×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
EP. REVIEW: Ya Boy Kongming!


Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
-Matthew-



Joined: 12 Mar 2022
Posts: 1259
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 3:44 pm Reply with quote
Amazing series overall!! I recommend to watch it and read the manga too!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
WANNFH



Joined: 13 Mar 2011
Posts: 1679
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 4:52 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Plus, come on, this is a show where the opening features everyone dancing around to "Chikichiki Banban" (in what's got to be a contender for opener of the year), things are probably going to work out generally nicely overall
Well, if someone told me earlier that Hungarian eurodance cover will be the banger of the anime season, I totally thought it's too crazy to be the truth.

But yeah, the crazy mix of music-oriented series with Eiko being cute as heck, and Kongming doing wacky stuff that just works are totally selling the series right now, no doubt. It's just too good combo.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 6:42 pm Reply with quote
I've never really frequented club so maybe I'm missing something, but episode 2 big "strategy" seemed like an incredible stretch. It's a small room that people can get across in 5 second, could anyone really get lost in that? Maybe if everyone was really drunk (and possibly high) I could see it, but then I don't see anyone remembering Eiko afterwards.

I do wish the song were more interesting, there just... okay. I struggled to remember any of them even right after the show aired. That can work for the rival character, but its hard to root for a singer that has nothing interesting to offer. I understand its not easy to make good original song on demand, but they could have given her some interesting gimmick, maybe she could sing in some language/dialect that's not well known (Ainu or something, does Okinawan have their own language?) or she could have been part Chinese and sung with both Chinese and Japanese or be heavily influence by some form of Chinese song. Anything better than sounding about as interesting as what you'd find on page 179 of youtube "indie girl singing" or something.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
WANNFH



Joined: 13 Mar 2011
Posts: 1679
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 10:37 pm Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
I've never really frequented club so maybe I'm missing something, but episode 2 big "strategy" seemed like an incredible stretch. It's a small room that people can get across in 5 second, could anyone really get lost in that? Maybe if everyone was really drunk (and possibly high) I could see it, but then I don't see anyone remembering Eiko afterwards.
Actually, it is very possible - if even the small room was actually highly packed - so people actually get confused because of the unusual design of the room (octagon with identical walls, two exits and the round scene in the center is actually quite an example of that), smoke, flickering lights and constantly changing landmarks to which people can navigate to which door they want to go. It just anime really doesn't depict that much of a crowd until later.

But ironically, event organizers are actually strictly supposed to not do that IRL - because of the safety measures.
Quote:
I do wish the song were more interesting, there just... okay. I struggled to remember any of them even right after the show aired. That can work for the rival character, but its hard to root for a singer that has nothing interesting to offer. I understand its not easy to make good original song on demand, but they could have given her some interesting gimmick, maybe she could sing in some language/dialect that's not well known (Ainu or something, does Okinawan have their own language?) or she could have been part Chinese and sung with both Chinese and Japanese or be heavily influence by some form of Chinese song. Anything better than sounding about as interesting as what you'd find on page 179 of youtube "indie girl singing" or something.
You have a point about the songs of Eiko being unoriginal, but what you describe is also missing a big thing - she's supposed to be just a newbie singer that singing in the clubs and festivals first, so her auditory is also basically your normie clubbers that want for something to dance with and by such EDM pop is just a good choice. (Plus, it's surprisingly good English singing for anime that makes it different enough to pass, considering the anime events happening in Shibuya)

Anything that you describe can work in something like an idol show to make the character different enough to shine (pointing at Deremasu), or something like a contest (like Carole & Tuesday) - but YBK plot is not about that, and that things barely works for the music that will play in your typical dance club. Gimmicks are for people who love gimmicks and go to listen exactly this, not for normie party-goers. For everything other, Kongming exists. Laughing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:47 am Reply with quote
WANNFH wrote:
Actually, it is very possible - if even the small room was actually highly packed - so people actually get confused because of the unusual design of the room (octagon with identical walls, two exits and the round scene in the center is actually quite an example of that), smoke, flickering lights and constantly changing landmarks to which people can navigate to which door they want to go. It just anime really doesn't depict that much of a crowd until later.

