For a series that suffered as much from pacing issues as this one did, the last episode was perfect. It was really really good actually. It gave us the backstory on how Sakurako and Shoutaro met, it got them back together as a pair. It made the rest of the series seem like it mattered in very big ways. Not to mention the after credits scene that had me screeching like a volicoraptor who’d had it’s toes stepped on.
So basically the episode starts with Shoutaro moping about not seeing Sakurako-san. As he walks, heading home after hanging around the area near her house. He reflects on the circumstances in which he met her.
A senile old woman, escaping from her nursing home. Looking for something, a shrine. A shrine that had been moved, she wanted to find something. A body, the body of her father. Who she killed when she was only a girl. That was the first case they solved together. It brought Shoutaro something he wanted more then anything.
An escape from his everyday life.
and as he reflects on the first case they solved together, he remembers something that she had told him back then. ‘Time waits for no one’ is basically the sum of it. Without exception, everything dies. Sometimes, they die sooner rather then later. However, they die. It’s a fact of life.
He runs to her house and tells her that even if he has to stare into the abyss that is Hanabusa. He wants to do so by her side, that he trusts her to protect him. I have to say, I got quiet the kick out of him proudly declaring that he trusted her because she had a wonderful assistant.
Himself.
They head inside for some of Grans apple pie and the credits start rolling. Well, that was nice. Oh look, there’s time after the credits I wonder what could…..
OMG, WHAT IS THAT PAINTING OF SAKURAKO? AH, HE’S MIMICING HER POSE. HANABUSA WHAT? please insert hyperventilating reviewer here! What is this feeling? Is this the hype train? WHERE’S MY SECOND SEASON, ANNOUNCE IT, ANNOUNCE IT NOW!
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Overall thoughts
From the minute I laid eyes on the preview for Sakurako-san I knew I had to cover it. It had a beautiful black haired girl holding a skull, IT MET ALL OF MY STANDARDS. With that said, how did I end up liking it? Well, fair enough. All of my issues with the series come down to pacing more then anything else. The animation was pretty much gorgeous, the characters were fairly enjoyable but the pacing…my GOD the pacing.
Let’s start with the Animation: The Animation in Sakurako-san was generally very beautiful, though it seemed to me like they were struggling with the quality near the end. Not the last episode, but the episode before that had some awkward moments with the characters faces.
I mean, it’s not game changing or ruins the shows quality completely. Just something I noticed, perhaps they blew their budget earlier on. With some of the beautiful shots of Sakurako or of the painting of the horse that Kougami’s grandmother did. Those will always stick out as some of the best moments for me.
Characters: Each of the characters were fairly enjoyable. Even Isozaki who comes off as an almost horrible person in episode 6 you come to really feel for in the episodes that focus around him. I liked all of the characters that were involved in the show, even if the episode that only revolved around the side characters was the most painful thing I ever had to watch. On a side note, we got to meet almost everyone they focused on in the opening…except one character….WHO IS THIS GUY?
The PACING: OH GOD, this is where this show fell on it’s face. For such a short series, it took FOREVER. To get to the Hanabusa stuff and didn’t even really get interesting until the last three episodes. I know people who dropped the series because they couldn’t keep waiting for it to actually pick up. I can’t blame them either, if we’d had a promise of a season 2 or even a longer series. This may not of been as much of a problem but even Detective Conan, that has been running over 300 episodes knew to bait us with it’s main antagonist early on.
Should you watch Sakurako-san? Based off the last episode? I’m going to say ‘Yes, as long as you’re willing to wait for the payoff’ it has some pacing issues but it’s a beautifully animated show with interesting characters. Now excuse me while i sit here and stare at it screaming ‘SEASON 2 WHEN!?’
Beautiful Bones: Sakurako’s investigation nets a fairly solid 7/10.
~Midnight