In 2035, the student population of Japan’s school system is much lower than in the past due to the declining birth rate and enthusiasm is at about the same level. Apparently this takes place after the Examination War Era and many young people just eschew school and take up part-time jobs to get a jump start on their futures. It is this dreary educational climate that Manami Amamiya (just call her Manabi) transfers into Seioh High School and her genki nature is just the catalyst the school needs to make school exciting again.
I had downloaded the first episode when it came out a month ago and had forgotten to watch it until I read Omo’s post on how Manabi’s optimism spreads to others and spurs them onto helping to improve school life. While watching the first couple episodes, I saw Manabi as being like Haruhi with her enthusiasm with one important difference: everyone else isn’t scared of her forcefulness and therefore, stuff actually gets done because of the amicability between her and her classmates. Then again, Manabi shows some leadership inability in the third episode so she shares Haruhi’s headstrong nature but lacks her all-around skills. When she was out sick with the mumps in episode 5, Inamori managed to get Mei to work with her on a school festival proposal so they can also get stuff done without her around.
There is also an understory about Mei slowly opening up to other people and taking the initiative when the rest of the group doesn’t know how to proceed. She had a bad experience in middle school when the role of class representative was forced upon her and nobody helped her out except her friend and classmate Mutsuki who went to the same school, which Inamori and Momoha also attended. The only one that doesn’t know about Mei’s past is newcomer Manabi and she gets told the story by the others who experienced it firsthand.
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Voice Check:
Manabi (bundle of energy): Yui Horie (Ayu, Kanon; Tamami, Mahoraba)
Inamori (shy secretary): Ai Nonaka (Iriya, Iriya no Sora; Konoka, Negima)
Mutsuki (athletic tomboy): Marina Inoue (Rebecca, KIBA)
Mei (the serious one): Aya Hirano (Haruhi, MoSH; Misa, Death Note)
Momoha (the reporter): Saki Fujita (Kinu, Tsuyokiss)
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While I was composing this, I saw there is a certain naming scheme that the five main characters share. That is, the same vowel contained in the first syllable of their given names is also the one that begins their respective family names:
Manami Amamiya
Mika Inamori
Mutsuki Uehara
Mei Etoh
Momoha Odori
And then I found a picture on danbooru that basically explained the same thing. Oh well…
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The opening sequence is slickly animated and the grayness of night calls to mind the Negima?! opening.
The tradition of claymotion ending sequences continues for ufotable.
The graphics for the previews are bright and include positive Engrish phrases.
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There was a mini-motif that appeared three times in episode 3 of the five girls sitting in a line: once on a train, another at a ramen bar, and the third at a train station.
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…and don’t expect me to make full-fledged weekly summaries.
However, I will try to post something if I think it is interesting.
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Hey, insight is insight. I knew right away that something was up, but did not even bother to think about it.
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