life line by line

After the success in France, the crew of Kaleido Stage head back home to the US… but not before Anna and her bunch give off a farwell performance at the airport (poor Ken). And what’s this… Yuri is joining them too! Apparently he’s heading up the next performance at Kaleido Stage, but one can tell he’s going back for other reasons too.

Back at Kaleido Stage, Sora and everyone is hyped now that Yuri is back and Sora is ready to get back on the stage. Carlos has already renewed Sora’s contract and he and Yuri tell everyone their next play: Swam Lake with Sora and Yuri as the stars! The final act will be the Angel’s Act and everyone has high hopes for it… Leon then makes his appearance as he has heard the tail end of the conversation and wondering what his part will be. Already Yuri and Leon go at it over Sophie’s death (which Yuri had some part in), the training for the Angel’s Act, etc leading to one kick ass scene seeing “evil” Yuri again!

A bit later Cathy is at Mia’s doorstep, making for one hilarious entrance to basically crash at Mia and help her out with ideas for the production. Kotono Mitsuishi rocks as usual as she has to be one of the few seiyuus out there that could talk at mach speed all in one breath without losing a beat. Funny watching Mia visually sweat under Cathy’s “what, you don’t have any ideas yet?!?!” even though Mia only heard about the specifics of the performance moments ago. Switch over to Anna and her two friends as they discuss future plans for their comedy troupe. Pretty seriously looking scene that TOTALLY gets ruined (much to my enjoyment) by Anna’s unique comedy antics. Also funny how Ken has been roped into the group (even if he’s not there) as Anna wonders if they can do it without his “talents.”

Yuri and Sora are at an nearby beach, where they discuss the Angel’s Act and if Sora is still willing to do it. Yuri then tells Sora how he and Leon are connected as Yuri was the cause of Sophie’s death. Shock is apparent over Sora as Yuri tells his story of ambition, lies, and death. During the previous Circus Festival (I think that’s the name, too lazy to look it again), Yuri was watching Leon and Sophie practice the Angel’s Act knowing it wouldn’t match up with Layla’s Golden Phoenix but still wanted to win. Afraid that Leon might replace him in Kaleido Stage and ambitious back then to get his revenge against Carlos (i.e. remember first season), Yuri called Sophie out to a park far from the place of competition. Of course Yuri never showed, but Sophie waited until the very last minute eventually rushing back to make it time… too bad Sophie got into an accident along the way. During Sophie’s final moments, she kept asking Leon to get Yuri since she was a big fan of his that Leon called many many times asking Yuri to come. Touching scene seeing this with Leon’s frame in black only outlined by the setting sun as tears fall while he begs over and over to Yuri. Unfortunately for Sophie, there was no way Yuri was going to come with his and Layla’s performance coming up; thereby starting Leon’s hatred for Yuri. Sora has no words but one can tell she’s still pretty shocked over everything she just heard. Yuri tells her he’ll become a devil anytime for Sora to complete the Angel’s Act; it’s the only way possible. He leaves her mentioning he’s going to meet up with Leon to settle their business once and for all.

Later that night, Sora is moving back to her old room with everyone welcoming her back and wishing her good luck with the upcoming Swam Lake performance. Rosetta is chilling with Sora back in Sora’s room when May drops by surprisedly. Why is May there? Well, she came to celebrate Sora’s return… interestingly, she’s not a big crowd type of person (had me fool with her personality) so she wanted it to be a small thing. The three girls are on the balcony where May bluntly tells Sora she’s expecting the best from her, she’s playing opposite role to Sora and will outshine her, and if Sora does anything less than perfect May will take her place as top star without an second thought. Sora accepts it as is, since that’s the May we all know and love and Sora is already hyped to be performing again. The three celebrate May style by shaking their cans of soda and accidentally shooting Fool to the stars twice! With the mood now set, May tells Sora for the two of them to head to practice…

