(L) ef - a tale of melodies

[Eczema]

Just finished ep 6. Now THIS is ef. Up 'til now, melodies didn't really have the same feel as memories, but ep 6 of melodies is the equivalent to ep 7 of memories.

[DreamerRin]

Finished ep.6 and now I feel sick. x_x

The entire episode was pretty emotionally draining and made me just want to
kill that sensei if I was there.
One of the things that tore me up the most was what she said about Christmas...

-Goes to watch something else to forget this episode for awhile-

[psycrop]

i watched epi 6 in a dark room...omg i was scare towards the end. specially when she did the low pitch voice...and from the dark screen, two evil eyes would blink. melodies lives up to memories...and gawd how i love both.

[stewie0814]

Wow, episode 6 was amazing. I kinda had a clue about the situation she was going through, but I didnt expect to to be all that it was . Great stuff indeed.

[SuperKnuckles]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

As it was just mentioned, Shinbo is still apart of melodies, though it is mostly down to Shin Oonuma.

& no insane visuals? Have you missed out on the Kuze scenes we've had since the start of melodies? They're completely off the wall, and what i'd expect.

Yeah, there were some moments here and there, definitely. It's not exactly devoid of it which is nice (also the patented "nobody in the universe except for the main cast" way of animating it).

Just that way back even in the earlier eps of Memories, even the most mundane scenes had crazy, dramatic angles, weird colorings and etc. Back then, it was a bit of a point of annoyance with a lot of viewers. But I sorta wish they had some of it back. Maybe a median point. Or maybe Mizuki's scenes simply are devoid of such visual trickery as to allude her straightforwardness and not hiding the agendas of most other characters.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by SuperKnuckles

Just that way back even in the earlier eps of Memories, even the most mundane scenes had crazy, dramatic angles, weird colorings and etc. Back then, it was a bit of a point of annoyance with a lot of viewers. But I sorta wish they had some of it back. Maybe a median point. Or maybe Mizuki's scenes simply are devoid of such visual trickery as to allude her straightforwardness and not hiding the agendas of most other characters.

Yeah i know what you mean, and i'd love to see more of it in melodies though i guess it's a good way to tell the two apart. Both shows have their own level of visuals that they stick with, not both having the same set, so it works in a way if they don't go and carry on the same level for this show.

[Azure_Peregrine]

Originally Posted by golthin

Spoiler:

I think Yuu is alive. Yuu takes care of Chihiro. The only one that disappears is Yuuko.

Spoiler:

Yeah, I did say Yuuko, not Yuu...

Originally Posted by SuperKnuckles

Yeah, there were some moments here and there, definitely. It's not exactly devoid of it which is nice (also the patented "nobody in the universe except for the main cast" way of animating it).

Just that way back even in the earlier eps of Memories, even the most mundane scenes had crazy, dramatic angles, weird colorings and etc. Back then, it was a bit of a point of annoyance with a lot of viewers. But I sorta wish they had some of it back. Maybe a median point. Or maybe Mizuki's scenes simply are devoid of such visual trickery as to allude her straightforwardness and not hiding the agendas of most other characters.

I agree with you ALMOST completely. I'd love to have it all back, without even bothering to find a middle ground. I mean, I get why they changed it, that it's a turn off to a lotta people... But I loved pretty much every single one. It's still a great show, don't get me wrong. It's just felt a little more... well, standard this time around. Granted episode 6, and to an extent, 5 and 3 of this season broke out their own bits of crazy animation, but... I do miss last season.

...And I knew that Kei had quite the following back in Memories, but I'm surprised she's still got as much of one in this thread. Jeez, I know I'm gonna get grilled for this, but even if she did succeed with Hiro after college or whatever as I saw someone suggest... Well, it simply wouldn't make for a better story. Yeah, we can think about what happens on camera all we want, but Kei's never gonna get a canon win with Hiro, and I'm surprised that so many people seemed to think it was possible in the first place, back in Memories.

[SuperKnuckles]

Kei is like Tomoyo in Clannad. Both very cool 'onee-san' type characters who have everything in the world going for them. Kei being the sporty type, Tomoyo being the intellectual type. BUT, both are BIG losers in whatever romantic angles they've been on. Strange seeing such alpha-females being losers, but I guess a weird underdog following has developed for them.

[Beo]

Some advise on analyzing of her and her actions or about people in that situation. Unless you have first hand knowledge, you do not have a clue of what you are talking about. Those that do know, will seldom talk about it.

[destiny4everlove]

Originally Posted by destiny4everlove

I took a peek at the raw of episode 6 and I so can’t wait to watch it that I decided to watch the episode with subs from a group other than the one I usually watch ef-melo from.

What an episode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spoiler for to save space:

Episode 6

-Yuuko undressing in front of Yuu felt a little bit out of place; I guess they wanted to show that this episode was going to be about Yuuko and Yuu since the very beginning.

-As soon as I watched the opening I knew this episode was going to be a heart-wrenching one, but I wasn’t expecting for it to be that much.

