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ローゼンメイデン 
November 18, 2008 | 
32 Comments
First thing first, I should apologize to the readers who still visit the site. I forgot that not everyone subscribe to RSS feeds and therefore they do go here and refresh the site, hoping for an update. Having said that, it's not my plan to abandon writing even though it's hard to find the motivation to do so lately. I will, however, try to churn out something once every three days. I am not planning on giving up on the blog - not when it's close to its 5 years anniversary. I have to admit, however, that I'm not ready to dive into episodic review just yet but I can do a one-off review kind of thing. Right now I am in the middle of reading the English version of Honey and Clover and much to my delight, the story is as good as I remember it. Although the manga lacks the extra jazz that the anime provides (movement, background songs, voice acting), the core of the story and its heart are fully intact. I wish I can say the same thing about any of the live action versions of the story but I've said all I wanted to say about them. Anyway, this series is still as relevant as ever and I can now relate to almost every main character in the series except probably Shuuji and Morita.
February 3, 2007 | 27 Comments
During the original airing of Honey and Clover II, Kamiya Hiroshi, the original voice actor for Takemoto had a horrible accident which caused him to be hospitalised. Thankfully he survived the accident and the subsequent coma. However, his hospitalisation meant that Takemoto had to be voiced by someone else in the last episode of the series. The replacement ended up being a very capable Nojima Kenji. However, despite Nojima Kenji's good acting, I can't help but feeling that it's not Takemoto who's talking during episode 12. This is particularly bothersome during the monologue because Nojima Kenji used a mature, deep voice while Kamiya Hiroshi's version of Takemoto has lighter, youthful voice. There was a rumour (or wishful thinking) to some fans that Kamiya Hiroshi will redub Takemoto's voice for the DVD. Well, that is no longer a rumour or wishful thinking because volume 4 of Honey and Clover II features Kamiya Hiroshi as Takemoto.
September 15, 2006 | 80 Comments
Prior to watching this episode, I suddenly realised that the writers will probably have to cut down a few things in order to fit the remaining two chapters into one episode. Not surprisingly, this turns out to be true. If you want to see the difference, you can check the last chapter of the manga. I suspect a few people will lament this fact but apart from this, I think this is a perfect end for the series. Nojima Kenji did a good job as Takemoto's new seiyuu although his raspy voice was kind of hard to get used to. The final insert song for the series is 「田舎の生活」- Inaka no Seikatsu by Spitz. It comes from their album, Aurora ni Narenakatta Hito no tame ni. Anyway, I went a bit overboard with the screencaps this time around but it's the last episode of the series so it's fully justified. :)
September 8, 2006 | 46 Comments
The end is coming. By the end of this episode, I'm pretty sure that if the writers want to , they can cram the remaining stories into the last episode. I do hope that nothing gets cut though, especially Takemoto's scene towards the end of the series. I think that scene and Takemoto's monologue encapsulates everything about the series in a perfect manner. Speaking of Takemoto, the VA who gets to replace Kamiya Hiroshi is Nojima Kenji. Here's hoping he'll do a good job voicing Takemoto's monologue. In other note, the insert song of the week is 「二人の影」- Futari no Kage (8.7MB, 320kbps) by Suga Shikao. It comes from his album, Sweet. I really like the infusion of Jazz contained within the song. Speaking of Suga Shikao, I just received my copy of Parade, the album that was released to commemorate Suga Shikao's 10th anniversary in the music industry. I'll scan the cover and a few other goodies once I have the chance to do so.
September 1, 2006 | 33 Comments
This week's episode feels a lot more lighter than the ones that preceed it. It's especially nice to see the return of Yamada's unedible food. It's unfortunate that the series will end in 2 more episodes but I think it's better for the series to end now while it's still at the top of its game. As a side note, this week's insert song is Spitz' 「涙」- Namida (3.8MB, 128kbps). It comes from their mini album 「オーロラになれなかった人のために」- Aurora ni narenakatta hito no tame ni. This is probably one of the few insert songs from the series that I don't like. The music is nice but the singing part is kind of flat. Come to think of it, I generally prefer Spitz's more upbeat song like Hachimitsu and Spica.
