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This show gets its own post, because it's an anime about jazz music, directed by Shinichiro "Cowboy Bebop" Watanabe and with music by Yoko "everything good about anime music" Kanno. It is not another Cowboy Bebop by any means, but - judging by the first two episodes, at least - it's shaping up to be a really, really good show.

Kaoru Nishimi moves to Kyushu to live with his aunt because his father is away at sea. He's an introverted, socially awkward type who has difficulty making friends, and gets easily nauseated in moments of social anxiety.

He's transfered schools so many times he's pretty much given up on even trying to connect with his classmates, until he meets girl-next-door class rep Ritsuko Mukae...

...and her childhood friend, tough guy Sentarou Kawabuchi...

...and, through them, discovers the life-changing power of jazz.


Next thing Kaoru knows, he's doing things like getting into fights, leaping off a cliff in his underwear, and standing in the rain without an umbrella.



And, of course, playing impromptu combos in the Mukae record shop's jazz basement.



From two episodes in, the show is reminding me in some ways of Nodame Cantabile - it's much less slapstick and more grounded, but it's definitely a series about music, made by people who know and love the music that it's about.


Also of interest to me is that Ristuko and Sentarou are actually churchgoing Christians. I have no idea if this is going to be in any way relevant to the rest of the series, but you don't see that very often in anime, in my experience, at least not outside of the heavily fictionalized depictions of the church seen in shows like Chrono Crusade.
In any case, it's looking like a great show, especially for anyone who likes music, and everyone should watch it.
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Kaoru Nishimi moves to Kyushu to live with his aunt because his father is away at sea. He's an introverted, socially awkward type who has difficulty making friends, and gets easily nauseated in moments of social anxiety.

He's transfered schools so many times he's pretty much given up on even trying to connect with his classmates, until he meets girl-next-door class rep Ritsuko Mukae...

...and her childhood friend, tough guy Sentarou Kawabuchi...

...and, through them, discovers the life-changing power of jazz.


Next thing Kaoru knows, he's doing things like getting into fights, leaping off a cliff in his underwear, and standing in the rain without an umbrella.



And, of course, playing impromptu combos in the Mukae record shop's jazz basement.



From two episodes in, the show is reminding me in some ways of Nodame Cantabile - it's much less slapstick and more grounded, but it's definitely a series about music, made by people who know and love the music that it's about.


Also of interest to me is that Ristuko and Sentarou are actually churchgoing Christians. I have no idea if this is going to be in any way relevant to the rest of the series, but you don't see that very often in anime, in my experience, at least not outside of the heavily fictionalized depictions of the church seen in shows like Chrono Crusade.
In any case, it's looking like a great show, especially for anyone who likes music, and everyone should watch it.
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