First Impressions / Natsuiro Kiseki

「ココロかさねて」 (Kokoro Ka Sanete)
“Wishing Together”

So it looks like all four of them aren’t required to make a wish. It’s not certain whether two are still needed, or whether one person can make a wish alone, but what is certain is that it’s less the number of people than the feeling that matters. While Yuka wishing to be an idol, a model, a billionaire, and to never have to do chores again was cute and all, those weren’t the sort of heartfelt wishes that the big rock appears to grant. Rather, it’s the ones that the characters truly feel from the bottom of their hearts – like for their friends to make up, or to be able to fly (because what person hasn’t wished for that?) – that it grants. “Heartfelt” is a good word for it, yeah.

Anyway, so this episode was primarily about Natsumi and Saki making up. While I didn’t get attached to Natsumi and Saki in the first episode, I’m definitely there now. It’s not that they didn’t spend half the time still fighting, it’s just that they both got to show off their good sides a little more as well. I especially like how Saki was going to text Natsumi to apologize anyway. D’AWWW, that’s true friendship!

But probably the part that most people liked the most – myself included – was all the delightful yuri subtext. While there’s a part of me that must decry the fact that every anime with primarily female cast invariably ends up pandering to the yuri crowd, the rest of me loves seeing Natsumi and Saki stuck together like this. Ahhh hypocrisy, thy name is Stilts! I must admit though, the moment where they separated and then flopped into the water (while Yuka simply stopped, because she’s not as much of a baka as they thought!) was both amusing and endearing. You two didn’t think that one through real well, didja? Hah!

The thing I didn’t expect was that someone would see the four girls flying. This opens up the door for drama, which I wouldn’t have expected at episode two. That said, I still don’t really sense any drama on the horizon – I just can’t imagine episode turning into some kind of witch hunt, despite the evidence to the contrary. Rather, it looks like Sunrise just isn’t content to let the girls to goof around, make wishes on the big rock, and end up with glamorous lives. Instead, they’re mixing things up a bit so that we get to see how the girls react in different (slightly supernatural) situations every week. Hopefully this will keep things fresh all the way until the end!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Cute girls + fighting + well-intentioned friends + wish-granting rock = fun times! Mmmm, taste that yuri goodness :3 #Natsuiro_Kiseki

Random thoughts:

  • The chase scene dragged on a little too long, particularly in the middle, where it seemed like they were just padding out the episode. That said, it recovered by the end. Still, I could have gone for less of the chase and more of the bedroom scene. I have a feeling I’m not alone in this.
  • Anyone else get Conan Edogawa vibes from Yuusuke-kun (Mako)? Or is shouta + glasses + curiosity not enough to say that?
  • Rin wouldn’t mind being stuck to Yuka, eh? Ufufufu~ :3

Full-size images: 08, 13

 

ED1.5 Sequence

ED: 「明日への帰り道」 (Ashita e no Kaeri Michi) by Sphere
Watch the ED!: Streaming ▼

Preview

56 Comments

    3. I would like to thank Yuka, Rinko, and the big rock for granting their wish that Natsumi and Saki would be literally stuck together and make up, and our wish that there IS indeed yuri between these two in this anime.

      On another note, you got to love Natsumi’s cute bra.

      John Hayabusa
      Reply

  7. I loved Natsumi in the first show, and consequently hated Saki, but now I guess I can forgive her.

    Is it wrong that this show makes me wish I was a high school girl? Just askin’.

    cancerlad
    Reply

  10. Aside from the chase scene being extremely dragged out as you mentioned, was a pretty enjoyable episode. I’m a big Ayahi Takagaki fan, so I’m glad that the bitchy/angsty side of Saki wasn’t dragged out and we got to see the better sides of both her and Natsumi this week.

    While all the lightheartedness serves as a good intro, I’m hoping they explore some of the deeper consequences being able to makes these wishes may have. One of the logical next ones to be made now that the fighting is over is for Saki not to move away, and it would be interesting to see the affects of wishes that in the long run involve more than just the four friends.

