posts tagged “Kare Kano”
[Editorials]
14 Feb 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: ABC, Kare Kano, Makoto Shinkai, Random thoughts, Saikano, True Tears]
The mission, should I choose to accept it: write a Valentines Day post without taking the Holden Caulfield-esque stance that I take towards most things IRL. I didn’t want to limit myself to a True Tears follow-up post so tried to make a list of romance anime I’m familiar enough with to write about; this didn’t get very far either. It did throw up an observation that I found interesting though: my limited experience of romance anime seems to show two main approaches which, in keeping with the anime blogging tradition of inventing new descriptive terms, I’ve decided to call zoom lens and wide-angle lens storytelling. Yeah, I know categorising things can lead to all sorts of misunderstandings but I had to call them something.
Cutest. Couple. Ever.
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[Manga Reviews]
26 Sep 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Kare Kano]
In the end, something’s gotta give. When two straight-A students neglect their studies to spend time together, it’s only a matter of time before the school notices. The higher you are, the further there is to fall - the top of the class is a long way up!
It’s hardly surprising that Yukino and Souichiro were pulled up to explain what was going on with their grades - I guess it never occured to them that, to stay at the top, they couldn’t afford to let it slip - after all, studying is second nature to them so they’d never given it a second thought before now. The inevitable confrontation tellingly showed Souichiro to be the one to not only take the initiative and speak out, but to be pretty rational and articulate about it. As for Yukino…I suspect she might have been a bit more indignant if she’d spoken first but in all honesty both of them made a good case in a mature fashion for kids of their age.
It’s once again credit to Tsuda’s writing that we effectively see both sides of the argument: the two of them have for the first time broken their spotless academinc records just for a bit of happiness but on the other hand, the teacher is not acting out of malice but out of concern for his brightest students who are at a critical time of their lives. It’s all thought-provoking and all, but the real fun starts when their parents are asked for their opinions - I recall being really surprised at their response the first time I saw it (that being the animated adaptation) and that feeling is still strong in print.
It’s a bit of a backwards way of looking at this series perhaps, but I couldn’t help but compare the manga with the TV - one or two screencaps I took for the TV’s review of this stage in the story look pretty much identical to Tsuda’s artwork. To put it another way, those who, like me, got into the story from the adaptation and not the original will still find the comedy and drama conveyed exactly how they remember it.
This series really can be funny at times, though. For the most part it’s sentimental and touching (although Yukino’s “I’m being true to myself now” inner monologue is getting a bit repetitive since we were introduced to it way back in the first volume), it can be really comical on occasion. Some of this comes from the awkwardness that still exists between the young couple and some of it comes from Yukino’s down-to-earth and almost eccentric parents.
That’s more or less everything that happens in this volume: we won’t meet the irrepressible Tsubasa until the next volume (I think) but at least Maho is introduced here. Yukino’s resolve to be herself in the face of the archetypal Scheming Class Bitch is tested but for now holds strong - iirc Maho turns out to be a really cool character after a while but we can love to hate her in the meantime!
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[Manga Reviews]
24 Jul 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Kare Kano]
“I stop but I stare too much/afraid that I care too much/and I hardly dare to touch/for fear that the spell may be broken…”
This is where it all goes official as Yukino and Souichiro are a couple now…but they hardly get time to see each other due to school commitments! There are some great comedy moments with everyone flying around to get festival arrangements finalised and so on, but the main impression is that the two of them aren’t used to being a couple yet. They still exhibit the nervousness and insecurity - Yukino is so afraid to tell Souichiro her feelings that she can’t do it through words alone. This gives what is to my mind the volume’s best scene in which she shows him by a simple gesture; putting to an end her selfish notion of protecting her own feelings.
