Little Busters ~Refrain~ - Episode 3 Discussion / Poll

[Aspirety]

Solid first three episodes of Little Busters Refrain. Totally came near tears this episode, while the people who don't know how it ends are sad and confused, haha. Even though it was only three episodes, they adapted Kurugaya's route brilliantly. I'm confident JC can deliver with the remaining story.

[KanbeKotori]

Good episode. Sadly it'll end 10 episodes later :/

[Leo_Otaku]

I totally had tears in this episode. That is mainly because Song for Friends is my absolute favourite song in the entire game. I found it odd that even in the game they used it for Angeo's ending. But I love it all the same.
Great episode! It had really good production values with some beautiful images like that one with Kyousuke. I'm impressed XD

Originally Posted by Deathscyther

Thankfully, they left out the ED after this. (There's a certain studio that could learn something from this...)

Oh hell yes! I was thinking this the entire time. Why can't other studios learn?

Originally Posted by Baron-Zara

But, to tell the truth this ep won't be as emotional to anime only watchers.
It's gonna affect VN players more imo.

I agree with this as well.

[Ragna92]

Originally Posted by Zankoku12

So this is where all the budget from 1st season went to.

And just song for friends is enough to make me tear up. ;_;

That pic of Kyousuke.. now that's the Kyousuke I know.

[Dextro]

You know I'm kind of pissed now. This show has no right to be this freakin amazing with a character arc after that completely forgettable first season. No right! Why couldn't they have put this kind of thought and dedication to at least half of those first episodes?

If I wasn't so used to they way Key stories work I would probably be getting even more annoyed at the complete wtfness of the ending but given how much of Clannads ending was equally pulled out of nowhere this is definitely an improvement since we at least had some hints thrown during the previous season. Can't wait to see the rest, glad I didn't give up on this sequel like I was intending to at first.

Edit: I threw in an extra point for the show managing to go through a full episode about a dream without Horie Yui having to say narcolepsy again

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by Dextro

You know I'm kind of pissed now. This show has no right to be this freakin amazing with a character arc after that completely forgettable first season. No right! Why couldn't they have put this kind of thought and dedication to at least half of those first episodes?

If I wasn't so used to they way Key stories work I would probably be getting even more annoyed at the complete wtfness of the ending but given how much of Clannads ending was equally pulled out of nowhere this is definitely an improvement since we at least had some hints thrown during the previous season. Can't wait to see the rest, glad I didn't give up on this sequel like I was intending to at first.

Edit: I threw in an extra point for the show managing to go through a full episode about a dream without Horie Yui having to say narcolepsy again

It's hard for a VN to do good in every route; I'm assuming all the work gets put in whatever the main route is. And there's only so much mileage you can get out of mediocre characters like Komari or Kud. Certainly the other Key adaptations also had the weakest characters up front, so they can get to the good stuff later. Well, Kud's alright I guess. Of course the execution of the anime itself had issues, most definitely.

My joke is that Key adaptations always put the "special" one first. /runs

[Julio C]

So I'm guessing the main story is about to start and Rin is going to become the main heroine?

The part where kurahaya said to protect Rin, that was sad for her. I guess she lost to Rin or gave up on Riki or both.

[~Yami~]

as anime-only watcher, I didn't actually capture the emotion in here...
since this is clearly a perfect prelude for upcoming arc...

damn!! that song in the end is very dangerous... my tears... ;___;
Anego is very cute in this arc... I don't want her to go... I want her to be in every single episode... don't cut her out..
and why Anego mentioned Rin??? what is going to happen??

well, the conclusion of this arc is rather simple though.. I'm expecting a more complex backstory...

good bye 20th June... and let the story begin

[Magicflier]

Originally Posted by Randrak42

Kurugaya and Riki wished the fun days never end -> Days start repeating, only they remember -> Riki confronts Kurugaya -> Kurugaya explains that she only started being happy when she joined the LB -> Kurugaya tells Riki to protect Rin -> The days stop repeating -> Riki forgets everything

What hasn't been explained...well, you've watched Clannad and we're only 3 episodes in. You do the math.

speculation

Spoiler:

Isn't it because Kurugaya is the last one that hasn't had her wish fullfilled yet that the time has started repeating so the days won't go beyond June 20th? All the other heroines wishes were already fullfilled by this time, so will guess that something bigger will happen after June 20th.

[Leo_Otaku]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

My joke is that Key adaptations always put the "special" one first. /runs

I loved Makoto's route, her route is easily tied for second best Kanon route for me lol. I would say Nayuki's route is the weakest imo. Also, Kyou's was by far the weakest route in Clannad. But you are dead on with Kano in AIR, but at least her route was much better than some other KEY routes, like Komari's. I think they start off with the stories that are much less tied to the overall issue of the story or just how it would flow the best.

[Ringil]

Solid, but not amazing end to Kurugaya's arc. Better than the VN, tbh.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

My joke is that Key adaptations always put the "special" one first. /runs

Very humorously, that really does fit.

