Ranked #124

Sakamichi no Apollon

Okay, the first episode of this wonderful show with tons of potential popped up about an hour ago, and I just had to write a review. (This is my first so cut me some slack, pl0x.)

First of all, I'd like to say that I have been anticipating the airing of this show for a while now, and so far, it has surpassed my expectations. The story begins with our main dude Kaoru who apparently moves around a lot due to his father's job, but I won't get too into that to avoid any accidental spoilers. Instead, let me fill the gaps what you can be expecting.

From the get-go, it goes straight to the opening sequence showing off some of the most vibrant and fluid visuals I have seen to date. The characters are very well drawn, the scenery is just beautiful. and everything just gives off this overall "jazzy" atmosphere. When I was around 10 minutes in, I nearly forgot this was part of a show because it was just so polished, I'd expect that sort of quality in a decently budgeted movie.

The other MAJOR thing this series excels in is the sound. From the voices of the characters to the random chatter, it really immerses you into the environment of that time. If you're looking for some time to kill, hell, even if you have barely any time at all, I suggest you take a peak at this creation, and restore your hope in anime. read more

Before I talk about why you should watch this, there's something I should bring up. Forums have been abuzz with discussion about whether this series will be swinging towards romance or bromance. That said, I don't particularly care about where these characters' relationships go, provided they're developed well. You, however, might want to sort out your feelings on sexuality before jumping into this.

Just sayin'.

So what have we here? The potential for a divine threesome with Watanabe Shinichiro and Yoko Kanno, that's what. With Sakamichi no Apollon, the duo are back together for the first time since the venerable Cowboy Bebop, and precedent tells us that this should be a very good thing. Watanabe is revered for his focus on style that is rarely without substance (and bloodshed), and Kanno, the mind behind some of the most lauded official soundtracks in the animated medium, has proven herself capable of writing everything from breathtaking orchestral soundscapes to blues ensembles that leave you wrinkling your nose at imaginary clouds of cigarette smoke. It's quite the résumé, but we have yet to see how well Watanabe and Kanno's skills translate to a small town drama.

This being an adaptation of a manga, it would be wrong for me to give Watanabe much credit in the story department (assuming this is a faithful adaptation), but that small town drama I mentioned looks promising. The characters we've been exposed to seem relatively complex, and right off the bat we're given the makings of what could turn out to be an interesting love triangle. Teenagers discovering and satisfying their love for jazz music sounds like the epitome of banality, but what I've seen so far - such as one character's desire to find out what they want to do with their life, another's to build on what little they have - leads me to believe that Watanabe is going to surprise me as he so often has.

If you're like me, though, then you came for the jazz, for the chance to hear a musical master strut her stuff. I'm a Kanno fanboy if ever there was one, and the few pieces teased so far did not disappoint; but that's not to say they were anything truly remarkable. An improv drum solo by one of the main characters has me pining for a full-fledged performance including more of the cast; but this episode's two notable background pieces seemed overshadowed by the animation and dialogue running alongside them - a far cry from the famous equilibrium managed by Cowboy Bebop's explosive action and sharp tongues with Kanno's foot-tapping instrumentals.

That animation looks to be nothing to write off, by the way. The art style, while somewhat plain, has an attractive cleanliness and warmth, forgoing stylized character designs for something more realistic (which, almost paradoxically, manages to be trendy). However, in (admittedly unfair) comparison to Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, Sakamichi no Apollon in motion doesn't appear to be a match for the latter's mind-blowing choreography nor the former's polish; but it's evident someone knows how to animate a damn fine drum solo.

It unfortunately doesn't mean much (because wow, we're being spoonfed some real shit lately), but this series looks to be in my top three of the season. If the name of Kanno Yoko makes you pop a boner, then there's no reason - barring severe homophobia - for this series not to be on your watchlist. Maybe, if the gods are good, this will turn out to be something special indeed. read more