A Little Snow Fairy Sugar: Episode 11 Commentary

My Favorite Piano

The episodes are really picking up since Vincent’s arrival. So much happening in one episode.

Sugar had me believing and looking carefully, but it seems Vincent can’t see the Season Fairies after all. I guess he’s simply a weird guy. Not yet sure why he took a liking to Saga quickly.

So, the white piano was Saga’s mother. I should have noticed from the flashbacks and photos. Paul must hear Saga play it a lot, as he can always tell when her playing is off. I’m waiting to find out why the old guy doesn’t seem to like Saga being around the piano. Maybe he’s trying to sell it, or knows he could easily sell it, if he didn’t have to keep it safe for her.

Turmeric learned a lot from the performance of Mr. Bear. Vincent’s shown he has a musician’s ear, a musician’s talent. He’s also an actor, and knows how to get an audience involved. While Saga sees piano playing as a way to sooth the hearts of the people around, Vincent uses music to activate everyone, to get them moving (including Saga, at the playground, if only a tiny bit). Vincent also takes time to notice the little things. He didn’t miss the change in the clouds, although he’ll never know (and would surely never believe) the change in the clouds is thanks to his inspired music playing the other day. It’s nice to see Turmeric smile as he plays. Rather than just aspiring for perfection, he’s enjoying the path to perfection. He has better be careful, though. Just as Vincent told Saga not to worry over a minor mistake and to keep going, Turmeric must be sure not to slack off just because he’s enjoying his performing. Now, can Saga accept the idea of playing through her mother’s piece and making a mistake? Too make this paragraph just a little longer, Sugar may have learned, as Turmeric has, to enjoy playing. If she makes a mistake she makes a mistake. Stopping on a mistake will only stop her from playing for a moment. Don’t stop, keep going, complete the piece, and have fun with it. But can she really accept making people happy at the expense of quality, such as when the kids are making music at the playground?

Setting aside the time when Phil sneezed at the mention of his name, there was a bit of culture-clash in the episode. It’s German from an unknown era (I would imagine pre-television, regardless of Norma’s dub comment about being a weather reporter on television), and yet Saga and Sugar are folding paper in the style of Japanese origami. Just how is it Sugar can fold a perfect origami bear bigger than she is, but has poor handwriting with a crayon, and messy drawing with a pencil? Or did Saga fold that one earlier? Speaking of Sugar and Saga, Sugar really needs to say something about how Saga handles her. Unless I missed one, this is the second time Saga’s slammed Sugar down on a table.

The surprise of this episode for me was to learn the human form of the Mr. Bear is played by a woman. That explains his “pretty boy” look, and his effeminate voice. Or her, rather. Poor Norma… On the other end, it looks like Greta must have wanted to be in the play after all (and I still think she handled resigning from the troupe well).

When the fairies are making faces at Mr. Vincent, Pepper again shows her well-mannered politeness, ending her “funny talk” with a politeness-inducing “desu”, even fully pronouncing the “u”. She should be a true inspiration for any other character trying to pull off the polite act. Just look at how polite she is addressing the dolls in the shop window.

For the faces part, I’m a bit uncertain how I feel about their dialogue in the English version. On one hand I support them making more “English” sounds, but at the same time I with they reflected the sounds their Japanese characters make, namely Pepper. Perhaps it’s because I see even small things such as this as big reflections on their character.

Again, Phil isn’t left out completely. He’s still collecting parts, and trying to enlist Saga’s help. Has he tried asking Anne and Norma? Surely they would turn him down, but I’d like to know if he’s asked them, or only Saga.

I still don’t know who Cheryl (from the credits) is, but I get the idea she’s the human form of Mr. Bear. Poor Norma… Maybe it’s better this way, though. She won’t have a broken heart once the troupe leaves. Perhaps a few psychiatrist visits, but no heartbreak.

To add to the multi-language fun, the Hammond troupe’s “The Bear Pianist” posted is in English. I didn’t pay attention to that until now. This must be a special German town where everyone knows German and English. If it hasn’t already happened, I hope this series gets a decent German dub, at least on par with the decent English dub.