Review: GOSICK

GoSick

Alex: I was sat complaining on skype about how I don’t have anything to say, and then something hit me. Why did I finish this series? Lemme break it down~

Episodes 1, 2 and 3 were probably the series at the best point it gets to. The mystery is good and reasonable, and there’s a sense of awe and wonder around the characters. Episode’s 4, 5 and 6 were disapointting. Episode’s 7, 18 and 19 all promised something which there were never able to deliver. Episode’s 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21 and 22 were all a waste of my time. 23 and 24 WERE good, however, but they aren’t enough to redeem the show in my eyes.

So…why did I keep watching this series? Firstly, i’m a huge fan of detective novels and anime and any form of detective tale, and I wanted to keep giving GOSICK a chance.But now that i’m sat at the end of it, i’m wishing that I did what Mimi did and drop it early on, and never waste my time with it.

To compare it to a detective novel. Every good novel or story vaguely follows the rules which have come to be known as Knox’s Commandments, the rules on how you tell a mystery. GOSICK….flat out ignored the majority of those rules, meaning half the cases were trashy solutions which were put together by a 5 year old kid with no idea of how mystery works.

Infact, I think the lead character and her relationship with the male lead is the only redeeming feature this anime has…~ Victorique is a great character, and she could have been developed and used wonderfully. Same for Kujo, the male lead. But sadly, none of that ever happens. Kujo remains useless, and Victorique just starts to get on your nerves as the series ends, until the pair of them finally become great characters in the last two episodes. ^.^

I guess, ultimatly, I finished this series hoping that the finale would deliver, and even though it did, it’s a series which has one or two good episodes and a great finale, and the rest of the episodes are annoying.But it’s a very, very hard recommendation, and only the very…enduring should try to watch.

    

    

    

GOSICK Episode 24

Looking at Infinity Over the Reapers Shoulder

Alex:With the Marquois plan collapsing, and Cordellia killed, with “good” Brian heavilly wounded,Victorique and “bad” Brian have to escape before they get caught. However, when Grevil turns a blind eye,they escape on a boat to travel across the sea, getting further and further away. The only thing I didn’t get is Victorique’s hair, but hey…minor detail.

I didnt really recognize the guy in the library, but it was nice to see closure for all the other chracters, even seeing that bumbling teacher turn into a reliable character worth celebrating, and even seeing Kujo and Victorique getting reunited at the last moment…kawaii~The kind of ending that the series deserved.

GOSICK Episode 23

Announcing Checkmate at Dyed Grey Chess

Alex: We’ve had 22 episodes of poking pieces around the chessboard, and that’s caused several yawns here and there. It’s about time we actually started this game of chess, instead of just moving things.

I have to admit, the 22 episodes of nudging pieces around the chessboard payed off. I don’t think I could call it worthwhile sitting through all those worse-than-average episodes, but the payoff here was actually rather good.

It started as a political thriller, as the Marquis dethroned several high ranking officials, gathered public support for Monster Charming, and then it turned to Victorique revealing his motive and his scheme. It was…interesting to see that Leviathan was the cause of all this mess, and it tied everything up nicely.

Everything came together in the last 10 minutes. And more than anything, i’m surprised that Cordelia and Redhair were the hero’s who saved the world from the Marquis and stopped his treachery, at the cost of their own life. With one episode left, i’m more curious than ever as to what’s happening.

GOSICK Episode 22

A Christmas Carol Decorates the Windowsill’s Happiness

Alex: Hey, guys =D Hands up if you didn’t see this episode coming.

What starts as a Christmas party ends in the prophecy that Victorique and Kujo get separated. Sadly, Kujo will remain useless forever now. I hope thast the next episode has something really good, because the score for this series sinks lower and lower every episode that goes by. I’m at the point where i’m praying that it’ll end my suffering and just give the main couple a happy ending where everyone lives happily and they don’t need to waste time making the plot.

Hell, the huge evil plot is that the Marquis wants Victorique’s intellect as a grey wolf, but for her emotions to make her some sort of super-human. That’s so anti-climatic it makes me cringe.

GOSICK Episode 21

The Bells of Christmas Eve Toll at the Heels of Time

Alex: Is it sad that I put this episode off because I just knew that it would fall flat? Anyone with HALF A BRAIN FIGURED THIS MYSTERY OUT. And then Victorique’s all like “This is the truth.” and everyone sits stunned. We’re 21 episodes in. It’s finishing in 3 episodes. Why is everyone so utterly clueless and dumb!

