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Binbou Shimai Monogatari (TV).


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abunai
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Joined: 05 Mar 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:02 am Reply with quote


Binbou Shimai Monogatari (TV)

Genres: comedy, slice of life
Themes: iyashikei

Plot Summary: The Yamada sisters, Kyo (15) and Asu (9), are students studying in secondary and primary schools respectively. Their mother has passed away while their father ran away after incurring debts due to gambling. Despite the difficult circumstances, both of them decide to overcome the unhappiness and welcome their days with enthusiasm and pride. Fortunately, with the change in the law system several years ago, Kyo is able to study and simultaneously, take up temporary jobs (such as distributing newspapers and tutoring) so as to support the family and make ends meet. On the other hand, Asu will take charge of household chores, prepare meals and manage the financials to assist her older sister. Surrounding them are also good and kind neighbours such as the novelist, Saegusa-san, and the aunt at the public bath who will watch over them. Although life is difficult and at times painful, the sisters are happy to have each other.
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Seeing as how I'm a great fan of the manga that this anime is based on, I'd been waiting expectantly for it. Now that it's here, however, I have to confess to a certain degree of disappointment.

With a generally weak animation quality, and unexpectedly lackluster performances from experienced seiyuu Kaneda Tomoko (as Yamada Asu) and Sakamoto Maaya (as her elder sister Kyo), this is quite a letdown. Overall, it seems as if Toei has dropped the ball on this one.

Let's hope the succeeding episodes show better quality.

- abunai
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undeadben



Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 1212
Location: West Texas
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:17 am Reply with quote
A lot of series start off slowly, so I guess will see if this one improves. I didn't completely dislike the first episode, but it didn't really do anything spectacular either. I can see where the story has potential to pick up, so hopefully it moves in that direction. Maybe if they stop going for cuteness so much and show a bit more of reality, after all this is a story of two young orphan girls making it on there own, this concept alone allows for a good supply of feel good moments without having to force a cute scene that might not work as well. I have not read the manga so I do not know the original story at all or how the concept works in the manga.

I am not very picky about animation quality so this didn't bother me too much, what I did not like were the cheesy graphics they occasionally throw up there for exclamation or the ugly pink swirly ones for blushing.

I'll agree that the seiyuu didn't really put out noteworthy performances, but I feel the story didn't really give them much to work with. One interesting thing is that with this Maaya Sakamoto is working on three currently running series, a smaller role in Tsubasa Chronicle which I have not seen, and the lead in Ouran High School Host Club. I am sure they will not interfere with each other, but I hope it doesn't contribute to lackluster performances.
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abunai
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:33 am Reply with quote
undeadben wrote:
I didn't completely dislike the first episode, but it didn't really do anything spectacular either.

I never said I "disliked" it, I hasten to point out. I merely said that I found it disappointing, compared to the manga.

undeadben wrote:
Maybe if they stop going for cuteness so much and show a bit more of reality, after all this is a story of two young orphan girls making it on there own, this concept alone allows for a good supply of feel good moments without having to force a cute scene that might not work as well. I have not read the manga so I do not know the original story at all or how the concept works in the manga.

Actullly, they're sticking quite faithfully to the manga, although the first episode shows an event that only occurs quite a bit into the manga storyline. But all the same, it's a good event to start with.

As for the cuteness -- if you're hoping for a reduction of that element, you're in for a disappointment. The manga is the same, albeit with far less hokeyness and more genuine emotion.

One feature of the anime that I did strongly dislike was spoiler[the cameo appearance by the dead mother's spirit.] It was unnecessary and overblown.

- abunai
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Kagemusha



Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 2783
Location: Boston
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:53 am Reply with quote
I thought the manga was only decent. However, I only read a couple of chapters and was told that the manga-ka was new to the less-than-ten-pages format and that it greatly improves, so I have decided to stick with it; it is admittingly tricky to write a story so short, and BSM did it better than most.
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undeadben



Joined: 06 May 2006
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Location: West Texas
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:14 pm Reply with quote
abunai wrote:

I never said I "disliked" it, I hasten to point out. I merely said that I found it disappointing, compared to the manga.


I apologize if it sounded like I assumed you disliked it, you were very clear of your opinion.

abunai wrote:

Actullly, they're sticking quite faithfully to the manga, although the first episode shows an event that only occurs quite a bit into the manga storyline. But all the same, it's a good event to start with.

That's good to know. Even though I have not read the manga I know that a series derived from manga usually works better when it sticks to it.

abunai wrote:
As for the cuteness -- if you're hoping for a reduction of that element, you're in for a disappointment. The manga is the same, albeit with far less hokeyness and more genuine emotion.

