Kara no Kyoukai Movie 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Go)

[Story: 9.0] On the whole, whether Kara no Kyoukai's storyline can be considered deep or sophisticated is debatable. However, it being a story with various intriguing concepts is undeniable. First and foremost, this is a very dialogue heavy show – minimal action, plenty of talking. In addition, the show also starts rather slowly; it takes quite a while for the scenes to set up. Thus it is not surprising that some may find it insipid. Hence, unlike other Fantasy/Magic series, Kara no Kyoukai is not about Magic in the manner of casting spells and fighting, it is more concerned with the inner workings. Nasu seemsto love giving details about how Magic work, though this is more prominent when playing the visual novels of Tsukihime and Fate Stay/Night than reading the novel or watching the movies for Kara no Kyoukai. One key aspect that made it engaging is the narrative style. I have a soft spot for shows done in anachronistic order and since this only consists of seven movies, it's not that confusing to piece the events and timeline together. Also presenting the story in a non-chronological manner helps enhancing the mood of mystery throughout the show. The ending is cliché but this is probably one of those cases where it is the most appropriate way to end it. Indeed, I might add that it is the perfect way to end. From this work, we can certainly see some of the various prototypes that will later become part of the now already famous works of TYPE-Moon. My one qualm with TYPE-Moon's works however, is that they all contain a certain level of rather dark, explicit elements. Sure, it is one thing that the works are intended for older audience to begin with, but it is another thing to have Magic, and generally Magus (Magicians) being portrayed as unpleasant in nature– I'm not really a fan of shows with elements of gore. [Characters: 8.0] Ryouggi Shiki herself is an unexpectedly beguiling character. Her development from a sociopath with nihilistic tendencies to a, well, someone with more emotion is excellently explored, particularly in the 5th and 7th movie. The characters in TYPE-Moon verse tend to have overpowered abilities, of which characters like Shiki possessed plenty potential for abuse. Yet, there are little of those, for her abilities are used mostly as plot points rather than deus ex machina for the plot to progress. If anything, Shiki’s ability is probably what made Kara no Kyoukai senjoyable. Because, once again, as mentioned unlike most magic series, Kara no Kyoukai is more interested in the metaphorical interpretation than the literal fanciful explosion. Nevertheless, in terms of its characters, this show is relatively weak. Other than Shiki, the characters are rather lacking in personality or rather, development of their personalities. While it is true that Mikiya is supposed to play the part of the normal guy (and morality pet for Shiki), he really is too bland. [Art: 10.0] Naturally, the art is superb. While I don’t recommend people to watch this series of movies if they’re looking for action-based shows, the fight sequences themselves are short but incredibly well executed. For a story heavy on symbolism, visual quality has thus become more of a prerequisite. Hence, the filming technique is expectedly one of the strong points of this show, with elements such as environmental symbolism helping to create the image that is simultaneously beautiful, whimsical and haunting, while the choreography and the way the camera angles are directed gives some of the scenes a more dynamic feel. [Music: 10.0] Needless to say, with Yuki Kajiura behind the scores, the music featured are nothing short of fantastic. The music flows well with the show, reflecting the various melancholic setting perfectly. And Shiki’s battle Theme is addictive. Kalafina, being a band formed by Yuki Kajiura herself along with some members of Fiction Junction, carried on several of its signature styles. [Summary] Naturally, Kara no Kyoukai is not recommended simply for anyone. Aside from the fact it is a rather dark show with a fair amount of gore and other mature themes (some of which contained rather graphic details), this is a show that is more concerned with delivering a story than showcasing action. With that said, this is worth the watch. Personal Overall Rating: 9.0

WOW. Great way to completely ruin a multi film franchise. The other 6 movies were great but this was boring from start to finish and the "heroes's message" is really really childish and does not ring at all with rest of the series. Bravo The investigation is really dragged out and it seems like the hours will go by and nothing will happen, only for the very distasteful and childish climax where people are forced to hear the same "no violence EVER" message that artworks seem to rely when they can't think of anything better and with actual substance. I think I will try to forget thischapter in Kara no Kyoukai existed, but that will be as hard as watching this movie, as this is supposed to be climax we were building towards. How did the autor feel this was better than Araya's story? Sure it's more personal to the protagonist and less shounen-ish, but it's really really bad.

Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Part 2)is the final movies from the Kara no kyoukai trilogy,the story occurred after 4 years an event from the second movies,as the continued of the ending credit of kara no kyoukai 6.Countless serial killer has occurred and that make Shiki as a murder suspect and that make Kakutou doing an investigation about the serial killer and didn't believe that the occurred accident about all the killing was involved Shiki....in this last movies,as the continued from the kara no kyoukai 2(part 1) its manage to answered the question in Part 1 for what happen before the accident and theother ''Shiki'' that disappeared and catharsis relationship between Shiki and Kokutou...and what make the serial killer to started to kill and who is the serial killer is being answered in Kakutou an investigation..with suspend and mystery as a main plot it really delivered well combine with a few of romance and gore and a lot of flash back between Shiki and Kakutou and the Serial killer past as a part of importance flow of story development.. The Art was good,nothing change alot ,the environment and the character movement was awesome,but some action scene was kinda dull to see.however the used of alot of dark colour as a main really bring the suspend and the mystery more interesting... and the character emotional really draw well and make the char exposed more.. The sound,was nothing that special mostly all the BGM was in an average,but using it in the right scene really create a mood to the viewer with combine the art and sound. This movies mainly focused the relationship between Shiki and Kakutou,that make it interesting even it focused the relationship between them the main story are still in the lane,that make this movies is really an enjoyment to watch..compared to the other movies i think only this movies have the strong catharsis relationship between them...with less action but emotional....

