Series Recap: Shuffle!

(on a side note before we begin, if anyone could assist in suggesting ways to acquire the 3rd issue of Comp H's for cheaper than Amazon's $30 shipping rate, me love you long time. thanks!)


"As long as Rin-kun is happy, then everything will be fine."

It's why I watched Shuffle. It's why you should too.

Today begins another flavor of content, full series recaps. Instead of recounting series episode-by-episode it's time to write some more all-encompassing content in reviewing the series as a whole.

Episode recaps will likely continue for newer, more recent series (such as Lucky Star and the upcoming summer season) but for older series these types of posts will probably become the norm, since most of you have watched this sort of stuff ten times over.

So, how about Shuffle!? On the face of it it's a very generic harem show, with one typically bland protagonist choosing between five typically varied girls, but there is a lot more depth to it than first meets the eye.

Here's the non-spoilery version for those looking to watch Shuffle!, and bonus details with spoilers can be found after the jump.

Shuffle doesn't really kick in until about halfway through - episode 12 is where the serious content starts, and it hits high gear around 16. Still, I would reccomend watching some of the early episode to familiarize oneself with the characters, if only so that the later parts can hit harder. Still, since Shuffle! is hitting R1 DVD this fall and it's a bit hard to come by online (by, y'know, legal means), if you could only buy some DVDs, pick up the 5th for sure (17-20, projecting 4 episodes a DVD) and, if possible, the 4th and 6th as well.

I would reccomend Shuffle! for those who like the "Sad Girls in Snow" genre (to steal a cliche), which I attribute to most visual-novels such as Kanon, AIR, Tsukihime, and yes, Shuffle. What I mean by that, is that, although these appear to be harem anime on the surface, each character has a compelling story to tell, instead of just being rehashed fluff. At the least, they are emotionally powerful rehashed fluff.

Shuffle! is similar to anime like the Key ones and Tsukihime in this regard, but it differs in that it is more tilted toward its fanservicey origins. So if you like panties and breasts, Shuffle! will be something you enjoy at least partially. And if you like serious storytelling with twists and tears, you will also enjoy Shuffle!.

As such, Shuffle! will probably be enjoyed by the latter audience, who can stand the former. If you're just in Shuffle! for the dirty aspects of it, the first half is nearly all yours. I would suggest, if you're into that sort of thing, check out the Shuffle! series of h-games, which seem significantly more biased towards ero content.

Still, for anyone who is not overly disturbed by fanservice (and if you are, there's always the fast-forward button, or your eyelids), I would give Shuffle! a strong recommendation. Spoilers ensue after the jump.

There are a few aspects to Shuffle! that really make it stand out among the many contenders in its genre. After all, fanservice anime have always been pretty crowded, and the field for eroge adaptations is pretty strong as well. As mentioned above, Shuffle's acceptance of its fanservice roots will draw in an extra audience, and it doesn't detract away from the more meaty content too strongly.

What Shuffle is really known for, if you've ever heard the term 'to pull a Shuffle' used in my blog or others, is the twist ending. Very often harem animes are extremely predictable - the main girl is designated early and focused on often, to the point that one doesn't really even need to spoil the fact that she is the ending girl (i.e. the True Love).

Shuffle! set up viewers this way subtly, listing towards Kaede's direction if not solely because of her Childhood Friend designation (which has a strong track record of winning). But she was quickly cast into the background in favor of the rest of the cast, who faded in and out of the spotlight, sometimes numerous times.

That's the interesting thing, that there really was no such thing as "down and out" in Shuffle. Sia, who suffered the death blow of having the first arc early, came back two-thirds down the line, right in the heat of things. Kaede, as mentioned, was the one who was always ignored throughout the series, but being the Childhood Friend, technically was always in it - especially when she pulled off her arc in style with 5 episodes to go - decision time. Doubly so because the episode before, Asa, the one who had the most hints dropped towards her getting an ending, turned down Rin (hint: the male protagonist) because of his inability to function on his own.

In the end, of course, Asa came back and won, but who would have put money on her after episode 1? And it was a fight all the way to the wire as well. Nerine and Primula, although not mentioned above, did have their moments as well - although they were the first true victims of First Arc Syndrome. All the girls resolved their conflicts in a realistically viable manner, choosing to accept Asa as the winner in addition to giving up their own affections - or at least, resolving to fight harder to overtake Asa.

After all, as Sia puts it, the Gods practice polygamy.

Enough about the twist ending, as it is. The characters, as hinted at above, are a varied and interesting cast as well, and aren't just cookie-cutter - although they do fit a few stereotypes.

Sia, the god princess, and Nerine, the demon princess, share many similarities in that they are both two-for-one deals in that they harbor alternate personalities, in addition to both of them having met Rin in the past. Sia has Kikyou, and Nerine has Lico.

Taking the first pair, Sia is your typical Genki Girl at first, being very enthusiastic and energetic, but not as much as to get onto one's nerves. She has a more shy and reserved side though, which shows in her second arc, where she begins to mature and doubt herself about chasing Rin so blindly without considering others. This is of course a sharp contrast to her alternate personality, Kikyou, who is more of a 'win-at-all-costs' type personality, which makes for some interesting switch-offs and stand-offs between the two of them.

Nerine is decidedly more reserved than Sia, and is more prone to embarassment. Perhaps this is a fault of blue hair, but she reminds me a lot of Mina from TokiMemo Only Love, in that both of them, despite being a bit shy, aren't afraid to speak their mind and stand up for themselves. As such, she's much of an improvement over the typical Shy Girl mold. In the overall scheme of things, she actually sneaks in the first kiss on Rin. How about that, eh? Lico is her alternate personality, who sacrificed herself a long time ago for her sister (Nerine, if you're not keeping track). Not much is exposed about her but she seems very much like your typical Idol-type who is confident, and perfect-seeming. At least, we don't see much of her flaws.