That would be good too. I don't mind cute, I love series like Haibane Renmei and Azumanga Daioh where cuteness abounds, and I love good emotional stories which is why I looked this show up. I just thought that they tried to force some moments, which did seem a bit hokey spoiler[like the silhouetted embrace on top of the hill when they found each other at the festival, and the part you mentioned with the mom]. Still there were just a few parts of the show like this and overall I thought it was ok; I'm gonna continue to watch this series, and from what you have said of the manga, I might start on that too.

abunai wrote:
One feature of the anime that I did strongly dislike was spoiler[the cameo appearance by the dead mother's spirit.] It was unnecessary and overblown.

That seemed out of place. Does this happen in the manga?
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v1cious



Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 6199
Location: Houston, TX
PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:12 am Reply with quote
hmm... i was thinking about checking this one out too. does it at least stay true to the manga?
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undeadben



Joined: 06 May 2006
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Location: West Texas
PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:27 am Reply with quote
v1cious wrote:
hmm... i was thinking about checking this one out too. does it at least stay true to the manga?


I haven't read the manga but,
abunai wrote:
Actullly, they're sticking quite faithfully to the manga, although the first episode shows an event that only occurs quite a bit into the manga storyline. But all the same, it's a good event to start with.
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frentymon
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005
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Location: San Francisco
PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:47 pm Reply with quote
I didn't have much of a problem with the voice acting except at around the 9:00 mark, where there's really lackluster emotion. The series thus far is not bad, but not really what I expected (I thought it would be somewhat like Grave of the Fireflies).

A lot of Monogatari this year.
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HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:04 pm Reply with quote
I've seen the first episode and I wasn't impressed. I'll give this series a couple of episodes, but if it doesn't get better, I'll probably drop it.
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therax



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 64
PostPosted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:13 pm Reply with quote
I'll agree that the Mothers Spirit thing was kind hoaky.

But as abunai pointed out, this story was a little later in to the manga, so a narrative was needed to fill out the background.

I will probably continue to follow this one unless it slides in quality too much.
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akitainu



Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: SATX
PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:34 am Reply with quote
Okay, I've seen the first three episodes and I like it. I've never read the manga, so my frame of referance is a semi-circle.
But, from what I've seen, it's a super cute, less depressing version of "Nobody Knows (Dare mo shiranai)".
I'll grant that the artwork isn't fantastic, but I also will say that this is the kind of show I like as break from work, heaviness, and the psycho-symbolic trudge of too many arthouse anime.
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abunai
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:48 am Reply with quote
akitainu wrote:
But, from what I've seen, it's a super cute, less depressing version of "Nobody Knows (Dare mo shiranai)".

Eh? No, not at all. The whole point of Dare mo shiranai was precisely that the children were maintaining the facade of being still under the care of adults, despite being incapable of safely taking care of themselves... with tragic consequences.

In Binbou Shimai Monogatari, there seems to be no doubt that the surrounding adults are aware that the eldest sister is the de facto guardian in their father's absence. In North America or Europe, such children would be in foster care or, at the very least, under the supervision of a court-appointed guardian. Not so in this case. I'm not sure whether this is dramatic license or whether to chalk this one down to the nearly absurd Japanese insistence on not interfering in the internal affairs of families.

-abunai
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akitainu



Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:21 am Reply with quote
I didn't say it was direct parallel, it is simply what I was snapped into recollection of...
Like the tail end of my comment, I'm not looking for some great meaning. I'm simply digging on the goodness of the bond between the sisters. It's, to me, like an upward spiral of Tohru Honda squared.
This is the kind of show that I let emotion bully away any analytical process. I simply couldn’t care less about the greater structure.





(removed an extra "of")
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selenta
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Joined: 19 Apr 2006
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Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 4:06 pm Reply with quote
I wasn't TOO impressed personally. It was pretty darned good in the content, but the execution seemed more than a little dramatic for the first episode. I hope they don't have a "zomgz... she did it... for ME?!?!" scene every episode; that drives me nuts when they repeat the same sort of scenes a billion times. Assuming they don't get overdramatic again any time soon, I'll forgive them.
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undeadben



Joined: 06 May 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:01 am Reply with quote
I wanted to revive this short thread before it got too old in case I had any future questions.

I had sort of started to get into this series by the 4th episode, but the 5th one I think cemented it for me. I don't know, I can't say it's really the best series available, and I have only seen the 5 episodes so far, but each week, like right now, I can't help but eagerly anticipate the next. My reactions to the first episode aside, I don't find that the shortcomings bother me anymore, maybe it's that I've grown attached to the characters and the smaller things don't distract me as much. Also, some of the stories are really fun; actually it's never really a depressing story, as I first expected it would often be. The plots are simple yet entertaining and for the most part really fit the mood of the series. (Well, so far anyway.)

Is anyone else here still liking this show?
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