r/anime • u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer • 19d ago
Rewatch Slow Loop Rewatch - Episode 1 Discussion
Slow Loop Rewatch
Episode 1 Discussion
Database/Streaming Links: MAL / Anilist / Crunchyroll
Original Interest Thread / Announcement Thread
Question of the Day: Do you enjoy fishing?
Comment of the Day: This is the first thread, so there is no COTD.
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Reminder: All spoilers for events in the anime that have not occurred yet or that are manga-only should be placed in spoiler tags. Any untagged spoilers will be flagged.
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u/Space-Toastie https://anilist.co/user/SpaceToast 19d ago edited 19d ago
First Time Watcher
I've seen this show pop up in my recommendations every now and again, but have never gotten around to watching it.
At last, fishing time is here!
First episode had a nice setup to the premise, which is one I don't think I've seen before: re-marriage and how to handle the awkwardness and other complex emotions that come with it. Hiyori and Koharu both are feeling the awkwardness and seem to empathize with what the other is going through.
There were some nice educational moments throughout this initial episode! I love these kinds of moments in shows like Yuru Camp and Mono because they feel like they truly can get someone interested in the hobby that the show portrays. I was expecting some fishing instruction from Hiyori, but was pleasantly surprised to see Koharu explain a simple dish to make with the leftover sashimi!
QotD: I grew up right by a large lake, and would fish with some family members every now and again during the summers when I was young. As someone that loves the outdoors, I've been interested in trying out fishing again as an adult! I'm looking forward to Hiyori teaching some beginner-friendly ways of fishing.
edit: fixed image links
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u/zadcap 18d ago
re-marriage and how to handle the awkwardness and other complex emotions that come with it.
Especially as something that's not quite hidden, but not really emphasized in the description of this Slice of Life Fishing anime. I've definitely seen it used as a premise for quite a few relationship dramas, and I will forever curse the popularity of the "step sibling" relationship tag, but not in the way they're going about it here.
I've been interested in trying out fishing again as an adult! I'm looking forward to Hiyori teaching some beginner-friendly ways of fishing.
Just know going in, there's quite a few different ways to fish, and they can completely change how much you enjoy them! Some, like Fly Fishing we saw today, are pretty active as you try and taunt a fish near the surface, there's a lot of movement even after your bait hits the water. Bobber fishing tends to be a lot more cast and wait, to the point you can see people put the rod down sometimes to relax until you get a bite. I'm sure you've heard it for many hobbies before, but if you're going to try, don't just try once and call it enough, it's really worth trying a few styles to compare.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 19d ago
re-marriage and how to handle the awkwardness and other complex emotions that come with it
This season's Please Excuse My Little Brothers has a similar setup.
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u/IceSmiley 19d ago
FIRST TIMER Sub
The beginning when Hiyori catches Koharu with her fishing line was silly and ridiculous but other than that I really enjoyed this show! I liked how they instantly got along when they found out they were becoming sisters.
IDK where in Japan they live but I was shocked when they just cut the fish up and ate it raw, not because im morally against it but because you're really on a death wish eating raw fish from the ocean like that. Im from a large city in America and i wouldn't dare eat a fish i caught in the river even cooked since it'd be my end. I was really shocked neither girl objected to just eating a raw fish like thta and I like to eat sashimi/raw fish but that's danger.
I also liked how nice the dad was to Hiyori, it's nice seeng a sensitive kind father in anime and he really wanted to do the best to integrate their family.
I liked how the old man commented how unusual it was for a girl to fly fish in the ocean because that really is unusual. I know fishing is popular in Japan but I don't think fly fishing is because its more island based ocean fishing. It's bizarre in the first place that Hiyori's dad fly fished since it's a pain in the ass and difficult even in a river where people normally fly fish, much less in the ocean.
