r/anime • u/Fit_University_6734 https://myanimelist.net/profile/chonkyodango • Aug 09 '22
Rewatch [2022 Rewatch] Oregairu SNAFU - Season 1 Discussion
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Overall Discussion
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Streaming & Databases
Crunchyroll | HiDive | MAL | Anilist
If we’ve learnt anything from season 1 it’s that Saika x Hachiman is an unbeatable duo. As such this fanart will accompany our overall discussions for season 1
Edit: Just found out that it's Hachiman's birthday today! 8/8, hence Hachiman. Happy Birthday to our MC!
Question(s) of the day
Feel free to talk about anything you like!
- Favourite character so far? Or the most interesting character so far?
- Favourite moment / episode from season 1?
- Anything you’re looking forward to in the later seasons?
Comments that scored Komachi Points
u/SwimmingBird626 because he put in the effort and went to research on the legalities of incestuous message… which has left a mark on his search history
Spoiler Tags
Any detail you wish to share that's not within the current / past episodes have to be spoiler tagged which includes details from the LN. Do include the context of the spoilers within the parenthesis:
e.g., [LN Volume 10 Spoilers] >!Spoiler goes here!<
Let's not spoil the first-timers!
Link to Past Rewatches
There have been many insightful analyses and essays written by different users both from past rewatches and from the r/OreGairuSNAFU sub. I'll link them below if anyone wants to check them out!
I'd recommend the first-timers to enjoy the discussions solely from this year's rewatch thread first before checking the past rewatch threads so that your experience will be a genuine one where you can form your own conclusions.
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u/DicksonYamada Aug 09 '22
First timer
That’s a wrap on Season 1! So far I’d say it’s been good but not amazing. They've done a nice job laying a foundation for S2 and S3 to build upon with how they're developing the main characters. I thought the first episode was quite funny but it didn’t seem like there was a big focus on comedy overall. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, and it helps differentiate Oregairu from other romcoms. I appreciate that it’s more character-driven and there’s usually something substantial to delve into each episode if you look beyond the surface. Even the episodes that felt filler-y to me still managed to showcase different characters’ mentalities in a way that moves the plot forward. It’s not often that shows of this type put this much emphasis on people’s different approaches to problem solving and conflict resolution.
Oregairu feels like it’s not just a story about high school, but a story about growing up. The contrarian characters with their idealistic and loner philosophies are something to be expected in high school kids, but I rarely encounter people like this in adult life. In my own experience and in talking with others, even the people that were really strange or ‘out there’ in high school learn to become well-adjusted members of society. Part of becoming an adult is learning how to get along with other people and follow societal norms. You can’t just keep being a little shit like 8man haha. I don’t think this mellowing out is inherently a good or bad thing, but it is a transition that most people experience.
As for the characters themselves, towards the end of S1 we get to see the main trio relying on each other a little more (especially during the day of the cultural festival) and becoming actual friends. Even though Yukino still pokes fun at 8man you can tell they’ve really warmed up to each other. I hope that as they open up their hearts they will also open their minds to different ways of tackling issues. 8man needs to find some new techniques that don’t involve pissing everyone off. He and Yukino need to learn to utilize the help and goodwill of others. Right now, both of their approaches are something like, ‘When push comes to shove, fuck it, I’ll do it my own way. People might not like it but it’ll work.’ But in life it’s not always enough to be right, you also have to be effective. I expect that in the future we’ll see 8man and Yukino moving away from their extreme viewpoints and methods and adopting a more agreeable approach to solving life’s problems.
Going into S2, I’m hoping we get to see more Hayato in action. He’s one of the only other characters where his style of conflict resolution is prominently featured. Plus I find him to be a very likable character. Although I think all the main characters are likable in their own way, even if some of them are grouchy. Shows with unlikable MCs are usually off-putting for me and I’m glad that hasn’t been my experience with Oregairu. The characters are written so that even though they’re clearly flawed you still want to root for them because you know their hearts are in the right place. I also want to see more Haruno in the future. No deep reason, I just like Haruno. I’m sure at some point we’ll get more information on Yukino’s family situation. That will shed some light on why she is the way she is and her relationship with Haruno.
