(L) Puraore! Pride of Orange

[FlareKnight]

I'm not usually one to make topics in all honesty. But if there was a topic for this one around I just couldn't find it. The extensiveness of the search was legitimate here. Not that I'm calling this anime of the season (since it's not that good), but it is airing and might as well have a topic around to talk about it in. Plus an excuse to talk about a hockey anime just is too tempting to resist just because I'm not keen on making topics.

Plot:

Manaka’s competitive spirit ignites when she discovers ice hockey! Even though she’s a rookie, she’s got her sights set on Nikko City’s hockey team, where girls aim for the top as they compete in this full-contact sport. After finally convincing her childhood friends and her sister to play, they join a team of girls ready to go for the goal!

Source
Anime News Network

[LKK]

FYI: Funi has the stream.

[Infinite Zenith]

It's been a slow start so far; there won't be any Tkachuk or McDavid style plays yet.

[Master_Yoma]

Well cute girl playing hockey and 3eps in they all ready having there first game and with only a few months of training and with out a full team to

[FlareKnight]

I'm impressed the blowout wasn't any worse than it was. Not that the other team was playing with a full roster either (just two lines worth of players). But that is certainly more than the 6 people on the other side . I'll presume they just got bored of scoring after the first period. No way they'd be scoring less as the game went on. The exhaustion of playing against a team that can actually change lines when a bit fatigued isn't comparable. Even the goal actually made sense. They probably didn't even get a shot on the other team until that moment. Not impossible for the girl in the net to lack a feel of the puck after almost 30 minutes and giving up a juicy rebound.

And on the positive side episode 3 didn't have any...unusual aspects like the idol performance of episode 1. Although it feels like they are hitting the overall notes you'd expect in a show like this but missing the little things. Like Manaka biking after the train Mami was on. That's a standard kind of moment. But it lacked the buildup. We didn't see Manaka refusing to go with the others to say goodbye. They just mentioned it. And we didn't see her changing her mind either. Kind of makes her seem egotistical . Everyone else can get a normal farewell but she's the main characters so she's got to dramatically bike after a train .

Naomi is still the best character so far for me. Her little hyped up moment about the grandmother's manga was cute. And getting bribed into participating in the first place was believable. And I kind of felt for her getting guilt tripped into joining the team. If she doesn't join Riko will give up on the sport.

The show isn't amazing. But it's not bad either. They did actually manage to get a game played even if they had to tweak it to account for a lack of players.

[Kazu-kun]

I was starting to get tired of this prelude of sorts. I was waiting for the long-haired girl to finally appear so the story could start for real. Finally, it looks like this is gonna happen next episode. It was about time.

[FlareKnight]

Ok. Now all they need is for the next episode to open up with Yoko being dragged away by the police . All but admitted to harassing and stalking this teenager so...it should be pretty easy to resolve this .

It's almost kind of funny how I'm constantly going from feeling sorry for one character in any given episode. I do get the idea that Yu needs to align herself more with her teammates. But having standards and trying to get the team to play better isn't a bad thing. Being happy with sloppy wins is a good way to never get any better and build up bad habits that will cost them against better opponents. Kind of proves her point anyways that the team fell down a whole tier after she left.

The whole team coming together to help the youngest/smallest/weakest player make it was nice enough. Sure in game situations you'd probably shelter her or not play her at all. But for this kind of thing it's fine. Plus it's another case of almost blackmail since the team openly talked about quitting together if Ayaka didn't make it .

[serenade_beta]

Oh, there was a thread for this anime?
Already dropped it, but just gonna say that I couldn't care less about ice hockey, but when they started dancing, I actually felt insulted.
Like holy crap, it was like if they were just shouting "If we add idols, then they will just throw away their money!"


...And yes, this is advertisement anime for an upcoming gacha game.
By Cyber Agent and DMM, too.

[Master_Yoma]

Ayaka really did work really hard but at less she stepped up and completed it

Well there other girls on the team dont know why they didnt use them in the game

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by Master_Yoma

Ayaka really did work really hard but at less she stepped up and completed it

Well there other girls on the team dont know why they didnt use them in the game

Apparently it would be totally wrong and unfair to let them play with the girls only taking part in the trial class. Honestly I don't really get it either. It's far more ridiculous and unfair to have a group that barely has enough people to go up against any kind of team.

