Rolling Review – Irozuku (04)

Episode Synopsis:

Kohaku returns to Japan and seems to be a newly reformed and more responsible mage (sort of…). She learns her relationship with Hitomi and due to realizing Hitomi has a hidden power/color blindness, decides to pal around with her. When the photography/art club meets for a nighttime photo shoot, Hitomi reveals that she’s from the future and continues to slowly learn that magic can be used to make others happy.

Review:

Irozuku has chugged along at its own calm and collected pace thus far, but Ep. 4 nudges the story along in an important way. This episode adds another mystery to the 3 we already have, and has Hitomi drop one of her secrets to the photography/art club gang.

I think it’s nice that Kohaku has now joined the gang. She’s spunky, unafraid to show off her magic and is clearly going to be the catalyst that nudges the plot along. I also love her positivity. It helps to negate Hitomi’s anxiety and general downer mood. While I am enjoying the cast of the photography/art club, I can’t remember anyone’s name outside of Aoi at the moment. They are all just nice…normal people. Hopefully we learn more about them as time goes on.

I’m torn about what I feel on the magic system in this show. On the one hand is has the Kiki’s Delivery Service feel wherein there are mages in this world and everyone accepts that as fact. A mage simply went to a new town, got established and helped the people there. There was a mini lore showcased but not a lot of detail was given, nor was necessary to enjoy that movie.

In Irozuku world, magic is used in a limited way in people’s everyday lives for entertainment or minor aid with things. As with Kiki people know and accept that there are mages in the world. I understand that non-mage people need a powder/dust to perform magic and mages just need to focus and chant (but not always??). I guess that’s fine if that’s all we ever understand. On the other hand, I kinda wish they’d teach us more about the chanting and the focus that is needed to use magic. My nitpick here is more out of interest and curiosity than it is a criticism of something the show is lacking.

Minus the magic, I do enjoy the simplicity of the show, even when dealing with bigger concepts. As shown above, Hitomi is encouraged by Kohaku to tell the gang that she is from the future. When the reveal happens the whole gang is surprised for a second and then just…goes with it. The one member jokes that they have to keep this a secret or else “baddies” might come after Hitomi, but on the whole nobody immediately thinks to call the authorities or ask her a million questions about his/her future. It was just refreshing. Personally I’m glad we dropped this now. With Hitomi having suspicion arousing word slips and constantly calling Kohaku “oba-chan” (grandma) everyone was beginning to catch on. I was concerned the show was going to waste valuable plot time trying to keep this concealed.

That’s right kids…the future! Now get in the DeLorean DMC-12!

Visually the show continues to be gorgeous in the background department, though the character faces sometimes seem off model. The show’s soft OP and ED in addition to the gentle guitar background music in most scenes help keep everything in the glow of a soothing feeling. You just feel calm while you watch. The other helpful part is that the goal of this show is clearly to get Hitomi to accept that magic is something designed to benefit others. It’s a nicer message as compared to more cynical shows we’ve watched in the past.

You know…where having magic means you have a shortened life span and life on an island that gets attacked by clown soldiers and then the plot makes no sense and I hate that damn show so much…

Ahem…where was I?

On a completely random and interesting note, I never really thought about what must happen if there are 2 people in a school with the same surname in the same class. Do people usually just go the route of having one person use their first name and the other stick to surname-san like they do here in Irozuku?

IrozukuEp04_05 — Snacks, insta-distraction.

IrozukuEp04_06 — Your Japanese conventions are backfiring, eh?

Summary:

There are 4 mysteries now in play. (1) Why has Hitomi been sent back in time? (2) Why can’t she see colors? (3) Why can she see colors in Aoi’s drawings? (4) What is her “hidden power”?

Wait…there’s one I forgot…

(5) What’s up with this fish?!?!?!