Kokoro Connect

[Buffalobiian]

Alternative title:ココロコネクト
Genres: comedy

Plot Summary: The love and teen pentagonal comedy follows the strange phenomena at the Yamahoshi Academy's Culture Club, starting with the five male and female club members switching bodies with each other. -ANN

HorribleSubs - Episode 01


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Rather easy going and entertaining. I'll give it a go.

[Kraco]

Yeah, I also think I'll give it at least the second episode. Of course this looks so far to have little but the body switching mystery, I didn't find even the characters particularly striking, but it does have potential as far as the main theme goes. Although I have a low tolerance for really embarrassing stuff, so who knows if I can keep watching this.

[Ryllharu]

Finally got around to watching this. It was entertaining.

But I'll be honest, I dislike the art style for this genre. I'm not really a fan of the Sora no Woto art style for school-life series. It looks really out of place. It worked with cute girls in oversized military uniforms. There's just something...off about it.

What will keep me watching for at least another two episodes is the cast. Toyosaki Aki (Yui from K-ON, Medaka) showed some considerable skill for how naturally she sounded in speaking with a masculine voice. At least some casting directors are starting to recognize that she can do more than just ultra-cutesy voices. Same goes for Mizushima Takahiro (Yahiro from Guilty Crown, Rolo from Geass) playing Taichi with a feminine voice.

Kanemoto Hisako (Sora no Woto, Ika-Musume), Sawashiro Miyuki, and Itou Shizuka playing a lesbian character are icing on the cake.

[Buffalobiian]

HorribleSubs - Episode 02

[Ryllharu]

I kind of like that they are taking the body swapping as realistic as possible. It's not about freaking out constantly when they switch, or doing perverted things constantly (though they hint at the possibility). These are friends, though not close friends, who are largely considerate of each other given the circumstances they've been thrown in.

They are learning a lot about each other though. (Nagase) Iori's introspective side, which is hidden by her usual happy-go-lucky attitude. The latter seems to largely be a coping mechanism for her unfortunate home circumstances. Everyone sees her as just someone who's happy all the time, but as they swap, and as particularly Taichi is beginning to discover, all that time alone has produced another side to Iori that no one else gets to see.

Also starting to peek out is Yui's fear of men. She's really the only one freaking out when she gets swapped into one of the guys, and she doesn't like any of the guys getting near her, though Aoki is the worst. I can't help but wonder if she got assaulted by some random guy on the streets before, and has been keeping it her deepest secret.

Inaba has issues too, but I imagine they'll get to her later.

The guys seem to be dull in terms of secrets so far. Still, I do like that while he's a little bit of a pervert, Taichi is generally a nice and introspective guy too. He's well-rounded in terms of personality.

All in all, enough to keep me watching. The comedy-relief lesbian is funny, but feels a bit out of place given how contemplative this series has been in overall tone.

[Buffalobiian]

The guys seem to be dull in terms of secrets so far. Still, I do like that while he's a little bit of a pervert, Taichi is generally a nice and introspective guy too.

You mean Aoiki, right? I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't fully adapted to the personality swaps yet.

Regarding your assault theory, it just makes me wonder at how she volunteered to attack Heartseed at the club-room if she fears men. You would expect that she'd rather maintain distance and only use her self defence skills when required for personal safety.

[Ryllharu]

No, I meant what I wrote. Aoki is the supposedly overt pervert. But he's also the one we know the least about.

Taichi regularly watches "Kansai Big Jugs 4" and similar. He also quickly fondled Inori's body, leading to the whole problem with the lesbian class rep. The girls also accuse him of all sorts of other behaviors.

One talks a lot but doesn't do anything, and the other is a known quality of normal perversion.

[MasterOfMoogles]

I like how the explanation for why it is happening is basically, "I'm doing it for the lulz."

[Uchiha Barles]

Yeah me too, I loled like hell at that scene. Ultimately I'm sure there's more to it as I get the impression he's receiving orders from somewhere. That scene also got me a bit excited about this series seeing as it adds an element of danger to the series that can be developed on in any number of ways. I'm not expecting an all out shonen type of series, but I am hoping that this gets REALLY dark.