But ironically, event organizers are actually strictly supposed to not do that IRL - because of the safety measures.

I can totally see it working if the room is already packed... but if its packed, why would Kongming need to do anything? His plan to pack the room only work if the room is already packed...

WANNFH wrote:

You have a point about the songs of Eiko being unoriginal, but what you describe is also missing a big thing - she's supposed to be just a newbie singer that singing in the clubs and festivals first, so her auditory is also basically your normie clubbers that want for something to dance with and by such EDM pop is just a good choice. (Plus, it's surprisingly good English singing for anime that makes it different enough to pass, considering the anime events happening in Shibuya)

Anything that you describe can work in something like an idol show to make the character different enough to shine (pointing at Deremasu), or something like a contest (like Carole & Tuesday) - but YBK plot is not about that, and that things barely works for the music that will play in your typical dance club. Gimmicks are for people who love gimmicks and go to listen exactly this, not for normie party-goers. For everything other, Kongming exists. Laughing


Why would anyone remember her then? Do normie clubber go to a club and remember the just average singer that they didn't even intent on going to watch in the first place?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
WANNFH



Joined: 13 Mar 2011
Posts: 1679
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 1:19 am Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
I can totally see it working if the room is already packed... but if its packed, why would Kongming need to do anything? His plan to pack the room only work if the room is already packed...
Well, that's where it gets the anime shenanigans (and the power of free drinks). Plus Kongming grabbed the people from the backlines, where are usually placed not the fans - they are usually hanging near the scene, which is the better spot to look at the singer and hear the music - but the occasional viewers who just enjoying the show to stay, which is a fun detail.

But like the Kongming said - the whole plan is not supposed to trap the listeners inside the room, but stalemate them enough inside to hear Eiko singing and let them decide if she's worth their time. Without her being good in captivating people with her music it was an impossible plan all along.

Quote:
Why would anyone remember her then? Do normie clubber go to a club and remember the just average singer that they didn't even intent on going to watch in the first place?
Same point as earlier - while she's average level as a singer, she is also talented enough to make a show and captivate people who never heard her before (again, she is a small club part-timer waitress with no name before Kongming goes full management on her) to make them stay with her.

That's the whole plot point - only the talent cannot make you get recognition, but good management sure can make even the average talent shine to make it to the top.


Last edited by WANNFH on Sat Apr 16, 2022 2:16 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 2:13 am Reply with quote
I hope Kongming will scrape up some money to get Eiko some different stage clothes. I don't really care for that thrift-shop shorts-hoodie-ballcap look even for casual wear (maybe in part because she reminds me too much of Haru Shirokane from Tribe Nine), but on stage she ought to look like she tried to dress for the occasion. At least lose the ugly ballcap.

Other than that, I'm enjoying pretty much everything about this.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 8:51 am Reply with quote
I like her look. Remember, Eiko isn't just representing herself, she's also kind of Lu Bei, a commoner who claims born of noble blood called to a higher calling so she could always look like a thrift store reject because that's who she is.

Or she's not Lu Bei and the whole story is just a coincidence but I think that's more unlikely by the episode. It's not one for one but there is a bit of "hey, that kind of seems like..." A musclebound warrior who doesn't heed her "strategist"? A trio who keep trying but failing?

If you look at the premise as a second chance for Kongming to do right where he went wrong, there has to be some element of "different battleground, same war".
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Electric Wooloo



Joined: 19 Aug 2020
Posts: 308
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 8:58 am Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:
I like her look. Remember, Eiko isn't just representing herself, she's also kind of Lu Bei, a commoner who claims born of noble blood called to a higher calling so she could always look like a thrift store reject because that's who she is.

Or she's not Lu Bei and the whole story is just a coincidence but I think that's more unlikely by the episode. It's not one for one but there is a bit of "hey, that kind of seems like..." A musclebound warrior who doesn't heed her "strategist"? A trio who keep trying but failing?

