Forum - View topicThis Week in Anime - Kimagure Old Town Road
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utawoutau
 Posts: 190 |
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I don’t understand the statement that “slavery apologia” is a current trend in anime. This is actually the first I’ve seen that term. Can anyone explain what this is, or more specifically where one can see this in anime?
I love that you did a spotlight on KOR. This was the first anime series I saw through completion, so much nostalgia. I will agree that the opening and ending themes all slap. I particularly love the first seasons opening and endings. Also, I spent so much time in Japan decades ago trying to track down a CD with Madokas sax theme from the first episode. So good. |
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Takkun4343
 Posts: 1498 Location: Englewood, Ohio |
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From what I can tell, it's the treatment of slave trade systems, typically those in isekai, as good things at worst, and necessary evils at best. The Rising of Shield Hero is perhaps the foremost example of this, if only because it was a pretty big strike against the series on this site. Personally, because this "slavery apologia" is limited to isekai (as far as I know), I don't think it's really worth vilifying to the degree that it has been, for the precise reason that the settings they're portrayed in are 700+ years past, too fantastical to be true, or both. Now, if they tried that crap with something more true-to-life like third-world slave trades or underground human trafficking... then there'd be reason to complain and tear the portrayals apart. |
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a_Bear_in_Bearcave
Posts: 501 Location: Poland |
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For me it's treating slavery as a "normal" thing instead of obvious sign of "bad guy-ness". To point to most recent example look at all the people discussing certain current series who says "look, apparently slavery is normal in this world, you can't fault protagonist for not rescuing a regularly abused and raped teen" without realizing that perhaps you shouldn't accept slavery as something completely normal and older tales - anime and other - used it primarily as a sign of evilness, not just some local custom.
That aside, with those recent articles on KOR, I think I need to watch it at least a bit, I must admit I get really interested in Madoka. I also started to warm up to 80's fashion, it can be tacky a lot of times but it's also wonderfully free and fascinating. |
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KyokoBestMeguca
Posts: 24 |
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I think that's the main thing. Slavery isn't some universal constant of pre-modern society. It's a deliberate choice to include something like slavery in your worldbuilding, and to include it without addressing the morality of it is at the least trivializing, without considering series like How Not to Summon a Demon Lord or Shield Hero that have the protagonist actually own slaves. Back on topic, I really need to get around to watching this. Maybe I'll find time to make it my next month-long 80s binge. |
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zrdb
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What to say? Well-KOR was one the series that got me hooked on anime, I still have my old hkdvd set that was ripped from laser discs with serviceable english subs. I think it's a classic for a good reason, same as Maison Ikkoku. Hey-why don't you guys do a review of that?
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Animeeightoh
Posts: 11 |
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Ok, here you go: "I dislike the male character because he's not a perfect flawless bastion of hope like some shonen boy. Also here are some light jabs at anime trends along with hidden reworded messages basically stating, "this offends me" peppered through out." Done. Anyway, I really loved KOR although I felt it got repetitive towards the end. I also don't think they the spotlight did justice to the depth of Madoka's character or how relatable Kyosuke can be but they only watched a few episodes and didn't finish it. The first half is a great watch and is better than a lot of modern anime but it just doesn't maintain it as the second half ends up getting redundant. For those interested and have seen the anime, I really suggest reading the manga. Not only does it have one of the most satisfying endings an romcom anime had but it's a different beast as the anime made some changes to adjust for tv and frame the characters in a better light. Some changes: Characters are a bit younger in the manga. Kyosuke has more negative qualities. Yusaku is not a big of a jerk like he is in the anime. Kyosuke IS dating Hikaru, he's just longing for Madoka. And more. I loved watching the anime but loved the manga a lot more. |
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bglassbrook
 Posts: 1243 Location: Gaithersburg, MD |
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I recently got around to watching the series, OVAs, and movie. Throughout the whole thing it was so painful watching Madoka put-up with him, and worse, to cover for him. Thank goodness they finally explain why in the last few episodes. For those ready to skip to pulling off the bandage, the movie is waiting for you.
Good to hear, and better to look forward to. |
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Clyde_Cash
Posts: 376 |
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I watched KOR 10-11 years ago via rips of the AnimEigo DVDs. The last time I watched it, I kept screaming at my monitor over the lack of cell phones. The show clearly hasn't aged well. Many of the situations could easily be averted through cell phones and the Internet. The Kasuga siblings would be all over social media because of their psychic powers no matter where they moved. This is one show that could use a fresh coat of paint, perhaps a modernized reboot.
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FinalVentCard
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 489 |
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Sorry you didn't like the article, bud. Maybe next time, hm?
Believe you me, I'd be all over that if/when Retrocrush licenses it. I've never actually watched any Rumiko Takahashi stuff prior to InuYasha (I didn't live in Puerto Rico when Ranma aired on public TV), but I'm always down for it. Takahashi knows her stuff. (Real talk, for the longest time I didn't know Orange Road wasn't a Takahashi manga!) Dunno if I'll have anything nicer to say about the Maison Ikkoku guy than I do Kyosuke, but hopefully you'll tolerate my light jabs at anime trends. 
