#its time for onoda to get better on flats lmao

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 730: “Handicap”

Pag 1

1: I saw Imaizumi-san and Sugimoto-san, a third years pair!!

2: They're currently the fastest, now starting the 20th lap!!

3: Amazing!!

Woah

Already... 100km!?

Pag 2

1: A buddies battle, huh....

2: They thought about it too

Hahaha

Chasing them there's the pair of Onoda-san and Naruko-san!

3: They had an handicap for the first 40km but are gradually catching up

Amazing!

We're just watching them but it's so exciting!!

Oi, you two, don't take a rest and run too!!

Ye-yes, Gorizou-senpai!!

4:  Last year, Teshima he broke up the “team of two” for himself

And he also separated Danchiku and Kaburagi, who were first years

5: He wanted to increase individual power

Pag 3

1: This year, on the comtrary, you paired them up and made them run together

2: Can't you raise your pace more, Nogaki!

I'm doing my best!

3: If we overdo it from the beginning, then we'll have nothing left

But if they open a gap then we won't be able to cover the distance

4: Two people having to run as a pair means that when there are different opinions the'll of course end up arguing

5: You won't know until they try finishing the whole 1000km, but-

Hahaha

Naruko, Onoda, Imaizumi.... this training camp is the answer that you learned through participating twice in the Inter High

That's right

6: You can overcome troubles and difficulties through cooperation and reach a successful conclusion....

Pag 4

1: The “buddies”

Pag 5

1: Are the smallest unit of “team Sohoku that supports each other”!!

Pag 7

1: We're goin ahead, Hotshot, kakaka

2: Ah... sorry I was late today, Imaizumi-kun

It's nothing, don't worry about it

3: There was a guy along the way.....

4: He brings it up every time he passes us, but- “a guy”, I couldn't hear, what guy

5: Those two have passed us many times since earlier...!!

There's a 40km margin, so of course they haven't closed it all

Pag 8

1: It's probably the time to start worrying about them!!

Imaizumi!!

2: From now on we need some kind of plan.... those two are fast!!

Will it be okay if we don't come up with a plan!?

3: Yeah, don't worry, we have a margin

They won't surpass us if we keep going at this pace

Ye... ah, you're so calm, as expected of you, Imaizumi

4: With those two, Onoda pulls them on the climbs, and Naruko pulls on the flats...

5: They're the most efficient pair!!

6: We entered the climb, so I'm going ahead, Naruko-kun!!

Yeah!!

Pag 9

1: Oruaaaagh!!

2: “Efficient”....?

3: That's how you see it? Sugimoto

5: You say they work well perfectly well together

7: Hahaha, more.... more, Onoda-kun!! Raise it...!! The climbing pace!!

Pag 10

1: If you think so, then your eyes are bad

3: Alright, let's raise the pace of another 10%!!

Oruaaaaagh

Waaaa, they're so fast!

Pag 11

1: It's the complete opposite of what you said

It's a shame

2: Onoda raises his paces on climbs, and Naruko manages to cling to him

Oruaaaagh

4: Then, it's the opposite on the flats

5: The climb is finally over, so I'm going ahead, Onoda-kun

6: Once, during training camp we were blocked with an “equipment handicap”

7: Now

8: They're carrying each other like that burden

Onoda on the flats.... and Naruko on the climbs!! Now....

Pag 12

1: It's a “human handicap”!!

Fly and follow me, Onoda-kun!!

O... okay!!

2: So fast... as expected, Naruko-kun is so fast!!

3: Come on, you're dropping your pace!!

5: Yeah

Pag 13

1: Let's keep going like this!!

Kakaka

2: So there's this kind of use too, in this buddies system!!

3: “Human handicap”....!!

5: To “become stronger”.....!!

Those two are still trying to become stronger

Before the training camp, I also tried to prepare in my own way, but

Pag 14

1: Maybe I've been too complacent.....!!

3: I- Imaizumi!!

Sorry, the things you're saying now, I'm only noticing them now, and now!!

4: What are you even doing Sugimoto Terufumi!! You know it, this training camp has been to get stronger since the beginning!!

5: My eyes really are bad!!

