Now, after much anticipation, the subs are out for the final episode of the season of Sora no Manimani. While there is a DVD episode coming out (and Koharubi has stated that they will sub and release it), this is likely the last episode for actual narrative scenes since the DVD special is about events that happened before episode 10.This last episode also marks the first series I’ve blogged from start to finish, as well as the first series I ever posted about in general. Last episode Hime was recovered from the snowstorm, and now the club members are waking up and preparing for the day with an obligatory onsen scene…

Astronomy hangover.

Hime dual wielding showerheads.

Don’t worry Hime, how could they hold it against you with that face?

Oh my…

I’m surprised they didn’t scream and try to cover themselves.

As the club members are getting ready for their night of stargazing up on the mountain, Roma is sitting under an oppressive fog of exhaustion from studying for his college entrance exams when Oumi finds him. She offers him some gum to put a little sugar into his bloodstream and then suggests that they hang out. After first stopping at a book store for study guides she grabs his arm and asks to keep hanging out, taking him to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Apparently she’s already known there from her family’s many visits, and after the meal she takes Roma up to the terrace. There, despite the city lights some bright stars are still visible, made clearer when she hands Roma her (coordinated to match her outfit) binoculars. Then, Oumi wants to BE FRIENDLY but stops a moment short when Roma is still clueless, though at least they get a cute picture together.

I’m glad I don’t live in a country where standardized tests determine your fate. SATs and GREs weren’t nearly this bad.

Oumi worries for her love’s sanity.

Wearing a Chinese-style shirt, Oumi has indeed planned this well in advance. I like that.

It’s those eyes! And speaking of, it’s a rare sighting of Roma’s eyes.

Roma, you’re only excused this one time due to test-induced stress.

They’re really going! The 40, the 30!

The 20! This is incredible!

Ooooh, Roma trips and he’s down! Well at least he’s set up with the first down near the endzone.

Nightfall on the mountain brings out the club members who begin setting up their astronomy and photography equipment. Edogawa has managed to use his connections with the Photography Club to bring enough cameras for everyone, and the girls school astronomy club has already found the Pleiades (M45). They’ve also already started freaking out about how moe the constellations and their mythology are, clearly making them equal opportunity fujoshi.

Ready to go in cute hats!

It’s not going to work, but you’re taking a step in a better direction. It’s easy to improve when your previous attempts included stalker photography and covering your nearly naked self in rose petals.

I love those two.

Orion was going for the harem end.

“If you only knew the power of the moe side.”

Then as the others are setting up the big catadioptric telescope Mihoshi reveals what her secret package was. Although her father’s telescope was destroyed in the accident, she was able to salvage his set of eyepieces and has brought them along. Evidently of a high quality, she gives them to the group to use for the night’s observations. After taking a moment to look up at the winter constellations and stars, Saku and Mihoshi head to the scope, where Saku is allowed to line up the scope with Saturn. While small and blurred from time to time by the wind, the planet becomes more detailed with focusing.

It wouldn’t be something of Mihoshi’s if it didn’t have drawings and stickers on it.

Bringing up the old memories one last time for the last episode.

A nice thematic touch, mentioning how the constellations from one year ago have come full circle around again.

:3

No wonder he’s having trouble, starting off with a 10mm eyepiece (larger number = less magnification but wider field of view. I usually start off with my 32mm then go up in magnification after centering an object.)

Wait, you’ve paid for that huge Vixen catadioptric and you didn’t buy a motorized mount?

I like how the show doesn’t sugarcoat how things can look and give viewers unrealistic expectations. Saturn and Jupiter are about this small, though you can get more detail in real life.

As an end of season thing we get a fairly long montage of everyone from the show, whether they are there on the mountain, at home, or on vacation. Mihoshi pauses it in the middle to tell Saku how her dream has been passed down from others who have shown her the stars and nurtured her interest, and how she plans to continue showing people the night sky. The other school’s club talks briefly about the seniors graduating, and Ann finds some more confidence to lead the club when her time comes to be president.

All has happened according to Mihoshi’s design.

“If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.“

The club will be in good hands. Ann has found the confidence to be an Heir to the Stars.

Under the same sky.

And our Queen Fumie deservedly gets Her own scene, not merely a quick shot and a line! All hail the Queen of Souei High, who in Her benevolence and compassion has brought Her Literature Club to a hot springs to aid them in their writing. While making sure that Her followers have actually done some work on their vacation, She mistakenly talks to the bamboo pipe in the corner on account of not wearing Her glasses in the bath. And then one of Her followers looks up to see a shooting star and the three look up at the same sky that ties all the characters together.

Everyone gets some parting screentime.

Ah, my Queen. “President of the Student Council, President of the Literature Club, President…of your heart.”

Poor Fumie without Her glasses.

I especially like the framing on the second shot.

Once the new school year starts the Astronomy Club mounts its campaign to recruit new members and maintain their minimum club size now that Roma has graduated and has gone to be all rabu-rabu with Oumi in college. Mihoshi’s star suit certainly gets attention, but doesn’t work very well for her surprise Saku hugs. Hime then gets a little end of season scene too. Now separated from Saku in their new classes, she’s worried about not being able to see him. While she still has the Astronomy Club, she’s still worried until she asks Saku if she can peek in on his class from time to time. Re-energized with fighting spirit, Hime takes to the love battlefield once more. She’ll keep fighting! And she’ll win!

Falling star.

I loved Saku’s instant, deadpan reply of “No.”

OTP accomplished!

These are the adventures of the Souei Astronomy Club. Its continuing mission: to bring us new astronomy info and new mythology, to seek out new characters and new love polygons, to boldly do better concepts that other series have done before!

Edogawa might have an outside chance if she were to ever give up on Saku.

This picture might be redundant, but it’s too cute. Go Hime!

Stay strong Hime.

The credits begin to roll as we get one last scene. Saku has written up a flyer to advertise for the Astronomy Club and he and the other members begin passing it out to the new students. And as he’s doing so Her Highness returns to the fray! Taking a flier, she looks it over while Saku congratulates her on being reelected as Student Council President. While She sees Saku’s writing skills as going to waste in service to the Astronomy Club, She compliments it and clearly blushes even more while Her underlings tease Her. Then, as at the start of the series, Mihoshi has climbed to the top of the school, throwing little foil stars and calling out for new members.

