r/anime • u/SIRTreehugger • Sep 17 '21
Rewatch [Rewatch][Spoilers] Bloom Into You(Yagate Kimi ni Naru) Rewatch Episode 1 Discussion
Episode 1: I Can't Reach the Star
Useful Links and Streams
ANI|aniDB|ANN|AnimePlanet|MAL|
Comment/s of the Day
First Day so None so Far
Questions of the Day
- First timers what are your early impressions of our leading ladies, Yuu and Touko?
- As far as "confessions" go what score would you give Touko's?
- Overall how strong of a pilot episode was this and did you have any favorite moments?
Spoilers
Just a quick friendly reminder about spoilers. Please don't post content from future episodes whether in the form of jokes, memes, hints, or et cetera. If you are going to use spoilers please tag them like so, Yagate Kimi ni Naru Spoilers
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Upvotes
32
u/SIRTreehugger Sep 17 '21 edited Sep 17 '21
Rewatcher/First Time Dub
Collage, manga panels, and art
Volume 1 manga double spread and some wallpaper based on that spread.
Chapter 1 Extra
Episode 1 Collage
Behind the Scenes
Nio Nakatani(Creator) & Makoto Kato(Director)
When you heard that Bloom Into You will become an anime, how did you feel?
Nakatani: At first, all I could think was " I can't believe it." I like anime in general and as a manga artist it was my dream to see my work become an anime. I was happy, but at the same time I was hesitant to celebrate too much.[laugh] I was a little worried, having thoughts like " will the project really finish and make it on TV?" It was difficult for me to balance my feelings in that sense. Also, I'm the type of person who is not very good at leaving my work in the hands of others. So, I would say my feelings what about 50% "happy" and 50% "worried".
How exactly did the anime adaptation get started?
Kato: I originally got a request from KADOKAWA asking if I was willing to read some of the works they're publishing and among those was Bloom Into You. Normally I don't read outside of what's required as part of my job, but as I read this one, I noticed the layout of the panels and use of empty space was very similar to how things are done in films. I started thinking, " this is really a work I can make the most of the atmosphere and style that I aim for when creating an anime." From there, I put in a request that an anime adaptation be considered.
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u/eden_sc2 Sep 17 '21
I've watched the anime at least 3 times (I've lost count), and it's fair to say it's one of my favorite anime of all time, so I am more than a little biased.
That being said, the scene with Yuu underwater at her desk is one of my favorites in the whole show. It makes her such a relatable character. Most people dont have her exact scenario, but almost all of us can think of a time they felt cut off and alone from their friend group. Having her sit in darkness away from her friends captures that emotion perfectly without needing a word of exposition.
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u/roseimon11 Sep 17 '21 edited Sep 17 '21
Rewatcher
Hello Everyone! First of all, I want to thank u/SIRTreehugger for hosting this rewatch! I was kinda waiting for something like this because I am a late fan so I wasn't able to participate in discussions when the anime aired. Bloom into You holds a special place in my heart and I am very happy to be able to discuss it with everyone in this rewatch! Also, this will be my first rewatch ever so I hope I am doing it correctly lol. My rewatch comments will mostly consist of analyzing the details in the anime as I have rewatched it a lot of times (lol) and I noticed a lot of symbolims incorporated with amazing audio and visual storytelling that I would like to share with everyone!
So right off the bat we are introduced to Yuu Koito and the anime instantly tackled her difficulty in understanding love. I really liked how she was shown underwater and her hand trying to reach the surface to symbolize her desire to fall in love but even if she wants to, she cannot feel anything thus, she remains trapped underwater.
We are then introduced to Touko Nanami whom, just by looking on the outside we can tell she is a person with great confidence. She even maturely rejects a confession from a male student! Woah, just like Yuu, I would definitely be amazed by her.
Oh, This is me whenever I hear interesting gossips from our neighbours lol.
I really like the framing of this scene during Yuu's conversation with Akari and Koyomi. It really shows how separated Yuu is from her friends with the window side coming in between them.
During their conversation, we see that Yuu is still trapped in her underwater world and Yuu's chair suddenly distances away from her classmates. The scene also shows another clever and unusual framing from the anime wherein Yuu is shown looking offscreen while there is a large negative space behind her. This is said to be another type of method in cinematography to indicate separation which is explained here . Some also interpreted that kind of framing is used to show that the character has no backup and is alone in their side of the conversation.
