AKB0048 – 06
If you can’t beat them … kill them.
“No, no, no. Don’t listen to him, it’s just juice!”
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This post is a little later than usual, so apologies for that! Now that my Summer vacation has started I should have plenty of free time to dedicate to blogging, which hopefully means I’ll be more timely … until I start college at least. Oh, and thanks to everyone who voted for us in the Aniblog Tourney, we managed to get first place in Round 3! Congratulations to Baka-Raptor as well! Now, on to AKB!~ |
Haters Gonna Hate
Voodoo is not the answer to your problems … most of the time.
This week we’re introduced to a darker side of being an idol (… well, maybe not as dark as some other aspects), for every crowd of fans there’s always a skeptic on the sidelines rooting against you, or in Orine’s case, threatening the lives of your friends. (Damn them for breaking down the sweetest character on the show! D<) What resulted from Orine’s creepy threatening fanmail was an episode full of tears, which I’m sure we’re all used to by now, familiar drama, and wait … hey look, finally some more mech v. idol action!
The “hater” was a nice touch to a generally cliched format, “girl becomes idol – instantly everyone loves them“, and even though it was only a single harmless kid, Orine’s reaction to the mean spirited letter was only amplified by the fact that her presence was now a threat to the rest of the group. In some way or another I think many people tend to dwell on negativity, even in the smallest doses. Especially someone like Orine, who’s been searching for acceptance and to be “seen” her entire life. To finally become apart of something and then be singled out as a weak point was a crushing blow to her confidence.
Dear Producers: I have a few choice words for you like “you” and “are” and “a jerk”.
“No. No. No. Spongebob quotes will NOT be tolerated!”
I’m sure some people will label this entire episode as overly dramatic (haters gonna hate after all, fufufu), but for me that’s been one of the most alluring qualities of AKB0048 so far. It could be the fact that I’m drawn to anime with plenty of tears and angst, which this is clearly not lacking in, or my growing attachment to the characters, but what’s the point of watching for realism when anime is a medium so far from that in the first place? If one thing can be said about episode nine it’s that the emotions expressed by Orine’s growing fear of failure and reflections on her past were handled very forwardly and managed to even make me tear up when she extended her hand to meet her very first fan.
A lot of credit should also be given to Chieri, who once again pushed one of her co-idols into facing her issues instead of letting them effect their performance. Even worse then being told you’re the weak point is actually BEING the weak point, and at that point Orine was just too emotional to overcome that and it showed in her dancing. Chieri might be cold, but I’m starting to see her actions are from the heart.
The resolution was very touching and was a good way of showing the “power” these idols have over people. The ability to inspire, charm, and even battle to name a few. Something tells me that if I was somehow displaced into the AKB universe I’d be one of those cloaked guys running around with rocket glow sticks. Just some benefits of being a fanboy I guess. Anyway, I hope this doesn’t mean she’ll float to the background once again, she deserves the spotlight every now and then!~
Me, in 20 years. Basically.
Plans for the Future!
“We don’t have enough time for a beach episode sir, but this should suffice.”
One of my questions was addressed this week regarding who will succeed who, partially at least. Matching your personality and meshing with the persona of the idol that draws in the fans seem to be the biggest concerns when it comes to succeeding. Oh, and let’s not forget dealing with the fans of the previous successors! (Orine got a taste of that firsthand.) From what I can tell of this episode there are two types of recruits, though I’m probably generalizing.
The first type are like Mikoto, the girls who are so eager to join AKB0048 that they don’t put much thought into who they want to succeed. Rather, they just want to make it in no matter which idols name they take on. The second type are like Orine who have a set girl in mind that they want to succeed, which is a sign that you know yourself and your personality very well, but it also seems to be a more difficult path to take. I’m not sure why I’m so involved in the whole “succeeding” part of the anime, it’s just an intriguing concept I suppose.
And in that moment her destiny was clear, Sonata would succeed the legendary puppy-chan.
“No. No. No. Do not believe the lies this fool is feeding you!”
RETURN OF THE MECHS.
I do not believe it can be more epic than this.
The action was well handled this week, though probably one of the weaker showings. Obviously the entire scenario isn’t very plausible to begin with, such small framed people taking on huge ass mechs, but even so I prefer when logic isn’t completely thrown out the window. (See, Jormungand.) Orine thoughtlessly running into a storm of bullets is just one example. Even so, I enjoyed the return to an action oriented segment, as short as it was, and I was actually more impressed by the camera angles and choreography more than anything else. Creativity doesn’t seem to be at a loss.
I’m still searching for that insert song though …
~ Weekly Idol Ranking ~
#1: Orine Aida |
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| How could I NOT give it to Orine this week, she was just too lovable. From her “omg fanmail” face, to her “omg that’s not fanmail” tears … she was my favorite this week. On a happier note, her ability to look past the hate mail and save the boy who wrote it was inspiring. Orine, in my eyes at least, has proven that she has the potential to be a strong contender for succeeding into AKB0048. Sure, she has some more work to do on her dancing and confidence, but it when it comes to her dedication to the fans she gets an A+! The fact that this episode had a heavy focus on her means she probably won’t be in the spotlight as often as other characters who haven’t gotten that chance, but I have a new respect for Orine. |
#2: Chieri Sono |
| Chieri has once again proven how straightforward and dedicated she is. I have to say, I was not a fan of her in the beginning but I’ve warmed up to her over the weeks. At this point I’m eagerly awaiting for the inevitable scenario of dealing with her father. She gets bonus points this week for having one of my favorite action shots of the whole season on top of that mech. |
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#3: Kanata Shinonome / Mimori Kishida |
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Kanata and Mimori were an amazing pair this week. Since this episode focused mainly on the new 77th generation, they weren’t as big a part of the events that went down in the first 3/4. When they did show up towards the end, they were as awesome as ever. Being the last two members of their generations must have given them ample time to grow as a duo, which is evident in their flawless teamwork against the mechs. |
Preview
Who are you, and why do you have a lemon in your hair!?
