Nishimi Kaoru transfers to a new school- again and is living with his relatives while his father is traveling for business. He finds himself hanging out with Sentarou and Ritsuko, childhood friends who both love jazz.
Eva’s First Impression:
Holy shit this is so awesome!!!
QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY
AND IS THAT CG I SEE? I’M CERTAIN THERE’S CG!!!
AND ITS PURE QUALITY!!!!
I’m in love.
This show holds so much potential, the jazz tunes are great, I’m loving the characters, I can see a love triangle forming! I love how refreshing this show is, the time period, the animation quality and details, and asdjlasdjkasd. I can’t- I hold so much feeling for this show already!!!
Nishimi Kaoru is living a pretty tough life. It appears that his father is always traveling, and all he wants is not the piano, but to be with his father. Right now he’s stuck with his relatives that are treating him terribly and badmouths his parents (his mother abandoned him and his father). And then I really wanted to smack that girl when she went against her word to take responsibility if he were to get in trouble.
YOU BITCH. CONGRATULATIONS, I ALREADY DISLIKE YOU.
Kawabuchi Sentarou is awesome. He’s a drummer, he loves Jazz and finds the classical music boring. His spontaneous personality makes him a real likeable character. I found it absolutely hilarious how he wouldn’t leave Kaoru alone (not like he was picking on him in a bad way) and took his hand when Kaoru had found him sleeping underneath a sheet.
Ritsuko looks like she’s going to be the main love interest and the source of the love triangle. I’m rather surprised how quickly Kaoru has already developed a crush on her, and I’m quite certain that Sentarou holds feelings towards her as well- unless there’s another character who will be holding that role. This is only the first episode, so don’t take my mindless speculations too seriously, ha ha ha!
The Opening really kick off the anime with an eye-catching and strong start. Most shows we see now days don’t start with the OP, this one did, which made it immediately stand out, not to mention the catchy tune as well.
Hands down, this is probably going to be in the top five shows of the season. I’m looking forward to how this story will unfold. :3
Possibility of Blogging: Guaranteed
PS: The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is back, expect delays for my future entries.
Vantage’s First Impression
Both Sakamichi no Apollon and Tsuritama have received a lot of hype since they were first announced, being the two series that noitaminA are in charge of this season among other reasons. I’ve yet to watch Tsuritama, but between a show about fishing and a show about music, I’d easily pick the latter.
This is the latest in the trend of protagonists transferring to a different school for various reasons, but Nishimi Kaoru’s taking it pretty badly. It certainly didn’t help that he was marked as a brainiac by the teacher as soon as he stepped in, but I’d think they would have at least tried to interact with him on the first day, as people usually do to a transfer student. Must be some high tension between city and country folk. Kaoru’s home life isn’t amazing either, with a critical aunt and a girl that needs a good dose of her own medicine. He can play Clair de Lune really well though, and if you ask me (I’m a pianist myself) there’s nothing wrong with Romantic era music compared to the other atonal shit they came up with in the future.
I’m so glad Sentarou was more than what the class labelled him to be – he’s a good guy, willing to go against three seniors just to get a key that a complete stranger wanted. He got it, as well xD The fact that he completely juxtaposes Kaoru (even the class was shocked) makes it all the more cooler that they managed to make friends. Sorta.
It’s going to be Sentarou’s job to open up Kaoru and make him more easygoing, as well as teach him about the wonders of jazz – Kaoru’s definitely taken the opportunity to try out a new form of music that he isn’t familiar with, after all. He played that tune more technically than Sentarou did, but what Sentarou said is true – that jazz is all about feeling the music instead of technical accuracy. That’s where the whole concept of improvisation comes from, after all.
It’s off to a great start. Just watch, in that little basement under that music shop there’ll be a jazz K-ON club forming. There’s someone called Ricchan around after all *SHOT*
Possibility of Blogging: Most likely.
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Kaitou’s Impressions:
OMG SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENED THIS SEASON. AND NO BOOBS. I’m kind of just slogged through a bunch of shows and nothing really caught my eye until this. Good music! Likeable and developing characters! A plt that doesn’t have aliens in it (aka not Tsuritama).
Much like the other show this season about new transfer students and their inability to fit in at first…Kaoru doesn’t fit in at all. There’s plenty of drama, with the family history to contend with. But there’s so much more- there’s the music, and the magic of the place. He’s taken under the wing of Ritsuko…and indirectly, by Sentarou.
AM I THE ONLY PERSON SQUEALING WHEN SENTAROU WOKE UP AND GRABBED KAORU’S HAND OR WHAT. OK, I know it’s probably going to be a deadlocked love triangle with this lot, but at the same time, can’t help but have my slash-pairing brain go haywire all over.
Sentarou…there’s a lot of history going on with him. He doesn’t seem like the loner type, but at the same time, he’s larger than most of the boys in the class, and wears that sailor hat. He’s not afraid to start a fight, but doesn’t do anything for free. Overall, he exudes confidence, something that Kaoru doesn’t have. In a way, it feels like they need each other. Both have a navy or sailor background, so I’m wondering what time period this show is set in. There’s a lot to be said about the missing family members in the picture, and why Kaoru ended up in a place like this in the first place.
Do I smell jazz club?
I don’t know much about music, but I know this is going be one of those shows that actually takes it seriously (ex. BECK, Nodame Contabile), rather than having it solely as a plot device (K-ON). Kaoru definitely has the skill set to play jazz, but he doesn’t have the feel down yet. I’m definitely watching this show this season. MY GOD, HEART STOP BEATING SO FAST ALREADY. >///<
Possibility of Watching: Guaranteed
Possibility of Blogging: Most Likely
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About the CG that you pointed out early in the post. I did think the CG hands on the piano looked terribly out of place. It you are going to save money on animation, I think that would be the last place to do it. Otherwise, it was a perfectly good first episode.