So, that finale…
Yeah.
I’ll avoid commenting suffice it to say we are hard at work, providing answers to a few of the, uh, outstanding questions we were left with at episode’s end. And, I guarantee you – BIG answers coming your way in season 3.
But, for now, I’m still enjoying Japan with Akemi.
Yesterday, we were super lazy, sleeping in (after our 40+ piece sushi extravaganza) and only getting out of a bed a little after 7 am. Then, we headed to Tsukiji Market where I did a little Periscope session –
Still getting the hang of these damn things. At least I know to title them before starting. Now, all I need to do is keep them to around 5 minutes – oh, and, uh, avoid saying “basically”, “actually”, and “uh” and they’ll be perfect. Stay tuned!
So, after breakfast, Akemi and I went our separate ways. Temporarily. I headed off to a regular (annual) lunch favorite of mine, Butagumi, with my friend Moro-san.
This appetizer is unbelievable and, dare I say it, the best thing on the menu: crispy pork, garlic, green onions, soy and shichimi spice. I always get a double-order.
Three types of pork – Iberico, natta-buta, and a third one I can’t remember…that was actually my favorite.
While I was at Butagumi, Akemi was in Shinjuku checking out the sights:
“There are a bunch of geek people taking pictures of this wall…”
We got together again in Omotesando where we paid another visit to La Maison de Chocolat. Not pictured – my ice cream sundae.
An ad for what looks like a new yakuza cooking show. Akemi suggests we could do our own version: “Cooking with THREE”.
Checking out the Belgian beer festival in Roppongi. Akemi stops to admire the giant fries.
The city is dotted with “kobans”, police boxes (more like kiosks). They update a daily count of the city’s injuries and fatalities.
A walk through a surprisingly quiet Harajuku yields this fabulous find: Transformer longboards.
Yesterday saw us shattering our previous step count record by racking up an impressive 25k+ steps
A daily count of injuries & fatalities? They have to count them every day? Are you in a safe area??? You’re making me worry…
Just watched the periscope – crazy buys place! Some of those line ups are pretty long, so must be yummy.
Can you bring back to Canada the foods you are buying?
Yeah, that finale. A few questions.
.
.
.
Now I understand why you decided that now was the perfect time to be in Japan.
Far, far away,
All DM finales = cliffhangers … I’m about to get used to this kind of ending-with-a-bang theme now.
7am is late?? That’s early for me. LOL.
Yes, that ending. Hmm. Still about 10 months away to S3, eh? Hmmm. This is not going to be easy. 🙂
That food, once again, looks delicious. Especially, that crispy pork in the first pic.
That anime wall is a little strange – I’ll have to agree with Akemi on that one. I mean, it’s interesting, but I can’t imagine it drawing a crowd like that.
“Cooking with THREE” needs to happen!
I sure hope the “2” and the “89” are not referring to injuries and fatalities in that order!
@“There are a bunch of geek people taking pictures of this wall…”
Otaku people 🙂
That’s because it was an Idolm@ster related wall. The anime is kinda popular, as is most idol stuff done well. The most recent being The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls which ran for 2 seasons, first being 13 episodes, the next being 12. They’ve done games from the series too and pretty much everything you can imagine.
Love Live! is more popular than Idolm@ster though, there’s a series currently airing in Japan called Love Live! Sunshine!!. You’ll probably see cosplay of that around maybe.
But yeah. There’s quite a few Idolm@ster characters as they’ve done quite a few different anime shows. That wall seems to be an advertisement for the free to play Starlight Stage game.
@Still about 10 months away to S3, eh?
I hope Season 3 airs in June. But I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Maybe it’s the bad week I am having but, after having watched the finale twice now, the only way I can describe what I am feeling is, indifference, maybe. Once nearly all of the Raza crew, with the exception of the Android and one other, ended up on the station, I knew what was going to happen. I was not proved wrong.
And “4”, all I can say about him is…my about face is complete. I no longer like him at all. And he seems to have gone ‘dumb’. He thinks he can trust those close to him but he can’t see what is happening right in front of his nose. And the Android needs a better firewall on her systems.
I love Dark Matter, please don’t mistake that. But I was disappointed in the finale. I’m going to take a break for a few weeks and then re-watch the whole season again. Hopefully I will feel the magic again.
Glad your trip is going well Joe. Love seeing all the different food. Especially love the photos of Akemi with the restaurant mascots.
Please don’t take my review the wrong way. As I said, I love the show just did not love the finale.
Just watched the finale. All I can say is, “Wow.” Wow in a good way…ha.
It kind of reminded me of how WW1 sort of started in that too many people/countries thought war would serve their best interest and so it happened.
Also very happy they’ll be a season 3!!!
“There are a bunch of geek people taking pictures of this wall…”
Geek Akemi, “I will too.” 😆
Yes, about that finale… Whatever happened to ‘Good Will Prevail’?
Joe, I think Game of Thorns is having a bad influence on you.
Thanks for the entertaining periscopes. As someone else said, it’s like being there! Thanks for sharing!
(Your vacations are much more enjoyable. I am on vacation next week too! Monday I am taking my dad to Costco, his favorite store. He hasn’t been in almost a year due to poor health. Say a prayer for all the shoppers as my dad rolls around in one of their electric scooters. Hope he doesn’t run anybody over! And it will be fun with mom on Tuesday as I take her to get a pacemaker!) :
Dark Matter finale was AWESOME! Loved all the action, suspense, and Five’s disguise. She looks great as a blonde. Of course now we have to wait MONTHS to find out who lives and who dies. Just so glad we are getting Season 3.
