Yep. Yep, still going with this show. Still going. As we basically wrap up season 3, we continue with an episode that’s at least…plot relevant. Is it good? Meh. Is it bad? Meh. It’s kind of just…there. However, I suppose I should start the recap and let you guys decide for yourselves. All right, here we go.
So the episode begins with the group doing their usual dancing, when they realize they maybe should be a bit worried at the possibility of the Machine Gun group teaming up with Team Sakura. That worry is cut short as Kanon informs the group that Lui and Moe are getting extremely popular with their “Crowd High” dance and even non-dancing people are beginning to copy their dances.
Haneru gets annoyed and talks to his classmates about it, and the basketball guy tells him that he heard a rumor that Jey’s been dead for a while as he died in an explosion a while ago. Haneru refuses to believe it and tells Kumo about it who also dismisses it. And that’s basically all we’re going to hear about that for the rest of the episode.
I’m going to pause the recap for a moment to discuss this. If this was actually the case, this would be very interesting. If this were the case and Jey were actually dead, then this whole Dance Road thing this time around would be a very interesting twist. Instead of “Dancing with Jey” It would become a “replacing Jey and taking over his work on his vision.” If this is what they’re doing then I actually nod my head in slight approval. Otherwise, if he’s not actually dead, then this comment has actually no point and was entirely useless and in retrospect now that I thought of that other option is seems like worse writing if he’s actually alive.
Come to think of it, that would make other things interesting such as the whole assassination episode. If Jey were actually dead by that point and they were using, say, a hologram, and if the sniper had shot the hologram then people would realize that Jey was actually dead and that’s why they had to stop the assassin….That…that would actually be a cool twist. But of course, alas, I’m probably looking too deeply into this and forwarding my own hopes for this series.
Now where was I?
Ah yes. The episode. So yeah, anyway the gang’s Jey beacon goes off as Jey hologram tells the group that the next round’s theme is “Change.” After that they decide to see Lui and Moe perform. When they get there they see even more of a crowd then normal and when they see them perform they realize that they have gotten even better at the Crowd High dance. Haneru and Kumo both get pissed off at the dance and decide to get better.
That’s when Momiji randomly shows up and tells them that something bad’s going to happen soon. And that’s basically where the episode ends. Oh yeah. and that one guy we met in Dance Road supposedly looks evil.
One of the biggest issues i’m having with this series is the main character’s constant condescension of Lui and Moe’s dance. Look. We get it. It’s a “banned dance because it puts strain on the dancer.” But from what I can basically tell, the two of them have gotten some kind of upgrade or augmentation to help stave off this problem. They are adults who are perfectly capable of making their own decisions. Just because they don’t fit into “Your style of dance” doesn’t mean that it’s bad.
And now, I feel I have to point out the elephant in the room. IT’S A SHOW ABOUT DANCING. I don’t give a shit what you’re trying to say show, it’s a show about dancing. There is no way that this DANCING will cause something bad to happen. I…I don’t even know WHAT could happen. Jey has this strange idea that his dancing can bring world peace. (which still makes no sense) So i guess maybe in this world it can also bring about…not peace? What exactly are they going to do that is so horribly bad with their dancing? HOW do you even do something bad with your dancing?
Dancing is about freedom of expression and individuality. Just because they lost at Dance Road because of their own individuality doesn’t mean they can’t be more popular or better in a different way than you. I know Jey is mr Super Amazing dancer, but that doesn’t mean that every good dance style has to run through him. Is the dance dangerous? Maybe. But it’s not your choice to make. They are people fully capable of making their own decisions and having their own paths and dreams. If they want to get popular their own way and it’s dangerous, so be it.
The only moral these episodes about “Crowd High” have been teaching me are “Follow the way the guy in charge does it, because if you fail and try to do it a different way, it’s evil.” And that is a terrible lesson to portray. At this point, i’m actually kind of hoping that Lui and Moe get to be on top. They’re more the underdog at this point as they have to take the harder route sacrificing themselves for their art. I think that’s MASSIVE problem the show has come across. Really, the more I think about it, the more I get pissed off at Haneru. So…I won’t and I’ll just end this review.
All in all, it was…okay as all it did was set us up for the next episode. It was more of a bridging episode, and it was pretty obvious.
Episode 5/10
-Hideki