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「自分を変えるということ」 (Jibun wo Kaeru to Iu Koto)
“What It Means To Change Oneself”
It was no Iron Chef — one of my favorite cooking shows — but the 765 Pro girls were surprisingly good at cooking. I was pretty much expecting our idols to embarrass themselves in Gero Gero Kitchen, given how girls and bad cooking seem to go hand-in-hand in anime these days. Judging from their personalities, Haruka and Hibiki would’ve been the usual suspects, not Chihaya, yet here we have the exact opposite. What’s with IM@S twisting my image of anime?
As much as I would’ve liked to consider this a Chihaya and Takane-centered episode, the latter only really made a mark with her unusual interest in the frog costume. Not that I minded though, seeing as this was all about Chihaya’s love for singing and the Producer’s failure to get her any music-related gigs. At least he realized it right away and redeemed himself a bit in that regard. I was just as entranced by her a cappella as he was, and felt kind of bad for her, having to put up with something she clearly had no interest in doing.
Amidst all the sillier antics, including the cameraman going for upskirt shots at every opportunity, I actually like how Chihaya spoke up to the host and killed the idiotic mood. If it were me in that situation, I probably would’ve walked off the set and never come back. It looked like Chihaya had done that, and part of me wishes that she really did, but I guess toughing it out with stuff you don’t want to do is what it’s like for an idol starting out. This is why I’m just going to pin the blame on the Producer for not getting her on a more relevant program. Hats off to Chihaya for sticking with it after getting some encouragement from the others, but when put into perspective with her “Blue Bird” ending theme, I still can’t help but feel bad for her.
In addition to hearing Imai Asami’s singing, which always comes with an image of Makise Kurisu from Steins;Gate, I love the seriousness in Chihaya’s character. While more carefree girls like Miki and Hibiki are always fun to watch, I can relate to people like Chihaya so much easier. There’s very little doubt in my mind that her character type is targeted towards people like me, but I’m still impressed by how well this formula of presenting a bunch of different personalities works. As far as anime adaptations go, this is one of the few occasions where I felt a character’s “charm points” came across right away, and having the other girls around to contrast Chihaya’s personality had a large part in why it did.
I realize this is the main reason for featuring multiple heroines in the IM@S games and romantic simulation games, but I never play them. If you had asked me fifteen years ago, the “completist” in me would’ve had the patience to explore all the routes in these type of games. The same can’t be said about now though. Anyway, it looks like we’re getting into a beach episode already next time. The added bonus is Chihaya’s bashfulness, so you can be sure I’ll be looking forward to that.
* P.S. I’m not a big fan of durian either, even though it doesn’t taste that bad. The smell makes it too unappetizing.
ED4 Sequence
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ED4: 「蒼い鳥（TV ARRANGE）」 (Aoi Tori) by 今井麻美 (Imai Asami)
Watch the 4th ED!: Streaming ▼
Preview
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Hooray for a Chihaya centric episode and Azusa in bikini next week? *nosebleed*
This week’s ending theme “Aoi Tori” was surprisingly good. I never knew Makise Kurisu could sing that well. Any other songs by Imai Asami that you would recommend?
Have you listened to her Character song from Steins;Gate?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc7oPr09Fx0
Nice. Now I wanted Chihaya to say “mad scientist”
Yes, I know some. She’s a really good singer. Also, you can look up her version of any song in the game.
Me ga Au Toki:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnf8Bkkjmxs
arcadia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b70SsNwnDK4
relations (duet with Miki):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2tuq-dZVDs
Shinsou:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6IaMaE8_UQ
Tori no Uta cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOqkKmowcbU
Longer version of Aoi Tori with dance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRTE0g88z3M
Meisou mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7wzFgHQY6M
when I first got a hold of a durian, the first thing that came to mind was oh shi..hmmm, was that even a part of the show, heh. Takane’s weird tastes is just too funny, she even tried to take the damn thing with her. But the show really was about Chihaya. I would be deterred too, being screwed around with on some sub-ecchi cooking show, but a job is a job 😛
Durian is a fruit from my country. It really good and I’ve been eating eat since I was young therefore I could never relate to how people say about the smell.
Yeah, Durian is one of my favorite fruit and the smell doesn’t bother me at all. I still wonder why people would say the smell is so terrible.
nice to see someone from the same country here 🙂
I like Chihaya a lot. She’s not the most fun character to watch, but she reminds me of myself. Though I really like her paired with Haruka, they go well together.
Hibiki and Hamzou stole the episode though. Really hilarious stuff with them. And Takane’s just so…strange.
I keep expecting her to climb up onto a slide in a playground, raise her arms to the sky and go “Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuu”
\o/
\o/
*Takane with the frog costume head* “Takane, you can’t take that home.” XD
Whenever you see her looking at it with a stoic look, you can’t really tell if she likes it or is disgusted with it or something until that part. Also, along with Chihaya and Hibiki, Takane also looked really good in her cooking costume ^_^.
