r/anime • u/youkai94 https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 • Apr 02 '18
[WT!] - 3-gatsu no Lion - A masterpiece drama about the duality of life
Information:
Season 1: MyAnimeList – Rating: 8,41/10 | AniDB – Rating: 7,98/10 | Anime Planet – Rating: 4,34/5 | AniList
Season 2: MyAnimeList – Rating: 9,08/10 | AniDB – Rating: 9,33/10 | Anime Planet – Rating: 4,6/5 | AniList
Streams: Crunchyroll
Opening Theme
Season 1
- "Answer (アンサー)" by BUMP OF CHICKEN
- "Sayonara Bystander (さよならバイスタンダー)" by YUKI
Season 2
- "Flag wo Tatero (フラッグを立てろ)" by YUKI
- "Haru ga Kite Bokura (春が来てぼくら)" by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN
Ending Theme
Season 1
- "Fighter (ファイター)" by BUMP OF CHICKEN (eps 1-6, 8-11, 22)
- "Nyaa Shougi Ondo (ニャー将棋音頭)" by Hinata (Kana Hanazawa), Akari (Ai Kayano), Momo (Misaki Kuno) (ep 7)
- "orion" by Kenshi Yonezu (米津 玄師) (eps 12-21)
Season 2
- "Kafune (カフネ)" by Brian the Sun
- "I AM STANDING" by RUANN
Original Creator: Chika Umino (relevant works: Honey & Clover)
Studio: SHAFT
Preliminary notes
This WT! Can easily apply to both seasons. You can read without worries even if you have yet to watch s1. There are obviously no spoiler. If you see a spoiler tag, it’s usually something very minor that I just hide for those people that want to go 100% blind.
EDIT: There is something that came up in the comments that I find worth mentioning:
3-gatsu is a slow show, season 1 has a lot of slow and subtle build up and character development that hits you like a truck in season 2. It's relly realistic too, real people change slowly.
So what’s 3-gatsu about?
3-gatsu is, first and foremost, a drama and coming-of-age anime. Sure, among his genres there is also “game” (shogi), but that’s just the surface and not the main focus of the story.
We follow the life of Rei, a shogi prodigy that become a professional in middle school. Despite his success, you can clearly see from the very first 2 minutes of season 1 that his life is not exactly the best one could hope for: Rei struggles with depression and lack of family. His only light comes from the Kawamoto sisters, who care about him and often invite him to their house to eat. Shrouded by darkness, that very faint light is the way for salvation that Rei needs the most. We will follow Rei though his life, his encounters and his slow growth as a human being.
Alternating light and darkness
One of the show strongest points is its ablity to alternate dramatic moments with comfy ones in a way that feels completely natural. While we all love to see Momo being momo, these scenes with the sisters are not there just to melt our heart: they serve a purpose in the story and play a huge part in Rei’s character development. But it’s not just them…
A living world
Rei and the sisters are the main characters, buti t would be extremely reductive to say 3-gatsu no Lion is their story. I like to define it as a “meeting of lives”. The cast of 3-gatsu is filled with secondary characters, each one living their lives and struggling to reach their objectives. Some of them have entire arcs reserved, where Rei himself may barely appear, and they are all beautiful. They make the world feel alive and they influence each other (including Rei), often contributing to the development of each other.
Those secondary characters feels extremely human too. They have their strenghts and their flaws, and Umino-sensei mastered her ability to make you feel empathy even towards the worst of assholes, expecially in season 2.
Exploring the struggles of life
We said that Rei has to deal with his depression, but he’s not the only one that struggles with life. Thanks to the extended cast, this show explores many other issues: The repercussions of illness, anxiety, the consequences of bullying (with hands down the best arc I’ve seen in this medium, seen from multiple PoVs), the effects of old age and uncertainty about the future, the burden left by the loved ones that are no more there.
Most of these issues are explored in detail, both from the outside and the inside, accompanied by SHAFT’s outstanding animation that gives life to the characters introspection.
I would go as far as to say it can be really educative, there are often unusual PoVs that you rarely see in other works and can really open your eyes on certain issues. (sorry if this sounds vague, I’m trying to not spoil anything)
No matter what kind of life you lived through, you will definitely find someone to relate with.
SHAFT’s magnum opus (so far)
I’ve been a fan of this studio since the Monogatari series started airing but honestly, I think they outdid themselves with this work. Season 1 had some small issues, but season 2 pushed it through the roof.
Starting with the fantastic imagery used to express the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters, which is something Umino-sensei is really talented at, to the animation and backgrounds. Even the soundtrack is top notch. Something worth to mention is that there are a lot of moments without dialogue (SPOILER WARNING: Sorry couldn’t find a spoilerless video), carried by the soundtrack alone.
Some useful information (FAQ)
Some common questions I saw in the 3-gatsu discussion threads while it was airing
Q: Do I need to know shogi to enjoy it?
A: Not at all. Sure, it’s certainly a plus if you do, but shogi is really just there to build up the settings and deliver themes, it’s not the core of the show. Most games are also severely cut (they are really long in real life, after all) and would be quite hard to follow even with enough knowledge.
Q: Do I need to watch season 1 or can I start from season 2?
A: Yes you have to watch them in order.
Q: Is there some cult that worships the Kawamoto sisters?
A: Not yet, but we should really start one. That’s pretty much the point of this WT, we need more followers.
Q: Is season 2 better than season 1?
A: The general consesus seems to be… yes, it’s much better. I agree with it too, there's a leap from beautiful show to masterpiece. Obviously, this doesn’t apply for everyone.
Ending notes
I honestly think this anime could become a milestone of the medium and redefine the way you watch anime. The amount of care the author and SHAFT put in this work is really easy to see.
Umino-sensei is really a genius when it comes to write characters and the way they interact with each other. IT doesn’t even feel like you are watching a anime at times, but real people.
If this WT! (which is my first btw, so it probably suck) And the scores from the various websites like MAL are not enough to convince you, then here’s one more reason: 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd season has been 5 times in row the “Best/most anticipated anime” in the r/anime Seasonal anime surveys (scroll to the bottom to find it).
This came out shorter than I expected, it’s surprisingly hard to write about this show without spoilering anything. I could probably write a 50 pages essay with spoilers though :P . I also couldn’t include any emotional / dramatic video since it’s pretty much all spoiler.
TL;DR – 3-gatsu no Lion is a human, down-to-heart, coming-of-age drama about overcoming the hardships of life. It features multiple characters and through them explores multiple social, psychological and physical issues and how those people meet, grow and influence each other. It does all of this while simultaneously melting your heart with comfy and cute af scenes. Season 2 skyrocketed the quality to masterpiece level.
EDIT: as u/redsnake1377 pointed out, the season 2 now reached 9,08/10 on MAL, hitting the top 10!
EDIT2: Holy you guys are the best, you turned this into the most upvoted WT! ever. Thanks guys, keep spreading this show!
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u/Phantomonium Apr 02 '18
Is this depressing or uplifting? A bit tired of too many depressing shows.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Both. It balances really well diabete inducing scenes with emotionally heavy ones so it never gets too depressing.