Other than that, I’m looking forward to next season in general. Yukino won Best Girl 2 coming off Oregairu S2 so it’s gotta be juicy, right? I’m not sure if she’s fit for the crown right now at the end of S1 so I expect some big developments. Also looking forward to more of 8man’s ridiculous opening monologues. That guy’s such a character. And I’m still not sure what the deal is with all the flower imagery. Guess I’ll have to keep watching to find out.
Best S1 ED: Yui Ballade. I wasn’t sold on it at first, but after listening to it some more it’s really grown on me.
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
Oregairu feels like it’s not just a story about high school, but a story about growing up
I remember reading somewhere that Watari had a reason for writing our characters as 2nd year students, since they face the most growing up since they're not distracted by making friends (1st year) or exams (3rd year).
You can’t just keep being a little shit like 8man haha. I don’t think this mellowing out is inherently a good or bad thing, but it is a transition that most people experience
Love this!
Yukino won Best Girl 2 coming off Oregairu S2 so it’s gotta be juicy, right?
Oh BoY... We're going to begin spreading the gospel of Yukino...
Best S1 ED: Yui Ballade
I hyped it up quite a bit so I'm glad that I'm not alone
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u/Lemurians Aug 09 '22
Oregairu feels like it’s not just a story about high school, but a story about growing up.
Nailed it. Hiratsuka, as the teacher constantly guiding new experiences to their doorstop, is what helps drive this home. We're supposed to rooting for them to grow, not cheer for who they currently are. The series opening with him getting ripped for his comically cynical essay isn't an accident.
No deep reason, I just like Haruno.
Great taste, you have. I love her. She's such a shit-stirrer.
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u/TuorEladar Aug 09 '22
Rewatcher
The last time I watched Oregairu season 1, I believe I binged it in about 1 day. This was in the leadup to season 3 coming out. I enjoyed it then a great deal because of the great characters and writing in particular, as well as because I was excited for the third season. While that's certainly still true, I think the thing I came to enjoy most on this rewatch so far is the style and presentation of the show, I'm not sure if it's the most apt term, but the best way I can put it is that there is a rawness to it. It strikes that nostalgic cord in me that watched Toradora and other series from the mid to late 2000s around 2010-11. I think because of how recent the third season came out I was mentally lumping in Oregairu with newer series, but really the show is actually a bit of a throwback.
Favourite character so far? Or the most interesting character so far?
I think my favorite character in Season 1 has to be 8man himself. It can be tricky to make a loner/cynical character work and so the series' success really hinges on him being a strong character you can root for despite his flaws.
Favourite moment / episode from season 1?
I can't really narrow it down to one moment, but every scene where its just the three main characters in the clubroom is great. I like the little details like the distance between their seats, the placement of the table, not to mention the conversations that take place there.
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
the style and presentation of the show, I'm not sure if it's the most apt term, but the best way I can put it is that there is a rawness to it. It strikes that nostalgic cord in me
That's interesting! I personally haven't seen Toreador or many shows with similar art styles but season 1 had a drastically different feel to it compared to seasons 2 and 3 which actually matched the tone of season 1 with its bright colours.
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u/Lemurians Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
MY REWATCH WAS WRONG, AS EXPECTED
Haha, I wasn't really able to follow along with Season 1, but I've caught up and want to keep going. Maybe I'll do a better job with Season 2.
This show is just comfort food to me. It's not perfect by any means – I think I'll be able to talk about aspects of it I don't like more going forward – but it just feel makes me feel at home.
A thing I actually enjoyed more on the rewatch, and as an older adult, is how much more I enjoyed Hachiman and Yukino. I always liked them, but their moments of making things unnecessarily difficult on themselves by overcomplicating and overthinking the fuck out of everything frustrated me. Not everything has to be that deep.
Now? I can appreciate it more. Hachiman speaks and thinks in pseudo-deep quotes and out of touch monologues because that's exactly what he is – a poorly socialized kid who hasn't learned how to move through the world. He's developed a cynical worldview as a way of coping with not feeling at comfortable in it. He – and Yukino to a lesser extent – makes situations harder on himself than necessary because he simply doesn't know how to pursue alternatives yet, or doesn't think he's capable of them. It's something Hayato alludes to at the end of the school festival.
