What did you think of this episode?
5Loved it!
62.8%
322
4Liked it!
29.2%
150
3It was OK
5.8%
30
2Disliked it
1.8%
9
1Hated it
0.4%
2
Average 4.5
513 votes
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| THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE. ---------------------------------------- There's a online preair today from the Docomo Anime Store. We got a school setting along with tennis introduced immediately in the beginning of the episode. Maki seems like a cool guy especially when he caught that cat leaping in class. He also receives a tennis racket from Touma (the guy with the glasses). The episode ends with him being slapped and abused by an older man in his own home. On the technical side, I like the usage of the soundtrack so far to bring on a more atmospheric feeling to the show. |
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| The TBS animation panel at AX screened this first episode. I had a decent level of enjoyment with the show. Most of the cast seems likable enough, and the panel staff stressed how the show's intention was to focus on adolescence and drama first and sports second. The visuals and fluidity of movement are solid and the sound design is aesthetically pleasing. Further, its at least partially interesting to see the MC of a sports show who's primary interest is not the sport of the show. MC's main interest is math and/ or astronomy, which is capped in the first episode nicely through the framing of MC observing a rather unique astral event, framed by his hands from his line of sight. With that said, I have a huge amount of worry that this show is going to go overboard on "cruel parents" drama tropes and mistake that for something gripping. Its just a fear for now but we'll see how things turn out. Over all, i quite enjoyed this first episode and am looking forward to more in the fall. |
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| hm, depending on how they'll execute this whole situation, this might turn out good or it might turn out a huge miss like HaneBado did. it sure plays on contrasts, from carefree soft tennis club to domestic abuse. don't think the tone shift is bad in the case of first episode, as they create the setting, but if they'll continue doing this it might come off as just lazy writing looking forward seeing how the story develops, the premise surely is interesting enough to continue |
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| wow, so far I'm really enjoing this one. sports anime are usually not my cup of tea, but here it really seems to be an adolescence story first and a sports story second. that sudden angst at the end surprised me, hoping that this will become interesting rather than the overplayed brutal dad cliché. also, lovely artstyle so far in my opinion, i love cute characters and usually in sports anime they look rather cool than cute (which is not neccesarily bad though). |
| That ending hurt. Fucking hell, i get why they divorced. What's been set up here is that Toma is someone very eager, family seems to be well off seeing that he doesn't have qualms after Maki wanted him to pay him for the club. His mom does not seem to approve of him at all though. Maki is a hard worker who does everything he can for his mother and they live in an apartment, they are struggling in comparison to Toma's family. I expected this show to be more of a character study than focus on the sport itself and that's what we seem to get here. My excitement for the show is mainly cause it's an original show by the director who did Noein which i found to be a great show. |
| Best premiere episode of the season. The direction and music was great, the foundation was built very nicely, the animation was good and the ending was fucked, but emotional in a way too. What a start, and I'm praying that this show can maintain consistency and not drop in quality by being too dramatic or boring. |
| Well this nice, and it's actual anime original, which we never get for sport animu. It's almost always fucking manga adaptations. Anyway, it seems like the kind of anime more focused on the character drama than the sport itself (Despite the incredible amount of fluids animations), though it's too early to tell. |
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| Damn that ending was really impactful. Anyway, while I really like this anime’s atmosphere, I don’t like the MC at all Has a lot of potential, let’s see |
| Well a bunch of loosers trying to achieve somethng is nothing new in sports anime, it all comes down to how things will go from here on out. Thou I really hope the family drama doesn't drag on and effect the anime too much cause most times it turns out to be lame. Anyway a promising start, the main character is not ur regular sports mc so hope this turns out well. |
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| That ending... Toma's mother seems to be afraid of him, her own child. Wonder why? Good start I really enjoyed this episode. |