Originally Posted by Leo_Otaku

Spoiler for Comprehensive Key comparisons:

I loved Makoto's route, her route is easily tied for second best Kanon route for me lol. I would say Nayuki's route is the weakest imo. Also, Kyou's was by far the weakest route in Clannad. But you are dead on with Kano in AIR, but at least her route was much better than some other KEY routes, like Komari's. I think they start off with the stories that are much less tied to the overall issue of the story or just how it would flow the best.

Spoiler for Reply to comprehensive Key comparisons:

Nayuki and Kyou didn't even have routes in the anime. They each had a focus episode or two, that's not even enough for a legit route, imo.

Anyway, I don't think that Archon is saying that Key puts the worst route, per se, first. I think that he's saying they they deal with the "special ed"-like girl first.

And honestly, he has a point. Makoto, Fuko, and Komari all feel... a bit immature for their age, shall we say. In fairness, Makoto and Fuko have understandable reasons for this. As for Komari, I once nicknamed her "Special Ed Nagisa". I like Komari, but there's only so much you can do with a character like that, lol. The same limitations are also there for Makoto and Fuko, though their arcs were good in some regards.

[Sound of Azure]

Originally Posted by Dextro

Edit: I threw in an extra point for the show managing to go through a full episode about a dream without Horie Yui having to say narcolepsy again

That made me laugh far more than it really ought to have.

[BloodyKitty]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

My joke is that Key adaptations always put the "special" one first. /runs

Have seen this joke before, but it's still hilarious

Though if they ever try to adapt Rewrite into anime, it can't go like this again.

Spoiler for very little spoiler about the nature of Rewrite and which order the heroine routes in Rewrite should be finished:

There are some patterns they have to follow in deciding the order of the routes if they want to make the plot's revelations interesting and powerful. Also there is at least one heroine's route people have to go through first to gain understanding of the overall situation. I don't regard this particular heroine as being "special" the way Makoto, Fuuko and Komari are at all , one different heroine fits that better

But then again, Rewrite is so different from other Key works in so many ways that it can't be adapted the way the other Key's titles were... Hell whichever studio that tries to adapt Rewrite shouldn't think of it as another Key adaptation at all.

[maplehurry]

So... if she didnt wish for anything she wouldn't disappear ??

[Magicflier]

Originally Posted by maplehurry

So... if she didnt wish for anything she wouldn't disappear ??

If she didn't wish for anything, I don't think she'd appear into the world in the first place

[Chiibi]

I'm sorry...but I just could not care that much about Kurugaya. She's too friggin' perfect. Her only identity is to be "sexy and cool". And her backstory was like lulwhut.

So weak compared to the other girls who...you know, actually had problems.

And there's only so much mileage you can get out of mediocre characters like Komari or Kud.

Oh gimme a break! At least those two have personalities! Kurugaya's popular because she's awesome at literally everything. But that's the exact reason why she's my least favorite. I don't hate her or anything (I don't hate ANYONE in this show) but I feel quite indifferent towards her.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Chiibi

Oh gimme a break! At least those two have personalities!

Yeah, no. Those two could only dream of having a personality as good as Kurugaya.
She may be too perfect for some people, but she's still likable, and that's already more than I can say about Komari and Kud. Having issues that need to be solved is a character building quality, but their arcs were so muddled with bullshit that I couldn't enjoy myself. Other than that, Komari voice ranged from lifeless to insufferable depending on the occasion. Lifeless during the mundane life scenes, and insufferably during the dramatic parts of her arc. As for Kud, whenever they give a character their own personal meme, you know what their intent is. I hated desu, I hated gao, and now I can safely say I hate "wafū!" as well.

I'm not a fan of "perfect" characters either, but Kurugaya has enough positive qualities to overlook that. Besides, it's her perfection that lead to her one true imperfection. Sure, she can physically do just about anything, but this lead to people distancing themselves from her, and vise/versa. And I think her arc did a good job showing that she's just as vulnerable to loneliness as anyone else, despite her exceptional talents in many fields.

[Chiibi]

Originally Posted by Demi.

Yeah, no. Those two could only dream of having a personality as good as Kurugaya.

What personality? Sexually harassing Riki? That's all she freaking does. I'll take the two cuties with family problems over a character like that any day because at least they are modest and innocent.

Kurugaya has enough positive qualities to overlook that.

Well, that's exactly the problem! She doesn't have any negative qualities as a character and that's what makes her so unrelatable as a person.

Come on and admit guys, you like her because fanservice. I won't fault you for it. You're guys and that's obviously the type of chara she's supposed to be. The fact that she's the only girl in the school who refuses to button up her blazer is plenty evidence for that.

My friend who's watching the show doesn't care for her either and big surprise: my friend is a girl.

[bigdeal000]

Nice job ignoring most of what he said in favor of 2 things that you didn't really answer to anyway. All that Kurugaya does is haras Riki (haras...) You know that's not true.
Also, you go around making assumptions: fanservice is not the reason I like Kurugaya. As a VN player, I'd know

Spoiler for not really a spoiler:

Komari gets the most fanservice in the VN

and the VN is what shapes my like or dislike more than the anime. If this was about fanservice, my favourite would be Komari, but I don't like her that much. Also, what defines Komari? Her spiral of hapiness. What defines Kurugaya? Her apparent perfection. One is naive and the other is off-putting (I gues you're a perfect example of how that works). I can't really say which one is worse...