Bokurano Ep.9
I think now, with the perspective of knowing with that the anime and manga definitely will be different, it makes judging Bokurano on its own merits easier. Some of those merits still don't sit well with me (the washed out colour scheme, the gangly CG segments etc.) but I can't fault the success of Bokurano's more domestic-based character development, and episode nine is a good example of this.
The slow burning tragedy of Daichi's predicament exemplifies the underlying tension of the entire show incredibly well. The kids know they will die after their turn with Zearth is over, and most of the dramaturgy is born from what they do with this remaining time. Some are driven insane and act out, some resign to their fate and detach themselves from their daily woes, and Daichi, forced to care for others above himself, represents pragmatism.
If handled poorly, this could've been as detached and inhumane as the characters who lost their shit, or the ones who gave up because they knew they would die. Characters that sacrifice themselves for the sake of duty often seem like robots and have very little for the audience to identify with. What really maintains Daichi's pathos, however, is that he never loses his sense of self; of being the responsible, eldest caregiver but equally being a loving brother. He doesn't allow his impending death to victimise his life. He makes arrangements for his siblings' futures and gives them as much of his companionship as he possibly can. Daichi's circumstance initially suggests he has one of the hardest lives of the fifteen kids, but it turns out to be the thing that keeps him strong until the very end.
I really enjoyed this episode. It wasn't as messy as some of the previous arcs, and the emotional highs and lows weren't as severe, but it was excellently plotted and the character moments never floundered. One of the highlights of the series so far and exactly what I needed to revitalise my waning interest in the show.
