True Tears, Initial Thoughts
I’m trying to catch up to the rest of the world on True Tears. My episode 1 thoughts…
After watching School Days, it’s nice to have a main character you can call a “protagonist” with a straight face. Shinichiro is rich, but he paints, he’s sensitive, etc. Neither an obvious doormat or dick. Can he stand with Clannad’s wily “delinquent with the golden heart,” Tomoya? We’ll see. I’m on the Tomoya fence anyway.
Not a lot happened at all storywise, but the characters were established well, and they seem interesting so far. Archetypes abound, with the nature-loving “crazy girl” and “adopted sister/lodger” (who doubles as “mysterious shy girl”) starting things up. Shades of “older sister” archetype — who also happens to be the best friend’s girlfriend (wonder what’s with that). But they all seem to be fairly interesting takes so far. I like the parents so far as well; the dour mother is anything but typical.
Design and animation is fantastic. The CG is fairly obvious, as it usually is in non-action shows, but it probably saves budget, and it’s a nice tool to make the paintings come alive in Shinchiro’s imagination. The beautiful backgrounds also evoke the watercolors that he uses, and character designs are great. A little puggy on the noses in profile, but nothing like School Days‘ horrible gelfling look. Facial expressions are realistic and full of personality. Overall look of people is taller, thinner, wispier than the cute Kyoto Animation look we’re being inundated with right now, and it’s great to see something that looks nice but doesn’t look just like Kyoto.
Music is pleasant. I actually find the opener enjoyable in a feathery, transitory kind of way. It evokes Air, which is appropriate because so far that’s the closest comparison I’ll make to the mood. Dreamlike, free-and-easy, but unready to show its true colors just yet. I actually feel kind of refreshed after watching, which is good because School Days did anything but…
- otou-san out!
