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Suzuka.


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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:00 am Reply with quote
OK. So I started watching Suzuka this week, and it's a very good romantic comedy. The comedy itself is a bit subtle compared to other series I've seen in this genre, but the romance seems quite complex.

It's clearly written to be more of a drama, and there are some things I like such as being able empathize for Yamato when he: spoiler[ had a crush on Asahina and finally had the guts to confess so soon.]

However, much like other love triangles: spoiler[ it saddens me to see how Yamato's indecisiveness is causing all sorts of problems for Asahina, as well as Honoka. In fact, I could almost say I'm becoming angry at him for being so "irresponsible," as everyone tends to call him.]

I'm not really sure how to feel now. Romance titles that get this complicated usually make me feel mushy inside, and I'm sure a lot of people would love to see things work out for the better.

Heck, the way things were at the beginning would probably be my dream scenario for meeting the love of my life, but for crying out loud, that Yamato is just making things worse.

Any comments or opinions from others that have seen this series?
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one3rd



Joined: 28 Jul 2003
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:16 am Reply with quote
The series really gets bogged down when spoiler[Yamato starts going out with Honoka. At that point, Suzuka all but disappears. They break up, though (look at the name of the show), and it looks like the series will be back on track for the last episodes.] The series really is at its best when it focuses on the relationship between Yamato and Suzuka.
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Gauss



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:09 am Reply with quote
I wouldn't call him indecisive, because when Akatsuki commits himself, boy does he commit himself. He is the kind of guy who does make an effort but tends to have difficulty reading feelings, others and his own, so he messes things up. Akatsuki is actually a very nice guy, just a bit thick at times.

spoiler[I mean, this is a guy who nearly became a stalker in his obsession with Suzuka. Then when she's clearly rejected Akatsuki more than once, Honoka snaps him up. Like a good boy he tries hard to be good towards her. It's the combination of Akatsuki's cluelessness and Honoka's insecurity that finally leads to them breaking up. If anybody is indecisive it's Suzuka.]

And how can anybody say the series bogs down during that particular arc? It's actually very important for the development of all the major characters. The drama wouldn't be half as addictive without a detour.

Anyway, it's well worth watching despite a poor start and ups and downs in art and animation. Clear example of a great story overcoming other limitations.
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one3rd



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:40 am Reply with quote
Gauss wrote:

spoiler[It's the combination of Akatsuki's cluelessness and Honoka's insecurity that finally leads to them breaking up. If anybody is indecisive it's Suzuka.]


spoiler[Well, that and that he really still likes Suzuka.]
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:35 am Reply with quote
Gauss wrote:
spoiler[I mean, this is a guy who nearly became a stalker in his obsession with Suzuka. Then when she's clearly rejected Akatsuki more than once, Honoka snaps him up. Like a good boy he tries hard to be good towards her. It's the combination of Akatsuki's cluelessness and Honoka's insecurity that finally leads to them breaking up. If anybody is indecisive it's Suzuka.]

Yeah. I could say a lot of this Suzuka's fault too. spoiler[ If she had been more honest with her feelings in the first place, Honoka never would've had the chance to make her move.]

I guess what it comes down to is that I just feel sorry for Honoka. Yes, she is insecure, but spoiler[ for as long as she's had a crush on Yamato, it's sad to see her go through that kind of pain. However, I still have 3 episodes to watch, or maybe she'll rebound somehow in the final 5 episodes after that,]
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Gauss



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:50 pm Reply with quote
Ah sorry, even with spoiler tags I must have spoiled one of the pivotal moments if you haven't watched the very latest episodes. I know I was pretty peewed when a reader of the manga blithely blurted out how it went.
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one3rd



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:45 pm Reply with quote
Well, that's the purpose of spoiler tags. If you really don't want to know, you don't look. If you don't want to know but look anyway, you deserve whatever disappointment you get.
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abunai
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:50 pm Reply with quote
one3rd wrote:
Well, that's the purpose of spoiler tags. If you really don't want to know, you don't look. If you don't want to know but look anyway, you deserve whatever disappointment you get.

