Crunchyroll Choyaku Hyakuninisshu : Uta Koi. [Archive]

MisaoFan

2012-03-19, 15:28

http://cdn01.animenewsnetwork.com/images/cms/news/49854/uta-koi.jpg

Original creator : Kei Sugita
Director : Kenichi Kasai
Series Composition : Tomoko Konparu
Character Design : Aki Tsunaki
Animation Production : TYO Animations
Production : NAS
Plot summary : The manga tells the "super-liberal interpretation" of the Hyakuninisshu anthology compiled during Japan's Heian period of 100 romantic poems from 100 different poets such as The Tale of Genji's Murasaki Shikibu. The poems are also used as the basis for the karuta card game.

Note : Media Factory began publishing the manga in 2010. The third volume will be published on April 20.

leokiko

2012-03-19, 15:46

ANOTHER josei? Good.

Just 3 volumes so far of the manga? Bad.

The premise sounds interesting enough, obviously reminds me of Chihayafuru, which is a good thing. Yet, the setting is in the past.

Leo_Otaku

2012-03-19, 21:29

I was just about to say the image reminds me of Heian period lol. I'll check this out I'm a huge sucker for romance ^-^"

Kunagisa

2012-03-22, 07:51

Adding some more info~!

Anime PV
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Manga PVs (very highly suggest checking out for the amazing music)
8DMRlNxNCsM
If blocked, use this one (http://nicoviewer.net/sm11588532)

AgMRDmvd1JE
A_uE2y2hSxw

That's a pretty impressive staff list for josei lovers, if 3gatsu no Lion ever get an anime, I wouldn't mind this (barring character designer). As for what's Hyakunin Isshu, here's the wiki exerpt:
Hyakunin isshu (百人一首?) is a traditional anthology style of compiling Japanese waka poetry where each contributor writes one poem for the anthology. Literally, it translates to "one hundred people, one poem [each]". It also refers to the card game of uta-garuta, which uses a deck composed of poems from one such anthology. (link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakunin_Isshu))

Base on the promo material and title, I expect epic music and light-hearted romance with slices of comedy. Summer's looking even better than Spring for me at the moment.

---

2ch leaked cast, looks somewhat believable (the person leaked several things that at least one was confirmed from Newtype elsewhere).Confirmed!

藤原定家 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujiwara_no_Teika)：梶裕貴 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%ABki_Kaji)
在原業平 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariwara_no_Narihira)：諏訪部順一 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junichi_Suwabe)
藤原高子/Fujiwara no Takaiko：早見沙織 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saori_Hayami)
小野小町 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_no_Komachi)：遠藤綾 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aya_End%C5%8D)
良岑宗貞 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henjo)/Yoshimine no Munesada：内田夕夜 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%ABya_Uchida)
文屋康秀 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fun%27ya_no_Yasuhide)：千葉進歩 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susumu_Chiba)

Looks like pretty solid cast. While conventional wisdom seems to indicate that Natsuyuki Rendez-vous (http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=111317) would be the josei of the season, but this seems to be more on my wavelength~~~ I'm still not too convinced that the character designer's a good fit, so still very much anticipating on the music composer.

---

Finally took a look at the manga, got even more interested.

---

Website updated!!!

http://puu.sh/tNAB

Music composers are Mitsuda Yasunori and Kirioka Maki; both are prolific video game music composers. Sound director is Motoyama Satoshi, who has done few series that I like quite a bit (most recently Brave 10 and Symphogear). I think Mitsuda is huge for Chrono Trigger fame, but I have only ever bought 3-5 games in my life so ... EITHER WAY, officially as hyped as a monkey drinking banana coffee now!

Naoko Thunder

2012-06-13, 19:06

I'm very interested in this series! The music already sounds fantastic and I've heard good things about the manga too.

Debeki

2012-06-21, 11:05

nyqTv2y6PVA

Lilith

2012-06-30, 10:08

At first I thought it was another sotry about Hikaru Genji. :heh: As a josei fan I was excited but watching the PV... the animation is weird, and those thick black borders get on my nerves.

GenjiChan

2012-06-30, 10:39

I just love animes that portrait the old culture of Japan... the nobility and the ladies..... Nice to wait for such kind of anime since Tale of Genji...

TJR

2012-06-30, 12:22

As a josei fan I was excited but watching the PV... the animation is weird, and those thick black borders get on my nerves.

This is from the same studio behind Miracle Train. I wouldn't expect much in terms of production values.

totoum

2012-06-30, 12:58

Looking forward to this, should be a nice watch while I wait for chihayafuru S2

This is from the same studio behind Miracle Train. I wouldn't expect much in terms of production values.

TYO/Hal film maker always manages to surprise me with what they can do with a limited budget

Kunagisa

2012-07-02, 13:25

AHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE THIS!!!! Hilarious, romantic, and beautiful!

While I wished that rest of the show had OP's animation, but considering the PV looked kinda funky, I'm glad the actual episode could capture the manga's essence so well. Pretty satisfied base on Ep1. Yay!!!

EDIT: Though the story is a bit stereotypic of gender roles, so if you're offended by that then you probably won't be able to enjoy this (but keep in mind the time period for this).

totoum

2012-07-03, 06:46

lol they started off with the poem western fans are probably most familiar with :p

It was a fun watch but so far the thing that's stood out the most is the OP rather than the episode itself,never really got into the story but since we'll be getting different sories every week i'll be wiling to give it another chance next week.

DragoonKain3

2012-07-03, 06:47

Well, as a fan of Chihaya-furu, they just have to start with THAT poem. I say props to them, as it certainly caught my attention.

That said, I liked the older brother story more. Hiroko was so adorable as a true Yamato Nadeshiko. Thing is, I think I'm too heavily influenced by NTR that when older brother said to welcome his younger brother, I can't get NTR out of my head considering younger brother is a playboy. :heh:

Regardless, I think I'm hooked now. I know that the stories are only loosely based on the actual history of the poems, but hey, if it's interesting, might as well know some backstory and familiarize myself a bit more with the poems of karuta (Chihayafuru 2nd season is coming soon after all)

LKK

2012-07-03, 08:09

Crunchyroll announced today that it will stream "Utakoi" beginning July 2 at 10 pm PDT for its premium members. Free members need to wait a week. Stream will be available to the following territories: USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. [http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/07/02/crunchyroll-to-stream-utakoi-anime]

ookamigirl

2012-07-03, 12:18

Takaiko & Narihira love story was nice.
So if I got this right, each episode will be a new story?
Not really sure if I'll be watching this... probably not.

