Monthly Archives: May 2019

Touko’s Shape of Love

by

0

This is a translation of むつみ’s entry.

Based on volume 7 and episode 40… the change in Touko’s feelings of ｢好き｣ and the shape of love she wants it to be. (This one’s feelings are really difficult…)

Touko is the most difficult…

To start, her definition of ｢好き｣ as 「violent, binding」 is from a past that led her to wear the mask of her late sister Mio.
She felt ｢好き｣ was 「because you are like this now」, something that forced her to be a figure ideal for the other party. She was afraid if that was gone, they will come to not ｢好き｣ her.
In addition, someone who comes to 好き the her who performs (as Mio) = someone who doesn’t see the real her
Even if someone who comes to 好き the real, unadorned Touko appears, she would refuse them with the logic of 「I hate myself, so I can’t 好き someone who 好き what I hate」

Touko came to ｢好き｣ Yuu, because Yuu was someone who didn’t have ｢好き｣.

So, what kind of ｢好き｣ did Touko herself really seek…
I feel that the words 「you always accept me」 are the key.
With these words, Yuu understands what 「Senpai’s special one」 means…
Touko 「wanted to be accepted」.
What she’s saying is probably 「I’m not special」.
Making Yuu her campaign manager completely out of self-interest, being afraid and trembling before the speech… even though she showed her selfish, uncool, not perfect at all self, she wasn’t disliked.
To Touko, Yuu didn’t imagine or force her to be ideal.
I think that not having to perform as her fake self is the reason why Touko came to ｢好き｣ Yuu (in the beginning).

What Touko needed was the courage to not be afraid of ｢好き｣.
That was given to her by Sayaka.
She refuses Yuu’s confession, and when she gets a confession from Sayaka on the school trip…
Touko who feared changing (= come to not ｢好き｣) seems like she didn’t fully understand the meaning of the words 「I ｢好き｣ all of you」 in Sayaka’s confession.
If the other party changed, how does one continue to ｢好き｣ them…
That isn’t understood by Touko who was stuck in the ways of facing the other party as fixed relationships.
That’s why on the boat she asks Sayaka herself.
(Nanami Touko… you’re like that.)

I think Sayaka’s words here are really like that of a goddess.
「好き… you will keep being the you I 好き, a word of trust」.
It’s affection and trust for the other party’s whole being, that I believe in you who chose to change, because even if you become someone unknown to me, I believe that you who have changed will surely still be the you I 好き.

It’s a revolutionary change of views for Touko who only knew a conditional shape of ｢好き｣.
Even if they change or don’t change, affection and trust for the other party doesn’t have to change.

That’s why she was happy and felt calm to be told ｢好き｣.
I think while Touko’s relationship with Yuu hasn’t been repaired, (though I don’t know if I can see beyond this point) the confession from Sayaka sufficiently moved her heart.
However, when Touko saw the pair of birds, the figures of herself with Yuu came to mind…
As for the person whom Touko wanted to be with the most, her heart had given the answer.

That’s why with the words 「I can’t choose you… I won’t」 「I have someone I 好き」 Touko chose her own shape of ｢好き｣. She learned for the first time the weight of what it means to choosing someone to ｢好き｣.
I think that was possible because Sayaka earnestly faced Touko, and as Touko says, surely she wouldn’t have understood if the other party wasn’t Sayaka.

I think that having understood this shape of ｢好き｣, from now on Touko will be able to not only deliver her ｢好き｣ to Yuu, but also receive the ｢好き｣ Yuu expresses, even if it’s in a shape unknown to her.

What changed Touko is Yuu and Sayaka’s courage, and Touko’s own courage.

Translation note:
The original text uses ｢残酷｣ (cruel) instead of ｢暴力的｣ (violent).

Sayaka’s Shape of Love

by

0

This is a translation of むつみ’s entry.

Based on volume 7 and episode 40… Sayaka’s feelings of 「好き」. I think the shape she wanted was the shape that Yuu embodied.

