
It’s more like Misa-chan playing right into Miyabigaoka Academy’s Student Council President’s trap…
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The thoughts, reviews and analysis of Comedy, Romance, Drama and Slice of Life Anime of a College Student
The SSS finally know that Naoi is behind the massacre, but how about Otonashi convincing him to stop this madness?
The highlight of the story is Naoi’s past. The first half of the episode didn’t matter as much compared to the second half.
Naoi being locked up to play while his other brother does the more important stuff is very typical. This seems to happen frequently to younger siblings. Usually, the older brother/sister gets more attention than the youngest sibling. I never had that problem in my life, but I’m sure others had trying to get more attention from their parents.
This is a very important quote that will pretty much change Naoi’s life and holds some significance towards the end of his story:
You’re the one who died.
Parents always want their children to succeed in life. Probably, the only way for a younger sibling to do gain more attention is from hard work and succeeding. However, some people aren’t cut out at some things even they put their full efforts. In this instance, Naoi swaps places with his brother so he can have an important meaning to his life, but sacrificing his previous life. Naoi faced a lot of difficulties because he was simply not good at pottery like his father and his brother. Eventually he got it with an award, but he did not do nearly as well.
It makes you wonder… What Naoi achieved in his life since his father can no longer train him? Nothing. He considers himself as a failure because he does not have the skills and he have to take care of his father for rest of his life. He failed because he was trying to be more like his brother instead of being himself, which is why the quote “you’re the one who died” holds true. Being yourself and hard work is the only path to success.
Besides from Naoi’s story, the episode is a rather a good one. The joke seems to be somewhat out of place. It kind of reminded me of the previous Key Anime adaptations that had a period of comedy and then turning into a melodrama. With the pacing in Angel Beats being slightly fast, it gets out of place. Now with Tenshi on their side, will Naoi join in as well after Otonashi bringing back to his senses? We will find out next episode.
8.8/10
Having 5 guys obsessing over Misa-chan is one thing, but them wanting reveal her job is a bad thing. Misaki is so concerned about her image that if she reveals her job at a maid cafe, it would tarnish her image and reputation as a whole. Then again, who wants to reveal something as embarrassing as working at a maid café, wearing a maid outfit and serving 30 year old otakus for instance? Misaki has a image problem since she holds a position that is highly reguarded, revealing that she works at a maid café would make her a laughing stock.
Usui, on the other hand is simply amazing when he retrieves the photo of that has himself and Misa-chan as a maid. Just some minor injuries from that fall, but he will survive… Also, the picture in question…
I like girls with twin tails because they possibly mean they are a tsundere. Later in the episode, I also found her cute with rabbit ears in her maid outfit, although she doesn’t give out the good spirit.
I find these guys creepy not only because they look the same, but they also keep following Misa-chan. They are more obsessed with her than those three guys that are fans of her after finding out that she works at a maid cafe. They want to know everything about her: Cooking, Student Council Meetings, her fighting skills and even her part time job… I won’t blame them… They are nice, but they are a bit too nosy. If I were in Misa’s position, would I want a group of guys wanting to know about my whole life? I don’t think so, but then again… I can’t be mean to them since they aren’t bad guys to begin with.
Leading up to this moment, it was quite obvious that Usui loves Misa-chan, no matter what… Since Usui officially confessed to her, I wonder what will happen to their relationship and further development of Misa-chan and her loosening dislike of men as a whole.
