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Dammit Watanabe, why do you insist on making it look so easy?
This was an amazingly simple episode of Sakamichi no Apollon, really. Basically four main scenes, plus a few supporting ones, spread out over the winter holidays as Kyushu is covered by a light blanket of snow. I can only describe the way Watanabe constructed it as “elegant”. If Tsuritama is Oscar Peterson – bright and brash and slightly out of control, bursting with creative flair, Sakamichi is Bill Evans. Not a note is wasted, and not an unnecessary one added. Watanabe, like Evans, plays only what needs to be played to communicate the feeling behind the music. If I had to take one of those two pianists with me to a desert island, I’d be glad I wasn’t on a desert island and grateful that the jazz world has given me both.
Think about all that Watanabe accomplished here. He tied up Jun’s arc as neatly as you could want, tied a bow on his relationship with Yurika, allowed Ri’ko to come to terms with her feelings for Sentarou, and settled the question of which guy she had decided on (though not without a hint of suspense). And oh, by the way, it saved perhaps its more powerful emotional punch for the farewell between Sen and Brother Jun, and in the process delivered another jackhammer of a jam session with all four players attacking Miles Davis’ “Four” (from Four and More, 1964). That’s why he’s one of very few directors who could have taken on the task of distilling this long manga down to 12 episodes without losing the essence of what it was.
I’ll start with that scene, because it was probably by favorite of the episode. It was such a quintessentially “guy” way to say goodbye – neither one of them could find anything to say to each other after their awkward, violent parting. So they duked it out through their music – full of emotion and affection, not expressed tenderly but ferociously and angrily. It was the first in what I expect to be a string of goodbyes over the final four episodes, and given that friendship and jazz are at the heart of Sakamichi, it’s fitting that it was an absolute home-run of a moment. Jun was a supplemental part of the story, but a critical one, and I’m glad his departure was treated with the respect it deserved.
With him of course went Yurika, although I was in suspense right up to the last minute about that. There was a lot of feeling to the contrary, but it was my opinion all along that the two of them had never done more than kissed – and that her mother’s “gynecologist” comment last week was effectively her assuming that her daughter had been seduced and preparing for the worst. Yurika has exceeded expectations several times in this series and she leaves the story in grand style, true to herself with her pride intact – and she was willing to stay behind as Jun went back to Tokyo to join Arita’s new publishing venture, once she was satisfied that Jun was doing what he felt was right. It was only when Jun realized just how hopeless a situation he’d be leaving Yurika in that he became her knight in shining armor. Logically, it makes much more sense for her to stay behind – she’s too young for Jun, and his future is uncertain. But an uncertain future is better than one almost certain to be loveless, and in the end he followed his heart instead of his brain.
Perhaps a week later than I expected, that appears to truly clear the field for the main trio. There was an amusing diversion at Yamaoka’s Christmas party early on, which Kaoru had attended as a way of distancing himself from Sen and Ritsuko. As he was thinking “I wonder what those two are doing right now?” I could help but wonder which one he was jealous of – and then realize, the answer is really both of them, in different ways. I’m also beginning to suspect that Watanabe is intentionally teasing us about The Olympus playing The Beatles, because everyone keeps suggesting it and they keep playing Spiders’ songs. And Seiji proves himself quite the character, prancing about in a bedsheet toga as he sings lead.
That’s more or less just preamble to the Trio’s situation entering its next phase. This was really a Ritsuko ep mostly, as she was the one doing the introspection – puzzling over her anger at Kaoru for pushing her towards Sen, after she’d been the one to reject him. Her chat with Yurika and “Chet” the cat (does he play trumpet and sing, and did Yurika smuggle him off to Tokyo with her?) was refreshingly direct and authentic(and let me add, this ep gave us both Yurika’s reference to Ritsuko’s “Prince” – and “whiskers on kittens and warm woolen mittens”. That’s almost embarrassingly good stuff). And it all serves to push her towards admitting her feelings and, more than that, acting on them – as she states herself, to be the driver of action rather than simply reacting to others. Rit-chan is fundamentally a sweet and kind girl who puts others first and has a somewhat negative view of her own worth – but what she came to realize in this episode is that there are times where you have to be selfish, and pursue your own happiness.
Even after Yurika had retrieved the ball of wool from the trash, there was just a hint of doubt in my mind about what Rit-chan had decided. But when she told Sen, “Yes – you got it wrong” that answered the question for me. Credit where it’s due, it took real courage for Sentarou to finally confront her that way. With the air cleared between the two of them, she’s free to do what her heart tells her – which is shown in lovely fashion when she hides Kaoru’s new gloves in the piano in the studio. I can’t imagine Sentarou will accept this without some pain, though in effect, he and Ri’ko are siblings – it’s going to hurt to think of she and Kaoru having each other, while he has no one. Perhaps the message will be that what the two of them feel for Sen – and he for them – is just as real and from the heart as what they feel for each other. Romance and sex aren’t absent from Sakamichi no Apollon by any means, but more than those things, the series is about love.
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Litho
June 8, 2012 at 12:26 amQ: Dammit Watanabe, why do you insist on making it look so easy?
