English Dub Review: Smile Down the Runway “The Promise”

Overview:

It’s time for Chiyuki and Kokoro’s show.

Our Take:

Kokoro’s work process is shown a little more, especially now that she’s on a deadline. She is a little airheaded and flustered by the whole situation, since there is a lot on the line for her. Compared to Ikuto, who merely has to prove himself, Kokoro’s entire future prospects as a designer depends on whether she can ace this show. She has her designs finished, but she has to adjust them for Chiyuki’s smaller stature. While she is clumsy, she also has a huge work ethic and a strong sense of commitment. Her passion comes through, even though she is a little late to the game, she is still willing to put in her best.

Chiyuki’s height is a major factor, and the trick that they use to disguise that is actually quite clever. While the judges and the audience are all aware of the makings of fashion, they have a good idea the approximate size of most things, and would be able to visualize things accordingly. In order to mask Chiyuki’s height, Kokoro’s team has adjusted the clothing racks so that they’re shorter than usual, giving the illusion that Chiyuki is actually at standard height. Since she is the main model of the show, having her quick change on stage not only shows her own endurance and skill, but the versatility of the clothes as well. The final comparison comes when Kokoro herself models the last two garments, and since she is so well known, the illusion becomes clear. Showing Kokoro last acts as a way to compare Chiyuki’s efforts to an established person in the field, even highlighting the thing that most people look down on Chiyuki for. It’s quite clever, and is pulled off very smoothly.

By the end, people see Chiyuki for her talents. The episode focuses more on Chiyuki’s impressions on the crowd, and for the most part, the crowd is impressed by what she managed to accomplish. Even that is the result of her pushing herself extra hard to match Kokoro’s standards. As a result, there is a little less focus on what people thought of Kokoro’s garments, but we will likely find that out next episode. A good follow up to Ikuto’s moving show.

One of the things I will be hard on is the fact that Chiyuki’s main gimmick the entire show is that she walks the entire show minus the final two designs, but also that her walk is different each time. The animation, unfortunately, is fairly lackluster and too straightforward that the sort of nuance is missed. We have to rely on the show telling us that it’s different rather than us seeing for ourselves, and that’s a missed opportunity.