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animebw · 3 years

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Short Reflection: Welcome to the Space Show

Picture the following scenario: you stumble across a show or movie you’ve never heard of. You have no idea what it’s about, but it looks interesting, so you go in with no expectations and hope you’re in for a decent time. As you watch it, it wins you over more and more, hitting all the right notes at all the right moments, accomplishing cinematic feats you’ve never really seen anywhere before. Eventually, things get so damn good that you’re convinced you stumbled across an unappreciated masterpiece. “Why doesn’t anybody talk about this anymore?” you wonder. “This should be a cult classic on everyone’s lips!” And then you cross into the final stretch, and suddenly, things take a turn for the worse. Not disastrously so, but enough to viciously yank you out of the blissful trance you were just in. By the time it’s over, you no longer wonder why this piece of media wasn’t popular enough to linger in the public consciousness. And while you still had a fantastic time with it, you’re also left with the bitter disappointment of knowing it was almost something truly special. That is the experience I just had with Welcome to the Space Show, an anime film from 2010 that comes so agonizingly close to being amazing, but stumbles into just being really damn good instead.

The story begins on earth, following a group of five elementary school kids in a rural Japanese village as they head out for a self-run summer camp. Natsuki is a rambunctious sixth grader with dreams of being a hero, Amane’s her younger cousin who’s still mad at her for losing their pet rabbit, Kouji dreams of being a space scientist one day, Kiyoshi’s the sensible older one who acts as their teacher/counselor, and Noriko’s just happy to be included. Together they make quite the rambunctious friend group, but their summer antics take a turn for the weird when they find a talking dog injured in the woods. Turns out he’s actually an alien named Pochi, and as thanks for saving his life, he offers to take them on a trip to space to see all the crazy shenanigans going on just outside Earth’s gaze. Pretty soon, the kids are on a fantastical adventure through alien planets, galactic cities, and all sorts of wild and imaginative setpieces that director Kouki Masunari probably had bouncing around in his head for a while. Meanwhile, the mysterious bad guys who injured Pochi in the first place are still hot on his trail, and it won’t be long before the kids get wrapped up in a much bigger story than a simple sightseeing tour.

It’s a pretty simple setup for a family-friendly sci-fi flick, and you won’t find too much creativity in the story beats to come. What you will find, though, is one of the most gorgeous, entertaining kids’ adventure movies this side of Studio Ghibli. From start to finish, Welcome to the Space show bombards you with imagery the likes of which you’ve never seen before. Giant space stations the size of the moon, living interplanetary bullet trains reminiscent of My Neighbor Totoro’s Catbus on acid, alien designs ranging from adorable to insane, nebulas and supernovas and antimatter fields, and enough surreal art-deco/freeform aesthetics to put Masaaki Yuasa himself to shame. And all of it’s brought to life with consistently jaw-dropping animation, bowling you over with overwhelming awe and wonder on a near-constant basis. Nor does it skimp on the subtler character details either; the way these kids emote and dance through this off-the-rails vision of interstellar civilization grounds all the wild imagination in a real sense of tangible believability. This is one of the best-looking anime A-1 pictures has ever produced, even a decade later. I could spend ages poring through every frame in this movie and never run out of moments of visual spectacle to take my breath away.

But it’s the cast that really brings this whole movie together. While the kids are all fairly simple as characters, their interactions with the world and each other take Welcome to the Space Show to a whole new level. It’s so much damn fun watching them work their way through this world, bouncing off each other, marveling at each new setpiece with the same childlike wonder you’re likely feeling yourself. And when it comes time for the dramatic stuff to kick in, it fucking nails it. Natsuki and Amane’s family bond forms the emotional core of this movie, and watching them both struggle to reconnect with each other without knowing how makes for some of the most beautiful stuff in the entire film. Somehow, amid all the crazy visuals and stunning imagery, this simple story of family and friendship in the face of hardship ends up outshining its all. There’s an all-is-lost moment at the end of the second act that ripped my heart out of my chest and left me outright sobbing in my seat. I never expected this movie to hit this hard when I started it, but god damn if it didn’t get its claws into me. And by the time it started heading into the climax, I was fully prepared to call Welcome to the Space Show an outright masterpiece.

So what went wrong? Well, sadly, this movie’s final act is done in by one serious flaw: the plot. Once the movie has to become about the bad guys and their master plan, the story gets completely lost. It introduces big, overcomplicated concepts without adequate buildup, it rushes character relationships that haven’t had time to develop, and it starts throwing so many confusing Proper Nouns at you all at once that I lost track of what was even going on. I still don’t understand the bad guys’ big plan, or how they were trying to accomplish it, or even what their overall ideology was. The final battle tries to set up these big themes involving eugenics and scientific morality and evolution, but it all just boils down to characters yelling random, disconnected philosophy at each other while blasting lasers at each other, and it’s just impossible to follow. There’s still fantastic character moments and stunning animation throughout the big climax, but the more it becomes about that incomprehensible plot, the harder it is to stay invested in what’s going on. It transforms from a truly wonderful adventure flick into a rushed, half-baked storytelling soup that’s crushed under the weight of its own ambition. The fact it actually ends really strong is nothing short of a miracle after how badly this final act drove it off the rails.