YES! She’s back in the fight. Sorry Scamp and other Hime shippers, my joining your ship was predicated on Fumie being out of the fight. Though the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so I declare that I will take no offensive action against Hime until such time as our common enemy is defeated.

While Fumie could easily rule by right and competence, She even allows the plebs to have a vote. As if they would pick anyone else.

“Join me Saku, and together we can rule Souei as tsundere and tsunderella.”

All of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again.

And I’m really, really, really looking for another season!

Yes please!

Final Thoughts: – Oh why did they have to leave so much unresolved? I need moar!

- Oumi X Roma FTW. I’m sure that missed opportunity on the restaurant roof was only a minor bump on the road to happiness.

- Fumie getting back into the fray was very pleasing to this blogger. I really didn’t expect that they’d bring her back as an interested party after almost a whole episode walking her off stage.

- I’ve had a lot of fun blogging this series. It’s the first one that I’ve ever blogged, and the first one to blog until completion. I’ll definitely blog a second season if one comes out, and I’ll certainly make a post about the DVD special.

- The show was also the spark that got me back into astronomy and even getting more organized about it, buying a telescope and taking notes while I’m out there.

- I’d like to thank the readers and commenters for being part of the experience. You guys make it all worth doing and just that much more fun.

- Special thanks to my shipping rivals Scamp and RabbitPoets for the dueling blog entries. Isn’t it odd that we all instantly took to different characters, that there was no overlap? It worked out perfectly.

- IRL Sora Mani: After about two weeks of really crappy weather I’ve had two decent nights to get out and stargaze. Since getting the new set of eyepieces and filters I’ve been able to see a lot more clearly too. I’ve also tried out that light cannon thing, and it doesn’t work. I’ll try holding a flashlight to the eyepiece tonight, but I really doubt it works. As fall has come along I’m starting to see different constellations, even the winter ones if you stay out late enough. Below are a few from recent outings. Some were taken with the camera mount, some without, and some without the telescope. Full resolution here.

Taken through a 32mm eyepiece with a #23A light red filter. Kind of evil looking.

The Pleiades star cluster (Messier 45) taken through my starter 25mm eyepiece. The blue glow from the surrounding nebula shows in my newer, better eyepieces, unfortunately the ones I took last night came out really blurry. Hopefully I’ll have better pictures in time for the DVD episode post.

Perseus in the upper right, taken with my camera without telescope on 15 second exposure. Added the sepia tone in Paint.net to bring out the contrast. Easier to see more stars at full resolution.

MASSIVE Image Spam of Best Moments and Fumie Love (in case there just weren’t enough images in this post.)

Our Queen, showing her many sides as competent leader, tsundere sweetheart, strict enforcer, quiet intellectual, and touchingly sweet love interest.

Members of the club that made it so entertaining, and Mihoshi’s relentless pursuit of Saku.

Our fluffy princess. Long has she stood against insurmountable odds!

The relentless, inexhaustible, master of chibi faces: Mihoshi.

Saku, who went from wanting to read peacefully to fully embracing astronomy. Plus his very entertaining mother.

Ah, a couple that did happen (even if we didn’t get the on screen kiss we should have.) Club president couple! Roma, whose health could never match his enthusiasm, and Oumi, the one with the mysterious, deep eyes.

Edogawa: Comic relief done right.

And let’s not forget the supporting cast. Sayo never really got much development, but she was fun to have around. Plus the mythology fujoshi from the all girls school and Haruka, mistress of the planetarium.

See you space cowboy.

With the summer season over and the fall coming up shortly, some reflections on the series this blogger has watched (and in one case, dropped). Done in a short format, your own thoughts and comments on these or other summer series are very much welcome. While two of these series have yet to have their last episodes out subbed, I thought I should include them now before everyone gets caught up in the new season and a post like this become irrelevant.

Bakemonogatari

While I was a little put off by the flow of the first episode, by episode two I was really hooked and the show only got better. I’ve loved everything SHAFT since I started watching the first season of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and in this series they took their unique art style to unconventional and interesting new heights. Very minimalist backgrounds in most cases, repetitive objects (all the cars except for Senjogahara’s dad’s were SR 311 Nissan Fairlady 2000 convertibles, one of my favorites of all time), and scenes with only a few colors/cut ‘card’ scenes with just a color and a few words on it. The characters and monster/spirit stories were all unique and interesting. Dialogue and character relationships were always interesting, quirky,  and well done.  And the ending conversation between Araragi and Senjogahara was just so sweet <3

Notable things: Awesome ED (and to a lesser extent, fun/catchy OP), stuttering (“Ararararagi-kun” ), very unique art style, mythology tie-ins, custom OP for certain episodes.

Sora no Manimani*

*still waiting on last ep subs.

The very enjoyable rom-com centered around a high school astronomy club was so much fun to watch and blog this season. While the show isn’t the most revolutionary in terms of setting or style, it does the basics very well that I ended up enjoying it more than a lot of higher concept shows I’ve watched. Comedy was great, drama was very good but the show probably could have used a little bit more. The real-life astronomy information was accurate and presented well, and not to sound like a huge nerd (though I am one), it restarted my own interest in astronomy. The shipping was also a fun side event, with RabbitPoets, Scamp, and myself raising the banners of Mihoshi, Hime, and Fumie respectively. Though we all (unfortunately) know who is the author’s intended OTP. I’m very much looking forward to the last episode and DVD episode. Another season or some OVAs would be great too.

Notable things: accurate astronomy info, nicely animated night sky scenes, our Queen Fumie!, simple but solid.

Canaan

More than just an action show, though not the deepest thing you’ll ever see. Characters and motives, even after seeing the ending, are still somewhat fuzzy in some respects, but if you just enjoy the interestingly developed characters and their motivations set against a fun action background you’ll find it worth watching. I’m not as big a fan as Crusader, but the central motivation for Alphard, combined with how she carried it out was very interesting and made for a nicely complicated pair of characters. Add in some fun side characters and I had a fun, if not amazing time watching it.

Notable things: SUGOI SUGOI, strong yuri undertones, very accurate and well-researched weapons/vehicles (with the exception of the B-2), very crisp animation.

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei*

*still waiting on last two eps subs.

