The Finale Was Amazing! One Of The Best If Not The Best Cartoon Finale I've Ever Seen!

it was literally my reaction to the trailer:

{Family ?}

I wanted to make some changes to the background (less blue more red) of my last drawing, nothing extraordinary but I still wanted to share this version

Click for better quality

I’m so excited about the episode “be very afrais". I also wanted to draw varian but unfortunately I didn have time so, I will try to draw him tomorrow.

Where is the captain when his daughter is struggling with her past and all alone with a creepy blue girl who is clearly manipulated her with her fears and her doubts

We’ve lost a truly remarkable treasure. Rest in peace, Russi Taylor.  Thank you for gracing generations with your talents. 

Is Hong Lu the tea ?

I really like this title but of course I'm not trying to imply that Hong Lu is literally tea but I would like to talk about a potential foreshadowing or metaphor (?) concerning Hong Lu and which takes place in the story Liu association 5.

It is not so much a theory but more of an analysis which serves to point at elements which seem to reinforce ideas we have about Hong Lu and to better understand or even guess what his canto will look like.

Summary:

Hong Lu is = to the tea of this story

The objectification of Hong Lu

Hong Lu is like water

Spoilers further below

I/ Hong Lu is = to the tea of this story

It's time to talk about the frames that initiated this over-analysis.

Frames that appear to be a rather trivial conversation about tea leading to a humorous exchange between the three characters. But is that really all there is to take from this exchange? What if there was a foreshadowing or/and a metaphor hidden behind it?

It's true that the dialogues at the end of this story, where Hong Lu discusses the ability of his left eye to shine, is more memorable. I admit that it was also the part that caught my attention the most at first. However, upon rereading this passage, I find this exchange very interesting to analyze.

So here we go:

I've seen some people discussing that Hong Lu's age is around 30 years (I think), but I couldn't find the post, so I'll rather assume that Hong Lu is between 20 and 30 years old, as many people (including myself) think.

And this is where it all begins, because when I see Hong Lu talking about a tea "fermented for over 20 years in an ideal environment" and described as "nigh priceless," I can't help but wonder if there's a direct parallel to be made with his character.

We already know that Hong Lu has lived a sheltered life, presumably since forever, in an environment isolated from the rest of the world by and with his family, until finally he joined Limbus Company, which became (it seems) his first experience of the outside world.

If we follow the idea that, Hong Lu is over 20 years old and that him joining Limbus Company was his first interaction with the outside world, then we can see his arrival at the company as if he was taken out of the closet, like the tea that was brought out after more than 20 years of fermanting in this "ideal environment".

It remains to be seen whether Hong Lu escaped this "closet" or if he was brought out for a particular reason.

All this to say that Hong Lu's life until the game’s events could be seen as that of tea fermenting for years before serving its purpose.

We can therefore draw a parallel between the fermentation of the tea Hong Lu talks about and the type of life Hong Lu has led so far: Hong Lu is like the tea, and perhaps this image can give us or confirm what Hong Lu's life was like and how it is meant to be seen: that Hong Lu was fermented within this familial environment to produce an individual nigh priceless.

[SD: Now, if I use the term "fermentation/fermented" to talk about Hong Lu, I will, of course, be referring to his sheltered life with his family, but it will be easier to use the same term to talk about both the tea and Hong Lu and to support the parallel.]

What's also interesting is that the ones behind the fermentation of the tea and Hong Lu happen to be the same: Hong Lu's family.

This, I find, reinforces the legitimacy of this comparison.

We can also note that Hong Lu often talks about the tea he savored while still living with his family, so in a way, tea is a reminder of home for Hong Lu or more precisely, his past life.

I know it's not much, but it could still be an indication inviting us to make this comparison or to pay attention to details where tea is mentioned.

Returning to this idea of fermentation, whereas we know that the fermentation of this tea is supposed to give it a unique taste or/and a unique smell, it's hard to say what the goal of Hong Lu's "fermentation" was.

Perhaps to give him a unique "taste," which for Hong Lu would equate to a predefined personality and/or identity corresponding to his family's expectations.

It may also correspond to the fact that Hong Lu was kept isolated from the rest of the world because: rich people's mentality that doesn't want to coexist with those they consider inferior. Who knows…

But ... I can't help but think that there's another reason for this, but it's still too early to really know which one.