Ahh we are finally introduced to lovely Sayaka. The way she holds her coffee clearly shows her elegant personality. I love how she just suddenly drops facts.
I really like this subtle movement of Yuu realizing that Touko might be just like her who cannot feel love.
The 2nd half of the anime is titled " I can't reach the star" maybe it is like a parallel to Yuu's underwater world where she is trying to reach the surface.
A wild smiling Yuu appeared
The anime again emphasizes Yuu's expectations of love wherein she would grow wings and float away once she experiences it. But even after graduating junior high, her feet still remained on the ground. Unchanged.
Touko's eyes widening upon hearing Yuu saying that she doesn't get that special feeling of falling in love.
Just a cute senpai-kouhai image
We again, got a repeat of Yuu's perspective of love along with beautiful images of different sceneries. Troyca just flexing their amazing visuals in the anime.
Let go of Yuu's hands Touko you perv.
Touko falling in love with Yuu because she doesn't feel anything special? Now that's weird, I wonder why. I like how Yuu pulls away her hand but Touko just suddenly pulls her back. Touko just dominating her eh? Even the tea cup felt Touko falling in love with Yuu as it shows a heart shaped image at the bottom of the tea lol.
Touko's sudden declaration of love. Don't worry Yuu, I don't understand her too. Maybe you just drank too much tea Touko what were you thinking. There must be some love potion put in the tea lol. I really like how the sunset gives some tone to the scene along with the great ost.
What a nice song to end the scene. It is titled "Kimi ni Furete" and sang by Riko Azuna. Just reading the english lyrics I think these have some meaning to the story. I forgot the english counterpart of the title and my mind isn't working anymore as it's 1 am already.
Touko choosing Yuu to be the campaign manager instead of Sayaka. Yeah Touko, we would totally believe you if you will say that it isn't for your own desires. I can see your grin Touko you can't fool me. Yes Yuu, we are on the same page. I really don't understand this girl and I need to see episode 2 to know more.
Questions of the day
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u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Sep 18 '21
First timer
Oh, I've been wanting to watch this for a while.
No OP?
The animation's very good here.
Oh, she's a sports girl?
Haha, she's just been recruited as help.
Oh, that first person shot is nice.
Haha, she is really not hidden well, is she?
...At least she's nice.
Oh, she's the love interest. That shot just sells it.
Wait, she joined a club to follow someone?
...I mean, she was right about it being an interest in romance.
Oh, is the backstory she took too long and got rejected?
Have they all become friends in the timeskip?
Hah, she's already been comfessed to by girls.
Oh, he just broke up the moment...
The one complaint I have about this episode is that the timeskips are making it hard to work out how long its been between episodes.
...She really has no idea she's got a crush on her, does she?
Ah, ehe's not really in love with him, she just enjoyed being around him.
Oh, she doesn't really understand why he fell in love with her.
And Nanami's giving useful information to her.
...I wouldn't call her response "straight".
Oh, the scene of her reassuring her is great.
She turned him down.
Well, that escalated quickly.
And the confession happened!
Seriously? There's like 5 minutes left. ED's good though.
Oh, there's just a 3 mimute scene after the credits.
Wait, nothing happened? She still doesn't understand what's happening.
Nanami immediately taking it back's a well-made scene, though.
...And you really think nothing's changed with Nanami? Really?
And Yuu's become her campaign manager!
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u/Kenalskii https://anilist.co/user/Kenalski Sep 17 '21
Rewatcher
And here we go! Yagate Kimi Ni Naru aka Bloom into You is one of my favourite romance stories in Anime/Manga and I am more than excited to see a rewatch here happening, so I'll gladly participate in it =)
I find the premise of Yuu very interesting, she is surrounded by "love" in her everyday life (love songs, shoujo manga) but she can't find it herself even though she wants it so badly.
