RDG: Red Data Girl - 11

"The First Rejection"

I have next to no clue what just happened, but Izumiko is not to be trifled with.

We stand exactly one episode from the finale of this beauty of a show, but I remain as pleasantly confused as ever. I've spoken about how the Western lack of familiarity with Shugendo is definitely an issue with comprehension in terms of how and why things happen in RDG, but there's something in the stylistic choices that accentuates that feeling of being lost as well. This isn't the first time that I've felt like I might have missed an episode in between this week's and last, but though it's disconcerting I've never been outright annoyed by the lack of my understanding. There's something in the little details that exemplifies the artistic technique of "show, don't tell", but in a series this rich in detail (visual and otherwise), that can really be rather overwhelming, beautiful though it is. We're never really told how and why things happen, but figuring it out is no small feat either. Still, to say the story isn't interesting because of this would be ridiculous, and though things are complicated, my love for this series even now has been thoroughly earned.

Even so, there is definitely an issue with pacing, even if the series has managed to masquerade the issue quite well. This is not the sort of anime meant for one cour, and it really saddens me that the one cour format is becoming a standard due to industry expectations and budgets. In just this one episode, for example, things really don't have time to explain themselves, words or not. We can tell that Takayanagi is up to no good, and that Izumiko is bewitched, but how and exactly what it is he's done is rather complicated. There are moments when she seems like an entirely different person, blushing flirtatiously and contemplating thoughts of Takayanagi's attractiveness, and others where she seems like herself but with a distinct lack of fear and timidity. At the beginning of the series this would be completely out of place, but in the latter half Izumiko has grown quite impressively, making this seem less shocking. And there's the question of why she doesn't want Miyuki to come. Is she afraid that he'll be bewitched as well?

The relationship between Miyuki and Izumiko seems to have reached a point where Miyuki can outwardly express himself about his feelings, if only to Mayura. Her proposal that they pretend to be engaged, however, is puzzling. She mentions that Izumiko and Miyuki can never be together for the same reason that she cannot marry (whatever that is; perhaps the manservant/goddess relationship?). Even more perplexing is the fact that whatever Miyuki replies, it shocks Mayura greatly. I can't pretend to guess at what's going through Miyuki's head, but it does make me muse over his interest at Izumiko's wish to be herself rather than the Himegami. After all, Miyuki is the most assured that they're the same person (personality wise? in actuality because of time travel? descendants?), and this certainly does make sense in light of her response to Takayanagi's spell. Her dilemma at her own lack of control over who she really is and what she wants really defines the conflict of this series; as complex and mythical as it is, at its core this has always been a struggle for Izumiko in establishing her own identity and coming to terms with herself.

N.B.: Thanks to Ivan for the caps! He's been added to the site as an official contributor under the name Lord Voldymint. Be sure to give him a hello and thanks if you see him post! He won't be doing episodics like me but he has leave to write on whatever games, manga, or anime he wants to talk about whenever he wants, and he'll be helping me more actively on things like previews! Thanks a ton, and ecstatic to have you on board my friend! You're always such a huge help, I really appreciate it!