II/ The Objectification of Hong Lu

Small parenthesis: Before continuing with the analysis of the tea, I think it's interesting to dwell on this parallel between Hong Lu and a precious object that might make us understand that the question of objectification is a theme that will be relevant for his character.

After all, if in this story Hong Lu is also supposed to be paralleled with, or even "be" the tea, then his status is reduced to that of a precious object brought out for special occasions or to boast to guests.

Moreover, in the same story, Hong Lu lets slip a phrase that might make us think he is reduced to the status of a precious object in his family's eyes, more precisely a precious stone.

Indeed, his heterochromia wouldn't be due to nothing since, if we follow the original plot of *Dream of the Red Chamber* from which his character is drawn, the color and glow emanating from Hong Lu's eye should be due to him being born with a magic jade in his eye (similar to Jia Baoyu (the character Hong Lu is supposed to be inspired by) who was born with a small magic jade stone in his mouth)).

So, a magic jade stone would be in Hong Lu's left eye or something equivalent that might, at least, looks like a jade stone.

And this discussion around his eye (and in a way, his "jade") is probably the first clue showing us that Hong Lu is reduced to this small stone that is the (only) thing giving him value (for his family).

Returning to the idea of objectification, this seems to be supported by the phrase I mentioned at the beginning of this parenthesis:

"To them… I was a gem of a child"

Which might be more literal than one might think.

What's interesting is that this phrase has the appearance of a "false truth" and of something trivial that might be more nightmare fuel than one might have thought if taken under a certain angle.

This seems to be a recurring mechanism in Hong Lu's character (and ties in with the novel's theme) where the first appearance of something can hide the exact opposite. This trivial phrase suggesting that Hong Lu was pampered by his family because he was their little treasure might actually be a phrase hiding a much crueler and darker reality:

That Hong Lu was literally a precious stone to his family and that his value as a human being was reduced to his eye, which seems to be what his family reduced his being to, if we follow this theory.

And Hong Lu seems to be trying to belittle or/and hide his situation.

Hong Lu was summed up to the precious stone in his eye, and that's all he was to his family: a precious gem.

And I mean, I'm fascinated by this atmosphere of falseness that seems to surround Hong Lu: everything seems to be a mirage, an illusion (pun intended).

No, but seriously, I don't know if these are coincidences or over-interpretation, but most of Hong Lu's stories and dialogues (especially those mentioning his family) are steeped in this atmosphere of smoke and mirrors.

It's all the more fascinating that these moments seem to be a glimpse, a warning of what Hong Lu's canto will be: deceptions everywhere. I find it impressive that even in Hong Lu's mechanics / construction and writing, everything brings us back to this impression that we're facing an illusion.

This last paragraph might not have been very clear, but I'm having a bit of trouble describing my thoughts, hope you’d get a part of what I meant.

III/ Hong Lu is Water

So far, this served to show that it was possible to draw a parallel between what's said about the tea and Hong Lu.

It's time now to look at the last element that might give us more to understand how Hong Lu sees himself or the shape his identity crisis will take.

Indeed, we know that each sinner, through their canto, gets through a sort of identity crisis.

They reconnect in a certain way with their identity and face or evolve from a toxic way they had of dealing with their vision of themselves and their identity: Gregor existed only through his mother's expectations and his trauma related to the war and him being dehumanized, Rodya lived through her guilt feeling responsible for what happened to her neighborhood and the view Sonya had of her, Sinclair also lived with his guilt but also his anger towards Kromer, Ishmael lived only for revenge on her captain, etc...

Well, it is still debatable whether each sinner listed and from future cantos are/will be at the same stage of "personal development" and if they all managed/will manage to detach from their past to live for their future (cough, *cough* Gregor).

But I think that, through their Canto, the sinners learn to reconnect (at least a little) with their identity, their true self by "eliminating" what hindered this recognition so far: Herman, Kromer, Ahab...

And I think that's the essential: this reconnection with oneself.

Moreover, I'm not saying that each sinner has renounced their past, forgetting it in a drawer to live entirely differently without it impacting them, but that they have learned to live for a future rather than for and through their past.

A canto thus serves (in part) to help the concerned Sinner reconnect with their identity and their vision of their life/self.

