Shining Hearts: Shiawase no Pan – 02
This week, apple danishes! (… and possibly some plot progression.)
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I want to try something new, since Shining Hearts is based off an RPG and feels exactly like one, I’m writing this summary in a diary format from Rick’s perspective. He’s pretty flat as a character and is like a blank canvas, so I’ll just go ahead and fill in what I think he’s really like underneath that humble demeanor. (I also decided this season I’ll be giving image stitching a try!) |
This morning I was woken up by Airy at an outrageously early time, I wouldn’t have minded that a bit if all three girls were there to crawl into my bed and get weirdly close to my face, but since it was just Airy it didn’t feel as special. She’s cute, but I’m a tsun-tsun kind of guy if you know what I mean. Madera wanted me up and out of bed earlier than usual because the day was supposed to be “super busy”. I took that as an insult, as if the almighty Rick couldn’t handle a slightly larger crowd. I honestly wanted to sleep more, but this town is nothing without my bread.
“Don’t mind me, you have the scent of bread on you …”
As soon as I got there I put all my effort into making some of my delicious bread, and by all my effort I mean as little as necessary. I was still half asleep after all. But let’s get real, I could put poison in this bread and they’d all still fawn over it. I transferred a little bit of my anger from being woken up so early into my dough mixing, but that old hag Madera had the audacity to criticize my technique. I don’t think she realizes it, but without me she’s nothing. NOTHING. I’ll forgive her this time, but she should remember that nobody messes with me or my bread.
Baking. srs bsns.
Without notice there was suddenly an enormous line of people out the door, which isn’t surprising considering this is MY bread we’re talking about. I overheard some news about a storm, which made people even more anxious for my goods and the crowd grew even larger. Airy bailed out to do “deliveries”, but honestly I didn’t mind because she was getting too close for comfort all morning. A guy needs his space, ya’ know? It got seriously dark in the afternoon and Airy still wasn’t back. I got nervous that she might have been attacked by some hungry pedestrians desperate for my bread, so I decided to go look for her. I took some bread with me … just in case.
Irrelevant, but I love how the people in the background are just casually eating Rick’s bread in the middle of a storm.
I found Airy on a bench with some brat, and you’ll never guess what happened right in front of me. Airy hands the girl some bread and doesn’t charge a single cent. NOT A PENNY. Do you know how that made me feel? Do you know what giving hand-made bread out for free does to a baker’s pride? I’ll tell you … it doesn’t do anything, because I’m Rick. I’m too cool for emotions. Turns out the brat’s mother was working late at the apple farm preparing for the storm. I owed the lady some money from a bet a while back, so I gave her daughter some bread to make up for it.
Attracting younger audiences to his bread was the goal from the start.
Later that night Airy and I watched the same lady running down the street back to the farm. I noticed Airy was a little worried for her daughter so I thought, what the hell, I’ll do something special for her. I was going to make a snowman shaped bread, but I screwed up halfway through and noticed it looked a little like a human, so like any artist would I went with it. Airy got back not too long after. She mistakenly thought I was waiting for her, but I was actually just lingering around in hopes that they’d let me stay over because getting back home in that deadly weather would be a pain. I pressed a little harder and I eventually got the offer out of them.
Wearing pants to protect yourself from the rain, pfft as if!
I crashed on their couch and a couple minutes after closing my eyes I overheard the girls talking about me. Did they honestly think I’d fall asleep that easily? Nuh-uh, a baker is always prepared to get up on a moments notice. They kept talking, and talking, and talking so I moved around a little bit in my “sleep” to give them a hint. They took it and talked somewhere else. The next day the lady and her daughter came over to thank Airy and I for what we did. I kind of like the little brat now, she’s grown on me. They brought over some fresh produce for us including apples from the farm. Typically I wouldn’t allow such things to interfere with the pureness of my bread, but I made an exception just this once.
“Do you think we should tell him he’s not getting a paycheck this week, or ever?”
Later on we brought some nut bread over to the elves forest for Lana and her ungrateful brother as thanks for the storm warning. The next part was my favorite moment of the day, Alvin liked my bread! … I-It’s not like I wanted to make him happy or anything … That’s all for this week, it was pretty uneventful all things considered. Maybe next time … PS. Some girl washed ashore next to my boat, she looked moderately healthy and I was really tired, so I figured she’d still be there the next morning and I could bring her some bread or something.
Finally, some possible conflict!
Baked Goods:
Nothing but bread, no regrets!!!
If you were hoping Shining Hearts would pick up a little this week than you’ll be very disappointed, but if like me you’re starting to enjoy the slow pacing of the show than great, that’s pretty much all you’re getting! Once again Shining Hearts was focused on the “bread of happiness”, spreading joy through the simple, delicious food that many people probably take for granted. That’s not exactly the most entertaining premise you’d expect in a fantasy series, but somehow the mellow, game-like atmosphere is pleasantly enjoyable. Of course everything I’m saying right now could be totally proven false if what fans of the game are predicting about the plot really starting next week is true and the “action” side of the series finally sees the light of day. I’m not so sure I really even want that anymore … these daily life moments were actually starting to grow on me!
