Housing Complex C Episode 4 Review

Okay, I didn’t expect things to turn out like that! But I guess that this means that all those theories about Kimi were true in the end. I think. Regardless, the finale to Housing Complex C dove right into the pool of Lovecraftian storytelling. In life, Lovecraft feared the unknown, and what greater unknown is there than the idea that some god might look at humanity and decide, “screw this. I’m out.”

That’s basically what happened in this finale. A god decided to quit on us. 

It’s Always Been Kimi

The finale episode opens with a final message from Taka, revealing some major bombshells about the story. It was Kimi at the center of it all. She isn’t the priestess of the story from before. In fact, much of what we suspected was a red herring. In truth, Kimi is a god. An actual god, whose been watching humanity for eons, judging them to see their worth. She even put Housing Complex C in a time stasis in the year 2000 to see if humans could live in harmony with each other.

Take a guess on how we’ve fared. Everything fell apart when Yuri’s family showed up. They’re not a normal family, but a bunch of demented killers who slaughtered everyone in a sacrifice to another god. Then they try to off Kimi while Kan tries to save her. The final nail in the coffin, though, comes when Yuri, who’s as crazy as her parents, tries to kill Kimi. 

It’s at this point that Kimi drops the sweet little girl act, puts on her big girl boots, and basically tells Yuri, “you done screwed up.” 

Kimi Calls it Quits

The climax of the finale has Kimi give Yuri and her family the riot act, saying that she knew who they were the whole time. She even turned the dead bodies into moss to keep people from getting scared, because all she wanted was for people to live in leave and be happy. Then Yuri’s family came, creating discord and strife, and Kimi can’t stand it. She’s been trying for millennia to see if humans can avoid screwing up, but they always seem to. 

Then Kimi basically says, “screw this. I’m done. I give up on you people.” Thus, Kimi kills the Koshide’s in a brutal fashion, and I’m so grateful that anime has desensitized me to this level of gore! Then she ends the stasis on Housing Complex C and the island, returning us to the present day. The island’s in ruins, everyone’s dead, and Kimi has gone to whatever plane of existence she came from.

However, not everyone died from what happened. Remember Rubel? He was smart enough to bail, and he got to live thanks to that. In addition, Kan, the man everyone thought might be a Deep One and the enemy, gets to survive. Thanks to his kindness and standing up for Kimi, she gave him some secret words that let him survive the end of Kimi’s test. Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if he needs therapy after everything.

An Interesting Take on Lovecraftian Horror

Some people might complain about the ending and say it doesn’t make sense. They’re not wrong, either. A lot of the plot details wound up being irrelevant. However, the main theme of Lovecraftian horror remained consistent. Lovecraftian horror is about the worst kind of threat people could face. Something so powerful and vast that we can’t even understand their motivations, let alone fight back. Imagine if Bill Cipher turned out to be real and showed up? That’s how bad things would get! That’s what makes Lovecraft’s works so…horrifying.

Despite everything, though, I think Kimi shouldn’t write humanity off as a whole. Kan proves that, for all our faults, there are always good people out there. It’s why I haven’t given up on humanity, myself. Then again, Kimi’s seen it all, so this can be her judgment call. I can’t blame for getting fed up with people’s bull and deciding to quit, though. 

Regarding horror, Housing Complex C was a compelling story about the nature of the unknown. The twist ending wasn’t something I expected, and while I think it could’ve been better executed, it was still riveting to watch. I’ll probably rewatch it next Halloween. Until then, though, this is the end of the line for Housing Complex C. Sayonara, Kimi.

I Give “End of the Line” a 4.5/5

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Housing Complex C Episode 3 Review

Okay, what is happening at this point in Housing Complex C? First, people start turning into piles of moss. Then, we find piles of dead animals everywhere. Now, we have a severed dog’s head in a pot of syrup? I’m not even sure who’s responsible for what’s going on at this point, you guys! However, what I do know is that there’s an ancient curse on Housing Complex C, one that ties back to the legends and visions from the first two episodes.

