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Super Cub / スーパーカブ revisited

So far I haven't often come back to anime which I've already reviewed before, but for Super Cub I'll make an exception. I do so for a very specific reason - more of a memory really, that proves how memorable this show is, at least to me.

While I've never in my life ridden a motorbike, not even a scooter. However, I use my bike a fair bit to get to work and around town. Now that the weather is turning cold and unfriendly, the roads are getting slippery with all the fallen leaves starting to decompose and driven to mud by all the passing cars. Having to get down steep hills on two wheels under these conditions makes me decidedly giddy. At one moment a very specific scene of Super Cup came back to mind.

It is the first true day of winter. Snow has fallen, turning all streets into a slippery nightmare. Nonetheless, Koguma responds to a call from Reika to go out explore the winter scenery. At 8:22 Koguma stands on top of an icy road in episode 10 (not episode 11 as I mistakenly had written in my previous review). The fear of descending this iced road is written into her face. Her feet seek support against falling while she battles her fear while getting down the hill.

Later on Kaguma does in fact fall into the snow, but also learns that falling is just the first step to getting back up.

This episode equally heralds the moment where Koguma finally steps out of her shadow in episode 11 and is ready to take on responsibility for others. When Shii Eniwa has an accident, it is to Koguma that she turns for help, and it is Koguma who steps up to the challenge.

And it is again to Koguma to whom she turns for help against her winter depression. It is this call that inspires Reiko and Koguma to search the spring together with Shii. This way Kogume and Shii finally rescue each other and step into the spring of their lives.

If a piece of art gives pleasure when seeing it for the first time, that's a good sign. However, if it keeps giving pleasure even when re-experiencing it months later, it moves into another category. For me Super Cub has passed this test.

2021-07-04: Super Cub / スーパーカブ (full review)

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