… Leon is walking towards center stage, answering Yuri’s call out. An fencing sword is dropped right in front of Leon as Yuri calls him out, saying this is Leon’s chance for revenge. Leon ain’t going to play Yuri’s game and goes to leave but “evil” Yuri is back as he lays Leon down. Yuri pretty much tells Leon how it is: Leon isn’t really the Shinigami everyone thinks he is but in reality, an coward too afriad to complete the Angel’s Act. Yuri goes on to say Leon never wanted Sophie to finish training and was in fact relived when she died. Leon is too shocked and pissed for words as Yuri continues with it is similar with Sora; Leon must have saw the raw talent Sora had but hoped by putting her through the Angel’s Act training she’ll eventually break yet didn’t. Yuri gloats Leon more and more, Leon finally cracking and goes charging at Yuri with the fencing sword. The battle is on! Around this time Sora, May, and Rosetta are walking in when they hear the battle and run to check out what’s going on. They’re shocked to see Yuri and Leon fighting as the two go out non-stop showing some impressive skills (awesome fight scene, period). Yuri and Leon eventually end up on the new swing thingie Yuri had plan for use for Swam Lake, Leon getting an hit on him. Sora can’t take it anymore and goes up to stop them, performing the weightless-in-air part of the Angel’s Act perfectly (okay, mad corny with the tears overflowing and “holy glow” there). She stops the two as Sora tells the two she doesn’t care which will be her partner, but no fighting on the stage. It’s all too sad and can’t they hear the stage cry too Sora continues on as it triggers memories for Leon of Sophie’s last moments alive. Basically Leon promises Sophie that he’ll complete the Angel’s Act etc etc etc. Remembering the promise finally seems to break Leon as some self-realizations come in. Yuri then mutters it would have been okay if he died, as it would have been an way to make it up to Sophie’s death. This sort of shocks eveyone there as Yuri tells how Leon needed a way for his “time” to start again as every since Sophie’s death Leon hasn’t truly moved on. Also that only Leon can be Sora’s partner for the Angel’s Act as he’s perfect for it or something. Out of nowhere, Layla comes in saying “so this why you called me.” Layla goes on with it doesn’t matter what happened in the past with Yuri, their win at the Circus Festival was still a win. Layla’s also says how she doesn’t believe in making an conflict free stage but that she has left something important behind on the stage. Her last words are to Yuri that not to worry, Leon wil be Sora’s partner as Layla leaves. Yuri tells Leon this is his last chance to keep his promise while Leon looks at Sora, seeing Sophie right next to her.

Kaleido Star delivers ten fold. Having this episode as an setup for the final act and clearing up some questions from the previous ones worked well in my opinion. Whether from the short Cathy camero to May “growing up” to Leon and Yuri’s past, I was left on the edge of my seat wanting more! Also with Layla’s last message of “leaving something important on the stage,” I’m so hoping for Layla to do a last stunt as part of the Kaleido Stage cast. Now with only seven episodes plus a short one-shot OVA episode left, it’s killing me waiting for the rest of Kaleido Star to come in whatever translated form. It’s almost tempting to try to find the raws and watch the rest even though I’ll probably be clueless to what’s going on.

Once again, blast you creators of Kaleido Star for making such an addicting series the likes of which I’ve never seen before. Now I sort of want to pick up the rest of the first season on DVD right now. You bastards, hehe

Following the fun episode of 44, episode 45 of Kaleido Star takes an slightly different turn and puts some of the serious parts of the story up front. Thanks to Rosetta’s mom, who booked a special performance for the crew after being throughly impressed at Kenneth’s Motors, everyone’s going to France! Of course, when Sora found out they were all going to France she was a tad… surprised ^_~

With everyone arriving in France, it’s off to the Noir Circus to meet up with Rosetta (since she left an week ahead) and practice their performance. Great scene here where everyone was shocked to see May smiling so brightly… only to be “relieved” it’s still the same old sharp-tongued May. Seems as if May was trying to re-find herself affter learning the value of the audience’s smiles; too bad it might take her awhile especially after the scene with the taxi Everyone eventually made it to the circus, only to find they’re stuck doing insane (and dangerous) acts. Like Sora being shot out of a cannon or the other girls who got knives thrown at them…. oops, the Kaleido Team from America got mixed up with another Kaleido performers; also didn’t help that the crew got the wrong circus. Anyway, they find their way to the Noir Circus only to discover that Rosetta went missing….

Meanwhile Rosetta has been following this has-been famous trapeze trainer (he stopped by the circus before asking one of his former students for cash), trying to get him to train her. She ends up in a warehouse that has various circus equipment, including a trapeze setup. The trapeze trainer hasn’t totally given it up and Rosetta got to show off her determination to want to learn. Awesome scene where Rosetta defended the Kaleido Stage by showing off some impressive Diabolo skills. Somehow, Rosetta won over the trainer and they start right away.

