Photo Kano

So, Photo Kano. About some guy who gets a camera and starts taking pictures. In the process he joins a shady club and starts raising flags with various girls.

So far 2 episodes are out, and it's been okay so far. I really dig the art style and the audio is really great (these two elements really show in the OP and ED).

On the other hand, it's weighed down by the photography element. The character dynamics could use a lot more polish, the club he joins is full of perverts and the photo shoots are boring fanservice slideshows.

That said, I'm not writing this off just yet. This is Amagami's spiritual successor after all; I'd be fine if I end up liking this half as much as that show.

EDIT: Will also be checking out one of the manga adaptations, as those supposedly have a more focused approach to the romance.

edited 15th Apr '13 3:35:34 AM by fillerdude

After watching this I can't get rid I am watching some Galge gameplay. I wonder why....

It was boring flat and that childhood friend need at least archetypical personality if not real.

That said I will try at least third episode. Don't get me wrong it's not cause I actualy enjoyed that last scene with Tsundere SC prez or anything! BAKA!!

It took me about a second to decide to watch this. It hit enough points for a Patchouli cosplay that I got interested. I get hooked on the strangest things sometimes (though not stranger than the Norse Mythology text in the beginning of Lotte No Omocha).

Anyway, it really does feel like watching a Visual Novel or Dating Sim. A few characters seem interesting enough, and several rather bland ones. I'd like more focus about the photography, rather than on photography, if that makes sense.

I don't like that club. And one of them resembled Fukumoto from Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!.

I like the small detail that Sanehara was still up on the roof when he left the area quite a while after he forgot she was there. Small details like that makes it look much more thought through (probably more than it actually is).

That scene with Prez made her a lot more human than most characters. I also like the way he handled it. He didn't back down or wuss out, but held his ground. He should definitely have stated he only kept the photos for blackmail potential, and nothing shady.

Look, dude, if someone says they have blackmail material, you probably wouldn't believe they wouldn't do anything shady.

About joining the Photography Club... it seems that in the game choosing that club is basically choosing to play the more comedic route. So we can expect comedy. Not that that's been evident.

"Look, dude"?

(x3) Yeah, the club is easily the worst part of this so far and they were almost enough to make me drop this completely after the first episode. The more crap they rope Maeda into, the less I'm inclined to tune in next week.*

It's something like "hey".

It somewhat helped that the protagonist was trying to stop the Photography Club in the second episode.

He was too successful. It won't last.

If someone told you it was for blackmailing, you'd probably believe she wouldn't do anything worse with it, since she's already honest and upfront about something like that. Well, you probably wouldn't, but at that point there would be little point in lying about something smaller. Unless maybe if that person's got a grand scheme or a cunning plan.

Episode 3: Before anything else, read the "rant" on the UTW website, it is hilarious.

• I repeat: the OP and ED are really nice.
• The pre-OP scene was surprisingly pleasant. Plus points for Sporty Girl.
• The introduction of Yuniko, the woman of big cup size. Her segments were rather boring "look at how big her boobs are" moments.
• Stealth photographer is stealthy.
• Muroto's photo shoot was another dull excuse for sexy shots. Some of those shots are nice though. I'd say the blackmailing wasn't nice but Muroto seemed willing anyway.
• Sanehara has that aloof air, it's alluring.
• Niimi Haruka can thus be defined as "I want Maeda to pay attention to me".
• Ohhh, I like the idea of Maeda VS Photography Club. Play that for all it's worth!
• The scene with Gymnastics at the end was also nice. Helps that Maeda discusses camera techniques during the photoshoot, and that the photos were less fanservice-y.

Okaaay... What is that UTW rant in aid of?

Maybe they shouldn't have picked up the anime based on a fanservice photo game? Have they never seen bad ecchi?

I dunno. The portrayal of women in this anime is not great, but calling it a "Rape Flick" fairly high level hyperbole.

Yeah, it is nice that the main character has some decency at least, what he did to the president aside.

edited 19th Apr '13 7:47:55 AM by UltimatelySubjective

The UTW rant is just a joke (hence the quotation marks).

edited 19th Apr '13 9:23:38 AM by fillerdude

And this isn't even that bad ecchi... I find it rather tame.

The first scene was good. I find it very rare that they actually bring up the teeth, considering it should happen a lot more often than what it actually does, but I suppose that's one of the rose-coloured views of fiction.

