Amanchu! Advance

I’m just gonna be straight: if you love the first season, there’s no reason to not follow the 2nd season…right? Unfortunately, this new season is an awful disappointment and a big step down from what was already founded of the previous season 2 years back. Anybody who is a fan of Amanchu! and/or Amano Kozue’s works will know that she is the one who created the Aria series, one that stresses on the light-hearted SoL features that we have come to know and love, and the same thing is brought forward to the manga adaptation of Amanchu!. The pivotal point is where the first season ended withthe first 20 or so chapters adapted into what as considered as an impressive feat in its time, and the second season attempted some ideals that quite frankly, don’t one mesh quite as well as what was already done with the all-new supernatural settings (the story of Peter Pan, the school’s ghost arc) and stuff that’s NOT about scuba-diving. Blame the anime adaptation all you want, but Amano-sensei has her faults too, because when you feel the main plot device of your series is getting stale, and you try injecting some new things that just don’t resonate with your viewers, you know the feeling that you have lost some dedicated fans when we crave for more of the plot device that keeps us entertained and showcases what the series is all about. At first, while I realized that the original team for Season 1 is back to reprise their roles (albeit with a new director), I immediately thought that it was the director’s fault for not choosing to adapt the manga chapter stories evenly, because for Season 1 it was ¾ scuba-diving and the rest SoL, but this season went the other rout and gave us less former and more latter, which mind you by the way, isn’t bad but kinda lost its footing in the process. The good stuff: Pikari, Teko, the Ninomiya siblings and Katori-sensei still live on with their lives, albeit SoL-ish and more of the same, and that’s not bad. The characterization in Amanchu! has never been the strong suit (but it does when it comes to scuba-diving), and I certainly can STILL appreciate it for what it is. J.C.Staff’s art and animation are also consistent across the board, and made me feel like I’m re-watching more of less the same from the foundations of the first season, I’ll give the acclaimed studio that of its professionalism. The bad stuff: Aside from the new director (which I’ve heard it’s a 2nd-rate one) whom IMO has no idea how to pitch this new season with the weird stories and such that it became a huge turn-off, I never appreciated the story arcs presented here (VERY particularly the Peter Pan arc, the one with supernatural dreams that span times past and future), because it didn’t click well with the main series, and as a manga reader, that is exactly the same sentiments I have here (and it spans 30+ chapters in the manga before getting back into the plot device). The SoL-esque segments also didn’t quite have the same sentiments as Season 1, so it was nothing but dull the entire way through. The music, particularly the OST, is not as well made as Season 1. While I have a soft spot for musical OSTs, what was featured here are good on their own, but nothing made me want to listen to them again (therefore making them Side-B tracks). I absolutely love the OST in Season 1 because it resonated with the series (as an introduction), but Season 2 made me lose faith in the series in terms of musicality, and just became a copy-paste thing. In the end, is Amanchu! Advance a good follow-up? Yes and no. Yes, if you want more of the characters and the art and animation, No, if you are anime-only and/or have watched Season 1 and wanting to know whether if Season 2 retained much of the quality that’s to be expected of the series. It’s not bad really, but I wished it could be better. Just a decent follow-up when all is said and done.

Some people count sheep, I count Amanchu's moe faces. Without a doubt, the latter is more efficient when it comes to falling asleep, and when I do, I sleep like a baby. No, I do not mean that I wake up every 2 hours, cry, shit myself and suck titties. I mean I sleep without worries, wearing some sort of moe face myself, and it's great. This second season is much like the first one in terms of story. Slice of life silliness, school time and scuba diving. Everything there needs to be for the series to work. No one really cares what the storyis so let's focus on things that make this show good. Our characters are the epitome of kindness and happiness, but just like last time: never too much so. If there was any problems with Aria, it was how overly sweet it could be at times, making it almost nauseating to watch over and over again. The author has fixed this with Amanchu, making the whole cast well-balanced. The art is amazing. According to anonymous 4chan source, the series has had over 1200 different moe faces by far. The nature's backdrop alone is soothing to watch, and whenever there is animated water present, I can almost smell the fresh air. It's hard to believe that J.C. Staff can create something like this. The sounds are the best part of this show. I have seen the first season something like 6 times, 4 times practically eyes closed. You don't really need to even watch it to see it. The music is beyond calming and voice acting is almost ASMR. If there ever was an anime that needed to be watched while wearing headphones, it is this one right here. When it comes to enjoyment, Amanchu has given me a lot. Sometimes I put it to play in the evening before I go to bed, and it helps me to relax and fall asleep. It's rare for any series to do this to me. Non Non Biryori and Nichijou are practically the only others that give me this. Amanchu is and probably will always be my favorite healing anime.

