I’ll Do My Best!
The highly anticipated SoniAni has made its debut: I myself was very excited to see what White Fox would get up to and finally be able to watch Sonico starring in her own anime, but… I was sorely disappointed and feel pessimistic about future episodes to come.
Super Sonico is most well-known for being a popular and famous “fanservice” character in Japan and across the west too, but has never had her own anime… Well our wishes were answered. I do like Sonico actually, and I was hoping she could become something bigger than just a mere fanservice character and actually become widely-known. Wishful thinking, right? That’s why when I found out she was getting her own anime I was absolutely delighted when I discovered that SoniAni was… Actually becoming a thing! But as the episode dragged on, I realised maybe it was better she forever stayed as that fanservice character.
The episode started off with the ditzy Sonico late for college, again. Already from the first 5 minutes of the anime you could see the stereotypical moe shining through Sonico’s personality. It was cute, and SLIGHTLY funny, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before (and I definitely preferred Yui Hirasawa’s famous “I’m-late-for-the-first-day-of-high-school” scene in K-On!, it was much more amusing). The animation for the anime isn’t anything amazing either, and considering I’m a Kyo-Ani fan, I suppose I’ve kind of got high standards when it comes to animation now. Either way, I carried on watching. It seemed Sonico was actually an incredibly bright student too by the looks of it, despite her consistent lates to college. It was nice to meet some of her other fellow classmates too, although I doubt they will play too much of a role in the anime, I was glad because I didn’t want the anime to be just about “Sonico”.
After college, Sonico rushes off to her part-time modelling job, and I already began to wonder how busy and hectic her life must be, juggling between college, modelling, then later on her job at her grandmother’s bar AND her band practice. When I saw how she said she was a part-time model, I could already hear the fanservice calling, hehe. And really, it was… Well, I wasn’t surprised in all honesty, but I just began to think how such a smart and intelligent girl could literally be so oblivious to what those creepy men in suits were making her do. All of the suggestive poses holding the different prizes… Really, Sonico? I don’t know, I mean I think I’d have much preferred to see her modelling actual clothes like an idol would do or something, not just a skimpy bikini. Either way I was grateful when Kitamura – Sonico’s manager – came to the rescue (but I still don’t understand the weird mask), when the weird creepers tried getting Sonico to change into another outfit. Although I still hate the fact that in the end clumsy Sonico dropped her cardigan and revealed the strange outfit in the end. I do hope that maybe Sonico can snap out of this ridiculous moe character trait she has and actually manages to find some strength within, so that she does what she wants to and won’t give into perverts like that again.
STRAIGHT after her modelling job, the busy Sonico helps out at her grandmother’s bar when she then receives a call from her friend, Suzu, telling her to meet at a café and to bring her guitar. After the somewhat bad start to Sonico’s anime, I hoped that the first episode could redeem itself when we finally got to see her in her element and living her idol lifestyle. Unfortunately it seemed to be too late in the episode so my wishes were not granted. It was good to see though yet more interesting characters, and I am particularly curious about Suzu: Sonico really seems to admire her, so it makes me wonder what is so special and amazing about this mysterious Suzu… Clad in a nurse outfit. I don’t know. Anyway, once Fuuri (the drummer of the band) wakes up, the trio head off to play Suzu’s new song. After the cheesy song had ended, the episode had finished. Woah. How about that? What a rollercoaster of an episode.
So my thoughts on the Super Sonico anime so far? I don’t feel too positive for the future episodes. The anime doesn’t seem to have much of a unique or gripping storyline or plot that makes me wonder what will happen next. I mean, I certainly love the characters in Sonico’s band and they certainly do look really unique and cute, but that’s probably it? We didn’t see much of Fuuri, and as I said I am curious to learn more about Suzu, and as for Sonico? It seems White Fox have tried making her into some perfect and angelic idol, and I really dislike that. The fact that she has the good grades, the perfect body, a busy lifestyle, is popular, has lots of friends and can play a guitar… It’s all too much. I do hope maybe we can see some flaws in Sonico soon, besides the stupid clumsiness or lateness shown by her in the former part of the episode, and how throughout her journey as an idol, she can grow to become someone stronger than just a mere “idol”, because deep down inside, I want to be able to look at Sonico and realize she is human and she is normal, and not just a fanservice character. I’m also hoping that this anime doesn’t completely damage Sonico’s reputation because at this rate it will, and one day I do wonder if she will ever take off those headphones…