I'm sorry for the late entry but I had difficulty looking for a raw copy of this episode. When I went to look for the episode, the provider that I normally use to find this series did not have a copy. Because of this I decided to go with the only provider who had it. But getting raw from this provider is almost impossible since there's always disconnection every few minutes. Thankfully my normal provider eventually comes up with a copy albeit a lot later than ususal. Anyway, moving on to the actual episode, the insert song of the week is 「風なぎ」- Kazenagi by Suga Shikao. It comes from his 8th album, Time. By the end of this episode, I get the impression that the writers can easily wrap this series up in 3 more episodes. Because of this, I think the rumour that this series will end in episode 12 is probably true after all. Anyway, I'll be back later on with summary but I need to get some sleep first.
Suneohair - Split | Mirror (30.9MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Suneohair - Split (3.6MB, MP3)
Suneohair's Split is the ending theme for Honey and Clover II. The song is a really good representation of the 2nd season storyline and has a bittersweet note to it just like the series. The PV itself looks unique, to say the least. It features Suneohair performing the song while a ripped black screen covers a quarter of the scene. The result is similar to the album cover for the single, which also shows the lead singer behind a ripped grey screen. And don't worry about the timer, it is meant to be there. If you see it closer, you'll notice that in some instances, the timer is behind the black screen. I also like the way the singer jumps around energetically from one area to another. It makes me feel like I'm watching a live concert. As a sidenote, the MP3 above are just a rip from the PV, so unfortunately it's not that high in quality.
I supposed the question that most people have in mind is what actually happened to Hagu. This episode begins with a flashback to the event that caused it. During the scene, an insert song called 「リンゴジュース」- Ringo Juice (Apple Juice) by Suga Shikao is played on the background. I feel that the insert song is unappropriately upbeat for a shocking scene. The start of this arc also means that the end of the series is nigh. I'm starting to wonder now if the series will actually end in episode 12 or 13. I think 13 episodes is a bit too much considering the amount of stories the writers have covered thus far. On a related news, I stumbled upon another promotional trailer for the live action movie. If you remember, in the review I talked about Mayama and his ziplock bags. Well, I actually spotted said scene on the trailer so I screencaped it for your viewing pleasure. The trailer mentioned is also listed below.
Mayama and his ziplock bags
Honey and Clover movie trailer
Hashihime and many other people already mentioned it on animesuki forum. But in case you didn't know, Kamiya Hiroshi, the VA who voices Takemoto is now hospitalised due to a car accident that happened back around the 7th this month. I am shocked and upset to hear this and hopes that the actor will pull through. I am not sure what is going to happen to Honey and Clover anime now but if production has not wrapped up yet, I hope they will wait until the actor recovers. I realise that this is not a realistic expectation but I personally don't think other actor can voice Takemoto that well. But right now there's nothing else that we can do but wish the best for the actor. This week's episode seems to mirror this sad news with Kaoru's sad background story and a shocking conclusion at the end of the episode. As a side note, the insert song this week is 「夏陰」- Natsukage (11.4MB, 320kbps MP3) by Suga Shikao. It's from his single, Kiseki/Natsukage/Sanagi.
Well, I finally am back from my trip to Japan. I am going to try to catch up with other posts as soon as possible but I decide to post this first since I already typed it during the plane trip back home. Overall, I am very satisfied with the ending of the series. It may not feel conclusive to some but by reading this, I get the impression that Umino Chika didn't want the ending of this series to be conclusive. In addition to this, a spin-off is coming soon this autumn so maybe some of the characters from this series will make it to the spin-off. Anyway, sorry for not scanning all of the pages but I'm still a bit tired and don't feel like scanning every single one of them. And since this is the last chapter, obviously this will spoil your entire experience of the second season anime.
I think of all the second season episodes, I like this one the best mostly because it focuses on three characters that I like: Takemoto, Morita, and Kaoru. I especially feel a lot of sympathy for Kaoru here. The insert song of the week is Happy Birthday by Suga Shikao and was used during the Morita Brothers' story. On a related note, most of you probably already know that the manga series which serves as a base for this anime has recently ended its serialisation. I have written my impression about the ending for those of you who want to check it out. The series ended in a bittersweet note and in my opinion, it's one of the best manga ending I've read. A spin-off of the manga is coming this autumn so maybe you'll get to see some of your favourite characters from this series making a guest appearance in the spin-off. Anyway, the large-size screencaps are now available and I'm writing the summary right now.
Arashi - Aozora Pedal (39.7MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
This is a nice song that serves as the ending theme for Honey and Clover movie. The song was composed and written by Suga Shikao so while hearing the song I can't help but wonder how it'll sound had Suga Shikao sing the song himself. Having said that, the song does sound like it has been written to fit Arashi's image as a pop group and therefore it sounds less melancholic than other Suga Shikao's composition. The PV itself is a typical romantic story PV featuring Sakurai Sho in the lead role. Unfortunately the PV doesn't show anything related to Honey and Clover so it's rather disappointing for those are expecting tie-ins to the film. Although I suppose the story in the PV does resemble the Mayama/Yamada story.
