New Anime Series! Kiniro Mosaic episode 1: You say Hello, I say Konnichiwa

Hello there my lovely readers! I think that the first two weeks at my job, when I had shifts with other people, were a lie. Now that I fly solo in the afternoons it is like everyone is like DIRTY CLOTHES FOR YOU! Which is what businesses should do, make money and keep me busy. XD Just I thought I could get some side blogging in during down hours. Maybe maybe not. We shall see.

Welcome to the magical land called England!

But here is at least one new episode. I need to get on the ball and watch the last of the new shows of the season. For now here is Kiniro Mosaic episode 1. Spoilers for woohoo traveling and hellos!!!!

But I want to stand....

Episode Summary: WOOHOO Japan! A young middle school girl named Shinobu happily skips to school and tells her friends Youko and Aya she is packing her bags and doing a homestudy overseas...in England! Her friends are excited for her until she says England. Her friends point out she doesn't speak English. She demonstrates that she does: Hello. Not deterred by the little language barrier off Shinobu goes to stay with her family's friends. She braves the airport and subway system, taking in all the sights and generally being cute and excited. After much traveling Shinobu makes it to a remote stop where her homestay Dad Mr. Carteret picks her up by car. Shinobu is still super excited to see all this lovely landscape. Mr. Carteret pulls up to a huge house and it's XO. Inside the daughter Alice is a bit apprehensive about all this homestay stuff. The mother Mrs. Carteret greets Shinobu warmly and tries to get Alice to talk to Shinobu. Shinobu is very cheerful with her one English word Hello. Alice is very off put by Shinobu's eager attitude and runs off. Mrs. Carteret tells Alice not to worry and shows her around to all the Western stuff. Big bathroom. Alice is in her room looking at a Kokeshi doll thinking how it looks like Shinobu. Shinobu comes in and once again scares Alice. Dinner seems okay but Alice leaves before she eats her dessert. Shinobu stays her first night in the giant bed while Alice worries. Shinobu starts her new adventures with the mom as Alice becomes more and more nervous. At one point Alice goes to visit her friend Karen for advice. Karen herself is going on a trip so she can't help Alice with this situation. She does say that even if they can't speak the same language they can still communicate with their hearts. #hellokitty.

Who needs English?! Pfft!

Alice takes some time but eventually warms up to Shinobu. There is a cookie baking so they can have a tea party. The doggie sorta attacks Shinobu which is slightly more dramatic than it should be. Alice and Shinobu try to play a Japanese game which Shinobu has never heard of. Alice questions if Shinobu is Japanese. Shinobu girls Alice with some hair pins.....and doesn't know how to use them or put them in. Soon Alice and Shinobu takes an adventure to the heart of London to see all the sights. A wonderful day spent taking pictures. Soon Shinobu has to go back home. Alice and Shinobu sleep in the same bed on her last night. Alice asks Shinobu to talk about Japan. Neither girl understands the conversation but both seem happy. The next morning Shinobu has to go. Alice almost goes back to being shy at the thought of Shinobu leaving. Both girls get overwhelmed and say goodby to each other. However both girls only know how to say hello in the other's language.....so it's pretty funny. Shinobu returns to Japan and time passes. She wakes up late on her first day of high school. Her mom is a little rarw but Shinobu notices that a letter from Alice has arrived. Shinobu is late meeting her friends Youko and Aya to school. She was attempting to read the letter but yeah.....English. As they walk Aya tries and picks up a few words like Japan, School, and Uniform. Shinobu runs off to put her forgotten shoes in her locker when Alice walks up to Aya and Youko, looking for Shinobu. Their homeroom teacher finds Alice and leads her away just as Shinobu returns. Aya and Youko fail to mention this to Shinobu but it doesn't matter. AS class starts homeroom teacher introduces Alice to the class. Shinobu is shocked but Alice explains she wrote a Japanese and English letter explaining all of this. Alice also explains that she has learned Japanese and is staying with Shinobu while she is in Japan. THE END! Just kidding. During the credits the girls talk with Alice and explain who they are/what their names mean. Alice is still a bit X__X about the girls but is staying with Shinobu at her house. Shinobu's mom is very happy with Alice's English and Alice gifts Shinobu something...from the airport. YAY FOR MEMORIES! THE END!

I hope that happens to you some day...OH WAIT!

My...my eyes. I think they have melted. From a sweetness overload. The cuteness!!!!! I think a lot of people would call this moe but for me this is just cuteness. K-On 2.0 anyone?

Hello. Shinobu's one English word. Go her!

Let me get one thing out of the way before I dive into the insanity that is the cuteness. Why can't ANY of these shows (minus Eden of the East who had...I think maybe half an episode with native English speakers speaking English) hire people to speak English? Especially in this show, where the characters are having a hard time understanding each other and it is about learning to speak without words and aren't we all different and wonderful? Granted by the end of the episode Alice is a magical native speaker so that would be....well a hard task to find someone to fit that bill. Just it was a bit jaring you know? Clearly I want this show to have a budget through the roof and find the perfect person out there that is a native English speak yet knows the Japanese language enough to be believable but still sound...a bit off.

Everything is amazing!!!!

With that said...ONWARD TO ENGLAND! Pack your bags Shinobu you are going across the world to experience a culture you have never been around and stay with people who don't speak Japanese. Only they did. :( That was a bit disappointing, that the host parents Carteret, spoke English. That they were friends with Shinobu's parents. So it wasn't a TRUE homestay experience as the language barrier would have been harder in a normal situation. In any other scenerio the friends Youko and Aya would have had reason to worry. Still it is hard to nitpick because where did I go when I was in 8th grade? Busch Gardens. With a bus full of kids. Not alone and halfway across the world.

