Kodomo no Jikan TV and OVA discussion

[Fencedude]

The "Too hot for TV" OVA was released today-ish, just finished watching.

It focused around the sleepover at Rin's place chapter of the manga, with some miscellaneous other stuff thrown in as padding.

It was quite risque, though not so much as the manga. No nipples for one, but otherwise all the innuendo was pretty much intact.

Apparently the producers of the TV series have stated that "current events in the manga cannot be depicted on TV", so that version will probably be significantly less racy.

Anyway, all in all it was pretty good. More Reiji than normal, since half the episode took place at Rin's house, and very little Aoki, except at the beginning and end. Boin-sensei only had a short cameo at the end.

Various and sundry Screenshots (http://www.fencedude.com/Images/OVAScreenshots.jpg) Probably NOT WORK SAFE. Also in ABSOLUTELY NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

[Lego]

Bottom left shot..

:roll:

[Splitter]

:3, the splattered cream gag... and what the heck is that in the bottom right corner? :sigh:

[Fencedude]

:3, the splattered cream gag... and what the heck is that in the bottom right corner? :sigh:

Its the image shown at the end of the ED.

[Fencedude]

It is delicious Ice Cream (http://www.fencedude.com/Images/Ice_Cream.gif). You must lick it.

[angelx03]

It is delicious Ice Cream (http://www.fencedude.com/Images/Ice_Cream.gif). You must lick it.


I rather make my own......

[Rhodes]

you know i never gave much thought to those little pony or motorcycle rides outside supermarkets...

dont think i can ever think of them the same way now.

[Suwako Moriya]

Various and sundry Screenshots (http://www.fencedude.com/Images/OVAScreenshots.jpg) Probably NOT WORK SAFE. Also in ABSOLUTELY NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

I can only conclude two things from those images. First this series just wrong. Second I need to actually watch the episode. In fact that's what I'm currently doing. Call me crazy, but I especially like the second left image. It uh the whole Angel and Devil thing. Okay at least I can claim it's part of it.

[Suwako Moriya]

All right I finished watching the OVA. It's definitely one of those guilty pleasure things. Not sure how the TV series will be, but if the OVA's indication it may have some potential so long as it doesn't end up feeling forced. Which is the worst thing for this type of show to end up being.

Edit: I should note I have no experience with the manga and stuff so I don't know how "bad" it may get. So whether or not I will regret this like I did with another series remains to be seen.

[Nork22]

Apparently the producers of the TV series have stated that "current events in the manga cannot be depicted on TV", so that version will probably be significantly less racy.
So are we looking at DVD only episodes that they can't broadcast on TV much like the other 'loli' show out there? :P

[Nork22]

Just watched this OAV and I feel a bit dirty. Excuse me while I go take a shower.

[Ty]

I know nothing about the material this is based on. Somebody tell me why the twintail girl deliberately exposes herself to the teacher?

[Lego]

I know nothing about the material this is based on. Somebody tell me why the twintail girl deliberately exposes herself to the teacher?

loli girl likes teacher, she tries to bed him/flirt with him the entire manga.

[Splitter]

I know nothing about the material this is based on. Somebody tell me why the twintail girl deliberately exposes herself to the teacher?

loli girl likes teacher, she tries to bed him/flirt with him the entire manga.

So it's going to do for harem anime what Moetan did for magical girl... I feel sick already.

[Fencedude]

[

So it's going to do for harem anime what Moetan did for magical girl... I feel sick already.

Its hardly a Harem anime.

[Splitter]

[

So it's going to do for harem anime what Moetan did for magical girl... I feel sick already.

Its hardly a Harem anime.



Then I'm not sure how to classify this other than an anime I'm pretty sure I couldn't stomach.

Yeah, pass. It's not worth the 1% of purity I still have.

[Fencedude]

I'm amused (though not surprised) at the reactions here.

It'll be interesting to see how toned down the TV series is.

[Nork22]

I might feel dirty about it, but I'll watch the TV series! :D

There's 2 thing Kodoma has over Moetan, at least it's a bit more charming, and there's that yuri vibe from Kuro lusting over Rin. :D

[Ty]

I know nothing about the material this is based on. Somebody tell me why the twintail girl deliberately exposes herself to the teacher?

loli girl likes teacher, she tries to bed him/flirt with him the entire manga.
Couldn't be as bad as the loli with purple hair from Popotan. I honestly don't get the appeal of stuff like this, but it could play the humor card and be worth watching potentially.

[Fencedude]

I know nothing about the material this is based on. Somebody tell me why the twintail girl deliberately exposes herself to the teacher?

loli girl likes teacher, she tries to bed him/flirt with him the entire manga.
Couldn't be as bad as the loli with purple hair from Popotan. I honestly don't get the appeal of stuff like this, but it could play the humor card and be worth watching potentially.

I'd like to point out that what Lego said is a vast oversimplification of what is going on.

Its not wrong, but thats not the actual point of the story.

[Splitter]

I know nothing about the material this is based on. Somebody tell me why the twintail girl deliberately exposes herself to the teacher?

loli girl likes teacher, she tries to bed him/flirt with him the entire manga.
Couldn't be as bad as the loli with purple hair from Popotan. I honestly don't get the appeal of stuff like this, but it could play the humor card and be worth watching potentially.

I'd like to point out that what Lego said is a vast oversimplification of what is going on.

Its not wrong, but thats not the actual point of the story.


Before I become like the same people I hated when the whole Nymphet scandal was going on, would you please put what this is about in spoilers? I don't want to turn down something so blindly but I could definitely use some motivation.

[unknownfatehome]

The difference between the two is that Popotan was a H-game and was turned into the "Magical Girl" show for the Anime hence the "Loli" aspect going on.

Kodomo No Jikan is what it is. The manga is lewd and creepy,the OVA seems a little toned down and a full anime series would result in further edits to the core story.

Unfortunately it's that kind of title, no matter how light and cute the general content may be the darker relationship arcs which govern the plot will have to remain or else the story becomes even creepier.

[Fencedude]

Before I become like the same people I hated when the whole Nymphet scandal was going on, would you please put what this is about in spoilers? I don't want to turn down something so blindly but I could definitely use some motivation.

MASS RANDOM SPOILERS AS THEY POP INTO MY HEAD

Yes, Rin does flirt shamelessly with her teacher, and she does do so in an incredibly sexual manner. I won't deny that. However, thats not the entire story. Rin lives with her...cousin, I guess (whatever you call her mother's cousin, anyway), Reiji, who was basically kicked out by his family and ended up living with Rin and her mother back when Rin was 4 or so. Reiji and Rin's mom fell in love (keep in mind Reiji was in his last year of highschool at the time, and Rin's mom wasn't that much older) and started having an affair. Unfortunately shortly after Reiji graduated and got a job, Aki was diagnosed with lung cancer, and after a long period of illness, died.

Now we get to the creepy part. Reiji ends up gaining custody of Rin, and raises her as if she were his sister. But Reiji, who has some noticeable issues, very clearly sees her as more than that. He basically sees Rin as Aki 2.0, and can't wait for her to grow up so he can have the same relationship wit Rin that he had with Aki.

As for her teacher, Aoki, he never reciprocates her advances, and very clearly is interested in Houin-sensei, aka Boin-sensei, for obvious reasons. He does get flustered easily though, and Rin takes shameless advantage of this.

If loli fanservice squicks you, then this isn't the show for you, but it does not promote lolicon, anymore than Lolita promoted pedophilia.

[Splitter]

The difference between the two is that Popotan was a H-game and was turned into the "Magical Girl" show for the Anime hence the "Loli" aspect going on.

I wasn't really looking for the difference between Popotan and KnJ, just what it is if not an excuse for overt loli fanservice. Everyone says there's more to it but no one says what that "more" is, and I'd like to know even if that means super-spoilers.

Also, I don't think we watched the same Popotan.

[Fencedude]

The difference between the two is that Popotan was a H-game and was turned into the "Magical Girl" show for the Anime hence the "Loli" aspect going on.

Kodomo No Jikan is what it is. The manga is lewd and creepy (Daisuke) the OVA seems a little toned down and a full anime series would result in further edits to the core story.

Unfortunately it's that kind of title, no matter how light and cute the general content may be the darker relationship arcs which govern the plot will have to remain or else the story becomes even creepier.

Huh? I don't see what you are getting at.

Are you actually claiming that in Popotan its acceptable to sexualize Mii because it was from an H-game, but in Kodomo no Jikan its NOT because it wasn't H?

That doesn't make any sense.

[Splitter]

Before I become like the same people I hated when the whole Nymphet scandal was going on, would you please put what this is about in spoilers? I don't want to turn down something so blindly but I could definitely use some motivation.

MASS RANDOM SPOILERS AS THEY POP INTO MY HEAD

Yes, Rin does flirt shamelessly with her teacher, and she does do so in an incredibly sexual manner. I won't deny that. However, thats not the entire story. Rin lives with her...cousin, I guess (whatever you call her mother's cousin, anyway), Reiji, who was basically kicked out by his family and ended up living with Rin and her mother back when Rin was 4 or so. Reiji and Rin's mom fell in love (keep in mind Reiji was in his last year of highschool at the time, and Rin's mom wasn't that much older) and started having an affair. Unfortunately shortly after Reiji graduated and got a job, Aki was diagnosed with lung cancer, and after a long period of illness, died.

Now we get to the creepy part. Reiji ends up gaining custody of Rin, and raises her as if she were his sister. But Reiji, who has some noticeable issues, very clearly sees her as more than that. He basically sees Rin as Aki 2.0, and can't wait for her to grow up so he can have the same relationship wit Rin that he had with Aki.

As for her teacher, Aoki, he never reciprocates her advances, and very clearly is interested in Houin-sensei, aka Boin-sensei, for obvious reasons. He does get flustered easily though, and Rin takes shameless advantage of this.

If loli fanservice squicks you, then this isn't the show for you, but it does not promote lolicon, anymore than Lolita promoted pedophilia.


Okay, I'm going to go throw up now. Definite pass.

[Fencedude]

Okay, I'm going to go throw up now. Definite pass.

Its not for everyone, but I think its an interesting story, and I have no particular problem with loliservice to begin with.

[Splitter]

Okay, I'm going to go throw up now. Definite pass.

Its not for everyone, but I think its an interesting story, and I have no particular problem with loliservice to begin with.


Loliservice wasn't the problem for me. I enjoy loliservice in small doses, but when the story is fixated on the loli aspect I do have a problem with it. Regardless, I'm not passing on KnJ because of the loli aspect now, but more or less the overall angle of why Rin does what she does... to me, I find that absolutely repulsive, granted now I really feel sorry for Rin.

[Fencedude]

Loliservice wasn't the problem for me. I enjoy loliservice in small doses, but when the story is fixated on the loli aspect I do have a problem with it. Regardless, I'm not passing on KnJ because of the loli aspect now, but more or less the overall angle of why Rin does what she does... to me, I find that absolutely repulsive, granted now I really feel sorry for Rin.


Oh its terribly creepy, and Reiji is not presented in a positive light at all.

The only good point is that he doesn't seem to have any real interest in her NOW. He's a creepy little bastard, but he's not a pedophile. At least not yet.

Though what may happen if he thinks that he might LOSE Rin...

[Suwako Moriya]

*Reads the spoilers and some later ones* Okay this sounds like it's either going to be one of those shows that's interesting due to the creepy subject matter or one of those shows that's revolting due to the creepy subject matter. In short it could go either way for me. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

[Ty]

MASS RANDOM SPOILERS AS THEY POP INTO MY HEAD

Yes, Rin does flirt shamelessly with her teacher, and she does do so in an incredibly sexual manner. I won't deny that. However, thats not the entire story. Rin lives with her...cousin, I guess (whatever you call her mother's cousin, anyway), Reiji, who was basically kicked out by his family and ended up living with Rin and her mother back when Rin was 4 or so. Reiji and Rin's mom fell in love (keep in mind Reiji was in his last year of highschool at the time, and Rin's mom wasn't that much older) and started having an affair. Unfortunately shortly after Reiji graduated and got a job, Aki was diagnosed with lung cancer, and after a long period of illness, died.

Now we get to the creepy part. Reiji ends up gaining custody of Rin, and raises her as if she were his sister. But Reiji, who has some noticeable issues, very clearly sees her as more than that. He basically sees Rin as Aki 2.0, and can't wait for her to grow up so he can have the same relationship wit Rin that he had with Aki.

As for her teacher, Aoki, he never reciprocates her advances, and very clearly is interested in Houin-sensei, aka Boin-sensei, for obvious reasons. He does get flustered easily though, and Rin takes shameless advantage of this.

If loli fanservice squicks you, then this isn't the show for you, but it does not promote lolicon, anymore than Lolita promoted pedophilia.

It sounds reminiscent of Koi Kaze as much as anything.

[Splitter]

MASS RANDOM SPOILERS AS THEY POP INTO MY HEAD

Yes, Rin does flirt shamelessly with her teacher, and she does do so in an incredibly sexual manner. I won't deny that. However, thats not the entire story. Rin lives with her...cousin, I guess (whatever you call her mother's cousin, anyway), Reiji, who was basically kicked out by his family and ended up living with Rin and her mother back when Rin was 4 or so. Reiji and Rin's mom fell in love (keep in mind Reiji was in his last year of highschool at the time, and Rin's mom wasn't that much older) and started having an affair. Unfortunately shortly after Reiji graduated and got a job, Aki was diagnosed with lung cancer, and after a long period of illness, died.

Now we get to the creepy part. Reiji ends up gaining custody of Rin, and raises her as if she were his sister. But Reiji, who has some noticeable issues, very clearly sees her as more than that. He basically sees Rin as Aki 2.0, and can't wait for her to grow up so he can have the same relationship wit Rin that he had with Aki.

As for her teacher, Aoki, he never reciprocates her advances, and very clearly is interested in Houin-sensei, aka Boin-sensei, for obvious reasons. He does get flustered easily though, and Rin takes shameless advantage of this.

If loli fanservice squicks you, then this isn't the show for you, but it does not promote lolicon, anymore than Lolita promoted pedophilia.

It sounds reminiscent of Koi Kaze as much as anything.

Koi Kaze was handled far more delicately and with far more respect to the character dilemmas.

[Fencedude]

Koi Kaze was handled far more delicately and with far more respect to the character dilemmas.

You haven't even read the manga!

That being said, I couldn't stand Koi Kaze, but not because of the plot.

[Sly05]

While it's true they both are about touchy subject matters, Koi Kaze tries to challenge the audiences views on the subject matter while Kodomo no Jikan portrays the characters' actions as harmful. From Mimi's self-confidence issues, Kuro's distant relationship with her mother, to Rin's screwed up family life, it is made clear that they have problems. While I certainly won't say Kodomo no Jikan handles its storyline with the same maturity as Koi Kaze, the focus of the story is Aoki's attempts to help the three main girls overcome the problems with their home lives as he develops as a teacher. There's certainly more to it that loli fanservice.

That being said, Fencedude is right about it not being for everyone. If naked Mii in Popotan (the anime, the game is an entirely different thing all together) turned you off that series, the service is certainly more in your face here. If you get past all that, there is certainly an enjoyable story there.

[something]

::skims thread::

Geh.

I think I'll wait until about episode 2 or 3 of the TV series before coming back. I figure the people going on about how "sick" it is will be done with the thread by then, and we'll just be able to talk about the show itself.

This is all assuming I actually like it and want to post about it, of course, but I actually plan on watching it before I decide that, and if I don't like it I'm just going to ignore this thread.

[Lego]

The opening theme used in the C72 trailer was kinda catchy, but I had no real interest in the manga and the anime adaptation is aimed at that audience. I could just see if this got licensed and I went to buy it in Best Buy (http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/561/1189314012625xp3.jpg)

[Shikamaru824]

Just watched the OVA, and it's pretty much what I expected. A general overview-type episode with hints about what to expect from the TV series. We finally get voices for the girls, and they fit pretty well IMO. As far as racy pics go, the one near the end of the ED credits takes the cake so far. (very bottom right)

People are going to think and say and propagate whatever they want, whether or not they understand what the material presents. (with a firm ear shut) Since somebody mentioned it; Koi Kaze was more like a hypothetical situation handled in a conservative manner, to me. KnJ seems, again IMO, more realistic in the issues it presents to the viewer. 'Cause hopefully more people would agree that children are taken advantage of MORE then Brothers and Sisters getting together. (Here is where I state that I love Koi Kaze, it's a great show)

Truly, I can't wait to see how this show unfolds.

