badger11’s take on anime

I’m glad that I’ve waited to basically marathon episodes six though nine of Manabi. Had I watched them one at a time as they were released, I know that my take would have been different on each episode, basically looking at the tree and not the forest. Its still an enjoyable show and the temptation to compare it to Azumanga Daioh and, now, Lucky Star is there. But each of these shows are different. With Azumanga Daioh, I picked up on feelings of nostalgia, I’m not sure what the outcome is with Lucky Star (Kagami rules - yes, even more so than Konata, but just barely. Twin tails ftw).

Watching Manabi Straight, surprisingly, I found it to be inspirational in going after your goals. Episode 6 really isn’t about setting your goals as it is about friendships, unlikely friendships where there really aren’t very many, if any common interests. But even friendships are necessary in achieving your goals. We really don’t get to this point until episode 7. I’ve read/heard/etc that an important part of goal-setting is to have an image in mind of what your goal looks like when you achieve it. With that image in mind, then you can start taking steps to achieve it. Manabi does have an image of the school fair in mind. To her, this is a very tangible one that she has a passion for and devotes her energy to achieve this goal of a successful school fair, inspiring. the rest of the group along the way

External forces (or school administrators) can affect out efforts towards achieving our goals (school fair), causing us to fall short or take longer to achieve them. Sometimes we can’t do anything about it. Other times, we can adapt and over come, trying from a different direction or finding a window to climb through when the door is shut, so to speak. But in the end, our efforts will dictate whether we succeed or fail. These are all part experiences of life.

In episode eight, Manabi makes a great statement when she states that their chances of succeeding aren’t zero. In their case, its true. There’s always at least one chance of success that you’ll succeed in achieving your goal. And one is all that you need. Even if you have to come at it from a different direction to get to your goal, at least one direction will get you there. The only time that all of your chances sum/equal zero is if you don’t take action to get to your goal(s). When you succeed, it’s that one chance that got you there.

What if the direction you take a direction and it doesn’t get you to that goal. Is it useless? In a way, yes. It is useless. You didn’t get achieve your goal…but not without trying. But the fact still remains that you didn’t achieve your goal (the school dorms that you fought hard to keep open did close, the school fair has been canceled), so it would’ve been better to have gone off in another direction after another goal. Still, your chances of achieving your goals were better than zero percent because you headed off in a direction of achieving your goal. Maybe, just maybe, that in heading down one direction was more important. Look around, anything new on the horizon that can possibly become your new goal?

Or you can just trash it all and do what Mei suggested, start a pyramid scheme. That Mei, she’s so brilliant. We need more of her in the show. And Momo. And Takako.

As I mentioned, I probably wouldn’t have come up with this “message” from the show if I watched each episode separately. Manabi’s reaction to having her brother date Aikoh’s school administrator was hilarious and grew more so during their confrontation in the office. I’m glad that we finally got so see more of Momo in action in episode nine, trying to hold off the teachers while rallying the students to save the school fair. Overall, this is a good, solid show. While I don’t laugh/chuckle with this show as much as I do when I watch Lucky Star or laugh at Azumanga Daioh (you can’t beat that hellish road trip to the beach) I enjoy watching it.