Review: Ginban Kaleidoscope
26 Dec 2007 58 Comments
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A review of the Ginban Kaleidoscope light novel series.
Japanese title: 銀盤カレイドスコープ (1)ショート・プログラム：Road to dream
English title: Ginban Kaleidoscope (1) Short Program: Road to dream
Author: Kaibara Rei
Illustrator: Suzuhira Hiro
Available volumes: 9 volumes (finished)
Publisher: Shogakukan
Label: Super Dash Bunko
An accident has occured to Sakurano Tazusa, a 16-year-old figure skater, before the all-Japan championship; Pete Pumps, a 16-year-old Canadian boy who lived in Tokyo, now inhabits part of Tazusa's mind as a separate personality. He died but needed to stay 100 days before going to heaven. At first Tazusa was confused and upset, but gradually they became close. Tazusa challenged the all-Japan championship with a new program from Pete's suggestion. Can Tazusa win the championship and qualify for the Olympics?
There are some differences between the novel and the anime version. In the original story, Pete is an amateur figure skater, but in the anime version, he is described as a stunt pilot. Additionally, the anime version is equivalent to volume 1 & 2 of the original work, so it's regrettable that volume 3~9 (most part of the series) are not animated. Ginban Kaleidoscope is filled with a detailed description of skating and the minds of the athletes, which is the strongest points of merit as a light novel. Although not animated, the best volumes of the series are #8 and #9 because of these points.
Super Dash Bunko is Shueisha's label, which is famous at Weekly Shounen Jump and Cobalt Bunko. Therefore, there are some works from this label that are caricatured by Ultra Jump. As for the works from this label that got animated: "Happy Seven", "Ginban Kaleidoscope" and "R.O.D". "Kure-nai" is also going to get animated in 2008. Although not animated, "Yokuwakaru Gendai Mahou" and "Hatsukoi Magical Blitz" are also major works of this label.
Reviewed by: wakataka423
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Comments
Jul 17 2009 @ 09:49:21
Hey there. I read your wonderful review, and I have a question. Can you spoil me what happens in volumes 3-9 of the series? Is it true that Pete wasn't "really" dead, and that he was just in a coma? I really want to know what happens in volume 3-9 between Tazusa and Pete! Please, just a few sentences will be alright. Like "Tazusa wins the olympics when she's 20. Pete wakes up from coma and goes see Shizuna." And stuff like that, especially what happens betwen Pete and Shizuna! Do they end up together at the end of the light novel? (I dont mind if you spoil the ending since I'll probably never get a chance to read it... since no one is scanlating it to English..) Please answer me these questions and you'll have my gratitude forever!
-Thank you.
Jun 10 2010 @ 02:06:27
I agree with Ethan, GK is an awesome anime, and your review rocks! It gave me a bunch of ideas on what happened in the light novels. I have read (and Google Translated) some Japanese websites about GK light novels and I found out that the guy Tazusa is hugging in the Vol. 3 cover is named Oscar Black Pearl. Based from what I've read, he was Tazusa's skating partner in a competition against Dominique Miller and her partner, but didn't went well as planned (probably because Tazusa still thinks of Pete). But what I am really curious about is the ending. Baka-tsuki's translation only covers Vol. 1 as of now. =_=
Also, I wish they could release that GK mobile game outside of Japan. =)
Jun 20 2010 @ 09:43:56
Sadly, I've only watched the anime... and I must say, I was saddened by the ending... It feels incomplete... I thought that it should have gone longer... And is it really true that Pete is only in a coma in the novels? If so, what happened to Tazusa and Pete? Did they got together in the end? That's what I want to know... I can't seem to find the novels since it's not translated...