Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 58

Thread: Birdie Wing: Golf Girls` Story

  1. #1
    Awesome user with default custom title neflight86's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Texas, where else?
    Posts
    2,026

    Birdie Wing: Golf Girls` Story

    268555.jpg

    "Nafres, a country in Europe. Eve, a genius of golf, spends her days gambling on golf to earn a living. One day, she has a fateful encounter with Amawashi Aoi, an elite golfer and daughter of the president of a big company. Two geniuses living in completely different worlds. It was only a single shot that shot through each other's heart. Eve, known for her "Rainbow Bullet", and Aoi is an "innocent tyrant" who enjoys golf purely without any pressure. The two are attracted to each other, influenced by each other, and change each other.

    Source: Crunchyroll News"

    Genre(s): Sports, Shounen

    ___________________

    Delicious. As mentioned in the seasonal impressions thread, this hits all the rights notes for being dead-to-rights trash. All the flippant smack talk, forceful eccentric personalities clashing and underdog/overdog posturing gels with cute character designs as Birdie Wing tries its darndest to make golf sexy to great unintentional comedic effect. It's clumsy, and the motions are familiar to anyone who gets a smile on their face when they hear 'golf mafia'. The feeling of earnestness is on point, as is the spectacle. I think we're in for a treat.

    Leave it to anime to make golf exciting (of course, what's exciting is virtually everything but the golf...).

  2. #2
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    I have really enjoyed this so far. It's even nice that the rivalry isn't a toxic one or anything, it is, "Their play excites me!"

    Sports anime is at its best in heightened reality that you can just turn your brain off and enjoy, but takes itself absolutely serious in-universe.

    Like Keijo.

    edit:
    Apparently...there's a few hints that this series takes place in the same universe as Madlax of all things. Nafrece is one of the main settings there, and both series share the same Series Composition writer.
    If one of the future characters comes from Gazth-Sonika, it would be confirmed.
    Last edited by Ryllharu; Thu, 04-14-2022 at 04:06 PM.

  3. #3
    Burning out, no really... David75's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Paris & Versailles, France
    Age
    48
    Posts
    4,910
    Being a golfer myself I can't really accept everything coming from that show. So it feels a bit boring for now.
    Golf is extremely harsh and hard, mentally, physically, technically.
    For the moment, it feels too low key shonen.

    Did blueballs girl (haha) steal someone's spot again with her shapeshifting quirk ? Because you can be invited to a tournament, but not enter after it started...

    At least the season preview months ago had a slice of life highschool club setting.
    I'll keep watching because it's about golf. But I do not hope for anything great for the moment.

    All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.

  4. #4
    Awesome user with default custom title neflight86's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Texas, where else?
    Posts
    2,026
    If I were an actual golfer, I'd probably weep at its portrayal in this show. The real draw here is the shounen spirit of competition, improvement, and the spectacle of faux-mastery of whatever backdrop those fall upon (in this case, golf). If the subject matter itself is causing a disconnect in its absurdity due to your own personal acquaintance with the sport, I can imagine watching this as pretty painful.

  5. #5
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    But that smooth and precise swing animation for Aoi!

  6. #6
    Burning out, no really... David75's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Paris & Versailles, France
    Age
    48
    Posts
    4,910
    Quote Originally Posted by neflight86 View Post
    If I were an actual golfer, I'd probably weep at its portrayal in this show. The real draw here is the shounen spirit of competition, improvement, and the spectacle of faux-mastery of whatever backdrop those fall upon (in this case, golf). If the subject matter itself is causing a disconnect in its absurdity due to your own personal acquaintance with the sport, I can imagine watching this as pretty painful.
    I would not go as far as painful, but a little annoying.
    Also they throw names and techniques that are specific to the game/sport and give no explanation.
    So they expected their main audience would be golfers ? If so I understand even less.
    The shonen parts I understand, I even like them in most sports anime.



    Quote Originally Posted by Ryllharu View Post
    But that smooth and precise swing animation for Aoi!
    Ermmm... haha

    All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.

  7. #7
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    It's really weird how nobody gives a shit about baseball or soccer anime accuracy (much less any other random sports).

    But they do golf and all the people who play golf lose their shit.

