Without spoiling too much, I will give a brief overview of the show for people who are going to watch it. For those that have watched it this is the place to discuss this piece of anime art.

Shuffle! starts out as a typical high school anime with some drama(not really) moments, and I thought this would be a rather lighthearted comedy.. I was gravely mistaken.
At around episode 10(with a total of 24 episodes), the story takes a dramatic turn, death and suicide become a mainstay for the remainder of the show. If you're an emotional person, this anime is sure to make you shed some tears, I know it did for me.

It's also in a way a bit of a "harem" anime, with a group of girls flocking on a single guy looking for his attention and affection. But that is also where the similarities with a harem anime end. Whereas a "normal" harem anime does not bother with morals and ethics, this anime is heavily based on such principles. Instead of enjoying all the attention he gets, the main character(Rin Tsuchimi) is mentally torn over who he has to choose.

Rin Tsuchimi: He is your average highschool guy, nothing noteworthy. He shares a very dark past with one of the other characters. He lives together with Kaede Fuyou.

Kaede Fuyou: She lives together with Rin Tsuchimi and takes care of him. In fact in her own words taking care of Rin is her only purpose in life.

Nerine: The daughter of the lord of Demons, a rather minor character despite her mainstay presence in the series.

Lisanthius(Sia): The daughter of the king of Gods, has a rather severe case of schizophrenia.

Primula: Also hails from the realm of gods, a normal girl, or is she?

Asa Shigure: A high school senoir and childhood friend of Rin. Many secrets and mysteries involved with her storyline.

There are some other characters, but they are really minor and do not add all that much to the story.

This show is a must see, despite the fact that Shuffle! was originally a H-game, they did a superb job of cutting out all the mature bits and still keeping it interesting to watch.

I had fun watching it too. Characters are cute and original, even if we still have here one of those numerous "harem" anime, as you say (we become used to such stories...). Each girl has something pleasant ( but Shia is the best :p ) and the thread is interesting (how do i have to cope with such a situation if i don't want anybody to suffer? what would u have chosen? become a god or a demon? ...). However i think they should have developped this very point further more... magic isn't as much present as it seems to be in the beginning. And i've found the end a little bit disappointing... If i were Rin, i wouldn't have chosen... (no i won't say it, i guess u understand me) ^^

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Originally posted by Rhea (view)
I had fun watching it too. Characters are cute and original, even if we still have here one of those numerous "harem" anime, as you say (we become used to such stories...). Each girl has something pleasant ( but Shia is the best :p ) and the thread is interesting (how do i have to cope with such a situation if i don't want anybody to suffer? what would u have chosen? become a god or a demon? ...). However i think they should have developped this very point further more... magic isn't as much present as it seems to be in the beginning. And i've found the end a little bit disappointing... If i were Rin, i wouldn't have chosen... (no i won't say it, i guess u understand me) ^^

Hmm here's my theory on why he chose who he chose (wow what a damn fine sentence);

He knew the girl in question almost as long, if not longer than Kaede, and by lengths did they not share the same dark past he shares with Kaede. And since the girl in question was with him longer than any of the others, it kind of makes sense he chose her in the end. Did I spoil too much there, I hope not.

I also quite like the fact that magic wasn't overdone, I had a fun time watching it without the magic as well. The bit with Primula in peril (you probably know which part I mean) was a bit too corny for my tastes.

As for the ending, I didn't like it either. Set aside the fact who he chose, it would've been nice if they'd made an ending which wasn't all happy like every other anime out there. It would have been best if Rin was cut from the story at "that" moment on the hilltop (people who have watched will know what I mean), and then to see the other characters try to pick up their lives again. That would have been a great ending.

I just finished watching Shuffles!.... than I went on and did some research on it :P

It was first originally made as a H-game series for PC.
They made it into a age 15 anime show later on.
After a while, they made the PS2 version, which is the removal of the H-scenes and added in the new paths for extra characters, also the paths has been extended, this turns the PS2 game into for all ages.

There also 2 other games for Shuffle!, one is called
"Really? Really!" - which is about Kaede and how her memories got scrambled and Rin has to go back in time to fix/ organize her memories.
The other one is called
"Tick Tack" - which is about Nerine, you as the controller finds a magic watch and went back in time and gets to decide who will become Nerine's mother, AI or SAGE.

There is also a rumor about being a Second season, but many says it is just a remake of it to add in better graphics... A lot of people are hoping it is the continuation of the first season (episode 1 - 24).
The rumor says that the new season will come out somewhere between January 2007 and March 2007.

I am wonder if the second season will be the continuation also, it would be nice to see who Rin actually chooses to MARRY, instead of the first season on which to choose as a girl friend...

