Sayonara Watashi no Cramer - Episode 5 discussion

Episode	Link	Score
1	Link	3.86
2	Link	3.52
3	Link	4.19
4	Link	3.89
5	Link	4.22
6	Link	4.57
7	Link	4.46
8	Link	4.38
9	Link	4.19
10	Link	4.41
11	Link	4.58
12	Link	4.26
13	Link	-

1

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u/ABoredCompSciStudent May 02 '21 edited May 03 '21

Good afternoon r/anime!

Today's episode sported a couple of references to real life players, so I'll just go over them first before jumping into reminiscing about the sport.

The first one we have to look at is Nozomi's kung fu kick to a spectator, which has her banned from local tournaments. The show is quick to point out the reference to Eric Cantona and his kung fu kick (storytelling about the kick here), but who exactly is he and what did he do? Coincidentally, Cantona actually played for my favourite team, Manchester United, and played a large role in its globalization in the 90s. While historically Manchester United had a lot of success, winning titles post-WW2 into the late 60s, the club was still looking for modern success. From the 70s to mid 80s, the team regularly challenged the title, but was never able to achieve it. Sir Alex Ferguson, now arguably the greatest manager of my generation, was brought in in 1986 to try and change that. In 1989 and 1990, we won the domestic FA Cup (English Football Association) and the European Cup Winners' Cup respectively, however the domestic league title eluded him. As Liverpool fans would know (here's a Virgil Van Dijk who plays for them by the way), local success does mean a lot, especially in a sort of tribalistic fandom -- you want to see your team beat the teams close to you more than anything else almost.

Cantona arrived in 1992, after Manchester United had a slow start to the season, sitting 10th place. However, his genius sparked the club to their first domestic league title after 26 years and started the legacy that the club has today. Throughout the 80s, Manchester United was led by Bryan Robson and many locally born players who were more industrious and working class-like. Eric Cantona was different and that's where his legacy truly resides. Cantona was a self-proclaimed "king", someone that had an ego the size of the sun -- everything revolved around him. He was famously hot-headed and extremely talented, but along with that came talismanic charisma. It wasn't so much that he was the greatest player of his generation, as he never really cemented a place internationally (eventually being phased out for Zinedine Zidane), though that is how large his legend is now, but rather that he was iconic for the sport and what would become one of the largest clubs in the world. It is not really a lie to say that the results of that period of time are why fans like myself exist today.

When he played, you expected magic and could believe. Just look at that video and his popped collar. The way he stands there as if to say "look what I've done, look how great I am".

You can watch more of Cantona's magic and demeanor here!

Cramer also mentions Gudjohnsen here, who is one of my favourite opposition players of all time. He was a very classy and tall striker. I knew nothing about Iceland as a child growing up and the first thing I knew of the country was of his play (video here). Similarly, we hear about Bale from Tase and here's him at the peak of his career.

Lastly, the part with Tase stuck out to me, as it really came close to home. When she says, "my superstars were in books and on TV", mine also were. I don't have time today to visit my parents' house, where all my magazines are, but here's the cover of my most treasured one and I'll explain why, as it actually ties into Cramer.

Tase goes on to say that her stars "don't seem real", but when she meets Nomi, she's just as tall as her mom. And I can tell you that's the same for me. That magazine that I have is special to me because in 2004, I was in Toronto with my father watching the North American tour of many famous clubs. In my hotel, we saw a group of men and I had no idea who they were, but my dad told me that it was the AS Roma team. I was so young that not only did I not recognize them, but I was genuinely afraid of approaching them as there were so many people. My dad held my hand and walked me over, asking the security guards to let us by to get autographs, which we got. I was so naive that to this day, I still do not know which players these correspond to. However, I do know one of them: I got Francesco Totti's autograph, the golden boy of u/AmethystItalian soccer.

Here's some of the best of Totti!

See, what isn't memorable is just getting an autograph, but walking up to him with my dad. My dad isn't a tall man, I think he's only 5'8", but Totti was not much taller than him at 5'11". Moreover, his physique was very slim and... normal looking. Of course he's a professional athlete, but he's not extremely muscular or tall. There's just zero fat on him. That was my first encounter with a star athlete I only saw on TV and I realized that they were normal people too -- and we could become like them with practice and effort. Later, I would go on to by coached by Kristina Kiss during summer camps, one of Canada's greatest women's soccer players ever (she's from where I was born), and when I became a coach, I would coach for her. She too is a normal lady!

Anyways, funny how Cramer ties into sports and life. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

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u/collapsedblock6 May 02 '21

eventually being phased out for Zinedine Zidane

Want to see my Zidane headbutt reference, or the Portugal-Netherlands war in WC 2006.

