I have to admit, Kobato was one of the sweetest love stories from CLAMP I have seen from 2009-2010. This makes it the 9th Anime Moment with our countdown to Christmas. (Image Source)
…
Kobato
Adaptation of CLAMP’s Kobato. Manga.
Kobato – Final Review
Kobato is one of those CLAMP animes where it starts off slow until towards the middle/end where it gets all complicated and they end simple. Kobato is one of them, a naive girl sent on a mission to fill a bottle with a stuffed dog named Ioryogi. To get konpieto, you have to heal people’s hearts. Since Kobato is still an ongoing manga series in a shouen magazine (yes, Kobato is a Shouen anime, not Shoujo), there are going to be filler episodes. Although they managed to pull it off, only a few episodes were mixed bags, especially Episode 21. Yes, that episode…
Down to the story, which like mentioned earlier, Kobato needs to fill this bottle to the top with konpieto to go to some place she wants to go. To do that, you need to fill the bottle, but sometimes she fails to do so because she does other things besides doing that. On top of it, there are loan sharks who want to close down the nursery, soKobato attempts to help the nursery while finishing her mission. At least the first half was about that. Second half seems to use original material including the decision of closing down the nursery, which irked me a bit since Sayaka actually liked that loan sharker all along… and yeah… The last two episodes screams Clannad and then a few years passed and stuff… Overall, the ending redeemed itself to be at least a good story, but with a good number of flaws.
Some have pointed out that the character designs are different than the manga. Kobato is stupid than naive and Fujimoto is a jerkass more than ever. I can’t recall how many times Kobato said “You are so mean” and “meanie” because of it and it’s moe as well, which is why it’s Shouen. Anyways, throughout the story, Kobato seems to mature alot and towards the end. Fujimoto tries to push her away until that very last moment in Episode 23 and it’s obvious who is Kobato’s love interest is… since it’s romance after all. Besides the main characters and the children at the daycare, as usual, CLAMP loves to make cameos in their works. These include characters from Chobits, Wish, and Tsubasa Chronicles. Yep, that hows it goes.
Madhouse seems to have done a really good job with the animation. No wonder… They animated several CLAMP productions and some notable recent productions such as Summer Wars. Music for the most part is good, although the new ED was only used for the last few episodes… ouch…
Overall, Kobato is a good watch, but has flaws as mentioned. Some people may complain about the slowness and then the complicated plot towards the end, but nevertheless, shouldn’t really write it off so quickly. What the content has shown in the anime pretty much shown that it’s somewhat rushed since it only had 24 episodes, but if it was a bit longer and there was more manga content to work with, I think it would have done a little better. Anyways, if you still want more after this, read the manga. I’m pretty sure that the manga ending is going to be different from the Anime since of length constraints and allow for a bit more in depth storytelling.
Final Grade
8.7/10, B+
Kobato – Episode 24 Thoughts and Impressions (END)
The ending overall is good and the last two episodes pretty much redeemed itself. In this episode focuses Fujimoto after the aftermath. His is depressed because of what happened, which made people wonder. Then, he comes home one day and finds a pink Konpieto fall out of somewhere and then using the picture, ask people where she is. The only one that knows her is of course, Kohaku. She explains about what happened to her. Few years later, Fujimoto works as a lawyer was told to go to this house and he does. He plays that very familiar song on the piano and the girl comes over and he does his thing, gives back the Konpieto he finds and have her sing that song. Soon after, something happened and that girl, well Kobato regains her memories and she runs over and hugs Fujimoto.
Overall, although the ending is cliched in some aspects, it’s really heartwarming ending. Sure the bunny has a obnoxious giggle, but it turns out well in the end and the first time ever we ever saw her hatless… Well, maybe because she was hiding that thing on her head before. Also, as you see in the credits, everyone grew up or gone on to do their jobs and also the daycare comes back, well in a different form.
