2010-08-22, 21:47 | Link #41 |
Twintails are wintails!
Join Date: Mar 2010
Age: 43
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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 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?
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2010-08-23, 09:16 | Link #43 | |
Frandle & Nightbag
Join Date: Oct 2009
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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.
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Last edited by Ricky Controversy; 2010-08-23 at 10:45. |
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2010-08-23, 10:44 | Link #44 | |
You are Next
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: NE USA
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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.
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2010-08-28, 16:35 | Link #46 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
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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. |
2010-08-30, 04:01 | Link #47 | |
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
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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:
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2010-08-30, 05:37 | Link #48 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
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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. |
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2010-08-30, 08:20 | Link #49 | |
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
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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".
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Spoiler for her game info:
Spoiler for Riverside hug cg:
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:
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2010-08-30, 14:12 | Link #50 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
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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. |
2010-09-03, 21:16 | Link #51 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
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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:
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. |
2010-09-22, 22:35 | Link #53 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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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.
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2010-09-22, 22:36 | Link #54 | |
Frandle & Nightbag
Join Date: Oct 2009
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2010-09-22, 22:37 | Link #55 | |
~Official Slacker~
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Xanadu
Age: 29
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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
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2010-09-22, 23:06 | Link #56 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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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.
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2010-09-24, 10:14 | Link #58 |
inc_mplete
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sydney Australia / Taiwan
Age: 35
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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 |
2010-10-14, 03:36 | Link #60 |
Athletic girls are sugoi!
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Texas
Age: 47
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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.
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