Glasslip – 11
Yuki attracts attention everywhere
Sometimes you know you’re in love. And sometimes you’re not sure if it’s really love or something else.
Kiss Reaction
I think this image on the left is quintessential Touko. And also “Sleeping together.”
So why did Kakeru kiss Touko? That’s what she’d like to know: was it because he likes her or because he thought he should, or because of the fragments? The honesty of Kakeru in reply is interesting also, because these two have a very different relationship from most teenagers who have just shared their first kiss. There’s none of the giggling and blushing and embarrassment and even wanting to try it again that most teens would have. But I think it’s notable that Kakeru’s feelings for Touko come out when he’s talking to his mother while sitting next to Touko. It’s much more evident how much he cares for her then. And that shows also when he overhears her planning to stay at the school all night, and stays to keep an eye on her (although when he reveals himself that’s when the blushing comes back).
Everyone together
I think it’s also interesting how unembarrassed Touko is about inviting her family over to Kakeru’s to listen to his mom play the piano. Isn’t this kind of a big deal? I mean, sure, Touko’s already met Kakeru’s parents, but I’d have thought she’d be more worried about her parents meeting Kakeru. She even gets a big grin when he comes out of his ‘room.’ Touko’s finally given herself entirely to wanting to be with Kakeru, so his revelation that he’s undecided about going with his mom on a trip around the world shakes her quite a bit. She even protests that they spent all day yesterday together, not to say that he owes her or to prove that she loves him, but because the goal of that was to make it his place. Even if Kakeru told his mom that she’s indecisive, it seems that she’s finally decided on whether or not she likes him. And what does the snow mean, the snow that she’s been seeing with Kakeru around? Perhaps that means that he will be staying until it’s snowy?
I love this look
Three Couples
Sachi in Hiro’s world
From a show that started off seemingly with everyone all jumbled up about who they liked, in an environment artificially preventing them from acting on who they liked, we’re now at a point where there are most definitely three couples and seemingly no hard feelings. Sachi going hiking with Hiro feels like her attempt to bridge over to living in Hiro’s world, in response to him solely living in Sachi’s world within their relationship so far. Not as much of an apology, although she does apologize for using him to interfere with Touko (finally), but more as a balancing, to show her interest in Hiro and his life, rather than him just giving that up to fit into her life of quiet and reading. She still has a bit to go, represented by her statement that she can’t see him where he is, yet, but it seems she’s at least going to try.
Yana invites Yuki
And Yuki and Yana are trying to move into each other’s worlds as well, since Yuki realizes he has no idea what Yana really does. But this one is more of a direct invitation by Yanagi, and it’s somewhat surprising that he goes along with it. His bro image might take a bit of a hit, hanging around a dance studio, but he still goes, because he’s interested in her, finally. And not in response, but in addition, Yana joins him on his normal run, the one that she had done while he was at training camp. Of course, all the moms wonder what this guy is doing there, and all of the other students wondered about him too. But I think it did have an impression on him, because his statement that she was the prettiest girl and the best dancer isn’t just him being her step-brother, it’s him noticing her for herself, something he started last week’s episode. So when he tells Yana that he needs to talk to Touko, Yana doesn’t see that as any sort of threat anymore, more that it might be him properly closing that chapter.
Kakeru is the one who’s on the fence now, since Touko has cleared it and has definitely picked the side that he’s on. Given the way the show’s going, I can’t see there being an unhappy ending for the two of them, although I could see something where they aren’t necessarily together right now. It will take some convincing for Touko if that’s to happen, tho. I like the intimation that Hina has that they were out “spending the night together” as opposed to just spending the night not home, and Hina sure went over the top trying to convince her parents (although I’m pretty sure Mom already knows that Touko wasn’t home). I wonder what would happen if Hina found that all her hard work was just so Touko could hang out in the school art room? So we have two episodes left, and I really hope they can keep up the great quality of this show, even if the rest of the world doesn’t seem to quite get it. I’m loving it, and think it’s been excellent throughout.
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
My only complaint with this show is that it either lefts too many things to your imagination, or it wants us to guess something with no basis to guess from. And Kakeru with his carbon copies is just too weird. And sometimes I don’t get why a character does what he does, though the unpredictability that comes with it is pretty nice.
That aside, Glasslip has been pretty enjoyable to me. Seeing the couples come together and knowing that none of them are oblivious to the other’s feelings anymore (except Touko being oblivious about Sachi). It’s just sad to see that with the couples coming together, the group is growing more and more apart. I hate when my friends start to date and they don’t hang out with the group anymore ¬¬
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The only thing that I only have straight up speculation on is why Kakeru has versions of himself to talk to, and I think it’s because of that “Sudden and Predictable Loneliness”. And that’s why they have been saying that he won’t need them anymore. I do think that Kakeru is worried that even if he becomes involved with Touko, when the school festival comes around, again, he’ll be cast aside. One question that brings up is “why doesn’t Kakeru participate in school festival preparations?”