  8. #8
    Burning out, no really... David75's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Paris & Versailles, France
    Age
    48
    Posts
    4,910
    Because Golf is so much more demanding than the shonen spirit.
    Also, as opposed to soccer and baseball, you very rarely win on a single shonen plus ultra move/shot.
    In soccer a single goal pushed by a single player can win a game. The same goes for baseball with a nice homerun.
    To win in golf you need to be the most consistent player, and sure it feels like that birdie/eagle/hole in one is the turn of the tournament, but in reality all of these cool shots mean nothing if you can't perform on all 72 holes or more if you had to qualify to the tournament.
    Last edited by David75; Sun, 04-17-2022 at 01:30 AM.

    All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.

  9. #9
    Yorha Unit- shinta|hikari's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Dystopia
    Age
    37
    Posts
    10,440
    Blog Entries
    1
    And form matters a lot in golf, while athleticism matters the most in those other mentioned sports.

    That's why geezers like David can still play golf professionally, whereas they retire in other sports.
    <img src=https://ibb.co/1dDDk6w border=0 alt= />
    Peace.

  10. #10
    Burning out, no really... David75's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Paris & Versailles, France
    Age
    48
    Posts
    4,910
    Well golf is slowly becoming a sport for athletes, at the top level. The shift began to happen when Tiger entered the game, he was not the only one at the time. It just became obvious. Then video, next technology with launch monitors and more recently force plates has brought a new era of players able to fine tune their technique to greater efficiency.
    Add to that even better physical prep, nutrition, recovery and you start getting golfers with sport injuries coming from overwork and or exceeding their physical/joint limits like in many other sports before.

    As for Aoi's swing, I think I've seen at least once her downsing coming back to her static stance at impact.
    It makes sense for a non golfer and to spare some anime frames. But it totally isn't what happens in a golf swing.

    As for form, Fred Couples, Jim Furyk and Cameron Champ all have very different golf swings. So much so it feels crazy they are all able to be that good at the game of golf. But they all share a same form at impact. The difference is Furyk loses distance, Champ seems to have physical problems linked to his swing, Couples has the less demanding and most fluid swing.

    Myself ? Mediocre for the moment but I have fun in a tidy place and can walk a lot too.

    All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.

  11. #11
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    Episode 3: I'll convince the rest of you this series is good!

    ------------


    There was a nice set-up and payoff with the Helene from the last episode being off her game so badly that she wasn't even under par on the 4th day. Aoi and Eve both mess up other golfers' calm and focus with their carefree and flawless or reckless gambling play styles. Golf is a mental game after all, right?

    The cool mafia lady explained it to Punk Grifter-chan very neatly. Eve is actually kind of bad at golf (she's basically Happy Gilmore) but her aggressive play and exhaustive experience at doing stupid gambles on the courses ruins people playing against her because they try to keep up when she's in their group or facing them one-on-one. She knows what risks she can and cannot take, or will try them anyway and she's accurate enough for trick play where she can take those stupid risks.

    Shutting up Aoi's manager's arrogance was the other obvious highlight. She's confident of Aoi's dominance and that's fine, but when Aoi recognizes another player...maybe you should pay attention to her too.

  12. #12
    Burning out, no really... David75's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Paris & Versailles, France
    Age
    48
    Posts
    4,910
    That episode was better technically and the shonen parts were well placed, like that shortcut Eve played like we know she would.
    By the way there's a similar shortcut in one of the Wii sports golf game, I know I tried to catch the green on a looping par 5 with a thick forrest blocking the access to the green.
    It is fitting that U15 golfers would have less experience in managing tricky shots if they have to play them to catch up to a reckless opponent like Eve.

    Ball roll on the greens feel so unnatural, but this is anime on a tight 3D cgi budget.

    Eve might lack stamina and I'm pretty sure Aoi missed that last putt on purpose to lure Eve into playing her again.
    They would be a tough Solheim cup duo in a matchplay.

    Now let's see what that very high end high class golf academy has to offer when Eve is drafted there :-)

    All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.

  13. #13
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    Episode 04

    -------------


    Illegal mafia betting on golf to avoid bloody fights? Check.
    Return of the French Nafrece Golf Balalaika? Check.
    Golf GEOFRONT? Fuck. Yes.
    Honorable prodigy left hanging, feels betrayed, and cries on the plane ride home that her new bestie didn't keep her promise? Check and check.
    Still obeying the physics of automotive traffic? Check.


