AnimeSuki Forums

novalysis · 2011-12-27, 02:16

Curse of the One Cour strikes again then? So long as animes of this genre are only restrictied to one Cour of length , I doubt we are going to see a Romance Anime of a quality better than Clannad anytime soon.

xKeir · 2011-12-27, 02:33

Maybe its just me.

I'm so going off topic but anyway ...

Spoiler for Comparison to Clannad:

I just feel that the main focus isn't much about Love between a couple like Mashiro Iro Symphony but how people face problems in Life and deal/accept them. Maybe its cuz i'm too into the stories of each of the characters in Clannad. I really liked the show cuz of their individual problems but not much about the romance between them.
I liked Mashiro iro Symphony because of the Romance between the characters. Not really because of the Life they've lead.
Thats just me.

-edit- and i get that im not making any sense. I just can't put it in the right words.

***relentlessflame*** · 2011-12-27, 03:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by novalysis

Curse of the One Cour strikes again then? So long as animes of this genre are only restrictied to one Cour of length , I doubt we are going to see a Romance Anime of a quality better than Clannad anytime soon.

Indeed, I think it's very difficult to adapt this sort of game in only 12 episodes and do it any sort of justice, which is why I'm all the more appreciative for what they did here. They actually managed to tell rather elaborate stories for multiple heroines and blend them in such a way that it contributed to a central theme that was actually coherent and made sense (and was much more nuanced than just "who'd he choose?!"). Of course, I'd love it if more shows could be given double or quadruple the episode count so they could come close to the amount of time the game has to convey these subtleties... but I don't know if we'll ever see another show like Clannad in that respect. In the meantime, there's a certain inescapable reality that some things can only be found in the game.

winhlp32 · 2011-12-27, 03:51

Episode 12:

- Miu end. Free Willy end.

- Looks like Manglobe spent a lot of cash for the Pannya/Mamanya reunion scene. It had an insert song, people crying, the works. I looked at the end credits and yep, Mamanya, Pannya and Renka are all voiced by the same seiyuu Harumi Sakurai. I wish I had the chance to see her in action at the recording studio.

- Minor nitpick: pannya seemed to be a lot bigger in size in the previous episodes. I guess when Mamanya and her child came along Manglobe realised they have yet to denote a proper size for her, and had to shrink her a bit so she can fit well aesthetically in the middle of the Nya-Pagoda.

-----------------------------------------------------

Mashiroiro Symphony:

- These kinds of VN adaptations usually have really awkward dialogue in its anime form, but Mashifoni's dialogue was mostly good. The writing, though simple, did not make the characters look more stupid than they should be, and complimented the characters sincerity well.

- The girls were all adorable, and the guys weren't stupid, bratty or arrogant. Though there is only two recurring guys in this story though. Sana turned from my least favorite character in the beginning to my favorite character in the end. To think what might've been if Manglobe adapted Airi's route...

- Music was pleasant and effective in the emotional scenes. Art was for the most part consistent, but could've benefited from some variety in coloring and lighting.

- Sad thing is that though the atmosphere in this anime was pretty good, I enjoyed the much more lively air in the VN more. The VN uses humor and typical anime iconography to achieve this, along with much more upbeat music.

Spoiler for Compared to VN:

- But nitpicks are just nitpicks. Overall this was highly enjoyable, the romantic conclusion was satisfying, and the series could also pass as those animal movies. Except its a TV series.

hyl · 2011-12-27, 11:25

Nuko radio 7 with Sakurai Harumi as the guest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy4PEy8Uqzc

Also there will be another one after 2 weeks, but the guest is not announced yet

Triple_R · 2011-12-27, 13:45

I like Clannad a bit more than I do Mashiro-iro Symphony, but then Clannad is one of my 10 favorite anime shows of all-time, and Clannad had the huge benefit of four cours to work with. If Clannad had been stuck with just one cour to work with, I suspect that many of its strengths would have been downgraded significantly, leaving it more or less where Mashiro-iro Symphony is now.

And one area where I will give the edge to Mashiro-iro Symphony is in the main romance. As much as I love Tomoya/Nagisa, it would have been nice if they had a couple more lovey-dovey romantic scenes like what Shingo/Miu had.

