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Yozakura Quartet (TV).




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Aromatic Grass



Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Posts: 2424
Location: Raleigh, NC
PostPosted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:04 pm Reply with quote


Yozakura Quartet (TV)

Genres: action, comedy, supernatural
Themes: superpowers, youkai

Plot Summary: Sakurashin is a town where supernatural beings called youkai can coexist peacefully with humans. The city was built around the "Nana-gou", seven huge cherry blossom trees that connect the human and youkai worlds. About half of Sakurashin´s population is composed of youkais who have migrated from the other world. Four young but powerful individuals are chosen to protect the town and the gate.
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My second most-anticipated series of the fall season, Yozakura Quartet, which is based on a manga by the same name, starts today in Japan. The anime version is being produced by Nomad, known for the Rozen Maiden series, sola, and the recent Kyouran Kazoku Nikki. I'm certainly excited. Smile

The story is good if you're looking for an action slice-of-life with a fairly large cast of characters. The manga isn't the most well told story-wise and might make some people uninterested, but it's still highly entertaining in my opinion, and the the art is gorgeous. (I'm a fan of Suzuhito Yasuda as an illustrator, so of course I'd pick up his manga.) I'm not sure how the anime will turn out just yet, but hopefully it will clean up those minor details. Also glad to see savage genius and ROUND TABLE in charge of the theme songs.

Anyway, who else is interested?
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Elfen12



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Bay Area
PostPosted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:21 pm Reply with quote
Wow, that actually sounds really interesting. When browsing the fall season list, i saw this, but i didn't think much of it at the time. I've been looking forward to something like this, and it's now presented itself. So it starts airing today in japan huh, hm, well i can say with a smile on my face that i'm excited for this one.

Something that just stood out in reading plot summaries of it, is that one of the 4 of them is actually the mayor... ususaly, or i could imagine at least, in a show like this, it'd be like 4 people with abnormal powers, and then they check in withe mayor, or work for hte mayor, or have some relations with the mayor, but the mayor isn't actually one of them. But in this series he is, and well... I like how that's a change of pase, something a little out of the ordinary perhaps. However i'm also thinking that those powers... they seem rather extreme, the city they live in must not be doing so hot, i mean... a power that she can make anything appear with her words seems a bit to useful if you know what i mean Confused .

Well, only time will tell, as we await the series... with excitement.

-Elfen12-
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CloverKuroba



Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Posts: 506
PostPosted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:32 pm Reply with quote
I'm going to give it a shot. I've been following the manga as well, and I would agree that while the art is great, the storytelling isn't as good as it could be. But all-in-all, the manga of Yozakura Quartet is fairly good. I'm rather excited to see Kou Matsuo as the director-- I really liked Kure-nai and and found Red Garden and Rozen Maiden to also be pretty enjoyable. Also, I'm so happy to see that Round Table ft. Nino is doing the ED! I haven't heard much from them in a while.
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Aromatic Grass



Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Posts: 2424
Location: Raleigh, NC
PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:08 pm Reply with quote
Well, it seems no one's got any episodes out yet. The series won't get much attention that way, so I hope someone picks it up soon. I've heard good things from people who've seen the raws. Here's to hoping more people take interest in YQ.
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MorwenLaicoriel



Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 1617
Location: Colorado
PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:27 pm Reply with quote
This was actually one of the series that caught my eye when I was looking through summaries of shows coming out this season, so I really hope someone makes a fansub for it soon. It looks like a show I'd really enjoy.
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Elfen12



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Bay Area
PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:54 pm Reply with quote
Indeed, a fansub or somethin' sooner or later... I don't know if others have this but when i hear about a series i like to watch it right then in there, almost impulsivley. So... waiting for a series to be "watchable" can sometimes be rather hard for me. Yes, for people i can understand it to be like that to an extent, but i'm talkin' as though it's almost a problem sort of. I hope i don't loose interest as time goes on, like if i find a whole pile of shows this season that i want to see, theres a possibility it could be left in the darkness. I hope something like that doesn't happen. However every time i think about this show and re-read the plot, somethin' always catches my eye...

The Entry thingy wrote:
The story revolves around a quartet of teenaged heroes: A super-strong girl named Hime, a mind reader named Ao, a conjurer named Kotoha and an ordinary, powerless boy named Akina.


I think that part is so interesting as well... i wonder what this "powerless" boy really has to offer, i mean, if he is powerless as he is, what ... well yeah see i don't even know where to ask the question, it just seems like that part alone will be interesting... thats why it catches my eye each time i read it, it's just like ... what? So, with that said, my anticipation level rises.

But i think people are starting to notice the show around in which case somethin' will happen with it soon. Somethin' better or i'll Mad

-Elfen12-
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Aromatic Grass



Joined: 31 Dec 2003
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:08 pm Reply with quote
Elfen12 wrote:
Indeed, a fansub or somethin' sooner or later... I don't know if others have this but when i hear about a series i like to watch it right then in there, almost impulsivley. So... waiting for a series to be "watchable" can sometimes be rather hard for me.

You can always try watching a raw episode or something to see if you like the feel of the show, then watch it later subbed. I used to do that for all the spring shows I wanted to watch because I couldn't wait... Then once the subs got started I gave up on watching raws. (I'm really tempted to with YQ though...)

Elfen12 wrote:
I think that part is so interesting as well... i wonder what this "powerless" boy really has to offer, i mean, if he is powerless as he is, what ...

