(CR) White Album 2

[Tenzen12]

Originally Posted by Nitestorm

Can someone explain to me why Kazusa leaving for Vienna is even a big deal? The show occurs in like what, 2008?

E-mail, texts, video chat, social media, and whatever else means maintaining contact between two people should be rather trivial.

I mean if this was like 1990 or something then I can understand the distance barrier being more meaningful.

These methods can never be equivalent alternative of direct contact. Not even close.

[Mahou]

Originally Posted by Nitestorm

Can someone explain to me why Kazusa leaving for Vienna is even a big deal? The show occurs in like what, 2008?

E-mail, texts, video chat, social media, and whatever else means maintaining contact between two people should be rather trivial.

I mean if this was like 1990 or something then I can understand the distance barrier being more meaningful.

For sake of drama. Nothing more.

I think White Album 2 will be one of the shows for me that embodies the meaning of "everything was reasonably explained in-verse, but that doesn't mean I must like it."
I mean, I should have known from the vn reviews that this would be very, very, drama heavy AND centric (others may call it realistic) AND despite my large drama allergy I thought "Oh come on, it can't be that bad." Welcome back to earth, Mahou. Not much I liked and better be forgotten asap in my case.
-> Don't feel offended if this sounds like some provoking hate troll post as I'm literally more slapping myself for not listening to my inner alarm and preferences.

[DragoonKain3]

Originally Posted by velocity7

Of course it's easy to keep in touch over the Internet etc. However, it's a big deal because Kazusa intended to cut off all connections with Haruki etc. over Setsuna through this move.

Yeah, Touma leaving Haruki in his apartment without saying a word implies that she had no intentions whatsoever of keeping in touch with Haruki. Touma leaving Vienna means SO MUCH more than just leaving Japan; it also means leaving and staying out of touch with Haruki as well, since I think she intends to leave him to be happy with Setsuna.

[Haak]

Well now that this show finally over i can finally start taking about it in this thread without having to worry about any damn spoilers.

I have to say that's it's been a really good ride for me. To be honest, I didn't really think much of the show during the first half. It was moving along fairly nicely but Haruki just kept pissing me off with his utter denseness. And Setsuna was frustrating me little bit as well so basically Touma was what was making the show for me during the first half. But then that kiss happened and suddenly things started getting really interesting. Haruki's character improved dramatically when he was finally moved out of his comfort zone, Touma was even more awesome than I already thought and Setsuna...well the poor girl just had to sit back and suffer . I kind of felt a little sorry for her when she started blaming herself for "getting in the way". That's just totally wrong thinking. She's perfectly entitled to try and go after Haruki if she wants. If she fails then she fails but she should at least try if she wants to. So what if Haurki and Touma have feelings for each other? They weren't exactly dating so nothing was set in stone. It's perfectly possible that Setsuna could have won him over (of course, considering this is a VN that was probably one of the routes. XP) The onus was up to Haruki and Touma being honest with each other. That's where the real drama was and unfortunately that's why I think Setsuna was largely uninteresting. She was an okay character in her own right, but she was basically there to make things complicated for Haruki and Touma and then sit back and suffer because she can't do anything else and that's mostly it. I didn't really feel much else for her.

But boy did things get complicated: Haruki's character did improve dramatically and it was overall enjoyable to see, but I could have done without him becoming a complete douchebag. Kissing another girl on his girlfriends birthday, pointedly leaving your girlfriend behind to chase after another girl, having sex with another girl before you tell your girlfriend you need to break up with her (You probably didn't even use protection, you dickface), pointedly screaming "Touma" at the airport and running over to hug her right in front of Setsuna after making her suffer. Geez, Haruki have some God damn restraint. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if they didn't play that damn heartwarming lovely music every time Haruki acted like an arsehole XD. It's not like it wasn't understandable (and that fact that I found it understandable is an impressive achievement already) but it's not exactly commendable either. Haruki was lucky Setsuna was so understanding because I doubt most break ups would be that clean.

