(L) Kokoro Connect [anime]

[Vena]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

It's Taichi's secret reveal that caused mood whiplash for me, not Inaba's. Inaba's secret reveal doesn't cause mood whiplash, imo, because it just picks up where Taichi left off.

With Taichi's secret reveal, it's also a question of how it was lead into, imo. The way Taichi was leading into it, you'd swear it would be something absolutely huge and scandalous. But no, it's just that he whacks off to attractive classmates. That's not exactly expulsion-worthy, imo.

I think that was intentional misdirection. He appears (clenching fist, shows exasperation with her thinking) to be reaching the end of his patience and as if he's about to spill some deep, dark secret but, by establishing further that he's a *selfless freak*, he ends up confessing a rather inconsequential, almost no-need-to-be-said secret that degrades him (its an effective way to destroy your own reputation and the girl can easily start to look at you funny or avoid you) but helps put Inaba at ease. (She returns it later to even the fields because, as she's made ever so clear, she can't stand his selflessness. Its an effective mutual self-destruction clause.)

There's something very wrong with our White Knight. Much as how The Arthurian White Knight eventually becomes the Black Knight (depending on the author). It was rather important that he couldn't even give his true reason for why he was so supportive of Iori. There's something very wrong with his head, Inaba's onto it but she can't goad it out of him. Its a fun dynamic, as I see it so far, the girl who sees everyone's problems (except her own) and the boy who fixes everyones problems (except his own), and they help each other out of their own ruts as an added bonus.

[zeniselv]

still its not something you openly admit, you wouldnt want people thinking you masturbate to your female friends, thats the kind of things people can assume but not prove, and i think the point was that taichi just needed to expose something to her, so the wouldnt feel as bad, and in the end it migth be just like her problem was just a tempest in a glass of water.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by zeniselv

still its not something you openly admit, you wouldnt want people thinking you masturbate to your female friends, thats the kind of things people can assume but not prove, and i think the point was that taichi just needed to expose something to her, so the wouldnt feel as bad, and in the end it migth be just like her problem was just a tempest in a glass of water.

Well the issue is about trust isn't it? It's one thing to ask someone to reveal their dark secret while you get to keep yours, it's another when you convince them by doing it yourself.

Beside, people are more willing to trust people when they have something on them This is probably one of those plans that wasn't really thought out As we all saw that Inaba isn't the most tight lipped of individuals

Originally Posted by TheEroKing

Mind = blown.

You'll never get a girl to say that to you

[Vena]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

Beside, people are more willing to trust people when they have something on them This is probably one of those plans that wasn't really thought out As we all saw that Inaba isn't the most tight lipped of individuals

She isn't tight lipped, but by "returning the favor", so to speak, she cannot spill it without giving herself away too.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Vena

She isn't tight lipped, but by "returning the favor", so to speak, she cannot spill it without giving herself away too.

It all comes down to trust I suppose and in the end Taichi was 'rewarded' for his courage and faith

[Haak]

This may just be me being optimistic but I think the way a lot of this resembles a typical harem VN right now (White knight male lead, goofy side kick, multiple girls with serious issues) is actually intentional and they plan to subvert the hell out of it. There are definitely more than enough hints to suggest all is not fine and dandy after all.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

This is something no man, let alone a teenage boy, would ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever do.

You're right - This is something that no guy would ever admit to, at least to someone he's not in an active relationship with. That's why I said this line would be fine in a standard harem comedy, where the overall tone of the show gels better with "over-the-top" silly lines like this one.

My point is that because the tone of this episode is very serious, it would flow better if Taichi's "secret" was similarly serious - A truly dark secret that's not just shocking to admit to, but is also concerning in and of itself.

What Taichi admitted to is the sort of thing that's shocking to admit to, but not shocking to actually do.


Another problem I have with it is that it makes it seem like Taichi has no real issues (other than, perhaps, excessive selflessness). The impression I took from Taichi's secret is that Taichi didn't go with an actual dark secret precisely because he doesn't have a dark secret. This masturbation thing is the best he could come up with.

So you have the three girls admitting serious issues to Taichi, and all the guys can come up with is this "boys will be boys" stuff. It does feed into gender stereotypes, as other people on this thread alluded to.


