VME Rewatch - Ep 01
Apr. 6th, 2019 10:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yuuagoOK, so. It's been over a year since I last watched Vatican Miracle Examiner. I have a mind like a sieve, and probably forgot a lot of stuff, so I'm really glad that the VME Discords is doing this rewatch. Maybe it'll spark some fic inspiration. ;)
One thing I've mentioned before is that this series reminds me of Weiss Kreuz - not necessarily in terms of story or visuals, but the general ~feeling~ of it. And even looking it over now, I still stand behind that. There's something about the crazy plots + cheap animation that just hits the right aesthetic note.
THE OP... IS SO... DRAMATIC. Still love that song. Also, looking back, it's kind of hilarious to see Lauren shrouded in shadow like that. I originally thought he was going to be a villain or something. xD
Though I will say that the OP is rather misleading - I feel like it kind of implies that there will be more actual exorcisms in this series? Rather than the one coke-related demon possession/exorcism we see later.
I love the first shot we get of Hiraga, that first moment with him - and him with Roberto... I feel like it just gives such a perfect slice of them and their relationship. Hiraga sprawled over the game and Roberto just like "I knew I'd find you like this" - Oh, those two. And like, the shower conversation, and Roberto ironing Hiraga's clothes? So very domestic! I must admit I missed the ironing on the first watch, it's such a blink-and-miss thing.
"My goodness, your very brain is a miracle from God." -> Great way to get people to ship your main pair, good job VME.
Lots of people have commented re: subtitles initially assuming Lauren is a woman, so I won't say much about that. Except that at the time, and still now, I.. kind of wish it actually were the case! I love Lauren as he is, but it isn't often that we get women in the "genius scientist bioterrorist" type of role.
Man, this church/hospital/boarding school has a whole lot of wacky so-called miracle stuff going on, even in just this one episode. Anna Dolores' supposed virgin pregnancy, Mario's weird... floating... thing... and then the crying statue as later revealed... Oh boy.
...Also that stigmata reveal scene is SO VERY DRAMATIC, pfff. (And, once again, reminds me of something that'd happen in Weiss Kreuz.)
"I sense a strong aura of blasphemy in this place" -> What a way to put it, Roberto. SO. DRAMATIC.
Hiraga washing his face with fountain water is just... ohh man. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S BEEN. Actually, come to think of it, you are a scientist! You can probably hypothetize exactly where that's been! What a walking disaster (or an alien posing as a human)
And now, the Discord question!
- How did you get into this series? what were you expecting? did it live up to those expectations, exceed them, or let them down somehow?
How I got into it: After hearing Folie enthuse about it for months, I finally gave in. It was New Years Eve and I was sloshed and I marathoned the thing and... honestly, that's a pretty good way to go about it. I have no idea WHAT I was expecting, except that I was possibly expecting something a bit less cracky. It turned out to be everything I could possibly desire.
- I think it's fair to say that in the first arc, at least in the first couple of eps, the series hasn't yet revealed what makes it so glorious and so addictive ""(i.e. the cocaine). looking back at this ep, is there anything you'd say feels different from later eps, whether in a good or bad way? is anything actually better than you remembered, now that you're invested in these characters already rather than starting from scratch?
Since it's the start, it needs to take time to build some things up. So when going in, one might not realize that all these weird little details tie up into one big whackadoodle plot. Rewatching it now, I can see all the little plot threads and where they lead to, but it's easy to miss all of that or not know where it's going when one's watching it for the first time. Also, watching it now, I appreciate that we get the dynamic between Roberto and Hiraga right from the start - the story/mystery needs to build, but their relationship is close and cozy and comfortable right from the beginning, and that's fun.
- What's your favourite scene in the ep? your favourite little character moment? etc
The beginning is pretty perfect, I think - the bit when we first see them together. Though I'm also rather fond of the scene where Roberto comments on how much stuff Hiraga always brings with him on investigation, and we see a bit of back-and-forth with them about their relative specialties.
-Tthe OP and the ED are Important Components of the experience, imo. which do you prefer?
I... DO I HAVE TO CHOOSE?! Well. I prefer the song in the OP, but the ED is incredibly excellent for the dynamic it shows between Our Heroes. That scene where they're having supper together! <3 Also, I love that the end bit of the ED has different dialogue every time - it's neat, that little exchange between the two of them.