And Touma...well she was the star of the whole god damn show. I loved her chemistry with Haruki before the school festival twist but the episodes that gave her the POV served to underpin her as the best character in the show. It's hard to really say anything else because if I wanted to talk specifically about what I liked about her then I just wouldn't know where to begin. To be frank I loved everything. I don't want to overuse the term, but I think Haruki and Touma's relationship was a deconstruction of sorts in showing the kind of mess that can result from a tsundere and clueless male lead that takes the tsun at face value. And like Madoka Magica is was also a reconstruction of sorts because they managed to get together in the end despite the mess they created. The only thing I really disliked is the fact that they didn't really conclude where Touma and Haruki's relationship would go now that Touma left Japan. I imagine they're obviously going to keep in touch but I would've liked more focus on that.

I have to say though, that sex scene was pretty damn narmy. I mean I thought it was a very tender moment for the first minute, but then it just kept going on and on and after the third minute I was starting to wonder if they were going to (not)show the whole thing.

But anyway it's been a very fun ride: 8.0/10

[Guardian Enzo]

You know, as has been pointed out, Haruki knew it was better to let things lie. It was Setsuna who insisted in dragging him to the airport.

I think Setsuna is quite addicted to playing the martyr - for example, when she broke down crying in front of Kazusa after just having effectively stolen Haruki out from under her. Here it manifests in her insistence in dragging Haruki to Narita, despite his reluctance. She knows what's going to happen when they find her, and she wants to experience that brutal sadness both because she thinks she deserves it, and because it's her way of making herself the victim.

The funny thing is, Setsuna already is the victim here, really - Haruki has betrayed her for another girl - but as always with her, she can't just leave it alone. Since Haruki and Kazusa overload the drama with errors of omission Setsuna has to commit enough errors of commission for all three of them - and she's more than up to the challenge.

[Tenzen12]

I never though about it this way... but you migh be actualy very right.

[silvercover]

ah such a beautiful anime, here's to hoping they continue it soon.
as the romance expert, ive got to say this was quite an experience. very few romance series are able to actually make the 3 people in a love triangle be more or less likable, to the point that even if you ship one over the other you cant help feeling sad for the opposition.

basically, most of the time love triangles end up with fans taking sides and gunning at the opposition, in here the worst ive been reading is wanting the male lead, and perhaps all the rest, to go down in blood... which is pretty depressing to hear but understandable if you cant handle people making mistakes. but yeah, this made it to the point that you either love/pity all of the characters or if you find all of them to be annoying for screwing up, in which case it still delivered the message of mistakes(at least when you compare to other romance ive seen. ugh, people end up interpreting a characters nice action such as stepping aside to be manipulative, weak, etc. or get angry when they make a move, like, isnt that what you would do if you like someone?)

so anyway, this one has been quite a refreshing and new experience with me. closest series that went this way was school days, and I really hope it wont be like that here. at least haruki here has admitted the truth immediately rather than keeping it in like makoto, and he did TRY to resist his feelings for kazusa. that's why I cant dislike him like other people. hell he also makes himself miserable(not going to see kazusa) not only as punishment but also to prevent himself from further hurting setsuna.
people should at least look at that before saying that he deserves death.

I guess il stop here for now since there's likely a lot more things to happen if we get a continuation.
but for now I give this series 10/10. production, animation quality, etc. doesnt reall concern me a lot to influence the score, and ive seen worse ones anyway this is pretty good. music was also excellent, im hoping I can download them soon. what matters is if they managed to deliver their message and if it made an impact, in this case it did to me.

[EroKing]

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[Nachtwandler]

Originally Posted by TheEroKing

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Spoiler for Spoiler:

For virgin one is enough...

[kitten320]

Well for one as many have stated, Kazusa had no intention of keeping in contact with them. If anything she planned to leave before things got complicated but Haruki and Setsuna didn't let it happen.

And dear Nitestorm, no offence but have you ever been involved in far distance relationship? For one no matter how many times you skype and e-mail the distance is still there and if there is no way of visiting, that distance will grow and eventually they will fall apart.

Secondly, Vienna is not around a corner and if Kazusa is to actually live there, chances of being together again are pretty slim. Travel back and forward is not cheap. Vienna is quiet a distance away from Japan.