[Shikamaru824]

Apparently the producers of the TV series have stated that "current events in the manga cannot be depicted on TV", so that version will probably be significantly less racy.

Heh, So much for Ch.28 being in color and animated. :)

[Thanatos]

OVA, in a word: PEDOLICIOUS!!! :>

[Rhodes]

ANN's front page is saying a 2nd station has canceled the show even before the TV series has aired...

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/

Teletama and now Mie TV has canned the show.

That means only 2 stations left to air the show... guess thats over the airwaves and free... so is it also carried by a paid satellite service too?

BIGLOBE will stream the series starting on Oct-19 for free... if I can figure out how to get it I'd probably will check it out that way.

[Lego]

I can't remember the last series to go through this. I mean we've had it with an episode or two, but this should be interesting to see how it plays out.

[Splitter]

Wow... and　日本　even gave the infamous Moetan a chance 0_o

[something]

Episode 1:

- Well that certainly sets the tone, and doesn't make for the best first impression for Aoki. He enters the classroom intent on making fast friends, and accidentally walks in on the girls changing :sd:
- Usa Mimi is absent! No rabbit ears for us!
- XD Rin is hilarious. She starts attacking him almost instantly. His mind is going to be mush by noon. But the other teachers (except the one that yelled at him) seem supportive, which is something he'll undoubtedly need,
- He asks why Usa Mimi is out so often, and is told she's quit school. Then without a segue they go into what a tough time the previous teacher (Nakamura) had, so I guess there's a connection there.
- :sd: I'm going to need to get used to this kind of thing if I'm going to get far, I think... Rin and Aoki have a decently interesting and nice conversation where she discusses her distrust of adults and he says he's not like that. Then the cat they're feeding claws him and to stop the bleeding Rin, uh, starts sucking his finger suggestively. Such a sudden shift. And from the classroom, Kuro watches silently...
- Ok, yeah, the KnJ logo censorship is daaaamn annoying. Especially since it's mostly covering words and such so far. But worst of all, it's also used for things that, well, just aren't meant to be funny, like some of the things written in the previous teacher's textbook. Hell, the whole episode so far has been much heavier material than I had anticipated, though I really knew nothing specific about the source. I don't know if that makes the loliness easier or harder to swallow? Easier if they really explore the issues intelligently, harder if they just use it to make the suggestive things even creepier. It'll be interesting to see what kind of line the show tries to walk, and how well they do it. This could be one of those deceptively emotional shows, or it could just be failure. I'm intrigued though, more than I thought I'd be (which wasn't very much).
- But going along with that, we see it was Rin who wrote all the nasty things in Nakamura-sensei's textbook, but she did it because those are the same things he said to Mimi, which is why she's more or less quit school. I wonder if they try to come up with a reason why he treated her like trash? I doubt there would be a suitable one.
- More stupid censorship at what isn't supposed to be a comedic scene. If anything drives me away from the show, it's going to be that. It's not that I'm dying for loli pantsu, but this is even worse. Anyway, Aoka says he needs to talk to Rin's parents about whats he did, and she pulls up her skirt and asks him what would happen to him if she started screaming "Help"... Blackmail? :sd:
- Kuro comes by and Rin leaves with her. Kuro tells Aoki that Mimi wasn't the only one Nakamura-sensei emotionally abused, and that everyone is grateful to Rin for running him off. Then she says that if Aoki ever does anything to hurt Rin, he's in deep shit. ...I was going to say "Oh god, Kuro is DARK" but then I realized that would be an (unintentional) terrible pun.
- After this shock to the system, he decides to visit Mimi and bring her back to school. He starts out with cliche compliments and questions, but after seeing it has no effect he cuts the bullshit and talks straight. She asks if he believes all the things that they said happened to her. He says yes, and they really hit it off. She even comes to school the next day, and everyone is getting along nicely. So, disaster has to be lurking somewhere, right?
- Hmm, not yet. Rin goes up into the tree to save the cat, but the branch breaks. Aoki sensei throws himself between her and the ground and saves them both, but takes a hit in the process and has to rest up in the nurses office. Rin is grateful and impressed, and gives him a little kiss on the forehead while he's sleeping before she rushes back to class.
- Then we get some heavily censored loli skirtlift to "thank" him, and sexy Houin-sensei seems to be developing feelings for him.

So, on the whole, I am very, very pleasantly surprised. I figured the show would go one of two ways: loliservicey but very funny and thus okay, or loliservicey for the sake of loliservicey, and thus going beyond my threshold for that stuff.

Instead, it went a third way, and I was screaming in my mind at multiple points "THIS IS NOT A COMEDY! THIS IS NOT A COMEDY!" Now sure I know it is in many ways and I'm sure episode one was a bit heavier because of all the plot setup they had to do and so hijinx will undoubtedly ensue, bウt I really am impressed. They handled the situations intelligently and well, and I am sympathetic to every character introduced thus far (other than Nakamura who we don't actually see, obviously). Houin is hot and provides the delicious boobage Aoki will need to keep his sexuality grounded in legality. Aoki is totally a great guy so far even if he's got a bit of repressed lolicon in him. Mimi is very cute and I love seeing her accepted so warmly by the class when she came back. Kuro is... dark =P and amusing and evil, and I like evil little girls, plus she's very defensive of Rin which is nice. And Rin herself is... well she's not exactly a normal girl and we know she's capable of scary things when driven to it. But she's not stupid either and when she realized that Aoki wasn't just another dirtbag adult she accepted him, rather than carrying on her attacks. Undoubtedly she has more plans to make him uncomfortable, but as things stand now, none of it creeps me out, because it's got a bit of innocence[?] to it.

Oh, and the ED is awesome^2. I'm quite happy to say I'll be following this, at least for now.

[Nemo_N]

The first episode was able to convey the overall tone of the manga; they scrambled the chapters a little bit, but there were no crucial changes. Shirai-sensei's (black-haired teacher with glasses) voice sounds too old for her, but then again this comes from a manga reader; we always have a different tone in our minds for the characters.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of line the show tries to walk, and how well they do it. This could be one of those deceptively emotional shows, or it could just be failure.

If they stick to the manga, this is going to be far from being a failure. The darker/serious stuff is in the manga as well and it is not accidental.

Aoki is totally a great guy so far even if he's got a bit of repressed lolicon in him.

Have some faith in the guy :P .

(Actually, this a rather interesting point the manga deals with sometimes; how can a grown man express his care for a child without being seen as a pedohpile?)

Instead, it went a third way, and I was screaming in my mind at multiple points "THIS IS NOT A COMEDY! THIS IS NOT A COMEDY!"

Welcome to the world of Kodomo no Jikan! :P

[something]

Have some faith in the guy :P .
(Actually, this a rather interesting point the manga deals with sometimes; how can a grown man express his care for a child without being seen as a pedohpile?)
Heh, I do have faith in him, he really, really came across as a good guy in this episode. But he also got a little caught up in her antics from time to time, but I guess we can attribute that to pure shock on his part, rather than him enjoying it in a naughty sense.

Either way though, I didn't mean it too seriously, he certainly isn't fapping in the bathroom after class or anything.

[Fencedude]

Heh, I do have faith in him, he really, really came across as a good guy in this episode. But he also got a little caught up in her antics from time to time, but I guess we can attribute that to pure shock on his part, rather than him enjoying it in a naughty sense.

One of the central points of Aoki's character (that Kuro figured out easily) is that he's, well, a virgin, and somewhat self conscious about it. You get the impression that he's never had much success with women in the past, and now he's dealing with a girl who's...knowledgeable beyond her years, exploiting that fact. And you can't forget Boin-sensei, which adds an entire separate dimension to things (though she has her own problems).

And of course, you haven't even met Reiji yet...

[something]

And of course, you haven't even met Reiji yet...
When I looked on the character page and saw only one other male, I figured he had to be bad news >_>

[HitokiriShadow]

- :sd: I'm going to need to get used to this kind of thing if I'm going to get far, I think... Rin and Aoki have a decently interesting and nice conversation where she discusses her distrust of adults and he says he's not like that. Then the cat they're feeding claws him and to stop the bleeding Rin, uh, starts sucking his finger suggestively. Such a sudden shift. And from the classroom, Kuro watches silently...
- Ok, yeah, the KnJ logo censorship is daaaamn annoying. Especially since it's mostly covering words and such so far. But worst of all, it's also used for things that, well, just aren't meant to be funny, like some of the things written in the previous teacher's textbook. Hell, the whole episode so far has been much heavier material than I had anticipated, though I really knew nothing specific about the source. I don't know if that makes the loliness easier or harder to swallow? Easier if they really explore the issues intelligently, harder if they just use it to make the suggestive things even creepier. It'll be interesting to see what kind of line the show tries to walk, and how well they do it. This could be one of those deceptively emotional shows, or it could just be failure. I'm intrigued though, more than I thought I'd be (which wasn't very much).

My interest in KnJ was from hearing people like Fencedude saying that there was actually a good story involved and it wasn't just a bunch of loliservice. And the first episode confirms that. But those censorship panels are damn irritating. And, frankly, they probably could have been avoided if they had simply been a bit more tasteful in the first place. There is no (good) reason to actually show the girls panties in the skirt-lift scene at the end. A rear view would have worked just fine.

I'm not against loli-service, but in this case, I'd prefer it not to be there. I'm rather picky with my fanservice and this is a case where I'd prefer it not to be there and to be handled more tastefully even without the annoying censorship.

Kuro is... dark =P and amusing and evil, and I like evil little girls, plus she's very defensive of Rin which is nice.


Kuro is a shoe in for my favorite character.

[something]

I'm not against loli-service, but in this case, I'd prefer it not to be there. I'm rather picky with my fanservice and this is a case where I'd prefer it not to be there and to be handled more tastefully even without the annoying censorship.
Yeah, but even so this *is* Kodomo no Jikan, and I'm sure it's tamed quite a bit from the manga already. I guess they can only go so far in terms of what they remove. But the censor boxes need to die.

[Fencedude]

Kuro's wonderful, she's like an evil version of Tomoyo.

[HitokiriShadow]

Yeah, but even so this *is* Kodomo no Jikan, and I'm sure it's tamed quite a bit from the manga already. I guess they can only go so far in terms of what they remove. But the censor boxes need to die.

Oh, I have no doubt that its tamed down from the manga. But aside from the censorboxes, my criticism of the unnecessary 'fanservice' would probably still stand in the case of the manga.

[Fencedude]

Yeah, but even so this *is* Kodomo no Jikan, and I'm sure it's tamed quite a bit from the manga already. I guess they can only go so far in terms of what they remove. But the censor boxes need to die.

Oh, I have no doubt that its tamed down from the manga. But aside from the censorboxes, my criticism of the unnecessary 'fanservice' would probably still stand in the case of the manga.

I'm very amused that they are censoring text.

Though I wonder if even the DVD will have what Rin wrote on that sign in the manga.

[Sly05]

I enjoyed the first episode as well. It retained the spirit of the manga. The voice caste, with the exception of Shiro (who sounded like an old woman), fit their characters well. The end credits animation is great. I really like its energy. I've been looping through it for the past couple days.

I'll also echo the opinion that the censorship boxes were annoying. They were funny in the first series to use them, but now I just find them distracting. This is especially the case when they block out the entire screen as happened a few times in this episode.

[TheGreenMan]

I know that people don't love Kuro, but I do. She's so cute and cynical.

[something]

I know that people don't love Kuro, but I do. She's so cute and cynical.
So far, I think everyone that posted loves her :sd: Does she have a legion of manga detractors or something?

[Splitter]

Wait, there are people that hate Kuro-chan?! Seriously?!

Just watched the OVA and Ep. 1 back-to-back, and maybe I'm desensitized but I really didn't see what was all that wrong about it. Rin is obviously an oversexed girl but hey, we all played doctor when we were kids, didn't we?

Boin-sensei is awesome too, not as awesome as Kuro-chan ("It's a video" = XD), but she definitely has the... ahem, right stuff.

One thing I'm really enjoying thus far is that Rin, Kuro, and Mimi are all still kids, but the storyline doesn't insult their age and neither does Aoki-sensei. A bit exaggerated on their actions maybe, but they really don't seem all that different than real kids are.

Oh, and the ED is easily the best of the season. Prime rockin'-out music intertwined with nearly epileptic chibi-dancing. I <3 it. This is definitely no Moetan :3

[Shiroi Hane]

I've been wondering why noone has been talking about the TV series, and now it is suddenly obvious :sd:
The censorship is extremely annoying, especially since it is mostly of text and dialog so far. It isn't even played for humor like the "sorry, violent stuff going on here" placards in Dokuro or the beeping out in Fumoffu. I don't think Kojika is worse than other things that have been shown on TV in Japan, so are they being hyperparanoid about this particular series or am I just desensitized?

[Fencedude]

I've been wondering why noone has been talking about the TV series, and now it is suddenly obvious :sd:
The censorship is extremely annoying, especially since it is mostly of text and dialog so far. It isn't even played for humor like the "sorry, violent stuff going on here" placards in Dokuro or the beeping out in Fumoffu. I don't think Kojika is worse than other things that have been shown on TV in Japan, so are they being hyperparanoid about this particular series or am I just desensitized?

They are being hypersensitive, though this isn't unprecedented. Also, it somehow seems to be connected to the murder that prompted a few stations to drop Higurashi. Though I'm really not sure why.

They should have just gotten the show onto ATX or BS-i to begin with, and avoided the entire issue. This kind of show should be airing on pay channels and not over the air anyway.

[something]

Episode 2:

- Oh man, these kids are too grown up. Aoki asks the students to write about their dreams. They counter with a flood of complaints, saying society is depressing and politicians are useless, and there's no guarantee there will be any pension for them even if they work hard, and... :sd:
- Kuro's dream... to be friends with Rin forever! Rin's dream, to be Aoki-sensei's bride! Heh. He tells her she's just a kid, she counters that some adults like kids. He says that he's different. =P This all makes Kuro jealous, so she crumples her Rin dream and writes something else.
- Later on Kuro says Rin is going too far, and Rin says she might be in love with Aoki, which is why she likes to tease him. Kuro protests that she loves Rin but doesn't tease her. Then Rin just crushes poor Kuro's soul. "Hahah, of course friendly love and being in love are different!!" ...Friendly love? Poor Kuro ;_;
- Rin even follows him into the bathroom O______O Kuro slams her head against the wall in DESPAAAAAIR~
- Aoki goes out for drinks with some friends after work, and bitches about how hard everything is. They ask them if there's a hot teacher at school, and he says no, but mutters something about a cute girl and... They think he's talking about a teacher and start pressing him for details.
- He heads home and reads the essays... they're as bad as you'd expect, except for Mimi's. He tries to motivate himself to be a better teacher but the students just don't seem to want to learn. Rin especially is getting terrible grades now even though she's really smart and generally does well. She's obviously doing it on purpose, but will she realize in time that acting like this just makes it more likely he'll either be replaced or forced to take a tougher stance?
- Well, in the short term she's getting what she wanted. He calls her in for private tutoring. Kuro gets jealous again, but Rin walks up to her, huge her, and kisses her on the top of her head and says she'll play with her tomorrow. Kuro blushes furiously and rushes off with Mimi. On the way home, she says "If only Rin were a boy..." Mimi tells her that then they wouldn't be able to go to the bathroom together, and they'd be teased for playing together, but then she quickly realizes precisely what it is Kuro meant. Awwww, goddammit, I love Kuro. Unrequited lesbiloli love is so sad =(
- Rin tells Aoki to give her a reward if she gets a 100 on the next test. He agrees and she asks... well it's censored but one can imagine. They censored it by just making it silent, which I actually vastly prefer to the stupid bird/whistle/etc noises. Obviously he declines, saying she shouldn't talk about things she doesn't understand. She tells him that he just wants to believe that she doesn't understand, that he's fooling himself. Perhaps this is true.
- Another day, another ignored lecture. He's really trying his best. He cares about helping them learn, he tries to spice things up and be more interesting, but the kids are just walking all over him. They've come to see that he's a nice guy, and so they don't hate him like their previous teacher, but being liked does not mean being respected, and so they take advantage of him. And it's only a matter of time before he's had enough...
- Well that was... weird. As he's about to snap (or start crying :sd: ), Rin suddenly raises her hand, says she doesn't get it, and tells him his class is boring, etc. Ouch. All the other students sort of stare wide-eyed at her and for the first time they seem to realize that he's getting upset. They say that he's trying his best and so she should be nicer (they why don't they listen?). Kuro suggest he continue, and so he does, seemingly bolstered by their kind words. Rin smiles like this was her plan. ...o_O I'm not sure how this sequence of events flows logically, but uh, all's well that ends well?
- Kuro comes up to him on lunch break and tells him he's pathetic for needing Rin to help him out. He doesn't understand what she means. After lunch things are just as bad as before. They refuse to settle down, until Rin pounds her fist on her desk. That shut everyone up. :sd: Looks like Aoki understands what Kuro meant now...
- Next round of tests, everyone does well, and Rin gets her 100! Aoki is estatic, they stare at each other happily and the power of education is electric in the air!! ...Kuro (NEKOMIMI KURO) just looks on, not approving at all.
- Ahaha, not approving either is Mimi... she got a 100 too, but didn't get get the kind of public recognition Rin did. She rips up her test in a fit of jealousy XD
- Houin-sensei hears the good news (test scores improving) and wants to go celebrate with Aoki. He's about to accept, but sees Rin running behind a nearby building. He tells Houin to hold off for now, and goes to see what's up with Rin. He tells her she should go home because her parents must be worried, but he also compliments her again on the test and tells her she can have a reward... within the bounds of reason and legality. She asks him to hold her, until she gets home. o_O It's pretty cute and innocent but uh, I don't think it's a good idea for a teacher to be carrying his student home in his arms :sd:
- Aww... it's all a bit twisted but it's cute and emotionally rewarding to watch anyway. Rin says that she thought he hated her because she teased him, said mean things, got low grades, etc. But even so he stuck with her, and helped her out. And she helped him out in return, and most surprising to her, he actually recognized it and thanked her for it.
- She then corners him into confessing his love for her. :sd: Poor Aoki.
- Though the better things go, the worse the eventual backlash will be... At home Rin tells... her dad? her brother? that a teacher told her he loved her. Unfortunately she doesn't give any context, and so bad things are going to happen >_>
- And a drunk Houin-sensei asks random patrons at the bar why she's being rejected... "Are these breasts just for decoration!?" XD

