StoryAs the saying goes “true friends are those who will help you hide the
bodies” or in this case “will watch soggy shoujo anime with you”.
With this in mind, both Chii and I embark on another marathon, sharing
in the pain of what we thought would be mediocre fluff. Instead, I
found bubbling excitement as each instalment of the circus melodrama
contained within Kaleido Star loomed closer. Unfortunately, entertainment is subjective and my feelings were not echoed by my partner in crime...
The show starts out with a highly predictable “clumsy young girl
overcomes the odds to become a star, with a little romance in the mix”
plot-line. With a groan from Chii, I steeled myself for 52 episodes of
drudgery. How many times are we going to have to see the token
bishounen swing into action to save the day? Will there be a moral tale
at the end of each show? Will we care? Answering its critics, Kaleido Star soon demonstrates why you should give all anime a fair chance – the
ugly caterpillar shakes off its cocoon and took flight as a fascinating
butterfly. A hesitant start gives way to an unusual twist and a lovable
hero becomes a detestable adversary – a fragmented circus cast are
thrust into increasingly reckless routines with wavering loyalties.
In building up convincing relationship and highlighting the invetable
conflicts that flow from these interactions, the show treats each
supporting to character to some back story. The exploration of the past
and resulting drama does become a little tiresome, especially when
compared to the high-flying trapeze action. However, the constant
presence of either a new epic challenge or an
antagonist-you-love-to-hate gives the show a must-see feeling that
becomes strangely addictive. A shock twist in the second half sees
Sora’s resolve waver due to the introduction of new competitors, Leon
and May – adding conflict to the ever-present excitement.
Whilst cutesy and comical at times, the writers masterfully build up
the tension with “will-she-won’t-she” scenarios. Using the comical
Spirit of the Stage and his pack of tarot cards to predict the future,
the viewer comes to frequently expect the worst and see the heroine
fail – even if we all know this never happens in a family friendly
title. The tingling apprehension is unmistakable as Sora performs her
cunning stunts, and keeps me coming back episode after episode with a
smile on my face.
Chii’s corner – Kira!!!!!!! this is vomit inducing zomg uber gayAnimationKaleido Star does not reflect its supposed focus on the fluidity
and grace of acrobatics in its animation. Bland character designs are
routinely recycled and their jerky movements look more like broken
clockwork robots when compared to the elegance of real-life gymnasts.
Slow motion shots are used ffrequently, giving time for the performer’s
inner monologue. That said the backgrounds exploit a rich and luxurious
colour palette; from the deep azure blue skies to the sparkling golden
tent of the Kaleido stage, the variation and design of costumes are
also impressive. The typical Gonzo dabble with CG isn’t as garish as
some more recent productions, such as Blassreiter; however, when used sparingly it surprisingly fits with the tone of a delicate shoujo title.
Chii’s corner - Uhhhg the animation is so ugly lolSoundBouncing into action with an upbeat track, the background melody
meanders along, before finally crashing into the safety net with a
god-awful J-rap monstrosity that feels out of place. Redeeming itself a
little with the second opening, the tempo is raised and sounds similar
to a camp Eurovision entry. Slow violins accompany the moving and
emotional scenes, whilst the excitement of the circus is echoed in an
electrifying big top melody. I know there is a huge fan-base for the Kaleido Star soundtrack, but my natural aversion to J-pop stops me from appreciating this.
The beauty of a dual audio series is getting to sample the quality of both Japanese and English voice acting. For me, Kaleido Star is definitely a show that should be watched in its native tongue. The
subtitles reveal how different the scripts became during translation,
and how many jokes have been toned down to suit a family orientated
audience. For the most part, the Japanese seiyuu are ample but
ordinary. However, the characters that are mildly annoying become
grating when voiced by whiny Americans. With the very British Sarah
sounding more like an extra from Austin Powers and Sora being vocalised
by a whiny brat, the laughable performance verges on the comically bad.
Chii’s corner - I have it in English! It's SO BAD! hahahaCharactersWith the feeling of a cast you’ve met before, there is a generous
helping of stereotyping and typical anime traits. The star of the
circus, Miss Layla, is a stuck-up bitch that plays the perfect rival to
the up and coming heroine Sora. As detestable as her personality is, I
couldn’t help but like her cold and competitive side that pushes the
rest of the troupe into giving their best. She is given a reason for
her distant attitude, and her unsurpassable skills are shown to be
earned through hard work instead of just being “there”. The mid-point
of the series sees this pliable blonde undergo a lot of development and
soon elevated to the position of a courageous and lovable staple in Kaleido Star – dare I even say one of my favourite female characters ever?
As the main female protagonist, Sora also undergoes considerable growth
in the first few episodes. Starting out as an ambitious, but clumsy
acrobat, she soon transforms into a bubbly aerialist. Even though I
initially found myself cheering the dozy bint as she ate mat for the
tenth time, I found her determination contagious and was soon on the
edge of my seat for her next death-defying stunt and wanting her to
land it perfectly.
One of my favourite parts of the show was the varied supporting cast.
From the comically perverted spirit of the stage, Fool, to the
unreadable stage leader Kalos, each acts as a support for Sora’s growth
by proposing additional challenges. The second half of the season
features Leon “the Grim Reaper” who stirs up the troupe with his
selfish personality and May who becomes Sora’s personal challenge and
biggest adversary. Again, the initial sense of cliché had me thinking
“here we go again”, but the writers develop the characters and add some
unexpected twists that had me reaching for the remote's next button in
desperation for the next episode.
Chii’s corner - What is the point of the bitch?
I'm so tired of such a cliché character I
want her to fall on her headOverallFeeling like a cross between Princess Tutu and Battle Athletes Victory, Kaleido Star takes a while to come into its own – but the wait is worth it. With an
entertaining journey, the show is ultimately nothing but camp fun
designed for those looking to sit back and enjoy without having to
figure out any plot complexities. I honestly expected to dislike the
sentimentality, especially with Chii’s running critique of crudeness,
however Kaleido definitely disarmed and then grew on me. As the
conflicting comments can contest, this is a love or hate show that will
not appeal to everyone, but I definitely enjoyed a heart-warming tale.
Final words of wisdom from Chii - (KiraRin) Chii, bad news, I'm giving it an 8 (Chii) You have brain cancer (Chii) You make kids in Africa cry