Sakamichi no Apollon – 07
“Hold on, let me draw your face” > *writes ‘NERD’ on paper*
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Hello guys! I’ll be replacing ikemen Jrow for Sakamichi no Apollon this week because he’s busy ogling dozens of Kurisu cosplayers at Animazement. And since I’m just a temporary replacement, I’ll be experimenting with this post. I want to focus on different aspects explored in this episode. |
Dorama
“I need to run dramatically to impress the audience!”
The first one is the less exposed topic that somehow gained more attention than usual in this episode. I expected some romance, but not this cliché. I was laughing so hard at the kissing (almost) scene because it was giving the overly-dramatized vibe. Not that it’s impossible for that to happen in RL, but was that scene necessary? I don’t think so. All it did was add some more spice to the drama to make it more… Well, dramatized. Right now, I am not happy with the romance as it’s so… Boring. Not impressive. Cliché. *insert more negative comments*
Necessary scene? No. But thanks to this, I can say “BUSTEEEDDD”
Yurika is another reason why the romance feels so dull. Who is she? There’s no depth whatsoever in her character. Yurika hasn’t been deeply explored yet till now. She has been a dull female crush of Sentarou’s, who just happens to be in the picture. What is she beyond that? Nothing. And yet this nothing– I mean, girl has such an impressive role: Sentarou’s crush and possibly the future girlfriend of Jun’s. Unfortunately, there’s nothing about her that makes me want to approve her role. It’s like shifting a random supporting character into a main character for no reason at all. I want to like her, but sorry, there’s nothing about her that makes me want to like her. Besides, it seems that she doesn’t have a strong personality, seeing how she just “goes with the flow” when Sentarou tried to kiss her. Crying because Jun almost caught her being kissed by Sentarou? It’s not like you tried to stop him anyway. Stop crying.
Who?
Bromance No More
Brofist on the face!
Bye bye, Sentarou x Jun. No longer shipping the two of you. Well, sorta, but not as hard as before. Anyhow, I really like how the anime crew handled the one-sided physical argument between Sentarou and Jun. I see that one punch by Sentarou as a mix of frustration and relief. It’s a relief because Sentarou was able to let out his frustration and jealousy, because the one person he looks up to and happens to be jealous of is a mess. Let’s not forget how Jun appeared when Sentarou almost kissed Yurika. Jun is basically screwing everything right now. Sentarou might be a bit too physical, but I’d rather have him punching Jun instead of shouting. That feels so Sentarou-ish. Either way, Sentarou’s disappointment was expressed well enough to let the audience know how he was feeling, and I liked it.
Let’s Jam!
There might be some romance, but Sentarou x Kaoru friendship is what this episode is all about. Before I talk more about it, I just want to say that I’m so glad they didn’t dramatize this part. The timing was perfect, not short, but not long. Everything flowed so naturally. The only problem I have is how the whole school ended up in the concert during the duet between the two, but remembering how small the school’s population is, I can understand it. As for the rest, it’s great.
In this episode, the fight between Sentarou and Kaoru somehow changed the two. Sentarou “losing” the only friend who understands him, isn’t able to connect with his new acquaintances just like how he did with Kaoru. He’s tamed and passive because of that. If Sentarou stays that way, sooner or later his delinquent reputation would be cleared. Surprisingly, Kaoru ended up being more sociable than Sentarou during their fighting period. Kaoru manned up and talked with his other classmates, giving them a surprise. It’s ironic how the two changed when they didn’t talk with each other. The irony is just too much (not in a bad way), and I just have to point it out. A mild Sentarou and a sociable Kaoru. For a second, I just realized that the change might be a good thing. But of course, I changed my mind. What’s the use of a better social life when one has no joy in that? That’s how exactly Sentaou and Kaoru are. They changed, but they are lacking without each other. As in their hearts, just to clear things up.
Their jamming was the perfect way to makeup. No words were used, but they were able to reconnect again through jazz, and I find that to be creative. Jazz is not just a mere genre that both have interest in. Because of jazz, Sentarou and Kaoru are able to put aside their contradicting personalities and became friends. Through jazz, not words, both of them became friends in the first place and the same exact moment helped them become friends again. Using something that brings the nostalgic feeling to fix the relationship between the main characters? Beautiful.