The continuation of my favorite comedy anime evar (and there’s at least one more season to come too!), ZSZS has probably been my favorite, tied with the first season, yet. Who would have thought something with so much social and political humor would last this long? More numerous and more scathing social commentary and political jokes, new situations for characters, and some interesting new art styles in one episode. More needs to be done with Tsunetsuki the stalker, but other than that things didn’t get stale. And the tinted glasses segment was A+ good. Lots of Chiri in new outfits in the two most recent episodes didn’t hurt in this blogger’s opinion either

Notable things: current events humor especially about the recent Japanese election, still more paranoia about China and North Korea (“that country”), experimental animation.

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

This is the series that I ended up dropping, but since I’m commenting on it for three reasons. Firstly, I had great expectations for this show’s premise; second, it seems to have developed a pretty strong following with bloggers; and lastly because I watched half of it so I may as well comment. The premise made me think this was going to be my favorite show of the season. But it felt so sanitized the way that the government response to the earthquake went so well, so quickly. It was like the Japanese government sponsored it to reassure people. I also didn’t like or get into any of the characters, they also just felt unnatural to me or one-dimensional. I’m sure many will disagree, especially with that second point given the cult-like following Yuuki gained. FYI, I continued to follow what happened after I stopped watching via We Remember Love and Scrumptious. Credit where credit is due: I do have to say that the OP animation was eerie as hell for someone who lived in Tokyo for a year and went to many of those places on a regular basis. Big points for that.

Notable things: great premise, great OP song/animation, Cult of St. Yuuki.

Final Thoughts: - Either Bakemonogatari or Sora no Manimani is going to claim the prize for my favorite show of the season. Bakemonogatari had a super-solid last episode, but I’ll wait for the last SoraMani to make my decision. I enjoyed Bakemonogatari more on a technical level (concept and art) but SoraMani is just so much fun even if a much simpler show in artistic terms.

- Of those two favorite shows, I’d love to have more of both. SoraMani is at least getting a DVD extra episode.

- Can SHAFT do no wrong in my eyes?

- I started watching Aoi Hana and fully intend to finish it. But for whatever reason I just wasn’t in the mood after episode 3. Plan to finish by New Year’s at the latest.

The Souei High School Astronomy Club meets up with their counterparts from Takami Girls High School for a joint winter outing far from the city lights this episode. The cold winter temperatures are a shock to most of the Souei students as they meet up with the constellation obsessed Takami girls and the stage is set for a Hime-centric episode. The episode probably could have used some more drama in my opinion, instead of having as high of an amount of comedy as it did, but nonetheless we get some interesting developments along with the humor.

Upon arrival the Souei Astronomy Club seems mostly unprepared for the cold climate.

Not that the cold could stop Mihoshi from running off excitedly.

Oddly enough, good friends.

Remember the constellation mythology fangirls from the HSAN?

They prepared this…interesting illustration to try and advise Souei on how to dress.

They definitely write doujinshi.

Gathering inside while waiting for the bus, Kawamura and Minami start lecturing the club on appropriate cold weather clothing, noting that Hime may as well be wearing nothing on her legs in her slim-fit jeans, which she picked out for reasons of fashion rather than comfort. Minami demonstrates step by step the layering process while Kawamura narrates and Saku, Edogawa, and Hime reevaluate what they’ll need to wear. With the other members of the Takami club also present, Edogawa can’t resist trying to act suave to them, but this is undone when the recognize his frenzied pleas to let him be around and take pictures of the girls when he was relegated to the all-male group at the HSAN gathering.

Step one: nullify sexiness.

Step two: strike a pose.

Step three: Gundam SEED pink Earth Alliance uniform tops provide maximum cold protection.

But Edogawa, can’t you appreciate that fujoshi allure she has with her glasses on?

He’s at it again.

Way to scare off an entire school, Edogawa.

Boarding the bus both schools’ Astronomy Clubs head out to where they will be staying and converse a bit along the way. Mihoshi is once again SUGOI excited about the snow, and Saku asks her why she’s that way if she’s probably seen all kinds of things before. Replying that her father used to take her out in the snow, and to other places, for astronomy, Saku apologizes for bringing up the topic. Then, dispelling the funk from last episode’s revelation, Mihoshi acts slightly annoyed and says to stop apologizing and tip-toeing around it already. The Takami leaders, much like Shino and Takako from Kannagi, never miss a chance for pairings and butt in asking if it’s lover’s talk. Hime, understandably, is concerned.

The distorted and chibi faces in this show are once again great.

I kind of wish these two went to Souei.

Their kindred spirits, Takako and Shino.

Reverse-trap Takami teacher is very happy to sit next to Souma. And what is with the winter cosplay, I swear Souma’s jacket reminds me of Xing Ke from Code Geass.

Indeed the stars are much better away from the city.

Somehow every other school in Japan has major connections, because when the group arrives at the place they’ll be staying it has ANOTHER UNIVERSITY/MUSEUM SIZED TELESCOPE! While the heat is on the fritz, it’s otherwise a great place for the two clubs to stay. While unpacking their things, Saku offers to help Mihoshi carry a mysterious cylindrical object that’s heavy, though she declines since it’s some sort of surprise (maybe the optics tube from some kind of short tube telescope like a small catadioptric?). Hime notices this from around the corner and gets understandably jealous, as the final endgame seems to have already been reached in regards to the former relationship square, now barely a triangle, that’s been going throughout the season. Mihoshi offers her a heating pad and other help in staying warm, which Hime angrily refuses, though Mihoshi manages to slip the pad in her pocket before leaving. Edogawa meanwhile meets reality when, in an attempt to get closer to the girls, he’s sent to work like a prisoner at a Siberian gulag.

The mysterious package. Hopefully does not contain radioactive substances or Marcellus Wallace’s property.

Fumie was just forced to retire from the competition, Hime knows her number’s likely up.

Mihoshi’s too nice/dense to understand the reaction. Also, bunny tail Hime!

Edogawa’s ambition.

Reality.

See where your desperation leads you Edogawa?

Back inside Hime is contemplating her clothing options, having imagined how good she’d look next to Saku and not so much how warm she’d be. Having already refused Mihoshi’s offer of help, Hime sets out to the nearby convenience store to buy at least some undergarments to keep warm. But when she sneaks out alone she misses the briefing by the Takami girls about not going out alone and to always carry a flashlight. Complicating this is a blizzard moving in on the area. Finding the convenience store closed, Hime not surprisingly gets lost out in the blinding snow. Mihoshi then leaves on her own to look for her, having noticed her going outside earlier. With now two people missing the rest of the clubs and their teachers and host begin looking for them.