This is a really damn good show, and I hate to think of how many people are never going to give it a chance because of the mistaken impression they have about it, or because of fears from what is, I guess, a more explicit manga? I don't know, but I do know this is a very cute show with well developed characters and very interesting situations. AND A CANON LESBIAN! There was less crappy annoying censorship in this episode too, at least in terms of the big ass logo, though there was a bunch of dumb dialog censorship. This is a surprisingly intelligent and emotional and fun series, at least so far.

And the ED still rocks.

[doink-chan]

I've been wondering why noone has been talking about the TV series, and now it is suddenly obvious :sd:
The censorship is extremely annoying, especially since it is mostly of text and dialog so far. It isn't even played for humor like the "sorry, violent stuff going on here" placards in Dokuro or the beeping out in Fumoffu. I don't think Kojika is worse than other things that have been shown on TV in Japan, so are they being hyperparanoid about this particular series or am I just desensitized?

They are being hypersensitive, though this isn't unprecedented. Also, it somehow seems to be connected to the murder that prompted a few stations to drop Higurashi. Though I'm really not sure why.

They should have just gotten the show onto ATX or BS-i to begin with, and avoided the entire issue. This kind of show should be airing on pay channels and not over the air anyway.


Actually, it wasn't because of the murder...it was because there was another news story about this school principal who was caught having sex with a minor (and a prostitute at that), and it was subsequently discovered that he was a pedo and had tons of child porn (with real children IIRC). Needless to say, he was pwned...

Also, AT-X was going to air it, but they dropped it (because they didn't want to air it censored, but felt that the uncensored version was too squicky even for them...or something).

[something]

Also, AT-X was going to air it, but they dropped it (because they didn't want to air it censored, but felt that the uncensored version was too squicky even for them...or something).
So far, nothing significant has been censored, from what I can tell. A couple poses where hair or arms could cover naughty bits, but in large part it's just some pantyshots. And in episode two, not even much of that. The dialog would of course be the bigger problem, but I honestly think they just wrote it with the bleeps in mind rather than there actually being something *specific* to fill in the blank. It could just be the translation of course, I get the feeling that differing sentence structure make sit hard to render partially censored sentences into English and still convey to the viewer what's missing -- I've felt this way about Hayate no Gotoku, for example, even though it's being done by a very, very competent group. But in KnJ, the sentences don't even seem to lead to any specific endpoint other than ::insert random naughty word/action::. So I'm not even sure what "uncensoring" those would entail.

What they did near the end of episode two is what they should just do generally: Rin is bathing, and a rubber duck is placed in the appropriate location. Far better than blanking out 2/3rds of the screen with some logo, and removes the need to worry about what will be "under the logo" for the DVD version.

[Nemo_N]

Nice second episode; really liked the flow. I hope they can keep it up.

An Kuro's wardrobe can compete with the one Tomoyo created for Sakura.

- Well that was... weird. As he's about to snap (or start crying :sd: ), Rin suddenly raises her hand, says she doesn't get it, and tells him his class is boring, etc. Ouch. All the other students sort of stare wide-eyed at her and for the first time they seem to realize that he's getting upset. They say that he's trying his best and so she should be nicer (they why don't they listen?). Kuro suggest he continue, and so he does, seemingly bolstered by their kind words. Rin smiles like this was her plan. ...o_O I'm not sure how this sequence of events flows logically, but uh, all's well that ends well?

I really liked this scene; basically, the kids were not paying attention not because they meant to be mean, but just because they didn't care. Then Rin, by acting truly mean and unfair, makes them realize how inappropiate their behaviour is. Or that's the way I saw it.

o_O It's pretty cute and innocent but uh, I don't think it's a good idea for a teacher to be carrying his student home in his arms :sd:

I used to get uncomfortable with this kind of scenes in the manga, but then I remember the author is a woman. Makes me wonder if she fell in love with a teacher when she was younger...

This is a really damn good show, and I hate to think of how many people are never going to give it a chance because of the mistaken impression they have about it, or because of fears from what is, I guess, a more explicit manga?

Actually, so far it has been almost the same (or so I think). Of course, the manga is uncensored, but they haven't changed much yet, IMO. In fact, the panty flash in the last part of episode one was not in the manga.

This is a surprisingly intelligent and emotional and fun series, at least so far.

Try to use those two words to describe KnJ in most boards and people will say you're only trying to rationalize pedophilia. I'm happy to inform you that we are still at the "shallow" parts of the story.

[something]

An Kuro's wardrobe can compete with the one Tomoyo created for Sakura.
I like how nobody even thinks twice about the costumes she shows up in.

I really liked this scene; basically, the kids were not paying attention not because they meant to be mean, but just because they didn't care. Then Rin, by acting truly mean and unfair, makes them realize how inappropiate their behaviour is. Or that's the way I saw it.
I guess that makes sense, and is sort of what I was guessing they were going for, I'm just surprised the kids got it.

Try to use those two words to describe KnJ in most boards and people will say you're only trying to rationalize pedophilia. I'm happy to inform you that we are still at the "shallow" parts of the story.
Heh, yeah, KnJ is *not* a show where it's easy to convince those with an ingrained bias against it that they're wrong, or that they should at least give it a chance before writing it off. I can think of a number of posters even on AOD who will undoubtedly have myriad ignorant things to say if it ever gets licensed -- though given the ridiculous shitstorm over the manga, I'm not holding my breath.

[HitokiriShadow]

- Later on Kuro says Rin is going too far, and Rin says she might be in love with Aoki, which is why she likes to tease him. Kuro protests that she loves Rin but doesn't tease her. Then Rin just crushes poor Kuro's soul. "Hahah, of course friendly love and being in love are different!!" ...Friendly love? Poor Kuro ;_;
- Rin even follows him into the bathroom O______O Kuro slams her head against the wall in DESPAAAAAIR~
-On the way home, she says "If only Rin were a boy..." Mimi tells her that then they wouldn't be able to go to the bathroom together, and they'd be teased for playing together, but then she quickly realizes precisely what it is Kuro meant. Awwww, goddammit, I love Kuro. Unrequited lesbiloli love is so sad =(

Ah, poor Kuro. She and Tomoyo need to form a support group.

- ...Kuro (NEKOMIMI KURO) just looks on, not approving at all.

I'm amazed she was able to get out the door of her house, let alone inside the school, with that outfit on. Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

[LelouchLamperouge]

This is a really damn good show, and I hate to think of how many people are never going to give it a chance because of the mistaken impression they have about it, or because of fears from what is, I guess, a more explicit manga? I don't know, but I do know this is a very cute show with well developed characters and very interesting situations. AND A CANON LESBIAN! There was less crappy annoying censorship in this episode too, at least in terms of the big ass logo, though there was a bunch of dumb dialog censorship. This is a surprisingly intelligent and emotional and fun series, at least so far.

And the ED still rocks.

I'll probably give this a shot next time I go to my sister's. I feel compelled with interest with all these interesting reviews I've seen. I've only seen the first episode but was distracted, but I haven't found the time to watch episode 1 again and continue on. I'll have to give it a little more priority and a 2nd chance (I gave ef a 2nd chance, and liked it much more, for example).

[Splitter]

This is a really damn good show, and I hate to think of how many people are never going to give it a chance because of the mistaken impression they have about it, or because of fears from what is, I guess, a more explicit manga? I don't know, but I do know this is a very cute show with well developed characters and very interesting situations. AND A CANON LESBIAN! There was less crappy annoying censorship in this episode too, at least in terms of the big ass logo, though there was a bunch of dumb dialog censorship. This is a surprisingly intelligent and emotional and fun series, at least so far.

And the ED still rocks.

It is a shame that a lot of people are squicking away for this just because of the age of the characters. One thing I give this show huge credit for is knowing how narrow the tightrope it walks is. The innuendo is indeed extreme, but nothing physical is ever done except in humor and even then it's handled so that it's obvious it's a joke.

The scariest part of this whole show is how easy it is to forget that Rin is nine years old. It's much more than precociousness. The way she holds herself and handles situations is far more mature than a typical nine-year-old could manage.

I <3 Kuro more than any character of any show this season thus far. She's like Tomoyo Daidouji on crack. It's beautiful. Simply utterly beautiful.

I do hold my reserves on this series still. Two episodes is only the start and there's a lot of time for it to lose it's balance. Nonetheless, I will hold my faith. Any show with such a controversial premise and still manage an amazing and entertaining start is nothing to be scoffed at.

And yes, the ED rocks incredibly hard.

[TheGreenMan]

I <3 Kuro more than any character of any show this season thus far. She's like Tomoyo Daidouji on crack. It's beautiful. Simply utterly beautiful.



Welcome to the Kuro fan club. :> :> :> I wonder if they've dive into her Spoiler
"relationship" with Shiro-sensei.

[RayeKinezono]

It is a shame that a lot of people are squicking away for this just because of the age of the characters.

I don't avoid this series for the age of the characters. I avoid it for those stupid, infuriatingly annoying censorship boxes. Give me the DVD version and I'll watch it in a heartbeat, because it's funny as hell.

[something]

I don't avoid this series for the age of the characters. I avoid it for those stupid, infuriatingly annoying censorship boxes. Give me the DVD version and I'll watch it in a heartbeat, because it's funny as hell.
Far less prevalent in episode 2, if that means anything to you. If they keep it on that level, rather than episode 1's, it won't bother me much at all.

[something]

Finally, I've been wanting this so badly. More Kuro!

Episode 3:

- Geh, giant censor block. More like ep 2, please, less like ep 1. Rin takes a picture of herself naked and sends it to Aoki with her cell phone >_> Kuro rushes to the staff room (in her underthings) to stop him. But he just assumes it's spam and deletes it, so she wasted that effort for nothing.
- Ok, I'm not liking this at all. Big censor blocks are annoying, BLOCKING THE WHOLE SCREEN IS RETARDED. And it completely misses the point. If we don't even have the slightest clue what Rin is doing, how do we even know why there's a censor block? Just a completely blocked off screen with Mimi saying 'Don't do that!' is idiotic. Argh. They have such a wonderful show here, and they're trying their damnedest to turn people off from it. So many people have ditched it because of the censorship, and then they just go and kick up up a notch. It's like they *want* the show to fail.
- ...And yet again. This should be one of the best shows of the season, and easily could be, but instead they're making me want to stop watching. Why? WHY? Mimi falls in a puddle. We see the camera no her for a few seconds (it's not even see through), and then suddenly it cuts out in the middle of the same shot (when the camera is mostly past her) to the stupid censor screen. There's no sex going on! She's not naked, not topless, she's not even in he underwear. Nobody is touching her. She's not even in an especially suggestive pose. Why? And why the whole screen, instead of just part of it? Jesus, it's certainly not like I'm frothing at the mouth for loli porn, but if they think what they're doing is just *oh so controversial* and *too hot for TV*, then goddamnit, don't do it in the first place.

...

- Anyway, enough venting (maybe the rest of the ep won't be so bad). Kuro is in super hate mode towards Aoki, and has destroyed his testicles twice already in this episode. Aoki's other problem is that he needs to get Mimi to wear a bra, but it'd be more than a little awkward for him to say that to a third grade girl. She's extremely "developed" and since it's so young, she's got even more difficulties dealing with it.
- Houin-sensei comes up while he's pondering, and asks what's going on. Without thinking he responds "breasts!" and the continues to verbally dig his own grave while Houin just gets more and more petrified.
- Rin tells Kuro to lay off Aoki, but Kuro is having none of that. Rin tries to cheer her up by giving her the juicebox she's drinking. Kuro sees... indirect kiss!
- ...Poor Kuro. Just as she's about to partake of sweet, sweet indirect kissing, Aoki grabs the juicebox and says those aren't allowed in class. She's devastated. She tells him it's wrong to waste food, and he agrees. And so drinks the rest himself. Kuro... Kuro is going to kill him.
- Houin is angry. How can he not like breasts! Mimi goes to ask her about breasts but phrases the question wrong and makes it sound like she wants hers to get bigger. I was hoping she would ask Houin for help but I guess she's too embarrassed.
- Mimi decides she's not drinking milk anymore. :sd: Kuro tells her to just get a bra, but Mimi refuses. She says boys will make fun of her, and she'll be the only girl wearing one when the girls change. So she's just going to continue hunching over and wearing thicker shirts.
- ...Kuro's room is hilarious. Black curtains around her windows and bed, tied with dark purple ribbons, and a couch that looks like an evil pumpkin XD And Kuro is no less hilarious. All she thinks about is Rin XD She rolls on her bed and looks at her book. Linclon... Lincoln... (Rin-kon) ...Rin-chan... Rin-chan... Limbo... Limbo... (Rin-bo) ...Rin-chan... Rin-chan... Rin... Rin... Rin Rin Rin Rin Rin AHHHHHHHHHH~ [paraphrased] XD
- Reiji? Who is Reiji? Some guy that Rin is hanging out with after school... as Mimi heads upstairs to buy a bra?
- She does, and like clockwork, two boys in class start making fun of her the very next day (the hell is wrong with people? Stupid kids). Rin and Kuro make them regret it though. :sd: Yay!
- They catch Mimi in the bathroom and Kuro checks the bra out. As she thought, it's totally the wrong size. She says she and Rin will go with Mimi to get the right one next time.
- But Mimi doesn't have any money left after buying this one. Never fear, Kuro knows what to do. She realizes a valuable commodity when she sees one, and though her... channels... gets far more than it originally cost. :sd:
- Then she takes Mimi to her personal tailor or something (well, not a surprise she has one...) and the entire "measuring" scene is pretty much one long censor block.
- Houin-sensei and Kuro should get together, because they have equally bad luck with love :sd: Houin finally works up the nerve to ask him out drinking, but the other teacher is there and thinks he was invited too. So all three wind up going. Poor Houin-sensei...
- Aoki asks Rin to help Mimi out. Rin says she'll do it if he hugs her tightly. Then before he can really respond, she leaps at him and hugs him anyway. He says

When she shows a softer, more vulnerable side like this, it's always a mix of weird, sad, and touching. Unfortunately there wasn't much of it in this episode, and so I'd have to put it below episodes 1 and 2. It wasn't bad, but the approach they're taking to the "fanservice" is just really frustrating. I feel like they're going about it completely the wrong way. The censorship pisses people off, but on the other hand it has me worried just what is under those boxes come DVD time. I don't want mass censorship *OR* overly explicit loli. Can't we have a happy compromise?