7: I'm not on you guys' level so there are many things I don't notice

I'm still not satisfied!!

Pag 15

1: Oh, he realized it

2: If it were the you from some time ago, you would have made up some excuses

I- I noticed, I'm an experienced cyclist, so of course I don't have bad eyes

3: So, please, tell me, Imaizumi!!

Everything about what I'm lacking, for the whole time!! For these whole four days!!

I think I've prepared enough for this training camp

4: I've already thrown away my pride a long time ago!!

Pag 16

1: That's why the “Sohoku jersey” that you gave me, I left it at home!!

3: The next time I'll put on that jersey it will be as a regular!! When I will become the sixth member and run in the Inter High with you, Imaizumi!!

5: I see. Then it's going to be a challenging four days

Yeah, exactly!!

Pag 17

1: Let's go, Sugimoto!!

Yeah!!

2: I'll also become stronger in this training camp!! Imaizumi, no matter what kind of opponent will come at me, I will!!

3: So that I'll be able to run om that stage with you!!

5: Sugimoto.... in my cold way of speaking, I... think you're powerless

6: I also have to get stronger during these four days

I have a margin that Onoda and Naruko can't close, and I plan on reaching the goal faster than anyone else

7:  Eventually, you'll fall behind

Pag 18

1: I'll take the “powerless you” and run 1000km!! That's the “human handicap” I chose for myself!!

Pag 19

1: End of the first day of training camp

Ahhh I'm so tired!

Ah, my legs, my legs hurt....

Ahh, I can't walk

2: The senpai are walking so quickly!

Incredible!

4: Teeeh....

Guaa....

5: As expected... training camp is so hard...

Waaaa, the world is spinning...

And tomorrow.... too? Kinaka-kun

Yeah!! Rokudai

Ughh...

Distance covered on the first day: Imaizumi and Sugimoto, 250km

Pag 20

1: Kaburagi and Danchiku, respectively 250km and 240km

Sugimoto Sadatoki, Gorizou, Sawada, and the third year Kawada, all retired

3: Onoda and Naruko, 225km and 250km

4: My back....

My neck....

My legs....

It hurts

The first years

5: Rokudai and Kinaka, 180km

Several other people reached the goal sefely

[lia-nikiforov]

Winter 2018 Anime Final Review

Why yes, pretty much all the Spring premieres are done (don’t even remind me haha I’m so far behind) and this is horribly late, I had a busy couple of weeks ;---; and am still struggling to catch up, but here’s my final rundown of this long slow winter! Worst to best, as always.

Dropped

Basilisk Ouka Ninpou Chou: Although I’d said I’d keep watching for the Nobunaga twist, given the onslaught of new stuff for Spring, it’s unsustainable to keep watching something so mediocre I don’t even find anything to say about it. Also Nobunaga hasn’t been mentioned in three episodes.

DUMPSTER FIRE

Darling in the Franxx: So we’re halfway through the show and still feels nothing of importance has happened, except we learned “lesbians are not viable, what a relief” and also KOKORO REALLY WANTS TO MAKE BABIES. The whole Kokoro business is very unsavory because on the one hand the writing is a dick to Walking Fat Joke Futoshi, but on the other hand Futoshi is an entitled Nice Guy who acts like Kokoro has some obligation to return his feelings, so basically everyone sucks lmao. Btw, does anyone know what happened with episode 13? I went to watch it but what I got instead was a Deadman Wonderland episode, complete with the story of Palurdo meeting Lab Experiment-turned-Beast Waifu as children and making a promise that would subsequently be forgotten until they meet again in their teenage years. Jesus, does Womenz are Beastz: The Anime have a single original idea?

How am I supposed to measure my own disinterest and contempt

This basically means I didn’t care for these shows. I don’t hate them but I was aggressively unengaged in them and I can’t really rank them from worst to best because that would imply me having any measurable emotional reaction to them

Violet Evergarden: I don’t think I have much to add about this one that I haven’t said before. Tryhard Sad Anime Girl stories rehashing old clichés with little novelty to them,  with a bonus of a super poorly explained and thought out child super soldier tragic backstory that still has me ?????? The final episode has the addendum of trying to redeem That One Asshole in a “he treats her bad because he’s sad about his brother dying sob sob sob he’s totally not a jerk” and i was very annoyed by that.