She also has idyllic visions of romance, no wonder her and Edogawa have become friends.

Back in town, Roma, studying for the entrance exams hears about the incoming blizzard. He’s probably already accepted to several schools, he just wants to spend more time in cram school with Oumi

With the blizzard closing in Hime’s stuck in her light clothing without a flashlight.

Legendary GT-R tuner Yamamoto, reverse-trap sensei, and Sou-nii are very concerned.

Reminiscent of this clip from AMV Hell 3.

Like in episode 21 of Toradora? Nice fourth-wall breaker counter-line by Minami.

Stranded out in the snowstorm Hime alternatingly pushes onwards and starts panicking. She loses consciousness once, dreaming that Saku had come to rescue her, hugging her and telling her how worried he was. Waking up, she presses onwards for a while longer, determined not to have things end here. But eventually the cold and disorientation overpower her again, this time hallucinating several times. She sees her family, memories of being teased about her hair, times she and Saku had together, and the astronomy club. Just as she’s apologizing to all the people in her life she sees the Kuma-tan heating pad that Mihoshi snuck into her pocket lying on the ground, and almost apologizes to it.

If only.

You hear her Mihoshi shippers?! She’s not through with you by damn sight!

So that’s where she got her fluffy hair.

She even imagines Edogawa in a weird pose.

Drama combo-breaker!

After a moment of flipping out about how she almost apologized to the cutsey mascot-bearing (pun not intended, but I wish it was) heater packet Hime starts crying for Mihoshi’s concern about her, even though they are rivals. But just as she says her name Mihoshi bursts out of the snow, having finally found Hime. They embrace, then Mihoshi lends her some old warmup clothes to help protect her from the winds and snow. The two then start trying to find their way back.

Even in a moment of profound emotional outpouring, our Hime never forgets the barbs.

Mihoshi is (Hetalia) Russia?

Not the rescue she was expecting.

They definitely clash with Hime’s style.

Mihoshi came prepared.

But just as they take their first steps Mihoshi ends up making a huge snowball as she tumbles downhill. After Hime frees her they climb into a small snowcave, using the shelter to stay somewhat warmer and wait out the storm. There they have an actual talk such as these two haven’t really had up until this point. Hime says that she feels bad about being so selfish while Mihoshi seems to be above everything, but that she wants Mihoshi to take her seriously as a rival. Hime has accompanying internal monologue in this scene as well, where she runs through her mind past comparisons between herself and Mihoshi, thinking to herself that if Mihoshi is the clouds then Hime is the snow, cold and hard as opposed to above it all. Mihoshi then appears to accept Hime’s request, and says that she won’t lose either.

A very Honey and Clover set of eyes in this one.

Of course Mihoshi would spread her arms and legs out and have fun with near death.

This image pretty much sums up their relationship.

Line of the episode for this blogger.

Heaven or Hell! Let’s Rock!

Just then the sound of the wind is gone, and looking outside the two find that the storm has stopped and the sky is perfectly clear. Both of them are entranced by the clear winter sky, with Hime overwhelmed by the sheer number of visible stars. Back at the lodge Edogawa was trying to use his camera’s flash as a strobe, which Minami then takes to project through the scope. While beams of light like the ones Mihoshi and Hime see wouldn’t really occur (I could only imagine they would see one long beam per flash, and only then if there were fog or dust to reflect off of), they serve to bring them back to the lodge, which wasn’t too far to begin with. Enjoying the now functioning heating the two recover and Hime is given a cup of something hot to drink by Saku before quickly standing up and telling Mihoshi that she only said what she did due to stress. Mihoshi then says that she won’t lose to her rival in staying outside the longest or in who can find the best stargazing spots, leaving Hime rather confused.

The wonders of a dark sky.

Most to all of these are visible now very late/early. I’ve seen Betelgeuse, Pollux, and Aldebaran myself around 1-3am.

Doesn’t really work like that, but it looked cool I guess.

Minor Hime victory?

Why deny it at this point Hime?

Purposefully changing the topic, or dense as a neutron star? You decide.

What’s with the floating triangle in the background? This can only mean we need to Listen to Their Song and Mihoshi and Hime will have an epic singing contest for Saku’s heart set against a massive space battle. Kimi wa dare to kissu wo suru? I WILL ACCEPT NO OTHER ENDING.

Final Thoughts: – With one episode left of the season (plus a DVD bonus episode) I’m left not really sure what to think of what exactly will be resolved. I suppose that depends a lot on whether there will be another season or OVAs. Manga is apparently still going though.

- I find it strange that after giving Fumie basically a whole episode to drop out of the love square that this penultimate episode for the season seems to try and sustain Hime’s competition with Mihoshi.

- Speaking of: I make this declaration now! Barring the reentry of Queen Fumie, President and Protector of Souei High and Its Domains to the fight, I now pledge my wholehearted support to the cause of Makita Hime-hime! I join with you, longtime supporters of The Fluffy One, so that together we may…all be disappointed in the end?

- Again, no real ill will towards Mihoshi, I just like to play up the rhetoric. She and Saku have actually started acting a bit more normal towards each other late last episode/this episode so I feel somewhat less forced by the writing.

- As I mentioned at the beginning, while SoraMani is generally great at having just enough comic relief during serious moments, I think they overdid it a little bit in this episode. I think they could have sustained more serious drama this episode as the last stage of conflict/first stage of denouement and then apply the comedy more liberally in the last episode to wrap up the season on a not too serious note.

-IRL SoraMani: On hold due to WEEK+ LONG CLOUD COVER WTF?! Weather isn’t supposed to break until mid-week. All these new toys and no real chance to get out and use them. However, I’m planning a camping trip with friends two weeks from now to a place with especially dark skies. If the weather cooperates it’ll be epic. It’s primarily for camping and hiking, but I picked the location to ninja in the astronomy :3

]]> http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/27/sora-no-manimani-episode-11-%e2%80%93-snow-country-for-old-sempai/feed/ 8 http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/20/sora-no-manimani-episode-10-%e2%80%93-death-letter/ http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/20/sora-no-manimani-episode-10-%e2%80%93-death-letter/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:42:45 +0000 ExecutiveOtaku http://that.animeblogger.net/?p=21554

After a little slowdown in the subs we have episode 10, a very character and drama centric episode. The students are busy with exams after a field trip (which I’m guessing was in the manga but left out of the anime), and once back in school Mihoshi and Souma-sensei are arranging what Hime and Edogawa think is a suspicious meeting. Following them around they meet up with Saku, possibly on his way back from buying a book, possibly there to stalk as well. With only two or three episodes left the drama and character background necessarily moves quickly this episode.