Also, another thought is that won't it be nice if it is a remake that they extend all the character's little stories and the love-line between each girls and Rin.

IE: The girls relationship and what each did every day, not just from Rin's perspective, but from the girl's themselves.


My view on the anime:
It's a realy nice anime, but the emotions and relationship between the girls and Rin goes back and forth a lot, it's a bit confusing if you are not sure what was going on.
I have completely no idea why he chose the girl he has chosen... it just seems a bit confusing as the first 10 or 15 episodes were really nice about Rin and how the girls feels about him.
After the 15 or 16 episode, it just starts to become really weird and I've lost my interest in the anime, but my interest comes back after the episode where it involves Kaede... (not going to say what happens).
After the episode of Kaede, it seems to be going to the climax and I had to watch it until the end to see what happens...
The ending of the anime was very surprising to me... lol

To Vidofnir:
I believe that he has know Kaede way longer than any of the other girls, because of the Kaede's Part and it shows that she was thinking back to when she was small and the reason why she is living and taking care of Rin.

Forgot to add...
Each girl's name and birthday is related to certain flowers.

(Rin couldn't, indeed, have met "You-know-who" before Kaede because she met them both together at college)

I also find Shia's schizophrenia very interesting (discussions with herself, changing look in her eyes, game with shadow and miror...) but i think it could have turned much more original and critical then it did... Actually Shia's story is nearly similar to Nerine's one...

Oh, you're absolutely right, I totally forgot about the part where Kaede joined the cookery club. Further in the anime I got the idea that "X" really knew Rin alot longer, solely based on the way they acted towards one another, a rather hasty assumption on my part.

shame on youu! ^-^

About a possible second season: if it happens to be released, i don't think it's gonna tell us about whom Rin will choose to marry with... don't forget all the things he has done to prove his undestructible love for her... there wouldn't be any change and the interest would then be rather low... But maybe they gonna make a sequel that isn't really one, just like in Maï Hime and Maï Otome: similar and new characters in a different story... after all, they've introduced "X" 's friend's little sister (i can't remember her name... you know, the blond goddess who always says "mamamaaaa!" with sparkles in the eyes...) ^-^

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Originally posted by Rhea (view)
shame on youu! ^-^

About a possible second season: if it happens to be released, i don't think it's gonna tell us about whom Rin will choose to marry with... don't forget all the things he has done to prove his undestructible love for her... there wouldn't be any change and the interest would then be rather low... But maybe they gonna make a sequel that isn't really one, just like in Maï Hime and Maï Otome: similar and new characters in a different story... after all, they've introduced "X" 's friend's little sister (i can't remember her name... you know, the blond goddess who always says "mamamaaaa!" with sparkles in the eyes...) ^-^

Haha yes, she is GRAND. I believe her name is Kareha, in the game you also see her mother, I think. I loved the episode where they took Primula shopping for lingerie, and Kareha was putting the most raunchy outfits on her.

Yes! That's it!! Thank you! ^^

There is no link but... Nerine 's got such a nasal voice. Particularly strnage when she sings... don't you think?
And i wonder on the wole how much eggs she used (not to say "spoiled") to cook her famous omelette... hum... it doesn't really matter ... ^-^

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Originally posted by Rhea (view)
Yes! That's it!! Thank you! ^^

There is no link but... Nerine 's got such a nasal voice. Particularly strnage when she sings... don't you think?
And i wonder on the wole how much eggs she used (not to say "spoiled") to cook her famous omelette... hum... it doesn't really matter ... ^-^

That's true, it is quite nasal, but I still like it. Her character song.. I forgot the name, is especially beautiful. As for the famous 卵焼き (tamagoyaki), I don't think it's physically possible to consume something that intense, she puts at least thirty eggs in it in one particular episode. Good thing it's an anime.

So what's your opinion on Nerine now that we're at it anyway? I think she's a bit too shy and they pronounced that to the point where it interfered with her storyline.. But I think she's a great character nontheless.

When i first saw her i thought she was very beautiful, maybe even more then Shia...^^ But as you said, she's so shy (paradoxically she's got a powerful magic that can destroy an entire town and she doesn't hesitate to use it against the boys chasing Rin)! ^^ In a way that's cute but it prevents her from taking any initiative towards Rin, and even if she says she 's still in love, she's the first one to drop down. Nevertheless, after Primura's passage she seems to become firmer and more nature. That's a nice evolution i think.

That's true, after the whole ordeal with Nerine's "sister" (I won't go into detail), she did become alot stronger. What do you think will become of Kaede? Will she forever love Rin, or will she move on and find someone else? I hope she does, aside from some mental issues she's a really great girl I think. She deserves a great guy for sure.

