Posted by OP Sequence
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OP: 「この世の果てで恋を唄う少女」 (Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo) by Asaka
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「You Know?」
1996, the year that introduced us to the Scream, Pokemon, the Macarena, and one of the most influential visual novels of the 90’s, Konoyo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shoujo Yu-no. After over 20 years and one remake later, we finally have an anime to commemorate the work that would go on to influence Steins;Gate, but has it aged well? Has the 2017 remake done anything to ruin any of the nostalgic flair? Or will they even be able to create a two-cour anime out of a massive visual novel comprised of over 1.3 million words?
If there is anything that has been untouched by time, it was the personality of the anime’s protagonist, Arima Takuya (Hayashi Yuu). Our story’s hero Takuya has a lot in common with the uncouth protagonists of the yesteryears, dreaming of a life surrounded by women and time to himself with his favorite adult “scientific document”. His colleagues and seniority figures certainly play into his desires with former history teacher Ichijou Mitsuki (Oonishi Saori) outright proposing to help him “feel better” if he is still upset about his father’s passing, a detail most of the school is well aware of. His homeroom teacher Takeda Eriko (Kobayashi Yuu) isn’t directly interested in him, but he doesn’t shy away from how he feels about her and her outfit. The only woman that he seems to not be drooling over is Shimazu Mio (Kugimiya Rie), the designated tsundere who he insults by asking if she’s on her period. His best friend is highly interested in her, but from the way she wants him on-board the history club for his father’s research, he’ll definitely be set up for some heartbreak.
Although it would be easy to dive deep into Takuya as a protagonist, there is also a ton of intrigue going on in Konoyo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shoujo Yu-no as well. His step-mother Ayumi (Nazuka Kaori) happens to be in the construction crew of a site that is constantly afflicted by supernatural attacks. Mystery transfer student Kanna (Uchida Maaya) is privy to this detail and warns Takuya not to get her involved any further with the site. However, these supernatural afflictions only become more complicated when his father presumably sends him a Reflector Device that would allow him to cross Neumann space. After a fated meeting with the blonde elf girl Yu-No (Ozawa Ari), headmaster Ryuuzouji Kouzou (Kusunoki Taiten) goes after Takuya until he uses the Reflector Device to warp himself into a far different time or reality.
There is an air of mystery to Konoyo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shoujo Yu-no that will make for an entertaining narrative. Some aspects of the story may feel dated, but its antiquated features and its trappings in the erotic visual novel scene add a sense of quaint charm to the anime. As if it’s a time capsule to the days of yore where you could easily find yourself romancing a mysterious girl in one scene and examining the fragile instability of the human condition in our constantly evolving world where the real and surreal begin to merge. I am concerned about how long the anime is considering that it is such a huge light novel and it could lead to the anime feeling constantly rushed if they go that route with it. On top of this, it would be a shame if they took out some of the risque elements of the game considering that the all-ages remake is likely to play a role in how lewd the anime is willing to get with its material. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a supernatural, reality-altering anime with some tongue-in-cheek humor, then Konoyo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shoujo Yu-no would be perfect for you.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2009.jpg
I need more anime that has Onee-sans, Onee-sans right off the bat.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
Is this based on a dating sim? Main character already has Onee-sans interested in him. I would be a bit angry if the main love interests ends up to be just some typical “regular” school girl.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
Actually would be surprised our main character isn’t on drugs. Real world, I would expect expulsion. Meh.
When this game was originally released in the 90s, it was kind of a bridge between the dating sims of old and some of the later visual novels like Ever17 or Steins;Gate that focused more on an intriguing story. As such, there’s elements of both of those things.
Hm… They should have taken their time with the actually relevant stuff and toned down the non-substantial scenes, it’s overpacked with hits and misses while trying to get some early characterization with enough fanservice to keep people coming back (they not only rushed through a whole bunch of important plot points while trying to put a bit of each character in a single plotline, they also skipped altogether one huge infodump that I hope they will be showing in the next one).
Gotta say though, while the visual novel is quite a bit too big for a 26 episodes adaptation and this was to be expected as a result, it wasn’t really 1.3 million words (that would be the entirety of Umineko, and other than Higurashi console compilations with extra arcs by the same author, there aren’t other visual novels that really come close to 160+ hours of pure auto-text reading). YU-NO has around half of that (Fate/Stay Night levels of length no less), thus why this episode feels rushed.
