Lamune

[shortkid]

Originally Posted by Srin Tuar

Hah-
I hate high fashion, modelling, making clothes, dressing up really, art schools, and all that sort of stuff. I think its dumb and pointless.

I watched the first episode of parakisu not expecting much, or maybe at most have something to rant about it sucking so bad, just like beck did.

Instead I was entranced, and watched the first episode like 6 times in a row.
The music, the scenes, the characters. I dont know how to describe it except to say I cant
help but feel you are missing out.

Now, about lamune

Spoiler for episode 11:

This show had almost lost me by this point- slow and repetitive development of the main
characters made me feel as if nothing would ever change.

But this episode was awesome. The way Ken and Nanami are together is really and deeply
touching. As ken I know I would have had a hard time not descending upon nanami like
a ravenous wolf :P They are not just osananajimi, not just lovers, not just infantuated or charmed by each other, and not just in love. They lack the insecurity, the awkwardness, the doubt, and the misunderstandings universal to all couples.The two of them really belong to each other.

Perhaps its just a breath of fresh air from most love stories, and all the suukaku kankei plots.

I really felt the part when Kenji imagined something untoward happening to Nanami- he almost lost it. Thats a kind of shock you dont even get when someone tells you you have some inoperable condition and are imminently dying. He sees her when he looks in any direction,
her dying would be like the end of the world for him, in a way. (wow, its beautiful, but who
wants that kind of liability, that kind of weakness, i dunno)

And of course, the ending is a horrible cliffhanger. This is the first time I really feel compelled to see next episode of lamune.

Ok. I understand how you said the anime lost you at a point, but u fail. That is just the thing, how nothing "changed" for you. If you really understood, all the changing already really occurred between the two. We can all see how they felt about each other, and the point of the story was to watch how they developed. I was happy to see how theres an anime out thats not all about a guy finally mustering up the courage to ask the girl out, and then end the entire god dam series with a kiss or something. Lamune, in my eyes, was a masterpiece~

[yura`]

*bumps the thread*

This is so random, but a post over in the Haruhi thread suddenly brought to mind this old anime from 2006, and I started thinking, "Hmm, wasn't Lamune this really nice slice-of-life anime from four years ago?" I thought I had this somewhere but I think I lost my episodes when my computer crashed a year ago (yeahhh, should have backup-ed), but anyway, I'm downloading the DVD versions now (yay to the fansubbers!) after finding out that it's still unlicensed.

I have vague recollections of this anime - can't wait for my download to complete and then I shall happily watch it all over again.

[Shiroth]

I'm still waiting for a soundtrack release.

[Dop]

This is the series I've never quite got around to watching despite having had it sit around my archive for years. But I do keep hearing good things of it, so maybe I should give it another go.

[Traece]

Originally Posted by yura`

*bumps the thread*

This is so random, but a post over in the Haruhi thread suddenly brought to mind this old anime from 2006, and I started thinking, "Hmm, wasn't Lamune this really nice slice-of-life anime from four years ago?".

Ah Lamune... The memories. The Laughter. The Romance. The tears.

PSYCHE. I didn't cry. ...

I got a little stuffy. There's a difference. q_q

Personally, it was probably one of the best romance animes I've actually seen.

[Vexx]

Agreed. It is simple, straightforward "girl next door" rural romance of daily life. Very refreshing adaptation amongst the mostly wasteland erogame conversions.

[yura`]

Finally I'm at the last episode. KEN-CHAN!!!! Omg, what a cliffhanger. Just when they are both awakened to their true feelings too!

I'll be back after the finale! :P

[Shiroth]

The last episode was always my favorite from the series. I'll say more about it after you've seen it, so i'm not spoiling. :3

[yura`]

*sighs blissfully*

What a heart-wrenching episode; yet at the same time, what a beautiful ending.

The start really tore my heart - the melancholic rendition of the main theme music really set the tone.

