Hello everyone and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today, we are hanging out while enjoying the new episode of “Peony Kamiina and a Hundred Flowers Bloom When Drunk” and take a look at Kamiina and her roommates who like to drink. When we last left, the group had just returned from a trip to Nagatoro, a trip that allowed the production to do what it does best: provide vignettes and montages of young people enjoying their freedom and immersing themselves in the serendipitous beauty of the world that these artists so brilliantly bring to life.
Still, I feel rather ambivalent about this work so far. While I enjoy focused outings like Nagatoro’s trip, the show’s focus on alcohol so far doesn’t really add anything to the show in an aesthetic or dramatic sense. Watching other people get drunk isn’t particularly fun, and beyond that, the show hasn’t really developed its characters enough to make their relationship compelling. Granted, part of this disconnect is that I’m not as into straight-up slice-of-life anime as most people are, but the anime I do tend to have a more immediate appeal, whether it’s the fun worlds of Flying Witch and Girls’ Last Tour or the engaging focused activities of Laid-Back Camp and Shoujo! Still, the show is pretty easy to watch, so let’s see if episode three finally grabs my attention!
Episode 3
We begin with some spooky diacritics on a dark, stormy night in the dormitory. Rapid cuts to thunder and lightning create a sense of disorientation, striving to evoke the same sense of danger as if the storm is actually right above our heads. Lightning also casts blurry shadows in dormitories, allowing us to imagine the threats lurking in the darkness
Kamiina curls up her stuffed shark in a loose pose and is great
Overall, the drawing is very loose, making me think it might have been a solo animator exercise. Let me… Yes, this is the solo work of a new generation of animators, Gin-san, who has also contributed key animation to modern animation feasts such as Do It Yourself!!, Heike Story, ONIMAI, and Wonder Egg Priority. Looks like we’re in for something special!
Love how Jin Sang shows their swaying mouths and loose hair. Nowadays, the unique styles of specific animators seem to be recognized by more fans, with people celebrating the unique highlights of shows like One Piece or Jujutsu Kaiden. There’s something to be said for the aesthetic continuity of a solid animation direction, but I think I personally will always prefer wild, unique flourishes, regardless of whether they diminish the illusion of the work as a stylistically stable world
Ibuki said there was a water bug in her room
There are a number of unique directorial touches here, too, like these printed inserts announcing the presence of water bugs. In fact, it feels a bit like SHAFT, which makes sense since the directors of SHAFT often used typography or altered cinematography to make up for shortcomings in animation (a natural concern for something as flashy and labor-intensive as an indie animator episode)
Even in close-ups, characters take on an expressive, super-deformed appearance. I think this episode will raise some eyebrows once it airs!
These clips have a unique staccato rhythm. The direction is as memorable as the animation
OMG this OP is just nostalgia in a can. One of the most effective tone setters I’ve ever seen
The compromises required for an independent animator show are evident when we return to our dormitory, as we’re treated to long still pans and establishing shots involving only minimal lip waving. Still, the drawing itself is vivid and unique
Apparently everyone else was out during Golden Week. Another handy trick – make the solo animated spectacle an episode where only two characters appear
Love these frequent cuts to relevant screen typography or imagined fantasies. I guess, as a huge Monogatari fan, just evoking the gorgeous style of SHAFT’s work at its peak gives me a natural feeling of nostalgia
Also love how their bodies get looser to match their arousal, like Ibuki goes here to have some drinks
Ibuki decided that a thunderstorm was the perfect time to introduce absinthe to Kamiena
God, I love these accusatory cat eyes as Ibuki scolds Kamina for doubting Absinthe. Eun Sang has the wonderful talent of richly personalized stills
‘It feels like a whole new trauma waiting to happen’
Unsurprisingly, Carmiena soon started snorting absinthe as well. Gin-san’s style is perfect for depicting these girls basically falling into a drunken state
These compositions prioritize empty spaces filled with emotion—the vast space behind Kamiina as she considers trying absinthe, the empty space where Ibuki lies alone next to her bed, lost in thought as Kamiina sleeps. An “unbalanced” composition like this naturally implies a sense of unease, a silent emotion that surges around or behind the characters.
