Sakamichi no Apollon

[MFauli]

shinichiro_watanabe_sakamichi_no_apollon.jpg

The beginning of summer, 1966.

Because of his father's job situation, freshman high school student Kaoru Nishimi moves by himself from Yokosuka to Kyushu to live with relatives. Until then, Kaoru was an honor roll student who tended to keep to himself, but meeting notorious bad boy Sentaro Kawabuchi starts to change him. Through his devil-may-care classmate, Kaoru learns the attractions of jazz and finds the first person he can call a "friend". He also discovers how much fun it is to play music with a pal.

Other characters include Sentaro's kind childhood chum, Ritsuko, who is the daughter of a record shop owner; the mysterious upperclassman, Yurika; and Brother Jun, the much-admired leader among their peers. Set against the backdrop of a seaside town with a scent of American culture, this series is a drama about young people coming into their own, crossing each other's paths, and finding friendship, love, and music!

(Source: Official Website)

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Horrible Subs - Episode 01

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Ha, I´m becoming a real sucker for slice of life-anime. Anyway, this one feels really promising. Opening song reminded me of Hanasaku Iroha, and the anime itself is similarly well done.
At first, Kaoru gives the impression of this clichee "I hate the world"-kind of character, but the dynamics between him, Sentaro and Ritsuko quickly change that. I´m not particularly a fan of jazz music, but I also don´t hate it. Reeeally liked the animation during Sentaro´s drum solo. Extremely well done, maybe a mix of motion capturing and cel-shading?

Will keep watching.

[Buffalobiian]

I liked what the first episode showed. Kaoru would normally be a character who is easy to dislike, but I'm not really pissed at him at the moment. Sentaro and Ritsuko were instant wins of course.

[Ryllharu]

Wow. I really liked this.

The animation is great, the OST is awesome, and the characters are great too. What really impressed me is they actually animated them playing, something a lot of other music series shirk. Let's hope they keep it up. The character design is nice too, it feels way more like a movie than a weekly series.

I like all three characters. Kaoru has this kind of "everything sucks" attitude, but toward the end, you get a real sense that inside, he and Sentaro aren't different at all. They've already got a friendly, not-so-hostile rivalry going on. Once Sentaro called him out for being scared, Kaoru instantly fixed the problem that was plaguing him for years. He suddenly stood up against his own fear and just went with the flow. Sometimes that's all it really takes. Sentaro is obviously a win because he's so laid back, but really passionate about jazz music. Ritsuko is great too. I don't know why, but she overwhelms with this refreshing feel. We ultimately didn't see much of her personality aside from the nice girl who's childhood friends with the local delinquent, but there's definitely more to it.

The 1960s setting is great too, since it feels far more natural to be into jazz at that time than it would in more modern setting, like Nodame and classical. Like I said, the OST is awesome, like Cowboy Bebop, but more finely attuned to what's going on on-screen. I was thinking that this series was doing it better than Bebop. Which, when I looked it up, is funny, because Kanno Yoko is doing the music for this just the same as she did for Bebop.

Before I knew this series was about music at all, I was wondering what would bring Nanri Yuuka (Ritsuko) back to voicework (she left to pursue singing which she liked better). I guess that makes sense. Makes me wonder if Ritsuko sings.

Reeeally liked the animation during Sentaro´s drum solo. Extremely well done, maybe a mix of motion capturing and cel-shading?

I was thinking Rotoscope.

[shinta|hikari]

I was right in anticipating this show the most (excluding FZ, which is a sequel so it should not count anyway) for this season. It has exceeded all my expectations. The art, atmosphere, and music are all excellent.

I particularly like Kaoru and his situation. Music has always been the finder of lost souls, and him being bounced around to different schools and communities certainly has left him unhinged and isolated. The rain scene was really well done. I usually dislike emo and cliche scenarios, but this time it was used for the opposite effect. The rain freed him, and I understand because I have felt the same getting soaked by the rain. It really is a combination of the cool cleansing physical effect of the rain itself, and the emancipation caused by doing something so rebellious from society's perspective.

This theme of finding oneself while trying to obtain freedom is perfect for jazz. This is going to be awesome if the actual music pieces are as good as that drum solo.

[MFauli]

Horrible Subs - Episode 02

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Yeah, this anime definitely has movie-quality.

Really enjoyed this second episode, and what´s most surprising for me personally, I´m totally enjoying the music-scenes. Animation is so superb when they´re playing together.

I don´t really have an idea where this show is going story-wise, but it doesn´t matter. It´s fun letting it sink into you.

[David75]

Yeah, just go with the flow.
Some details are so nicely done, at the same time it seems so bland, when all they do really is not your average teenagers... but time really seems to be a lot shorter when watching that show!

[Ryllharu]

I'm in love with Ri-chan's voice (Nanri Yuuka). Her voice always leaves me with such a refreshed feel. The two male leads are good too, both fit their character perfectly.

