Robots who wake up slowly = kawaii

[larryhammer]

A few years ago, the owner entrusted me with the shop, then went away somewhere. To go where? To do what? To return when? I think it's good I'm a robot. No matter how long it takes, I can wait.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou has been partially adapted into four half-hour OVA (direct-to-video) episodes, divided into two series -- the first from 1998, the second (subtitled Quiet Country Café) from 2002. Some of us speculated as to their content; now that I've seen the fansubs (current torrents: 1.1 & 1.2, 2.1, 2.2), here's an episode guide.

Series 1: Opening credits are shopping trip scenes from the prologue and chapter 33, closing credits are scenes from ch 30, I think. The musical interludes set to random character art (some from chapter splash-pages) are ... random.

1.1: Alpha meets Kokone when the latter delivers a camera from Owner; Alpha spends a day failing to take pictures. Covers chapters 7-9 & 12, sticking closely to the story and images.

1.2: Alpha is struck by lightning, is repaired by Sensei, has a bad hair week, discovers tears of emotion, has a rocky recovery, and watches the "flowers of light" (streetlights of a drowned city) turn on in the evening. Covers chapters 4 & 22 + extrapolated filler between.

Series 2: Opening and closing credits are establishing and reprise shots.

2.1: Alpha and Kokone go scootering; a typhoon wrecks the cafe; Alpha tries running it as a patio cafe, then decides to travel, to raise repair money by working elsewhere. Covers chapters 27 (? - heavily adapted if so) correction: 84, 57 (fragment), 62-63, & 65.

2.2: Alpha's year traveling, including meeting a male robot for the first time, Kokone missing her, and ending with Alpha's decision to return while working in the foothills of Mt. Fuji. Covers chapters 66, 64 (expanded), 67-69 (parts), 72 (part), & 73 (expanded).

The story in series 2 takes more liberties with the material than series 1 (gone are the airplane flight and lamppost trees!), but is better animated and more coherent -- also, no random musical interludes. Note that a lot of Alpha and Kokone's developing friendship is lost in the gap between the series.

[ETA: On later consideration, I realized that while the progress of Alpha and Kokone's friendship is lost in the gap, the changes to chapter 64 and using the anachronistic 84 work together to make Kokone's romantic interest more explicit.]

The festival-like world has slowly settled to a leisurely pace. To think that an era came to its twilight so pleasantly, what has come to be called the Age of Evening Calm. I think I'll continue watching this twilight world as long as time flows.

---L.

Comments

[dbborroughs.livejournal.com]

I have the second series on dvd. Watching it with out the first series it made almost no sense to me. It was nice to look at but other than that meant nothing to me. Now that you've linked to the torrents I may have to try it again

[larryhammer]

Honestly, I'm not sure how much any of it will mean without reading the manga first.

---L.

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[dbborroughs.livejournal.com]

Thats what I've heard.Its why there is so little anime of it

Re: .

[larryhammer]

My initial reaction -- and several succeeding ones -- on hearing there were OVAs was "How?"

But then, they managed to get a season and a half out of Aria ...

---L.

Re:

[dbborroughs.livejournal.com]

.I guess it depends on if you have clever writers

[ronron1k.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I have often wondered about these OVAs and what ground they cover. As much as I love YKK, I think it would be especially fun to see Alpha in motion, even if it is just to brew a pot of coffee.

[larryhammer]

Alpha is well-animated. Even the filler/adapted parts are done well within the spirit of the original.

And she drip-brews her coffee. Imagine that. (I want to know where the gas for her stove comes from, though.)

---L.