As I’ve noted in the past, I think Given is much to be admired for staying so true to what it seems naturally to be. That’s not just blowing smoke, I actually mean it – sincerity is better than pretension, though what a series is being sincere about still has to have the legs to prop up the table. What Given (in anime form at least) seems to be is a series that goes about its paces with deliberation and (mostly) restraint, and is not too interested in trying to generate much excitement. That may not (by definition) be very exciting, but it does (mostly) work for me.
With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that Given was right back in its usual chill narrative mode this week. Episode 9 seems to have been very much the aberration, and if that was the earthquake caused by all the pent up energy in the plot tectonics, there were only minor aftershocks this week. That also means of course that we got almost no music (which is also the default mode for Given), and I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t feel like a bit of a letdown. But that probably as much as anything comes down to me having the wrong idea about what kind of series this is.
I will say there’s a degree of realism to this, at least for me. For guys this age, teens and barely 20’s, stuff tends to happen almost incidentally it seems – interspersed with brief bursts of euphoria and sweeping change. We go through life languidly, not pushing too hard even when we know we should, and then get a bug up our fundament about something and turn into pinballs until things resolve themselves or we get tired or drunk and pass out. Life for the young male can be much like the narrative flow of Given, I suppose – which makes the show kind of genius in a sense for capturing that.
Speaking of “Given”, that’s now the name of the former Seasons. Kind of ironic that a band with three members called itself that and changed it when they added a fourth (especially as his name contains the one damn season they were missing). And courtesy of Take-chan they have an edited clip of their live performance (at least the one song before Mafuyu bailed), which Haruki immediately sets about posting online. That performance definitely generated buzz – Mafuyu and Ritsuka’s classmates are talking about it, Hiiragi is crying about it and Mafuyu has apparently sung his way into bed with a fever.
Ritsuka’s impulsive kiss is the elephant in the room in every sense of the word, and as you’d expect from their natures Ritsuka seems much more freaked out about it than Mafuyu. After Mafuyu recovers (thanks to the rations Ritsuka brought over?) the band settles in at the yakiniku-ya to figure out their future. Aki (who’s turned down Ritsuka’s sister, pretty much cementing where he’s at romantically at the moment) doesn’t bat an eye when Mafuyu talks about his old boyfriend – and Haru certainly takes note. The fact that Yuki’s mom gave him the guitar further suggests that his parents were surprisingly tolerant about their son’s relationship with another boy – perhaps the fact that the two of them grew up together made than a little easier for them to come to grips with.
Eventually even for a show as sloth-like as Given that kiss has to be addressed, and it finally is when Mafuyu drags Ritsuka to Minato Mirai in Yokohama – a “popular date spot”. I’m glad he finally put Ritsuka out of his misery, though the thing with Mafuyu is he probably had no idea Ritsuka was miserable in the first place. I never had any doubts that Mafuyu would reciprocate Ritsuka’s feelings, just as I never doubted he’d want to keep singing and writing songs. The question now is whether he’s capable of being in a healthy long-term relationship either romantically or musically, but sadly it’s one I don’t think this adaptation is going to have time to really answer.
elianthos
September 14, 2019 at 12:22 amAnd then He Smiled in slow-mo bathed by a gentle sunset and caressed by a gentle breeze both IRL and in Ritsuka’s Love Goggles. And thus he spoketh of love *quiet huzzah*
I am dearly hoping they are saving Ritsuka’s mind theatre reaction gag to Mafu’s declaration for next week because they were hilarious and a nice little tonal counterpoint :°) . Please gimme at least these to watch out of them all :°) .
– On a slighter more serious note at this point in the story I was glad to see Mafu taking the initiative and picking a seaside spot for their impromptu date. Similarly to his guitar and his music it felt like an acknowledgment of his past while also his first steps in realy moving on and forward.
– the main positive for me about the anime adaptation diluition effect? Ugetsu’s uneasy vibes feel much more dialled down. Possibly also because in the anime he doesn’t have his distinctively usually dead eyes.
—
Last but not least… the new band name and title drop at last, which brings together the old and the new 😀
P.S. I was sweating for that laptop held so close above the merrily incadescent yakiniku grill :°D .
Guardian Enzo
September 14, 2019 at 7:31 amYeah, I was sure that Macbook was going to sizzle and fry.
sweejen
September 14, 2019 at 5:52 amThe pace is admittedly slow, but that leaves a lot more room for details! Yayoi’s meltdown and Uenoyama senior’s panicked attempts to defuse it were hilarious, and showed how naturally Ritsuka comes by his exuberant cluelessness. Mafuyu’s almost stream-of-consciousness verbalizing over yakiniku was jarring but pretty realistic for someone who’s had an epiphany, and watching the rest of the guys fork over their meat as if they were trying to sober him up was a funny touch. I’m confident the love confession will be joyously received by our protagonist (he’s my protagonist, anyway), but I do have one question. When the hell is Mafuyu going to stop calling Ritsuka “Uenoyama-kun?”
leongsh
September 14, 2019 at 11:50 amSo.. we have a title drop in this episode and it’s the name of the band with Mafuyu included.
I found it funny that Ritsuka did a VHS memory rewind to finally recall he kissed Mafuyu impulsively and thereafter, panicked over whether he went too far with that. Mafuyu does have him fully beaten. That happy smile Mafuyu showed him at the Minota Mirai was definitely the critical kill blow to Ritsuka and then Mafuyu dropped THE bomb.
Guardian Enzo
September 14, 2019 at 11:56 amI still find it weird that a band with only three guys calls themselves “The Seasons” even though they’re missing winter. Then a guy with “Fuyu” in his name joins – and they decide they have to change the name? I wonder if that was meant as a kind of in-joke.
leongsh
September 14, 2019 at 3:19 pmWasn’t expecting the band’s name change as well since “The Seasons” fits them with Mafuyu added makes it 4 seasons.
p.s. Tempted to go to Shibuya to find the places referenced in this series but my plans for this weekend in Tokyo are in Ueno to Nihonbashi area.
leongsh
September 15, 2019 at 9:42 amp.p.s.
This paper folder/sleeve (https://imgur.com/a/Lm5iXyE) uses the last scene at the end of the OP to fill in the band. Yes, it’s official merchandise. Picked it up at Animate Akibahara.
elianthos
September 15, 2019 at 8:45 pmgood pic(k) 😀