Asatte no Houkou ep.12

December 23, 2006 | 16 Comments

This episode is not as bad as I thought it would be but I do think that it could have been better. There are some good lines included in this episode but the problem is I don't believe that these lines are applicable to the characters. One of the lines, for example, would have been romantic if I believe that the characters are meant to be together. The problem is, I don't think that these characters should be together. Because I don't root for them to be together, the end result feels a bit forced to a degree. I am also not happy that they left some elements unresolved even though it's obvious that there won't be a second season for the series. Oh well, I think the series was pretty good up to episode 8 but then the writers didn't know what else to do with the remainder 4 episodes. Neverhteless, I like the series mostly for the animation style and the pleasant background music courtesy Mitsumune Shinkichi.

The episode begins with Shouko and Hiro talking about Karada inside the train. Shouko believes that Karada is in love with Tetsu. Shouko also credits Tetsu as the one who found Karada. Hiro looks kind of upset upon hearing this so maybe he suffers from siscon after all. :P Shouko, however, thinks that Hiro's concerned face makes him look like an older brother. Hiro tells Shouko that he's just sad because Karada has just taken one step forward to a new direction. Having said that, he won't run away from Karada anymore. Upon hearing this, Shouko tells him that she wants to apologise to Karada about something. Inside the Pensione, Tetsu still remembers how Karada tried to convince him about her true identity. In order to clear his mind, Tetsu decides to ride his bike and ends up meeting Shouko and Hiro who are on their way to the Pensione. When Hiro asks Tetsu about Karada's wherebouts, however, Tetsu tells him that he's still looking for her.

In response Hiro tells Tetsu that if the boy likes his sister, then he asks Tetsu to believe Karada. Tetsu refuses to believe this and points out that Karada is short but if it's 'Satou-san' that they're looking for, they can find her in the Pensione. Hiro is about to head to the Pensione but Shouko asks him to follow Tetsu instead. As it turns out Tetsu is now walking with the owner of the Pension, Isogai-sensei, to his favourite fishing spot. The thing is, Tetsu is actually not happy having to do this and tells Isogai-sensei that he's in a hurry. The teacher, however, asks Tetsu if he's ever heard about "Shiranui". He then goes on how in a district of Kyuushu, there is a phenomenon called "Shiranui" at this time of the year. He claims that when day turns to night, one can see a mysterious light on the sea. Although no one knows how this is happened, the light still continues to shine, illuminate, and lead people to it. The teacher then leaves Tetsu with this thought.

After Isogai-sensei left, Tetsu remembers what Karada said about Tetsu looking all over for her. Hiro then comes over and the two decide to go back to the Pensione together. Meanwhile, Shouko comes to the Pensione but she and Kotomi become surprised when they see each other. When Shouko claims that she's here to see her friend, Kotomi immediately guesses that it's 'Satou-san'. As the two walk together to where Karada is located, Kotomi tells Shouko that 'Satou-san' is interesting because she claimed that she became adult due to a wishing stone. However, there is an adult who was also turned into child so Kotomi wonders if that person is Shouko. Much to her surprise, Shouko confirms this and heads to meet Karada on her own. After Shouko left, Kotomi smiles and produces something out of her pocket. Meanwhile, Shouko finds Karada sitting at a bench overlooking the sea. Karada is surprised to see Shouko and wonders why she's here.

Shouko tells Karada that she figured out her location when Karada told her about the volley ball. Shouko then goes straight to the point and asks Karada if she likes Tetsu. Karada cries upon hearing this but Shouko tells her that liking a person is a wonderful thing even if one ends up getting hurt and pain because of it. When Shouko tries to persuade Karada to go back and see Tetsu, Karada tells Shouko that she knows it's Hiro that Shouko loves. When Shouko confirms this, Karada tells her that it's her fault that Shouko and Hiro were seperated. Shouko, on the other hand, believes that it's because of Karada that she could meet Hiro again. And it's because of Karada, the two of them are together right now. Because of this she asks Karada not to blame herself. The truth is, back then Shouko also....before she can complete her sentence Karada already runs away from her. Shouko quickly goes to find Hiro and Tetsu and thankfully meet the two in the forest.

