Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C³-bu

The idea of a group of cute girls doing cute things isn’t exactly an original idea in today’s anime industry. Series such as K-On!, Saki, and Bamboo Blade are just a few to name. Even more recently, series such as Upotte and Girls und Panzer even added the addition of weapons to its tropes for more flavor. I mean, cute girls with deadly weapons at at hand tends to make a show more interesting right? Well for Stella Woman’s Academy, there’s the concept of airsoft guns and with that comes a new twist of entertainment. Stella Woman’s Academy, High School Division C3 (also known as C3-Bu)is an anime series based off a manga of the same name written by Ikoma. The series focuses on a group of girls in the school’s airsoft club known as C3-Bu. The three letters of “C” stands for “command, control, and communications” because those are strategic movements used in any combat. So begins a story of girls doing cute things. (with guns) The series stars Yura Yamoto, a freshman with a shy personality from an unknown middle school. What we do know though is that her past isn’t exactly one of those happy memories where we like to witness over and over. No, in fact Yura’s past seems to be clouded by darkness because of what we see is cases that can induce pity and sorrow. But hey, now she is fresh and can start over. The start begins here at Stella Woman’s Academy. As the school is all-girls school, the club at the academy is made up of all girls with the one and only leader Sonora. She is an effective leader with her enthusiasm, skills, and personality that makes her likable by her teammates. We can’t exclude the other characters though because a team needs support and everyone pours their skills to achieve victories. Whether it’s supportive unit, close range combat expert, ace sniper, or commander, everyone plays their roles in battle. As for Yura, she is a newbie in the beginning. After all, everyone starts out like that. Sonora wasn’t born a leader, Honoka wasn’t born as a commander, and the rival of the C3-Club Rin Haruna, wasn’t born an ace of Meisei Girls’ Academy. The plot focuses on various ideas all packaged into this fun series. As part of that package, we witness Yura’s development throughout the show for both physically and mentally. She starts out as a newbie but is able to adjust and earn the respect of her teammates. Her vivid imagination allows her to picture an airsoft game as if it’s a real battlefield that puts her skills at ease. But as development goes, we later witness a drastic change in her character that might be displeasing to bear. By technical standards though, Yura's character shifts almost 180 degrees and is presented as almost a brand new person that makes it very frurstrating to watch. Because there is airsoft, also expect competition. That competitions from the various teams encountered throughout the series. Perhaps the most prominent of these competitions though is from Meisei Girls’ Academy. The leader of that school known as Rin Haruna is a girl of stoic nature but presents an intense display of skill at airsoft. More importantly though, she has a history with the ace of the C3-Club Sonora. Whatever went down between the duo obviously wasn’t a pleasant experience and viewers might have different reactions upon witnessing their flashbacks. Even with competitions though, there’s still the fun. You ever heard your sports coach say something along the line that “the most important factor in a game is not just winning but also to have fun?” Well, this show presents that in a simple way as we witness the girls do their best but at the same time seems to enjoy each and every game regardless of the result.; at least, this applies to most of the time. For Yura though, it might be a difference case for later on, she becomes so intensively focuses that the fun might be taken out of the games. In fact, it can be a bit surprising to see how much she has changed. As it fun wasn’t enough though, I do appreciate the comedy of this series. There’s random gags and personalities with each of the various characters. In particular, I find Sonora’s tomboyish personality to be an eye catcher and the way she motivates her teammates. Other instances includes the character interactions of the C3-Club ranging from various degrees of humorous moments. There are also episodes involving certain events too like a beach or festival episode. Speaking of beach episode, it’s also time to take those clothes off and have more fun in the sun! I am not an expert at airsoft games in real life but the concept of some of the weapons involved in this show seems to shine in that aspect. Throughout the series, various weapons are shown in action including Desert Eagles, Vz. 61 Skorpion, P90, G36K, Ak-47, and M60. Technically speaking, this show tries to even follow the actual concept of airsoft with a sense of realism. This can be seen later on with new additions added to these airsoft games. More importantly though, we witness Yura’s new style in these games that can be quite contrasting than we we were originally used to. Unfortunately, the overall tone of the show jumps around quite a bit and loses its style. Its inconsistency comes from Yura as well as the overall construction of its poor story. Despite conflicts being resolved, the problem lies with the characters themselves and the journey they take. That journey is marked with holes that are hard to fill with oddly directed episodes, weak climax, and cheesy dialogues . The conclusion itself also can leave viewers scratching their heads on "why did this anime end sooner?" There's also a bit of repetitiveness that makes this show unsatisfactory at various standards. In terms of visuals, the series spells out cuteness with the designs of the characters. Even Sonora, the leader of the C3-Club has a dose of that. On the other hand, Rin is designed with a typical dark beauty-like stance given her stoic personality. Meanwhile, the guns themselves looks real enough but at the times hard to take seriously with the way the characters uses them. The school itself is also hardly noticeable either. Gainax is already known for some of their previous works revolving around schools like Hanamaru Youchien, Medaka Box, and Corpse Party. Their artistic visuals aren’t exactly what I would call a masterpiece so this show doesn’t stand out much either in the art department. Soundtrack is average but often times throws off balance. The OP song “Shape My Story” by Anna Yano is noticeable though not only for its tone but also for its artistic visuals near the end of the song. On the other hand, the ED song of this series is a bit laughable with the moe character designs and rhythms. Almost all the characters’ voices fits with their roles although I give praise to Sonora’s VA Miyuki Sawashiro (Blast of Tempest, Kokoro Connect, Maoyu) praise because the way she is able to portray a tomboyish character and at the same time able to carry the task as a leader. For me, this show was a balance between cute, intense, and entertainment. By cute, I don’t mean girls spending their time drinking tea all day or performing like idols on stage. Rather, they are able to enjoy an activity known as airsoft. In a sense, they portray the antithesis of the typical frail women. The show might be a bit repetitive to watch however. At the same time, do take notice of Yura’s character transformation as a bit of backlash to her original self in the beginning. Whatever the case though, this series isn’t just about airsoft games but about these girls having fun at what they do. You don’t actually need to be an airsoft expert to watch this show. Hell, I have almost zero knowledge in the field of airsoft games but decided to give this a shot. What I got though was a 60% fun experience, 40% letdown.