    Xin
    Reply

  13. That scene in the bedroom turned me on.

    Otherwise after a dull premiere for me, this episode had enough comedy and drama to keep watching for now. Now bring in the other two and lets have a yuri foursome

    koizumi
    Reply

  15. You people and your yuri obsessions. They weren’t doing it on purpose, nor did they show any of the obvious signs of romantic attraction to each other. Call me back when those things change and I’ll grant you your yuri, but until then I’m afraid I’ll have to confiscate all sets of yuri goggles in regards to this series. You folks clearly can’t be trusted with them. :p

    That aside, this episode was quite enjoyable, aside from some annoying parts where they insisted on having, stupid, ugly, male characters on the screen. I’m here to watch a show about girls! I don’t guys wasting perfectly good screentime that the girls could be putting to better use! :p But other than that, this was a good episode.

    I doubt this will get into “Burn the witch!” territory, so I wonder where they’re planning on going with all this.

    And Saki totally needs to convince her parents to not move.

    Wanderer
    Reply

    1. Buuu! Shouta don’t count as guys because they’re not viable love interested (except for Negi, but he’s the exception). I would know. I used to be a shouta myself.

      Also, the fun of the yuri is the subtext! It wouldn’t be as much fun if they were open about it.

      (That’s the lie, it would be awesome. Just a different type of fun is all)

      Stilts
      Reply

  25. Unless the next episode really knocks my socks off, this series is dead to me. The first episode had enough potential and charm that I let a few personal gripes slide, but despite the message and a few chuckles, this time around it felt so mind-numbingly, painfully BORING.

    Ashen
    Reply

  26. The chase scene WAS too long. Although that was probably to let the background designer show off.
    As for the yuri, you saw that coming the moment Natsumi showed off her bra.

    dustshadow
    Reply

  27. I don’t know what show this anime reminded me of but I remember now. To aru railgun also had that same yuri undertone, 4 girls doing cute things and magic. Let’s see how this goes.

    Vince
    Reply

  28. This was one of my favourites for this season from the start and I’m most happy that they introduced some yuri already in the second episode! I might be wrong, but to me the number of shows with yuri elements seems to be increasing – I think not only of this one and Saki II (the series) but Mouretsu seems to move into that direction, too, not to mention Last Exile II. I wouldn’t mind a show where the romance is the main focus, though. The last one I saw, I think, has been Sasameki Koto.

    jreding
    Reply

  29. You say that Yuka’s wished being not as “heartfelt” might be the cause of them not being granted… But I stand by the “they need to be all four of them wishing” since, in a way, Natsumi and Saki also wished to make up, they just weren’t at the rock.

    Gilyu
    Reply

  30. Yuriiiii! The first ten mins were great <3

    Yuka is definitely my favorite character of this series.

    Also damn that was the longest running scenes of all time right up there with Nichijou's Mio panic scene…yes…chan-mio for the win! So now that the drama is over can we finally focus on the fun part of the girls trying to become idols? Sadly I don't think the drama is over for good it will probably return in the middle of the series.

    foshizzel
    Reply

  31. I agree too that the chase scene is a bit too long.
    Perhaps the writer have nothing else to do with perhaps the ‘wish of the week’?

    So this week more second tier characters are introduced, Daiki’s friends and Saki’s father.

    Fantasy X Slice-of-life, has it been the staple of every season?
    Not that I’m complaining as they have been interesting so far.
    Spirits, aliens and now a rock 😛
    Wonder whats next.

    The last anime I consider pure slice-of-life that i seen is Hanasaku Iroha.
    I guess this season is Sakamichi no Apollon.

    iron2000
    Reply

  32. I thought I would be bored silly with this series, but the girls are doing right by me.

    Some of the other series that I though would be great are, already, starting to show signs
    of ho-humness. Except, Mysterious Girlfriend X – you have to be dead not to like that one!

    mac65
    Reply

  33. Finally saw this episode and the 2 girls stuck together was both sweet and funny while the other 2 girls running away because they realised they were the cause for them getting stuck was even more amusing.

    Zaku Fan
    Reply

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