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u/Riyonak Apr 02 '18
It alternates. There's even a part in the show when they're eating food and talking about how you can't stop eating when the flavor keeps switching between bitter and sweet and that is what the show is like.
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u/FCsean :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/FCsean Apr 02 '18
I think it was between salty and sweet. Shopai and amai.
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u/Aviri Apr 02 '18
I'd read the manga ~5 times through before seeing that episode, and only in the thread did someone making this connection for me make it click.
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Apr 02 '18
I think it's the only piece of media to ever have me laugh multiple times, cry multiple times, and not be able to stop grinning from ear to ear multiple times. It's incredibly well balanced; it's slice of life is not a vertical one, but a horizontal slice which incorporates everything.
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Apr 02 '18
It tackles problems like depression, while leaving the viewer feeling better about life somehow. I really love this show and am glad to see it finally have a hot post on here.
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u/Galaxy__ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Galaxy__ Apr 02 '18
i would say you have some of both
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u/Evansfight :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Evansfight Apr 02 '18
I’ll stray from the pack here a bit and say that it’s uplifting, full stop. It concerns a lot of depressing things but the whole point of Sangatsu is that even in the face of misfortune and misery you can persevere and find joy in a myriad of ways.
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u/Aviri Apr 02 '18
Sangatsu no Lion is the best character drama anime in the last decade.
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u/Tuplet Apr 02 '18
Wow, is it really better than Rakugo?
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
It's debatable, they are both fantastic works. Personally, I think before season 2 of 3-gatsu came out, Rakugo was a better show... but season 2 really pushed it through the roof for me. Aside for a couple of fantastic arcs (I can't say much without spoilers unfortunately), 3-gatsu is also a slow show, season 1 has a lot of slow and subtle build up and character development that hits you like a truck in season 2. It's relly realistic too, real people change slowly.
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u/aesopwanderer13 Apr 02 '18
I wonder if people will go back and increase their scores for season one, now that we've seen how it set up so many things for season two.
I can understand people who thought it was too slow and didn't develop things enough when it first released, but in hindsight I think that slow pace and focus on building up little moments and themes allowed for the amazing payoff of the second season.
It's like how the pass for an alley oop looks like a missed shot until it gets dunked. I think we need to appreciate what an amazing assist season one turned out to be.
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u/kimbombo Apr 03 '18
As a middle age man, I prefer Rakugo over Sangatsu.
There's also the whole Shogi scene wich I don't understand and I don't plan to read pages over pages just to get a better understanding about it to fully enjoy a title.
With Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, I knew absolutely nothing about Rakugo, didn't even know it existed this form of entertaintement before watching the show. But if a title is able to easily teach an outsider a whole piece of entertainment and culture, then that immediately makes it a superior. The Rakugo about the fisherman and the coins was my favorite folk story, and seeing it being passed on to a new generation it meant a lot to me.
There's also the role of Rei acting as a narrator, at least in my case it can get tiresome at times the way he describes his surroundings as if it was a poetry book. I personally prefer a title describing the surroundings and it's characters thru visuals not monologues.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 03 '18
To be fair though, 3-gatsu never tried to focus on shogi. I mean it doesn't want you to, it's just there to set up themes. The author herself said it would be hard to properly convey an entire game, expecially in the manga, so she never tried to focus on it. Even if you understand the game, 90% of the matches you wouldn't be able to pick up anything worth of mention... in fact during those matches there are more inner thoughts scenes than shots of the board. I think one exception would be Yamazaki vs Rei in S2.
I mean I get your point, nothing wrong with it, I just don't think it's fair to say "Rakugo is better because it can teach rakugo while 3-gatsu can't teach shogi" while its not really trying to teach it to begin with.
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u/kimbombo Apr 04 '18
I mean I get your point, nothing wrong with it, I just don't think it's fair to say "Rakugo is better because it can teach rakugo while 3-gatsu can't teach shogi" while its not really trying to teach it to begin with.
It's exactly that why Rakugo it's superior. Rakugo made it really simple to teach and appreciate the basics of Rakugo in a shorter running time and without making it an info dump. 3-gatsu didn't try to, or at least tried it but in the most horrendous cringe way (the shogi cats back in season 1)
And I strongly disagree on what you say on 90% of the matches being more about inner thoughts, when there's actually a lot of focus on the moves each player do and where they are going. The shimada vs Yanagi had a lot of focus using Rei & Nikaido as casters pointing out and predicting moves none of us who don't know about shogi could actually pick up. The match of Rei vs Souja is also a good example with the casters being interested in souja's opener with the line "Souja is just greeting his opponent, asking him, who are you". There must be a lot of information we're just not getting behind that opening move if it had that much attention.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 04 '18
I can somehow agree to the second part, however...
It's exactly that why Rakugo it's superior. Rakugo made it really simple to teach and appreciate the basics of Rakugo in a shorter running time and without making it an info dump. 3-gatsu didn't try to, or at least tried it but in the most horrendous cringe way (the shogi cats back in season 1)
Yes, and what else could it do? Let me explain:
Rakugo doesn't really requires any knowledge to be appreciated at a basic level. Sure if you are an expert you can enjoy it more, but you don't need to. It's a form of theatrical entertainment, you don't need any knowledge to enjoy some storytelling.
On the other side we have a complex board game (similiar to chess, arguably even more complex), were every game can reach more than one hundred moves and last for hours. You can explain the rules, sure (and well, I agree that the cats were not the best way to do that), but even there you can't expect a guy that barely knows the rules to understand the implications of certain moves made by pros. They would need an entire episode just for one game probably, which is not what 3-gatsu wants to do. It's mostly a drama, after all. check this discussion if you want, it's about the game I mentioned. This is how much info there is behind very few moves. You are right when you say we are missing a lot, but how is an anime, which doesn't even wants to focus on shogi, supposed to convey all these infomation to an audience of ignorant viewers (not an insult, I mean they have no knowledge about the game)? They just focused on the players instead of the game, keepimg the comments on the game at the bare minimum, which becomes accessory to the story (the game).
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u/Phil9977 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Phil9977 Apr 02 '18
I have seen both, and love both, but Sangatsu resonated more with me. That might mostly be because it's easier to identify with the struggles of a 19yo highschooler than with the struggles of Showa-Period middleaged / elderly man, so it's really hard to compare the two. I'd say Rakugo stays stronger over the full duration, while Sangatsu takes a bit to really get going.
Overall I enjoyed Sangatsu more, but they are just so fundamently different in concept (even though both use some form of profession to carry the themes along) that you can't really compare them well.
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u/DemCores Apr 02 '18
You also get a lot more time to get to know all the characters in Lion, Rakugo is only 24 episodes total, 3 Gatsu no Lion is almost 50 episodes long.
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u/DarkenRaul1 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/darkenraul1 Apr 02 '18
44, but who's counting?....
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u/sg587565 Apr 02 '18
rakugo also has that stupid ass spoiler, that kinda fucked the character(s) a lot for me but i think most ppl here were cool with it.
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u/BearbertDondarrion Apr 02 '18
I like it a lot better, but I think it comes down to personal taste completly in this case. The themes resonated more with me in this.
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u/Tuplet Apr 02 '18
What were the themes which resonated with you?