Props to Ayaka for digging deep. All the harder to do so since there's no ignoring her limitations and the gap between her and the others. But she wanted to do it and gave her all to make it happen.

[Kazu-kun]

I wonder how Yu, the ace player who hates half-assed teams, would be able to play nice with a team of total newbies.

[EroKing]

[FlareKnight]

Well this episode started on a funny note. Someone listened to me and had the first reaction of trying to call the police . Unfortunately...Grandma decided inviting her granddaughter's stalker inside was the actual best choice to make in that situation.

Originally Posted by EroKing

Didn't really think I'd see an anime character handling a hockey stick. Nice to know I was wrong there .

[Kazu-kun]

I would have called the cops too. Yoko is way to manipulative. I don't like her one bit.

This whole episode was just annoying overall. Like they're trying to be dramatic and shit but it just doesn't work imo. I think I'd like it better if Yu joined the team normally without all this contrived and pointless drama.

[Master_Yoma]

Well Yoko really knows what she doing knowing how to get Yuu to the rink just leave a pen at the house but I think that the grandma was in on it to

[FlareKnight]

I suppose there's few smooth ways to recruit someone like Yu that decided to quit. But, it still would have been nice if the show was a bit smoother about it. Kind of the same like how Naomi was given a guilt trip to join by Riko instead of just...getting her interested to play on her own terms .

It just feels like they had other means than silly plots to get the girl on the ice. I just end up feeling bad for Yu. She's got Manaka who blissfully ignores what anyone around her says and Yoko who really just wants this girl on the team for her own benefit. At best her Grandmother might care about Yu's actual feelings. Definitely reading too negatively into it all. But I just find it awkward how this girl looks so depressed while everyone is trying to get her to play hockey without really asking her what she wants.

Originally Posted by Master_Yoma

Well Yoko really knows what she doing knowing how to get Yuu to the rink just leave a pen at the house but I think that the grandma was in on it to

I'd say she's more the beneficiary of luck. Any normal person would have just thrown that pen into the garbage long before Grandma showed up to pressure her. It's a team pen, she's probably got dozens in her office. No reason to waste time and energy to return it.

Still can give her credit based on the strong likelihood that Grandma is in on it. Seems like everyone around Yu is trying to pressure her back onto the ice. And this show is weirdly very comfortable with utilizing peer pressure and emotional blackmail to get girls playing hockey . Well I suppose it's only been used on two of the main characters so...

Definitely safe to say Grandma was in on it. After all someone would normally ask questions when their relative was asking for the police because they are being stalked . And no chance she'd recognize that pen from a distance unless she was looking for it. Not that I don't get why Grandma was in on it.

[Master_Yoma]

Well the first game with Yuu and she was playing all by her self not relying on her team well tell the other coach says something plus still no substituting the other teammates

[Master_Yoma]

Well the girls get to go to Okinawa and play some beach volleyball while Kaoruko have to get over her shyness to speak up

[FlareKnight]

I'm kind of surprised that I didn't expect them to throw in a beach episode. Considering the motivation for inserting idol performances into this it makes sense they'd try to tap into a beach episode as well for fanservice.

[FlareKnight]

That might have honestly been one of the better episodes for the show. Even ignoring the consistent failure to acknowledge that more than 6 people are on this team, they did at least focus nicely on Nao and Riko here.

If handled well it would be interesting to see an arc where Nao is actually guided back to trying figure skating again. If she can overcome her traumas then maybe spin jumps won't be able to hold her back. I doubt they'll do that since it would be too much for the show to handle and gets away from the game-connections this show has going. But it's a nice idea to think about.

Certainly good to dive into Nao's background a bit and flesh her out more. Although I'm surprised at the idea of using on-ice collisions to explain her giving up on figure skating. Something that shouldn't be an issue unless she's getting into a pairs event. Though I suppose practicing would be difficult.

Considering Riko basically guilt tripped Nao into playing hockey, it is only right that she put the effort into helping her get better. Even presumably twisting her ankle is just something that she had to do because she put Nao into that. Encourage her to be overly aggressive in a sport without body checking is going to create accidents. Although I guess we'll see how things play out from there.

Also got a bit of a smile at the idea that they grabbed a player from the Canadian national team. Either that girl was about to get cut from the team or she just really wanted to play in Japan.