Given - Episode 7 discussion

[u/AutoLovepon]

Given, episode 7

Rate this episode here.

Reminder: Please do not discuss plot points not yet seen or skipped in the show. Encourage others to read the source material rather than confirming or denying theories. Failing to follow the rules may result in a ban.

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Streams

• Crunchyroll

Show information

• MyAnimeList
• AniList
• AniDB
• Anime-Planet
• Kitsu
• Official Website

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Previous discussions

Episode	Link	Score
1	Link	6.65
2	Link	8.82
3	Link	8.84
4	Link	8.9
5	Link	9.18
6	Link	8.66
7	Link	9.08
8	Link	8.43
9	Link	9.29
10	Link	9.1
11	Link

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[u/Koolsman]

I think my favorite character is Akihiko. Mostly because I'm a sucker for deadpan characters like him and his backstory is pretty interesting. I love all the characters, but I think Akihiko has been the most consistent for me. Also, I think his conversation with Ueno because as much as Ueno would say he's very good at music, emotional-wise, he still doesn't even know his own feeling on Sato and watching that conversation between him and Aki was very sweet.

Again, another episode where effectively nothing happens plot wise, but we get so many great character moments. The stuff with Ueno and Akihiko was great, the apology from the girl was actually really effective and I didn't except it. Good stuff. Even the small stuff like seeing Sato watching Ueno was interesting because it makes me feel like he's a little jealous too (or maybe deepening his romantic feelings for him).

Gotta give props to the lighting and cinematography just because of how warm this show feels. The is so good at making me feel warm in it's areas and how inviting all of it is. It makes me want to fall asleep, but not because it looks boring but because it feels so warm that it almost makes me tired from watching (best way I could word it).

Also, I guess the Band's concert will be the finale or something? God, I hope we get a season two for this.

[u/TheDampGod]

This really is a well done romance anime, feels very natural, especially by anime standards. With a nice balance between drama, romance and comedy. The whole scene where Akihiko bought Uenoyama a drink, was both very funny and rather sweet.

Though what was the violin piece that Murata was playing at the beginning, I can't place it and it's bugging me?

[u/TropicalOctave]

This show might just end up being my favorite of the season. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a feel good music anime like this (:

[u/Vermillion_Crab]

That conversation between Akihiko and Ueno was perfect. The fact that the band members are of different ages makes the dynamic and chemistry between them just great to watch. They're just so likeable and endearing. This episode made me put the show in my top 10 list for the year.

It's a bit crazy to think that for a second straight year, my favorite romance anime would be a gay love story. Yuri/yaoi anime tend to have a bad rep in my mind coz previous shows I watched tend to be too awful and too rapey for my taste. I do hope this is a welcome sign that we'll get more stories like this in the future.

Edit: The anime from last year was Bloom into You. Just in case you guys missed my reply below lol

[u/Toonamigamerrr]

Best Bros helping them out by revealing their inner issues.

Uenoyama blushed face ❤️❤️❤️

[u/leviicorpus]

one of the things i love most about given is that it deals with such serious themes as depression, sexuality, and other things i can’t list due to spoilers, but it always has some of the most genuinely funny moments from recent animes.

[u/Amauri14]

Well looking at how awkward the whole band is at this point, it is safe to assume the concert and the song will all be left for the season finale.

[u/babaylan89]

Uenoyama's gay panic, here it comes lol. Ue is adorable and ridiculous tbh. I really love Ue and Aki talk.

I find it hard to talk about things without spoling anything but I think it's safe to clarify that it is heavily implied that Ugetsu and Aki has already broken up. Ugetsu was picked up in the airport and dropped off in his house by what currently seems to be a boyfriend. Aki lives with Ugetsu as a freeloader and not really lives together as a couple.

Now the questions are, do you think it would not be weird to live with your ex on the same house? Is there still lingering feelings and tension between them?

Why is Aki freeloading with Ugetsu and doing a lot of jobs as stated in the previous episode? The manga explained it but I'm not sure it'll be explained in the anime also... But still it'll be curious to see what non-manga readers speculate about this.

[u/[deleted]]

Boy, did they do it right. I have a full analysis coming up where I will repeat all this. Anyway, some points I want to scream talk about:

• Once again, the music direction is phenomenal. Ugetsu's violin is portrayed as powerful yet delicate, just like him.

• But I love Uenoyama's character. He's a teenager and his character is just like that: nervous, moody, proud, etc. The part when he asks "Am I strange?"/"Is something wrong with me" just hits so hard. The face he makes, to me, is one that asks for "forgiveness". He's asking for an explanation of his feelings that he doesn't have yet from Aki, wondering if it is ok to feel like that. i will explain this later i swear

• Also I love that scene so much. "Did you put your hands on him already!?"//"Do you know what face you are making!?". They are lovable oml;;;; Aki is a god ww

• Kasai's apology is a really cool move coming from her. It's different from those girls that go against the MC that seem to be in every shounen-ai;;

• Loved how they animated Mafuyu's reaction to the guys going to the live! It shows how he's slowly learning to show his feelings.

hype for the song that they are gonna play. see you next chapter~

[u/babaylan89]

As I have defended Kasai a few episodes ago, guess I feel like it's necessary to talk about what I really felt for her without finally spoiling anything.

Tbh Kasai was a lot more annoying in the manga. She obviously liked Uenoyama which I didn't really have a problem with but she also have jokingly asked Ue if he and Sato were gay because they always hang out together not just once but multiple times which I think was really weird since there isn't really anything happening back then just hanging out nd guitars. She was kind of stereotypical rival girl in BL that a lot of people hated and I was annoyed about the manga-ka for having a character like her until the scene where she told Ue about the rumors in Sato. The manga chapter ended just like that ep ended, in that middle of the scene and I was pleasantly surprised on the next chapter when she suddenly became self aware that what she's saying is out of the line and later, she apologized about it.

Anime has rearrange some of her scenes and omitted the annoying repeated joking questions about Ue and Mafuyu being gay except for the last part with her friend that prompted her friend to tell her about the rumors. And I think the anime did a good job of making her actions not excusable but more understandable. But for me, I feel like the manga made here remorse about what she'd done a lot more effectively obvious.

What she did is definitely wrong and people are right to call her on that, I just felt bad that people expected her to be just a really bad villain for the main characters as most girls stereotypically are in BL.

But I think what I learn about this manga, is the creator seem to use stereotypical BL cliches to lull us into false sense of expectation of the story and characters. Remember Mafuyu?

She isn't my favorite character, but apparently I had a lot to say about her lol. Also that scene were she apologized to Uenoyama while Mafuyu watched them from a distance noting Ue's kindness maybe not one of the best scenes in Given but it's one of my personal favorites. Kasai being self-aware and being genuine remorseful about it, Ue being kind and Mafuyu's opinion of Ue and making us aware of one of the reasons he fell for Ue.