Comments on: Voices from the Other Side: ef ~melo~ Episode 9 http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/20081202/voices-from-the-other-side-ef-melo-episode-9/ An insight into the minds of the staff of The Nihon Review Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:24:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Haruka http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/20081202/voices-from-the-other-side-ef-melo-episode-9/#comment-820 Haruka Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:25:50 +0000 http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/?p=298#comment-820 What I do agree with is that they made Kuze seem like a different character than I perceived him to be when I played the game. What I do agree with is that they made Kuze seem like a different character than I perceived him to be when I played the game.

]]> By: [Ascaloth] ef ~a tale of melodies~, Episode 9 at Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/20081202/voices-from-the-other-side-ef-melo-episode-9/#comment-656 [Ascaloth] ef ~a tale of melodies~, Episode 9 at Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:39:22 +0000 http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/?p=298#comment-656 [...] According to Akira from The Nihon Review (yes, the same guy who’s doing the Nodame ~Paris~ piece analyses), Kuze was not this emo and angsty about his impending death in the original VN, and instead took everything with the same detached outlook we’ve seen him do at the beginning of the series. The result is two very different Kuzes from both mediums; SHAFT apparently won’t be winning any awards for faithfulness in adaptations anytime soon, but what do you guys think? Is Kuze’s being emo in this series fine as it is, or perhaps it would be better for him to remain cool and collected about the whole idea of his mortality? [...] [...] According to Akira from The Nihon Review (yes, the same guy who’s doing the Nodame ~Paris~ piece analyses), Kuze was not this emo and angsty about his impending death in the original VN, and instead took everything with the same detached outlook we’ve seen him do at the beginning of the series. The result is two very different Kuzes from both mediums; SHAFT apparently won’t be winning any awards for faithfulness in adaptations anytime soon, but what do you guys think? Is Kuze’s being emo in this series fine as it is, or perhaps it would be better for him to remain cool and collected about the whole idea of his mortality? [...]

]]> By: Sorrow-kun http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/20081202/voices-from-the-other-side-ef-melo-episode-9/#comment-650 Sorrow-kun Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:15:57 +0000 http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/?p=298#comment-650 Kuze has been angsty, hasn't he. I'm not sure I quite agree with you about using rape as a plot device, though. I mean, it's so easy to make drama out of rape that it's almost cheap. I was a bit jittery about it when it was clear they were going to use it for Yuuko's story, but they were so cutting and heavy with their portrayal of how deeply it effected her that it was clear that they definitely weren't going to make light of it in any way. Writers have to be so careful when they introduce rape into the equation, IMO, since one wrong step could end up trivializing it, and if there's one thing that shouldn't be trivialized in fiction under any circumstance, it's rape. As far as Kuze's concerned, I think they've done a good, if repetitive, job at showing that his will isn't strong enough to handle dying completely isolated. I do find it interesting that he thinks of it in terms of "winning" or "losing" life. It's not the first time I've seen a character in fiction who thought of being completely alone as a life goal to aspire to (Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, from There Will Be Blood). Although, Kuze clearly isn't relishing it like Plainview did. I daresay some people just want to see Kuze admit he's a softy already and be done with it, but I do find the self-imposed torture an interesting character analysis. Kuze has been angsty, hasn’t he. I’m not sure I quite agree with you about using rape as a plot device, though. I mean, it’s so easy to make drama out of rape that it’s almost cheap. I was a bit jittery about it when it was clear they were going to use it for Yuuko’s story, but they were so cutting and heavy with their portrayal of how deeply it effected her that it was clear that they definitely weren’t going to make light of it in any way. Writers have to be so careful when they introduce rape into the equation, IMO, since one wrong step could end up trivializing it, and if there’s one thing that shouldn’t be trivialized in fiction under any circumstance, it’s rape.

As far as Kuze’s concerned, I think they’ve done a good, if repetitive, job at showing that his will isn’t strong enough to handle dying completely isolated. I do find it interesting that he thinks of it in terms of “winning” or “losing” life. It’s not the first time I’ve seen a character in fiction who thought of being completely alone as a life goal to aspire to (Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, from There Will Be Blood). Although, Kuze clearly isn’t relishing it like Plainview did. I daresay some people just want to see Kuze admit he’s a softy already and be done with it, but I do find the self-imposed torture an interesting character analysis.

]]> By: AC http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/20081202/voices-from-the-other-side-ef-melo-episode-9/#comment-642 AC Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:13:10 +0000 http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/?p=298#comment-642 It's also the same in Malay context where "like" has a lot of definitions and therefore may be ambigious to use in a time or situation where you need to be clear about yourself i.e. confessing your feelings to someone. The two ways that people know what one is saying despite using a vague term are implication and perhaps body language. Correct me if I'm wrong but based on my experiences, 愛する(ai-suru: to love) is a strong term and young people don't use this in real life, thus opt for 好く(suku: to like) instead. Sorry for going off-track; it's food for thought. It’s also the same in Malay context where “like” has a lot of definitions and therefore may be ambigious to use in a time or situation where you need to be clear about yourself i.e. confessing your feelings to someone. The two ways that people know what one is saying despite using a vague term are implication and perhaps body language.

Correct me if I’m wrong but based on my experiences, 愛する(ai-suru: to love) is a strong term and young people don’t use this in real life, thus opt for 好く(suku: to like) instead.

Sorry for going off-track; it’s food for thought.

]]> By: gaguri http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/20081202/voices-from-the-other-side-ef-melo-episode-9/#comment-641 gaguri Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:32:47 +0000 http://behind-the.nihonreview.com/?p=298#comment-641 I think going with "love" instead of "like" was wiser decision. Korean word for "like" also covers much more range than English, and rarely a guy says he likes his female friend without causing an awkward ambiguity. Funny how that works. I think going with “love” instead of “like” was wiser decision. Korean word for “like” also covers much more range than English, and rarely a guy says he likes his female friend without causing an awkward ambiguity. Funny how that works.

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