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Old 2011-09-16, 18:33   Link #681
Bri
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IG did a very solid job at adapting UD. Loved the art, the bgm and the careful pacing. VAs were well chosen, especially using a real child to voice Rin. It is definitely an anime that gives a more realistic portrayal of children and adults.

Much of the praise I've seen for UD centers on it not using common anime cliches and tropes, in essence it gets praised for it being normal. It's interesting that there is this 'desire' for normalcy and that it creates certain expectations towards this anime. Whether or not these expectations were actually cultivated by UD or projected on it, I'm not sure of. As I'm not well versed in the genre conventions of the source material I'm stil somewhat in doubt about the shows honesty.
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Old 2011-09-16, 20:13   Link #682
Sol Falling
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Found some time to catch the last episode. That was fine.

Having spoiled myself a bit more deeply on the manga, my feelings regarding this series have somewhat faded back into ambivalence. I very much hope a second season will be animated, because if it isn't I will probably never work up interest enough to fully witness the whole story for myself.

I don't find the content (characters, development, entertainment value etc.) of Usagi Drop itself so amazing but structurally I feel it manages to hint at questions/commentary/issues which are strikingly relevant to real life.

On a simple level I think Usagi Drop's story (season one at least) could probably be described as that of a single, middle-aged, white-collar worker finding (in a relatably subtle/understated manner) the meaning to his life (in the form of another person). In modern society, thanks to technology, systematized education and media culture, we are taught about freedom and individuality very early on in life (long before adulthood). Following that, cut off from that standardized education/environment which our affluent society so blankly provides us, adulthood becomes something of a haphazard scramble to discover how our "free" and "individual" selves have any genuine worth whereby we can actually support our livelihoods. Propped up by a faceless society, and then left to fend for ourselves, in this aimless sea of society the truth is (whether by circumstance or choice; whether in work or romance) the vast majority of people are at the bottom of it all completely alone.

Love is not real love. Friendship is not real friendship. Respect is not real respect. That's how adult relationships work, amongst the "freedom" and "individuality" of modern society, so that it can become so difficult to make connections or form bonds with other people in a way that is actually real.

Usagi Drop is about Daikichi escaping that sea of aimlessness through the formation of his first (self-created) connection with Rin. That bond takes the shape of parenthood, but in fact it's the movement from 'loneliness' to 'real connections with people' which is the most significant fact in itself. Through his connection with Rin, Daikichi reformulates his relationship with his real family, and also opens his life up in meeting other people who are also no longer chasing after their own selves. There is a contrast with the other young adults in Daikichi's family, who fall into the more socially normative bondage of insincere marital relationships as they are slowly forced to acknowledge that their 'freedom' and 'individuality' cannot in fact be maintained.

The formation of this new interpersonal relationship between Daikichi and Rin versus the general state of society parallels the increasing rarity of that genetic bond whose model Daikichi's new lifestyle brings him most close to, i.e. parenthood. Precisely because Daikichi has given up something of himself, has devoted himself to his bond with a real person, is the reason that Daikichi is able to make further connections in the form of meeting other parents who have done the same; precisely it is the unwillingness or inability of the rest of society to receive this opportunity, to make real connections with each other, that has lead to a vast degree of individuals to giving up (in whatever manner; whether by deciding not to have children, or even being a bad parent after the fact) on parenthood at all.

The question of Usagi Drop's actionable merit in this regard is ambiguous. I feel that Usagi Drop champions the creation of real bonds between people in all forms. Real love can lead to children, which can also lead to real love (in the form of real parental bonds). But that is not to say that if you cannot find real love romantically, then you should simply (or at least) form a real parental bond. Usagi Drop does not really tell people to go out and form real bonds, or particularly show how they are made; rather, it is more or less the mere portrayal of a bond that emerged through what is pretty close to pure coincidence. That is why I say that Usagi Drop only hints at the loneliness of modern society and the decline of real love and relationships rather than directly addressing the question. For its achievement, Usagi Drops has kept my attention, but offers little lasting worth or insight that I would go back to it or could refer to it as a master work.

Last edited by Sol Falling; 2011-09-17 at 18:08.
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Old 2011-09-16, 22:07   Link #683
broken270
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That was a very heartwarming moment at the end of it all. I am glad it ended on that note as such. Could not have asked for anything better. Definitely one of my favorite shows this season.
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Old 2011-09-16, 22:08   Link #684
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Now wait for S2...
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Old 2011-09-16, 22:10   Link #685
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It would be interesting after a season or two to have someone do an adaptation of the latter half of the story. But we'll have to see how everything plays out in the viewing/reading audience.
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Old 2011-09-16, 23:16   Link #686
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dang, didn't know episode 11 was gonna be the last one.

