AnimeSuki Forums

Register Forum Rules FAQ Members List Social Groups Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   AnimeSuki Forum > Anime Discussion > Older Series > Retired > Retired A-L > Amagami SS

Notices

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 2010-08-22, 21:47   Link #41
Himeji
Twintails are wintails!
 
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Age: 43
I already wrote my opinion about the Kaoru arc in the ep. 8 thread:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthre...53#post3202453 (that one and the one two posts below it)

The ending was really pretty lame

Quote:
Originally Posted by Belmondo View Post
Her hair, while awesome, is just a hook to draw in people.
I absolutely can't understand what people see in Kaoru's hair
It's always Kaoru's hair this, Kaoru's hair that... yet I don't see anything appealing about her hair at all. In the opposite, her messy hair is perhaps even a slight put-off. How about using a brush for once, girl?

Perhaps anyone of those who constantly rave about her hair can point out what's supposed to be so great about her hair?
__________________
Himeji is offline  
Old 2010-08-23, 03:21   Link #42
Shiroth
Beautiful fighter.
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: England, UK
Age: 37
Quote:
Originally Posted by Himeji View Post
Perhaps anyone of those who constantly rave about her hair can point out what's supposed to be so great about her hair?
Because it's messy.
__________________
Shiroth is offline  
Old 2010-08-23, 09:16   Link #43
Ricky Controversy
Frandle & Nightbag
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Quote:
Originally Posted by Himeji View Post
Perhaps anyone of those who constantly rave about her hair can point out what's supposed to be so great about her hair?
Messy hair is an indirect sexual feature for a few reasons. The most obvious is in the fact that it is alternatively called 'sex hair'; messy hair suggests that the person has had the hair vigorously worked, which is common with all the grabbing and feeling in sexual intercourse. Second, it has a 'primal' characteristic to it, which appeals to some in the same way a more 'refined' hairstyle like, say, Haruka's would to others. Third and finally, despite being messy and probably having a number of split-ends, Kaoru's hair is very thick, and hair that is taken care of periodically rather than every day often volumizes naturally, so it has a 'healthy' quality to it.

Though, independent of it as a sexual factor, there's also the idea that Kaoru's hair just suits her personality very well, and both highlight and enhance the appeal of the other.
__________________

Last edited by Ricky Controversy; 2010-08-23 at 10:45.
Ricky Controversy is offline  
Old 2010-08-23, 10:44   Link #44
SageGaiGar
You are Next
 
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: NE USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy View Post
Messy hair is an indirect sexual feature for a few reasons. The most obvious is in the fact that it is alternatively called 'sex hair'; messy hair suggests that the person has had the hair vigorously worked, which is common with all the grabbing and feeling in sexual intercourse. Second, it has a 'primal' characteristic to it, which appeals to some in the same way a more 'refined' hairstyle like, say, Haruka's would to others. Third and finally, despite being messy and probably having a number of split-ends, Kaoru's hair is very thick, and hai that is taken care of periodically rather than every day often volumizes naturally, so it has a 'healthy' quality to it.

Though, independent of it as a sexual factor, there's also the idea that Kaoru's hair just suits her personality very well, and both highlight and enhance the appeal of the other.
tl;dr

It's visually appealing

And a trait you don't see often in character designs.

She lacks the high drama of the previous heroine (Which is fine by me) The 'buster/Norm' personality was appealing for me.

The 'actual' ending should hopefully be on the dvds, lovely way to make sales I must say.
__________________
sig courtesy of Haak and Natsuki Hyuga
Friends don't let friends CB
SageGaiGar is offline  
Old 2010-08-24, 01:24   Link #45
Khu
そんなやさしくしないで。。。
 
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NSW, Australia
Age: 29
I like Haruka's hair just because it'd be so fun to mess it up.

I like Kaoru's because it wouldn't matter if I did, and looks like I could bury my face in it too. ^^
Khu is offline  
Old 2010-08-28, 16:35   Link #46
Shadow5YA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Kaoru's hair just fit her personality. I was greatly amused at her teasing in Junichi's bedroom, and the hair just made it look better.