And that sucks, because I really wanted to love this movie with all my heart. In a lot of ways, I do! Its best parts are more than worthy of standing beside the best of Miyazaki, Hosoda, Shinkai, and any other legendary director you can namedrop. But that final act really drags it down right when it seemed poise to cement its status as one of the all-time greats. I still highly recommend it, as its strengths are more than enough to make up for its stumbles, and you’re almost guaranteed to have a wonderful time with it. Welcome to the Space Show is a really, really good movie. It’s just not a masterpiece, and the frustration knowing of how close it came to being one is going to stick with me for a long time to come. Thus, I give it a score of:

7.5/10

And with that, I think I’ve exhausted my entire anime DVD collection. Took me long enough, huh? See you next time!

#anime #the anime binge-watcher #tabw #welcome to the space show #uchuu show e youkoso #1011 aniwatch

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recentanimenews · 3 years

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FEATURE: The Top 10 Anime OPs of 2020 According to YOU!

As we near the voting period for the Anime Awards where we will collectively determine the anime bests of the year 2020, the well-worn adage of “never skip the OP” comes to mind. I’m confident we’ll make the best choice, but there were many great OPs this year that won't make the cut to be highlighted in the nominations. So let’s take a look back at some of the year’s greatest not determined by our admittedly extremely qualified panel of judges, but by numbers and you, the fans.

We’ve been posting up OPs on YouTube all year and have even made a playlist for 2020 — so what better way to unbiasedly look at the year's best than with the most important votes of all? Views. Below I’ve composed a Top 10 list of anime OPs featured on Crunchyroll Collection YouTube Channel by views at 30 days so as not to give an unfair advantage to OPs posted earlier in the year. This is not a perfect metric — as I’ll get into a bit later — but delivers either an interesting look at what people have been watching this year or, at the very least, some great new additions to your playlist on YouTube ...

10. Black Clover - "Everlasting Shine" by TOMORROW X TOGETHER

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The collision of anime and K-pop will become a theme on this list, so it’s only natural that it should begin with the collaboration between TOMORROW X TOGETHER and the anime that has never missed an OP. Black Clover hit off its next slate of anime-original content under the supervision of Yuki Tabata with a killer opening highlighting the magic knight captains. "Everlasting Shine" cleared 800k views in its first month and joined the series’ killer playlist snuggly between songs by Snowman.

9. HAIKYU!! TO THE TOP - "Phoenix" by BURNOUT SYNDROMES

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BURNOUT SYNDROMES brought in the new year with a bang, heralding the beginning of Haikyu’s spring tournament arc with yet another absolute banger of an OP to compete with their own iconic "Hikare Are" and "Fly High!" Phoenix rose to claim 900k views in 30 days, especially impressive since Karasuno had no highlight opponents facing them down in the first half of the new TO THE TOP season.

8. Black Clover - "Stories" by Snowman

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Black Clovers 11th OP had a lot of weight to carry introducing the first post-manga content the anime had to offer and nailed it with a Snowman collaboration so good that the group not only got signed to return for OP 13, but Daisuke Sakuma voiced an anime-original character designed just for him in Episode 140. "Stories" came just under 1 million views in its first month at 950k, joining the pantheon of hit Black Clover OPs.

7. Rent-a-Girlfriend - "Centimeter" by the peggies

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I don’t know about you, but ever since Sarazanmai’s spectacular ED "Stand by Me" featuring the peggies, I’ve been waiting for more anime music by the group, and it is absolutely not a surprise to see their next collaboration on this list. They delivered an absolutely addictive song which TMS elevated with some great dance moves and brilliant color work. A smart move, as we’ll see later in this list.

No metric for measurement is perfect and "Centimeter" may be the best example of where this list sells an OP short. The song barely cleared 1 million views in its first month and placed the peggies in the Number 7 spot, however, the viewership on Rent-a-Girlfriend’s OP has only accelerated since, and it now sits comfortably at 6 million views, tying it for second place in overall viewership. Looking back again in another six months, it might even be Number 1 ...

6. Black Clover - "Black Catcher" by Vickeblanka

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The original Black Clover OP artists returned to close out the anime’s last wildly-escalating manga-adapted arc with a killer OP that got served up twice. First in a dark black-and-white aesthetic going into the series climactic battle, then again in brilliant color after the conclusion of the epic conflict.

"Black Catcher" brought in 1.1 million views in what is an astonishing sweep in popular viewership for this list. Every OP Black Clover dropped this year made it into the top 10. A spectacular feat for a series that serves up a new one every cour.

5. Re:ZERO Season 2 - "Realize" by Konomi Suzuki

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In a series so notorious for outright ignoring it’s OP and/or EDs for the majority of its episodes to pack in as much extra time as possible for Subaru’s continued suffering, it’s absolutely amazing how quality each of its OPs has been. "Realize" rapidly ascended to 1.5 million in its first month and has since aged like a fine wine as the events of the series slowly added context to many of the unusual and intriguing visuals therein.