This week seemed somewhat focused on Airy, and I only say somewhat because the episode didn’t really develop her character all that much from what we already knew. Of the three girls Airy stands out the least to me, with Amil having a much more unique personality and Neris having Mai Aizawa’s lovely voice, but I will say I like her character design the most, there’s something about the combination of blue and yellow that I really find appealing. Otherwise the person who stole the show, with only a couple seconds of airtime, was the new girl who washed ashore after the storm. I get the feeling she’ll be bringing trouble with her which will do wonders for the pretty much non-existent plot.
I noticed last week a lot of people were pointing out that the bread didn’t look all that delicious, and I do see where they were coming from. Overall the bread did seem more … appetizing this time, especially since there was a wider variety of common bakery foods like danishes and cinnamon buns. I probably would have been really hungry after watching this, but I decided that each week I’d eat a different bread product while watching, this time I had a pecan roll. I’m sure it’s nothing compared to Rick’s bread, but I liked it anyway … Anyway, see you all next week!~ I probably won’t be doing this diary format again, wasn’t as humorous as I thought it might be!
Preview: A new girl, this villainous looking lady, and an angry looking fellow with a beard … don’t miss it!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 144 comments
I have no interest in watching this show, but your summarization is excellent. You should write like this for its whole run.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Seconded.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Thirded.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Haha maybe I will since people actually liked it. xD Writing normal summaries for this show is really tedious and boring, so this just made it a little more fun for me!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Not much progression this time around but still enjoyable. I like how Rick, Amil, Airy and Neris are so considerate towards the townspeople before the storm by increasing their stock of bakery foods and doing it earlier than their usual schedule. We get to see their whole arsenal and I must say, with so much sweet looking things, I’m in a mood to go to a bakery myself.
Seeing the girls fight over their relationship with Rick was nice. If he had the chance, I think he’d marry all three of them. Airy dominated this episode with her kind-heartedness and concern for the little girl.
Yes, a new girl and possible plot progression. It should be interesting, the girl in the black clothes looks hot. But the daily life thing is beginnig to grow on me as well. Hawthorne, if you’re afraid of the story suddenly turning into action then you should see Blood-C. Other than the monster of the week bit, it was 90% Slice of life stuff until it pulled a 180 turn with revelations, all out action, blood and gore with the last two episodes.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
The four of them must really care for the town, spending all day baking is dedication! Same here, this show makes me crave bread … ><
Rick has quite the harem going, seems like that just increased by one!
It's funny you should mention that because I actually just finished downloading the uncensored BDs of Blood-C! xD As soon as I get time I'm going to start that up. I have to wonder if Shining Hearts will take a drastic change in pace? Even so, I'm sure it won't be nearly as drastic as Blood-C!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, they really are good hearted people to care so much for others. And they’re also grateful enough to thank the elves for the information about the storm by repaying them with food.
Yeah, they always tend to increase. I wonder sometimes if these male are playing ignorant and secretly rubbing it in our faces that they have so many girls surrounding them.
You just finished downloading them? What a coincidence that happened while I talked about it. It’s a trainwreck of a series but a pleasant one. I urge you to marathon them all to be up to date when the movie Blood-C: The Last Dark comes out in June.
POWUH: 400-499 with 489 comments
This anime provides me with an appetite… For bread
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
the anime is just too perfect .. maybe for woman (_ _)
［(－－)］the quality is good by the way …
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
lol same here Moni Chan!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Agreed. Looks like we all have a craving for bread.
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
The diary format had me cracking up, I hope you decide to stick with it, it really brings a sense of humor to this bland show. Also, I can’t help that the main character has a nice character design for no reason. He doesn’t need to be hot when his bread brings all the bitches.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I’m glad you enjoyed it! XD (I’m considering it!) Maybe his attractiveness is what makes his bread so delicious and the entire town is being fooled by his appearance! haha maybe not … ><
POWUH: iLurker with 14 comments
Man, the bread is getting mundane at this rate… If this continues, I think I will have a piece of Sanae’s Hyper Rainbow Bread and pass out so I don’t have to watch this… but it might prove me wrong next episode with the fighting… I hope.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Hyper rainbow bread might be too much for this show to handle, it’d probably destroy the entire island! D: Rick is nothing compared to Sanae! heh.
More fighting, yes! I’d love to see some of that too.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Oh man, Airy looks so slutty without a her pants/skirt. And she’s a nurse! I bet she wants you to grope inside so that she can blackmail you for some extra bread, Rick.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
The idea of Airy prostituting for Rick’s bread sounds pretty hilarious actually. ><
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 109 comments
@hawthome i just watched episode 3 and looks like there is big plot progress in that episode and not about bread