[TheFly]

- Reiji? Who is Reiji? Some guy that Rin is hanging out with after school...
Isn't that the guy she lives with? I want to say brother - at least I have vague memories of her calling him "onii-chan" in the first episode.

I agree that this episode was lacking the element that raised the first two above straight loliservice. It was almost there - Rin and Kuro's concern for Mimi was sweet, and actually the same goes for Aoki. But the implied fanservice went into overdrive. I can't help thinking that the implication of the censor blocks may be worse than what they're actually hiding. At least, I hope that's the case anyway.

[something]

Isn't that the guy she lives with? I want to say brother - at least I have vague memories of her calling him "onii-chan" in the first episode.
Maybe, it's only now that you say that that I even remember her being home at all :sd:

I agree that this episode was lacking the element that raised the first two above straight loliservice. It was almost there - Rin and Kuro's concern for Mimi was sweet, and actually the same goes for Aoki. But the implied fanservice went into overdrive.
Yeah, this episode slipped a little. I hope it's only temporary. it wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I know the show can be.

I can't help thinking that the implication of the censor blocks may be worse than what they're actually hiding. At least, I hope that's the case anyway.
Agreed, which is what makes it so stupid. The censorship annoys everyone, and what's under will 1) not satisfy loliservice seekers when it turns out to be tame or 2) be too much for those who aren't into that when it turns out to be pretty explicit.

And if it is tame, as I'd guess, it just begs the question I asked so many times in my post... "WHY CENSOR?" Graaaaaargh. The answer that naturally comes up is "to make you buy the DVDs", and perhaps that's true enough, but losing viewers now doesn't necessarily mean you'll pick them up later. The might just pass entirely like a number of people I know have.

Not to mention there's no way this is getting R1 licensed unless by someone who *wants* the controversy.

[Nemo_N]

The problem with this episode is that they extended a very, very short chapter of the manga, without adding anything to it. I see it as something inevitable given how anime adaptations work and how many volumes they have to work with. Episode 5 did this too, but they actually added some more to it (with very nice results IMO).

Personally, I loved it since I'm a Mimi fanboy (I don't quite get Kuro fanboys); I just want to hug her and tell her everything is going to be alright. (Sadly, I think the anime won't cover most of Mimi's chapters)

The censorship is just too random; unless they made radical (and I mean RADICAL) changes in the anime, the scenes in this episode didn't merit huge walls of censorship. Perhaps Rin's scene at the end? And even then, Moetan got away with more than this.

[relentlessflame]

The censorship is just too random; unless they made radical (and I mean RADICAL) changes in the anime, the scenes in this episode didn't merit huge walls of censorship. Perhaps Rin's scene at the end? And even then, Moetan got away with more than this.
It's probably all simply because the characters in Moetan were announced as "High School Students", and the characters in this show are announced as "Elementary School Students". The label, not the artstyle, means everything in terms of censorship. This is the same reason why all the characters in ero material are always "18 years of age or older". Silly, but that's "the letter of the law" for you...

[Splitter]

I don't quite get Kuro fanboys.

Tomoyo. Daidouji. On crack.

I'll never think of anything as "eco" the same way again.

[HitokiriShadow]

Arg, more godawful censorship for retarded things. With the full screen being blocked 3-4 times and bleeping out entire lines, it's really tempting to just wait for the DVD releases. And with all this censorship, I'm surprised at some of the things they do let through. They aren't going to show nudity even in the uncut version, so what's the difference between the stuff they are censoring and the mostly naked 3rd graders that they actually showed? I do believe they showed Kuro or Rin in the first or second episode naked with only the bare minimum covered by tape or paper strips or something.

I don't care much for Mimi or her ridiculous (for a 3rd grader) breasts, but more Kuro is good. Oh lord, what a room. "Rinrinrinrinrinrinrin!" And, er, "recycling." Also, Kuro gets the best facial expressions in this series.

[KomoriKiri]

- Reiji? Who is Reiji? Some guy that Rin is hanging out with after school... as Mimi heads upstairs to buy a bra?

Reiji is in a weird position relative to Rin. He's her mother's cousin, but her mother later adopted him, so in a way he's her brother. He's also something of a father figure, since he and Rin's mother were an item before she died. So he's kind of an uncle, brother, and father all rolled in to one. Right now he's officially her guardian, but have fun sorting out the exact terminology for the rest of the relationship.

Thought that was already covered.

Wraith
Dragons Rescued. Virgins Slain. No Job Too Easy. No Fee Too Large

[Fencedude]

HAY GUYS

YOU DON'T NEED TO VOLUNTEER INFORMATION THE SHOW HASN'T PROVIDED YET

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST

[SnowfairyX]

To concur with what Fencedude seems to suggest, please either mark your post appropriately with spoiler tags or remove it entirely. I'm sure if something wanted manga readers to directly spoil things for him, he would have asked more specifically. His question was most likely aimed at other anime only viewers like himself who do not know this information at this point and can only speculate.

[something]

His question was most likely aimed at other anime only viewers like himself who do not know this information at this point and can only speculate.
Right. I like to post in anime discussion threads for ongoing shows with the assumption that only what has been animated will be discussed. And more specifically, only things that occurred in the episode for the episode subthread under which the post is made.

Speculation is a natural, healthy, and fun part of watching a show, and questions *are not meant to be answered prematurely by those who know the answers from another medium*. If I wanted that, I'd ask specifically for spoilers (which I never do).

In this case, I only skimmed the post so I don't really remember what was said, and now I'm glad for that. So in this case at least, not much harm done.

Please, not just Wraith but everyone, in any thread for any show based off any other medium (game, novel, manga, story serialized on the inside of bubblegum wrappers): do not talk about things that have not been animated yet, and do not talk about episodes that occur after the episode whose subthread you're in.

I know sometimes it doesn't really register as a spoiler in your head when you've seen/read/played/chewed it long before the person asked the question, but remember that their perspective is very different from your own. They haven't seen it. It's not old news to them.

Thanks.

[something]

Wow, I really didn't think this was ever going to come out (the... alternative... is utterly unacceptable quality from what I sampled). Anyway, I'm torn on whether to actually continue watching the broadcasts or wait for DVD versions. It's not like I'm exactly hard up for loli nipples, but shit, I think the censorship qualifies as more "obscene" than any little girl nudity could.

But for now, I'll continue.

Episode 4:

- Aoki is actually getting along pretty well at the moment. The kids like him, Kuro seems to have refrained from killing him, and when he assigns them an essay about their parents, they do the assignment and some even write more than he asks.
- But Kuro objected heavily at first, and he's not sure why. Then he looks at the older records for the students and finds out that Rin's mother is dead, her father is missing, and she's living with a relative.
- And we also see this relative for the first time. Reiji notices she's writing an essay on her mother, and he looks angry...
- Rin hands one in anyway. She fakes it, talks about her mother doing her hair, about the hair ties she gave her, etc. It's clear she misses her. Aoki couldn't possibly have known ahead of time, but he feels horrible nonetheless. He wonders what her home life is like, and supposes that Rin acts as she does because she has no parents at home.
- Rin interrupts his thoughts and asks him to watch her swing on the whatchamacallit bars. He happily obliges, and when she slips and gets hurt, he bandages her up. She catches on right away that he's being a lot nicer than usual, and questions him on it. He's caught off guard and doesn't know how to answer. She might not take this kind of pity very well.
- She asks him to carry her back to the classroom, and it's EXACTLY this sort of moment where Kojika shines. When her outer guard is pushed aside, and she's the just vulnerable, needy, cute little girl hiding beneath the tough exterior. And when Aoki responds as a caring adult. This is what Kodomo no Jikan is capable of, when it tries.
- But then Aoki flubs. As he's handing back the essays, he tells Rin, "You did a great job writing about your guardian--" and, the Japanese word used must carry some distinct connotations, because everyone immediately recognizes what he's said. He realizes he fucked up, Kuro is pissed, Mimi gasps, and Rin just looks utterly deflated. She's been hiding it from everyone but Mimi and Kuro, and Aoki just blurted it out to the whole class. Ouch.
- At the pool the next day, Rin is acting like her old self, cheery and boisterous. But when she sees him, she looks away. He tries to approach her and apologize later (...why did he do it while she was showering?) and she says "Sensei. You knew about my situation, that's why you were being so nice to me." He tries to deny it, but not very hard, because he knows she knows he knows. She walks past him and heads into the locker room, but not before giving him a painful smile and saying, "I was so happy. Seems I was stupid." ...Heartbreaking.
- Then we get a quick censor box, because apparently seeing a young girl's bare back will turn us all into demonic raging child molesters, but I digress. It's the only one so far in this ep, and it's very quick, so I shouldn't complain.
- Well then there's another. But anyway, Aoki really wants to make good by Rin again, and when she's gone he asks Kuro and Mimi for help. Kuro is in no mood to help him, but he says it's not for him, it's for Rin.
- Reluctantly, Kuro tells him that Rin isn't hurt by not having parents anymore. This surprises Aoki, and he wonders what the issue is then. Kuro can't bring herself to say the second part: Rin loves him.
- Still confused, he decides to visit Rin's house. This won't end well...
- Oh wow, Reiji is voiced by Sugita Tomokazu. I expected someone more evil sounding. :sd: Still, he's none too happy to see Aoki, but he lets him in anyway. Rin is away at the moment. Aoki asks Reiji if he could explain the situation.
- Aoki is Rin's mother's cousin. His parents passed away when he was younger, and Rin's mother adopted him. Aoki is surprised to hear that Rin is living alone with such a young man.
- But then Reiji gives him a warning: he's not happy with how "close" Rin and Aoki are. Aoki gets a serious look on his face and asks what Reiji is implying. Before things can escalate, Rin arrives.
- She's still reluctant to face Aoki, but she doesn't seem depressed either. She's really obedient and loving towards Reiji, and Aoki thanks them, leaves, and thinks that things are pretty good at the Kokonoe house. But there's a weird feeling he can't shake.
- I half expected Reiji to be beating Rin when the camera returns to their house, but it really seems like their relationship is genuinely good. He tells her that Aoki does seem to like her, and she's happy.
- The next day at school, she confronts him on the stairs and asks why he visited. He said he was worried. She asks why, and he says she's important to him. She leaps down the stairs and kisses him right on the mouth, and then skips off, happy.

He laments that she stole his first kiss :sd:

I loved this episode, it pretty much represents everything I know the series can do right, and I hope this continues until the end. Best episode of the series so far.

[Nemo_N]

Great episode. They have been handling the story nicely so far.

(the... alternative... is utterly unacceptable quality from what I sampled)

I don't like to be harsh on fansub groups, but yeah, those are mediocre at best. Genjo might have some mistakes here and there, but god...

Anyway, I'm torn on whether to actually continue watching the broadcasts or wait for DVD versions.

I don't blame anyone if they decide to wait for DVD versions. However, I do encourage all the people that have liked the show so far to keep watching in whatever version they prefer; the animation studio has done a great job as of episode 9.

- But then Aoki flubs. As he's handing back the essays, he tells Rin, "You did a great job writing about your guardian--" and, the Japanese word used must carry some distinct connotations, because everyone immediately recognizes what he's said. He realizes he fucked up, Kuro is pissed, Mimi gasps, and Rin just looks utterly deflated. She's been hiding it from everyone but Mimi and Kuro, and Aoki just blurted it out to the whole class. Ouch.

I felt the urge to throw a heavy blunt object towards Aoki at this scene here and while reading the manga.

BTW, this might be old news and/or irrelevant to some, but I still find people unaware of the fact that Kodomo no Jikan is drawn and written by a woman (http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/53/watashiyakaworu05xe5.jpg) . This might help to view some aspects of the show as a female's point of view (or maybe not :P ).

[something]

but yeah, those are mediocre at best.
Things looked ten times better when I first started getting into these things years ago... there's a certain level at which just not watching at all is preferable :sd: Thankfully I don't have to go to that extreme yet.

I felt the urge to throw a heavy blunt object towards Aoki at this scene here and while reading the manga.
Yeah, that was... well, he meant no harm, but shit man, ouuuuuch. You can't just blurt something like that out in front of a class of adolescent children. Kids are VICIOUS.

Though... I'm pretty sure they all know that to fuck with Rin is pretty much a death sentence.

BTW, this might be old news and/or irrelevant to some, but I still find people unaware of the fact that Kodomo no Jikan is drawn and written by a woman (http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/53/watashiyakaworu05xe5.jpg) . This might help to view some aspects of the show as a female's point of view (or maybe not :P ).
Don't bother, the people who want to hate it and think we're all pedophiles are going to do so no matter what anyone says, so it's best to just ignore them because that's all they deserve. I'm content to just watch and enjoy what is, so far, a show that has flashes of brilliance embedded in a very promising and, while certainly unorthodox, very moving story.

[ape2020]

The manga is very interesting in that it takes some very real hot topics like teacher-child relationships and how much they should have physical contact. Very relavent to the US with all the teacher scandels. Should you embrace a child that has been done something good or has been hurt? What happens if its a child of the opposite sex? Are we becoming too sentitive or unsentitive to young childern?

Yes its done in a very risque manner and with very questionable character but that what give the story such an edge to me.

-ape2020

[Nemo_N]

The manga is very interesting in that it takes some very real hot topics like teacher-child relationships and how much they should have physical contact. Very relavent to the US with all the teacher scandels. Should you embrace a child that has been done something good or has been hurt? What happens if its a child of the opposite sex? Are we becoming too sentitive or unsentitive to young childern?

Yeah, the manga got me thinking very often about this and other issues, and it seems that is a great deal of what the author wanted to portray in there, since she extends this social commentary to other characters like Reiji and Shirai-sensei.

She doesn't elaborate in the issues, she just throws in a situation or just a comment and lets the reader question himself.

Nice stuff.

[something]

Episode 5:

- Aoki comes to what I imagine is always a hurdle for a new teacher, particularly in early years: grading. He wants to give everyone an A but knows that makes the efforts of the best students meaningless. Likewise, he doesn't want to give bad grades to lesser students who are trying their best. The other teachers advise him on how they go about it but he doesn't like their methods.
- Houin finds his passion admirable, and falls in love with him a little more.
- He finds Rin outside the classroom, looking depressed. She's sad that summer break is approaching and she won't be able to see him. He reassures her that he'll be at school a lot over the summer, and she can see him any time. I also have to point out that the way she plays with her (massive) hair right here is really adorable.
- He hands out report cards (and gets a kick from Kuro). They all then file out, with Rin last. She grabs him in a big hug, and says "if you cheat on me I won't forgive you!" XD
- The girls hang out over break, but Rin spends most of it bored and daydreaming. Finally there's a swim class at school over the break, and Rin is happy again. Reiji thinks she's forcing it, and thinks of ways to cheer her up. Rin gets ready for the swimming class, and laments that she has to wear the school swimsuit when she has such cuter bikinis.
- At the pool, Houin-sensei comes in in a sexy white bikini (mmmm...), since she said she couldn't find a one piece in her size. :sd: But when Rin complains that she's "cheating", Houin-sensei goes to find a one piece.
- Aoki is a bit relieved because he is, after all, a normal guy (as Kuro happily notes, seeking a decrease in competition) and thus the bikini would have been... distracting. But Houin nearly busting out of the one piece is only marginally less so, and Rin catches Aoki staring more than once XD
- Gasp! They let Rin put her hands on her (fully covered, nonexistent) breasts without a censor box! She's clearly jealous of Houin and goes the old "massage for growth" route.
- But all too soon, it's over and she's back home. Bored, alone (Reiji is at work), and missing Aoki.
- She remembers what he said about seeing him "any time", and heads to school. She finds him pulling weeds with Houin, who is busy forcefully inviting him to the fireworks display until Rin distracts him and he chases after her.
- And now I'm even more convinced they're just censoring things for the hell of it (or rather, to get DVD sales). Rin leaves a pair of panties in the hallway, and when Aoki picks them up, she flashes him. Except from the dialog, she's clearly wearing bloomers, so there was nothing to censor.
- Kuro and Mimi visit Rin's house to invite her out, only to find she's not there.
- Aoki catches up to her on the roof by the pool. She stalks towards him and he tries to preempt any funny business, when she gives him her line about "cheating on her" again and pushes him into the pool. She laughs a little, but then lets the facade slip away. She hugs him again, and says it's okay if they don't go home, if they don't go anywhere. She's fine just being there with him like that. Awww... Rin...
- Then the fireworks start. It's going to be awkward when Houin finds them in the pool together.
- Ah there we go. Thankfully massive misunderstandings and overreactions are avoided, but Rin still lets Houin know who's boss. :sd: As if Houin-sensei didn't have enough self confidence issues, she's going to have a nervous breakdown if she thinks she's losing to a elementary school student. I can just imagine her punching herself in the breasts, screaming "WHAT GOOD ARE YOU? WHAT GOOD ARE YOUUUUUUU!?"
- And while that didn't get too awkward I think this will. Aoki walks Rin home, and she's wearing his jacket. Reiji is not going to like this.
- Nevermind, I guess they're holding that confrontation off until the end. We get a shot of Reiji looking surprised when he reads Rin's note about heading to school, but then the next scene takes place the next day. Rin, Mimi and Kuro are at school (with an umbrella, chairs and towels set up in the courtyard) in their skimpier bathing suits (Kuro and Rin anyway). Rin tells Aoki she'll be keeping an eye on him all break long to make sure he doesn't cheat on her. :sd:

Very good episode, again! More censorship than 4 but not during important moments. Lots of extremely cute Rin scenes. Houin looking boobalicious in her swimsuits. Avoiding the more extreme types of "comic misunderstandings" that would have detracted from the important scenes.

