(CR) Hourou Musuko

[Arabesque]

I really need to thanks Shiroth getting me to read the manga beforehand, otherwise I would've been confused as the current situation

That being said, it didn't really matter as this show is beautiful in every sense of the word, going from the music to the animation to the scenery to the designs to the colouring etc. I really don't have anything useful to add about the show(everyone seems to have said everything I had on my mind already) other than this Winter seems to be filled with shows that can be described as visual porn.

I do worry on how they intended to keep this level of quality through the entire series though, hopefully t wont end up falling too much.

Originally Posted by Kanon

Spoiler for episode 1:

So, let's see if I get it right: This young boy who loves to crossdress loves this young girl who also loves to crossdress. He confessed to her but she rejected him (why?!).

The impression I had from the episode is that she wasn't interested in him (i.e. she just wanted to be friends) but the confession ended up making things really awkward between the two so they sort of drifted apart.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Simon

Hatakeyama turned 14 on Monday 10th actually - not a bad way to celebrate your birthday, with your TV debut in a starring role... I really hope he and Seto show up in future cast interviews: it would be interesting to hear their views on playing such difficult parts, especially since they're so close in age to their characters. For example I wonder how their classmates have reacted?

"Hatakeyama-kun, is it true you're on TV?"
"Yeah, I play a boy who likes to dress up in his sister's clothes."
...long silence...
"So, what about them Pokemon eh?"[/spoiler]

No question, this is awkward material for a middle-school actor (as it would be for the character). Gender identity issues, first loves, wet dreams - not only would it potentially be a tough conversation with their peers, but one wonders how the director approached those themes with the kids themselves. I'm glad they had the courage to take this path because it adds real authenticity to the drama.

[Kaoru Chujo]

The best thing I can say is that this first episode made my chest tighten -- and it stayed like that almost throughout. That is how I feel when I see the best anime, those with the deftest emotional touch.

Masterful is definitely the right word -- visually, in the plot design, with the voices. These may be inexperienced voices, but they have Aketagawa Jin as a sound director (Honey & Clover, Ichigo Mashimaro, Aoi Hana, Genshiken, etc., etc.), and maybe he helped them do so well, keeping that slightly suppressed tone, with the feeling of silence between their words. Especially the lead's, of course.

The plot design seemed brilliant to me. I read quite a bit of the manga, but found it hard to follow. I didn't find this hard to follow, perhaps partly because the characters seemed better visually separated to me.

Director Aoki Ei did the first Kara no Kyoukai movie, and I somehow got a hint of the wonderful aesthetic of some of that show.

Best first ep of the season? For sure. And perhaps of many seasons past. Even if this had been a one-episode OVA, I wold have rated it quite high. Now I am excited to see how the story unrolls.

[Guardian Enzo]

I somehow thought you'd end up loving this episode, Kaoru.

"Chest tightening" is a good description of the feeling I got from watching the episode. I was instantly invested in the characters' situation - worried for them, fearing for them in difficult moments and feeling their pain. Of course this first episode centered mostly on Shouichi so those moments were the most emotionally intense, especially the scene on the bridge - maybe the best scene of any series I've seen in an age. It was staged as if Makoto Shinkai had done so, and the angst - and ultimately, relief - were spot-on.

[moncikoma]

at last... a new anime which is original and stand out than the others...

i love the art..it is beautifull..

[neshru]

This is the first show this season that has managed to impress me with its first episode. All the other hyped up series of the season have been pretty disappointing so far, but this instantly captured my interest. Hopefully it won't fall apart after 5 episodes like Kuragehime did.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

I really need to thanks Shiroth getting me to read the manga beforehand, otherwise I would've been confused as the current situation

You're welcome.

[Kaoru Chujo]

A couple of almost tossed-off moments really struck me. First, the way the sister's friend stopped to take a photo of the boy in girl's clothing. That was like a validation, it felt to me. Second, the fact that the sister gave the brother one of her shrimp, and made an excuse about it, and then how good it tasted. That was like the sister apologizing and forgiving him. This kind of vividness and economy in the storytelling really pleases me.

The person who is in charge of the writing, and who wrote this first episode, is Okada Mari, who did true tears, Canaan, Kuroshitsuji, Vampire Knight, Otome Youkai Zakuro, nine episodes of Simoun, and two other current shows: Gosick and Fractale. She wouldn't have been the one to decide to start here -- that would have been done by the director, producers and her together. But she seemed to me to make the most of the task she was given. Director Aoki Ei did the storyboard and directed episode 1. Hard to say who made those two moments I mentioned, but I'll give credit all round -- and also to Shimura Takako, who wrote the original and probably gave them those scenes to work with (not sure if they were in the manga or not, but it feels likely).

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

The material is just above the 90 chapter line. So yeah, no way in hell you can do that in 11 episodes.

