~con grazia~

~with grace~

A lot of series will have their “bring the whole cast together for an event” episode, but in this series actually it works well, due to the small cast of main characters. The only requirement is to get Akiko home, and she flies around so much it’s easy enough for her to make it somewhere in time.

I really like Miu’s character, but Mr. Shirakawa’s my favorite of this series. There’s something mysterious about him, but in truth he’s something of an introvert who’s not good with words, and doesn’t deal with other people very well. I can’t imagine what things were like with him and Akiko, but I can see her wanting to travel and him wanting to stay in one place, closed off from society for the most part. Perhaps seeing a change in Miu has caused him to think about his own life, and what changes he could go through to better himself.

It took me by surprise to see Miu’s part in the recital wasn’t shown. I understand it, though. The series wasn’t about Miu and the recital. It wasn’t about Miu and the piano. It was about Miu. Seeing Takahashi at the recital meant he didn’t skip out on it, on her. To Miu, this is the first strong sign she may have a chance to get to know him better. Everything has improved for her recently, and seeing Takahashi in the audience completed the change. Miu’s life has taken a turn for the better. The end. Nothing more needs to be said.

I nice diversion, I’ll say that much about the series. If I were to go back in time and be asked by myself whether or not to buy this series, I’d say to pass on it. I like how things are there to be pieced together, such as Akiko and Mr. Shirakawa’s relation, but overall the characters’ lives feel a little slow-moving. I want to say “slice of life”, but that’s not what how I want to put it. There isn’t a need for change for the characters, and characters in a position to have a change in their life do, but in the end it still feels somewhat empty to me. Akiko loves her job again, Mr. Shirakawa’s going to get out more (while at the same time avoiding the recital crowds), and…okay, now what?

The pamphlet’s side-story for after the recital does give a stronger sense of finish for the story.

This series makes for a nice diversion. Now back to watching everything else.