That’s an odd souvenir.

Arrr, I be Souni Scruffbeard, terror of the Carolinas, scourge of the Caribbean!

Edogawa has Ferrangi hearing. I wonder if he has the lobes for business?

Jiiiii

Continuing their stalking around the city, Saku, Hime, and Edogawa follow Mihoshi and Souma on their suspicious outing. Along the way they notice Roma, who Hime had previously dismissed when he was about to tell them his plans, walking together with Oumi. While they are staring at and admiring the lovely couple, Sayo walks up to them. While seeming disapproving of their stalking, she nonetheless joins them, her curiosity evidently getting the better of her.

On their ‘date’.

Man, if I were any good at carving I’d make a stalker Saku or Hime jack-o-lantern for Halloween using those silhouettes.

Be careful, it could be that flower shop run by bishonen with crappy backstories who go on lame adventures.

My other OTP. But Roma, what are you doing with that bolo tie?

She acts like she’s above stalking, but really she can’t resist.

Continuing to follow the pair, the other members of the Astronomy Club track them across a park, taking some drastic measures to avoid detection. After following them up a set of stairs they find Mihoshi and Souma at the Akeno family grave. Though they feel really awkward for intruding, a well-time loss of balance reveals their presence. At this point we get confirmation that Mihoshi’s dad is dead, having died years ago from a car accident. Mihoshi didn’t tell Saku because she was happy that he was keeping his memory alive by mentioning him. Everyone pays their respects, but on the way home everyone is clearly unsettled, even the usually unflappable Sayo.

Where did he get that wig so quickly?

Not what her clubmates expected.

As I suspected.

Poor guy.

This revelation seems to put everyone in a funk, even if it may have happened some time ago.

Days later at school we find out from Roma that he and Oumi were attending a practice exam at a school in the area together, while Roma was murderously stared down by Oumi’s fanclub. Feeling some kind of pressure Roma has been tired out. Mihoshi meanwhile is seemingly back to normal, but things are definitely not status quo for Saku and Hime in regards to her. Hime begins to interrupt her hugging Saku like normal, then suddenly stops and runs away. Saku himself is not sure what to do now that he knows about her dad’s death.

The lovely couple after taking the practice exam. Roma’s jealous competitors have no chance.

It’s a sign of how things are different when Mihoshi glomping Saku isn’t just shrugged off.

Hime is not immune either.

Mihoshi’s situation is even making one of her rivals hesitate.

A rather confusing time for everyone.

In the Student Council room Fumie is ending another day of hard work as Queen of the school when she remembers that she has a souvenir from the trip that she meant to give to Saku. But since it’s not immediately after the break she’s starting to feel awkward about giving it to him late. This worry is compounded by her two underlings drawing her attention to how Saku is acting differently in regards to Mihoshi.

Our Queen keeps a full schedule, but some things slip through the cracks.

Giving Saku the gift a day earlier likely would have just complicated the situation with Mihoshi the next, and to no avail since Mihoshi is clearly the author’s favorite.

It really is all of a sudden. Not bitter or anything.

Seems pretty status quo from here.

They joined the literature club to write doujinshi, didn’t they?

I’m not really comfortable with pity/guilt playing such a role in Saku falling for Mihoshi, making it harder for Fumie (not to mention for Hime.)

At the end of the day Fumie runs into Saku outside at the vending machines near the baseball field. As they start to talk a foul ball heads right for them, and Saku quickly takes the hit for his Queen, knocking both of them over in the process. I guess this is the ‘flag’ for the upcoming Fumie sequences. After getting up they find that Saku’s knee broke her glasses during the fall. While she tries to head home herself, without her glasses she’s having a hard time.

For Queen and High School!

I believe this is what the erogamers call a ‘flag’ or ‘trigger’.

Unfortunately Saku had no time to shield Fumie and plan his landing.

Fumie has rather poor vision with her glasses though.

Fumie accepts Saku’s help in walking home and they head to the neighborhood where she and Mihoshi live. It turns out Saku used to live in the same area, and he’s really surprised by how it has changed, and stayed the same, since he lived there. Getting a little overenthusiastic he starts goofing off at a park along the way, while Fumie considers his attachment to the past and thus his link to Mihoshi. While she makes a generous offer to Saku to help him or listen to him as the Student Council President, internally she has a Yamada (from Honey and Clover) internal dialogue, saying that she’s glad her glasses are broken so that she can’t see the look on Saku’s face as he acts nostalgic. While there is a moment of comic relief where she tries to hand the gift to a statue, it’s a rather heavy scene for her internally.

Or the right idea.

I’m wondering why he’s so overjoyed at the kids playground too Fumie.

I guess he really does have something in common with Mihoshi.

The first point of her internal monologue.

Gracious in defeat. Not that we didn’t know Mihoshi would win out from episode 01.

His falling for the childhood friend just because she’s the childhood friend disgusts me too my Queen.

So that’s where Edogawa got the idea for the ‘strategically placed’ stars on his festival t-shirt.

Shortly thereafter Fumie’s underlings run into them, apparently on the way back from buying snacks. After accompanying them a short while longer, they agree to take Fumie back home. Giving Saku his gift, Fumie departs for home. Saku then opens the envelope and finds a bookmark, an appropriate gift demonstrating her thorough understanding of Saku and why she should have won out over Mihoshi (I WILL NOT BE BITTER I WILL NOT BE BITTER I WILL NOT BE BITTER.) Then, seeing what I’m guessing is Jupiter’s light glinting off the bookmark, Saku runs after Fumie to ask her for a favor.

See they want Saku X Fumie too!

A very suitable gift, and cute too.

Depending on when this is this is either Jupiter (visible now and very bright) or perhaps a bright red star like Betelgeuse or Aldebaran (also visible now and later in the year.)

