Charlotte Review

Time can heal many wounds in this world, though it won't heal everything.

What They Say:

Yuu Otosaka is just an average high-school student...well, when you don't count his ability to possess people. Knowing just how incredible this ability is, Yuu keeps it hidden from the public eye. That is, until one day he meets a beautiful white-haired girl who explains to him that there are hundreds, if not thousands of other adolescents that have unique powers as well. And even worse, the world's governments are out seeking and experimenting on those who have them. Seeking safety, Yuu enrolls in a high-school dedicated to protecting students with special abilities. Now, he has to adapt to his new life as he tries to uncover why so many people are appearing with these powers.

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Nothing gets me more excited than new content from KEY. That being said, when I heard about Charlotte, my emotions ran wild and my happiness-meter went through the roof (Which sucks because I had to buy a new one). What excruciatingly sad, yet sometimes obnoxiously joyous story could they have in store for me this time around? Will Lia sing the opening song again? What lessons are there to be learned? And more importantly, what adorable girls has Na-ga Rindou drawn for us this time around? Well, suffice it to say, all of those things happened. But this time, they felt a little different. Now I am forced to decide just how different and whether that difference is good or not.

Charlotte is brought to us straight from the mind of none other than Jun Maeda. It is directed by the talented Yoshiyuki Asai, which explains a lot considering this show felt almost identical to Angel Beats! The cast was impressive as well, bringing us names like: Maaya Uchida, Ayana Sakura, and Kouki Uchiyama. Right off the bat, we have tons of elements that should be able to, even by themselves, make an anime extremely enjoyable with a hint of familiarity. And if reviewing came down to literally just that, Charlotte would have been a perfect success. But there are some holes that the all-star cast and staff couldn't fill. The biggest of these holes being the one that was left by the overall length of the show, finishing at just 13 episodes.

The star of this anime (Even though I wanted it to be the wonderful Nao Tomori so, so much) was the narcissistic and broody Yuu Otosaka. Just like in most KEY stories, there is phenomenal character development. There's just one problem -- all of that development was used on Yuu. And it worked, don't get me wrong. I think he is one of the greatest KEY creations so far. He felt real and went from extremely unlikable to totally likable and then back to unlikable all over the course of the short series. Even though that seems sporadic and odd on paper, it was great. You really got a feel for who he was and how easy it was for traumatic experiences to shape him into a new person. But everyone else was kind of static for the most part. The list of characters were great in every way apart from their development. Design was flawless, dialogue was high-tier, and the acting was spot on. That just once again reinforces what I said from earlier about too much time being used on Yuu. If viewers had just a little more time to get to know what was behind the rest of the characters, this could have been spectacular. Even Nao, who is essentially the second main character, has almost nothing revealed about her past. She just kind of mentions it in passing and then shrugs it off. That isn't the way KEY normally goes about something like this. And you can say that can be attributed to her cold, disinterested character, but that doesn't satisfy me. It just makes it harder to care. (But I still do just because she's so pretty, oh my god).

As for the story, we have something here that I believe could have been in the top three for KEY, had it been done the way I (And so many others) thought it should be done. That once again brings us to the controversial issue of series-length. This isn't your average anime story, folks. We have a main character who joins a sort of witness protection program for adolescent superheroes, has to deal with a traumatic, life-changing event and falls into an untimely despair, GOES BACK IN TIME, fights off terrorists, and SAVES THE WORLD all in just 13 episodes. The first four or so of them were exposition, by the way. It's a general rule of thumb that saving the world needs more than one episode. So why did KEY execute the final arc of Charlotte in this manner?

I'm going to dedicate this whole paragraph to the Yuu x Nao relationship, but specifically what happens in the last few episodes, starting with his confession to her. That is the one thing that I feel was executed perfectly in terms of them as a couple. It's evident in the last few episodes that Yuu is coming to terms with his feelings for Nao. Hell, it becomes evident as soon as she appears and saves him from further harming himself during his gangster-esque fallout halfway through the season. And her reaction to his confession? Priceless and spot on. She reacts exactly how you would imagine her reacting, and that tightens your heart-strings to maximum extension. From that point on though, it starts sloping downward, yet still containing that tinge of curiosity and hope the audience is clinging to, the same way that Yuu is clinging onto his flash-cards from Nao -- even when he forgets how he got them. It's just...his whole journey thing happens in a 20 minute period and he forgets all about her within that time. Had that been stretched out over several episodes and had his memory started slipping away little by little, it would have created an extremely depressing turn of events that would normally be synonymous with KEY work. In the end, their reunion is equal parts miserable and happy. I just wanted more than the brief moments of semi-love that I got to experience.