Now, maybe Kokoro Connect will later show that Taichi (and/or Aoki) actually have issues aside from excessive selflessness (Taichi) and "boys being boys" stuff. If so, great, and my issues with this episode are somewhat alleviated. But let's just say that I'm not liking how things are going right now.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

...There's just no subtlety at all. It's just heavy exposition. That being said, the seiyu work is fantastic, and the characters do have interesting issues and problems... It's just that I'd rather have those issues showed to me rather than constantly told to me.

Valid points, but I react differently. The subtlety is underneath, in the ideas and feelings themselves, which are so much stranger and more interesting than in most other anime. Showing all this would (a) take a long time, and (b) make things grosser and heavier, rather than as delicate and intriguing as they are here.

What is being actually shown is the characters themselves, in their moods and expressions and reactions. And those are being shown with some subtlety and complexity, it seems to me. For instance, even after telling Taichi about herself, the next day Iori still behaves as if she is conveying the happy Iori image, rather than "being herself." Or is that "herself?"

Of course, one of my favorite films is My Dinner With Andre, which is ninety minutes of two guys talking....

As for the fact that it is very unlikely for a male to admit what Taichi did, well, sure. But what if he did? The feelings around that -- in ourselves and in the characters -- are pretty interesting. Or do we want people only to do what is normal? In any case, this is still anime entertainment, and the VN-like aspects are part of the deal. And it's a deal I'm happy to accept, right now. I certainly have no trouble with this not being in the same intense mood as Inaba's confessions. Anime is like music: the images, feelings, and events can flow and change.

Something completely different: I really don't like the translation of "Heartseed" for "Fuusen Kazura." Yes, that's the English name of the same plant, but the impression it gives is totally different. The Japanese name means something like "balloon vine": floaty but entangling. I'm not sure what translation to use, but "Heartseed" just gives such a different feeling from the Japanese.

[mayumi]

I particularly liked that the other 4 accepted Inaba's issues as being a non-issue. She doesn't have drama cause of some past trauma, she just doesn't trust people easily and is negative. it happens and that is something she has to fix her self. But I can understand her doubts especially in ep 3 when Aoki and Taichi in Yui and Inaba's bodies were doing those cute confessions. It was not harmful or dangerous but who knows maybe Inaba likes to keep up appearances and is afraid different people in her body will misuse her body.

[Lantern]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Spoiler for length:

Valid points, but I react differently. The subtlety is underneath, in the ideas and feelings themselves, which are so much stranger and more interesting than in most other anime. Showing all this would (a) take a long time, and (b) make things grosser and heavier, rather than as delicate and intriguing as they are here.

What is being actually shown is the characters themselves, in their moods and expressions and reactions. And those are being shown with some subtlety and complexity, it seems to me. For instance, even after telling Taichi about herself, the next day Iori still behaves as if she is conveying the happy Iori image, rather than "being herself." Or is that "herself?"

Of course, one of my favorite films is My Dinner With Andre, which is ninety minutes of two guys talking....

As for the fact that it is very unlikely for a male to admit what Taichi did, well, sure. But what if he did? The feelings around that -- in ourselves and in the characters -- are pretty interesting. Or do we want people only to do what is normal? In any case, this is still anime entertainment, and the VN-like aspects are part of the deal. And it's a deal I'm happy to accept, right now. I certainly have no trouble with this not being in the same intense mood as Inaba's confessions. Anime is like music: the images, feelings, and events can flow and change.

Something completely different: I really don't like the translation of "Heartseed" for "Fuusen Kazura." Yes, that's the English name of the same plant, but the impression it gives is totally different. The Japanese name means something like "balloon vine": floaty but entangling. I'm not sure what translation to use, but "Heartseed" just gives such a different feeling from the Japanese.

I have a feeling the author might have chose that name for both its Japanese and English meaning. I think both names connect to the theme of the story both in their own ways and make sense. Balloon vine, the Japanese name as you put it, floaty but entangling, just like the main cast's relationship. While "Heart seed", seed of heart (in Japanese the meaning kokoro expands into "feelings") that sprouts, which is another perspective of relationship. So I think it works either way. I mean it can't be a coincident that the author chose a species of plant of seeds that look like orbs with heart shape on them.