Primula is the real Quiet Girl of this cast - must be something with the purple hair - but she does show facial emotion quite often, most often worry in the tearing apart of her 'family' (Rin and Kaede). Her form of love deals less with romantic and more with family, as her arc deals with the separation of her from everyone, and she frequently tries hard to keep everybody happy and friendly, in her quiet little way. She's also the closest we ever get to a meganekko, for those who are keeping score.

Kaede's a cookie-cutter Childhood Friend for most of the show, in that she's very friendly and yes, willing to step out of the way as her love goes off to cavort with more interesting personalities. She does show change though, as all this wear is piling up on her behind the scenes, until she snaps (see the famous first picture of this post), going through the typical phases of stress; denial, anger, depression, acceptance, or something like that? It's something we rarely see in anime, and it really goes a great way towards giving Shuffle top tier status, in that Kaede, in addition to the other characters, do not stand by the wayside and let Asa win.

Asa is Genki Girl 2.0, even more so than Sia, frequently speaking in English and giving Rin enthusiastic slaps on the back. She is of this type to the extent that she plays happy in order not to worry others (since she actually turns out to be a Sick Girl). She has quite a backbone, which is shown in her shaping of Rin, whether it be how he treats her or how he confesses to her. She actually TURNS DOWN a confession from the lead protagonist (Rin) - which has to be a first in anime, especially since she harbors feelings for him too, of course. It's the little surprises of Shuffle that count.

Rin is the male protagonist, and I haven't written much about him because there's not much to say about him. He starts as your typical spineless character, realizes his weakness, and matures into a responible young man, or something honorable sounding like that. He's not anything far out of the norm, to the extent of, I suppose, Kyon or Yuuichi - although there HAVE to be other people to mention in these situations - despite sharing the same voice actor.

There's a theme which ties Shuffle! together, which is the supernatural aspect of magic. The gods (Sia's people) and the demons (Nerine's people) have worked together to try to create a human lifeform capable of using and controlling magic (or something like that). They failed at least once, maybe twice, and succeeded once, and all three characters play a strong part in the series. Why?

The first one was Ama, Asa's mom. The first 'clone', as it is, was presumed dead for a long time, but since it's well known that Asa's mom is rather in the alive column, that's proven false. She had some vague form of magical potential, which she passed on to her daughter Asa, setting up her arc.

The second one was Licorice, Nerine's sister. She's been explained already, and she proves to not have tied only to Nerine but to the third test subject...

Primula. See how it all works together? The theme pops up now and then, as such, for surprise plot twists or explanations, but it seems almost plausible and doesn't detract from the experience, especially in comparison to other unifying explanations of eroge.

The other theme of Shuffle! is flowers or something, as everyone is named after a flower in some way. This is most obvious in characters such as Nerine, Nadeshiko, and Mayumi Thyme. I don't believe this convention means anything beyond the names, though.

The side characters of Shuffle are very good as well, as Itsuki, the runner-up male, is much stronger of a character and much more entertaining than the usual pathetic to the nth degree Second Harem Guy, as well as his friend (and, as has been hinted at in Shuffle! On The Stage blurbs, his love as well. I would like to beg for a Mayumi path translation, please?) Mayumi Thyme, who forms the energetic comedy duo with Itsuki. The pair are always good for laughs, as they each have repeated - yet amusing - gags involving Itsuki's harem dreams/jealousy and Mayumi's defensiveness of her small bust size. The parents of Sia and Nerine are also a good combination for humor, and even Nadeshiko, the typical Overly Racked Teacher, has her moments.

And on a minor note, the opening and ending songs are really ace - YURIA and Miyuki
Hashimoto have cranked out a lot of good songs for the Shuffle! series, in addition to just the two here in this anime.

So, with all the gushing about this series, what's not to like about it?

The fanservice, honestly, does get to me at times. It's not as horribly bad as some other series, but sometimes it just seems like it could be made more plausible, or less obvious. When was the last time a swimsuit got washed off by a rogue wave while swimming at the beach? Or the last time a eight-year-old kid ran around lifting up girls' skirts? Or even Mayumi accidentally going commando (gee, I tend to remember whether I put underwear on or not) at the maid cafe? But then again, I'm talking about fanservice, so I don't know why I'd even bother trying to make it believable.

The first few episodes seem a bit dull at times as well, although this might just be my personal First Episode Syndrome of not liking beginnings. The ending falls rather flat as well, as Asa seems to act particularly out of character, refusing to use magic and save her damn life based on personal beliefs. Not to mention Rin cutting himself. And then the last half of the last episode is the usual Life X Months Later concept, with really ugly animation. C'mon.

Shuffle! Memories, if you're considering that as well, is a silly idea as well, being 99% recaps. I would say, maybe watch the last episode of that and call it a day. It's no diet substitute for the real series as well - it lacks a lot of buildup, personally.

And the Shuffle! fanbase? Scary. Whose idea was it to invent canon fanclubs in the anime?

But overall, Shuffle! is definitely on the higher end of recent harem shows and maybe anime in general. It's a bit more light than the really heavy anime such as the Key series (Kanon, AIR) and maybe some of the Type-Moon stuff (Tsukihime) as well, so you can feel some strong emotion for the characters without the tissue box for once (maybe). It's innovative, and has a a lot of surprises in store. And the flaws can be overlooked - and after all, every show has their flaws, even shows that I'd gush over like Haruhi, Kanon, Cardcaptor Sakura - and there's really a lot of good stuff, especially at the end, that makes it worth your time - and maybe money.

-CCY

Think you're an Ayu fan?