LKK

2012-07-03, 14:27

Two things kept distracting me from truly getting into the first episode. One was the thick black lines edging the character outlines. The lines kept reminding me of a Hana Barbara cartoon or when Disney first started using the Xerox copy method of reproducing character designs back in the late sixties. (Think Jungle Book or 101 Dalmatians.) The second distraction was watching the characters walk around while the intricate patterns on their clothing remained completely static. But when I could tear myself away from the distractions to focus on the stories, I enjoyed myself. These 2 stories were surprisingly funny and touching. I don't normally go in for unrelated or loosely related short stories, so we'll see how long I last with this series though. Finally, the ED song, talk about coming out of left field. :heh:

Kanon

2012-07-03, 14:38

Haha, they started with Chihayaburu. I had a huge grin on my face when Nahihira started reciting it.

The two stories were surprisingly humorous. I expected them to be more bittersweet, given the theme of some of the poems. Perhaps the following stories will have a different mood. Either way, this series should be a pleasant watch.

I like the visuals of the show. It vaguely reminded of Mononoke. The animation was in no way impressive but it was good enough for this type of anime.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-07-03, 15:55

I was surprised that the 2 stories are not full of drama and angst ( I have this mentality that a forbidden love set in the ancient times never ends well). It's actually quite light-hearted, not too heavy.

I think I might need some time to get used to the animation, but Utakoi's animation is not the most peculiar I have come across (Mononoke is the winner), so it's a good thing that it probably won't bother me for long.

Dop

2012-07-03, 16:58

I really liked this from beginning to end.

I quite liked the animation style, thick black outlines and all. I think it worked well with the material, and I thought the material was good - it didn't take itself too seriously and was quite amusing at times.

Yes, they picked a good one to start off with. I almost cheered.

This goes on my must watch list.

Kaoru Chujo

2012-07-03, 17:50

I was surprised that the 2 stories are not full of drama and angst ( I have this mentality that a forbidden love set in the ancient times never ends well). It's actually quite light-hearted, not too heavy....Read some Tale of Genji. The Heian period was not like other "ancient times." Liaisons were fairly common, it appears.

Actually, I could do with some more drama here, myself. But I believe the manga treats everything in a light and rather arch way.

The animation didn't bother me. I admired the way they could produce something lovely on the cheap. The unmoving patterns on clothing I got used to in Gankutsuou. The way they drew Narihira's body was good.

Anther problem I have is that so far, I haven't encountered a character I really liked. Narihira's self-satisfied smirk puts me off. I even found the wonderful Hayami Saori's voice somewhat harsh here as his lover. Yukihira was a bit of a nonentity, and his wife had a fake expression. I wonder if her story will continue.... She's played by Kobayashi Sanae, however, which is a good thing. And Narihira is played by Suwabe Junichi, which is a wonderful thing.

But I am happy to have a show set in Heian times. Unfortunately, maybe we are getting a bit of the true shallowness of that age, which great literature like the Genji helps me gloss over.

kuromitsu

2012-07-03, 18:08

Well! This is shaping up to be a Suwabe Junichi year for me. Winter - Donar, Spring - Jun-nii, Summer - Narihira... come on, fall and winter! :D After this episode I'm really looking forward to hear more of him in this role. Was surprised to recognize Kaji Yuuki, not that I'm complaining... though while I'm no expert at all on reading Japanese poetry, I felt his reading in the preview wasn't as nice as the other seiyuu's. (But it seems like finally he's doing something about his habit of impersonating Ishida Akira... XD;; )

Anyway, I really like this show so far. I love the artwork (LKK - if this bothers you don't even try to watch Gankutsuou, that does the same thing with pretty much everything XD I thought it was awesome, though). It's different in a stylish way, but nothing too over the top, nothing distracting. It's obviously on a budget but seem to make the best of it, with the simple design, cutting corners in eye-pleasing ways, etc. As for the characters - they're not particularly outstanding yet, but they do their job, and I think as character-centric as I am, I'm fine with them so far.

Most people seem to want drama, and I think we'll get some eventually, but I'm pretty satisfied with the mood so far. It seems to be setting the stage for something, but I have the impression that it's going to proceed in a sort of laidback/tongue-in-cheek way? At any rate, it doesn't seem to take itself particularly seriously.

LKK

2012-07-03, 18:33

LKK - if this bothers you don't even try to watch Gankutsuou, that does the same thing with pretty much everything XD
Ah, yes, Gankutsuou. One of the few shows I've always wanted to watch until I see a clip from it and am instantly turned off by the clothing patterns. I fear watching it would give me vertigo. :eyespin:

From several of the comments before this, I see that some are expecting the future episodes to have return appearances from some or all of the four characters in this week's episode. I didn't get that feeling. I thought they were one-shot appearances. The only person I expect to see again is the narrator from the beginning and the ending segments, the one who picked the poems that adorn the walls. Did no one else get that impression?

Utsuro no Hako

2012-07-03, 21:56

Read some Tale of Genji. The Heian period was not like other "ancient times." Liaisons were fairly common, it appears.

Still, it's amusing that a show about five hundred year old poems takes a more modern view of sex than most anime that's actually set in the modern world. What's the last show you can think of where a character took such a nonchalant view of casual sex without being portrayed as a sex-crazed maniac?

From several of the comments before this, I see that some are expecting the future episodes to have return appearances from some or all of the four characters in this week's episode. I didn't get that feeling. I thought they were one-shot appearances. The only person I expect to see again is the narrator from the beginning and the ending segments, the one who picked the poems that adorn the walls. Did no one else get that impression?

Well the poems were written over several centuries and only a handful were by the same person, so it's unlikely that there'll be continuing characters. On the other hand, I seem to recall that a great many poems were written by the Fujiwaras, so there might be room for some crossover.

totoum

2012-07-03, 22:51

Still, it's amusing that a show about five hundred year old poems takes a more modern view of sex than most anime that's actually set in the modern world. What's the last show you can think of where a character took such a nonchalant view of casual sex without being portrayed as a sex-crazed maniac?