Her generosity is infinite, even now.

After a few days of Saku being absent from Astronomy Club Mihoshi starts to get depressed, and while Sayo tries to tell her to cheer up, she’s obviously worried about her. Meanwhile Fumie and Saku are preparing a plan to cheer her up, Fumie getting the necessary approvals for him. They have a chat about the idea, coming from a time when Saku and Mihoshi watched a meteor shower while on the phone, another event I’m guessing is in the manga but left out of the anime except in this mention.

It’s almost as bad as the rainy season when the skies were cloudy.

OVER 9000!

But Sayo can see through her attempt to appear upbeat.

Fumie in her spare pair of glasses, once again coming through with the paperwork.

Scene between Fumie and Saku are often set with windows as a background, and especially with yellow light.

Compare that scene with this one from episode 04.

Hime and Edogawa are once again spying, and burst in at an opportune moment, quickly subduing Fumie’s clubmates and confronting Saku about all the secrecy. But then they are let in on the plan. That night Mihoshi is still feeling down, and looking at a picture of her father when Saku arrives and tells her to come with him.

Hime: The fault, dear Fumie, lies not in our stars but in our writers. That we are rival characters. Fumie and Mihoshi growing up together: what should be in that ‘Mii-chan’? Why should that name be sounded more that yours?

Saku no baka! You’ve got two much better love interests. (I WILL NOT BE BITTER I WILL NOT BE BITTER I WILL NOT BE BITTER.)

I wonder if it was the anniversary or the letting everyone know that has put Mihoshi in such a rut.

Perhaps I see Honey and Clover in everything, but this reminds me a bit of a scene with Nomiya and Yamada. The lights in the background also remind me of some effects in Welcome to the NHK.

More stylized in a simple shapes way in SoraMani.

Another similar concept.

Taking Mihoshi to the school, Saku leads her up to the roof for a surprise meteor shower viewing. As this is the Geminids meteor shower, it should be sometime in mid-December (the shower peaks on December 14.) Everyone from the Astronomy and Literature Clubs seems to be in attendance, and they have kotatsu set up to keep everyone warm. Mihoshi then starts crying because she was lonely while all this was being set up, before she calms down and starts watching for meteors.

Mihoshi at this point still has no idea where she’s being taken.

Everyone is waiting, even Literature Club members.

Hime asks the hard questions.

Starting to watch the meteors Mihoshi gets teary eyed remembering her father, then settles in next to Saku. She takes his hand, and they exchange a moment of looking at each other before Mihoshi yells out for everyone to hold hands. The Literature Club underlings keep talking about how its love, though Hime makes a last ditch protestation of the official couple.

The meteor watching trip may have been her father’s last.

You can practically hear the Mihoshi fans squeeing.

Roma, that thrice lucky bastard! Going out with Oumi, getting to hold hands with Fumie and Hime. Edogawa is also obviously enjoying his spot. EDIT: It has been brought to my attention that Roma is holding hands with Hime and Saku, not Fumie. I guess I focused on the parted hair and glasses. This is interesting because either she left early, reflecting her emotional state, or this was a shot composition choice on the part of the director (or maybe the original manga author.)

Go out in mid-December for the Geminids, they’re supposed to be the best of the year.

It’s over Hime, despite all our cheering from the sidelines. Fumie and Hime shippers, stay strong brothers/sisters.

Sakuya-chan no kokoro no soko ni…Akeno Mihoshi…

Final Thoughts: - Well the official couple has now inevitably won out. It’s been fun cheering on my favorite though.

- Besides, Fumie can find a much better literature tsundere in college. High school romances rarely to never work out in the long run anyway. Sorry to those readers who may be in high school, but let’s be real.

- Heavy and quick development all around this episode. Everyone got a share of the drama to some extent.

- As I mentioned, I don’t really think Saku feeling bad for Mihoshi is a great turning point or basis for a relationship.

- IRL SoraMani: Just got a set of Plossl eyepieces and filters, and they improve the capabilities of my scope by OVER 9000 percent! Images are much clearer and I have a lot more options for magnification levels and viewing field size. Also got a camera mount, so I should be able to take better pictures. Now I just need the weather to cooperate, rain is forecast for all of the upcoming week

And now I present an ode to all the other Fumie fans.

Modified lyrics set to: Death Letter Blues by Son House

I got a letter this morning, how you reckon it read?

It said hurry, hurry the ship you love is dead.

I got a letter this morning, I say how you reckon it read?

It said hurry, hurry because the ship you love is dead.

You know I loaded up my bittorrent, started off the download,

When the torrent got there she saying it’s a gift and nothing more.

I loaded up my bittorrent and I say I started off the download.

I said when I got there, she was saying it’s a gift and nothing more.

You know she walked up close, she looked over at his face,

Said the good ole gal got to wait for a better tsundere.

I say she walked up close, I say she looked over at his face,

I said the good ole girl got to wait for a better tsundere.

You know it looked like 10,000 shippers were standing waiting for it to turn around,

We all know we love her, even when Saku let her down.

Looked like 10,000 standing waiting for it to turn around,

You know we all loved her, even when Saku let her down.

You know I didn’t feel so bad till the good ole sun went down

The writers long ago decided, there’s no way around.

I didn’t feel so bad till the good ole sun went down

I said the writers long ago decided, no way around.

You know it’s so hard to love someone don’t love you,

If you’re not the official couple he don’t care what you do.

It’s so hard to love someone that don’t love you,

You know if you’re not the writer’s couple, he don’t care what you do.

You know love’s a hard ol’ fall, make you do things you don’t want to do,

Love sometimes leaves you feelin sad and blue.

Love hard ol’ fall, make you do things you don’t want to do,

Love sometimes leaves you feelin sad and blue.

The High School Astronomy Network gathering is the focus of this week’s episode as Oumi is properly introduced to us along with her club members and the students from various other schools’ astronomy clubs. Roma reconnects with his past and finally comes a bit out of his ‘background character’ shell while talking to Oumi, and Hime meets a potential rival, though a lame one at that in my opinion. Mihoshi and Saku take more of a backseat this episode, and the absence of our Queen will only make her return more glorious!