Sayaka has always 好き Touko since she first saw her at the school entrance ceremony to the point of being called the student council’s married couple, and established her position as Touko’s equal.
Until Yuu appeared, she was the closest one to Touko.
She had thought it would be fine 「even if I can’t become the one, I can be closer than anyone else」.

Sayaka’s way of love summed in a single word would be… 「devotion」.
「If Touko so desires」 then true to her word, she will continue supporting her to the very end.
Even though she looked into Mio she doesn’t say unnecessary things, and upon knowing Touko hides behind the mask of Mio she still respects Touko’s feelings.

For that reason, it was a shock when she wasn’t asked to handle the student council election campaign speech, it was natural for her to develop complicated feelings towards the kouhai called Koito Yuu, and she had a face of frustration mixed with envy 「as if I could become so wretched to try to put a stop to that」 at Yuu’s actions expressing the feelings of 「wanting to change」 Touko in the shape of the student council play’s script revision.

It’s because Sayaka also wanted Touko to change.
She wanted Touko to live as herself instead of wearing the mask of Mio, so she waited for her to change.
At Echo she commented Touko 「can’t afford to accept anyone’s feelings」 which she knew from her vantage as the closest one…
To think that forcing a change wouldn’t be in Touko’s best interest is a manifestation of Sayaka’s kindness.
At the same time, being afraid to recklessly take action for 「好き」 is also a manifestation of her feelings.
I think Sayaka never expected a being like Yuu would appear and try to change Touko.
That’s why she was waiting for that moment to come…

What Sayaka needed was probably 「the courage to step in like Yuu」.

Maybe her first love ended in such a way, that the possibility of being disliked by Touko is why for a long, long time Sayaka couldn’t take the action of firmly stepping in.
It also appears in the two’s positions, as Sayaka almost never walks in front of Touko. She explicitly walks in front when ascending Kyoto Station for the confession, on that occasion.
But, just short of the rooftop, Touko steps up before her.
Sayaka couldn’t step up and lead Touko as Yuu had at the aquarium.
Even the confession is after Yuu’s. Sayaka keeps stepping second to Yuu.

If Sayaka had the courage like Yuu… if she could express 「好き」 recklessly like Touko without being stopped by reason…
Perhaps, she might have been able to convey her feelings to Touko before Yuu appeared.

Sayaka is too kind, too adult (too sensible).
By the time she delivered the feelings that had grown to burst from her heart straight to her, Touko already had Yuu.
However, even though this love is over, Sayaka could heal the wound from her previous love.
She should be able to dive in again with the courage in her feelings of 「好き」 like Yuu.
I hope Sayaka’s next love will be a happy one.

Translation note:
The original text mistakenly uses Kyoto Tower instead of Kyoto Station.

Yuu’s Shape of Love

by

0

This is a translation of むつみ’s entry.

Based on volume 7 and episode 40, Yuu, Touko, and Sayaka each have a shape of 「好き」 that someone else aspired for (found as ideal), and I feel they have a looped relationship with each other. Starting from Yuu…

As you can see from the beginning of episode 1, Yuu longed for a love that was dazzling like in stories and love songs, and sought the feelings of floating in the air… and again in episode 40 she says she thought 「好き」 to her 「would come falling from somewhere one day」 「A grand feeling of unknown origin that I could do nothing about」.

The one who had this starting shape of 「好き」… is Sayaka.
The moment she saw Touko at the school entrance ceremony, 「I stopped caring about it all」.
Sayaka was determined to start afresh at Tohmi Higashi, but against her reason she fell in love with Touko.
This was just like Yuu’s shape of love.

… By the way, I don’t know if Yuu noticed it herself, but there is one moment when she falls in love like that.
It’s when she watched Touko run the relay on sports day.
The sound and scenery disappeared, and time seemed to stop as Touko became all she could see…
During this time, Yuu might have fallen in love in the true sense.

After talking with Maki-kun about 「not experiencing 好き」, and before she stops herself while facing Touko in the PE storage room is a little… painful, or suffering.

