(L) ef - a tale of memories.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Skyfall

Yet i am getting the impression that negative opinion of the show is not welcomed here at all. And that is not true ...at least it shouldn't be. [...] Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about a show, and if someone takes time to add substance to his thoughts there is no need to make it seem such an opinion is not wanted here.

To be honest, I'm not sure why you perceive this to be the issue here, but I at least want to make it clear that, for my part, this was not the problem. People can post whatever opinions they damn well please so long as they're articulate and not insulting. But just "posting opinions" is not a conversational "outcome". I felt that we had been going around in circles for quite a while already with no end in sight. I was trying to determine whether the goal was a discussion or a debate, and the answer seems clear now. If people want to get into a debate about their opinions on the show: Gentlemen, prepare your arguments! I still doubt that we'll learn all that much from the endeavour, but I'm prepared to be proven wrong. (I've never seen anyone around here change a personal preference by force of argument, but hey... it could happen...)

The fundamental question is: why are you here? For some, it's obvious. For others, it's harder to determine (at least for me...). But unless it's clear, we end up going around in circles endlessly with neither side reaching their goal. Now that the goal is clear, we can proceed.

[Skyfall]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

The fundamental question is: why are you here? For some, it's obvious. For others, it's harder to determine. But unless it's clear, we end up going around in circles endlessly with neither side reaching their goal. Now that the goal is clear, we can proceed.

Yes, indeed - that is a good question to ask. And when such a situation (going in circles) is achieved, i believe it is for the best to bring forth the "agree to disagree" and move on at some point. The fact we seemed to be starting to head in the direction of attacking the other party directly instead of "agreeing to disagree" and moving on was what i disliked here. But indeed - now that the issue has been cleared ( i hope so) we can proceed.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Sigh. It is so hard not to get caught up in the back-and-forth. Thanks to Skyfall for calling a halt to this vicious circle.

All I can legitimately say is that I thought this show was a masterpiece; I found all the main characters sympathetic and well drawn; and I felt more emotion from it than from any other show this year, except maybe some episodes of Emily of New Moon. I got so much enjoyment from watching ef that I feel sorry and confused that others didn't.

[ironbomb]

lol..spent like 30minutes reading the past 2-3 pages and finally the "arguements' seem to have resided.

I felt sympathy for every character, especially the leads of there own respective stories. Each one had a strong illustration of what they want and desire at the end and showed it.

[Kristen]

So, after repeatedly listening to the Japanese and English versions of the OP, I'm noticing strange little things. Like, the Japanese has more legato, and less staccato notes. Japanese is a softer sound than English. And it seems like they took out some of the "Hits" in the song.

It makes me wonder how I would prefer the series. Like, the English at the start had a certain effect. Yet, Japanese at the end just emphasized the story.

What describes the series more? The hard English or the soft Japanese?

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by ChrissieXD

So, after repeatedly listening to the Japanese and English versions of the OP, I'm noticing strange little things. Like, the Japanese has more legato, and less staccato notes. Japanese is a softer sound than English. And it seems like they took out some of the "Hits" in the song.

It makes me wonder how I would prefer the series. Like, the English at the start had a certain effect. Yet, Japanese at the end just emphasized the story.

What describes the series more? The hard English or the soft Japanese?

Hmm... I'm not sure which "describes the series more", but from a musical perspective, I personally preferred the melody with the extra notes from the English version. Not sure that it's so much "more staccato" necessarily (as just more eigth/sixteenth notes) but I guess it sort of has that effect. Accent notwithstanding, I also preferred the sound of the singer's voice in English -- it seemed brighter and more "airy", which seemed to make the song seem a bit more lively (to me). How that relates to the series itself, though... guess I never thought about that analogy.