I kinda like Yuniko. She's one of them who're hard to dislike. But the anime is really just treating her as a pair of happy, clueless boobs.

The blackmailing was funny. Or at least, in the way I usually prefer it. He's not really saying anything, which causes her to tell him what she thinks he would do, which in turn gives him the idea, and at the same time, she gets mad at him for not trying hard enough to blackmail her. But I wanted him to take some action shots of her jumping. I suppose he might not have the camera for it, but still. It might be interesting to take a long-exposure shot, showing the entire jump in one photo, but I think it needs to be a little darker then. I'm not really an expert on the subject.

Maeda should clearly sneak up on Uchida when she's hiding and preparing to take a perverted shot, and take a panty shot of her so she notices that, becomes embarrassed, squeals, and reveals her position, so she can't take her shot in secret any more. Such a cunning plan! I'd suggest he'd do something similar to the others as well, but one, they're wearing pants, and two, I don't think that would help Maeda much anyway, as the reason would be obvious. With Uchida he could at least justify it with her being a pretty girl, and thus convince them he's really doing the perverted job they want him to.

But I really just want the pervert photographers to suffer their own medicine.

Episode 4. In which blackmail happens.

I think this is one series where the protagonist is getting away with far more than what's usual for harem. The average is that they deal with more crap than they deserve. Here it's the other way around. In a way, it's refreshing, but it also makes him come off as somewhat creepy, and definitely immoral.

But what I want is an actual plot. There's really nothing that's happening. Sort of like a slice of life without punchlines.

She has eyes! Well, one. At least. And a mole. She's rather pretty.

I swear, this show is starting to feel more and more like watching Russian dashcam footage.although...

Episode 4:

• Dammit Maeda. You do something like protecting Niimi from perverted cameramen, but at the same time you yourself take perverted shots. Then we have you blackmailing someone into doing your homework for you. I was kinda glad Mai got dirty laundry on him, though I didn't expect Mai to be the type to do something like that.
• Lots of imouto in this episode for some reason. I'm not complaining, though I would have preferred Sporty, or Sanehara.
• More boring photo shoots. Didn't help that the accompanying monologue fell flat for me.
• Next episode: actual plotz?!

Seems like next eppie will jumps straight into the omnibus format. That last monologue seemed very final episode -ish.

Wait, seriously?

Is that the route they're heading with this? It might be the best one; stretching seems like it would be precarious.

I wouldn't put money on it, but I hope that they do.

edited 29th Apr '13 11:20:02 PM by Savoie

Episode 5.

For some reason, everything felt very artificial to me. Which really is my default reaction to any Ill Girl traits. But aside from that, all angst, the rumours, from both sides, the running around, their interactions... No emotions. Aside from, surprisingly, the photography club.

Episode 5: So it's true, we're going with the omnibus format starting with this episode. The advantage is that the focus will be narrower. On the other hand, the first four episodes hardly provided a proper build up, and is a large factor as to why this episode falls flat.

• Wow. "I'm a soccer ace, you're the tennis ace, we should totally be a couple." That... Please tell me that doesn't work in real life.
• Maeda should have been okay, but since his inferiority complex wasn't properly built up on, he comes off as wangsty.
• Ditto for Haruka. It's more aggravating in her case because it's like she can't function without Maeda. Serious loss of respect, right there.
• Overall the drama in the episode doesn't work, because, again, lacking build up.
• Somehow the Photography Club members became likeable this episode. We definitely need to see them more in Bro Mode.
• The other silver lining I see is that at least Haruka's story arc will be dealt with first. Whatever bad taste it will leave I hope the more interesting girls can wipe off.
  • Which reminds me, do we know the order of the arcs? Ideally the less interesting girls come first, which for me would be:

Yunoki = Misumi < Muroto < Mai = Sanehara = Nonoka

I thought it was okay. If they wanted they could probably even have wrapped things up this episode. That would be neat.

Dunno what's going to happen next episode. I thought the swing to drama actually made it stronger, so hoping they don't try more dull comedy.

There was a bit of a big issue made of groping and that illness thing seemed more contrived than a Nagisa in the rain being drama but... Meh.

I actually thought the groping was one of the most natural bits of the episode. I've met tons of guys who were very hesitant when it came to supporting or touching a girl in more unexpected situations.

I think it was, but it also wasn't.

Well, the threshold for being the most natural isn't exactly high.