4. JUJUTSU KAISEN - "Kaikai Kitan" by Eve

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Launching one of the most anticipated new series in years and adapted by studio MAPPA, who has acted as the headline studio of 2020 with multiple hit productions, "Kaikai Kitan" was a shoo-in for this list. JUJUTSU KAISEN didn’t disappoint with a slick OP directed by one of the all-time animation greats and Naruto alumni Shingo Yamashita. "Kaikai Kitan" cleared 2 million in its first 30 days, and if anything, is only accelerating as the series’ sterling production continues to draw more fans. Also, TOHO released the video early on their own channel, where it’s performing even better.

3. Boruto - "Hajimatteiku Takamatteiku" by Sambomaster

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This ED stands out as a love letter to Naruto in an anime that is essentially one big love letter to Naruto. Returning to the franchise after crafting what may have been the original Naruto’s most iconic OP, "Rhapsody of Youth," Sambomaster delivers yet another bop, while Pierrot seeded the visual sequence with references to many iconic Naruto OP visuals. "Hajimatteiku Takamatteiku" cleared 2 million views in its first month and was the perfect introduction for the series' slow build toward the manga’s Kara arc.

2. The God of High School - "Contradiction" ft. Tyler Carter by KSUKE

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Subtlety is not The God of High School’s thing and "Contradiction" dropped like a punch in the face with some completely wild visuals and music. Techno doesn’t often make appearances in anime OPs, so a song composed by KSUKE featuring the American metalcore vocalist of Issues, Tyler Carter, was a galaxy away from ordinary even in a year where an avalanche of K-pop has been dropping into anime. The accompanying visuals could only be described as aggressive with fight scenes set under a color-swapped psychedelic blacklight style effect. 2.5 million viewers tuned in in the first month, and the song recently cleared 6 million to continue competing with Rent-a-Girlfriend's "Centimeter" from the same season.

1. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! - "Easy Breezy" by chelmico

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It really couldn’t have been anyone else. Storyboarded by Masaaki Yuasa himself and animated with some surprisingly analog techniques by the talented French animator Abel Gongora, "Easy Breezy" cleared 3 million views in its first month and has breezed its way past 10 million over the course of 2020. This OP was easy, it was breezy, and it was super meme-y. The riffs of the girls of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! dancing to chelmico’s addicting tune were absolutely legion and for good reason, the loud colors, the simple style, and the Drake references were a perfect breeding ground for some truly inspired fan content, making it, in my opinion, the only choice for OP of the Year for 2020.

Gotta say I’m overjoyed to see Eizouken at the top of the list even after spending half a year working that earworm out of my head, as well as so much love for Black Clover's OPs which have really been an achievement in quality even against Pierrot’s own storied legacy in Naruto and Bleach music.

And don’t think I’m stopping here. While many fans studiously never skip the OP, I also never skip the ED ...

What's your favorite OP from this list? Let us know in the comments. And tune in tomorrow for the top EDs of 2020 according to YouTube!

Peter Fobian is an Associate Producer at Crunchyroll, writer for Anime Academy and Anime in America, and an editor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Peter Fobian

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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rieshon · 4 years

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Winter 2020 Power Rankings

Time to catch up on writing some good old Power Rankings.

1. Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!: It's hard not to fall for Eizouken's infectious love for all aspects of the art of animation. They even pay respect to the people who make sound effects. I respect Yuasa, but most of his works don't really appeal to me--but Eizouken can be appreciated by anyone who's ever loved a piece of animation. ★★★★☆

2. Oshi ga Budoukan Ittekuretara Shinu: The first law of idol anime is they're always better than you think they will be. I had high hopes for Oshibudo and it still managed to exceed them. Idols and yuri are not an uncommon combination (even if it's usually just subtext) but Oshibudo manages to mix lesbian themes with the purest and most genuine depiction of idol fandom possible to make a truly delicious gay idol smoothie. ★★★★☆

3. 22/7: Speaking of idol anime always overperforming... I thought this would be a 'so bad it's good' show based on its first episode but instead it's just so good its good. A compellingly weird frame story that plays with criticism of idols just enough to be interesting props up an impeccably well done anthology series about several girls and their disparate paths to the idol industry. Some of the eps are magical, some are relative duds, but the sum of it all is an incredibly endearing series. ★★★☆☆

4. SHOW BY ROCK!! Mashumairesshu!!: Speaking of gay idols... The original Show By Rock was an okay series with yuri subtext that I mostly liked because Ayaneru was in it, but this spinoff trims all the fat from that series and delivers pure gay band girls and it's brilliant. No weird sci-fi drama, no laser fights between CGI gerbils, just some extremely gay girls starting a band. ★★★☆☆

5. Itai no wa Iya nanode Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu.: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Oonuma Shin always fucking delivers. Boufuri comes off as a boring MMORPG anime at first, but as a truly admirable "commitment to the bit" sees our protagonist Maple grow to literally God-like strength, it starts to worm its way into your heart. There's some great moments like Maple turning into a mech or a fluffball or fucking around and breaking sidequests, but for the most part it's just an extremely competent anime made by, still, the most underrated director in the business. ★★★☆☆