Extra Observations:
- The girls in the preview are probably from a rival group, will we be seeing a showdown sometime soon?
- If you couldn’t tell, that Sayaka screencap was my favorite from this week. ´▽｀
Overall, I enjoyed this week’s episode as much as I did the last. AKB has been consistently entertaining for me, and I was especially happy to see the mech action return. So, until next time everyone!~
Maybe now we’ll think twice about sending hate mail. D<
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 50 comments
Bleh I’ll never understand haters that take it the the extreme that kid did. How could he do that to the sweetest member of the group ;_;? I like how it was resolved though and agree that criticism is always needed to be able to improve
not to the extreme he did it though. I actually don’t think Orine was being overly dramatic though. I’d probably worry about it some and get over it, but I know some people who would act just like Orine acts.Those fans O_O. They are awesome! The thing with the glowsticks was amazing, and their idol inspired mechas were hilarious to watch fight. Where have they been during the first couple of concert scenes we saw them though xD?
Yeah those girls are probably from a rival group I haven’t seen the preview so i don’t know T_T. The place I watch these eps from never shows them.
Oh, on a random note, did you notice that they played a piano version of Reincarnation
I am to lazy to search for the real nameduring the scene between Orine and Nagisa on the balcony O_O? I had to play that part again to make sure.POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
The weird part is that the hater isn’t far from the truth either, I’ve read plenty of stories around the internet about people who go to extremes for stupid personal reasons. Poor Orine, someone like Chieri or Yuuka I think would have been able to handle the criticism a lot better then she did. ;_; It’s not that I think Orine is weak, but she seems a lot more self-conscious, whereas Chieri and Yuuka confront their problems head on.
I know right!? Those guys are awesome! They take “super fan” to a whole new level. xD
Considering that’s one of the few songs I actually know, I can’t believe I didn’t recognize that! I’ll have to go back and listen again.
The previews always come out later then the episode itself, that’s why the quality of the preview image is so terrible, it’s from the internet. >< You can find more information about upcoming episodes at the AKB website.
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
If your still searching for it, the insert song is Anti from their single ‘Everyday Kachuusha’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYKo2upA2Ts
And you can find pretty much all of AKB’s songs (including Anti) here: http://umi-uta.livejournal.com/3472.html
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Nice! Thanks Cool, I always have trouble finding insert songs for some reason. ><
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Geez, what is wrong with these haters? It’s like there must be a penalty for those who work hard to become popular. I think it’s jealousy at the fact they can’t reach there themselves so they need someone to take it out on.
Though I never thought Orine could possibly start liking her hater and sooner or later, the hater will become her fan.
Chieri is at it again with her indirect motivational speaking. It annoys me when she starts with her high and mighty, condescending tone but you forgive her when you understand what she’s trying to accomplish afterwards.
YES!! We get a little action again. The mic sabers were dearly missed. The guys fighting alongside the girls take fanatic to a new level. I’ll laugh myself into a coma if this ever gets legalized in real life.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Right!? Who could hate on these poor girls who are trying so hard. ;_; Orine surprised me when she helped her hater, I guess that shows how great of a person she really is.
That’s where I’m at with Chieri as well, sometimes it’s hard to look past that cold demeanor and see her for who she truly is. I guess the icy blue hair was fitting for her character. >< Who needs the law! When it comes to being a fanboy/fangirl, nothing can hold us back! XD
POWUH: 400-499 with 489 comments
… and that was the good towel…
cries in a corner
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Towel-chan’s sacrifice will be remembered. ;_;
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
So far…..my fav of the series so far. Sweet action sequences, the integration of the idol meet and great was well done, the inclusion of the “fans as fighters” was a neat surprise, and the full arc of the hater as supporter was a nice, well worked, detail.
My only gripe, mizugi service was less than…well…I wanted more mizugi. Nuff said.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Agreed! Awesome episode. I believe I remember you saying you weren’t all that impressed by the series last week (or maybe a couple weeks ago?), so it’s nice to see that this week was more enjoyable for you.
I wouldn’t worry, it’d be surprising if a full-on beach episode wasn’t included at some point. xD
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Overall, I’m still not terribly impressed. The reasons: I think the No Entertainment premise is more than a little lacking. It’s pretty weak. So, as I’ve been watching I kinda invent little bits here and there to make it seem stronger; or just plain ignore the premise.
This week it’s different, as it gets more fleshed out. I thought the Otaku fighting brigade was pretty special. If mechs become a norm for the military, then the street will find a use for them as well. That appeals to my punk/diy ethic. Plus the otaku’s gear looks like the race cars that have anime motifs painted on. In fact they are just like them. Only they fight, and kick ass.
POWUH: iLurker with 3 comments
hahahah a lemon in her hair… only Miorin xD
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I just did a little research and now I know who you’re talking about! XD The lemon seems like a very fitting trait for her. I wonder though if in the anime she’s part of a different AKB generation, or if she’s from a rival group. Hm.
POWUH: iLurker with 19 comments
According the preview of episode 7, those girls are the 76th gen understudies.
Here’s a translation of the preview if you’re interested:
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