Forum - View topicStars Align (TV)
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Stars Align (TV) Genres: Drama Themes: Sports Plot Summary:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode 2 Okay, I was not totally sold on the first episode that it would be, but second episode has totally convinced me that this is one of the shows to keep an eye on, it could end up this season's O Maidens. The first episode ended with a harrowing scene of domestic abuse that put a character's actions under a new life, and that totally piqued my interest after not really being too interested in this sports anime, although the character designs are totally appealing to me. Second episode, it got me with its introduction of a gay character, a guy bullied by three boys who seem to have something to prove by their masculinity. And in the same episode it pretty much admits that he is gay, has a crush on the secondary main character, Toma, and our central main character, Maki, seems to accept it and even invite him to be their team manager. It is kind of impressive, you would think a sports anime would skirt a bit more, maybe more of a fetishy look or implied stuff like Battery. I am wondering if I was reading too much into things like Maki seeming to decide to wear a cap, even after told only girls do so, seeming no shame although receiving a comment from one of the boys later. And there are certain traits about some of the boys that also have my attention. But the character I feel most drawn to the quiet and introverted girl, Mitsue, first that I simply really like her design, something unassuming. She seems to be targeted by bullying for not being as feminine as her peers, being called an otaku. And I am two parts interested in where her character was, first being that I think there is an implication of some interest in the main character, her quietly calling the attempt of treating the boys soft tennis club as a fools errand, but clearly drawn to them at the same time as maybe some kind of interest in Maki. And coupling this with a scene where she seems to be hiding that she privately draws, the one we see seemed to be a yuri picture of all things, which makes me wonder if there is any relevance considering things like a gay character introduced in the episode. I am probably reading way too much into everything though, finding something because I want to, and there is no deeper meaning. It could just reveal that the manager guy looks up to Toma. So I don't want to end up disappointed by reading too much into certain themes. On the other side the sports part is pretty nice, how the boys seem to be turning everything around. I think I might like what it does in just its sports bits. Oh, and the ED of the episode was also fantastic, it pretty much being different characters dancing, which does not sound too interesting on its own, but there seems to be so much detail onto how each character dances differently, giving a feel of the different traits of each. It feels like signs that this show has a good grasp on exploring the nuances of them all. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 3
A little surprised how the episode started with Maki having dinner with the three others, it just seemed kind of sudden for this core group. The episode did put more focus on things like Toma having an anger problem. Why does it feel like there is something weird going on with his older brother? Will say, felt a little bit happy from the outburst against the bully, and how clearly he quickly fell apart. Not really the right thing to do, but some douches really have it coming when they don't understand how damaging their words can be. Was thinking that the teacher probably should not award it, but at the same time he seems pretty empathetic of the scenario. Usually you would get suspended for that sort of thing. Would say my favourite part of the episode was the sibling part, a good show how siblings can be close, her mildly telling him off, but staying by his side. Also, the postpartum depression/stress thing, that is rough. Really does feel like a good part of this show is about the parents as much as kids. A take away of mental health being important not for kids, but fully grown adults too. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 4
Was really hoping the end of the episode would not be something like that, Maki's dad coming back to screw everything up. Such a destructive force. As it stood the episode had enough things like social Darwinism from the student president. Was cool how Maki was able to figure out what partners and the set up of the partners would work best. Toma not seeming to understand that it was kind of best that the two of them held back a little bit to build the confidence up, kind of wonder about there being something in there about the tougher more masculine methods of being forceful in teaching as not always the best. I think I said it before, but Maki is a cool character in showing more feminine traits, how he was coaching everyone with a more supportive, if you try you can do it, or at least get better. To say nothing for say his cooking that also took a portion of the episode, Maki having to convince Toma to give him a hand, while Mitsue completely forgo expectations and did nothing, which is fine. There is sort of couples thing set up, between Maki and Mitsuo, with Toma and Yuta also. I am also wondering if there will be a point where Toma might realize that Maki has done a much better part as a captain like role in the team, than he has, and what could come from it. I do think that there have been enough interesting points towards Mitsue not entirely being the perfect person he looked like at first with as the ace of the team. Also, casual sexism from the girls' coach seeing all the boys as a bunch of grasshoppers. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 5
Man, it felt like a lot happened in this episode. Firstly that Maki opened up to Toma about his abusive dad, and while Toma thinks he helped by getting some money and trying to threaten the dad, I really think it was a terrible way to handle it and the right move would have been to get the police. What they did didn't solve anything. Next, a quick bit about some track people trying to harass Yuta, going into the changing area, which apparently they do not normally do, and purposely trying to make Yuta feel uncomfortable, teasing him by taking his shirt off. But everyone in the tennis club stood up for Yuta. Whether they are familiar with Yuta's sexuality or not, they accept and appreciate him. The student president apparently has her own problems. As far as I can understand, her grandmother figures herself some sort of matriarch and maybe wants to make her a lady, even made herself the one to decide pres' name. Her mother even calls her a different name, and seemed to make it her decision to have her attend the school that she does, as some sort of understanding the lives of people that work for the father's company. Would seem that she is not too fond the two women fighting, although explains maybe some of her attitude, and yet hints of someone else, a true her that she calls Kaori. We also learned that Rintaro is adopted, and has some deep insecurities of feeling like he is a failure and disappointment to his parents. Like he thinks that he was a burden to them, despite the fact they actively went out of their way to bring him into their family. Super funny/cute that Mitsue actually showed up to watch their practice game. But I suspect that there is a good chance this might be more harmful than good to have them play against high level players who will make fun of them. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 7