I like that Kaoru is starting to develop a real rivalry with Sentaro. He doesn't want to get left behind, and he's really got absolutely no reason to feel like he's "lost" except for his own pride, that is really starting to shine through. I also really loved the scene were he would run up and down the stairs, over-analyzing the hell out of that song to see if he could play it (with his cousin peeking from the doorway), all the while still completely missing the point. He did seem to finally get it during the impromptu live session. It's not about playing the notes, it's about hitting the right feel.

Ri-chan and Sentaro being Christians is an interesting "twist." It's not something you really see in anime often. But Kaoru's surprise about it fits the period, and it adds an interesting dynamic I wasn't suspecting. Ritsuko likes Sentaro, that much is clear, so I have to wonder if both of them are Christians, or if one or the other is just tagging along. Ultimately, I don't think they'll make too much of it (though it might slip out at school), but it is interesting nevertheless.

[Buffalobiian]

Ritsuko likes Sentaro, that much is clear

That last scene changed the potential love-circle a fair bit, and for the better IMO.

Before this episode I expected: Kaoru > Ri-chan < Sentarou

Now it's more like:

Cousin > Kaoru > Ri-chan > Sentarou =.or.> new lady (edit: perhaps even an =.or.> Jun-bro right here, considering the apparent age and maturity differences between everyone)

I could only aim for technical accuracy when I played. I never had a "music sense" as such.

I like that Kaoru is starting to develop a real rivalry with Sentaro.

I like watching it but only predominantly because I like to watch him try hard, not because I find his courage admirable so to speak. I never expect him to catch up and wonder if I enjoy him falling short actually.

[Buffalobiian]

HorribleSubs - Episode 03

[MFauli]

oh the noez, love triangle complete.

Don´t know how I should feel about that. This show has been so fresh and nice, such a clichee plot isnt befitting of my previous impression about this anime. And, ugh, I hate love triangles. Logically, there´s just no satisfying way out of such a situation. A loves B, B loves C, C loves A. The only way out is for one of them to give up on the person they love. Which then kinda cheapens that person´s ideal of love.

At least Kaoru went through with his confession, even if it took the whole episode to get there.

[Buffalobiian]

A loves B, B loves C, C loves A. The only way out is for one of them to give up on the person they love. Which then kinda cheapens that person´s ideal of love.

Triangle? It's a potential square, if anything.

Kaoru -> Ri-chan -> Sentarou -> Yurika (-> Kaoru?)

The last bit isn't confirmed, and there's not terribly much to suggest it. Yurika seemed more interested in drums than piano, so the only thing left is that she thought Kaoru asked her out. Kaoru himself has been trying to keep a distance, so I can't see any "misunderstandings" happening as such.

Anyway, just correcting that it's got four people, so it does allow for re-pairing.

Sentarou must make for a good painting model.

[Ryllharu]

I got the feeling that Yurika liked someone else we haven't met yet. She was tagging along to be polite, but I got the feeling she didn't really take either of them seriously. She quickly determined that Kaoru wasn't in love with her, and was covering for Sentaro. She's as perceptive as Kaoru is. The problem was that she was just too casual about the whole thing. It felt like she was watching over three younger children rather than acting like she was on a date.

So if they're making it a progression of crushes this early, I get the feeling it is a lot more complicated than MFauli is making it out to be, which would be a good thing for him. Progressions are even worse than love triangles though, because that means starting at one point in the chain, no one is going to be truly happy.

Kaoru was smart about it though. He didn't wait, pining away from the shadows. He declared it flat out, and told Ritsuko that she didn't have to answer right away. He's hoping that she'll keep thinking about him that way, and maybe love will grow from there. That should help her confidence a bit, instead of thinking both the boys around her prefer the more glamorous types. It was pretty painful to watch her hold it together at school and elsewhere after the group date.

I loved the scene when they were walking back, and Kaoru focused on Ritsuko clutching the side of her skirt as hard as she could.

[MFauli]

Oh, I didn´t include Yurika, because she doesn´t feel as a core-member of the group, yet, imo. Therefore, love triangle instead of love square, but I guess you´re right, it´s about four people, not three.

Surely, a re-pairing is possible, but I still hate such situations because of the implications on one´s love ideals. You say you love someone, then you find out he/she loves somebody else, and so you change who you love? I mean, if we´re talking about an idealistic concept of love, then that´s just not possible OR gives an extremely poor showing of how much some person´s love is worth. It´s something that recently bugged me when watching Ano Natsu de Matteiru.

But whatever, I don´t think this anime will be ruined by it. If anything, the whole matter might resolve itself way sooner than we´re expecting. Afterall, I didn´t expect to see Kaoru´s love confession that early on.

[David75]

Oh, I didn´t include Yurika, because she doesn´t feel as a core-member of the group, yet, imo. Therefore, love triangle instead of love square, but I guess you´re right, it´s about four people, not three.

Surely, a re-pairing is possible, but I still hate such situations because of the implications on one´s love ideals. You say you love someone, then you find out he/she loves somebody else, and so you change who you love? I mean, if we´re talking about an idealistic concept of love, then that´s just not possible OR gives an extremely poor showing of how much some person´s love is worth. It´s something that recently bugged me when watching Ano Natsu de Matteiru.