Starting off, the Souei Astronomy Club heads to the Network event and meets Oumi, who seems to know Roma from somewhere, after tripping over herself on her way to greet the club. Several other members then introduce themselves, chief among them Musa who seems interested in Hime, though she is wisely having none of it.

Heading to the Network event. Even Souma tamed his scruffy hair for the occasion.

Mihoshi has some odd expectations about Nogishiro High Schools club members.

Hime doesn’t need yet another opponent, unless she could somehow play her off against the others.

She’s like a calm, clumsy Mihoshi.

What a creepy guy. And he reminds me of Freddie from Scooby Doo to boot (must be the jacket.)

Obligatory great Hime reaction shot.

Up on the roof of the school is a big surprise for the Souei High School club. This school, somehow, has a 20 cm refractor telescope mounted on top of it, costing tens of thousands of dollars! Also giving Mihoshi sensory overload are all the other schools’ clubs with their own telescopes and astrophotography equipment already set up. They also meet some interesting individuals from other schools, including two girls obsessed with the mythology of constellations. Mihoshi tries running off to everyone with arms outstretched, probably trying to hug all of them and their telescopes, before Sayo restrains her and writes a reminder on her hand to control herself in front of the new people.

A 20cm refractor?! That must have cost ridiculous amounts, especially for a high school.

One school’s reflector telescope, and the start of lots of Vixen product placement.

She fits right in with some of the people here.

But of course an all-girls school. I guess Kanako forgot to join this club.

Inscribed with powerful magicks.

I never would have thought I’d see Greek mythology fangirls. They probably write fanfic about it.

Oumi seems to want to BE FRIENDLY with Saku, but this draws little attention from the other girls as Mihoshi is off checking out the telescopes and Hime is fending off Musa. This fits into a larger picture of Oumi that develops over the course of the episode however. As night falls everyone is divided into groups to observe the center square of the Pegasus constellation to calculate light pollution/visibility levels for the night. Hime unfortunately gets stuck with Musa again while Saku and Roma go with Oumi and Mihoshi with the constellation fetish girls. The cruel hand of fate consigns Edogawa to a night with only other guys in his group, to his eternal horror.

She talks about being remembered like Mihoshi, she’s physically enthusiastic like Mihoshi…

Back off Musa, you’re no Nomiya.

There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why. Edogawa dreams of things that are and asks why not a reference?

The night that went on forever and ever.

Look up at the sky tonight in the northeast and you’ll likely see it too.

While the various groups are counting the visible stars within the center of Pegasus, Musa tries his moves again on Hime, offering her his jacket to keep warm, which she rejects. After saying that she’s cute and indirectly asking if she has a boyfriend, he says that she can repay him for the jacket with a date and walks off. Saku and Oumi meanwhile are patrolling the school grounds, since as she explains anything going amiss could damage the club’s reputation, showing that she has a bit of Fumie in her. The two chat a bit about the autumn sky, Oumi’s favorite, and their mutual love of astronomy. Then a scream is heard around campus and they go to investigate.

Hime likes her boys tsundere, thank you very much.

She’s very enthusiastic about astronomy, is very non-romantically affectionate, and takes responsibility for a club and large undertakings. It’s like someone crossed Fumie with Mihoshi.

Oumi’s favorite autumn star Fomalhaut, set in a very nice framed shot with both characters.

Cat-like hearing to go with those cat eyes from episode 2.

Inside the school Hime has tracked Musa down to return his coat. On the way out she awkwardly bumped a cabinet, causing a model planet to fall over. Through Hime-vision Musa trying to save the model looked like an attack, and she responds with force appropriate to the perceived threat. Beating the snot out of Musa, Oumi and Saku find her standing over her vanquished foe with a broom. When he tries to tease her about it in front of them, he gets another devastating Hime attack, this time deservedly. As they recount the story Hime realizes that it was a misunderstanding and apologizes, and as they return to the roof Saku gives her his jacket to keep her warm, Hime quite happy to accept this time.

Hime secures her invitation to the next Kumite Tournament.

Oooh, elbow to the kidney. Don’t taunt her right after she spared you Musa.

The incident in question.

It is as he deserves.

All warm and blissful like Yamada wearing Mayama’s coat.

Hime has claimed her trophy and wears it with pride!

The moon has set and everyone returns to the roof to observe the darkened sky. There Saku and Oumi have a short chat about bringing the Souei club to the meeting and Oumi’s reasons and ambitions in starting the HSAN. Here we get another piece of a theme developed over this episode. Oumi admits that not everyone there is in the astronomy club, that they might not invest the time or money to participate in astronomy themselves, but if offered would do so. In order to expose as many people to the wonders of the universe as she can, she invites anyone who’s interested to participate. This links up with her enthusiasm, playful physical contact, and concern about being remembered by Roma to make her pretty much the Mihoshi of her school. More restrained and organized, yes, but at her core the same kind of person.

He’s still working on “Fuwa fuwa time.”

She enjoys SUGOI as much as a certain other character.

Continuing the Mihoshi similarities.

Saku’s conversion to astronomy is complete.

Now Oumi approaches Roma and brings up their past again, asking him to do the mythology narration for the group. Up he gets to explain the story of Perseus, Andromeda, and the Pegasus as he points out their constellations. Everyone is engrossed in the story as they view the constellations above them, and the constellation fangirls squeal about how they love Perseus and want to be Andromeda. After the story is over, Oumi points the dome’s telescope to M52, an open star cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia for a nice view through their huge telescope. Observations continue through the night until the next morning.

The narration seems to be a tradition between the two.

He’s never looked so healthy or confident.

Perhaps they’re recruiting Sayo for the male lead in a Takarazuka play.

Oumi clearly enjoying  the narration and constellations greatly.

They even have a fully motorized mount for it. No expenses spared it seems.

The M52 open star cluster. I like how they even added some atmospheric distortions from the moving air now and then on the star scenes this episode.

The next morning Oumi and Roma are sitting on the roof talking, when she brings up again whether he remembers her. They were both apparently in an astronomy club at a museum when they were younger, but Roma had to leave just when they were getting to know each other due to his health. But, like Mihoshi, she’s very happy to be remembered by someone from the past and as they shake hands she pulls close to him, smiling, and admitting to him in an indirect way that she’s glad he remembers her too. Closing out the episode Musa just can’t leave Hime alone, and she erupts into a ball of fluffy rage as he passes by.