Keep it up, KnJ~ Here's hoping next episode (flashback to her mother) is as heartbreaking and moving as it should be.

[vtr9kvictor]

The "Too hot for TV" OVA was released today-ish, just finished watching.

It focused around the sleepover at Rin's place chapter of the manga, with some miscellaneous other stuff thrown in as padding.

It was quite risque, though not so much as the manga. No nipples for one, but otherwise all the innuendo was pretty much intact.

Apparently the producers of the TV series have stated that "current events in the manga cannot be depicted on TV", so that version will probably be significantly less racy.

Anyway, all in all it was pretty good. More Reiji than normal, since half the episode took place at Rin's house, and very little Aoki, except at the beginning and end. Boin-sensei only had a short cameo at the end.

Various and sundry Screenshots (http://www.fencedude.com/Images/OVAScreenshots.jpg) Probably NOT WORK SAFE. Also in ABSOLUTELY NO PARTICULAR ORDER.


Isn't that the one where they play "the Adult Game" and put their hair up between their legs? only to lose interest when Mimi just looks too adult for it to be fun?

If not for that scene, I would dismiss the length of their hair as merely being an "artistic choice", but that scene indicates that their hair really is that long. Just an interesting note about the girls I thought, in that apparently none of them has ever had a haircut in her life.

[vtr9kvictor]

Before I become like the same people I hated when the whole Nymphet scandal was going on, would you please put what this is about in spoilers? I don't want to turn down something so blindly but I could definitely use some motivation.

MASS RANDOM SPOILERS AS THEY POP INTO MY HEAD

Yes, Rin does flirt shamelessly with her teacher, and she does do so in an incredibly sexual manner. I won't deny that. However, thats not the entire story. Rin lives with her...cousin, I guess (whatever you call her mother's cousin, anyway), Reiji, who was basically kicked out by his family and ended up living with Rin and her mother back when Rin was 4 or so. Reiji and Rin's mom fell in love (keep in mind Reiji was in his last year of highschool at the time, and Rin's mom wasn't that much older) and started having an affair. Unfortunately shortly after Reiji graduated and got a job, Aki was diagnosed with lung cancer, and after a long period of illness, died.

Now we get to the creepy part. Reiji ends up gaining custody of Rin, and raises her as if she were his sister. But Reiji, who has some noticeable issues, very clearly sees her as more than that. He basically sees Rin as Aki 2.0, and can't wait for her to grow up so he can have the same relationship wit Rin that he had with Aki.

As for her teacher, Aoki, he never reciprocates her advances, and very clearly is interested in Houin-sensei, aka Boin-sensei, for obvious reasons. He does get flustered easily though, and Rin takes shameless advantage of this.

If loli fanservice squicks you, then this isn't the show for you, but it does not promote lolicon, anymore than Lolita promoted pedophilia.


Okay, I'm going to go throw up now. Definite pass.

No way - I've been reading the manga. Its really good. You Aoki has begun to suspect something is not quite right about Rin and her friends' home lives (all three are facing serious problems at home) and is trying to help them, plus he knows something is wrong with Reiji but not what. Yes, creepy. But also, very very good.

[Sly05]

So as the series nears its conclusion, the anime decides to veer from the manga a bit and we finally start to see Reiji's dark side. I liked the decision to have Reiji find Aoki and Rin in the storage closet after the two get locked in. The confrontation between the two was well done and really demonstrated how disturbed Reiji is. Due to the censorship I'm not certain as to whether Reiji is just desperately overprotective of Rin or (like in the manga) it's much darker. We haven't really seen too much of that yet, but it may have just been censored out. I can't wait to see how they end the series.

In spite of the epic censorship, I've really enjoyed the anime adaption of the series so far. The censorship has really been bad the past few episodes, unfortunately, with heavy bleeping of dialogue and entire scenes (that aren't even remotely sexual in nature). I've found some scenes hard to follow even having read the manga so I can't imagine how annoying it is for those who haven't.

[something]

Episode 6:

- I don't usually pay much attention to lyrics for OPs and EDs, but I've been doing so with the KnJ OP and It's actually... really fitting. Cute and catchy, naughty but sweet, it fits the tone of the show well.
- Reiji's backstory starts us off. His father was an alcoholic. His mother... I'm not sure what her deal was, to be honest. She didn't want to leave the house with him, but I'm not sure why. Doesn't matter though, the point is that he hated his parents and they did nothing for him. All he wished was that they would die. And they did, in a crash. His relatives are quick to get rid of him, and that's how he came into the care of Kokonoe Aki, Rin's mother.
- He's cold and distant at first. No, more than that, he's just a shitty little brat. He asks Aki why she has a kid if she's not married: "Did your plan to have a child just to get married fail?" She responds "I just couldn't possibly abandon Rin," and finally he realizes that she's what a real mother is.
- As he's crying in his room after that, Rin walks in. Without saying anything, she just comes up to him and hugs him, and he starts bawling. Ever since then they've been inseparable, and he began to settle in and open up to Aki.
- Heh, even back then Rin was naughty :sd:
- Aki tells Reiji she wants to adopt him officially. He seems uneasy with it, and she thinks maybe he's still coping with his parents' death, so she puts the issue aside. He can't possibly say what he's thinking. He doesn't want to get adopted because... he's in love with Aki. And not mother-son love. Wow, that... that really makes things much more interesting.
- Reiji is determined to become a man as soon as possible. He tells Aki he'll find a job, he'll support the family. He know she's been feeling exhausted lately, and asks her to rely on him more. She's lying in bed with Rin on her lap, and he hugs her. Then he leans in to kiss her. She resists at first, saying Rin will wake up, but he insists, and she goes along. Rin *does* wake up, sees what's happening, but doesn't object. Instead she closes her eyes again and says nothing.
- And it seems like they hit it off. She comes to accept him as a man, gradually. And she's so fun to watch, especially when she's teasing him. She's attractive and loving and it's no wonder he fell in love with her.
- She's also dying of cancer. That's the prognosis, though she doesn't tell anyone. It's beyond the stage where recovery is an option. Oh man ;_;
- Life continues nonetheless. Reiji is successful at work, and everything is well at home. Rin fully accepts Reiji and Aki's relationship. They take a trip to the beach, and this is paralleled in the present day (with a neat B&W+selected color visual effect) as Reiji goes there with Rin.
- Ehh, I was just about to praise this episode for having no censorship whatsoever, but we get some here. Reiji and Aki are having sex when she starts coughing, and the censorship comes up for about 15 seconds. He says they should stop but she tells him to continue.
- Then we're at the hospital. She finally tells him about the cancer. He's blindsided, and asks her why she didn't tell him. She says that treatment to keep her alive for a mere six months would be enough to fully support Rin for three years.
- He gets her treatment nonetheless, but it's not enough. She wastes away day by day, and eventually leaves the hospital so she can spend her last weeks at home. During this time, Rin takes to making origami cranes, aiming for the requisite thousand.
- Day after day she makes them, but finally time is up. One night Reiji looks for Rin, only to find her in Aki's room. She's made hundreds of cranes, scattered all around the room. In the center of the room, Aki has passed away.

As their trip to the beach comes to a close and Rin goes to sleep, Reiji ends his reminiscences by reiterating his desire to protect Rin. From anyone, from anything.

What the fuck do I even say? Beautiful episode. In 24 minutes Reiji became a real human being, not just "that vaguely sinister young man living with Rin" who I was suspecting for all sorts of horrid motives. It's not that I think he's going to come out of this show clean and blameless, but my god, this certainly establishes an incredibly important context for whatever comes in the next 6-7 episodes. Both for Rin and for Reiji, and by extension Aoki, who has unwittingly stepped smack dab into the middle of it all.

It appears the next episode will kick the service up a bit, but hopefully they keep it reasonably in check. No need to overdo it. But even if they do, they've already proven to everyone what this show is really about, and no amount of bile from the sensationalist haters will take that away. It's not like I haven't seen similar flashback storylines before, but that didn't make it any less powerful. A job damn well done.

Edit: Oh, and major kudos for being smart enough to use an alternate ED. I absolutely adore Hanamaru☆Sensation, but it would have been wholly inappropriate this time.

[Nemo_N]

This is a great chapter in the manga, but this episode took it to epic levels. Studio Barcelona will most likely never have a hit anime, but damn they did an outstanding job in this episode. This should be an example to other small/unknown studios out there, on how limited resources are not much of an excuse for poor adaptations.

Episode 6:

- I don't usually pay much attention to lyrics for OPs and EDs, but I've been doing so with the KnJ OP and It's actually... really fitting. Cute and catchy, naughty but sweet, it fits the tone of the show well.

I noticed this, but I never mentioned because I thought I was being biased because of how much I like the manga. I like the "It's regrettable; all sneaky things are done by girls" :laugh: Watashiya Kaworu probably smiled at this part.

His mother... I'm not sure what her deal was, to be honest. She didn't want to leave the house with him, but I'm not sure why.

I got that as another case of a woman unable to realize she doesn't have to take the guy's crap; happens very often in my country, sadly.

Edit: Oh, and major kudos for being smart enough to use an alternate ED. I absolutely adore Hanamaru☆Sensation, but it would have been wholly inappropriate this time.

I'm still humming that song (Yasashi).

Damn good episode.

[something]

I got that as another case of a woman unable to realize she doesn't have to take the guy's crap; happens very often in my country, sadly.
Yeah, I caught that she was unable to stand up to her husband, but I was sort of confused as to her feelings towards Reiji.

At first, Reiji thought she just needed a push in the right direction, and that if he offered his support, she would come along, because she cared about him. He felt that the only reason she stayed behind at all was because of him.

However, at some point later, and this is where I lost the line of logic, he came to believe that she didn't care about him at all. In fact, it seems like he decided that she was on his father's side. And so he started wishing for her death as well, and didn't mourn her when it happened.

So I just feel like I'm missing something there. Was Reiji right about her? Or was he wrong? He never seemed to say anything about it again either way after coming into Aki's care. All he said was something like, "If only my mother had been someone like Aki," which implies that he didn't look favorably on his mother at all, even after the fact.

But I'm probably overthinking this, and it's really not important in the long run. What does matter is that he completely severed himself from his past, threw himself into the Kokonoe family full force, and everything else flowed from there.

[Sly05]

At first he thinks she's putting up with all the crap from his father to protect him, but once his father starts abusing him as well, she does nothing to intervene.

[something]

At first he thinks she's putting up with all the crap from his father to protect him, but once his father starts abusing him as well, she does nothing to intervene.
Hmm. Good enough explanation for me. Nice and simple.

[Fencedude]

Oh wow. They managed to make what was one of hte most powerful chapters of manga I've ever read even better.

Whether in print or in animation, seeing Rin with the paper cranes next to Aki just causes me to tear up.

;_;

Anyway, I do wonder just how far they are going to get in the anime anyway.

[TheFly]

There's a video here (http://www.moetron.com/2007/12/21/kodomo-no-jikan-dvd-episodes-12-uncut/) (via giapet.net (http://giapet.net/2007/12/25/ufo-newscatcher-waiting-for-my-brother-to-wake-up-edition/)) of a compilation of all the censored moments from the first two episodes in their uncut DVD form.

Having watched them, it seems to me that the suggestion that the implication of the censor blocks was worse than the actual content they were covering was correct. There's not really anything there that crosses the line in my opinion. As someone in the comments to that article pointed out, something like Popotan has more explicitly visual loli content, it's just not sexualised in the same way.

[something]

Having watched them, it seems to me that the suggestion that the implication of the censor blocks was worse than the actual content they were covering was correct.
Yeah, I saw some of the comparison shots and they prove beyond any doubt that the censorship was a marketing gimmick to up DVD sales, plain and simple. There is really no arguing it, given the kind of stuff (or lack thereof) it covered.

In a way I'm glad that they didn't do anything explicit under it, but then it's also irritating that they decided to go ahead and censor it at all, often lessening the impact of emotional scenes for no good reason.

[ape2020]

Yeah, I saw some of the comparison shots and they prove beyond any doubt that the censorship was a marketing gimmick to up DVD sales, plain and simple. There is really no arguing it, given the kind of stuff (or lack thereof) it covered.

In a way I'm glad that they didn't do anything explicit under it, but then it's also irritating that they decided to go ahead and censor it at all, often lessening the impact of emotional scenes for no good reason.

You know what those censored scenes give me hope (yes I know its still a snowballs chance in hell) that it will somehow make it to R1. So I'm avoiding any vids of it other then the OVA which got me interested in the first place.

Lets see should it be released under a hentai label like Kitty or Critical Mass, when its clearly not hentai. Or mainstream like ADV or Media Blasters, would like to have said Geneon but... :cry: :cry: :cry: Maybe a smaller unknown like Image Entertainment who did Hyper Police or even stranger a old veteren like AnimEigo. ;)

-ape2020

[Nemo_N]

A decent subbbed version of Kodomo no Jikan episode 7 came out this weekend. It has some problems but it's watchable and because it was made with the DVD raws, it doesn't have any unnecessary, huge censorship blocks.

Fun fun episode, with no high emotional content, altough we get to see some of Aoki's doubts about his carrer choice.

Also, Houin-sensei is love :beatingheart:.

[Splitter]

Lets see should it be released under a hentai label like Kitty or Critical Mass, when its clearly not hentai. Or mainstream like ADV or Media Blasters, would like to have said Geneon but... :cry: :cry: :cry: Maybe a smaller unknown like Image Entertainment who did Hyper Police or even stranger a old veteren like AnimEigo. ;)

Of course, you are forgetting our favorite label designed for "what fans want", and let's face it, it'd have better luck being sold online anyway than being sold wholesale at Best Buy.

[JINROH]

A decent subbbed version of Kodomo no Jikan episode 7 came out this weekend. It has some problems but it's watchable and because it was made with the DVD raws, it doesn't have any unnecessary, huge censorship blocks.

Fun fun episode, with no high emotional content, altough we get to see some of Aoki's doubts about his carrer choice.

Also, Houin-sensei is love :beatingheart:.


Its 'out',way past that actually using the exact same methods you mentioned here.My wife and I finally sat down to watch the rest,as we gave up with the crazy and totally unnecessary censorship,on ep 2 of the tv broadcasts.

We both agreed that we saw nothing wrong with any of it.My wife was not surprised at all,that a woman wrote and drew the series,though I really was.Touching,funny,and very emotional,was how she described what we saw.
Great music too !

[JINROH]

Ep 12 from the dvd,was great,for those interested. :bigsmile:

[pianocello]

Having finished this, it turned out slightly better than I expected despite some unsettling flaws. This seemed to me to be more like an elementary school version of GTO.
I don't see why they need to sexualize young children like this - if they wanted to go for the lolicon crowd, why not go all out and make it like The Story of Little Monica. Why not let an adult like Houin be the fanservice provider instead?
Some things rubbed me wrongly. Despite attempts in ep 6 to make the audience sympathize with him, Reiji struck me as a creepy, pathetic loser that the show could do without. Also, I'm usually partial to lesbians with one-sided love but Kuro is so unlikable that her character is a complete fail. Shirai is too unlikable and Aoki is too much like your stereotypical spineless wimpy male lead. Houin comes off the best but could do with more character background.