Anyways, stay tuned for the final review… I have to go back and think about it before I start writing. :p
Overall Rating
8.7/10
Kobato – Episode 23 Thoughts and Impressions
As they all say, all good things come to the end. Kobato uses her remaining time to make Fujimoto happy by taking him to the park and stuff. They even went on a boat ride and Kobato couldn’t even row the boat correctly, which is the funny part. However the second part gets a hell alot more serious She says farewell to the landlord, Chitose and Kobato and Ioryogi leaves to the place where she first arrived. Fujimoto comes home and finds out that Kobato left and he looked everywhere to find him. After Kobato failing to fill the bottle, Fujimoto came and finds out that Kobato is actually dead all along and needed to fill the bottle so that she would reborn or revived in the world. After Fujimoto shattered the wall, the last Konpieto came, but after it filled, the contract cannot be changed and Kobato disappears along with Ushagi.
I swear, Ushagi is one mean bunny… or rather, nightmare fuel. I bet after the viewer saw what Ushagi did, well, I guess viewers are going to gain an irrational fear of bunnies now because they will giggle that makes you disappear in your dream and gold a freaking flower and do bad stuff. As Ioryogi said, you cannot change her fate at all… and that you are stuck what you have… unless you have a Deus ex machina. I think it was too late for Fujimoto to show his true feelings towards the end… and well, we don’t know how it will turn out until the next Episode… so stay tuned…
Kobato – Episode 22 Thoughts and Impressions
Well, this is near the end of the journey of Kobato. In the beginning, we see Kobato as a child with dolls and someone looks vastly like Fujimoto. Well, this is obviously a happy dream that Kobato was having, but her chest hurts that indicate a feeling of love of some sort. As decided in Episode 21, we go more in depth on why Sayaka decides to close the nursery. She says it’s because Fujimoto seems to be too attached to that place, and now with the Nursery gone, Fujimoto still continues to work despite this because he is a perfectionist.
Fujimoto goes to the nursery for the last time and look at the organ and went back to work. Soon, all the belongings are hauled away and the former nursery children, Sayaka and Kobato watches the nursery being demolished. Meanwhile, Fujimoto was in a gaze and got into an accident while driving, making one of his arms unusable. Domoto was there with Kobato and while Fujimoto and Kobato walking, Fujimoto finally snaps and saying that all Kobato is doing is annoying her. This causes Kobato be upset. Ushagi-san then comes down from the sky giving a flower that indicates that Kobato only have until the next moon as Ioryogi said and if she fails to fill the bottle up, her fate will be sealed. He tries to beg for an extension, but Ushagi doesn’t allow it and leaves.
Overall, this episode was better than the last episode, although we know already the manga will definitely have a different ending compared to the Anime. Yes, some typical fetish fuel in a scene where Kobato and Ioryogi meets (and Kobato was, well… you know…). Also, the dream suggests something that Kobato desires (well, at least in the Anime), which is some type of relationship with Fujimoto. Anyways, we find out in the two part finale if Kobato succeeds or not… Stay tuned…
Verdict
8.7/10
Kobato Episode 21 – Thoughts and Impressions
Well, things come full circle…
…
Kobato Episode 20 Thoughts and Impressions
It’s Valentines Day and Kobato wants a Valentines Day party…
…
Kobato – Episode 19 Thoughts and Impressions
Christmas Eve comes and Fujimoto started acting strange…
…
Kobato – Episode 18 Thoughts and Impressions
Well, it’s winter and…
…
Kobato – Episode 17 – Thoughts and Impressions
This is the second part of Mysterious Lifeform, in Ioryogi perspective. He goes to the “Sprit World” to obtain baumkuchen, his favorite food. On his way back, he gets hit by a soccer ball, on a sheet in midair, using his fire breath to avoid getting the box wet, be he fell into the pond, going into a dryer and also being a target of a shoot a object game. That is one rough and hilarious adventure he had.
After Kobato and Ioryogi met again, she returns to the bazaar and found out that her mysterious lifeform she stiched haven’t sold, but Domoto, the nice guy he is, buys one… and Ioryogi’s baumkuchen got sold, so he never got the chance to eat it and gave Kobato a -300 for her selling it.