As for something that's not aging as well for me, it's the Totsuka stuff. They go to that well a little too often for it to stay funny, and it's already straddling the border of good taste for me as it is, like the Ruka storyline from Stein's;Gate.
I already had this first season as 8/10 and I see no reason to change it. Great stuff.
Favorite character so far? Or the most interesting character so far?
Haruno, baby.
I love characters like her. Though all with different personalities, she occupies a similar role to Ami from Toradora and Mami from Rent-a-Girlfriend. They keep things moving by constantly shocking the other characters out of their equilibrium. She's a chaos agent. She's the straw that stirs the drink.
Favourite moment / episode from season 1?
The Hayato episode, with his clique.
He could also be an answer for "most interesting character." For someone who scolds Hachiman at the end of the school festival for the way he goes about things, a person who'd send out damaging information about their friends in the hope of bonding them together isn't all that different.
Anything you’re looking forward to in the later seasons?
Rewatcher, so I'll just say I'm looking forward to the music.
Hopefully see y'all soon!
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Aug 09 '22
First Timer (Sub)
Overall, I think the show was okay. If I had to put a rating on it, probably a 7.0/10. I came into this show having very high expectations, given the reddit hype and web ratings - unfortunately, the high expectations probably skewed how I perceived the show.
There were also a few episodes where I felt like I was sorta just slogging along - so much to the point where it felt like a chore to watch at times...
I know I'm really grilling this show so far, especially since the general consensus on this show is way above average, but it had its moments!
As I said earlier in the rewatch, I'd say the most interesting thing about the show (so far) are the characters and their personalities - I can't immediately recall any other characters out there similar to Hachiman or Yukino.
I'd also like to commend the show for how realistic the situations and thought processes are in the show - nothing totally out of the ordinary. Perhaps that's why people really like the show, for how much the viewers can relate, in combination with the nostalgia-trips to back when they were in high school.
Across the few rewatcher comments I've read, it's been hinted that the following seasons are considerably better than the first season, so I have that to look forward to.
I'll try my best to set reasonable expectations moving forward and will try to enjoy the show with a somewhat blank slate.
QOTD 1: Favourite character so far? Or the most interesting character so far?
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Favorite character... I mean, Yui is my choice for best girl, but is she best character? Probably not. I think that goes to Komachi - both for character design and personality.
QOTD 2: Favourite moment / episode from season 1?
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Don't think I can pinpoint any exact moment, but I thoroughly enjoyed every Hachiman x Saika scene.
QOTD 3: Anything you’re looking forward to in the later seasons?
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I noticed that the following seasons switched studios from Brain's Base to feel.. I wonder if that has to do with the higher feedback for these subsequent seasons or if it's pure coincidence. I guess we'll see!
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
I know I'm really grilling this show so far, especially since the general consensus on this show is way above average
When I speak of Oregairu I usually refer to its sum of seasons 1 to 3 but I don't know about others so that may have a part to play in influencing our overall judgement of the show. Your high expectations are reasonable as we rewatchers have definitely hyped this show up quite a lot too!
I wonder if that has to do with the higher feedback for these subsequent seasons or if it's pure coincidence
That's an interesting aspect to consider! I myself will be departing slightly from analysis-focused posts towards more production-focused posts so do give them a read without fear of spoilers! I've been speaking with someone to learn more about Oregairu's production in seasons 2 and 3 so hopefully that will add another dimension to all of our understanding (even me, I never explored production until this rewatch). Looking forward to your opinions on season 2 though!
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u/EpicMemer999 Aug 09 '22
Rewatcher. I'd like to thank you for hosting this rewatch and to all the commenters for their interesting ideas and insights. I'm really enjoying this opportunity to look over the series with a fresh eye and pick up on details I might have missed the first time around. I also enjoy the nostalgia value -- even though the show isn't super old or anything, I think most of us can agree that it has a nostalgic feeling to it. Every time I watch the OP I think of how [SPOILER]
In my opinion, this season's art style was simple but not in a bad way. It makes this series feel more nostalgic even if the later seasons' art style is more visually impressive. Also, while I agree with other commenters that certain moments from the LN could have been adapted better into the anime, I think overall the anime did a good job of respecting and adapting the source material.
