Angel Beats! 13 [END]
Three days later... Yuri wakes up in the infirmary, greeted by the other remaining four. (Everyone else already dipped.) Kanade points out that Yuri is fulfilled, and It's true. They act like friends now, after all that time spent fighting. Anyway, they've planned a graduation. While Kanade hums and skips away to "My Song," they make their way to the gym and talk about their time here. Graduation finishes without a hitch. Naoi goes first, in tears. Yuri's next, and her last words are about what could have been between her and Kanade. Finally, it's Hinata's turn. Good luck finding Yui! With everyone else out of the way, Yuzuru takes Kanade outside.
Yuzuru was like that programmer; he had no reason to be here. Still, he found meaning to life again, and love. Worried everything would repeat itself (duh), he wants Kanade to stay with him. His confession doesn't surprise her. The sudden, uninvited hug does though. No response... That's right, she came here tolaugh at thank you, Yuzuru—not to be the Eve to your Adam. That person his organ(s) saved? It's her. She knew after skewering him he had no heart, and he remembered his life from listening to her/his heartbeat while asleep that one time. (Thanks for nothing, Naoi.) All done! Thank you for your heart. Thank you, for life.
Yuzuruwas friend-zoned so hard he disappeared finds Kanade after reincarnation because why not? They're different people now so what's it matter. Fin.
Arrhythmetic.
Jun Maeda is a freaking savant. Wait, no. What is this ending, lol. "Live and let live. Peace!" Not knowing what graduating middle school, let alone high school, feels like, it doesn't do much for me. This doesn't harm my theory of Yuri x Kanade though. Yuzuru was even rejected at the end, ha! That said, recapping is not climatic.
Angel Beats!, aka losers with hearts of gold (minus one), is about accepting fate and being grateful for life. Period. Fine, but way too much time is spent chucking curve-balls to get there. Each Key work I'm familiar with goes through the same motions. This is the MO. The writing here directly invites the viewer to suspend disbelief just 'cause; has the characters call each other stupid all the time (setting expectations); and steadily diminishes the conflict and scale of the stakes. It's perpetually in dumb-down mode and then slaps you for thinking otherwise. If this isn't manipulation, then what is. That said, it's not malicious, just underachieving.
There's little tension. Literally everyone else does the groundwork for Yuzuru too. He just steals the good bits at the end. Nothing is a matter of if/how, only when. For example, Tenshi's internal conflict that she "miraculously" won. Why wouldn't she be able to try again and again? If it were a real risk, then the gang would have prepared countermeasures, like keeping her in a weakened state or restrained. By the way, a longer series could have meant seeing the inside of Tenshi's mind war. Imagine how exciting that would have been, considering her personality... I'll believe it was a mapo tofu eating contest.
Small stuff: I watched the title sequence every time. Tenshi's animated bits in it are excellent, especially the way the camera moves around her. Without fail, it always filled me with wonder of what Angel Beats! could have been. Kanade's mapo tofu anthem was probably the funniest part of the show. In case others didn't make the connection, Yuruzu's name means "soundless string" and Kanade's means to "play an instrument." Another amusing thing is the software, Angel Player, is pronounced as Angel Prayer in Japanese. Who changed Kanade into pajamas back in episode 9? As the only other girl left, it was probably Kanade who changed Yuri into pajamas this time. The shadow program allowed anyone to turn back to a person if they felt like it. Poor Takamatsu ended up just being a footnote in conversation, like most of the other members. "So long, best friend." Hmm, I guess it must be weird for Japanese boys to call each other by first name after all.
—————
Angel Beats! 13.5: An extended/alternative ending where Yuzuru stays behind to wait for Kanade. Did he learn nothing? Okay, cool, more support for Yuri x Kanade.
Angel Beats! OVA 1 & 2: Tenshi plays Rune Factory below the abandoned building and everyone fasts for a week. Also, cannibalism. Bad end.
—————
Is Angel Beats! awful? No, I wouldn't even call it bad, just personally disappointing. The music is good, at least. Is it meandering and at odds with itself? Absolutely.
Three days later... Yuri wakes up in the infirmary, greeted by the other remaining four. (Everyone else already dipped.) Kanade points out that Yuri is fulfilled, and It's true. They act like friends now, after all that time spent fighting. Anyway, they've planned a graduation. While Kanade hums and skips away to "My Song," they make their way to the gym and talk about their time here. Graduation finishes without a hitch. Naoi goes first, in tears. Yuri's next, and her last words are about what could have been between her and Kanade. Finally, it's Hinata's turn. Good luck finding Yui! With everyone else out of the way, Yuzuru takes Kanade outside.
Yuzuru was like that programmer; he had no reason to be here. Still, he found meaning to life again, and love. Worried everything would repeat itself (duh), he wants Kanade to stay with him. His confession doesn't surprise her. The sudden, uninvited hug does though. No response... That's right, she came here to
Yuzuru
Arrhythmetic.
Jun Maeda is a freaking savant. Wait, no. What is this ending, lol. "Live and let live. Peace!" Not knowing what graduating middle school, let alone high school, feels like, it doesn't do much for me. This doesn't harm my theory of Yuri x Kanade though. Yuzuru was even rejected at the end, ha! That said, recapping is not climatic.
Angel Beats!, aka losers with hearts of gold (minus one), is about accepting fate and being grateful for life. Period. Fine, but way too much time is spent chucking curve-balls to get there. Each Key work I'm familiar with goes through the same motions. This is the MO. The writing here directly invites the viewer to suspend disbelief just 'cause; has the characters call each other stupid all the time (setting expectations); and steadily diminishes the conflict and scale of the stakes. It's perpetually in dumb-down mode and then slaps you for thinking otherwise. If this isn't manipulation, then what is. That said, it's not malicious, just underachieving.
There's little tension. Literally everyone else does the groundwork for Yuzuru too. He just steals the good bits at the end. Nothing is a matter of if/how, only when. For example, Tenshi's internal conflict that she "miraculously" won. Why wouldn't she be able to try again and again? If it were a real risk, then the gang would have prepared countermeasures, like keeping her in a weakened state or restrained. By the way, a longer series could have meant seeing the inside of Tenshi's mind war. Imagine how exciting that would have been, considering her personality... I'll believe it was a mapo tofu eating contest.
Small stuff: I watched the title sequence every time. Tenshi's animated bits in it are excellent, especially the way the camera moves around her. Without fail, it always filled me with wonder of what Angel Beats! could have been. Kanade's mapo tofu anthem was probably the funniest part of the show. In case others didn't make the connection, Yuruzu's name means "soundless string" and Kanade's means to "play an instrument." Another amusing thing is the software, Angel Player, is pronounced as Angel Prayer in Japanese. Who changed Kanade into pajamas back in episode 9? As the only other girl left, it was probably Kanade who changed Yuri into pajamas this time. The shadow program allowed anyone to turn back to a person if they felt like it. Poor Takamatsu ended up just being a footnote in conversation, like most of the other members. "So long, best friend." Hmm, I guess it must be weird for Japanese boys to call each other by first name after all.
—————
Angel Beats! 13.5: An extended/alternative ending where Yuzuru stays behind to wait for Kanade. Did he learn nothing? Okay, cool, more support for Yuri x Kanade.
Angel Beats! OVA 1 & 2: Tenshi plays Rune Factory below the abandoned building and everyone fasts for a week. Also, cannibalism. Bad end.
—————
Is Angel Beats! awful? No, I wouldn't even call it bad, just personally disappointing. The music is good, at least. Is it meandering and at odds with itself? Absolutely.
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