The Tale of the Heike is a classical Japanese epic detailing a war fought for control of the country near the end of the 12th century. It has received dozens of translations, is taught in schools across Japan, and is so foundational to the nation’s literary canon that it draws frequent comparisons to Homer’s Iliad. … Continue reading Heike Monogatari – 1-2
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Heike Monogatari – 09
The year is 1184. Having fled Fukuhara to escape Genji troops, the Heike are forced to undergo several further relocations in order to avoid their pursuers. In the…
Heike Monogatari – 06
Heike Monogatari returned this week to the more character-oriented stories of its first two episodes. The renewed focus on Shigemori’s children saw Biwa come back in a major…
Heike Monogatari – 09
「平家流るる」 (Heike Nagaruru) "Heike Flowing" The real carnage here is the butchery the script-writers do to the characterization and epic action of the original story.
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「都遷り」 (Miyako Utsuri) "City Transition" This adaptation is all about portraying the characters as living, breathing humans enjoying every-day moments rather than focusing on them purely as giants of history
Heike Monogatari – 07
The burning of Kofukuji and Todaiji Temples in Nara was in many ways the single most important event of the entire Genpei War, so I hope you didn't…
Heike Monogatari – 10
Episode 10 of Heike Monogatari felt slightly more measured than last week’s blitz of character deaths, family reunions, and political/military developments, but upon closer inspection, the two installments…
Heike Monogatari – 04
Heike Monogatari has dealt with intergenerational themes since its premiere, but this episode cemented them as its cornerstone. Now that we’re safely past the ‘continue reading’ tag,…
Heike Monogatari – 06
If nothing else something of the pathos of this series can be salvaged if the narration slows down enough to give it a chance to express itself. Read…
Heike Monogatari – 08
If one was going to punt on preserving the moral ambiguity of the original, it's much easier to make the Minamoto non-people than the Taira. Read more
Heike Monogatari – 10
「壇ノ浦」 (Dan-no-ura) "Dan-no-ura" The sunset of the Taira.
Heike Monogatari – 07
「清盛、死す」 (Kiyomori, Shisu) "Kiyomori, Dies" “Because I could not stop for Death He kindly stopped for me”. Or in Kiyomori’s case, not so kindly.
Heike Monogatari – 08
「 都落ち」 (Miyako Ochi) "Leaving the Capital" The Taira scrape a final spoonful out of their now almost finished bowl of victories
Heike Monogatari – 05
For all its beautiful imagery and symbolism, this episode exposed a weakness that Heike Monogatari may struggle to overcome. Where are we situated in The Tale of…
Heike Monogatari – 04
I think there's an inherent paradox at work here Read more
Heike Monogatari – 05
Through factors partly beyond its control and partly controllable, the anime is losing most of what makes Heike Monogatari so special. Read more
Heike Monogatari – 09
Watching this has literally become a physically painful experience for me. Read more
Heike Monogatari – 07
The year is 1181. Not long after achieving political dominance in western Japan, the Taira clan’s power has already begun to fade. Their move to Fukuhara is short-lived,…
Heike Monogatari – 10
The tragedy of the Taira really comes through here, carried on the source material's wings of glory. Read more
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Heike Monogatari’s TV finale contained just its second substantial portrayal of armed conflict, following episode 5’s Battle of Uji Bridge. One might think it a bit strange that…
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Heike Monogatari Review — A-
They shall be as mere dust before the wind.
Heike Monogatari – 11 (END)
「諸行無常」 (Shogyō Mujō) "The Impermanence of Worldly Things" Like the shrike that impales its prey upon branches, I feel as if this adaptation has impaled my heart upon its sharp…
Second Impressions – Heike Monogatari
Turn it into an anime and not even Heike Monogatari is immune to the curse of filler. Read more
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Possible spoilers for an 800 year old story Heike Monogatari (The Tale of the Heike) is a historical epic chronicling the struggle between the Taira/Heike and Minamoto clans…
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Heike Monogatari – Why Do Visual Metaphors Matter? | GITM Podcast Ep. 108
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Heike Monogatari Episode 9 – A Visual Masterclass | GITM Podcast Ep. 107
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