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REVIEW: Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3 Episodes 1-6 Streaming


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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 3:58 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
A Gainax series can never be as simple as it first appears, and this entry in the “cute girls do cute things” genre is no exception.


They can be extremely simple and shallow when they're adaptations. That Gainax is working on it is almost irrelevant, and it's been reflected in the pre-order numbers. Still I think the show is kind of enjoyable, even with its ups and downs, but I feel less interesting in it than even Upotte.
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darkchibi07



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 5459
PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:22 pm Reply with quote
I'm slowly plowing through few of the episodes thanks to coming across info that Yura's character goes through rather rough stages. It's rather interesting to see how she'll potentially self-destruct herself especially what happened at the end of that 24-hour tournament.
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v1cious



Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 6199
Location: Houston, TX
PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:49 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
A Gainax series can never be as simple as it first appears, and this entry in the “cute girls do cute things” genre is no exception.


Why do people still say this? The writers that did all those amazing works left a long time ago. Gainax for the most part just does adaptions now. I'm not saying they don't still make good work, but people need to accept that sometimes a duck is just a duck.
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:55 pm Reply with quote
A duck is not a duck, when it is an eagle.

People and organizations can always rise to the occasion when they feel like it. Nothing is written in stone.
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Zetabag



Joined: 30 Mar 2009
Posts: 205
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 1:22 am Reply with quote
Huh, that's...interesting.

Despite enjoying Upotte and Girls und Panzer and being an avid airsofter, I dropped this show after the second episode. Something about it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Maybe I'll give this show another chance.
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SquadmemberRitsu



Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1391
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 3:00 am Reply with quote
Zetabag wrote:
Huh, that's...interesting.

Despite enjoying Upotte and Girls und Panzer and being an avid airsofter, I dropped this show after the second episode. Something about it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Maybe I'll give this show another chance.
It gets better but later on it gets much, much worse.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23667
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 6:31 am Reply with quote
Well, Carl may be salivating for the "depths" to come after episode 6 but they didn't work for me. Carl has a patronizing attitude towards light comedy (sure it can be fun, but really shouldn't we be engaging with material more worthy of our attention?, etc, etc) but starting out as a light comedy and then veering into joylessness isn't my idea of a good time. I don't mind light and dark being balanced but when darkness takes over completely, what's the point?

The other thing is that I find Yura's transformation psychologically unconvincing. Her introduction establishes her as a nice person who, due to excessive shyness, has been socially isolated. Yet in relatively short order she becomes a winning-obsessed tool who alienates her new friends without any seeming qualms. Doesn't psychologically add up.

I agree that on a purely conceptual level, what Gainax has done with Stella is risky and somewhat unusual but I personally don't find the result pleasing (I've seen up to episode 10).
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Rederoin



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 1427
Location: Europa
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 6:57 am Reply with quote
"“cute girls do cute things” genre"
"c3-bu"


c3-bu does in no way(aside from the character designs) belong to that genre. Lots of drama and suffering is not part of the genre.
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SquadmemberRitsu



Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1391
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:28 am Reply with quote
rederoin wrote:
"“cute girls do cute things” genre"
"c3-bu"


c3-bu does in no way(aside from the character designs) belong to that genre. Lots of drama and suffering is not part of the genre.
I imagine this show is probably made by one of those dipshits who think ending K-ON with all the girls getting brutally murdered would make for a much better show.

And to all those people who genuinely hoped for that, well, here is that show you've always wanted. And just like anyone with half a brain would have guessed it turned out to be complete and utter tripe. But hey, if you like the taste of shit I'm not going to stop you from enjoying it.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:38 am Reply with quote
I have also seen up through episode 10 and find the direction it's taken things quite interesting indeed. While I'll agree that it definitely is not a typical "cute girls do cute things" series, it unquestionably has elements of that; in fact, I would classify it as a serious attempt both to do something different with "cute girls" series and to create one that still has some depth. Since Japanese otaku usually are averse to dramatic changes in established formats, it wouldn't surprise me at all if this one doesn't go over well sales-wise.

And I entirely disagree that the way Yura changes is unrealistic. Though it isn't common, I have seen people IRL undergo changes that drastic when they break out of their shells, and in retrospect the foundation for those changes was laid early on. Or are they really even changes? Throughout the entire series Yura is spoiler[shown to be remarkably self-centered, which was probably the warning sign that Sonora seemed to be picking up on], after all, so it coming to a head as she takes things more seriously is only natural.

@SquadmemberRitsu: Have you actually watched the show at all? That's not what it is and not what happens, not by a big stretch.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23667
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:57 am Reply with quote
@ Key: I disagree with your assessment that Yura has been portrayed as spoiler[self-centred] right from the get go. To me, in the early stages, Yura was portrayed as nice but shy. Gainax's inelegant pushing of her character around on their conceptual chessboard doesn't ring true at all.

Come on, a girl who craved friends suddenly turns her back on (what would seem to be) her first real companions? Does not scan. And Rin's characterization seems off too (sorry, I'm going beyond the scope of episodes 1 thru 6 here). She's established as a ruthless, win-at-all costs character but in ep 10 spoiler[she's suddenly all about teamwork as opposed to winning results.] Horse-phooey, sez I.
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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1528
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:13 am Reply with quote
This was the first show that I couldn't watch because it rubbed too much at a real wound. When I saw that it was about kids "cutely" playing with guns at a school I had to stop. Like a lot of people, the Newtown tragedy really hit me hard. I don't think anyone should not watch the show because it upset me, nor do I think that shows like this shouldn't be made, but, for me, it's too prickly.

That said, your review has piqued my interest. If I'm reading it right, the show takes the legendary "episode 3" twist. I wish it didn't sting like it does, because I am curious.

Oh well. There are a lot of other great series this season. I can let this one float by.

Good review and really interesting posts about the show.
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:22 am Reply with quote
I haven't seen the show yet, but I am interested in watching it. There are plenty of moe slice of life shows out there already. Just because the girls are cute doesn't mean the show is required to be slice of life or family friendly.
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Polycell



Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Posts: 4623
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:41 am Reply with quote
Blood- wrote:
And Rin's characterization seems off too (sorry, I'm going beyond the scope of episodes 1 thru 6 here). She's established as a ruthless, win-at-all costs character but in ep 10 spoiler[she's suddenly all about teamwork as opposed to winning results.] Horse-phooey, sez I.
I don't see what makes you think the two are at odds with each other - victory spoiler[requires multiple people cooperating towards the same end and Yura's behavior in her first games with them she continuously broke the plan with no notice(think she would've tolerated such behavior from the girls in C3?), hence Rin's assigning her the medic role, in which there's little to do but follow the directions of others - and even then she proved completely unreliable the second she was allowed to make her own decisions].


here-and-faraway wrote:
That said, your review has piqued my interest. If I'm reading it right, the show takes the legendary "episode 3" twist. I wish it didn't sting like it does, because I am curious.
While it has its sudden turns, I wouldn't call the major issue a "twist" - the show picks its road and walks down it resolutely.
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:41 am Reply with quote
I was hoping for a fun Girls und Panzer and/or Saki anime. I didn't get that after 6 episodes, so I decided to drop it after the painfully inane school festival.
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