Yumi wore 7 ribbons in episode 1. *Holy shit!*

There is much to observe here. First is the animation, which closely retains the previous season’s style. The offset we discover later is consistency, and it makes sense. The fourth season marks the show’s return as a scheduled TV series. That is to say, it is no surprise to see misshaped heads or awkwardly drawn eyes. There is also the positive saying, “They can always fix it in the DVD.” Next is the apparent change in music (from classical to easy listening). Frankly, it matches and reflects a transition seen in the third season.

The third season introduced a new flavor to the series. Each episode had less center on a single character, and became more whole. Less drama, and more slice-of-life. This was made possible by inheriting an established cast. We knew everyone, and there was no need to introductions. The series found the liberty to deliver more fun episode such as the sports festival, the Italy trip, and Yumi’s Cinderella moment over summer. One of my anticipations is whether the fourth season will follow this trend.

The first episode is decent, if not misleading. The Yumi-and-Touko pairing moment here is merely a teaser. We probably will not see Yumi choose a souer until the last episode. This episode is actually focuses on Kanako. It is a setup to reveal and solve her dislike for men.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Yumi wore 1 ribbon in episode 2. *Why so weak?*

What coincidence. Yumi wears only one ribbon, and this is also a weak episode. Kanako’s family issue is settled in this episode, but in an implausible way. Kanako was upset because she thought her father ruined Yuuko’s life. That is it. Otherwise, she is perfectly fine with her father’s divorce and remarriage. Quite an odd way of thinking. I am not sure about the intent behind this. To differentiate longcat’s Kanako’s dislike for men from Sachiko’s?

Rating: 5 out of 10

Yumi wore 5 ribbons in episode 3. *Previous episode had awful animation.*

Yoshino obviously did not read her license agreement:

By accepting this rosary, you accept it as is and agree to my disclaimer of all warranties, express or implied, as well as disclaimers of all liability, direct, indirect, consequential or incidental, that may arise from wearing this rosary. These terms include, but are not limited to, becoming subject to find a petite souer.

If you happen to be single, and male, you might have a similar experience—elders pestering you to find a girlfriend/wife. Rosa en boutons goes through the same process except this is apparently serious business. It is probably the worst position to hold in the Yamayurika.

I am also glad about the (minor) roles given to Noriko lately. It shows she’s not a bystander as Shimako’s souer. Otherwise, this is another setup episode. Yoshino, fighto!

Rating: 6 out of 10

Yumi wore 6 ribbons in episode 4. *You should buy new ribbons.*

I love Yoshino, and this episode reminds me why. To begin with, she is practically my anime counterpart—stubborn, honest, and quick-tempered. I never miss her reason for throwing relentless riots. Angry Yoshino is angry! Simultaneously, Yoshino’s clumsiness produces humorous situations. I really enjoyed the conflict between her (stubborn) will to win, and her inept attempt at lying (this is not easy for straight-minded people) out of the crisis.

Unfortunately, I could not assess much about Nana. She seems reliable though.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Yumi wore 1 ribbon in episode 5. *I have no life.*

Who are you, and what have you done with Yumi?

Rating: 6 out of 10

How the ratings scale.

9 - Awesome
8 - Good
7 - Decent
6 - Neutral
5 - Below Average
4 - Horrible

P.S. Waiting for the HDTV version is lame.

Tribal Chair is the proud symbol of modern rock from Saitama, Japan. There are five members in the band, and each come from different musical settings. In that respect, the band’s music is diverse and exciting. They have demonstrated supreme songwriting over the years with one purpose—to break the language barrier.

Tribal Chair’s music is best describe as an innovative form of punk rock. It is a band that draws on the influence of many different genres in order to enrich traditional rock. In particular, Tribal Chair has a recursive use of harsh vocals borrowed from hardcore. Many of their lead tracks are laced with emotional screams that are restricted to a tasteful amount. Not so much to drown the music, but enough to spice it up. Tribal Chair is a band with a strong sense of musical direction, and they know the right formula.

Tribal Chair on Myspace

Base Ball Bear has come far in only few years. They are hitting popular music charts, and have played songs in anime. As a fan from Base Ball Bear’s pre-major debut, I felt many proud moments. It is the first active band I know to rise from indie to major. Furthermore, the transition complements them very well—Koide Yusuke always had a refined vocal style with strong mainstream appeal. We also have Yuasa Shouhei who is much needed in the band. Just how often we do see competent guitarists in popular music?

Base Ball Bear is a band prevalent in guitar-driven music. They have not diminished in quality after their major debut, and prove to be even better. Songwriting has changed to incorporate more variety into albums, but much of their former sound is intact. The most positive change is the inclusion of Sekine Shiori on backing vocals in signature songs like Electric Summer.

Base Ball Bear on MySpace