I’m expecting some kind of fanfic/doujin for this scene
Picspam
Overall, this episode was definitely great. Their approach of reconnecting Sentarou and Kaoru is not perfect, but it was good. Not really realistic (unfixable sound system in a school festival? Riiigghhtt), but it’s definitely close to it [reality]. My favorite part has got to be the jam because that’s the moment of their truce. Having jazz come into play again is satisfying, remembering how these past few episodes have been full of nothing but dorama. It would be great to have more jazz and jazz for future episodes, but I have a feeling that Apollon will go back to its dorama state since there’s the unsolved problem of Jun’s /sigh. Oh well, this episode has the old Sakamichi no Apollon vibe, and I am happy because of that.
POWUH: 400-499 with 428 comments
Music solves everything! Especially if it’s jazz~ I’m sorry, yes, there was the developing drama in the background, what with Sentarou/Jun/Yurika tussel, the Beatles-aspiring dreamer and Kaoru’s fear of losing his only friend to someone else, but the music is what ties them all back together; all that jazz is what makes this show snazz 🙂
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Jazz can save bromance *nod* I wish that they have more jazz though /sigh
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
Well… Sure it’s beautiful, the music helping to Sentarou and Kaoru to fix their relationship… But I think it’s becoming repetitive. It’s the second the time and I can see a third time easily, maybe with Sentarou and Jun. To me, they are idealizing too much the music. In the reality it surely wouldn’t happen.
About the first scene with Yurika, I came to understand now, reading this analysis, why she cried… I was like “Why the fuck is she crying?!” Guess I’m a little naive after all -.-‘
I like sooo much how the relationship between Kaoru and Ricchan is developing. It’s slow-paced, but I can see that she likes Kaoru more in each episode. Pleeease! End this show together.
And… The gig of the moe-fang
gayguy was not so good -.-‘ I prefer the jazz in this show. Tell me that what he sang wasn’t rock =.= With him dancing like that, it seemed sooooo gay.POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I don’t know about the repetitive part since this is just the second time (and I can’t see them having the same fight again. Probably later in the future but not anytime soon), but I can relate with the whole “making up with music thing.” I play music, and there are times when I can “talk” with another musician through music
Haha, it’s ok not to understand why she cried. It’s not as simple as it seems.
I don’t know whether Ricchan is starting to like Kaoru or not, but it seems that she sees him in a new light now. It’s just a matter of time before she starts liking Kaoru. That is, if she can forget Sentarou (unlikely)
Pfftt I don’t know the genre of his song since I usually listen to Dark Wave and things like that. My guess is pop rock
POWUH: iLurker with 16 comments
You think an unfixable sound system is unrealistic? Not at my school :’)
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
C’mon, your school is full of geniuses. There has to be a genius mechanic or something like that =( Your school is… Great!
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I think you are too harsh on Yurika. First she is more than nothing. To make such a statement you need to have wished away several scenes, for example her painting. So she is a schoolgirl with a crush on an older guy who sang in a nightclub — it happens. Clearly Jun never responded to her shows of interest, then Sen showed some strong response. Then she got caught. Is it that difficult to believe that a combination of embarrassment and the realization that she might have broken something she wanted would cause her to cry?
POWUH: iLurker with 3 comments
Agreed – don’t hate on Yurika just yet. Beautiful use of music this episode, by the by. It wasn’t mentioned in the review, but the scene with Sen playing rock, and Kaoru walking by in the rain was also excellent, and makes that final scene that much more meaningful.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I’ll try not to. It will be hard though.
I wanted to put the songs in here, but I keep forgetting their names. Boo.
Ah yes, that scene. It was so bittersweet.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
The anime could have told her story or have an episode (or even half) focusing on her. Anything to change her from a random supporting character into something more. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Right now, she’s pretty much nothing but a supporting character who happens to be stuck in a love trouble.
It’s not clear whether Jun is interested with her or not. What’s clear though is that her strong words in the club impressed Jun to the point where he asked for her name.
No, it’s not hard to believe. I’m a girl. I don’t see it was necessary though
POWUH: iLurker with 16 comments
Seeing the two of them reconnect through their music was a great way to resolve things between them. It showed that there was a great level of understanding between the two of them that words simply could not convey.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Yessss, this very much *nod in agreement*
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
…As much as I love this show…
I can’t take it very seriously…
…It’s so homosexual…
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 243 comments
What do you mean? It’s, like, the straightest anime ever. That’s why I like it so much. *shifty eyes*
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
C’mon guys, running away with your male friend while holding his hand is definitely the manliest thing to do EVER
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 243 comments
YEAH! Awesome jam! Great mashup of tunes from throughout the series! Other things may have happened in this episode, but I do not care.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
LOLOL that’s a little bit mean. Don’t you care about dorama? Everybody should care about dorama!