8.7/10
Nevertheless… this remains really interesting…
In continuation of this episode, the mission is to restock on weapons from the Guild underground. To get there, they need to get through the traps that are meant to repel Tenshi. Besides the “it’s a TRAP!” (not with boys crossdressing as a girl, but actual traps) moments that includes but not limited to a hammer, a laser trap that cuts your body (don’t worry, it doesn’t actually harm them after all), pitfall trap, big rolling bolder, falling ceiling, you name it! It is quite funny how some of these characters fell for these traps that I laughed… Well since they are immortal after all and only causes a lot of pain. Of course, our main character sees some, well you know for the first time and Yuri going all tsundere… well, dere with the blushing…
And then, there is this flashback which is on the verge of tearjerking sad…. The robbers decide to break into her house and nearly wiped out the whole family. Yuri tries to find something they would want, but fails to bring down the large pot since she slipped down stairs and started to bleed. Along with that, she is the leader simply because she rebelled against Tenshi first. Soon, they arrive at the guild and she decides to shut it down since Tenshi already found out and wanted to destroy all the knowledge and then rebuild the guild elsewhere. The workers start with preparation to demolish the guild and Tenshi got there. Otonashi and Yuri stand Tenshi off until the workers finally donated the TNT to blow up the guild, although the cannon was a complete failure.
Overall, this episode still made me rather interested in the show. Although the pacing is a little off, I think it will get better in the later episodes. Except for some scenes in the flashback, the animation was a improvement over the last episode and looked more appealing. It seems that they finally got the OP and the ED done with song and animation, which looked and sound amazing. About the OP, of course it sounded a little different compared to other songs that Lia sung (yes, I listen to alot of her songs, not only her Anime songs as seen on Last.fm), but it’s is rather mature… The ED sounded rather peaceful and yes, this is what I got from it. It is obvious that P.A. Works is trying to push to become like Kyoto Animation as always. Anyways, I can’t wait for the next episode…
Verdict
8.4/10
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
8.7/10
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…
Here comes the finale… Sit tight…
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Unoriginal and Uninspiring”
If you have the sense or feeling that modern anime are heading this way, I don’t think not. Yes, anime adapted from source material can be viewed by some as that following quote I have used in a editorial against Miyazaki’s views* on modern anime, but a effort to change this tend comes in from of TV Tokyo, Aniplex and A-1 Pictures, called the Animeno Chikara project, or The Strength of Anime is a project where they produce completely original Anime and broadcast it. The first project they done with the project is Sora no Woto. People when they first saw the first shots of it accused it being a copy of K-ON! and that it’s going to be a moeblob show since the characters looks vastly similar. That wasn’t the case at all when I was blown away by the first few episodes of Sora no Woto and I liked the story and the setting. Hardly any moe at all, besides that Episode 8.
With original productions, you are left with a clean slate of expectations. With adaptations, the viewers expect that it will be close to the original source material and when they find out that they changed or left something out or that the series has too many fillers, they will start complaining and drive their expectations down. I had no expectations when I first watch this production and it leave me a very good impression, allowing one to have an open mind. Original productions, you don’t know what will happen next or expect how well it is going to be until the next episode, which makes people eager to want the next episode soon. Also, they allow the producers to become more creative and original as opposed to adaptions, where you have to stick to the source material and you are pretty much limited on what new characters or plot you can put into the series without making the viewers angry.
Anyways, since I finished the introduction, first I’m going to focus on the story. The story is pretty deep and takes place in a town called Seize in Helvetia after the war have finished. This is where Kanata gets sent to and she has a very optimistic view about the future. As time goes on, we learn more about legends, past stories from various people and also Princess Iliya!!! The episodes that I felt that had a very good impact is Episode 3, where Kanata gets ill and we first hear “Amazing Grace”, Episode 5, where Noel, Kanata, Kureha goes onto the field trip and we are first introduced to No Man’s Land, Episode 6 is Misho’s story, Episode 7 with Filicia, getting over her loss of her friends and the first time we see Princess Iliya, Episode 9 with Klaus not disappointing Kureha by saving her and her keeping her faith in him and finally the last two episodes. “Amazing Grace” and legends are the most important and underlining of the story, which is shown throughout the season and time after time. However, with the seriousness, the happy and cheery ending theme ever gets so inappropriate that it becomes a mood whiplash, pretty much seen in Clannad After Story and Elfen Lied for examples as they used happy ending themes after a serious episode at the end of the episode. The story even after 12 episode seems that they could of gone a bit more in depth, but due to length constraints, they unable to do so which is fine… but if it was a little longer, I think the story can hold up even stronger. (Keep in mind, we are also getting 2 bonus episodes, possibly tie up loose ends.)