I do agree with you. That's true she has been horrible when younger but she also has done all that she could do to beg Rin's pardon. She's the one that suffers the most i think, and she deserves someone who's gonna take care of her. In a sense she's in love with Rin because she felt guilty about the past ... he's apparently her first love but if she spends less time seing him, she might be able to love someone else... maybe. By the way, Primura is very touching understanding Kaede's feelings although she's so young and doing her best to make her smile... ^^ kawai!

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Originally posted by Rhea (view)
I do agree with you. That's true she has been horrible when younger but she also has done all that she could do to beg Rin's pardon. She's the one that suffers the most i think, and she deserves someone who's gonna take care of her. In a sense she's in love with Rin because she felt guilty about the past ... he's apparently her first love but if she spends less time seing him, she might be able to love someone else... maybe. By the way, Primura is very touching understanding Kaede's feelings although she's so young and doing her best to make her smile... ^^ kawai!

True. Out of all the characters Primula was the only one who took Kaede's feelings into consideration, and on top of that she's also the most introvert, so that deserves an applause all on it's own. I like how Primula kind of took Rin's place in the end (I couldn't word that in a way without spoiling it a bit). And on your comment of Kaede being in love with Rin because she felt guilty, I think it kind of grew side by side. She started taking care of Rin after the whole incident that's explained further in the anime itself. And I think that while taking care of Rin she started to grow on him by noticing how kind he is (that's in Kaede's words, I don't think Rin is all that kind considering what he put Kaede through after the resolve of the incident, he did handle it very well when he took all the blame, however).

That makes me wonder though, how can Kaede still love him even after all he's put her through (the whole Asa storyline-arc etc). Is it the sole fact that she just wants to take care of him? I'm rather puzzled by that fact... Primula also says something to the effect of "Is that really true? Do you just want to take care of him?", and Kaede replies with something like "No, I also want to be with Rin-kun". It kinda makes it hard to figure out, at least from my point of view, what her motivation is for loving Rin.

Moving on, what do you think of Rin and the way he used/abused Kaede's kindness during the Asa-storyline arc?

PS: I just took a gander at your profile, and lo-and-behold, I see you also hail from Belgium? What a coincidence indeed. For the sake of the board I will continue speaking English, but it is amusing to know that there is another Dutch speaker around.

Kaede has been horrible when she was young, but there was a good reason for it.
Kaede stopped being horrible when she found out the truth.
In the whole anime, Kaede is the one that has the most tortured feelings toward Rin.

Rin is the main character in the anime, everything revolves around him (I found a pic Webchart and Rin at the mid).

Kaede loves Rin, but never actually said it, and when there are "love rivals" Kaede starts to feel left out and uncared for.

Nerine or Rin-chan is the most quiet one in the anime, she didn't talk much until Rin actually starts the conversation.

Lisianthus, Sia-chan, or Shia is the most cheerful of them all, she has developed the most feelings with Rin during the beginning of the anime.

Primula is the child that used to never smile, until Rin made her smile.

Asa is the girl that's higher grade and older than Rin, Asa is very energetic and constantly likes to hit Rin on the back...

Lycoris is the reason that Nerine likes Rin in the first place, you'll find out in the anime why.

Kikyou is like Lycoris but to Sia.

Kareha is Asa's firiend, she's a god and you can often see her saying "MaaMaaMaa or My My My" whenever she sees something romantic or cute.

Mayumi is the heterochromia-eyed girl, which means her eyes have different colors. She is also a Demi-Human.

Itsuki is suppose to be Rin's "bad" friend and classmate.

Nadeshiko is Rin's homeroom teacher.

Eustoma is Sia's father, also the king/ lord of Gods.

Forbesii is Nerine's father, also the king/ lord of Demons.

Ama is Asa's mother, she has a secret that you'll find out in the anime.


In the anime, I feel the most about Kaede and how she's been excluded in many activities.

I wants to play the game, but I have no idea where to download them from...
Shuffle! - H-game
Shuffle! On the Stage - PS 2 version, all age, increased path line
Shuffle! Ready? Ready! - Kaede
Shuffle! Tick Tack - Nerine

I've heard that Tick Tack is the best game in there, I don't really want to play the H-game, since many says that it is boring and the PS 2 version is actually way better.
Ready? Ready! is so-so.


To Vidofnir:
Kaede still wants to be with Rin because of many reasons.
One of them is that she has been living with Rin under the same house for many many years.


Edit:
I just finished the DL on Shuffle OST - On the Stage character vocal and the Sound Track, they sound very wonderful.
(I had to DL it from Torrents... very slow DL, but it's worth it...)

Here's a website of what each character likes to call the others by:
http://tsukiyo.mpage.jp/shuffle_character_name_calling.htm