In comes in everyone else as they see Rosetta training on the trapeze. Inbetween all of them meeting again and training, Leon’s name came up and triggered the back story behind Leon and Sophie’s past. Apparently the two were the trapeze trainer’s last students before he quit. The siblings’, Leon and Sohpie, past wasn’t all peaches and cream as they lost their parents at a young age only to have non-loving relatives take them in. Luckily, the trainer saw their untapped potential and took them in. They began their training as Leon and Sophie were naturals, with the trainer believing they could perform the perfect Angel’s Act. Unfortunately for the young Leon, this involved some heavy duty training like juggling lead balls with easy. The trainer though that a strong partner who could lift the other was what was mostly needed for the Angel’s Act. All seems to go downhill as Leon could never totally match up with Sophie, until one day Leon & Sophie perform the beginnings of the Angel’s Act. The trainer then realized not only did one partner need to be strong but the other must have an ability to feel all the forces in play enabling him/her to be lifted as if light as a feather. The accidential finding led the trainer to re-double their training, making Sophie perform just as Sora had to in order to prove herself to Leon. The new training became too much, and Leon wants to quit only to have Sophie give a very moving speech on how the perfect Angel’s Act will change the hearts and minds of everyone. Still, Leon has had enough and the two do leave the trainer. Interesting scene when they leave as we start to saw the beginnings of Leon’s current personality.

Back in the current time, everyone to some degree was floored over Leon’s past. From the fact that Sophie was better than Leon to the Angel’s Act being the way to become a True Star, the realizations hit home; Sora the most. Sora now definitely has a path to follow, the same as Sophie’s: perfect the Angel’s Act to become the True Kaleido Star. Even May noticed the slight changes in Sora as a new determination has set Sora forth.

The night of the France performance, everything went smoothly. Sora was performing like a mad man, pulling off wilder (and cooler) moves that has May grudgingly moved. Seeing the two perform was simple fun, and how Sora’s power to energize everyone around her has come to bare fruit. May’s performance was simply classic; especiallly as she played the villian of the performance to a T (OMG, all those moves she did while calling out the names… I was laughing my ass off). The finisher came in the form of Rosetta blindfolded doing the trapeze with Sora without a hitch. In the background, well more like the audience, Yuri and the trainer were watching. Some foreshadowing converations between the two and based on the previews, looks like Yuri and Leon are back at Kaleido Stage!

What can I say? I think this episode succeeded even more than the previous one to make me love Kaleido Star more! Excellent how the creators/producers/writers used the trip to France to move three different storylines at the same time: Rosetta’s training in the trapeze, Leon’s past finally revealed, and the continued search for the Angel’s Act and True Star path. Everything flowed so well, I’m surprised so much was told in 25 minutes! Things in Kaleido Star are slowly coming to their climax, as there are only seven more episodes left…. will Sora become the True Kaleido Star via the Angel’s Act? What happened between Leon and Yuri three years ago? Will May ever be able to shine like Sora? What is the future for Kaleido Stage? Is Layla ever going to perform again?

So many questions, so little time. However, knowing how Kaleido Star played out so far I have no doubt that all those answers and more will be put to ease. All I have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride that is Kaleido Star!

BTW, watching the past two episodes really REALLY made me want to start picking up the DVDs. Argh. Maybe… one day. ^_~

THANK YOU FREEDOM-RISE for bringing not one, but TWO great episodes of Kaleido Star to me tonight!

The basis premise of this episode follows:
- Sora new found gunho-ness
- May finding out that “something” she’s been missing
- Performances for all cast (including Ken )
- Sora’s steps to becoming the “True Kaleido Star”

I’ll say this straight off: this was an excellent episode that not only had a good balance between comedy and the main plot, but made me love Kaleido Star even more! Anyway, with the Kaleido Stage on haitus while Leon heals Mr. Kenneth ask if some of the crew can perform for the unveiling of a new car line. Great news for Anna and Mia (with some help from Cathy), as both can continue their dreams; so they gather the players needed. We have Sora, May, Sarah, Rosetta, Marion, and Jonathan for Mia’s side of the act while Anna’s comedy team includes herself, two other friends…. and you guessed it, KEN! Much to his charging, he declines wanting to help but with some encouragement from Sora he’s more than willing to

May’s training with Layla and Cathy come to an end as May still hasn’t learned that “something” she’s missing. Layla’s simple advice: follow Sora.

