YUNE used SPORE! ANIME WATCHER fell asleep!
In this collaborative blog, I usually take the role of writing for the romance-comedy and slice-of-life series that come out. I don't mind this role at all - these series are my niche and I can gladly talk about them ad nauseum. However, there are some times that even I get frustrated at a series. This isn't necessarily because the series is too slow (since I've read Usagi Drop and watched Hanasaku Iroha with great enjoyment), but rather because the series fails and fails miserably to deliver. And when the series tends to drag on and on because of the nature of the series, the frustration is multiplied tenfold. This is one of these series.
Technical details: the graphics are very nicely done, as I said in my first impressions post. The tinge of Western-cartoon-ish style mixed with cute, shiny normal graphics is a nice mix. Nothing very special, but definitely pleasing to the eye.
The sounds are again pretty good, although the dramatic music can get annoying at times. The peaceful music is some of the better that I've heard in pretty much most of the slice-of-life series I've watched thus far (and I've heard a lot). Heavy use of the woodwind/brass instruments are the distinct style of this series and I must say that I like it. The OP is also very simple, with one or two instruments playing at any given moment in time and laced with a very nice solo vocalist. The ED is shinier but not really much different except for tempo/mood. Nicely executed overall.
Now what really disappointed me was the progression of the plot and the characters over time. At first I was very engaged in the original characters and setting (and the guy who spoke the French words in French holy God). They all had so much potential, especially the sister (Camille). However, Ikoku did something that I really haven't faced this year in any series and what should probably be considered an unforgivable crime in any given country - that of climaxing 'till the end but having nothing to show for it.
Now where did this ridiculous let-down begin? Probably episode 5, where Yune (the loli) found the strange boy and then the main guy (Claude) freaked out about it. That triggered the whole fleshing out of Claude's being and his interactions with Alice, Yune, and Camille while also trying to stuff in Yune's background as well somewhere around episodes 10-11. The problem I have with this is that none of it has any significant impact. The backstory could be completely devoid of info for all I care and it wouldn't have changed the core actions that Claude would have taken for Yune. This means that for all intents and purposes, Ikoku is a fake "series" with a prequel hidden inside, since exposition is essentially all they did with the series. To be quite honest, seeing Claude getting angry for the umpteenth time bothered me because I always hoped that he would do something to make up for it (and it would involve lots of cake. LOTS. OF. CAKE.) Apparently not.
Technical details: the graphics are very nicely done, as I said in my first impressions post. The tinge of Western-cartoon-ish style mixed with cute, shiny normal graphics is a nice mix. Nothing very special, but definitely pleasing to the eye.
The sounds are again pretty good, although the dramatic music can get annoying at times. The peaceful music is some of the better that I've heard in pretty much most of the slice-of-life series I've watched thus far (and I've heard a lot). Heavy use of the woodwind/brass instruments are the distinct style of this series and I must say that I like it. The OP is also very simple, with one or two instruments playing at any given moment in time and laced with a very nice solo vocalist. The ED is shinier but not really much different except for tempo/mood. Nicely executed overall.
Wait. Before you play this, get a mug of hot cocoa, click here then play this video over it. You won't regret it.
Now what really disappointed me was the progression of the plot and the characters over time. At first I was very engaged in the original characters and setting (and the guy who spoke the French words in French holy God). They all had so much potential, especially the sister (Camille). However, Ikoku did something that I really haven't faced this year in any series and what should probably be considered an unforgivable crime in any given country - that of climaxing 'till the end but having nothing to show for it.
Now where did this ridiculous let-down begin? Probably episode 5, where Yune (the loli) found the strange boy and then the main guy (Claude) freaked out about it. That triggered the whole fleshing out of Claude's being and his interactions with Alice, Yune, and Camille while also trying to stuff in Yune's background as well somewhere around episodes 10-11. The problem I have with this is that none of it has any significant impact. The backstory could be completely devoid of info for all I care and it wouldn't have changed the core actions that Claude would have taken for Yune. This means that for all intents and purposes, Ikoku is a fake "series" with a prequel hidden inside, since exposition is essentially all they did with the series. To be quite honest, seeing Claude getting angry for the umpteenth time bothered me because I always hoped that he would do something to make up for it (and it would involve lots of cake. LOTS. OF. CAKE.) Apparently not.
Yeah that's uh exactly what I learned from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
The other thing that infuriates me is that both of the characters with so much potential (Alice, Camille) are delegated to mere expository roles instead of actively changing relationships in the present. What's the point of having interesting characters - what's the point of naming an entire episode after their situation ("Caged Bird" or whatever the episode name was) - when they don't do anything about it? It's simply sad to watch talking heads when I could be seeing actual change going on.
So why am I being so harsh on Ikoku when I said the point of Ikoku was that it could do anything it wanted? Well, anything it wants shouldn't be complete garbage. I wanted a pseudo-French slice-of-life show with deep character developments on the side. I wanted daily interesting adventures with Claude and Yune and Santa the old uncle guy. I don't want prequels inside my slice-of-life series. I don't even watch supposedly good prequels. Why the hell would anybody enjoy a series where all everybody ever does is talk about the past without doing anything, when the genre is about DOING STUFF IN THE PRESENT? Just.....ugh. Don't do that. It ruins the point of having a freeform slice-of-life series and doesn't please anybody.
If all this fleshing out led to something big in say, episode 11 or 12, like what Ano Hana tried to do (and even Ano Hana still had present-day events), I would maybe have forgiven it...for 50 bucks. But even that failed - they didn't even TRY to do anything with the information and thus the ending flopped around more miserably than a scared Asian girl until Yune came in and sparkled. Jeez that was about as cleanly done as a car crash. Thanks for nothing.
"STOP WATCHING THIS SERIES"
And for those of you who imply that Yune getting a fever was a present event that changed stuff, fuck you. I saw Nagisa dying about 17 and a half times in Clannad and all I learned was that having AIDS sucks. Most series handle the "getting sick" event poorly and Ikoku was no exception.
What would I suggest for this series? Watch it if you have a LOT of spare time and you are addicted to quiet time and this genre (like I am). Else don't. You have no idea how angry a Japanese girl in a French city can make people sometimes.
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As a side note, read Lying Mii-kun and Broken Maa-chan. It's a completed manga series and it's rather short, but jeez is it ever tense. The characters are also very interesting and can hold a conversation without forcing facepalms from the readers. Definitely worth a try.
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