Little Busters!: Become stronger

[KazeShiki]

more VN spoilers that anime-viewers really shouldn't read. Sorry but please resist the temptation.
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I feel like truly looping at any point pre-Refrain is too much of a giveaway in anime form, not to say they haven't done plenty of other dumb stuff. Rin1 and Rin2 can realistically be combined into a single "run" which I think they are sort of planning to do, except they split it up across this season and presumably the next. Riki's growth has been moderately okay, I think, but Rin's growth has been sporadic and inconsistent. It should have been possible to have them grow across the arcs and use that as a strong lead into the latter half of Rin2. Of course, this is all hypothetical and the paradoxical nature of storyboarding this remains. I feel the focus on friendship has hurt the apparent growth of Riki due to everyone being present instead of him struggling (mostly) on his own. This compounds my biggest complaint of Masato and Kengo's characters where Masato being involved removes the key element of him being a neutral figure within the world and Kengo's playful nature wasn't revealed until the end...Considering Refrain revolves around them, it's really important to build their characters the most.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

First 18 minutes: feel the nostalgia of all the parts of this show that you hated
Last five: Hey look it's finally the show the first episode said it would give me, that's cool.

Aaaaaaaaand I'd need a pretty compelling reason to continue (like, your mom will die of cancer if you don't watch this) so I'm otherwise out.

[blkmage]

because it's the part that's legit good

[blkmage]

Reminder that Little Busters isn't finished.

[KazeShiki]

I have no faith but that does mean there's a nonzero chance of me being surprised.

[blkmage]

IT BEGINS

OP is not great. It seems kinda incomplete visually and musically.

Pretty decent episode, I think, compared to the average episode from the first season. It's possible that they actually have money for this show this time and Golden Time didn't look as great. They've got a bad case of Deen crazyface going on there though.

lol at the ED, had flashbacks to After Story and Torch

Also, I learned that there's a Mask the Saito OVA episode for everyone who bought all 9 BD volumes. In retrospect, that's probably a good way to put all the battle stuff together and I'm interested in seeing what they come up with.

[MangaRocks!]

Refrain ep. 1:

Well, the animation here certainly looked a good deal better than it did before.

Anyway: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Kurugaya's route-- this should be interesting. Also, they're wasting no time actually directly referencing the loops and etc. now, rather than just hinting at it...

I've heard nothing but good things about the Refrain portion of LB!, so here's hoping that this is done well.

[KazeShiki]

Also, I learned that there's a Mask the Saito OVA episode for everyone who bought all 9 BD volumes. In retrospect, that's probably a good way to put all the battle stuff together and I'm interested in seeing what they come up with.

oh my god yes Mask the Saito second only to kinniku. If the OVA is all battle stuff, I really hope they threw Anego's rng, or lack thereof, in there. Also cats.

First ep was actually okay. I really don't think these storyboarding decisions are a good idea so I will still complain about how blatant they are being but I've given up at this point. I'm more curious to see how the more subtle points will be conveyed to anime viewers.

[MangaRocks!]

Refrain ep. 2:

*snicker* Oh dear, Kurugaya's teasing of poor Riki. And ROTFL at the entire "love" discussion, bwahaha! (Oh, Kyousuke. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: And the look on Kengo's face, LOL. )

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Also, wow-- since the anime hadn't left any romance in the previous routes that were covered, I wasn't expecting there to be romance in any other anime route except Rin's, since-- IIRC from what I'd heard (and those of you who've already played the VN can correct me if I heard/recalled wrong? )-- Riki ends up with Rin at the end of Refrain... but leaving the romance in Kurugaya's route is certainly making things pretty interesting. (Especially since it looks like Riki's not going to get out of this loop until he confesses, LOL. )

Man, after this series is over I think I'm definitely going to have to play the VN...

[drill]

Man, after this series is over I think I'm definitely going to have to play the VN...

You should, I have yet to watch this anime, but the VN was definitely great!

[blkmage]

Well, you'll find out, but there's a reason why they can do that in this route.

[MangaRocks!]

@drill: Will do.

@blkmage: Yeah, I see what you meant.


Refrain ep. 3:

Oh wow. I don't really have anything else to say except that that was really good!

Looking forward to next week!

[KazeShiki]

Turns out it was hardly kept. Considering how in the VN SPOILER: Highlight text to read: they are probably more lovey-dovey than any other heroine route. She also kept a log of everything they did together in an attempt to remember and act like she wasn't forgetting. The depiction of her feelings was much stronger and directed solely at Riki. They are really pushing the friendship theme too hard at the cost of losing the more subtle aspects.

Now the real story begins.

[MangaRocks!]

Episode 4:

Wow. Was it just me, or was the pacing kind-of... uh... interesting here? (As in, fast.)

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: First, whoa, that sudden confession near the beginning was quite a surprise. (Was Suginami a character shown somewhere previously? Because I honestly don't recall seeing her... ) Also, speaking of sudden, holy crap, the suddenness of the whole "We should go out!" thing from Rin to Riki was a bit of a surprise, as well (and man did that move fast, too ). All the flustered moments were pretty adorable and Masato's reaction to the news was hilarious, though.

[blkmage]

So apparently, Refrain is 13 episodes.

It might feel fast because we're coming off of a route that just finished, but this originally would've been not too long after the end of the common route with the appropriate interactions.

I (and probably KazeShiki) am raising my eyebrow at the interesting directorial choice that was made in this episode.