Somebody please tell me I misunderstood this episode >_> At least the finale won’t be built around the Coco Rose situation…

GOSICK Episode 20

Led by the Phantom of the Phantom

Alex: This final arc thankfully isn’t about this Coco Rose crap, it’s just using it for the background.I mean, sorry, but I already solved it, and judging from what Victorique is going to do next episode, i’m right on the mark.Add a little bit of common sense and look at the obvious: A strange agency was looking for an exact clone of somebody. She died. Dig her up, and i’ll bet dollars to donuts that there’s nobody there. The clone was just a body and a head they could use to make it look like a mysterious, impossible death, and that explains how the clone was seen after she died and why she disappeared the moment she was hired. Unless Gosick’s pulling one of those famous “You can’t figure this out without Clue X, which you can’t have until Victorique solves the case” moments.

One important thing happened this episode: Two Brian’s appeared, and one of them had some “occult” power. It was pretty much as you expected, Victorique is being forced to solve the riddle, Kujo tries to do something, but gets saved from Brian Roscoe, whilst Cordelia just watches from a distance. It’s building up to something big, but I don’t think I can trust this series to deliver.

Granted, this was the best episode of buildup yet, and all the flaws of the show have disappeared, but based on the last 20 episodes, this show isn’t very good at climaxes and finales and delivering the result of an interesting mystery. With 4 episodes left, the stage is set – will Gosick put on a play worth watching?

GOSICK Episode 19

The Rose Coloured Life is Buried Under Fresh Snow

Alex:I loooove the very subtle comparison between Victorique and Christ at the beginning.

But this impressed me. They’re tying all the little stories into each other here, even the meaningless arcs which went on for too long.That said, this episode wasn’t for the faint hearted. It may be Christmas, but that doesn’t mean it’s a jolly happy episode.
We finally get Cordellia’s backstory in this episode, just before the finale, and the tale of what happened with her and the Marquois at the end of her dance performance. Her blood-curdling screams throughout this episode was enough to chill me right to my bones in this episode, and the implied rape and pregnancy were just…yeah.

That part at the end was done really well, too. I must have that OST Track for my collection…the way they tied the prophecy, the winter, the Christmas Present and a brilliant piece of music together to create a huge chunk of atmosphere made me really feel for Kujo. He needs a lot of work, but he’s turning into a likeable character. Finally..>_>

GOSICK Episode 18

The Jet Black Train Carries Several Lies

Alex: At first, I complained about how annoying it really is for the 4 people Victorique sits with to be nutjobs, but that doesn’t really matter. GOSICK finally stopped pretending it was all about the crappy mystery, and went for an adventure themed episode, and it really worked.

The fact that everyone went to Beelzebub’s skill for an umbilical cord, a drawing of the guy when he was younger, a bottle of perfume from his first love and a note saying “Don’t turn back” is a little perplexing…does it really matter that much? I’d understand if there was like, rubies and diamonds or some sort of secret that could topple the Ministry of the Occult, but unless I missed something, it all seems rather…useless. But whatever, i’ll see what the next episode want’s to do with it before I judge unfairly. Kujo and Victorique are brilliant characters, and they pretty much carried this episode on their own, which is a first.

Honestly, i’m pretty impressed. I don’t know where GOSICK wants to go after this, but this arc revolving around Beelzebub’s skull was the best yet, and it really proves that the show knew what it was doing all along, contrary to what everyone (including myself) thought. It could have used an unusual episode number, like…18, to cut the fillers, but what’s done is done. It’s time to enjoy the final arc of GOSICK, and i’m hoping for some mother/daughter action.

GOSICK Episode 17

The Box Lies in the Spiral Labyrinth

Alex: It looks like the show is pulling all of it’s trump cards here. The pendant Victorique carries gets explained, and well…it’s pretty much what’s expected.The Mother-Daughter bond is contained in the pendant, somehow.But i’m curious as to that ring…anyway.

Putting the amazing atmosphere of the magical theme park of odd attractions to one side, it’s about time for you to tell us why Victorique is so important, GOSICK. You’ve finally perfected the relationship between Kujo and your moe detective, so make your puppets dance like you’ve promised us. Show us why we should give two damns about the Marquis De Blois, what Cordelia’s been doing, why Brian Roscoe has been built up as a badguy, and use the last 17 episodes well. Otherwise you’ll be nothing but a bitter aftertaste of a wasted series, which is a crying shame.

GOSICK Episode 16

The Felling Maria has a Fly’s Head

Alex: Hot damn. I put this off out of fear of how bad it could be, but…am I allowed to get excited here? Kujo who didn’t act stupid, Victorique who didn’t act like a snotty know-it-all with the script, Victorique’s Mother, Brian Roscoe, Victorique’s father, and hints everywhere that somebody major is gonna die. I don’t actually have any complaints.

But…i’m very wary that this series is great at building up, but terrible at delivering. Very wary.I’ve been let down one too many times by this series.