Paranoia Grips Everyone

So, following the discovery of the severed dog head in the syrup, the wheel, as Takashi puts it, turns full circle. In other words, the residents of Housing Complex C hate each other more than ever. It takes everything Kimi has to keep violence from erupting! Now both the reisdents and interns have started to form night watches, which only increases the divide even further.

Amidst all of this is the mystery surrounding the lore of the island. There’s the vision of those girls being slaughtered by outsiders and the song about the moss maiden. In addition, there’s the fact that people keep turning into moss themselves. Even as things spiral out of control, Takashi remains focused on learning the truth behind the story of Kurokado.

It may already be too late for the Housing Complex, though. Kan’s once again the subject of suspicion, while his friend Rubel decides to pack his bags and leave. I don’t blame Rubel, either. Even if the distrust weren’t at a fever pitch, it’s clear something bad’s happening at the Housing Complex.

Is Kimi Hiding Something?

Then, we have Kimi. On the surface, she seems like a sweet little girl. However, the anime’s dropped several clues that she’s the moss maiden spoken about in the song. This week, though, we got an even bigger indication that Kimi might know more about what’s happening than she lets on.

As Yuri, Kimi, and Kan search for Takashi, they retrace his footsteps to discover what he found: the Kurokado shrine from the local legends was located underneath what’s now Housing Complex C. In addition, Yuri and Kimi discover some wall paintings that give us a rough idea of what happened in the past. Essentially, this group of Deep One expy’s emigrated to the island, and began sacrificing themselves to appease their deceased god. If you add in the vision from the first episode, then outsiders learned about this practice and attacked them. That’s all I really know about, though.

That, and it seems like those who learn the truth for themselves get cursed and turn into moss. Firstly, we have Hideo and that other man. Now, we have Takashi, reduced to a pile of moss, with only Kimi aware of his fate.

What Will Happen in the Finale?

The evidence keeps stacking up, people. Kimi seems to know on some level what’s happening at Housing Complex C. Plus, there’s also the fact that her “mom” is some kind of fetus-creature.

Overall, I felt thoroughly confused by this episode, with it leaving me with more questions than answers. Considering this is a four-part miniseries, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Housing Complex C will have to stick the landing next week for me to give it a good review. At least it will make for good rewatching for Halloween, though.

I Give “The Wheel Has Come Full Circle” a 3.5/5

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Housing Complex C Episode 2 Review

I’m normally not one for the horror genre, but every now and then, I’ll make an exception if I think I’ll enjoy it. In this case, I’m glad I made an exception for Housing Complex C, the horror mini-series airing on Toonami. With it’s use of Lovecraftian elements, good visuals, and the feeling of dread and suspense, it makes for an interesting story. That said, it’s not going to be for everyone, as it’s what I would call a “slow-burning” kind of horror. 

Tensions Run High

Picking up where the first episode left off, the residents of Housing Complex C deal with the disappearance of Hideo. All they found in his room was a weird pile of moss that the police blame on the humidity. It’s clear, though, that this wasn’t a natural occurrence. Something’s afoot, and tensions run high between the residents and the foreign interns. It also doesn’t help that the elderly woman keeps disrespecting the interns customs. Ignorance leads to misunderstanding and fear.

The Song is a Clue

While Kimi and Yuri try to break the tension by gathering things for a shaved ice party, the audience hears a certain story related to the local lore. While the song telling the story itself seems a little weird, it foreshadows what’s going in the Housing Complex. A story about a black-haired king served by foreigners that came from a nameless sea. However, it’s the last verse that should get the most attention. It speaks of a maiden wrapped in verdant moss, a referee eating a salmon, and praying to heaven while people are nice.

You have to hear the song itself, but here’s what I was able to get from it: everything that’s happening is part of some ancient legend of Kurosaki, and Kimi’s at the center of it all. She’s the king who wants everyone to be happy and get along. In other words, the moss is some kind of supernatural thing, and it’s either killing the residents or making them disappear. Either way, it’s not good for anyone.

Then there’s the salmon. While everyone’s getting ready for the party, the adults find piles of dead salmon lying around. Despite their suspicions, it appears that the interns aren’t responsible for it, though doesn’t explain everything. Especially since things escalate with the discovery of more dead animals in the woods. 