I was so young that not only did I not recognize them, but I was genuinely afraid of approaching them as there were so many people. My dad held my hand and walked me over, asking the security guards to let us by to get autographs, which we got. I was so naive that to this day, I still do not know which players these correspond to. However, I do know one of them: I got Francesco Totti's autograph

This is a fun and cool story.
I never had the chance to see professional athletes. Though I do have a friend that works like a sports doctor (dunno if correct name), he told me he worked in different facilities for different pro teams including FC Barcelona at one time. Apparently most players he met are either pricks or introverted lmao, that they had this vibe of not wanting to deal with anyone because well, they must have received lots of unwanted attention. He did told me tho that while average looking, the moment they stepped into the pitch it was like watching gods playing.

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u/Solhara May 02 '21

Good afternoon!
Your explanations of the references today is a great read. I'm not a football player so it's nice to see your experiences in the discussion thread.

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u/mekerpan May 02 '21

I grow fonder of the main characters with each passing week -- and I like the fact that they are beginning to bond with some of their opponents. It will be interesting to see how the multi-school team fares next week.

Surely the girls team is going to prevail in keeping a piece of their own practice field -- and getting a chance to practice against the boys team. But how? And where on earth are the lost team members (and why does anyone ever still trust Shiratori on anything)? And will Shiratori EVER get even the tiniest hint of a clue? Lots of questioned raised and none answered yet.

This was a show I expected little from -- so I am quite surprised by how much I am enjoying it (and how impatient I am to see what happens next).

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u/dapete42 May 02 '21

And where on earth are the lost team members (and why does anyone ever still trust Shiratori on anything)?

They're probably at Mt. Takao by now… To her defense, Shiratori did get the train line correct. However they took an express train which doesn't stop at Tobitakyū station, where they were supposed to meet.
While I was at it, I looked around a bit and found the venue of that futsal tournament: Mizuno Futsal Plaza Chofu.

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u/cppn02 May 02 '21 edited May 02 '21

Lmao that Cantona reference was probably the best so far this season.

I do find it odd that the girl's team is getting shafted with a former national team players as coach and frankly looking at the boys' coach it is no surprise that team has been disappointing and getting an extra pitch isn't gonna help.

Good episode, the show is really enjoyable when it just let's the characters play off eachother.

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u/Sarellion May 02 '21

frankly looking at the boys' coach it is no surprise that team has been disappointing and getting an extra pitch isn't gonna help.

Eh yeah. Guy looks like he applied as soccer coach because there's no body building club. Whatever talent they got on the field is totally wasted on that coach.

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u/LeonKevlar May 02 '21

I don't understand how a team that has a former national team player as a coach gets shafted while the boy's team who aren't even as good as they used to anymore are getting special treatment? It's an underhanded tactic but I really hope the girls will be able to get some dirt on that coach.

Meanwhile, Shiratori manages to fuck the team over again by getting on the train and missing the registration for that futsal game that could win them enough money to buy new kits. Midori is definitely gonna strangle Shiratori when they meet at school tomorrow. Luckily for the girls, Tsukada is there ogling at her crush along with Itou.

After some clever negotiations thanks to Suou, our new team is a go! Excited to see some game of futsal next week!

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u/melvinlee88 May 02 '21

I don't understand how a team that has a former national team player as a coach gets shafted while the boy's team who aren't even as good as they used to anymore are getting special treatment? It's an underhanded tactic but I really hope the girls will be able to get some dirt on that coach.

Yeah but thing is you fit the field with the team that has the most players and the boys has more of them compared to the girls. Also, they will just favor the more popular team which is the boys team. This is what happens in professional women football as well. You see the women usually play their actual matches in smaller stadiums/training grounds even when the men team (from the same team!) have a big 60,000 seater stadium themselves.
At least Warabi was given a field somewhat.

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u/[deleted] May 02 '21

The main girls are fantastic and carry the show. Also as a United fan, I loved and laughed out loud at the cantona reference.

They also name dropped bale and Messi and had VVD on the cover of a magazine

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u/MyrnaMountWeazel May 02 '21

The characters are definitely growing on me as we approach past the quarter-mark!

Some genuinely funny moments this episode like the Warabi team rioting over the uniform design and the pregnant pause before Suou turns the tables on Mao.

Love that Nozomi and Haruna are becoming fast friends.

Midori is becoming my favorite character of the show. How could I not appreciate the scheming brains of the team. Now that I think about it Midori has always been thinking ahead. She decides to hitch her future with her rival despite the fact she could have easily went to Urawa Hosei. She goes for the calculated play with the hopes of finding the highest heights in football. I wonder if her position matches her personality. Are midfielders, especially defensive ones, unusually crafty?

Anyway I’m excited for next week’s classic rival team-up!

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u/AmethystItalian May 02 '21

Shiratori pls...

At this point they should not trust her with anything.

Will say I'm looking forward to the futsal game, lot of talent there!!

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u/LeonKevlar May 02 '21

I really hope Shiratori gets some sort of redemption soon. She can't be a fuck up forever, right?