To me it's a matter of demographic,for some reason in a lot of shoujo and Josei manga I read casual sex can exist without it being scandalous,of course a whole lot of those mangas never get an anime adaptation (a lot get the live action treatment instead) so to me considering it's Josei I'm not really surprised.

kuromitsu

2012-07-04, 01:18

From several of the comments before this, I see that some are expecting the future episodes to have return appearances from some or all of the four characters in this week's episode. I didn't get that feeling. I thought they were one-shot appearances. The only person I expect to see again is the narrator from the beginning and the ending segments, the one who picked the poems that adorn the walls. Did no one else get that impression?
Actually, I expect mini arcs. Shoboi says the show will be 12 eps long, and there are a number of characters in the opening.... unfortunately due to the artwork I can't tell exactly how many couples/threesomes there are in the OP, but it doesn't seem 12 to me... Then again, this particular episode would also work as a one-off story (if we take the implications at face value).

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-07-04, 01:35

A small part of me wonders if the young emperor is Narihira's son. But I guess not.

Bern-san

2012-07-04, 06:09

Like Kanon, I couldn't stop grinning when I heard the Chihayafuru poem:D

Really liked the first episode, the art didn't bother me. Pleased to hear Suwabe Junichi

GenjiChan

2012-07-04, 06:24

I loved this anime... its well balance of romance and comedy.... the ladies are so funny and pretty!!!

Kirarakim

2012-07-04, 07:49

Chihayafuru :D

Like others I enjoyed the light hearted & positive tone of the love stories.
Animation is limited of course but I actually kind of like the art design.

My only issue is the opening & especially the ending were kind of uninspired to me.

LKK

2012-07-04, 09:36

My only issue is the opening & especially the ending were kind of uninspired to me.
I thought the ending was inspired. ... Just not inspired by its preceding show. :twitch:

kuromitsu

2012-07-04, 13:01

I thought the ending was inspired. ... Just not inspired by its preceding show. :twitch:
I didn't feel the ED was out of place... and the historical theme/hip-hop contrast reminded me of the Yotsuya kaidan OP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5de5GriPMN0) of Ayakashi. I found the OP less "inspired" (and the singer's voice grating).

Flower

2012-07-04, 14:32

Umm ... well ... this series reminded me a lot of the animated version of Tale of Genji, which I did not like. The feeling of the latter for me was of a visual and emotional richness to the extent of it being difficult to breathe. And ... well ... dunno. Guess I just didn't like it for whatever reason. I will give ep 2 a watch though, maybe it just had a bad start or I was in a foul mood or whatever. :heh:

Kirarakim

2012-07-04, 15:11

I didn't feel the ED was out of place... and the historical theme/hip-hop contrast reminded me of the Yotsuya kaidan OP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5de5GriPMN0) of Ayakashi. I found the OP less "inspired" (and the singer's voice grating).

I thought about that one too but I actually liked that opening.

I don't know why but this ending didn't fit for me. I also don't really like the song so that doesn't help either.

But oh well endings can easily be skipped!

Kanon

2012-07-04, 15:25

Ah, yes, Gankutsuou. One of the few shows I've always wanted to watch until I see a clip from it and am instantly turned off by the clothing patterns. I fear watching it would give me vertigo. :eyespin:

You get used to the art style. As far as I know, Ganktsuou hasn't sent anybody to the hospital lol. You shouldn't miss out on one of the best anime of the last decade for such a reason.

kuromitsu

2012-07-04, 15:36

^Agreed about Gankutsuou... ^^;;

I thought about that one too but I actually liked that opening.

I don't know why but this ending didn't fit for me. I also don't really like the song so that doesn't help either.

But oh well endings can easily be skipped!
Well yes, the song itself is nothing to write home about. I'm probably going to skip it, too, along with the OP, as neither is particularly catchy and the visuals are not very interesting.

(As for the Ayakashi OP, one of these days I'm going to storyboard a Sengoku Basara AMV to that song. And then leave it at that because I can't do AMVs whatsoever.)

GundamZZ

2012-07-08, 17:24

Just a random thought.
The ending conversation makes me wonder...is he going to NTR his brother's wife? Isn't the story painted him as a debauchery guy in the positive light? Is he going to surpass Don Juan, Casanova and Makoto Ito?

http://i46.tinypic.com/il964k.png

sikvod00

2012-07-09, 13:52

Kanon

2012-07-09, 15:27

I couldn't stand the bratty emperor one bit and their attempt to make me sympathize with him totally failed. I just wanted someone to smack him upside the head, especially after the cruel stunt he pulled on that girl with the snake. The miserable little shit better be lucky she has the temperance of an angel.

Same here. His prank with the snakes was just too much. He called it a punishment too... what a horrible kid. He wasn't that much better as an adult/teenager either. His only good action in the whole episode was the writing of that poem.

The girl was his polar opposite. She's way too good for him.

Nerroth

2012-07-09, 16:13

I can't say I'm overly sympathetic to him either; but, at the very least, he was unwilling to force himself on her after they got married. He basically admitted to her that she didn't deserve to be tied down to him the way things were, and was willing to let her find her own happiness with someone else. (From what I gather, holding back from an unwilling "partner" would have been an unfortunaltely rare thing to do at the time.)

Also, was divorce not a done thing for them? Or was it more that a house like the Fujiwara would have considered such a parting to have been an unacceptable loss of face?

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-07-09, 16:32

So sad about Narihira, I didn't expect that at all. There's something very sweet with how he plays the role of guardian to the former emperor.

Bratty emperor is bratty, but I could understand his behaviour. He knows that he is just a pawn in the game of politics, and no one takes him seriously. Perhaps disillusioned by this, and partly because he doesn't have many friends and lack of adult support (apart from Narihira and Takaiko), he does what he wants as a way to express his loneliness.

I find it touching that he offers her the opportunity to seek lovers. Poor kid tries to play it cool, but it must be hard on him.

Oh btw, I think Takaiko passed down her tsuntsun genes to her son.

LKK

2012-07-09, 16:56

I have mixed feelings about the boy emperor. He's not a child I would ever want to know close-up in real life. But seen from a distance, I felt sorry for him.

Bern-san

2012-07-09, 18:08

I have mixed feelings about the boy emperor. He's not a child I would ever want to know close-up in real life. But seen from a distance, I felt sorry for him.

This basically.
If I were to meet him I would slap him countless times, that girl is really brave trying to love a man like that. But with what he said you can relate to him (that doesn't mean one can forgive his actions like the snake mess)

And why did Suwabe Junichi's character die now?:( I was so pleased to discover that he was in this episode.

DragoonKain3

2012-07-09, 19:31

Ahh... can't believe they'd put the "boy who teases girl because he has a crush on her" storyline in uta koi. Colour me surprised; I had the impression that the Heian era to be too uptight for that sort of thing. :heh:

Oddly enough, they story didn't touch me because the couple is osananajimi (though I would be lying if I said it didn't have any part), but because this shows the epitome of how an arrianged marriage would result in. That love doesn't necessarily is present at the start, but would naturally come along the way over time.

