(CR) Orange (TV series)

[SuitUp]

I'm hoping that Kakeru's death is unavoidable, that the only thing changing are the circumstances behind it (meaning, actual accident, fatal disease or something instead or the currently suspected suicide) so the group can actually move on with ther lives without lingering guilt and regrets they carry, and without their friend, I think I'll actually feel cheated if they do manage to save Kakeru's life, he just works so much better as a tragic character.

[Stark700]

Episode 4:

Ah, this episode made me feel sorry for Naho but at the same time, she should of been more open about her feelings to Kakeru. I really dislike that Ueda girl though, the one that overly attached herself to Kakeru.

Meanwhile, I think there's a lot about opportunities and Naho needed to use it. The letters tell her events for the future but there's also chance to change them. Good episode, quite a bit of drama as I had expected.

[AB079]

In this new episode we're dealing with Naho's real feelings towards kakeru and how thanks to the changes she's doing the thing written in the letter are changing a bit compared to reality. Kakeru's girlfriend is a really shit girl to be honest, I just hope Naho makes a move and finally both of them assume their feelings so we can have the nahoXKakeru ship done.

Another great episode.

[HandofFate]

is Naho getting a new letter each day.

or did she get them all at once and reading them one by one instead of binge reading them

[zeross87]

well i personally disliked this episode but it was over before i knew it so i must i've liked it anyway...

i so wanted to grab nao by the shoulder and shake her up, i really don't like this kind of running away personality. we see it often in anime and i usually dismiss it as its the girl choice, but girl you know you have to try to save is damned life so be a little more assertive please ?

and it all finished with another cringe thing, yes the whole world but you know who he like, get a clue !

ahhh well i'm glad suwa is a good man. i thanked him so much internally for stopping her.

i wonder if they will know about the letters ? i wonder if it was me i would tell them. it would probably sound crazy and your friend could think you're drunk, but once you predict a few thing they would trust you and help you i think.
well easier to say on an observer perspective

[sikvod00]

Having Ueda be a jerk just makes it easy for Kakeru to break up with her. Imagine if she was a nice, decent person like the rest of the main cast?

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by HandofFate

is Naho getting a new letter each day.

or did she get them all at once and reading them one by one instead of binge reading them

I'm pretty sure she has all the letters already. I find the fact that she does not read them all at once an annoying plot device, but it is what it is.

I agree it would make things more complicated, and perhaps more realistic, if Ueda was a more appealing personality. It makes it a bit too easy to root for Naho, though knowing her future, becoming involved with Kakeru may not actually be the "right" path.

Is Suwa secretly pining away for Naho and helping her mend things with Kakeru because he cares for her? Suwa is that prototypical male anime character who hides all his feelings behind an easy smile.

Visually I find myself making comparisons to Chihayafuru, though Naho and Chihaya are obviously very different personalities. Though the director, Hamasaki Hiroshi, didn't work on Chihayafuru himself, he apparently spent an good part of his career at Madhouse. Other people on the staff seem to have some Madhouse ties as well.

Isn't Inoue Kikuko worried that she won't be able to remain seventeen if she plays characters' mothers?

Kanazawa is so ubiquitous these days I tend to lose track of her performances, but her work as Naho is quite good. Kanazawa captures Naho's indecision quite well, I think, and the contrasts between her public and private selves.

Is it as common in real-life for Japanese adults to remain connected with their high-school friends, even after a decade has passed? This seems such a common trope in anime, but I wonder if it is an idealization or simply more common than it seems here in the States. I've seen middle-school reunions like the one in episode three of Otona Joshi no Anime Time and even an elementary school reunion in episode ten of Bartender. Frankly I'd be hard pressed to remember the names of more than half-a-dozen kids that I went to elementary school with.

[Top Sergeant]

Suwa's scene on the landing with Naho made me wonder if Suwa got a letter too.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Top Sergeant

Suwa's scene on the landing with Naho made me wonder if Suwa got a letter too.

That's an interesting theory. I don't think the other girls received letters since they spend so much time wondering what's up with Naho. They don't appear to be dissembling, either, but authentically clueless.

Also, unless it's a spoiler which seems doubtful, can someone explain the frog symbolism?

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Top Sergeant

Suwa's scene on the landing with Naho made me wonder if Suwa got a letter too.

That struck me too, just for a moment, then it was gone. It did seem like there was something there.

[Yamada II]

Episode 4

So Kakeru is dating Ueda but isn't really happy with it. It's clearly visible on his face that he isn't really okay with this. He wants to talk to Naho to confirm her "no" but Naho ignores him despite being told not to in the letter. She does everything that the letter states because the situation was such that she couldn't bring herself to confront Kakeru. She probably thought that this was Kakeru's decision and she doesn't want him to dislike her by talking with him because Ueda would be pissed. Naho started to cut ties with him a bit – stopped making lunch for him, stopped waking him up, stopped talking to him. Kakeru began to regret his decision of dating Ueda but he wanted a confirmation from Naho, but couldn't get that as Naho ignored him. He wanted to talk to her all this time but couldn't because of Naho running away. But Suwa comes to save the day as he pushes Naho to go ahead and talk to Kakeru. The guy knows that Kakeru isn't exactly happy with how things are and wants to talk to Naho but isn't getting the chance to which has him a bit depressed. Suwa is well aware that Naho and Kakeru are into each other and he's keeping his own feelings back and getting the two together.