Even though the plot was convoluted and the pacing was a bit "All over the place," I think Charlotte still hits hard. Just not as hard as it was supposed to. The tonal shifts, though some people have a problem with them, create a way for viewers to become more attached to the characters over a short period of time. Those lighthearted moments that shape the bulk of the episodes quickly turn sour at the drop of a hat, and instead morph into something that winds up causing your jaw to drop. However, the pacing of this show in particular sometimes accelerates those moments and instead creates more of a confusing effect. A lot of the time, I was uncertain how to feel. But there were still elements that were extremely above-average. One of those being the use of vision.

Think back to the characters that were blind -- Sala Shane of ZHIEND, Shunsuke Otosaka, and eventually half of Yuu. What Sala and Shunsuke have in common is that both of them, despite being unable to see, somehow manage to see more than anyone. Those two could easily be considered the wisest out of the entire cast in terms of doing exactly what they need to do at all times -- and not just for themselves, but for everyone. Yuu, on the other hand, loses one eye (Obviously resulting in losing half of his vision). This could wind up being a metaphor for how torn up his personality became. Even though he knew what he must do, there was that level of uncertainty and hesitance that kept dragging him down. In my opinion, that was one of the best uses of symbolism that I have seen from KEY.

In Summary:

Charlotte isn't your typical anime. It has a lot to say, but doesn't have time to say it. It is yet another perfect example of how length of a story versus airtime can cause even the most skilled of writers to rush certain aspects. There are elements of Charlotte that far surpass other anime out there. There aren't, however, many elements that surpass the ever-expanding portfolio from KEY. The high standards they set for themselves wound up unfortunately causing this show to be a step or two under their average. Does that make it bad? Not a chance. Charlotte is still one of the most hard-hitting shows of the year and brings viewers a warm, nostalgic feeling through ambient, emotional music and a sentimental color palate. I'd recommend this to anyone.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll/Hulu/Daisuki/Viewster

Ranpo Kitan: Game Of Laplace Review

The world we live in is a dream. The world we enter at night is reality.

What They Say:

After waking up in a classroom-turned murder scene and being the first to see his teacher's body mangled into a chair, Yoshio Kobayashi becomes the prime suspect of a murder case. But who would have thought that would end with him becoming a junior detective? Completely uninterested in the "Regular world" surrounding him, Kobayashi starts tagging along with famous junior-high detective, Kogorou Akechi. The two of them (As well as a few others) must now bring justice to a crime-infested city. The only thing is, one of the main sources of crime is justice itself when vigilantes named "Twenty Faces" start sprouting up all over the city. Kobayashi and Akechi must now decide just what "Justice" means to them in order to shape not only their respective futures, but the future of everyone around them as well.

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Ranpo Kitan: Game Of Laplace was created to commemorate the passing of the famous Japanese author, Edogawa Rampo. And just as his literature was, Game of Laplace is dark, twisted, and all over the place. The weird thing though, is that it's all done with a smile. All of these grotesque scenarios like: Child abduction, self-mutilation, murder...they're all presented lightheartedly as if they were no big deal whatsoever. And if that sounds weird to you now, you don't even know the half of it. Ranpo Kitan is one of the most creative shows I have seen in quite a long time. However, it has come under fire as of late by many viewers who see it as "Too sporadic and odd to provide a positive watching experience". That isn't a direct quote, but I feel like I paraphrased a good portion of the community pretty well. Regardless, this is definitely not something you have seen before.

Directed by Seiji Kishi (Angel Beats/Persona 4: The Animation) and animated by the lesser-known studio Lerche, Ranpo Kitan comes off as abstract, while still bringing forth and even satirizing a good number of typical anime tropes. The story follows a 12 year old girl....err, boy...named Yoshio Kobayashi. Being the suspect of a gruesome murder case involving his teacher, Kobayashi had to figure out a way to prove his innocence. Which, in turn, he did. This ultimately lead to him discovering an interest in detective work which would soon-after morph into him clinging on to the lead detective of the former case -- that being Kogorou Akechi. Akechi (Who is also a full-time coffee and drug addict) is reluctant in letting Kobayashi help, but eventually submits seeing as it would be even more annoying having him beg at his doorstep like a stray cat for 24 hours a day.