Music was pretty much good overall. Despite Kanata’s absolutely horrible playing in the beginning, but ended up turning out good when Amazing Grace was played in Episode 12 and it just sounded great. The opening theme, Hikarino Senritsu is really good considering how well it fits to the overall setting and story. However, even though I liked the ending theme, Girls, Be Ambitious, it became inappropriate several times after a serious scene happens towards the end and BAM! we are hit with a happy and go lucky tune… I would rather for them to use the other track, but oh well. For the background music, I have no opinion yet since the OST isn’t out yet, but I’m sure down the line, someone will review it.
Now for Characters. Yes, they look very similar to the characters from K-ON!, but I feel that they are different. Why? Kanata is not much of a moeblob and in contrast to Yui, I can’t picture that kind of behavior from her. Noel is the only character that has absolutely no relation to K-ON! (yep, they cut out Ritzu) and more like Nagato, but towards the end, she seems to have more emotion than the latter. Also, the voice acting for these characters are great… The only problems is character development, well mainly because of time constraints… I can’t complain much, but it’s worth saying they didn’t copy everything from K-ON! at all or if we did, well… who knows… From all those characters, I see Rio, Filicia and perhaps Kanata to be the strongest in terms of character development.
Overall, I think Sora no Woto is a outstanding series and I would recommend for those with a open mind. This is not K-ON! and Strike Witches smashed together, but I think with it’s strong setting, great storytelling and the eyecandy, I can say that Sora no Woto is a very interesting series that pretty much kept me watching. Hopefully, this production will encourage some more studios to start pumping out good and original Anime that can catch the viewer’s attention and keep it interesting so that it keeps the viewer watching. This pretty much proves that studios can produce original and inspiring anime if they work at it. They should use Sora no Woto as a model (but don’t copy the story/setting) and try to use the tactics used to create an original story that viewers will probably like.
Don’t say that I’m finished with Original Animes, the next one up is Angel Beats, which I will cover when it starts next week…
9.04/10
*I’m no way against Miyazaki’s works at all, I think he did a good job in producing movies that I did in fact enjoyed, but I just don’t agree with any of his politics and his views on Anime
Well, we finally reveal Aono’s secret… well, not so much of a secret, but still.
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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
Some Les Yay! Moments going around here including some serious stuff.
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Well, things come full circle…
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More on Rio and her family connections…
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It’s Valentines Day and Kobato wants a Valentines Day party…
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Sora no Woto was tainted by preview and people thinking that it’s a rehash of K-ON!, but in the military. However, when it first aired, the series proved to be more than just a moeblob series… Perhaps there is hardly any moe at all?
Well, they do alot… Rather than drinking tea and eating crumpets all day long, they go on field trips and checking safety device, checking for ghosts, finding lenses for the tank and the questionable dealing of bootlegged wine for goods or some dramatic moments like Kanata getting sick. Sora no Woto is a slice of life show more in the style of ARIA or perhaps Haibane Renmei instead of K-ON! where we have girls doing cutesy things like tripping over cords or acting childish.
The strongest point with Sora no Woto is that it doesn’t have any moe and more on serious plot like Misho’s story or Kanata getting sick. Although the story have some happy moments, it has alot of serious moments, which one can appreciate.
Another strong point is the art and music. The music perfectly fits in, especially with Hikari no Senritsu by Kalafina because of the theme of the song that sets the setting of the story. Also, it features other important music such as Amazing Grace (we know…) and others. The art is rather good, dispite the K-ON or Kannagi like art style. It’s background is appealing to the eye.. as they say.
However, “Hater’s gonna hate” no matter what (complete with animated GIF)… Just ignore them and watch it without comparing it to obviously moe shows like K-ON! You might just enjoy it.
Rating so far: 8.88/10, B+