I was in similar situation but without whole love triangle drama. My ex was from Australia and eventually had to go back. With that our relationship had to finish because he literally lives on the other side of the world and even a once a year visit costs a fortune that none of us can afford.
Yes we do keep in touch with each other but only as friends, relationship is simply impossible here.

While I agree that anime over dramatized things, it is not that far off from reality. No matter how much you skype each other, if you don't meet in person often enough soon that relationship will fall apart. For it to work, one of them has to give up on their current life style and move in with another, move to their country of living. Otherwise it is a dead end.
Either live in same country, or at least in neighbouring country.

And even if you can text each other, it doesn't make farewells any less painful.

[Dirty_Harry]

Originally Posted by Haak

It's perfectly possible that Setsuna could have won him over (of course, considering this is a VN that was probably one of the routes. XP)

This is the Introductory Chapter (20% of the total story). There is no routes in this part. Is completely linear. The anime adapted faithfully.

Only in the Closing Chapter is that we have routes (3 years later).


EDIT: I recommend the side story "The Idol Who Forgot How To Sing" in the Baka-Tsuki site. Narrates what happens after the anime in the 3 years between the IC and CC.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Certainly my favorite series of the fall, and maybe of the year...despite its faults.

Suddenly going from realizing they loved each other to a passionate and unprotected session in bed seemed more erogame logic than anything else. I could go with it, for sure, but it takes some special logic to make it seem natural. "They just couldn't stop themselves" is good enough, I guess, coupled with "they wanted to take possession of each other."

The show was certainly basically for guys, and did not focus on the two genders equally. A show where two girls are after one guy is a standard set-up in a show for guys, even if this one was done so much better than others. But that doesn't mean everyone can't enjoy it, as everyone can enjoy a shoujo romance.

I don't find any fault at all with the evolution of the romance. Touma hid her feelings, so Haruki had no idea she returned his. Setsuna's explanation that she knew he was vulnerable and would say yes to her confession at that moment worked for me. But the force of the mutual attraction between Haruki and Touma was just too great to be contained.

In this last episode, I did not fault Haruki for crying, but I did fault seiyuu Mizushima Takahiro for the way he cried. Didn't reach me.

Saying Setsuna is a bit crazy makes sense to me. But I don't see her as more crazy than a lot of us. She followed her feelings and made her move for Haruki. Taking him out to the airport seemed less something natural than something designed for drama, but maybe she either (a) wanted to pry Haruki and Touma apart a bit by making them have an awkward farewell, or (b) hoped she could bring everybody together again, by showing she accepted the situation. Her name sounds like the word for suffering, setsunai (but is written differently).

That final view of Setsuna against Haruki's back seemed like a possible presage of the next few years, with Haruki and Setsuna together at the same university (?) and Setsuna patiently working away to revive her romance with him, in Touma's absence.

Anyway, brilliantly storyboarded/directed, and with an outstanding performance from Nabatame Hitomi (Touma). Bring on season two.

[Ringil]

Interestingly enough, my issues with the anime are basically the same I had with the VN. The art became quite bad after a while. On the other hand, I think the story was solid throughout though I started to really dislike Setsuna by the end as we learned more of how much she knew and did knowingly. What kind of best friend essentially steals her friend's boyfriend?

That said I think the best moment of the series was the ending of episode 1, with the build up to Setsuna's singing.

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Suddenly going from realizing they loved each other to a passionate and unprotected session in bed seemed more erogame logic than anything else. I could go with it, for sure, but it takes some special logic to make it seem natural. "They just couldn't stop themselves" is good enough, I guess, coupled with "they wanted to take possession of each other."

That wasn't a couldn't-stop-themselves situation for me. It was more a deliberate act of desperation, for me, which Setsuna's phonecall threatened to interrupt. There was probably as much frustration as passion in the act. Which is why Kazusa left like that and Haruki didn't want to give chase. They wanted to cram a life's worth experience into that one moment. It nearly broke my heart to watch them like this.

I am and always have been firmly in Kazua's camp, but I also felt so terribly bad for Setsuna. When they had that foreshadowing line about "the last time the three of them could be together like this", I certainly didn't expect an outcome like this. I totally buy everyone's emotions (and confusion) from start to finish. Masterpiece for me. 10/10. I was in denial for about 3/4 of the show, but in the end there's no denying it; I really feel that way about the show.