Unlike the last few episodes, this one was really lighthearted. As you noticed, you saw cameos from XXXHolic and also Tsubasa Chronicle? Yes, there is a theme park named Mokona Land… it made me laugh because I instantly recognized it since I did watch a few episodes of Tsubasa with my sister a long time ago… It seems that Clamp sure love their cameos… or they are running out of ideas… One or the other… Anyways, it was good, but not as good as the last…
Verdict
8.6/10
Kobato – Episode 16 Thoughts and Impressions
In effort to save the nursery, Kobato suggests them to do a bazaar.
…
Kobato – Episode 15 Thoughts and Impressions
This episode have gotten even more emotional, more so than the last few episodes…
…
Kobato – Episode 14 Thoughts and Impressions
This may be a filler or not as exciting as the other episodes, but it explores an important lesson, not about the potatoes, but something else.
…
Kobato – Episode 13
Now it’s the start of the Fall season and… it’s all about that tree…
…
Kobato – Mid Season Impressions
What? We already at the half point?
It’s been 12 episodes since it started to air. I have to say, it’s a really fun show for the most part. We have this Dojikko Geneki girl named Hanato Kobato along with her stuffed dog named Ioryogi. Her mission, heal peoples hearts to get Konpeito to fill up her bottle so she can have her wish granted… within one year.
As you noticed, most of her “healing” or solving the person’s problem leads to a crowning moment of heartwarming… well, compared to other series CLAMP made, this sure has alot of moe~ This can be seen with Kobato’s clumsiness and also some of the really cute outfits she wears… no wonder…. Behind the happy tone of this show has a somewhat dark backstory with the Japanese Mafia giving the nursery some unsecured loans (also known as loan sharking, illegal in the 50 states) and threatening to shut down the nursery.
Some of the best moments I have seen thus far is well, Episode 5, which that story almost jerk tears, Episode 10 where we see little Fujimoto and lastly Episode 11 with Kobato wearing what? A Waitress outfit? I think I got a Moe~ nosebleed..
I expect that the show will end nicely, but who would know anyways… If you haven’t watch it yet and like a slice of life, I suggest watching it… It’s pretty good… although…
Score so far: 8.74/10 (avg.), B+
Kobato – Episode 12 Thoughts and Impressions
It’s almost the end of summer and Fujimoto has to go to a college conference since Doumoto asked him to since he missed the other. Sayaka convinces Fujimoto to go and he does. Kobato covers for him for the rest of the day, despite of her being clumsy and all.
…
My Experiences of Anime Blogging in 2009
I have started to blog back in October of last year, mostly about topics not about anime. Suddenly, my interest for anime came back when I discovered better anime such as Suzumiya Haruhi, Lucky Star and soon after Kanon and also Clannad/Clannad After Story. This is when I started to blog about anime in middle of February while using the same Wordpress theme with alot of modifications and kept at it for close to 10-11 months with my effort to update my blog frequently with new Anime episodic posts, reviews and editorials.
Whole year went by so fast and I have published over 220 posts within the 10-11 months I have blogging. Basically, I have been posting on average 20 posts per month. Blogging has always been fun for me, although it’s time consuming. The idea is I want to share my thoughts instead of relying on Twitter like most anime bloggers and neglect their blogs. Yes I’m looking at you… and RyanA have been complaining about this frequently on IRC! I for one didn’t take this trend and decided that anime blogging should stay as it is… on your blog.
The most notable events I have written a response about is the eroge ban (which is wrong, btw), ADV shutdown, Bloggers not crediting their fanart and lastly, Otaku Elimination Game where we spread more controversy and of course, the Endless Eight outrage where most of the bloggers complained about Endless Eight endlessly… I enjoyed that… err… not really.
I have seen some good series this year. The second half of Clannad After Story which is a masterpiece in my books, K-ON!, a lighthearted slice of life comedy, half of Kobato and Seitokai no Ichizon along with already finished animes I haven’t watched like Kanon, Clannad, Air, some of Kannagi, Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (first season), Suzumiya Haruhi S1, Lucky Star and five episodes of Hayate no Gotoku. I’m hoping that next year will bring out great anime again… and pretty much looking forwards for Angel Beats! and perhaps another season of K-ON!