If you've been around the anime community for long enough, you have no doubt heard of the so called "Moe" genre. With a focus on cute girls doing cute things, (usually in a high-school setting) Moe series tend to focus more on comedy and various slice-of-life situations then plot and character (See: K-On! and Lucky Star for two very popular examples). But what happens when a show that has seemingly "Moe" characteristics attempts to delve into deeper themes, such as self-worth, the struggle to become a better person, and the consequences of your actions? In that case, we get a show like C³ (Full title:Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C³-bu). To get this out of the way early, the production values in C³ are perfectly fine for this sort of anime, with the art and character designs being nice and unobtrusive, and the music especially being surprisingly good. To be honest, the art isn't spectacular by any means, but given that this show at its core isn't really about the action (or anything else that would be worth taking considerable time and money to animate) the animation does its job well, maintaining a consistent level of quality. Produced by Studio Gainax, (makers of popular shows such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, Gurren Lagann, etc.) C³ seems pretty simple at the outset, featuring an all-girls school that our protagonist, Yura Yamato, is just beginning to attend. Yura has had trouble making friends and standing out in the past, and she is determined to change herself and become more outgoing at this new environment, to have a fresh start, if you will. But despite this resolve, she finds herself incapable of following through, failing to speak to any of the other girls that she encounters or to meet any new people. It isn't until she is scouted by the school's airsoft team, C³ (that stands for Command-Control-Communication, if you were wondering) that she begins to find the determination to change. By participating in these airsoft games, (aptly called "survival games" by the team members) Yura is able to make new friends, discover new passions, and strengthen her resolve to better herself as an individual. It is through this airsoft team, and the opponents that they face, that we meet the rest of the characters. To be honest, the majority of them are mostly there just to fill up space, but they do this job adequately, adding some comedy and lightheartedness to the series at some points, and acting as good symbols of how people perceive the actions of certain characters at other times. But more notable than them is Sonora, Yura's upperclassman/roommate, and the leader of the airsoft team. Sonora acts as a sort of mentor to Yura, guiding her through the basics of airsoft and giving her the confidence she needs to join the team, as well as the resolve to continue playing and to make the best of the games. Also notable is Rin, a star player for the Meisei academy airsoft team, and a girl who has some strange ties with Sonora's past. These two characters both have a strong impact on Yura's development as a character, each of them providing various insights that both help or hurt her as she goes along. This technically being a sports anime, the theme of "It's not just about winning or losing" is definitely alive here, but it's addressed in different ways by different characters, and Yura most of all struggles with determining its true meaning, and finding a balance between Sonora's and Rin's methods. It is this development with Yura's character and set of themes that differentiate C³ from other shows of "cute girls doing cute things", and even a lot of other sports anime, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, Yura's character is also what makes the show's greatest flaws apparent. Yura in the beginning of the show is, as previously mentioned, a rather lonely soul, a girl who craves friendship and affection, but is not outgoing or brave enough to actively seek it. Through C³, she is able to slowly reform herself, getting braver, more determined, and "stronger". But what happens when these changes go to far? Two things happen: For one, the show becomes quite interesting, as we get to see a show that was formerly about a bunch of cute girls playing airsoft games for fun turn into a character study regarding how Yura's transformation obviously goes to far, and whether or not she can redeem herself. Second, the plot and characters begin to act slightly illogical in order to allow this to happen. Truly, Yura's struggle IS interesting, and it kept me engaged, but there were a few occasions where Yura obviously showed awareness that she was going to far, but did nothing to stop herself. Despite her own realizations, and the pleading of the very friends she wanted so badly, she still continues down a path that can only lead to her destruction, and the show does a poor job of giving us a solid reason as to why. This sudden transformation in the show's focus also leaves it feeling a bit disjointed, as it practically feels like two different shows between the first and second halves. Personally, I enjoyed seeing the slow buildup towards the sudden shift in tone, but it's disappointing that it falters right at one of the most important moments for Yura's character, and it feels like had the show focused a bit more on the serious side of things, it may have been able to provide more logical reasoning for the events that take place. And ultimately, this is C³'s problem: It is a mish-mosh of ideas thrown all together, with the focus shifting around constantly, as if in a mad dash to get to the next topic before time runs out. Important events happen, interesting themes are brought up (including a sort of fantasy-realm that ties into the real world), but they are ultimately brushed aside to get onto the next major plot point. Had C³ JUST been a slice of life comedy, it probably would have been a fairly good one. Had it JUST been a show about self-loathing and redemption, it probably would have been pretty competent. But it also would have been something that we've seen in other shows plenty of times before, and likely done better. It's C³'s willingness to play off our expectations and try to surprise us that makes it special, that makes it stand out among all the other slice of life/redemption stories out there as something unique. Even if it could have technically been better had it stayed focused on one theme or genre, it would have been nowhere near as special to me, and I for one commend it for the risks it takes, even if the result of said risks didn't always turn out spectacularly.