(Breaking Not more Haruhi News: The Haruhi game's headed to PS2 as well, with a Wii version rumored as well. So if you don't have a PSP, rejoice somewhat! Speaking as one who's already import-ready with Melty Blood, yays!)


Well, get a load of this; the Kanon artbook thingy was released recently, and guess what they had as an extra: a CD full of uguu~

No, not like, music and uguu~, or like, nyuu~ and uguu~. Just 10 straight minutes of uguu~. Ten minutes! Incidentally, there are 86 variations of uguu~ on the CD.

Even if you can't stand Ayu, it's still worth a listen just because it's so hilarious, to me, the thought of releasing a 'soundtrack', as it is, of straight uguu~ness. Well done, well done. Here's the link.

Loop it. I dare you.

-CCY
(thanks to Moe Moe Rabu for the links, and Random Curiosity for the below picture)

Also, while searching the web for suitable Ayuguu~ pictures, here's an interesting comparo I dug up...

And you always wondered what Mikuru's real identity was...

10 (Overused) Commandments of Anime

When in doubt... list! I'm sure most of you have noticed by now just how run-into-the-ground some ideas are, even if you don't watch a lot of anime.

Is this a dancing anime?
Oh look, another mecha anime.
An ordinary guy? With non-ordinary lovers? Shocking!

But, there arises another typically vague question that I like to ask - is this necessary? Can cliches work? Is it possible to take these stereotypes and turn it into something good? Sometimes these can be good starting points - many good anime can garner interest by taking, well, a 'trope' as it can be called and putting spin on it, breaking the mold.

Of course, it would be better, perhaps, to start with a completely fresh premise, but in this day and age what IS fresh? Just about everything, if you look closely, can be considered a homage/rip-off/subversion/alteration/spin-off of something else, essentially. Although, perhaps, the major details can overwhelm the minor.

Well, on that horribly serious note I'm going to kick into the list after the jump, of 10 anime cliches that you probably know far too well by now.


These aren't in any particular order, just in case you're curious. To be honest looking back at this afterward this seems more of a rant than a list of cliches, but look of it as more of an "You Know You're In an Anime If..."

1) Strange Pheromones (Harem Rule)
Quite possibly one of the most common setups of any harem anime - one guy, twenty girls. The protagonist, no matter how boring, dull, and ordinary he may or may not be, will garner an impressive selection of girls vying for his affections, for little to no explicable reason. Even the most reputed of harem anime fall to this cliche - as much as the characters can be expanded upon and detailed and made into great people, they still all share one flaw in being as stupid as to fall for the same guy. An interesting harem anime, to me, would be one with more than one lead male, or secondary relationships at least - but then one has to watch out for the equal trap of Everybody for Somebody, not to mention utter confusion.

1A) Your imouto, but not really / Childhood friend / X years ago (Eroge/Ren'ai Rule)
Of course, harem girls come in many flavors as well, and with many predictable rules to them as well. One will appear to be of family relations, but actually won't be - this allows for the Little Sister stereotype (in combination with Tsundere at times) as well as Completely Legal Sex (not). Childhood friends, the kind that you grew up with since you were kids, are common. Frequently one can also find Enthusastic/Energetic Girl, Quiet Girl (in two variations: silent and strong or simply shy. Five times fast, eh?), the lolicon (although she's 18, of course), maybe a Rich Girl in the mix, and The Girl With A Large Rack. Wait, that's usually all of them, somehow. And of course, everybody is tied to a certain date in the past...

2) I Could Kill You, But I Won't (Shonen Rule of Villians)
Any group or faction that has a chance of defeating the main party, won't. And if they do, defeats never last more than one episode. To be fair, this rule applies frequently to American films/TV and video games as well, whether it be Bond's latest escape or That One Battle in The Beginning You Can't Win. But still, one has to wonder, when the villains have their ultimate goal in their grasp, why don't they just go for it. Aside from the rule that Good Always Wins, of course.

2A) Innate Ability / The Little Guy (Rule of Racing/Competition)
Also, frequently the hero is much unlike the most of us in that he possesses some hidden power that makes him either The Chosen One or a professional-grade competitor at whatever his field is (drifting, swordfighting, card games, etc). In any case, he will always appear to be weaker than his opponent, perhaps by many magnitudes, but will nearly almost triumph. Usually goes hand-in-hand with the above rule of villain haughtiness. Sometimes one has to wonder if we handed them a weapon (car, whatever) of equal or greater caliber, how great the wipeout would be. Unless...

2B) Proportional Upgrades (Rule of 9000)
If the hero recieves an upgrade that would give him an advantage in competition - a new sword ability, a turbocharger, new familiars - the Other Guys will quickly advance to the same level, if not greater. The rule applies in reverse as well - no matter how good you are, there's always someone better, a bigger bad guy. This frequently is abused to ridiculously improbable levels.

3) Newton Who? (Rule of Physics)
Breasts bounce. Things explode. Skirts fly up. Cars go sideways at 90 degrees. Ninjas jump 20 feet in the air. Tears are round and drop in slow-motion. Cuts open slowly before gashing furiously. Transfomation sequences stop time (and are really shiny). You always end up in a compromising position when falling. Stuff breaks when falling. Every object can be lethal in the right hands. Guardrails are invincible. Hammerspace is infinite. Any questions?

4) Improbability Drive Active (Rule of Normality)
Anything that has an infinitely small chance of happening, will happen. Anybody that appears to be normal, is not. (Exception: The Hapless Friend) Nothing happens unless it's in the nick of time, and in slow motion. Anything that appears to be useless, is not. "But...that's impossible!" is only said by the enemy. If friends deem a task impossible, that will only make it easier for the hero. Everything has a place and a purpose. This rule can also be extended for improbable starting situations that really make no sense to outsiders, but are fully accepted by the people in the show.