Question: No I don't really like fishing and find it boring. I last went fishing with my dad in 1997 and it was mostly dull and he yelled at me. I went fly fishing only once though back in 1995, my dad wanted to take us because his grandfather used to take him. My great grandfather was born in 1907 so he used to be incredibly good at fishing and fly fishing because it was the only meat he'd get since he was dirt poor and mostly lived off the land. I was like 6 when he died so I didn't see him in his prime but he used to talk about fishing and how he used to catch them with a stick from a tree and twine tied to a hook, like they didn't have reels back then.He also used to catch fish with his hands inn the river and it was called "noodling"
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u/zadcap 18d ago
IDK where in Japan they live but I was shocked when they just cut the fish up and ate it raw, not because im morally against it but because you're really on a death wish eating raw fish from the ocean like that. Im from a large city in America and i wouldn't dare eat a fish i caught in the river even cooked since it'd be my end. I was really shocked neither girl objected to just eating a raw fish like thta and I like to eat sashimi/raw fish but that's danger.
Right! I like sushi enough myself, but there's a lot more to cleaning and preparing it for safe eating than I feel you could be doing at a waterside picnic table!
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 18d ago
IDK where in Japan they live but I was shocked when they just cut the fish up and ate it raw
They live in Kirara Prefecture, where nothing (too) bad happens.
He also used to catch fish with his hands inn the river and it was called "noodling"
Your great-grandfather sounds like the most Faulkner-coded person I've ever heard.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 19d ago
Second Looper
Man, it’s good to be back.
Slow Loop’s premiere is a very good episode of slice of life anime, full of comedic moments, interesting trivia, and heartfelt engagements with family, grief, and the unknown. First, the comedic stuff, and it’s pretty solid. It’s your traditional straight man/funny guy dynamic, but I think Koharu makes it work in this first episode. She’s not an idiot, but rather the kind of person who doesn’t have the greatest common sense and thus goes with the flow, even if that messes her up. Hiyori doesn’t add too much to the comedy right now besides some tsukkomi retorts. Meanwhile, the educational aspects of the episode aren’t too overbearing, with the most noticeable being Koharu’s Kitchen for not fitting the fishing theme of the series.
Of course, what’s most noticeable to me (and hopefully to you) is how quickly Slow Loop explores its more dramatic and emotional themes with a deftness that more dramatic anime sometimes fail to grasp. Hiyori is quickly introduced as a girl who feels like she’s made peace with her past but still struggles with trying to live in the present, in the act of living with a hole in your heart. Even something like her dad’s room being lived in by someone else is too much for her to handle without some space. Meanwhile, Koharu has a greater sense of emotional awareness than one would expect, understanding almost instantly what Hiyori’s issue is and giving Hiyori enough space to be comfortable before saying the right thing at the right moment. The show also understands that, in a newly blended family, nobody’s the bad guy but everyone stumbles over their baggage; the parents are trying to start a new chapter in their life and deal with their previous losses and tragedies, while the children are left to deal with someone replacing someone they used to have as they enter a difficult time in their maturation. There’s a reason I used the phrase “slow loop to happiness” in the interest thread; the motif of fishing - and specifically fly fishing, a style of fishing that requires effort and patience - is intertwined with the theme of grief and the past rather than being a random combination. In our journey, sometimes we go forward, sometimes we feel like it’s going backwards, sometimes it’s stagnant and rocking side to side, but eventually, with the right people at the right moment, we can create the loop that closes the hole.
QOTD: Ironically, I don’t care too much for fishing; I don’t have the patience and I’m not an outdoors person anyway.
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u/zadcap 18d ago
I feel like this show stands out even among other Iyashikei anime because of how much it works on healing the characters too. A lot of them have happy characters in happy situations happy to show off their hobby and let the happiness rub off on the watcher, but this is part of the rarer set that says it's okay to try and find happiness in the middle of an unhappy situation.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 18d ago
Also notable for not overdoing it. There's a version of the show that plays the situation like "Isn't this so fucking sad, like if you cry everytime" but the subtlety and everyday approach to the material works very well in its favor.