This episode basically marks the end of volume 8 of the manga and next week's episode is the beginning of volume 9. At this rate, the anime will complete the entire volume 9 by the time it reaches episode 9. I am glad that the producers decided to limit the episode count to only 12 this season because now they don't have to come up with filler materials. Story-wise, this episode marks the return of Takemoto and Morita's storylines. Now that Yamada's roller coaster ride is about to wind down, the focus will once again return to both Takemoto and Morita. As a side note, this week's insert song is 「ジュテーム」- (Je t’aime) by Spitz. The song comes from an album titled 「ハヤブサ」 (Hayabusa). And in case you're interested, included below are pictures of Honey and Clover books that I bought and the freebies that came with them.
No Movie No Girl Film Book, Manga volume 9, animation guide book
Clear plastic file and Midori-chan pin
Maybe I was just expecting too much from the film but I didn't enjoy the live action version of Honey and Clover. First of all though, judging from the audience's interest in the movie, this is clearly a very popular series in Japan. I didn't expect many people to actually come and see the film since apart from Sakurai Sho, the rest of the actors are relative unknowns. However, when my friends and I arrived at the cinema 1 hour prior to the screening, there was already a long queue in front of the theatre. I assume the popularity is due to the manga and anime version of the story. This is why I don't understand why the film writers decided to alter some of the more interesting stories and the characters' background. Unfortunately I can't remember the exact sequence of the story anymore since I watched another film after this. What I wrote below are more or less what I remember from the movie but it may not be the actual sequence.
Ticket, Program Guide, Mini Poster
I think this episode is a lot more heart-wrenching than Yamada's story last week. But then again Shuuji/Rika/Harada's story hit closer to home in my case. This is also the reason as to why I like the entire Takemoto/Hagu/Morita story. In addition to this, the animation and character design in this episode is awesome to say the least. Those DVD sales must have made some good money for the producers because the detail in this episode is simply stunning. Props must also go to Sugita Tomokazu who takes the role of Mayama in this series. Although occasionally his voice sounds slightly similar to Kyon from Suzumiya Haruhi, in most cases Mayama's voice is more mature and older and lack Kyon's sarcastic edge. The insert song this week is 「ほのほ」- Honoho by Spitz. The song comes from their Souvenir album. Anyway, high-res images are now available and if you're interested, check out the picture of a Honey and Clover train below. I thought it fits the entire train theme that this episode presents.
Honey and Clover train in Tokyo
Honey and Clover train (another angle)
Just when I was afraid that Yamada/Mayama story won't be moving anytime soon, something progressive happens to the story. I think this is the best thing that could happen to Yamada since now she won't have a choice but to let go of Mayama. The insert music of the week is Koko ni iru koto by Suga Shikao. This song comes from his Sugarless CD. There is also a rather good piano version of Fugainaiya included in the episode. I really hope that once this season is over, the official 2nd season CD will include this all piano version of the OP and ED theme. As a side note, the high-res images are now available. I also included some pictures of Hachikuro related items. The upcoming live action film has been covered by many magazines here. I am sorry for the bad photos but I don't have a scanner here in Japan.
Packaged Foods
Entertainment Magazine - Front cover
Gyao Magazine - Front cover
Gyao Magazine - Group shot
Gyao Magazine - Girls side
Gyao Magazine - Guys side
Yuki - Fugainaiya (25.1MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
I can just imagine the ad that Yuki placed to obtain the extras in this PV: Wanted - Gaijins who are willing to dress up as maid, lamp, table, and portrait while screaming 'fugainaiya-iya'. That said, the PV is actually kind of amusing and a lot better than the one that was used for Dramatic. I personally prefer to see weird PVs like this one instead of the ones that bore me to tears. It's clear that lots of money were poured into the PV. The costume itself probably eats a quarter of the budget and then there is the actual maze which looks awesome. Also, make sure you don't miss the part where Yuki goes batshit insane and starts beating that stuffed cat. It's a sight to behold!! XD Overall, this is a fun PV that does represent Honey and Clover series really well. The full lyric is now available for those who want it.
