves.
Oh sweet Christmas: they’re actually relying on the slippery swimsuit trope? Even in Western media, I don’t find it funny; I find it disgusting! In fact, I need something to post in lieu of this scene.
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| You can thank Google for having me post this kitten photo. |
This goes on for another 3 minutes before Yuno gets her top back on. I am not sure what person could find this alluring; but I can only see it as cretinous.
Oh goody, it’s this scene. Before they go on the ferris wheel; Yuki expresses disdain for a planetarium because of his past. Still, it sends a message that is not what the creators were going for; and we’ll get to that in a moment.
They take the Ferris wheel, which has laughably bad CGI; as do most of the rides at the park.
This setup is so awkward that it feels like old episodes of The Wonder Years; not a visceral anime!
Just then, we flashback to a year before the events of the series; where Yuki and Yuno are trying to determine what they want to do when they’re older. While the intention is once again noble; it’s ruined by how this potential character development has gone nowhere in the actual story.
Worse than that, Yuki’s predicament also indirectly sends the message that all children of divorced families will become antisocial thugs! Moreover, it implies that anyone with a traumatic childhood will be doomed to that cycle forever! I’m sorry, but what the Hell kind of message is that?
So, in an attempt to answer questions; I just end up asking more when I find out more about them! This leaves me with little reason to be invested!
We have an unconvincing romance and a color palette that does not suit the surprisingly good animation; made worse by the amounts of lens flare abound.
Never since Twilight have I seen a more disturbing romance as these two head home.
Of course, it starts raining; and Yuno stops at a convenience store to buy an umbrella. You’ll have to forgive me, since convenience stores tend to be different in Japan than they are in the US. Still, it’s making Tim Burton’s vision of Gotham City seem logical.
OK, I know I keep mentioning this, but the phones seem a bit lacking in the actual phone department. The purple flip phone on the officer is a bit much. The only way it could look sillier is if it had a Hello Kitty case (by the way, I still don’t know what to make of Sanrio’s statement about her marking her 40th anniversary).
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| I'm going to spend the whole investigation playing Candy Crush! |
Apparently, Yuno is living off the grid as she invites Yuki in. That’s yet another reason why I’m disturbed by her, not attracted to her. The former is intentional; I still can’t fathom the latter occurrence among fans.
Now we get yet another sequence that makes me question what people see in this anime.
A man in a bread bag mask is attempting to incapacitate the rogue diary holder. This is supposed to be disturbing; but it just comes off as stupid. Are you honestly telling me that’s the best disguise you can come up with?
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| Mike Nelson-Oh look! It's not often you see the stupidest thing you've ever seen! |
The slider phone she has is marginally better than the flip phone; but I’m still less than impressed when my LG Optimus Droid can do more than a type of phone I haven’t owned since 2010.
Yuki then goes stumbling around in the dark; as if it were time for The Purge this year.
Apparently, Yuno is peeling apples by phone light. Huh. It takes me a bit to buffer some of my Power Rangers reruns.
Yuki’s phone deems this a happy end. I would call this many things. “Happy” is not one of them.
Back with the other diary holder; it seems the man in the bag has drugged her with sleeping medication.
Then, he has an eyeball mask on. For the sake of argument, I am omitting what happens next.
The game has changed; thanks to Yuki, much to the shock of the officer.
Unfortunately, that means that Deus once again starts spouting this pretentious spiel at us. If he were any more full of himself, he’d be the Emperor of Britannia.
I must once again point out that through this facade; Deus speaks in a manner that even George Lucas would consider too much.
Honestly, it’s like the Wachowskis if they were trying to be intentionally clunky!
I am convinced that Deus is not a cunning and brilliant deity; but a manipulative and deceitful monster that uses the people at his disposal like toys! I thought Arceus was out of his mind for making sentient ice cream!
Yuki then realizes just how much more he’s messed things up.
He sees an obscene message on his phone, and he decides to head home.
Apparently, his mom is working and often isn’t home. I refer to my previous statement on the issue.
Then, with one last peek in the mail slot, Yuno assures that I never want to see her again.
“Broken on Arrival” is exactly as described. Despite having good animation; the series suffers hard from what is referred to as “darkness-induced audience apathy:” where the world and characters are so bleak, there is little reason to continue the story. That is the primary reason why I don’t care what happens to these people. I have much planned for 2015. You will simply have to wait and see what it is. Where I’m going, I won’t need roads.