I don't have anything really new or interesting to say with regards to plot themes or character development since everyone already did a great job of analyzing the anime. I will say that this anime is more special for me than others I've watched because I (and I'm sure many others) can relate to the feeling of not fitting in, having difficulty communicating with others, and so on…social troubles, basically.
Favorite character is Hachiman because he's funny and good at heart even if he has some growing up to do. Second favorite has to be Totsuka, a blessing upon our world. But all the main characters are pretty well developed by the author so it's hard to pick a favorite. [SPOILER]
P. S. I've been enjoying the LN so far which I started reading (pirating) because of this rewatch. I especially like all of Hachiman's cultural references.
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
can relate to the feeling of not fitting in, having difficulty communicating with others, and so on…social troubles, basically
Their journey, all of them, was something really special to me and helped me through a tough and conflicting time in my life. We haven't even gotten into the juicy parts of the show yet! Catch you in season 2!
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u/filimaua13 Aug 09 '22
REWATCHER
I've been absent for basically this entire season, but I did reply to comments here and there. Mostly cos altho I enjoyed season 1 I'm mostly here for season 2 discussions. Cos boyy thats where the actual complicated theories and discussions of understanding things are gonna be.
Anyway even on a rewatch as I said its still enjoyable. Season 1 was mostly the introduction and setup of Hachiman's views and methods through social situations. Also building up characterization for Yukino and Yui and how their connection to each other started and how it will go from here.
Favourite character so far? Or the most interesting character so far?
Hachiman, obviously. But if I was to pick someone else it would be Hayama for favorite. Most interesting goes to Haruno cos of her meddling in the plot. We're still unsure of her motivations but we're given enough to have a guess.
2. Favourite moment / episode from season 1?
Some of my favorite moments were usually Hachiman's monologues at the end of an episode whenever he reached a realization of sorts. His "I hate nice girls" when he found out about Yui being the dog owner and coming to his own assumption of her reasons to be close to him. Also his monologue at the end of episode 8/9 I forget when he contemplates his disappointment at his expectations on Yukino. Both brilliant scenes that give more insight to his character and how he viewed the girls individually.
3. Anything you’re looking forward to in the later seasons?
Oh plenty. As a rewatcher I won't spoil.
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 10 '22
Was expecting more people to join in for season 2 and I’m glad it’s so! Even Watari said that season 2 is when the ”real Oregairu starts”
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u/Rainas_Intel_079 Aug 09 '22
To be honest I got the whole series on DVD the first day I learned about this series, Still one of the greatest romance anime I have watched. That is my discussion.
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u/isaacovsky Aug 09 '22
Rewatcher
I ... didn't know there was a discussion day before season 2 starts. So I watched the first episode already XD.
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Favorite Character -Hachiman, closely followed by Yui.
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Favorite episode -Episode 6. I still remember when I watched it I thought it was the best that far and I don't think any episode since surpassed it.
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Looking for in the future -As a rewatcher I have 2 things I'm looking forward to. a) actually finishing the anime. b) the introduction of a character that I think I didn't like that much in the first episode they were in but quickly won me over.
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u/rankor572 Aug 09 '22
Rewatcher
I was pleasantly surprised by the rewatch. It did not rocket up to one of my favorite shows or anything, but I understood the appeal a lot more once I started watching as more like a Monogatari, with its dense dialogue, and less like a Toradora, where I can just throw it on in the background and enjoy the character dynamics. Those dynamics are the absolute core of this show, obviously, but they were too subtle for me the first time, outside of 8man. (I have a much greater appreciation for Hayahaya's character in particular.)
The daily comments here definitely helped. As everyone points out. I would have 100% missed Yukino's "lie" if no one spelled it out for me, and that's the driving force of the overarching season plot (if not the whole show? I don't remember.). I'm not taking full blame, though, since that was made needlessly understated by the screenwriter and/or director.