Towards the end of the episode had exactly the sort of thing that makes me love something like Haikyuu, my favourite sports anime, at the end of it all they can even get along with someone who was just their opponent. At the start that kid was all cocky and just the worst, but later could come into their party and have fun with the rest of them, Oji was a surprisingly likable character at the end. I love this accepting atmosphere, the likes that Mitsue is still welcome within their activities. some questioned about her being there, but the rest are happy that she is comfortable. Yet Toma apparently less comfortable in the friendliness. Based on the end of the episode, some parent seems to have taken some sort of problem with the sport taking up the attention of the boys, that they have lied to the school that the practice is bad, even lying about their picnic being training. My current guess would be on the doting mother we saw earlier, who kind of seemed to without drama to have focused on back then. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 8
*screams* Yes! I had good feelings about this show, underlying themes, and it straight up talked about them in this episode. Not only being about transgender stuff, specifically in regards to Yu and Maki, but also Non-Binary. This was actually exactly what I thought back when Maki put the cap on in the second episode, and was too afraid to say it out loud, because logically I must be reading too much into it after recently figuring that I am NB. We just had the Lily thing last year, and then anime gave us this again. And it is little things, like indeed Maki and Yu dressed up as girls, but it did not nearly feel like the sort of joke you would get out of most anime from that happening. Everyone totally cool with it, no making fun of them doing so. Of course, not counting the mother at the end of the episode, which is being a posterchild of an awfully controlling mother. And all the Mitsue stuff, favourite character and this was her largest episode so far. Her insecurities about feeling different, and her love of art. She did get a bit ahead of herself when she picked a fight with those girls, so great when Maki stepped in at the right time, and was able to see how Mitsue was certainly not okay, and everyone wanted to cheer her up. To go full circle with what I was also thinking earlier, I think Mitsue is attracted to Maki in both male and female versions. Might be a bit of an assumption based on just that Maki drew a picture a bit on the yuri side, but I think Mitsue is not turned away by Maki's feminine aspects. Finishing on a serious note. Even if not realistic out of someone this age, the talk LGBT stuff in the episode, especially NB, brought a tear to my eye. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 9
We just can't have nice things? One looked like it might have been fixed, Shingo's mother that seemed to have some sort of weird problem with trusting that her son could look after his young sister. Could be reading too much into things, but I was kind of wondering if it might be that she assumes that a teenage boy lacks delicacy or something and mindfulness to be a healthy influence around a little girl. This based around her pretty much yelling at him about being near her while dirty like he is some sort filthy animal, not realizing that her daughter idolizes her big bro, and he along with the rest of the boys are plenty responsible and good with her. Even if they had a bit of a gaff from letting her go to the toilet by herself, after which she ran wandered off. Looked like the mother maybe came to an understanding Shingo is not as troublesome as she though, even his dad was kind of cool. The missing girl bit was made worse Nao's helicopter mum pretty much breaking her son that he practically self sacrifices his sanity to meet some twisted ideas his mum is putting in his head. Some child abuse going on there. The real kicker was Tsubasa's dad, who seems to have taken some issue that his son turned away from soccer that his brothers are aces at and took on soft tennis. He felt like he is being disrespected because his son does not want to be treated like crap from a father who questions what he wants. And dad decided to slap his son whilst on the stairs, which happen to make him lose balance and give him a nasty wrist injury. Sure, he did not mean to send his son down the stairs, but there was little excuse for the slap and is still responsible for what happened. All the talk the father had about respect or responsibility or whatever, I wonder if he can show himself as more than a hypocrite, after all he did just stand there and watch his son after what happened. Perhaps shock at realizing the awful thing he did, but still pretty despicable. Shingo's dad seemed much more on the ball. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 12 (finale)
Do a second season! I can't imagine that this is where the alignments of the stars were leading. They were happy almost beating the local champions, that losing where they did felt like a total win. But then Toma is apparently being sent to his dad's, and Maki looks like about ready to try and murder his father after him having done something, we only see a broken glass, Shou and a ripped envelope. And half the cast are also in half complete arcs, including Mitsue who seems to be sticking to her art despite her previous fanbase turning against her, which I fear lead to something mental breaking down with her. Yu had some sort of run in with a mother a few episodes ago where she seemed to not take well the evidence that they was dressing as a girl. My take on Stars Align that although it was built around the sport, it was kind of the weakest link around all the drama of everyone's lives, and this drama was where the real gold was; While writing this I found out that apparently the show got "axed" from its planned length of twice the amount of episodes, and I can only imagine that either so sudden that they could not course correct, or the creators managed to keep to their image of the series at this point of the series. In my opinion this was the best show of the season, that it is a travesty if this where it will be left. Hopefully 8-bit will see the support this series has had, and see to its completion. It touched on a good great things, surrounding abuse from parents, to having LGBT stuff with such openness. Stars Align is the type of show I want to see anime doing, just in the likes A Place Further Than the Universe and O Maidens in Your Savage Season, anime in these last couple of years that can get by with relative realism, and I think can have real impact without feeling like they are just doing what sells. What Stars Align had alone in a fair view of LGBT representation in treated so matter of fact is just awesome. Personally I would have loved to have seen more of Shou, and also more of Yu's journey. I would in all honesty love series that just spun off into either of these character, Mitsue too. I put in the favour of the series that there are so many elements that I would love to have suddenly got the focus of, that I just want to see their tale. Not a complain that I saw that accused the creator of not wanting to cut any of their ideas, I am sure they would have been able to do it all justice if they had the right time. I give a rating of Excellent (9/10), there is a lot I loved about this season, just the little details that I think could be well worth attention. Also the awesome ED, I know it had some controversy, saying this show had controversy stapled to it is fair, but it had just such great things that I want to support this art. But as it stands I don't think it will quite beat out O maidens. Please do not let this be the end. |
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