Overall, despite the creepy lolicon aspects, this was a watchable if somewhat flawed show.

[Shiroi Hane]

Some things rubbed me wrongly. Despite attempts in ep 6 to make the audience sympathize with him, he struck me as a creepy, pathetic loser that the show could do without.
He who?

[pianocello]

Some things rubbed me wrongly. Despite attempts in ep 6 to make the audience sympathize with him, he struck me as a creepy, pathetic loser that the show could do without.
He who?


Reiji. He sucks and makes the show worse than it should be.

[Zero Kyori]

Renji is one sick bastard in the manga. Aoki should've let him have it in chapter 43. Anime doesn't creep me out as much as Manga Renji does.

[Sly05]

I don't think you are supposed to like Reiji. If Kodomo no Jikan has anything like a villain, its him.

[something]

Episodes 1-6:
I just rewatched episodes 1-6 of this, the DVD versions. What an improvement. The censorship actually made the series seem unrealistically dirty, because as I expected, seeing what's under the MASSIVE CENSOR BOXES is really not all that big a deal. Bleeping out words and covering whole screens gives false alarms about stuff that either isn't so bad, or just isn't there at all..

I had been holding off on this show for various reasons (censorship, absurdly slow releases, not realizing it had been completed some time later, etc) and had stopped here, at episode six. I've never seen seven and up. I was going to marathon it all before the second season started. Now that I have some time free, and realize that the "second season" is just an OVA, I figure this is a good time to finally go back to it and finish it off.

Episode six was just as sad and downright beautiful as I remember, and then some. It's just incredibly touching, and 1-5 were touching as well, in their own ways. While the show goes overboard from time to time, the underlying story is exceptionally sweet and the emotions are conveyed with amazing sincerity when it really matters.

I'll probably push through the second half of the series by the end of tomorrow. This really is a great show.

[something]

Episode 7:

- Rin is a chikan!! Heh. They're headed to a class trip on a mountain.
- And Mimi picks a bad time to have to relieve herself. Aoki winds up literally carrying all three of the group up the mountain at record speed.
- Houin is so smitten by Aoki. I wonder if she has a chance. I mean, Rin's feelings for Aoki aren't really lover-romantic, and he's not really a lolicon, so it's not like I can see them "getting together", even if it were legal. :sd: So there's actually no insurmountable barrier to Houin's aspirations, except the fact that so far Aoki doesn't seem to notice she's alive. Well except when she was in that sexy bathing suit in the fireworks ep.
- Onsen time! Kuro and Rin growl at Houin's breasts enviously. Mimi just pities her, knowing all too well the problems that large breasts bring. :sd:
- Revese peeping! This time the girls want to peep on the guy, although it's only Mimi who gets an eyeful.
- Pillow fights! Ghost stories! Porn! Black magic rituals! All the usual things that students engage in at night when on class trips.
- Rin slips out to find Aoki, but Kuro captures him instead. Her plan is foiled when she falls asleep. And holy crap, Mimi is a deep sleeper.
- Awww, Houin-sensei is adorable. And Rin is jealous.
- But Jin having a sleeping Aoki's head in her lap and then covering them with Kuro's umbrella makes for a really cute, if weird, scene.

[something]

Episode 8:

- Looks like Rin's very physical personality might become an issue soon. Shirai-sensei flips out when she hugs Aoki. There's also some stuff about a a former teacher she regards as a rival.
- Aoki makes an effort to stop reacting to Rin's provocations, but it's no use. She gets a rise out of him anyway. But he tells her flat out that she should not be touching her teacher, and she runs off angry. I want to say "poor Rin!" but, well, he's frickin right! :sd:
- I love how Kuro is perpetually nekomimi'd out. And every time she hits up against the realization that society wouldn't approve of her and Rin falling in love, I get a little sad.
- Anyway, Rin's plan to hang onto Aoki is... to become a boy! After all, the guys have a lot of physical contact when playing sports with him and such. She hides her hair down the back of her shirt but... sorry, no fucking way that works. The hair is of greater mass and volume than the whole rest of her body, like hell is it hiding so conveniently like that!
- Flashback to first grade! How Mimi, Rin and Kuro met. It wasn't an instant matchup certainly. Rin looks dead...
- Wow, those are some incredibly shitty little brats in Rin's class. Kick their asses, Kuro.
- Oh this also serves to introduce Nogi-sensei, the former teacher Houin mentioned. She was Rin's first grade teacher.
- And when 1st grade Rin finally speaks, it's really sweet. Kuro was quite the bitch at first, treating Rin purely as a doll to play dress up with. Well, she's obviously long since atoned for those sins and loves Rin more than just about anyone.
- The genderswap Rin plan goes into action. How does Aoki not notice some completely new kid? I guess he's not necessarily playing with kids from his class.
- Go figure Rin is a lot more embarrassed about being seen when she's not in control of the situation. Says a lot about her, I think.
- And once again, an incredibly cute scene. Rin says that she's okay with him getting mad, or punishing her, or yelling at her, but the one thing she can't bear is for him to ignore her. Meanwhile, he's trying to find the right balance in how to show affection through "skinship" without stepping over the line, or letting Rin step over the line and drag him across it.

Loooove this show. Rin is just amazing, and as unrealistically naughty as she can be, there's this really genuine sense of need and loneliness underneath it. Black hair looks surprisingly cute on her, btw. Aoki's a really stand-up guy too, even if no real teacher would be able to do the things he does, and certainly not get away with them without people misunderstanding.

More tomorrow! Damnit, wish I had time to finish tonight.

[something]

Episode 9:

- After loitering around outside and being naughty during free time, Rin and Kuro (and Mimi but only by proximity) finally annoy Aoki enough that he decides it's time to get a bit stricter. Rin does not approve of this turn of events.
- Her main objection is that she feels like it's collective punishment, and so she is both angry at him for doing it and upset that she got everyone in trouble.
- Then Rin sees Aoki setting up a meeting at a restaurant with Houin, and finding out Houin is single. Oh no! She wants to go to the same place with Reiji as a way to keep watch over Aoki, but he's already cooking so she tries to hide her disappointment and stay home.
- Aoki seems to be ill.
- The next day, Rin pulls a major (and potentially dangerous) stunt, and Reiji is called in for discussions. But he immediately blames Aoki and it's clear this is an opportunity he's been looking forward to. Now he wants to try to turn Rin against Aoki, maybe even take her out of the class.
- Whatever is wrong with Aoki catches up to him and he's out sick the next day. Shirai takes over and goes all mega-bitch on the class. They all cower in fear (although Kuro thinks she's cool :sd: )
- Suffering under Shirai makes them realize how good they had it with Aoki. They feel sorry for him, actually regret taking advantage, wonder if he'll transfer, and even start blaming Rin. Aww... Well, ok, it largely is her fault. =P
- Mimi has an idea! Show up at Aoki's apartment and nurse him to health! Hah, and they do it. Cleanup comes first. Porn goes with the recyclable garbage!
- Rin even throws out his pictures of him and his friends. That was actually pretty mean...
- Some stuff happening with Shirai. No real details, but she's softening up a bit.
- You know, it strikes me as a really bad idea to let your third graders come into your apartment and clean for you. Especially when you're left alone with one of them. I bet Houin is totally going to show up to try to nurse him as well, only to find Rin asleep in his lap. :sd:
- Hah, there she is, just as the mood was getting good (in a wholesome way) between Rin and Aoki. He's happy to see her, but Rin sure isn't. It's a shame Rin and Houin have to be pseudo-enemies, because they're both really awesome. It's not hard to understand how Rin must feel though.
- Rin finally and truly realizes the gap between her and a mature woman, and it's really hitting her hard.

And we end with dead-eyed Rin about to push Houin down the stairs and horror-flick-like 'screening sound' bgm. Er, that could be bad (though thankfully it's only like 8 steps).

[something]

Episode 10:

- Oh, I was wrong, it's like 15 steps. That could hurt.
- But Rin doesn't do it. And thank goodness, because Houin really has done nothing wrong. You can't help but sympathize with Rin though. God I so want them to become friends...
- Haha, Kuro really has taken a liking to Shirai. She calls he Shiro-chan now. :sd:
- Rin cosplaying Mimi! Hah! She looks really cute in glasses.
- Rin also confesses and gets shot down. Well, uh, sort of? It's hard to know how to describe that sort of scene between two people like this.
- Kuro in Rin's clothes! Where did she get all that extra hair? Bwhahaha, Mimi in Kuro's clothes! Or, as near as she can fit in them...
- And a sad Rin, realizing that Aoki both pays attention to her and *doesn't* pay attention to her because she's just a kid. It both works in her favor and holds her back. Kuro can see something is wrong even though Rin tries to shrug it off.
- On the way home they run into Reiju and apparently Mimi has a huge crush on him.
- Rin just fucked up. She tries to blackmail Aoki, but in the process ends up leaving him with the impression that Reiji is doing bad things to Rin, like forcing her to wear sexy panties and such. This will get ugly. Rin's pranks are gonna backfire when the two most men people in her life start fighting with each other.
- Or instead, maybe she'll get him wondering if he really is a lolicon. :sd:
- And then after provocation from Kuro, he lashes out and hurts Mimi's feelings, getting into her baggage from the former teacher. Oh boy.
- And Rin fucks up again. She's really not handling this well. Just as Houin and Aoki are getting a good mood going (Houin nearly confesses), Rin sends Aoki an alarming text. He rushes over and it turns out it's all a prank. He's... angry? Or maybe it's silent rage, which worries Rin all the more. After he storms out, she cries both happy and sad tears. Happy that he rushed to help her, sad that she might have just finally crossed the line.
- Wow. He realizes that he couldn't get angry because he's... terrified. Terrified of Rin. Oh man...
- Yaaay! Rin and Houin have a little heart to heart talk, although Houin doesn't really have any idea what Rin is really talking about. But Houin tells her something very simple: If you want someone to like you, be nice to them. It's like the thought never crossed Rin's mind. I wonder if it's too late, though. She may have decided to be good, but has she freaked Aoki out too badly?

...Well, if so, the big eruption won't happen here. She just puts a coat on him as he sleeps at his desk and leaves.

Awesome awesome ep. I'm especially glad Rin came to appreciate Houin somewhat.

[something]

Episode 11:

- Life sucks for everyone! Reiji has nightmares about his parents still. Things are still awkward between Mimi and Aoki (although she doesn't actually want to drag this out). Rin is trying her best to be good, but Aoki is still depressed and she must be wondering if it's too late.
- But Kuro-chan to the rescue! A ball to the balls precipitates everyone making up again! But aww, poor Mimi. Kuro says Aoki is a masochist, and Mimi things this explains why he pays more attention to the abusive Rin and Kuro than to her. :sd:
- Bwaahah! So Mimi tests it out. Hearing her adorably mumble "Shut up, you're so perverted that I'm disgusted just looking at your face! Touch my breasts!" is... so wrong, but so funny. Never change, Mimi.
- Didn't get quite the response she expected. Instead of happy, he's shell-shocked and thinking she hates him all the more. :sd:
- Shirai-sensei is still a bitch but I can't help but start to like her. Her berating of Aoki has a subtle feeling of playfulness lately.
- Stuck cleaning up the gym alone, Aoki is met by Rin in the storage room where, of course, they get locked in.
- And when Reiji gets home and doesn't see Rin, he freaks.
- Meanwhile Rin is having a mini breakdown, worried that Aoki will hate her, but he reassures her that he'll stay with her no matter what. Cue badly timed storage room door opening in 3, 2, 1...
- Well, it didn't open to any sort of disastrous scene, but Reiji FLIPPED THE FUCK OUT and decked Aoki anyway. He's a lunatic.
- Oh and points to Shirai for slapping some sense into Aoki and calming him down.

It's a good thing we got episode 6, because if they didn't establish some sort of context for Reiji's actions he would come off a thousand times worse right now. But even with that context he's totally two steps from going yandere and hurting Rin out of his corrupted desire to protect her.

Damn. Can this really be wrapped up in one more episode? Well, I guess all it'll take is one magical Aki visit from beyond the grave to cure Reiji of his craziness, or something like that.

[Buster Darkwings]

Damn. Can this really be wrapped up in one more episode?

Um, this anime is based on an ongoing manga, so...

[something]

Episode 12:

- Rin isn't in class. And hahahah, Mimi is taking notes from Kuro on how to verbally abuse Aki. :sd:
- Reiji continues being hugely disturbing. He drags Rin around to amusement parks without caring at all for her opinion, he won't let her go to school, he even locks her in her room while he goes to work (how is she supposed to pee, dude?)
- And back at school, Kuro and Mimi continue to worry. Mimi continues her weak attempts at abuse (Kuro clues Aoki in as to why), and is all the more convinced it's necesary when the trash talking Kuro gets a smile and a pat on the head from Aoki. :sd:
- Rather than heading to work, Reiji was heading to school to tell hem Rin is transferring. Ouch.
- Back home, he tells Rin what he did, and she responds angrily with scissors in her hands. She was only making origami, but the scissors give him flashbacks (to as yet poorly explained events in the past) and he flips out. Aoki arrives at the house just then to see him on the floor and Rin standing over him with the scissors (I don't see blood on them though). ...And we only have half an episode left? What?
- Cue the expected Aki intervention! His psychotic personality is suddenly cured.
- He also overhears Aoki awkwardly trying to cheer Rin up while pretending to be unconscious, and seems to soften.
- And as Aoki is leaving, Rin asks him for a tight ... handshake.
- Then we get a "everything is back to normal, yay" epilogue type thing. Kuro is still in love with Shirai.

Coulda benefited from a few more episodes, but it undeniably told the story it needed to, and it told it extremely well. Anyone why watched this far knows just how shamefully overblown the show's controversial reputation is, so I don't need to rant on that. It's quite obvious that above all, this is a really sweet show that deals with some unexpectedly weighty issues, and by and large did it with respect. It has some amazingly genuine emotional moments, and Rin herself is an incredibly interesting character.

I'm damn glad I got back and finished this. Not sure how quickly I'll jump into the KnJ Nigakki OVA (I assume it's mostly means for the more fanservicey elements, because it's only three episodes long), although it being told from Rin's point of view might be a bit interesting if they try to do it seriously.

[something]

Damn. Can this really be wrapped up in one more episode? Um, this anime is based on an ongoing manga, so...
...So? A story can wrap itself up appropriately without relying on a manga ending.

And now that I just watched episode 12, I'd say KnJ did a fairly good job of it, within the constraints of the story it was trying to tell. It was slightly abrupt, but appropriate and respectful enough.

[Buster Darkwings]

Damn. Can this really be wrapped up in one more episode? Um, this anime is based on an ongoing manga, so...
...So? A story can wrap itself up appropriately without relying on a manga ending.

And now that I just watched episode 12, I'd say KnJ did a fairly good job of it, within the constraints of the story it was trying to tell. It was slightly abrupt, but appropriate and respectful enough.

I don't really consider any of the character's storylines were wrapped up in the anime, they were simply reset to the status quo.

[something]

Responding under ep 12 since we're getting into talk about the ending.

I don't really consider any of the character's storylines were wrapped up in the anime, they were simply reset to the status quo.
It's not a reset if problems have arisen and then been overcome. Status quo before was a psychotic Reiji who was primed to snap the first time he thought Rin was in trouble. He's clearly meant to be viewed differently at the end, and that means not menacing Rin with knives when she disobeys, or threatening to pull her out of school, etc. Even if the situation looks the same on the other side (which is a stretch to say anyway), people have changed. That's where the growth is in the series.

Also, if you measure it against whatever you've read and expect to read in the manga, of course it's not anywhere near wrapped up in the anime to the extent that I'd expect the manga to be by the end. The anime could only have hoped to tell a piece of the story, and so that's what it did. It tells us the story of Rin and Reiji's past; Aoki meeting Rin and the other students, interacting with them, getting to know them; Reiji baggage causing him to snap; and a resolution to the ensuing crisis.

It's a perfectly acceptable ending. Rushed, as expected, and neither completely conclusive nor heavy on explaining what comes next. But I've watched enough anime that that doesn't bother me so long as the journey to the end is done well (and this was great), and the ending is respectful to the characters and the story. That's just how some shows are.