Overall, I'm inclined to agree with xKeir on the Clannad/Mashiro-iro Symphony comparison.

Reckoner · 2011-12-27, 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by novalysis

Curse of the One Cour strikes again then? So long as animes of this genre are only restrictied to one Cour of length , I doubt we are going to see a Romance Anime of a quality better than Clannad anytime soon.

I don't pretend to be a Clannad lover, but Clannad's strong point is not its romance. It explores the theme of family much more.

If you want a real romance anime, Bogura ga Ita accomplishes so much more on that front.

Even within the VN medium for romance animes, I think ~ef was a much better romance tale.

--------

Anyways just got around to finishing Mashiro-Iro. Satisfying enough ending I suppose. The show was a solid 20 minutes of relaxation for me every week with all its pleasant characters and its atmosphere. I don't consider it the most memorable show by any means, but perhaps one of the better works in the genre (anime medium that is). Just an overall, pleasant watch start to finish.

cyberdemon · 2011-12-27, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

Yup, that's exactly what I thought about while being irked by Mashiroiro so much. I don't have the time to rewatch that series, but I remember that while TomoyaXNagisa was decided on very early, other characters' arcs still occurred, and they were developed even when it wasn't their arc. That's different than here, where the other girls basically faded into the background, except for Sana whose story is intertwined with Miu's.

Clannad is a big exception in that case. Because every route has major importance to nagisa's route. Unlike mashiro whose arcs are seperate from each other; in Clannad, every route was like a piece of a puzzle added into nagisa's route which leads to the true end of after story.

hyl · 2011-12-27, 20:52

In my opinion, Clannad and Mashiphony don't have that much in common when it comes to theme,romance, story, characters, settings and the drama.

Just for fun , a screenshot of an evil looking Pannya to support my mastermind theories.

(this image has not been editted, Pannya actually has that face once or twice in some stories)

MeganeShounen · 2011-12-28, 02:44

Just managed to marathon the last few episodes straight today, after X-mas (how fitting). I almost felt a few tears form around my eyes when I saw Mamanya crying for her missing daughter(?).

Spoiler for ending thoughts:

To wrap it up... I can say that this show was my weekly dose of healing. No action, nothing mind-boggling, a bit different from what the last season had to offer.

And yeah, I'm glad I've actually found another suitable show that I can recommend to female friends. The amount of tension, drama and heart-warming seems suitable to me.

Triple_R · 2011-12-28, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyl

In my opinion, Clannad and Mashiphony don't have that much in common when it comes to theme,romance, story, characters, settings and the drama.

Just for fun , a screenshot of an evil looking Pannya to support my mastermind theories.

(this image has not been editted, Pannya actually has that face once or twice in some stories)

Pannya does scouting work for a certain group of aliens that look for teenage girls to contract with and take Entropy-fighting energy from.

Pannya genuinely liked Miu and her friends so he spared them, but some of the girls at Shingo's school... man, they met with some sad ends. One ended up becoming a head-eating monster.

Reckoner · 2011-12-28, 14:32

Well thought I'd toss up my small review of the series here.

Spoiler for For space:

If one is to look on the surface of Mashiro-Iro Symphony, one would be hard pressed to see anything that was not seemingly riddled with cliche and the usual tropes typical of visual novel anime adaptions. What is remarkable about this show though is actually how it tends to subvert or twist these tropes into a surprisingly pleasant, soothing watch.

With the limitations imposed on studio Manglobe to do this adaption in one cour, they truly deserve a pat on the back for their efforts. The production values are pretty solid, and though the character designs may be simple, they are rather easy on the eyes. But most of all, the directing choices for the show were rather great. Knowing they could not cram in an arc for every girl, they decided for the better good to relegate certain characters to the background more. So instead of the typical rushed adaption that has been seen one too many times in the past, Manglobe succeeded in making a well paced, complete product. The pacing of this show is so important though that it is easy to see how this product could have gone easily wrong in the hands of some other, less competent studio.

