She only does it out of love

A truly side character gets a turn at experiencing “romance,” but I’m more interested in seeing whether this OVA special captures some of the real magic that was in the TV series. Answer: not really, but it was at least mildly amusing.

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Boy, here’s an impossible task - to identify why Bamboo Blade is so good despite being so plain and almost realistic (yeah, I know it depends on what you define as “realistic”)

However, what’s not to like?

A team of characters playing off each other, and each with memorable personality (even without deep backgrounds), fun little quirky characters, charming and nostalgic music, a warm feeling of youth, a dash of humor…

What’s there not to like?

Despite being quite normal, except girls (Tamaki and later, Rin), with impossible tastes (high school girls watching sendai shows? That’s an Otaku’s fantasy), and a girl with dark side of the force rising (Miya-Miya rocks), together with everyone acting normal and yet fun without being boring at all, mix all that with realistic struggle, and what we have here folks, is a triumph in heart-warming drama. No, it’s actually not comedic enough for me to laugh (effects may differ for you), but somehow, this show makes one wants to care for the characters badly.

Something that a lot of people may actually never taste until some time in their lives - losing for the first time.

Bitter? Not satisfied at all? Wanting to get back at the other guy/girl?

That’s not something unusual, but experience it with Tamaki, it simply feels quite different.

Crisis in your organization? What to do?

The teacher takes the blame and leaves, but guess what? None of that “Let’s go look for them and ditch our classes and lives momentarily.”

But life goes on. But then again, who knows what will happen next? What you lost, you may get it back later.

Sportsmanship make rivals almost like friends. Simple, clean, almost endearing.

It’s a show I would recommend watching again on the DVDs/paid downloads that you shall have in future.

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Oh Mai…Wait a second, I meant, omai…iya, that’s not right either. I meant, oh my goodness.

Azuma really tells Miyamiya, and in the same process, told me.

“You can’t decide that on your own!”

“Twice and you’re gonna quit?”

“You wanna quit? You can decide if you wanna quit after you win it!”

While I was watching I felt that I was getting a few needed slaps in the face, telling me not to just bitch and give up so easily. I mean, I don’t know but have you ever had the moment where something that’s on TV seems to be talking to you directly?

I think I’ll custom order a T-Shirt that says: “Everything I learn about life comes from anime.”

What this episode does used to be done in shonen sports manga, when the main character is down and out, or the main team is down and out, and one of the members or a best friend comes, and talk, but often, beat up the main guy and tell him to get it straight. Well, Azuma’s seiyyu really struck a chord within me. Her lines stung, and stung deep. These were well-placed slaps. I watched the scene 2 more times just to remember that.

As for the rest, um…What did Tamaki do get out of it?

I do remember Kirino getting a lesbian scare (and me with a “go for it” cheer - yes, I’m actually kidding) when Saya came on really strong.

But hey, it’s Bamboo Blade. The two trouble makers submitted their quitting/resigning form, after the tougher guy loses to Dan the armadillo, and then we learn that the tough guy actually loves kendo…so he picks on people…so to protect the club, they both quit…yeah

Whatever. But the episode was simply a great watch. Moving on to 25 -

Wow, another bang.

I guess Miya didn’t use flash blade, or read the yoki of that fake American, but she used the classic “power of love” junk.

I think her English didn’t really improve from when she was in Nadesico as Yurika….Oh wait a sec.

But you know what? It was…kind of cool how she won in the official tournament, and then in the aftermath.

The traditional music and the conveniently grown reeds were pretty cool. I kinda expected she to throw the shinai at that moronic stalker after she wins. One shot takes care of two opponents, but she didn’t.

I kept on screaming: “Use the Fuuzan ! Use the Fuuzan ( see Claymore manga)!”

Yeah, I know, annoying fanboyism and stupid crossovers tha will never happen (and whatever else), so moving on…

I guess based on Kenshin’s opponents, Tama-chan would make a great assassin (with that stabber opponent episode in Kenshin). But the samurai music and the battle sequences were simply excellent. Damn, this show is fun to watch even if there really isn’t anything super special about it.

Is Kojiro gone for good? Hell no. Guess who are going to go look for him?

Great episodes that resolves a lot of conflicts and gets the show going. Looking forward to episode 26.