Don’t Eat the Syrup!

Everything comes to a head on the day of the shaved ice party. At first, it goes well, and everyone seems happy. Until one of the adults (Kentaro Yoshii) finds this in the syrup.

Meanwhile, another pile of moss is found in another apartment as another resident goes missing. 

At first, this doesn’t seem scary. However, as I was watching, I was struck by a thought: this was a slow-burning horror story. The reason it works so well is because the audience remains in the dark about what’s going on. Our minds start to come up with explanations, and as the story progresses, the paranoia grows. By the time we hit the climax, we’re as scared as the characters in the story. 

In other words, Housing Complex C knows how to scare us. I don’t know how things will end, but I doubt it will be a happy ending for anyone. I eagerly await the next part. 

I Give “Mismatched Buttons” a 4/5

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Housing Complex C Ep 1 Review

When I was in college, I took a class on the subject of American Gothic. one story I vividly remember reading in that class was Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Essentially, it was a story about a New England fishing town that the Deep Ones occupied, immortal, humanoid fish people disguised as humans. One of Lovecraft’s most famous works, its legacy can still be felt today. And now, Toonami’s offering their take on it. Just in time for Halloween is their new horror miniseries, Housing Complex C, and if the first episode is any indication, then this will be very dark.

Welcome to Kurosaki and Housing Complex C

In the Japanese seaside town of Kurosaki, there’s a low-cost apartment complex, Housing Complex C. Most of the tenants consist of adults and the elderly, with the sole exception being Kimi, this bright and happy 9-year-old that everyone dotes over. Housing Complex C seems like a peaceful place, until the day some new tenants move in, interns working for a fishing company. 

The upside is that one of the new tenants is a family with a daughter Kimi’s age, Yuri, and the two seem to become best friends. It feels like a nice, peaceful, slice-of-life story.

Don’t be fooled. That’s just how the story wants us to think so it can lull us into a false sense of security. It’s made clear early on that there’s something afoot in Kurosaki, and Housing Complex C stands at its center.

The Facts of the Case

Exhibit A: the flashback. In the first few minutes, we’re treated to this flashback to events centuries ago. This group of warriors attacks the island and slaughters everyone, until all that’s left is this young girl around Kimi and Yuri’s age. Then this girl screams, and all the warriors turn to ash. That’s a pretty big indication that Kurosaki’s hiding a dark and bloody past.

Exhibit B: The Adults and Kimi go inside this old storeroom that someone built and kept stuff in years ago. Now, this isn’t really evidence, but seeing a mummified dog is pretty messed up. What is evidence is this little stone that has this broken star drawn onto it; that’s got to mean something.

Lastly, we have exhibit C: some of the residents of Housing Complex C are weird, and I mean in a creepy way. There’s this long-time resident that’s this shut-in guy. He spends all his time researching the Cthulu mythos and making drawings of what he learns. It’s almost like he knows that something bad’s about to go down. 

Lovecraftian Themes Already Shown

Then there’s the interns themselves, and how they’re all foreigners. Now, on the surface, that shouldn’t be much of a problem. However, those who know H.P. Lovecraft should understand something important about the man: Lovecraft was racist. He wasn’t subtle about it, either. A lot of the monsters in his stories were racist caricatures or metaphors for it. It seemed as though Lovecraft had a massive fear of the Other, and this bled into his stories. 

In recent years, writers have made strides to separate Lovecraft’s racist portrayals from Lovecraftian lore, but it can still show. Case in point, one of the elderly tenants of Housing Complex C confronts the interns when she hears them making strange sounds. It turns out, they were just doing their morning prayers. Or, that’s what it seems like.

Don’t Expect a Happy Ending

Look, I’m pretty sure that those “Interns” are going to be Deep Ones in disguise, so the old woman’s paranoia is justified, just not in the way she thinks. I have no idea what’s going to happen in the next episode of this month-long miniseries, but one thing’s for sure. I’m now hooked on Housing Complex C, and I can’t wait to see how it ends. I doubt that it will be a happy ending, though.

I Give “Optical Illusion” a 4.5/5

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