Oh yeah! Time for some sensei-student lovin.
Oh yeah! Time for some sensei-student lovin.
Peace.
Episode 7 - HS
- -- - -- --
I'm getting a bit annoyed by all the drama due to it overshadowing the music completely. Maybe that will change, but it feels like this show has so far had very little in the way of music (only the SunFes) and the rest has been drama. It's also difficult for me personally because half the time I can't even see what the big deal is supposed to be.
At least this ep had a couple of good scenes: Reina appearing like a ghost next to Kumiko and Shuuichi, and of course Hazuki confronting Kumiko about Shuuichi. The latter was pretty funny considering how coldly Kumiko treats Shuuichi, as if she hasn't got any patience for him and barely tolerates his presence. It's clear as day she wants to keep her distance from him and probably wishes he had chosen some other school, yet due to their history she can't completely ignore him. And it's surely no tsundere behavior. It's all the funnier when she's so polite and friendly in the company of everybody else.
Man, I wish there was some music related stuff to discuss...
Kumiko is such a jerk towards Shuuichi.
Peace.
That's one of the things I like about Kumiko the most. Shuuichi shows up, instant bitch mode. Kumiko, Aoi, and Shuuichi have all known each other forever, so something he did pissed her off a while ago. I think it is great that Hazuki misinterpreted it so badly.
I also enjoyed the seniors drama here. Aoi is annoying, but crybaby Haruka getting called out by Asuka was great. Asuka didn't want to do it because she knew she wouldn't enjoy it, and Haruka was "forced" to because she's too nice and too stupid to refuse. It's unintentionally hilarious that she didn't realize before now that refusing as well was an option.
You want the real bitch in this story, it is Aoi. She talks down to Kumiko about deciding to play again, she was one of the "let's do well!" faction the previous year, and now doesn't even want to bother. Nakagawa was even one of the worst offenders, and while she's kinda aloof until moments like these, she at least seems repentant about what she had done. Aoi is resentful and bitter about it, lashing out at others who weren't even involved passive-aggressively.
I don't think she's particularly repentant. She's just all "go with the flow". She'll relax with the crew if they want and practice hard with them the next year. She doesn't regret doing so, and doesn't feel like she should be punished for it - which is how I understand the word repentant.
I actually quite like her. The pony tail might have something to do with it.
I don't mind Aoi. She's just an example of all the other "fakers" typical of a Japanese achieving society. At least she's found her priorities now.
I'm hold more dislike for the "ribbon hair" girl who hates Reina just because she's outdoing her trumpet-senpai.
If it's not Isuzu-chan Mii~
When I first saw them together, I got an impression Shuuichi might have a romantic interest in Kumiko. Kumiko could have sensed that and in response turned cold to push him off, obviously not sharing the interest. If Shuuichi had somehow offended her, I doubt he would act like that, as if nothing had happened, and likewise Kumiko would interact with him even less. I don't really blame her. Shuuichi should take a hint already.Originally Posted by Ryllharu
I don't really blame Aoi either. It seems to me she really tried to hang on there, but it was impossible for her to invest as much time as was needed in the club. So, she ended up dragging down the whole band. It was the responsible move to drop out. It wasn't easy for her, I reckon, and probably for a long time she tried to convince herself it's not necessary, but when the teacher singled her out, it couldn't be helped anymore.
But at the same time, it was staged. She planned to quit since the beginning of the year. Now was simply a good time to do it.
If it's not Isuzu-chan Mii~
About Kumiko's bitchiness, I think that was explained in episode 1 when she reunited with Shuuichi. She was really cold towards him back then, and he asked why. And then she said, "You told me not to talk to you. I'm just doing what you said. In the third year of junior high, you said, 'Don't talk to me, ugly.'"
Shuuichi then explained that it was a tsundere reaction because she invited him to eat dinner at her place in front of their classmates.
Last edited by shinta|hikari; Thu, 05-21-2015 at 11:39 AM. Reason: change "his place" to "her place" (typo) after seeing the quote below.
Peace.
It's not all too uncommon to decide to stop something yet keep doing it till it the last possible moment. I do agree that it was staged in the sense it felt like she didn't even try to play correctly this time, but the fact she was still sitting there reveals it wasn't an easy decision.
Man. They took a CT and MRI of my head last month, but said everything was normal, yet I still had completely forgotten lines like that. Maybe the doctor was lying... Not that I'd have gone there complaining about poor memory. But yeah, that does explain it. School boys can be such shy brats.
I kinda like the squeaky-voiced ribbon girl. I eagerly look forward to the auditions part of the trumpet section, when Reina tries to take the lead part (you know she will, because she's good and wants to impress).
It will be interesting to see if it is squeaky-voiced girl that throws the biggest fit about it, or Kaori. I kind of expect Kaori's saintly disposition to be a front when it really comes down to it. She showed a different side when she went to console/harass Haruka. I suspect there is more than just that.