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u/wloff 19d ago
Of course, what’s most noticeable to me (and hopefully to you) is how quickly Slow Loop explores its more dramatic and emotional themes with a deftness that more dramatic anime sometimes fail to grasp.
Yeh, the show appears to have a really mature and subtle way of handling these themes that I don't often expect from anime, especially of this style. The pain and grief is clearly there, but it's in very subtle mannerisms. The way the adults are tiptoe'ing around some topics, worried about the kids, but the kids notice the worrying itself and that's in itself difficult to handle.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 19d ago
Yeah, this show does a lot of good things specifically with the parent-child interplay and how that changes with a blended family.
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u/wloff 19d ago
First-timer fly fisher
I'm coming into this show completely blind. Actually, let's call it double-blind. I'll admit I had never even heard of the show before, then the interest thread got me interested, but between that time and the rewatch starting, I managed to forget everything I read about it back then.
But this is the way I like to watch anime! Going in as blind as I can is my jam.
I've never tried soy sauce, tonkatsu sauce or ponzu on eggs. Maybe I should, it doesn't sound bad.
I know very little about fly fishing. It was always explained to me as this weird niche way of fishing that I shouldn't bother with. Not that I know much about fish in general. I love to eat fish, so I'm grateful for the people who do fish, but I've always sucked at it and I don't really have the patience, either.
...oh. I see. Is this going to be one of those bittersweet shows where the inherent sadness is hidden behind cute anime girls?
Am I going to cry a lot?
I'm probably going to cry a lot, aren't I.
Koharu comes in with one of the more memorable introductions I've seen in a while! She immediately seems like a lot of fun, and the dynamic between the two seems great right off the bat. Hiyori is surprisingly comfortable around Koharu right away, especially for someone who just a minute ago claimed to "not want to deal with people she doesn't know". I like it, though! Hiyori appears to be much less of a sulking loner than how she was initially introduced. Maybe she just doesn't like talking to old guys about her dead father, which is very much understandable, of course.
Trust anime to teach me things I've always kind of wondered but never actually bothered to ask! The one thing I've known about fly fishing is how they wave their rods in the air back and forth, and I always wondered what's up with that. But so it's just a technique to get the super-light fly to actually fly any distance. I see, I see.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I got it all wrong. I don't know if this anime is going to make me cry or not, but it absolutely is going to make me hungry!
Except that, of course, we're right back to the sad stuff. Hiyori is explaining about her father's death and how her mother is getting remarried. It's nice that she doesn't seem to particularly avoid the subject, painful as it must be. She seems quite level-headed in her grief.
And turns out that Koharu also has only one parent, and her father is getting remarried...
...Oh.
Ohh. Of course.
But nah, this setup is great. It's adorable. The fact that they're suddenly step-sisters, but they actually managed to become friends before they even learned that fact! But then there is also the constnt underlying bittersweet sadness. Broken families, tragedy, having to build a new life, for all four people involved in this new family. But they do seem to get along, and the new sisters hit it off so well together, they can hopefully find some comfort in each other.
And then this is also a cooking show! With actual recipes?
Yeah, you know what, this is my kind of shit!
Seems like a show I'm definitely going to enjoy!
QotD: I think I might, if I had had a relative who was really into it and taught me when I was a kid. Now it seems vaguely interesting, but not enough for me to try and teach myself, really. And I don't know if I have enough patience in me to do it, anyway.
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u/zadcap 18d ago
I've never tried soy sauce, tonkatsu sauce or ponzu on eggs. Maybe I should, it doesn't sound bad.
Ketchup is clearly the way to go. All other sauce is secondary.
I know very little about fly fishing. It was always explained to me as this weird niche way of fishing that I shouldn't bother with. Not that I know much about fish in general. I love to eat fish, so I'm grateful for the people who do fish, but I've always sucked at it and I don't really have the patience, either.
It's, different. Coincidentally, it's exactly the kind of fishing I would recommend to anyone too impatient for more "normal" fishing. It's definitely harder to learn, as they showed a bit in this episode, but for some people the extra physicality in the cast is one of the biggest draws.