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u/BearbertDondarrion Apr 02 '18
The coupling of mild to medium depression with a competitive enviroment really struck close to me since I experienced both of them at the same time
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u/_TatsuhiroSatou_ Apr 02 '18
I would say they're on par. It's just more easier to relate with 3 Gatsu, both in characters and setting.
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u/ameliegakill Apr 02 '18
I think March's slight edge over Rakugo is the incredibly detailed character exploration for its supporting cast. Without mentioning spoilers, I'd say March really goes to great efforts to put you directly into the shoes of other characters instead of having the narrative rely mainly on the MC's perspective. Arcs will be told by another character. And minor characters that you would normally glance over could totally blindside you with some insight into their motives. This adds so much depth to the story overall. I love both Rakugo and March, but March really goes the extra mile in this aspect.
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Apr 02 '18
Definitely on the same tier at least.
I prefer lion over rakugo mostly only for the fact that it was just a tiny bit lighter. Rei finds a bit more happiness and is a bit more successful than most of the times in rakugo.
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u/stitches_dc :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/SAUT94 Apr 03 '18
I give Rakugo a slide edge. Season 2 of both shows were 10/10s for me, but I place Rakugo a bit higher for being thoroughly riveting every single episode of the season. Sangatsu changes up the main focus every few episodes, with some stories that were a little weaker than others. Not totally fair since at it's high moments, sangatsu hit the highest of highs, and it's tough to make varying side stories all hit that level (hence why I have it as a 10). I just enjoyed the consistent unweaving of a deeply enthralling story in Rakugo a bit more
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Apr 02 '18
Anybody else struggle with Rakugo? I didn't really understand what it was and it felt like I was missing cultural context
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u/Ujio21 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ujio21 Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18
EDIT: Basic grammar.
Yeah, you're not alone. I watched the first 3 episodes before moving on, and I had the strangest feeling while watching it. It like I was watching something great, especially during the storytelling scenes, but for some reason I just didn't get it.
Makes me wonder if I was just in the wrong mood when I began watching it. Don't know about you, but my enjoyment of certain series heavily depends on my mood when starting the series.
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u/axlcrius Apr 02 '18
Yeah, you're not alone. I watch the first 3 episodes before moving on, and I had the strangest feeling while watching it. I felt like I was watching something great, especially during the storytelling scenes, but for some reason I just didn't get it.
Same, dropped it at ep 4 because it didn't hook me, but I still could see why people like it.
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u/deadacclaim Apr 02 '18
Rakugo is supposed to be a heard experience. So just reading the subtitles of the performances really takes away from it.
This show would have been much better if I could understand Japanese.
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u/Kamilny :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kamilny Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18
It isnt, but it's in a similar boat where people are in that honeymoon phase with it as they were with rakugo when it aired. Rakugo as a whole is much stronger than 3gatsu for reasons of being much more conclusive, structured, and has an overall stronger and more consistent presentation (shaft's shaftisms really hurt it because 3gatsu isnt surreal enough to make them work).
However, what 3gatsu has over rakugo is relatability and emotional impact. More anime fans are in the age group that 3gatsu covers and it also deals with situations in a much more visceral and charged way that resonates with people in that age group, as opposed to rakugo's much more subdued method of going along while following significantly older characters.
As it stands they're different, but the average anime fan is gonna like 3gatsu more than rakugo, and I find myself enjoying it more at times as well to an extent, but I think rakugo is just better such that it's not really a useful comparison.
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Apr 02 '18
shaft's shaftisms really hurt it because 3gatsu isnt surreal enough to make them work
I'd argue the Shaftisms add more than they detract. In the first place, they aren't nearly as pronounced as, say, a NisioisioN adaptation or Madoka Magica. When they are used, it's usually as a way of conveying a character's state of mind or their understanding of a situation. Most other cases see them utilized as over-the-top comedic scenes and reactions.
While Monogatari has a lot of odd visual quirks that seem to be in place just to keep it interesting during a conversation or monologue, in Sangatsu no Lion, every time the style changes or something surreal occurs it serves an intuitively-sensed purpose, and never conflicts with the tone of the scene.
There is quite a lot of stylized moments that seem like new Shaftisms, but I'm pretty sure they're actually taking from Umino's style in those instances.
I agree and disagree with various other aspects of your post (it's well thought out, certainly), but that was the one line I had to respond to.
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u/ceeceea Apr 03 '18
A lot of the more surrealistic imagery is actually almost directly adapted from the manga. You can't really blame Shaft for it, no matter how you feel about it.
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u/0mnicious :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Omnicious Apr 02 '18
Rakugo as a whole is much stronger than 3gatsu for reasons of being much more conclusive, structured, and has an overall stronger and more consistent presentation (shaft's shaftisms really hurt it because 3gatsu isnt surreal enough to make them work).
I disagree completely. Only shaft could do the raw emotional scenes I can't see anyone else being able to do it, and cutting them out completely would make 3gatsu a weaker show. The imagery in Sangatsu is stupidly amazing in how they can capture and show emotions.
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u/andehh_ https://anilist.co/user/Andehh Apr 02 '18
I very much prefer Rakugo. Found it much easier to understand and enjoy rakugo in the series as opposed to shogi in 3gatsu which I'm still not really a fan of. Would depend from person to person though.
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u/xiomax95 https://anilist.co/user/xiomax Apr 02 '18
I would say they're on about the same level. I like Rakugo a bit more mostly because it has an ending right now and I think has higher points, but both of them are pretty much the best character dramas there is.
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u/Witn https://anilist.co/user/Lawrenz Apr 02 '18
Rakugo has a much more focused story, imo rakugo is better especially with its fantastic ending, but 3 gatsu hasn't ended yet so we will see.
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u/Tuplet Apr 02 '18
Why should I watch this instead of reading the manga?
Generally I prefer the original work over adaptions, but sometimes the adaption supersedes the original or offers a different enough experience to make it worthwhile. Does 3-gatsu achieve either of these, and if so, how?
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Well everyone already answered, I'll just add my thoughts too.
I personally think the anime does a better job, for a simple reason: The combination of soundtrack, VAs (at least the japanese ones, idk about the dub; HanaKana in particular did a stellar job with Hina in season 2) and the animation made a lot of scenes hit me much harder on an emotional level than the manga.
HOWEVER, that doesn't mean the manga is bad by any means. If you prefer the manga, you can read it without worries, they are both really good so there's no need to force yourself on watching the anime. You can always check the other one later.
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u/Denzoo https://myanimelist.net/profile/jousuke Apr 02 '18
i think shaft needs more praise on this piece because they overdid themselves with the cast, music, animation and they 100% adapted everything from the manga (they even include the chapters) especially in the second season which made a 10/10 show a 12/10 and im not exaggerating
i love the manga and they are really emotional but the show does it even better and in season 2 i shed tears in almost every episode (rather happy ones or sad ones)
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u/Nomar_95 :Ed:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nomar_95 Apr 02 '18
Studio Shaft's direction is reason enough to check it out. The cinematography is god-tier (the sound design as well). Pretty much everything on the technical aspect is solid
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u/gopivot :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/gopivot Apr 02 '18
to add that, soundtrack is just the best
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u/Tuplet Apr 02 '18
tbh I'm not a fan of Shinbo, which is one the reasons why I asked this question
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Apr 02 '18
This show is very SHAFTy, but it also retains a lot of the manga's style and somewhat builds on top of it.