If you look at the premise as a second chance for Kongming to do right where he went wrong, there has to be some element of "different battleground, same war".


Interesting...
In that case I wonder who this anime's Ma Su will be, considering how much attention was given to the story in episode 1.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MiloTheFirst



Joined: 10 Dec 2014
Posts: 429
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 10:17 am Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
WANNFH wrote:
Actually, it is very possible - if even the small room was actually highly packed - so people actually get confused because of the unusual design of the room (octagon with identical walls, two exits and the round scene in the center is actually quite an example of that), smoke, flickering lights and constantly changing landmarks to which people can navigate to which door they want to go. It just anime really doesn't depict that much of a crowd until later.

But ironically, event organizers are actually strictly supposed to not do that IRL - because of the safety measures.

I can totally see it working if the room is already packed... but if its packed, why would Kongming need to do anything? His plan to pack the room only work if the room is already packed...

WANNFH wrote:

You have a point about the songs of Eiko being unoriginal, but what you describe is also missing a big thing - she's supposed to be just a newbie singer that singing in the clubs and festivals first, so her auditory is also basically your normie clubbers that want for something to dance with and by such EDM pop is just a good choice. (Plus, it's surprisingly good English singing for anime that makes it different enough to pass, considering the anime events happening in Shibuya)

Anything that you describe can work in something like an idol show to make the character different enough to shine (pointing at Deremasu), or something like a contest (like Carole & Tuesday) - but YBK plot is not about that, and that things barely works for the music that will play in your typical dance club. Gimmicks are for people who love gimmicks and go to listen exactly this, not for normie party-goers. For everything other, Kongming exists. Laughing


Why would anyone remember her then? Do normie clubber go to a club and remember the just average singer that they didn't even intent on going to watch in the first place?


She does have her own gimmick, she mainly sings songs in full english and with an actual pretty good pronunciation. I have not been to shibuya but I am willing to bet that isn't the norm for live presentations. Eitherway, the audience doesn't have to be blown away by her performance to decide subscribing to her instagram which is what kongming needs at this stage in order to get her jigs. The series seems to have some commentary going on about success depending more on timing and planning than actual talent. A musician doesn't need to be world class in order to be commercially successful, just clear a minimum bar of proficiency and figure out a great marketing strategy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
KitKat1721



Joined: 03 Feb 2015
Posts: 952
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 11:33 am Reply with quote
This feels like such a specific thing to point out, but I'm happy this show isn't a straight-up gag comedy because I 100% thought it would be based on the premise alone. Glad there's actually a little more there to get invested in/to keep up with.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:18 pm Reply with quote
MiloTheFirst wrote:
She does have her own gimmick, she mainly sings songs in full english and with an actual pretty good pronunciation. I have not been to shibuya but I am willing to bet that isn't the norm for live presentations. Eitherway, the audience doesn't have to be blown away by her performance to decide subscribing to her instagram which is what kongming needs at this stage in order to get her jigs. The series seems to have some commentary going on about success depending more on timing and planning than actual talent. A musician doesn't need to be world class in order to be commercially successful, just clear a minimum bar of proficiency and figure out a great marketing strategy

Would a Japanese audience even be able to tell that the English pronunciation is good? If an English singer suddenly showed up at an event I went to and started singing in Japanese but massacred the pronunciation, I don't think I'd be able to tell since the lyric would just be gibberish to me either way.

The audience does have to remember her quite a bit since they actually need to know her name to look it up. Her counter showed hundreds of added follower, the room size was pretty small so it couldn't hold more than a thousand (even that sound like a stretch) so the anime is implying that most of the audience decided to follow her after the event. I do agree that the anime is trying to have some commentary on success, but that's why I'm disappointed in how they handled this since instead of timing, planning or talent, her success seems to be more about plot armour.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MiloTheFirst