And so, these two (As well as Kobayashi's friend, Hashiba) start going out and solving various cases too intense for regular police to handle. Whether it be a fat guy who steals little girls and buries them in his walls, a guy with a bag on his head that can somehow disguise himself as any other person, or that same guy that continues to steal little girls despite being told not to. The crimes are few in numbers and extremely weird, but there is a sense of unspoken realism to them not commonly touched in anime. Ranpo Kitan, if anything, isn't afraid to be ambitious and depict events that most studios wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. And it only gets more in-your-face as the story goes on. The downside, if you can even call it that, is that it winds up getting more confusing as a result. But at least a concrete story line is picked up once Twenty Faces emerges around halfway through the series.

At this point, the show becomes less focused on shock value and instead shifts its focus toward a deeper meaning -- the difference between right and wrong and the flaws of the typical justice system. In this anime, and even in a lot of real-life cases, criminals receive reduced sentences for pleading their mental instability. This eventually turns into them being able to roam the streets and repeat their offenses, hurting even more people. Twenty Faces is a vigilante who only kills those people. So now we have to ask ourselves if what Twenty Faces is doing is actually justice or not. Yes, it's illegal and even immoral, but should Akechi be going out of his way to catch him instead of the same people that Twenty Faces is targeting? I mean, he must be doing something right if half of the city has started to follow in his footsteps and even worship him on some levels. Twenty Faces becomes more of an ideal than a single person. If one is caught, two appear in his place. If those are caught, even more show up. The vigilante justice increases and increases until it eventually escalates way too far and the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, are at stake.

Ranpo Kitan is a lot different from how it appears on paper. It isn't your typical "Detectives doing detective stuff and catching bad guys" story. It's more of an audiovisual collage that blends lighthearted anime tropes with the darker side of the real world. It's the subtlety of the characters morbid tendencies that is more than just disturbing -- it's real. The school teacher has scars covering her wrists, but does her best to keep a smile on her face. Shadow-Man stalks children in order to "Protect" them. Akechi is an obsessed drug addict who has dedicated thousands of hours to proving that he is right. And everyone else is blacked out. Literally. The characters that don't matter are just shadows and wooden figures, implying that they are all the same, interchangeable creatures. The show is well-aware that it isn't a typical detective anime, and that's okay. In fact, it's even better.

Creativity is the first thing I look for in any form of art, anime is no exception. Ranpo Kitan is absolutely beaming with it. No, its bleeding with it. This shows emanates the darkest sectors of reality and presents them as if they were normal. Because the truth is, they have become normal. The world isn't all smiles, Pocky, and brightly-colored haircuts. There are forces out there beyond our control -- subtle miseries, that we are afraid to acknowledge. This anime takes those fears and disintegrates them, leaving us with a product that can be confusing to some, but memorable and important to others. It might not be for everyone, but I honestly feel like Ranpo Kitan is one of the deepest, most under-looked shows out there.

In Summary:

Ranpo Kitan is not for everyone. If you are looking for a detective anime or a murder-mystery, look elsewhere. If approached with a clear state of mind and no specific expectations, Ranpo Kitan could wind up as something extremely thought-provoking and important. By no means is this show for anime-beginners. Instead, I would recommend it to seasoned viewers looking for a show that will break away from the norms that have grown to shape the anime industry. It may just be the single most creative thing I've watched this year. That alone can't possibly be a bad thing.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Funimation

Top 5 Anime Couples Of Summer 2015

Summer: The season of love. The birds are chirping, the ocean is warm and inviting, and the sun is working overtime to make sure that we all have an easy, pleasant journey until Fall arrives. Unless you don't like the heat. If that's the case, I highly doubt the sun cares about you.

Anyway, it's time for another countdown from yours truly. In fact, this one will be the first of its kind (From me. I'm sure other people have done this). That's right ladies and gentlemen -- it's time to go over the best couples of the Summer 2015 anime season. But before we get down to real business, I give you this honorable mention of a couple who just barely missed the cut.

Meiko Shiraki (Student Council Vice President) x Andre

Prison School

My initial intention was to actually give these two the first place slot. However, I realized that would be slightly unfair, considering just how unrequited this love is. All Andre wants is to be punished by our dear student council vice president. To his, and all of our dismay, it just won't happen. At least not as often as it should. But, that's probably due to the fact that Meiko knows that Andre wants to be disciplined. Poor guy. Regardless, we have noticed your love, Andre. I hope that one day, you two will end up together.

Okay, now I guess we should move on to the real countdown.

