(L+CR) Akebi-chan no Sailor-fuku (Akebi's Sailor Uniform)

[FlareKnight]

I'll give the main character this...she's in fantastic shape . Regardless of debates over her weight she can still pull off some impressive gymnastics while walking home.

This situation does seem mostly on the school. If the school got rid of required uniforms I could maybe see them not outright saying anything at the interview. But if they changed requirements I'm kind of surprised no one thought "yeah I should probably say something here". Or at the very least the requirements for uniforms should have been in some kind of educational package. Sure having students and parents check things isn't crazy, but things like that should probably be communicated.

At least she got clearance to wear it. Would have been a real mess to get a different uniform now and pretty heart breaking for the MC. Although certainly there's discomfort in standing out that much. But she did put all that effort in to wear that and it'd be especially tough to not wear it with the amount of work her mother put into making it.

Definitely the visual direction stands out. Whether it's great or not, I'm not entirely sure. But it definitely stands out.

[nojay]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

I'll give the main character this...she's in fantastic shape . Regardless of debates over her weight she can still pull off some impressive gymnastics while walking home.

Akebi-chan's athleticism is a big feature of the manga -- that sequence at the beginning of the first episode of the anime where she performs the gymnastic somersault takes up 17 whole pages in the manga before she ends up in the water channel. There are plenty more sequences like that as the manga progresses. The mangaka likes to show off his draftsmanship sometimes.

[HandofFate]

is making your own uniform from scratch something that's actually done? Haven't seen that before.
I thought there was like a uniform store or something lol

[BWTraveller]

That's how it's usually done. But I guess if it fits regulations then they'll also allow handmade uniforms. It's not like you CAN'T make identical clothes yourself.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by HandofFate

is making your own uniform from scratch something that's actually done? Haven't seen that before.
I thought there was like a uniform store or something lol

The point of uniforms is so that you can unify what people wear, so letting people make their own uniforms which can lead to inconsistencies is... needless to say.
Now if this was a sewing school or something, then you could say this was a test for the students, but it isn't, so it stands as just a convenient setting that let's the protagonist stand out without looking like an idiot. In exchange, the teachers look like idiots for not saying anything during the interview, but anything so the protagonist doesn't look like one.

[BWTraveller]

Like I said, it's a matter of whether it's to standard. If they can make one that matches the regulation standards then it's OK. Or at least it's OK here.

On a different note, anyone have any clue when the opening single, "Hajimari no Setsuna" might come out? I'd really like to hear the full-length version.

[Kanon]

Other than the visuals, this doesn't have much going for it yet as far as slice of life goes. Komichi's introduction was really embarrassing. And not just because she flashed her panties (they're all girls, who cares?), everything about it was cringey. Between the uniform and this, she would have normally become a laughingstock and remain shunned for the rest of her school life.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Kanon

she would have normally become a laughingstock and remain shunned for the rest of her school life.

The thing is, she has the looks. She's the beautiful-looking kid in the class that everyone wants to be friends with no matter what dumb shit she does or talks about.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

The thing is, she has the looks. She's the beautiful-looking kid in the class that everyone wants to be friends with no matter what dumb shit she does or talks about.

To me, that makes her even more likely to get picked on. It just isn't that kind of series, that's all.

[Triple_R]

I really liked Episode 2 of this. Yeah, it's a little bit silly, but that's a big part of the show's entertainment value, imo.

Plus, that one girl was kinda taking advantage of Komichi, sweet-talking Komichi into doing silly things to be amused by. So Komichi is in fact getting a bit of "class clown" treatment.

Komichi is amusing, friendly, outgoing, and physically attractive... why wouldn't she be popular?

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

Like I said, it's a matter of whether it's to standard. If they can make one that matches the regulation standards then it's OK. Or at least it's OK here.

Yep, in the US where I live at least many schools will in fact let you sew your own uniforms. My mom did for both my elementary and middle school uniforms. The designated shop that sold the uniforms for my schools also sold the bare yardage.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I really liked Episode 2 of this. Yeah, it's a little bit silly, but that's a big part of the show's entertainment value, imo.

Plus, that one girl was kinda taking advantage of Komichi, sweet-talking Komichi into doing silly things to be amused by. So Komichi is in fact getting a bit of "class clown" treatment.

Komichi is amusing, friendly, outgoing, and physically attractive... why wouldn't she be popular?

I'd certainly hang out with her. Seems like a lot of fun to be around and doesn't look like of one of those people that will smile in your face and then stab you in the back.

[nojay]

According to the credits page at Animenewsnetwork, the OP is sung by "Rōbai Gakuen Chūtō-bu 1-nen 3-kumi" i.e. all sixteen seiyuus who play the parts of the sixteen girls in class 1-3 of Roubai Academy's middle school.

[serenade_beta]

Spoiler for ep2:

So it is more of a Negima or that type of anime, where all of the classmates come into play, instead of just 4 or 5 major girls? The OP is... I guess sung by all of the girls at once? If all of them are singing, I couldn't tell. I know multiple people were singing.
As always, the animation is disturbingly pretty, but I'm kinda getting the idea on what this anime is.

But uhh... Please roll-up your hair.......? Kinda pointless wearing that when your hair is perfectly sticking out and ready to contaminate the food.

Originally Posted by Kanon

Between the uniform and this, she would have normally become a laughingstock and remain shunned for the rest of her school life.

Yeah, she's lucky she lives in an anime that doesn't touch that icky stuff, or she'd have been finished by now.

