This series really is why I love episodic series. The bad ones obviously suck beyond belief, but when shows like this one make optimal use of them they can really turn into something unique, and the short stories can allow for ideas that would normally not fit within a linear storyline. A lot of things have to be done right in order to get a good episodic series, though, but to me the key seems to be creativity, along with somehow finding a way to build-up: connecting the different episodes together. I believe that if these aren’t present, you’re just better off with a linear storyline in order to get the best out of your characters. But Yojou-han has both of them.
This seems to me a study of all types of losers. Watashi is socially inept throughout all the episodes, but every time it is in a different way. In the previous episodes he created his own problems by his pranks, but in this episode he just was another one of those losers who didn’t fit in because he had no athletic skills. Ozu instead of trying to get him into his pranks instead left him completely out of it for once. Interestingly though, I do believe that Watashi’s character has remained the same throughout the first three episodes: what we just see is him, reacting to different situations in a different way. That definitely is one interesting way of character-development. You can see his reckless parts in the way that he flew into his death at the end of this episode: it’s exactly those parts that we saw in episode two when he created that crazy video.
Whether Akashi and Ozu are the same… I’m not sure yet. This episode showed that Yojou-han is a show in which Watashi, Akashi and Ozu hop between different clubs, all three with their own agendas, while the rest remains constant. The actor of the previous episode still is an actor here. Akashi in this episode proves that she’s actually a very good cyclist. In this episode she loses her strap again, but there’s no promise scene. The cake is also gone. She’s a lot less cold than what she was in the first two episodes as well, it seems. As for Ozu, if he indeed also is the same character in every episode, then he strikes me as a guy who always grabs every opportunity to make someone’s life miserable, finding the right allies to accompany him. In this episode there probably already was some sort of bike-stealing club, which is why he didn’t really need Watashi. The second episode in contrast only needed him to show what a guy that actor really was: Watashi himself just did the rest.
Either way, I love the concept of this series: showing how the same people in different settings can be so different.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
I’m gonna repeat my last episode post if that’s ok with you, I didn’t get any reply so I’m not sure if anyone read it…
So this goes for episode two but apparently still applies for this one:
“This episode was a little disappointing for me, but don’t get me wrong, I love the show, I find its comedy witty and hilarious.
It’s just the first episode made me fall in love with the characters and had me very exited about what kind of story they would create with them, and I think it’s a shame we’re not gonna see them develop and progress their relations (I hope I’m wrong and it’s just too early too tell) but just see different contexts with the same characters which don’t go beyond what we’ve seen from them.
Also even though this ep had me cracking up several times, I think watching some of the same events we’ve seen already but on a somewhat different context is not as entertaining as the producers seem to think it is, and on on the whole, I didn’t find this episode as funny as the first one”
I’ll comment on the third as soon as I watch it. By the way, I’m so happpy you’re blogging this show and Sarai-ya Goyou, I’ve been a little off put by most recent anime except shows like these two or Aoi Bungaku, Trapeze, it’s nice to have a reason to come here as I enjoy reading your posts.
You might be happy with the third episode, because it’s differs more from the first and second.
Also, Trapeze was the shit. Couldn’t stop watching.
According to its official website, Watashi wanders off into 4 parallel worlds. In this sense, Akashi and Ozu in different parallel worlds are different, though they are biologically same. Still I am not sure if Watashi recognizes (or will recognize) parallel worlds. I am very curious how this unique story will develop.
I’m Japanese, but don’t watch TV much and have little information on anime. I basically depend on your blog to select anime programs. something strange.
I don’t think its such an obvious way of development this show is going for LifeCarrier. I think its the style of the show so far has shown that its development is with the variations done to the same piece over and over again, music would be a good to picture the idea. Who knows how long the repetition of dejavu scenes will last but there are certainly changes which slowly reveal the characters in subtle ways, e.g. Watashi being far less innocent than he was in the first episode, Ozu while being the prankster he is needs somebody, and Akashi being far more considerate and understanding of Watashi (e.g. being the only one to watch his films).
What I do think is happening so far is the facade of Watashi’s narrations may be slowly “toning” down, look at the reason for the mob scene of the first episode and the 2nd (which if you’ve noticed the Actor is both) I see far less extremity in the reasoning of the 2nd as compared to the 1st. Still this is just a guess from three episodes, it can change dramatically this is just my impressions so far so take it with a grain of salt.
Probably anime of the year for me.