Due to the unequal pact Yuu has with Touko, she can’t freely express the feelings she’s now aware of to her. However, Touko expresses her own feelings as much as she wants.

Touko’s selfish, sly, awkward 「好き」, to Yuu feels like it 「was dazzling, it was radiant」 「I would long for it」 (episode 39).
「I would long for it」 indeed! Didn’t Yuu want a love where she could recklessly express her feelings like Touko?
Or at least I don’t think she was waiting for a painful love where she covers up her own 「好き」.

… That’s why she says 「How sly of you, Senpai. An incomprehensible 「好き」, I also wanted it」 「You really are sly」.
However, the shape of 「好き」 Yuu finally got herself was 「something I chose and reached out for myself」. Deciding to take action for Touko’s sake many, many times, despite the painful and hurt feelings, Yuu still decides for herself that she wants Touko’s 「好き」.
If she had given up on her decisions, then this love would be over.
So, it wasn’t a passive thing that came falling from somewhere.
This love took shape because Yuu continued to choose for it.

Bloom Into You stage play impressions

by

0

This is a partial translation of りきゅー’s entry. Please check it out for more details.

YagaKimi stage play impressions. There are spoilers for the stage play.
Also, please be note that there are spoilers for the original work’s episode 40.

YagaKimi RTA any% 2:00:00
type of feeling (so to speak)

【Contents】
Student council election preparation → student council election → student council play proposal → student council play in the works → summer training camp → script revision → student council play performance → after the play is completed, achieved ED without Spill Out or Light Up.

Several of the original work’s episodes appear combined.

Planetarium is given as thanks for helping with the election.
And, right after giving it Nanami-senpai says 「I want to kiss you」. Ｙｏｕ ａｒｅ
ｌｉｋｅ ｔｈａｔ (but in a good way).
Right after the kiss, 「How much do you love me?」 「I love you a lot」 is inserted.

Rained In + PE storage room first time (recharging) is combined. No tongue action.

There is 「Yuu, don’t come to love me, okay?」 but it isn’t spoken while she’s pressing down on her.

The phone call collects the 「Saying I love you makes me feel at ease」 conversation. No aquarium date.

(2019/5/6 postscript)
I’m given the impression that in determining the stage play’s scenario,

with 「immediately after the play is completed, Yuu and Touko come to mutual love」 as the goal, the events that occurred in the original work were subdivided into

・ which events should be experienced
・ which events should not be experienced

then rigorously reconstructed. Like wow, the flag management was well reviewed……

(In other words, when comparing the stage play with the original work, maybe the progress events and regress events are well understood?)

【Production】
Although important lines might be displayed in signage, this type of stage play is basic, no musical numbers, no scene changing with large-scale tools, and dependent on the talent of the performers. It has a very good impression for those who enjoy the actors’ performance.

* OP
I think I’m coming to love you → Kimi ni Furete OP plays. Kimi ni Furete with loud acoustics is super nice.

* ED
If I remember correctly, hpa plays at the curtain call’s timing.
Kimi ni Furete uses vocals, but hpa uses the instrumental version.
Personally, I think the lyrics of hpa are sung with the feelings of the two before they change, so when they’ve already changed before going to the ED, playing the lyrics of hpa would make the contents go backwards, so the instrumental version is correct.

【Characters and actors】

Every actor performed splendidly. Visual evocation is high!

Particular impressions left by the characters.

* Yuu

Kawauchi-san’s Koito Yuu’s vitality is revised 1000% to accomplish RTA.
Compared to the original work which personally had a slight downer impression, she’s super ACTIVE.

However, a lot of vitality is needed to clear YagaKimi in 2:00:00. Yes.

There’s many active scenes, but 「How nice, I want to change too」 and such
had the tone of
This is Koito Yuu.

Also, before the election speech when Yuu is about to pat Touko who was resting on her shoulder, there was only a grain of hesitation before she moved.

I think she had the greatest amount of lines of the members, so her running through to the end without fumbling or slacking is amazing to look back on.