Not to mention, much like YU-NO, Key’s visual novels have copy and pasted identical chunks of text being repeated across the several routes as if they were new (as proof, you won’t be able to auto-skip it at some point, even if you already read 4 times all of those lines during your playthrough, rarely with a phrase or two slightly changed. Some lists may list them as valid passages to be counted, but it really is just repeated text for convenient route mapping (I’ve been part of translation projects to both Clannad and Little Busters! at that, both scripts are a pain because of this).
Better than the usual main character stereotypes. The anime has a feel of “choose your own adventure”, rather than being fluid. We’re only in episode one and I’m already counting a harem of three older women, one classmate, and two mystery girls.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%2015.jpg
Why does the Reflector Device have missing gems (glass beads)? I wonder if the 2nd package could have had hints on where to find the missing gems.
The writing seems to be very heavy handed. The characters are less defined by who they are, but by which function they have in the narrative. On the other hand we have:
https://randomc.net/2019/04/02/konoyo-no-hate-de-koi-o-utau-shoujo-yu-no-01/
Cute!
https://randomc.net/2019/04/02/konoyo-no-hate-de-koi-o-utau-shoujo-yu-no-01/
Hot!
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
Seems fun!
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
Cool!
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
WTF?!
So I guess it’s three episodes rule for me.
I watch this series cause of Takeda and her chest of authority
Instead of dated, I actually found it nostalgic. Can’t say why, knows zero Japanese in 1996 and I’m sure I haven’t played that many Elf games. Perhaps the story style goes into the early 2000s? Really like the air of mystery that surrounds it too.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%2023.jpg
Betting it’s a combination of his dad and those two ladies that made him get away with it.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%2036.jpg
If Ryuuzouji doesn’t have the same ambitions in this world, doesn’t that open the possibility of the opposite happening to someone else? He really looked a lot calmer than the one in the previous world.
Ah, porn game adaptations. Bread and butter of this blog at one time. Full circle you have come, RC.
“On top of this, it would be a shame if they took out some of the risque elements of the game considering that the all-ages remake is likely to play a role in how lewd the anime is willing to get with its material.”
Now I’m curious what you’re referring to. I doubt that you’re referring to normal end of a route sex that eroge tend to have.
Did you play through the original?
Looks like I found my first unexpected “pick-me-up” of the Spring 2019 season…
So basically, this is a visual novel (eroge?) from the 90’s with an intriguing story, given the late 2000s – early 2010s anime facelift, and with a roster of famous seiyuu from the last decade? If they waited long enough to adapt this into anime, then story-wise it better be damn good.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2026.jpg
Rie Kugimiya playing a tsundere who isn’t a flat-chested loli? Sure, she may have been playing against type for a while now, but still… Noice.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
Man, and I thought Saori Onishi was the one voicing her. (Imagine her voicing an absolutely sexy character…say, a more mature version of Comic Girls‘ Ruki Irokawa. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ) But now that I’ve watched it and confirmed it’s Yuu Kobayashi, I can’t help but be reminded of Ms. Smith (Monster Musume) instead. Or that thirsty teacher from Seitokai Yakundomo.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
(“Ara Ara” intensifies.) Oh, so here’s Saori Oonishi’s character. Now that I look at it, she reminds me of a more mature, assertive (and seductive?) Hisako Arato (Shokugeki no Souma). Must be the hairstyle, with the exception of her bangs.
https://randomc.net/image/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no/Konoyo%20no%20Hate%20de%20Koi%20o%20Utau%20Shoujo%20Yu-no%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2029.jpg
“Do Yu-No the way?” (Sorry, couldn’t resist cracking that Ugandan Knuckles catchphrase… I’ll see myself out.)
Saori Oonishi is interesting since I always think about Saekano’s Eriri that sounds so different from her roles in Danmachi or this one.
Wait, Saori Oonishi is in
ChestBoobRibbonDanMachi? (*checks her TV Tropes creator page*) Aiz Wallenstein, eh? Also, she’s Kuzehashi-sensei (Kiniro Mosaic), Doppel (Monster Musume), Vigne (Gabriel Dropout), Miyuki Kujou (Shomin Sample), and…(Isekai Shokudou‘s) Kuro?Damn. And yeah, it’s somewhat hard to pigeonhole Saori Oonishi in a specific role. In one anime she’s playing an impish shapeshifter, and on the next, she’s a twin-tailed tsundere. Though I do hear her often as the “straight [wo]man/tsukkomi” in some of her roles I’ve watched.
I just did a quick a googling of this game to see what was up, and holy cow! The game has great art and great character designs, both of which have been thrown out the window for this adaption. This anime seriously has the most generic, forgettable look.
We need more episodes posted on here asap