5) Hana Satou x Shuu Sakurada

Castle Town Dandelion

I feel like there aren't enough people who would lock in these two as part of this countdown. But that doesn't phase me. If you have watched Castle Town Dandelion, you will know that these two have an unusual, instant chemistry that winds up linking them together early on in the series. Shuu initially tells Hana that he doesn't want to return her feelings right away, but then goes back on that several episodes later when Hana is still persistent and forward about her feelings. These two have surprising chemistry and are easily one of the most realistic couples of the season.

4) Megumi Tadokoro x Souma Yukihira

Food Wars!

These two are easily one of the fan favorites this season. Although they started off on a slightly rough patch, Souma and Megumi quickly became a pair that nearly all the viewers of Food Wars would fight for. Souma has not only been a backbone for Tadokoro nearly every time she has needed him, he has also contributed to her growth and overall development. Until the two were paired together, Megumi had little to no faith in herself. Now look at her. She's quickly becoming one of the best chefs at Totsuki. All we have to do now is wait for them to get together. Fingers crossed everyone, fingers crossed.

3) Yuu Otosaka x Nao Tomori

Charlotte

Interesting picture choice, right? Nao and Yuu are the typical couple that appear disinterested and maybe even oblivious to any connection at all in the beginning of Charlotte. This is actually a pretty common occurrence in most stories from Key/Visual Arts. However, the two have a chemistry that is so constantly-growing that it becomes seemingly impossible to ignore. The characters in Charlotte are really what makes the show as special as it is. Both Nao and Yuu are well developed and have contrasting traits that, for some reason, make them seem like an even better match. The two of them being oblivious to it all winds up making it an even better connection and gives viewers something to look forward to.

2) Takeo Gouda x Rinko Yamato

My Love Story!

Honestly, these two are so perfect together that I felt like putting them in first place would be too easy. Their relationship is actually suspiciously perfect. Something seems wrong. Normal couples have problems and fight and stuff (At least that's what my mom told me). These two...don't have any trouble with each other ever. There is honestly zero conflict in their relationship. How is that even fair? How does that make sense? Is that even allowed in the shoujo genre? Who let this happen? Anyway, Takeo and Yamato are a match made in heaven and probably deserve to be in first place. But I don't trust them, so the two characters below this will be the true winners.

The Best Couple Of Summer 2015

1) Riina Tada x Miku Maekawa

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls

That's right. Two girls. Got a problem? Riina x Miku (Also known by their troupe name Asterisk) easily dominates the competition as the best couple of Summer 2015. Even though a solid 90% of their vocal exchanges end in fiery debates, there is still a subtle, unspeakable love between them evident to all iDOLM@STER fans. The best part is, they keep getting closer (But still not close enough). Oh, not to mention they are the best unit in all of the Cinderella Project. When these two were first paired together back in the first season of Cinderella Girls, they did not mesh at all. But that's what made their relationship great. Since then, the two have learned to deal with each other and make the most out of what they have -- that being the most desired and perfect romance of the summer.

- And there you have it everyone: The Top 5 Couples of Summer 2015.

- Keep an eye out for more countdowns from myself, as well as the rest of the staff at The Fandom Post.

- It has been a pleasure, but before you go, click on my name below to see more of the stuff that I've written.

- Sayonara

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Episode #23 Review

I'll keep trying my best!

What They Say:

The idols from 346 Production's "Cinderella Project" are back, and this time they have more work than ever! Following the success of the summer idol festival, the girls have gained an incredible boost in popularity. Their first group album has even launched. There's just one problem though -- the new executive at 346 Pro, Mishiro. This mysterious new boss is now planning on dismantling all of the company's idol-projects. ALL OF THEM. What could possibly be in store for our beloved Cinderella girls now?!

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Uzuki Shimamura is one of the few idols in the Cinderella Project that, frankly, I've never really cared about. However, I didn't let that blind me coming into this week's episode (Which I was hoping would be similar to the final Haruka arc in The iDOLM@STER 1.0). Unfortunately for all of us, it wasn't. But I can't ridicule an episode of a show purely for not making my hopes and dreams come true. No, I need to do other things for that -- like: find flaws, make fun of flaws, find more flaws, etc. The thing is, I wasn't really able to do that either. So what does that mean for episode #23?