But how would this apply to Hong Lu?

On one hand, I think first by breaking this image of an object that Hong Lu may possess in his family's eyes and perhaps in his own if he was raised with this vision of himself.

But also by tackling this illusory image of himself that Hong Lu displays.

After all, despite the rarity of this tea, the only remark Faust makes is:

"Despite the intense scent, the taste is essentially blank…" and she emphasizes this again by calling it "scented water."

I find that this image of tea being "scented water" is perfectly reflecting the idea that it's a deception, that what we are presented with is actually an illusion.

Indeed, this description could be an excellent example/metaphor of what an illusion is:

"A false interpretation of what one perceives. and Appearance devoid of reality."

The reality of this tea, which is its taste, is masked by an illusion, its scent, which comes across much more intensely to drown out this reality.

I believe this description underscores one of the themes that I think will be very important regarding Hong Lu: this often blurry distinction between what is real and what is an illusion and the idea that what appears true is false, and what appears false is true. This echoes one of the most important passages in the book from which Hong Lu's character is drawn:

"Truth becomes fiction when the fiction's true;

Real becomes not-real when the unreal's real."

We have seen many examples with Hong Lu where what he shows/says is either the opposite of what we thought, or the first impression was ultimately not the reality. For instance, when Hong Lu tells his story on the abandoned ship, we first think it’s a horror story before the twist reveals a truth radically opposed to what we thought.

The fact that Faust refers to water as a base is logical since we’re talking about tea, but it could also be an intelligent way to create a metaphor/foreshadowing with Hong Lu's behavior, which remains quite subdued and sometimes seems deceptive/false.

Moreover, this metaphor is made through an element that is more than perfect to describe someone who only reflects an image and is never their own reflection or lacks personality: water.

Transparent water can symbolize a lack of true substance or character. Similarly, a person whose personality is transparent can be perceived as lacking authenticity or sincerity. This transparency is masked by a scent to try to hide this emptiness and show the opposite of what it really is.

It’s a bit like Jack Vessalius in Pandora Hearts for those who know it.

Oswald describes Jack as water, as someone who only reflects an image, without true authenticity or a real identity of his own. In a sense, he is always playing a role.

It is also always interesting to remember that one of the most important characters in the novel "Dream of the Red Chamber," Lin Daiyu, who has a close relationship with the main character, Jia Baoyu, is a character associated with the element of water. She spends most of the novel being described as weeping or crying, and this is due to the “debt of tears” she promised to repay to the jade stone that helped her in her previous life when she was a flower. Lin Daiyu, being the reincarnation of the flower, repays her debt by crying in her new reincarnation. Hence her association with water.

But let’s get back to our main point.

Next, what’s interesting is the sentence Faust uses right after to criticize the tea she was served:

“I must wonder though, is there a good reason to pay such a stiff price for… for lack of a better word, scented water.”

We try to mask the transparency of this water with a strong scent, but in the end, it remains an illusion and doesn’t fix the real “problem” of this tea: it’s tasteless, without personality. Could Hong Lu then be just scented water that conveys an image filled with scent (that of a young aristocrat who has had an easy life and has been immersed in wealth all his life) to mask his lack of identity or self/ownness (is that a word)?

Hong Lu is merely scented water; he emits a strong and misleading scent that seems to suggest a certain vision he is or/and others have of him, but in the end, he remains just water to which a scent has been added. Perhaps this water couldn’t develop its own taste because it has been fermenting for over 20 years in an ideal environment, imposing on it a scent that has defined its entire identity.

This could also be seen as a metaphor that ties back to the idea of smoke and mirrors and that this image of a dandy that comes from Hong Lu is just an illusion whose scent is stronger and masks his real "taste".

And it also could be a way to reinforce this idea that Hong Lu try to hide or belittle the/his reality with a stronger "scent", masking the reality with something more noticeable even if it's just an illusion.

Hong Lu should then, during his Canto, learn to renounce the bases that has given him a bit of scent until now, what allowed him to be more than just water, to have an identity, to find a new one/ his true self that would be much more authentic and real.

{Tired naivety}

*manifesting Hong Lu’s past*

There is no doubt in my mind that behind all this cheerfulness is hidden a horrible backstory.

