Movies News Talk
The sound the bowstring generates when the arrow is discharged determines the name "Tsurune". The whole series reflects this kind of romanticizing of minute elements. Kyoani is a studio well-known for creating aesthetically pleasing animation, and Tsurune offered the perfect surface to create amazing views. Kyudo is a very slow, graceful sport that fits perfectly to highlight sound design and striking images.
In the series especially is technique emphasized. Thanks to the thorough care, it is clear that each character understands their bow and approaches release of the arrow differently. Watching each episode is quite fulfilling since the ceremonial process of dressing in their attire and setting the equipment to shoot one after the other is approached and carried out with such attention. It's amazing to see how materials, shape, and color define each character's yumi—bow—and yas—arrows.
These kinds of stories usually feature all team members trying to be "the best" in their chosen sport or to reach some objective connected to it. In Tsurune, this is not precisely the situation. Though they all start with, or discover a passion for Kyudo as the narrative goes on, that is not all there is to it. Finding which characters take kyudo very seriously and who consider it as merely a hobby—or even less—is rather fascinating.
The events of the anime vary somewhat from the light novels, which are not formally English-translated yet. Tsurune features a good variety of slice-of- life items. Watching some of the characters with non-Kyudo related arcs and problems they have to address is rather interesting. Minato's mother died in an automobile accident. Though he never sees her, Ryohei loves his shut-in sister. Shuu's complicated is related to his appearance. The narrative deftly balances and entwines the sporting aspects with all these other story threads in a quite natural and logical manner. Not one thing after the other; everything is happening at once.
Though on paper Tsurune is merely another Sports Anime with high-school lads as heroes, in truth this work is a love letter to technique and beauty. Its first season debuted in 2018 and its second one in 2023, although none of them gained general appeal. Actually, the animation draws inspiration from a set of Kotoko Ayano's light novels. The likelihood of a third season is quite strong out of the three new volumes that have so far been published since only two of them have been adapted into animation.
After a disappointing result in a former competition, Minato Narumiya declared he was going to quit kyudo. For anyone who has seen enough Sports Anime, the real joy of this series is found in the minutiae, even if the overall plot may be a little formulaic. It's about how every character contributes differently to the narrative and how, some far darker than others, everyone of them has struggled in their life.
This slow-moving treasure of an anime is mostly about articulating the passion one has for something or someone. It's more about how to find, grow, and change these intense feelings than it is about passion per such. Unlike other sports anime, it presents the viewer with a sincerely created taste of Japanese culture rather just thrashing excitement. Clearly one of Kyoani's best, Tsurune is gradually getting the respect it merits.
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