[frivolity]

I think the main problem was that the episode was simply too rushed. There should have been a scene showing Taichi swapping into Himiko's body and then feeling a rush of nausea before rushing to the bathroom.

The previous episode dealt only with Yui's problem, while this episode tried to resolve the problems of two girls, which made their individual scenes have less impact.

[Seiryuu]

I'll admit I was surprised by Taichi's pathetic reveal. I was kind of hoping he was going to admit to being a sis-con (according to the blackboard).

Looks like my judgment of Iori was pretty accurate, though I'd been mistaken about her being the one Inaba called the *self-sacrificing freak*. Sure enough, she's been masking herself and thrusting her heart and wishes aside for a long time, in a sense killing her "self" until now she doesn't know if there's any of the real Iori's left. Somewhat predictable, here and in other anime/manga, often the more bubbly, cheerful and over-the-top energetic girls are really putting on a mask, an armor that people like too much to hurt. It was thrown over pretty fast, but I doubt things are going to be that easy.

TBH, I expect that soon the story's going to go into the characters actually struggling with their issues more; as mentioned, the issues in question are not so easy to overcome. Androphobia can't be cured overnight, even with something like that. Similarly, it's comforting to be told that "I'll recognize you no matter what happens", but how much good will that do when you can't recognize yourself anymore? Taichi might be able to help everyone, but he's going to have to learn that it takes more than one short conversation to fix things. Not to mention that helping one person might end up hurting another, especially when you're the hub of a triangle.

[starlol]

I feel that they should have spend lesser time on Inaba's problem since it seems that her is not as problematic as the other 2.
That reveal is funny

Originally Posted by frivolity

I think the main problem was that the episode was simply too rushed. There should have been a scene showing Taichi swapping into Himiko's body and then feeling a rush of nausea before rushing to the bathroom.

The previous episode dealt only with Yui's problem, while this episode tried to resolve the problems of two girls, which made their individual scenes have less impact.

I disagree on this episode trying to resolve Iori's problem.
It feels like the show is giving Inaba problem in trusting someone so Taichi can help to solve the problems of all 3 female characters. It's like there's something missing.

[Markerlight]

This episode continues with what I said last ep; the guys 'saving' the girls in distress, while having no problems of their own. Although given Taichi's WTF confession, and his groin kick last ep, I'm starting to think there's something seriously wrong with this guy. How far would he go to help someone at the cost to himself?

[creb]

I think if you're able to tell a girl, who isn't already your GF/wife/etc, that you masturbate to her, and her response is to cry and say she's touched, she's likely a prime target to start aiming to become your GF/wife/etc.

Also, Taichi obviously has the biggest issue of them all, which we'll likely see revealed last, and how it's handled will likely define this show's legacy.

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I also have to concur with what Flawfinder said. The dialogue in this episode is the sort of thing you'd expect people to say while getting help from a psychologist or a psychiatrist, not in conversations with their school friends. Also, the characters put themselves so "out there" that there's nothing left to interpret. There's just no subtlety at all. It's just heavy exposition.

I disagree with that.

These are exactly the kinds of conversations you have with a close and intimate friend.

The main reason people pay psychologists to listen to them is because they don't have a friend like Taichi that they trust sufficiently to talk about what they are really thinking and feeling.

All that's happening here is that people are taking off their masks and showing what is inside. Nor do I think it's over, I think Yui, Iroi, and Inaba still have additional issues that they are still hiding.

I'm curious to see what is under Aoki's mask.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by Seiryuu

I'll admit I was surprised by Taichi's pathetic reveal. I was kind of hoping he was going to admit to being a sis-con (according to the blackboard).

Speaking of the blackboard in the OP, would some kind soul be willing to post what's written for each person? Crunchyroll seems disinclined to translate that text.

[Jmko]

^
http://notredreviews.wordpress.com/2...okoro-connect/

[JokerD]

I just love it when Iori go "you worry too much?" and the 2 of them go wtf
Way to lighten the mood and distill it down to it's most basic Iori...

[Somnus]

Just watched episode 4, and I don't think I could really sum up my thoughts right now. I enjoyed it, but found myself wanting more, underwhelmed, or simply enjoying what was happening as it was happening.

Though I will say comment on those "secrets". Hell yes.

Inaba's floored me. I'm going to remember that exchange for a damn long time, if not forever.