First Impressions / Harukana Receive

OP Sequence

OP: 「FLY two BLUE」 by 大空遥（優木かな）、比嘉かなた（宮下早紀）

「昔の自分を取り戻したいって思ってる」 (Mukashi no Jibun wo Torimodoshitaitte Omotteru)
“I Want to Return to my Former Self”

The writing in this show is so damn cheesy — but I still love it.

General Impressions

With the ever important three-episode rule in effect, I must say that I’m rather impressed that Harukana Receive managed to keep me interested even after I realized after the second episode that this wasn’t exactly the show I was hoping for. That said, let’s dive into this week’s episode real quick before giving my thoughts on the show as a whole.

I’m not a big fan of how the story is handling Kanata’s trauma, but after giving it the benefit of the doubt and truly throwing my full attention at it, I can actually get behind how dumb it all is. From her perspective as a previously powerful Beach Volleyball player who got wrecked by genetics, I can sympathize with the notion of not wanting to accept the cards she was dealt. Be it running from her problems or refusing to change up her play style, I could totally see myself acting in a similar way to Kanata if I were in her position. Toss in the guilt she feels for abandoning her promise with Narumi and it all starts to fall into place rather easily. So, even with my minor gripes about the cheesiness of it all, I’ll give it a pass since there’s just enough charm to really sell it.

So, with the third episode closing things out on Kanata’s trauma and moving us into tournament territory, I think Harukana Receive has a good chance of turning into a really fun show. That said, I think it all will boil down to whether or not the show is able to turn Beach Volleyball into something that’s fun to watch. Compared to something like Haikyuu, it definitely feels like there’s some kind of oomph missing from the matches we’ve seen thus far. Luckily I think we can chalk that up to Haruka being a beginner and with a lot of grunt work of setting the “foundation” out of the way, I’m hoping we’ll see a shift to more intense matches that really help sell the intensity of the sport.

In any case, I’ll catch you guys next week where we’ll hopefully have a great episode on our hands. That and hopefully the budget for animation will shift to actual animation instead of stylized breaks (which I love, but is slowly starting to grow old). See you guys then!

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「Wish me luck!!!!」 by 大空遥（優木かな）、比嘉かなた（宮下早紀）、トーマス・紅愛（種﨑敦美）、トーマス・恵美理（末柄里恵）

24 Comments

  1. Huh, Japanese rule of thumb.
    Foreigners in anime, they often then not be females, blond, blue eyed and busty with perfect spoken Japanese.
    I assume the twins are Americans?

    ShiranaiHito
    Reply

    1. Well, they could also be from France.. or their direct Neighborhood.. New Zealand or Australia. an country where many Japanese emigrate. That would explain their “perfect” Japanese

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

  2. Yeah, it’s a bit dumb so far, isn’t it. Still, now we have the angst out of the way I’m hoping it will shape up as I’d rather not have to watch it just for Haruka’s butt.

    And we finally got the OP and ED this time, but neither of them sound at all like Rasmus Faber. And strangely he’s not credited on the OP/ED CD singles pages on CD Japan or Amazon either. For anyone not familiar with his very distinctive style (at least, it was distinctive up to now), try this medley:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMnCcf6UMBY

    He usually writes for Japan Victor or one of its subsidiaries (like Flying Dog), but this time I noticed it’s Kadokawa doing the music so maybe it’s a conscious decision on his part to use a different harmonic style.

    Angelus
    Reply

  8. I definitely don’t buy Kanata’s issue. If you love the sport as much as you say you do, you would do everything possible to stay involved. I know people who played almost every day to just being an organizers of tournaments. After I wore out my shoulder (and got old), I still help a friend coach his middle school team once in a while, Well… I guess you can rationalize that she’s just a kid, but everyone will eventually get old and can’t play anymore. In conclusion, I’ll still continuing watching simply because it’s volleyball.

    I like how they’re drawing the net in front of their faces. The way they didn’t do that in Haikyuu! drove me nuts.

    Bakapooru
    Reply

  9. A couple more thoughts: if you don’t have the physical tools, you have to just work harder and become that “scrappy” player that does all of the dirty work (like baseball’s “utility” players). Can’t really do that in beach vball, but I mentioned in another post that I think the 6-player version is just as fun.

    A point is a point!! Unless you can hit OVER the block, you have to use every tool in your toolbox to get the point! I can believe she just learned that. She wants to win, right? Too stubborn.

    Bakapooru
    Reply

    2. Yes, it is a Manga Time Kirara Adaptation but It’s Manga Time Kirara Forward, a magazine from the Kirara line that isn’t limited to 4-koma and have manga with different styles/focus. You’re not wrong that it’s not Hanebado but Harukana isn’t like other kirara adaptations either because of the magazine where it’s published.

      Css
      Reply

  11. Kanata’s trauma, forgive me for being rude but I don’t think this “trauma” is much of a dilemma as Kanata makes it out to be. Considering the title, all I see is Haruka’s experiences being on a team.

    So I guess the title is saying Haruka Receives Kanata’s concerns of being a short volleyball player and servers a heaping pile of positivity back at Kanata.

    They are on the same wavelength…

    https://randomc.net/image/Harukana%20Receive/Harukana%20Receive%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2008.jpg

    RenaSayers
    Reply

  14. I give no care for Kanata’s dilemma at all; sure, she was an ace player before this, but i know its frustrating she didnt get to grow taller like most of her volley friends…perhaps her “growth” got stuck because of her parents’ death??? idk, does that make any sense? Poor Kanata, but tall or not, its the charisma that makes it worked.

    Im loving the girls here, they’re totally selling their bikini bodies all over the place XD and as much as i hate to admit, i gotta say…where are the men in this island (except for grandpa lol)
    https://randomc.net/image/Harukana%20Receive/Harukana%20Receive%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2042.jpg

    Still, i wanna see the other folks in this anime too…i wanna see the height comparison 😀

    onion warrior
    Reply

  16. I think i stick with this Anime

    But let me give some advice as “fine tuner”

    – You surly still know the Dance Anime from the earlier past, right? Did they focused so much on the Boobs or Ass of the Females? So be careful not to overuse this on this anime here. It’s about the Sport not the Boobies and Buds of the players, right? I mean some spice is good and healty, but to not turn this into the main dish

    – Sometimes the size of the CGI Ball is “complicated”.. the perspective of the ball change here and there, but overall it’s all green… Keep going, just do not lose the focus of the “main sport item” of this Anime. It’s like the Horses in an Horse anime.. right?

    So, i think i join this Anime

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

  17. Also… I think i have an Idea why this Girl “run” away
    https://randomc.net/image/Harukana%20Receive/Harukana%20Receive%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2026.jpg
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

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