English Dub Review: Ahiru no Sora: “Sora the Duck”, “The Straight Story”, “The Last Period”, “Bridge”

Overview:

Ahiru no Sora comes to a close as the Kuzu High team leaves it all on the court in their struggle against Yokohama Taiei and the fate of their team is decided. 

Our Take:

“Sora the Duck”, ironically enough, focuses on the other resident shorty, Yozan, the freshman player of Yokohama Taiei’s team. It is here where we finally learn about how capable he is as a player and his connection to Yuka, Sora’s dearly departed mother. The exceptional way in which Yozan was able to outmaneuver and outplay Sora not only left me stunned and amazed, but much more than that. It’s his burning passion for the game and his desire to play. The thought of a showdown between him and Sora is electrifying. However, even with all this, there was still a lurking question on my mind: Why didn’t his coach utilize him sooner? It seems so odd to have a player with so much potential to be benched the majority of the time seemingly. The veteran players no doubt prove without a doubt they are better and more experienced. But to not even seemingly acknowledge Yozan and give him more opportunities is…weird. But now thanks to his initiative and Sora’s encouragement, that’ll no doubt change and lead to a larger role and more screen time in a potential season 2. In regards to Mrs. Kuramatani, overall, it is about what I had expected in regards to how the series would handle this backstory. Short but just decent enough. It’s only one scene and no longer than a couple minutes. However, it is effective in that we’re able to more greatly empathize and understand the impact Yuka had on Yozan. But beyond that, it also shows that Yuka wanted to help him (besides being the sweetest person in the entire world) due to the similarities in Yozan and Sora’s plight and therefore understanding better than most. While satisfying, the cementing of their relationship I believe could have benefited from more scenes or perhaps a much longer version of said backstory. Also the admiration for Hyou was a nice layer as well, along with their compatibility as players. One aspect that intrigues me is how it will evolve both on and off the court as time goes on.

“The Straight Story” sees Mineta (rightfully dubbed ‘conehead’) exact his revenge on Mokichi on the court because his crush liked him? That’s what this episode would have you believe anyway. One of the weaker elements that feels purely superficial if anything. Understandably so, this grudge started in middle school but it would have been more sensical had it just stayed there. For conehead to still be carrying that baggage into high school, is eye roll inducing. Granted for the most part, it is all done in good fun and comedic being that Mokichi, only barely remembers him and is still utterly clueless about why he does not like him. Another cool aspect of this episode is how humanizes Hyou more. He’s been a force to be reckoned with up until now without any signs of weakness. However, that all changes as his issues in being a team player begin to unravel, similarly to how Tobi used to be. It’s nice to see that as amazing as Taiei is just like every other team their players have their flaws, even those as exceptionally skilled as Hyou. And better yet it’s not only a great testament to the duality of Hyou and Tobi but also how dynamic of a character Tobi is. The man who wouldn’t rely on anyone relies not only tries to get shots for his team now, but actually asked for help (cue mic drop). The character is night and day from the conceited jerk he used to be. All his self-doubt, crushing defeats and dedication have been leading to the moment that he would ask Sora for help. Couldn’t have asked for a better culmination of everything the character has experienced. Just as Tobi, the warmth of that scene reached out from the screen at that moment. 

There couldn’t be more proof that the Kuzuryu High team still needs to step their game up than “The Last Period.” The dread of the utter helplessness against Taiei’s overwhelming might was more than difficult to watch at times. The last few episodes have got me thinking about how much potential a rematch between Taiei and Kuzu has and this one is no exception yet again. The fact that Kuzu High was able to keep up for as long as they did and even received a compliment from one of the players was at least a decent consolation prize for now anyway. All this was done within such little time. Imagine what a year could do? Just like little Sora, it makes me raring for a game. He isn’t the only one though as the animation staff finally brought it this episode. The character designs shift to being more lanky allowing for many silky smooth subtle movements. It is a noticeable change but nothing too jarring for the most part. Overall, this would’ve been better served had this been present in the game from start to finish. One can only be hopeful there is more consistency for a second season outing. 

The last episode, “Bridge,” acts as a breath of fresh air as characters get closure and begin anew. There’s always going to be someone better at something. No matter what. Madoka’s pain and insecurity truly embody the harsh reality that often causes us to question our own self-worth. It will undoubtedly hit home for many going through similar ordeals. With a bit of hope on the horizon, how she grows from this relatable experience will no doubt be captivating to watch unfold later down the line. Chiba’s storyline offers a nice contrast to that, with fuel still left in the tank for more. It’ll be cool to see more of him and his team and another match with Kuzu hopefully. Tarou and his team’s strong bond with their soon-to-be retiring coach adds some interesting dramatic stakes for his team moving forward as they seek to go the Inter High tournament which will probably put them into an emotional collision course with Kuzu. Finally, with the beautiful heartfelt return of Mr. Satsuki, Sora and the gang are given a great fresh start for their team. The road ahead will be long and their journey will be difficult but they’ve slam dunked right into my basket-shaped heart with their grit and compelling arcs thus far. They’ve accomplished so much and yet nothing at all. In the words of Mr. Satsuki, “I want to see them through to the end.” Here’s to their many more trials, tribulations, and eventually…victories Kuzu High!