[MgMaster]

So when I first saw a preview for White Album 2,two things popped in my head:

1 - Oh boy,here we go again...Even if it's not a sequel to the first White Album it'll probably be something similar.I'll probably watch it with the "it's a trainwreck" mentality.

2 - That one still HAD potential to be a good romance although it failed utterly but maybe,just maybe this one will do it right.

After the first episode I was already getting hyped as it was better than anything the other White Album offered but was trying to not get my hopes up,as the first few episodes of that one showed promise -albeit not as much- too.Week after week,WA2 continued to exceed my expectations and putting the though in my head: "Could this be the romance anime I've been unintentionally waiting for a few years now? One of ef: A tale of Memories & Melodies and True Tears's caliber?" Lo and behold,it was.What it lacked in animation compared to those,it made up with it's three main characters which were,IMHO,better fleshed out & developed.

I won't beat around the bush,this is definitely my favorite anime of 2013 as well as one of my favorite romance animes of all time,right up there with the three I mentioned above.

I'm now personally content in the romance department enough to last for a while.Not to say I wouldn't watch & enjoy another romance of WA2's caliber but I won't be craving for one that much for now.It goes without saying that I'm really,really hoping they animate CC & CODA though.

[novalysis]

White Album 2 is one of those stories which ends up convincing you that a ménage à trois between the Love Triangle is the very best option for all involved. Except that Japanese society probably frowns severely on such unconventional family arrangements.

If CC and Coda does get animated, I really, really hope that the scriptwriters would have the balls to drive the adaptation to a ménage à trois end, even if no route in the source material goes for that option. Seriously - that would probably be the Best conceivable ending for WA2, and probably acceptable from both Setsuna and Kazusa's perspective, though unacceptable from society's.

[Free]

Part A felt like an overly-stretch music video for that BGM. Facial expressions and animations are still awkward at times. They chose to use the original Todokanaikoi's instrumental instead of '13 or Campus Fes vers for some reason, the vocal seems new though.

WA2:IC could have been so much more, but I guess that's the best that we're gonna get for now. Hopefully someone more capable handles the sequels...

In the meanwhile, I'll keep myself content with the still-running radio show and other Maruto games.

[Dirty_Harry]

Originally Posted by Free

Part A felt like an overly-stretch music video for that BGM. Facial expressions and animations are still awkward at times. They chose to use the original Todokanaikoi's instrumental instead of '13 or Campus Fes vers for some reason, the vocal seems new though.

WA2:IC could have been so much more, but I guess that's the best that we're gonna get for now. Hopefully someone more capable handles the sequels...

In the meanwhile, I'll keep myself content with the still-running radio show and other Maruto games.

More capable than the author himself? I doubt that is possible. I also doubt that a better adaptation could have been done in 13 eps.

[psycho bolt]

Originally Posted by novalysis

White Album 2 is one of those stories which ends up convincing you that a ménage à trois between the Love Triangle is the very best option for all involved. Except that Japanese society probably frowns severely on such unconventional family arrangements.

If CC and Coda does get animated, I really, really hope that the scriptwriters would have the balls to drive the adaptation to a ménage à trois end, even if no route in the source material goes for that option. Seriously - that would probably be the Best conceivable ending for WA2, and probably acceptable from both Setsuna and Kazusa's perspective, though unacceptable from society's.

would be interesting challenge. I could already see the opposing opinion of this: doesn't work in real life. Yet, fiction has its own merits, making something unrealistic seem possible. A story like this just really needs good writing.

Anyways, the top of airport roof scene felt so unneeded. For a minute i wanted to say to Setsuna: Just stop, don't do anything unecessary. Get over. Touma won and Haruki is a hack for not realizing this sooner. Everyone screwed up. Lets just get the show moving to second season if you may or not. Overall, 7.5/10. Good adaption that delivered.

[Free]

Originally Posted by Dirty_Harry

More capable than the author himself? I doubt that is possible. I also doubt that a better adaptation could have been done in 13 eps.

Maruto didn't make the show by himself.