Suwa showing up to push Naho wasn't mentioned in the letter which means that the seemingly small things Naho did changed things so that Suwa ends up helping her out. Or could be Suwa has something similar to what Naho has. The other two girls are suspecting that Naho is hiding something important from them but they know that she isn't the kind of girl who'd tell them that easily so they'll have to find a way to get that secret out of her. It would help Naho if the others know about the letter and what will happen as it will make saving Kakeru easier as her friends would then help her make those hard decisions just like how Suwa helped her talk to Kakeru. They might even find alternate ways to get the same result the letter wants which would save Naho some trouble.

[Benigmatica]

Manage to caught up with the latest episode this week and I have to say that it's sucks for Ueda-sempai to get dumped by Kakeru. Well, there would be problems in the long run but at least Kakeru returned to Naho and talk to her again, 'cause he felt happy to be with her than Ueda-sempai.

But wait, should Naho managed to save Kakeru, what will happen to her 10 years from now when she's married with Suwa-kun?

[IceHism]

Naho really does make a lot of infuriating decisions. I don't really get why she continues to hurt herself when she has future her telling her that she will definitely regret it because he dies.

[Yamada II]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Is it as common in real-life for Japanese adults to remain connected with their high-school friends, even after a decade has passed? This seems such a common trope in anime, but I wonder if it is an idealization or simply more common than it seems here in the States. I've seen middle-school reunions like the one in episode three of Otona Joshi no Anime Time and even an elementary school reunion in episode ten of Bartender. Frankly I'd be hard pressed to remember the names of more than half-a-dozen kids that I went to elementary school with.

It really depends on how close you were in highschool with your friends. If you were best buddies then you would stay in contact even after graduating. The other day a friend told me that he meets with some of his highschool friends and stays in contact with them 4-5 years after graduating while I don't, even though we were in the same class. Although an elementary school reunion sounds a bit too much because you barely remember who was with you in elementary school unless they continue with you through middle and/or high school.

Also, unless it's a spoiler which seems doubtful, can someone explain the frog symbolism?

ANN describes it as showing how cut off Naho is with whatever's going on around her. Everyone is playing around and she's the frog in the water, distant from everyone else (or something along those lines). But if you see that there are six frogs in total (five out of the water and one in), the one in the water is Kakeru and the others are the ones outside and it's like they've all forgotten Kakeru and have ditched him to have fun on their own since he's busy with his girlfriend, and Kakeru is feeling lonely on his own away from his friends. Two ways to take it. Or there could be more interpretations of it.

[frivolity]

Not sure about Japan, but it's fairly common in Singapore. I myself keep in contact with two close friends from high school even though it's been 9 years since we graduated and I don't even live in Singapore anymore. My colleagues from other Asian countries say the same, so I don't think it would be too far off from what happens in Japan.

[Guardian Enzo]

Don't forget, it's been stated that this quintet didn't stay particularly close - they made it sound as if they've largely drifted apart. They seem to be engaged in something like a a 10-year reunion to honor Kakeru (or maybe just dig up the time capsule).

[Kanon]

I have to confess I was quite frustrated with Naho's behavior in this episode. I know it's not easy to change yourself even if it is your future self telling you to do so, but this is a matter of life and death here. The goal is to save Kakeru, not (just) get into his pants. Her attitude was very self-centered.

Originally Posted by Top Sergeant

Suwa's scene on the landing with Naho made me wonder if Suwa got a letter too.

I think so too. It would also explain why Kakeru joined the soccer club this time around, despite minimal involvement from Naho (Kakeru said Suwa insisted).

[Guardian Enzo]

I'm squarely with Naho-chan vs. Naho-san on this one. Changing yourself is very hard to do - it's easy to give order with the benefit of hindsight. Naho did all the things she did the first time around because they were her instinctive reactions. Of course there are times when we need to act against our tendencies, but it isn't like flipping a switch because someone tells us to..

[Psyco Diver]

I graduated high school almost 15 years ago and for the first 8-10 years I stayed pretty close to a bunch of friends. In the last 5 years that's changed because most of us have gotten married and have kids and even moved away. I still keep up with some through Facebook though and maybe 2 of them I talk to regularly

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Benigmatica

But wait, should Naho managed to save Kakeru, what will happen to her 10 years from now when she's married with Suwa-kun?

Very good question. I can't see the writer wiping their child out of existence. So either Kakeru dies anyway - only with a lot less regret involved - or he lives but ends up in a relationship with the others that doesn't break up Naho's and Suwa's marriage.

A personal note - my sister's high school boyfriend was killed in an accident sometime when they were in their 20s, long after my sister had gotten together with the man who is now her husband. She loves her husband and she loves their two children, and yet she still misses this boy and thinks of him often. In a similar vein, Naho-san may not be trying to get Naho-chan together with Kakeru. She may just be trying to make the little time Naho-chan does spend with him better.