[FlareKnight]

I suppose it's not a surprise that none of these characters get how a hair net is supposed to work. Might as well give them baseball caps for as useful as they are like that.

The girl definitely would be doomed in a less cheerful series. Everything set up for some bullying. But she'll be fine. Even with all the weirdness about her she's still bringing in the popularity.

If nothing else...there's definitely memorable stuff about this show. It's not bad. Not sure if I'll keep up with it. But it's been pretty ok to start.

[nojay]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Spoiler for ep2:

So it is more of a Negima or that type of anime, where all of the classmates come into play, instead of just 4 or 5 major girls?

Spoiler for Classmates:

The anime is following the manga in that the other fifteen girls in Akebi-chan's class are all different in appearance, not moe-blobs as depicted in many other mangas and animes. I don't know if we'll see them all in the foreground in what's likely to be a single-series anime.

[BWTraveller]

Well, some play a bigger role than others, but I'm pretty sure most if not all will have at least a fair part with some real attention to their characters.

[nojay]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

Well, some play a bigger role than others, but I'm pretty sure most if not all will have at least a fair part with some real attention to their characters.

The manga is up to around 60 chapters and not all of the class has been showcased interacting directly with Hyper-Genki Girl Akebi-chan, although they've been shown in the background here and there.

The first two anime episodes cover the first six chapters of the manga pretty much frame for frame, so assuming a 12-episode cour we might reach 35 chapters or so. There's a beach/hot-springs episode around that point so we might get to see Akebi-mom in a bikini. BTW Akebi-dad in beach shorts is not bad looking either.

[Ghostfriendly]

Originally Posted by Cloudedmind

Yep, in the US where I live at least many schools will in fact let you sew your own uniforms. My mom did for both my elementary and middle school uniforms. The designated shop that sold the uniforms for my schools also sold the bare yardage.

But a reason is surely necessary for making your own uniform rather than buying it? Saving money would be a convincing reason, but wasn't mentioned in the show; tailoring it to fit a little better doesn't seem adequate to me. Sailor uniforms certainly have a great nostalgic association with happy school days, school anime, schoolgirl hentai, etc, but I understand they're going out of fashion with students in Japan. Nostalgia sells, but this is too contrived and undistinguished, apart from the shiny artwork. I agree with Triple_R that faces are weird, and with Kanon that this doesn't have much going for it without a notable premise, interesting presentation, or appealing individual characters. The uniform change premise is especially contrived, sickly sentimental and shaded with 'respect your mother's hard work' propaganda.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by Ghostfriendly

But a reason is surely necessary for making your own uniform rather than buying it? Saving money would be a convincing reason, but wasn't mentioned in the show; tailoring it to fit a little better doesn't seem adequate to me. Sailor uniforms certainly have a great nostalgic association with happy school days, school anime, schoolgirl hentai, etc, but I understand they're going out of fashion with students in Japan. Nostalgia sells, but this is too contrived and undistinguished, apart from the shiny artwork. I agree with Triple_R that faces are weird, and with Kanon that this doesn't have much going for it without a notable premise, interesting presentation, or appealing individual characters. The uniform change premise is especially contrived, sickly sentimental and shaded with 'respect your mother's hard work' propaganda.

While people could come up with a good reason for why they could make their own uniforms, the fact is that the girl said she wanted to come to the school to wear sailor uniforms and no one corrected her, which is simply impossible.
So it is natural to think that not much thought was put into why the school allows making your own uniforms, and simply there along with the above to allow her to "stand out" as a character without making her look stupid.

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Ghostfriendly

But a reason is surely necessary for making your own uniform rather than buying it? Saving money would be a convincing reason, but wasn't mentioned in the show; tailoring it to fit a little better doesn't seem adequate to me. Sailor uniforms certainly have a great nostalgic association with happy school days, school anime, schoolgirl hentai, etc, but I understand they're going out of fashion with students in Japan. Nostalgia sells, but this is too contrived and undistinguished, apart from the shiny artwork. I agree with Triple_R that faces are weird, and with Kanon that this doesn't have much going for it without a notable premise, interesting presentation, or appealing individual characters. The uniform change premise is especially contrived, sickly sentimental and shaded with 'respect your mother's hard work' propaganda.

It's not a matter of saving money or anything like that. It's not outright stated but it's made pretty clear that Akebi's mother's work involves clothes or fashion. She mentions that she'd always admired her mother's work while we see her making the uniform. I'd say it's very obvious that she didn't make the uniform for monetary purposes or any other "practical" reason. She made it because her daughter wanted to wear a uniform her mother made, designed to match the one her mother wore.

Uniform change isn't all that unusual, especially over long periods of time. I'm pretty sure sailor uniforms have become a little less common these days. They're not as fetishized, nor as questionable, as bloomers, and so they haven't been universally abolished, but blazers do seem more common and "modern".

As for the premise that she wasn't informed, yes, the author did make one fair sized leap in order to make the story. But this's the only spot that's that contrived in my opinion. And it's helped by such aspects as the fact that she lives far away from there, so if they were too surprised or bemused to tell her at the time of the interview they might have lost the chance, and she wouldn't have come across the students on the street or anything. Yes, it's still far-fetched; you'd think she'd at least read a brochure or something. But again it's a small stretch at the very beginning, so I'm able to dismiss it.

As for "appealing individual characters", personally I find them quite appealing. Just give the show time and get to know them, and I bet you'll find them plenty interesting and appealing.