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Kodomo no Jikan.


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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Tue May 11, 2010 6:04 pm Reply with quote
I started watching it a while ago, and was weirded out. I picked it up again yesterday, and it's clicked. It goes without saying that watching 3rd graders give fellatio to a finger or a calligraphy brush and lifting up their skirts makes one feel uncomfortable, but what I like about the series is the chemistry between Rin and Aoki and the underlying darkness; in other words, what's possibly happened before Aoki-sensei showed up.

I watched the first uncensored ep, but decided, I can live with the censored version. When I learned some of what goes down in the Manga, I decided I was better off.
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ArsenicSteel



Joined: 12 Jan 2010
Posts: 2370
PostPosted: Tue May 11, 2010 10:50 pm Reply with quote
You might need to reset you expectations. Kodomo No Jikan is a drama/comedy/ecchi series that is aimed more for mature audiences despite having kodomo in the title.
If the more graphic scenes disturb you then definitely stick with the censored version.
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PaniPoni61



Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 128
PostPosted: Tue May 11, 2010 11:03 pm Reply with quote
Hmm, I was wondering how long it was going to take someone to post about KnJ, especially since the new (R1? doubt it.) release was just on the ANN news recently.

But I hear where you're coming from. And, i'm really hoping this thread doesn't get locked. KnJ just happens to be flame-bait dang near anywhere. Especially from those who haven't actually seen the series, but know about it by it's reputation.

Actually, after seeing it both censored & un-, I admit that I liked the censored version better. No, though I know it's going to upset the aforementioned folks above, not for the visual censoring-that isn't really relevant-if you've seen it. Nope, I like the censored version for the audio.

There is one moment in particular that still cracks me up as much as any anime...no, as anything i've seen & heard. A moment when the scene cuts to Kuro, and next thing you see is her cussing up a storm, and you hear "chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp...". in the context, it's freaking hilarious.

Even though the plotline is ecchi (no doubt), the underlying story is actually very touching.

That's "touching" in the figurative sense. I do know the difference between literal & figurative. Surprised?

Anyhoo....the biggest problem with being a fan of KnJ is - having to defend it's existence to the world. Not the defense itself, but having to defend it at all. Me? I have no problem with it. Shows like this, Moetan, Popotan, (you folks will hate me for including this one) Potemayo, or even Ladies Vs. Butlers are all on my "seen all"s. At least now you know where i'm from, at least partially, viewing-wise.

One last thing, if you thought I was about to add Hanamaru Kindergarden to the defense list, well, I saw it, I liked it, but it's not "just like" Kodomo no Jikan.

Just my opinion.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 12, 2010 3:27 am Reply with quote
Any topic of KnJ is guaranteed to be flame bait, people seem to hate it just because of it'e questionable theme. Yes I prefer having it censored aswell, the cute sound effects used to cover bad language was funny, and we don't really need to see any of the graphic scenes.

My favourite character from the series would probably be the strict teacher Shirai Sensei, probably because she highlights my favourite theme of the series, which is of being alone. And it is this side that most do not see of the series, the series itself actually points out that there is a lot of what hapends is not right, and probably puts forward subjects that most other media would be too afraid to bring up.

Lots of the characters have a web of problems conected to them. spoiler[Reiji had abusive parents who he hated, and felt nothing when they died in an accident, and finally felt some care from his cousin who he fell in love with. She died leaving Rin also with intimacey issues, who tries to act out for it. Usa is a very pure girl, but hears lots of people basicly tell her that her body is dirty, and thus feels insecure. She is also close to her father, but has not seen him in some time, and her mother favors her younger brother, and feels very lonely and gets a crush on Reiji. Kagami rarely gets any time with her mother as she is usually working, and though she is knows that she is not suposed to, she gets a crush on Rin.]

OF course there are some rather uncomfertable scenes that can be rather offensive to people, but it's true strength is in it's drama and the way it just seems to hover over what should be the normal life of children.
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Wed May 12, 2010 4:01 am Reply with quote
No, Hanamaru is nothing at all like Kodomo. It's just a sickeningly cute show with toddlers being toddlers. It's like the Japapanese Rugrats.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 12, 2010 4:33 am Reply with quote
DragonsRevenge wrote:
No, Hanamaru is nothing at all like Kodomo. It's just a sickeningly cute show with toddlers being toddlers. It's like the Japapanese Rugrats.
Except spoiler[Sakura married her highschool art teacher and got pregnant with his child while still being a student at the school. Sakura's daughter Anzu has a crush on her own teacher and is very open about wanting to marry him, regardless of what others think (in fact her mother aproves). Shared with another student who also likes him and who's father is the local yakuza leader. And finaly Tsuchida's sister also has the hots for him,] should I go any further.

Yes I can definetly see how it is like japanese Rugrats, except they are not really todlers, they are just given the moeblob appearance to make them look more cute and less sexualised. (also add that the three girls in Hanamaru Kindergarten share simular personalities to those in Kodomo no Jikan)


Last edited by DuskyPredator on Wed May 12, 2010 5:17 am; edited 1 time in total
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Wed May 12, 2010 4:58 am Reply with quote
DuskyPredator wrote:
should I go any further.