Except Suzumiya Haruhi Second Season… that sh** sucked thanks to Endless Eight… Never forget that…
But for now, so along and we see each other in 2010!
Attribution Information
Fanart used in this post is made by moonknives
Kobato – Episode 11 – Thoughts and Impressions
Not much happened, but it was a pretty fun episode. Kobato gets to wear a waitress outfit that shoot moe levels up to the roof… and the outfit seems like something that CLAMP won’t come up with.
The story is pretty simple. Kobato decides to take a part time job at a bakery since she want to help out the nursery. Chitose finds Kobato a job at a bakery where she was introduced to Ueda and Yumi, who recently injured her hands. Throughout the episode, we learn that Ueda feeling uneasy and Kobato decides to investigate about it. Finds out that he wanted to hire another person thinking that Yumi is being overworked, but finds out that the injuries came from her trying to brake her own cake, which turns out good… Thus another Konpeito in the jar.
Overall, I got to say… It was a pretty fun episode… Kobato is an airhead as always… It seems all female leads in CLAMP’s works are airheads… Also, reminds me of that cake song. Holy cow… Not to mention, Kobato moe levels skyrocketed when she was dressed in the waitress outfit… not only that, her usual clumsiness brings it even higher… well yeah. Also, detective Kobato is pretty cute and also very funny.
Also, no new episode until another week… so you might be a bit disappointed… oh well.
Verdict
8.7/10
Kobato – Episode 10 Impressions and Thoughts
Another filler attacks, but a rather decent one to say. Especially on a hot summer day when in real life, it’s only 20 degrees out and freezing. Well, Kobato decides to go to the Nursery, Sayaka decides to tell a story when they are airing out the futons about Fujimoto’s childhood when her father takes him in since he was a orphan. We was a loner and the children didn’t like him because of it. One event changed everything when two guys looking for the soccer ball and one of the guy fell on the sunflower plant. This gets Sayaka upset and hey apologized. They left and Sayaka ties the plant up with a pole. Then, Fujimoto started to play a song on the organ and children was singing… This is when he started to warm up…
Unfortunately Iroyogi got exhausted from the heat… and while Kobato was walking back, Kohaku call her over to offer Iroyogi beer… yep and he was excited about that… The funny part when Kobato and Sayaka was airing out the futons is Iroyogi became completely dehydrated…
I find it funny how Fujimoto doesn’t want everyone to know about his childhood… but it was too late.. Well, you won’t get very far in life if you become a complete loner and not being able to communicate… it’s essential.. Although he isn’t that quiet anymore, he is still very anti-social and doesn’t have any friends… wow…
Got to say, it was a good episode… but what comes next?
Verdict
8.7/10
Kobato – Episode 9 Thoughts and Impressions
Fillers galore, we are yet hit with another filler episode. While not having reading the manga since I don’t really have the interest to do so, it was a good episode, but there are some flaws and pretty much cliched.
This episode starts in the start of summer and Kobato wants to go to the summer festival while she was bathing Ioroyogi. The flier flew off and somehow Natsuki got it and Kobato finds her with it. She hands it back and notices that her hands mere a mess. Natsuki gives a cloth to Kobato to clean her hands. Then, another girl Yukino trips and falls onto the ground while she uses her cellphone and they left. Kobato forgot that Ioroyogi was still wet and she squeezed the water off him. He was angry and about to spit fire, but couldn’t. While Ioroyogi was drying, Fujimoto told where that girl’s school was which was a all girls school. After she goes there and watch through the window, she finds Yukino and Natsuki, but gets caught by a teacher. Kobato runs and hide in the bushes and Yukino finds her while trying out a camera. They went to the pool area where Natsuki was working and handed back the towel…
Why do I need to tell you this… Well, the rest of the story is about Natsuki’s and Yukino’s friendship becoming distant ever since Yukino started to act strangely. In the past, they had matching phones and they needed a way to tell the phones apart. They got their charms and they exchanged it (Natsuki gets a snowman and Yukino a watermelon slice). With their friendship distancing, Natsuki decided to work harder in school. Not knowing that Yukino was working in a part time job to buy a new camera and finally got the money to buy one at a sale, Kobato goes to the mall and she finds Natsuki looking at the two other girls and Yukino. Without thinking, Natsuki said something that she didn’t intend to say, but it was hurtful.
