Random Curiosity

「オール・ブルース」 (Ōru burūsu)
“All Blues”

Whatever else you might think of the final episode – or of the eleven that preceded it – I think it’s hard to argue that Watanabe-sensei isn’t a directorial genius of the first order.

「 レフト・アローン」 (Refuto aroun)
“Left Alone”

Of all the episodes of Sakamichi so far, this one might be the most difficult to get a handle on.

「イン・ア・センチメンタル・ムード」 (In a sentementaru muudo)
“In A Sentimental Mood”

As many different styles, shapes and sizes as great anime come in, how alike they are is more striking than how different they are.

「ラブ・ミー・オア・リーブ・ミー」 (Rabu mī oa rību mī)
“Love Me Or Leave Me”

If Tsuritama is Oscar Peterson – bright and brash and slightly out of control, bursting with creative flair, Sakamichi is Bill Evans. Not a note is wasted, and not an unnecessary one added.

「ムード・インディゴ ジーズ・フーリッシュ・シングス」 (Mūdo indigo jīzu fūrisshu shingusu)
“Mood Indigo These Foolish Things”

And lo, with the simple question “Would you like a persimmon?” was the fujoshi movement born in Kyushu, 1967…

「ナウズ・ザ・タイム」 (Nauzu za taimu)
“Now’s The Time”

Well, that’s certainly going to give the fujoshi something to talk about…

「ユー･ドント・ノウ・ホワット・ラブ・イ」
“You Don’t Know What Love is”

If you ask me what my favorite NoitaminA series this season is, my answer might have to be “What time is it?”

「バードランドの子守唄」 (Bādorando no komori-uta)
“Lullaby of Birdland”

“Realism” is a term that gets thrown around almost as much as “slice-of-life”, and likewise incorrectly most of the time – but Sakamichi no Apollon is that rare series that earns the descriptor.

「 バットノットフォーミー」
“But Not For Me”

Really, it isn’t supposed to look so effortless as Watanabe-sensei is making it look.

「いつか王子様が」
“Someday My Prince Will Come”

Why does everyone make this anime thing out to be so hard? Just do it like that.

「 サマータイム」
“Summertime”

It would be hard to imagine an anime having two better opening episodes than Sakamichi no Apollon.

「モーニン」
“Moanin’”

How can a show with such ridiculously high expectations possibly exceed them?