Actually, you shouldn't. I've only seen the first episode....
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Dorcas_Aurelia



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5344
Location: Philly
PostPosted: Wed May 12, 2010 6:56 pm Reply with quote
DuskyPredator wrote:
DragonsRevenge wrote:
No, Hanamaru is nothing at all like Kodomo. It's just a sickeningly cute show with toddlers being toddlers. It's like the Japapanese Rugrats.
Except spoiler[Sakura married her highschool art teacher and got pregnant with his child while still being a student at the school. Sakura's daughter Anzu has a crush on her own teacher and is very open about wanting to marry him, regardless of what others think (in fact her mother aproves) ...] should I go any further.

While there are similarities, the comparison doesn't work because Anzu's efforts to woo Tsuchida are entirely innocent and presented as a child's puppy love. While Sakura does tell Anzu she supports the future marriage, she is in fact only humoring her child, as evidenced when she actively tries to help Tsuchida advance his relationship with Yamamoto. Sakura's own student-teacher romance doesn't compare either because she was 17 at the time, which is almost a legal adult anyway. But most importantly, aside from the first episode where Anzu mistakes Tsuchida's concern for a lost child for flirting, none of the children are involved in any remotely sexually charged jokes, while that's par for the course in KnJ.

There's also the important difference of everyone in Hanamaru Kindergarten belonging to happy loving families, while everyone in Kodomo no Jikan (excluding Aoki, and maybe Houin) come from families with varying degrees of communication problems and histories of loneliness and isolation. It's a shame there's so much lolicon fanservice, because KnJ does a decent job of weaving that theme into the story in the long run, as well as to what extent the teachers are responsible for the well-being of their students.
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2010 8:15 am Reply with quote
Finished it. This show probably had one of the better set of leads I've seen in some time. I'll start the OVA soon. I just watched the first ep of that one today, and well... it's not censored. On the other hand, it seems to be more of the same.

I've been listening to Hanamaru Sensation exclusively since yesterday afternoon. No exaggeration. I thought the S&W S1 ed was the most addicting song I've ever heard. I was wrong.
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Ringking



Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 338
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2010 8:52 am Reply with quote
You should be pretty right sticking to the censored version, even the uncensored version isnt TO bad, I've seen the same if not worse in other echii shows, just not quite so concentrated.

But yeah, avoid the manga. Its the same old thing up until about volume 7 or so, but then its starts getting a little off, like demonstrating why parents should have parental lockout on their PC's.
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PaniPoni61



Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 128
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2010 10:56 am Reply with quote
@Dragons Revenge.

heh heh heh....no, don't worry, I'm not laughing at you, just chuckling along with you. KnJ does have some of the most addictive OP & ED songs of any anime i've seen. Right from the start of both. Rettsu, the OP's "BWOW, budabudabuda-Clang"-right into the guitar lead, and Hanamaru Sensation's beginning vocal/bass just grab on and don't let go.

Both are completely full of energy, and perfect to listen to when you're just having trouble getting up in the morning.

Double thumbs up!
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2010 11:52 am Reply with quote
Yeah the songs are pretty addicting, probably only problem is that my brother is aware what series they are from, still I have been known to hum them all of a sudden when I get the tune. Actually just got the urge to listen them after hearing it mentioned so I did so.

I didn't mean to say that Hanamaru Kindergarten was just like Kodomo no Jikan, actually when I watched it I noted that it is quite the nice fluffy series. I do think they have a simular subject with the responsibilities of adults/teachers have on the development of children, a subject I was actually tempted to look for in further series.
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luffypirate



Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 3187
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2010 12:46 am Reply with quote
I absolutely ADORE Kojika! Definitely on my personal top ten. I'm currently collecting it on DVD. Watashiya's characters are just soo cute. Their personalities are just so clever as well (Usa Mimi and her timidly overgrown little self makes me giggle). It's just a guilty pleasure of mine I don't let my otaku friends in on. I
might get some strange looks, even from their weird asses lol. Yes, I'll have to agree that Hanamaru Sensation is quite the infectious theme song Smile
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2010 5:06 am Reply with quote
Sadly, the other KnJ songs aren't as infectious as the ones from the first show. Even the ending theme to the last episode is way below the other songs. 123 Daybreak is pretty good, but doesn't even come close to Hanamaru, and the OP is just plain forgettable to me.

BTW, this is from the Nico Nico Douga thread. Since that doesn't seem to be going anywhere, I'll post it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or00lGQcO44&feature=related

The Hanamaru Sensation animation as performed by the cast of Higurashi.

BTW, it looks like it developed into quite the meme a year or two ago. There's a KH version, a Ranma version, Haruhi (obviously), and others. The Ranma one is probably the best.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2010 5:50 am Reply with quote
My favourite parody of the song is the Haruhi version.

I would also like to note that this thread has been surprisingly civil, we have not had people come here saying those who like it are gross. Actually I hope that more people could use this for a reason to watch it.

Actually I think I will rewatch some episodes, I started a rewatch probably around a month or two ago, and this got me going again. I also heard a while ago that there would be another OVA or something announced.
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