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| so this is the latest non-shouneny sports show, does seem interesting. That ending though, damn. Man why it always gotta be the family divorced cause the dad is a massive asshole. also like how both sports anime have "sky" in their name VanishingKira said: That ending sure was heavy handed. Toma's mom awfully afraid of him, could he be an abuser as well? Would be a strange dynamic considering Maki's dad is one, maybe he'll find out about it later on? Excited to see what Noein's director delivers this time around. The panel staff stressed how the show's intention was to focus on adolescence and drama first and sports second. So something similar of kin to Ping Pong The Animation very interesting.I think it's more like disappointment (like she thinks he's a failure) than abuse, if it was abuse related I don't think Ryou would be so calm about it (unless he didn't know). Kinda like Nagisa's mom from Ass class |
Short_CircutOct 10, 2019 12:59 PM
 'On-Hold' is another way for a completionist to say 'Dropped' |
| I was already sold on this thanks to the mellow tone and the soundtrack that was used. Directing in general was great. Also while the premise isn't something new, it's still pretty compelling. But damn, the ending segment spiced things up further. This might become the sleeper hit of the season. Great to see that sports anime( or rather anime with sport) are killing it this time. |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
| I'm amazed at how good the animation looks, the characters seem all the more interesting with all the little details in the way they talk, move, etc. MC looks particularly interesting. I can relate to his interest in astronomy, what a surprise to find someone like that in a sports anime, hope it's not just a casual interest of his and it'll be explored later on too. He also seems like a cool guy who is very comfortable in his own skin and knows where he stands. His interactions with others went so smooth despite being a new guy. The neighbor girl is also cute, I liked how they casually started off on a friendly note and are walking home together already. The plot thickens at the end and that's actually troubling, I mean, I am worried for the characters and intrigued as to what will happen next. So far, really liked it. A very strong start, hope it continues this way and doesn't disappoint. |
| Oh wow... This reveal really changes so much about the entire first part of the episode. That's when you KNOW it's well-written. Like realising their old apartment didn't have an elevator because they had no money after fleeing an abusive home, and that the MC's reflexes probably come from having to develop them to try and survive around his dad. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they continue to explore this storyline. I really don't recall seeing anything quite like this is an anime before. |
kuraharah said: Love the drama. Wonder what's up with Touma and his mother, he seems like a normal kid. What struck me about Toma is that he's very eager, the forceful type of person. He didn't hesitate when Maki asked him (IMO jokingly not even expecting a bit that he would actually oblige cause honestly who would do that) to pay him. His mom appeared genuinely distressed when talking about being alone with him, i just hope at his point that a single event in the past occured with them and that it's not actually him doing things to her. |
| I really like the soft color palette the show uses, especially with the outdoor scenes. Reminds me a lot of Battery aesthetic-wise. Unlike Battery, I hope this one is actually judged as a sports drama instead of a traditional sports anime. |
| Oh damn the end of the episode, his father is really a bastard, that's sad. Great start for this anime, I usually don't watch sports anime but I feel like I will really like this one. The animation fits perfectly with the mood of the anime. I'm really looking forward for the next episode ! |
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| My only problem with this show is that he didn't latch his door when he opens it, If some one could explain this I might watch it |
| That ending hit me on a personal level. I feel really bad for Maki and his Mom :( Also I'm curious what's the situation between Toma and his Mom. This is clearly more then a simple sports anime. |
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| Out of all the first episodes, this one is clearly the winner for me. I liked the feeling, character design and overall premise. Not a big fan of plot twist at the end though, I didn't feel like I needed any drama forced into it, but oh well. Gotta wait and see how it develops. |
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| Maki is a nice boy who helps his mother, but that last scene was gut-wrenching. That wasn't a father, just a physical abuser, and cowardly thief. It was infuriating to see him kicking and slapping the boy, and getting away with their hard-earned money. Well, the other main boy is interesting too, I wonder if he only wants the club to do well because he admires his brother or if there is something else. But his mother, maybe stepmother? Doesn't seem to like him, so he is also dealing with something. This could be really good. |
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| That was such a great start! I love it. The best episode I've seen this season yet! The colors, the music, the overall atmosphere, the plot, the characters, the character design! I was a sucker for it all. |