I don't know anything about the game, but I could tell that Kaoru's mother finding another man was supposed to parallel with Kaoru falling in love with someone too. Junichi did a fine job of consoling her, and the whole experience did bring them together, but I felt that he could have went further.

Another thing I didn't like was how Kaoru's arc didn't have an epilogue scene like Haruka's did. It would have been nice where after the screen fades away from Junichi's bedroom scene, we get a scene where Junichi wakes up to see Kaoru on top of him again, but this time they're really living together, either in college, or much later when they're married.
Shadow5YA is offline  
Old 2010-08-30, 04:01   Link #47
Belmondo
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Well, I think I've (or others have) said this already on the board, but her best ending simply doesn't go as far into the future as the best ending of the first arc. Not saying any more about the other girls in case that's against the spoiler rules. Some reviewers didn't have a problem with it though. They think the story is structured tightly enough, that it's straightforward enough, so that leaving them at the start of another, richer journey fits.

Her ending was truncated and censored, don't forget that. We'll get to see them ride his bike again at the very least. I hope there's more. We never see them already married in any ending. But in the very last scene of her best ending, after the bike ride the game skips forward a little (as I heard, after the game credits roll) and they're meeting her parents.

I too was hoping for a college couple life ending, since that's her second-best ending. They're just not as close, having made no vows to stay together forever. I think it could have worked too - just show them waking up in bed as you said, late for class or whatever, upgrade her intended final bike scene to a motorbike, oh yeah. But they're sticking so close to the game.

But I only learned there was a meet the parents scene after the last bike ride after the episode aired. I think I'd be content with that epilogue.

Quote:
Junichi did a fine job of consoling her, and the whole experience did bring them together, but I felt that he could have went further.
He does in the game, there are scenes like a riverside hug. Still, even though the show can't have everything, it works fine enough on its own terms.
Belmondo is offline  
Old 2010-08-30, 05:37   Link #48
Shadow5YA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belmondo View Post
Well, I think I've (or others have) said this already on the board, but her best ending simply doesn't go as far into the future as the best ending of the first arc. Not saying any more about the other girls in case that's against the spoiler rules. Some reviewers didn't have a problem with it though. They think the story is structured tightly enough, that it's straightforward enough, so that leaving them at the start of another, richer journey fits.

Her ending was truncated and censored, don't forget that. We'll get to see them ride his bike again at the very least. I hope there's more. We never see them already married in any ending. But in the very last scene of her best ending, after the bike ride the game skips forward a little (as I heard, after the game credits roll) and they're meeting her parents.

I too was hoping for a college couple life ending, since that's her second-best ending. They're just not as close, having made no vows to stay together forever. I think it could have worked too - just show them waking up in bed as you said, late for class or whatever, upgrade her intended final bike scene to a motorbike, oh yeah. But they're sticking so close to the game.

But I only learned there was a meet the parents scene after the last bike ride after the episode aired. I think I'd be content with that epilogue.


He does in the game, there are scenes like a riverside hug. Still, even though the show can't have everything, it works fine enough on its own terms.
By meeting her parents, do you mean this?
Spoiler for game cg:


I think Junichi meeting her parents would have been a nice way to resolve Kaoru's final doubts, but the anime didn't draw enough parallels for that epilogue to seriously happen.

I was expecting her mother remarrying to affect Kaoru's love for Junichi, with Kaoru intentionally distancing herself from him so that she doesn't become like her mother. Then, Junichi goes to the ends of the earth to find her (as he did) and console her.

Junichi meeting Kaoru's parents could have paralleled with Kaoru visiting Junichi's room for the first time. With Junichi visiting her parents and asking for permission to date her, it not only would have removed any trace of doubt from Kaoru, but culturally it would have also been close to asking for marriage.

