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| THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE. ---------------------------------------- Nao had the potential but not the drive. I wonder what would have happened if she were to get accepted after the third audition. |
 ...even a saint needs a soldier to do the dirty work. |
| oh cool, they name dropped Utada Hikaru |
PandadiceOct 16, 2009 12:12 AM
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kerlyenai said: There are junior pop idols and then there are junior gravure idols.The messages in the end weren't so bad but I was very disappointed that they did not criticize the fact that middle school girls were being used as "idols". This practice is very much unsavoury since it panders to some very obvious pedophilic fantasies. Japan is really messed up in that way. Fortunately that is not all there is to the nation. :) Furthermore, it wasn't emphasized enough that children should not be made to think that entering the entertainment industry at such a young age is a good thing. I don't see how any parent would desire that kind of childhood for their children... My rating has dropped from good to average after this episode. I hope that some very good stuff is to come or it will stay at 5/10. There's quite a big difference between the two. This episode was showing auditions for junior pop idols. There are junior pop idols in the west too, you know, with a certain person by the name of Miley Cyrus being one of the most popular female exammples in the west (she was about the same age as Nao when she found stardom). There's plenty of guys who became popular singers in their teens as well, not least Micheal Jackson when he was with the Jackson 5. Did anyone complain about them? And then we have fashion models. It's not uncommon to enter that industry at 14, and they are probably far more objectified than pop idols are. An anime example, as much it pains me to say it, is Fancy Lala. Miho got scouted by a company as Lala and they asked her age, she claimed to be 15 (Miho is 9, but the magic she can use makes her look a few years older than she is). She started off modeling swimsuits (of all things) and sportswear before moving on to singing and TV roles. Finally, we have junior gravure idols, which is what you are probably talking about. The only real example I have seen of this industry in anime is in Key the Metal Idol, where one such company was portrayed as shady as they attempted to sign Key (was says she was about 16-17, even though she's a robot) for nude (I presume) modeling. A bit on the tl;dr side I know, but what I am trying to get is that there are many different types of junior celebrities/idols/models, and the example this episode offers seems to be one of the more innocuous examples to me. |
Current FAL Ranking + Previous best::  [ |
| ^Didn't even know what she was audition for. Still liked this episode. Also, if I was in those girls position I'd spend way more time manipulating the wind trying to learn how to fly. |
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| Lmao... I died at the part where Miki was yelling "Woooooow" (in response to Nao's acceptance) as the camera flashed back and forth between her and Nao. I think the posters above me are missing the point. Fuujin Monogatari's themes are pretty subtle; I don't think the writers were trying to say anything about the entertainment industry. Rather, this episode was simply about staying true to yourself and doing the things you love. Nao was on a road that she didn't really want to be on, and her feelings of apprehension were affecting her joy. This was why, after being accepted, she could only conjure a tiny whirlwind when she was on the rooftop. The various scenes in this episode with the swaying skyscrapers in the background were interesting. The moving buildings might have represented the insecurity that Nao felt as she progressed through the audition stages. In the last scene, when Nao steps onto the rooftop after her rejection, the skyscrapers appear for a moment; however, they vanish when Nao remembers that photography is her passion. While she may be at the bottom of the skyscrapers now, she will eventually reach the top and do what she truly wants to do. |
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| Agreed with @Tien; the plot is not of concern here, that's just a layer—the essence of Fuujin Monogatari are in the subtleties. It requires a clear mind to fully absorb and appreciate. From this episode I got the sense that Nao was unfettered (and free—flowing like the wind ) and her mind wasn't attached to images like the other girls auditioning. This gave the jury glimpses of her spontaneous and genuine self which got her further in the auditioning process. Nao's reaction to the rejection was a pleasure to behold as well; No self imposed sorrow—but rather a natural gravitation to what she truly enjoys. This has proven to be an excellent and unconventional series very happy I chose to watch it! |
wu-weiJan 15, 2017 12:29 PM
| Re-watching: Every episode is beautiful in its own way. The way characters kind of flow into and out of episodes - drawing you in all the same, is very special. Profound in its simplicity, I just love how this anime can get its point across so naturally. Characters are as expressive and personable as ever. |
| Damn, it's stuff like this were I wish episode discussion were more active. I quite liked this episode. I think above posters are right about the freedom in doing things you enjoy. Nao clearly wasn't enjoying the acting thing. But otherwise cheering her friends and whatever is something she would rather do. She comes across as quite happy in the end. I like Karin's dedication too. Hopefully her next audition goes well, though I am saying that like there is a next time lol. |
| Nao's behavior of just kinda going with the flow and not thinking too hard about her choices feels symbolic to the gusts of wind that freely go anywhere. Those moving buildings were kinda trippy 0__0 That postcard memory at the ending looked stunning. That gust of wind that Nao shoots at Karin feels like some kind sign of good luck. It's like she's trying to give some of that "going with the flow" attitude to Karin through her wind powers. |
SoapMay 4, 6:53 AM
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