It’s so easy to write this off based on appearance. Then again, a lot of people are fooled by realistic design that an anime is deep. Stella’s Women Academy is simple and doesn’t aspire to much, but hits every target it aims for. In truth, it’s not just an anime about cute girls who play with guns. The cuteness factor is there (since we in the West are still impressed by macho bullshit, it’s a plus). What drives the series, though, are the characters. The story is simple because it’s a very humane one. It puts a bunch of personalities and examine them, using the theme ofcompetition. What dominates is the characters’ reaction to every situation. Although external events pop once in a while like competitions, it’s not noticeable. They only happen to develop the characters. Feeling like you’re not enough or being narrow-minded or being laid-back are more crucial to the story’s progress. It draws comparison to Ping Pong. There are even pseudo-artistic moments where the anime tries hard to be taken seriously. Thankfully they vanish quickly. Moments of confrontation, where we see the relationships change are more meaningful and profound than any weird-psychedelic-vision-thing. The anime is full of such moments. Every episode is a clear progression of Yura’s personality. It is such tight pacing. Even the best anime don’t have pacing that is this focused. The series catches you off-guard when it moves from the cuteness of the first episode to the serious conflicts. It does it only in 6 episodes. The tonal shift isn’t jarring. It adds depth. Life isn’t monotonous except in some circumstances. It’s mostly ups and downs. These tonal shift add realism to an anime that at first seemed only comic. It makes all the drama later believable and engrossing. It’s an impressive feat. The characters shouldn’t work. They’re neither psychological portraits nor exaggerated oddballs. They still manage to feel real. This thanks to the work of the voice-actors. Most of the attributes – Ren’s gentleness, Honoko’s mother-figure, Karila’s toughness is expressed by these voices. Even when the characters all react positively to something, the voice-actors add their little touch to create distinction. Yura is the highlight of the series though, and part of what prevents it from being brilliant. Going back to the comparison with Ping Pong, that anime explored every character it had. It wasn’t satisfied with just giving them distinct personalities. They each had their own journey. Stella’s Women Academy is more narrow. Yura is the only one who goes through a major change. She’s a more believable and realistic character than Ping Pong‘s Tsukimoto, even if she’s less psychological. The changes in her are more apparent and clearer. The anime doesn’t rely on inner-monologues or visions (Okay, there are a few of them but not too many) to show us who Yura is. It’s the constant interaction with the cast. Why make the decision to have such a narrow focus? Knowing your limitations is important, but great characters were the strength of the show. Everyone was flawed in a way and could be improve. The writers know how to develop a simple character, and using their talent only for one character is a waste. Since there are guns in the anime, there are also action scenes. They’re the least flashiest action you will see, but somehow they work. Again, the simple and low-key approach is an advantage. The scenes are clear and easy to follow. They’re made of set-pieces which progress to a conclusion. Some tactics and strategy are involved, but they’re complex enough to be interesting and simple enough not to drag the anime down. The overall message of ‘real winning is having fun’ may seem simplistic, but it actually goes deeper than that. It doesn’t pretend the world doesn’t have conflict. The message is that we need to understand when we’re in a serious conflict where we must win, and when we’re in a fun activity. That’s the fault of both Rin and Sonora. Sonora just wants to have fun, so she doesn’t fight when she has to. She lets people leave freely even though it harms both the club and themselves. Rin sees everything in terms of conflict. For all her victories, her existence is joyless. She can win all she wants but what does she has in the end? is not a huge anime. It’s a simple story about a person with no confidence getting drunk with power and then waking up. It works. Its focus may be narrow but nothing is missed, no idea is undeveloped and no moment is wasted. The only thing that prevents it from being a classic is that it never tried to be. Still, even the greatest of anime don’t hit their target dead-center like this one does.

This anime starts off well, goes off in too many directions, and then gets lost, ending with a final episode that's just filler. There was potential here, and a good animation team, but the story line was a flop. It's almost as if there was a plan for a longer story, but the number of episodes was cut. Give this one a miss.

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