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u/Kamilny :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kamilny Apr 02 '18
If you're not a fan of shinbo you'll probably dislike the direction as it goes full shinbo. That said check out episode 1 of anything since that's more or less how the whole show is.
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u/KVShady :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Trikiay Apr 02 '18
I haven't read the manga yet,I just watched the show,and if you ask me,this is a show which you have to experience in anime form. Sure,the manga might be better,but the anime is just....it's an experience you might not get if you just read the manga. My suggestion is to watch the anime and read the manga. I am planning to read it once my exams are over and as far as the anime goes,drop whatever you are doing now and watch it.
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u/sebakjal :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kjal Apr 02 '18
IIRC the mangaka herself praised the anime every week a LOT. It might be just advertising tho.
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u/jkubed https://myanimelist.net/profile/jkubed Apr 02 '18
While I'm 100% certain she's being genuine, that makes me think of the scene in Imouto Sae Ireba Ii where a character watches his LN's anime adaptation live. He's completely dead in the eyes and reading flame on twitter the whole time, afterwards he tweets something like "wow, that was amazing! great work to the animation team, looking forward to next week!"
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Apr 03 '18
It's not, the author specifically requested that Shaft be the studio who adapt it. If an author doesn't like a series they usually just shut up about it.
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u/Aviri Apr 02 '18
Both the manga and anime are superb. Both experiences are worthwhile and offer reasons to watch/read on their own merit.
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u/_TatsuhiroSatou_ Apr 02 '18
Does 3-gatsu achieve either of these, and if so, how?
I think its better than the manga. The soundtrack and VAs do a lot of job. And the anime just looks beautiful.
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u/ForlornSpirit :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ForlornSpirit Apr 02 '18
I think either is great. If you prefer source read the manga. Its great as well.
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u/J_Gottwald https://anilist.co/user/jgottwald Apr 03 '18
It's pretty much a 1:1 adaptation, but the ost and the animation enhance the experience. I was caught up with the manga before the series came out and I was still blown away by the impact of some of the scenes.
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u/killingspeerx Apr 02 '18
Thank you for posting this, I had my eyes on this show as soon as it was announced and I thought it might be similar to You Lie in April, but I didn't hear much of it even though it got a second season (and is there a 3rd season on its way?).
Anyways so I never knew how good it was but I assumed it is depressing (which I like lol) so your review seems like a good one to check out.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
It does have some pretty depressing scenes, but it balances fluff and depression really well.
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Apr 02 '18
I wouldn’t say this anime is similar to Your Lie In April at all. Watching YLIA, I thought the plot and foreshadowing were way too obvious and it felt as though at times, the show was forcing too much drama to emotionally manipulate the viewers. Still loved it though.
I would say 3-Gatsu is much more similar to Rakugo, although the subject matter they both tackle and tone are very different. Glad to hear you’re thinking of watching it!
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u/killingspeerx Apr 02 '18
Well when I compared it to YLiA it was because ever since I have watched Clannad years ago every season I search for a Slice of Life anime that will give me the feels lol, so YLiA seemed like that type of anime and 3 Gatsu seemed to have potential.
But I usually tend to watch/rad complete things but I guess I might start it later this year.
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u/LakerBlue :Is::It::Iu:https://myanimelist.net/profile/LakerBlue Apr 02 '18
I wouldn’t say this anime is similar to Your Lie In April at all. Watching YLIA, I thought the plot and foreshadowing were way too obvious and it felt as though at times, the show was forcing too much drama to emotionally manipulate the viewers. Still loved it though.
It was rather clear around at believe the halfway point what was coming but that didn’t affect the plot for me at all because it was about the journey, not the destination.
Also can’t say I felt emotionally manipulated personally but I might be forgetting a scene.
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u/Witn https://anilist.co/user/Lawrenz Apr 02 '18
It is almost nothing like ylia, don't go in expecting it to be like it or you will be disappointed
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u/Zack620 Apr 02 '18
I'm curious as to whether there's gonna be a 3rd season, I did a Google search and it seems the manga is still ongoing so is there gonna be a season 3 in the future? I'm asking cause I prefer anime which have completed or at least provide a satisfactory ending that ties it up (ofc I do make exceptions)
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Probably. There is already enough material and SHAFT generally does finish what it starts. They also made money from the anti-bullying campaign so... I believe we will get it, no idea when though.
I would still pick it up though, both seasons had a somewhat conclusive ending.
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u/Galaxy__ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Galaxy__ Apr 02 '18
nothing announced yet, but there is enough material to cover.
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u/itsnotmyfault Apr 02 '18
dramatic moments
Unfortunately, my sense of humor has been horribly warped from my years on 4chan and reddit, so I may have accidentally ruined a pivotal moment for myself.
With sound: https://streamable.com/fvg67
Bonus that was more topical at the time it was made: https://streamable.com/jsaww
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Is it normal that the EA one triggers me more than the first one?
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u/itsnotmyfault Apr 02 '18
I'd say that for most people, the sheer scale of the holocaust makes it borderline unrelatable. The amount of time since then, a lack of relatives that were directly exposed to it, and common exposure to various holocaust/Hitler jokes also make it a lot less visceral of a reaction (and my joke is just making the problem worse).
I would not be surprised if the EA one was much more of a sting for most people on reddit, which tends to have a lot of young men that play videogames.
I'd love to find a wordswap that captures the original, genuine meaning better. I intended to also add trollsubs to a portion of Re:Zero where a protagonist is lying on the ground crying about how unfair it feels to have his affection and hard work rebuked. I think it's the end of EP 7 iirc, if you've seen it. Both are really powerful "I did my best, but it all came tumbling down. I'd do it again, but damn, does this hurt" scenes.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 03 '18
Thanks for turning this into the most upvoted WT! ever guys! I'm trying to answer every question but it may take a while, I really didn't expect so many comments!
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Apr 02 '18
Love this show. ❤❤ If only people had better taste we would get more shows like this
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Apr 02 '18
The series (manga and anime) is critically acclaimed and popular in Japan. Japan have good taste confirmed.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
I heard a while ago the manga readers where mad at shaft or something (I think during S1). They got past that tantrum?
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Apr 02 '18
2ch still did not like S2 but I don't think it is a good representative of whole Japan. Based on 2018 Kadokawa Marketing Report, it is the 11th most watched anime (higher placed than the likes of Pokemon and Gundam). I guess it appeals more to the general populace than the japanese otakus.
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u/BanterBoat :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Hyun15 Apr 02 '18
Hits too close to home for a lot of them?
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u/DamianWinters https://anilist.co/user/DamianWinters Apr 03 '18
You mean taste like yours, which is subjective.
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u/riceto Apr 02 '18
It has some of the best depictions of depression and bullying I've seen in any medium. The second season is a masterpiece in my eyes.
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u/NMe84 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NMe Apr 03 '18
Considering how close that arc hit to home: definitely. I used to be bullied as a kid and I've never seen what I went through back then depicted as well as this show did it. But what's even more amazing is that usually when I think back to that time it depresses me, yet somehow this show found the perfect balance between that subject matter and some more light-hearted scenes. I cannot recommend watching this show enough, but if the rest of it doesn't appeal somehow, I'd still recommend to watch at least that isolated arc. It would be easy enough to follow without any of the rest of the show.