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The ending of this fine romance is either unsurprising or a cop-out. Is this show still worthwhile, though? Yes, mostly.

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As this show draws closer to the end, I’m realizing that it maybe, just maybe, doing for childhood what Honey and Clover did for post-adolescence: portray its end with grace and tenderness.

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This is the second part of an extensive dialogue that Owen and I conducted recently about Kimikiss and True Tears, where I ask most of the questions rather than replying. You’ll want to read the first part, where I do a lot of the talking, on his site!

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Oh, Mao. You were my favorite girl in this show. How could you have become so dislikable?

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Ass, ass, ass. No, I’m not talking about a donkey-like creature that the savior of the world sat on, and I’m not really talking about anyone’s shiny behind. But This episode accomplishes two different types of asses:

The humor kicks ass, but as in many other shows where a purely Japanese seiyuu trying to speak English and pretending to be a real English speaker, in this case a supposedly NATIVE Californian, the English sucks asssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. No, it’s not the sound of a hissing snake - it’s the sound of something that sucks a certain part of the body non-stop.

Enough with that. I think I’ve finally got this show figured out a little. With the right mixture of barefoot high school girls, sweat, youth, exaggerated but still kept in check tongue in cheek humor, a super talented kendo Otaku heroine, and a section of touching violin music playing when something emotional happens, we have a winning formula. Oh, the characters are fun, especially Miya-Miya.

But with her seiyuu being in Claymore, I kept telling her: “Use the Flash Blade against this Undine! You’ll win!”

But damn, she loses. It’s time to ask for more power and starting awaking parts of your body, Clare, I mean, Miya-Miya.

I do get the feeling that the Armadillo Boy has balls as opposed to Raki, who doesn’t.

As for Undine, I mean Kerry, I can’t tell you how suck ass her fake English is, because it’s indescribably bad…OK, well, maybe compare with other’s, she’s not worse, but she’s not better either.

But ni dao ryu is cool. Except I didn’t think anyone was allowed to do that in a kendo match in real life.

But Miya-Miya failed to channel Clare and lost. She’s all gas but no steam. She’s all attitude but no power. Eh. Oh well.

Seriously though, it’s a great episode and very enjoyable. I loved it.

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I find the animation so gorgeous but the concept so confusing that I think I’m turning Japanese!

No…no…I was just kidding I was just kidding!!!I AM SORRY!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!

I gotta tell ya, this is obviously straddling the line of fantasy VS reality, yuri show for girls VS yuri for boys and I was clearly confused.

Do women, especially sisters (are they sisters) fall in love like lesbians if they are such great friends? Is that the next phase of friendship evolution?

Ever saw Kodomo no Jikan?

With a song that’s super-catchy, not sugary but obviously designed like a jingle for a dating sim (for me the jury is still out on the intended audience and intended use), and then an obvious promotional music video that recaps the entire show - the music video, 3 minutes, the show itself, 10 - means pt 2. is inevitable (as recent news stated - I just saw the news today and then the show). Oh and, if they could think like Studio Ghibli, they could just show the music video.

But…but…

It’s…it’s just so strangely…beautiful!

Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A fantasy world where beautiful girls who are childhood friends fall in love and endures a test of their pure, non-physical love…

Wait a minute, have the wee-wees of the male audience fall off? I think not.

Well, I’m no longer the pure-hearted Otaku boy I once was. So I’d encourage them to get it on ASAP!

I think Plato would be proud. But I think mature men need not apply.

Moving on.

But yeah, the animation is simply great. The seiyuus are so cute and the music is pretty good.

Moving on..

I liked it when Yuki’s feet touch Kanade’s feet.

Moving on…

They really should make out in public!

I SAID MOVING ON!!!!!!

P.S. YURI! YURI! YURI! And it’s not about a boy or a man!

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After watching the past few episodes, I think I figured out some of what makes this show so deliciously delightful to watch: the way it gets us, the viewers, to not only empathize with the characters but also, if we talk back to our anime like I do, vocalize the feelings that they won’t let themselves say out loud. But now that facade, that classic Japanese emotional suppression, is at last beginning to crack and decisions will have to be made, as Mao states in episode 16’s preview.

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