Spoiler for final episode - just in case!:

The hospital visits - one word: heartbreaking. Nanami is obviously trying her best to stay cheerful, but it kills me to see her like this. It kills me to see the passive, unresponsive Ken in the bed... How does one stay so strong through these sort of circumstances? Each hospital visit kills me more and more and I was close to tears. If I was in Nanami's position, I can't imagine what I'd do if a loved one was lying in the hospital in a comatose state.

But wow, what a journey it's been. Lamune is really done superbly. Its relaxed, slow and careful pace really brings you into the lives and journeys of everyone, into the hearts and unspoken emotions behind the characters' faces (especially our lead actor and actress), and everything culminates together as we head towards the end, and the catharsis that comes in the final episode does not fall short. Most of all, I love the unbreakable bond between Ken and Nanami - that's what really ties the entire series together, that made it so effective and work so well.

[Kaoru Chujo]

This show was lambasted at the time (fall 2005), for many reasons. But I always loved it because the leads so clearly seemed to belong together, and there was so little tension in their relationship. That was one of the reasons other people hated it.

It was also my introduction to the incredibly moe voice of long-time ero-game seiyuu Gotou Yuuko, who played Nanami and went on to play Mikuru in Haruhi. Ken's seiyuu, Taniyama Kishou, is now playing Glen, who appears in recent episodes of Pandora Hearts -- a very different kind of show, but similarly undervalued, at least in Japan.

Recently, I was reminded of this show by the relationship between Yume and Yuuki in Kanamemo. They are much more lovey-dovey, and both are girls, but the impossibility of them splitting is the same as between Ken and Nanami.

By the way, Vexx contrasts this with the "wasteland of ero-game conversions." Of course, this is an ero-game conversion, too, just not part of the wasteland.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by yura`

Spoiler for final episode - just in case!:

The hospital visits - one word: heartbreaking. Nanami is obviously trying her best to stay cheerful, but it kills me to see her like this. It kills me to see the passive, unresponsive Ken in the bed... How does one stay so strong through these sort of circumstances? Each hospital visit kills me more and more and I was close to tears. If I was in Nanami's position, I can't imagine what I'd do if a loved one was lying in the hospital in a comatose state.

Good job at summing up what i was going to say.

I just love when a new person watches this show, we who watched it when it aired come back and say the same things over and over again. Though it does bring a smile to my face hearing similar thoughts from new viewers.

Oh and of course, i am still waiting for a soundtrack release.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

This show was lambasted at the time (fall 2005), for many reasons. But I always loved it because the leads so clearly seemed to belong together, and there was so little tension in their relationship. That was one of the reasons other people hated it.

It was also my introduction to the incredibly moe voice of long-time ero-game seiyuu Gotou Yuuko, who played Nanami and went on to play Mikuru in Haruhi. Ken's seiyuu, Taniyama Kishou, is now playing Glen, who appears in recent episodes of Pandora Hearts -- a very different kind of show, but similarly undervalued, at least in Japan.

Recently, I was reminded of this show by the relationship between Yume and Yuuki in Kanamemo. They are much more lovey-dovey, and both are girls, but the impossibility of them splitting is the same as between Ken and Nanami.

By the way, Vexx contrasts this with the "wasteland of ero-game conversions." Of course, this is an ero-game conversion, too, just not part of the wasteland.

Aye, the adaptations of ero-games I tend to like best are the ones that "step out of the rut" that about 80% of them seem to follow.

[Dwalin]

I have a question about the plot: isn’t Suzuka supposed to be Kenji’s sister? Then why on this link http://vndb.org/v1506 there is a “non-blood-related sister heroine” element listed among others? Was she adopted according to the plot of the game? Or was Kenji adopted?

[DanielSong39]

Spoiler for More final episode thoughts::

While I understood why Nanami was visiting the hospital so often, I couldn't shake the feeling that, in real life, Suzuka would have been the more likely person to be by Kenji's side. While Nanami was committed to Kenji, Suzuka is a family member and had very close ties with him as well - I think Suzuka would have been almost as devastated by his condition.

Then again, I guess I was missing the point. Nanami and Kenji are practically married already - losing Kenji would be like losing a spouse she loved all her life and had been married to for 10+ years. Artistic license perhaps, but it was done well.