Joined: 10 Dec 2014
Posts: 429
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:55 pm Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
MiloTheFirst wrote:
She does have her own gimmick, she mainly sings songs in full english and with an actual pretty good pronunciation. I have not been to shibuya but I am willing to bet that isn't the norm for live presentations. Eitherway, the audience doesn't have to be blown away by her performance to decide subscribing to her instagram which is what kongming needs at this stage in order to get her jigs. The series seems to have some commentary going on about success depending more on timing and planning than actual talent. A musician doesn't need to be world class in order to be commercially successful, just clear a minimum bar of proficiency and figure out a great marketing strategy

Would a Japanese audience even be able to tell that the English pronunciation is good? If an English singer suddenly showed up at an event I went to and started singing in Japanese but massacred the pronunciation, I don't think I'd be able to tell since the lyric would just be gibberish to me either way.

The audience does have to remember her quite a bit since they actually need to know her name to look it up. Her counter showed hundreds of added follower, the room size was pretty small so it couldn't hold more than a thousand (even that sound like a stretch) so the anime is implying that most of the audience decided to follow her after the event. I do agree that the anime is trying to have some commentary on success, but that's why I'm disappointed in how they handled this since instead of timing, planning or talent, her success seems to be more about plot armour.


I think they could tell the difference between good pronunciation and bad pronunciation even if the random average person isn't good at the language themselves. They do study english while in compulsory education. I am Speaking from experience, I am not a native English speaker myself and even when I was a kid I could easily tell apart the pronunciation proficiency of my fellow students from that of the English teacher and movies, even while i still didn't understand the vocabulary much

Regarding the amount of subs she got, it was only a thousand, I think it would still be reasonable to assume that a quarter or even half of those could be friends/followers of the attendees that didn't go to the venue but saw a post in their feed praising EIKO and decided to follow her. Subs are a very whimsical commitment feee act, people sometimes just do it out of curiosity and unsubscribe later or forget about it entirely. I don't think that scene demanded too much suspension of disbelief. But i totally get your point
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Electric Wooloo



Joined: 19 Aug 2020
Posts: 308
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 8:23 am Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
MiloTheFirst wrote:
She does have her own gimmick, she mainly sings songs in full english and with an actual pretty good pronunciation. I have not been to shibuya but I am willing to bet that isn't the norm for live presentations. Eitherway, the audience doesn't have to be blown away by her performance to decide subscribing to her instagram which is what kongming needs at this stage in order to get her jigs. The series seems to have some commentary going on about success depending more on timing and planning than actual talent. A musician doesn't need to be world class in order to be commercially successful, just clear a minimum bar of proficiency and figure out a great marketing strategy

Would a Japanese audience even be able to tell that the English pronunciation is good? If an English singer suddenly showed up at an event I went to and started singing in Japanese but massacred the pronunciation, I don't think I'd be able to tell since the lyric would just be gibberish to me either way.

The audience does have to remember her quite a bit since they actually need to know her name to look it up. Her counter showed hundreds of added follower, the room size was pretty small so it couldn't hold more than a thousand (even that sound like a stretch) so the anime is implying that most of the audience decided to follow her after the event. I do agree that the anime is trying to have some commentary on success, but that's why I'm disappointed in how they handled this since instead of timing, planning or talent, her success seems to be more about plot armour.


But... it is about timing, planning, and talent
It's saying that no matter how talented you are that talent won't be recognized without proper exposure.
The entirety of episode 3 was specifically planning a situation to make the biggest entrance, and judging by the very end of the episode it got more than just the audience's attention.

As for followers, I'm pretty sure only a small % of Mia's 100,000 "Pinsta" followers ever saw her in person. People follow things they're vaguely interested in and it spreads via friends of friends as the algorithm brings it to their attention.

Someone with 500 followers or something makes a post going "Wow this Eiko singer was better than expected, best part of the show!" and if even 5% of that 500 in turn follow her that 1 person who saw her live counts for 26 followers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
L'Imperatore



Joined: 24 Mar 2014
Posts: 822
PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:34 pm Reply with quote
Kongming aside, is this show doing an accurate depiction of Tokyo night club party life and indie artists trying to get their big break?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Page 1 of 4

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group