At the end of last week's episode, we witnessed Shimamu have a minor mental breakdown while participating in a photo-shoot with Miho. Obviously, this episode picks up right after that with Uzuki deciding that she would rather start up her lessons again than perform with New Generations -- at least for now. Seemingly heartbroken by this decision, Rin and Mio do all they can to try and get Uzuki to open up to them. However, this is to no avail seeing as Uzuki is trying to shut herself away from all the girls until she comes to term with who she "really is". And what better way to do that than by practicing the same dance move in a dimly lit training room for weeks? I mean, that's what I always do whenever I'm going through a rough patch. (I feel you, Shimamu)

Predictably enough, Mishiro catches on to how Uzuki is affecting Triad Primus and the other units and tells Producer-san to release her. Rin and Mio, still totally oblivious to this, barge into Uzuki's training/coping session and give her a stern lecture about how she needs to get her act together. Uzuki spews her whole "I'll do my best!" thing over and over again, the same way she always does, until Rin drags her to the park bench where the two once had a heart-to-heart the would ultimately end with Rin becoming an idol.

It's at this point where the episode becomes something. Uzuki comes to terms with and admits that she isn't special the same way the other girls are. It's something that has been haunting her for quite some time, and just the release of that is enough to send all three members of New-Gen into hysterics. Mio serves as a shoulder for Uzuki to cry on, while Rin is the one doing the lecturing. The conversation becomes less about idols, and more about their friendship, which has been depreciating over the course of late. After they get their respective tears in, we go back to the Producer/Mishiro conversation about Uzuki, which ends with Producer saying that she is an essential part of the Cinderella Project and cannot be let go. Hooray, everyone wins.

Best/Favorite Part:
The only part of this episode that really stood out for me was the park scene at the end. Even though it was relatively predictable, it was still nice to witness some raw emotion from the girls of New Generations. It was also nice seeing Uzuki act like a human and not like a happiness-robot for once. It's about time she finally developed as a character.

In Summary:
Episode #23 was good, but it wasn't nearly what I was expecting -- or even wanting. I've mentioned it before, but I think that Cinderella Girls takes the easy way out too often. Instead of dragging problems out and making them...you know, actual problems...they just end within twenty minutes or so. There's barely enough time for you to even formulate an opinion on these matters. It's enjoyable to watch, don't get me wrong, but it isn't as enjoyable as it should be.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Daisuki/Hulu

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Episode #22 Review

We'll get used to each other soon enough.

What They Say:

The idols from 346 Production's "Cinderella Project" are back, and this time they have more work than ever! Following the success of the summer idol festival, the girls have gained an incredible boost in popularity. Their first group album has even launched. There's just one problem though -- the new executive at 346 Pro, Mishiro. This mysterious new boss is now planning on dismantling all of the company's idol-projects. ALL OF THEM. What could possibly be in store for our beloved Cinderella girls now?!

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

The Fall Idol Festival has finally arrived, and so have all of the new projects slated to make their live debuts. Triad Primus, Project Krone, Asterisk 2.0, and even some solo performances get to shine in this episode, each more thrilling than the last. Obviously though, everything can't go according to plan (I mean, come on, does it ever in IDOLM@STER?) and things start to get bumpy along the way. But is that enough to ruin the festival as a whole? That's up to Mishiro to decide.

The episode starts without even needing an introduction. The stage is already lit up and idols are already singing and dancing their hearts out. One by one, the new groups and soloists take the stage and repeatedly blow away the audience. Anastasia is among the first the perform, and as expected, the crowd loves her. I liked Love Laika, don't get me wrong, but I never felt like Anya and Minami meshed perfectly in terms of their actual characters. After Minami's solo performance (I had no idea her voice was so amazing, by the way), those feelings were set in stone. Each of the two girls were able to fully captivate the audience, as well as myself. After that, our regular units (Candy Island/Dekoration) got up on stage and did their respective things, not really being any different apart from a slight boost in confidence. Even the new Asterisk with Natsuki and Nana wasn't much different. The thing with that though, is that we barely got to see them do anything. That was a let down in my book.

The second half of the concert/episode is where things start to pick up. The slow screeches to a halt when two members of Project Krone can't find the confidence to even make it to the stage. This turn of events ultimately leads to Mio and the Cinderella Girls stalling the audience as Triad Primus readies themselves to make their debut -- and what a debut it was. Rin, Karen, and Nao blended together in an extraordinary fashion as they erupted into a fiery burst of harmonious melody, quickly becoming what is, in my opinion, the best unit so far. The chemistry between the girls was far too great to overlook and the show was stolen just halfway through its course. From this point on it's just falling actions as we watch Mishiro reluctantly accept the success of the event.

