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Songster01
Joined: 05 Nov 2016
Posts: 73
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:54 pm
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I wanted to like episode 9 more than I did. There were a several great scenes in there: the flashbacks, pretty much anything to do with the death and unsaid words about it hanging over Shirase and the Captain's heads, as well as the "in your face" moments at the end. But the whole wimpy guy has a crush lololol just did nothing for me. I know it was meant to lighten the drama, but it felt too silly and loud and distracted me from processing the important character moments. There's been a good mixture of both humour and drama in the past, but this time the humour part fell flat in an episode that should have been a highlight. YMMV of course.
I also found the "poor poor Japan" narrative set off my history antennae. The international community did have a right to be wary of Japan post-WWII. Not that the victors who controlled the treaty process were and are pure heroes at all by any means! For me, it's the continued lack of the soul-searching on the part of the Japanese government regarding issues like "comfort women" that makes me far more wary of an uncomplicated "Japan as victim" line than I otherwise might be. Obviously this is only one show, but it feels like it is a part of a large body of attempts to create an anti-historical narrative that paints Japan as the "real" victim that has marked Japanese policy since the war. Rather ironic that a story built on warm female friendship makes use of victimization rhetoric that has been used to deny the terrible things the Japanese military and government did to non-Japanese women during WWII.
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MJKS
Joined: 28 Jul 2017
Posts: 102
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 1:50 am
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Paul wrote: | At the same time, the insights we get out of this conflict are too familiar to hit that slice-of-life sweet spot. The idea of friendship being harder to define than other kinds of relationships comes up all the time, often shows where the writing isn't strong enough to deliver anything more original. A Place Further Than the Universe is at its best when it digs a little deeper and finds a conclusion that's uniquely relevant to its characters, which it's been able to do numerous times throughout the season. Compared to the parting confrontation between Mari and Megumi or the conflicted dynamic between Gin and Shirase, this episode lacks that “eureka” moment where it feels like the series has touched on something special or important. It's perfectly adequate, but it falls short of the standard this show has set for itself. |
Interestingly, this paragraph left me with a strong feeling that this episode was really building up to some meatier but related drama in the next: when Hinata receives her message from her former high school track team. It's been clearly established that she has lingering memories and perhaps regrets about cutting off from them; and Shirase's expression of the vagaries of friendship, as well as Mari's explanation of what happened with Megumi to Yuzuki, both bear directly on what Hinata left behind.
On the other hand, I thought we were going to arrive in Antarctica two episodes ago.
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leeoflittlefaith
Joined: 08 Apr 2012
Posts: 104
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:44 pm
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Episode 10 was just too thin. As mentioned in the review, the stakes were too low. Honestly, while some of the meditation on what makes a friend a friend was good, I wish the final gesture to Yuzuki was less clichéd.
Giving her a birthday cake seemed too saccharine for a show that's been so good at depicting how friends interact before. I was hoping for something goofier or more straightforward. Go on, give Yuzuki a hard time, like when she messed up her polite language in the tent while they were training. That was a much more realistic show of friendship.
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Collectonian
Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 104
Location: Texas
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:06 pm
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leeoflittlefaith wrote: | I was hoping for something goofier or more straightforward. Go on, give Yuzuki a hard time, like when she messed up her polite language in the tent while they were training. That was a much more realistic show of friendship. |
I thought her sneezing on the cake was pretty in keeping with the sillier side (and totally something I could see someone doing). Not like anyone else is gonna want that cake now ;-P
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yuna49
Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:27 pm
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I want to see scenes with the cast exploring Antarctica, not holed up in the ship having birthday parties. Time is running out, and we haven't seen much of Antarctica yet at all.
Does anyone know if the staff for this show went on a tour of Antarctica themselves, or if they're just relying on the manga and, presumably, photographs and videos from the continent itself?
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Joshua Zarate
Joined: 12 Jan 2017
Posts: 2062
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:07 pm
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Another great episode for Episode 10. I personally resonated with the dilemma on hand, and there’s still time left in the show’s runtime for looking around Antarctica, so there’s no need to worry. Besides, this series has always been about the characters themselves first, so I don’t see an absolute need to show that much of exploring to make it any less enjoyable.
yuna49 wrote: | Does anyone know if the staff for this show went on a tour of Antarctica themselves, or if they're just relying on the manga and, presumably, photographs and videos from the continent itself? |
I thought everyone had knew this already, but apparently not. This anime is an original work. It’s not based on any pre-existing manga, light novel, or anything.
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yuna49
Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:45 am
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As an anime-only viewer I don't pay attention to the sources for many programs. I seem to be a dying breed.
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leeoflittlefaith
Joined: 08 Apr 2012
Posts: 104
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:58 pm
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yuna49 wrote: | As an anime-only viewer I don't pay attention to the sources for many programs. I seem to be a dying breed. |
I don't bother with the sources myself in most cases. If you haven't actually read them of your own accord beforehand, it's usually just a good way to make yourself unreasonably annoyed. Media should be assessed on its own merits anyway and shouldn't require the source to be understood.
