It's already been said better by others, but frankly I just need the catharsis of typing this out.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this season until the finale. Up to that point, this season was some of the most entertaining tv I have seen. The characters, pacing, and plot lines were all so well written and compelling, and the visuals and the score are absolutely stunning.
To be clear, I did not hate this finale. Rather, I just feel a bit confused and slightly disappointed as to why the writers decided to end things the way they did. Others have pointed out various issues such as Fowler running away instead of just killing Mizu and Taigen when he had beaten them, the rapid fire and pinpoint accuracy of the rifles, or the gate scene with Seki and Akemi. While certainly puzzling (and a little distracting), these did not trouble me nearly as much as Mizu, and the writers, ostensibly deciding to abandon Japan in favor of London for season 2.
Obviously, the feudal Japanese setting drives a lot of the plot and serves as a luscious, colorful backdrop for the surrounding story. Trading this for 17th century London, something many of us in the West have seen depicted in other media far more frequently, is a bit confusing, and I am worried some of the visuals may suffer as a result. On the other hand, I suppose it is an opportunity to showcase something contrasting to the main setting. I'm looking for positives.
But more importantly, I have concerns over how this change impacts the overarching story. Mizu's quest for revenge was the focal point of the show, but seeing her character grow and her heart appear to soften along the way was equally compelling. Further, the intertwining stories between the main characters was expertly done, and now they've fully removed the piece that brought them together, and not in a satisfying way at all. I don't necessarily hate the idea of Mizu not killing Fowler, but it certainly would've made more sense and been a clear ending to the season. It just feels like the latest example of a late season plot twist for its own sake.
With Mizu leaving Ringo and the others behind (without even saying goodbye), how will her arc change in a way that makes sense? How will her relationship with these characters continue to evolve, again, in a way that makes sense? And what about her Taigen? I appreciate that this is left open ended, but not by virtue of her being on the other side of the world. My worry is that season 2 could be more like this episode than the previous 7 episodes. Which would be a shame considering the quality of the series until that point, and all of the hard work that was put into the previous episodes.
All in all, this one episode is not entirely fatal, and I have hope that the writers can craft something incredible again for season 2. If not, I'm sure I will not be the only viewer left wanting after seeing what this series is capable of.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this season until the finale. Up to that point, this season was some of the most entertaining tv I have seen. The characters, pacing, and plot lines were all so well written and compelling, and the visuals and the score are absolutely stunning.
To be clear, I did not hate this finale. Rather, I just feel a bit confused and slightly disappointed as to why the writers decided to end things the way they did. Others have pointed out various issues such as Fowler running away instead of just killing Mizu and Taigen when he had beaten them, the rapid fire and pinpoint accuracy of the rifles, or the gate scene with Seki and Akemi. While certainly puzzling (and a little distracting), these did not trouble me nearly as much as Mizu, and the writers, ostensibly deciding to abandon Japan in favor of London for season 2.
Obviously, the feudal Japanese setting drives a lot of the plot and serves as a luscious, colorful backdrop for the surrounding story. Trading this for 17th century London, something many of us in the West have seen depicted in other media far more frequently, is a bit confusing, and I am worried some of the visuals may suffer as a result. On the other hand, I suppose it is an opportunity to showcase something contrasting to the main setting. I'm looking for positives.
But more importantly, I have concerns over how this change impacts the overarching story. Mizu's quest for revenge was the focal point of the show, but seeing her character grow and her heart appear to soften along the way was equally compelling. Further, the intertwining stories between the main characters was expertly done, and now they've fully removed the piece that brought them together, and not in a satisfying way at all. I don't necessarily hate the idea of Mizu not killing Fowler, but it certainly would've made more sense and been a clear ending to the season. It just feels like the latest example of a late season plot twist for its own sake.
With Mizu leaving Ringo and the others behind (without even saying goodbye), how will her arc change in a way that makes sense? How will her relationship with these characters continue to evolve, again, in a way that makes sense? And what about her Taigen? I appreciate that this is left open ended, but not by virtue of her being on the other side of the world. My worry is that season 2 could be more like this episode than the previous 7 episodes. Which would be a shame considering the quality of the series until that point, and all of the hard work that was put into the previous episodes.
All in all, this one episode is not entirely fatal, and I have hope that the writers can craft something incredible again for season 2. If not, I'm sure I will not be the only viewer left wanting after seeing what this series is capable of.