4A) Color Coded (Rule of Hair)
All characters are extremely distinguishable, with the exception of The Identical Twins, who will frequently swap identity, and possible become a running gag when characters confuse the two. No two hair color and hairstyle combinations are alike. It is perfectly acceptable for hairstyles to defy gravity, and possibly in some cases to change on their own when characters undergo a transformation. The main hero(es) is usually identified as the one with the most extravagant hairstyles, while less important characters may lack distinctive hair colors (i.e. blue, red, green) or faces as a whole. The exception is eroge and possibly ren'ai anime, where the protagonist will be as dull-looking as possible, frequently with gray hair. Also, as a corollary, frequently the most (and least) important characters will have exactly one outfit that they wear throughout the entirety of the series - if not an outfit, than at the least an identifying piece of clothing.

5) Good End (Rule of Dubbing/Rule of Endings)
99% of the time, everything will work out perfectly. Dead character, perhaps, will come back. Or maybe they will reappear as ghosts. In any case, their purpose on Earth has been fulfilled and they will move on. In romance anime, either all the girls will end up happy with at least one guy, or else they will relinquish their loved one peacefully. The bad guy will either die or realize the error of his ways - or maybe, just run away and swear vengeance another day, if a sequel is in order. When applicable, end with 1) a kiss sequence, 2) a pan up/fade out, 3) a still shot/group picture.

6) Partly Snowy With a Chance of Sad Girls (Rule of Weather)
The weather frequently reflects upon the moods of the main character. Sunny days are carefree and happy - especially if there's a lens flash added as they pan across the sun. Rainy days, 99% of the time, only occur when characters are sad or otherwise in a bad mood. The other 1% is when rain sets up for a romantic subplot, because only one umbrella exists among the main characters. Snow is an exception, as in most cases either a place will never experience snow, or is stuck in a situation of eternal snow.

7) Half-Laws, a.k.a Why Couldn't I Have Come Up With Something Better and Learned to Love the Bomb
- Life happens in neatly arranged, titled, 24 minute segments bordered by 2 minutes of singing, posing, and possibly dancing on each end. (Rule of Time I)
- In lighter fare, everything must happen in these 20-minute chunks, otherwise it's not worth doing. Heavier fare, as it is, gets to employ the 'cliffhanger' rule. (Rule of Time II)
- Take a break about 10 minutes into the segment to fade out and/or pose, returning afterwards to repeat the last minute of what you just said. (Rule of Eyecatch)
- If nothing exciting happens, it's alright to pretend it never happened at all, or only reference it with one line. Life must always be non-stop action. (Rule of Interest)
- Turn smaller and/or deformed when you are shocked or perhaps in a state of bliss. If possible, add facial distortion, losing your pupils altogether. (Rule of Chibi)
- There is somebody watching you out there, and you might just be aware of it if you're feeling funny. (Rule of Fourth Wall)

-CCY

State of Anime 2007

Now I'm sure you'd like a nice fluffy rankings post where I rank Kanon girls using numbers with extreme prejudice, or maybe a nice sugary post with heart-meltingly adorable Tsukasa Stop-Motion (tm), and I suppose, so would I at this rate.

But those are saved for times where the internet actually allows me to upload pictures at a speed faster at which North America is moving away from Europe, so for now, it's time for another discussion post.

Well, there's Yuki in a ponytail in any rate, for the Obligatory Picture.

Although, I must say, these are very interesting posts to read and write. The deep posts that blogs like That's Not Kanon and Cruel Angel Theses (not paid advertisement, but might as well build up a blogroll, hehehe) are always a refreshing change from the usual moe-fest. Or is it? Both are good in its own way.

But the topic for today comes from a forum I visit that's normally associated with racing games like Gran Turismo. There's a small anime community there too, just one giant thread but it's still there. Recently the question came up, "What anime era are we in today?"

It's an interesting question, perhaps because I don't really know the answer myself; if there is one straight answer. Of course, I'll do my best after the jump to give my view on the situation; or at least go wildly off topic with interesting observations.

It's hard to define anime eras, at least from the perspective of a person like me who only seriously started watching a year ago. What would define an era? Is it a specific show? A type of show? Both?

Perhaps it's better to not have anime 'eras' but anime 'trends'. It certainly seems that there are specific trends going in anime.

Ren'ai, aka 'visual novel' or 'dating sim' games, are becoming, at least to me, more prevalent in anime in the 21st century. They make for good anime a lot of the time, for many reasons. Many of them stem from eroge roots, where fanservice is already rooted, so a fanservice anime can be easily crafted (see: first half of Shuffle!). But on the other hand, ren'ai also frequently have very deep stories despite (or without) the sex, and are great 'reads' that can be turned into great 'watches' (see: Kanon). And thirdly, there's frequently a good reason for viewers to tune in, since ren'ai frequently have many paths that can be taken, avoiding the 'chosen girl' trap that, to me, plagues a lot of anime. (see: Shuffle! again)

So, how many of these anime are there? Let me count the ways...

Key and Type-MOON have had a lot of works animated, such as Kanon, AIR, ONE, Clannad and Tsukihime, Fate/Stay Night, and Kara no Kyoukai.

There have been a lot of single anime from other companies as well, such as To Heart 2, Shuffle!, Tokimeki Memorial, and the upcoming School Days. I'm sure I'm missing many in the middle as well.

But this could just mean that ren'ai anime are becoming a staple genre for every anime season, just as random anime (Lucky Star, Doujin Work) and mahou shoujo anime (Nanatsuiro Drops - although this was based on an eroge) seem to be very common. And there's always a market for more questionable anime, wink wink.

It was brought up on the forum that this was an era of 'moe', but this doesn't seem right to me, personally. 'Moe', at least with my loose definition of it, is something that is prevalent in many shows, yes, but it's one of those things that you wonder, when was it NOT a 'moe' era? Cuteness is something that appeals to both side of the spectrums, is it not? Certainly, there is a lot of moe in this era, but is there more of a focus on it than before? That's debateable.

But on that topic, it might be very right as well to call it a 'loli' era, as has been brought up on the MT forums. The spectrum has tilted towards a different sense of barely legal, one of height rather than cup size. There's at least one 'token loli' in many shows now; Konata in Lucky Star; Ayu in Kanon; the imouto in Haruhi; Primula in Shuffle!; loli-in-a-box-and-maid-outfit from sola; the list goes on.

But, that's not an end-all list there. All the anime there share the same characteristics; aside from being watched by me, they're mostly ren'ai or vaguely serious anime.

Perhaps an anime era could be defined by shows as well; the big shows, the ones that everybody knows and has watched. What would be the big shows of this era? Or last era?

Cardcaptor Sakura, from popular (i.e. AnimeBlogger) sentiment, seems to be one of the older icon shows. It's one of those shows for everybody; even though it's aimed at young audiences and a bit predictable, it still has some serious overtones, some adorable - moe - content, and yes, some yaoi.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is this era's superstar as well, almost unquestionably. It's reached meteoric fame in Japan, and in the US it has a strong fan following as well. It's one of the Big Shows.

But certainly it's not just Haruhi that's big. There are other defining shows as well. On the shonen side, perhaps Death Note, even Bleach or Naruto. This is where my analysis will fall flat, as I have not experienced a lot of these anime still. Do these other anime define an era? Does the era define them? It's tough to tell.

Perhaps it is like my AP US History teacher said, in that it is too early to define eras and define the greats yet. Only time will tell, time will clear the subjective and leave the objective. Perhaps let's seal the time capsule, and come back in 2010, 2015, 2020, and see if Haruhiism, sad girls in snow, and lolicons still have the capability to rule the world.

It'd be a great yearly feature, wouldn't it?

-CCY

Haruhi: The Game

(Generic Yuki-relevant pic)

So, Haruhi's got a video game now.

I could rant to fill up this section, but no one reads that, eh? I'm just sectioning off some vague spoilers for the two of you who have not watched Haruhi Suzumiya yet. If not, feel free to continue.

It's for the PSP and looks to be a visual novel, with some "revolutionary elements" according to Bandai Namco, the publisher. Not sure how many different ways one can mix up a ren'ai game though: somehow I could imagine it turning out like some of Navel's Really? Really! (a Shuffle series game), where the protagonist has to find and fix errors in the continuity of the universe, or something, i.e. Haruhi retcons the world and it's up to Kyon to fix it. Another possibility is Type-Moon's Kagetsu Tohya (Tsukihime series), where a single day is repeated over and over until the protagonist gets it right. This could be done, for example, with Haruhi's Endless Eight story (book 5), or perhaps a different time period (pretty much everything could work, to be honest). It would take most players, hopefully, less than 15,498 times to get through the path, though.

Not much to say on the game yet but I imagine it's about time for a Haruhi game, considering it's meteoric popularity in Japan (didn't the Hare Hare Yukai CD hit #2 or something on Amazon?) and rabid fanbase around the world. PSP seems like an odd choice, mainly because I don't have one, but it makes sense as it has picked up well in Japan (although a far second from the DS) and many other visual novels have been released on it. Plus, I guess, it could always spur sales of it. But the main reason to long for, say, a PC release or something, would be the facilitation of an English translation as despite its popularity among anime fans, the Haruhi R1 isn't exactly burning up Amazon at 4,140th in DVDs.

I'm hoping the main drawpoint, of course, is a possibility of a Yuki (OK, I'll be honest, I typed Nayuki first) ending. Or Mikuru, perhaps Tsuruya or Itsuki, if you're into those characters. It'd be interesting but also very difficult to make work within canon Haruhi storyline, i.e. Be with Haruhi or die.

Other than that it's time for the world to hold their collective breath on this game, although I have a feeling that it's going to be a 'love it or hate it' thing, in that fanboys will gush all over this game (and we'll leave that as that), while realists will condemn it as a cash-in. Expectations might be a bit high coming into this, kind of like Lucky Star (the anime), which is good and amusing but not laugh-a-minute like everyone expected.

It will be interesting though how the storywriting and planning is handled; and how much the game will fit into the canon Haruhi storyline. It's titled "Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu" (where have we heard that before?), so it might be based on either the anime or the first book. I doubt Bandai Namco would base it entirely off the first book, as as much as the special powers of the characters could make for decent plot twists, everybody and their brother (and their brother's best friend's cousin's uncle's daughter's invisible friend) pretty much knows Haruhi - at least those that are going to buy the game. So "new" content might be on the way, after all - it remains to be seen whether it will be accepted into general continuity.

But in the end, there is plenty of time to pass judgment multiple times (I've only just gotten the news on this 3 hours ago), so the verdict still remains to be seen; but, so far, for noobs like me who speak English, English, and English with a mock British accent, I think I'll have to give this a pass.

-CCY
P.S. Yay for AnimeNano!

Doublepost: Kanon Kazahana + sola 1

Luckily, before the downtime I was able to stock up a nice pile of anime to watch, a lot of them old and some of them new. Among the ancient we have Honey & Clover, Da Capo, To Heart 2, and ONE. Among the newer we've got Wangan Midnight and sola in the queue along with Lucky CHANNELUUUUUUUUUUUUU Star.

Although, I must say, with every series I'm getting more and more piled up in a jumble of names, hair colors, and relationships.

In this post I'll cover briefly in text form Kanon Kazahana, the special OVA-ish thing that came after the TV run of Kanon 2002, as well as the first episode of sola, a series from 2007. Whoa.

Technically, I should warn for Kanon spoilers, as Kazahana comes after the canon Kanon (OK, I just like to say that word) storyline, not to mention me discussing the ending of Kanon for no reason than other to scare off people. Hit the jump.


Kanon 2002 is a hit-or-miss anime, in that it really sort of depends on whether you've seen the remake, Kanon 2006 or not. Despite its flaws, 2002 was a decent series, but the biggest problem with it is that the 2006 version completely destroys it. 2006 is longer, and thus has more time for better pace and storytelling. The Makoto arc takes forever in both versions to me, but forever in 2002 is twice the forever of 2006, since there are only 12 compared to 24 episodes.

2002 is animated in a different fashion than 2006 as well, in that 2002 is what could be called quite 'ugly', due to it being outdated. 2002, also tends to have more of an 'anime' feel to it, with the characters going into SD mode and having extreme facial distortions more often, which will be a hit or miss.

And in 2002, personally, Yuuichi comes across as much more of a jerk than a sarcastic guy who's really nice on the inside. I'm not sure if this is the casting or the Kyon voice (although, I saw Kanon before Haruhi), but in any case it's definitely a bit of a drag on 2002.

But, of course, 2002 has its high points as well, as has been discussed down on the Kanon board in GameFAQs (see, the boards are good for something!). The main merit for 2002 is for the Nayuki fanboys, who get as close to a NAYUKI ENDING DAMNIT as they're going to get (although, the Mai and Shiori fan in me wonders how the end would have gone if it was tilted that way). There are other minor pluspoints as well, like a bit of 'fanservice' (although there's not much either way, rare for an eroge adaptation), some characters being handled better, and so on.

Kanon Kazahana, however, is one of the greatest things 2002 has to offer. Kazahana is a 'after-the-end' special, which I don't believe was per se covered in the original version, so Toei's probably taking some liberal adaptations here. But it works, at least only because it's interesting to see where everyone ended up...whenever this is. Probably a year after episode 12 or 13 (considering, at least in 2006, a year was covered between the hospital incident and the hairband incident).

Mai and Sayuri have moved abroad to Generic Sunny Nation, and we get to see an adorable Mai in Not-School-Outfit and with her hair down, and an exposition of her...relationship...with Sayuri. (move along now...) She's still the same lovable character as always, with her quiet demeanor hiding a hidden level of kindness.

Mishio still spends forever on Monomi Hill. She seems to be talking to the air, but suddenly Makoto materializes out of nowhere, one of the bigger shocks of the episode. Perhaps Mishio and Makoto meet every day or every so often now at the hill. It's nice to see Makoto gone...and it's nice to see her not forgotten too. Hehehe.

Shiori and Boy Haircut Ayu spend some time together having drinks (unfortunately not of that kind) in the shopping district, in which Shiori is typically humble in complimenting Ayu on her haircut and saying how looks don't matter anyway. A bit of a slip, at any case, at her pleasure from having gained another position in the cute race. (all of a sudden with their talk about looks I'm tempted to ask how many of them are eligible for the Flat Chested Alliance...)

Nayuki, as always, is running, and she gets a large piece of exposition in this episode as she's running a strong second place to Ayu in the Yuuichi competition, having confessed her feelings and gotten in a kiss - very impressive in any case. One leftover piece is how Yuuichi is going to handle her, and perhaps vice versa, afterwards. Nayuki claims she is OK to Kaori (who, of all people, actually IS going out with Very Feminine Jun, at least for today!), but as usual I doubt that's true, as she still seems a bit down.

Nayuki and Yuuichi share a retake of the Nerine-on-the-swing-bench scene from...an entirely different anime in which they discuss things that may or may not make Nayuki feel all better. In the end they separate paths and walk from each other in a very symbolic manner, probably symbolizing them moving on. It's too bad there isn't another guy in the series to ship with, since Jun doesn't count at all.

And Akiko...cleans the house. No jamu today, even. Well, she's the hidden backbone of the anime anyway, at any rate.

With just that summary it's a bit hard to show why Kazahana's worth your time, but it has its interesting moments, its amusing moments, and its heartful moments, so give it a try if you've watched 2002 or even just 2006. It's a good episode, even if the art is a bit lacking.

...as for sola, hmm, that's going to be a trickier thing to explain as because it is a new anime it is mandated that I do not get it at all. That's usually the draw of a lot of these anime, of course, the promise of having things Make Sense. There's not a lot to say about the sola characters whose names I do not remember, but nearly all of them probably have quite the interesting story, whether it be Feminine Cameraman Protagonist guy, Tomato Soup girl In The Church, Quiet Hospitalized girl, Vaguely Tsundere Possibly Childhood Friend girl, Spoiled Loli-In-A-Box girl (in a maid outfit or something!?), and Probably Evil guy With Glasses. That's about all I've caught out of it, and all I remember without screenshots. I'll recap it perhaps later, and when I've seen more episodes as well.

-CCY

Eternity takes its time posting

The internet situation is getting dicey over here, so if the posts suddenly stop coming, that why. Don't panic, everything's ok, 42, etc etc.

After the jump, have some pretty pictures to make everything better. They're good wallpapers, too.

And I suppose for a bit of extra content, I'll mention what I'm planning to do in blog posts over the summer. Aside from the usual episode posts on both the old (Kanon and Shuffle! need to get finished) and the new (summer series, Wangan Midnight, Lucky Star), I was thinking about doing some special features. The first one that came to mind was one of them famous Power Rankings (notTM), where I rank characters/series with extreme prejudice all sorts of pretty numbers and stats that show just why Mai is better than Ayu, or why I don't like Asa as much, or why most KyoAni things > your soul. Heh, I'm such a fanboy.

