Ōoku: The Inner Chambers Netflix Anime Series Review

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers Netflix Anime Series Review
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Anime, Animation and World Cinema Movie and TV Series Reviews
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In an alternate history where the male population is nearly decimated, eligible men serve as concubines to the woman shogun inside the walls of the Ooku.
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*****
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*****
Nicolas Cage Ratings Explained:
5 - Nic Cage in - Lord of War
4 - Nic Cage in - Leaving Las Vegas
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2 - Nic Cage in - Con Air
1 - Nic Cage in - The Wicker Man Remake
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#ookutheinnerchambers #netflixanime #netflix
The Ruby Tuesday

[@Argos-xb8ek]

Didn't expect such a grounded story and really made me think that in history people literally had a life so tragic.

[@DeathxStrike18]

Too bad its dumb, think about it if you wanted to restabalize the population then having men reporduce and much as possible with as many women as possible would have been the smart thing. Keeping them as reproduciton slaves for only the elite would cause the civilization to collapse.

[@coolcat6103]

History Hi Story Tall Tale

[@tavibaby]

I watched it twice in 2 days. To better understand the story, as there were some things I missed. Also, I just loved the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed. My favorite character was the Monk/Abbot turned Senior Chamber Leader, Arikoto, his heart was pure and I felt for him the most.

[@sinahaase9923]

I loved arikoto so much!!😍😍😍

[@khenuubahian4570]

yeah, the part that he didn't want to slept with lemitsu anymore broke 💔 my heart that's too deep for a man accepting his fate that he can't give her a baby 😭.

[@morriganrenfield8240]

I don’t think many would feel otherwise, phenomenal character

[@IvoryRajkumari]

Just finished it and I'm sobbing like a baby. I think one of the side stories hit me the most, especially in the last episode.

[@Exen88]

It was well written and it was DEEP. A realistic storyline. Which I’m slowing growing into these days. The most notable line to me in this show came from Arikoto and the princess where they each said that they were forced into this situation and can never leave this place for the rest of their lives. They just bawled at this revelation. The other notable lines said was when Arikoto revealed to himself that the only one he can save was the princess all along. This was notable because Arikoto grew up thinking that he’ll save many lives and never thought he’ll be confined like this. His situation revealed that he wasn’t a saint and that he was powerless after all..in reality. But the princess, a fragile soul, not at the will of her own, came into existence and in this situation only to be merely used as a vessel to preserve the clan.

[@trepayne8320]

They could’ve at least let them have one baby together. It made me sad on the last episode

[@junioruchiha1386]

Nah it helped with the storyline

[@maddyedits01]

If that would had happened then princess stayed with arikoto only...it showed sufferings of two lovers who no matter what they were facing still loved each other to the end...

[@celastinads4797]

After finishing watching, I am weeping with sadness for Arikato.

[@MrShinigami8]

My god the ending of this show frustrated me so much! But like… in a good way ! It’s amazingly well written, I was craving for a happy ending, which we don’t get, but… sometimes life doesn’t go your way… The love story crushed my heart… I strongly recommande, I started the 1st ep out of curiosity and I ended bing watching it until 3 am… ooops

[@jazzyj3059]

Own this series physically, and it is a roller coaster of emotions. Seeing this animated has literally gotten me in my feels 😭🥺😤😩

[@manco828]

I binged this since yesterday. I want a second season!

[@cellorosemusic12]

Same I really hope they continue this!!

[@jazzyj3059]

If you’re willing, read the manga. It’s really really good 😌

[@cellorosemusic12]

@@jazzyj3059 That's what I started doing 😊

[@sosa5889]

I couldn’t even cry. Everything happened so fast Omg.

[@darkwingduck9704]

This series fill me with existential dread. Aside from the first male concubines the story centers around in the pilot episode, everyone else embody the inescapable cycle of despair, disappointment and powerlessness. These are sentiments I deeply relate to and have accepted for myself but to see it in such a way wounded me deeply... So deeply infact I wondered if seeing it was worth it for I could not leave the series with any semblance of hope or closure.

[@IrvinaFalah]

I watched it for the second time to pick up details that i might missed in the first time. Still love it very much. Some anime bring reverse harem topic that seem unnatural but Ooku is in another level. The story feels grounded even with its alternate history. Beautiful yet depressing and heartbreaking.

