(L) Kaleido Star?

[GUTB_]

The show actually goes steadily downhill after the first arc, but the slide is relativly mild with a sharp dip at the start of the 2nd season, but managing to work its way back up for the final arc.

The strength of the show is Sora, specifically, Sora doing acrobatics. The weakness is just about everything else to varying degrees. The problem is the series likes to spend too much screentime on the lame/unfunny/annoying supporting characters. The show is great when Sora is center-stage doing her thing, and it degrades when it force-feeds the viewer crapy one-liners, stale slapstick, and other wastes of time.

[Ansa]

GUTB the problem with this show is the same problem that Full Moon had, it develops the side characters very well but on the overall storyline most of them (if not all) have very little to do with the end story, In this case there wasn't any rhyme or reasoning to have all the side characters if they don't even really reflect on the overall plot.

[andromeda0201]

I disagree with that, the side characters were very very important in helping Sora's character development too, true that May and Leon were very annoying when they just appeared but thats just to push Sora further. And unlike Full Moon, the main focus of this series was 'friendship' and thats where all the side characters come in
If she hadn't encountered so much difficulties at first, we won't be that touched at the magnificent final scene

And its a terrible pity a lot of the wonderful tracks can't be found anywhere in the osts available, specifically the one for the Swan lake and little Mermaid play

[Shin_Battousai]

Anyone here that has the thinpak collection able to tell me if there's any noticeable issues with video or audio?

[guest]

Originally Posted by Shin_Battousai

Anyone here that has the thinpak collection able to tell me if there's any noticeable issues with video or audio?

I own thinkpack of the first season and no, nothing I know of.

[Shin_Battousai]

Great, looks like i'll add it to my to buy list then ^^

[kauldron26]

i was trully looking forward to this series and i got all 51 eps... but after around 20 or so i realised that there was no overall archs and that the characters would never resolve any real conflicts. most of all i really hate supremely optimistic characters that believe anything is possible and thats why i hated sora. she'd try to fix and solve anything. also there wasnt really any drama or real conflict for any of the characters like love btw ken and sora, or death or anything serious. so i gave up. waste of time. plus theres no overarching plot. i highly recommend u dont buy it unless ur really into that kind of thing. theres no single REAL tragedy in this show and i had not motivation to keep watching. but to each his own. i was supremely disappointed because i was hoping for some drama or some romance and character developments as a whole, like monster.

[Ynglingatal]

Originally Posted by kauldron26

theres no single REAL tragedy in this show and i had not motivation to keep watching. but to each his own. i was supremely disappointed because i was hoping for some drama or some romance and character developments as a whole, like monster.

You're not alone. I loved watching this show at first but eventually I just started skipping ahead in order to see how it ended. What's sad is I usually will watch anything entirely through to the end, no matter how bad it is, just to say "I've seen it and here's my opinion" but this was one of those rare cases that it started to touch a nerve of mine and where I just couldn't handle it anymore. The skip button became a good friend of mine.

It is just one of those shows that if they would have kept to the formula and flow that they were using at the beginning it would have been one hell of a show.

[garra113]

Lol. Well I watch through all of it and it was pretty good. Although I really wish someone scanlate the manga to this anime though. Called Kaleido Star ~New wings of the future~ I WANNA READ IT XD

[iwubanime]

It's been a while since i've seen this, so it's possible my perception has been a little skewed. However it hasn't been THAT long (4 - 6 months) since i watched the last 26 episodes.

I'm surprised by the reactions of the latest posts, I for one love this show. First of all, it is quite original. I don't know of many series that focus on something like the circus. The colors and vibrancy was what drew me in, and the characters were what made me fall for this series. There are struggles between characters but no absolutely horrible person exists. And it doesn't have lots and lots of sappy drama like a lot of romances (Bokura ga Ita / Peach Girl).

I personally love optimistic characters, and Sora's definately one of them watching her struggle throughout the series was great. But her determination makes me want to be more determined in my own pursuits.

I will admit I liked the first 26 episodes a lot more than the second 26. The end challenge for the second set didn't seem nearly as challenging physically and wasn't that astounding (nor did it look as cool) IMO.

Another reason I didn't like the second 26 as much was partially because of the inclusion of two characters. I warmed up to May only at the end of the series, toward the beginning she was more annoying. I'll admit that the way she acted and Sora responded seemed correct, but I just hate that kind of character. Maybe I just missed Layla... The other character was the main male guy.

Anyway, I know everyone doesn't like the same series. But as shown in my sig, this is my third favorite series. The only thing I'm not sure of is the rewatchability (only been able to see this once). And as someone else said, I would have liked for there to have been a little romance between Sora and Ken. Poor Ken!

If you like happy anime, with a bit of conflict to make it interesting, and a fresh plot (for me at least), then check this out!