Koi wa Ameagari no You ni: It’s complicated to talk about this show. I really liked the first episode, hated the 4-6, then was mostly bored by the rest of it. The whole romance angle was completely dropped in the latter half, but I’m not even sure if that’s a good thing given how tastelessly it was being handled in some moments, or a bad one given how bland everything else was. It felt like Akira’s crush on Kondo turned out to be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. It also felt like Akira was profoundly underdeveloped, and it bothered me because Kondo was developed properly. His character felt more fully realized than hers. Like idk, I just cared so little for the last few episodes and it didn’t feel like Akira’s emotional progression was very connected with the first half of the show. 

Fate/Extra Last Encore: I don’t even have a screenshot. Apparently the reason the show started so late into the season is that it took a long time to produce, and apparently there are two more episodes that will be released at some point in July. But really, what matters is that I have no idea of what this show was trying to accomplish. The characters were a bunch of pieces of cardboard spouting pseudo nihilistic philosophical nonsense and I don’t even know how to describe the plot. It was generic in its Boss of the Week approach but the execution was often very flat. Definitely none of the fun from Apocrypha’s cool characters was to be had in this iteration of the franchise.

Too much iyashikei

This season we had too much iyashikei and I’m burned out. Here are the ones I didn’t hate but also wasn’t super in love with.

Miira no Kaikata: I think this show would’ve worked better as 3-minute vignettes. 20 minutes of it was a bit too much and I struggled to pay attention. I also felt the dragon and MukuMuku had very tangential roles. I don’t have a whole lot to say. It’s cute, if cute is your jam this show is for you. Connie is best smol monster.

Hakumei to Mikochi: Another cute show that gains extra points for its somewhat unique setting, beautiful color palette and picture book aesthetic and because the two main girls are great characters. I particularly liked the first and last episodes. It’s a relaxing, fun little show

Sanrio Danshi: The harbinger of feminism made into a toy commercial, while not quite iyashikei, is still a slice of life that just occassionally indulged in too much melodrama. It was nonetheless a fun little thing that managed to turn cynical consumerism into a positive message for boys: it’s okay to like non-traditionally-masculine things. One of the details I liked most was that none of the boys had to give up on their previous groups of friends even after “coming out”, Kouta’s friends and Shuu’s team were supportive of them and even participated in their dumbass musical play. Some may even read this show as a not-so-subtle allegory on homosexuality and while I don’t think this was Sanrio’s intent (their intent is to broaden their market, plain and simple) the fact that it works so well with that reading is honestly great. I had very minimal expectations for this show and I’m happy it turned out better than those.

Classicaloid 2: Classicaloid isn’t quite iyashikei either but it fits in the “didn’t love it, didn’t hate it” category. I’m a huge fan of season one, but unfortunately a big part of S2 failed to capture the magic. I think most of it was restored in the second cour, specially with brilliant episodes such as the one where Dovo-chan becomes a super-realistic painting of himself, and the last three episodes really captured what made Classicaloid great. I’ve really come to love this cast, so I wouldn’t complain if we got more seasons (please do Vivaldi!!!)

Shonen is a Good Genre, Actually

Shonen as a genre/demographic is much reviled for its repetitive clichés and childish stories, but I think we live at a time in which we can have well-executed shonen anime that, although falling for the same old clichés, have enough heart and sincerity that makes them enjoyable. This part also isn’t necessarily ranked, since my favorite one will change depending on which day you ask me

Nanatsu no Taizai: Imashime no Fukkatsu: As I have mentioned before, this second season seems to be the polar opposite of the first one’s rapid pace. It’s been a while since I read the manga, but I feel like it took a lot less to get to the mid-season cutoff point there than this anime would lead you to believe, especially the training part felt excruciatingly long. NanaTai has other various flaws including its 1000% not funny harrassment jokes and the dumb introduction of quantified “power levels” (why Suzuki), but characters like Diane, King and Ban give the show a unique flavor. And I’m not even gonna pretend to be unbiased, I just love everything involving Ban, even the weird and questionable choice of bringing Elaine back. I’m excited that we’re finally approaching Escanor’s arrival.