In the summer of 2016, J.C.Staff released an anime based on a manga by the creator of Aria. This element alone was enough to get some people’s eyes to light up, but the anime also featured diving, strong friendship/possible yuri subtext, cute animals, and memorable verbal tics. This anime went by the name of Amanchu!, and was a moderate success with fans of slice of life anime, as well as those who either were familiar with or were fascinated by knowing more about the sport of diving. Two years later, a second season has come onto the scene. While every fan seemed to initially welcomeit with open arms, this season has taken some directions that has the fanbase split. For one thing, there’s the matter of the show completely abandoning the diving aspect of its first season for several episodes. This feels a lot more like a normal “slice of life”, as we watch the characters do things like set up for the school festival and celebrate Teko’s birthday. This may be disappointing to those who enjoyed the diving focus in the first season, though it’s not completely abandoned and has a few moments in the spotlight of the show. There’s also the introduction of what at first appear to be a one-off side character - an older, dark-skinned child named Kokoro, who strives to “become a man” despite their feminine appearance. (I won’t spoil their true gender identity.) However, this side character continues to pop up in the series, and shows a mild romantic interest in Teko. Some have called this character a “yuri killer” and a flaw in the series. The third (and final) negative point against Amanchu! Advance compared to the original is the introduction of a three-episode arc that seems like an odd shift in tone from the rest of the series. This arc focuses on the supernatural, introduces a new character, and gives them a backstory associated with a minor character we haven’t spent much time with before. The first episode of this arc was moderately interesting...then it dragged on for two more episodes, for the most part Teko and Pikari-less. It honestly felt like the Endless Eight, and so did the fan reaction in the forums/comments I saw. (“Is the arc over this episode?” “Yes.” “Oh, thank god.”) The original author has a thing for supernatural elements, since they also made an appearance in Aria, but it worked much better there than in this more down-to-earth series. This arc also would have made more sense as OVAs then smack dab in the middle of the second season. So, since I’ve spent all this time complaining about Amanchu! Advance, why have I still given it a 6/10 score? (Some might consider that a bad score. I don’t. There’s ten points on the system for a reason.) Well, Teko and Pikari are still cute and perfect for each other, even if the show tries to stomp on my dreams by introducing a “rival.” They have some great scenes together much like the original. The more slice of life esque episodes have some humorous moments. Our cute mascots are still present and charming. Ai even seemed to abuse her brother less this season...or perhaps she just wasn’t around as much. Overall, I would recommend Amanchu! Advance to anyone who enjoyed the characters enough in the first season that they would want to spend more time with them rather they’re diving or not. If you got into the first season for the diving aspect, you might not have a pleasant experience with this season.

Please note this review is intended to be read by those that have finished watching Amanchu Advance and while care has been taken to minimise story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned. Based off a popular manga of the same name Amanchu advance is the sequel to the popular first season of the series that aired in the summer of 2016 and following on from the ova gives us the opportunity to see how much Futaba has changed after meeting Hikari and the members of the dive club and discovered how much fun the world of divinghas brought her and how this has changed her. Taking place weeks after the OVA the overall story of the series continues to follow the life of Futaba Ooki aka Teko as she continues to enjoy her new-found life in the town of Shizuoka where she spends her days attending school as a regular schoolgirl and at the same time diving deep underwater with the members of the diving club all the while striving to continue to improve herself and make as many happy memories as possible. Joining Teko in her quest to both improve herself and to make many happy memories is a host of characters that include Teko’s best friend the ever-energetic Hikari aka Pikari, the laid back but surprisingly perceptive homeroom teacher Mato and the kind and caring but surprisingly hot-blooded Ai Teko and Pikari’s senior within the dive club. Together with her friends Teko in this summer and the year after will encounter and meet many different situations and characters that will not only involve them in many unusual situations but also allow them to meet and befriend many unusual people that will have a profound impact on the lives of Teko and her friends and allow them to forge even stronger bonds with each other as they overcome challenges together. Hikari Hikari voiced by veteran seiyuu Eri Suzuki of Girlish Number and Hundred fame is one of the main characters of the series and is both Teko’s classmate and a fellow member of the schools diving club. A positive, direct and caring person by nature Hikari who has been nicknamed Pikari by her friends and fellow classmates is a friendly and persistent person by nature that tries hard to make new friends whenever she meets someone that interests her. A kind, caring and perceptive person by nature Hikari while boastful to a degree is also someone that’s friendly and tries to help others whenever possible whether she knows that person or not. While somewhat absent-minded by nature Hikari is someone that can also be surprisingly responsible and determined at times and on top of her direct nature can also be pretty bold at times and willing to do things that most people will find odd such as calling someone out when on the streets rather than wait for an opportunity to greet them face to face as others would. While an overly cheerful and positive person Hikari is also someone that can be considerate of others and is quick to notice when someone’s mood is down. A prominent trait of Hikari is her ability to stay positive and cheerful at all times a task that she takes care off by finding things