Wait a minute... now I've got you pegged! You're one of those people who drive past a traffic accident (complete with ambulances, police and blinking lights) without stopping, or even slowing down. Aren't you?

If you were a cat, you'd live forever....

- abunai
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:31 pm Reply with quote
Just finished episode 21. I'm happy to say that I don't feel so bad after coming to the realiziation that Akitsuki is a real idiot at times. I suppose I'll just have to accept that quality as a major part of his character. Although, it does feel weird since I don't usually see people that stupid in stories of this caliber.

I guess it also displays a nice change of pace as well. Usually, the guys in a lot of romantic comedies are somewhat level-headed, but not this one.

I still don't forgive him for: spoiler[ irresponsibly deciding to date Sakurai, because I like her character's personality (not to mention she is cute), and that she deserves someone better than that two-timing bonehead.]

I'm glad she found some sort of resolve, though I wish it would've been something other than: spoiler[ just deciding to build more self-esteem and reconfessing to Akitsuki again. But, I suppose one could argue it's kind of the same thing he did when he was rejected by Asahina that first time.]

It's a great romance series because of that complexity I mentioned in my initial post. I am eager to see what will happen towards the end (aside from the obvious, but it'll be nice to see what occurs in-between).
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Gauss



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:42 am Reply with quote
Don't know if I could call Akitsuki irresponsible for some of the reasons I have already given. I know that in a similar situation I would be glad if somebody came along to drag me up out of my doldrums. I also tend to view it as a bit of a running joke when the other characters call Akitsuki irresponsible and selfish. The guy tries so hard and he has his heart in the right place. He's just inexperienced when it comes to love, so he fumbles around a lot and causes unnecessary anguish.

spoiler[That said, Akitsuki should have been more attentive towards Honoka. And Honoka more upfront about her worries since she knows Akitsuki can't read girls. There was every chance they could have become a true item, but I feel Honoka threw away the chance. If I read Akitsuki correctly he would certainly have continued trying. Love doesn't necessarily come as a thunderbolt, often you have to work on it.]

I think one of the attractions of this story is that many of the situations are so recognizable from life, but with unpredictable twists and turns the story remains fresh and addictive. Now all we have to wait for is a Pride and Prejudice resolution. Ok, so Akitsuki makes a poor Lord Darcy, but Suzuka is one fine Elizabeth Bennet.
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 12:07 pm Reply with quote
EDIT: Deleted my story.

Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:32 am; edited 2 times in total
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IchigoK90



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:11 pm Reply with quote
Wow. Nice story Tony. K. I would say its stupid, in fact I think its a sad yet interesting story. Well I don't know any experiences like that I have done a lot of stupid things too and i'm only in my sophmore year at highschool (Grade 10). I will add some discussion to the topic on hand at the bottom of my post but right now I feel like sharing my story too though its not as interesting at the one above (at least in my opinion).

-------------------------------------------------------------
My Story

Note: Since I was in a catholic elementary school up hear in toronto we don't have junior high, we just continue grades 7-8 in elementary school.

Note: D.I stands for Destination Imagination

Ok this all started way back when I was in grade 6. At this point in my life I had little to no interaction with girls (i'm not lying). I only had short conversations like "hey" and "can you helpe me out with some work" and the occasional group work (I know this sounds pretty pathetic). However when I joined this group for a competition (D.I) I met this girl that had alot in common with me. Well not really, at that time she was into anime and my love for anime was just starting to wake up. Anyways at least I had something I could talk to her about so we got to know each other more and after awhile it was really fun to hang around her.

Anyways it wasn't until a year later where I had a crush on her. I told my friends who also admitted who they liked (we were a good group of friends) and somehow one of my friends managed to blurt out who we liked (needless to say we were pissed at him for awhile, luckily it was winter so we just kept tripping him in the snow and throwing snowballs at him). Luckily for me the girl I liked was away for a volleyball tournament for like 2 days or so. But when she came back everyone in my class (yes...they all found out I liked her) started doing alot of annoying crap which really embarassed me cause well I'm not much of the confident guy. Anyhow I wasn't really sure if she ever found out that I liked her. Anyways I was too embarassed to even speak to her cause at that time I was afraid of the answer (I was still a kid, and I was already content with just being friends). Anyways that was huge mistake as I didn't talk to her for almost a year.

