Ranked #939

So Ra No Wo To Specials

Sora no Woto Specials consists of two - totally different - episodes. I believe that it would be most appropriate to consider them as two different things, as the level of variation simply disallows us to write about the two as if they were one being.
Let us start from the very beginning - the first episode, that is. What we get here is basically an extra episode of the kind which we've grown accustomed to: a slice of life comedy set somewhere during the events of the main series. By no means can we say that it was original, nor was it something outstanding - but it was definitely well-done and good enough 20 minutes of laughter. I have to admit - it's been a while since I giggled at such a no-brainer. As plain and simple as it was, it managed to amuse me. And - maybe it's just me, but if something can make me smile, I can easily forgive it its flaws and faults. To summarize, it was funny and well-spent twenty-something minutes of my time, and I say this as a person who didn't actually enjoy the main show.
What comes afterwards is the second episode. And here things get more serious. The genre becomes slice of life, and rather than jolly atmosphere we get to feel the vibe of the end of something. I mean, this episode is an epilogue to the main story, and even if you didn't know that - you would be able to guess from the very beginning. It just has this atmosphere of summary and closure to it. To keep it simple, the story shows us how one of the heroines realizes the difference between a goal and a dream, and tries to find out what is her real dream by asking others what are theirs. It may sound plain and simple, but even I have to admit that it was pulled out rather nicely and despite sounding a little monotonous, I didn't feel bored for even a single second. You can say that it was shallow, but as you sit there - in front of your display, I wonder whether you'd be able to tell me what is your dream. You can say such a cliché thing as "I want to become a(n) ". But isn't that your goal? Isn't that what you're striving for? And that's why this episode isn't all that empty - as most of slice of life anime shows are - it actually teaches us something. Especially the ending, it summarized what are dreams and how we should treat them in a very, very nice way. It made me recall a certain quote:
"Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined." - Henry David Thoreau
This very quote would be able to summarize the whole episode if we treated it as a source of life-teaching. But we should rather not, after all anime is not words only, right? Then, we shall move onwards.
General reception of sounds and music is of lesser importance, but there's nothing much to racket about. All the instrumentals fit in with the events rather well, the voices of the characters suited them perfectly and the sound effects weren't even noticeable - what is a good thing in this case. Nothing was overly good, but nothing was below the average neither.
The visual side wasn't perfect - but such words should be rather directed towards the main series. Just a few small remarks. Backgrounds were detailed and all, but the foreground left much to complain about. People looked as if they were drawn in a few brush strokes, and the way the characters were drawn in reminded me of K-ON! - what is not a good thing, really. I'd say that while the nature and landscapes were of high quality, the characters' design made an impression of being underdeveloped. But as I've said already, it's basically the same art style we remember from the main series, so it won't influence the score in any way.
And speaking of the characters - we get to see the heroines from two different sides in two episodes. We've got the whole team in an unchanged number, their personalities didn't change, too - so everything is fine and nothing is left to be said here.
What matters the most, though, is the general impression and whether it was enjoyable - and I can confidently say: it certainly was. Much more than the actual series which got a 6 from me. You may now think it's strange to give an 8 to something what is only an addition, but it's not right. It showed us what perfect specials should look like. That is: one episode of comedy (which must be funny, and not be based on fan service only) and one summarizing episode or an epilogue. That's how it's supposed to be and I hope that I'll see more specials like this.
All in all, it was fun - and that's what is most important in watching anime, right? read more

There needs to be more specials like this. Instead of goofy off-topic plots that lead to nowhere, these specials actually deepened my sense of appreciation for this show. However, one cannot categorize both specials into one mold - the first special, episode 7.5, came during the series, while episode 13 came after everything was said and done.

I'll clarify: episode 7.5 was a goofy spin-off. Sure, it had a plot element, but that was superseded by humor and comedy. I actually enjoyed this much more than the funny moments during the actual series - I ended up pausing at some parts to laugh, because the girls were just so darn comedic it was hard to keep a straight face. The story, though ultimately stupid, had a deeper undertone to it. Episode 13 was almost the exact opposite. A couple loose ends were tied up, but then BAM the hammer fell. Rio and Kanata have this epic conversation concerning certain loose ends not explained in the actual series. I don't want to spoil it, but man, they go really deep. The ominous tone returns, rearing its ugly face; but there are bright spots in the world. I loved the overall theme as well; it's sort of a metaphor for even today's modern times.

The art was, as usual, stellar and detailed. I enjoyed the scenery and environment, lush as ever, alluding to 18th century European architecture and layout. The characters, as usual, are drawn K-Onish sort of, cute and with very wide eyes. Interestingly, the colors often contrasted with the mood this time, becoming the antithesis of the more brooding conversations that were made.

Intro and ending were exactly the same as the main anime; I listened to both, again. The opening sounded nostalgic and hopeful, while the ending was cheerfully optimistic. I always loved the sound effects; nothing wrong with this, either.

A short review, but for a relatively short series of specials. These were much more serious than I originally had anticipated; however, it was way worth the time it took to watch it. Rather than being slice-of-lifey or a little stupid, these went over the top with symbolism and a great theme of life everyone should aspire to. Little Kanata has grown out of her shell, and is ready to take on the world. One small, fleeting, unsteady step at a time. read more