2013-01-25, 22:33 | Link #321 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
|
Aww Tsutomou my heart
Though I think my favorite moment was when Chihaya got the brothers to join the society. Harada Sensei will be very happy he he. At the end of the episode I was like its over already. Another week wait.
__________________
|
2013-01-26, 02:24 | Link #322 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Age: 35
|
Quote:
I wonder about that "Tsutomu-senpai is so cool!" moment, portrayed from an external perspective. He said: "You have the passion and the talent". From Tsukaba's view, that might have seemed like confident encouragement from someone stronger than him. But I wonder about what Tsutomu himself was thinking; implicit to the early conflict in this episode was that, as the weakest regular player, Tsutomu might get replaced by Tsukaba-kun. For Tsutomu himself to admit "you'll become strong soon; you've got the passion and talent for it" might seem like an unspoken resignition that he will be overtaken some day. If Tsutomu really is thinking that, then was it really "cool" for him to tell Tsukaba "you'll become strong" with a straight face and serious expression? How "strong" will Tsukaba really become--comparable to Mizusawa's "Ace" players: Chihaya, Nishida, and Taichi? If Tsukaba does not reach that level, then was he really "strong", or was he just stronger than Tsutomu? The interesting question to me now as far as he and Tsukaba are concerned is whether Tsutomu will find the "talent" and "passion" within himself to not lose to Tsukaba, his junior a year younger than him. I guess one of the things these two new characters have brought to the story are new contexts of development for Tsutomu and Kanade especially. As the weakest players in terms of skill in Mizusawa, they might have been in danger of getting lost in the story in the midst of the rest of the club's passionate determination to go pro, to play the Meijin/Queen, to reach A class (or to meet Arata). By throwing in a couple new protagonists who are closer to their "level", this gives them a more immediate background to stay relevant to the story. Meanwhile, with regards to the ending scene: I want to believe in Shinobu as a sympathetically portrayed character. I want to believe in her as a strong and respectable character who is loved by this manga, in turn for her love of karuta. Unfortunately, her potential setup as a romantic rival to Chihaya for the love of Arata, on top of the already precarious position of being Chihaya's rival for the highest title in karuta, might get in the way of that. Shinobu already displayed a terrible reaction to her loss of a few cards to Chihaya in karuta--how much uglier might her portrayal become if the Chihaya-Arata romance plot gets pushed ever farther? I bring this up because the effect of her (indeed, sensual) 'playing with the phone cord' scene was not friendly, or sympathetic, but unsettling. I bring it up because, unlike Sumire, Shinobu's portrayal does not fill me with an immediate confidence in her sympathetic role in the story. I am forced to wonder whether my sympathy for Shinobu (like my sympathy for Chitose) goes against the ultimate ends of this story. While it is a bit early to be saying so much, in the end I might be very much glad if those worries were unfounded. |
|
2013-01-26, 06:24 | Link #324 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
|
Quote:
My impression of when Tsutomu told Tsukaba "you will get stronger" Tsutomu was thinking of himself actually. Tsutomu got stronger over time and so will Tsukaba. As for Tsutomu's own strength I think he will continue to get stronger even if he is never on the Chihaya/Taichi/Nishida level. Sometimes it doesn't matter to be the "strongest", sometimes it is just important to keep improving yourself. Anyways as Tsutomu has shown he has his own special skill, he is great at analysis and brings something into the team that no one else can. I don't know how much stronger Tsukaba will get but again I don't think it matters in comparison to the team's strongest players. As Tsutomu said, Tsukaba will get stronger. And in the end the second years will eventually graduate. It is up to Tsukaba and Sumire (and the members who hopefully join in the 3rd year) to continue the club. They need to get stronger for that too because they are not going to always have the strongest members to rely on. Now what class will Tsukaba reach, well we will see. There is no limit to Class A players after all.
__________________
|
|
2013-01-26, 09:08 | Link #325 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
Glasses was pretty good this episode.
Nice that he gets a chance to show off his senpai-ness and gets to mentor the newbies for once. Also liked Taichi's flick on the new guy to calm him down. Causing such a scene in a team tournament like that was childish of the new guy.
__________________
|
2013-01-26, 10:40 | Link #327 | |
Osana-Najimi Shipper
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mt. Ordeals
|
Q
Oh god oh god oh god... Shinobu knew Arata as a kid? SQUEEEE <3 <3 <3
Quote:
Well what can I say? I'm a greedy person, and two childhood friend couples are better than one.
__________________
|
|
2013-01-26, 16:52 | Link #330 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
|
A wonderful episode.
Tsukasa isn't as I imagined him to be, but that's good. How can his brothers like that creepy expression?Desk-kun was awesome when he made the newbies participate. It's the best way to learn. A shame S graduated, I hope we see him again. After the end I kind of see a Shinobu x Arata ship, they're similar in some ways (especially their designs).
__________________
|
2013-01-26, 18:06 | Link #331 | |
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
|
Quote:
It was nice to see how much Tsutomu's matured, but I wonder where he'll go from there? |
|
2013-01-27, 15:38 | Link #335 | ||
Lost at Sea
Join Date: Mar 2010
|
Quote:
Quote:
You could connect this aspect of Shinobu's character to Chihaya's absolute dedication to karuta. Her friends all seem to think she is a little crazy, "karuta-baka." Perhaps we are learning that a certain degree of craziness is a prerequisite for reaching the ultimate heights of karuta.
__________________
|
||
2013-01-27, 17:14 | Link #336 |
Math Ninja
Author
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ventura County CA
Age: 59
|
A certain degree of craziness is a prerequisite for reaching the ultimate heights of just about anything.
You don't see too many stories bringing that point out, though. There should be more characters like Chihaya running around out there. |
2013-01-27, 17:42 | Link #337 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
|
Quote:
And somehow I think it's even quite down-to-earth given the level of abilities this game requires.
__________________
Last edited by Arya; 2013-01-27 at 17:59. |
|
2013-01-28, 12:25 | Link #340 | |
Lost at Sea
Join Date: Mar 2010
|
Quote:
On the other hand, her characterizations of her Meijin and Queen speak fairly definitively on the genius side of the argument. She is too much of a realist to believe otherwise. And Taichi is hardly a convincing Everyman: that phenomenal memory puts him in the genius category too. And both Tsutomu and Kana are also little geniuses, what with the Sabremetrics and the astounding poetry knowledge--it's no surprise they are somewhat asocial too. Taichi & Team Mizusawa do illustrate the value of hard work and self-improvement, but with the proviso you start with some exceptional ability.
__________________
|
|
Tags |
cards, josei, karuta, sports |
|
|