With that important development sorted out their relationship goes into the awkward ‘first date’ phase, during which we also meet the irrepressible Hideaki. This unscrupulous ladies’ man is a great character in terms of comedy and providing something of a catalyst for the progression of the Yukino/Souchiro relationship; Yukino hates him initially but after they settle their differences (along with Souchiro coming to blows with him as well at one point: when asked what he sees in her, Souchiro retorts with spelling out her genuine affection for him in contrast to Hideaki’s using of Souichiro for furthering his own social standing. Great stuff) the friendship between the three of them is cemented. Let the good times roll as they say.
What I especially enjoyed about this volume is how, in successive scenes, the thoughts of Yukino and Souchiro are shown to run parallel as they assess the ways in which the new state of affairs affects their feelings for each other and their opinions of themselves. It’s brilliant character observation on the part of manga-ka Tsuda but is hilarious as well: for instance, as Yukino thinks “am I good enough for him?” Souichiro is simultaneously thinking “am I good enough for her?” That’s right, even when the two of them are beating themselves up over their insecurities and fears, they are doing so in perfect harmony! If they aren’t kindred spirits, I don’t know who is.
As before, the detailed inner monologues and painstaking portrayals of every thought, spoken phrase or meaningful glance is captured with bright humour and heartfelt feeling; the page layouts still propel the story effortlessly with a nice short chapter Under the Cherry Trees which provides an insightful peek into Souchiro’s head when he first met Yukino. There are sakura blossoms and bishies aplenty here but when the emotions of both sexes are shown with such attention to detail even I am still utterly absorbed. This is ‘realistic fiction’ (thanks to Mike from AnimeDiet for bringing the term to my attention) at its tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud best. Aww. <3
This post’s lyric quote is from a hit 1990 album from a UK band; the song title itself is a neat summing-up of this series as a whole actually. Enjoy!
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[Manga Reviews]
14 Jun 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Kare Kano]
As you may be aware, the animated series of His and Her Circumstances (or Kare Kano to its fans) is one of my all-time favourites. My only criticism was the sudden ending, which will hopefully be solved by reading Masame Tsuda’s original manga - at twenty-one volumes in length though, I’m in for the long haul! Hopefully I’ll be able to give accurate impressions of the series without falling into fanboy rave territory.
The initial premise is of the standard shoujo high school romance type: told largely from the perspective of the female protagonist, in this case Yukino Miyazawa, it follows the day-to-day events and her relationship with the male lead, Souichiro Arima. Yukino is quite an ‘extreme’ character, whose defining characteristics - namely her overwhelming desire for admiration and attention - are probably more exaggerated than those of people most of us will meet on a regular basis but nevertheless are believable and true-to-life. The story picks up at the point where Yukino’s position as the most successful and popular student is threatened by Souchiro, who turns out to be a serious rival and a threat to her untarnished reputation as the top of the class; although Yukino is resentful of his presence at first, as they get to know each other better the two of them realise that they have more in common than they thought…
What makes Kare Kano outstanding in a crowded genre that I’m not normally interested in is the meticulous way in which the characters’ thoughts and feelings are portrayed (although I must admit that Hideaki Anno’s direcing skills made me aware of the story in the first place). Because Yukino puts on such an act in front of her friends and classmates, it is only her family who see her true self - this makes her narration all the more intimate and powerful as the reader gets to know exactly what makes her tick. Similarly, Souichiro has some dark secrets that are unknown to even Yukino at first; examining both the male and female main characters makes it more balanced and prevents it alienating male readers too.
To that end, this opening volume is neatly divided into three chapters or ‘acts’ that examine ‘Her Circumstances’, ‘The Secret’ between the two of them that kick-starts their relationship and ‘His Circumstances’ that shows Souichiro’s side of things. Thanks to Tsuda’s impressive grasp of pacing and page layouts, the story plays out comfortably and naturally, providing information and flashback sections without any of it being confusing - I found it to be undemanding yet rewarding late-night reading!
