Unresolved To The End
Nakanohito Genome [Jikkyouchuu] Episodes 10 – 12
Affiliate Link – Nendoroid
The Ones Within remained an oddity right until the end. We have those who have dropped out of the games below the complex and yet other than one flash to them during the end of episode 12 that plot line goes nowhere. Instead, after recovering their companion from the white room the group go right back into the games for episodes 11 and 12.
Now there’s nothing wrong with either episode. They have some random moments and the whole concept remains pretty weird, and it all has a sense that maybe somehow it will go somewhere. Yet, now that the series is finished the bottom-line is that the anime just leaves us hanging with the kids still about 30 million views off finishing and no clue what happens if they actually succeed. Then there was this random sequence that looked like maybe they were older and back home but it could have been someone else and we won’t get any explanation of that either.
While the lack of ending will probably mean I won’t end up recommending this one when I do a full review, I have to admit, there were more episodes that succeeded than didn’t in this anime and episodes 10 – 12 are all very entertaining. Watching the four characters who were given a child AI that needed to be made happy interacting with the rest of the group was great and it gave us some insight into Makino. The casino set up was also kind of fun as it put each personality on display in their approach to gambling.
Affiliate Link – Nendoroid
Basically, The Ones Within remained far more watchable than its score on MAL would suggest and is an anime I’ve enjoyed this season. While none of the characters have moved on from their ‘type’ the interactions within the group and the way they respond in the various games work really well and these final episodes put that aspect fully on display. Besides, watching a fish blossom out of someone’s head is certainly entertaining, and Iride’s solution of hugging monsters to befriend them continues to be an amusing approach to conflict.
Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James
Do you want to read more about The Ones Within?
Images from: Nakanohito Genome [Jikkyouchuu]. Dir. S Oonuma. Silver Link. 2019.
The anime left some infos out, which are better explained in the manga, for example the random sequence you mentioned. It is difficult to understand it when you haven’t read the manga though
Full agreement here!
“Besides, watching a fish blossom out of someone’s head is certainly entertaining…”
This is certainly not a sentence you read about a lot of shows. (And it actually makes sense in context.)
I enjoyed the show for what it is. I didn’t actually expect them to finish the story, and I’m fairly sure we’ve been introduced to new characters in the semi-final scene, which hints that someone is at the very least optimistic about a second season (I’m not – unless it’s a split-cour to begin with). I’d watch it in a heartbeat.
I’d happily take another season of this. It never got to being brilliant, but as you said, it is enjoyable for what it is and it is just different enough to stick with me each week.