6. Koisuru Asteroid: It's a shame for a Kirara anime to ever be described with the term "disappointing" but Asteroid just doesn't deliver enough astronomy or geology and has way too much melodrama. The girls are still cute as fuck and it definitely hits most of the good Kirara anime notes, but it's decidedly a second-tier Kirara series. Also I'm still mad at them for ruining Suzu's hair. ★★★☆☆

7. Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shoumei Shite Mita: This is definitely a funny premise, but it's also one of those comedy shows where they really only have one joke that they do over and over. Still, it's hard not to enjoy Amamiya Sora as a cool and standoffish science babe, and by the time the gag is getting old the show wraps up with a surprisingly strong resolution to the romantic tension in the series. ★★★☆☆

8. ID:INVADED: This is the kind of show I almost never actually watch, but every so often I stumble upon one of these male-led action-thrillers that really manages to tickle my fancy. ID takes a compelling premise--it's like Minority Report except the detectives have to solve weird metafictional puzzles in scenarios derived from the psyches of the killers--and spins it out into an enjoyable science fiction action-adventure romp. As a piece of sf it doesn't say much more than "me am play gods," but it manages to be genuinely cool in premise and execution and also has a cute loli BBA. ★★★☆☆

9. Kuutei Dragons: CG anime conspiracy continues with this well made adventure story about whaling but it's in the sky. Unfortunately its addressing of the ethics of whaling is too wishy-washy to be interesting and it has some weird tonal stuff like setting up a "dude saves girl from prostitution" plot arc and then just not doing it so we just have to assume she like... goes back to whoring herself I guess? But this is never even addressed? It's weird, but the show has some pretty beautiful visuals for a CGI show and the ending arc is pretty satisfying. It queerbaited me with that Za-san character though. ★★★☆☆

10. Magia Record Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Gaiden: Madoka is probably in my top ten anime of all time, so just the existence of a shitty cash-in mobile game based on it pains me, much less seeing the entire franchise pivoting to selling it instead of more actual Madoka. Magia Record is bad in multiple dimensions; not only is it a poor imitation of the original masterpiece in both style and tone, the writing takes some truly disastrous turns with respect to the original series's canon. But I'mma be real with you... Yachiyo is the hottest anime girl of the year and she's hard gay for Iroha. So two stars. ★★☆☆☆

11. Murenase! Seton Gakuen: It feels like there's A LOT of "animal people" shows lately... This is another one. The girls in this are enjoyable thanks to great character designs from Sasaki Masakatsu who always manages to impart a very understated but tangible lewdness to all his characters. ★★☆☆☆

12. Kyokou Suiri: I really like 'talking anime' and I really loved listening to Kitou Akari talk for almost the entire runtime of this whole series. She's definitely a real one. It was also nice to see a romance with a cute disabled character whose disability is only really there in the background. Kotoko was just cute as fuck with an impeccable fashion sense. The story is kind of meh, especially once it gets into the meat of the Koujin Nanase arc, but it's worth it just to see Kotoko and Kurou's cute interactions. ★★☆☆☆

13. Nekopara: I wish Nekopara was better, and lewder, especially given that the franchise literally has its origins in porn doujinshi, but it still has lots of cute cat girls. Even if they do live in Saudi Catrabia. Maple is best cat. ★★☆☆☆

14. Ishuzoku Reviewers: The fact that this show became such a sensation is truly a testament to the power of anime tiddies. Unfortunately the character designs in this show do very little for me even when the characters are ones that aren't objectionably weird (which is infrequent) which is pretty much a fatal flaw for an anime that's supposed to be all about getting horny and nutting. Too thicc for me, man. I admire its gumption but in the end I didn't actually enjoy the show that much. I did learn the Japanese word for "cloaca" though. ★☆☆☆☆

#Power Rankings

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sophcaro · 7 years

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Destiny | WMatsui - Chapter 15

The sales of the second single following Rena’s graduation were catastrophic. In fact, it was the first time in the history of SKE that a single managed to have such low numbers. Of course, Jurina knew that Rena’s departure would have consequences on the group. Rena was not just any random member, but one of the figureheads of SKE. When she left, many desperate fans lost their oshimen, and started showing less interest in the group. Despite being well aware of those facts, Jurina didn’t believe Rena’s graduation would hit them so badly.

Undeniably, fans were having a hard time accepting Ayuka as new WCenter, often calling in question her surprising and unexpected push. Why Ayuka? Why choose a 12-year-old and not very popular girl? Wasn’t a long-time member more legitimate to fill in Rena’s shoes? Jurina had tried to ignore all those negative remarks for months, but it was hard when they kept coming one after another, and increased tremendously at the beginning of January 2017 after the stinging failure of SKE’s latest single.

