Jul 02, 2022
"The Perfect Place to Dance is Anywhere" is wrong, because the Perfect Place to Dance will be rent-free in my head.
I've haven't been reading lately due to work, but I'm so glad I picked this up. Your prologue is, in my opinion, the best prologue out of any entry so far. It hit all the right notes for me. It introduced its world, it had drama, it had action, it had everything. What a perfect introduction to this foreign yet mesmerising concept of skydancing. Sure, in hindsight, it was pretty par for the course for a sports series, but for a sport/dance that we had no clue about, it was gripping. Immediately I was hooked.
As I read further, I was thoroughly charmed by the setting and concept. Demihumans doing sports is already a very proven concept (Uma Musume, anyone?), so seeing more of it is a treat. While I'd imagine any other story would jump straight to Mina's first day at Caltriss, fleshing out the buildup towards that was extremely smart.
We got to see the protagonist in her world, before being thrust into the unknown. This really helps us understand the character and sympathise with her, especially during future obstacles. I really wished more school entries would do this, because it's a really simple but powerful tool of storytelling.
What can I say? It really felt breathtaking the whole way. This entry most definitely has appeal in Japan, and coupled with your writing ability, seems like a guaranteed finalist in my eyes.
Just 1 very minor nitpick and 1 suggestion. First, is Skydancing capitalised or not? Because it is in the synopsis, but then it's used with small letters the rest of the story.
Secondly, now this is purely personal preference, but I do feel that the segment where Mina went to see her students at the gym, while great, missed an opportunity for a wholesome, powerful moment. Mina's concern of who's replacing her never got resolved iirc, so I was actually hoping for her students to show off a dance routine to Mina and reassure her. I felt that this would have been very touching and effective, since while it never actually answers the question of her replacement, it does offer a more proper resolution to her journey as a teacher. Also, who wouldn't love to see more skydancing? xD
Regardless, this is certainly a standout entry in the school prompt. With the right animation studio, The Perfect Place to Dance is Anywhere really will go places, just like its protagonist. It is a tough prompt to be in, but I really think your story has what it takes, Clowniac.