However, the anime is stuck to four episodes, so I doubt they could have made Kaoru's parents as big of a deal as it was in the game. Since the main conflict of Kaoru's story was toned down in the anime, showing Junichi meeting Kaoru's parents, while very nice, wouldn't have had as great of an impact.
Shadow5YA is offline  
Old 2010-08-30, 08:20   Link #49
Belmondo
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Yes, I did mean that. I had seen that image before but the full import of it only came to me after her turn was over. You are spot on about its marriage implications, when I first learned about it the scene was described as "some marriage dinner thing".
Quote:
I was expecting her mother remarrying to affect Kaoru's love for Junichi, with Kaoru intentionally distancing herself from him so that she doesn't become like her mother. Then, Junichi goes to the ends of the earth to find her (as he did) and console her.
Some people may go oh no not more drama but as long as it's well-written I'd watch it, if only they had more episodes. Or read it if it was in manga form. (I do hope she gets one like other girls). But it's like the opposite of the game, judging from spoilers about her story which I read before the show started. Basically he just comes to her with open arms, she has nothing to hide, etc.
Spoiler for her game info:
Due to the way the above spoilers were written I was expecting a more gradual process, with her slowly opening up to him during their usual leisure time, etc. I didn't expect her to run away from home at all, and the leisure time to be in flashback, but I was cool with it.
Spoiler for Riverside hug cg:
Yet... the final episode didn't use the last two points. I can handle that she cheers up quickly but they should have mentioned her mom again at least to establish there's some insecurity left in her. I blame all the character cameos for wasting time. It was just unfair for her viewers. If there had been less of those perhaps things would have been wrapped up better - the mom plot hand in hand with the ending. But then that wouldn't have stopped the censors from removing the last bike scene. But who knows, perhaps the DVD/BD will rectify all these. It should have the last bike scene put back in so why not more? I can dream.

Still, the heart of the story is still unchanged even if the full force of it was not fully carried over from the game. It's still their need to be with each other, for each other that brought them together as friends and now as lovers.
Spoiler for screenshot mashup:
Belmondo is offline  
Old 2010-08-30, 14:12   Link #50
Shadow5YA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
I thought Kaoru's speech (as well as the entire tower scene) was brilliant, from the way she started with teasing Junichi like old friends all the way to her actual confession. She led into her confession gradually, just like how she described her love for Junichi grew over time. The tower scene remains as my most favorite scene in the anime.

Aside from the epilogue (or lack thereof), my only problem is that the journey felt rushed. It was easy to tell, when things like Kaoru's favorite candy, or her shopping for clothes or playing pool were all shown in flashbacks in the anime when they were never shown to have happened beforehand. If there was enough time to show all the leisure time they had together and how Junichi starts to hang out with her more and more often, it would have fit what she said as she was confessing to Junichi in the tower.

However, I guess the staff did the best they could. By making Junichi look all over for Kaoru, she would realize that he really does care for her as more than a casual friend. It's just that it doesn't fit that gradual and subtle growth of affection that characterizes Kaoru and Junichi's relationship.
Shadow5YA is offline  
Old 2010-09-03, 21:16   Link #51
Belmondo
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Food for thought... while I agree that the story is compressed compared as to how the game does it, and more non-flashback leisure time would have been nice, on its own terms the story doesn't feel rushed to me because of the "sense" of their history.

Spoiler for Elaboration:
One thing I like about this arc is the constant "passing of the ball" between them, the way initiative goes back and forth.
Spoiler for bullet points:

Even their teasing can be plotted out this way.
Spoiler for bullet points:

And finally here's a post from the episode 8 thread that makes good points, and my reply. These posts were made earlier than this post, so I've repeated things I said previously.
Spoiler for post and reply:

Last edited by Belmondo; 2010-09-03 at 21:53.
Belmondo is offline  
Old 2010-09-18, 13:38   Link #52
pagan poor
Swayin' to the beat
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Heh, Kaoru is so cool she's in the next K-On!! ep.
pagan poor is offline  
Old 2010-09-22, 22:35   Link #53
Vexx
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
*Author
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
Kaoru and her arc is probably the most satisfying to me of all the arcs (so far) simply because she's an earthy, practical girl and the way they become a couple is so natural.

Its probably one of more subtle "confession - declaration of love" scenes I can recall.
So thumbs up on her arc.

She doesn't *need* her hair style but it certainly is a bonus win.
__________________
Vexx is offline  
Old 2010-09-22, 22:36   Link #54
Ricky Controversy
Frandle & Nightbag
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vexx View Post
Kaoru and her arc is probably the most satisfying to me of all the arcs (so far) simply because she's an earthy, practical girl and the way they become a couple is so natural.