I think it’s a little early to think that they’ve ditched their friends. I think the week-long break nature of the series is stretching our time sense a little. In their world, I think this has only been about 2 weeks for the entire show, with the longest stretch of time being 3 days for Yuki’s running camp. I don’t know if I’d characterize it as ‘growing apart from their friends’ as much as “busy in the summer, and haven’t spent as much time together” which is a temporary condition. However, there’s always been an undercurrent in the show of impermanence, of this being a time that really cannot last.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I agree that this show doesn’t really explain quite what is going on. The carbon copies, and so forth. I find it hard to connect with the show at times because of this. Maybe some of this is clever, and either it will all come together in the end, or I am just too slow, and should go back to watching something with less subtext.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
So many cheers for Hina taking extra dinner portions for her sister. That’s class, as most would have just binned the extra food.
… and that look…He’s on the fence and she will wait for him…sooo smitten.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
When I saw that look in the episode, I *had* to put it in this post. That just felt like a perfect look of “yes, that’s the boy I want to see, the boy I want to talk to, the boy I want to be with.” That’s the kind of stuff that PA Works does so well with characters.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…it feels like she is thinking, “he’s just a goofy boy, but he’s my goofy boy…”
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
Not only does the snow represent tribulations that are bound to come, but it also means what it represents in nature in general: an end to summer. Summer is seen as the season of love and passion, and the snow that is coming means an end to it all. So what happens when summer does end and the other seasons come along? Does the passion going on between these characters end? Are the changes that within the group dynamics and with the specific couples going to transcend just these vignettes that they are having? Once summer ends, will Kakeru just be forgotten just like he has by those who he has met in the past (which along with moving all the time, has seemingly caused him to cope by fabricating multiple facets of himself in his head)? This is what i think the snow represents; a snow that blankets the city, and disrupts the status quo.
It seems by the preview that the group is going to give Kakeru a proper welcome this time around, ultimately emphasizing the rich developments that have occurred throughout this summer journey and what its end possibly entails for him and touko. Man, this series upon introspection is much richer than i initially anticipated and im glad im seeing this through; Touko is such an adorable beauty and her anxiousness and (with this ep) acceptance of her feelings and her determination to pursue love has been a joy to watch. I think she echoed in this ep what viewers have also questioned nicely in her conversation with Kakeru in the artroom: does kakeru really like Touko? even she didnt know for sure if they truly liked each other especially considering how they met. It probably always seemed to her that she was unknowingly pulled into a world of love without understanding why she would just start having feelings for someone the way she did. This must have added to apprehension she had been feeling in the last couple eps. And I gotta say that look she gave Kakeru; that smile; mmmmm simply exquisite. Glad you put it in the post.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The series thrives most with both introspection and retrospection. Looking within, and looking back at where they have been, it lends a much richer experience, so much more than just being dismissed as “nothing happens” or “the characters don’t make sense”. I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the show and that others are being rewarded by looking more deeply into the show (and that it’s not just me).
If I’m guessing at what the snow means, especially now with the snow appearing over scenes with Sachi and Hiro as well as Yukinari and Yanagi, I feel more confident that what the snow means is that they will be together when the snow comes. The others don’t see it either, but now it’s part of their world, so the worries that Kakeru doesn’t see it so it means he won’t be around feel lessened to me. I think it’s also interesting, possibly telling, that his other selves have been talking as if it’s a done deal that they’ll be going away. Perhaps they, as part of his subconscious, realize how much he cares for Touko, even if the part of him that is thinking is worried about whether he loves her.
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
For those who are not enjoying this series, im just guessing it’s not their cup of tea but from the first two eps of this series, i sort of got an “art-house” impression by the way it presented its narrative and i like this sort of experimental narrative style junji Nishimura is trying out. It definitely isnt conventional, and a story such as this is one that doesnt need to rely on a conventional style of story-telling to achieve what it is trying to accomplish.
What i enjoy most about this series is that nothing is done without reason even if it seems like it is; every scene tells a story. Sometimes i feel that viewers expect to be instantly grabbed by something emotionally without realizing that characters can become intriguing to a viewer either by being emotionally hooked from the get-go, or intellectually. The intellectual method requires more ruminating but the end result is just as impactful and can create the same emotional gratification that a series that uses emotional resonance to make audiences feel connected to the cast.
Glasslip has been an example of reading between the lines and seeing how these characters experiences reflect on how they live their lives in the present in accordance with the decisions that they make, and it has been a pretty good “slice-of-romance” narrative.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’m trying hard to not complain too much about the people who aren’t enjoying this show, but I think just “it’s not their cup of tea” is a little too generous for some of the comments I’ve seen about it. As you say, it’s not a conventional show, and I think that there are just a lot of people who aren’t trying to understand it. What bothers me most is not really that people don’t get the show. I mean, there are shows I don’t get, and I realize that everything’s not for everyone. But the amount of invective that I see leveled at this show for being things it’s clearly not (“stupid”, “pointless”, “nothing happening”, “not making sense”) does bother me, even though it reflects more on the person making the comment than the show.
To me, this show has actually been more impactful for not being so face-value, in the same vein as when you ‘discover’ something for yourself, rather than be told it.