(CR) Nichijou

[winhlp32]

Originally Posted by Peanutbutter003

My simple opinion on Nichijou and Kyoani so far:

In Haruhi, we have Haruhi who carried the show.
In Lucky Star, there was Konami.
In K-On! S1, Mio carried the show, in S2, YuiAzu carried the show.

In Nichijou, who exactly is the focus? So far, there's no particular emphasis on a certain character and I felt that explains the reception towards the series thus far.

Nichijou, by itself, is not a turn-off so far. Maybe some people expect a little bit too much. I don't expect rocking, dancing OPs/EDs, the next rising seiyuu to steal the show and moe moe kyun all the time.

Pretty much this. We viewers are bombarded with a lot of surreality that we may never find in other anime, and for this reason the show has no particular "hook" to leave people looking forward to the episodes every week.

[Midonin]

Why does a show need someone to "carry" it, necessarily? An ensemble cast is the best thing in the world, creating a spider web where everyone has some role to play in the larger picture. I've believed that about every show. After all, characters don't exist in a vacuum.

[Ithekro]

For Azumanga Daioh I would point to "Osaka" being the "carry" character. Someone who could be in an episode without the rest of the cast and still be interesting to watch.

My feeling is that for Nichijou, that character will be Nano, once she starts attending school, since she will bridge both of the current groupings.

[winhlp32]

Originally Posted by Midonin

Why does a show need someone to "carry" it, necessarily? An ensemble cast is the best thing in the world, creating a spider web where everyone has some role to play in the larger picture. I've believed that about every show. After all, characters don't exist in a vacuum.

You're right, a good show doesn't necessarily need someone to carry it. I'm just saying with some popular shows there's a specific character that fanboys just latch on too, or characters that they like to ship together. In the current season, you have people going gaga over Ohana or Nako in Hanasaku Iroha, or "Anaru" in Anohana. You have quite a few anime viewers who'd say stuff like "Kuroneko is the reason I watch Ore no Imouto".

So I'd like to ask, four episodes in, is there one specific character in Nichijou who you really anticipate every week just to see what he/she would do? Or are there too many to describe?

Nichijou is great stuff, executed well. But I don't think it's the "15 minutes in the spotlight" kind of show.

[Bri]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

. One final note: I recognize that quality alone will not sell anime (it can and will help, but not on its own). It's been my observation that anime has to have some sort of otaku-pleasing hook beyond simply being "good" in a general sense. On the other hand, a show with a killer hook to it can get away with questionable quality. So I certainly recognize that a good show can have poor sales, and vice versa.

Question is if the otaku-hook is so essential or even desirable for this type of show. Surreal comedies are a niche where even the best ones have limited sales (excluding AD). Succesfull adaptions require pleasing the manga fanbase first of all. If the show positively affects manga and other derivative sales, it could be enough to count as a succes.

Take for example Shaft, their Arakawa under the bridge got a sequel even after the first season barely ranked above the manabi line. Given that Nichijou got 2-cour from the start and a PSP game announcement, this suggests some confidence in the show from the sponsors at the very least. So far reviews have been mostly positive, so I'm sure it will do well enough.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Bri

Question is if the otaku-hook is so essential or even desirable for this type of show. Surreal comedies are a niche where even the best ones have limited sales (excluding AD). Succesfull adaptions require pleasing the manga fanbase first of all. If the show positively affects manga and other derivative sales, it could be enough to count as a succes.

Take for example Shaft, their Arakawa under the bridge got a sequel even after the first season barely ranked above the manabi line. Given that Nichijou got 2-cour from the start and a PSP game announcement, this suggests some confidence in the show from the sponsors at the very least. So far reviews have been mostly positive, so I'm sure it will do well enough.

Since it will be 2-cour anyway, hopefully the sale will pick up. I am quite pleased with what we had so far also, so not much demands from me.

As mentioned before, Nano, Sakamoto and Yukko got my attention every time they appear on screen. Can add Mai into the list now with the bazooka-wielding tsundere coming real close. This cast should be enough to carry the anime if they keep it up and prevents jokes from getting old

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Midonin

Why does a show need someone to "carry" it, necessarily? An ensemble cast is the best thing in the world, creating a spider web where everyone has some role to play in the larger picture. I've believed that about every show. After all, characters don't exist in a vacuum.

