Sora yori mo Tooi Basho Episode 11 Discussion

Tsarko said:
Fine episode but someone correct me if I am wrong, Hinata quit school altogether because she was bullied in the track team? Idk, but it sounds pretty dumb to me.

FireCrauter said:

I recommend you to the page www.kn3.net to upload images, it is very easy and fast.

Tacsk0 said:

Secondly the whole premise is unrealistic and ridiculous. I mean such emotionally unstable and immature people would never be allowed on an expedition which goes to the end of the world for at least 3 months.

Tacsk0 said:
This episode was weak and stupid. Let me say melodrama is always junk and a talented director never resorts to such a cheap "solution" to fill screen-time.

Secondly the whole premise is unrealistic and ridiculous. I mean such emotionally unstable and immature people would never be allowed on an expedition which goes to the end of the world for at least 3 months. They don't want suicides and people getting into fights with each other at a base that more or less resembles a prison, with adverse weather acting as the chain fence. So how would those hysterical girls and ladyfolk pass muster during the psychology evaluation? They would never get a chance to set foot on the ship, much less see Antarctica.

Jaeger07 said:

Shitty friends encouraged her to compete against third years for a position in a race or whatever, even though generally the third years get those positions because its their last chance. Then when confronted, her "friends" threw her under the bus. However it's unclear if they suggested that to her to bully her or if they just changed their tune afterwards when they realized how mad the upperclassmen were and didn't have the balls to support Hinata.

AbeldeMedici said:

Actually it isn't that dumb. School bullying is a serious social problem in Japan and continues to increase. Japanese society is very group-focused and those who, willingly or not, stand out, are often isolated or bullied.

It may not appear like that from a Western point of view, but in a Japanese context, Hinata being selected instead of her senpai basically meant "breaking the rules" of seniority, since her senpai should have had preference "just because they were senpai". That meant being ostracized in the club and in the school in general; others wouldn't take her side even if she had made no fault, because she "broke the rules" and risked being ostracized themselves. Yeah, I know it sounds absurd - it is, if you ask me. But that's how things are there.

theloliguardian said:

I like how there's always a phrase that stands out in each episode.
"In your face!"
"ne"
"Piss off"

The friendship of Shirase and Hinata is quite amusing. Glad they are doing that instead of mainly focusing on the "main" character (Kimari) bonding with others. Kimari is pretty much treated as a side character for the past episodes even lol.

AbeldeMedici said:

Actually it isn't that dumb. School bullying is a serious social problem in Japan and continues to increase. Japanese society is very group-focused and those who, willingly or not, stand out, are often isolated or bullied.

It may not appear like that from a Western point of view, but in a Japanese context, Hinata being selected instead of her senpai basically meant "breaking the rules" of seniority, since her senpai should have had preference "just because they were senpai". That meant being ostracized in the club and in the school in general; others wouldn't take her side even if she had made no fault, because she "broke the rules" and risked being ostracized themselves. Yeah, I know it sounds absurd - it is, if you ask me. But that's how things are there.

Tsarko said:
Yea, I know that things are different there with all that senpai-junior relations and other stuff and that it may be harsher than in the west. But she quit school altogether if I am not wrong?. Is there something stopping her from just switching schools instead of just quiting?

NanaPirro said:
please name the music we hear in the end when yuzuki tien hinata during shirase moral lesson to hinata fake friends?? Please

AbeldeMedici said:

I suppose she could have. I imagine that she couldn't get to trust people again after what happened. In fact, I think that at some point in the episode she says something like that.

Tsarko said:


Yea, I know that things are different there with all that senpai-junior relations and other stuff and that it may be harsher than in the west. But she quit school altogether if I am not wrong?. Is there something stopping her from just switching schools instead of just quiting?

D1tchd1gger said:

Another thing covered in the podcast I posted is that final year students in High School just don't bother with learning anything because they concentrate on studying for the College/University entrance exams. Hinata is shown reading a book on the plane in episode 6 about entrance exans, and she mentions it in an earlier episode that this'll be an adventure to enjoy before College. So I don't think she needs to be in school as long as she studies hard for her entrance exams.

AbeldeMedici said:

Thanks for the podcast, I like to dig deeper into the themes shown in anime. You know, when I started watching anime, school clubs were one of the things that most fascinated me (in my country there isn't such a thing and I thought it was very good that students had a space to develop their talents), but only as I grew up I started noticing the darker side to them.
You may want to read this article, which I found to be very illustrative of this cultural difference: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/06/22/issues/consuming-school-clubs-worry-foreign-parents/#.Wqhtzj975PY

I agree that the final episode should focus Kimari, who went from the first protagonist to kinda the supporting character of the main group.

marmondesu said:

Sora wo miagete, the same insert song as ep 2 and 4

AbeldeMedici said:
So, I've just realized what was it that I was missing in these past two episodes: It's the sense of progression. In each episode from 1 to 9, they were closer to their goal while developing on the characters. Now that has stopped to focus just on the girls, and while I like their development I also miss that sense of excitement from the previous episodes. That's why I think this Antarctica arc feels somehow weaker compared to the journey itself. Hope that will improve on the last two episodes.

PolarCyrus97 said:
All of them are best girls, but in this case there might be a best best girl :)

Revvie-chan said:
I wonder if it's the right ending.
The episode itself is great (as always) but the ending... I don't know. Something feels wrong to me but I can't exactly pinpoint it.
Is it alright for Hinata to, in the end, rely on everyone else to tell her feelings? What's the point of friendship when in the end it stagnates your growth as a person?

2 episodes left...
I don't want this series to end :(

Bruneo said:


I think it's less they are fighting her battles for her, and instead A demonstration of the support that they offer her now.

Hinata isn't stagnant in the first place, we see it in her actions but we also get it in shirase's speech, that Hinata has moved on, she has taken the abuse and she is moving forward, living life. Not being shackled to the past but trying to move on.

The thing is sometimes you can't do it alone, sometimes you need the support of really good friends to help Break you free completely of those shackles.
And as a friend they can see her pulling on those chains but cursing that she still is somewhat bound by them.

Tarotist said:
I think this is the first time I've ever seen an anime portray static electricity from touching a doorknob...

Jaeger07 said:


Then you haven't watched Lucky Star yet. It's filled with almost true-to-life everyday occurences and references, at least from an otaku's perspective.

Tsarko said:


Yea, I know that things are different there with all that senpai-junior relations and other stuff and that it may be harsher than in the west. But she quit school altogether if I am not wrong?. Is there something stopping her from just switching schools instead of just quiting?