The pacing and the atmosphere of the show is something that cannot be disregarded. Mashiro's strength is how it creates a soothing calmness for its audience. In a sense, it almost feels like a healing anime, one that you can expect to sit back and relax to as you let the show carry your daily worries away. It is not a show packed with tons of dialogue that one has to think hard to sort through its details, nor does it have chaotic events that require alertness, it just merely treads along at a nice slow pace that makes for quite the pleasant experience.

Still though, this could not be made all true without its cast. Again, what's remarkable about Mashiro is how it turns its tropes and cliches on their face. In this show we have the tsundere that does not quite act like a tsundere, and the sister character who is not played up for some sort of incestuous relation. If they include a fanservice scene, the characters do not ever really overreact in ways typical of anime such as the guy getting clobbered by the girl or the like. The males are not shown to be such perverted pigs that are willing to do anything to get into their pants. While there is a sense of a harem in the show, the male lead is not so incompetent so that you question the girl's sanity for being interested in such a pathetic existence. He exemplifies good character, is extremely kind and thoughtful, and it's quite easy to see how some of the girls would come to be interested in him.

Really, these qualities make Mashiro-Iro Symphony truly special to me. It is a show that does not see a need to bury itself in typically annoying tropes or cliches. Couple this with a lovely cast of really pleasant people, and you get an anime that you cannot help but find endearing. For anyone not opposed to the genre of visual novel anime adaptions, Mashiro-Iro should be a sure winner.

Rating: 7.5/10

Flower · 2011-12-28, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reckoner

Well thought I'd toss up my small review of the series here.

Spoiler for For space:

If one is to look on the surface of Mashiro-Iro Symphony, one would be hard pressed to see anything that was not seemingly riddled with cliche and the usual tropes typical of visual novel anime adaptions. What is remarkable about this show though is actually how it tends to subvert or twist these tropes into a surprisingly pleasant, soothing watch.

With the limitations imposed on studio Manglobe to do this adaption in one cour, they truly deserve a pat on the back for their efforts. The production values are pretty solid, and though the character designs may be simple, they are rather easy on the eyes. But most of all, the directing choices for the show were rather great. Knowing they could not cram in an arc for every girl, they decided for the better good to relegate certain characters to the background more. So instead of the typical rushed adaption that has been seen one too many times in the past, Manglobe succeeded in making a well paced, complete product. The pacing of this show is so important though that it is easy to see how this product could have gone easily wrong in the hands of some other, less competent studio.

The pacing and the atmosphere of the show is something that cannot be disregarded. Mashiro's strength is how it creates a soothing calmness for its audience. In a sense, it almost feels like a healing anime, one that you can expect to sit back and relax to as you let the show carry your daily worries away. It is not a show packed with tons of dialogue that one has to think hard to sort through its details, nor does it have chaotic events that require alertness, it just merely treads along at a nice slow pace that makes for quite the pleasant experience.

Still though, this could not be made all true without its cast. Again, what's remarkable about Mashiro is how it turns its tropes and cliches on their face. In this show we have the tsundere that does not quite act like a tsundere, and the sister character who is not played up for some sort of incestuous relation. If they include a fanservice scene, the characters do not ever really overreact in ways typical of anime such as the guy getting clobbered by the girl or the like. The males are not shown to be such perverted pigs that are willing to do anything to get into their pants. While there is a sense of a harem in the show, the male lead is not so incompetent so that you question the girl's sanity for being interested in such a pathetic existence. He exemplifies good character, is extremely kind and thoughtful, and it's quite easy to see how some of the girls would come to be interested in him.

Really, these qualities make Mashiro-Iro Symphony truly special to me. It is a show that does not see a need to bury itself in typically annoying tropes or cliches. Couple this with a lovely cast of really pleasant people, and you get an anime that you cannot help but find endearing. For anyone not opposed to the genre of visual novel anime adaptions, Mashiro-Iro should be a sure winner.

Rating: 7.5/10

Nice review.

Zavie · 2011-12-28, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyl

Nuko radio 7 with Sakurai Harumi as the guest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy4PEy8Uqzc

Also there will be another one after 2 weeks, but the guest is not announced yet

It's a bit late, but I love that short skit they did at the beginning (still listening to it)...

