- Life goes back to normal, kind of. It’s a dull kind of normal, now imouto’s not around, but at least we see even more of a connection between Yuu and Nao.
- Yuu wasn’t greeted with the slushy sorrow and sadness lines that any other classmate would normally give him, and for some odd reason, I quite liked that. Like with any loss of a family member or loved one, the important thing to do afterwards is not to wallow in grief and anger (like last week), but to move on. Hearing the ‘sorry-for-your-loss’ a million times usually doesn’t help because that can sometimes make it feel even more sudden than it was. Nao made it very clear last week that she wanted him back ‘on the right path’ and that she would personally be there to make sure of it. Considering what he was capable of going under an enormous amount of grief and anger in last week’s episode, I’d say that her decision is the most sensible thing to do. In all these episodes of the council going out of their way to stop kids from flying or cheating at baseball or whatever, when it happens to someone you know well (or rather have grown to know in time), it hit Nao even more.
- I actually don’t feel bad in any way by saying this was another filler episode, because that’s precisely what it was. It was nice to see Yuu slowly getting used to the fact that Ayumi wasn’t going to be around anymore, we got to see more about this crazy band Nao adores, we got to see how much Yusa sucks at performing in a music video and, ummm, that’s about it. I think at this point in time, real serious plot (and any twists and whatnot) will get us from here on. And at that stage I’ll be glad to be rid of Yusa’s airhead ‘magic spells’, the lame comedy of Joujirou breaking his body apart just to get the curry of the day… Finally we’ll see some drama; something that started with last week and will no doubt pick up again.
What if these actually worked…?
- So for this filler episode? The non-native vocalist of Nao’s favorite band happens to show up in town. Despite being blind, she could see straight through Yuu and how he was still trying to struggle in life without Ayumi; I suppose that’s what heightened senses does to you. With him still racking his brains trying to think how her band makes him feel so nostalgic (this will, no doubt, have something to do with this elusive brother he is alleged to have), Sala ends up hanging onto him for the entire day, eating ‘modern-yaki’ (I had to laugh at that), getting drunk on draft beer (because that’s what every adult in anime does) and eventually having a heart-to-heart with him. Nao, on the other hand, didn’t seem that bothered about her being in town (she was never usually one to actually accept favors after all). I mean she’s not entirely the idol Joujirou makes Yusa out to be. Besides I wouldn’t have a crazy fit if I discovered any one of my favorite bands’ frontmen were in my town. That’s just the way of the post-rock fan; we love the music, and we couldn’t care less about meeting the people behind it one-on-one. I’m speaking from experience. I can name my own favorite post-rock bands, but that’s for another blog.
They are, actually, very different.
- Will we see Sala again? I doubt it. That’s usually the power of the filler episode; we’re introduced to one character that is often important to the show (in this case, it’s the band itself and the music Nao loves and what makes Yuu feel weird). She speaks a lot of wise words (and a couple of silly ones, because that’s what crazy eccentric women do), and while she underlines the fact that Yuu is, deep inside, a nice guy despite his faults both past and present, and she recognises that there is, in fact, a stronger bond between him and Nao than he realises. That’ll no doubt be the last we’ll ever see of her. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. Not to mention the fact that Yuu must be pretty dumb not to realize that Nao offering him a ticket to see her favorite band automatically means a date.
- I will have to admit though that watching Charlotte has become quite a tiring experience now. Despite last week’s episode, and the one before that, I’m not receiving any of the tense drama and energy that I’d normally get from watching Angel Beats! (or any other Key adaptation for that matter). A lot of people hated Little Busters! for its overbearing melodrama, but I still felt it was needed considering the past that the featured girls had (Komari and her brother, Haruka and her disowned family, Mio and her ‘over-protective’ shadow and Kud with the war and tragedy of her home country). Charlotte does, like all Key adaptations, has the one central male MC who, despite his trials and tribulations, has an incredibly caring nature. Yuu started off being an ungrateful selfish cheat to someone who genuinely cares about the people around him. This is, of course, all Nao’s doing. If it wasn’t for her, Yuu wouldn’t have realised how much his sister plays an essential role in his life, and he wouldn’t have realised that there’s more to life than simply using people as tools just to simply better your own life. Kind of reminiscent of Angel Beats! and the MC’s relationship with Yuri (and Kanade).
- I just have to sit back and wait for this show to be better; this episode didn’t help being the somewhat dull filler that it was. Now that the band has been highlighted more in the show (as opposed to it just being said), it, Yuu, Nao, and the mystery behind this alleged sibling will surely be revealed. I think though that it’s going about it too slowly. The sharp and sudden shocks of the last 2 episodes have now gone, and we need some other plot-line to fill the gap in and peak our attention some more. People I know had already dropped Charlotte weeks ago, purely because the plot was going that slowly (not to mention the fact that some of the main characters were too annoying for their own liking). But I’m not giving up yet. I can’t. Because despite my reservations, I want to know about this alleged sibling. Yuu and Nao won’t confess and kiss, but I can live with that.
What if these actually worked…?
They are, actually, very different.