Jurina didn’t share this opinion in the least. In her eyes, Ayuka was perfectly capable of assuming Rena’s role, and the younger girl had definitely done everything in her power to meet management’s expectations. Ayuka had fought so much to prove that she deserved this great honor bestowed upon her. Whether alone or in the presence of other members, she had rehearsed songs and choreographies again and again with all her strength.

Jurina couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work her WCenter had accomplished since August. Despite her young age and the incredible pressure upon her shoulders, she never saw her slacking off a single time. She was a studious student during rehearsals and followed each one of her instructions obediently, never protesting when it sometimes meant spending very long hours in the dancing room to perfect her moves.

However, it appeared not all fans shared her opinion on the matter, and SKE’s management seemed to follow the same route. Of course, the staff never said anything in public, but Jurina could tell by their troubled expression that SKE’s recent bad sales were making them progressively doubt in Ayuka’s true capacity to assume a leading role along her side.

A few times, Jurina had broached the subject with Yuasa, assuring him that the younger girl was in no way responsible for the single’s low sales. The group was going through a rough patch because of Rena’s recent departure, and fans still needed more time to adjust to the situation, and accept Ayuka. However, as evasive Yuasa remained about the tricky subject of Ayuka’s future in the group, Jurina knew he didn’t completely share her faith in Ayuka.

The next single of SKE was supposed to be released in late March – three months from now - and, after the recent setbacks, it didn’t take a genius to figure out management was seriously considering the idea of replacing Ayuka. No matter how many times Jurina supported Ayuka publicly and repeated to management more privately that the girl deserved another chance, she was well conscious that she wouldn’t be the one making the final decision.

Yes, her opinion was valued and management listened to what she had to say. However, one thing was certain. If the staff decided it was best to choose another girl to ensure the durability of the group, then she would have no other choice but to bend to management’s will.

Jurina knew that Ayuka had already been affected by the limited success of their summer song. At the time, the younger girl had covered her disappointment with a polite smile. However, her dismay had clearly showed when the news of the catastrophic numbers of the following single came out a few weeks ago.

Ayuka was still working hard and doing everything that was asked of her, but Jurina didn’t miss her mood darkening slightly day after day. Until now, it seemed Ayuka was holding on nevertheless but today, as they were finishing rehearsing their dance move in preparation of an upcoming showcase in Nagoya, her accumulated fatigue had visibly managed to get the best of her.

Jurina didn’t realize immediately what was going on as she was busy preparing her gym bag to take off and call it a day, but she became aware of Ayuka’s distress when she caught the small voice addressing her tiredly.

“Maybe what they are saying is true, “Ayuka whispered, in a slight trembling voice. “Maybe management should replace me on the next single.”

Jurina stopped instantly what she was doing to turn and look at her in surprise, feeling a pang in her chest when she witnessed the tears springing to her eyes. After months of keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself, it appeared she was finally willing to let it out. It should be a good thing that she was finally confiding in her. After all, Jurina had long ago stated Ayuka was free to come and talk to her whenever she seemed fit, even more when something was troubling her. However, it was always heartbreaking to watch another group member cracking in front of you. No matter how many times it happened in the past, it was impossible to stay indifferent.

“Don’t say that,” Jurina protested gently, reducing the distance to brush away the few tears now rolling down her cheeks. “You are doing great. Don’t give up, Ayuka.”

“Jurina-san is always so nice with me,” Ayuka smiled faintly. “But I’m not naïve. Things started to fall apart when I was appointed WCenter. How… How can I not be held responsible!?”

“Look at me,” Jurina requested, holding her cheeks when the younger girl started avoiding her gaze. “You are not to blame for all this. Do you hear me?”

Despite her statement, Jurina knew Ayuka was having difficulty agreeing with her. Her sobbing was showing no sign of stopping – even now increasing a little - and she was still refusing to meet her eyes, in a mix of shame and despair. When words unfortunately didn’t have the desired effect Jurina pulled the younger girl into her arms, realizing her WCenter was definitely in need of physical comfort when she immediately leaned her head on her shoulder.

With her left hand, she caressed Ayuka’s back gently, while listening sadly to the manifestation of her WCenter’s distress. What could she possibly add to calm her down? No, Ayuka was not naïve. She may be very young, she was completely aware of her surroundings and of what people were saying behind her back. Thankfully, members were nothing but supportive and really encouraging her, but not the same could be said about all the fans and a part of the press.

Jurina couldn’t help but see some similarities with the situation she had herself been going through when she was suddenly introduced to AKB’s fans with Oogoe Diamond. Fans were viewing with a jaundiced eye her unexpected presence alongside AKB’s center Atsuko Maeda. Who was that newcomer who was daring to steal the spotlight from other girls? Jurina would never forget all the negative comments she had received at the time, nor the fans that manifested their disapproval by refusing to shake hands with her during handshakes events.

It was a very difficult period of her life, Jurina would not deny it. Oh yes, the idea of quitting had crossed her mind more than a few times. Tears would also flow down her cheeks when she had had too much, hiding carefully her sorrow in a quiet room where no one could see the allegedly strong ace of SKE breaking down. However, she was convinced those moments of hardship shouldn’t only be viewed in a negative light. Not only they had helped her grow as a human being, they had also shaped her into the strong-willed and successful idol she now was.