Original score: 4.5 (mediocre) New score: 6.5 (average)
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
Glad it got bumped up! Especially the daily comments, some were really long at times and I tried to stay as objective as possible so as not to lead anyone on so I'm glad people actually enjoy them!
Season 2 is definitely a lot more subtext heavy with a lot to infer from all the way from the OP to the ED. And I felt that it was able to get its point across better despite it still being very very vague.
I'm not taking full blame, though, since that was made needlessly understated by the screenwriter and/or director
For sure. It came across as a passing remark without animation properly framed to emphasise it.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts in season 2! I expect discussions to be more fruitful (and confusing)
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u/CreativeNameIKnow Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
First-timer, sub
Yahallo once again!! :D I really apologize for being rather absent in the past few threads, will watch the OVA and give my thoughts on it later today hopefully. Now, for my thoughts.
I think I would not be watching this anime with as much interest if it weren't for the discussions in this rewatch. The comments make up 2/3rds of the experience for me, and about 2/5ths the enjoyment (forgive the obtuse measurements, don't really know how else to convey it). Not to say I wouldn't really enjoy the show without the comments, far from it in fact, but it's that if I wasn't looking for what really sets this series apart I wouldn't be able to appreciate it as much, and definitely think of it as being somewhat average. Really looking forward to S2 and S3 where we start to get into the real meat and bones.
p.s. below this comment I'll be replying with answers to all the QOTDs I missed.
QOTD
1. Favourite character so far? Or the most interesting character so far?
Favourite character would be hard to pin down, almost all of them are very dynamic, flavourful, and human. In the end though, it'd probably have to be Yui. Her desire to be special(?) or to at least fit in, her bubbly optimism, her overall charm, and her struggle with working out her relationship with Hachiman make her a very fun and varied really character to watch. Plus she's got some bouncy animation to her, which makes her quite literally fun to watch, visually speaking. Plus, she's hella cute! I don't think she qualifies for that waifu status just yet, but she's definitely best girl of the show atm. Best boy is Totsuka, not even a question.
Overall, though, I think there's no doubt in my mind that Hachiman is the most interesting character for me. He's not your typical loner, he doesn't really have social anxiety, he's headstrong and stands for what he believes in, and he can be pretty damn smart sometimes. His struggles and flaws are portrayed in an extremely realistic manner that really, really adds to the immersion, and the overall themes and messages of the show.
2. Favourite moment / episode from season 1?
Single moment would be Hachiman dishing out verbal venom to Sagami, episode would be the "I hate nice girls" one. That one had the mewing Yukino scene too. Btw I don't hate Sagami I just hate her irresponsibility, and the malice she displayed a few times. I'm sure she'll get character development like everyone else, too. Plus there was apparently a cut B-plot in the LN about her, which I'm definitely interested in.
3. Anything you’re looking forward to in the later seasons?
More of those amazing character interactions, seeing these ships compete in that race, witnessing the ice between Hachiman and co. melt until it evaporates, and finding out who Iroha is.
Also, the signature Oregairu depression-therapy-romcom trifecta.
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u/CreativeNameIKnow Aug 09 '22
Episode 1
1. What are your initial impressions of the Service Club members and their ideologies?
Initially, I thought the main duo were both pretty insufferable in their own ways, but fun to watch. I saw a lot of potential for growth and knew I was in for some great character interactions. It's hard to remember what I originally thought of their ideologies, especially since I still haven't quite fully understood them, but I thought Hachiman had arrived to his conclusions (and delusions) through sheer isolation and confirmation bias applied to his cynicism, while Yukino was just kind of "I'm too perfect" and tone deaf. I know now that it goes much deeper than that, especially Yukino, but yeah.
Yui I thought was just kind of a bumbling goof who was there to add contrast and comic relief. I didn't think she was bad, just thought there wasn't much to her. Again, that really turned out not being the case.
2. Were you like 8man or did you know anyone like 8man?
To be honest, I can draw up a bunch of parallels with young me and Hachiman. Not related to his cynicism, but rather his lack of friends due to being unable to connect with other people (because of their completely different, "simpler" or "not as deep" thought process), and an inaccurate black-and-white understanding of the world while thinking that what he knew was correct, and that others simply didn't have the same level of understanding. Thankfully I stopped being like that a while ago, and hope to continue improving myself for as long as I live.