that interest and amuse her in the areas around the town that she calls wonders which can range from simple things like funny shaped fruits to rare things like an octopus fighting off competition for its future home. This aspect of her personality I felt matched well with Hikari's nature as a go lucky and energetic schoolgirl. Arguably the most prominent part of Hikari’s character is her friendship and relationship with her best friend Teko. As a result of meeting Teko back in the first season and finding someone that was both amusing and at the same time very similar to her in terms of personality Hikari has become fast friends with Teko and it can be seen that their friendship is something that she values highly. This is shown in her constant attempts to get Teko involved in her many actions within the series. As a result of seeing all the efforts that Teko has made both in trying to improve her personality and her skills as a diver, Hikari is shown to be very proud of Teko and is often shown to be elated when she see’s the former in a happy mood. Conversely, Hikari is also able to sense when Teko is sad and discouraged which shows the strong bond that has been formed between the two. Despite her positive and cheerful nature, it can be seen that Hikari like Futaba is someone that fears the future as she knows that someday that she and Futaba will be forced to leave each other as their lives proceed on to the next stages showing that beneath her cheerful demeanour Hikari also fears being alone once more. As a result, it can be seen that the reason for Hikari’s overly friendly and cheerful nature is because she wants to prolong this point in time and make as many great memories before the end comes. The character of Hikari I felt was an interesting character that did a great job of reminding us that while the time of youth is not infinite there is no reason why that should stop you from enjoying that time with your friends because while these times may past memories will last forever within your minds. I felt that her seiyuu Eri Suzuki really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Hikari. Futaba Futaba voiced by veteran seiyuu Ai Kayano of Guilty Crown and Anohana fame is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. A positive, calm and intelligent person by nature Futaba while a quiet person is also someone that is kind and caring towards all she meets and can also be surprisingly perceptive at times. As a result of being introduced to the world of diving by Hikari and the members of the diving club and of the freedom and independence that diving can bring to her Futaba’s personality has changed substantially from her past self. While still quiet to a degree Futaba in this season is shown to be more confident and able to interact with others more easily without becoming overly nervous and at the same time willing to enter new areas that her past self would never would have dreamed of entering showing the many changes that meeting Hikari and the members of the dive club had on her. In line with this new-found confidence of hers Is Futaba’s determination to be more responsible and independent that comes from her desire to not rely on others too much. While more confident this season Futaba still fears the unknown to a degree and can still get discouraged at times. However unlike in the past when she would no doubt have given up on the endeavour Futaba as a result of her determination to improve herself and of her desire to stand equal to Pikari instead perseveres showing her determination to be able to stand alongside Hikari on her own merits alone. As the series goes on Futaba though still easily discouraged at times gradually starts to realise that worrying about something needlessly is useless and that instead of doing so should focus on things that she wants to do and not what society expects them to do. The most prominent trait of Futaba is without a doubt the friendship that she has managed to forge with her fellow classmate and diving club member Hikari. For Futaba who prior to the first season of the series who had very few people that she can call friends meeting and befriending Hikari can be said to have a profound impact on her life. While her friendship with Hikari remains as strong as ever in this season it can be seen that Futaba has become somewhat conscious of the remaining time that she can spend having fun with both Hikari and the members of the dive club and as a result feels an element of fear as a result of it. Paired with this fear of the remaining time left is Futaba’s view on the friendship that she has with Hikari and it can be seen that Futaba worries constantly and somewhat dreads that once the time is up and the two have to leave each other their friendship would also change. As a result of this fear, Futaba as the series goes on works hard to improve both her personality and her diving skills showing a determination to not cause Hikari to be upset and be disappointed in her as well as her own desire to be independent and not rely on her for everything. A peculiar and amusing aspect of Futaba’s character that I found to be hilarious is the fact that due to the strong friendship that she has forged with Hikari and how much she values it Futaba is shown to be somewhat protective of Hikari and dislikes it when someone else appears to contest her place as Hikari’s friend. In this state, it can be seen that Futaba tries rather determinedly to protect Hikari a fact that is best shown during the Halloween event. The character of Futaba I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed with her determination to change herself and improve her diving skills so that she can be with her friends and make many more precious memories with them before the end being the best aspects of her character. I felt that her seiyuu Ai Kayano really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Futaba. Ai Ai Ninomiya voiced by veteran seiyuu Saori Oonishi of Food wars and Denpa Kyoushi fame is one of the main support characters of the series and is Futaba and Hikari’s senior both in the school and as a member of the diving club. A kind, caring and friendly person by nature Ai while an upperclassman does not treat anyone differently based on their grade and indeed is someone that tries to help her juniors whenever possible. An intelligent and curious young woman Ai while rational and logical most of the time can also be somewhat childish and stubborn