(Wait a minute, that actually sounds like the premise of childhood friend love. Perhaps that might be why I have an odd fondness for arrainged marriage stories... XD)

And yes, I was crying in the end. In fact, I feel myself tearing up every time I read the poem. T_T

Guardian Enzo

2012-07-10, 00:04

I'd been assuming that the theory that Sadaakira was Narihara's son was bogus, but now I'm not so sure.

Youzei has not been well-regarded in the history books - this interpretation was rather kind to him - but even here he was quite a handful, sort of an "anti-Chagum". But I like this interpretation - that there's good in everyone, and that in writing this lovely poem Youzei confounded historians who would love nothing more than to be able to dismiss him utterly. It's also yet another type of love being explored - a love borne out of patience and gratitude.

LKK

2012-07-10, 07:59

I'd been assuming that the theory that Sadaakira was Narihara's son was bogus, but now I'm not so sure.
Why do you now think the theory might be true? Did you learn something that caused you to change your mind?

DragoonKain3

2012-07-10, 08:28

Not to put words on his mouth, but holy crap, Narihara graduated from master playboy of last episode to one helluva surrogate father this episode. Makes you wonder if the reason why is because he is the real father.

I personally doubt it, if only because I'm a romanticist and want to think that Narihara mentored Yozei the way he did DESPITE not being his biological father. Makes his character that much better.

Guardian Enzo

2012-07-10, 11:14

Why do you now think the theory might be true? Did you learn something that caused you to change your mind?

The mere fact that all of a sudden, here he is at court and acting as Sadaakira's surrogate father. It could just be that he grew up as a man and did it out of love for Takaiko - but it circumstantially makes it more likely that he's actually the father.

Kirarakim

2012-07-10, 18:45

This was probably my favorite story of the 3 so far. The fact that it was one whole story instead of 2 gave it extra depth.

The main character wasn't the nicest kid/person but he was still able to feel love even if he didn't realize. There are still many more episodes to go but this one made me cry at the end.

I am not really sure why the historians are confused. I don't think a tyrant necessarily is incapable of love. As the episode showed a person can have many sides to them.

wandering-dreamer

2012-07-10, 20:41

Hmm, looking at the OP I believe I counted 13 pairings in there, although I think some of the characters appeared in multiple pairings, so I wonder if the show will have more one story or two story episodes in the future in order to get to all of them.

GenjiChan

2012-07-11, 23:14

Episode 2. This is quite a touching story. I rally loved it. Being ready to fall in love with someone you hate. Amazing.

Kaoru Chujo

2012-07-16, 15:30

Ep3. This is the first episode to really fulfill the promise of the series for me. Tears came to my eyes when I realized at the end who she was. Credit to the wonderful voices of Endou Aya (who is a goddess) and Uchida Yuya.

I've been rereading the Tale of Genji recently, so maybe I'm keyed in to the lives and feelings of people in the Heian world. The Waley translation is outstanding prose.

Kanon

2012-07-16, 15:36

Quite an interesting tale this week with a rather unexpected ending for me. I really thought the two would end up together. Instead, the girl chose fame over love, and did succeed in becoming a renown poet. Considering how passionate she was about it, I'm sure she didn't regret her choice.

Next episode should be good. Narihira returns!

Nerroth

2012-07-16, 17:09

One thing I was wondering; were each of the hundred poems in this collection written in Japanese, or were any written in Chinese?

I've been reading a collection of essays about the "centres and peripheries" of the Heian era, and the topic has come up regarding how prominent the use of written Chinese was at the time, relative to how it has been percieved to be in subsequent eras. Essentially, the argument is that the later prominence of works written in Japanese has perhaps obscured the importance of written Chinese by the people living at the time; that it was used for more than just "official" documents, and had at least some role to play in the more artistic side of things (which has been presented as being covered only by the energence of writing in Japanese in that era). Though, it has also been argued that this reflected more of a "China within Japan" appropriation, rather than being tied explicitly to what was concurrently happening in literary circles within China itself.

Kaoru Chujo

2012-07-16, 17:33

One thing I was wondering; were each of the hundred poems in this collection written in Japanese, or were any written in Chinese...?The Hyakunin Isshu is a collection of poems in Japanese. But my understanding is that at the time, poems in Chinese were more respected, and more written by men. Most scholars today put down Japanese poetry in Chinese as poor imitations, but I've seen some that I liked.

Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote the Tale of Genji, was lucky that her father thought it was okay for a woman to learn Chinese. Most people thought it would make a woman too intellectual. Her father was well known for his Chinese scholarship, apparently.

Poems in Japanese could be hymns or long poems, but were mainly short poems (31 syllables), and were often used as or in letters. One good book about Heian court poetry is called "Brocade by Night." It gets pretty detailed and intricate, but it covers the Chinese-language poetry to some extent, in outlining how Japanese poetry developed.

I don't know anything about Japanese literature in Chinese, other than poems. There's a book by Burton Watson called "Japanese Literature in Chinese," but I haven't read it. The book you're reading sounds interesting. I'll look for it in a university library.

Japanese high culture, including writing, came from China via Korea; just as English high culture came from Italy via France. But both Japan and England made big contributions of their own, from those beginnings.

Nerroth

2012-07-16, 17:49

This is the one (http://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/p-4415-9780824830137.aspx). (I have it on loan from the Japan Foundation library in Toronto (http://www.jftor.org/library/index.php).)

Actually, one of the topics addressed is the supposed divide between the "male" and "female" literary voice at the time; it's been suggested that there was far less strict a gender role in each at the time, with men option to write in "female" voice and vice versa. (Indeed, rather than the women at court being unable to read or write Chinese, it seems more that they were obliged to feign ignorance, at least once women were formally barred from the imperial line of succession.)

Although, I suppose, there was likely a political aspect of this take on things; for a court looking to distance itself from the percieved influence of China proper. (You can see this in the referring to earlier sovereigns as "Emperors" rather than "(Great) Kings", despite them not thinking of themselves as such at the time; part of the whole reason for the later introduction of the term Tenno was to try and put the Japanese sovereign on a par with the emperors of China... a comparison which the latter were unwilling to accept.)

DragoonKain3

2012-07-16, 17:54

I SWEAR I've seen or heard about this story before (or a variation of it), but I just can't place it.