[@rsblueocean]

really enjoyed this series, even though it did feel me with sadness. there were some meaningful messages spread across. Like Arikoto mentioned he thought all his life is meant to save people in the way he envisioned to be (as a monk doing charity), but he realised that he is meant to save that one person in front of him all along (the ruler of the country). By showering her with love, he is actually saving a lot of people because Lady Chie grew to be a great ruler because of him. Also, it was sad that he thought he couldn't handle it anymore that he has to share the bed with who he love for a long time to come, and retreated. He didn't know Lady Chie is his all along, and the days he has left with her is actually very short. The manga has repeated messages of reflecting that what we want is there all along, but we refuse to make sense of it and think we lack, and ultimately fall short in the end.

[@sinahaase9923]

Best serious anime I’ve ever watched. I loved it so much 🥺

[@VershyTheQueen]

I am currently watching it now. The anime dropped literally yesterday and I am interested to see how it unfolds. Netflix also let this anime be extremely lowkey when advertising.

[@M4rt1nX]

I cried a lot but Manga/Anime are not fairy tales. I think that the bet you can do to feel better is to rewatch the first episode and leave it there.

[@morriganrenfield8240]

Cried so much, this was an incredible season Holy HELL!

[@micck5693]

I was looking for if anyone review/react for this series. Manga was well written and anime version was also good quality. Thank you for making this video!

[@arjunsdarkage1036]

Great Anime (10/10), The Story Is just too good. You never get to see such emotions.

[@asan1050]

Hello Ruben! Thanks for sharing

[@Wats06071]

Thank you for the review. I actually know little bit about it not because I have read the Manga, but someone on Booktube (The YT section where people talk about books) I follow was reading it. I do watch a decent amount of Anime (not so much this year), so it popped up on my screen today. I am putting it under is under likely, but not certain. Talking of Anime. I think Netflix best acquisition was almost the entire library of Studio Ghibli. I had excellent time ging through these movies.

[@dreamermrcds6204]

Thanks for the review! I had heard of the manga but I wasn't aware that they were working on an adaptation. Netflix suggested to me (I guess I do watch a lot of anime) I loved it. I had to binged. I just could not stop! Now I need to find the original manga. :) I just didn't expect a "Alternate history" be so well engaging.

[@maddyedits01]

I just loved this series....it's really sad and very romantic at the same time

[@girlonatightrope9395]

Thank you for this review! Just started watching it

[@Makise3]

Does anyone know if the total viewership for this anime was successful on Netflix or not? Did it stay in the top 10 for a long enough amount of time?

[@Makise3]

I just finished watching this anime yesterday and I was blown away with this incredible story and the music was amazing as well. Really hope it gets a season 2 because I really want us to go back to the present time and see what happens after the current Female Shogun finishes reading the history book and I’m hoping that she herself finds a love interest as well and we can follow her story next.

[@TheRubyTuesday]

Couldn't agree more!

[@NelsonStJames]

I guess the algorithm has me pegged as someone who likes anime, because I’m watching this review specifically because Netflix recommended it, I’d never heard of it before, and I decided to see if there were any reviews on it.

[@Tuinuiski]

Always happy to see a new anime review from you. Never heard of this one, it sounds interesting, alt history is a great sub genre. Rurouni Kenshin is my favourite period anime, I think it's being remade or something. Gintama and Samurai Champloo are also good. Vinland Saga is huge right now but I haven't gotten into it yet.

[@candide1065]

Is alt history a codeword for female power fantasy?

[@garystewart2355]

I really like alternate timeline stuff and this was a really good one

[@animangafan342]

The romance tales reminded me a lot of Uta Koi but its in the edo era in edo focusing on ths Tokugawa shogunate. Uta koi took place in the Heian era in the imperial courts, focusing on the famous poets of the time. Still, the romance stories feel similar to the ones here. Its the same mangka that wrote nobunaga concerto. I bought the first japanese volumes of that back in 2013 when i was in high school. This artist really likes the samurai socio-political history. The anime for Ooku covers basically Voumes 1 thru the second to last chapter of volume 7. There are a total of 19 volumes of the manga & i believe they have been published in English.