The only people who are interested in this light infomercial are probably just Honey and Clover fans. This is basically Chou-VIP (Super VIP) program featuring Kudou Haruka promoting Hachikuro Cafe. I wrote about the place in Kongetsu the last time I went to Japan. I haven't had the chance to revisit the place at the moment but I may do that just to see if there is any interesting merchandise being sold at the moment. Plus, that melon pan and mango juice look delicious. I wish I was around when the cafe still had the full menu though. I want to taste that blue cheese pizza with honey but never had the chance to do so. When I first visited the cafe, the menu consists mostly of drinks.
Anyway, Kudou Haruka looks cute especially when she says "Oishii" after she bit the melonpan. Having said that, I can't help but wonder if the bread is as delicious as she claims it is. Japanese TV personalities tend to claim that everything is delicious when they are on TV. It's really funny when you watch this food adventure program because no matter what kind of food they eat, they always say it's delicious. In addition to this, they always have different facial expression everytime they say the word. Anyway, the sudden appearances of this infomercial as well as other Honey and Clover related promo means that the film will come to the cinema soon. I am actually excited to see it after I saw the full trailer.
SPITZ - Mahou no Kotoba (15MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
This is basically the main theme for the upcoming live action version of Honey and Clover. The song is performed by Spitz and is newly written specifically for the movie itself. I personally am a bit underwhelmed by both the song and the PV itself. I think the ending song that is written by Suga Shikao and performed by Arashi, Aozora Pedal is a bit more interesting. But then again I've always gravitated more towards Suga Shikao's songs than Spitz. The only exception to this is Spica, which I thought was perfect as the song to accompany Takemoto's journey back in episode 24 of Honey and Clover. The PV itself is nothing special. You simply see a door in the middle of the street and inside the door, Spitz members can be seen living their daily life and performing/practising the song.
This episode is terrific and pretty much made up for last week's recap episode. First thing first, the animation is unbelievably good. At times, Yamada actually looks a lot like the actress who will play her in the live action adaptation of the series. I'm also glad to know that even now the series is still capable of presenting stories which is both funny and touching. I am also starting to like Split now especially since in this episode the song plays just as the camera zooms in on Yamada's face. Speaking of soundtrack, this week's insert song is SPITZ' Pool. The biggest question here though, how do you normally get rid of hiccup? In my experience, all you have to do is to hold your breath and count to 10 slowly. As a side note, the large images are now available to view.
Hachikuro CM - Aozora Pedal (1.4MB, Quicktime format)
This is the song that was written by Suga Shikao and performed by Arashi.
Opening Theme: 「ふがいないや」- Fugainaiya by Yuki (11.6MB for PSP/Quicktime)
After watching it the second time through, this episode does not feel as bad for some reason. I still don't like that the writers used the majority of the first episode to recap the first season. However, I'm happy to see that they went through the trouble of giving us new animation at the start and the end of the episode. And while I'm still not impressed with the opening song, the ending theme is actually quite good upon repeats. I am also glad to see the trailer for the live action movie included with the episode. Anyway, the insert song of the week is by Spitz and titled 「仲良し」- Nakayashi (close friend). As a side note, the official site reports that the official animation guide for the series are on sale now for 740 Yen.
*Please do not direct link to the pictures or reproduced them elsewhere. If you want to link, link to this article instead.
The official pictures for the live action adaptation of Honey and Clover finally emerged in Japanese fashion magazine, Non-No. Now that the official pictures are out, people will undoubtedly going to start judging whether or not the actors live up to the way they see the characters. Personally, I think the actor who plays Takemoto, Sakurai Shou, doesn't look that similar to Takemoto. But that's probably because Takemoto is my favourite character and therefore I tend to be more critical of the actor who's going to play him. On the other hand, I think both Hagumi and Harada look very similar to their character. I also feel the same way about the actors who play Morita and Mayama but I've been told that many people disagree with this assessment. Last but not least, Shuuji looks a bit older in my opinion but I suppose the actor will do fine.
This is one of those times where I wonder about my obsession with certain series. I always knew that I like Hachikuro a lot but I realised that I've become obsessed with it when I decided to buy the movie ticket for a film that will be screened in Japan. This means I will have to travel all the way back to Japan again just to see the film. My rational mind told me that this is insane because the film will probably turn out to be bad. But that didn't stop me from asking my friend to buy it for me. I supposed it helps that you get this nifty little Hachikuro coins when you buy the ticket. But I also thought it'll be nice to go back to Japan again. Well, now that the ticket has arrived, I supposed there's no turning back. The tickets look so good and it came in this transparent paper bag. The coins are even better than the wooden one that Hagu got from Morita. There are two coin types. The first one is a gold-coloured with bee motif while the other is silver-coloured 4-leaves clover motif.