[Kristen]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Hmm... I'm not sure which "describes the series more", but from a musical perspective, I personally preferred the melody with the extra notes from the English version. Not sure that it's so much "more staccato" necessarily (as just more eigth/sixteenth notes) but I guess it sort of has that effect. Accent notwithstanding, I also preferred the sound of the singer's voice in English -- it seemed brighter and more "airy", which seemed to make the song seem a bit more lively (to me). How that relates to the series itself, though... guess I never thought about that analogy.

It definately is more airy in English. I just find that it flows very nicely in Japanese. Especially in the full length version, when she gets to some of the choruses that aren't played, you can really hear a rich vibratto.

I think a lot of it is (Besides my musically obsessed mind) taking the entire series and trying to encompass it into a picture, and then describing that picture in a song. Like, take something like "The Poseiden Adventure". That would be a very stacattoy piece, complete with things to try and detract from softer and more beautiful sounding melodies. On the other hand, something like Kanon 2006 would be very melodic and smooth, as to me it was more of a beautiful series with lighter, more tragic conflicts.

I don't know. This series to me is very focused on artwork, which makes me think more of the Japanese version. Yet, the turmoil in the characters, namely Miyako and Chihiro, make me think otherwise.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by ChrissieXD

I think a lot of it is (Besides my musically obsessed mind) taking the entire series and trying to encompass it into a picture, and then describing that picture in a song. Like, take something like "The Poseiden Adventure". That would be a very stacattoy piece, complete with things to try and detract from softer and more beautiful sounding melodies. On the other hand, something like Kanon 2006 would be very melodic and smooth, as to me it was more of a beautiful series with lighter, more tragic conflicts.

I don't know. This series to me is very focused on artwork, which makes me think more of the Japanese version. Yet, the turmoil in the characters, namely Miyako and Chihiro, make me think otherwise.

Hmmm... interesting. Something to consider: maybe the answer isn't in the vocals, but in the instrumentals. Really, if I wanted to sum up the show musically, just listen to the instrumental version of euphoric field. Or, alternately, the music in the prologue. I think ef is equal parts "bold and dramatic" and "touching and melodic", and those pieces seem to capture that dynamic well. If I had to sum up the show in a picture... I guess I'd probably go with Chihiro bound by chain to her 13 hour circle, reaching to be set free (and then, of course, the chains breaking). I think, to me, that's really the essence of this show.

[Deathkillz]

It's quite funny how for me I tend to favor the "first version" of most things vocal. If I watch something with dubs for the first time, I would take the voice and set it as defult and not think anything bad of it - which certainly wouldn't be the case if I experience the subs first. I think this is the same thing here, the english version just registers as the defult version for me and I prefer it over the japanese version oddly enough But in addition to the choice. I feel that the english version has more "feel" and depth compared to the japanese version (kinda unusual but yea ).

[grey_moon]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

It's quite funny how for me I tend to favor the "first version" of most things vocal. If I watch something with dubs for the first time, I would take the voice and set it as defult and not think anything bad of it - which certainly wouldn't be the case if I experience the subs first. I think this is the same thing here, the english version just registers as the defult version for me and I prefer it over the japanese version oddly enough But in addition to the choice. I feel that the english version has more "feel" and depth compared to the japanese version (kinda unusual but yea ).

Me too, I find I do the same thing too, and not only for music but for the dubs too. I watched The Cat Returns in Mandarin the first time around and now every other language sounds a bit weird to me.

I have to agree with the last part about the depth and feel of it.

Of course I only understand the words yaro and baka in Japanese so I have no idea if it is a good song or not

[Sun Shine]

Its over and well I'm not fussed. Certainly not one of the greater shows I've watched. The direction of the story and was all too predictable about half way through right down to every part, in fact you could see where this was going to end up very early on. I can possibly see why a lot of people are saying it was a good series because it had a happy ending for everyone and while I am for this, the series just didn't have enough in it for me personally. I thought the characters were built well but the actual story was just what was expected from the start and even when Chihiro ripped the pages out, you knew she wasn't going to forget Renji. Predictable can be good but this just wasn;t.