Spoiler for lololol:

hyl · 2011-12-28, 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zavie

It's a bit late, but I love that short skit they did at the beginning (still listening to it)...

Spoiler for lololol:

Spoiler for spoiler drama:

Akito Kinomoto · 2011-12-31, 22:02

Sometimes I question myself for watching shows that I know I won't like. We've got an all-girls' school suddenly going coed and just as luck would have it our unassuming main character in Shingo Uryu is one of the first students to attend the place due to this change. One guy and a whole lot of girls from a single-sex environment; here comes a sudden fascination with the opposite sex, a slew of panty shots, and a female ensemble with no self-respect!

If nothing else, stereotypes can nail the first trope to an extent, the second one not so much, and the last convention as non-existent. Mashiro-Iro Symphony is a prime example of how any story can be good if you put enough effort into it.

But okay. I'd be lying if I said there weren't any instances of a girl's body being compromised in this show, but it isn't anywhere close to the gratuity or ubiquity of its contemporaries; one can chalk-up the fanservice as a side effect of the situation rather than the cause itself, and it's possible to count the number of blatant titillation attempts on one hand. Furthermore, the last bit of exposure is actually handled quite seriously, indeed showing the respect this anime shows towards its audience, and more importantly, its female cast.

Because in a genre that practically puts its girls on exhibition, only one of them throws herself on Uryu, and given the reasons for her archetype it makes a lot of sense. In fact his final decision can be better described as a pursuit than a reciprocation. It makes the romance all the more rewarding when the lead has to work for the catch, rather than the options being handed down on a silver platter. That isn't to say the show's bachelor didn't catch anyone's eye, but even as he becomes all they can think about, we can still think about them without bringing it back to him.

Still, it isn't a good romance without good relationships, something which this show realizes. In hindsight the dynamics are predictable, though the unveiling much less so. It lacks any one element to really hook the viewer in, instead relying on a delicate balance of liveliness which never overtakes the show's subtlety or atmosphere. The transition from one arc to another is also seamless and there's enough of a set-up early on for future events, and hinting at who the show decides will be the OTP.

Unfortunately, the show isn't without its problems. One arc's start makes no sense considering there's no indication that the reason has interfered with its heroines motivation, while another arc ends with far too much sexual tension to just have it fade into the background without a concrete answer from either side. It especially doesn't help that the former's conclusion undermines the decision made in the first place, effectively wasting time that could have been spent on that open-ended thread alluded to.

Still, Mashiro-Iro Symphony's qualities outweigh and outnumber its flaws by far, and it's not only surprisingly good, it's just straight-up good period. A shame that most people are going to overlook this because lolharemcrap, but give this one a try and you'll be convinced that any kind of story can be good if you give enough of a damn about it (manglobe certainly did).

hyl · 2012-01-01, 08:49

Next week nuko radio guest has been announced 11 hours ago and expected it's Rikimaru Noriko.

edit: the only interesting mashiphony items from c81 besides the new Airi dakimakura and the Pannya parka are the new books from Tsubasu Izumi.

Candyshark · 2012-01-01, 12:29

who is an artist of another book?

hyl · 2012-01-01, 12:57

Those books were both drawn by Tsubasu Izumi, the original character designer of Mashiro iro Symphony. In almost every comiket she releases a small artbook called colorful pop and this time she also drew of what i think it's a small manga of Mashiphony called "colorful sinfonia"

hyl · 2012-01-02, 07:41

Without any announcement the creators of the Sena Airi android app also released a new app with Amaha Miu a few days ago on the google android market site.
You still need a phone with atleast an android 2.3.x and either a japanese phone/sim or a rooted phone with market enabler to install it though.
Also unlike the Airi app, the Miu add-on is not free.

edit: taken from my webcam

edit: In a small cast talk after the final episode if Mizushima would have picked a girl, he would have choosen Sakuno. lol