Kara no Kyoukai review Part 8. There's an old aphorism about saving the best till last, and Kara no Kyoukai ~The Garden of Sinners~ has done just that. The seventh and final movie in the franchise doesn't simply follow the events of the second movie, but utilises threads from several previous stories to weave an interesting, and sometimes disturbing, tale of obsession. The second part of Satsujin Kousatsu (Murder Speculation), takes place in February 1999, one month after Oblivion Recording, and more than three years after the events in the second movie. This time around it seems the serial killer from part one is back, and as thebodies are found one by one, Mikiya Kokuto searches for answers as he continues to believe Ryougi Shiki was not responsible for previous set of murders, and that she is innocent of the crimes being commited now. Meanwhile, Shiki prowls the dark alleys night after night ... One thing that really sets this movie apart from the rest of the series is that the plot is much tighter and more flowing than in most of the previous outings. There is also a conscious effort to tie up some of the loose ends left over the course of the series, and while there are still several unanswered questions, the second part of Satsujin Kousatsu does manage to offer some catharsis about Shiki and Kokuto's relationship. That said, the writing isn't perfect. There are still some plot points that remain unresolved, and while they may not have a major impact on the narrative per se, they do leave one feeling that the overall storyline from the whole series is a little incomplete. In addition to this the dialogue suffers from an abundance of intelligence as every character can philosophise their actions in some manner. The upshot of this is that the movie can sometimes seem condescending or patronizing, and even though this questionable arrogance may be unintentional, the simple fact is that viewers may find themselves wanting to punch the screen from time to time. While the writing may not be up to standard, the same can't be said of the visuals. Ufotable have, once again, pulled out all the stop for this finale, and it shows. The characters move with an animal grace that is rare to see, and the overall animation is stunning in its quality and choreography. The opening credit sequence is particularly noteworthy as it shows great imagination, as well as some stunning techniques that will hopefully appear in more anime. As for the movie proper, there are some fantastic lighting effects throughout which add a more ominous atmosphere to much of the story, especially when used alongside the often dark, dank backgrounds and settings. That said, there are occasions where the lighting is a little off (for example, characters are easily distinguishable in areas where there is no readily available light source), however this is a minor gripe as the majority of the movie is the most atmospheric and well animated episode in the franchise. Sound is another area where the movie excels, although there are admittedly a few minor niggles here and there. The cast are at their best in this episode, and their experience with the characters, especially Kokuto (Suzumura Kenichi), and Shiki (Sakamoto Maaya), really does shine through. The performances of the seiyuu literally ooze quality, and while there is a penchant for philosophical monologuing at times, these are delivered with aplomb. In terms of effects Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 might arguably be the best in the series. Each sound is clear and distinguishable, even when the habitual cacophony occurs during heavy action sequences, and once again the franchise proves that it can deliver very high production values. The real triumph though, is the music. In the simplest terms this movie a definite contender for "best anime choreography of the decade" as it features some of the most breathtaking melding of animation and music to be found in the medium, and the choice of tracks is nothing short of inspired. The opening sequence is a choral, hymn-like track which perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the movie, while the end theme, a bittersweet ballad, works very well with the movie's finale. Where Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 really shines though, is in the application of its thematic music. The tracks on offer have a generally dark feel to them (this isn't really a "nice" story after all), but added to that are visuals that have not only been timed extremely well, but feature some excellent animation, stunning set designs, and superb camera angles. One of the issues that has plagued the Kara no Kyoukai franchise from the outset is that the characters are often underdeveloped, and while certain events over the course of the series provide opportunities for growth, these chances are all too often overlooked. That said, there is some development to be had, it's just unfortunate that the lion's share of it only occurs in a few movies, and this is one of them. It's the introduction of Shirazumi Lio that changes the dynamics of not only the story, but also the relationship between Kokuto and Shiki. He is the one thing that forces the pair to grow as characters, and his presence in the movie casts a pall over every story in the franchise. Confused? I'll elaborate then. Kara no Kyoukai has made the effort to portray Souren Araya as the main "bad guy", but while his goals may be the drivers for many of the events over the course of the series, he never affected Kokuto and Shiki in the way that Lio does. It's his formation of a very disturbed "menage-a-trois" that causes Kokuto to "get off his backside" for once, and pushes Shiki to the edge of reason. Lio is also noteworthy for the surprising amount of characterisation that has gone into his creation. He is a complete persona from start to finish, and while there is virtually no development on his part, he honestly doesn't need it. To be perfectly frank, I found this to be the best installment in the series, and while it is somewhat more graphic than other episodes, this only serves to improve one's understanding of the characters and events (as opposed to simply being graphic in order to be "cool"). A case in point is one particular interaction between Lio and Shiki, which while being rather sexually charged, is more reminiscent of a child pulling the wings off a fly. It's this emphasis on improving the viewer's understanding of the characters that really sets the movie apart, especially as this is what has been lacking for most of the series. If you're a fan of franchise, or of TYPE-MOON, then Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 is a movie that you should definitely watch. As a standalone it holds its own against many other releases, but when the series is taken as a whole the movie is raised to a new level. That said, in order to fully appreciate the difference it's best to watch the rest of the series first, as while each episode functions as an autonomous tale, this particular film has been designed to convey an ending. Kara no Kyoukai may not be to everyone's tastes, but whether you like it or not the one undeniable fact is that the franchise makes a great advertisement for the potential inherent in the anime industry, and given some recent releases like Break Blade, it seem like someone was paying attention.

Merchandise

Links may contain affiliate references

Studio

Producers

Themes