One thing I've mentioned before is that this series reminds me of Weiss Kreuz - not necessarily in terms of story or visuals, but the general ~feeling~ of it. And even looking it over now, I still stand behind that. There's something about the crazy plots + cheap animation that just hits the right aesthetic note.
THE OP... IS SO... DRAMATIC. Still love that song. Also, looking back, it's kind of hilarious to see Lauren shrouded in shadow like that. I originally thought he was going to be a villain or something. xD
Though I will say that the OP is rather misleading - I feel like it kind of implies that there will be more actual exorcisms in this series? Rather than the one coke-related demon possession/exorcism we see later.
I love the first shot we get of Hiraga, that first moment with him - and him with Roberto... I feel like it just gives such a perfect slice of them and their relationship. Hiraga sprawled over the game and Roberto just like "I knew I'd find you like this" - Oh, those two. And like, the shower conversation, and Roberto ironing Hiraga's clothes? So very domestic! I must admit I missed the ironing on the first watch, it's such a blink-and-miss thing.
"My goodness, your very brain is a miracle from God." -> Great way to get people to ship your main pair, good job VME.
Lots of people have commented re: subtitles initially assuming Lauren is a woman, so I won't say much about that. Except that at the time, and still now, I.. kind of wish it actually were the case! I love Lauren as he is, but it isn't often that we get women in the "genius scientist bioterrorist" type of role.
Man, this church/hospital/boarding school has a whole lot of wacky so-called miracle stuff going on, even in just this one episode. Anna Dolores' supposed virgin pregnancy, Mario's weird... floating... thing... and then the crying statue as later revealed... Oh boy.
...Also that stigmata reveal scene is SO VERY DRAMATIC, pfff. (And, once again, reminds me of something that'd happen in Weiss Kreuz.)
"I sense a strong aura of blasphemy in this place" -> What a way to put it, Roberto. SO. DRAMATIC.
Hiraga washing his face with fountain water is just... ohh man. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S BEEN. Actually, come to think of it, you are a scientist! You can probably hypothetize exactly where that's been! What a walking disaster (or an alien posing as a human)
And now, the Discord question!
- How did you get into this series? what were you expecting? did it live up to those expectations, exceed them, or let them down somehow?
How I got into it: After hearing Folie enthuse about it for months, I finally gave in. It was New Years Eve and I was sloshed and I marathoned the thing and... honestly, that's a pretty good way to go about it. I have no idea WHAT I was expecting, except that I was possibly expecting something a bit less cracky. It turned out to be everything I could possibly desire.
- I think it's fair to say that in the first arc, at least in the first couple of eps, the series hasn't yet revealed what makes it so glorious and so addictive ""(i.e. the cocaine). looking back at this ep, is there anything you'd say feels different from later eps, whether in a good or bad way? is anything actually better than you remembered, now that you're invested in these characters already rather than starting from scratch?
Since it's the start, it needs to take time to build some things up. So when going in, one might not realize that all these weird little details tie up into one big whackadoodle plot. Rewatching it now, I can see all the little plot threads and where they lead to, but it's easy to miss all of that or not know where it's going when one's watching it for the first time. Also, watching it now, I appreciate that we get the dynamic between Roberto and Hiraga right from the start - the story/mystery needs to build, but their relationship is close and cozy and comfortable right from the beginning, and that's fun.
- What's your favourite scene in the ep? your favourite little character moment? etc
The beginning is pretty perfect, I think - the bit when we first see them together. Though I'm also rather fond of the scene where Roberto comments on how much stuff Hiraga always brings with him on investigation, and we see a bit of back-and-forth with them about their relative specialties.
-Tthe OP and the ED are Important Components of the experience, imo. which do you prefer?
I... DO I HAVE TO CHOOSE?! Well. I prefer the song in the OP, but the ED is incredibly excellent for the dynamic it shows between Our Heroes. That scene where they're having supper together! <3 Also, I love that the end bit of the ED has different dialogue every time - it's neat, that little exchange between the two of them.
Yuu. Fic writer & book lover. M/Canada.