Later on, after the crew has been told of their next upcoming performance Sora goes to visit Layla to invite her to the show and tell her she’s done hiding. A nice little conversation between Layla and Sora as we see what Sora’s new goals and dreams are: Become the “True Kaleido Star” while having a conflict-free stage. Layla is impressed, thinking Sora was originally going to follow Layla’s dream… never thinking it would be possible for something like Sora wants to happen. At the end, Layla tells her to go forth and folllow her path all the while starting to have feelings of wanting to perform again (with Sora, one can assume).

The night before the performance, Fool and Sora are talking about her recent conversation with Layla and of the upcoming performance. A slight hint that Layla will still perform in the future via Fool off-handily mentioning she can still see him. However, the moment gets ruined as Fool (in his usual perverted ways) describes his vision for the show Sora doesn’t help too much as her description gives Fool’s VERY ACTIVE imagination something totally different than what she means. He ends up escaping before Sora can stop him….

The day of the peformance at Kenneth’s Motors. Everyone is pumped, all is set. The general performance goes off without an problem and May eventually learns that “something” she has been missing by watching Sora: the value of smiles. It seems so simple but to the driven May, it’s an breakthrough and now she has something to aim for again. And I can’t forget to mention, some definite highlights during the performance were Anna’s Comedy Team, Sora’s crazy stunts, and the very very cute costumes the girls wore

Episode ends with Sora visiting Leon again, telling him of the recent performance and one can just feel the energy Sora must have given off describing it to Leon. Sora is definitely back and ready for action with a new found passion all those around her can just feel. One thing I forgot to mention before was there was a scene where Leon flashed back to the past and his promise to Sophie to complete the Angel’s Act. Leon thinks Sora might be the one…..

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy Kaleido Star and enjoyed this episode throughly. Seeing Sora perform again on the stage was fun to watch, and her antics were great; especially with May in the background “out of place” compared to Sora. Ken also made the episode as I knew as soon as Anna said she was going to go for her dreams Ken would be inevitably involved. Always great to see straight laced characters get dragged into comedic situations they don’t want part in (Natsuki from Mai-HiME is another excellent example). Fool, as usual, was a great comedy tool with his unique brand of looking at things involving women… and the mouse-trap? Just priceless.

Filler episode. Ken and the crew try to cheer up Sora. Ken and Sora go on a “date” with the help of a Dating Manual. They run into Policeman-san, where they decide to help him out. Eventually leads to a bank robbery, Sora performing, the Robber being re-formed, and Policeman-san & Kate’s feelings being announced. Good episode as usual, even if it’s a filler.

Once one starts watching Kaleido Star, it’s pretty hard to not get addicted to it. Rounding out the last ten episodes of the series, episode forty-three deals with Sora’s new dream of Kaleido Stage among the background of some serious funny random events.

The episode continues exactly where forty-two left off, Leon in the hospital after going after Sora thinking she was Sophie. Sora is visiting Leon, pondering over what just happened and how Leon is a man fighting with himself and his past. The scene then changes to Ken, Marion, Jonathan, Mia, Anna, and Rosetta hiding behind bushes outside the hospital as Sora leaves. Oh, did I forget to mention they’re all dressed up in costumes? The girls try to get Ken to cheer up Sora while also confessing his feelings for her, even going so far as to give him a dating manual that will no doubt help him succeed. All Ken can say is how silly he looks (probably think he IS teaming up with Anna) and he has no hopes with Sora. Leave it to the rest of the girls to forcibly throw him to Sora and wish him luck!

Ken literally hits on Sora (the girls have to work on their aim), and gets enough courage to ask Sora out for lunch. Sora, in typical fashion, doesn’t see what Ken really means and just thinks he’s trying to cheer her up heartedly agrees. So Ken and Sora are off on their “date,” with everyone else following them (in costume too)! Unfortunately for Ken, it seems the Dating Manual is just a tid out of date (Marion mentions it was the same manual her dad used to get her mom). Ken is so out of luck, even going so far as to look at the useless manual in hopes of some actual good advice. Luck is with him as Sora happens to find a nearby Hot Dog stand they could eat at with the great view of the sea in front of them.

