[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by AvatarST

Spoiler:

Basically, it depends on the point of view. Looking at it from the outside and at the bigger scheme of things, it's a really well told story with a powerful message. On the other hand, from a personal point of view, and getting more involved in the story, you feel sad for the characters and hope that they'll be able to find happiness.

Spoiler:

Yup, and that's what's so bizarre about D.C.S.S. On the one hand, it's very much a show about Nemu and Junichi's continuing love story. But, on the other hand, they're giving you every reason to be sympathetic towards the other girls. On a personal level, you want to believe in Aisia, because Nemu x Junichi really isn't fair to the other girls. But, what choice is there, really? I have to think this took a certain degree of bravery on their parts; I mean, we all know that D.C. II is on the way. Wouldn't you think that a happy ending for all the characters would be the best thing to do, marketing wise? You're depending on these same people to buy the new game in a few months, after all. But no, they took this show in a completely different direction (focus on what isn't true happiness), defied common wisdom (by bringing Nemu back early), and stuck with it right to the end (to deliver a Nemu x Junichi finale that probably won't really delve into what happens next for the other girls).

It really does make you wonder why they'd do that. I'm not sure if I can answer that one decisively, but the best answer I can come up with is so that the franchise, on a whole, can stay varied and fresh. If they had given us another show in the veign of the first season, it might have felt forced and contrived, especially if D.C. II is going to follow next year. They took the opportunity with D.C.S.S. to tell a more subtle, more introspective story that furthered the concept of "Da Capo" itself. I imagine that the understanding we've gained here will play a role in D.C. II, and that's probably why this is a lesson we had to understand first.

And you're right - the reason I'm writing all this is because, for whatever reason, I do care about all the characters in this show, moreso than in many others. I'm not really sure what it is about Da Capo that appeals to me, but it's what really got me into anime in a big way. I guess everyone probably has an important show like that. Not sure if I can explain it exactly, but there'll always be something a bit magical about this series, to me.

And yeah, Radiosity... here you go saying (essentially) "maybe this thread won't be spoiler city this time", and I've gone and ruined it again. Sorry. Well, I'm looking forward to the day when we can all watch and understand this show together. It's a show that's been largely maligned in the English blogosphere, but has so much to offer if you look beneath the surface. Maybe, in the eyes of many, the show is doomed to the pages of failed sequels that should never have been created, but I personally think that'd be a shame.