[@badkawaiikitty]

Started watching it when it first came out, couldn't really get behind it. Now I'm giving it a second try and was like, "Ok, I need clarity for this." Well done review video; just enough info and interest expressed to encourage me to keep watching.

[@fallenishoria5684]

Why couldn’t give arikoto a wife with character development with developing a independent mindset and have confident with goals. There no ways with his beauty and strength to serve the shoguns that hurts him every day.

[@reinaborikendelcaribe2792]

It was as good as the manga, however I wished they would have employed the Maturity rating in accordance. Otherwise very sad, bittersweet, and unfinished ending as intended.

[@jaylinmoseley3910]

Ngl, at first i was put off cause i thiught it was shaping up to be some big Yaoi 'BL' series which is most certainly NOT my cup of tea. However, after watching a review and seeing it be praised for remarkable story telling, and the confirmation that it was indeed NOT a Yaoi anime, i returned to givr it a fair chance. Safe to say im glad i did. This is such a well-written series. I appreciate how it doesn't give that generic happily ever after like most anime of this nature do where the main female ends up together. It's definitely a refreshing (and depression inducing) watch. That dynamic of the man she loves being forced to watch her have other guys' kid, and her being unable to really do anything about it because of family bs just hurt me to watch. Its like watching a slow burn descent into madness.

[@CaroleMcDonnell]

I saw the jdrama version of this about ten or so years ago. So when i saw this i thought, oh i know how this goes. It had a relatively happy ending with our hero getting away even though he had "harmed" the shogun by having sex with her. But when i saw your thumbnail that it was dark, I thought...uhm... are they going back to the original mangas? The actors in the jdrama were two fave japanese actors so of course they probably sweetened the ending , changed a lot of it, and toned down the darkness. So am watching to see this adaptation. thanks.

[@asrafelicia]

I think there is also a continuation in 2012. The series that tell us the story of Arikoto and Lady Chie. Arikoto was played by Masato Sakai in that series.

[@devonboyles2871]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT❤❤❤ but yeah, kinda depressing... but beautiful😍

[@anemo01]

I loved this series. I’ve seen the manga in stores, but wasn’t a fan of the English translation. Anime done it justice!

[@fern9342]

How much the story would’ve changed if Arikoto were able to give her a child. I wouldn’t be strong enough to let another man knock up the one I love. Damn.

[@nathaliemaesanchez3824]

I have read the manga and things become more interesting. Particularly, the new characters. All of them are somewhat unlikable, yet they are VERY well-written! Especially one chapter jn the manga that just teared me up, literally. There are multiple characters that are going to appear in the show. Their backstories are also showed or told. All the characters in this anime/manga just feels more HUMAN and are portrayed as HUMAN. No matter how unlikable some of the future characters are, they are still human.

[@V.U.4six]

I’m kinda confused The first episode shows a prologue but delves into the future right?? Then it seeming goes back in time and based on the episode descriptions it stays in the timeline? What about the new shogun lady in the first episode Does it ever return to that time?? I just assumed it would be somewhat brief to describe what went down for the place to become what it has after all those years

[@nathaliemaesanchez3824]

@@V.U.4six The first episode shows questionable policies and rules and positions in the inner chambers. The rest of the 9 episodes shows the beginning and reasons on why it was established. It all sums up to this: It all starts with Iemitsu which the anime shows her tragic backstory and love story. Then it shifts Arikoto(Iemitsu love interest) with Iemitsu's 1st Daughter (Who, in the end, confessed to Arikoto in the 1st of the last 2 panels in the manga which she was last seen before everything shifts to the next shogun.) A prince from Kyoto became her consort and she passed away without any children. Nothing was special about her since no tragic anything about her except her resemblance from her mother Iemitsu. Then It shifts to the next Shogun (SPOILER), Tsunayoshi. The story will shift from a different female shoguns and how they rule the country after Iemitsu's passing until The new shogun in the first episode, Lord Yoshimune and her backstory revealed. I haven't gotten far in the manga and I'm still in chapter 25/79 chapters but I will give an update when I finish the manga.

