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b-dragon
Joined: 21 Apr 2021
Posts: 496
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:27 am
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I think episode 3 put itself in a no-win situation. I see where one could draw issue with not spending enough time establishing the roots of Alya's mindset, but I'm on the other side: I think the flashback went too long, delaying things from actually happening in the present. And I think, despite being as long as it was, it completely missed something important- yeah group work lets everyone down, I get it, but where is she getting that nigh pathological need to be "the best" from?
I'm also trying to hope- probably in vain- that the incest/wincest bits are more sibling being a little gremlin than anything. Fingers crossed.
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LukaTheLancer
Joined: 20 Nov 2023
Posts: 75
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2024 9:03 am
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Quote: | There could be a subtle commentary about how one presents themselves versus how they really are in this show. It would be great if the show leaned into that while extrapolating on its initial gimmicky premise. |
They cut an entire scene that would have shown that. the scene they cut was the dance between Alya and Masachika where Alya figure out how Masachika works.
It it first gonna be thorugh episode 5-8 where it is gonna show it's true hand what the show is really about, with the pace so far it is gonna adapt volume 1-3 of the LN.
and one last note them showing some small flashback to Masachika and Yuki as kids already was not something i saw comming, since this is not something that has yet to be fully explained, or at least for what i have read only hinted at, but never told or shown.
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jdnation
Joined: 15 May 2007
Posts: 2107
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2024 11:03 am
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The show's pretty funny. And the set-up for the ech have some effort put into them than just lazy low hanging fruit. And there seems to be some complex relationship building going on. Whether that all pans out in the end is unknown, but so far I'm entertained! Even the intentional cringe works!
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Key
Moderator
Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18422
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2024 4:11 pm
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I was waffling on this show after episode 1 because, like the reviewer, I questioned the sustainability of the concept. But how funny episode 2 was won me over, and episode 3 seems to indicate that a lot more is going on here than just a basic romcom set-up. Agreed that it's a bit messy in execution, and I'm still unclear why Masachika and Suou are passing themselves off as childhood friends rather than siblings (but I think we're meant to be unclear on that at this point?), but it's just enough different flavor from the season's other romances that I'm probably in for the duration.
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Alan45
Village Elder
Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 10004
Location: Virginia
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2024 6:08 pm
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@Key I think the bit of calling each other childhood friends started when the family drama and divorce were new and emotionally painful. It explained why they knew each other so well and avoided further discussion. Probably kept doing it for much the same reason. I haven't seen it discussed yet. They do have different last names which helps.
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Aerdra
Joined: 02 Feb 2022
Posts: 427
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2024 3:50 am
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Even though it's part of the gimmick, I think the show should cut back on the amount of spoken Russian, because it's not very convincing. I'm sure Sumire Uesaka is trying her best, but the language is just so difficult for Japanese speakers.
Then again, this is also a problem in shows with spoken English.
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L0ken
Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 81
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2024 1:59 pm
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Yeah, Russian is sounds really rough for my native ears and it's not like they do much with it. I wonder how the pacing of the series would turn out by the end of the season, since novels are quite Heisei-era style, meaning they are on sloooow progress, which together with some other aspects made me quite disappointed after checking source material. If they going fast then should cover 3-4 LN which are half of currently available
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LukaTheLancer
Joined: 20 Nov 2023
Posts: 75
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2024 2:40 pm
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L0ken wrote: | Yeah, Russian is sounds really rough for my native ears and it's not like they do much with it. I wonder how the pacing of the series would turn out by the end of the season, since novels are quite Heisei-era style, meaning they are on sloooow progress, which together with some other aspects made me quite disappointed after checking source material. If they going fast then should cover 3-4 LN which are half of currently available |
With the pace so far it is gonna be 3 volumes they adapts, which would make sence, because Volume 3 quite well sets up the end goal for our characters.
But here is the thing i would not call it slow paced so by the end of volume 4. most of the bigger reveals has already happen.
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Zefram
Joined: 02 Oct 2019
Posts: 116
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 4:07 pm
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L0ken wrote: | Yeah, Russian is sounds really rough for my native ears and it's not like they do much with it. I wonder how the pacing of the series would turn out by the end of the season, since novels are quite Heisei-era style, meaning they are on sloooow progress, which together with some other aspects made me quite disappointed after checking source material. If they going fast then should cover 3-4 LN which are half of currently available |
To my native ears, Russian sounds pretty solid, considering that the girl in question is only speaking Russian at home and with family and friends. I've known several people who were born in different countries, other than Russia (even those who were born in Russia but lived in foreign country since early childhood), and only spoke Russian to family and family friends, and their Russian was the same. Big accent based on language of whatever foreign country they happen to live in since early childhood.
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NeverConvex
Subscriber
Joined: 08 Jun 2013
Posts: 2509
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 4:31 pm
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As a not-a-native-speaker, and also never even having tried to study it, the Russian sounds wonderful to me. Makes me wonder how non-native English speakers experience typical anime English, heh.