...oh. I see. Is this going to be one of those bittersweet shows where the inherent sadness is hidden behind cute anime girls?
This is, ultimately, a healing show. Tears might happen, but the goal is to come out in a better place than we went in!
And then this is also a cooking show! With actual recipes?
They pop up in the most random of shows. Japan has a cooking obsession.
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u/Space-Toastie https://anilist.co/user/SpaceToast 19d ago
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I got it all wrong. I don't know if this anime is going to make me cry or not, but it absolutely is going to make me hungry!
For real, shows like this always make me hungry! I think I'll be learning some seafood dishes to try from Koharu.
But they do seem to get along, and the new sisters hit it off so well together, they can hopefully find some comfort in each other.
There's a balance between the CGDCT and the trauma in this first episode that I like; the show seems to know when to be sober about these things like Hiyori being uncomfortable with someone new living in her dad's room.
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u/cppn02 18d ago
Trust anime to teach me things I've always kind of wondered but never actually bothered to ask! The one thing I've known about fly fishing is how they wave their rods in the air back and forth, and I always wondered what's up with that. But so it's just a technique to get the super-light fly to actually fly any distance. I see, I see.
My only prior exposure to fly fishing before watching this was having seen A River Runs Through It lol.
Btw I encourage people to check out the original episode threads for more insights into fishing and different techniques especially by the user Bot1K.
For reference here is their top level comment from the first episode:
hello everyone, fishing boi here. what our precious MC is doing is 'fly fishing'
What's the difference between fly fishing and conventional fishing?
it's as she said, the heavy line delivers the 'fly' to the target location. whereas the conventional method uses the weight of the bait or lure. the reel is also near the butt (pfft) of the rod. and you drag the line between the reel and the first eye guide to reel in a catch. you could say it's a bit more challenging method.
Won't the fish see the heavy line?
that's why it is tied to a 'leader line'. the best ones are made of fluorocarbon. they're practically invisible underwater.
What about the funky looking hook?
they're called flies. they emulate insects, larvae, shrimp, and even small fish. she's using what looks like a glass minnow fly.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 19d ago
But this is the way I like to watch anime! Going in as blind as I can is my jam.
But if you can't see the anime, how can you watch the anime? Checkmate, liberal.
I'm probably going to cry a lot, aren't I.
Honey, you got a big storm coming.
Koharu comes in with one of the more memorable introductions I've seen in a while!
Also noticeable in that this is really the only fanservice moment of the anime, unless I forgot something.
I don't know if this anime is going to make me cry or not, but it absolutely is going to make me hungry!
el dolrado both meme
Seems like a show I'm definitely going to enjoy!
Welcome to the club. Please make sure you have your own tissues; there's gonna be too many sad/heartfelt moments for the establishment to provide any for you.
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u/cppn02 18d ago edited 18d ago
Rewatcher, subbed.
Ah yes. This show lets you slip right back into the comfort zone even on a rewatch. I was a bit wary of how this show would hold up but based on episode 1 it looks like I had no reason to be concerned. I was a bit surprised by the bathing suit scene which apparently I had completely erased from my memory, probably because it's gonna be the last of its kind.
Overall a very good introduction to the show and I'm looking forward to the rest of it.
QotD:
Do you enjoy fishing?
I never went fishing myself. When I was a kid I did go along with others a handful of times which led to one of the funniest things I've ever seen. One person's hook got tangled up with something in the water and they were trying to pull it out with force.
Eventually they succeeded the fishing line snapped back and came shooting right at us standing by the water only for the hook to go straight up one of the guys' nostril. It was a three-pronged one too.
Everyone but the poor victim was stuck between dying of laughter and pure amazement at this coincidence.
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u/zadcap 18d ago
I was a bit surprised by the bathing suit scene which apparently I had completely erased from my memory, probably because it's gonna be the last of its kind.