[David75]

Darke like:
"What happens if A's body is crushed to death under a truck when they are switched with B. Do both die or is A's mind stuck in B's body?"

[shinta|hikari]

I think it should be the latter.

[David75]

I think it should be the latter.

Then it could become even darker if A choses to kill B when they are in B's body... Obviously doing so made-up as an accident.

[Uchiha Barles]

Darke like:
"What happens if A's body is crushed to death under a truck when they are switched with B. Do both die or is A's mind stuck in B's body?"

Darke like:
"What happens if A's body is crushed to death under a truck when they are switched with B. Do both die or is A's mind stuck in B's body?"

Yeah. I'm not thinking something necessarily gory, but something like, Character A does something Character B doesn't like, so when they body swap, B does something in A's body that ruins A's social life/reputation. A might be sufficiently feeble to consider suicide upon returning to normal. And they wouldn't be doing it just to do it either. This kind of exposition could be used to great effect to explore the relationship between 'body', 'mind', and 'soul' when it comes to the self as a unique entity in a much deeper fashion than they otherwise could. The anime turned a bit creepy for me when Nagased asked Taichi that question.

...I went ahead and got my hopes up...

[David75]

True that there's also the suicide when A is in B's body...

Then, there's also the deadly diseases, fate. For example heartsee entity tells the 5 that one of their bodies is to be unable to sustain life at some point in time.
Thing is they don't know which... if your personality isn't in said body at the fated time, you're good to live some more years. even if not in your original body.

There's death, but you also mentionned suffering. You refered to social problems, true that it can affect all of your life. Even more when it psychologically harms you. Then there are those accidents that have you suffer in your flesh day and night, leave you incapacitated and so on.

So your "darker" idea can open lots of paths. I just wonder if they'll really go there.

[Buffalobiian]

I think the darkest this will go is for the friends to reveal each other's unpleasant pasts, and for some to desire the lives of another - particularly if things start looking permament.

[Buffalobiian]

HorribleSubs - Episode 03

[Uchiha Barles]

Yeah...doesn't look like they're taking a dark road. After this episode, if they did, I'd feel mislead whereas after episode 2, it felt like they could go that route naturally. Also, I'm wondering how deeply the issues presented are going to be explored. I'm a little worried because it looks like this is turning out to be a Taichi centered harem.

[shinta|hikari]

I love Inaba. Too bad Taichi already likes Iori, but I like her quite a bit too, so it isn't so bad.

I don't mind the harem route if they achieve it like how they did in this episode. I bet the next episode is going to be much more awesome.

[Ryllharu]

No one else felt that the entire time Inaba was describing how Iori needs to be saved and is the closest one to breaking down, that she was actually talking about herself the whole time?

Iori's got problems sure, and always puts up the happy face to shrug it off, but Inaba's not exactly happy herself either. The ones who look the strongest on the outside, are usually the most fragile on the inside (both in anime, and in real life).


Called it on Yui's fear of men. I do kind of wish that Taichi had refused Yui on the details, but instead suggested to her that she tell Aoki. Pervert that he may be, Aoki does care for her and was able to notice it during a switch while Taichi never did. Rather than the series be centered around Taichi, it would have been nice to see another pair discuss things without his direct involvement. Aoki's reaction after figuring it out and getting confirmation from Yui was enough to show that he wouldn't push her, and would stand at her side while she figured it out for herself.

Like Barles said, instead we get a Taichi harem with him trying to solve everyone's problems, but probably failing here and there.

I did smirk at Yui's line about being in the most pain in her life after being kicked in Taichi's balls. She's forgetting something. Men can't give birth. She's got that one to look forward to.

[David75]

Yup, I felt Inaba was needing help. That's why she kept telling Taichi he's clueless, even at the last moment where you could think she also has feelings for him.

Aoki can feel problems, pinpoint them, but can't solve them.
Taichi is totally clueless but can act and seems to solve some problems.

In the end, Yui warms to him, just like Aoki felt it would happen. Taichi being still as clueless as ever.

Yui was right, she never ever felt something as painful... as of yet. But you're right, life has got a suprise for her. But nowadays, meds have solutions for that pain.