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leeoflittlefaith
Joined: 08 Apr 2012
Posts: 104
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:49 pm
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So we finally know more about Hinata. She's just a BOSS. Just so beyond her years.
It wasn't perfect but just thematically I loved this episode and it really shows what makes Sora Yori that bit different. Being defiantly determined, using negativity and loneliness as space to make yourself better and stronger so you can surpass those that wronged you...those are themes I really relate to.
I love how Hinata seriously considers forgiving her old friends, letting slip that she's still hurting, which is perhaps the most vulnerable and immature she's looked over the course of the entire show so far, and that spurs Shirase into severing it completely so she never sees her friend hurt again. Yes, Sora Yori, sometimes you have to give whatever's bothering you the old 'fuzakena yo' and rise above.
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MJKS
Joined: 28 Jul 2017
Posts: 102
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:36 pm
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Awesome. And damn.
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Collectonian
Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 104
Location: Texas
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:29 am
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Shirase's dealing with those "friends" was so awesome I was clapping from here. Hopefully these events will help Hinata realize she does now have real friends, and that its okay to let them in on stuff sometimes.
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neozxtc
Joined: 25 Jun 2015
Posts: 24
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:20 pm
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Really enjoyed Episode 11. The show has been pretty consistent and one of my three favorites this Season.
We all know that the story is going to build up to one thing probably.
Shirase finally coming to terms with something and her friends helping her out. I can't wait to see how they handle it. Or who knows, maybe I'm wrong and we'll see something else. Regardless, I will be buying this show when it comes to BD in the US. This, Laid Back Camp, Takagi-san will be mine.
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Blood-
![](/bbs/phpBB2/images/subscriber-silver.png) Bargain Hunter
Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23967
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:47 pm
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I have to say that episode 11 was my least favourite episode, so far. I really love the show, but I did come away from the last episode unsatisfied, for a couple of reasons.
First, although we weren't given a ton to go on, I got the sense that Hinata's ex-friends were being sincere in trying to apologize. I guess you could criticize them for doing it in a very public way as opposed to more "behind the scenes" but I still got the sense they genuinely felt bad for how they had treated Hinata and wanted to make amends. Now, a storyline where they offered this and Hinata graciously accepts would have likely been trite and pat, but I just don't vibe on how it was handled.
Shirase stepping forward to tell off the girls can be perceived as a gesture of a friend sticking up for another friend, but it kind of stole Hinata's thunder, in a way. If the show was going for the, "eh, you're not getting off easy and apologizing to me doesn't let you off the hook" message (which I'm not crazy about in the face of what I perceived as genuine contrition, but whatever) than I would have been happier for Hinata to be the one to deliver it.
Second, by episode 11 I think we should be past the "doing things that show we are actually good friends" stage. To me, this has already been established in spades. What would be more interesting, I think, would be incidents that strain the already developed friendship and how those are negotiated as opposed to going over what I think is welltrod ground.
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wastrel
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:26 pm
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Blood- wrote: | First, although we weren't given a ton to go on, I got the sense that Hinata's ex-friends were being sincere in trying to apologize. |
That's interesting. I interpreted it as Hinata's ex-friends were only now trying to apologize because they wanted to be on TV. Hence they were trying to use her again. Hardly the act of a real friend, and fully justifying Shirase's anger.
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zrnzle500
Joined: 04 Oct 2014
Posts: 3768
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:43 pm
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Blood- wrote: | I have to say that episode 11 was my least favourite episode, so far. I really love the show, but I did come away from the last episode unsatisfied, for a couple of reasons.
First, although we weren't given a ton to go on, I got the sense that Hinata's ex-friends were being sincere in trying to apologize. I guess you could criticize them for doing it in a very public way as opposed to more "behind the scenes" but I still got the sense they genuinely felt bad for how they had treated Hinata and wanted to make amends. Now, a storyline where they offered this and Hinata graciously accepts would have likely been trite and pat, but I just don't vibe on how it was handled.
Shirase stepping forward to tell off the girls can be perceived as a gesture of a friend sticking up for another friend, but it kind of stole Hinata's thunder, in a way. If the show was going for the, "eh, you're not getting off easy and apologizing to me doesn't let you off the hook" message (which I'm not crazy about in the face of what I perceived as genuine contrition, but whatever) than I would have been happier for Hinata to be the one to deliver it.
Second, by episode 11 I think we should be past the "doing things that show we are actually good friends" stage. To me, this has already been established in spades. What would be more interesting, I think, would be incidents that strain the already developed friendship and how those are negotiated as opposed to going over what I think is welltrod ground. |
When were her former track mates trying to apologize and make amends? They may have been sincere in supporting her but they seemed more like they were trying to feign ignorance about why Hinata left the track team and school. They had sent messages to the effect of “You left so suddenly” as if they had no idea why she did or their involvement therein. They just seemed like they were calling themselves her friends when it is easy like it is now when she is on TV but abandoned her when the third years took exception to Hinata’s selection that led to her leaving the team and the subsequent rumors that led to Hinata leaving school entirely.
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