Pretty much this, though with an increase in "character route mentality" from the surge of dating sim adaptation that has taken place in the past several years I think there's been more of a tendency to focus on one and only one character at any given time, leading to a disconnect with the rest of the cast and the plot lines they are dealing with.

The only Kyoto Animation series that I could point to that I think had a strong ensemble cast working for it was probably the first Haruhi season. All the rest of them tend to focus on one character at a time. 4Koma also doesn't lend itself well to strong characters let alone a strong ensemble cast either.

In any case Nichijou seems like a show desperately in need of a hook. I mean Kyoto Animation couldn't have been counting on their popularity with their target audience alone to carry the show could they? I mean it's kind of worked to an extent in the past, but you could always point to something that sparked that audience at the same time, be it an episode that strikes a chord or a character that does something to spark a meme on 2ch.

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by Bri

Take for example Shaft, their Arakawa under the bridge got a sequel even after the first season barely ranked above the manabi line. Given that Nichijou got 2-cour from the start and a PSP game announcement, this suggests some confidence in the show from the sponsors at the very least. So far reviews have been mostly positive, so I'm sure it will do well enough.

Anything with a one season break inbetween them is a split cour series. Arakawa like Arashi was a split cour series for SHAFT.

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

Since it will be 2-cour anyway, hopefully the sale will pick up. I am quite pleased with what we had so far also, so not much demands from me.

If anything 2 cour series shows decline more over time since most volumes drop from the previous ones. 99% of the time the best selling volume is the first one.

[Ithekro]

This week was a little different.

Spoiler for Episode 5:

Not having subtitles yet limits this somewhat, however:
Starts off with the Profession calling for Nano and Nano waiting out back. Turns out the Professor having cat ears and tail and going "nyan" as cute as possible to Nano, who's responce is "moe`". They do this multiple times until Sakamoto-san goes to sleep.

The next part is with the mohawked boy....I don't know what is going on, but there seems to be a surreal aspect to is...aslo they are using the epic music again. Lots of reactions.

Yuko is playing a game were she knocks out a block, it bounces around, hits Mio's head, who immediately throwing into Yuko's forehead...all before gravity brings the rest of the blocks down onto the rest of the tower.

Yuko and Mai are playing rock-paper-scissors and Mia's not playing by Yuko's rules. Things get worse and worse for Yuko as Mai starts playing...and trolling. EVen plays right when Yuko finally wins a game, with Yuko having a yuri moment again...followed by more trolling...."God is Dead"

The Professor decides to draw in a second pupil on Nano's....little head idol thingy (I have no idea what it is). She gets it wrong, then as to fill in the entire eye and the orignals eye...which looks wrong. Worried she gets Sakamoto-san to suggest something...then she makes it into sunglasses, which cracks them both up...then Nano gets home. Sakamoto-san runss off he Professor tries to hide it under her lab coat...looks like she's either pregnant. It falls out leading Nano to have images of carrying it around like a baby...something blows up.

Show within a show has an angel making toast that ejects from the toaster so fast it punches through the ceiling...killing a mouse.

In class again, Yuko makes something that reminds me a ouji board. She seems to be losing it, then Mio says something that ruins the mood. (No idea, needs subs to figure this one out)

Jump rope with the mohawked boy...rope keeps brushing his hair.

I class again Yuko has some trouble with the artwork in an English test and talks to Sakurai-sensei about it. They think it is a good idea to let Yuko draw new art...Yuko trys to get Mio involved, but she bows out until Yuok starts drawing (because she it curious I think)...Yuko's man looks a little abstract, Sakurai-sensei likes it, Mio decides she needs to do better...and does it manga style. The two girls starts going back and forth....Sakurai-sensei favors Yuko. Mio's get more and more elaborate, sicking with her manga style. And Yuko's style is really bothering Mio, forcing her hand into going all out with art of prince goat-kun again...nude. The reactions are fun here. (meanwhile Mai is doing woodcarving)

Payoff...Mio's art is on the test.

No rock-paper-scissors with the Professor and Nano this time.