Yowapeda Glory Road: I also forgot to grab a screenshot lmao. Yowapeda is a very particular beast, and with its episode count already in the hundreds, it’s not something I’d reccommend unless you’re super into dragged out ridiculous sports anime. This second season of Onoda’s second year has not been without its flaws either, starting with the, imho absurd persistence in making Sohoku look like underdogs even though they’re reigning champions. It’s made a lot of the first two days of the Interhigh feel a lot grimmer than this cheerful show ought to. Kaburagi is still an insufferable character, and the fact that he drags the team down doesn’t help him either, and I just wish the writers would let Best Boy Teshima win anything. I hope the second day ends on a lighter note, because the gloom and doom is making this a less enjoyable watch than it should be

Mahoutsukai no Yome: I feel a little better about this one knowing the final was anime-original, but at the same time I’m beyond livid with how it was wrapped up. I loved the second half of the series because of how well-written and emotional Chise’s growth was, and everything up to her embracing of Cartaphilus’s curse was a beautiful display of her strength and will to live. What I’m not here for is that asspull wedding whatever that makes no sense in the context of the previous events, especially because after the fact, Elias’s attempt to kill Stella is swept under the rug. This could’ve been my favorite show of the season without that bullshit ending and while I don’t regret watching it, it leaves me with a sad feeling of what could have been

Best of the season

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens: It had a slow start, but with its endearing cast and well-developed character relationships, HTR won me over, especially the last quarter. The animation was veeery barebones, but Lin and Bamba’s charisma and their organically developed relationship carried the show to be one of the most enjoyable of the season. I also really appreciate the fact that the series includes a gay couple with an adopted daughter and that Lin’s crossdressing is never used as a joke or treated as a character flaw or a “phase”. I love stories about found families and I’d love to see more of this gang fighting crime and doing shady business in their city of assassins.

Garo: Vanishing Line: This iteration of Garo had a somewhat slow start, but boy did it pick up steam in the second half. The action was great -the final fight against King had some incredible stylistic choices, the characters’ journeys felt complete and very human and the story was interesting and different enough from other Garo to not feel repetitive, yet with enough Garoisms that made it feel connected to everything else. Like I said, I love stories about found families, so the way Sophie found a home with Gina, Luke and Sword by the end was very touching. Watching Sophie’s journey has been a treat, and I’m immensely happy that this wasn’t a Guren no Tsuki disaster, but was more in line with the excellence of Honoo no Kokuin.

Gakuen Babysitters: This was the huge surprise of the season for me, I almost expected it to be pretty dull. Instead it turned out to be super cute and extremely heartwarming. It had a couple of duds here and there, mostly the not-actually-a-pedophile joke character and the early love triangle skits, but the former disappeared and the latter was vastly improved in the second half of the show. I wish Ryuichi’s grief had been dealt with a bit more, but I think what they did show was very well executed and empathetic. And the portrayal of the kids felt very realistic, including both children’s most adorable and most obnoxious behaviors. KIRIN IS BEST GIRL

Card Captor Sakura Clear Card arc: I have expressed some complaints and dissatisfactions with this sequel all through the season. Mostly in regards to the new cards and how the old ones seem to have been forgotten (also the lazy designs of the new cards). In spite of that, Sakura hasn’t lost any of its heart in these 20 years, the characters are still the kids we grew up with. It is an overwhelmingly cheerful and positive show, from Sakura and Syaoran’s shyly developing relationship, to the hopefulness of Sakura’s magic and just the simple day to day life of Sakura and her friends. In spite of all its flaws, Sakura is still my favorite show of the season and I’m happy we get to spend one more season with these characters. Just please give me more Yue??? 

Ooooof, finally I’m done with this! PLEASE LET’S NOT TALK ABOUT THE 20+ SHOWS I’M SAMPLING FOR SPRING AHAHAHAHA. There’s too much anime. Anime must be stopped, immediately. Don’t hesitate to send me your thoughts about the winter season, even if it seems I’m losing my mind a little Dx TOO MUCH ANIME