[KazeShiki]

Suginami was pretty obscure in the VN too (iirc, she didn't even get a sprite). She got a number of small appearances in the anime, most recently the girl who just went along with the bullies in Anego route. The feeling of abruptness is actually good this time because it's reflective of how they feel too, and Rin's personality is just like that. Could've been better but I don't think it's a problem.

Yes, the directional choice was very questionable.

Rin #1 cutie.

[KazeShiki]

Pacing is fast, but given how season 1 went, I suppose this is par for the course, and with 13 eps for Anego, Rin, and Refrain, they don't have much of a choice at this point. Looks like we'll get the best scene in Rin2 next week, if not the entirety. I hope we get some texting action (-.-)Two things I liked about this episode: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: including Masato's line regarding Rin's transfer and KomaRin. This is the kind of stuff that should be done instead of throwing a slideshow of future events at viewers, among other things.

[blkmage]

I feel like that probably could've used another episode.

[MangaRocks!]

Refrain ep. 6:

I feel like that probably could've used another episode.

Yeah, even I could tell that was rushed at the end there.

Anyway: Uh, wow. I'm not liking Kyousuke very much at all right now... SPOILER: Highlight text to read: And yes, I do know that's on purpose. Still...

[KazeShiki]

Why do they do this? Well, Refrain is all about the set up, which is now over, so even JC Staff can't screw the rest up...probably.

[MangaRocks!]

Refrain episode 9:

Finally! This was the first ep. of Refrain to really make me tear up. Riki and Rin were totally awesome, and Kengo deserves a great big hug. That was just excellent. (...IMO and speaking from an anime-only viewpoint ATM, of course; I also quite look forward to seeing how it was originally done in the VN. )

[KazeShiki]

If you're tearing up now, you might want to prepare a few boxes of tissues for the next 2 eps.

[MangaRocks!]

^ Yeah, that's what I've heard.

[MangaRocks!]

Refrain episode 10:

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ...So basically every time Kyousuke was asleep or not around in the dream/shared-consciousness/whatever-it-is-that-he-made world, in the real world he was literally dragging his mortally-wounded body all over the place by his hands trying to get to the bus so he could at least stem the flow of gas (with said body!) and thus possibly keep it from exploding (at least long enough to let Riki and Rin survive)? Holy crap!!

I mean, as I mentioned way back when the first season started, I had unfortunately been accidentally spoiled on a bunch of the plot beforehand, including what was really going on and that Kyousuke was trying to make Riki and Rin mentally and emotionally strong enough to be able to continue on after losing everyone else, etc.; however, I *hadn't* been spoiled on that particular real-world part, and man, that just raised my respect for Kyousuke's character another notch still. His willpower and determination (and, quite frankly, sacrificial love) through all of that (in both worlds!) was incredible! Oh man, I can only imagine what this is going to be like when I play the VN...

Only thing I'm not sure I liked about the ep. was the way they did some of the cutout picture-in-picture flashbacks-- some of them worked IMO, but some of them were just kinda distracting, LOL. Luckily, though, Kyousuke (and his VA!) carried it.

[KazeShiki]

You are basically correct but some things were left out of the anime. Not sure if they plan to reveal later or just ignoring to make it simpler.

And if we're talking Kyousuke voicing, just wait for the best lines of the VN next week.

[MangaRocks!]

Refrain episode 11:

Oh dear... SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I managed to hold off tearing up until Kengo broke down; but then once Kyousuke finally lost it, as well...

[blkmage]

OVA: fanservice, Kurugaya trolling, battle system and ranking and titles, Mask the Saito

I kind of wish there was a way for them to spread out the battle stuff across the show like they did with the common route and baseball. I have a soft spot for it because I literally had no idea what the point of the battle system was until I finished Refrain and it suddenly clicked.

[MangaRocks!]

^ Ah, it's out? I'm going to wait to watch the OVA until after Refrain is done, though-- the mood whiplash would be a little too strong right now, I think.


Speaking of Refrain-- episode 12:

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: This didn't get me as much as the previous two ep.'s (...gah, Kyousuke... ), but it was still nicely emotional throughout; and that crash was pretty intense. (Love how Kengo and Masato protected Riki and Rin during it, too... Man-- Kyousuke, Kengo, and Masato are all true heroes. ) Also, I was actually kinda surprised that so much of the episode focused on Rin, but I liked that. And I had completely forgotten about Komari's "second wish," so it was nice to see that woven in here, too. Really looking forward to the conclusion (and then the OVA, and then the VN)!

[ForeverInspired]

I hear several people comparing this to After Story. Is this really true? Even though it had some faults, I really liked the emotional rollercoaster that After Story takes you on. I've only watch an episode or so of Little Busters' 1st season, and it seems interesting enough.

[MangaRocks!]

^ I've heard that comparison quite a bit myself, though it's always been a comparison of After Story to the Little Busters! *VN*, since aside from a couple of scenes I guess pretty much everyone agrees that the original LB! VN is a good deal superior to the LB! anime adaptation (and-- usually being a source-firster myself, due to certain adaptations irking me too often in the past-- I've no doubt that's true). In this case, I cannot *personally* comment on that yet, since I'm waiting until after the LB! anime's done (next week) to start playing the VN, and then I'll watch Clannad/After Story after I'm done with that. But yes, I've heard that the LB! VN, at least, is quite comparable-- and, while I am certainly enjoying the LB! anime, I'm still wishing I would've gone with the source first like I normally do (regardless of my accidental-plot-spoiling beforehand, which somehow is what swayed me to watch the anime first... and no, don't ask me why, because I have no idea, LOL ). But anyway, yeah, IMO the core story is great, and I'd certainly recommend it (just probably the VN first-- though, again, I'm still working on that...).