Its probably one of more subtle "confession - declaration of love" scenes I can recall.
So thumbs up on her arc.
Amen to this. If any of the stories so far has been truly viable within the four episode format, it was Kaoru's.
__________________
Ricky Controversy is offline  
Old 2010-09-22, 22:37   Link #55
Hooves
~Official Slacker~
*Author
 
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Xanadu
Age: 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy View Post
Amen to this. If any of the stories so far has been truly viable within the four episode format, it was Kaoru's.
Oh lord Ricky... You are fast

But I do agree, Haruka's arc was sorta strange, especially at the ending.

And Sae's arc is just full of cuteness.

Kaoru is the only natural girl so far
__________________
Freyja Wion from Macross Delta!
Signature from: TheEroKing
Hooves is offline  
Old 2010-09-22, 23:06   Link #56
Vexx
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
*Author
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
I called Haruka's arc the most solid in another thread simply because it followed through to an epilog and never totally "got stupid". But it seemed a bit shallow the whole time. Sae's arc just had basic problems -- I'd love to overhaul it with the Junichi from Kaoru's arc and some feeling that he sees more in her than just "she's cute".

Kaoru's arc comes across as simply more "true possible" to me... its too bad I hear the story is a bit truncated and some cuddles left out (like a hug at the beach, etc).

It may be life-experience differences that polarize the attitudes towards the arc Whatever, I hope the manga adaptation takes a stab at her arc.
__________________
Vexx is offline  
Old 2010-09-23, 10:17   Link #57
justinstrife
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Galt's Gulch
Age: 44
Send a message via AIM to justinstrife
I too, am a fan of the Kaoru arc over the other two. Frankly, the other two were rather weak in my opinion.
justinstrife is offline  
Old 2010-09-24, 10:14   Link #58
Gault
inc_mplete
 
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sydney Australia / Taiwan
Age: 35
Theres something about Kaorus problematic life that makes you wanna stay and help till the end,

I never heard of the game before hand or anything so the 4 episode Arc was somewhat almost complete to me

After knowing Juns history about being stood up I was highly amazed she popped up when he was about to leave and offered the Cake and invite over to her place , that would've brighten up the day alot, Kaoru even found out what happened and did her best to get him out of thinking of what happened

however Juns feelings were mostly towards this girl who stood him up and not for Kaoru and since they're were like brothers , I dont think Jun saw her as a sex object at the time
so I can understand why he's still abit shakey about falling in love again

but overtime I guess it shows they were always there for eachover , I guess Jun is repaying Kaoru for what she did 2 years back by staying with her to resolve her mothers new lover issue and overtime a 'like mother like daughter' parallel rolls in, like its suppose to be a new start/revelation to both of them to ongo with their lives without being emotionally pulled back by their Husbands/fathers death

I see Jun and Kaoru as the ones who "take the picture but never are in the photo" seeing as Kaoru was helping Keiko(correct me please) and im going off Juns helpfullness by what he did for Sae in Harukas arc , so I guess the two of them had their chance of having a Photo together

anyway thats my... whatever Im going to bed , I might be wrong in all my points but thats how I feel when I watched it
Gault is offline  
Old 2010-10-07, 23:08   Link #59
GundamZZ
残念美人
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Since Kaoru bites Junichi's ear, her action has most relevance to the show's title. Some people may think the title implies Tsukasa's hair, too.


By the way, spoiler.
You see nothing.
Spoiler:
GundamZZ is offline  
Old 2010-10-14, 03:36   Link #60
Mairsile
Athletic girls are sugoi!
 
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Texas
Age: 47
Before Ai, Kaoru was my favorite girl because of her spunky personality. Their arc demonstrates how being compatible in the humor department can greatly strengthen a bond. To me, being in a relationship where both can toss out verbal cracks at each other is very healthy. The fact that they could continuously trade such silly exchanges made their leap into a blossoming romance appear nearly seamless and quite natural.

Although it would have been nice to see a better ending with them together in the future, I was left feeling confident that they'd be doing well since their relationship did develop so naturally.
__________________
"You're a gentleman; However, being only that is useless."
Mairsile is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 18:36.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
We use Silk.