Wednesday’s What About: End Cards

This week I wanted to talk about end cards. You know, the images that sometimes appear at the end of an episode. 

When I use the term, “end card,” I’m referring to the illustrations that are shown on the screen right before the episode ends. Guest artwork of characters from the show make up the bulk of end cards (and some are drawn by talented professionals).

Unlike eyecatches, which are quite commonplace, only some series actually have end cards. I for one wish that wasn’t the case since I really like seeing them! Being able to see the same characters drawn in different styles is refreshing!

I’m currently following two series which feature end cards every week. Idol Jihen tends to feature artwork of idols in beachwear while the seiyuu try to promote the DVD release and encourage viewers to purchase their songs. Their, uh, intent isn’t exactly subtle, wahaha…

Meanwhile, Minami Kamakura Koukou Joshi Jitensha-bu features artwork that probably doesn’t have ulterior motives (or at least are less obvious). I find myself wishing the characters looked like this in the actual show, to be honest. The artwork is gorgeous!

That’s all I’ve really got. I mean, I could keep sharing end cards from older shows, but I think I made my point already!

What do you think about end cards? I would love to hear your thoughts on end cards in the comments section!