Jurina held the other girl close for a little while, relieved when she heard the crying progressively decreasing. Despite it, Jurina guessed Ayuka still needed to get a few more things off her chest, and she invited her to take a seat with her when she appeared more calm. When she set her eyes on her again, the first thing she noticed were her puffy eyes and rosy cheeks. A part of her wished Ayuka had not kept her emotions bottled up inside all his time. But after all, wasn’t it common for them to keep their true feelings to themselves? Wasn’t it a core value implanted into every little girl and boy’s mind at a very young age?

Checking briefly the time on the clock, Jurina realized Ayuka’s mom was supposed to come and pick her up in roughly thirty minutes. It wasn’t much, but Jurina was well decided to take advantage of that time to restore Ayuka’s confidence.

“SKE is entering a new era, and things will never be the same anymore,” Jurina started, noting she now had Ayuka’s full attention. “Change is always hard to accept, whether for members or fans; but what other choice do we have? I love SKE, and I know how much the group means to you too. This is a difficult period of transition, and you are hearing unpleasant things but… fans barely know you. It’s destabilizing for them to see a new face, especially after being used to Rena’s presence for so many years. They need time. Time to learn more about you and like you. After the next single, I have faith they will realize you are a perfect match for that position.”

Jurina paused, and watched attentively Ayuka who seemed to be processing everything she had just uttered. Somehow, she could tell by her lasting silence that she was not entirely convinced, and still doubting herself. She didn’t really expect any less. Yes, she had tried to make her words as sincere as possible, but they had no magical power. You couldn’t change someone’s opinion so easily, especially when many external factors were playing against you.

As seconds went by and Ayuka didn’t reply, Jurina ended up believing their conversation may be truly over. Nevertheless, she mulled it over in her head what else she could add to reassure her once again, until the latter broke the silence in the most unexpected way.

“Everyone misses Rena-san. Fans, members. You both were the perfect WCenters, and no one will able be able to match your level. I didn’t know Rena-san very well, but I miss her too. I miss her so much.”

Jurina was momentarily caught off guard by the admission and the evident melancholy in Ayuka’s voice, trying to understand the reason behind it. It is true to say Rena and Ayuka had never been really close while in SKE, mainly because the young kenkyuusei had always been way too impressed by the charismatic aura surrounding the older Matsui to approach her. However, Jurina was starting to get an idea of why she had suddenly mentioned SKE’s former figurehead.

Jurina was conscious it was not an easy task for Ayuka to assume such important position. She would never forget the emotion submerging her when they found themselves alone after Yuasa announced the senbatsu composition of their summer single. Evidently, Ayuka would have preferred if Rena was still in SKE. Not only because she was one of the leading members who contributed to a large extent to the group’s popularity, but also because she wouldn’t have then the heavy task of replacing her.

“I miss her too,” Jurina confessed, a certain nostalgia invaded her as the words left her lips naturally. “But Rena is gone, now. We need to accept it and move on. It’s essential for the survival of SKE.”

Even though she believed deep down every word she had uttered, it was still a bit painful to admit the truth. Rena had been gone for six months now, but the consequences of her graduation could still be felt after all this time. Jurina didn’t fool herself into believing SKE would get over it fine and fast. On the contrary. After all, had it not taken her months to accept the harsh reality that Rena would never be by her side in SKE anymore?

However, Jurina wanted to believe SKE would overcome this difficult moment of transition in time. She adored SKE with all her heart, and every member had worked very hard to transform the small sister group of 2008 into a solid, popular group. Of course, their sales numbers couldn’t compete with those of their mother group, but they had nothing to be ashamed of when you saw how many SKE members were well ranked during the general elections.

Giving up was not an option. In a few years, when SKE would have found worthy successors to Rena and her, then she would gladly pass the torch and graduate. Until then, she was going to keep representing SKE and prove to the whole country that Rena’s graduation didn’t sign the end of the group. As of Ayuka, she had indisputable potential to be the next ace, and Jurina hoped management wasn’t going to waste her talent.

Jurina couldn’t possibly ignore how exhausted she felt when she arrived that evening at Rena’s apartment. A little voice inside her head was telling her it wouldn’t take her long to reach the bedroom and sleep, yet she didn’t regret one bit having that important conversation with Ayuka. When they split up, she could sense by the younger girl’s sincere smile as she waved her goodbye that she felt a little more appeased.

A pleased smile crept upon Jurina’s face when she noticed Rena preparing dinner, and she entered the kitchen once she placed her coat in the hallway and removed her shoes. A small sigh left her lips when the older girl greeted her with a warm hug, taking the necessary time to relish the comfort of her girlfriend’s arms.

These last four months, they had been able to see each other practically every day, considering most of Rena’s jobs occurred in Nagoya. To be honest, Jurina had been startled about this discovery, really expecting the older girl to travel often between Nagoya and Japan’s capital, and for longer periods of time. As curious as it was, she never questioned her about it once.