So no, of course it's not "wrapped up" in the way you're looking for. That's not possible. But as a twelve episode anime, KnJ ends well enough not to do any damage the wonderful story that filled the first 11 episodes. And that's a success in my book.

[Buster Darkwings]

If you consider character growth to be wrapping up a story, sure. The anime ends better than a lot of series, but there's no denying that viewers will be left wondering what happens, as no final resolutions have occurred. I don't need to have read the manga to know that.

[Fencedude]

If you consider character growth to be wrapping up a story, sure. The anime ends better than a lot of series, but there's no denying that viewers will be left wondering what happens, as no final resolutions have occurred. I don't need to have read the manga to know that.

Ok, so?

[Buster Darkwings]

If you consider character growth to be wrapping up a story, sure. The anime ends better than a lot of series, but there's no denying that viewers will be left wondering what happens, as no final resolutions have occurred. I don't need to have read the manga to know that.

Ok, so?

Not interested in discussing this with you.

[something]

If you consider character growth to be wrapping up a story, sure. The anime ends better than a lot of series, but there's no denying that viewers will be left wondering what happens, as no final resolutions have occurred. I don't need to have read the manga to know that.
I think my post made it clear that I understand that, and I don't think we're really in disagreement here. Personally I don't see it as a problem, because plenty of shows I watch end this way. Some shows set out to begin and end a story. Others set out to, or are constrained by circumstance to, just begin a story, to get the ball rolling. The KnJ anime is one of the latter. Sometimes those end disastrously because the story isn't one that lends itself to such an approach, but I think KnJ is one that was pretty well served by it.

I would love to see more of the story animated if/when possible but I'll still have fond memories of this one nonetheless.

[Buster Darkwings]

Yeah, I can see where you're coming from, I think the "wrapping up" part just caught me.

[Nemo_N]

...It's a perfectly acceptable ending. Rushed, as expected, and neither completely conclusive nor heavy on explaining what comes next...

I have this gut feeling that Studio Barcelona (now called Diomedea) wasn't sure if this was going to be enough of a success to warrant a second season or even an OVA, which is perhaps why they did it this way. They tried something in the middle, conclusive but not so much to cut off any chances of a sequel.

[Nemo_N]

Not sure how quickly I'll jump into the KnJ Nigakki OVA (I assume it's mostly means for the more fanservicey elements, because it's only three episodes long)...

Funny thing; the Comic OVA (or OAD) that is out right now, focuses in one of the less fanservicey chapters of the manga (heck, there is only one pantyshot in it). It also happens to be one of my favorite chapters and, dare I say, one of the most touching.

This is encouraging for me, since it means that even though I'm sure they'll throw in fanservice, they are not backing away from the most substantial chapters of the manga.

[something]

Edit again: this is episode 0 of the Nigakki OVA, changing subject line accordingly. :sd:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Decided to watch this now after all.

Episode 0, Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan:

- Yep, it's an OVA all right. Opening scene is rather naughty, though not so much visually. The OP sequence is very well animated, though the song is overly heavy on the bass.
- Rin is the class rep? And they're in fourth grade now. I like that this is continuing the story at least somewhat from the TV series, rather than just trying to take place during it.
- Heh, Rin and (inadvertantly) Mimi are teasing Kuro, saying she actually likes Aoki. She's objecting, of course.
- Houin vs Shirai! They both get frusrated after an argument about cutting student activities.
- And Kuro meets Shirai. Kuro... has no fear. Everyone else is scared shitless of Shirai, but Kuro is all over her, telling her she's pretty and should wear nicer clothes, bursting into her classroom asking to go play, accosting her in the hallway. Even Shirai doesn't know how to react, hah.
- Meanwhile, Houin thinks Aoki has a thing for Shirai.
- Kiro is really working on Shirai. And she's actually getting through. We get a Shirai flashback too, which does exactly as you'd expect.
- Bwahaha, Kuro accidentally blurts out that she won't participate in field day without a kiss from Rin, and Mimi gets all excited thinking Kuro is finally coming out of the closet.
- Oh that's cruel. Poor Kuro. ;_; Rin teases her and kisses Mimi instead. It's hard to believe that someone as unnaturally perceptive as Rin doesn't know about how Kuro feels.
- Shirai in casual clothes! Oh man, they do wonders for her. (Too bad she smokes, eww.)
- Kuro vents to her a bit and then... tells her she's in love with a girl! Shirai's mind races into overdrive as she tries to remember her child psychology classes back from training.
- Ouch, she just rattles off what she thinks is a stock answer ("Don't worry about it and you'll grow up to be normal"), totally not expecting Kuro to have been serious. Poor Kuro ;_;
- ::sniff:: Awww, Shirai realizes she hurt Kuro, and is at a loss.
- Man, this extra focus is doing wonders for Shirai. Not only does she make if obvious that she's hot, she actually gets to be more of a character. While enraged over how her mother doesn't seem to care about her feelings, she thinks back to how she hurt Kuro as well.
- BWAHAHAHA! Houin tries out a Shirai "cool beauty" look.
- Oh my god that is so sweet. As an apology, Shirai wears the hairpin Kuro gave her, and shows it off to her during a morning assembly. One of the boys makes fun of Shirai, and Kuro freaks out and beats the shit out of him! Oh god, Kuro x Shiro = BEST COUPLE.
- Awwwwwwwwwwwww. Shirai fantasizes what it would have been like if Kuro had been her classmate back in high school. And we get to see an older Kuro!

Too bad it ends there. I would kill to see more development between them. Damnit OVA format, why must you tease me so?

Fantastic episode regardless.

And I'm not sure what to say about the ED other than ~~~~~~~WIGGLIN KURO-CHAN~~~~~~~

[HitokiriShadow]

Episodes 1-3, rewatch:
Seeing the uncut versions just revealed how incredibly stupid the censorship was. There was exactly one instance that warranted any censoring at all (Mimi getting her measurements) and that scene should have just been cut entirely rather than doing what they did.

Mimi's breast issues were still hard to watch and some other little things about the execution leave something to be desired, but Kuro-chan makes up for any problems the series has.

Episode 4:
Reiji is gets properly introduced. There is something definitely off about him but he's hard to get a read on based on this episode alone.

[HitokiriShadow]

So the teachers just make up their own grading systems? And can wait until after all the grades come in to decide how to do it? And can basically rank the kids and divide them up to determine the grades? Maybe that's not unusual or that far out there in Japan but that seems so incredibly bizarre to me.

[HitokiriShadow]

That was a heartbreaking episode.

And while I've heard Reiji described as "completely unsympathetic" and this really unlikeable guy.... I sure ain't seeing it. At the moment, there's really nothing to hate about him. I'm sure that he's changed since the events of this episode and the present and becomes a much less likable guy, but he's really defied my expectations so far.

[something]

And while I've heard Reiji described as "completely unsympathetic" and this really unlikeable guy.... I sure ain't seeing it. At the moment, there's really nothing to hate about him. I'm sure that he's changed since the events of this episode and the present and becomes a much less likable guy, but he's really defied my expectations so far.
Yeah, it's hard to truly hate Reiji after this episode. No matter what he does, this story does so, so much to put his behavior, past, fears and hopes into a startlingly intense context. His behavior cannot ever be written off as without reason. More shows could really benefit from giving characters this sort of depth early on, before any shit hits the fan. It's not nearly as effective when there's a conflict and one party comes out looking awful, and then they make a half assed attempt to redeem them with a "pity me" flashback. But by then, it's often too late. Though not always - a show you and I are both watching did this "after the fact" redemption startlingly well recently. But it's hard to do it right, and is more likely to make me resent the writers than suddenly take to the character.

KnJ expertly maneuvers around this with episode six. I too had heard about how horrid Reiji was, but I could never judge him quite the same way after this flashback.

[HitokiriShadow]

"No sabbaths!!" (As his 8 year old students prepare to sacrifice a chicken to Cthulhu) XD

And we had an amusing reversal of the usual onsen peeping antics. I would say this was one of the better episodes, at least among the less plot-focused ones.

[HitokiriShadow]

Lot's of Kuro cuteness this episode, like when she gets all horny over boy-Rin and then depresses herself upon realizing her statements about boy-boy relations kind of apply to her situation as well.

There were some sweet moments with Rin and Aoki too, and we got some interesting looks into Rin's past as well as her behavioral issues.

[HitokiriShadow]

Reiji sure did some assholish things, but I still find it very difficult to hate the guy. He had shitty stuff happen to him and he's a bit twisted as a result and, as the last episode points out, he's pretty much a child himself as he attempts to raise the daughter of the woman he fell in love with.

I'm liking Mimi more now that she's training under Kuro. Kuro, of course, remains my favorite character.

It's not going down as one of my favorites and sometimes the serious stuff doesn't quite work for me for reasons I can't quite pin down, but it was certainly an enjoyable series. I'm glad I went back to it and I'll be watching the OVAs.

[something]

It's not going down as one of my favorites and sometimes the serious stuff doesn't quite work for me for reasons I can't quite pin down, but it was certainly an enjoyable series. I'm glad I went back to it and I'll be watching the OVAs.
I'd really love to see what it could have done with two cour. It was really hitting me good with the emotional stuff and nearly every episode had at least something serious or relevant to character/relationship development. Very few throwaway service eps, and even those were generally amusing. The fanservice played around with "the line" but never really crossed it, and was milder overall than I was expecting before I started the series. And as you note, it's really hard to hate Reiji as much as I'd normally loathe that kind of character. It's just impossible after episode 6.

Very enjoyable show, and here's hoping the rest of the Nigakki OVAs are as good as the first one.

[Fencedude]

Finished rewatching 1~4, the censorship definitely made things worse, but I'm very curious about where Kuro is learning her vocabulary.

Kuro's still the best character, and any girl who uses Nekomimi as a fashion accessory gains major points in my book.

[Fencedude]

So the teachers just make up their own grading systems? And can wait until after all the grades come in to decide how to do it? And can basically rank the kids and divide them up to determine the grades? Maybe that's not unusual or that far out there in Japan but that seems so incredibly bizarre to me.

I largely agree with Shirai on grading, but I have to keep in mind that I passed several courses in college because the professor said to me "You can't seem to convey it on the tests, but I feel you've learned the material anyway".

And thats how I got a C in Quantum Mechanics.

[Fencedude]

While my standards for emotional episodes have recently been revised upwards, this was still top tier.

I almost wish the show was about Reiji having to deal with raising Rin by himself, but I guess what we have is pretty good too.

Also, Aki was just devastatingly sexy.

[Fencedude]

"No sabbaths!!" (As his 8 year old students prepare to sacrifice a chicken to Cthulhu) XD

And we had an amusing reversal of the usual onsen peeping antics. I would say this was one of the better episodes, at least among the less plot-focused ones.

I love the part where Aoki is ruminating about peeking, opens the cabinet and the three girls are there grinning at him.

Also, while I do feel sorry for Houin, she really needs to be more assertive with Aoki.

[Fencedude]

Rin looks pretty good with dark hair, and Kuro fangasming over it was hilarious.

Kuro was kinda a bitch back then (ok, she still is), but its interesting how the three of them came together, each outcast from the rest of the class, but for different reasons.

Also, this is one show where I watch the OP and ED every single time.

[jlazar]

I largely agree with Shirai on grading, but I have to keep in mind that I passed several courses in college because the professor said to me "You can't seem to convey it on the tests, but I feel you've learned the material anyway".

And thats how I got a C in Quantum Mechanics.

Can you please warn us if you ever get a job working at an atom super collider? :) :)

[Sly05]

The OVA format suits the series well. No over the top censorship to make the series seem more vulgar than it is (not to say that there aren't scenes that won't raise a few eyebrows). The Shiro-Kuro arc is one of the best parts of the manga (not to mention that Kuro is my favourite character) so I'm happy to see it animated. The adaption turned out really well.

Little-non turns out another great theme with their work on the ED here. It's not quite to the level of Hanamaru Sensation, but the song and visuals make it fun to watch. The opening is also pretty good.

While the TV issues managed to skirt around much of the Reiji issues, I'm curious how much they will delve into that aspect of the story in future episodes. Despite how creepy it is, it is one of the central issues of the story.

[something]

The Shiro-Kuro arc is one of the best parts of the manga (not to mention that Kuro is my favourite character) so I'm happy to see it animated. The adaption turned out really well.
Without spoiling anything (yes/no would be fine), is there more to it? It was a fantastic episode but it feels like it stopped just as it got really really good. Shirai realizing how badly she hurt Kuro and trying to make up for it was great, but I'd love to have seen some follow-through and get a sense of where their discussions go from there on out.

[Fencedude]

The Shiro-Kuro arc is one of the best parts of the manga (not to mention that Kuro is my favourite character) so I'm happy to see it animated. The adaption turned out really well.
Without spoiling anything (yes/no would be fine), is there more to it? It was a fantastic episode but it feels like it stopped just as it got really really good. Shirai realizing how badly she hurt Kuro and trying to make up for it was great, but I'd love to have seen some follow-through and get a sense of where their discussions go from there on out.

There is, yes.

(in regards to Reiji)

[something]

There is, yes.
(in regards to Reiji)
I meant Shiro/Kuro.

[Fencedude]

There is, yes.
(in regards to Reiji)
I meant Shiro/Kuro.

Yeah, a bit, though through what I read not as much as I wanted.

[Fencedude]

You know, its amazing how Japanese 3rd graders are just left to run around where ever they want, going to their teachers houses, going to the store <strike>becoming magical girls</strike>

[Fencedude]

I'd forgotten the clothes bit, I wonder if they ever got to where they were hinting with that, I honestly think there is someone who's clothes are far more telling ran Rin's...

Anyway, Rin's damn lucky Aoki didn't bring Houin along when he thought Rin was in trouble (of course, that would have been the smart thing to do, so obviously he wouldn't)

[HitokiriShadow]

Lot's of Kuro this episode, which isn't surprising since her name is in the title. Shirai is Shiro, so of course she also got a good deal of focus. I wasn't really expecting Kuro's admiration of her to go anywhere, but I'm glad to see I was wrong. It was cute and it was nice to see it get developed and for Shirai to get some character development and growth.

I was expecting the OVAs to take advantage of the fact they were not being subjected to broadcasting standards and to up the fanservice, but this episode was actually less fanservicey than most of the TV episodes.

On another note, apparently 3rd/4th graders in Japan can have credit cards. :sd:

Also, Aoki really should have worked a little harder on getting Kuro of that kid. He just stood there for a while, allowing Kuro to continue pounding him.

[something]

On another note, apparently 3rd/4th graders in Japan can have credit cards. :sd:
As Fence and others noted, 10 year olds in KnJ seem to have full legal adult rights... and in Kuro's case, the money to back it up. I really want to see the look on the face of the cashier at the local fast food joint when Kuro and Rin order food (do they even come up high enough to clear the counter?) and Kuro slaps a Platinum Preferred Corporate Rewards card down on the counter as payment.

Also, Aoki really should have worked a little harder on getting Kuro of that kid. He just stood there for a while, allowing Kuro to continue pounding him.
Works for me, seeing Kuro pummel people who trashed her Shiro-chan was awesome. =D I both love and have to laugh at how Shirai just stands there smiling. :sd:

[Fencedude]

Not a bad ending, for what it was trying to do.

It never really addressed the main issue concerning Reiji and Rin, his flipping out is a sideshow, really.

[Fencedude]

WTF? This isn't the Shiro-chan episode, its about Rin becoming the class rep, and is supposedly the first episode of Nigakki, but...

Eh, whatever.

Good episode.

[HitokiriShadow]

Wait, so the Shiro-chan episode isn't Nigakki episode 1? I had assumed they were the same. I guess I have another episode to watch.

[something]

Wait, so the Shiro-chan episode isn't Nigakki episode 1? I had assumed they were the same. I guess I have another episode to watch.
Yeah, I'm finding the KnJ OVA chronology way more complicated than I think it's supposed to be... So it seems there's the pre-TV OVA, the TV series, the Rin's Classroom Diary recap ep, and Nigakki, which has Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan but also some episode prior to that that nobody on AOD seems to have discovered or talked about before now. :sd: I'll be watching this tonight too...

This is double confusing because the second OVA DVD isn't even out until April! So... o_O

Edit: Oh wait, the first DVD is 55 minutes, so it must be 2 episodes. That would explain it.