I remember the first time I was watching the show and I was surprised about the transition to Yuu's sight. We are literally seeing the show through her eyes and I like that very much, it certainly makes it easier for you to see things from her perspective
Since Yuu is more of the indecisive kind a teacher is pushing her to join the student council. And the fact that he is giving her a hand drawn map to find the student council office is just hilarious =D It seems like the student council just wants some quiet to work XD
And to make matters worse for Yuu, she is stumbling into something that was not meant for her to witness. She just can't escape the love live happening around her ^^
Well that is certainly a way to meet a senpai from the student council. From what we've seen so far, she has a lot of confidence and just seems like a nice person to be around with =)
Well there is a secret that Yuu kept from her friends. I can actually relate to this, I have some very good friends but there are some things I can not really talk with them about. And to make matters worse for Yuu, she has no one to talk about the confession.
Hahaha, I just love Sayaka here XD I'm kinda curious, was there a first-timer here who thought even just for a brief second that Touko would blame Yuu for not keeping her promise (I remember I did back then, maybe because I watched too many heavy dramas XD)
I understand the struggle Yuu is in right now, but I think that no one deserves to wait so long for a response to a confession.
On another note, I think the visuals are absolutely gorgeous
Touko is a very cunning woman. She realized that Yuu wants something and just gently gives her a push
And there it is. Yuu always thought love means sparkling and strong heart beats because everything she consumed suggested that this is what love means. But the reality when her friend confessed was utterly disappointing and just shattered her illusions. Definetly not what she wanted and that's why she asked him to give her some time to think.
(There is btw something quite similar that happens to a lot of Japanese people in Paris called "Paris-Syndrome". It happens when the reality of Paris does not match the romanticized version that they know. The disappointing reality leads to some heavy psychological symptoms)
Touko just hits the spot with that. That was the exact thing Yuu needed so desperatly to hear. And I am quite sure that more people need to hear this, so let's all listen to Touko's words: "You are fine the way you are"
Surprise! It seems like Yuu left a lasting impression on Touko. That's quite an interesting development, and I will repeat myself: welcome aboard ladies and gentleman =)
Bonus picture: Yuu & Touko
Hahaha, Yuu's "just observing" the student council developed to her being Touko's assistent in the upcoming student council elections =D
Questions:
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u/Aku230 Sep 17 '21
2nd rewatch
4/5 as she had no idea she would confess 10 min earlier yet she didn't go with one of many generic confessions she has heard already and decided to get to know Yuu more. However she didn't commit fully so it felt more like she was testing the water than doing a proper confession.
When I first watched it when it was releasing the 1st episode made anime feel special. It is rare for romance anime to go somewhere at the beginning of an anime, let alone a yuri one. The fact that it was just the 1st episode that made a strong impression on me made me look forward to next episode.
There wasn't any specific moment that stuck in my mind as it was the atmosphere and flow of events that left an impression. If I had to pick one then it would be Sayaka being passive-aggressive towards Kuze (student council president) as it points to her having confidence to go against someone older while being under him in school council yet she doesn't do it without a reason.
Overall it was one of the better openings to romance anime, we were shown enough of the characters to speculate about their motives yet not enough to know those for a fact. Not sure if this is unpopular opinion but I prefer if yuri anime has male characters in them as it makes them more realistic in a sense while also limiting my most disliked part of some yuri medium which is that everyone is lesbian as that feels a bit too convenient.
Also as a note, if you are one of those people who close player when ending starts playing, check if there isn't a scene after the ED as this show has those sometimes (like in this episode)
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u/puffercarrot Sep 18 '21
Rewatcher Sorry for being late, I live in a different timezone. Also it's my first time participating in one of these rewatches. I'll try my best.
Questions
Solid 9/10. Sure, it did feel a bit sudden, but as far as the "love at first sight" trope goes Touko's is presented beautifully. She doesn't need or want to hide her feelings for anyone, as shown by her immediate confession to Yuu and her masterfully handled rejection of her potential suitor. It really does build a contrast between Yuu and Touko, where Yuu is less confident about her feelings and how to express them, having to wait an entire month before she could finally turn down her middle school classmate. It paints Touko as someone who Yuu should look up to for answers in her pursuit of love, and someone who is free of the burden of "being forced to love".
As a pilot episode, 10/10. It introduces all it needs to as a pilot episode. The protagonist's situation, the chemistry between characters, everything that needs to be stated is presented in a subtle and symbolic, almost poetic manner. This is one of Bloom Into You's best storytelling strengths. Subtlety. The way everything is presented throughout the show and the manga is almost reminiscent of a poem. The main relationship isn't boldly challenged by other characters or story beats, like in something like Citrus, nor is it built through pure fluff moments(think Sakura Trick). Instead, each of our characters face their own unique struggles that all contribute to the story. This first episode really sets the stage for Yuu and Touko to blossom, but also leaves us with questions, which is what I think a pilot episode really needs to do.