It wasn't (fake?) brother/sister relationship, but after hearing it was about 100 night visits, I KNEW he would fail in the end. Nice to see her having a 'relatively' good end in this story though, as if my memory hasn't failed me, the version I know of has her shunned BECAUSE she 'caused' mr. suitor's death. THAT didn't sit well in the social circles of the time, so despite her unparalleled legendary beauty, even no rank men want to do nothing with her because of her mean attitude.

But yeah, couldn't they have 'rewritten' history just this once by having Komachi end up with the suitor? Stupid Mr. Suitor, should've just allowed her to work in the palace as well.... :heh:

Kirarakim

2012-07-16, 22:39

I liked this story too. For some reason it reminded me a lot of Saiunkoku: Shuurei wanting to advance her career and that is why she couldn't accept the King's love.

In this story the sister loved her brother but she wanted more out of her life than being a wife. I especially loved their different perspectives on what it meant to be a woman.

In my mind it wasn't his coming to her 100 times that proved his love but letting her go and be independent that did.

edit: According to wikipedia legend is the suitor did die. I like this version more. :)

Lota

2012-07-17, 04:57

I really liked this episode. While the first two were more carefree, this one was more serious... I liked all 3 of them, but this story somehow really touched me. The same problems 1000 years ago and today, huh... While today's society is much more tolerant and, well, smart (wise?), there are still issues. Stupid stereotypes....

Aaaanyway, I was so sure they would end up together, so, when they didn't, it really surprised me. But though it was a bit sad, I liked the part where he let her go... it showed that he truly loved her. And, like others, I also like this version better than the reality of the suitor dying.

As I thought, Uta Koi is proving to be one of the most enjoyable shows of the season, I just hope it keeps doing what it's doing :) And I really really love the OP.

Markerlight

2012-07-17, 05:11

I'm really glad I checked this show out, not only do you get to learn about the poems from Chihayafuru, but you get these lovely little stories as well. They really make it easy to understand the poem, and appreciate what they are saying. The characters are also full of life, and it's been a joy watching them so far. Big thumbs up from me.

Kakkou

2012-07-17, 05:57

First Hiro Shimono, now Tsubasa Yonaga is in Fujiwara no Teika's corner. I can't help but think the casting director is purposely getting Yuki Kaji's pals to play Teika's friends/acquaintances. It'd be pretty funny if Abe Atsushi shows up next.

I think this week's story is my favourite so far. The conflict between ambition and love was a good theme. I found Yoshiko's resolve to accept whatever the result her efforts may bring very admirable.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-07-17, 10:36

I am deeply touched that Yoshimine no Munesada is willing to forgo his feelings for her and allow her to pursue what she wants instead. Sure, he doesn't have high hopes of her succeeding in that era, but he supports her in the end. A gentleman indeed. I read his biography after watching this episode to find out why he became a monk.

There are similarities between Ono no Komachi and Shuurei, but Shuurei strikes me as the more mature of the two. Shuurei's idealism stems from the desire to work and contribute to the country as an official, while Ono no Komachi's idealism stems from the desire to be recognized. Ono no Komachi is also much more "sheltered" than Shuurei who has quite a tough childhood.

Bern-san

2012-07-17, 11:05

Liked the episode, was interesting than the other 2 due to the conflict of interests.

I noticed too the similarity between Shuurei and Ono no Komachi, wanting to leave aside love until they succeed in their dreams even if they are women.
MUAHAHAHA also said about Shuurei being more mature. Ono no Komachi's dream seems more "childish" in that way if you compare with Shuurei.

BTW the poem that she recited during her childhood was the one which is always said at the start of the karuta games?

lansglenn

2012-07-17, 13:00

LKK

2012-07-17, 13:06

Wait.. are we supposed to know who she is based on the previous two episodes? I don't recall her name. :(
The final line of the episode identifies the character as Ono no Komachi, one of the 6 great Waka poets of the early Heian period. Hers is a name that many Japanese viewers would recognize. (But if you're like me and didn't know who she was, a quick trip to her Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_no_Komachi) page will fill in some of the blanks.)

Kaoru Chujo

2012-07-17, 15:34

As well as being a great poet, Ono no Komachi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_no_Komachi) was known as a great beauty, and as having many affairs and treating men badly. The word "komachi" in Japanese came to mean a beautiful woman. But she supposedly ended her days as an poor and ugly old crone, living alone in a shack. There is a Noh play (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sekidera_Komachi) about this.

Her passionate nature is revealed in this poem:

This moonless night,
There is no way he can come to me.
I rise in longing --
My breast pounds, a leaping flame,
My heart is burnt in the fire.

人にあはむ月のなきには思ひおきて胸はしり火に心やけをり

Her most famous poem, and the one in the Hyakunin Isshu, is this late one:

The flowers' beauty
Fades away.
I have spent my life in the world
In idle mischief.
And the long rains keep falling.

花の色は移りにけりないたづらに我が身世にふるながめせし間に

Here's a page (http://www.gotterdammerung.org/japan/literature/ono-no-komachi/) with a number of her poems.

I was trying to think of some Western figure analogous to her, but I couldn't. One of the most famous of all Japanese poets, and a romantic historical figure, living around 850 AD. If the Roman poet Catullus were a woman...?

EDIT: @Anh_Minh -- It's okay. The anime story about the hundred nights is almost as likely to be true as the legend, lol.

Anh_Minh

2012-07-17, 16:12

I kinda regret reading the wiki entries about those two. I preferred the anime story.

DragoonKain3

2012-07-17, 16:34

Wait a minute, real life has it that it's not the Monk Henjo who pursued Komachi for 100 nights, but someone else? Well, talk about REAL liberal with the poems. :heh:

lansglenn

2012-07-17, 20:28

Wooooow, after watching these episodes first and starting on Chihayafuru for the first time -- I'm enjoying both shows wayyyyyy more =O

DragoonKain3

2012-07-23, 15:55

I came to this series for the romance, not the bromance. Episode 4 by far the weakest IMO, although it's nice to see more of Mr. Badass Surrogate Father before he became that way.

And next week we have Komachi's poem about growing old and withered? Interesting.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-07-23, 16:23

It's nice to watch "follow-up" from episode 3. Komachi still depends on Munesada for advice. They might not be lovers, but I think they still care for each other deeply.

While this episode does not focus much on romance, I don't mind the bromance since I got to watch a number of LOL moments, particularly the interaction between Narihira and Yasuhide.