Well, I'm only two volumes into the manga so I don't want to say anything wrong, but I also don't want to say what I *do* know 'cause that'd be a spoiler. Wink
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G-mofactor



Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Posts: 797
Location: Atlantis to Interzone
PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:29 pm Reply with quote
Yay!! At least I am not the only one who's excited for the anime release to one of my favorite manga(s).
I am always the kind of person who likes to read or watch any story that has the elements of a slice-of-life story. When I finished the manga a year a ago, I was hoping that they would animate it.
I know that the reviews for the manga in ANN, rated it somewhat mediocre; but I was just one of the few who enjoyed it.
I can't really say that the manga was the best, but despite with some disappointments, the anime will definitely suffice.
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Elfen12



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Bay Area
PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:39 pm Reply with quote
Aromatic Grass wrote:
You can always try watching a raw episode or something to see if you like the feel of the show, then watch it later subbed.


Hey, that's not a bad idea. I've never heard that idea either, i think i'll do that, becuase like i'm real bad at anticipating things calmly, which also probably ties into the fact that most shows i watch, i watch all at once, all the way through, i needa ease up. But good idea, good idea indeed.

Aromatic Grass wrote:
Well, I'm only two volumes into the manga so I don't want to say anything wrong, but I also don't want to say what I *do* know 'cause that'd be a spoiler.


oo, that makes it sound interesting. It sounds as though it's good, lol and that little statement makes me want to see it all the more Laughing . But a thought just came to me, Well, if i were to watch an episode in without subs, like if i watched an episode raw, there woudln't be any misunderstandings would there?

-Elfen12-
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frentymon
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:32 am Reply with quote
I guess I'm the first to watch this here, so I'll offer a preliminary opinion --

I thought it was pretty bad. Everything from the unremarkable animation, to the dull soundtrack, uninspired writing, and forgettable characters made the first episode a chore to get through. A silly series that tries to be serious rarely succeeds, and Yozakura is a case in point. It tries to have a serious plot, but the rather silly premise and the goofiness of the characters makes it hard to take it seriously. Overall, it all seems to sum up to one of the low-budget throwaways of every season that seem to have all the ingredients to set it up for failure.

I did get some Inukami vibes from it, because of the whole Youkai thing and the fact that it was also a silly show trying to be serious. Inukami, while not having been a great show overall, managed to be entertaining in the end due to its interesting and quirky characters and the fact that it actually had momentum and a way of grabbing you so that you'd actually care about what was going on. Yozakura Quartet, however, contains an ensemble of characters that are already as dull as they can get and seem hard to salvage out of their lifelessness already. Given that it's hardly a quality show already, it also provides little entertainment value.

I see one way out of the mediocre hell that this show seems to be heading toward, and that is playing out the Youkai/human coexistence theme prominently, and doing so in a manner that's tasteful and not overly preachy. If they tone down the silliness, turn the coexistence into the major theme, be sensible and careful about it, and introduce a well-written plot centered on the theme as well as sentimental touches, I think the show has still has some hope left. Otherwise, as much as I am disappointed, I will probably give up on the show rather quickly.
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BrothersElric



Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Posts: 1996
PostPosted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:08 am Reply with quote
This is another one of the 3 I've been wanting to watch this season. At first I wasn't so sure it'd be my kind of thing but after reading the story summary I'm pretty interested. Mostly by the fact that it's an "action/slice of life," like AG said. I mean, I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing before! Anime hyper In the past I normally haven't been to crazy about slice of life though, but recently I'm starting to appreciate it a lot more. But to add the action part of it on there is really interesting.

In any case, this'll be the same as with Index, as it more than likely will with the Tytania thread I'm planning on creating (unless someone beats me to it..... ) and that is I'll just chime in whenever I feel like saying something about what's going on, with what appears to be a series discussion burnout of sorts apparently......
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Labbes



Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 890
PostPosted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:22 pm Reply with quote
frentymon wrote:
I guess I'm the first to watch this here, so I'll offer a preliminary opinion --

I thought it was pretty bad. Everything from the unremarkable animation, to the dull soundtrack, uninspired writing, and forgettable characters made the first episode a chore to get through. A silly series that tries to be serious rarely succeeds, and Yozakura is a case in point. It tries to have a serious plot, but the rather silly premise and the goofiness of the characters makes it hard to take it seriously. Overall, it all seems to sum up to one of the low-budget throwaways of every season that seem to have all the ingredients to set it up for failure.

I did get some Inukami vibes from it, because of the whole Youkai thing and the fact that it was also a silly show trying to be serious. Inukami, while not having been a great show overall, managed to be entertaining in the end due to its interesting and quirky characters and the fact that it actually had momentum and a way of grabbing you so that you'd actually care about what was going on. Yozakura Quartet, however, contains an ensemble of characters that are already as dull as they can get and seem hard to salvage out of their lifelessness already. Given that it's hardly a quality show already, it also provides little entertainment value.


While I think this is pretty harsh, I felt the same. The only thing I can say I really liked was the opening theme - but not the opening animation itself, which was rather bland.

The characters sure have extreme powers. I mean, what could you possibly do against such extremely useful skills?
Anyway, I don't think I will be continuing this series, there are so many better shows this season...
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G-mofactor



Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Posts: 797
Location: Atlantis to Interzone
PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:01 pm Reply with quote
I for one, is going to follow the show, and hopefully I am not the only one. The first episode is just the introductory to the characters and their powers, just like how it started in the manga. There are just 12 planned episodes for this title, so either I get the same shock-absorption as I got from reading the manga, or get a better experience in watching the anime when it ends.
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suchibu



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 39
PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:54 pm Reply with quote
this was a pleasent suprise for me, though not earthshakingly original or the best animation, i enjoyed the first episode, but i will reserve my final descision for a few more episodes.
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furizaa



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 78
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:48 am Reply with quote
Well I just saw episode 4, and I swear, this show just keeps getting better and better. It's possibly my favorite new fall season show so far. =o
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