This was a pretty chill week for Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, as we focus more on our characters than the process. As this week gives us a glimpse into Mizusaki’s life, the continuing production of the Culture Festival movie and the best bathhouse ever. Lets dive in!
This week Eizouken mostly took a step back from the production side of things. Instead choosing to focus on one of our leads, Mizusaki. We got a look at her parents, her home life, her passion and how it all compares to Asakusa or Kanamori’s. For instance we saw about halfway through how Asakusa has to call her parents. How Mizusaki misinterprets that as control rather than concern. Which is rather interesting when you look at it because of how her own parents raise her. Giving Mizusaki free reign so long as she stays within their nice little box of a plan for her. Money, freedom, whatever she wants to do, so long as she becomes an actress. In a way, it’s more restrictive than Asakusa’s, and speaks a lot about how negligent Mizusaki’s parents are. Still, we know she has at least one positive figure in her life. Grandma!
I have to say, I loved the opening segment with the Grandmother. Eizouken really nailed all of the details without having to explain anything. Simultaneously showing us her relationship with her Grandmother and her obsession with motion. Tracking the Grandmothers hand as she threw the tea, tracking the the liquid from Mizusaki’s point of view. Showing the evolution of her practicing the swing herself, all the while framing it as just playing with Grandma. Then transitioning to the etiquette lessons, having Mizusaki analyze and draw the different ways of standing and walking. Developing her early skills as an animator within something her parents forced her to do. Only to evolve it and apply it to the previous scene with her Grandmother, using what she learned to help her walk. It was a beautiful 5 minutes that told us so much about Mizusaki’s character with little exposition. Well done Eizouken.
Beyond that, this whole segment also informed Mizusaki for the rest of the episode. For instance one of the big ones is how Eizouken really pushes how Mizusaki really doesn’t care about anime all that much. She just wants to animate, she loves motion and conveying that on paper, because nothing is accidental on paper. Its a pure expression of the artist, anime just so happens to be the most accessible way for her to do that. And the nice thing about this is how Eizouken shows this in basically every scene Mizusaki is involved in. Whether it be with her grandmother or simply playing in the bathhouse. Eizouken takes this aspect of the character and goes to great lengths to show us, the viewer, across the show. I really hope we get something similar with Asakusa and Kanamori, because this just gave me proof Eizouken knows its characters.
Next we have some of the various aspects of the animation production cycle. I am sad that Eizouken burned through a number of them this week. However in exchange we got the Mizusaki stuff, so it was a worthwhile sacrifice to make. As for what we did get to see, well a lot of topics were covered this week. The first one is of course the Voice Actors, and they did something interesting here. Rather than introduce new characters or an acting club, they instead showed client requests. Simultaneously showing they exist, how they can influence a production and still hitting on amateur VA work. Such as their ability to balance each voice independently, or how difficult it can be to direct some more passionate VA’s. I really hope Eizouken does more with this, because so far every bit of production its shown us has been gold.
Meanwhile we continue to explore the effects of sound on a series and follow up with the art club. For the first, it was rather obvious, as we saw a cut both with and without effects. It was a very simple, clear cut message as to the effects and importance good SFX can have on a series. There were also some small notes about the difficulties of accounting for location, material, etc. But those all felt rather obvious to me. The big one though was clearly the background art, as we see Asakusa struggle to really get a word in edgewise. Showing the difficulties of working with contracts/larger teams. Messages can get mixed, one person’s artistic vision might not match your own, etc. It’s a small but necessary detail I think to show how far back their production is getting stuck this early on.
Speaking of sound design, I want to take a moment talk about Eizoukens, because I love it. Throughout the episode we see, or rather hear, numerous sound effects clearly done by the VA’s. Just them going pat pat pat into the mic or something, as if Asakusa and Mizusaki are making them on the fly. Combine that with the stellar soundtrack, oh how I wish the OST was out or we at least had track names. For now though I am going to call it the “Bathhouse Track”, because thats when it plays. I loved how carefree and lively it was, it fit Asakusa’s sound effects and the visuals perfectly. Combine that with just the regular imagination theme Eizouken plays every time they go into their little animated dream world and the OP and you have the makings of a killer OST, 3 tracks in.
So, I have to end this at some point, how was this episode of Eizouken? Well, some people have said the past 2 lacked the passion, the drive, of the first 4. And up until now I didn’t really agree with them, because I enjoyed them anyways. But this episode once again showed me everything great about the series. From its lovable characters to the commitment to the medium. It’s hard to believe that this is actually adapted from a manga by Sumito Oowara, as it feels perfectly Yuasa. I can see now why so many people were asking him to adapt it, because it truly does fit him and his style. My only concern at this point is how will it end, as the manga is still currently releasing. I have faith they have a spot ready, but you never know.
Regardless, I am going to enjoy these remaining 5 weeks.