Kanon

2012-07-24, 05:27

That was definitely the weakest episode so far, but it was still enjoyable. I didn't expect Komachi to appear in this one. What's even better is that the next one will focus on her again! Her poem sounds a bit depressing.

Kaoru Chujo

2012-07-24, 10:55

I've made a characters/seiyuus page (http://hashihime.x10.bz/etc/2012/utakoi/charsei.html) for this show. Pics of characters and their seiyuus, with info about each seiyuu.

Yes, this was not my favorite episode. But even with silly humour instead of romance, it was somehow still enjoyable. And Endou Aya (Komachi) and Suwabe Junichi (Narihira) were glorious together.

Dop

2012-07-30, 16:33

That was kind of a sad episode, in a philosophical sort of way.
Possibly the best so far, although I think it will have much more of a resonance to the older viewers.

I could listen to Endou Aya read the phone book all day and still enjoy it.

DragoonKain3

2012-07-31, 00:26

A continuation of last episode? At least better in comparison, as now you have Komachi reminiscing on what could've been. But overall, still not very interesting nor even touching for me. I want my romance, dammit. :heh:

Kanon

2012-07-31, 06:55

I thought this episode was excellent. It more than made up for last week. It was a bit depressing as expected, but the conclusion was uplifting. There a few very funny moments thanks to Narihira too. He and Komachi are definitely my favorite characters in the series so far.

Lota

2012-07-31, 08:39

Well I for one didn't think last week's episode was weak, so I didn't think Uta Koi had to make up for anything, but this week, it really delivered. I loved this episode. While I also enjoyed the ones about love, these two episodes were about friendship and a lot of other things. This trio of characters are possibly my favourites, I love their interactions! I have nothing but positive words to say about this episode (and the whole series so far). I just hope the rest of the episodes are as good :)

Anh_Minh

2012-07-31, 15:39

Well, that was a lot less depressing than I feared.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-07-31, 16:15

This episode is not bad. I did not expect a continuation from last week's episode, but seriously, I miss the romance.

Kirarakim

2012-07-31, 17:56

The episodes themes definitely resonated with me, this was one of my favorites. Although I did feel the scene with the monk felt a bit awkward.

LKK

2012-08-06, 14:12

Two questions. (1) What were the writers on? (2) Where can I get some? :heh: That was a trippy episode.

Kanon

2012-08-06, 15:01

WTF did I just watch? :eyespin:

Dop

2012-08-06, 17:14

That was just very, very, VERY silly. Full of daft little skits. I loved it!

DragoonKain3

2012-08-06, 18:59

What the.....

At least it wasn't all bad. Now I'm really intrigued by Teika's LI, Shokushi-hime.

And what's this? We're returning back to romance next episode? Tell me it isn't so. :heh:

Nerroth

2012-08-07, 02:28

So, will the Dazaifu round of the Grand Prix have any Chinese or Korean wild card entrants?

(Yes, I'm aware that there probably won't be one anyway; unless the writers feel the need to kill time between sub-eras again.)

Lota

2012-08-07, 02:46

Dafuq did I just see?... XDDD

... Anyway, I had a blast watching this episode. The most entertaining episode (for me) by far. It was so silly, but I loved it! My favourite trio was as fun to watch as always, lol'ed at the married couple, Sadaakira and Yasuko :D I guess in time she learned to speak tsundere... And the host club, my God :D The card game got me very interested in Teika's lover and their story. Well, the whole episode was very fun to watch, I hope this series continues to deliver and I hope we'll get to see another episode like this sometime in the future :)

Kirarakim

2012-08-07, 12:56

There were parts I enjoyed but this was definitely my least favorite episode.

I will miss the characters from this era though so it was nice to get a last goodbye with them.

Question has this series been confirmed for 1 cour only or is there a possibility it could be longer?

Lota

2012-08-07, 13:12

Question has this series been confirmed for 1 cour only or is there a possibility it could be longer?

I was also wondering about that. Obviously, I'd be glad if the series had 2 cours, but I get the feeling there might be 1. On the other hand, there are many couples in the OP we haven't seen yet, some of them might be featured more than once, and then there will probably also be episodes not focusing on romance, so there's definitely enough content for 2 cours. But these are just my speculations, so I would really appreciate it if someone had some real information and told us.

Kanon

2012-08-07, 15:43

I just noticed the voice actors of the upcoming characters are already listed on ANN. This show has a god tier cast.

There are ten characters that have not appeared yet. That means five pairings. They should be able to cover this in a single cour.

Kirarakim

2012-08-07, 17:42

Oh I just looked at the cast list & Nobuyuki Hiyama has a role...I was just thinking about him recently...yay!

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-08-07, 17:57

Wha-what did I just watch?:twitch:

I am dying for the grand return of romance. I watch this show solely for romance, and nothing else.

DragoonKain3

2012-08-13, 22:47

Awesome, romance is back! I like the contrast of this episode, where they explore both arranged and love marriages. Just quite sad that Yoshitaka died such an early death, but then again during this time period life expectancy was pretty darn low.

Lota

2012-08-14, 12:44

Damn, it was sad that Yoshitaka died at 21, I even googled to make sure if this was what really happened... and it was. Well, at least he left his mark in this world.

And Michitaka was a really nice and fun guy, someone find me one of those in the real world XDD Googled him too, and he really did marry her and they had lots and lots of babies... That was a nice story. Good episode :)

Guardian Enzo

2012-08-14, 12:48

Takako died at 26, too. Sadly not uncommon in that era.

Lota

2012-08-14, 14:04

Takako died at 26, too. Sadly not uncommon in that era.

Wait wait... how old was she when she married him? Because they had like, 7 kids. :confused:

Anh_Minh

2012-08-14, 14:56

What happened to them? Disease?

Kanon

2012-08-14, 15:11

What happened to them? Disease?

Smallpox for Yoshitaka. Unknown illness for Takako.

Takako died at 26, too. Sadly not uncommon in that era.

Where did you read that? Wiki says she died in her forties (her date of birth is unknown so it's an estimate).

I'm greatly enjoying learning about these poets whom I had never even heard of before thanks to this series.

Guardian Enzo

2012-08-14, 17:22

Where did you read that? Wiki says she died in her forties (her date of birth is unknown so it's an estimate).

Unless I have the wrong Ko no Naishi, the one I see referenced died at 26.

GenjiChan

2012-08-14, 19:06

Some of the episodes are Great... some are.... well.. you know...