In movie-related news, the official site for the movie reported that Spitz will sing the film's main theme song while Suga Shikao and Arashi will provide the ending theme for the film. For the main theme, Spitz will create an all new song titled「魔法のコトバ」- Mahou no Kotoba. On the other hand, Suga Shikao will compose and write a lyric for the ending theme,「アオゾラペダル」- Aozora Pedal, which will then be performed by Arashi. This is the first time Spitz actually writes a theme song for a film. This is also the first time that Suga Shikao offers to write a new musical piece for a movie. Hmm, I thought he wrote the music for xxxHOLiC movie but maybe I'm wrong. The site states that the artist's collaboration work should be on sale this summer. Last but not least, the last volume of Hachikuro DVD will be on sale this April the 28th and will contain episode 22, 23, and 24 of the original TV broadcast. Anyway, here are scans of the movie ticket bag/coins:
Ticket bag, Front
Ticket bag, Back
The coins
February 26, 2006 | 31 Comments
Dekita! Sorry it took longer but I had to attend a family get-together weekend, so I didn't have much time to do any kind of writing. Anyway, this episode does not disappoint and will definitely join the rank of other excellent Hachikuro episodes. The animation is actually not as good as the one from Chapter.L but beggar can't be chooser. The important thing is that the storyline and the humour are still spot on. While I wish the series can go on and on, I think it's probably a good idea if the series end on a high note. Of course I won't refuse to watch a second season if there is any but this episode seems to be a good point to end the series. For now I am just looking forward to see the live action movie and can't wait until it is released 4 months from now.
December 26, 2005 | 44 Comments
Well, here is the first of the two special episodes included in the DVD. This episode ended up being included in Disc Vol.5 while the other will actually be included in Disc Vol.7. This episode itself is hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing from start to finish when I was watching this. Having said that, I understand now why the animators decided to exclude this episode from the original broadcast. The storyline is mostly comedic and has little to no relevance to the on-going plot. But if you're a fan of the series, this is a must see. The plot itself is about Lohmeyer/Romaiya sempai, a masculine but kind guy who lives in the same apartment building as Takemoto, Morita, and Mayama. As you can see from the pictures, everyone can't help but falling in love with him because he always brings a lot of meat. ^_^
October 11, 2005 | 16 Comments
I always suspected that I have problem of letting go. But this definitely confirms it. It's been a week since the series ended and yet I still can't get over it. I keep thinking that maybe there will be another episode this week. But there is no more episode so maybe I need to go to HCA (Honey and Clover Anonymous) or something like that because I don't think this is healthy. I even start to frown now whenever an animation style for a new series looks even slightly mediocre. I keep thinking how good-looking the last episode of Honey and Clover was when it comes to style. Anyway, this is meant to be some kind of a closure, at least for now. I wish I can do more than this but my schedule is kind of tight at the moment. So here's the kanji and romaji version of the opening theme to complement the ending theme.
Unfortunately, this really is the final episode for the series. I realise that some people may not be happy with the episode's lack of resolution. But I personally think that the ending is perfect considering the fact that the manga is still on-going at the moment. At least the episode shows that the characters are heading towards a different direction from the ones that they were heading to at the start of the series. It gives me the impression that in time, they will be able to solve their current problems/entanglement. I'm also glad that the anime has followed the manga quite closely and does not create an out of nowhere ending like Fruits Basket. I just wish that Umino Chika and the anime production team will consider creating a second season once the manga is completed.
September 28, 2005 | 17 Comments
Even though I have a vague idea on how this series is going to end, I can't help but hoping that the series won't end this week. But if I think about it, there's not much that the animators can cover at this point in time without going beyond at least 5+ episodes. Besides, if the series end now, at least the story will be on the same point as the end of volume 7 manga, giving the series a nice 'life goes on' feel to it. And maybe if the DVD continues to sell well and the movie is a success, a second season may not be an impossibility. Come to think of it, by the time the last DVD volume is released, which is at the end of April, the live action movie will be close to its completion. It makes me wonder if the movie will have a stand alone plot, or if it will continue where the anime left off.