2011-12-27, 02:33	Link #1222
xKeir Upon a wishing Star Join Date: Dec 2011	Maybe its just me. I'm so going off topic but anyway ... Spoiler for Comparison to Clannad: I don't really see Clannad as a Romance-type of Anime though there are some in it. IMO it's really a slice-of-life kinda show... I get that there's the Tomoya & Nagisa thing going on and they even start a family but i thought the main focus of the show was the bitchiness of Life :3 Each arc circulates around each girls' own circumstances and how the characters brave past through it. Really u can't compare Clannad with Mashiro iro Symphony. Clannad is more about Life while Mashiro is really more about . Well. Love. There are also different types of Love which may complicate the discussion. Like Love-Love between a Male & a Female [Which is more of Mashiro Iro Symphony] Like Family-Love between the bonds of Family [Which is more of Clannad] Like Friendship-Love between Friends [Which is more of Clannad] Yesh. Tomoya liked Nagisa. But i didn't really see much of the love focus between them. I may be a lil blind. The only possible Love-Triangle that took place but was quickly resolved was the one with Kyou but that wasn't much of any focus. It just stood to say Kyou liked him but he didn't like her. And even then she and Tomoyo got a OVA just to satisfy the fans. I just feel that the main focus isn't much about Love between a couple like Mashiro Iro Symphony but how people face problems in Life and deal/accept them. Maybe its cuz i'm too into the stories of each of the characters in Clannad. I really liked the show cuz of their individual problems but not much about the romance between them. I liked Mashiro iro Symphony because of the Romance between the characters. Not really because of the Life they've lead. Thats just me. -edit- and i get that im not making any sense. I just can't put it in the right words. Last edited by relentlessflame; 2011-12-27 at 02:55. Reason: Added spoiler tags, just to be extra safe in case someone hasn't watched Clannad yet (why not?! :p )

2011-12-27, 03:51	Link #1224
winhlp32 (¬‿¬) Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Boyzone	Episode 12: - Miu end. Free Willy end. - Looks like Manglobe spent a lot of cash for the Pannya/Mamanya reunion scene. It had an insert song, people crying, the works. I looked at the end credits and yep, Mamanya, Pannya and Renka are all voiced by the same seiyuu Harumi Sakurai. I wish I had the chance to see her in action at the recording studio. - Minor nitpick: pannya seemed to be a lot bigger in size in the previous episodes. I guess when Mamanya and her child came along Manglobe realised they have yet to denote a proper size for her, and had to shrink her a bit so she can fit well aesthetically in the middle of the Nya-Pagoda. ----------------------------------------------------- Mashiroiro Symphony: - These kinds of VN adaptations usually have really awkward dialogue in its anime form, but Mashifoni's dialogue was mostly good. The writing, though simple, did not make the characters look more stupid than they should be, and complimented the characters sincerity well. - The girls were all adorable, and the guys weren't stupid, bratty or arrogant. Though there is only two recurring guys in this story though. Sana turned from my least favorite character in the beginning to my favorite character in the end. To think what might've been if Manglobe adapted Airi's route... - Music was pleasant and effective in the emotional scenes. Art was for the most part consistent, but could've benefited from some variety in coloring and lighting. - Sad thing is that though the atmosphere in this anime was pretty good, I enjoyed the much more lively air in the VN more. The VN uses humor and typical anime iconography to achieve this, along with much more upbeat music. Spoiler for Compared to VN: e.g. when they found Airi in the Supermarket, I wanted to see her panic and trying to check-out of the store with the expensive meat. I also liked the little bit in the VN when Shingo and Sakuno went to Airi's house to study, Airi showing up in her seedy-looking robe and their subsequent reactions. Also sad that due to them adapting Miu's route, Sakuno had little involvement in the VN. She was the funniest character in the VN for her deadpan and occasionally witty dialogue. - But nitpicks are just nitpicks. Overall this was highly enjoyable, the romantic conclusion was satisfying, and the series could also pass as those animal movies. Except its a TV series. __________________ 　　　　　　　　　　 \| 　　　＼　　( ^p^ )／　　　　￣￣ / 　　　　　　　/ 　　　　　／　＼\| 　　　　/