LKK

2012-08-14, 20:55

Where did you read that? Wiki says she died in her forties (her date of birth is unknown so it's an estimate).

Unless I have the wrong Ko no Naishi, the one I see referenced died at 26.
Didn't the end of the episode itself say that she died at age 26?

Kanon

2012-08-15, 07:55

Unless I have the wrong Ko no Naishi, the one I see referenced died at 26.

What's your source? I can't find it.

Didn't the end of the episode itself say that she died at age 26?

Her death wasn't mentioned.

LKK

2012-08-15, 08:31

Her death wasn't mentioned.
You're right. Whatever I thought I remembered seeing, I can't find it now. My bad. :uhoh:

Guardian Enzo

2012-08-15, 12:33

I found several citations. Here's (http://lingwiki.com/index.php?title=Koshikibu_no_Naishi) one.

Kanon

2012-08-15, 12:49

LKK

2012-08-15, 13:03

Thanks! That's Koshikibu no Naishi, who is indeed a completely different person from Ko no Naishi. For one, Koshikibu was born four years after Fujiwara no Michitaka himself died (in 995), so she obviously can't be his wife. And if you read her poem, you'll notice it's not the one from the episode. Ko no Naishi's poem is #54 under the name Gido Sanshi no Haha.

Edit: found her on that site under yet another name lol: http://lingwiki.com/index.php?title=Takashi_no_Kishi
Eep. I feel sorry for all the students of classical Japanese literature trying to keep straight the various names for the same poets. Must be a memorization nightmare. Something on the order of keeping all the character names straight in Shakespeare's history plays is for classical English lit students.

Anh_Minh

2012-08-15, 13:10

Much easier for French kings. Just call them Louis, and you've got a good chance of getting it right.

GDiddy

2012-08-16, 20:35

I freakin' love this show. Favorite series this year...

Can't wait to see the rest of the poets...especially whomever the redhaired woman and her lover are that's featured in the OP.

GDiddy

2012-08-20, 20:49

ANnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd...the redhead is Sei Shonogun of Pillow Book fame!

Also, she's a tsundere. :lol:

Enjoyed Sei's backstory...and FUJIWARAS....FUJIWARAS EVERYWHERE

Anh_Minh

2012-08-21, 01:41

So many unfortunate romances. This anime is starting to get depressing.

GenjiChan

2012-08-21, 01:48

So many unfortunate romances. This anime is starting to get depressing.

More of annoying.... some of the discussions are pointless making the anime into a comedy show... but to be fair... today's episode is a good sign that the romances will return again...:)

atlans89

2012-08-21, 06:46

I don't find it depressing though, or maybe because of it's unfortunate that it becomes wonderful.

Kanon

2012-08-21, 10:14

I find it more bittersweet than depressing.

Nagiko was nothing like I thought she would be from the opening (she looked like quite the vixen). She was very cute and innocent.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-08-21, 10:23

Hmmm.....I feel like I'm watching one of those sappy Korean dramas.

I have a very straightforward view towards love, which could be why I don't really understand why one has to complicate things. But I suppose it wasn't easy in that era. So many protocols and rules and whatnot.

Kirarakim

2012-08-22, 18:04

Koyasu Takehito reading poetry....let me just swoon for a minute.

Between this series & Polar Bear Cafe I am in seiyuu heaven.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-08-29, 11:58

It was great that this episode focus on Yoshitaka's son. He is more socially awkward compared to his father. The ending of this episode gives off a hopeful feeling, something that I haven't been able to feel in recent episodes. I am going to avoid reading the real history, if only to delude myself. Anyway, his meeting with Sanetaka is one of the main highlights in this episode. I laughed hard when the caption says that exposing one's hair is akin to exposing the underwear in that era. I never knew that. I wonder, why was it forbidden?

I am actually more interested in Michitaka's daughter. I do hope we will get an episode that focus on her.

Lota

2012-08-29, 13:39

I didn't know the thing about exposing your hair too, it was funny :D Yeah, Yoshitaka's son is reeeeally awkward... reminds me of me, though, unlike him, I'm working on it XD And, indeed, his story with Sei Shonogun really does seem more hopeful than some of the recent ones. After the episode ended I looked at the OP once again, saw them kissing, and so they will become a couple at least.

Actually, this episode reinforced my belief that this is 2 cour show. This was the 9th episode, Sei Shonogun's story will continue for at least one more episode and there are still some more couples to be seen, judging from the OP. Also, some of the couples will probably appear more than once. And then there is also the matter of our beloved Teika and his mystery lover and I find it hard to believe that that one, him being sort of kind of our main character (well, not really, but at least he appears in every episode), will be resolved in a single episode. So, all of this leaves me hopeful. Of course, they might just do a bunch of half episode long stories, but it's a little difficult for me to believe that they will wrap things up in 3 episodes (otherwise they wouldn't have made episode 6).

teelatsuki

2012-08-29, 14:13

it all depends on whether this series is 12 or 13 episodes long, one more for shonagon one for the two pairings before teika and ending it all with one (or two if the series is 13 episodes long) episode por Teika's.

Lota

2012-08-29, 14:23

^ Don't destroy my hope TToTT Wish they would just tell us how long the damn this is going to last, because now I'm at a loss...

Kirarakim

2012-08-30, 05:19

According to MAL it's 13, not sure if that is accurate though but they must have pulled it from something.

Kakkou

2012-08-30, 06:11

It's 13 episodes from the BD/DVD listings, and Teika's story is definitely the last episode.

GDiddy

2012-09-11, 21:35

GenjiChan

2012-09-11, 23:02

Guardian Enzo

2012-09-12, 01:49

I'm an obvious fan of Tale of Genji but why did they portrait her like that?

I never knew she made the Tale of Genji to promote Women empowerment who's the MC is so damn handsome and girls are so attractive of him!

Well, in reality there's no historical evidence that she wrote Tale of Genji for that purpose. Pretty much everything in the episode is a fanciful creation, though to be fair there isn't that much known about Murasaki (including her true name and year of death) so they were going to have to take some initiative to try and tell her story.

Kanon

2012-09-12, 06:40

Am I the only one who's still enjoying this show? I dont' find it depressing at all LOL...but then again, maybe I"m just a sap.

I quite enjoyed this episode though

Murasaki's story involves her childhood friend......who's female. It's all about Girl Power in this ep!

I wasn't expecting Murasaki to be a blonde...for a second, I thought it was Teishi the Empress from Sei's story.

