Episode 9: Bears Are Pianists Too
[Note: SKJAM posted the following comment: I've noticed the "Naughty Kids" subtrope in kiddie anime before; generally in a "it's fun to play, but better to come home" kind of story. Compare to the Lost Boys from Peter Pan.]
@SKJAM, It seems like a pretty good lesson to teach kids in my opinion. I mean, I think it is at least better than just telling them that playing with people like that is always bad and never fun even when that seems to not make any sense. I am interested in seeing how those characters will function later on though considering how easily they were dismissed over the course of one episode.
- I guess this episode is about a piano playing bear or something like that.
- The Hammond Theater Trope seems to be from where the bear originates. One of the members of the troupe appears to be dressed somewhat like a fairy which I am only noting given the nature of this series.
- The troupe's top-hatted man, announces the name of the city as Muhlenburg. I do not think the name was announced before now.
- Mr. Top Hat says that the story of the Bear Pianist is "guaranteed to have your heart awash with tears. First of all, I do not see how that makes much sense given how tears are external while the heart is internal. Second of all, I wonder if the bear is supposed to be cursed. I think that would freak me out personally. I mean, a man who is turned into a bear and doomed to play piano for the rest of his life would be a sad story in my opinion.
- So aside from Mr. Top Hat, there is the "Forest Fairy" and a Bishōnen, ascot-wearing pianist. Many of the girls are predictably fawning over him, including the usually snarky Pigtails. I have to admit I am a fan of his ascot. I think it looks pretty sharp.
- Mr. Top Hat mentions something about a "twinkle" which of course gets the attention of the fairy trio. Honestly, I am pretty sure that at this point a "Twinkle" is the physical manifestation of a bond between a human and a fairy in Sugar's case. If that is so, then searching for it seems to be kind of unnecessary at this point. I could be wrong though.
- Pigtails (Norma) is still swooning over the Bishōnen pianist even after school has ended. I have to admit that I find her face to be a bit creepy
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- Phil does not want to go to see the "Bear Pianist" because he has "experiments" to do. His lackeys seem less enthused about the experiments though. I think that Phil is generally a good person, but honestly I think he should cut his henchmen some slack occasionally. Either he should do that or they should just tell him if they disagree with him. I think there is a serious lack of communication here.
- Greta wants to go see the play, but first she has to brag about some other opera/concert thing she is going to later. By the way, this entire time, Pigtails has been hugging Anne (hairpin). It seems a bit odd to me to see her facial expressions change while maintaining her hug, especially when she expresses disgust at Greta at the same time that she hugs Anne.
- The fairy trio spots the Bear Pianist practicing even though it seems pretty obvious that he is just a man in a bear suit. Yet, the fairies seem to believe it is an actual bear. Also, I think it looks like it is fairly difficult to play the piano in the bear suit. The paws do not appear to give adequate space for each finger while playing. I imagine that the pianist probably had to have considerable practice to be able to play the piano without being able to make precise movements with his fingers.
- A mysterious man walks into the coffee shop where Saga works and constantly looks back and forth before sitting down and poring over the menu. Later, the man who I suppose is the manager comes in and Saga seems to basically show him up, telling him that he did not do a very good job of cleaning the roaster. He is not angry, but honestly it seems to me like he probably should know what he is doing. Also, I doubt it is a very good idea for Saga to chew out her superior like that. When the mysterious man finely receives his coffee (Which might I add only happens after copious amounts of his staring at Saga brewing it), he says that is a bit stiff. Salt calls him a poser. I guess he might be some kind of coffee connoisseur or something.
- Jan and Alan, two of Phil's minions come to see the play. I like that they are doing what they want to do, but should they really ditch Phil without telling him first. Alan's little brothers are essentially little clones of him. Pigtails continues to poke one of the little clones' cheeks. I heard previously that Greta was a great character in this show, but I think a lot of the humor really comes into play when Pigtails is in the picture.
- By the way, the fairy trio is also watching the play.
- The play starts, Mr. Bear Pianistman lives in the forest and is lonely. Sure I can accept that premise just fine. My problem is where did he get that top hat, bow tie, and well-made piano? I doubt you can just find those things walking in the forest. Also, the bear suit keeps reminding me of Tomoyo's in Clannad. Also, I wonder how exactly the bear's bowtie is attached. I looks like it is stuck right on to his fur since I do not see the back of it at all. I think that if it were pinned on a real bear, that would probably hurt.
- Mr. Top Hat convinces Mr. Bear Pianist to come with him to be part of an exhibit in order to obtain "friends". It is a trap as pretty much anyone could tell you.
- "This wasn't supposed to happen," says the Bear Pianist as he sits in the exhibition cage. I think I have heard that line before. At least, the bear is not tearing a hole in the dimensions or committing the ultimate taboo of alchemy.
- A girl approaches him, and the Bear Pianist says that she is a real beauty and then asks if she wants to be his friend. The girl is being nice too though, so it is not totally superficial. Mr. Top Hat stops the girl from getting closer to the bear.
- Greta laments the clichéd nature of the story, but no one around here seems to appreciate her comments.
- The Bear Pianist is worried that no one wants to be his friend. This seems to be plainly untrue to me. I think at least the girl wanted to be his friend, she was just barred from getting any closer. The Bear decides he wants to be a human which I think is a bit cliché at this point, but I am not really that picky about it. The Forest Fairy grants his wish and he turns into the Bishōnen with the ascot from earlier. The catch is that he can only be in human form during the night.
- So the Bear Pianist in human form seems to try to confess his love to the girl from earlier. Leaping out of nowhere is a man with poufy hair who apparently is the girl's fiancé. The Bear Pianist is not overjoyed about this new development and Greta is surprised herself.
- When the Bear Pianist tells the couple of his transformation and its catch, they do not seem too surprised for some reason. I wonder if that is supposed to be bad acting or whether they are actually just not surprised at all.
- The Bear starts being awesome and breaks out of his cage, but then he gets shot. Somehow he still makes it to the couple's wedding and nonchalantly takes his seat at the piano that looks identical to the one he was playing earlier. Then the Bear and the piano are lifted into the air without an explanation. I guess the hunter missed when he tried to shoot him or he just has a strong will to live.
- It turns out that bear suit man is actually the guy who ordered coffee early from Saga. I wonder why the Bishōnen guy did not also play the role of the bear.
- Saga fantasizes about the guy who played the bear and the episode ends.
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Comments
CaligulaSympathizer
Since: Dec, 1969
Apr 4th 2012 at 8:19:02 PM
I just love how you somehow manage to mention Pigtails every blog.
I thought that the story of the bear was a tad creepy.