A: Because I am Wanatab,e and unlike Shinkai, I don't try to hard.
admin
June 8, 2012 at 1:06 amEh, bite your tongue – Shinkai is the greatest visual artist in animation. And his stories are generally very simple – in fact, better when they don't do too much, which is what tripped up Hoshi o Ou Kodomo.
Anonymous
June 8, 2012 at 12:31 amThat moment when Jun realizes what Yurika meant when she said "I'm going back to my old world" is for me the most emotionally powerful moment I've seen in anime in 2012.
Holy snaps, did I get the chills watching that part.
totoum
June 8, 2012 at 1:56 amMe:"Man,how is one supposed to adapt a 9 volume manga in just one cour?"
Watanabe:"Like this"
Me:"oh…..right"
JD
June 8, 2012 at 4:32 amLOL! And I just started reading the manga. It helps that I watched this first so that I can at least imagine the music they're playing since I'm not that familiar with jazz.
Ishruns
June 8, 2012 at 7:36 amWhen each episode ends I feel satisfied. I don't care about the wait, I'm not at the edge of seat, what I am is relaxed and content. I just feel happy to have seen something so complete on all fronts and I cheerfully await what new brilliance Watanabe will pull out of the hat.
He really does make look it far too easy, but then that is what all the top directors are capable of. Respect to the mangaka though for how well thought out her tale is. It completely captures the essence of the 60s in Japan and of Jazz.
On the Shinkai front I think that the man's use of animation, especially with light and shadows, and how the beauty of his scenery contrasts with simple character designs is truly in a class of its own. However on the story side, other than the first part of 5 centimeters per second, he has never been able to compose a story that is level with his animation. Watanabe is doing that right now, in my opinion.
admin
June 8, 2012 at 4:09 pmExcept he didn't compose it – the mangaka did! He's adapting, which is a different skill.
I agree that Shinkai has only truly written a story to match his art with 5CM, but it's not an issue of trying to do too much (apart from Hoshi) but a relative lack of polish as a writer. I give him credit for doing all original works, and I think "Place Promised" is quite underrated as a story.
Ishruns
June 8, 2012 at 4:37 pmI liked Place Promised but didn't really get the ending. For me I think if Shinkai would try something like Summer Wars in his own way it would be mind blowing. Making an original anime movie is much harder than probably anything else that anime companies can do so tons of respect for that.
Hoshi has been on my watch list since the trailer aired but haven't yet had the chance to take a peek.
Setsuken
June 8, 2012 at 9:18 amThis has been the most rewarding episode of Sakimichi no Apollon for me personally.
This anime series has really given me everything I generally crave. I love Sentaro, but I was really rooting for Kaoru when it came to Ritsuko's feelings.
It was great to see the nice guy, who's had the odds stacked up against him, who didn't have the "childhood connection" actually get the girl interested in him.
Added to that, all the time that Kaoru has been suffering these past few episode, I've been smiling, since for all his pain, I can't wait to see his face when he DOES get the girl.
Unless something odd happens near the end, I'm hoping Kaoru and Ritsuko get a good ending, much in the same way Junichi and Yurika did.
I was pretty surprised by the sudden happy ending for those two, as it seemed poised to be a bittersweet ending near the end.
All in all, an amazing episode. I feel satisfied, and like someone else said, I really don't feel the wait each week for this series as much as I do other series.
Also, on a personal note, while I'm following both Tsuritama and this series, I have to say that Sakamichi no Apollon definitely edges out the other story simply because its a more realistic, mature story than Tsuritama, which as you describe, is bursting with youth and playfullness.
hikari
June 8, 2012 at 10:53 amWatanabe is totally deliver like usual, he's really making it look so easy with this series. Continu on with your great job Watanabe-san and give us the amazing closure for this series with the remaining 3 eps which going to animate the last 3 books. Considering this is Watanabe, I'm quite optimistic he can do this right. Btw, a bit offtopic but I'm sure you'll be feeling overjoy Enzo, to know that our favorite series Chihayafuru(Taichi Tuesday)is officially getting a 2nd season, yessssss. Banzai Madhouse&NTV, you guys're awesome!!! Hopefully we'll also get another 25 eps again.
dv
June 8, 2012 at 11:07 amNo idea whether it would be Tuesdays. It would most likely not even be released this year. Probably next year or the year after.
And is Apollon really 3 episodes more? Know its ending but not sure if 3 is the actual number
hikari
June 8, 2012 at 11:31 amYep Apollon is confirmed for 12 eps & considering this ep basically wrap up book 6(if I'm not mistaken), then obviously ep10-12 will consist of book 7-9. And speaking of Chihayafuru, yeah it's still haven't got detail announcement about the released dates, days of broadcast, etc..but atleast it's already official that we're really getting 2nd season anyway. Whether it'll be this fall or next year, I'm pretty sure that I can wait patiently for it's airing, now that we got the announcement.
Beckett
June 11, 2012 at 5:52 pmOkay okay so after this episode I'm revising my opinion about Maruo, it looks like he's popular now so maybe Ritsuko's friend really does like him. Either my high school was abnormal or this was a departure from a show that normally is quite realistic, because when I was in school playing guitar was not enough to make the overweight nerdy kid super popular with the ladies.