You guys are so stupid! Even photographs that just mimic an advertisement can be seen as pretty good, so alot of people are mistaken about good photography…Even though you’re an amateur with no talent, you pretend you’re a pro. You’re pathetic
-Natsuki
That moment pretty much sums up this episode… Well, the accusation of Yukino being a poser is pretty lame, don’t you think. Also, the charm which Natsuki was panic about when the charm is missing go through the trash and with Kobato taking notice of it, helps her but finds it near a bucket… HOW DID IT GET THERE? It must be some kind of magic since it couldn’t walk off like that. Natsuki finds it and Kobato takes a picture of it and sends it to Yukino. When Natsuki meets Yukino, she reveals that she kept her charm on a necklace… thus their friendship is healed and Kobato gets another konpeito.
Although this episode is not that bad and was good… it was pretty much cliched… How many shows employ this kind of plot? Does anyone know. Another complaint I am hearing that Kobato is butting into others people’s problems, although it’s the thing she does best, or she wouldn’t be healing these people.
Another thing that bothered me is Yukino using her cellphone during class. Why would you use a cell phone during class? It seems like alot of teenagers in high school spend their time texting on their phones secretly during class while the teacher is teaching and high schools usually ban cell phone use… In college, they don’t even care, but it’s quite risky since you might lose important information on a topic. Yukino did not realize that using a cellphone camera will make a noise… I noticed all Japanese mobile phones does that, except my iPhone 3GS since I can turn off that sound by turning on the silent switch. A great way to get caught easily…
Is this the last of the Fillers? Who knows, but they aren’t that bad considering that I haven’t read the manga or have any interest to do so.
Not to mention, Kobato looks really cute in her new outfit, especially in her yukata…
Verdict
8.8/10
Kobato – Episode 8 Thoughts and Impressions
Episode 8 is really Nyandaful cute. Why? It contains a really cute kitty, which Kobato tries to take care of and also try to find a home since pets aren’t allowed in the apartment. However, this brings trouble to everyone when she tries to find a home for it and soon the Chi twins tries to help. Who wouldn’t want to keep a kitty that is so cute!
She tried many places, including the nursery. Kobato actually brings it there and all but one of the kids enjoyed him… Why… He had cat allergies… (does this remind you some other anime about cats?) and to the point where Fujimoto say to Kobato is that she is only bringing trouble by bring the kitten in and should of left it alone. Ironicly, Fujimoto helps find a home for the Kitten by telling to one grandmother that Kobato helped her with the crying baby by singing a song. Chi twins and Kobato when they got back to the apartment decides to give the kitten to the grandmother since her grandson enjoys animals and don’t have cat allergies. With this, the Chi twins had the feeling of sadness of missing the kitten… Who wouldn’t since noone want to really part from their pet they beloved most.
They insists on Kobato singing the same song that she sung before and she accepts and sings… Oddly enough, the twins went to sleep and Kobato receives more konpeito… two of them… but Ioryogi having to deal with the kitten gives her a 0, although she is excited of getting it since it’s just as round the bowl the Kitten was using and he actually makes it her grade, which causes to complain…
Domoto makes an appearance again and tries to help, but this time, Fujimoto helps out… This make me think that there is some kind of love triange with Domoto and Fujimoto with Kobato in the middle of it… Oh, this will be interesting if this was actually a romance anime, but it’s not really…
Verdict
8.9/10
Kobato – Episode 7 Thoughts and Impressions
Sorry for the delay… but you can never be late for Kobato, can you?
