(L) Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope)

[DragoonKain3]

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

In all likelihood, the girl usually ends up getting the guy she wants in this type of series, so I'm expecting a Sen + Yurika ending, even if Kaoru is our point of view character.

Wait, Yurika wants Sen now? I thought all she has eyes for was Jun?

[thundrakkon]

Originally Posted by DragoonKain3

Wait, Yurika wants Sen now? I thought all she has eyes for was Jun?

Sorry, my mistake. I meant Ritsuko x Sen. Yuriko and Jun deserve each other.

[LKK]

I have the stupidest grin on my face.

Spoiler for ep 7:

A musical duet as a reunion scene. Make that an awesome musical duet as the reunion scene. That was inspiring. Simply inspiring.

[Gankutsuou]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Whoever the voice actor is for Seiji good god is he overdoing the effeminate thing. It's not quite grinding my teeth level of annoying but good god is it kind of discomforting. Tone it down a bit bro whoever you are. Encouraged to see that many others found this character as annoying and out of place as I did, but honestly I wouldn't have a problem with him at all were it not for the atrociously bad voice acting he got.

I hope you don't go around telling men to tone down their "effeminate" behavior in real life. Because you sounded like a prick.


I just watched episode 7 and this series is definitely the best series of the year so far. (At least for me.) I have a feeling the love triangles will end really badly.

[gianna]

HOLY FUCK THAT WAS GLORIOUS

What a huge beautiful rush of emotion!
The last scene was almost like a final episode scene
It was like it could have ended right there and it would have been absolutely perfect

If they can deliver the final episode just like this I am to be in tears for the rest of the week

Btw I think this ep should make a few people happy in terms of questioned love interests

[kuromitsu]

SUWABE JUNICHI OH YES *focuses on the important things*

That man. Hell, all these guys and girls. This show has some fantastic seiyuu. Suwabe of course steals the show as far as I'm concerned, but Hosoya Yoshimasa? Who would've thought he had this role in him? (Well, I hoped, but...) And as I hoped, Kimura Ryouhei is doing a fantastic job as Kaoru.

Anyway, I love that they included The Olympus' song... I wish they put it on the soundtrack as well, but I suppose they didn't get the rights. Also, I wonder who sang it, Okamoto maybe? (I've never heard him sing before.)

Also, thank god they left out Kaoru's inner monologues for once, during the live session. ^^;; And while the concert scenes were great, the last scene with Kaoru and Sen running was fantastic.

[gianna]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

SUWABE JUNICHI OH YES *focuses on the important things*

That man. Hell, all these guys and girls. This show has some fantastic seiyuu. Suwabe of course steals the show as far as I'm concerned, but Hosoya Yoshimasa? Who would've thought he had this role in him? (Well, I hoped, but...) And as I hoped, Kimura Ryouhei is doing a fantastic job as Kaoru.

Anyway, I love that they included The Olympus' song... I wish they put it on the soundtrack as well, but I suppose they didn't get the rights. Also, I wonder who sang it, Okamoto maybe? (I've never heard him sing before.)

Ah man I was so happy to see they kept Sen's narration for last week's episode!
Hosoya IS Sen fully and completely -- especially those important quite moments
Kimura has also been excellent especially during Kaoru's more emotional moments that he has delivered with pure sincerity

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Gankutsuou

I hope you don't go around telling men to tone down their "effeminate" behavior in real life. Because you sounded like a prick.

We're talking about a show with a character that's portrayed like a caricature and annoying one at that by his voice actor not real life. Let's not confuse the two. If you want to criticize someone or something criticize Japanese culture for almost always playing potentially gay characters in this almost mocking and irritating fashion.

This is a show where pretty much every other character is played with a degree of subtle realism to them has made all the scenes so far pretty exceptional by TV anime standards and this characters portrayal goes rather startling against the grain of this show cast. Maybe it's deliberate and done to make the viewer hate the character right off the bat for a reason, I don't know, but for now it was just really annoying and IMO kind of classless for an anime that so far has had class in spades.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

This is a show where pretty much every other character is played with a degree of subtle realism to them has made all the scenes so far pretty exceptional by TV anime standards and this characters portrayal goes rather startling against the grain of this show cast.

How? Because he's not a low-key, quiet type? Or a "rambuctuous, scary-looking guy who is surprisingly sensitive" like Sen, who is not very far from being a walking cliché himself? Guys like Seiji exist in the real world, some of them are gay, some aren't. (Why is this even important?) He may disrupt the subdued mood of the series, maybe he doesn't add to the "class", but it's just like how people like him stand out from the crowd in a way people like Kaoru and even Sen don't.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

This is a show where pretty much every other character is played with a degree of subtle realism to them has made all the scenes so far pretty exceptional by TV anime standards and this characters portrayal goes rather startling against the grain of this show cast. Maybe it's deliberate and done to make the viewer hate the character right off the bat for a reason, I don't know, but for now it was just really annoying and IMO kind of classless for an anime that so far has had class in spades.

I got the feeling that it was deliberate. But not to make the viewers hate him. But rather, it's deliberate on the character's part. By that I mean, there was something about the disconnect between his "normal" behavior and his behavior while relating his family history to Sentarou. His tone then wasn't filled with the flamboyant strokes that he normally uses in public. I got the feeling that his public behavior may be a defense mechanism. By coming across on the outlandish side, he's built a protective wall around himself. It won't protect him from the hard-core bullies, of course, but it can act as a shield against the whispers of the average populace. A shield that says, "I'm here. I'm aware, and I don't care about what you think of me."

(Sorry, I don't remember the character's name.)