Chihaya also going up a lot on my list after this episode.
And Takane and Azusa next episode, w00t!! lol Can’t wait to see the others.
Nice progress for the producer. Took him too long to realize that he has not gotten to know the girls well enough.
Hibiki steals almost every episode so far in my opinion, I’m saying that despite my favorite being Haruka.
Takane’s obsession with the frog is hilarious. Her almost expressionless face makes it even more so.
Haruka just takes everything in stride. The number of stumbles she had in this episode is ridiculous even for her.
Chihaya’s struggle is one I can identify with very well. I felt like shouting with her when she got that flag.
The ED was really sad, felt like crying.
I found it pretty funny how the winners of the round 2 ingredient challenge got completely trolled by the producers with the durian “secret ingredient.” You’d think the winners would get an advantage of sorts…
A large, fresh lobster vs. A durian. HMMMMMMMMM.
I felt really bad for Chihaya at the end of episode, especially when the Aoi Tori song started playing at the end. Still though, I can’t really blame the Producer. This episode showed that the Producer still hasn’t fully connected with each of the girls yet. And I’m glad that it did; the Producer isn’t incompetent and is also qualified, but he isn’t a Gary Stu either: He doesn’t have the answer to everything, though he learns the answers and the about the people he works with as he goes. In fact, I felt that episode 2 also reflected this.
Anyways, I hope they revisit Chihaya’s arc. Apparently, there was a bit more back story as to why Chihaya lives alone. Still though, it wasn’t that bad of a Chihaya-centered episode
For me watching Chihaya on her own singing like that gave me goosebumps…it was a Macross moment. Reminded me of Ranka lee or Minmay when they were being discovered. Amazing voice.
“I was just as entranced by her a cappella as he was”
^ same goes for me
chihaya is probably one of my favorites of this show because i can relate to her well; i’m socially awkward too.
I was totally expecting Chihaya to be a boss at cooking but it was nice seeing it the other way around XD
I also would have been completely against doing this show. Not because it wasn’t music-related but because of how the cameramen kept going for those upskirt shots. That would have upset me to no end.
I love durian, but using it as an ingredient?
Indeed. Durian is way too overpowering, especially the smell. It’s not ideal for making most dishes.
why not? …durian can be ingredient too you know? ..at least my parent used it to cook something good?
I’m not really a fan of Chihaya’s archetype to be honest. Sure she’s serious, but what she did nearly cost the gig for everyone in 765 Pro. The rest were actually enjoying themselves, she’s lucky everyone else was supportive of her. At least she got some character development, but she comes of more of killjoy more than anything.
^qft, she was really unprofessional at the first half that i cant relly feel sorry for her. even if she really didn’t want to do, you finish your job first and then complain later
But u know…u can’t just cut off durian just like that
there’s a thick, i mean THICK seed inside it
lol. we all missed that fact.
lkaze level:8/13 …still 5 more girl to remember
Hibiki:girl with rat
Takane:space girl
Chihaya:love to sing
Haruka:clumsy but very good in cooking
Iori:Rie
Miki:love to sleep
Yukiho:scare of guy
makoto:girlish tomboy
Hibiki:tan(she’s Okinawan)/extroverted
Chihaya:stoic/introverted <- I think these are easier see than "love to sing"
Yayoi:most energetic(genki)/youngest
Ami/Mami:twins
Ami:short right (pony)tail
Mami:long left tail
Azusa:oldest/largest breasts/onee-san(older sister type)
Ritsuko:assistant producer/glasses girl
Yea, forgot about Yayoi. Those level are actually what I could remember on top of my head without referring to anything(or power of wiki)
Now that I learn the rest of them, let see if I could do the same next episode.
Secret level: Producer name, faceless producer name, powerful assistant (green hair) name.
Durian, tasty but smells awful. If you can handle the ‘odour’, then you’ll be just fine.
By watching the first four episodes, you’ll just know that Haruka is gonna be everybody’s favorite team-mate. Wouldn’t mind the long hour trip to the office, very kind, & would be there for her compatriots.
Chihaya looks like a delicate vase, but would flourish given the right condition. The producer’s acknowledgement of knowing nothing at all about the idol is a huge step for better things. And just watching this & reading a manga called ‘Haruka 17’, which has the same environment, you feel for those upcoming idol, especially if you don’t get to perform what you are best at, & why the camera guy aims for a panty-shot.
How weird is it that 12 out of 24 of the comment here is about durian.
That is 50% durian comment.
“I was just as entranced by her a cappella as he was”
I even got some goosebumps while listening to her. She has a powerful voice. So good I’m about to cry.
Lots of love for Chihaya!!!
No Miki in this ep T_T