[@candide1065]

sounds really reeeally lame

[@nathaliemaesanchez3824]

@@candide1065 Ok. I mean if you're not into drama/suspense it's ok. The manga in my opinion is much better. You don't need to watch or read if you don't want to. The chapters and the words in it are really long.

[@trepayne8320]

@@nathaliemaesanchez3824 what chapter did the anime end on if u know what I mean

[@foodini666]

Nice review this looks interesting

[@TheRubyTuesday]

Is it. Different

[@shyherajacc7168]

I love arikoto character 😢

[@xane1990]

Really enjoyed it

[@trainrex7031]

Loved this story

[@ziety33]

Currently trynna recover from yhis 😔

[@Cangeltibon]

I read it in middle school, I’m i 31!!! I was shocked that they were making it into an anime and damn near lost my mind when I saw that it just wrapped up in 2020. Now I binge read when I have a spare minute.

[@anicat1769]

Thank you for the review I think I'm a drop this show because I don't want to watch the depression show because already have depression in my life so I will drop this show😅 that was good review 😄

[@deepaksachan3776]

It isn't depressing but anger might fill in your heart. The intimate scenes are the most disturbing scenes and if they had shown them in full I might have tore my phone down.

[@boparks3204]

It's not depressing. Just serious. It's hard to explain, but think people learning and changing to survive... and thrive in their new environment. The pain and satisfaction of that change.

[@obsidianwing]

I was honestly confused after episode 3. This Confusion and too many figures was not a big help in getting any Level of empathy for the Figures. I have to admit I felt nothing much for anybody in this series.

[@melanieortiz712]

It wasn't too bad but still felt like was coming from a very patriarchal headspace.

[@Rivera_Olga]

That is exactly what the story tries to criticize, even though the world around them has changed in favor of women, old habits are hard to break. In this case, patriarchal thinking.

[@FireHill20]

Dark and depressing sounds like me

[@TheRubyTuesday]

Hahahaha...up your street then

[@FireHill20]

@@TheRubyTuesday lol I really like dark anime like berserk and psycho pass

[@TheRubyTuesday]

@@FireHill20 I'm busy reading beserk....yup that's a little dark.😂

[@FireHill20]

@@TheRubyTuesday that’s cool for me I’m taking a break from fantasy right now I’m reading 1776

[@roseystudio10]