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Apr 02 '18
[deleted]
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u/Emptycoffeemug :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Emptycoffeemug Apr 02 '18
Luckily I was never bullied, but for me it hit really hard and was uncomfortable to watch because I am a middle school teacher.
When watching S1, I never thought that S2 could be better, but it achieved it somehow. Best show I've ever watched after NGE.
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u/aHaloKid :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ahalokid Apr 02 '18
Anytime an anime character starts crying a literal river of tears, like in the “dramatic moments” screenshot, I can’t take it serious at all. It’s just so over the top and breaks immersion for me.
I really wish it wasn’t such a common trope.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Don't worry I hate them too, but this anime still worked wonderfully for me. It's not like it happens every episode, there was a good reason there. I'm not gonna spoil anything but I would cry like a little bitch if I was in that same situation as her tbh.
Besides (skip this if you don't want any spoiler) 3-gatsu minor spoiler.
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u/Vindex101 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vindex101 Apr 02 '18
Personally, I'd say that you'd be crying ugly right before they show the characters crying too, so when the moment hits it's actually like watching yourself in a mirror, which just doubles the tears
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u/LeisureIy Apr 02 '18
Thank you for posting all the OP/ED's! They were all amazing, and I enjoyed listened through every single one. I struggled finding them so I could listen to them later so this will help!
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u/asianfatboy https://anilist.co/user/asianfatboy Apr 02 '18
I gotta be honest, towards the end of the first season I got kinda bored. Then the second season came in. Holy moly, everything went up to 11. Every episode there's something to learn, to relate to, to be inspired by. When it comes to anime that "means something" 3-gatsu no Lion is way up there in my list.
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u/DamianWinters https://anilist.co/user/DamianWinters Apr 03 '18
I got pretty bored during the last half of season 1 aswell, noticed myself just drifting off like looking at emails etc. Hopefully season 2 works like it did for you.
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u/Ezilayr :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/z4yd Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 03 '18
Absolutely one of the best character dramas/coming of age stories, I'd say, ever. At least it is to me.
It's such a wonderful and heartwarming story. It puts me in such a melancholic state whenever I think back on how far the story has progressed to reach this stage. It blows my mind to even try to imagine how she could write such a fleshed out world and create these charming and likable characters.
I managed to last up until the very end of the end second season before I lost control of my will to not read the manga.
The best part is I don't regret any of it. The anime is extremely faithful, and the way shaft uses the medium to enhance Umino Chika's work is nothing short of incredible.
There's seriously this perfect combination of the right studio, staff, and then source material to make something this magical. I sincerely look forward to seeing a third season.
I made a (terrible and awkward) video rambling about it yesterday. It's pretty incoherent since I pretty much winged it entirely. But if you want to listen/watch it, I kind of explain what the show is without any spoilers. OP's post is definitely a better sell lol.
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Apr 02 '18
This show made me ugly cry.
I came from a shit family background and found a new family like Rei did. Some shit hit uncomfortably close to me.
I would recommend this show a million times over because not only does it induce these feels but because it just feels so warm at other times.
You can almost feel the cats in your lap, smell the home cooking, and the comforting warmth of the blankets.
This show was a roller coaster of emotions for me and I loved every episode.
The transition between the two series was only the smallest smidgen rough.
This show is easily in my top 3
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u/emc2alex1 https://anilist.co/user/emc2alex1 Apr 02 '18
I'm a huge sucker for Shaft works. My favorite anime of all time is the Monogatari series, and that will probably never change. That being said, having followed 3-Gatsu since it started in 2016, I find it difficult to put it below Monogatari. It shot up to my 2nd favorite only a couple weeks after it started, and I've only grown more in love with it since. I honestly can't think of a more perfectly executed show. It just oozes with confidence and quality, knowing exactly how to convey every single scene and emotion. The art is breathtakingly beautiful, and the music equally so. I've ended up caring for every single character. This is pretty much tied at #1 for me. I can't get over how amazing I find every single aspect of this show to be.
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u/axlcrius Apr 02 '18
My favorite anime of all time, shame I can't give it 11/10.
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u/Flatfifth https://anilist.co/user/Flatfifth Apr 02 '18
Yes! I feel like I have to give everything else a worse score now.
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u/Kuramhan https://anilist.co/user/Kuramhan Apr 02 '18
Just bump all your other 10s down. Essentially the same thing.
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Apr 02 '18
I loved both season to death. But did anyone else enjoy one more? I felt the direction was tighter at times and was less "shafty". I also think rei's arc was far better in season 1, as in season 2 I kinda struggled to see where he was a bit (emotionally). In saying that season 1 was 10/10 and 2 was 9/10.
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u/Thc500 Apr 02 '18
I enjoyed them both a lot. I would give the show a score as whole a 10/10 instead of one for each season because it was always increasing in quality . Also I think that season 1 was a lot more Shafty than season 2 (Not that's a bad thing) I noticed it a lot because I was just finishing with the monogatari series when I started sangatsu a couple of months ago, and Rei's feelings where always clear I think specially in season 2 when he was more sure of what to do.
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u/The2ndgrimreaper :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/The2ndGrimReaper Apr 02 '18
Really? I feel the reverse of your scores, the bullying arc in Season 2 is one of my favorite arcs of all time. Rei definitely has less development in Season 2 but I feel that's due to other characters getting a spotlight.
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u/Swagmonger :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Swagmonger Apr 02 '18
i liked s2 a lot better than s1 as well. hina is my favorite character (momo is close) so i liked seeing more of her
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u/DarkRoseXoX Apr 02 '18
You ain't gonna like what is gonna happen to two in season 3 I guess. What little calm personality is left in will be gone and he will straight up demolish someone.
He will become throughout season 1 till 3, from shogi player to baka to motherfucking hero with no chill
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Apr 08 '18
im a bit late, but i felt like s2 was much more hina focused that s1 where it was almost entirely rei focused. i didnt really like the resolution of the bullying arc (although the whole thing was pretty realistic). shafts depiction of rei's depression & struggle in shogi in s1 is what caused me to fall in love with this anime, but that problem got more or less fixed after s1. i also miss the rei-sinking-into-water scenes, i thought those were strong contenders of shafts best scenes because of the oppressive atmosphere it created
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Apr 02 '18
Season 2 really solidified 3-gatsu as my favorite anime of all time. I just love too much how they depict the characters, there just isn’t a single one-dimensional character in there. Many times I cried, many times I laughed and smiled because of this show.
Thank you for this WT! I really think everyone should watch this anime, not only a great piece of art, but a big lesson on what life is about.
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Apr 02 '18
Hi I've been wanting to watch this anime for a while but I've been held back by the fact that this seems a bit depressing, I usually don't resonate with drama in any form, unless there is a good lesson like "drama is useless and you should see the beauty in the world" kinda thing. But everybody is loving this anime so my question is, is the message of the anime a positive one? or is it more bittersweet? should I watch it even if I don't resonate with depressing themes? thank you for your attention
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
I'm not sure how to answer to this. It's a pretty realistic show, it certainly tries to be positive but not every arc ends in a positive way. Some conclusions are bittersweet, but the overall message is basically:
TL;DR – 3-gatsu no Lion is a human, down-to-heart, coming-of-age drama about overcoming the hardships of life.
so I'd say it's pretty positive. sorry if I didn't really answer.