September 21, 2005 | 14 Comments
I realised that it's been a while since I wrote anything but work has been busy lately and I always end up feeling tired afterwards. So please be patient if I'm late with the recaps. Anyway, this is a rather good episode that differs slightly from the manga. The manga actually includes a comedic subplot where Morita is kidnapped and being forced to work for Peter Lucas again. But since last week's episode didn't include that particular plot, this week's episode substitutes the story with a more serious look at Hagu's career choice. I actually has no preference one-way or the other although I'd imagine that this episode will be less somber had it included Morita's subplot. In general, however, the story stays focused on Takemoto's journey as he travels around Japan. The subplot involving an encounter between Yamada and Rika also remains intact here.
September 12, 2005 | 10 Comments
This is actually one of those episodes where you are better off not knowing the story in advance. On the other hand, you'll probably get additional perspective if you re-watch episode 1 or at least the last sequence from that episode prior to watching this. Anyway, I'm glad that this episode features a top-notch animation. I think I would have been disappointed if the beginning of a major arc like this one is marred by lousy animation or character design. Thankfully that doesn't seem to be the case here. This episode also made me glad that the series has a talented VA for Takemoto since his internal monologue is a key element that makes this episode a stand above the rest.
September 5, 2005 | 12 Comments
It seems the animation quality for this episode has returned to its usual high standard. Having said that, there are some black screens, which look like an attempt to either reduce the amount of frames that need to be animated, or the amount of recording that the voice actors have to do. Either way, I'm glad to know that not only the animation still maintains its exceptional quality after 20 episodes, the storyline is also still easy to relate to. If the writers and animators manage to keep this up to episode 26, then I think this could be one of the best anime released in 2005, or possibly in the last few years. I certainly don't remember the last time an anime leaving such a lasting impact on me every time I watch each episode.
This episode provides a good example as to why background songs have been an important part of this series. When used appropriately, as opposed to having one just for the sake of having it, the song ends up making the episode much stronger than it otherwise will be without one. For example, when Ougon no Tsuki begins to play as Yamada and Nomiya run across the street in this episode, the scene is suddenly elevated into something that is more akin to high-budget, live-action film. It is therefore, unfortunate, that this episode is marred by a slight nosedive in its animations and character designs. But I guess it's inevitable since there are still 7 episodes to go and the animators probably want to use the bulk of the budget on the main arc that will probably begin around episode 21 or 22.
As mentioned by James in the talkback for episode 18 recap, apparently there will be a Honey and Clover live action adaptation in the form of a movie. The announcement was made on the 24th of this month and apparently principal photography will begin this October. I'll be interested to see this one if this is as well-executed as its anime counterpart. In the meantime, here's the link and rough translation:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/hochi/geinou/aug/o20050824_20.htm
"It was announced on the 24th of this month that the popular Young You comic series, Honey and Clover will be made into a movie. Sakurai Shou (23 years old) from popular idol group "Arashi" will star in his first starring role. Honey and Clover is a romantic love story set within an art college. The 8 volume manga itself has reached a total sales of 3,600,000 copies thus far. The series was recently adapted into animation in Fuji TV and has achieved an unprecedented high ratings despite its late night timeslot."
Well, this episode turns out to be a full-on acid trip. Of course, that is to be expected with Morita returning to the series. Nevertheless, I was quite surprised to see the amount of film and video games references included in this episode. For example, I can't be the only one who thinks that Space Titanic and its director, Peter Lucas, are references to a certain movie director. Then there is Morita's hilarious "I'll be back" line which of course, refers to Terminator. Two of the most memorable gags in this episode, however, comes from the Street Fighter II games. I really thought that the nurse's kick was some kind of freaky spoof of Cammy's cannon drill. And there is no denying that Yamada was trying to channel Chun Li and lightning-kicked Mayama to oblivion.
Well, I finally managed to obtain the CD single for this song. Damn, if the song doesn't bring a lot of memories. I can't believe that it's been more than a month since I last hear this song playing as the ending theme of Honey and Clover. Thanks to a friend, I also finally managed to get a hold of the PV. This sure is one of the weirder PVs I've seen in a while. It doesn't help that the girl in the PV looks as if she'd rather be elsewhere than in the PV. Oh well, at least it includes the not-so-subtle Ferris Wheel imagery that has become so synonymous with the series.