[FatPianoBoy]

In this case I think predictability is a good thing. It shows they gave enough insight into the characters over the course of the series that you got to know them well enough to predict their actions. The ending made so much sense that it would have been ridiculous for it to end any other way.

[stardf29]

Just finished this series. It was definitely one of the best I've seen.

Possibly what could be both my single biggest complaint about this series and the single best thing about it is...

Spoiler:

Kei's storyline, especially in episode 10.

I've always been a fan of osananajimi characters and there's always a sad moment in me when they don't win. But Kei's climatic scene in episode 10 has to be the most touching and wonderfully bittersweet moment I have ever witnessed for that sort of thing. I'm torn between imagining a scenario where Kei does win and leaving it as it is to enjoy the pure bittersweet beauty of it all... which I think is awesome when a story can do that to me.

The coda wrapped things up nicely, though. I'm glad that at least Kei has a place in the "family" of Hirono and Miyako, and that she has otherwise moved on.

As for the rest of the series...

Spoiler:

Everything else was great, too. Renji and Chihiro's storyline was really beautiful (not to mention not a whole lot of stories touch on any form of anterograde amnesia, so their storyline won many points on that alone). And even Miyako--her type of character doesn't normally gain a whole lot of sympathy from me, and she is my least favorite main female... but that doesn't really say much, and I just can't deny the pure epic-ness that is her climax scene at the end of episode 10. (Yeah, I really, really liked episode 10.)

I do have my gripes with the series, but I have those for every series, and I don't feel like listing them out.

[EFrules]

@stardf29 I like Kei too especially the part where she told Hiro her true feelings.... The door scene in episode 10.

A really touching and moving scene.

[Fweakin]

Originally Posted by stardf29

As for the rest of the series...

Spoiler:

Everything else was great, too. Renji and Chihiro's storyline was really beautiful (not to mention not a whole lot of stories touch on any form of anterograde amnesia, so their storyline won many points on that alone). And even Miyako--her type of character doesn't normally gain a whole lot of sympathy from me, and she is my least favorite main female... but that doesn't really say much, and I just can't deny the pure epic-ness that is her climax scene at the end of episode 10. (Yeah, I really, really liked episode 10.)

I do have my gripes with the series, but I have those for every series, and I don't feel like listing them out.

The anterograde amnesia and the way they portrayed it was, to me, wonderful. Having a tertiary background in neurology, it often really annoys me watching shows where sufferers have a sudden resolution of amnesia concerning a romantic interest (like when people who have been in a coma wake up and walk instantly ). I really liked that Chihiro simply couldn't stop thinking about him for more than 13 hours, which is a much more likely and real outcome, and is also something that would happen if Chihiro didn't have a memory impairment, which made the story much richer.

[stewie0814]

Loved this show. Anime of the year for me

[Shana]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

Though there would surely be an army of people to fight against that view and it will all end in a horrible mess like here...
Come to think, I don't even know what you guys are debating on anymore

Spoiler for derail:

Me too. I don't know what are they debating about

Ah, btw:

Spoiler for Higher version for the pic - NSFW?:

[Ahlunn]

How'd I know that Chihiro would be wearing a school swimsuit. And why do I get the feeling that everyone else would agree. Wow... typecasting in animes happen too. Haha, nice find.

[ironbomb]

Originally Posted by Shana

Me too. I don't know what are they debating about

Ah, btw:

Spoiler for Higher version for the pic - NSFW?:

<3 that pic ^^.

[mpt37]

Just finished watching it and I've got 1 question:

Is there any reason why Kei and Chihiro don't see or talk to each other throughout the story? I know they sent text messages to each other, but isn't it strange that that was the only communication between them? Is it because Kei still feels guilty about the accident? Or am I just think about this too much?

That one little thing aside, I really enjoyed it and finished it in one sitting. The Chihiro and Renji story is what kept me hooked.