First, Jurina was never one to meddle into Rena’s career and second, she had to admit she appreciated having her girlfriend by her side so much. No, Rena was not in SKE anymore, but she was still able to see her on a daily basis as if nothing happened. Somehow, that fact made all the changes occurring in her professional life easier to accept.

After that, Jurina joined the bedroom to take a quick shower, her sleepiness reaching a new level when a yawn inadvertently escaped her lips on the way. Oh yes, her head was definitely going to hit the mattress as soon as she would have finished dinner. No television for her tonight. Once her shower was over the young ace took a seat on the side of the bed to finish getting dressed, her thoughts wandering back unconsciously to Ayuka and the future of SKE.

Next month, management was going to take a decision regarding the fate of her WCenter. Were they going to listen to her advice and renew their faith in her? Or SKE was going to know their third WCenter in six months? Jurina refused to imagine the look on Ayuka’s face if they chose to replace her. The poor girl was going to be devastated, and evidently take it as a sign of failure.

Ayuka didn’t deserve such a treatment, but Jurina believed to already have done everything in her power to prove her worth. Now, Ayuka’s fate was in management’s hands, and Jurina really hoped they would make the right decision when the senbatsu for the next single would be announced.

Rena’s voice warning her dinner was now ready jolted her out of her thoughts, and she stood up to join her. On her way out she took a brief peek at Rena’s desk, her curiosity piqued when she discovered a thick script resting on the table. The temptation was impossible to resist and she turned the first pages, understanding by Rena’s few written notes in the margin that she had been offered a new role.

Her concern for Ayuka fell at the back of her head as she rejoiced this great news, her immediate thought being to congratulate the older girl. However, she guessed something was not right when she entered the kitchen, and her girlfriend greeted her with a slight nervous look when she mentioned enthusiastically the script she had seen on her desk.

Jurina frowned at her peculiar reaction. Shouldn’t Rena be happy about the new job opportunity she had received? If she had already made notes, it was evident she was seriously considering accepting. So why was her enthusiasm met with an unusual, lasting silence?

“About that…” Rena started hesitantly, Jurina’s confusion increasing a notch when she took a seat at the table, and the older girl seemed to be searching her words as she was pouring miso soup in their bowls. “I haven’t accepted it yet, because I wanted to talk to you about it first.”

Jurina stared at her in bewilderment, processing her words as the older girl was now taking a seat opposite her. Since when did Rena need her opinion about a role? Until now, she had always managed her career alone, leaving her out of the decision process. Jurina never minded it and even less felt offended by it. Rena was a very independent person, who always preferred to make her own decisions by herself.

Jurina understood it, and accepted it perfectly. It was Rena’s career; she had no business butting in. That was Jurina’s core belief. So why was Rena suddenly acting as if she needed her permission? It didn’t make sense at all. Unless…

Wait. Now that she thought about it, there had been a contentious issue between them recently. A certain scene Rena had chosen to shoot without warning her beforehand, an omission that led them to have a serious conversation when Rena returned from Kyoto in September. Could it be the reason for Rena’s hesitation?

“Are you… going to do kissing scenes?” Jurina asked, not feeling very hungry anymore as she gazed at her in mild apprehension. She couldn’t lie: the idea certainly didn’t appeal to her. It was unpleasant to imagine your partner kissing someone else on screen, especially when the kiss was not fake as you could expect, but very real. When she had recently finally caught up with Destiny she had refused to see any intimate scenes involving her girlfriend, and skipped them without the slight remorse.

“No, nothing like that. My character doesn’t have any intimate scenes,” Rena quickly reassured her.

Jurina relaxed instantly. Of course, she never had any intention of protesting if the actress had announced it was indeed the case. Rena was in control of her career and she accepted every one of her decisions, even if they didn’t always really appeal to her. However, it was an undeniable relief that her prediction ended up being wrong. But then… what was it all about?

“You see…” Rena’s hesitant voice brought her attention back to her. “I’m not sure to accept because the shooting will be in Osaka, and is supposed to last for at least a month. I know SKE is going through a difficult time, and I’m not sure it’s wise for me to leave right now.”

So that was the reason, Jurina mused as she watched the older girl who had fallen quiet again. Jurina couldn’t help but look away, letting the news sink in. To be honest, she should have expected it. It was obvious Rena was not going to stay in Nagoya eternally. Of course, those four months they spent together were bound not to last.

Jurina nibbled on her lower lip, well aware of the other girl watching her attentively and waiting for her reaction from the other side of the table. Even though Rena had not specifically asked any question, she could read between the lines easily.

Jurina was deeply moved Rena was considering refusing a job for her sake in the light of the difficulties the group was recently going through. Her impulsive side wanted to ask her to stay in Nagoya, at least until SKE’s situation was more stable and Ayuka’s fate more clear. As long as she remembered Rena had always been her rock – a true moral support - and there was no denying that having her by her side those last months had been a great help to overcome the aftermath of her graduation.

But could she let her selfishness speak in regards of such an important decision? They weren’t teenagers anymore. At the age of twenty-five Rena had a solo career to manage, and she herself would be turning twenty in March, marking her passage to adulthood. There was no place for such childishness in their life anymore.