Just watched episodes 9 to 11 in one sitting. The relationship between Dai and Kouki's mother was pretty sweet.

The fever part got too overly dramatic for my taste though, approaching korean soap opera territory.

I'm more curious to see Rin and Kouki in 10 years and see if they get together... XD
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Old 2011-09-17, 01:32   Link #687
DragoonKain3
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Awesome! They ended it where I wanted them to end it. Usagi Drop at its finest indeed.
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Old 2011-09-17, 03:39   Link #688
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I just hope that this anime will be really popular. It really deserves it !
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Old 2011-09-17, 03:49   Link #689
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Some of the best stories have always been about the most simple things in life, and in this respect Usagi Drop manages to excel greatly.

The story of Usagi Drop revolves around the 30-year-old Daikichi who decides at the funeral of his grandfather to adopt an unwanted and illegitimate 7-year-old child, Rin. The very premise of this story lends itself to quite the heart warming tale, but the story is at the same time undoubtedly mature. In a nutshell, Usagi Drop is a story about parenting, and the societal worries and responsibilities that come with parenting, and in this case, adopting a child. As it so happens, Daikichi's act of kindness would lead to a complete restructuring of his day to day life.

Some of the most enjoyable aspects of Usagi Drop are its explorations of some of the simple responsibilities being a parent entails. Things like feeding your child, taking your child to school and trying to pick her up at a reasonable time, shopping for school supplies, shopping for groceries, and much more. These are all simple activities and tasks for most people that we take for granted, but become all the more complicated with additional layers of consideration when raising a child. Usagi Drop manages to bring up issues like these and more generally in a a very interesting manner.

Furthermore, Usagi Drop never becomes heavy handed in its approach. It does not show the process to be without reward, nor does it overly idealize parenting. It tries to present the topic realistically, and does not try to ham fist any sort of hidden agenda. Rin is very cute and/or moe, but the anime never tries to overly exploit her in a way that many more otaku shows would. It is just a very genuine story, that really feels like it came from the heart of the creator. All the meanwhile, it manages to blend enough fun and comedic moments to make this a very entertaining experience, but again in a mature manner.

Like the story itself, Usagi Drop just has such genuine characters. The interactions of the characters are never expressively overly dramatized, and they just seem to feel very natural. Daikichi and Rin in particular have a very enjoyable relationship that really resembles that of a father and daughter. Generally empathy is felt for Rin and Daikichi throughout this story both because Rin is such a great young girl in an unfortunate circumstance, and Daikichi is an incredibly admirably human being for taking on child rearing head on.

For the production side of things, Usagi Drop excels at visuals while it's audio merely sufficed. The audio was not bad certainly, but nothing really worth remembering on that front other than perhaps the OP, which really manages to brighten your mood upon entering each episode of the show. The visuals deserve praise though. The water color effects reminiscent of another Notamina block show, Wandering Son, are very pleasing and they generally compliment the tone of the show very well. Usagi Drop's style is something I would love to see in more shows.

Usagi Drop manages to cement itself as one of the best slice of life shows around. It manages to transcend anime in the fact that I think the story is one that can be enjoyed by both anime and non-anime viewers alike. The story is very heart warming and provides many uplifting emotions throughout its run. It is a show I would recommend to almost anyone, and it is definitely deserving of much accolades.

Rating: 9/10
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Old 2011-09-17, 21:11   Link #690
Master_Yoma
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This series is just to cute Rin messing with her baby teeth was just funny

Is it just me or Yukari went to move in with Daikichi

Hope there a second season 7/10
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Old 2011-09-18, 17:01   Link #691
bbee
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As much as I love the show, now that it's over, I feel the need to be critical of it; not because it was subpar in any way, but because for me it lost a lot of its appeal somewhere around the halfway point. It feels like it could have easily been brilliant but ended up as just merely great.
All the episodes up to 6 or so reflected some deep truth about life, the consequences of our choices, and the way we relate to others. After the haflway point, a lot of this sort of faded out and it started feeling more like a slice-of-life show to me. Sure, there were still a lot of poignant moments (the ending for one), but it didn't hold a candle to the first half of the show.
For a while there I thought I'd found my 6th ever 9/10 vote for a show (out of nearly 700 anime). Instead I ended up voting 8. That still makes it the best show this year, and the best show since last years' Tatami Galaxy and House of 5 Leaves.
Now I need to read the manga, but I'm scared that if I start reading it I won't be able to put it down, so I need to set aside a day to do it..
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Old 2011-09-18, 17:37   Link #692
Vexx
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(sigh) one season adaptations are constricting enough... but 11 instead of 12 (or 13) just seems cruel to the adaptation.