    Taking things way beyond any reasonable sense while pretending that it is perfectly normal in-universe is what makes good sport anime for me. This is now Keijo!!! tier.

    Vipere cheats as much as possible, sexually harasses her opponents, and vows to make her a sex slave once she wins...yet still honors the deal when she loses and drives Eve around for the rest of the day. That's sportsmanship, lol. I'm honestly surprised they didn't end the day playing more illegal golf to improve Vipere's game after shooting golf balls at Aoi's plane.

  14. #14
    Awesome user with default custom title neflight86's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Texas, where else?
    Posts
    2,026
    Quote Originally Posted by Ryllharu View Post
    This is now Keijo!!! tier.
    A bold claim, but you're not wrong.

    In the realm of sports associated organized crime, where do you think the golf ranks, fiscally? The production value of the rogue-like golf course was pretty high up there for 'simple' betting.

    Aoi is promoted to 'cute-sheltered', because I know she won't hold a grudge (even though she penned a tear onto her Pakman).

  15. #15
    Awesome user with default custom title neflight86's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Texas, where else?
    Posts
    2,026
    5

    Also bold for them to pin an enitre episode's progression on the 'power' of VR golf to bring the girls together again... and it paid off brilliantly. They have a very straightforward, plutonic dynamic with no beating around the bush. They are coded as a shounen rivalry and I'm still loving it, even if everything else about this show is trying for a yuri vibe to comedic effect.

    I'm especially endeared to the (mis)appropriation of resources in these two girls for reasons yet known. Private eyes investigations, sponsor invitationals, and nebulous 'investments' are good building blocks in this setting of rich people competing in one of the less physically demanding sports. It's funny how golf can pay for a high rise corporate building in anime- that absurdity feeds into the mood.

    No idea if we're getting a straight shot to their next match, or some dawdling, but I probably wont complain either way.

  16. #16
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    Quote Originally Posted by neflight86 View Post
    I'm especially endeared to the (mis)appropriation of resources in these two girls for reasons yet known. Private eyes investigations, sponsor invitationals, and nebulous 'investments' are good building blocks in this setting of rich people competing in one of the less physically demanding sports. It's funny how golf can pay for a high rise corporate building in anime- that absurdity feeds into the mood.
    At least for Aoi's family, I've gathered that her mother and father used their collective fame to essentially create Japan's version of Callaway.

    But there's definitely a conspiracy going on with Eve. Her past has been purposefully erased by someone.

    Based on the preview, I'm really interested that they're bringing Vipere back. I thought for sure she'd be a one-and-done gimmick character. This only proves the healing ability of sportsmanship! Hahaha.

  17. #17
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    Eps 6
    -----------------

    Very seriously, this just keeps getting better and better.

    Does not shy away from hard subjects, nasty behavior, and worse people. Vipere turned out to be a pretty okay person though!

    Everyone is scheming about everything, meanwhile pure-hearted Aoi is just a little bummed out her new friendly rival has fallen out of contact.

    I'm honestly starting to wonder if Eve is like, Aoi's cousin or half-sister or something.

  18. #18
    Awesome user with default custom title neflight86's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Texas, where else?
    Posts
    2,026
    "Done. I'm in" - Lol. Pour one for the booty.

    Aoi, for being the seemingly best actual golfer we've been exposed to as of yet, is the least interesting element in her own little bubble of privilege. I'm sure she has more to impact, but mafia wars is first and foremost right now.

    Didn't expect an RPG attack on the freeway in my golf show, but I'm not complaining, either. They even snuck in a little training montage for good measure. More underground mafia golf, please.

  19. #19
    Procacious Polymath Ryllharu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    American Empire
    Age
    39
    Posts
    9,840
    Eps 7

    -------------------


    What a post-credits finale!!!

    Deliberately keeping any and all spoilers out of this post.

  20. #20
    Awesome user with default custom title neflight86's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Texas, where else?
    Posts
    2,026
    Nothing could have prepared me for that.

    Nice misdirect having two (three if you count purple) twists in the episode. Minute for minute, nothing else is more entertaining for me this season.

    So the lesson is... if you don't win a golf bet, arrange a highway assassination and force them to play again but hiring the winning golfer last time to your side?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •