January 15, 2006
ToHeart 2 Episode 4 (review) - "Bicycle"
This episode is a bit difficult to explain because I lost some of the meaning of the sequences with Yuma's grandfather, but I'll do my best.
Summary:
We start out with Yuma (from last ep) on bike trying to get to school on time. She speed through the gate and runs smack into Taka and company, running down Taka. Later that day at Gym, she is talking to Komaki about which classes she will take. While thinking, they fail to notice a baseball coming at them. The ball hits the faucet that Yuma is using, breaking it and spraying her down. Apparently, the person who hit the ball was Taka, and Yuma suspects a conspiracy - that Taka is targeting her.
Later, Yuma sees Taka and accosts him, telling him that she doesn't know why he is challenging her, but he should stop it. He's confused, as he hasn't challenged her. She accuses him of being with the CIA in plotting to get her. Komaki tells him who Yuma is (her friend from back in middle school). As Yuma leaves, we find out her grandfather is actually a rich person, dictating a pile of financial classes that she will take, somethign she is not happy about.
The next day at lunch, Taka is playing a game with the lunch tray, tossing it down the conveyor belt, when Yuma walks up to "accept his challenge". She throws a similar throw, and he says he is impressed. When he isn't annoyed, she is confused, and then irritated, not understanding his laid back reaction.
While having tea with Komaki, Yuma says that Taka is challenging her. Later, we see her being tutored on financial matters by a private tutor. It seems her brain is being crammed with information to succeed her grandfather. While doing so, she wonders if she has wronged Taka.
The next day, she walks into Taka's class and invites him (in her own brusque manner) to a movie, saying its because she owes him from yesterday. The movie is a thriller, and she is annoyed that he isn't getting scared like she is. As she gets frightened in one part, she grabs onto him, but immediately accuses him of taking advantage of her, then begins to yell at him when he says he should be saying that. Later in a discussion, she admits she doesn't know why she's so irritated by him. Taka notices her grandfather's car come to pick her up. When he points it out, she yells that she is going to succeed her grandfater and storms off to the car.
A few days later, Komaki tells Taka that something is obviously bothering Yuma, but that when she talks to Taka, she seems to cheer up. She asks Taka for a favor. As Yuma leaves at the end of the day, she sees Taka. He challenges her to air hockey. The game is furious. At first, Taka is winning handily. As they play, she tells him what is making her so upset, namely the set plan of her grandfather's to make her take over. He points out that her grandfather wouldn't want her to suffer and that maybe she should talk to him, or at least enjoy herself more. Afterwards, she gets back in the car, and he encourages her to not get so down, but she says that he shouldn't have such confidence, because she'll beat him sometime. As her grandfather drives off, she puts the window down (something new!) and smiles.
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Surprise! A forceful girl! I will say this: Yuma exceeded my expectations as a character. She wasn't entirely predictable.
Now, while she wasn't predictable, her backstory seemed a bit ludicrous. I can't imagine a parent of a rich company putting that kind of pressure on a high school sophomore.
That said, Taka and Yuma had great flow. We didn't quite resolve all of Yuma's issues, so I suspect she has another focus episode sometime this season.
One interesting point - it seems like Yuma's conversation with Komaki was the same as the one in Komaki's episode, just from a different perspective. But the conversation was slightly different, so I'm not sure if it was suppossed to be the same conversation, badly phrased, or if I missed the point.
Next episode, new girl. I know you're all shocked. Shy girl?
Posted by Drylnn at 04:43 AM | Comments (0)
ToHeart 2 Episode 3 (review) - "The Small Tea Club"
I'm going to keep going with this series - it keeps improving even though it seems like a dating sim video game (which I think it is).
Summary:
Manaka Komaki, the class representative, is helping people out to find their classes for the entrance ceremony when Taka and Yuuji offer to help out, pointing out what a great class rep she is. We have a flashback where we see her elected (against her will). She shoos them off to class, but as they leave, seems unhappy. Later, we see her performing her duties in class. Yuuji and Taka end up helping her collect surveys from other classes. As they do so, they learn about the school's plan to set up a student library, including bar codes and such, a task which is Komaki's responsibility. They offer to help out, but Yuuji remembers he has to help his sister
with shopping, so he leaves Taka with Komaki.
The two spend time organizing and getting things in order. As they do so, Komaki seems to get nervous. Taka asks her if she has difficulty around guys. She says this is so, and asks how he could tell. He replies he has the same problem around girls. She says they should take a break and she can show him her special spot.
It turns out her special spot is a tea kitchen in the back. She makes tea for the two of them. As they drink, they share stories about why they're "bad" at talking to the opposite gender. At the end of the day, Komaki is locking up the archive. As she does so, one of the male librarians/archive club members tells her that the staff has a problem with her having people help her in the archive, and that they have a problem even with her having a key to the archive. He tells her to bring her key to the meeting next week. As he walks off, she is obviously upset by this.
At lunch, Komaki is talking to Yuma (a purple haired girl who is her friend... we saw her before we saw the episode opening credits). When Yuma mentions that she feels bad for not being able to help out, Komaki mentions that Taka has been helping out. This upsets Yuma for some reason. When she tells Yuma about the librarian's ominous message, Yuma tells Komaki that she needs to have more fun. Later she runs into Taka, who again volunteers to help her. While talking on the way to the archive, they meet male librarian again, who reminds her. As he leaves, Taka offers advice that she should have more fun (which is similar to some advice Yuma gave her).
At the meeting, the male librarian forces two freshmen to work on it rather than Komaki. It becomes clear this is the male librarian's agenda, and that the club is disgruntled. As the male librarian asks her how much work has been done, she thinks back on the advice she was given, and speaks up for herself, saying she knows the work best and she enjoys doing it. The club applauds her initiative, while the male librarian grouses. At that moment, Taka shows up, saying he is here to help. The club of course overrides the one
librarian because Komaki really does know the workload best.
Later, Taka gets the story on what happened as Komaki serves him tea and snacks. She wonders if she did right, and he says she did, that she's having fun and helping do what she wants to do. As she thinks on that, she spills her tea on her foot. Taka runs over to check on her injury, taking of her shoe and sock to keep her from being scalded. As he tends to her foot, she admits that she thinks she's gotten over her aversion to boys. He then asks her out on Sunday to go star gazing with him and his friends. She agrees with a smile.
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By now, it's apparent the episode format is going to be to introduce each girl for a while (until we run out of girls that is). This week is Manaka Komaki's episode. What's interesting so far is that it seems like we keep alternating shy and forceful personalities - the first week, we had Konomi, a shy girl, the next week it was Tama, a more forceful individual. I wonder if the girls can all be broken down that way. Komaki obviously fits into the shy girl category, one who only learns to speak up for herself near the end of the episode.
It's hard to envision these people being in high school, but apparently, I have to accept it. Komaki has some interesting hair... looks like mine when I sleep on one side the whole night and wake up with morning hair. Somehow, it looks better on her though.
I'd have to say I like Komaki's character, but she doesn't stand out from the first two girls. That isn't a good sign for a show that is ostensibly going to have each girl stand out in some way. We need different personality traits, and I'm not sure how different Komaki is from Konomi, other than in their personal histories.
I'm thinking Yuma will be introduced in the next episode. Hmmm... forceful girl? (hint - she is)
Posted by Drylnn at 04:31 AM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2005
ToHeart 2 Episode 2 (review) - "Old Friend"
I decided to give the second episode of this series a try, in spite of my misgivings from the first episode. I'm just not sure what audience this is intended for, but the writing quality seemed good in the first episode, so I couldn't help but think it deserved another chance.
Summary:
To Heart 2 - Old Friend
Taka (short of Takaaki, since I'm sure I'm butchering that) is over at a friend (Yuuji)'s because its raining; at least that's what Yuuji leads us to believe. At the sound of a seemingly innoculous bell, Yuuji seems to get nervous and says he has chores to do, but insists
that Taka not try to go home in the rain.
In the hallway, Yuuji passes a redhaired girl who had the bell. She comes in, looking at Taka oddly and offers him a hot drink. She seems oddly familiar to Takaaki, but he can't recall from where or even her name. She seems to be convinced he will remember, not filling in any details. Taka stammers his way through the conversation. After a bit, she asks him if he's hungry, but as he insists he is not, his stomach gives him away. She leaves, amused at his efforts to remember
As she is preparing food, we learn that her name is Tamaki (Aneki), and as she cooks, we get a little background on her. She's a student who finished her most recent 3 year course at the girls' school in 2 years. She's been at girls' school for 7-8 years in total, and is a member of the Kosaka family.
As she tastes the food, she hears a noise and goes to check on Taka. As she listens at the door, she hears Yuuji trying to get Taka to hide, and she cryptically smiles and says "As expected". Coming in, she discovers them hiding and Taka has apparently remembered who she is.
From there, we get a flashback - they apparently knew each other as children, and she obviously had some sort of attachment to him. As we return to the present, she tries to hug him and he tries to get away. Just then Konomi arrives. As Taka tries to convince her to help get Tama off him, she recognizes Tama and jumps on top of the dogpile, then they go to eat.
The next day, Taka is awoken in his bed by... Tama! She tells him he shouldn't leave the keys in the same place as when they were kids She seems to know all his little peccadillos, and she tells him they're going shopping. Taka protests, but he really has nothing better to do. At some point, they meet up with Konomi and Yuuji. Tama says she'll buy both Konomi and Taka whatever they want as a
gift, but Taka doesn't know. As they walk by a lingerie store, Tama suggests that since Konomi is a high school student, she'll have to wear some nice underwear. Konomi is embarrassed, but Tama insists. Tama asks Taka for his opinion on what Konomi should get. As Taka evades questioning, Tama shows Konomi some sheer clothing. When Konomi gets embarrassed again, Tama asks Taka if it looks good on her instead. Tama evades again, and as they leave the store, Yuuji observes "Taka is so confused right now."
Another day comes and goes, and one morning, Tama can't find Yuuji. While out, she runs into Konomi, and says that Yuuji is missing but its no big deal since they have Taka around. They ring his doorbell, but no one is answering. Just then, they hear a muffled shout. Around the side, Yuuji and Taka are sneaking out, but they are discovered. They run, but Tama says she enjoys the challenge of chasing them down. Konomi can't keep up, so Tama says to wait, she'll be back.
No matter where they go, Tama is faster. She knows all their old hiding spots, and when she arrives at an old temple, she has a flashback to a similar situation at the same place when they were kids. Of course, their hiding spot is the same as back then, and Tama catches Taka. As they leave, we find out Tama is a third year. She comments to him how girls always grow up faster than boys. Apparently, when they were children, she tried to make a pinky promise with him so that he'd wait for her in 8 years when she came back (I'm not entirely clear what type of school this is, but I'll go with it for now). Tama says the promise has been fulfilled, since they're both here.
Konomi has caught Yuuji in the meantime, and the four head out on the town. We flash to the first day of school, where three are waiting on Tama. That's where Yuuji seems nervous when they say she's at girl's school... apparently, she's actually transferring to THEIR school.
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Unlike the first, this second episode helped me to feel better about the series in general. It's fairly obvious that the plot for this must have been taken from some sort of dating sim or the like, but at least they're not glossing over the personalities of the characters so far.
I'm still somewhat disturbed by how young Konomi seems, but I guess its okay for a first year high school student. It just seems off when you consider that Tama is only suppossed to be two years older than Konomi, yet she seems much older.
In the end, I've decided to give this series more of a chance, and see if it can stay out of the dating sim trap. I'm still skeptical, but the characters are proving interesting enough in general to stick around for another episode. I really do need to move away from some of these dating animes and move to something else. A dramatic space feature or something would do the job nicely.
Other than that, there's not much else to say... again, nothing untoward happens, you pervs.
Posted by Drylnn at 03:34 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2005
ToHeart 2 (review) - Episode 1
Summary:
Konomi is entering high school. Her childhood friend Takaaki is a year ahead of her, already in the same school. We see a day in the life of Konomi as she gets ready for the first day of high school: Takaaki walks her home, stays for dinner with Konomi and her mother, and agrees to watch Konomi while her parents are gone. During that visit, Konomi makes dinner, they watch a scary movie, they go to bed. Konomi gets scared and comes to visit him in bed. Nothing happens you pervs.
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Hmmm... I'm not sure I'm going to blog this show. The artwork is done pretty well, but... I'm kind of disturbed by the idea of what looks to be little girls and their developing relationship with a guy. It's going to be hard to get past that.
Thoughts:
If you're a parent, would you have your high school freshman daughter stay with a sophomore while you're out of town? Maybe it's a Japanese thing, but I'd think that would make most parents here nervous.
Were the girls all that tiny when I was a high school frosh? Konomi seems like she's closer to 10 years old than say, 14.
I'm not a big action buff in all anime, but man, nothing happened in this episode! I guess I should be glad of that for the aforementioned reasons.
Anyways, I'll watch some more episodes to get an idea on the format. I just had a hard time with the character design I guess for Konomi. I think it's a cute enough style, just... a little hard to get past the little kid-dish-ness. Check back in a couple episodes to see if I keep watching.
Posted by Drylnn at 12:45 AM | Comments (0)