[TnAdct1]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

For Azumanga Daioh I would point to "Osaka" being the "carry" character. Someone who could be in an episode without the rest of the cast and still be interesting to watch.

More like her and Chiyo, as Chiyo was the initial selling point for Azumanga Daioh (at least when it comes to me).

[GreatTeacherKen]

Azumanga Daioh's more of an ensemble series, so I wouldn't say there's a specific character that carries the series. However the series does seem to slightly favor Chiyo and Sakaki, they seem to get more character focus and Sakaki has her own subplot about her desire to pet a cat.

Osaka is more of an ensemble darkhorse as she's unquestionably the most popular character and is generally agreed to be the funniest even though she wasn't designed to carry the series by herself.

Nichijou seems to be an ensemble series or to be more accurate, it so far seems to have two sets of main characters, each with equal screen time:

1st group has the Yuuko-Mai-Mio trio
2nd has Nano-Hakase-Sakamoto trio

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Westlo

If anything 2 cour series shows decline more over time since most volumes drop from the previous ones. 99% of the time the best selling volume is the first one.

Except.... if the series start to pick it up from now, then the first volume will start to sell more as well?

[Ithekro]

Late episodes can bring in people oddly enough. I started Haruhi at Episode 11 (Space battle, found it because of the Space Battleship Yamato parody) and then got into Lucky Star from the Haruhi cosplay episode (16 I think) right after it aired.

So if there is some really awesome episode later on that people talk about...than people will want to see more.

[applejuice]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

Except.... if the series start to pick it up from now, then the first volume will start to sell more as well?

... I don't think that it will ever happen unless they slice someone's head during the episodes... 2-cour series is hard to be collectible...

It might be just me, but one of the major problem with this show, is actually OST flowing background. Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai had EXACTLY same sort of heavy-string based orchestral BGM, which turns off a lot of people and ricks with unfashionable tone.

[Midonin]

One of my favorite aspects of this show is the utterly bizarre next episode previews. This week's may top them all (though I may yet speak too quickly, and must hold my tongue in thought), with the concept of onomatopoeia delivering the preview. Delivered by Rikiya Koyama, no less.

The saga of Mio's drawing was equally amusing. She, of all the cast, seems the most prone to snapping in the face of bizarrity.

[Proto]

So they decided to forgo any pretense of normal humour huh

[Soconfused]

The drawing skit had me dying, one of the funnier moments so far, really enjoyed it. Rest of the episode was kind of hit or miss. Pretty decent, though some of the humor can be pretty out there. It's passed just being a japanese thing.

Also, whats the point of comparing this to lucky star/haruhi/K-on, ect? People being turned off by the BGM? Is this for real? Why over analyze everything? It's a freakin comedy, enjoy it or don't, you don't need to break it down like that.

[Tatakae]

Originally Posted by applejuice

It might be just me, but one of the major problem with this show, is actually OST flowing background. Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai had EXACTLY same sort of heavy-string based orchestral BGM, which turns off a lot of people and ricks with unfashionable tone.

It's the exact opposite for me. I love the string based BGM in the scenes with Hakase, Nano and Sakamoto. It gives the whole scenes with them a certain warmth which would be all but lost if they'd used just generic synthesizer melodies - well, to me anyway. The beginning of episode 5 is a perfect example of that warmth I'm talking about.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by applejuice

... I don't think that it will ever happen unless they slice someone's head during the episodes... 2-cour series is hard to be collectible...

It might be just me, but one of the major problem with this show, is actually OST flowing background. Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai had EXACTLY same sort of heavy-string based orchestral BGM, which turns off a lot of people and ricks with unfashionable tone.

Oh please.... are we talking about "sell more" as "sell as much as Madoka" now? Good second half segments surely won't make the sale suddenly jump to 50,000 each volume. But it will definitely improve the sale overall, just like how if the 2nd half turned out to be crappy, the revenue will crash.


Why the heck people keeps jumping in every suggesion that the sale of Nichijou may improve is beyond me. Is there anything at stake here that i do not realize? Anti-moe campaign? Mangaka is sexist?

[winhlp32]

"I drew this while listening to jazz."