Barakamon – 10
<caption contest>
Well, it’s not like the ending wasn’t something we weren’t prepared for. After last weeks end credits stinger, we knew it was coming. So with that in mind….
————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Community
Anime Sins +1 “The there’s room for one more misdirection”
If anything this episode served to underline or underscore what we know about the characters and what we know about the place they inhabit. I appreciated the details, as many of them were not flashbacky or stock, but rather some new wrinkles. It’s always great to see Naru’s Ojii-chan, and that old fart is such a rascal. I don’t know what possessed him to dispossess Naru of her precious “Do Anything. One time” ticket, but it did a good job in playing right into what Akki would say later about the same. If she wants to ask Sensei to go out and have fun, she really doesn’t need a ticket to do that. He has, and still would…with some grumbling here and there.
All you gotta do is show up, Naru
So with that in a somewhat small focus, we can broaden the scope a bit. It’s one thing to participate in the community around you, but to build some of it. To make an investment? Both of these activities are hugely symbolic.; as are their individual “completion” Building the better wall, and renewing the calligraphy for the shrines donator’s is a just slapping us in the face. Sensei belongs there. Heck, he was all for it at episodes beginning. This is where the art in him really started to take shape.
Matsuri
Macross physics has nothing on a hyperactive seven year old
I know that sometimes Sensei’s mode really slaps us tight in the suspension of disbelief. He lived in Tokyo all that time and never once got to attend any festival? If anime is anything to be believed they have them at least, like once every other week?! He should have at a few under his belt. And not having cotton candy until his adulthood?! What is this strange creature, and why does he write so well. But it makes sense given a bigger picture. The stuff that the other characters have done, he gets to do for the first time. It’s like a second childhood for him in some ways. A chance to, if not be reborn, then to rediscover the things he missed.
Just stick to the packaged cracker treats if you want goldfish, man
GAH! Every single anime that even features a festival has to have this doesn’t it? And it’s such a noob’s game, especially in anime! Either the MC is so OP at this event that he or she would take gold in it at a World Event, or a sub-supporting character comes out of the wood-work and nabs the prize. So for that we have to go back to episode two and revive the nurse, Iku-nee, and her mad skillz. But I’ve seen it done better. Besides this there were several fun moments to be had. Tama’s desperate need for her fujo fix on manga release day was something I used to experience when I was her age. But mine was for X-Men. And yes, basketballs skills always come from manga.
…one final moment together with Sensei…
If there was a great bit of writing which stuck out in my mind, it was Hiro announcing his desire to leave the island in search of work. The show has already established that higher education may not be in his future, so striking out and going into the workforce looks to be his next step in maturing. If Sensei came to the island to gain some maturity, if not in his life, than in his vocation and avocation, then it seems that Hiro must leave. They let that rest with us for half a moment before the girls feel that, yes, Sensei is, if not a replacement for Hiro, then has become irreplaceable. Then a few beats more, with Hiro curious about what Sensei wanted to announce…leading us to…
How do you say goodbye?
Yeah, I kinda predicted this…
You know, we could chalk Sensei’s unannounced departure as double down drama. But, I would argue that it isn’t all that out of his character’s nature. He is, if not socially awkward, not given to being overly attached, with the excuse of devotion to his calligraphy to re-emphasize that point. While it is true he has had some deep connections to his new community, and has learned so much about himself from it, perhaps the sense of finality is something he cannot broach. There’s quite a bit to mull over in this, and I think I’ll leave that to you folks in the comments.
A very well made scene…still made me tear up
I have to admit, that most of this episode felt a bit to stock. It wasn’t bad, per se, but it surely didn’t compare to episodes before. Where the show has managed and succeeded in putting it’s own design, and it’s own character on SoL conventions. This one felt way to much like “check the boxes off” storytelling. Which is unfortunate, for it has some well written moments, just not framed as they have been doing so far. Setting that aside, we have the ultimate question. Will Handa return? I cannot quite see this show finishing out without touching back to what made it extraordinary. Yes, that’s Naru, and the island, and Hina, and all the rest. All of it, as a matter of fact…
Show of hands? Who cried?
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Again such a sweet episode. I would like to go to a Japanese festival someday. It looks fun, and yet familiar. I’ve been to festivals with many of the same elements and as a city girl, it’s fun to go out and see what the country festival would be like.
But the ending! Poor Naru, he could have at least said something to her. Especially as she worried so much about him last episode.
Come back, Sensei! 🙁
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…thanks to anime we could probably go to a festival on Vers and pretty much lose at goldfish scooping…
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
hnnnnnnnnnnnnnng the feels T______T
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
We got smacked right in the feels!
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
So often life is like that. Someone comes into your life like Handa did with the island and like the islanders, especially Naru, did with him. And then they leave.
But this is anime and it doesn’t have to follow RL. Season Two, anyone?
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Oh, wait, I checked and see this is listed as having 12 episodes. More than enough episodes left to have Handa return to the island, either permanently or to in the future split his time between Tokyo and the island. And also to learn if Hiro does leave to search for work elsewhere or to find a job on the island.
Still, the ending of this episode is a 3 hanky one.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Two episodes should be well and enough to give us some sense of satisfaction.
IKR, my feels are aching!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Caption quote: To use Kokonoe Rin’s quote: Nakadashi Kibou.
*runs*
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…oh you better run…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*sends telegram from far*
*starts* As a LOLiDefender you will have read Kodomo no Jikan? Or as ANN likes to put it in a way: “Paedophilic material”. 😛 Which is amusing considering the author is a woman and written from her POV. Might she have had a similar crush when she was young? *stop*
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, there is a great movie called “Local Hero”, about a guy from Houston who goes to Scotland to buy up a fishing village so they can replace it with an oil refinery. Well worth seeing. He goes there and, like Handa, is a fish out of water. The locals are all wacky, and over time he comes to quite like them. His job is to convince everyone to abandon the quaint fishing village for cash. The scene where Handa leaves really had me thinking about that movie’s ending, because, like the character from “Local Hero”, Handa can now go home a successful man. He has accomplished what he set out to do at the beginning, but he might have been better off having failed, and been stuck on the island forever.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Oh, good recommendation. I love catching up on older films.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I have that movie and have seen it at least 3 times. It is great! The humor is usually subtle rather than laugh-out-loud. For example, there’s one scene with a young woman and her baby with 3 or 4 of the local men. So the guy from Houston says, “Cute baby. Who’s the father?” And the local men all look at each other.
One thing to remember when the Russian fishing vessel shows up and the captain goes ashore. The movie was made before the break-up of the Soviet Union and Russia was still Communist.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Oh, Burt Lancaster is the CEO of the oil company. As usual he did a great job with his role.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
*raises hand* I did cry!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Awww. It was a tough gig, wasn’t it? Welcome to Metanorn, Ponytaorponyboy. I hope to see you around some more…