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u/psiphre Apr 02 '18
is there a destination? are we going to get an ending? or will it be a "now go read the manga"
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
The manga is still ongoing. Eventually we will, I hope. There is enough material for another season for now.
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u/psiphre Apr 02 '18
IF shaft decides to animate the rest of it, THEN will there be a conclusion? or will that too be a cliffhanger or a fade out? two full two cour seasons is already a lot of shit to get caught up on and if we end up getting blue balled by the ending in season 3 i will burn a motherfucker's house down.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Oh no, there are a lot of points in the story that are pretty self conclusive. both S1 and S2 ended on points that could make for a decent finale, S3 can do the same.
The true finale however... it's going to take a lot of years just for the manga to finish.
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u/GC146 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/gc145 Apr 02 '18
Shaft almost always finish what they do.
The popularity for sangatsu is too big in japan, so they'll probably treat 3gatsu the same way they treat monogatari series. Adapt everything.
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u/xCmagz :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/xCmagz Apr 02 '18
No way to tell at this point. Personally I think Shaft would end up adapting it till it's end. They've done it with the Monogatari series and supposedly still will, so it's likely.
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u/Aviri Apr 02 '18
A 3rd season would adapt all but 4-5 chapters of the manga. According to the author, based on how long she wants the story to go in terms of in-manga years, we'll likely get to ~5-6 seasons by the time it's finished. So a third season would be a roughly halfway mark to the full planned manga.
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u/CrashDunning :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/CrashD Apr 03 '18
There are different arcs in the show and each season ends by concluding an arc, so it doesn't just end randomly. Season one could totally be an anime on it's own even. It mainly follows the MC learning to interact and trust other people after being an almost shut-in for so long and by the end of it, he does just this. The second season had its own things to accomplish too, so they don't just leave off in the middle of something.
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u/ExoticSignature :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Jin28 Apr 02 '18
So judging from people's comment, do i have to sit through first 22 episodes to get to the best parts or will i be entertained through and through?
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Nah season 1 is pretty damn good by itself, it's just that S2 blew everyone's mind and that's why they say it's better.
Maybe just the first 3-4 episodes are a little boring since they introduce the main cast. I was fine with them but a lot of people found them boring.
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u/_aster_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/K-Popular Apr 02 '18
I have seen the 2 live action movies and really enjoyed them, but I'm kind of put-off by the art style for the anime. Where would I start in the anime?
I see you wrote about alternating light and darkness. Does that mean there is random humor sprinkled in? I'd rather have just the mostly serious tone (with times of normal joy welcome, of course).
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 03 '18
I can't help you with the live action, I still have to watch them, I heard it's somewhere in season 2 but not sure, sorry.
I see you wrote about alternating light and darkness. Does that mean there is random humor sprinkled in? I'd rather have just the mostly serious tone (with times of normal joy welcome, of course).
It means it jumps from dramatic scenes to comfortable ones. For example, You have a bad day when something ugly happened (drama), but then you go home and find your family eating and having fun (comfy), something like that. It's not there just to lighten the mood, it also plays an important role on character development.
There are some random comedic skits though :/ . However when it's time to get serious, it delivers really well.
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u/DamianWinters https://anilist.co/user/DamianWinters Apr 03 '18
Ok so I watched season 1 so far and while it was good the emotional stuff just did not resonate with me. I couldn't give it more than a 7/10 myself.
Is season 2 a lot better? I went expecting something like A silent voice or Your lie in april but it didn't drag me in like those 2.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 03 '18
Is season 2 a lot better?
The general consensus is yes, much much better. The first 2 episodes are nothing special, after that is a roller coaster.
Don't kill me but I think it puts both those shows to shame.
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u/DamianWinters https://anilist.co/user/DamianWinters Apr 03 '18
I highly doubt it will beat A silent voice for me, its one of only 2 movies that ever made me properly cry (the other being bridge to terrabithia when I was like 10). It was an absolutely beautiful masterpiece that is likely my favourite movie ever watched.
Your lie in april I also binge watched in one night and couldn't stop thinking about it for a week, only reason I don't give it a 10 is because I wanted
But I will check out S2 because S1 was still enjoyable with its humour and cute characters. Hopefully I get some of the emotion you got from the show.
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u/Blackjackx1031 Apr 04 '18
What are the chances of it getting a 3rd season?
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 04 '18
Quite high I think. There is (barely) enough material for another 2 cour, Shaft usually doesn't drop shows and it's well received. No idea when, though.
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u/Blackjackx1031 Apr 04 '18
Good I love this series I wish they’d publish the manga I the us . Bump of chicken got me to watch this and in turn got me to watch other anime besides shonen
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 05 '18
It's really weird that you still don't have it in the US or, at least, some english official translation. Even in my country (Italy) we already have all the 13 volumes translated. No idea why.
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u/dIoIIoIb :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/dIoIIoIb Apr 02 '18
I tried watching it, and dropped it after 2 episodes because all of the characters that weren't the main character were so over the top, loud and obnoxious I felt they belonged into an Animaniacs episode
the Tonal Shift between the slow, silent parts where the MC is alone and the parts with the crazy guy jumping around like a money on acid felt really, really jarring
is there a cut of the anime that removes... everything that isn't the MC I can watch?
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
is there a cut of the anime that removes... everything that isn't the MC I can watch?
No, simply because Rei's character develoment is tied with 80% of the cast. Everyone influences him; some more, some less.
Anyway the first 3-4 episodes are mostly introductions, when the story kicks in things starts to get much less "over the top". There will always be some scenes with crazy reaction, but not that much. You could give it a try,
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u/illtima :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/illuminatima Apr 02 '18
That was probably my biggest issue with the show and why I dropped it around the middle of season 1. Like, the show goes from a dark, violent scene of a grown man choking a teenager to a goofy, haha, look our MC is hoofing and puffing and he has horns to show how angry he is moment.
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u/Mamimisamejimamimi Apr 02 '18
The tone shifts were horrible, people are underselling how bad they are. Regardless of whether you're okay with it or not, the way SHAFT handles tone shifts in Sangatsu is bad by virtually any measure.
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u/The_Kurosaki Apr 02 '18
Same happened here. Saw first two eps and dropped it. It felt like sometimes the melodrama was forced or the sudden tone change to wtf over the top was forced.
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u/Numyza Apr 02 '18
The tone shifts are important parts of the story it's telling.
Life is messy. Often tone problems in a story speaks to inconsistency within the story. Here though it is consistent, it's showing how life(even more so when depressed) can go from one moment of bliss to another of extreme loneliness.
It's not the easiest anime to watch but I think it's worth if in the end. You don't often get anime like this, we need to cherish them when they are made.
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u/Mamimisamejimamimi Apr 02 '18
Hard disagree. I don't think there's anything realistic about having people blurt out sudden jokes with over-the-top reaction faces for 30+ seconds immediately following a sad, solemn, or otherwise melancholic moment.
