I'm not going to lie. I finished the last 8 episodes this afternoon and feel slightly ill. But in the end, it didn't matter if it was 8 episodes in one sitting, or one episode at a time, as Azumanga Daioh generally failed to hold my interest.
Maybe if taken one episode a week, things might have changed, but that's because one week gives you plenty of time to forget that you're really watching the same episode with some scenic or situational adjustments. I do have a soft spot for penguins, though, so episode 16 was like an oasis in a desert.
While on the topic of episode specifics, re: 10 km marathon. Just because you get good grades doesn't mean you're not a lemming. Nor does it mean you do your research before taking in a wild animal and leaving it alone with your pet dog. One of the few moments of justice occurred when said wild animal bit a certain aggravating character, who proceeded to be red-carded by the token jock.
Unfortunately, for me anyway, Tomo was never ejected from the series. Upon a bit more consideration, I wasn't bothered so much through watching the same interactions over and over, it's because those interactions were so antagonistic. Sure, she was full of it for the sake of being full of it, and if you could blow it off then power to you. I was unable to get past that, and the rest of the flatly characterized cast comprising the Loser Brigade let her walk all over them, and her treatment of Chiyo bordered on the verge of bullying.
Going back to still shots for a moment, include slow motion gestures and group them under the generic category of Moments with Zero Dialog. I agree with Owen's opinion that they are present for the sole purpose of forcing humour (maybe) down your throat, sort of like, "Look, look! Isn't it funny? Nothing more will happen until you agree!" In other series MZD is used in a more natural and benign manner, such as atmosphere or stunned silence, which is a shade different from awkward tolerance for the sake of being polite to the inane.
I don't know what it was like during 2002 so I lack context. Maybe Azumanga Daioh was brilliant for its time and I've just been spoiled by the present. I've seen better high school graduations and partings from the likes of Hitohira and Manabi Straight. And despite the wackiness and sometimes alienating humour, Lucky Star has dialog that flows much better than Tomo's one-sided brow beatings or Sakaki's social awkwardness (she's no Chikane). Sure, conversations between Minano and Yukari flowed like conversations, but those instances were rare, and it's hard to compare all the time with some of the time.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Theme and non-variation
Friday, August 10, 2007
Tripping over my shoelaces
I tried to marathon Azumanga Daioh the other day. This turned out to be a grave mistake as I was in dire need of a break just two episodes in. The next day went a bit better, clearing 10 episodes, but by that point I had come to the conclusion that Azumanga Daioh was one series for which more than two episodes at a time was simply a bad idea.
While slice of life and high school randomness, Azumanga Daioh is certainly not a sitcom. There is no problem that is resolved in the span of an episode, nor is there any ultimate goal other than graduation, which is a pretty automatic process. This early into high school, it's not yet time to stress over university admissions and the general future.
There may be some over-arching theme for an episode but, probably as a result of its 5 minute segment roots, there can be no expectation of continuity within the episode itself. I'm not bored unto passing out, as I have this unreasonable attention span for pretty much anything except lectures, but I begin to get fidgety after continuous exposure.
Lucky Star is structured in a similar fashion, but many of its scenes and gags can be measured in tens of seconds. It's not quite a punch line Gatling gun, but it is a better approximation than Azumanga Daioh, which has a tendency to rely on relatively lengthy still shots to emphasize the point. I think this is the source of my discomfort. Awkward silence is effective only when used sparingly, while abusing it evolves comedic awkwardness into nervous fidgeting or other irritations.
I realize now that there are plenty of other series I've seen that can only be consumed in one or two episode doses, but I have never had cause to try otherwise, seeing as how they're currently airing. If nothing else, it's a garish display of neon green on my part.