“Go to Osaka,” Jurina declared, refusing to listen to her selfish desires any longer and burying them deep inside her. When she noticed a flicker of doubt still present in Rena’s brown orbs she knew she had to put an end to it, and she immediately reached across the table to take her hand. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

It was sometimes very curious the paradox that could exist between what your mind was telling you to do, and what your heart truly wanted. It was not the first time Jurina found herself in a situation with such conflicted feelings. As she gave Rena a smile and laced their fingers together, she was conscious she was not completely honest with her. Did the older girl see through her lies?

If that was the case, then she didn’t say anything about it. After a little while, Jurina retracted her hand and tore her eyes away from her to look down to her untouched miso soup. Unconsciously, apprehension filled her chest progressively at the idea that they would be separated again, but she tried to ignore the unpleasant feeling. It was out of the question to hold Rena back. That thought in mind, she took her spoon and started to taste Rena’s soup, well decided not to come back on her words.

Two weeks later…

It was already dark outside that Thursday of late January when Jurina waited alongside Rena for her taxi to arrive. As she let her gaze wander around the small street of Nagoya and noted how very quiet it was, Jurina really wished she didn’t find herself so nervous at the imminent departure of her girlfriend. Somehow, she strongly believed two weeks would be enough for her to accept the idea of their new separation. After all, it definitely wasn’t the first time they were going to spend some time apart, and it wasn’t the longest time Rena would be away either. Despite being aware of those facts, it didn’t make things any better. Visibly, parting with Rena was something she still wasn’t able to get used to.

No matter how many times she tried to silence her selfish desires, a small part of her still somewhat wished the older girl had changed her mind along the way, and decided to stay in Nagoya. Each time she would hear that voice surfacing again she would silence it in a mix of frustration and shame. She was supposed to think as an adult; so why was the desire to keep Rena by her side remained so strong?

“I’ll call you as soon as I arrive at the hotel,” Rena spoke calmly as she turned to face her. “And of course, we’ll stay in contact on LINE every day.”

Jurina nodded, the current knot in her stomach preventing her from doing any more than that. She knew the taxi would arrive at any moment now, and she couldn’t help but pull the older girl into her arms. At first, the older girl didn’t reply to the embrace – visibly startled by its suddenness – until Jurina felt a pair of arms slipping around her neck progressively.

Jurina hummed lightly as she listened to the older girl whispering gentle, soothing words in her ear, trying to take the most of their last moment together. When she felt emotion starting to submerge her she closed her eyes shut firmly, refusing to let tears slide down her cheeks. Why on earth was she being so emotional? This wasn’t happening as planned. Her smile was the last thing Rena was supposed to see before entering the taxi.

When Rena pulled away to glance at her she mustered her best smile, but the older girl didn’t seem fooled by it considering her slight concerned look. Seeing the question starting to form on Rena’s lips she impulsively captured them into a kiss, but barely had time to relish the sensation of Rena’s soft lips against her that the older girl pushed her away quickly.

Saying that she was taken aback by her reaction would be an understatement, and she tried to decipher the reason behind her action when she saw Rena staring back at her in shock. When the older girl diverted her attention from her to look around her in alert, that’s when the stupidity of her impulsive action hit her. She had just kissed Rena in public. Something they had promised each other to never do.

Jurina immediately scanned the dark street in concern, her heart beating a little faster inside her chest at the thought their relationship could have been discovered because of her recklessness. The air had become way heavier as they were both nervously checking that no one had witnessed such an intimate moment, but relief progressively spread through Jurina’s chest when there was not a living soul in sight.

Still, she was feeling terribly guilty at what she had dared to do in public, and the apology left her lips naturally. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to. I…”

“It’s… it’s fine,” Rena interrupted her gently when she started babbling, incapable of finding the right words to justify her action. “No one saw us. It’s fine.”

Jurina realized the older girl truly didn’t hold it against her when a sincere smile plastered her face, and she placed a soft kiss against her cheek the moment after. In the distance, Jurina noticed the headlights of a taxi approaching, and she knew the moment of the separation had finally arrived. Taking a step back she watched carefully the older girl who was now looking in the taxi’s direction expectantly, trying to imprint every little detail of her face inside her mind.

For a month, they would have to settle for simple conversations on LINE and occasional video calls. They had been going through a similar situation already when Rena was shooting Destiny in Kyoto, but Jurina knew she was going to miss the physical contact the most. Hours of chatting could simply never replace your girlfriend’s gentle kisses or her warm embrace.

When the taxi arrived at their level Rena let the driver place her suitcase inside the trunk, and she turned to pull Jurina into a tight embrace one last time. The young ace smiled when a lingering kiss was placed against her cheek, and her heart fluttered when – just before stepping inside the taxi - Rena didn’t forget to renew her affection for her in the form of three little words.

#destiny #wmatsui #wmatsui fanfic #matsui jurina #matsui rena #SKE48 #AKB48 #Partners sequel #chapter 15 #Heartbeat trilogy

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