2011-12-27, 13:45	Link #1226
Triple_R Senior Member Author Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Age: 42	I like Clannad a bit more than I do Mashiro-iro Symphony, but then Clannad is one of my 10 favorite anime shows of all-time, and Clannad had the huge benefit of four cours to work with. If Clannad had been stuck with just one cour to work with, I suspect that many of its strengths would have been downgraded significantly, leaving it more or less where Mashiro-iro Symphony is now. And one area where I will give the edge to Mashiro-iro Symphony is in the main romance. As much as I love Tomoya/Nagisa, it would have been nice if they had a couple more lovey-dovey romantic scenes like what Shingo/Miu had. Overall, I'm inclined to agree with xKeir on the Clannad/Mashiro-iro Symphony comparison. __________________

2011-12-28, 02:44	Link #1230
MeganeShounen Huh? Join Date: Nov 2004	Just managed to marathon the last few episodes straight today, after X-mas (how fitting). I almost felt a few tears form around my eyes when I saw Mamanya crying for her missing daughter(?). Spoiler for ending thoughts: Might have missed it, but we didn't get to see the student rally that Airi proposed, did we? Good thing I didn't look at any episode previews or anything for the last episode, because I totally did NOT expect Yutsuki appearing, with a speaking role, even. I think I've only noticed now that everyone has colored rings around their irises... or maybe the last few episodes had an abundance of close-ups? Completely felt warm all over (the good way) during the last few moments of episode 11. I don't think I've ever felt that warm in a long long while from watching a show... The last scene for episode 12, with Shingo and Miu in casual clothes... makes me feel as if the story's still ongoing for sorts. Nice feelings all around. The very last ending card had the original illustrator drawing Miu in her cat-ear maid outfit, but with whitish transparent wings? Hmm. To wrap it up... I can say that this show was my weekly dose of healing. No action, nothing mind-boggling, a bit different from what the last season had to offer. And yeah, I'm glad I've actually found another suitable show that I can recommend to female friends. The amount of tension, drama and heart-warming seems suitable to me.

2012-01-02, 07:41	Link #1240
hyl reading #hikaributts Join Date: Feb 2009	Without any announcement the creators of the Sena Airi android app also released a new app with Amaha Miu a few days ago on the google android market site. You still need a phone with atleast an android 2.3.x and either a japanese phone/sim or a rooted phone with market enabler to install it though. Also unlike the Airi app, the Miu add-on is not free. edit: taken from my webcam edit: In a small cast talk after the final episode if Mizushima would have picked a girl, he would have choosen Sakuno. lol Last edited by hyl; 2012-01-02 at 13:50.

2011-12-27, 02:16	Link #1221
novalysis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011	Curse of the One Cour strikes again then? So long as animes of this genre are only restrictied to one Cour of length , I doubt we are going to see a Romance Anime of a quality better than Clannad anytime soon.

2011-12-27, 11:25	Link #1225
hyl reading #hikaributts Join Date: Feb 2009	Nuko radio 7 with Sakurai Harumi as the guest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy4PEy8Uqzc Also there will be another one after 2 weeks, but the guest is not announced yet

2011-12-27, 20:52	Link #1229
hyl reading #hikaributts Join Date: Feb 2009	In my opinion, Clannad and Mashiphony don't have that much in common when it comes to theme,romance, story, characters, settings and the drama. Just for fun , a screenshot of an evil looking Pannya to support my mastermind theories. (this image has not been editted, Pannya actually has that face once or twice in some stories)

2012-01-01, 08:49	Link #1237
hyl reading #hikaributts Join Date: Feb 2009	Next week nuko radio guest has been announced 11 hours ago and expected it's Rikimaru Noriko. edit: the only interesting mashiphony items from c81 besides the new Airi dakimakura and the Pannya parka are the new books from Tsubasu Izumi.

2012-01-01, 12:29	Link #1238
Candyshark Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011	who is an artist of another book?

2012-01-01, 12:57	Link #1239
hyl reading #hikaributts Join Date: Feb 2009	Those books were both drawn by Tsubasu Izumi, the original character designer of Mashiro iro Symphony. In almost every comiket she releases a small artbook called colorful pop and this time she also drew of what i think it's a small manga of Mashiphony called "colorful sinfonia"