Let’s talk about the end of Canto IV and the identity of Dante

Summary :

-Introduction 1.New perspective on the character of Demian 2. Dante and Saint Exupéry 3.Sinclair and the snake: symbol of his incoming death 4. The stars = people 5. Make connections, find friends 6. But in the end what about the sheep?

At the end of canto IV (which was extraordinary) we were treated to a very interesting little “post credits” scene: Dante and Demian talking together and the latter saying a very interesting sentence:

« Just draw me a sheep later »

This sentence just awakened flashbacks of my high school years because this sentence is of course a reference to one of the most famous sentences of Saint-Exupery's Little Prince. In the “Little Prince”, the character of the same name asks the author, who is also the narrator and a character in the book, to draw him a sheep to protect his rose.

But what does this mean for Dante? It is still too early to come to a conclusion, but we can still look at several elements that this new information could highlight.

1. The character of Demian

Although Demian is, of course, inspired by the character of Demian from the book “Demian” by Herman Hesse, it could be possible that he is also inspired by the character of the Little Prince.

Why?

First, the sentence quoted above is a sentence resembling one that is spoken by the Little Prince in the book, as I said at the beginning. However, this is not the only resemblance between Demian and the Little Prince.

Just in terms of appearance we can see a similarity: the scarf that Demian wears around his neck could be a reference to the Little Prince's scarf which is often represented as floating, like Demian's.

Demian is also related to a character who is related to a snake. I am of course talking about the character of Emil Sinclair where we can see a snake behind him in his image.

Although the snake is mostly a reference to the original sin in Hesse's work, I can't help but think that this snake could also be a reference to the snake of “The Little Prince”.

2.Dante and Saint Exupery

But then if Demian is like the Little Prince and he asks Dante to draw him a sheep, would Dante be inspired by Saint-Exupery? Since it is him who draws a sheep to the Little Prince. Maybe…

It is interesting to note that the interactions between Demian and Dante are very similar to that of the Little Prince and Saint-Exupery:

Demian says cryptic things and responds in the same way to Dante's questions, who remain perplexed in front of him. Sometimes Demian ignores or does not even answer Dante's questions. It's very similar to the many scenes between the author and his blonde-haired friend, one asks many questions while the other responds in a "strange" way or ignores them altogether.

What is interesting is that Saint Exupery is the author and a character of his book which makes him a unique case. Plus it should remind you of someone: Dante from “The Divine Comedy”. Where the other 12 sinners are either inspired by a character or the author of their respective works, they are never inspired by someone who is both. Only Dante find themself in this case.

Another element supports this theory linking “The Little Prince” to Dante: the sentence they said to Sinclair when the latter was about to join Kromer:

These sentences are, I’m sure, a reference to a famous quote of another very important character in “The Little Prince”: the Fox

« Here is my secret. It is very simple: we only see well with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye. »

The fox explains that the true perception and understanding of things is not done through the eyes, but with the heart. He emphasizes that the very essence of things, their true value and beauty, can only be perceived by having an inner vision, an emotional connection.

But then, Dante would be the Fox?

As you can see I am more of the opinion that Dante are inspired by the author and not by the Fox but then why do they pronounce words belonging to the Fox. Well I think Dante said the fox’s words because they remembered them unconsciously because it was a moral that touched the narrator in “The Little Prince” and could have touched them in the same way. The Fox could belong to Dante’s past.

This would be why, I think, Demian repeats these words before intervening against Kromer, he recognised them.

3.Sinclair and the snake? A symbol of his incoming death?

A brief parenthesis on Sinclair. Demian says a very enigmatic sentence to Dante regarding Sinclair:

“When he becomes one with beautiful stars…”

Although I think this phrase refers to the fact that when Sinclair will able to see entirely with his heart and not his eyes, then he will "be one with the stars" I also have another interpretation.

This turn of phrase strongly reminds me of a passage from the book (WARNING! SPOILERS REGARDING THE END OF THE LITTLE PRINCE):

At the end of the book the little prince dies from the bite of the snake, thus leaving his body and now able to join B612 — his star. At that moment, the little prince joined the stars and "became" his star. In the book it is mentioned that when a person dies they become a star in the sky. This suggests an idea of ​​continuity and eternal presence beyond earthly life.