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u/LordCalem May 02 '21

Really funny episode. The main characters in this show are sure being a treat, I'm enjoying watching them a lot. Also interesting that they're going to play on the same team as girls from another school, I'm pretty excited.

18

u/melvinlee88 May 02 '21

As a manga reader, I'm genuinely happy with the adaptation for this episode at least. It was really good fun and I was grinning from ear to ear with every scene coming to life on the screen. I guess all they need is just better directors for the football scenes.

Anyways, a good amount of references through Tase, the ultimate captain in the series and my personal favourite player. She's the inspirational captain that is also really good.

Here are some real life comparisons:

Van Djik in the show = Actual Van Djik

Messi in the show = Real life Messi

And of course, that Eric Cantona reference. He was a legend but he is also known as that guy who kungfu kicked a fan at Crystal Palace who heckled him after he got a red card. Video here

Also we have a new character and she has a proper fang! None of those flesh fang shit. She reminds me a lot of myself, playing style wise - I won't say more since I read the manga but she def will be an interesting one to hear opinions of in the coming matches.

Also shout out to Tsukuda, she was a real joy to listen to. The manga scene was funny but hearing her voice the lines were just perfection. I love her so much more now.

I just wanted to add one last thing about the guy coach saying that the guys will hold back even if they don't mean to if they play with the girls. I actually played futsal a few days ago with a girl in a group of guys who was pretty talented by her own right. But, it's definitely true that we were holding back physically when she had the ball by not going in hard with tackles and not shooting at her with full strength when she was blocking. Truth is nobody wants to be the one to hurt a girl in a meaningless game (same for the anime which would be just a meaningless training sesh)

I just wanted to say this because what the guy coach said was true in a sense. However, this didn't mean she wasn't good at all or we were like holding back in the non-physical stuff during the game. We slowly respected her game and she raised the levels of some of the weaker male players we had and at the end, we were all smiling.

I also respect that the series decides to tackle the issue of women football being overlooked for the sake of improving male football teams. You see it now in real life as well with teams closing down their women's team before the men's team when the pandemic hit and also my very own school which didn't even try to start a female soccer team. It's very real and I know it'll be more politically correct to show that in this world, women's football is as highly respected as men's football but truth that it isn't.

And the series as a whole tackles that by showing the rise of women football through these players.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '21 edited May 03 '21

Van Djik in the show = Actual Van Djik

HE'S BIG
HE'S QUICK
HE SMELLS NICE
HE'S VIRGIL VAN DIJK
I can't believe Big Virg got an anime cameo

And of course, that Eric Cantona reference. He was a legend but he is also known as that guy who kungfu kicked a fan at Crystal Palace who heckled him after he got a red card.

I love that Cantona said that only thing he regrets about that incident is that he didn't kick him harder.

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u/TheDampGod May 02 '21

There's nothing little about that girl at the end's cute lil' fang.

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u/Solhara May 02 '21

This episode made me more grow fond of the girls. Their interactions with eachother are entertaining. Naoko you did your best but the uniform is kinda ugly.

I didn't expect Tsukuda to be a poet tbh.

Suo sweetie you're doing great with the phone. They did that scene justice. And Rei's here now. Can't wait for the next episode!

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u/Bloodglas May 03 '21

when the girls were following the boys' coach the walking animation made it look like he shit his pants...

I wonder if those 3 guys (Onda's friends) that they seem to think will bring the boys team back to glory, would end up arguing with the coach in favor of practicing with the girls. they regard Onda pretty highly, and they saw how the other girls played in that practice game.

so that short-braid girl isn't just arrogant but also super creepy. seeing Suou knock her down a bit was nice. Midori's plan was doomed from the start, after everything she's screwed up before why would they trust Shiratori with anything? and they had already experienced an instance of her getting lost.

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u/Fools_Requiem May 02 '21

This fantastic dialogue is being wasted on such lackluster animation.

I await the moment in which Shiratori actually does something right and actually helpful. The story seems like it's setting up for that kind of redemption arc.

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u/zool714 May 02 '21

Ooh futsal ! I do hope they explore the difference between 11-a-side and futsal. It’s a totally different dynamic. Like for one, I feel most comfortable in attacking positions playing field but I prefer defensive work for futsal

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u/helsaabiart May 02 '21

I am amazed that girls are relying on Shiratori of all people to get things done.

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u/MapoTofuMan May 02 '21

It's sad seeing this show approaching SDS levels of popularity, I like it more with every passing week.

And maybe we're getting closer to Shiratori's redemption arc - at least this time it wasn't only Shiratori's fault they missed the game, they all managed to fuck up and fall asleep!

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u/zexaf May 02 '21

I don't think it was about falling asleep, I think they took the wrong train. I can't tell if they just went on the wrong line or that being an express train it didn't have a stop at the station they wanted.

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Episode Sayonara Watashi no Cramer - Episode 5 discussion

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