-Yay!! Yuu has started to draw again!!! He said it was to change the mood, but I know the real reason is because of Yuuko. Yuuko is the reason why Yuu started to draw again, and Yuu is the reason why Yuuko wants to continue living. In fact, I'm going ahead and say that Yuu is her only reason to keep on living.

-So Nagi, the artist, warned Nagi, the woman, that if she kept letting her feelings for Yuu interfere in her art; she was not going to be able to draw anymore.

-So all the bullying was provoked by Yuuko herself?!!! O.K. let me see if I got this right. Yes, Yuuko was “bullied”, by it was all because Yuuko herself gave those girls a reason to bully her. Did I get it right?

-Wow!! Yuuko kissed Yuu!! For some reason, I found that kiss not romantic at all.

-So Nagi has realized her true feeling for Yuu, but she has also realized that it’s a little late, since Yuu has already started to develop feelings for Yuuko, feelings that Yuu has not been aware of or that he has been denying during the past episodes.

-Poor Nagi, she is now able to draw again but the price for it was her heartbroken tears. That scene was really touching.

-So the green thread belongs to Yuuko. I wonder why they chose the color green to represent her.

-Yay!! Yuu finally kissed and confessed to Yuuko and he didn’t blink while doing it.

-The scene of the fragmented and naked Yuuko in front of Yuu was so moving. It was a very unique and smart way to show all the scars, bruises, burns, and painful marks that Yuuko has on her body.

-Congratulations Amamiya! You have won the # 1 spot on my most-hated-anime-characters list!! He not only physically abused Yuuko, buy he also sexually abused her. I despise Amamiya with a passion!!! Because of Amamiya Yuuko feels so empty inside, she feels she is a tool and a doll, she feels worthless and hopeless. All because of Amamiya!!! I felt so so heartbroken for Yuuko. I read once a comment from a fan who owned the game; that comment said “Amamiya is a bastard who deserved to rot in hell”. I thought the fan was exaggerating a little, but now I fully understand why the fan wrote that about Amamiya.


-What tore my heart into a million pieces is the fact that Amamiya has kept on abusing Yuuko, and that has gotten even worse after the reunion with Yuu. Amamiya must be madly jealous and afraid of Yuu taking his “precious” tool/doll away from him.

-19: 47 Amamiya, you, you monster!!!! how many horrible things you did to Yuuko!!!!!!

-After Yuuko told Yuu that she felt like a doll that is not even good enough to replace someone who is dead, all the words Yuu told her were lies. He didn’t believe in them, he just told them because he wanted to comfort Yuuko. It made me think, how sometimes we (people) say “white lies” or stuff we don’t truly believe in just because we think it’s the appropriate things to say or because we want to conform the person were telling those words to.

Spoiler for Yuuko's theory:

-Nooooooooooooo!! My hope of Yuuko not being dead is slowly fading away; I still have a bit of hope left, because I refuse to believe that Yuuko was killed by Amamiya!!! Please let it be a happy ending for Yuuko and Yuu!! Please!!

-The ending was like salt on a wound, it just added to my sadness for Yuuko.

-During the scenes after the ending was over; the way they portrayed the impact that Yuuko’s words had on Yuu was perfect. You could feel how every one of Yuuko’s words were like a hard hit for Yuu.

-Yuuko’s evil eyes didn’t scare me when I fist saw them, but the second time, they really freaked me out!!
-“But it was ten years too late”….poor Yuu, the guiltiness he must be experiencing right now. I bet there must be a million “what ifs” inside his head right now.

-So the phrase about Yuuko hating Yuu in the first episode was indeed true. Yuuko hates and loves Yuu at the same time. She hates him because she blames him (in part) for all these terrible things that happened to her; but she loves him because he is her first love, and because he represents the only pure thing in her life (her first love and her childhood memories before she was adopted by Amamonster).

I can’t wait to watch the next episode. I want to see Yuu’s reaction to all of this. Will he save Yuuko from Amamonster? Will he confront Amamonster? Will he try to heal Yuuko’s wounds?

I thought the first season of ef was the dark one, and that the second one would be lighter, but boy was I wrong!! These second season has become so much darker than the first one!!!

I rewatched episode 6 with subs from the group I used to watch ef-memories from and here are some more thoughts about the episode:

Spoiler for to save space:

-This time the opening made my heart ache so much more than the first time I watched this episode.

-I found it interesting how Yuu’s sketch book was a gift from Nagi, but the inspiration and desire to draw on it was because of Yuuko...

-I loved how Yuuko saw right through Yuu’s excuse from drawing.

-O.K. So Yuuko wasn’t lying about the bullying, she was being bullied. But the bullying had a reason. It was because the girls were scared of Yuuko. Anyway, I still don’t think that just because you’re scared of someone it gives you the right to bully that someone...but on the other hand, as Yuuko herself said “she doesn’t always have the face of a nice person”, so she might have given those girls a reason besides being scared of her to bully her after all.