You can already guess what I'm leaning towards for topics, either a Shuffle! or Kanon harem power rankings, although Tsukihime might work as well. If you've got any other suggestions feel free to speak up.

See you all soon.
-CCY

And now for pictures! Let's play the field today:

A very sharp Lucky Star vector of, I think, that one shot that shows up for half a second during the OP sequence at the end.


An Osaka wallpaper with a bunch of random stuff. Still have to figure out what that one kanji says, that's everywhere.


Beautifully done Hisui wallpaper, and while there's a taste of fanservice, you can't see anything, so it's work safe. And utterly adorable. Wai for Hi...gah, I need a new catchphrase.


It's Yuki, in a bit of a different artstyle than usual. It's a bit more dark and serious as a result but it's still very nicely done, as I like this style as well. Plus, it's meganekko Yuki, a dying breed.


Not, a wallpaper, but, Makotofox. Cute, but it'd probably erase itself after a few hours anyway. And also, as a reprise of the famous conversation, it'd end up like this.
"Makotofox, take me to a ero website."
"An ero website? What's that?"
"It's something that gets you all excited."
"Ooh! OK!" ... "YUUICHI! What are you doing looking at this kind of stuff!?!?"
"Well, I decided looking at you naked wasn't enough, Makotofox."
"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU~"
"Yuuichi......why are you talking to your computer...nyuu~"

-CCY

episode_post = random(Lucky_Star_9)

There really is no coherent intro to go with a Lucky Star episode to be honest. I mean, with most other anime I can talk about what happened last time, or in what direction it's headed, or perhaps make a lame joke based on the content, but Lucky Star...can you imagine an intro based on the content?

I'm not half as ADHD-enabled as I'd need to be to go on random tangents like slice-of-life shows do. I can barely keep pace with the slow-witted Osaka. (or alternatively, Tsukasa) XD

And so the very short blog intro solders on as once again I rant about my lack of things to rant about. Oh well. There are plenty of screenshots after the jump - featuring the famous Tsukasa Stop Motion(tm) - so there's your content for you. Go forth!


The first skit is actually pretty short, to be honest, a short little joke where Konata talks about reading for 'educational purposes', and of course Kagami takes the sane choice and decides that she's talking about books. Of course, Konata is never sane, and she's talking about reading manga, which can't be found in the library. But - at least in my situation in the US of A my local library seems to have a good collection of manga. Naturally it's a lot of mainstream stuff, like the CLAMP works, Initial D, and whatnot, but recently they've been picking up other titles, like Azumanga (the manga. say that five times fast), and Yotsubanned (er, Yotsuba&!).

Also, I shudder at Konata's "educational purposes" of manga, given her love of eroge. At least it's not doujinshi...


Next up is a second Konata scene in which she, like 95% of us students, spends about 5 seconds studying before getting tired and deciding to play games. Heck, I even did that during this post.


Of course, as has been shown before Nanako, the teacher, plays the same games Konata does and thus she has no escape from schoolwork. Although, that is a great line she has there; although she should really be scared of real authorities apprehending her. No, Yui doesn't count. XD Nanako is also noted as hypocritical when she mentions how she was exactly like Konata in her school years. And yet, she tries to change Konata's ways.

All of a sudden I'm imagining Konata as a schoolteacher. What class would that be?


Over to Determined Tsukasa, who is also trying valiantly to do her homework, with about the same amount of (no) success. Why? Kagami explains:


I laughed. I guess this is part of Kagami's charm as well, given that her and Konata are frequently the most witty characters on the show, as opposed to Tsukasa's (and occasionally Miyuki's) raw cute appeal. As demonstrated:



Never gets old, does it?


Konata finally calls Miyuki for help, and Miyuki offers some vaguely reassuring advice in suggesting to do what she always does. Although, I think both Miyuki's and Konata's studying habits are a bit questionable. We've seen Konata's, but I fear Miyuki's, as being the smart rich girl I imagine her usual habits are 25 hours of study a day.


The tests come and go, and the group debriefs in the library afterward. Kagami, still supposedly the smart one (as given by the left screenshot) seems a bit worried, while Konata complains of her lack of motivation. Ah, bribery.


Somehow we flip on over to the topic of blood types, which must be the Japanese equivalent (or alternative) to horoscopes or something. As such, much humor ensues as the characters either fit or destroy completely the stereotypes.


As evidenced by Miyuki: correct...


Less so correct. Although, I would like to see the other side of Miyuki, if she has one. I always seem to find the people who go boxcutter, so to speak, quite interesting. One reason I've got my eye on School Days this summer. Should have plenty of that.


Konata offers up a fair and quite candid explanation of Kagami's Type B characteristics, of which she does have a lot of. Although, of course Konata doesn't list any of the good traits. Kagami also mentions, however, that Tsukasa's the same type as her. That's interesting to note, as decidedly less of those characteristics fit her. Or do they? *dun dun dunnnnnnnn*


The girls move on to the sushi horoscope, in which Miyuki finds herself a rich food - how typical, the Hiiragis are...something forgettable, and Konata's ginger. Uh, which isn't a sushi at all. Miyuki tries to explain it as something that's essential to go with sushi, but it's still...not sushi.


Konata gets amusingly defensive as such. It's also funny about how she talks about 'looking down on' her, and given her height, I have a feeling a lot of that happens. Even if she is just sitting in a chair in this shot.


Halfway blog post eyecatch: ONOES WE HAS NO EYES. D:


More posters. The Mayumi one was in a screenshot above, can't get an ID on these two here.


Test grades come back and OMFG IT'S A GUY. In my Lucky Star? It's more likely than you think. Oh, and Kagami still scores higher than Tsukasa, despite her efforts and improvements. Some people just aren't cut out for it. Wonder how close Kagami came to Miyuki though, if they're even anywhere close, grade-wise.


