Episode 6
This episode centres around Sawaku and Shiori having an outing at a bookstore together. Sumika is happy because it means that she doesn’t have to share Endou’s attention with anyone else, for a change.
Sawaku asks Shiori about how many sci-fi books she’s read, and shares a tip about how to sound like one has read more books than they actually have. Shiori reluctantly realizes she can’t even be mad at Sawaku for admitting this because she’s done this herself.
They discuss the book “The Martian”, and Shiori points out that fans of a book will always point out the flaws in that book’s movie adaption if they can’t accept that the book and the movie are two different entities. This conversation was a little too real; I mean how many of us readers can recall having that conversation – maybe most of us? ^^;; I know I’ve had it many, many times myself.
Shiori debates whether it’d be rude for her to read while Sawaku looks at a menu, but before she can ask Sawaku yoinks Shiori’s book right out of her hands and starts to read it, leaving Shiori to read another book. However due to the sound of the rain falling outside, Sawaku soon falls asleep on the open book. Shiori moves to wake her but decides to let her sleep after hearing Sawaku praise the book in her sleep.
Episode 7
I can’t speak for all book lovers of course, but the opening scenario of this episode was something that really spoke to me. I’ve definitely gone into old and used bookstores and on more than one occasion, wondered about the values of hidden treasures that might be tucked away somewhere inside. First editions? Limited cover art? *0*
The episode opens with Shiori describing her bad habit of discovering a book’s monetary value when she visits a used bookstore. She’ll find a book and then look it up online to see how much it’s worth, but it leaves her feeling guilty and so she’s trying to break herself of this habit.
Afterwards Shiori, Sumika and Sawaku discuss their browsing habits when visiting used bookstores, and Sumika announces she’s working on an article for the library’s next newsletter. She wants to list positive experiences people may have when visiting a used bookstore, so the trio tries to brainstorm up some suggestions.
At the very end, Endou walks by the library and sees the girls chatting, and wonders if they’re having a girls-only meeting.
My thoughts: I liked both episodes, but could relate more closely to the second one. One of my favourite things to do is browse thrift stores and used book stores to see if I can find any books I’ve been looking for, or if I can find some older editions of my favourite books. I have a couple of books that I have 3-4 versions of because of things like cover art, older and newer editions, etc. #bookwhore
That being said, the conversation about book fans being nitpicky with movie adaptions in the first episode made me laugh. There is only one movie adaption of a book that I’ve seen that was almost perfectly true to the book, leaving out material only due to time contraints. I can also think of several movie adaptions that make me cringe because of things that got changed. I tend to be more of a purist and so if I’m seeing a movie adaption of a book I’ve read, I personally want to see it be true to the book. If something major is changed, it reminds me that they’re two different mediums and I feel like some of the movie’s magic is lost. But, that’s just me.
My only real complaint at this point is that each episode is just too short. There’s not enough time to set up some of the jokes (and even a minute would help). But really I think this could be a full-cour anime with 24-minute episodes if they expanded beyond straight-up gags. It coul be really cute!
I agree. If the pacing got toned down a little and some content was added, I think the episodes could definitely be longer.