While enjoying some good eats, Ken plans for his next line of attack and fails as expected. Poor guy. Just as Ken fails yet again, Sora sees Policeman-san nearby. Sora calls out to him, only to find him in tears and running to the two for help. Apparently, he wants to propose to Kate on his 30th birthday but is afraid of rejection (a funny moment where Ken and Policeman-san bond). Sora, in her usual selfless act, agrees to help him out…. so when is his 30th birthday? TODAY of course! So the three of them (with Anna & and the rest still following them) head into town to try to find Kate. And as luck would have it, they do…. going to meet up with another man. Policeman-san is heartbroken but Sora tells him never to give up and goes to see what the deal is with Kate and the man.

Cut to May, Layla, and Kathy back at Kaleido Stage working on May’s “special training.” Too bad May isn’t doing so well (the fake smile/laughing is classic!). Seems like May still doesn’t understand what Kathy and Layla are trying to show her. Looks like another long day for the three….

Back to Sora and Kate. Policeman-san’s worries were for nothing as the guy Kate met up with was just a old friend who was accompaying her while shopping. Sora’s stomach sudden decides it’s hungry again, so Kate and Sora go out to eat but first need to make a quick stop at the bank. Sora tries to signal to Ken & Policeman-san that everything is okay, but as usual they have no clue what she’s saying and just follow the two along (and yes, the other girls are still following with a growing crowd wondering why they’re dressed up). Just as Sora and Kate enter the bank, the metal gates start to close; something is up and Ken and Policeman-san just make it in before the gates completely close. And guess what? There’s a robbery attempt happening with Kate as the hostage!

In the bank, the robber goes on and on about being the unluckiest man alive and wanting to start over again; that’s why he robbed the bank, to help fund his new life. All Ken, Sora, and Policeman-san can do is listen to the man and hope for the best…. but what’s this? The robber suddenly ask Sora what her dreams are. When he hears Sora’s answer, he goes off on how Kaleido Stage is just a bunch of phony people and how he’s a man with an iron heart not believing anything he can’t see. In what could be called brave, insane, or just play nuts the robber gives Sora a chance to re-deem Kaleido Stage by performing live and if he laughs/smiles it’s all good. Sora accepts the challenge, giving off another amazing performance that even has the police (and crowd) outside the bank watching in awe (through the security cameras). Even the robber eventually cracks a laugh when Sora performs a crazy spin in mid-air, amazed how gutless she is performing without any safety net/etc. Policeman-san sees this and goes off on why and how Sora is persuing her own dreams, and how even he’s trying do accomplish his dream of a proposal to Kate. It is through Policeman-san’s speech and seeing Sora perform that the robber realizes he was just running away from his problems and decides to give up and start over again. I wish all robbers could be like that

The bank robbery attempt gets saved through Sora’s performance and everything ends happy right? What about Policeman-san and Kate? Yep, even them too as Jerry (Policeman-san) proposes to Kate in a not so typical way. It was pretty cute in its own right, and of course Kate accepts. While this happening inside the bank, outside May & everyone else from Kaleido Stage arrive to see the last of Sora’s performance. May is once against mad and still trying to figure out exactly that “something” Sora has that May so needs to perform well with Leo.

Just when one think everything is settled, the episode ends with Fool givnig his fortune about the future. Seems like while Sora’s dream is foolish in itself, it’s because of that same crazy foolish that it may or may not succeed. Only time will tell if Sora can truly get Kaleido Stage to be one of no conflict and all smiles.

Kaleido Star continues to surprise me on how insanly good the series is. I just can’t get enough of seeing everyone chase after their dreams and the conflicts that arises. What is the future of Kaleido Stage? What will happen with May, Sora, Leon, and the rest of the cast? Plus even when it strays away from the main storyline and we have these filler episodes like this one, Kaleido Star is just as entertaining if not more so. It’s great seeing other secondary characters get their own little airtime and Sora’s #1 Fan Policeman-san definitely deserves some screen time. To sum, the episode had a good balance of comedy and seriousness (minus the reform robber bit) while maintaining its excellent art quality and vocal cast;I just can’t wait to see what will happen next!