They’re like a subdued, sidestory Saku and Mihoshi.

The club where they met.

Oumi, graceful and bold. Roma, you lucky dog.

Since chasing him down and crying in front of her love interest isn’t her style.

Pure fluffy rage.

Final Thoughts: – While I liked the characters that were introduced, it kind of felt like a slow episode in both humor and plot.

- However, Edogawa provided some good comic relief, as did Hime’s thrashing of Musa.

- With all these characters only being introduced now, here’s to hoping for a second season.

- I definitely think that Hime is being set up for a Mayama-Yamada-Nomiya kind of thing with Musa. Hime/Yamada longs after Saku/Mayama, Musa/Nomiya shows up and unsettles her about her prospects of getting with Saku/Mayama. Eventually Hime/Yamada knows her cause is lost to Mihoshi/Rika but by this point Musa/Nomiya actually cares for her and they have a set up for a relationship.

- My IRL SoraMani: My telescope was delivered last week, so I took it out with a friend of mine on the night of the full moon. While observing during a full moon is not really ideal since the moon’s light blocks out a lot of stars, I still got some nice views of the moon and Jupiter. With Jupiter I could clearly see its cloud bands and two of its moons, and that’s just with the stock eyepieces. The moon was intensely bright since I don’t have a lunar filter yet, so I got the idea to put on my sunglasses. It worked pretty well as a ghetto lunar filter, but a real one would still be better.

- I tried to take pictures by putting my camera up to the eyepiece, but for anything smaller than the moon I’m going to need a camera mount. Unless you’re Snake hopped up on diazepam it’s not possible to hold the camera still long enough not to seriously blur the image at longer exposures. Still, I got one or two decent pictures of the moon, holding the camera up to my sunglasses and the sunglasses up to the eyepiece. Camera mount is next up on my shopping list, and I’m going to see about borrowing a better camera.

The best of the pictures of the moon.

My friend observing through the scope. She’s also wearing sunglasses. That little blurry dot next to the moon is Jupiter.

]]> http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/07/sora-no-manimani-episode-09-encounters-in-space-science/feed/ 8 http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/01/sora-no-manimani-episode-08-%e2%80%93-the-sidereal-messenger/ http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/01/sora-no-manimani-episode-08-%e2%80%93-the-sidereal-messenger/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:41:59 +0000 ExecutiveOtaku http://that.animeblogger.net/?p=20579

The school festival gets under way this episode and all the various clubs are out to attract attention to their exhibits, stands, and performances. While less eventful than significant events of the past two episodes, this time we see Saku’s return to the astronomy club, the normalization of his ties to the group, a tiny bit of background on Sayo, the return of Haruko, and an invitation showing up from another school’s astronomy club asking the club to participate in a prefectural astronomy event.

But what to name it?

After many slow weeks of waiting for episodes we have two fansubbing groups working on SoraMani and now two episodes released rapid fire. And it couldn’t be at a better time too as the show is really going into high gear lately. Several meaningful conversations this episode, a variety of great Hime moments, various backstory bits, and good comedy all packed into this episode.

We have a flashback to Souma-sensei’s college days where he’s sitting trying to figure out what parts of the world he can manage to travel to. After his long haired friend departs he looks up to find young Mihoshi asking him where the faculty office is, looking a lot like none other than Ayu ‘Uguu’ Tsukimiya from Kanon. Zooming out we also see that she’s injured presumably from her fall from a tree that we saw in the first episode.

Loli, check. Wings on backpack, check. Bandages, check.

She’s halfway to being the ‘perfect eroge girl’ from NHK ni Youkoso.

Back in the present Saku is has shut himself up in his room worrying that he made the Astronomy Club depressed by getting jealous and running off to the Literature Club. But as he plays back the events in his mind he remembers everyone being surprised but Mihoshi acting excited after a brief pause, cheering him on as an ambassador for the club. Still, it doesn’t sit right with Saku and he continues to worry. He might be sensing that Mihoshi’s enthusiasm is just a façade.

This is the perfect opportunity for her to be all super-motherly to Saku. And after Mihoshi breaking into his room so many times I doubt the door even locks anymore. Ah, what a wasted opportunity.

Apparently Saku is the roommate of the Great Will of the Macrocosm, but it’s not giving out any advice at the moment.

In this episode we’re introduced to Nozomu Souma, the underclassmen’s new teacher who Mihoshi knows from her childhood. Plans are made for the school festival, Hime renews her efforts to get close to Saku, and the new teacher’s involvement in the astronomy club doesn’t sit well with Saku. Unfortunately the episode is a bit slower compared to others, but we get a great deal of set up for the next episode.

Saku’s responsibility has left her in despair!

The second term of school is beginning and Saku’s mom wants to baby the son she loves so much by waking him up and making an omelet with ‘today starts the second term’ written on it in ketchup. Saku is already awake ready for school though, ruining her fun. Heading off to school he remembers events from the past semester and Mihoshi interrupting his reading even over the break. But as he’s thinking about this on the bus he realizes that no one has pressed the ‘request stop’ button and the bus is so close to the school that no one wants to be the first one to move. However a tall man next to him hits the button and everyone exits.

His mother certainly didn’t have anything to do with this one.

Mihoshi doesn’t take vacations from her true calling.

Are the buses really this intense? Glad I used the train to commute.

When you ride the bus without pressing the button, you’re riding with Hitler.

Arriving at school the new term starts off with some more Mihoshi-supplied innuendo when she comes to Saku’s classroom to show the underclassmen club members the photos from their summer stargazing trip. Hime attempts to defend her home turf after Mihoshi barges in, everyone takes a look at the photos, and we get a few pointers of astrophotography from Edogawa. The true intentions of the Photography Club are proudly displayed as they hold onto the photos of Sayo in her swimsuit like precious treasure. Fumie also briefly appears to remind the plebs that she holds the real power and will not approve the Astronomy Club’s funding request so quickly. Mihoshi in response sounds like she’s confessing her feelings to Fumin, but our Queen has eyes only for Saku.

Mihoshi Akeno: ruining the Astronomy Club’s and Saku’s reputations since 2009.

Poor Hime is always  having to react to Mihoshi.

The pictures turned out quite well, but Edogawa and the Photography Club have other priorities…

I guess they figure that if they have multiple members no single restraining order will stop them.