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| I must've been the only one who came in expecting another Ahiru no Sora but found something else instead. This definitely seems more of a character driven drama than sport oriented. It would be nice if it ends up like Kaze ga Tsuiyoku Fuiteiru which was an excellent combination of both but the drama seems to be the larger focus here with a much heavier tone than the sport. The last scene especially was pretty heavy. I felt bad for Maki. Touma seems to have no qualms about paying Maki to play for the team which is strange. I don't understand what his Mom's reaction to Ryouma was all about, seems strange, so there's definitely something going on there as well. Interested in the show so far so I'll watch more. |
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| First the mother in Hanebado.. now the father in Hoshiai no Sora... What the fuck is wrong with parents in sports anime ?? |
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| I really wasn't expecting this to be so heavy. But the scene with Ryouma talking with his mother prepared me a bit for the end of the episode. It's odd the way Ryouma's mother looked nervous/anxious about being alone with Touma. Does he scare her? Or just makes her feel uncomfortable? Which also reminds me, where is Touma going to get all that money? That's a lot, especially for a kid. If I couldn't see through the peekhole, then I would definitely not open the door. But idk, I don't know how many people would realize in that situation that the peekhole is being blocked on purpose. The atmosphere reminds me a bit of Battery (mellow, serious), but actually interesting and most likely better written. I hope I'm not wrong. On a lighter note, lol at the boy's tennis team. I feel like you have to try to be that bad. straggy said: Oh wow... This reveal really changes so much about the entire first part of the episode. That's when you KNOW it's well-written. Like realising their old apartment didn't have an elevator because they had no money after fleeing an abusive home, and that the MC's reflexes probably come from having to develop them to try and survive around his dad. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they continue to explore this storyline. I really don't recall seeing anything quite like this is an anime before. Well said! Especially the reflexes part, I didn't think about that. Lelouch0202 said: I must've been the only one who came in expecting another Ahiru no Sora but found something else instead. It was the same for me >< |
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| I liked this. Not so much the drama part, but the characters were really good. The girl (Mitsue was it?) was specially interesting. Looking forward to next episode. |
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| First Episode was great! I wish it got a higher score |
| The character designs are so cute, but not moe, so we know they are serious about telling a story. The art is quite simple, pretty and pleasing to look at. The story was interesting. I am, however, curious how the megane kid had that much money. It looks like the story also has a dark side. Touma's mum seemed reluctant to spend time alone with him, and Maki's dad is damn abusive. I like Ryouma. He is the only character I have seen in a sports anime who has told one of the main characters to do what they want and not to follow traditions. There are so many divorced parents in anime that I didn't think the divorce here would have any significance. I am really hating the dad right now! |
| SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS WITH MAKI. He clearly has a history of being abused by his father, he just moves house and sees someone knock at his door and cover the peephole. I didn't even know his father was abusive and I knew not to open the door in that situation. He should've called the police immediately instead. Do situations like this happen in reality? I'm really confused. I liked the art style and slice of life elements of this episode, but that they include any villainy at all is a detriment (such as with the student council budget thing), much less villainy that doesn't hold up to scrutiny. |
| Now I see why Maki had an band-aid in the flashback of Toma's brother. I expected another spokon with teenagers dealing with what is normal in their lives but that last scene sets you up for more than that. Already had this on my radar, but now I want to see more of it. |
| No tomo malas decisiones, solo me gusta apoyar causas perdidas. Disfruté Mayoiga, Ou-sama Game, Evil or Live, Mirai Nikki, Big Order, Arifureta, Ex-Arm, Tesla Note, Shuumatsu no Harem y Platinum End nope les falle con esa, lo siento pero todos tenemos nuestros límites. Así de jodido es mi gusto en anime, ¡Y estoy pinche orgulloso de ello!  |
| I really enjoyed this episode and it seems very interesting. Can't wait for episode 2 to come out. Maki's dad really annoys me, that asshole... And the Mizuno tennis racket :D, it's always nice to see a real brand in anime. |
AntonioWuxOct 10, 2019 7:51 PM
