This review may contain spoilers
It's A Human Eat Human World
This is actually a review of seasons 1 and 2. I refrained from writing a review for the first season because it ended in a frustratingly unresolved cliffhanger that it annoyed me for days on end! I was so pissed it ended with zero resolution that my rating for the season went from 9 to 6.
After watching the second season, I can confirm that my violent reaction was warranted. The following season started exactly where the first one left off and since I had to wait three whole years for the continuation, I had forgotten a lot of the characters and subplots that I had to do a refresh. For god's sake, they could've just made a 15-episode season instead of splitting it into two!
One of my biggest pet peeves is when seasons end on a cliffhanger without resolving any of the conflicts that were laid out. They could've at least ended the first season with a semblance of a resolution as consolation to its viewers who patiently watched all seven episodes. But no, they had to go the full cliffhanger route and basically declared war with how they ended that penultimate episode, even making people wait three years with the fear that it won't be renewed. And for that alone, my enjoyment of this series was partly ruined. I would've given this a much higher rating if not for that poor decision by the producers/directors. Seriously, who decided they'll just make one season and end it like that without fully knowing if it will be renewed or not?!
But putting aside my grievances, now that I've seen season two, I can honestly say that this is one of the better written and most bonkers, gory, and visceral show I've seen to date! The story itself is so disturbingly insane, I can only imagine what kind of sick mind concocted it. But that very lunacy and the equally crazy characters are its greatest asset. It makes you realize how dark and gruesome humans can be when trapped in a corner like a wounded animal determined to survive.
The characters are so unbelievably complex and relatable to a degree that it bothers me. The Goto family perturbs me but they are the result of generational wealth, power, and privilege. You might think a family like that could not exist in this day and age, but they do in some shape or form. They may not literally eat flesh, but they eat their share of “livestock” simply by existing. If I were Keisuke, would I have done the same things he did, especially when it was all he has ever known? Yes, I probably would've. But I also might have been Yosuke. I might have been Ai, refusing to sacrifice my own child for other people's twisted gains. Even Gin herself had every reason to hate and exact her revenge on a village that treated her like trash. This was a truly thought-provoking, terrifying, and maddening series with nail-baiting scenes, stunning cinematography, fittingly eerie music, and well fleshed out characters. The acting is also superb. I think I might've fallen in love with Kasamatsu Sho even more.
Would I recommend this despite my earlier rant? Yes, if you're into body horror and don't mind all the blood and gore. Good thing you can binge all episodes now. I wish I knew this was their plan, I would've waited for the second season before starting this. I could've saved myself from all that grief! Lol I give this a very solid 8.5.
After watching the second season, I can confirm that my violent reaction was warranted. The following season started exactly where the first one left off and since I had to wait three whole years for the continuation, I had forgotten a lot of the characters and subplots that I had to do a refresh. For god's sake, they could've just made a 15-episode season instead of splitting it into two!
One of my biggest pet peeves is when seasons end on a cliffhanger without resolving any of the conflicts that were laid out. They could've at least ended the first season with a semblance of a resolution as consolation to its viewers who patiently watched all seven episodes. But no, they had to go the full cliffhanger route and basically declared war with how they ended that penultimate episode, even making people wait three years with the fear that it won't be renewed. And for that alone, my enjoyment of this series was partly ruined. I would've given this a much higher rating if not for that poor decision by the producers/directors. Seriously, who decided they'll just make one season and end it like that without fully knowing if it will be renewed or not?!
But putting aside my grievances, now that I've seen season two, I can honestly say that this is one of the better written and most bonkers, gory, and visceral show I've seen to date! The story itself is so disturbingly insane, I can only imagine what kind of sick mind concocted it. But that very lunacy and the equally crazy characters are its greatest asset. It makes you realize how dark and gruesome humans can be when trapped in a corner like a wounded animal determined to survive.
The characters are so unbelievably complex and relatable to a degree that it bothers me. The Goto family perturbs me but they are the result of generational wealth, power, and privilege. You might think a family like that could not exist in this day and age, but they do in some shape or form. They may not literally eat flesh, but they eat their share of “livestock” simply by existing. If I were Keisuke, would I have done the same things he did, especially when it was all he has ever known? Yes, I probably would've. But I also might have been Yosuke. I might have been Ai, refusing to sacrifice my own child for other people's twisted gains. Even Gin herself had every reason to hate and exact her revenge on a village that treated her like trash. This was a truly thought-provoking, terrifying, and maddening series with nail-baiting scenes, stunning cinematography, fittingly eerie music, and well fleshed out characters. The acting is also superb. I think I might've fallen in love with Kasamatsu Sho even more.
Would I recommend this despite my earlier rant? Yes, if you're into body horror and don't mind all the blood and gore. Good thing you can binge all episodes now. I wish I knew this was their plan, I would've waited for the second season before starting this. I could've saved myself from all that grief! Lol I give this a very solid 8.5.
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