As they exit their dormitory the next morning, the oblique angle emphasizes the chaos of their rush
God, they’re so loosely expressive of form. This episode basically takes that production’s philosophy of dealing with long, endless shots and applies it to the drawing of almost every character
Yes, there are also those modified camera shots that effectively replace character drawings in dialogue
Then there’s the classic Yamada style technique of following the character’s legs to emphasize the difference in their physical self-expression
Akane returned home with new instruments and vinyl records, which apparently included Radiohead’s Kid A. Our cartoonist Hey continues to display excellent aesthetic taste in most things
There are other classics – Talking Heads, Aphex Twin, a few Pink Floyd albums
It doesn’t surprise me that Akane is an IPA lover. Those piney beers are a damn menace in the indie scene
However, I am so grateful that we have more hobbies than just drinking. Introducing your aesthetically unaffected roommate to Kid A is indeed a classic college ritual. I distinctly remember getting drunk with my freshman roommates and introducing them to the thunderous melody from “Exit Music” (for the movie).
“Bitter beer has forty times the hop content of ordinary beer.” Too many hops! The beer flavor was completely masked!
Considering the bitter taste of the beer, Kamiina made Nyoron Smoked Cheese Noodles. Yes, I know this reference makes me uncomfortable
Yes, this episode does a great job exploring the tactile satisfaction of using a traditional record player
Beautiful loose pastel fantasies as the girls lose themselves in the music. This is a wonderful example of a rare and transcendent moment to share art together and feel united in its embrace. “In Rainbows” actually came out when I was in college, and I listened to it in silence with the people who introduced me to Okkervil River. good memories
Aggressive editing conveys the action well without actual animation, making it still feel like the eye is drawn to the active drama
The episode’s limitations become most apparent when it pans over characters’ faces for long periods of time. These unique expressions can feel a bit stiff and unnatural when held longer than a quick cut
As usual, Kami Ina was very proactive when drunk and quickly invited Ibuki to a private hot spring
Ah haha, poor Guqiao. We briefly cut to her wondering where Ibuki is, then jump to a dramatic letterbox format about Ibuki’s fateful date with Kami Ina. Sorry Gujo, Kamiina stole your girl
Ibuki is a big fan of this frog face because she admires Kami Ina. These loose drawings capture much of the raw energy of initial sketches, which often had a personality or emotional impact and were polished away through corrections
This focus on close-up character performances feels like a necessary concession to this episode’s limited crew. There are very few layouts here that require a full backdrop, a fact that becomes even more apparent when the show heads outside while remaining enclosed panels
The interesting layout isolates Kami Ina’s surprised look after Ibuki wipes her cheek. Some of the boarding here reminds me of Masaomi Ando’s manga style, focusing on frame-partial body shots, always drawing the viewer into the electrifying points of contact shared by the characters
There are frequent examples of how “non-model” paintings can evoke unique emotional effects, such as how this picture of Carmina, with her blunt nose and chin, expresses a sense of fear when asked a question
When they arrived at the beautiful ocean view hot spring, Ibuki’s flowing hair attracted a lot of attention. The trip in the last episode was charming in its own right, but I’m so jealous of this one
While Kamina was more obvious about it, it was clear that Ibuki also gained more social confidence after drinking some sake, as she went from sighing at Kamina’s jokes to making some of her own
Ina summoned the courage to ask if she could call Ibuki by her name, a request that Ibuki seemed to restrain in disappointment.
“Now that I’m drinking alone, I feel like something is missing. I’ve never felt like this before.” Ibuki’s keen observation. Experiences that broaden our horizons can also steal old joys; the more happiness we find, the less satisfied we are with our narrow-minded habits
“I want to drink more wine with you, Peony.” Classic activity-based life confession
Finish
Wow, what a great episode that was! The underlying material here is much stronger than in our previous episodes, with both the initial thunderstorm and subsequent sauna outing providing opportunities for Kami Ina and Ibuki to develop a clearer emotional connection than before. Of course, the real story of this episode is a triumph for Kim Sang’s indie animation, as he essentially redefined the visual aesthetic of the work through expressive character art and fun, vibrant storyboards. His work exemplifies animation’s ability to bring a single creative vision to life, providing an overall aesthetic that makes us excited to follow the emotional transformations of our roommates’ latest adventures. Each standalone anime episode is a rare deep dive into the artist’s unique sensibilities, and from his SHAFT-reminiscent panels to his evocative character performances, Gin-san sure has some good sensibilities!
This article is crazyReader support is possible. Thank you everyone for everything.