Because my experience in manga is relatively limited I can’t say how the artwork stands up to similar fare, but it comes across as clear and pleasant, if a little rough in places; being the start of the series, I can’t criticise Tsuda too much for that though. There are flowers in the backgrounds, cute girls and dashing bishounen but overall the femininity isn’t too overdone. There are some personal notes and cartoons in the margins from the author as well which don’t exactly add anything to the story but are fun and personal so it’s good to see Toykopop have retained them. There’s also a short story, The Tiger and the Chameleon, which is a cute little extra that has enough potential to develop into a full series in its own right.
Summary
For fans of high school rom-com manga I think it’s fair to call Kare Kano essential but anyone who appreciates character-driven series with depth, introspection and a deft touch for balancing humour and emotion should do themselves a favour and give it a try. As I revisit the heart-rending tale of Yukino and Souichiro, I feel like I’m falling in love all over again!
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[Anime Reviews]
24 May 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]
“…and that’s the script for episode 26.”
All: “Noooes!”
Okay, I’ll be serious about this.
As the series reaches its final phase the whole school is a hive of activity in the run-up to the culture-fest and there is more than enough worry, angst and stress to go around. Arima still has uncertainties concerning his relationship with Yukino; a dilemma not helped by the fact that she has much in common with Tomani and as a result gets on very well with him. Arima in contrast is suffering from the hectic study/festival preparations schedule and is wracked with guilt for feeling jealous over the friendship they share. Can Tomani realise before it’s too late? Meanwhile, the play that Aya is writing could well be cancelled: can the girls learn their lines, find a practice space and get it onto the stage?
All in all it’s setting up for an edge-of-the-seat finale where characters old and new clash at the end of term and the whole situation gets some closure. At least that’s what I was hoping. Unfortunately the age-old Gainax Ending throws it all into chaos and everything that has built up to this point begins to fall apart. There isn’t really an ‘ending’ to speak of at all as a matter of fact: it just feels incomplete.
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[Anime Reviews]
22 May 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]
The focus of the series shifts back towards the Yukino/Arima relationship once more as Yukino spends the remainder of her summer break soul-searching and analysing her own feelings. Soon it is time for an emotional reunion for them both, just in time for an hectic new semester featuring an old face coming back to haunt Tsubaki. As if this wasn’t enough for them to worry about, the upcoming culture-fest promises yet more demands on their time and energy, but with the possibility of free lecture notes for the lucky winners…
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[Anime Reviews]
20 May 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]
Arima has left for the National Kendo Championships so Yukino is left at home and decides to while away her time studying and hanging around with her friends. Tsubasa (the cute but bratty little classmate from the last volume) is having trouble at home however: her dad is remarrying and Tsubasa is so distraught that she storms out of the house only to move in with Yukino’s family.
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[Anime Reviews]
12 May 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]
At the end of the first volume of His and Her Circumstances we see Yukino and Arima meet, fall in love and begin their relationship. All six episodes were very concerned with their feelings, hopes and fears; this time the focus goes outward to the family and friends and we see how their romance affects those around them, and vice-versa.
The incessant dating that they have been going on is beginning to make itself felt: their grades (particularly Yukino’s, much to her own dismay) have suffered and they are pulled up in front of the teachers for some unpleasant home truths (below). They are told that unless they refuse to see each other, their parents will be called in - can their relationship survive the harshness of studying?
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[Anime Reviews]
07 May 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]
I’ll be adding a full series review for the main site in due course but a volume-by-volume journal will be helpful for writing it up and it’s made such an impression on me I can’t help but share! ^_^
Kare Kano (a.k.a. His and Her Circumstances) is the first series Hideaki Anno directed after the storm of publicity that surrounded the Evangelion TV series and feature films. I’ll openly admit to being a massive fan of the stuff that’s come from the creative minds of this guy and his Studio Gainax colleagues but I was curious to see how they’d go about doing a simple and straightforward show that’s devoid of giant robots, invading aliens, or even a love triangle. At first glance this adaptation of Masami Tsuda’s manga series sounds like an ordinary high school romance story. But of course, this is Anno we’re talking about here…
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