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by LKK

I got the feeling that it was deliberate. But not to make the viewers hate him. But rather, it's deliberate on the character's part. By that I mean, there was something about the disconnect between his "normal" behavior and his behavior while relating his family history to Sentarou. His tone then wasn't filled with the flamboyant strokes that he normally uses in public. I got the feeling that his public behavior may be a defense mechanism. By coming across on the outlandish side, he's built a protective wall around himself. It won't protect him from the hard-core bullies, of course, but it can act as a shield against the whispers of the average populace. A shield that says, "I'm here. I'm aware, and I don't care about what you think of me."

(Sorry, I don't remember the character's name.)

Possible. I mean it definitely feels very forced that's for sure.

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

How? Because he's not a low-key, quiet type? Or a "rambuctuous, scary-looking guy who is surprisingly sensitive" like Sen, who is not very far from being a walking cliché himself? Guys like Seiji exist in the real world, some of them are gay, some aren't. (Why is this even important?) He may disrupt the subdued mood of the series, maybe he doesn't add to the "class", but it's just like how people like him stand out from the crowd in a way people like Kaoru and even Sen don't.

I don't think you and others are grasping just how annoying I found his voice acting to be and the fact that that's where the issue lies, but I guess for some it's not actually an issue.

[DragoonKain3]

Why did I think of the Graduate when Sen took Bon's hand and ran away? (Around the same time period too when this show took place)

Goddamit, I think hanging around with slashers has also had them rotten my mind.

[ars89]

Oh man Sen punched Jun. Like how the girls in the class nominated Ritsuko and Kaoru together. Him playing my favorite things to starts was nice. The best part was the reunion of the 2 partners through having a session in front of the whole school. Interesting that Yurika started clapping first. Liked how they just ran away together at the end.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

I don't think you and others are grasping just how annoying I found his voice acting to be and the fact that that's where the issue lies, but I guess for some it's not actually an issue.

I don't grasp it because I don't think the voice acting is bad or annoying at all. The character may be annoying, but the acting, as LKK already mentioned, is spot-on.

[Kanon]

The duet was a wonderful way for Sentarou and Kaoru to reconnect, but I could have done without all the scenes showing the whole freaking school swarming to see them. It seemed a little unbelievable to me.

Anyway, glad that phase is over. It was painful to watch Kaoru ignore Sen, only to regret it later and be unable to find the words to make up with him. In the end, they didn't even need words... is what I'd like to say, but Sen's line about his precious partner played a very important part.

Well then, next up is Jun. I'm eager to find out how he ended up in such a sorry sate.

[Bern-san]

Like everybody, very pleased with the duet, I liked that it wasn't so short. I wish I could play an instrument and reconcile with a friend the same way they do
The girls really want Kaoru x Rit-chan
Brother Jun what happened to you? I know university is very stressful finals are coming... and sometimes you have depression but... *sigh* Brother Jun is also human so there's nothing we can do about it.
I also can understand Yurika, although it wasn't correct. Poor Sentaro, things are never easy for him.

I wish this could end with Sen x Ritsuko and, strangely, I would like to see Yurika x Kaoru


About the seiyuus they are all doing it great, Hosoya Yoshimasa keeps growing on me in every anime he works in and Suwabe Junichi's voice is as hot as ever.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by Kanon

The duet was a wonderful way for Sentarou and Kaoru to reconnect, but I could have done without all the scenes showing the whole freaking school swarming to see them. It seemed a little unbelievable to me.

Yeah, that was a bit overdone. Btw, it was an anime original thing, in the manga the kids, mostly the girls who came for the Olympus live, just stand there like "wtf did we just hear" (literally - one of them goes "what was this? ...jazz?") until Yurika starts clapping. IMO that was more realistic, given the time and the place, and it explains why Yurika had to start clapping. But I guess they needed to fill the time out somehow, visually (there were still too many still or panning shots of the audience just standing there).

Btw, it was kind of weird that they included the cut with little Kaoru finding a letter in the letterbox - without any reference. ^^;; (I guess it's obvious, but still, the missing setup was a bit weird.)

[bbee]

I'm not sure what to say.. The past 7 episodes combined have formed the greatest bit of anime I've ever seen. This is not something I say often or lightly. So far, this is simply the greatest anime ever. Out of nearly 700 anime, I've never voted a show 10, but if it had ended at this ep, it would be a 10.

Every glance, every word.. It carries so much meaning. I love anime that can do that. The period setting.. The characters.. The mood. It's all perfect!
And the music! I've never heard anything like it.. The way it's integral to the story.. They've done an amazing job adapting it. Nobody but Watanabe/Kanno could have done this.. It's the genius of Cowboy Bebop all over again, only improved by the pure and unwavering focus on the character development and relationships. If I were a rich man, I'd pay as much money as it took to get those two to keep making shows together. Is there any better dream team? I can't think of one..

EP7 was reminiscent of the live alive Haruhi ep, I'm a sucker for that kind of setup, too.. I should probably stop writing now for fear of jinxing it.. It's just too amazing, I don't know what to say anymore. I'd just end up writing one superlative after another.

[Flawfinder]

Thankfully, the fanged guy was toned down in this episode (it helped that he had last screen time), so he didn't annoy me too much. And holy crap, that duet was good. I heard it on the OST, but it was much better here.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

Btw, it was kind of weird that they included the cut with little Kaoru finding a letter in the letterbox - without any reference. ^^;; (I guess it's obvious, but still, the missing setup was a bit weird.)

What do you mean "no reference"? I thought it was clearly a reference to last week's flashback where little Karou said goodbye to his schoolmate who promised to write, but every time Karou checked the mailbox, it was empty. This time, in Karou's imagination, the mailbox had a letter for him. Did the scene need any additional setup or reference in your opinion?