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| Interesting, I wasn't expecting the drama aspect of this show to be related to domestic abuse. It sure caught me off guard but now, I'm curious about how the director will develop this matter. Really good first episode, by the way. I'm really liking Maki's character so far. A bit carefree but as someone already said, he knows where he's standing. Toma, on the other hand, is too pushy for my taste but I don't dislike him (for now). Wonder what's the deal with her mother tho... Overall, promising start. Now, let's just hope the drama can be handled in a proper way without it feeling forced. |
| thinking that was gonna be a comfy slice of life sports anime was like... (a bad idea) honestly ..but..it was p much oh.. maki needs money. he’s gonna get paid for being in the soft tennis club! that’s not too bad i guess and then the ending???? omgg literally. |
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| I'm digging this, but I think the way they threw in those bits with Toma's mother and Maki's father were a bit much to shove in and should have been saved for later. The bit with the mother really could have been more subtle or subdued too. Well, guess that's the cost of having to hook people in on the first ep. tingy said: That's what I was thinking. Plus maybe a little Tsuki ga Kirei thrown in.The atmosphere reminds me a bit of Battery (mellow, serious), but actually interesting and most likely better written. I hope I'm not wrong. |
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countcasper said: My only problem with this show is that he didn't latch his door when he opens it, If some one could explain this I might watch it That completely took me out of it, because it is completely unbelievable for a guy that seems to have abuse scars to just open a door after he can't see what is outside... It was clearly not the first time something like this happened judging by his dads behavior, which makes it even less realistic. Also about the people not understanding the mothers reaction, for me it is pretty obvious that the dad of the family is well of and she is probably remarried and the sons are not her biological sons and the younger one doesn't accept her or they have some kind of other internal problems. |
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| live posting: dam, an apartment building with no elevator, and he implied that they were even higher? well I guess tennis helped with all the extra walking starting on a team with a bad reputation, seems like the usual sports anime premise geez, some of these girls look no different from the boys. At least that means there won't be a ton of fanservice, but geeez "im becoming a stud!" *immediately trips over the barriers* pfft a big-bodied person in anime that doesn't look terrible!? what miracle is thiiis!? And she's the sc Prez, too!! dam, that dude sure runs fast and down those stairs... not even the eggs are burnt. so he explains it as impatience, huh? intriguing~ who the heck let a cat out in the school, oh my gosh oh come on, catching a cat is easy, just don't chase after it. that one looked like it was small enough to still have a squishy stomach wtf, Toma's mother is teriffied of him? yiikes. and her parting words gave me Rei Todoroki vibes. oh fuuuck, thats so scummy, Makiii! seriously, not keeping the chain up when you can't see the person on the other side? dude, it's healthy to be a bit paranoid! guess that's the dad she divorced... ok, now it definitely looks like he should've been paranoid enough to keep the chain on... ending it with a cute illustration tho, huh? ~ the animation is pretty cool, I only really saw any cgi when they were doing a (and i dont't know camera words here) landscape panning shot over a tennis match. im gonna watch some more to see how this goes |
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| I thought the protagonist would smash his father in the face with the tennis racket. |
| I always want to give anime originals a chance to shine. Heavy circumstances here for these boys if you factor that look the mother gave earlier too. Curious to see where this goes and hoping it doesn't turn out like Battery did because they kind of feel similar. |
standOct 10, 2019 11:40 PM
| So that was heavy. I thought this would be a feelgood and light slice-of-life tennis series and then Maki's dad appeared... I feel so sorry for him! Maki is such a nice boy, cleaning the house and cooking for his mom while they aren't rich. And then his dad takes it all away. The feels will probably come on strong with this one and I think I am ready for it. I can't wait to see Maki play tennis and prevent the club from disbanding. |
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| 8bit just keeps getting better in their production quality. I particularly love how they understatedly use a quirky building (what it is? A warehouse?) as the landmarking place where the two male protagonists meet, something that probably no one lived there care enough to ponder about it but everyone would subconsciously register its out-of-place presence. But the end of the episode has me worried, because this kind of family drama is rarely handled well in anime. |
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