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Aerdra
Joined: 02 Feb 2022
Posts: 427
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:30 pm
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Zefram wrote: |
L0ken wrote: | Yeah, Russian is sounds really rough for my native ears and it's not like they do much with it. I wonder how the pacing of the series would turn out by the end of the season, since novels are quite Heisei-era style, meaning they are on sloooow progress, which together with some other aspects made me quite disappointed after checking source material. If they going fast then should cover 3-4 LN which are half of currently available |
To my native ears, Russian sounds pretty solid, considering that the girl in question is only speaking Russian at home and with family and friends. I've known several people who were born in different countries, other than Russia (even those who were born in Russia but lived in foreign country since early childhood), and only spoke Russian to family and family friends, and their Russian was the same. Big accent based on language of whatever foreign country they happen to live in since early childhood. |
You make a good point regarding Alya's (and Masha's) speaking ability, since this episode suggests that they've spent significant years of their childhood in Japan. The Russian speakers in the flashback, on the other hand...
NeverConvex wrote: | As a not-a-native-speaker, and also never even having tried to study it, the Russian sounds wonderful to me. Makes me wonder how non-native English speakers experience typical anime English, heh. |
It probably sounds just fine to native Japanese speakers, because most of them would've learned from teachers with the same accent. And I guess that's all that counts in the production of the JP voice track.
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MFrontier
Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13581
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 10:26 pm
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I have to say this adaption has been firing on all cylinders. Doga Kobo has taken what is one of the most straightforward romcoms in recent memory and really brought it to life fantastically with great animation, direction, fanservice, and flourishes that enhances the work and the story.
The voice cast is also top notch, especially Yuki. One can quibble over Sumippe's Russian pronounciation but she captures Alya's personality and modern tsundere vibe quite well...cool and cuteness in one dorky drop-dead gorgeous half-Russian package.
And Masachika is as much of a based romcom protagonist as his sister is a based little sister character.
b-dragon wrote: | I think episode 3 put itself in a no-win situation. I see where one could draw issue with not spending enough time establishing the roots of Alya's mindset, but I'm on the other side: I think the flashback went too long, delaying things from actually happening in the present. And I think, despite being as long as it was, it completely missed something important- yeah group work lets everyone down, I get it, but where is she getting that nigh pathological need to be "the best" from? |
She explained it to Masachika, she knows how lucky she is to be blessed with such good looks that draw peoples' attention to it but she wants to succeed on her own terms and not because of surface level stuff which is why she's so serious and determined to do the things she wants to do and succeed at them.
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b-dragon
Joined: 21 Apr 2021
Posts: 496
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Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2024 8:32 am
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MFrontier wrote: |
She explained it to Masachika, she knows how lucky she is to be blessed with such good looks that draw peoples' attention to it but she wants to succeed on her own terms and not because of surface level stuff which is why she's so serious and determined to do the things she wants to do and succeed at them. |
I'm aware of this, and...well, your mileage may vary. It could be that this is the only reason the show is interested in giving. I personally found it an unsatisfying and superficial explanation. I'd buy it better if her family told her that and she internalized it, especially given the age where the maladaptive behaviors began to appear.
Its a nitpick, I'll admit. And most folks aren't likely to have my issue with it, so feel free to ignore it.
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Otohiko
Joined: 08 Jul 2024
Posts: 31
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Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2024 1:44 pm
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For what it's worth, as a Russian speaker (and linguist) - the pronunciation definitely comes off as pretty heavily Japanese-accented, but she's clearly TRYING and that's cute in its own right. I haven't read the novels, but the author is clearly competent in Russian and throws in a lot of colloquialisms and idiomatic language (which means it doesn't sound like just auto-translated Japanese). She does not sound like a native speaker, but it's actually somewhat better than some of the Engrish we often get in anime.
Personally, I just think it's cute! Some of the stuff she says is adorable, some of it is adorably WTF. Knowing how heavily professionalized voice acting in Japan is, I honestly don't think they really had the option of taking a random bilingual person off the street and putting them into the starring role of what seems to be a pretty well-run production. Even if it did sound more natural, it would create a lot more work and less consistency, in a process where production timelines are already tight. Not really worth it.
[edit]
Ha, and now they've announced the dub premiere tomorrow - I think I will check it out. Needless to say, it's a LOT easier to find a suitable Russian speaker in US acting circles than in Japan. Didn't realize she was the voice actor for Ash Ketchum in recent years, that's cool too!
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LukaTheLancer
Joined: 20 Nov 2023
Posts: 75
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Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2024 3:35 pm
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Quote: | like Kuze's reasons for being hesitant to join the student council in the first place. We know it has something to do with how things were handled at his middle school, |
We're are getting into that at some point doing this season.
But for this episode it was a good adaptaion, did not cut anything meaningful out (unlike episode 3 cut out the scene that made Alya understand how Masachika works)
I do like that they turned it down when Masachika comes and helps Alya, the manga and LN both shows at something a bit more then it is, where the anime plays it off like it's nothing.
i did also checked out the dub it was good, my only issue is that the japanese text when Alya speaks russian is not translated and they is an entire scene in episode that is just text messages at all so unless you have memory of the sub or have read the manga or LN (heck by 1 or 2 episodes the anime will be ahead of the manga) you would not know what was said becuase it is not every bit of russian Masachika says in his head. But other then that gribe i think the dub is good.
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