Anyhow now i'm just good friends with her and i've never brought up that subject. In my last year of elementary school my good friend ended up dating her and so I supported him as best as I could and tried to help him not take the relationship too seriously. Anyways later on that year I developped a crush on this girl in my class. At that same time my other friend (the one who blurted out who we liked) liked the same girl. I'm not the competitive type in romances and such so I just stepped down and let him confess to her. They ended up going out for only 2 weeks or so. After that I still liked her though in my head I thought I wasn't ready to confess to her.

1 year later both of us went to the same highschool. I still liked her but later on in my freshman year she developped a crush on one of my friends that I had just met that year. So to say I stepped down again and let my friend who did like to confess to her. I did my best to support her and him by loaning him cash and such. Anyhow over this past summer...........lets just say I spoke my mind and pissed her off. Over the summer I was contemplating what it meant to be in love and well I spoke my views to the girl (over msn) and said that at this point I felt she didn't have the right to say she loved him. In my opinion it was a young relationship and from what i've seen around me not alot of them last more than 1 week.

So I questioned her to prove her love for him to see if she really did love him. When I did that she got really mad at me and we haven't spoken since. At this moment I know what I said was wrong and that what I said only made her paranoid. So yeah thats my story.

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

Anyways time for the topic at hand.

From the first episode I got hooked on this series much to the dismay of watching sloppy art and horrid animation. Anyways the romance for me is done well though the problem for me is that girls make things alot more complicated than they should be (i'm not trying to offend the female gender its just that with my experience with girls lets just say they don't make my life simple). However its the complexity thats keeps me watching this series. The music ain't that bad either. I just sorta contradicted myself didn't I? Oh well i'll add more input later as i'm fingers are freezing.

"Believe it!"

- IchigoK90
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 2:28 pm Reply with quote
IchigoK90, your story is interseting as well. It would seem you and I are what people call "soft." Adolescent romances appear to be the most complicating, in my opinion.

And by the way, I hope my story isn't leading to some kind of confession-type atmosphere, as I would feel guilty for bringing these kinds of emotions out of everyone. I only used that story in particular as an example of how "realistic" those circumstances can actually be and to allude to what's happening in the series.

I'm sure there are lots of stories like these from users all over ANN, but I want to apologize if I'm drawing out painful memories from any of you. It's nice if you're confident and willing enough to share your experiences, but please don't feel obligated or anything.

It's been a good 4 years since I graduated, and I've come to cope with all that stuff pretty well. I'm probably still attatched to those events on a subconcious level, but I'm fine enough that I can use this story more as a prop now.

In any case, before I get carried away again, I just wanted to point that out and have my thoughts known to you all.

And yes, the great music and complex romance more than make up for the shoddy art and animation (I love all those piano pieces Anime hyper).
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Gauss



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:56 pm Reply with quote
Tony K. wrote:

Hahaha Laughing, it's such a stupid story, it can't be real, right Anime catgrin + sweatdrop?! You can shoot me or wish for something bad to happen because of how I acted, as I probably deserve it. Congratulations to Gauss and this series for bringing out a story of stupidity, ignorance, and failure that I've only told a few people in my lifetime Anime hyper! Embarassed


Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to pry out anything like that. You certainly get me to apologize a lot, heh. Ok, I guess that sort of shows that we all recognize a bit of our experiences in those characters. But since experiences differ we also read different things into events in Suzuka. For me adolescence is all in the past so I'm perhaps a bit more forgiving of the mistakes the characters make.
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IchigoK90



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 1634
Location: Scarborough, Ontario
PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:13 pm Reply with quote
Well most of the romance anime that i've seen do have some realistic elements though the rest of the show seems to be exaggerated (Love Hina anyone?). Well what i'm trying to say is that most romance anime can relate to some people. One of my future careers i'm considering is being an author. I'd like to try my hand at the romance genre so I think i'd draw upon life experiences as well as my own imagination.

Note: I've been writing up some poems that relate to some anime/online manga if anyone wants to check them out PM me.

"Believe it!"

- IchigoK90
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