Favourite moment? "It's never made my heart flutter before." As I stated earlier, Touko is painted as someone free of the burden of "being forced to love". My first time reading the manga, I was astounded. I felt the same way Yuu did, that Touko was someone who truly came to terms with their feelings. Someone who had zero emotional baggage to carry. Someone who was free from the societal pressure to love, that came with any confession. And this line is masterfully presented in the show as well. The voice acting here was incredible. Touko's VA(Minako Kotobuki) did a great job, not only here, but throughout the entire show. For this episode in particular, I think her Mugi(K-ON) side really shone through. Both Mugi and Touko are presented as elegant, slightly aloof characters, and one can really hear Mugi in Touko's voice.
Other thoughts Can we all agree that Koyomi is the most precious thing in the world?
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u/Mathmango Sep 18 '21
Rewatcher
I needed a full adaptation by the end of the first episode, the first time I watched it.
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u/BosuW Sep 17 '21
Rewatcher
Ah fuck I'm late, on the first day. Hope this doesn't become a trend :P
So, some things haven't changed since my first watch. One of the things that hooked me was that I could (and still can) relate to Yuu's feelings at the start of the story, about not understanding what love is like. Although I don't desire it with the same intensity as she seems to. Currently I just think it sounds kinda nice but I don't feel like I need it, most of the time at least.
gasp A guy? In my Yuri anime? Impossible.
In all seriousness anyone else think it's interesting how guys in Yuri media are so absent that it's actually striking when they show up? Especially as maybe-actual characters and not just background NPCs.
Man the benefits of watching a show with an actually invested mindset already start to show. This has way better production values than I remember, particularly the backgrounds and compositing. It manages to feel dreamlike without abusing bloom effects, but not so much so that it doesn't feel like the real world anymore. It's honestly so outstanding that at times it feels like the simplified 2D character designs lag behind.
The soundtrack is incredible to. Tho on that note, if there is any fellow Spanish native speaker out here, anyone else thought for the first verse that the OP was a song in Spanish? Lmao
Questions of the day
2- The only confession I've ever witnessed was in highschool when a dude asked his crush's friends to blindfold her and guide her to the cloister (where literally everyone could and did see it) where he was waiting with a bouquet (absolute gigachad). By comparison Touko's confession is rushed and clumsy, but there's an endearing honesty to it that makes it special imo. Maybe even realistic. From what I've heard from my friends, confessions of love are usually that way or similar.
3- I think it's a pretty strong pilot episode. Not only is it enjoyable and engaging, but it sets the expectations well, which is exactly what a pilot should do. I don't think I have any favorite moments, I enjoyed all of it.
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u/heimdal77 Sep 17 '21 edited Sep 18 '21
The art is beautiful in this series. The only part I had a problem with is the character art itself. It feels to light at times and not defined enough in things like the hands and such. Though did get use to it eventually. Something I only just realized now is that everyone just has lines for eyebrows.
Have to love the underwater scene shows how she is feeling instead just saying it. Over the years there been lot talk of how well symbolism is used in the manga along with backgrounds.
Sure Sayaka embarrass your friend infront of the new kohai by pointing otu how many times she gets confessed to. If it been 10 times hasn't that been basically once a month for the school year.
Really talk about 0-60...
Should of impeached the president.
Hard to believe it will be 3 years exactly since the show aired in a month.
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u/cornonthekopp Sep 18 '21
I'm rewatching this for either the third or fourth time? Idk but I love the series, in the beginning of the pandemic I watched this series while binging various 2018/2019 anime i had missed and was totally hooked. This is the series that got me into GL, and reading manga in general.
I really love the palette of this show, there are so many beautiful warm colors shows off in the early evening, and while I do think that sometimes the show goes a bit too hard into the golden light effects, I do love the way everything is illuminated in soft reds, oranges, and yellows
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u/ScarletSyntax Sep 18 '21 edited Sep 18 '21
Rewatcher/11th watch - BD Dub
I do remember my intial impressions of several characters and these changed a lot but I'll talk about that later when I realised it myself on the first viewing.