This supports the idea that the stars represent each existing individual but also that the stars symbolize the immortality of the soul.

So Sinclair should become a star and one with all the others by dying? Does this sentence announce his death?

Small additional detail: Sinclair strangely resembles the Little Prince from the little we know about him. The only physical detail we have of the Little Prince is that he looks like a child and has wheat-blonde hair.

So yes, blond hair is not the ultimate proof that Sinclair would also be linked to “The Little Prince” because it is not difficult to meet this criterion, as a proof Don Quixote could also very well correspond. But taking into account that Sinclair is already linked with Demian and has an element that distinguishes him from other sinners: the mark of Cain + these mysterious similarities between him and “The Little Prince”, it was worth mentioning.

Additionally, Sinclair is associated with the color green; the color that is often associated with the Little Prince because of his clothes. And the color green used for Sinclair is named: immature green, although this could be a reference to Sinclair's egg, hatching, self-development theme associated with Demian, why not considering that "immature" is a reference to the character of the Little Prince who can be seen as immature because he does not sound like an adult and behaves like a child even in the face of serious situations. I think it's worth looking into.

Also I thinh that this "theory" could also highlight a moment of Hell Chicken: I'm talking about when Sinclair's team (Faust and Outis in particular) comment on Sinclair's height and the various reasons why Sinclair isn't likely to grow taller than that. This comment about Sinclair's height implying that Sinclair remains small even for his age could be a clue to his connection to the Little Prince by making him look like "a child"

4. The stars

I would now like to address the theme of the stars, which is a very important element in the book as in Limbus Company, as Canto IV was able to confirm.

For the Little Prince, the stars are more than just bright spots in the sky. They symbolize the infinite and the inaccessible, awakening in him a feeling of wonder and escape. They offer him a sense of connection with something greater than himself, transporting him beyond.

If we want to connect the phrase "seeing with the heart rather than the eyes" and the stars, we can mention this passage:

The Little Prince observes the stars and says: "All these stars are mine. To me alone. They make me laugh every time I think about them."

It shows how the Little Prince finds meaning and a deep connection with the stars by seeing them with his heart, which allows him to feel joy and wonder. Strangely this is exactly what we saw in Canto IV, and at the same time its exact opposite.

When we were talking about the tale and the "tearful star" singularity, we could see that the stars were also seen as a symbol of hope and joy in the Limbus’ world as is the case for the Little Prince. However, K corp's singularity does the exact opposite of what the stars are for in The Little Prince: it cries in their place. Where the stars of “The Little Prince” are associated with joy, here it is associated with sadness. But is this really the case?

In truth, this star could also be seen as a mean to bring joy or at least to prevent people from feeling sadness by crying for them. This star would therefore be similar to the stars of the Little Prince in this sense.

However in "The Little Prince", the stars can also be interpreted as representing people in a metaphorical way. The Little Prince encounters various stars throughout his journey, and each of them is home to a unique person. It can be seen as a representation of the individuals he meets in his life. By focusing on the stars, Saint-Exupéry emphasizes the importance of human diversity and individuality. Each star and each person has an intrinsic value and contributes to the richness of the universe. The Little Prince himself learns to appreciate the uniqueness of each star, just as he learns to understand and love the different people he meets. This is something Dante are doing: they are learning to know the different sinners (and people) and to appreciate their uniqueness.

Each star, although distant and distinct, has a certain importance and its own identity. In the same way, each person we meet in our own existence is unique, with their own experiences, emotions and perspectives. Which is, I think, a very underlined subject in Limbus Company and that’s not all:

“I wonder,” he said, “if the stars are lit so that everyone can one day find their own.”

For Saint-Exupéry, the object of the quest, the star, is closely linked to the personality and experience of each of us.

“People have stars that are not the same.”

Guides, little lights, problems, precious metal… depending on whether you are a pilot, spectator, scientist or businessman. But for a star to become ours, for the Truth to make mystery beautiful as the invisible rose makes the star beautiful, it must become the seat of our most personal desire, the receptacle of our hopes and of our memories.

To inhabit our star with a meaning that is unique to us, to make it different and to be able to evoke it in the darkest night, it is essential to seek to know oneself with determination, like the Little Prince who "does not never gave up on a question once he had asked it.”