-It was interesting to notice how Nagi used “Yuunagi” to describe Yuu and Nagi’s relationship. During all the years they spent together, their relationship was “just hanging in the air” (Yuunagi). They both got really comfortable with the status quo of their relationship and did nothing to change it. It was an outsider, in this case Yuuko, who was the one who did something to break that status quo. I guess Nagi’s pain also comes from the realization that even when she would want to go back in time and her being the one who breaks the statuo quo, it’s just too late now.

-Yuuko saying that after listening to Kuze’s melody she though perhaps there is some kind of worth in this world was really touching. It just shows the true power that music can have on a person’s heart.

-I felt Yuu’s kiss so much more than the first time I watched this episode.

-Yuuko’s monologue was as painful as the first time I watched episode 6.

-Amamonster!!!! How many terrible things you did to poor Yuuko!! No wonder Yuuko wanted to disappear so badly. No wonder she feels so hopeless and worthless. I really hope Yuu can save her from that nightmare!!!

[germanturkey]

Originally Posted by SuperKnuckles

Kei is like Tomoyo in Clannad. Both very cool 'onee-san' type characters who have everything in the world going for them. Kei being the sporty type, Tomoyo being the intellectual type. BUT, both are BIG losers in whatever romantic angles they've been on. Strange seeing such alpha-females being losers, but I guess a weird underdog following has developed for them.

tomoyo is athletic and smart.. but your comparison is correct. both get shafted in the romance department. its a shame because i like both of them more than the people they lost to.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

tomoyo is athletic and smart.. but your comparison is correct. both get shafted in the romance department. its a shame because i like both of them more than the people they lost to.

People seem to forget that Kei is childhood friend material, and we know how that ends up around 95% of the time.

[komichi]

Episode 6 was simply brilliant, not even Memories' 7 could compare to how emotionally retched this was for me. From the powerful monologue, to the powerful music, to the alluded visual this is definitely the best episode so far in Melodies, can't wait for the 2nd half.

[Beo]

From the thoughts that should be going though his head, if someone does not sit on him he will do something that would end up getting him into trouble with the police.

Civilized thoughts do not exist at that point, just pure anger that will override any self preservation.

[destiny4everlove]

I just finished rewatching ef-a tale of memories until episode 7. About episode 7, which is the mirror episode of ep 6 in ef- melo, I know Miyako's scene is supposed to be really touching and you’re supposed to feel really bad for Miyako and all that stuff. However, even though I felt sad for her because of her past, the main emotion that I felt while watching her monologue was uneasiness. You get the feeling that she is a “little” obsessed and crazy. I could not feel as heartbroken as when I watched Yuuko’s monologue in episode 6. I know I have said that I’m not very fond of Miyako, but to my surprise, after rewatching ef-memo, I found myself not disliking Miyako as much as before. She is still not one of my favs, but I don’t hate her or truly dislike her either. In fact, I’m glad she ended up with Hiro.


I guess it’s the fact that episode 6 was much darker than episode 7, and that it mainly focused on Yuuko and Yuu that it really emotionally touched me big time.

[Generic Asian Guy]

Oh my Gosh...episode 6 was something else. Ef is certainly an anime that knows how to stir up emotions and feelings; I've never had the urge to be able to reach into my screen and strangle a two-dimensional character for all the pain he inflicted on Yuuko.

[KaneDragon]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

damn, i called it a few pages ago.. i didn't want it to be true because that's too twisted for my liking.. but this ep was great. it felt more like a 12th ep than 6... i can see where this is going.

Yeah, called it too. An easy guess, considering how creepy he tended to look. As well as

Spoiler for Fate/Stay Night (game):

the great resemblance to Shinji.

Originally Posted by KaneDragon

Rape face.


He reminds me of/resembles Shinji... Again, not a favorable comparison. Hopefully there won't be too many parallels.

The parallels; they were there. >_<

[Sorrow-K]

Ep 6

That was intense. Just so intense.

I don't think it really surprises anyone that Amamiya-sensei had been sexually abusing Yuuko, but her outburst leaves us in absolutely no doubt about what mark it left on her. There's no two ways about this, and it's not something that she'll just get over because of the "power of love" or something cheap like that (cf *spoiler*Kannaduki no Miko*spoiler*). I almost think that the best resolution for this could be

Spoiler for speculation:

that there is no resolution, and it's such a traumatic event that Yuuko doesn't ever completely "get over" this. This sort of open-ending, I think, would do the complexity of this really hard issue justice, by saying that there is no easy answer to dealing and living with the trauma of being a victim of sexual abuse.

But even before that scene, this was an episode that was packed with meaning. There seemed to me to be this idea, at lots of different levels throughout this episode, of art being a reflection of the artist, first with Yuu suddenly being able to draw again, then with Nagi losing her ability (or desire) to draw, and then with Kuze's violin rendition that lead Yuuko to describe him as "true and genuine in his heart".

Brilliant episode.

[Leo_Otaku]

Just simply wow 0_0 that was really amazing with the story and visuals. I can't even imagine what is yet to come.

[Generic Asian Guy]

Originally Posted by Leo_Otaku

Just simply wow 0_0 that was really amazing with the story and visuals. I can't even imagine what is yet to come.

I hope there's a "Nice Boat" in store for us ;]