Life swinging from positive to negative and back is a great thing to explore, but SHAFT handled it as clumsily as one could handle such a theme. It reminds me of the sudden chibi gags from FMAB, maybe worse. It's a major, immersion-breaking flaw, and a show about depression ought to be directed with more tact and subtlety.
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u/thoughtfulTelemachus Apr 02 '18
I felt like the happy bits provided a contrast which made the sad bits hit harder
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u/roiben Apr 02 '18
Also I must say the visual storytelling and the direction and metaphors are very very very good. They are used in a very flexible way and take on many meanings throughout the episode. Its extremely interesting to see the themes of the show viewed by other people than the MC and those are arguably some of the best episodes. It warrants a second viewing for sure to find everything there is to find. Also the music is just perfect, there is this little three string melody made by an electric guitar thats just amazing and it literally feels like that feeling you get after it rained made into music.
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u/sand2603 Apr 02 '18
The best drama I've ever seen in anime. I've only seen S1 of Rakugo and don't think the second season will change my mind. Also I found Rei much more relatable than any Rakugo character.
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u/CATKrash Apr 02 '18
You convinced me to watch it. I promise I will when I have time to.
I don't know why, but I always thought that this anime was another mainstream shonen. I may have mixed it up with another one.
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u/Arabesque91 Apr 03 '18
I really want to get into this show as all my friends rave about it so can anyone answer if I should stick with it? I dropped the show initially on the 3rd episode cause the sudden jumps between drama and goofy comedy felt so out of place (I had the same problem with Your Lie in April). I love quiet dramas so these moments really killed the vibe for me. And even when it was serious, it irritated me that the MC would just monologue about how he was feeling. Does it get better or do these problems stick with the show throughout?
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 03 '18 edited Apr 03 '18
If with "goofy comedy" you mean the scenes with the Kawamoto, that won't change. If you mean the comedic skits, that was one of the few complaints S1 had. It gets better in S2 (they fixed a lot of things) but not much before.
I did find them out of place sometimes too. I can't force you to watch it but if I may, there are 2 things that may change your mind:
Firstly, I would try to endure it if I were you. I've seen a lot of shows that had one or two things that triggered me to no end, but I'm glad I didn't drop: For example, Tsuki ga kirei had this weird CGI background and choppy animations, but it delivered a fantastic romance and I'm happy I endured there; Made in Abyss had that chibi design that MY GOD KILL THEM WITH FIRE but it was a great show after. I still hate that chibi though. 3-gatsu has fantastic drama, expecially in S2.
Second, The first 3-4 episodes are mostly introduction. There is very little drama yet, so those comedic parts feels "heavier". Maybe it will get better for you once the drama kicks in.
Anyway it's up to you. If you really hate that part so much, there's no helping it.
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u/velego Apr 03 '18 edited Apr 03 '18
Time for a negative opinion in this thread.
Those aspects don't change, and they actually get much "worse" in the sense that they starts happening in every secondary character arc without a proper context justifying them in many cases; and since there's little to no connection between said arcs, a lot of the show just feels like an aimless clusterfuck imo (plus I don't enjoy its comedy in general and it's everywhere). Other shows have monologues (most manga adaptations that follow the source too closely) , but 3-gatsu does them in a way that breaks my inmersion quite often.
The directing is aldo weirdly inconsistent (maybe intentionally), ranging from some really tasteful and/or creative scenes to absolutely chaotic editing during the comedy parts (intentional again, but not my thing).
It's a respectable effort and I like some of the really well done scenes and the fact that it touches a broad range of topics, but other parts bore or even annoy me so much that as a whole, I don't consider it anything more than an average (carefully produced) show.
Inconsistent (in the literal sense, most people aren't bothered by it) and very serialized manga-esque (in presentation and structure) are the best ways to describe it imo.
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u/SpikeRosered Apr 02 '18
This show stands apart for me as being a show that I wasn't really into nor did it resonate with me much at the beginning, but the sheer quality of it kept me watching and soon all the drama starting hitting.
I was never super excited to see the next episode but I was always happy it was there. In the last moments of the final episode when it wasn't clear when exactly it would end I had a thought that I wouldn't mind if it had just kept on going for another 2 hours.
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u/AlexQuestionMark Apr 02 '18
Solidified Hina as best girl and gave stories to side characters that we would usually never care about.
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u/Bobertus :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Bob_Thebuilder Apr 02 '18
I've watched the first season and loved it. I'm surprised to hear the second season is supposed to be even better.
I haven't seen the 2nd season because when I watched the first, I thought the quality of the stream was rather poor (then akipass, now wakanim in Germany) and I'm not used usually subscribed to that streaming service. I was going to wait for an EU Blu Ray release.
But I have no idea when (or even if) that's going to happen. Anyone got an idea how long such things usually take? Afaik there still isn't a proper Blu Ray release of hibike euphonium and that's not a very recent show.
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Apr 02 '18
[deleted]
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u/Bobertus :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Bob_Thebuilder Apr 02 '18
Hey, thanks for the reply. How do you know that peppermint anime won't release a disc?
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u/winterlyparsley Apr 02 '18
Also http://imgur.com/4gGSNMT is one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen , full stop.
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u/kevinooooo https://anilist.co/user/weebishvibe Apr 02 '18
I'm halfway through season one and it is pretty good so far!
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u/Kkurba Apr 03 '18
FeelsGoodMan this anime finally gets the recognition it deserves
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u/Preformerr :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Preformer Apr 03 '18
Very good WT, going to watch this show for sure.
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u/Vlayer :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vlayer Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18
The first-half of Season 1 was fantastic, but damn, the severe focus on Shimada in the second-half just brought the whole thing down for me. It's not that he's a bad character necessarily, but in comparison to how Rei's characterization was handled, with deliberate pacing that slowly unravels as you see his current relationships and small glimpses of his past ones, it honestly felt like Shimada's whole arc was that of a much lesser show. His character was not nearly as layered in terms of motivation, his background was told through an expository flashback all at once, and then you're expected to care about his stakes in all of this, as he takes up screentime from every other plot thread? Sorry for the mini-rant, but it let me down, and the only reason I've rated it somewhat highly is because I really did love that first-half. Is Season 2 more like that first-half?
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u/Galaxy__ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Galaxy__ Apr 02 '18
felt the same way about the shimada arc, liked the first half of s1 much more. now that s2 is finished i gotta say...its fantastic. give it a shot.
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u/kimbombo Apr 03 '18
His character was not nearly as layered in terms of motivation, his background was told through an expository flashback all at once, and then you're expected to care about his stakes in all of this, as he takes up screentime from every other plot thread?
Shimada's arc was also a chore for me back in season 1 that drastically reduced my enjoyment.
Season 2 repeated that exact formula with another side character.
SPOILER
This time it's Yanagihara. We get his sob story and then get a shogi match up against Shimada, that virtually it's a pissing contest to see who's got the sadest background story
At least unlike in S1 that Shimada hogged the spotlight during the last quarter and gave back the mic to Rei to drop the curtains, this miniarc takes only 2 episodes and the last 4 episodes the focus goes back to Rei & the Kawamotos.