Last edited by FinalVentCard on Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Animeeightoh
Posts: 11 |
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I would say that due to certain dynamic changes in the anime the Madoka "putting up with him" aspect is slightly different. For one thing, although it is evident in the anime, she likes him as well. Further detail I'll put in spoiler just incase some people want to go into the manga fresh. spoiler[Like I mentioned earlier, Kasuga and Hikaru are basically considered to be in a relationship at a point and they both treat it as such. Although Kasuga feels that his actual "soul mate" is Madoka, he never actual decides to break up with her and is very hesitate to make either depressed, which is understable because this is a story of young love. Hikaru is 13yrs old at the start and Kasuga is 15. Anyway, Madoka falls for him and really wants to be with him but is protective of her "little sister" and feels bad of waiting to date her bf. Although Kasuga has his flaws and gets protective over Madoka, a girl he's not dating, Madoka has hers as well and actively persues him through strong flirting. ] Anyway, my point is, the charm of the story is supposed to be the "will they, wont they" aspect of the story and if you put Madoka on a pedistal and dislike Kasuga, I think you're missing the point. About the movie: Personally I was not a big fan. It was the director trying to move the premise of the story into a soap opera/drama territory. Although I'm ok with people taking creative liberties ( I feel rurouni Kenshin OVA was a nice change, although not better than the original) I just didn't like how it worked with the characters and story. I think the actual ending of the manga addresses those issues better. |
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kgw
 Posts: 1057 Location: Spain, EU |
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I think KOR is one of those animes that got much better than the original manga, which benefited for the success of the adaptation, as we saw in the latest chapters of late Matsumoto-sensei's story.
Madoka, specially, grows a LOT in the anime above her original tsundere-ish character. But yeah, a school romantic comedy with ESPer teens has some unbelievable moments. On a side note: KOR's soundtrack is one of the best of 80-90's. Also, we needed the movie because the TV series didn't close the main story. And yes, it was hard and painful for Hikaru, because that's what happens with love in real life: in the end, someone got to say "sorry, I am not that into you". Also, that kind of stories are not that common in anime: harems should be kept, no matter what, "we don't want to upset girl#32's fandom", etc. (And I dislike the sequel years later for undoing the ending and remaking the love triangle because... money, I guess?) |
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Zhou-BR
Posts: 1422 |
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That's interesting. Other than how repetitive and creatively stagnant the show gets in its second half (they even tried doing a stylish, "serious" episode with hilariously pretentious results), what really bothered me about KOR was Hikaru's unhealthy attachment to Kyosuke, acting as if he belongs to her and doesn't have the right to date anyone else. If they were actually dating in the show, I'd be much more understanding of her behavior. I got so fed up with her that I was even disappointed with the movie, which was much more focused on her than on Kyosuke and Madoka finally getting together. |
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Swissman
Posts: 768 Location: Switzerland |
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I've been a fan of KOR for over 25 years now and I'm proud of my collection of original japanese manga, laserdiscs, original soundtracks, cels and other goodies. In my opinion, the show still holds up quite well compared to modern romantic comedies, especially when it comes to charisma of its main female character, the soundtrack and the nostalgia for an idealized 1980s youth most of us have never experienced. And I'm in the camp of those who prefer the anime over the manga. "I want to return to that day" is an excellent movie, and I disagree that it's too melodramatic. Director Tomomi Mochizuki was striving for realism, and he nailed it, Imho.
Pffft, that episode with sad Hikaru at the beach was one of the best episodes & quite stylish :-p |
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Animeeightoh
Posts: 11 |
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Oh I agree with you and even repeated the fact that the anime gets stagnant in the second half. The problem with Hikaru is that the anime reduce her to a foil. Kasuga is about to ask out Madoka...*boom* Hikaru jumps out of a corner to drag him away. The anime goal is to try to make Kasuga appear better than he is. The greatest example is Yusaku. In the anime he is always trying to beat up Kasuga and is mean and constantly rejected by Hikaru. In the manga he never punches or attack Kasuga like that, the only time he ever threaten him is when Kasuga uses his psychic powers to make him fall down a flight of stairs and then laugh at him in his face. The manga isn't a completely different experience it does get repetitive but the slight changes the anime make are a lot worse. I think the movie is a completely different experience. They remove characters, make Madoka act out of character and eliminate the the psychic power aspect of it. Last edited by Animeeightoh on Wed Dec 02, 2020 2:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Maidenoftheredhand
 Posts: 2633 |
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I started watching this and maybe got like 15-16 episodes through but could just not get into it. Instead of a great romantic comedy I found it to be a repetitive bore. Maybe it was my fault because I was expecting something closer to Maison Ikkoku and I got myself hyped up based on something the series just wasn’t. So for me this series was a let down.
I did love the music so there is that at least |
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