Kara no Kyoukai (The Garden of Sinners)

[Growth]

As many of you may know, I'm a huge fan of Type-Moon works and everything related to them (if you couldn't already tell from my avatar and signature.)

Kara no Kyoukai is great, in my opinion. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's a light novel series written by Kinoko Nasu - creator of other masterpieces such as Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime. This series was adapted into seven anime movies, each movie revolving around specific key events in the story. Personally, I really liked the movies and I'm about to start reading the light novels. However, when you say Type-Moon or Nasu these days, most people refer to F/SN and not so much of KnK. (Based on my own experience.)

Have any of you read/watched the movies, and if so, what are your thoughts on the series?

(Araya Souren aka Arga Sören aka Angry Søren is the best character, am I right or am I right?)

[ozzi9816]

I watched the first two movies, and then got really confused because they didn't explain anything. Everyone's pasts are a mystery. I mean the action is good and all (as are the visuals), but I can barely get my head around what's happening

[Growth]

ozzi9816
That's because they pulled a Haruhi Suzumiya. There's a specific order that you're supposed to watch things in. At first, even this order will seem confusing to you, but the final movie explains everything in detail what actually happens and how the events chain together. If you're curious as to what order it is, it's:

1. Movie 2 (Murder Speculation (Part 1)/Satsujin Kōsatsu (Zen))
2. Movie 4 (The Hollow/Garan no Dō)
3. Movie 3 (Remaining Sense of Pain/Tsūkaku Zanryū)
4. Movie 1 (Overlooking View/Fukan Fūkei)
5. Movie 5 (Paradox Spiral/Mujun Rasen)
6. Movie 6 (Oblivion Recording/Bōkyaku Rokuon)
7. Movie 7 (Murder Speculation (Part 2)/Satsujin Kōsatsu (Go))

Trust me, it's worth the ride. There's a final eighth movie aswell that takes place after these events. You'll understand everything as long as you pay attention.

[Majorasfan]

I haven't watched them yet, which is a noticeable ***** in my TYPE-MOON belt. I need to someday. I'm glad I know there's an order though, or things might have gone poorly for me. xD

[Patriot]

ozzi9816
That's because they pulled a Haruhi Suzumiya. There's a specific order that you're supposed to watch things in. At first, even this order will seem confusing to you, but the final movie explains everything in detail what actually happens and how the events chain together. If you're curious as to what order it is, it's:

1. Movie 2 (Murder Speculation (Part 1)/Satsujin Kōsatsu (Zen))
2. Movie 4 (The Hollow/Garan no Dō)
3. Movie 3 (Remaining Sense of Pain/Tsūkaku Zanryū)
4. Movie 1 (Overlooking View/Fukan Fūkei)
5. Movie 5 (Paradox Spiral/Mujun Rasen)
6. Movie 6 (Oblivion Recording/Bōkyaku Rokuon)
7. Movie 7 (Murder Speculation (Part 2)/Satsujin Kōsatsu (Go))

Trust me, it's worth the ride. There's a final eighth movie aswell that takes place after these events. You'll understand everything as long as you pay attention.

I disagree with watching it in chronological order. Sure, it may be corrrect chronological wise, but there was a reason the films were aired in that order. It's similar to Baccano in that order, in how you're given all the pieces that may not fit together until the end. Airing order still feels better even if it may not be chronological, but not everything has to be chronological


I watched the first two movies, and then got really confused because they didn't explain anything. Everyone's pasts are a mystery. I mean the action is good and all (as are the visuals), but I can barely get my head around what's happening

My suggestion is to watch it in airing order. Better experience and it'll make sense in the end, a la Baccano.

EDIT: By airing order I mean:

1. Movie 1 (Overlooking View/Fukan Fūkei)
2. Movie 2 (Murder Speculation (Part 1)/Satsujin Kōsatsu (Zen))
3. Movie 3 (Remaining Sense of Pain/Tsūkaku Zanryū)
4. Movie 4 (The Hollow/Garan no Dō)
5. Movie 5 (Paradox Spiral/Mujun Rasen)
6. Movie 6 (Oblivion Recording/Bōkyaku Rokuon)
7. Movie 7 (Murder Speculation (Part 2)/Satsujin Kōsatsu (Go))

[Growth]

I disagree completely with Patriot.

Just as the movies were released in this order, the order people have come up with exist for a reason. I believe that to be because it follows the source material - aka it follows the novels perfectly. It's like you'd grab a random novel in a series and read it first without any knowledge of what is going on.

I don't know about you guys, but I'd prefer to figure things out bit by bit instead of watching 6 movies only to have the last one recap everything that has happened thus far and explain it to me. If you watch it in the original order, that's what will happen. You'll not understand alot and they'll explain it. However, in the other order, you'll understand more and more as you go, and understand why the characters are doing what they do.

I guess it's up to opinions to decide how you want to watch it, but for the - the chronological order is the best.

[Patriot]

I disagree completely with Patriot.

Just as the movies were released in this order, the order people have come up with exist for a reason. I believe that to be because it follows the source material - aka it follows the novels perfectly. It's like you'd grab a random novel in a series and read it first without any knowledge of what is going on.

I don't know about you guys, but I'd prefer to figure things out bit by bit instead of watching 6 movies only to have the last one recap everything that has happened thus far and explain it to me. If you watch it in the original order, that's what will happen. You'll not understand alot and they'll explain it. However, in the other order, you'll understand more and more as you go, and understand why the characters are doing what they do.

I guess it's up to opinions to decide how you want to watch it, but for the - the chronological order is the best.

The thing is though, watching it in chronological order, you already get dumped everything early on. If you watch it in airing order, sure, things are vague and confusing at the start, but that's what makes it great when you're watching more of the films and the events of those films connect to events in earlier films and explain stuff. You don't get that surprise and that connection with watching it in chronological order. Watching it in chronological order in my opinion would ruin, for example, Movie 1 where it would feel like it has no place because it's designed to be the introduction to the series. In Movie 1 you're introduced to the cast and you basically see what they do. Sticking it in the middle would make it feel like a filler episode. Using a different film as the introduction would ruin the purpose of Movie 1. Even so if the source material is in a different order, that's the novels. The movies are designed and produced to fit that way. Sure if you're a light novel reader and want the films to be as similar as you can, that's fine. But the movies are a separate entity which was made in a special order to provide an intrigue at the start and continous movies are designed to fill those holes like a puzzle. You get none of this watching it chronologically. Plot was designed to feel mysterious at the start, you're not gonna get that with chronological order.

I mean, my advice is to just stick with how the creators made it. It's up to you how you watch it. Besides, the stories are all self contained stories anyways, so the chronological order isn't really an issue in the first place.

Your choice, ozzi9816. Great film series nonetheless.

[Spitfire]

(Araya Souren aka Arga Sören aka Angry Søren is the best character, am I right or am I right?)

No one else here is Swedish they don't get it!

KnK is the absolute best piece of work that TM has ever produced. The entire universe effectively spawned out of the remains of KnK and in particular it has special meaning to Tsukihime. I feel that the storyline and characters are what KnK excels at and Shiki is a masterful character shaped particularly well by her surroundings.

[Patriot]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f28e4beKqnE

Has anyone seen this review/rant on KnK? It's a pretty negative one, granted most of his reviews are negative, but he does bring some good points on what the series does wrong that I'm reluctant to come to terms with but still an interesting perspective nonetheless.