Without a doubt I call episode 12 as the best one the series offered so far (along with episode 2, but this one has - due to time passed - a bit more).
There are many reasons for my choice:
- General character development, we're near on the late part of the series, many months have passed since the beginning, and we can see characters well fitting into their roles now. Mikuru is so cheerful, kind and lovely as a maid, Kyon is so calm on his explanation, yet more acknoweledged on the events - hence: more comprehensive --> sort of more tolerant --> more brilliantly analyzing what he sees - Yuki keeps her role of smart yet necessary silent companion. And also the "minor characters" as Tsuruya or Koizumi, do create a good team all together now. The interactions are a sweet touch.
- Though the character with most development is Haruhi, nevertheless. Her changes from "The world is mine, you idiots!" attitude of first episodes, to the "what am I doing with my life?", not mentioning her kindness and caring for the other attitude. Sure, a bit of the
tsun side is kept good for Kyon-kun ^^ , but all in all this is the Suzumiya Haruhi I've always dreamt to see ^^ ... Never sweet as in this episode.
Many things have happened, many - I guess - have still to be explained, in Melancholy V and VI , but if there was an astonoshing character development that I had to prize in a current/recent anime that I can remember, sure I'd went with Haruhi.
- The slice of life is very well done this time, much better - imho - than in the episode "Someday in the Rain" (which failed in some points, not only for the 3 minutes of nothing with the reading Yuki). This episode goes ahead smoothly, is pleasurable throughot the whole road, and I actually felt sorry watching the time of my dvd-player running so fast to the 22:00, which means the end. I'd go ahead two hours with episodes like this.
The cure of details, such as the bad sky, then the rain, hence the crowd where they were playing, hence the huge success, hence, hence, hence... all brilliantly thought and put on screen. As a lover of the details, I highly approve these renderings.
- This was a sort of "musical episode". And I always like the musical episodes inserted in series which is not musical. I like them even more when they singers are of such an high range. I must admit that I literally loved the two performance of Hirano Aya / Suzumiya Haruhi, in "God Knows.." and "Lost my Music". If I have to choice, I prefer the second one, pity that they cut it on the middle ^^ , but besides they actually spent enough for music performances, and the episode needed a bit of room for the remaning of the story too. So well done.
- If in "The day of the Sagittarius" Kyoto Animation undoubtfully astonished me for the greatness in rendering such complex situations - as the "star wars" - with such unbelievable results, this time I have to applaud the awesomeness on how they did the slice of life part, facial expression, general body movements, I had the impression that not a single frame was left out.
And what about the musical part? They spent a lot on it, and the results are out of imagination. Just watch how many gifs are born about this episode, and especially on those sequences, and you'll find out once more why KyoAni was so amazing this time.
- Very simply ^^ ... The last scene. In my book, I'll keep it, as for now, as the best Haruhi-Kyon interaction we've had so far ^^ . Though I might say the same about the other interactions between them on this same episode. Heartwarming, at least for me
It's the third time I give 10 to a SH episode (previous ones were ep.2 and ep.10), though I actually feel like saying this one surpass the aforementioned. Ten is a rate that I rarely use (1 time out of 24 in Fate/stay Night , 1 out of 12 in Kashimashi, 0 out of 11 in Higurashi, just to state as my tendency is not to award tens easily).
What an episode needs to get a 10, besides the undoubt general quality it must have, is how much I should be able to remember it in the future.
Q. So basically, was this episode
unforgettable ?
A. Well, yes, as never before.
10/10
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