[guest]

Originally Posted by GUTB_

The show actually goes steadily downhill after the first arc,

Exactly. Everyone has mention all sorts of reasons for this but I would like to add one more. All the characters they introduce in the second season, like May and Rosetta, just can't compare to Layla. I think Layla is just as important as Sora for this show and the interaction between the two is the main plot of the first season. When they take out Layla, they need a strong character to replace her but they fail on that terrribly. So the plot and drama of the second season are dry and hard to relate. People walk away from it.

[dojikyo]

Wow. People are still interested in this series? I'd recommend the first season but the second season ... not really. It is pretty straight forward. Sora is pretty much 2d dimensional but Layla and the other characters are really interesting. What really made the series interesting for me though was the break from the traditional model of the protagonist always winning, being the best.

The second season unfortunately followed the formula to a T.

[tugatosmk]

Originally Posted by dojikyo

What really made the series interesting for me though was the break from the traditional model of the protagonist always winning, being the best.

"Traditional model"? That sounds more like the American cartoon/animation way.

I've seen my share amount of anime where the protagonists don't win in the end (likei in Ganbare Kickers!), or at least don't win all the major events (like in Captain Tsubasa).

[Potatochobit]

I'm still waiting for the second season to be released in thin pack, actually.
it is on my anticipation list.

[Guido]

Oh, my! Even myself cannot believe it, but I successfully managed to watch at last all of the episodes that comprise this beautiful masterpiece about having faith on oneself in the pursuit of a dream to make come true.

I am glad to inform you all that today I have watched finally the 51st episode to Kaleido Star, and thus giving main closure to an otaku dream that took me nearly four years to complete.

Back in October 2003 when I heard that Junichi Sato was behind Kaleido Star I wasted no time but to eagerly look forward to the anime, since I have been deeply happy and blissful for his other previous works from that era.
Pretear which I watched back at March 2002, and later Princess Tutu which took me from August to October 2005 to finish all.

I could have finished the TV series earlier back when it got the chance to air in my country through the Latin American Cartoon Network, but I was dismayed with the voices in the Spanish dub particularly Sora's.
Plainly they just sucked and were horrible to keep on listening to them.

I simply then carried on with my life and kept watching other anime as well, but chances fortunately presented where I was able to continue watching the reminder episodes until I reached the fifthieth episode; only pending just the last one to complete the series.

And, hereby, today I lastly watched the 51st episode. Although I liked much the ending and closure for the first season at episode 26, the staff managed to pull the story through for the second season and granting to the viewers the chance to witness the birth of Sora's free-conflict stage, as well as her rising to become the new Kaleido Star.

Spoiler:

It quickly passes with Rosetta who is dumbfounded when she sees Fool, though he remained without moving as he did with Sora way back on episode one.

And he comments that the end of an old dream passes the light and magic to give birth to a new one.

I have already finished the main TV series, and about a year ago I watched the second OVA, the one about Layla.

I just will have to wait and sit while I find a chance to watch the first OVA, a.k.a. as the extra episode 52.

[Kimichou]

Originally Posted by Guido

I have already finished the main TV series, and about a year ago I watched the second OVA, the one about Layla.

I just will have to wait and sit while I find a chance to watch the first OVA, a.k.a. as the extra episode 52.

Kaleido Star is one of my favorite anime series, along with FullMetal Panic! I own all of Kaleido Star and I'm happy that I do.

Sometimes when I'm really anxious I watch the show b/c it calms me down, its weird that it does, but it does ^^;.

Anywho, I saw the Layla OVA and I LOVED IT. I recommend it to all Kaleido Star fans. Also epi 52 is cute XD lol. And the other Kaleido Star show (done in 3d with chibis of them) is cute and funny.

My favorite song has to be May's character song. I hated May at first, but over time she's grown on me. Same with Leon, he pissed me off with how he treated Sora but, he also grew on me.
Now for Sora, she just got annoying to me after a while ^^;. So did Layla. I actually LIKED the side characters, they were a good diversion from the attention being on Sora all the time. And I didn't like how Sora would cry so much and feel like she couldn't do some things sometimes but that's just me XD.

Hands down the best character in that show was...JONATHAN, talking seal ftw! (Sorry I though he was good comic relief hehe)

[Potatochobit]

Think pack is out. good price at 44$ for 6 discs.

Sora was a little skimpy on the box art, but oh well

now i need to figure out the best time to marathon this

[kk2extreme]

i just bought the whole set thin pack - 52 eps, so far so good

but the dub is lacking something somehow

[SuperKnuckles]

Really? Because I think the dubs were better than usual. Some character obviously could've been better, but there's a few standouts. I think Sora's done pretty well for the most part.

As for all the 'masterpiece' talk, what can I say? Because it basically IS.

I don't want to be on the Gonzo bash-wagon, but I wish Gonzo tries something truly epic and inspiring like this one again.

I know the show is made almost strictly for girls, but it gave inspiration to me. Most shows tout the whole 'believe in yourself' thing as an extracurricular thing, but not this show.

[Tiamat's Disciple]

I loved the show, but the dubs sucks >.<