It's not like they'll be able to adapt the remaining 57 chapters either. Furthermore, the manga is still on-going. It just seems like a ploy to get people to read the manga to me.

...and it works. I'll try to read the 33 chapters I missed before the second episode airs, otherwise I doubt I'll be able to enjoy this show as much as I should.

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

A couple of almost tossed-off moments really struck me. First, the way the sister's friend stopped to take a photo of the boy in girl's clothing. That was like a validation, it felt to me. Second, the fact that the sister gave the brother one of her shrimp, and made an excuse about it, and then how good it tasted. That was like the sister apologizing and forgiving him. This kind of vividness and economy in the storytelling really pleases me.

Actually, she snapped a shot before he crossdressed.

I like the scene with the sister giving her brother her shrimp too. Pleasantly surprised the brother seemed to have gotten the underlying message behind this gesture. It just shows how close they are.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Kanon

...Actually, she snapped a shot before he crossdressed....

So true. But still a validation of the "pansy," lol.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Actually, she snapped a shot before he crossdressed.

Maybe she wanted to do a Before and After? XD

[Simon]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

This kind of vividness and economy in the storytelling really pleases me.

Economy is a very apt description of why this show works so well. With such an emotionally charged story and rich visuals it would be easy to go overboard, but it never felt like the episode did that. Instead it showed a dignified restraint throughout.

Watching it yet again (ahem) I think the director makes very good use of pauses - that second or so where Anna stands in the doorway before getting her phone out to photograph Shū, and the painful silence when Maho walks in on him later. I know the "cut to long-distance shot" trick isn't new, but I felt it worked exceptionally well in that scene.

Originally Posted by Kanon

I like the scene with the sister giving her brother her shrimp too. Pleasantly surprised the brother seemed to have gotten the underlying message behind this gesture. It just shows how close they are.

It's hard not to feel sympathy for Maho despite her "grumpy big sis" act. She's at a horrible awkward age where any kid would have a lot to deal with, even without sibling issues. The situation with Shū must be even harder for her to handle because unlike Yoshino she can't fully understand him.

[ars89]

Wow, what did i just watch, speechless in a good way

[CWW]

Saying the first episode is a little disorienting is the understatement of the year. Curse you, Noitamina time slot!

Aside from all the character introductions (or lack thereof), at various points I did not know who was crossdressing anymore. Well, besides when it was shown. I'm also confused who rejected who exactly. From the flashback in the middle of the episode it looked like the tall lead (I'm just going to call her that since the names are drawing a blank) got rejected, but then at the end the short lead said she rejected him. Or maybe I just can't tell the voices apart.

The best part was without a doubt the scene on the footbridge. The music complemented it brilliantly. Debussy's Clair de Lune is fantastic. I hope they include more famous piano pieces to help emote the more dramatic scenes.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Simon

It's hard not to feel sympathy for Maho despite her "grumpy big sis" act.

It would be easier if the anime only watchers didn't have to skip the first 33 chapters.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

It would be easier if the anime only watchers didn't have to skip the first 33 chapters.

Which really is a HUGE problem. Sure, they nailed the look and feel of the story. I was blown away by the animation and the music is perfect. It's just that...well, this feels like a second or third season. In fact after watching the first episode I went back and reread the chapters that were skipped, and there's so much they could have covered, and so much that leaves anyone unfamiliar with the manga feeling completely lost.

It's a strong debut, and I'll certainly enjoy watching it, but I feel that the decision to start the anime by jumping into the middle of the story really hurts new viewer interest.

[Guardian Enzo]

You know, what strikes me about the comments so far is this. The manga readers are bemoaning how the non-manga readers are going to be completely lost. The non-manga readers are generally saying, "I understood what was happening without much of a problem". I think the reality is that the skipped chapters are a much bigger issue for the manga readers - because they know what they're missing. For the rest, AIC did a brilliant job of adapting a 90+ chapter (and counting) manga to the demands of an 11-episode schedule. They picked up the story in a logical place and through deft use of flashback and voice-over narration did two things - told us just enough to know what we needed for this week, and bought us into the characters and reassured us that it would all make more sense in future episodes.

[Shiroth]

Maybe so, though you can't shake the fact that anime only watchers have missed the first part of the series. Sure they show flashbacks here and there, though they only show certain scenes. I still say the biggest problem is knowing absolutely nothing about the side cast, who do play an important role in the story.

It may seem alright now, though give it a few more episodes and anime only watchers will be wanting to go read what was missed.

[witchfan]

I'm glad this is getting an adaptation. Lovely manga, really.

[Kotohono]

Definitely a really good first episode to the series, I felt was able to follow it pretty well aside from the names of some of the characters and well the role of the side characters, but with how the episode felt I think they'll be able to make that clear shortly .

Also The art style isn't something I ussually prefer, but it's working great here I have to say, it fits the show quite well, so going to be keeping this series .