Why do shows end seasons with cliffhangers? I know the thinking is that it makes you want to watch the next season opening, but that is certainly not the case with me; it’s the quality of the plot that drives me. I find that the time between the production of “part 2” often leads to a less cohesive result, with cast changes, writer changes etc occurring. Although the worst case is getting burnt by cancellations which leave major plot lines open. Now perhaps in this case s3 is close enough that it won’t have this issue, but why take the risk?
I think from now on I will just prefer to avoid watching the last episode until the next season airs.
-Jason
@Why do shows end seasons with cliffhangers?
Because most shows are made with a view that it’ll be renewed. At the end of the day, until a network says otherwise, you have to assume you’re coming back.
Massive writing fail on the finale. Before the finale,dark matter was my favorite shows. Great 2 seasons. That is more than most shows are able to produce. The internal consistency and tight writing were one of the best and most consistent things that they show has done so well–make this episode so disappointing
In the beginning of the episode when they asked for Commander Truffault’s help–the Raza crew admitted that had the blink drive(perhaps the most powerful technology in their known universe) to tell her how they knew that the meeting was going to be bombed. The did not NEED TO TELL HER THAT. In fact it, that blink drive is so advanced that Commander Truffault reacted like It was science fiction(a great meta moment!!!:)). Commander Truffault simply would not have believed the story in the first place. Secondly, didn’t Commander Truffault come the closest to actually killing the Raza crew–twice?! If the writers keep Commander Truffault internally consistent, now she will use all resources to kill the Raza crew and take the blink drive. Now, everyone in their known universe will know that the most powerful technology in the known universe is on their ship. A lie would have been far more convincing and way way way safer!!
Then later, the fact that they did not change every lock on the ship after Ryo left is an unforgivable writing sin. Ryo actually tells the Raza crew to their face that he plans to take the blink drive and essentially conquer the universe, they don’t hide the blink drive or move it to another place. The darn thing just plugs in. 5 could have run wires to another place in the ship. How does 2 not immediately call android after her conversation with Ryo and tell Android to not allow Ryo in to the ship. NOT BELIEVABLE. JUST NOT BELIEVABLE. THEY LEFT THE BLINK DRIVE OUT FOR RYO JUST TO PICK UP AND TAKE.:(
I get it. The writers may have wanted to move the plot in a certain direction.
It will now be hard to follow the show–especially if this isn’t resolved or addressed. Now anything can happen(or not happen) for no reason–just like every other bad/dumb science fiction show. If the Raza team is that dumb, then I really don’t care about them as much!
I can only hope that the writers did actually think about these issues ahead of time and Ryo only thinks that he has the real blink drive but the Raza crew actually did do something they we will see in season 2.
Of course I will give Dark Matter another chance in season 3. Aside from the finale, 10/10 writing, 10/10 production and 10/10 acting! 🙂 Wonderful season. Thank you.:)
Joe, we seriously need to have a talk…about the last three episodes of this season, especially that finale!! Let us know when we can begin the discussion – chock full of spoilers.
Enjoying your adventures though there does seem to be a lot of food involved. Not that I’m complaining! Have you been so many times that it’s all about the food?
Your lunch looks amazing! The chocolate … the bomb! I too, would have been taking pics of that wall, if nothing else, than that it is colorful & fun.
My favorite pic besides the food and Akemi posing with fries, is of the Yakusa Chef – “eat my cooking or else!” Nothing says dinner like bullets and beer! “Cooking with THREE” – I see the makings of a S3 episode! Make it so!
@Ponytail: a trip to Costco & a pacemaker, do not a vacation make! Make the best of it. Load up that Costco cart and I know that pacemaker will make your mom feel better! Enjoy (love) your parents while you can!
Joe, watching your Tokyo periscopes and seeing all those people, I was wondering if they had much trouble with pick-pockets or shoplifters, or are they pretty honest people?
Oh yea, now that someone else has brought up Five’s disguise.
My first thought on seeing her was, OH MY GARD, HANNA MONTANA IN SPACE!!!!
LOLOLOL, I think I’ve had one too many drinks tonight. My apologies. {{hic}}
Steve: Commander Truffault had what she needed to piece together the existence of the Blink Drive the moment the Raza appeared inside her corporation’s defenses. Two other corporations – plus whichever one invented it – and probably the Galactic Authority – already know about it by that point. The demonstration – and explanation – was necessary to convince Truffault of the danger at the conference.
The middle of a raid – with the probable need for a quick escape – is the wrong time to be disassembling and reassembling your engine. Especially when Ryo wasn’t expected at the conference to begin with.
Oops… I don’t think that comment went through….
Dessert looks delicious Joe!!!
Re: Thoughts on the Finale – I did post my thoughts on Twitter but it seems they weren’t well-received. 😥
Chev
I agree with Steve that Ryo should not have had access to the Raza. Hoping it is a set-up.
Cheers, Chev
Sleeping in to you is 7 a.m.? No, no, no. Sleeping in is like 9 a.m. LOL. Sleeping in to 7 a.m. is for people who are routinely getting up at 4 a.m. Maybe that is what has been happening with the show and stuff? Poor thing. That’s a long, long day to work.
Love the chocolate — I would DEFINITELY try the chocolate.
Speaking of Transformers, did you see that someone made one:
http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/09/this-company-turns-bmws-into-real-life-transformers.html