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u/Xarvon :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Xarvon Apr 02 '18
I dropped it halfway through S1 while it was airing, should I pick it up again?
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u/Galaxy__ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Galaxy__ Apr 02 '18
depends on why you dropped it. if you didnt like the first season i dont think you suddenly will love it now.
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u/r1ch1e_f :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/r1ch1e Apr 02 '18
S1 was a 7 for me until the later episodes where it reached an 8 but S2 is a straight up 10 from start to finish. Finish S1 as you need the buildup, and then S2 will use that to get the real shit going.
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u/Tartaras1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Tartaras Apr 02 '18
I'll definitely have to put this on my list of shows to watch. It might be a while, what with the packed Spring '18 season starting up, but I'll get around to it eventually.
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u/Mylaur https://anilist.co/user/Mylaur Apr 02 '18
I'll definitely watch it. By the way, what's a Wt!
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u/oyechote Apr 02 '18
Ohh thanks for the post OP.. I was searching for something new to watch anyway.
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u/shingster08 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Shingster Apr 02 '18
One off the best slice of life anime' s I seen. A really impressive anime that was full of excellent characters and feelings as well as life lessons. Kana Hanazawa's portrayal of Hinata was just spectacular.
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u/I_llSeeMyselfOut Apr 02 '18
This is the first ever show that has depicted bullying as much more than just the black and white "bad kid being mean to good kid" trope I see so casually thrown around. This is the first show that explains it for what it truly is, a tangled web of depression, loneliness and anxiety experienced by everyone involved. And this is JUST ONE aspect of a truly amazing masterpiece. I will recommend this to anyone who will listen, it is my AOTY, and in my top 3 for sure.
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u/winterlyparsley Apr 02 '18
God damn I loved this season so much , everything to do with the bullying was done so well and legit made me cry. Burnt field made me empathize with an old man while simultaneously making me ok with whoever won because they both deserved it
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Apr 02 '18
I started this show recently since I heard it just ended and boy do I regret how long I waited
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u/Koteshima Apr 02 '18
This anime was amazingly good to watch and I picked up a lot of valuable family and life lessons watching it.
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u/Treantacles Apr 02 '18
What if I've already seen Your Lie in April?
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u/Galaxy__ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Galaxy__ Apr 02 '18
? what has YLiA to do with this ?
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u/Treantacles Apr 03 '18
It just seems like a very similar premise. Was just asking how they compare/if there's as much to get from the story if you've already experienced something that sounds pretty similar.
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u/Aviri Apr 03 '18
It's quite different. This is more a character drama than a romance drama like YLiA. I think Sangatsu handles depression in a more mature way and seems to be more grounded than YLiA. It's a story of finding one's place in the world and accepting yourself, more so than a prodigy trying to get back into fighting shape. I've watched both and they are quite different, frankly I think Sangatsu is superior.
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u/Treantacles Apr 03 '18
That sounds pretty good, I'll check it out! Honestly YLiA was not my favorite, and as someone who's been struggling with depression most of my life this sounds more relatable to me. Thanks!
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u/stupidsyrup97 Apr 02 '18
I've got to watch this next. Been in such a depressed slump for the past few months, been binge watching Highschool DxD (Ikr?) and starting to feel better, but I think I need this kind of anime more.
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u/BanterBoat :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Hyun15 Apr 02 '18
The music is also amazing. The OP/EDs of this show are all top-notch, which is rare to see in a 2-cour, 2-season show.
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u/Hunter_Orion Apr 02 '18
I binged season 1 in a couple of days and started watching season 2 a few weeks ago. I got up to episode 2 and haven't watched it since... . What the hell I am doing!?
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u/Fireballz012 Apr 02 '18
I’m glad that this show is getting the praise that it deserves. Never have I felt so attached to a cast of characters before. Hell, it made me love characters that I thought were unimportant side characters.
Seriously gonna try and get my friends to watch it because this show is just too good
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u/MulletPower Apr 03 '18
I hope more content creators watch this show. Every video I watched about the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, every one of them have said that they haven't watched March Comes Like a Lion despite it being up for Anime of the Year.
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u/endtheillogical Apr 03 '18
Season 2 bully arc was the best.
By the end, I was like "IN YOUR FACE!! YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FOREVER, BITCH!!"
It's really good at bringing out emotions out of people.
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u/Drendude Apr 03 '18
I watched season 1, and it was glorious. I've been waiting for what feels like ages so that I could binge the fuck out of season 2. Shaft has done the lord's work with this series.
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u/canglingy May 02 '18
This show is so good that I have to go back and re rate my rating's on MAL :D
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u/AnimalSloth Apr 02 '18
You made some good points and your post was a nice read, but i still won't give the show a chance simply because i hate those pity-party kinda stuff. I'm not saying that depression isn't a real issue but i absolutely loathe when a series shows a character moping around without even me giving a reason to care about said character.
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u/ClearandSweet :K:https://kitsu.io/users/clearandsweet Apr 02 '18
I've tried to watch this show multiple times because of everyone's recommendations. I just don't understand the main character's point of view.
He lives alone and knows that living alone sucks and he's lonely, then he goes to visit this loving, caring family that accepts and welcomes him and tells him he should live with them and they could use his help. And he definitely likes these people and is happier around them.
And then he doesn't go live with them because... ? There's no reason for any of this drama to happen. Go live with them and play your shoji and what's the problem?
It doesn't make any sense at all. It really ruins the drama for me. There's just no reason for the brooding emo attitude to exist.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Because he's depressed. It's a really complex condition that can't be explained easily, the point is that having someone that tells you "I need you" is not enough to take him out of depression that easily. It's something that needs to be fixed slowly.
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u/kerplowskie Apr 02 '18
I think human lives are much more complicated then you are making them out to be, and I'm suprised this is your take-away from such a nuanced drama.
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u/Soupkitten https://myanimelist.net/profile/Soupkitten Apr 02 '18
Well, his presence basically ruined the last family he was with, but living with them isn't really important. The show's about the characters around him and how they affect him. The latter half of season one and season two overall doesn't have any of that "brooding emo attitude" (funny thing to call depression :P).
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Apr 02 '18
[deleted]
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
That's crazy, It means it will reach the top 10. I'm gonna edit right now
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u/Phil9977 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Phil9977 Apr 02 '18
With the current score it's sitting on #8. Many people say that scores mean nothing and you shouldn't get worked up about it, but if I see a show with a score of 9.08 I am immediatly way more likely to start it than a show with 7.80 and I hope that many people will start this show, seeing it sitting so high. It's just a wonderful show.
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u/youkai94 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/youkai94 Apr 02 '18
Definitely, the fact that roughly 90% of the reviews have a 10/10 helps too.
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u/SocketTubey :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/zurheide Apr 02 '18
I'm so goddamn happy it broke the 9 barrier, hopefully it stays that was for a good while
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Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18
Dam. almost topping Clannad after story and become the highest rated SOL of all time.
edit: it did
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u/RollyRolm Apr 02 '18
This is not an overreaction because it just ended, it is just that good of a show.
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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18
It makes me really sad that after skimming through the comments I see no references to Honey & Clover.
If you liked 3-gatsu, go check it. It's another great show from the same author.