Honey and Clover 1st ED Theme
Performed by Suneohair
Kanji/Kana version
あかない瞼こすって見える
パステル模様の未来に
散りばめられた記号を辿る
たぐり寄せた表情
ねえ、何だっけ 探していた物
あれは、そうね いつだっけ
僕等が引力に逆らいながら 出会った頃
それはワルツの様だね 不思議さ
ささやく様な木漏れ日の交差点で
二人ワルツの様にね 廻りながら
描き出してゆくもの
温めすぎた想いを全部
吐き出して見えるランドスケープ
半年以上くすぶらせてる
イメージに灯を燈して
何だっけ失くしてしまった物
それでもいいんだって
僕等の引力で引き合い 求め合うのだろう
それはワルツの様だね 素敵さ
呟くようなさえずり聞きながら
まるでワルツの様にね 二人が
描き出してゆくもの
あぁ、とぼけた現実も
原色で塗り替えてしまえ
引き寄せてあげるから ねえ
そこから踊り続けよう
二人だけのワルツ
それはワルツの様だね 不思議さ
ささやく様な木漏れ日の 交差点で
二人ワルツの様にね 廻りながら
描き出してゆくもの
It's a great feeling to realise that even after 17 episodes, this series is still capable of producing stories that are interesting, powerful, and relatable in many ways. I'm also still amazed at the ability of the writers in juggling the comedy and the serious part of the story. Prior to watching this episode, I was actually a bit worried that the anime will cut short Takemoto's storyline in favour of the funnier part of the story. Thankfully that is not the case here. The writers somehow managed to give Takemoto's arc a main priority while carefully utilised the comedic scenes to lighten up the episode. On top of this, the episode comes with a surprise cliffhanger ending which I'm sure will make some viewers happy.
What an excellent episode this one turns out to be. The two storylines presented here are so well-written and easy to relate to. I'm glad to see the Yamada/Mayama/Rika triangle finally reaching some kind of a resolution. This may not be a permanent one but at least there's possibility that the characters will be able to move on from their current situation. Another thing that is equally interesting here is Takemoto's storyline. This storyline is actually the beginning of a major arc for the character. I do wonder, however, if the anime will be able to cover that arc. Judging from the official site, there are only 24 episodes scheduled for the series. That means there are only 8 more episodes to go before the anime reaches its completion.
I think I miss the group interaction between the 5 regular characters. They used to be doing things together all the time and now they rarely talk to each other. I realise that this is a rather realistic portrayal of how friends sometimes drifted apart when they enter the workforce. But that doesn't make it any less unpleasant to watch. I also dislike the fact that the new characters effectively cut down the amount of screen time that used to be given to the regulars. On the positive side, at least the animation quality hasn't taken a nosedive again. I really hope that the poor animation in episode 13 was the only exception within this series. Anyway, for those who are interested, the timeline for the series has now been updated to include both episode 15 and 16.
It's good to see the animation returns to fine form here after the previous episode's mediocre effort. The storyline itself is equally interesting especially now that the Yamada/Mayama/Rika triangle is heading towards a new direction. Having said that, lately I've been wondering if there will be a happy ending for everyone if things are progressing this way. Meanwhile on the comedy front, it looks like Takemoto has taken on some of Morita's character traits without him realising it. I can't help but laughing when I first saw Takemoto sleeping in Mayama's room. That is exactly what Morita used to do. The only thing more amusing than this is the sight of Takemoto clinging to Mayama, begging the guy to get him Whip-chan. Before this, I was worried that Morita's departure may made the series less funny but thankfully that doesn't seem to be the case.
Unfortunately, there are many things that I don't like about this episode, starting with the changes that have been made to the opening and ending animation. Despite what some people said about the claymation, I really like the original opening animation. The first OP was highly unusual and it always gives me the impression that the series is indeed about art students. The new opening is actually quite quirky as well but it doesn't hold candle in comparison to the original. The real downer here, however, is the ending animation. I think that the new song, Mistake is a very poor substitute for Waltz. To make things worse, the animation quality in this episode seems to have taken a nosedive. In some of the scenes, the characters' faces even look oddly-shaped for some reason.
I think this is the most beautiful episode within the series. The shot of Mayama's car covered with water droplets and Sakura petals is a good example of some of the most drop-dead gorgeous scenes found in this episode. I also like the way the animators portray the busy nightlife of the Hanami festival. The food stalls and the picnics shown in this episode remind me so much of Tokyo during the Hanami season. In fact, I think the episode in general does an excellent job of depicting the sensation of being in Japan during Spring time. I'm also amused to hear Morita performing traditional Japanese song to a group of old ladies. I can't help but being reminded of this folk song competition TV program that I often saw during lunch time while I was there.