Knowing how to take the time to explore, to step aside “Straight ahead, you can’t go very far.” to be able to assess yourself.

This work on oneself to populate a star with one's hopes is not done without pain. It can bring more disappointment than pride and lead us, like the Little Prince, to cry over the banality of our character:

“I thought I was rich in a unique flower, and I only have an ordinary rose (...) it doesn’t make me a very great prince. And lying in the grass, he cried. That’s when the fox appeared.”

I find this process of acceptance and self-discovery reminiscent of Limbus Company's notion of E.G.O and Fathom of the E.G.O where each sinner learns to make peace with a part of themselves and break the cycle. He doesn't have to reject a part of himself or keep only the "good" in him. He learns to accept it and live with it to make it a source of light for his star, even if it sometimes has to go through a difficult acceptance of a truth or trying trials.

5. Make connections, find friends

I wonder if the notion of « taming » will be mentioned in Limbus Company?

The word « taming » does not have the same meaning as what we might give it on a daily basis. When the fox explains to the Little Prince what « taming » means, he says to him:

"It's something too forgotten, says the fox. It means creating links..."

Taming represents a process where one establishes a deep emotional connection with someone or something, and it is through this heart connection that one can truly see and understand.

The fox explains to the Little Prince the importance of taming, which involves investing time, attention and affection in creating deep and meaningful bonds with others.

The fox also emphasizes the responsibility that comes with taming by saying,

"You become responsible forever for what you have tamed."

The fox explains to the little prince that when you tame someone or something, you become responsible for this relationship. It emphasizes the importance of caring for those you love and cultivating lasting bonds.

Furthermore in "The Little Prince", the themes of loneliness and friendship take center stage.

The Little Prince often feels lonely during his interplanetary travels, as he is the only one of his kind and finds himself far from his planet and his beloved rose. However, as he encounters various characters, he discovers friendship and the power of human connection.

It is in particular thanks to his friendship with the fox that he understands the importance of emotional ties and the need to bond with others.

The book thus explores loneliness as a universal experience, while emphasizing the vital importance of friendship and human relationships in filling this feeling of emptiness. It reminds us that deep and sincere connections with others are essential for our growth and our understanding of the world around us.

So I may be a blind optimist but I feel like this idea fits well with Dante and the bus members:

Even if it's complicated and there's still a long way to go, each member of the bus are becoming close and are developping a bond that could be seen as a form of friendship. And after all as the fox said; it takes time, affection and attention to create this special bond. Every day Dante can sit a little closer to each Sinners respecting their rhythm as the little prince did for the fox.

However, this would mean that Dante could start to feel a sense of responsibility that accompanies the birth of this bond.

In fact, Dante already feels this responsibility but they associate it with their role as a manager who must guide their employees. However I think that Dante could soon see this feeling of responsibility as a feeling that accompanies what they have "tamed" and thus realize that it is not because they are a manager that they feel the need to take care of the Sinners but indeed because a lasting bond is borned between them.

6. But in the end, what about the sheep?

The sheep represents desire / expectations and creativity.

The metaphor of drawing according to Saint-Exupery tells us that, forced to live in a world of realism, we fail to guess and describe this Truth that attracts us: his attempts to realistically draw a sheep fail to satisfy the Little Prince’s desire.

The Little Prince does not only want a sheep, he wants a sheep capable of protecting his rose by eating the trees. Under the surface of this drawing hides the object of the Little Prince’s desire and therefore of our existence as he says in Chapter IV, strange when we know that Demian also asks us for a sheep in Canto IV

“When you want a sheep, it’s proof that you exist”

Would Demian then ask Dante to give him a solution to his problem of realizing his desire? Is this “Truth” linked to the quest of Dante regarding their memories, an attempt to regain the Truth and in a sense gaining back their existence?

The sheep could also be linked to the sacrificial lamb in the Bible, I don’t really know where this information could take us but since the sacred texts are at the core of Project moon’s works it’s always good to mention. Furthermore, the other common point between the Bible and “The Little Prince” is the fact that The Bible is the most translated book in the world but “The Little Prince” is the second one.

Official Music Video of GOTCHA by BUMP OF CHICKEN!

Anne needs to see a therapist or to find some help, poor girl :,(

Always training