Interesting series, kinda sad after the first episode, with themes such as morality, ideals, political complications, role shifting, sexism, value of oneself, love barriers, and even sexual assault/abuse. Warning, there will be mentions of sexual assault. I know I'll be extra here, and it's a little irrelevant here, but f**k, it's sad and it's not taking itself seriously with the subject specifically. There are plenty examples of sexual abuse in this show, and when I saw that warning with sexual violence involved, I expected like one or two examples of this happening, oh no, there must be six or even seven categories of examples, want me to list them? Examples: -The main dude in the very first episode goes through an attempted rape. -Arguably the male prostitutes could be having their bodies sold under their parent's oversight, willingly or unwillingly. -Aritoko gets coerced into having sex with a woman under someone with authority's order, even when he REALLY doesn't want to, but gives in due to threats against the safety of his fellow monks (one killed before) and gets shamed by the other men for a while after. -I'm pretty sure the fellow monk that Aritoko saved got r**ed by three other men? -The female Shongan's mother got r**ped by the late Shongan, aka her father. -The female Shongan got r**ed herself but disquised it as a wanted activity, perhaps out of shame. -If you are picked as a cacupine, period, you can LITERALLY not say no, like... remotely, even if your life is at stake. I don't have a problem with SA, in fact when done right, it can actually help us learn about the subject. I REALLY wish I can say that regarding this show, but the affect of the abuse is minimal and trivial apparently. Obviously some aspects remained consistent and realistic, like why the female shogan is an emotional wreck, or the fellow monk plotting death/revenge against one of his r**ists, or how Arikoto's value as a human being crumbles and he loses his sense of purpose and indivuality for a while and is even called a 'man whore' for what he was forced to do. Like there are hints of concern and care for this heavy topic, but it kind of misses the mark in one way or another. But overall the acts done against their will seemed trivial and not too much agency put into it. They never even openly say the words like assault, rape, or 'forced upon', they describe what the sexual assault is, but they NEVER consider or call it as such. The closest we get to something being called as what it was, was when Arikoto was swallowed by guilt, and thinking about and shaming himself for 'giving in to coercion', and just saying what it was to him was far more impactful and emotional for me, it builds a catalyst for his bottling troubles regarding what happened. As because of this act, he broke a Buddhist vow of celibacy, thus no longer had an excuse as to why he should stay a monk. It was a forced decision upon him, and for the sake of becoming a seed supplier, and there was a chance it wouldn't even go to him anyway! He's suddenly lost and confused on his life's ambitions, to the point where thinking hurts too much, so he'd rather do one thousand practice swings than think about everything regarding his place there. He wanted to be out there, helping people, only...he's trapped. And when he actually sees his purpose was to help out Ilemitsu (or whatever her name was), suddenly he's considered useless as he is apparently infertile, so all of what he's been through had been almost a complete waste. Sure he's found love, but that can only go so far when you are told that you no longer serve a purpose and that you don't deserve that love if you yourself can't have offspring. Mans even had a breakdown in his own room over being replaced; poor guy, really. Meanwhile, Ilemitsu's assaulted but it's forgotten about and she doesn't even much about it compared to the other stuff, because... The fellow monk gets his revenge, and he and Arikoto talk about why he did it, only to NOT SAY THE WORDS NEEDED TO EXPRESS THE ASSAULT! They briefly talk, and just simply impies he knows with a whole 'it's my fault because I got you involved in this place' without even confirming the incident of the assault itself, and he moves on and is never bothered by it again...for some reason, despite being so angry before. Ok... Also Ilemitsu's mother's assault was never expressed as assault, and the original Ilemitsu is NEVER held accountable nor is he shunned before or after his death, in fact he is highly praised constantly. No is exposing this as wrong or that he was a pretty spoiled and overall scumbag! Then again, this is the Edo period, so everything kind of sucked regarding sexual assault, especially against women, so it's really not too surprising. I'm just heartbroken here, sorry for dragging anyone down with me over this. I still like this show, and I do hope for a season two.

[@pahis1248]

well I watched this yesterday original language and Finnish subs. My first impression was So this is why I love anime. I went so far that I think this is allegory :) wow is one word for this. imo

[@charger4299]

Lol i legit told my friend i think this anime made me rediscover why i love anime so much just a awesome anime that i would have never thought I’d like just reading the summary

[@JeraldJamesCapao]

I luved the series.. some people just had lived a tragic life.

[@premiumdarkk]

These women was Down Bad for Long Eyelashes.

[@ameerdastagir3493]

I started to watch it thinking it's gonna be a little more hentai ish,was surprised when it was a truly heartfelt,depressing and romantic anime

[@Durtyredd89]

Felt like I was watching a story out of the Bible

[@isisdalton1914]

Why is he saying ooku wrong when they say it a million times in the show

[@TheRubyTuesday]

Why is that the thing you pick on when there's a million positives you talk about

[@wildbill9490]

I just wanted a sexy TV-MA anime, not whatever this is.

[@briggithan2133]

That was such a waste of time watching that anime

[@TheRubyTuesday]

I think you are in the minority there. Most have found it entertaining and depressing. What didn't you like about it?

[@deo7320]

これは実話です❤

[@jtgarcia181]

Hated it

[@TheRubyTuesday]

Cool.

[@EleutheriaSousouriES]

Dang i am a huge fan of anything in a historical setting so i thought it was going to be a treat, found my self uncontrollably sobbing 🤣🥲

[@krow5099]

It’s supposed to be dark and depressing seeing as the roles are reversed and women have went through that for centuries. Also it’s supposed to give male watchers a sense of empathy for the roles that women have went through and are currently going through past and present around the world. I loved the show and it gave me faith in anime once again especially now where cheap shounen shows are seen as “Deep” or “Good Character Development” this was a good deep commentary on politics, societal expectations, gender, sexuality and other areas.

[@festivalking9ja]

I LOVED IT!!!!!

[@tyler0262]

It’s a good show although sometimes you get lost cause all the characters look very similar and the names are super Japanese sounding

[@rosiv9617]

Bruh.

[@evasdorling7555]

I mean is fictional Japan but still Japan. Where you expecting super American names? 💀