[something]

Episode 1: Yonensei [4th Graders] (1st ep for real this time):

- Heh I think they feel compelled to start off on a particularly servicey scene before settling down into the more important stuff in the episode proper. That was a really pretty scene of Rin in the tree though.
- Rin has a traumatic run-in with morning wood.
- So we are getting post-TV Reiji in the OVA. I was kinda thinking they'd avoid going there until they could do another TV series or something, and try to deal with continuing it in more detail. Though what they're doing here makes sense.
- ...Reiji, you're so awkward. Instead of protecting her ass it looks like you're trying to grope her >_>
- Heh, the meeting between Reiji and Aoki makes it seem like they've slightly reset things between them, and they both think the other is a pedo. Maybe starting this in the OVA is a good idea after all, so that if they do more it's already set up.
- Haha, I cracked up when Reiji did his satisfied sneer at Aoki.
- And Rin volunteers to become class rep to save Mimi... or rather, to make her her lackey. I'm getting Haruhi/Mikuru vibes.
- Rin thwarts Kuro's nikujaga plot...
- Ouch, poor Rin. Good job Aoki, totally not trusting her. Okay, so I can see why he'd be skeptical, but man, that had to hurt her. She's been trying so hard.
- And back to the beginning, with Rin in the tree.

Heh. That was pretty good, but Kuro/Shiro was definitely better, primarily because it dealt with a completely new dynamic, while this was another Rin/Aoki ep.

~~~~~~~~~WIGGLIN KURO~~~~~~~~~

[Fencedude]

- Oh my god that is so sweet. As an apology, Shirai wears the hairpin Kuro gave her, and shows it off to her during a morning assembly. One of the boys makes fun of Shirai, and Kuro freaks out and beats the shit out of him! Oh god, Kuro x Shiro = BEST COUPLE.
- Awwwwwwwwwwwww. Shirai fantasizes what it would have been like if Kuro had been her classmate back in high school. And we get to see an older Kuro!

Too bad it ends there. I would kill to see more development between them. Damnit OVA format, why must you tease me so?

Fantastic episode regardless.


Indeed, this is one of my favorite subplots in the series.

The two are absolutely adorable together.

Now all we need to do is rewrite reality (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/151862/barefoot-black_hair-highres-kagami_kuro-kodomo_no_) a bit.

[something]

Just because it's a bit confusing:

Episode 0: Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan
Episode 1: 4th Graders
Episode 2: Fun Sports Festival <~~~ this post

Episode 2:

- Rin seems really depressed. The sports festival is coming up, but that doesn't seem to be the reason.
- Heh! Houin and Aoki conspire to get each other's classes fired up. Her acting was amusing, and Aoki... Aoki... Oh god, Aoki. :sd: He's not sure how to "act mean", and ends up turning to sexual harassment. Which, apparently, turns her on terribly. XD Woooow, that was awkward to watch, but still totally hilarious.
- Muahaha, Houin you are awesome. She's having a female teacher costume parade! And she's blackmailing Shiro-chan into participating, with Kuro-chan delivering the final blow. She's so happy to hear Shirai will be cosplaying. XD
- Seems that Rin is putting on her best "work hard!" face, but she's hiding the fact that she's sick.
- The day of the sports fest. Reiji can't make it because of work, but hopes to arrive before the end. Rin reveals she's going commando under her buruma, and Kuro nearly dies from nasal blood loss. Rin teases Aoki some and everything seems normal, but Rin is still definitely coming down with something.
- Ugh the boys in Rin's class are such little bastards. You think she would have beaten the shit out of them enough by now for making fun of Mimi that they'd never do so again. Mimi is all depressed again now, in part because she misses her father who apparently moved away because of work. So that's two of our three girls down in the dumps.
- Shiro-chan is selecting her cosplay! =D Reluctantly. But as much as she tries to object, she can't totally pull out because she doesn't want to disappoint Kuro. Awwwww.
- Kuro notices Rin looking ill and confronts her, but Rin pushes her concerns away and says she's willing to do anything for Aoki, because he saw all the darkness inside her and accepted her anyway, and she's going to be with him forever. And stuff like that.
- This of course is like a knife in Kuro's heart. She finds Shiro-chan in the costume parade (lol Houin. lol Panda) and starts crying. And... Ah!!!!! Oh god, best scene yet. Shirai goes through all the things she told Aoki about not touching the students and being proper and strict and... to hell with it, she cares deeply about Kuro and Kuro is crying her eyes out right in front of her. Shirai kneels down and hugs her tight. It's soooooooooooooooooo god damn sweet. <3 Fuck, I absolutely love these two. LOVE!!
- Rin was telling the truth about going commando (well, commando + bandaid). :sd: But she teases Aoki like this to hide the fact that she's quite ill and collapsed behind the school. She's totally going to pass out during the relay.
- Although it's Mimi who does the collapsing first. She's really depressed that her mother didn't come to watch her.
- Holy crap this is a depressing episode. Mimi gets insulted more and goes to cry behind the school. Kuro managed to expend her tears on Shirai, but she's still sad. Rin does manage to win the relay and jump into Aoki's arms, but Reiji is unable to come to the sports fest (and beats himself up for it), and Rin is still getting even sicker that night.

Woah. And it's over. What a low point to end on, but it made for a very interesting episode. I guess this means there are more eps coming. They surely couldn't just end it there. But since there's only one episode in this volume, that means it'll be awhile until we see how this plays out... cruel! (Especially since I keep fearing that they're going to try to give Rin the same cancer her mom had. Gah!)

[Fencedude]

(Especially since I keep fearing that they're going to try to give Rin the same cancer her mom had. Gah!)

I'm pretty sure her mom had lung cancer, which is...rare in children.

[HitokiriShadow]

Bouin and Aoki's schemes to give their classes some fighting spirit were golden. Shiro-chan also had some good scenes, like her conversation with Bouin over the teacher cosplay and a few cute scenes with Kuro.

Mimi has more issues than just her bust size, and her current issues make for vastly better viewing material.

[JINROH]

So,is there no season two ? I had finished watching all of season one last year,and then the ova's (or some of them at least) There is a certain site with one epsiode of what is being called ep one of season two.



edit and episode two of 'second term' was released subbed this morning....

[something]

So,is there no season two ? I had finished watching all of season one last year,and then the ova's (or some of them at least) There is a certain site with one epsiode of what is being called ep one of season two.
edit and episode two of 'second term' was released subbed this morning....
1) KnJ goes like this:
Kodomo no Jikan OVA (1 ep, 2007)
Kodomo no Jikan TV series (12 eps, 2007)
Rin's Classroom Diary OVA (recap, 1 ep, 2007[?])
Kodomo no Jikan Nigakki OVA (3 eps, outlined below):
- Special/Episode 0: Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan (packaged with a manga volume, Jan 2009)
- Episode 1: 4th Graders (disc one, Feb 2009)
- Episode 2: Fun Sports Festival (disc two, April 2009)
Season two, Nigakki, is OVA only, and I haven't seen anything beyond episode two confirmed yet, which is strange given how it ends.
2) Use QUOTE when replying. Do not use "Post Reply" because it screws up the subject lines (I've fixed for this post). If you didn't intend to post to a specific subthread (you replied under Nigakki Ep 2), reply to the root (first) post instead.
3) You're not really supposed to explicitly say things like "Hey this was just fansubbed", else you can get in some trouble.
4) We're already discussing the episode, so that happened before this morning anyway.

[JINROH]

Ep 2), reply to the root (first) post instead.
3) You're not really supposed to explicitly say things like "Hey this was just fansubbed", else you can get in some trouble.
4) We're already discussing the episode, so that happened before this morning anyway.



I'm Sorry,and thanks for the heads up.I watched the first OVA thinking it was supposed to watched after season one.

[danth78]

Just viewed the images linked from the first page...and immediately cleared my browser cache. Not work safe? It's not USA safe! Although I think applying CP laws to drawings is insane, I think this show could get you arrested in the US.

EDIT: whoa, the advertisement above my post is scaring the shit out of me!

[Fencedude]

Just viewed the images linked from the first page...and immediately cleared my browser cache. Not work safe? It's not USA safe! Although I think applying CP laws to drawings is insane, I think this show could get you arrested in the US.

A) It can't

B) We've been over this a million times

[something]

Just viewed the images linked from the first page...and immediately cleared my browser cache. Not work safe? It's not USA safe! Although I think applying CP laws to drawings is insane, I think this show could get you arrested in the US.
EDIT: whoa, the advertisement above my post is scaring the shit out of me!
Is that really all you came into the thread to say?

And no, no it won't get anyone arrested. Ugh.

[Sly05]

Just because it's a bit confusing:

Episode 0: Shiro-chan and Kuro-chan
Episode 1: 4th Graders
Episode 2: Fun Sports Festival <~~~ this post


That is confusing. I skipped over the 4th Graders episode thinking it was the Shiro and Kuro one. Thankfully that oversight has now been rectified.

As for episode 2, the series continues to benefit greatly from the lack of giant logos. I agree the ending was rather depressing with both Kuro and Mimi in tears, Rin sickly from over-exerting herself, and more hints of Reiji's darkside.

Kuro and Shiro are still the best thing about the show. I'd watch a whole series dedicated just to them. Seeing Shiro continue to soften her stance towards teaching is really great.

[something]

Kuro and Shiro are still the best thing about the show. I'd watch a whole series dedicated just to them. Seeing Shiro continue to soften her stance towards teaching is really great.
Hell yeah, they're absolutely amazing together. Shirai-sensei is really interesting not just on her own, but also because she gives Kuro an emotional outlet that she never really had before. She could cry to Mimi once in awhile about her issues with Rin, but there wasn't a lot Mimi could do, and Mimi has her own issues. But Shirai really adds another dimension to Kuro's character, which simultaneously develops Shirai as well by putting her way, way outside her ice queen comfort zone. I definitely think it's the most interesting dynamic in a show that's already full of them.

[pianocello]

Seems like no one else has seen this episode yet. I think drama is the strong point of this series and this was actually the strongest episode of the OAVs. Still the two breast scenes somewhat disturbed me - the 1st one with Reiji (DIE REIJI DIE) and the next one which was yurilicous but still felt a little eh.

[something]

Seems like no one else has seen this episode yet.
For obvious reasons. =P I'd love to, though... Man I hate the OVA format, though. God, how long ago did I see episode 2?

[something]

To recap:

Episode 0: Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan
Episode 1: 4th Graders
Episode 2: Fun Sports Festival
Episode 3: Green Cherry Tree <~~~ this post

Episode 3:

- Rin looks terrible. That is, of course, scary given what her mother went through.
- Shirai on the other hand looks wonderful. She seems like she's loosened up a bit. <3
- The whole class seems lethargic without Rin. Mimi is sad that the only time she gets praised is about her grades. And Kuro is just angry and upset at being rejected. =(
- Damn Kuro is in bitch mode. She just flat out smacks Aoki in the face when he jokes at her for handing the test in blank (well mostly blank, it said "BAKA" on it). I wasn't sure how he was going to react but kudos to him for rolling with it and getting her out of the classroom without making a scene. His response totally caught her off guard.
- Man, this show never really creeps me out but any time Reiji is involved it starts to. He walks the line between outright creep and legitimately uncomfortable with his situation in the oddest of ways.
- ...I did not like the look on his face right there.
- Mimi delivers the daily printouts to Rin and of course meets Reiji there and oh god she's so cute when she's squeeing over Reiji. Even if she has very bad taste in men.
- Whaaa? Rin is thinking of her mother's breasts and, uh, asks for Mimi's. She's pretty delicious from her illness.
- Although I think Mimi is going to oblige her, and... Reiji... haha oh god, do not go upstairs, Reiji.
- Good, he doesn't, at least not yet. And, uh, Mimi did oblige Rin. Yeah there's something very wrong with Rin right now.
- And now there's some draaaaama going back on at school and I can't remember enough to put it in context. What is Shirai all worked up over?
- Well who cares, we get Kuro and Shiro together again~ Damn, though, I'm pretty sure I heard this is the last episode of Nigakki and there's just too much going on for another 8 minutes to be enough!
- But awwwww, holding hands. Well Kuro is happy now, so that's one character down.
- Now it's Mimi's turn. She gets some encouraging words from Reiji, and she also sees a vulnerable side of Rin that she wasn't prepared for. It shows her that Rin isn't perfect, and she shouldn't feel so inferior in front of her. And while the method was, uh, unconventional, she managed to be there for Rin and help her out.
- Alright, we have about five minutes for Rin. Get better, Rin!
- Hahah, or maybe Houin can realize that Aoki is a virgin and spontaneously cheer in the middle of a bar? :sd:
- Bwhahah, so Rin is in school the next day (I guess a good sucklin' was just the medicine she needed) and Mimi thinks Rin has forgotten... no such luck. Yes, Mimi, Kuro probably will kill you if she finds out what happened. XD
- Thankfully, Mimi gets to live. And Rin actually goes remarkably easy on Aoki at the end. He gets off with just being forcefully made out with. :sd:

So they did end it pretty well after all, mostly by things turning out to be much less of a crisis that they appeared at first. Which is fine, we're only talking about a four (with ep 0) episode OVA here. Not much room to move If it weren't for Reiji's creepy ass faces you could almost assume the story could end (more or less) here, but he's still got serious issues to work out. It's like despite what he learned at the end of the TV episode, he still hasn't grown all that much.

Now I want my Sangakki! As a TV series this time, please! Although, I don't want to deal with that ludicrous censorship again... but I dislike the immense wait between episodes almost as much. Well, regardless, good stuff all around as usual.

[Fencedude]

They dance around the issue a lot, but by all appearances, Mimi's homelife sucks.

And speaking of sucking...yeah.

[KomoriKiri]

- Mimi delivers the daily printouts to Rin and of course meets Reiji there and oh god she's so cute when she's squeeing over Reiji. Even if she has very bad taste in men.

I like Mimi, but unfortunately she's pretty well set up to be in the classic type of abusive relationships. Unless Rin keeps tabs on her Mimi's probably going to have a horrible dating life unless something significant changes for her. As Fencedude notes, it's pretty clear her parents aren't paying much attention to her (note her reaction at the track meet to someone she mistook for her mother), and the early series shows the same. In the manga they take that "only get praised for my grades" bit even further. Mimi has some time when she's letting Kuro dress her for school... yeah. She turns up in a friggin' bunnysuit at one point, and just when Aoki seems like he's going to explode he ends up telling her that she's really strong, which makes her very happy.

KomoriKiri (né Wraith)
"The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry."
-- Ernest Hemingway ("A Farewell to Arms")

[Sly05]

Episode 0: Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan
Episode 1: 4th Graders
Episode 2: Fun Sports Festival
Episode 3: Green Cherry Tree <~~~ this post

The numbering keeps throwing me off as well. I thought it was an older episode until I saw your post.

Some good Shiro and Kuro scenes in this episode (they're still the best part of the show) and the always eyebrow raising suckling scene. Even if Rin wanted it, your right that Kuro would totally kill you, Mimi.

Reiji is a creepy, creepy guy but I do like how he at least provides some comfort to Mimi. I do find it interesting that he seems to acknowledge that he's going down a bad path with his attitude towards Rin after seeing much of his younger self in Mimi. The guy really needs to get an adult girlfriend or something.

[pianocello]

The show would be better without Reiji. Having Reiji in the show is like having a bullet in one's head. DIE REIJI DIE!!

[Fencedude]

The show would be better without Reiji. Having Reiji in the show is like having a bullet in one's head. DIE REIJI DIE!!

Uhh...without Reiji there is no show.

[Roujin0308]

To recap:

Episode 0: Kuro-chan to Shiro-chan
Episode 1: 4th Graders
Episode 2: Fun Sports Festival
Episode 3: Green Cherry Tree


Ah! I'd forgotten about Episode 0. Now I realize why the cases for eps. 1-3 don't fill the box that came with #1. :sweat:

[HitokiriShadow]

Happiness 100 points! The pure bliss on Mimi's face when she saw Reiji was adorable. Then she and Rin have one of the most incredibly awkward scenes in all of anime.

Then we get more Kuro & Shiro, which as usual, was very cute.

So, I guess this is actually the last OVA then. I was surprised when this came out, because I thought it was already over. -_-;

[Nemo_N]

More KnJ on the way.

Source. (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-05-10/kodomo-no-jikan-anime-return-announced)

Looks like more OVA's. I was hoping for a whole season, but beggars can't be choosers.

[Buster Darkwings]

Another OAD series. I guess that means no Blu-ray.