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Tsukasa, mmm, less so. Personally, I would be scared, too, although if you're with these people one would probably end up in that state quite often enough to get used to it. Oh well, it's not like you're being costume raped or anything, Tsukasa. (reference GET!)


Konata's strange standing-out hair is brought to attention in the next scene, as the Hiiragis completely miss Konata without it. Of course, it could be her height, too, hehehe. The benefits of Konata's short stature are also mentioned, in that she can get child tickets.

The movie comes and goes, unfortunately without being depicted. I guess KyoAni's already animated one horror film, and they didn't feel like doing another. It's too bad. If Tsukasa had an 'uguu'-fest as well, that's just be mind-melting.

Maybe that's why.


It's still referenced, anyway, as the girls decide to go get lunch after the movie, as they're all probably hungry, as Konata puts it, in another great wisecrack.


So they go to eat at a love hotel cake buffet. Yay for cake!

This must be something we're missing in the US. A 1 hour, all-you-can-eat, cake-for-all, complete with male waitresses (yes, not waiters. well, the voice actor is obviously male, anyway).


Eh, Kagami, what happened to your diet? You were the obligatory "obsessed-about-my-weight" girl just a few episodes ago. I guess there's always an excuse for cake. But man, that's a lot of cake...or is it?


Shiny cake bliss heaven! Funny how cake makes everyone blush with adoration. Even Kagami looks good in this scene. (sounds like a Konata line)


What's that line? Too much of a good thing? It appears so, as the girls' frenzy for cake leaves them over-satiated near the end of the hour, and yet they endeavor on to avoid a leftover fee.


It's another epic endeavor, much like the homework scene a few episodes ago. But it just can't be done.



Or can it? Kagami takes the lead as Konata narrates. Yes, narrates. Not eats.


Well, it was worth a shot, but this is a team effort, after all.


Tsukasa takes a moment to reflect with tears eyes again about how torturous her life is. Whiner. (this comment has been redacted by the Tsukasa Fanboy Committee)


Another short Konata gag as the girls ponder just how Konata buys all her eroge, which are rated 18+ and whatnot. Even if Konata was 18, nobody would believe her. Her answer: her father, of course. A strange sharing of interests. Can you imagine them playing an eroge together?

Father: "What? An H-scene? Now? He was just confronting the bad guy!"
Konata: "Ah, the problem is, you're complaining about ero scenes in an ero game. There is no bad time for them."
Father: "Hmm, you're right, this scene's actually pretty hot."
Konata: "See, told you. Now shut up and fap."

o_O


They also talk gaming with Miyuki, who doesn't own a game console per se but "games" using the programs on Windows like Minesweeper and Solitare.


Konata is horrified at Miyuki's definition of "game" but Tsukasa is very much on the mark here in that, even if they are lousy games, they are quite addictive, and when you have nothing else to do at school...ehehehe.


But wow, Miyuki's hardcore. 10K on solitare, and 100 seconds on Minesweeper Expert. Is that even possible? I've never had the skills to even beat expert. Hmm, rich girls have a lot of free time. Or maybe she doesn't like to study either? A scary (yet adorable, if she acts the same way as Konata) thought.


They talk about shopping too. Sigh. Women. What would the girls' shopping lists look like?

Miyuki wouldn't shop. Kagami's an unknown. I have no idea what balsamic vinegar is but Tsukasa would clean out an entire aisle of it. Konata'd go shopping for groceries at Gamers or something.

And to close out this segment of the episode we finally get a pretty nice Miyuki scene, as she faces the problems of trying to give yourself eyedrops - which, if you've never tried it, is utter hell to do. So she goes to Konata for help, which may not have been the best choice.


But it's a funny one! Yeah, try to relax with a face like that. Maybe Konata is enjoying this 'CG event' too much.



Melt, melt, melt, wai! Open your mouth and close your eyes...


Lucky Channel is here at the end of the episode as always, and both hosts are pretty enthusiastic at the start this time around, and it actually lasts for longer than 5 seconds as well.


Maybe six. Tsukasa's introduction is today but Shiraishi quickly stumbles off topic into Guy Matters (don't cringe too hard), which is -


- followed by a reference combat, as Akira mentions how she's the "To Hea-" girl while Shiraishi cuts her off with a scintillating (if not random) Miracle Mikurururururun Minorurururururn rendition.


Shiraishi says good stuff about Tsukasa, which results in Akira summoning an ashtray out of nowhere and giving it to Shiraishi. Y'know. In the face. With force.


Akira then proceeds to refuse Tsukasa's idol status and insult her looks. I like to think she's simply jealous of Tsukasa's popularity (although that is questionable too), as that's the only thing keeping me from killing her with the power of my mind. Aside from the fact that, she's, y'know, an anime character.

Don't look at me like that!


Akira also gives her own lesson on idolness, whether it be how to pose for "candid" pictures around town (Shiraishi may be dangerously too honest in that picture there), or what things to carry around town. Sunflowers and tennis rackets. I don't get it at all but it seems that sunflowers are a popular theme in Japanese anime for some reason. The Shuffle! series has it as a big motif, they're prominent in a lot of character endings (i.e. sunflowers equal happy, like Kohaku), I think they might have shown up in AIR or maybe Kanon as well.


Oh, and Akira tries to discuss some things we probably shouldn't discuss. Wink wink, nudge nudge, etc etc.


The next episode preview features another great, if not disconnected reference (not to mention Tsukasa-ness), as Konata talks on and on about the 1up trick of Super Mario Brothers (NES). My geek-dom is affirmed now, yay! Although I don't remember having to repeatedly hit the A button, I thought you just have to set it up right...?

-CCY