Forum - View topicSorairo Utility (TV).
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Edjwald
 Posts: 1837 |
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Sorairo Utility (TV) Source: Original Demographic: Animation Studio: Yostar Pictures Genres: comedy, slice of life Themes: coming-of-age, golf, school, social media, sports Plot Summary: Minami Aoba was troubled. She had no particular strengths or things she wanted to do. Leaving school behind, Minami searches for her own "special uniqueness." She stumbles upon the nearby golf practice range by chance. Approached by part-time worker Haruka Akane, Minami grasps the golf club—the "utility." And thus, it was the encounter between Minami and golf. Together with the genius golfer Haruka and Ayaka Hoshimi, who aspires to be an influencer, they seek the moment when they can become the "protagonist." Air Date & Platform: January 03, 2025 (Friday) Available on: HIDIVE Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff added. -TK] |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Episode 1
Here's another one I hadn't intended to try given that sports anime in general and golf in particular aren't my thing (with the exception of something really wacky like Birdie Wing). But the chatter in the Preview Guide comments section made me mildly curious. I like the heroine a lot and las with a few other titles this year, I feel like this has earned the right to have me try some more. By no means has clinched a spot on my permanent schedule, though. We'll see. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
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Yah, it's pretty solid. I didn't see anything special, and I usually need something extra to pull me into the after school club genre, like the weird humor of Sabagebu! Survival Game Club or a unique art style and slice of life vibe (Like DIY Club). It doesn't help that I can't think of a single golf anime that I've ever watched for more than two episodes (and there have been some good ones), just like I can't think of a card drawing duel game anime that I've gone the distance with (and there have been some good ones). But anybody who watches stuff like Tonbo or the Laid Back Camp anime on a regular basis ought to give this one a shot.
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4177 |
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I know it can be tricky to show people proper driving techniques but there's no need for spooning.
The opener: This is about golf. The ending: This is NOT about golf. This is the fun part about anime originals: Trying to guess who's made to appeal to and why. On the basic yuri index I have, it's scoring higher than K-On and it's just the first episode. It's an all girls school, there's an age difference while keeping both girls in high school, it's about an off school afterschool activity... golf is not a contact activity which means it's scoring bonus points there... and after taking a second look at Haruka's expression, I'm going to double that. |
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Beltane70
 Posts: 4011 |
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I was actually quite happy to see this become a full series after seeing the short, one-shot OVA that was released for it back in the end of 2021.
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Piglet the Grate
 Posts: 938 Location: North America |
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Good to see Ayaka Hoshimi in the Episode 3 preview - was about to start putting her picture on milk cartons. Now HAM will be completed.
Poor Minami is on her way to getting Slice as a sponsor. 
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Episode 2
Still not convinced this is for me but willing to see if the true introduction of the influencer makes any difference. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Dropped due to a fatal lack of interest in the show's golf aspect. I think I need something kind of over the top like Birdie Wing if I'm going to follow a golf show.
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Piglet the Grate
Posts: 938 Location: North America |
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Minami-chan sleeping with her new utility club was so kawaii.
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Beltane70
Posts: 4011 |
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It reminded me of when Yui slept with her guitar after she got it in K-On!. |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11487 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Originally, I listed the theme descriptor of CGDCT (cute girls doing cute things), but was a little borderline on any of the cute things yet to be done. I also admit I haven't watched a lot of CGDCT titles in general, so I'm not sure what does or doesn't count as cute. The most recent episode was a pretty close indicator, though. The modeling stuff they did in the episode before that also felt it was nudging the cute-meter. Just in case, could someone who's familiar with CGDCT kindly give me a quick crash-course on what I'm supposed to look for?
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2918 |
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In most cases it is actually rather easy to determine in that a group of girls are just having a fun and often low-key time. How I personally see it is that the focus should be on those fun times with little to no drama. In the case of Sorairo I would say that the focus is very much on the sport first with some CGDCT thrown in.
Basically: if the cover is a group of girls and the summary is about them having fun and there is no mention of any conflict you are usually golden. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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I agree with smurky and would say further that I don't consider this a CGDCT show. First, the girls are older than a lot of other characters in CGDCT shows and as smurky says the focus is on golf whether it be playing it or ancillary things like golf fashion. I think we have to be careful not to slap the CGDCT label on any light-hearted show where the cast is either totally or predominately female.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11487 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I had seen the CGDCT label on MAL's entry when I was updating the opener for this thread and figured they're usually pretty accurate in their labeling. But after personally watching the first few episodes, I wasn't quite seeing enough cuteness, yet, so I'm on the fence for keeping it. Then again, they've got about 8 episodes to try and cram some more.
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Piglet the Grate
Posts: 938 Location: North America |
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I will take the dissenting opinion in that anyone looking for a GCDCT/iyashikei show will likely be happy with Sorairo Utility (but as the blogger at Infinite Horizon puts it, cute-girls-doing-difficult-things may be more appropriate). All the conflict and drama we see is both low-key and low stakes.
Concerning the MC's ages, Haruka (and possibly Ayaka) may be college age, but Minami is a first-year high school student. Even if two are no longer girls, they still are cute.
As an aside, when the VA's for the MC's sing together they are known as the HAM Unit (from the first letters of each of their English transliterated names). |
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