I like ribbon girl's contribution because it creates drama, but it's that very drama that grates me. I hadn't thought about Kaori like that. I actually hope she doesn't turn out bitter. We've got enough characters doing that sort of thing already, even if one of them left.
If it's not Isuzu-chan Mii~
We don't need more drama, we need more music. It isn't a drama club. Surely those girls should understand that (the few boys haven't caused any trouble). The teacher should tell them if they don't.
It's high school. There are girls. There is drama.
Harmonious life only exists in utopian fiction and China.
You'd think that harmony and this band would go hand in hand. We've seen that is not the case.
Yeah, we get that. Doesn't mean we want it.
Moar music. Moar evil teacher.
Peace.
Episode 8 - HS
- - - - - -
A jolly good episode. I find it sort of strange I'm saying this because I don't like triangles and I don't like yuri. This episode had both, yet I liked it a lot. Especially the scenes between Kumiko and Reina were really exquisite, I should say. The atmosphere seemed ephemeral with the low lighting and Reina being like a ghost Kumiko was following to the mountain shrine devoid of other people. Reina's strange personality really made it work and played well together with Kumiko's bitchiness (like Shinta described her character). We haven't seen Kumiko being that interested in or captivated by anybody.
I don't know if there could be anything lesbian between those two, but I kind of find it hard to believe Shuuichi could do anything at all to beat Reina's sheer presence in any way. He seems like dime a dozen compared to her. He shouldn't be able to turn Kumiko's attention from Reina to himself any time soon, even if Kumiko isn't interested in girls romantically (or sexually) and was just momentarily enchanted by Reina.
Too bad Shuuichi needed to give an immediate answer to Hazuki. Where could he find another cute girl when he can't have Kumiko? But I suppose he needs time to get over it if he ever has the guts to confess and get rejected. He can't very well treat Hazuki as a fallback girl.
As expected, this is a girlmance between Kumiko and Reina, restoring their former friendship. Reina does know her best, despite their recent distance and Kumiko making new friends that see her false front more than the truth.
The discussion about Reina feeling one shrine is more classy, grown-up, and wanting to be unique was quite telling. As was dressing up and wearing high-heels to hike up a mountain. I almost felt bad for Kumiko being outshined when she's so image obsessed herself, but then I remembered something.
It's like the C.S. Lewis quote:
"To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence."
Is this all about Reina being obsessed with the idea of being a classy, adult woman...because she admires Taki-sensei so much (to the point of being a little creepy about it) and wants to be worthy of him? It's kinda fucked up, but I guess not all the surprising. It's an adolescent's crush. Or is she merely obsessed with the idea of standing out for its own sake?
Compare her to Asuka, who doesn't care what anyone thinks about her and plays around doing whatever she wants, but still makes insightful comments to her peers and underclassmen, is knowledgeable about her passion, and knows her limits. The same goes for the far less showy Riko and Gotou.
The child who wants to be an adult, and the young lady who acts like a child but is actually the most responsible member of the cast.
Random notes:
- Bless Reina for recognizing that Kumiko is indeed a bit of a bitch with a horrible personality...and as a compliment.
- Kohaku? What an ominous name for a near-twin.
- Shuichi is a dumbass. Kumiko wants nothing to do with him romantically. He had his chance, years ago. Kumiko never forgot about what happened. She friend-zoned his ass.
You guys wrote so much but missed the entire point of the episode.
Reina's waki.
WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*Gone to make a gif of that ponytail tying scene.
Last edited by shinta|hikari; Tue, 05-26-2015 at 11:25 PM.
Peace.
Good analysis, Ryll, but I'm not sure it's entirely correct. It's not like her maturity, or like you said, her transparently pretended maturity, was all fake. A good deal of it stems from her concentration and desire to reach the goal. People with a vision and the willpower to go for it automatically gain some charisma. Compared to the likes of Kumiko living real adolescence, like wanting to switch away from her instrument of many years just because, Reina certainly would score some adult points. The fact she could pull off such a long act in front of Kumiko also speaks highly of her mental fortitude, even if not maturity directly.
Shinta's single-minded obsession with girls' armpits doesn't suggest high maturity, though.
My feeling is that Reina's being alternative. She's not trying to be grown up, nor is she trying to climb to the top of a social ladder. She's trying to be special for special's sake. She rejects the dime-a-dozen upbringing that the Japanese are infamous for.
The point hits home where she didn't even care about the pretty scene, just that she's doing something no one else would.
Her attraction to Kumiko's kind of weird though. Actually, everything that goes on between them is weird. Hot weird, but still weird. I'm in a state of confusion whenever I'm watching it. It's mainly how Reina's advances just come out of nowhere (like that hair-throwing scene at the traffic lights last time)
If it's not Isuzu-chan Mii~
How mature of you to say so.
KyoAni's direction made that yuri mountain climb work. Without all the subtle facial changes and mannerisms, it would've been as sudden and cheesy as hell.
Peace.
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