Another episode of Universe that delves into friendship issues. While I can see many hiccups along the way, I can still say the ride is worth it. Not that I think this episode stands out, rather that I don’t know exactly how I feel about this episode’s resolution. This episode features my favorite girl, a bullying/ lousy one of the group, Hinata, the most mature girl in the group, and at the same time, is up there as the most stubborn member. She had an issue with her track friends back in her middle school, an issue that (in her point of view, I must stress) was entirely her upperclassmen’s fault. At the end, you would expect she come to forgive her friends and you would expect a happy ending, right? Except it’s not. The climax is… refreshing to say the least. I respect the show for going another way other than happy route, where every fault can be forgiven and forgotten. This climax may sound mean-spirited, after all Hinata isn’t exactly a hero type and Shirase is always mean as hell; but Shirase can go to that level of meanie because she does care deeply for her friend.
I’m not sure what to feel about Hinata’s personal problem this time. Universe claims that she already moves on to the new adventures and now has many true friends, enjoying life that those girls couldn’t have experienced. The way I see it, however, the only person who is still stuck to that painful past is Hinata herself. She’s the one who refuses to talk to her ex-track team members, she’s the one who doesn’t want to deal with the issue head-on, she’s the one who is still in anger despite how many years had passed and she’s the one who still doesn’t forgive them in the end. That is fine, I guess, since it’s her decision and she make it clear every time that it’s her own issue. But it’s kinda problematic for me that the whole group, even Gin, support this. You don’t truly hear the story in the other girls’ point of view beside the email (and Hinata straight-up refused to talk to them), and they mean good so I don’t think they’re deserved to get dismissed like this. And when the adults not only don’t sort these things out, but also act like things going fine. It’s another kind of bullying, isn’t it?
But the tough case to crack is Shirase. In this episode, I am constantly reminded that Shirase is overstepping her role as a friend. I understand the intention: for someone who is headstrong and always act like nothing happened like Hinata, the stubbornness of Shirase is the only thing that can make Hinata opens up. They had a history back in Singapore; so they know a great deal about the other’s characteristics. I get it but reading others’ personal email is A NOT OKAY in any situation regardless if you are friends, partners, siblings or even married couples. A friend can be a shoulder for you to cry on, a friend is someone who has your back, correct, but Shirase has no right to act for Hinata regarding Hinata issues towards Hinata’s friends. She’s being stubborn, she said what Hinata feels, right, but who she is to judge other people “You can’t live your life in this half way state forever”?
But the point is, despite those issues above, I enjoyed this episode for start to finish. I feel the anger Hinata felt, I feel great when Shirase speaks up and the group members produce some rather unique chemistry together. Universe has spent a great deal of focus to the friendship dynamic. First with the surprising dark and sharp Mari – Megumi childhood friendship, to Hinata – Shirase the battle of stubbornness in Singapore, to Yuzuki friend complex and now the hidden past of Hinata. Each of this adds something more to the group’s chemistry, making them a total delight to watch. The girls, furthermore, have a chance to explore Antarctica so every place presented here is a treat by itself, whether it’s a stream so fresh that you can drink directly, a mountainous landscape that looks like a chocolate cake or the daylight sky that is bright and vast. The background designs are made-only-by Antarctica and it’s magnificent. Only 2 episodes left, while I do feel Universe losing a bit of its steam towards this final run, I still feel its foundation is strong enough to deliver what it promised.
Just wanted to share.
So I decided to dive in for one episode and see this stubborn Hinata and mean Shirase (that the author spoke of) as well as how does this anime (that everyone seems to be talking about) do. Btw, I think starting from ep1 is usually not the best way to sample a series and I absolutely love jumping in the middle, because it is refreshing to see the actual stuff instead of sugary intros that anyone genre-savvy enough can fill in on his own.
So, perhaps this wasn’t the best episode, but if there is an actual word to describe this series (from what I’ve seen) for me, then it is “obnoxious”. I didn’t come here to badmouth, only to chip in my own opinion, it just happens for it to be negative.
What I liked:
– voice cast. Noto Mamiko, Aya Endou, Honda Takako, Hayami Saori, Hanazawa Kana, Ohara Sayaka, Hikasa Yoko – they are all veterans and among my favorite female seiyuu. It’s awesome.
– face expressions
– down to earth color palette
What I couldn’t stand:
– farfetched and contrived personal issues that only exist for the sake of emotional pay off, disregarding plausibility or pretty much anything else.
– Kyoto Animation wannabe starting from the character design/art all the way through the overdramatization of the climaxes and every goddamn “little thing”. – Blur/DOF
– “Smart” camera angles/screen compositions that are so obvious my suspension of disbelief evaporates instantly. Usually done to over-blow the emotions on the screen. For instance: close ups on Shirase’s mouth, focus on single line of text to hammer in the message, sudden underwater camera shot that serves no purpose other than display of artistic abilities.
– I’m not going to get into the issue of why and how did bunch of girl get to hang out on a South Pole.
– where are all the male characters? I’ve literally only seen women.
I feel like this series is one of those that thinks that if you throw bunch of cute girls together with an “interesting” premise, give each character single quirk (and make sure to tell the voice actors to go out of their way to amplify that to 9999), add personal issues and drama to the mix and always have every character react to every little thing, you magically cooked something edible, but I’m willing to disagree.
Example of series where I have similar issues: Love Live, Shirobako, Hibike Euphonium.
Examples where I don’t: Yuru Yuri, Girls und Panzer, KanKolle
Jumping in the middle of the show without any prior knowledge might be a good exercise to point out the pros and cons that regular viewers might have overlooked, so I appreciate what you did here.
To the show’s defense, actually this show spends a long time (way too long in my opinion) for the girls to finally arrive in Antarctica (it was episode 10), and the show does the research as well as proper build up for the trip to this South Pole.
Now that you mentioned it, yeah there are male members but they aren’t important at all, so your point stands.
I reckon the “smart camera angles” issue is more subjective as I don’t feel those scenes stand out enough to distract viewers.
They hinted at Hinata’s personal issues some weeks ago so it wasn’t as far-fetched, bu I agree if you watch episode 10 the personal issues are more contrived.
Still, despite all that, I’d argue that these girls’ chemistry is above your average cute girls doing cute things shows. I really enjoy them bantering at each other.
Sure, and thx for the response.
I’ll try some other episodes, I think there is more than meets the eye to this show. Perhaps I just picked the goofiest one?
Try the latest episode, for me one of the show’s episode. If you don’t like it, then the rest won’t change your mind.