And Kinto and Yukinari tease the living sh*t out of her :lol:

I'm still enjoying it. I don't find it depressing, but the conclusion of the stories haven't exactly been happy lately. The latest episode was another fine example of that.

I didn't expect this series to have yuri, even if it was platonic. A shame they couldn't see each other again.

GDiddy

2012-09-12, 23:06

Anh_Minh

2012-09-12, 23:48

Well, in reality there's no historical evidence that she wrote Tale of Genji for that purpose. Pretty much everything in the episode is a fanciful creation, though to be fair there isn't that much known about Murasaki (including her true name and year of death) so they were going to have to take some initiative to try and tell her story.

Yeah, but if it was about Girl Power at all, it'd show in her writing. (That'd be the point.)

Maybe it's my modern perspective, but I don't think "handsome guy has his way with everyone, and raises the perfect girl as a devoted wife for himself" is all that feminist.

Guardian Enzo

2012-09-13, 00:40

Yeah, but if it was about Girl Power at all, it'd show in her writing. (That'd be the point.)

Maybe it's my modern perspective, but I don't think "handsome guy has his way with everyone, and raises the perfect girl as a devoted wife for himself" is all that feminist.

I don't disagree - I'm just pointing out that whatever the mangaka came up with was going to be conjecture. There was an element of catering to a modern audience in the episode, that's undeniable.

Anh_Minh

2012-09-13, 01:26

Yeah. My point is that, while I don't mind inventions that fit in the cavernous unknown there is about those people (was there really an almost love story between Shonagon and Yukinari? Who knows? They worked at the same place at the same time, but that's all we know, so it could be anything from "they barely knew each other" to "they had a long lasting, torrid affair".)

But here, he invented something that's seems really odd with what we know of Murasaki. But then, I haven't read Genji, so what do I know?

GDiddy

2012-09-13, 16:14

Oh boy. People misunderstood something I said...which I apologize for...

By Girl Power, I meant the episode itself. Not the story...obviously 'handsome guy who's lusted after everyone' isn't feminist by any means...

Kanon

2012-09-17, 15:59

Ok, now that was depressing. Masako not only gave up on her love, but pretty much on life itself.

Markerlight

2012-09-17, 21:10

Well that sure was depressing.

Are any of these stories going to end with the couple together? Also we don't need a recap of a scene we just saw 5 minutes ago. I thought crunchy roll's player had screwed up there for a moment.

Anh_Minh

2012-09-18, 16:02

Another friggin depressing story. And repetitive to boot.

GenjiChan

2012-09-18, 16:43

This guy God damn lucky to have a little girl fall in love with him... Quite depressing since it's true love yet it didn't work out no matter how hard thy tried....

Kirarakim

2012-09-20, 08:22

This was definitely the saddest of the stories. Yes in most of the other stories the main couple did not get together but I felt all those relationships ended on a positive note with the notion that it was better to have loved than to have not loved at all.

While I am sure this couple feels this was too, I also feel the girl's thoughts that the men chose reputation over love (even though she did not feel bitter towards her father or lover) was what was really depressing, not that they didn't end up together.

Her hopes and dreams were pretty much shattered for a more bitter reality. And it's not like she had the goal of poetry or writing the story of friend to keep her going.

Mazyrian

2012-09-20, 09:19

Yeah, pretty depressing episode. Then I checked the wikipedia article and got even more depressed.

GDiddy

2012-09-20, 19:50

So who was Masako and the man supposed to be in reality?

Mazyrian

2012-09-20, 22:31

According to Japanese wikipedia, themselves (though Masako seems to be more usually spelled Toushi).　Masako did have an affair with Michimasa.

Anh_Minh

2012-09-21, 01:29

Dop

2012-09-24, 17:29

No wacky anachronistic comedy hi-jinks this week, but instead it concentrated on another beautiful and tragic story of love that could not be.

A beautifully melancholy series finale. I started watching this show out of curiosity (and because I'd watched Chihayafuru, which I suspect led a number of people into this show) but I've really enjoyed it (well, if you can count watching tragic stories of doomed love as 'enjoyment') more than I had expected.

Very bittersweet. I loved it.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-09-24, 18:25

A bittersweet ending, but I can't honestly say I did not foresee that.

I love the bit where Teika says that poetry is alive. I couldn't agree more.

GenjiChan

2012-09-25, 17:03

Another "dead" love.... God

Anh_Minh

2012-09-25, 17:49

On balance, I think Wikipedia's version is less depressing, if less beautiful.

(No mention of a love affair between the two, but the princess died in her fifties, a year after Teika had his first big break in poetry at age 38.

Also, the bit about preferring the ball game to poetry was taken from Teika's own heir, one of his 27 kids from various women.

And he sounded like a bit of an arrogant asshole. A prima donna, anyway, who only valued his own opinion on poetry, and rejected all others.)

Mazyrian

2012-09-25, 19:50

The Japanese wiki mentions that there was some kind of relationship between them; Teika mentioned her frequently in his diary, especially when her health started deteriorating, and after her death he doesn't mention her for a whole year.

Kanon

2012-09-26, 07:22

MUAHAHAHAHAHA

2012-09-26, 15:13

Kirarakim

2012-09-26, 22:32

Uta Koi was a lovely little series..now we only have one more season until Chihayafuru.

atlans89

2012-09-27, 08:32

I'm looking for OST of Utakoi, wonder when it will be released.

Master_Yoma

2012-09-27, 22:13

Well this wasnt to bad for being all about poets

DragoonKain3

2012-09-29, 07:58

Yet another tragic tale, even for Teika himself? Guess being 'in love' back in those days wasn't a good sign at all. Or I guess one could argue that the Hyakunin Isshu IS that tragic because Teika's own love life was like that, or at least how they portrayed everything in this iteration.

Kirarakim

2012-09-29, 10:47

I think the things I enjoyed most about Uta Koi

* Great seiyuu cast reading poetry
* Highlighting really awesome historical ladies. This is what I consider great female characters

* The fact that the series showed many different kinds of love. My personal favorite relationship was probably the friendship between Narihira, Komachi, & Yasuhide. I loved the episode when they traveled together, talked about their regrets, not having married or had children but they still have their poetry. Perhaps the stories of Uta Koi are a bit fanciful, but it's true these 3 live on for us (and all the other historical figures featured) even now.

And as it is my favorite poem used in the series from episode 10 (which has a similar theme of episode 5)

Though the waterfall
Ceased its flowing long ago,
And its sound is stilled,Yet, in name it ever flows,
And in fame may yet be heard.