I can't wait to take a plane, a bus, and a car ride AND still look presentable, all in one day! Almost all alone too!

Watching Shinobu travel and finally make it to her host house was sorta fun. Reminds me how hyped up I was when I made the trip to Japan in 2011. Like MOG amazing Japanese soda can. MOG amazing customs agent person getting ticked at the husband taking picture. MOG AMAZING SUBWAY RIDE WITH PEOPLE ANNOYED WITH OUR GIANT LUGGAGE! XD When you live in a culture/country you get used to how things are done there. When tourists/foreigners come everything is shiny and new. EXCITING! Look at that sign all in English! Look at the huge portions! Look at me wearing my shoes indoors at all times. Just small things like that, watching someone full of excitement is...well entertaining to watch.

Again with the hellos.

Shinobu has made it to her host family's house. HOUSE IS HUGE! Granted Shinobu has a huge house by Japanese standards but still. What a picture perfect house. The father...well I say he seemed nice enough but he really didn't do anything besides drive the car. XD The mother was pro at making Shinobu feel comfortable with her perfect Japanese. I think that they could have done more as parents to make Alice part of the process but maybe they didn't want to push and wanted the girls to get to know each other. And of course I think the parents should have tagged along on the outing trips because hello Busch Gardens with a bus full of kids and chaperones over here.

Um....she is totally into you....?

Alice...well I don't think she was down for this homestay idea. A very shy girl indeed. Sorta like the opposite of these stereotypes. People who speak English are usually portrayed as outgoing and loud and it is the Japanese person who is shy and stuff. I can see how Shinobu would be slightly disappointed that Alice didn't greet her with open arms and I can see how Alice would be surprised that Shinobu was so outgoing. All is forgiven because Alice thinks that Shinobu looks like a kokeshi doll.

This is Shinobu making things work. XD

Still Shinobu did not let this get her down. She was determined to make this work, even if she didn't know any English and speaking to Alice was a feat within itself. I mean I am sure momma and Dad talked to Alice before Shinobu actually showed up. Maybe she was okay with it and then NERVES!!! I am just proud that Shinobu didn't break down into tears or take it personally. I might have been :( that my hopes and dreams weren't being met but yeah. Shinobu waited it out and things worked out woohoo!

WITH THEIR HEARTS!!!!!

After Alice gets over her shyness the girls have a lot of fun together. Shinobu makes no attempt to learn English which is slightly disappointing. Also I thought it was a bit :( that Karen couldn't stick around and help both Shinobu and Alice. But I guess both girls needed time to grow and get to know each other. Alice probably would have depended too much on Karen. Still momma could have encouraged more English speaking.

I LOVE PICTURES!!!! XD

Since the girls were busy not talking....picture taking it is! I think I liked that more than the tea party. Like …...that's like going to Japan and eating at McDonalds. Who does that? XD Certainly not me!!!! But yes I love taking pictures so Shinobu seeing old stuff AND trees, at the same time was fun. Ah sight seeing. Although they should have gone to Disneyland Paris. You know...because it's so close.

....Bonding Shinobu style?

It's funny how people have misconceptions about...different people and cultures. People not like you. Although even I agree that Shinobu should have at least KNOWN they were hairpins. But Shinobu not knowing how to play that Japanese game? Funny. Because what's more American that baseball? I know nothing of the sport. Nor do I have blond hair or blue eyes. People looking like Kokeshi dolls? Things like that are why the program exists. The more you know.....

Too much adorable!

Of course all good things must come to an end. Shinobu must go back to the land of the rising sun. I thought it was so cute that girls shared a bed at night and talked without the other understanding. Like just being around the other person and hearing them speak softly was enough for them. But the peak of cuteness was when Shinobu was in the car and driving off. The presents and what not was fine but the girls screaming Hello and Konnichiwa at each other when they were trying to say goodbye...it was hilarious and touching at the same time. Just DAWWWWW!!!! Way too cute for words.

We have to go to high school together!

Fast forward to...well now and Shinobu is in high school. Everyone say AMAZING! And girl I can feel you with the getting up in the AM thing. It is new to me too! Like the sunlight, it burns! Although it is always interesting in most animes that people brush their teeth THEN eat breakfast. Like well the bathroom is all the way at the other end of the house, might as well do all the bathroom stuff first and then go to the kitchen? But yes time for school!

Such a magical language....the language of my lazy people. XD

I thought the letter bit was slightly special. Not that the girls should know how to read said letter. But that they should have realized there was TWO pieces of paper. But when you are trying your hardest, concentrating on one thing I can see how you can miss the forest from the trees. And hello three years of Spanish and this Mexican only knows one language. But hurry on to class or you are going to be late!!!!

Very magical indeed.

We all knew that Alice was going to show up. XD But the way she did it was a bit special although Shinobu forgetting about her shoes seems....well natural. Not forced. Aya and Youko should have said something though, I am sure Shinobu told them all about her trip. Alice ending up in the same class I understand but knowing tons of Japanese? HMMMM a bit of a stretch to me. I can understand after Shinobu left Alice would ask her mother for help. But her grasp of the language seems too perfect. Maybe as the series proceeds it will be shown Alice is not perfect but for now...it is hard to tell her apart from Shinobu. Anime! Start being believable right now!

Well.....I guess they both can be dolls?

So...that is about it for an episode I started watching Monday. XD Oh work. But yes a cute anime show with cute girls doing cute girl things. Sounds like something that can watch in between Titans crushing human beings (or maybe since it takes 4983473 hours to get through one day) and.....wait is this season full of fluff? No no I got that show with zombies. I am good. But this show seems cute and I shall give it a chance. WOOHOO!