A decent start to a fantastic franchise (Partially lost in translation)

To continue my previous review, which was the final KnK movie, this is what I watched all those months ago: And back then, I didn't get it. In all honesty, I still can't wrap my head around some of this movie. Only after reading the Light Novel version was I able to understand what the characters were thinking- something that seems to be lost in translation when it comes to Ufotable's adaptations of Nasu's works- more on that later, but it's still a good start. ___ Setting: If this movie gets one thing right, it's the ambiance. Holy hell, this city feels alive as well as terrifying. I think it's outdone only by the vibe in movies 2 and 7. It feels like there's a million places to die, and that's a perfect vibe for Mifune City- a proper place where supernatural drama characters should be living. It matches the tone of the story, style, and vibe that it's aiming for perfectly. ___ Soundtrack: One thing I certainly think contributes to the incredible ambiance is the music, done by Yuji Kajiura, and the ED, Oblivious, by Kalafina. The opening credits track is hauntingly beautiful, Shiki's fight scene is scored in a similarly sinister yet exciting way, and the credits are mystifying. Kudos to the composers, I have no problems with the OST at all. ▶
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▶ ___ Plot: Plot's pretty simple. Rescue the Princess: Or, in this case, Mikiya: Who displays the common Type-Moon protagonist trope of accidentally making every woman he makes eye contact with up to and including his sister. Thankfully, it's kept to a minumum here, with a ghost girl taking a liking to Mikiya and wanting to have someone as empty as her up in the sky with her. After Shiki hunts Kyrie down in an apartment complex, she looses a fight and has some ice cream. Shiki gets a replacement synthetic arm, and they fight again- Shiki tearing apart ghosts in one of the most brilliant fight scenes I've ever seen. Mikiya is saved, mild character assassination takes place, yadda yadda. More on THAT later. Of course, the continuity of this movie in the franchise is another high point. There are constant references to Movie 3, the Bridge, and Fujino. ___ Fight Choreography: I don't even need to write anything. Just LOOK at these shots, dawg. COLOR CONTRAST IS BEAUTIFUL ___ Characters: Shiki: If anyone got justice in their first appearance in this first movie, it's Shiki. She approaches this mystical world with nonchalance and boredom. When you first watch this, it really makes you wonder just why she's like this. Then she cuts off her own arm. It's only then that you realize just how damn hardcore this girl is, and once she gets a replacement arm (which at first felt like an asspull, but after learning more about Type-Moon? That's a normal Tuesday), she just heads back out and kicks some ghosts' asses. It's funny because in the LN version, she only walks up and kills the ghost Kyrie- to quote, > __"Shiki leaves the rooftop. Above, the floating girls still remain."__

but for the sake of the movie, she just waltzes right in to the crowd for le epic fight scene. Not only that, but where the LN simply has Shiki grab Kyrie with her puppet limb, in the movie? She straight-up force chokes her like Darth Vader. Again, unnecessary- but still cool. This scene is what sold me on this franchise. While the world was rough and the characters had a lot to be desired at that point, this scene teased what would come of the series- and I love it.

Of course, my favorite scene might be the one where she eats ice cream. She said earlier in the movie that she hated ice cream- and the fact that she's eating what Mikiya got her is touching. Their bond is truly put on full force, and in this movie, it's Shiki who's taking those extra steps- as opposed to before in movies 2 and 4. It's the connecting bride for 5 and 7.

Mikiya:

Mikiya in this movie is weird to me. I honestly disliked him at first watch (That changed with the second movie thankfully) but here, he's characterized as... an asshole, honestly. He just gets kidnapped by a ghost, doesn't really thank Shiki for saving him, and tells her to not get mad because "You're a girl, after all." BOI I OUGHTA- I now know that it's a lost in translation moment. It's like Shirou in UBW- in that scene where Shirou in the anime seems oblivious to Rin trying to bring him onto the roof for lunch, he's INTENTIONALLY messing with her, and it's the same case here. To quote again: > __Well, I don't care about small things. I guess my only choice is to obey Shiki. But just obeying is a bit irritating, so I decide to strike back a little. Shiki has a vulnerable point where, when I say this, Shiki gets mad but can't say anything back. Even though it is a wish from the bottom of my heart, Shiki still has yet to take my advice. "All right, I'll spend the night. But Shiki..." Shiki looks at me as I advise with a straight face. "You shouldn't talk like that. You're a girl, you know." Shiki looks away, angrily.__

It's not translated all that well, and despite the movies occasionally bringing up later that 'It's his style of teasing,' for a first time viewer, it was annoying to me. Similar issues happen like that in later movies, but this one feels almost like character assassination.

It's only on a re-watch that I realize just how well-developed and fitting Mikiya's role in this story is. His monologue with Shiki at the end shows a stark contrast between the two of them- and how both of them think of the other in that specific scenario, in actuality only caring about the well-being of the other. It's genius, in my opinion.

Touko's the same, too. Her interactions with Kyrie in this movie come off meaner than they're intended to be on first watch, and she feels less remorseful for it in turn. Yet, ironically, it seems almost perfectly in-character for her in retrospect. It's not just Kyrie, it's just how Touko is.

"I suppose she couldn't fly today."

Out of the three main characters, one is improved, and the other two are misinterpreted- at least how I saw it at first, and upon rewatch... I can see where my past self was coming from, but I think their characterizations work well.

...Important question, though... if Mikiya was asleep from August 8-31, HOW DID HE EAT?

Kyrie:

__"... She must have known what I would choose from the beginning. Because I could not fly,

and all I could do was to float."__

I feel like I can't properly describe her character without messing it up, so I'll try to break down her ending monologue from the LN.

__"This fear that sends a chill down my spine. I have to feel the most death I can to feel the

happiness of life. For everything in my life I have ignored until now. But it probably would
be impossible to die like I did that night. I probably cannot hope for such a striking end.
That death pierced me like lightning, like a needle, like a sword. That' s why I will try to
come as close to that as possible. I don 't have any idea right now but I still have a few days
to think about it. And I've already decided on the method. I don 't think I even need to say
this, but I think my end should be a long fall from a place overlooking the earth."__

She's a character who doesn't have much, and because of that, has burned the image of an overlooking view in her head permanently. She wants the rush of being alive, something she only felt while looking at that view- and when her body double met its end at the hands of Shiki.

Only on this re-watch did I realize that even if she didn't fall when she did, there's a good chance that her double's 'death' would spur her own due to the nature of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception's sheer reach, similar to how Nrvrsqr Chaos's beast were killed by Shiki Tohno in the original Tsukihime.

Kyrie Fujyou is an especially tragic, tortured character. A question still lingers in my mind after this third viewing:

Would her life be better if Araya Souren hadn't stepped in, or was this her best possible fate?

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Conclusion: The first Garden of Sinners movie doesn't always hit its mark perfectly, and it's certainly not a perfect adaptation- but for what it is, it's fantastic (Say that again). And, of course... it contains an important question: Will humans ever truly be able to fly? And just what lengths would you go to in order to live? Will you keep up a brave front for a moment, or forever? Will a butterfly continue to flap its wings because it knows the sensation of flying, even though it knows that eventually it will fall?

"When you put it that way, it sounds like a cheap novel."

With a combination of ambiance, choreography, a mysterious cast, and threads that will lead to an incredible story later on, the Garden of Sinners: Thanatos (Overlooking View) certainly enraptures the viewer- if they're patient enough to dig in a little deeper. It's not the peak of the franchise by any means, but it's still a solid first entry.