Ep 11 is a good take on "being a parent" ... Hopefully the series and live-action adaptation will strike a few more people in Japan that being a parent is something they should consider more deeply.

I see why I never tripped across the manga on recent browsing... Yen Press didn't use the name "Usagi Drop" but called it "Bunny Drop" and it simply failed to catch my attention. Three volumes out and the fourth is out "Sept 2011".
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Old 2011-09-19, 03:31   Link #693
Kid Ryan
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I want a Season 2 NOW, but I don't want it to follow the manga...
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Old 2011-09-19, 16:24   Link #694
DoctorG
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Another vote for Usagi Drop as slice-of-life as good as it gets. Gentle, subtle, understated exploration of the joys of being a parent - pretty much as I remember. Maybe Rin is a bit too good to be true, but not ridiculously so.

Episode 11 (which I've just caught up with) wasn't as good as some of the earlier ones, and did have a bit of recap in it, but it rounded off the series beautifully. Credit to Production IG for the art - the watercolour style backgrounds have been gorgeous - and for making anime for grown-ups.

I hope Usagi Drop got good viewing figures in Japan - it would be nice to have more series like it.

Last edited by DoctorG; 2011-09-19 at 16:25. Reason: typo
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Old 2011-09-19, 20:50   Link #695
risingstar3110
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As far as adaptation goes, i think this series have ended perfectly. Love to have another season, but it may need some original material then...

Manga? To me, it's a completely different story with the same name and a set of new casts. In that way , the manga is decent.

I don't think it's a spoiler,and i don't think the manga readers gonna disagree with me here. But WARNING: don't read the manga because you like the anime and want to know what happen next from the anime. If you want to read it, considering the manga as an independent story
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Old 2011-09-19, 22:19   Link #696
Archon_Wing
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As a final word on the anime, I leave behind my full review/commentary:

Is it possible? Can we really have an anime that talks about a relationship between a young girl and an older man and not devolve into the excesses that plague anime? As anyone who has seen anime would have noted by now, anime has umm, a very unhealthy, obsession with little girls. So Usagi Drop manages to be a standout anime, avoiding many a pitfall. Can an anime sell just by telling a good story instead of fanservice-laden bullshit and recycled stories from last month? Why yes, it can!

Visuals: 8/10
Spoiler:

Audio: 8/10
Spoiler:

Plot: 8/10
Spoiler:

Characters: 9/10
Spoiler:

Enjoyment: 10/10
Spoiler:

Overall: 9/10

Spoiler for A quick definition of the overall score:


Without a doubt, it was a great watch from start to finish. While it got rather slow in some parts, it never compromised its own narrative and stayed true to itself. Truly, a brilliant effort, and one of 2011’s crown jewels.
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Old 2011-09-20, 01:19   Link #697
VC Matsumoto
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I know discussions of the Manga are not allowed, but to further "protect"
the anime crowd....DO NOT LOOK AT WIKIPEDIA.....for Usagi Drop anime/manga!

I ruined (possible 2nd season anime) for myself because the darn
ending on page 1 was mentioned prominately there ........

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Old 2011-09-20, 01:23   Link #698
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Pretty funny how this thread has turned from "Omg, Great episode 9 or 10/10" every week to "Don't read the manga!"
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Old 2011-09-20, 01:42   Link #699
Guardian Enzo
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Originally Posted by DemiSoda View Post
Pretty funny how this thread has turned from "Omg, Great episode 9 or 10/10" every week to "Don't read the manga!"
I think people should read it for themselves and make up their minds. So far, I like the post-jump part - but I can see where people are put off. It's a much more "conventional" school drama than the very unique kind of story it is pre-jump.

Of course, I'm nowhere near the end and not spoiled about the infamous ending, so I might feel differently when I finish it.
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Old 2011-09-20, 08:30   Link #700
Dop
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Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo View Post
I think people should read it for themselves and make up their minds.
I'm in 100% agreement with you there, that's what I'm planning to do, and with Yen Press just having released volume 4 it's what I'll continue to do!
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