* Touko

Originally, my motive for going to see the stage play was to confirm Koizumi-san performing as Nanami-senpai……

That was at first.

There’s a gal who evokes her proportions perfectly????!!!!

With a nice face, long legs, and overall slenderness, she’s Nanami Touko, she has Nanami Touko’s proportions. Eh, is it her in the flesh. I can’t believe it. Seriously?

In the OP, when she takes the stage during the hook, she appears more like the last boss than the heroine.

Is she the last boss (it’s not wrong).

Acting……

Her surprised expression at Yuu’s 「I don’t get the feeling of “special”」, and her eyes afterwards become like a beast hunting prey, Nanami Touko!

When it’s time to hold hands, she presents her the back of her hand facing up, waiting for Yuu to take it, Nanami Touko!
Added with changing 「can we hold hands while we walk back?」 to 「can we walk back hand in hand?」 which better raises her childlike neediness, Nanami Touko!

Koizumi-san’s version of 「Yuu, eroi」 felt like a jest. It was closer to the impression I had when reading the manga. Isn’t the eroi one you? (The performance might change depending on the day.) Kotobuki-san’s Yuu, eroi is also good.

Showing turmoil and gloom when it’s related to Mio and when the script is revised, Nanami Touko! (It’s similar to her cry It won’t be my Starlight! in Starlight episode 9……) I like the force of Koizumi-san’s low voice when she shows her gloom.

* Sayaka
Isobe-san’s voice! She’s Saeki Sayaka.
It’s soft and airy. It also has the feel of Sayaka’s dignity.

Hakozaki-sensei

Since Hakozaki-sensei also serves as the advisor (inviting to the student council, talking about Mio), it feels like she’s become a character with lighter mood. Compared to the original work, I feel the stage play version increased her turns the most.

Miyako-san

Handsome voice! So cool! The manager has stolen my heart!

Koyomi

She’s Kanou Koyomi. Voice, completely Kanou Koyomi.
Kanou Koyomi is really there.

Maki

I had the impression Maki-kun’s 「the face you made earlier wouldn’t be made by someone who isn’t lonely」 was said in a tone that sounded lonely.

Doujima

Ｒｅｆｒｅｓｈｉｎｇ．

Akari

Her turns are limited, but her mood maker feeling came out well.

I’m expecting a flag with Doujima.

【Impressions of the ending】

After the completion of the student council play, Yuu 「I’ve changed, too」 Touko 「It’s okay for you to change, too」 Yuu 「I love you」 Touko 「I’m happy」 (a kiss from Yuu) → ED
is how it happens.

If you select BB in episode 34 and go to the river area, you jump straight to episode 40 then jump again to the ending.

A new YagaKimi route was discovered! …… Joking aside.

The stage play version of Touko has the 「Love is a violent word」 element of 「Locked Away by Words」 all cut, so the curse is like 「I’m only taking my sister’s place, I have nothing.」

Then, in the original work while pressing down and kissing Yuu she said 「Yuu, don’t come to love me, okay?」, but in the stage play she says it while facing away from her thus changing the style, which might have made the production milder. (Or perhaps there just wasn’t a suitable way of showing it in a stage play.)

Her mental age feels like a 10-year-old child in the original work, but the effect of 「love is scary」 boldly cut has her feel like a 14-year-old.

So, when the love is scary curse is weaker than the original work, the regress events of the two’s feelings are cut, and Yuu in RTA mode uses basic Kaio-ken to step into matters are combined, the completion of the student council play might have broken the curse.

Is how I interpret it.

Translation note:
The episode titles 「言葉で閉じ込めて」, 「降り籠める」, 「零れる」, and 「灯す」 have multiple translations.

One fan translation calls them “Imprison Her With a Word”, “Rained In”, “Overflowing”, and “Kindling”.
Seven Seas Entertainment, who licensed the manga in English, calls them “Locked Away By Words”, “Downpour”, “Overflow”, and “Ignite”.
The various fan and licensed translations for each title are here.

I call them “Locked Away by Words”, “Rained In”, “Spill Out”, and “Light Up”.