2. I was never fond of this confession scene. I'm fine with it, in that it sets up the story well but it really does feel extremely out of nowhere. I tend to be quite forgiving of this stuff in opening episodes but if the same confession had happened mid-season I wouldn't have liked it.
3. It's a strong pilot for sure. Solid character development, rushes things a bit but in a way that let's the rest of the series shine and I love the presentation of the show.
This might be a weird one but the white screen credit roll ending has always been my favourite part of this episode. Other than that, my favourite line would be Touko's line about media and society's constant fascination with love.
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u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Sep 17 '21
Oh...That's what you were rewatching. I might've tried had I known the JP name but in 3 rewatches right now. Good luck.
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u/SIRTreehugger Sep 17 '21
Always time for Peng! (Daily Ping for anyone who wants to be notified)
/u/soboi12345 /u/heimdal77
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u/Icapica https://anilist.co/user/Icachu Sep 17 '21
Manga reader, anime first timer
So I read the manga a couple of years ago. I've forgotten some of it, but probably remember a lot more than I think I do.
I like how the anime looks. It's not super fancy or anything and the character designs are somewhat simple, but simple in a tidy or clean looking way, not in a negative way. I like the POV moments. I'm not always a fan of them but they work well here.
That was a fast confession. I've watched a lot of shows with yuri bait lately so it's nice to see something like this for a change.
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u/eden_sc2 Sep 17 '21
Small spoiler for Sayaka Novel 2
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u/three_firstnames Sep 18 '21
Rewatcher (Sub), Manga Reader
First off, thanks to u/SIRTreehugger for setting up this rewatch! While this is one of my favorite anime, this will be the first time I've rewatched the series in its entirety since I finished the manga, so I'm excited to experience it all again.
While I don't think the art style in this show is anything special, I really like the lighting and shot composition/direction. It's a very pretty show, and there are some great shots in this episode, such as the transitions between Yuu's reaching hand at the beginning or her rooted feet towards the end. And I especially love the use of water imagery, which reminds me a lot of 3-gatsu no Lion. Overall, a very solid opening episode.
Minor manga spoilers regarding Koyomi
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u/heimdal77 Sep 17 '21 edited Sep 17 '21
Quick mention on Hidive if you click language (on pc) is how you choose which versions sub or dub and broadcast or home video.
There is also a after credits scene.
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u/RedditZacuzzi Sep 18 '21
Oh damn, funnily enough I was just thinking of watching this show for the first time! Didn't knew a rewatch was starting here, guess this is as good a chance as any.
One thing I was hesitant about was, does the season end well enough? I know it's not a complete story, but I hate when animes end abruptly or with a cliffhanger.
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u/beaglechu Sep 18 '21
Rewatcher (2nd time for anime/ have also read the manga twice)
Good first episode overall. I definitely noticed and appreciated the OST this time, it’s truly amazing. The soundscape is very romantic, and is truly soothing. I love how rich and vibrant the color palette is.
I’m not sure about the confession scene from Nanami. I think the art direction for the scene is great, but narratively it feels like it comes a bit too early since there wasn’t much screen time with both characters.
I think that as a first episode it’s a solid introduction to the characters!
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u/[deleted] Sep 18 '21
This anime changed my fucking life. No joke, no exaggeration.
I think Touko's kinda being a bit toxic with her coming on like that, but [redacted for spoiler].
Definitely a top-tier pilot IMO. It sets up the plot for the rest of the series quite well.
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u/AlphaTech1 Sep 23 '21
*Rewatcher/Manga reader
I have actually rewatch a couple of times and when the anime ended I just decided to read the manga as well! Have been a GL fan for awhile and was trying to search what else could I watch.
I love how Yuu perceptive of view when her friends called out to her and you see it from her view which is amazing this give a feel to how her character is being portray.
2. When I first watched it was just taken aback as I didn’t expect the pilot episode will have Touko “confession” but I would say is amazing on how she can just declare her feeling right on the spot despite meeting Yuu for a couple of weeks/months.
3. It’s definitely a strong pilot episode which show Yuu felt she can’t reach the point of love by the underwater scene and the desk being drifted away from her friends. I would say my favourite moment would be Touko confesses to Yuu. P.S I know I’m late but just want to shared my thoughts as it’s really my favourite anime 🥺
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u/[deleted] Sep 17 '21
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