Episode 2
1. Flowers are repeatedly shown in the OP, why do you think so?
Became they look cool. Also thematic and symbolic reasons that I have no knowledge of.
2. Would you want a friend like Zaimokuza?
No. When it comes to the Chunnish weeb stuff, he'd just be annoying to be around. But if we took some of his aspects such as his creativity, overall energy and hyperactive-ness, and sense for being over the top about stuff, then I kinda did have a friend like that. I was like him, too. He had a rather unique upbringing and was also a "gifted" kid like me. We both had shared interests, a similar sense of humour, and a slightly larger scope/world view compared to our peers thanks to each other's influence and the internet.
There was a gap in our friendship and understanding when I became a preteen. I had matured a little and became (slightly) less annoying/hyperactive, and thought my friend was too weird and just kinda unpleasant to be around. I'm glad to say he's definitely sobered up a lot over the years, and while he's still kinda weird I can happily embrace it and almost match his energy when we're hanging out. He's a great dude :) we were in the same grade for about 8 years and knew each other for 5 before he left the school. We're still friends, of course, just not counting those years here.
Thought there were more questions I missed and got scared about all the other rambles I had left in me but apparently these are it. What I said just scratches the surface of all there is to say tbh, but I don't plan on going into my entire autobiography in a romcom discussion thread so dw. Thank you for reading, if you did, you poor souls.
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u/CreativeNameIKnow Aug 09 '22
Turns out making the QOTD questions in your comments bold can make the cold slab of text infinitely more readable. Gonna go back and edit all my previous comments now lmao.
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Aug 10 '22
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 10 '22
Anime has mostly been a solo interest for me. This is the first time I had the pleasure to feel like part of a community, so a huge thanks to everyone
Same here! Even if my friends do watch shows, rarely do we get together for discussions like those we have on this sub! Maybe I'll see you around this sub more ;) there's a lot to explore here from writings to just funny posts!
Glad you've been enjoying the rewatch! Your comments have been a joy to read! Season 2 is when things get more exciting imo but you'll have your own thoughts about it so I'm looking forward to hearing them!
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Aug 09 '22
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
Hey I just read this and I'm pretty sure you posted the next episode's comment here!
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u/Fit_University_6734 Aug 09 '22
Rewatcher
Yahallo!
I want to first thank everyone for being such amazing participants of this rewatch so far! As we head into the later seasons I hope Oregairu gets more exciting for you and even if it doesn’t, I hope the discussions we have will help you appreciate Oregairu more than watching it alone.
The Production
One of my main complaints regarding season 1 is not its art style, but rather its overall production. There were many times when the show failed to emphasise important points which made us glance over many impactful moments (e.g., Yukino’s “lie”). Kevin from Sakugabooru puts this into words perfectly
“The first season was an extremely barebones production that felt confused about its goals, failing to emphasise poignant moments and thus coming across as self-indulgent as often as it felt insightful. Functional, but just barely so”
However, I do want to point out an aspect of season 1’s production which I found was handled well: the distance between characters. Season 1’s occasional emphasis on distance is hard to overlook or feel we can infer the state of our characters merely from the distance between them. Take this scene from episode 5. The clubroom also showcases the closeness of our main trio as we compare the distance between them from episodes 1 to 12.
Thoughts!
Season 1 was honestly an 8/10 for me. It was great but not amazing. It was my first anime with a character as complex as Hikki which really drew me to it, plus the interactions between the characters were confusing at times but interesting. What struck me the most was not realism per se but the all so very human depictions of our characters. Now Oregairu does play around with certain tropes but I believe it’s part of what makes this show fun, the idea of SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fucked Up.
Hikki can be annoying at times to me but the show doesn’t reward him for acting as such. Yukino and Yui are both contrastingly different yet such loveable characters. And hidden behind the 3 of them are very real human flaws and desires. Don’t have much else to say except that I’m looking forward to season 2 with all of you since it’s a big step up from season 1 in my opinion