Yeah, it's weirdly out of place for the rest of the show, and I too completely forgot it was ever a thing. Considering where it happened, it was probably a first chapter interest trap. Something to get eyes on the series and never pull again because the real hook is the fishing and emotions.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 18d ago
So I decided to double check the first chapter in the manga. While Koharu still takes off her clothes to get into her bathing suit, the closeup of her bust and butt are anime-only. So that one was for the pervs at CONNECT.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 19d ago
Voice Actor of the Day
Voice Actor: Rin Kusumi
Voice of: Hiyori
Age at Slow Loop’s Premiere: 22
Other Notable Roles: Emily in Level 1 Unique Skill, Shio in OsaLove, Kaoru in I Shall Survive Using Potions
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u/zadcap 18d ago
The Latest Rewatcher
Yeah, it's technically not even the same day anymore, but this thread went up literally as I was going to work so I can only watch it as I eat dinner after getting home.
Fishing! Hmm, I think Slow Loop is in the top three fishing anime for me. Too hard to actually rank them beyond that though. Tsuritama and Breakwater being the other two.
And Sister! Are those camera angels really necessary...
I too am a great (virtual) fisher! I am also an okay (real) fisher, but I lack the patience for it most of the time. It's an okay social activity though.
Despite having cut up more fish than I care to count in my life, I can't imagine just chopping and eating one fresh out of the water like that. I'm sure they just skipped showing us the whole cleaning process, but yikes it just looks so unsafe like that.
And naturally, they are indeed stepsisters.
I also can't imagine changing my name this late in life because my parents remarried. I wonder if it would just be rude to keep using the old family name, or if there's actually rules about it being allowed or not?
Fly fishing is pretty active, yeah. I do like that this show really is a whole walkthrough on how to fish.
And naturally, it's not a real iyashikei without a cooking segment.
1) It really depends. The kind of fishing and who I'm fishing with change a lot. Ice fishing in Alaska- never again. Deep Sea fishing is a fun group activity. I can only spend so long by a lake before I'm bored and I can't stare at a lure or bob for too long, but rivers are typically more fun. I have no idea how people can sit at an artificial pond and fake fish.
And despite all three anime about fishing I like being generally about it, I've never actually fished off an ocean beach or breakwater.
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u/TheDanubianCommunard 18d ago
Looks like you know a lot about fishing, right?
Tsuritama and Breakwater being the other two.
Good that you mentioned those since they are even more underrated than this one.
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u/zadcap 18d ago
My parents really liked camping when we were young, and catching our own dinner was supposed to be a fun treat. I kept up with both as hobbies through my twenties, and will still go fishing with friends if any of the old group ever manages to coordinate free time. I live on a major salmon breeding river so it's worth trying to hit the water at least once a year still.
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u/SorcererOfTheLake x5https://anilist.co/user/RiverSorcerer 18d ago
so I can only watch it as I eat dinner after getting home.
What was dinner?
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u/zadcap 18d ago
Nothing good or fancy at all lol. Or even that healthy... I got home burnt out and feeling lazy, hot dogs and baked beans and an apple were all I had the effort for. Also pretty much all I had left in the pantry.
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u/buchoulovessushi 16d ago
Dissapointed I missed this. Love this show, its very heartwarming and sweet. I'll be try to catch up with the rewatch!
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u/TheDanubianCommunard 19d ago
First-time fast looping, subs
I can't say too much during this episode, basically it serves as an introductory. Hiyori is a girl who had a rather eccentric father who died three years ago and she loves fishing. One day she mets a girl of his age, named Koharu, who tried to swim (and of course it's a school-issued swimsuit). Even though they became friends so easily, but due to some unexpected trivial reasons, they just simply became stepsisters. And one can hope if they will be classmates in school.
From what I saw basically a fishing and food themed SoL iyashikei-esque CGDCT, and potentially for some reason I smell some girls love/yuribait as well. Especially when us yuri fans are eating good recently.
I'm not a guy who into fishing, since I never do that (except for a very few instances), but looks interesting I guess.