After all is said and done, we receive confirmation that the Winter Cinderella Ball has been greenlit. Triad Primus and the new soloists will stay as they are now, and the only one left without a clear path is Uzuki, who is slightly taken aback by the news of no changes being made to the roster. This news gets to her on a personal level as well, and that becomes apparent when she is barely able to smile at her photo-shoot with Miho the next day. I think it's safe to say that our next arc will feature her as the focal point. Hey, it may even be a throwback to Haruka's mental-breakdown from the former iM@S series. God, I hope so.

Best/Favorite Part:

I think it's safe to say that Triad Primus was the best part of this episode. Trancing Pulse is probably my favorite song from the series so far, and the visual spectacle that accompanied it was a fitting counterpart. I hope we get to see more of these three in the future. My doubts are no more.

In Summary:

Episode #22 will be a great episode for fans of the music in this series. We get to hear snippets from each troupe, some of which being surprisingly impressive. Another one that needs to be noted is Minami's song. Even though it was no more than 20 seconds in length, it showcased her vocal ability and possibly even foreshadowed her future success. Anya and the older troupes were shown and teased as well (Though we didn't see enough from the new Asterisk) and I've already talked about my feelings on the Primus performance. In terms of plot, we have an episode here that starts off slow and picks up in the end, leaving tons of room for the scenario that will follow.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Daisuki/Hulu

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Episode #21 Review

Half of your disease is in your head!

What They Say:

The idols from 346 Production's "Cinderella Project" are back, and this time they have more work than ever! Following the success of the summer idol festival, the girls have gained an incredible boost in popularity. Their first group album has even launched. There's just one problem though -- the new executive at 346 Pro, Mishiro. This mysterious new boss is now planning on dismantling all of the company's idol-projects. ALL OF THEM. What could possibly be in store for our beloved Cinderella girls now?!

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Following the plot-twist that was dropped on us at the end of last week's episode, we have a relatively bumpy road ahead of us this time around. As expected, episode #21 picks up right where episode #20 left off: with Mio announcing her debut as a solo artist. Considering this was completely out of the blue, the rest of the Cinderella girls are just as surprised as we are. This resulted in gasps and jaw-drops aplenty as things started to head down the sad-route again. Is it just me or does Mio actually happen to attract drama wherever she goes? I think this is the third time she's made things worse now if we count the first part of this series. The difference here though, is that she actually has a good reason this time.

Mio, after having Rin break the news of her semi-departure and formation of Triad Primus, decides that she should try something new as well. Not having many other opportunities open at the time, soloism quickly becomes her go-to option. After that, I think some stuff happens that leads Mio into joining an acting troupe (We don't really ever find out how that happened), but this becomes sort of a relatable wake-up call for her, seeing as her script connects to the whole New Generations dilemma. So as Mio continues her rehearsal, Rin starts [expectedly] blaming herself for the falling-out of their trio. As time starts to wind down and the fall concert nears closer, even more drama creeps in when Minami announces that Love Laika is gone and that she, too, is becoming a solo artist.

As always, the drama ultimately finds a way to work itself out. Mio eventually calls upon the girls to help her run lines for her upcoming...acting thing?...and those lines resonate deeply within her and Rin, becoming this huge metaphor for what is happening to them. Queue the sad music because things are about to get DEEP. After shooting lines back and forth at each other, New Generations discovers that there might just be a future for them somewhere down the line. And if things don't work out on their respective paths, they can always meet again in the "Garden", which I'm pretty sure is a metaphor for the practice room. Needless to say, things are now better and Rin bounces back into complacency while Mio continues to be rambunctious. As for Uzuki, it seems she is going to have a project of her own some time soon.

Best/Favorite Part:

I won't lie, I started to get a little teary-eyed during the garden rehearsal scene. I don't really get it, but sometimes shows like this (Especially iM@S) get to me. It was probably just the well-timed fade in of that sad song (That I assume to Mio's) that caused my eyes to get watery, but regardless, it was a powerful few minutes that easily out-shined the rest of the episode. Also, I kind of like Mio now. Kind of.

In Summary:

This episode was a good follow-up to last week's cliffhanger. The plot actually seemed real and not cookie-cutter like a lot of the other issues in Cinderella Girls. Character development is also evident here in that Mio isn't just being a baby this time around and has actually matured to some extent. The end of the episode also plays a big role in announcing what the Fall concert will wind up looking like in terms of line-ups.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Daisuki/Hulu