at times particularly if she encounters something that she finds amusing. An amusing aspect of her character that’s often used as comic relief is her hot-blooded nature which often causes her to be aggressive towards her younger brother when he disturbs her. However, despite this it can be seen that Ai cares a great deal about her brother. While a calm and cool person by nature Ai is someone that can get flustered quite easily especially in matters related to romance and, in this state, she can get surprisingly nervous which I felt was amusing. While nervous when confronted with issues of romance it can be seen that even in this state Ai can be surprisingly determined and tenacious especially when the other party is someone that has caught her interest and will not easily let go of the situation even when the other party tries to sever the bond between them which is best shown during the Peter arc. The character of Ai I felt was an interesting one that while providing great comic relief to the series also did a great job of providing some level of calm that restrained some of Hikari’s antics. I also felt that the Peter arc that Ai featured prominently in did a great job of expanding upon her character if only by a little bit. I felt that her seiyuu Saori Oonishi did an excellent job at portraying the character of Ai. AMV Animation wise I felt that the locations and settings that the main cast visit in the series was well designed and developed with the ocean environments and the dream settings being both beautiful and impressive in their scenery. The character designs for the series I felt was pretty good and while the main cast from the previous seasons did not really change that much I thought that the designs for the new characters that join in this season such as Peter, Kokoro, his sister Kotori and Hikari’s sister Kodama did a great job of not just giving each character a unique look but also one that matched their personalities and character. The animation for the many marine life and the animation for their dives underwater I felt was also pretty impressive with the former being quite funky. Music wise I felt that the series opening and ending themes which were Crosswalk by Minori Suzuki and Hello, Hello by Maaya Sakamoto I felt were both excellent and complemented the series calming tone pretty well. The series OST I felt also did a great job of highlighting the various moods and feelings that the cast feels as they encounter different situations while bonding with each other. In terms of voice acting, I felt that the members of the main cast all did an excellent job of portraying their assigned characters. In particular, I feel that Ai Kayano, Eri Suzuki, Saori Oonishi and Ai Yamamoto who portrayed the characters of Futaba, Hikari, Ai and Kokoro respectively deserve special praise as I felt that they all did an excellent job at portraying their respective characters. Overall conclusion In overall Amanchu advance, I felt was an interesting anime and a worthy sequel to the first season of Amanchu with its main strong points being its strong premise, excellent story, heartwarming interactions between its cast, character development and strong voice acting. The overall premise of the show which built upon the foundation that the first season started upon still remains the development of the character and personality of Futaba aka Teko as she learns to grow as a person not just in terms of abilities as a diver but also in confidence and personality. While the first season of the series focused on introducing the character of Futaba to the new setting of Shizuoka that she had just moved to by introducing her to not just the sport of diving but also to a host of new friends that include Hikari and her fellow members of the dive club this season instead focuses on the development of Futaba’s personality and character as she becomes aware of the limited time that they have to spend with one another for once they graduate from high school their time together would end. The key to this premise comes in two forms the first of which is Futaba’s desire to improve herself and be more independent of others and thus allow her to exist in society without having to rely too much on others. This desire is a result of Futaba’s realization that the time that she spends with Hikari and the members of the dive club while one of the most enjoyable parts of her life up to this point must at some point come to an end and as a result before that happens she must learn to not be too reliant on others and instead be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as she goes about her life. The second form is that of memories which is something that goes hand in hand with friendship and the changing realities of life that come as time advances. Within the series, this comes in two forms the first is via Futaba’s desire to treasure her time with Hikari by spending more time with her doing my memorable things such as the Halloween parade and working together during the school festival. The second is through the use of dreams of which Futaba is shown to be quite the professional dreamer which allows Futaba to have many and varied dreams that allow her and Hikari to visit many settings and locations that simply don’t exist in the real world. These dreams while entertaining also fulfilled the purpose of allowing Futaba to experience many magical moments that is simply impossible in the real world. A key struggle that exists for Futaba in this season was the introduction of a rival for Hikari’s affections in the form of the character of Kokoro and I felt that the struggle between them while entertaining and funny also contributed in increasing Futaba’s determination to make more memories with her friends something that was really appreciated. In overall Amanchu advance was a series that I really enjoyed that I felt built upon the strong foundations that the first season established. While I felt that the story, premise, character development, character chemistry and voice acting were strong I felt that the introduction of supernatural events such as the Peter story arc which while important for both Ai and Mato was a bit too strange for this season though it was still entertaining to a degree. As a final score, I would say that Amanchu advance easily deserves a final score of 9/10 let down only by the dreams enjoyable as they are felt a tad out of place.

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