Continuing Kobato’s quest of getting more konpeito, she finds out from being a dojikko with the paint and spilling the paint all over the place that she got Fujimoto angry again… Fujimoto always seems to be one of those characters that get mad easily and Kobato takes it the wrong way when she calls him mean for not helping the girls at the university. Whoops!
Why in the world sould Fujimoto bail out irresponsible college students that go off and party and not do their homework or take notes? I wouldn’t and he is right… but it seems that Kobato takes it the wrong way and saying it’s right for people to copy your work so they can get a better grade… What ever happened to Academic Integrity? Hell, my university won’t allow me to get bailed out for being absent most of the time… No way jose… You earn your grade… so remember college students or students that will enter college next year, YOU have to earn your grade and no one is going to BAIL you OUT or you might get caught cheating! It’s not fair when students get bailed out when I have to work my butt off to get the best grade, but it happens… However, Domoto, the nice guy he his (way too nice than Yuuto from Nogizaka Haruka) and let others take advantage of him and Kobato okays that…. Wow… that is messed up, but it’s better than having a jerkass like Shute Shutherland…
On a side note, the robots from Chobits makes a reappearance since Episode 3. The funny thing is when the children play hide and go seek with them… one girl don’t know which one and as a result, she got found. =O
Besides the pet peeves with someone actually bailing out students and Kobato saying that it’s okay to do so, I find the episode rather funny… and cute… Kobato may as well be the biggest dojikko out there… more so than Yui from K-ON!
This reminds me of something… I have finals coming up in a few weeks. =o
Verdict
8.7/10
Kobato – Episode 6 Impressions
I have to admit, while this episode of Kobato is pretty good, it was slower than normal… and Kobato being the a complete Dojikko, which is shown more in this episode than earlier episodes with her tripping and hitting her head.
This episode is basically the nursery goes on a field trip and Kobato while getting her bag answers the phone call from the loan shark villain saying that he will shut down the nursery. She goes and tell Fujimoto what happened and he said to not to tell Sayaka because it will upset her. While they went on the trip, Ioryogi goes into another dimension and ask the wolf to investigate what happened to the nursery. After while, Kobato came back from the trip and brought back a four leaf clover. However, Ioryogi is bothered by the findings the white messaging bird brought back telling that the master who owned the nursery was forced to take a loan from a loan shark before he died two years later and now they are harassing Sayaka, which brings them a difficult task of filling up the bottle and saving the nursery at the same time.
The episode itself introduced to Ioryogi’s buddies and also the situation of the loan sharks that happened in the last episode… seeing that, what previously looked like a fluffy and soft anime just have turned into a dark and dramatic… Again.. it’s the working of CLAMP again… =p
Verdict
8.5/10
Kobato – Episode 5 Impressions
It seems like ages since Kobato aired since there was no Kobato last week since there was a baseball game going on (damn baseball games, they ruin everything! (refer back to Lucky Star Episode 4)). Anyways, Loansharking can never get this dangerous… and actually illegal in the 50 states. Well, Kobato seems to save the day oddly and drove all those delinquents and Ioryogi actually bites one of the delinquent’s foot (that got to hurt).
The episode is basically about a writer who sits on the park bench and does not want Kobato to read the book about fireflies. It was revealed later that it was the last book written by Mr. Mori. Knowing this, she goes to the library to find information and the books eventually went on top of Ioryogi. Then Kobato asks Mr. Mori to look at fireflies at night and they did. There, he tells a sad story about his ex-girlfriend who made the cover of the book and she wanted to look at fireflies, but he couldn’t since he was busy. The accident happened that causes her to be injured badly and she wanted to look at the fireflies badly. When they got to the spot in the book, they found out that there are actually fireflies. After seeing them, he regained his motive to start writing again and thus Kobato healed another heart.
The episode itself is good, but tear-jerking a little bit with his story. most of the series so far have been comedy-based, but it seems that we hit some drama, haven’t we? Anyways, I feel that this episode was pretty heartwarming and was actually good…
Verdict
8.9/10