Upon hearing about Karada, Tetsu races with his bike to find her. Karada herself is now on her way to the train station. Much to her surprise, Tetsu is already waiting for her when she arrives at the station. Tetsu wants to know if Karada is going to run away again. He allows her to go but warns her that he'll continue to search her and will always find her. He then blurts out to Karada that he likes her. This pretty much changes Karada's mind so in the end, she and Tetsu walk hand in hand while Shouko and Hiro walk not too far from them. Shouko then tells Hiro that she hasn't exactly been honest. Ever since she was a child, she never had a friend until she met Hiro. When she moved to Kanouchou, she was still carrying the memory of that time. It was then that Shouko met Karada and made a wish to return to her childhood. She hoped that she can change her life by becoming a child again. Back then, however, she didn't realise this wish.

Upon hearing this, Hiro asks Shouko what she would have done if she could change her life. After all, they met each other because Shouko was Shouko. Shouko grabs Hiro's shirt and tells the guy that he's sneaky as usual, saying something like that. In retaliation, Hiro tells her that she's not exactly honest either and grabs her little hand with his own right hand. The next day, Tetsu and Shouko bid goodbye to Isogai-sensei, his wife, and Kotomi. Tetsu apologises for everything but Isogai-sensei asks him not to worry because Tetsu finally reconciles with Satou-san and is reunited with her classmate (Shouko). XD Kotomi can barely hold her laughter because she knows well that Shouko is not Tetsu's classmate. Once Shouko and Tetsu left, Isogai-sensei gives one of those annoying speech about how one day everyone will go back to their own home. As soon as he finished saying this, Kotomi gets a phone call from her own father.

On their way to the train station, Tetsu looks worried when he sees the place where Hiro and Karada are supposedly talking to each other. Shouko, however, assures him that the two are going to be fine on their own. Meanwhile, Hiro apologises to Karada for not telling her the truth. However, he knows that she must be aware by now that he's not really her brother. He assures her that this didn't bother him at all. If anything, he had fun being her brother. It's because of Karada that Hiro tried to do his best and was happy. Karada cries upon hearing this and asks Hiro if she can be his sister again from now on. In response, Hiro asks her to allow him become her big brother. Karada's voice can then be heard saying that it was probably then that her summer ended. In the aftermath, everyone returns to Kanouchou, and Shouko bids farewell to Kotomi. Before Kotomi left on a train, however, she puts something on Shouko's pocket. As it turns out, it's a piece of a wishing stone. The ending then shows Shouko and Karada returning to their respective body.

Impression:

I guess that was it. It wasn't that bad but I thought it could have been better. I think my problem with it is that I don't believe that Hiro and Shouko are compatible with each other. They would be better off with another people. Oh well, at least Shouko admitted that she hasn't been honest all of these times. She did unconsciously made a wish to become a kid again. I also have a slight problem with Hiro's sudden change of heart but I guess this is the only way the writers can conclude the series. I wish they have been a bit clearer about Hiro and Karada's relationship though. Maybe they left that detail behind so those siscon fiends would have a material to work with. :P It's also unfortunate that Shouko and Karada return to their former body. It would have been more amusing to see Tetsu trying to match Karada in terms of physical maturity. But as it stands now, he must be happy that he gets loli Karada back since that's what he want right from the start.

Overall, Asatte no Houkou has been an uneven series. It started off with a good premise but because the original manga story wasn't completed, the anime writers had no choice but to come up with their own version of the story. I'll always remember the series for its lush background images and calm background music from Mitsumune Shinkichi. I think the series reached its high point in episode 8, where Karada ran away from Kanouchou and her flashback was revealed while Suara's Kasa plays in the background. Maybe the series should have ended right there with an uncertainty note. I feel that after that episode, the rest just flows along without any sense of direction, which is ironic considering the title of the series. I also don't like the new characters that they include in the anime. Kotomi is essentially a deus ex machina impersonified while Isogai-sensei is an annoying old man whose advice rarely helps anyone.

© memento 2003