But whatever, I don´t think this anime will be ruined by it. If anything, the whole matter might resolve itself way sooner than we´re expecting. Afterall, I didn´t expect to see Kaoru´s love confession that early on.

Well, it's not like you give up on your love. It's that you do not even have a choice! Even confessing isn't enough.
Then you see your love living their life as they see fit and you have to do with it... try to create some space and live your own life.
Then, years after, life being the bitch it is, you it backfires when you are engaged and all and you never really were able to end it deep inside...

Yup, life is a bitch, and then you die...

[Ryllharu]

Surely, a re-pairing is possible, but I still hate such situations because of the implications on one´s love ideals. You say you love someone, then you find out he/she loves somebody else, and so you change who you love? I mean, if we´re talking about an idealistic concept of love, then that´s just not possible OR gives an extremely poor showing of how much some person´s love is worth. It´s something that recently bugged me when watching Ano Natsu de Matteiru.

...that's a rather, grim view of love. Childhood crushes work that way, don't they? Pure-hearted 3rd Grade Elementary school swears his classmate is the only one ever for him. But time passes and feelings change. Even the idealistic bolt-from-the-blue, love-at-first-sight kind of love that Sentaro obviously suffers from isn't immune to the passage of time.

Arranged marriages are never founded on love, but a large number of them work out. Lovestruck high-school sweetheart romances occasionally end in divorce. Love is something that grows and withers. It is anything but absolute.

[Buffalobiian]

I mean, if we´re talking about an idealistic concept of love, then that´s just not possible OR gives an extremely poor showing of how much some person´s love is worth. It´s something that recently bugged me when watching Ano Natsu de Matteiru.

It can tick me off usually too. I do think that love dies with time if nothing happens though.

[shinta|hikari]

I totally agree with Ryll on this one. Just because you find someone else does not make the previous feeling fake or insubstantial. It is a matter of perspective. Maybe the connection with the next person is that much more stronger than the previous. If it were not, then even a one-sided love would be better than trying to keep a facade of one.

It is like buying item B because you realized it was better than item A you have been saving up for. The fact that item B was actually sold out was just an opportunity to check out the competition.

[MFauli]

Horrible Subs - Episode 04

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A love - ..... quintuple?

:/

I´m greatly enjoying this anime, but damn, if they aren´t risking ruining it all thanks to that apparently ridiculous love-thematic. Now all we need is for Jun-niisama to be gay for Kaoru and the circle of life would be perfect...

And lol, d´awwww, happy racist was adorable.

[Ryllharu]

Hey, you can't blame Yurika for falling head over heels for Jun. Same way that Sentaro fell for her. Jun is one hell of a cool dude. Kickass trumpeter, fluent in English (or at least memorized that song and his intro), and he's got this real laid back attitude. Plus he was all gentlemanly to her outside. She's a proper, refined, Boheme kinda lady. Of course she'd fall for Jun. He's as worldly as she wants herself to be.

As for Sentaro, I always his hair was dyed or something. Guess not. Pretty harsh life, but Kaoru's really isn't that much better, just the opposite end of the spectrum. Sentaro is hated for his patronage and apparent murder of his grandmother (how the fuck did they not figure out that it was clearly TB or similar?), but Kaoru is just used and abused by his relatives. His aunt doesn't respect him one bit, and his cousin isn't any better. I'd almost say Sentaro had it better, at least it wasn't this condescending, stifling, stagnant hatred that resides just beneath the surface, it was out in the open.

Still, they make a really good pair. They're friendly rivals, the best kind of friendship imo. I loved the way Kaoru provoked Sentaro into loosening up during the live.

Lastly, bold move by Kaoru, even if it made Ri-chan cry. I'm honestly still floored he's moving so fast. I guess I'm just used to crappy romance-comedies, where we're lucky if a pair kissed in the second to last episode. It's clear she still loved Sentaro, which is why she cried in the first place, but I can't help but be a little annoyed at her for not recognizing that there's someone out there who cherishes her more than anyone else, even if it's not who she had hoped it would be. Kaoru's wrong though, his feeling for Ritsuko aren't shallow.

[MFauli]

About the kiss:

"Merry Christmas". Seriously? That kinda ruined the mood imo. It made it all sound like some kind of excuse. "Here´s a kiss - oh, I didn´t mean it, just my way to hand out christmas presents."

Also, if it wasn´t for the bold kiss, I´d call Kaoru a pussy. Honestly, it would KILL me if I had told a girl that I love her, and she keeps me in the dark about what´s going to happen from now an. Even moreso when said girl starts acting all normal as if nothing ever happened. "Hey, girl, I told you I love you. H-hello?"

As I mentioned before, I hope all this potential love drama remains "potential". I don´t want this fantasic anime to devolve into some stereotypical, chlichee relationship drama crap.

Aaand it has to be said again: Love the animation during their jazz plays. Absolutely gorgeous.