This episode is another favourite of mine. There are so many things to like about this from the never-ending comedy to the thought-provoking stories. Speaking of the comedy, this one probably has the highest number of comedic scenes in comparison to the other episodes. The highlights have to be the Morita and Mayama's argument about outdoor showers and Hagu's coming of age photograph. I also like the part where the guys look dumbfounded after Shuuji gives them some crappy souvenirs. The greedy/exasperation look on their face as they try to raid Shuuji's bag for more sounvenirs is completely priceless. I think it's been a while since I laughed this much while watching an anime.
Well, I guess sooner or later there will be some episodes that I don't like so may as well start with this one. The reason is simply because I hate recap episodes and this episode is partly a recap episode complete with reused images from previous episodes. Admittedly, in comparison to other series' recap episodes, this one actually does the job a lot better. The recap only last for a few minutes and is incorporated as part of the episode instead of taking the entire episode completely. Oh well, since this turns out to be a recap episode, I may as well use this review to do a rough timeline guide for the series. If you're interested, here is the timeline. The explanation can be read in the spoiler area of this review. I'll try to update the timeline as I review more episodes.
One of the things that I like about this series is the the different relationship that each character has with another character. For example, prior to this episode, I always wondered if Takemoto gets along with Yamada. So it was interesting to see the two interact with each other here and in the previous episode. Yamada's friendship with Takemoto is also shown to be quite different from the one she has with Morita. It seems to be more casual and relaxed. On the other hand, while Morita can't seem to talk to Yamada seriously for more than 10 seconds, he does provide some kind of a confidant role to Yamada. Anyway, this is another great episode. I'm glad to see the "Mayama, Suki!!" scene here. It reminds me of a similar scene from chapter 3 of the manga that didn't make it into the anime.
After I watched this episode, I realised that there is another area of the series that the production staff have done a good job at: sound design. If one watches closely, the painful Twister game that Takemoto and Morita are engaged in are mostly left to the imagination. Having said that, the animators gave clues as to how painful the game is through the use of other characters' expression as well as those sickening sound bytes. When I first heard the cracking noise, I actually winced in pain before the characters managed to do the same. The manufactured sounds may sound a bit unrealistic but that makes me even more convinced that Takemoto and Morita are indeed in great pain. It makes me wonder what kind of devices did the sound engineers used to create such sickening bone-crunching sounds.
Well, here's another episode that impressed me. I'm probably repeating myself here but I have to say that it's rare to see an anime series that offers the combination of well-written stories, interesting characters, excellent animation, and quality voice acting. However, Honey and Clover has managed to do exactly this every single episode thus far. Admittedly, before the anime began back in March, I was already aware that the series has interesting storylines. Nevertheless, it was a nice surprise to see the story told in such beautiful animation styles. The animation highlight in this episode will have to be Hagu's back story. I like how the segment is nicely styled and animated in almost similar manner to Hagu's own water painting.
To me this is definitely one of the best episodes within the series. The comedy is as sharp as usual and the drama parts of the episode are brilliantly written and executed. Upon rewatching the episode, I also realised that this is one of those series where the viewers actually get rewarded for repeat viewings. I noticed that there is a scene in this episode that at first seems unimportant when I first watched it. But upon watching episode 7, I realised that the event that unfolds in 7 has been hinted at in episode 6. Anyway, before I forget I better mention this - I've just updated the series info page for this series. I've included some new images in there as well as other additional informations. I'll try to add some new images from time to time once I have the time to scan them.
This is another solid episode for the series. One of the main highlight of the episode is the hazy water-painting scenes of Takemoto's childhood. The simplicity of the tree in the drawings reminded me of children's storybook that I used to read as a little kid. It also makes me wish that I can draw something like that. Having said that, no amount of stylish animation can save a badly written episode and thankfully, Hachikuro rarely suffers from this problem. Just like the previous episodes, this episode manages to convey the complexity of the characters' life while ensuring that there are enough comic relief scattered within it. This is probably one of the few series that manages to make me wish that the episode will not end in half an hour.
Unfortunately I don't have much to say here since I'm sure everyone already watched this episode a long time ago. So I'll just save the space for the lyric to Moon River. Originally sung by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, the song has been used by this particular series to highlight Mayama/Rika's complex relationship. Well, that and to provide Morita with tons of ammunitions to make fun of/blackmail Mayama. So I figured it's quite appropriate to place it here in case someone is interested:
Moon River, wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style, someday
All dream makers, you heart breaker
Wherever you're going, I'm going your way
Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end
Waiting 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
Okay, now that I have the chance to see episode 3, I have to say that I'm slightly disappointed with the anime adaptation. The anime seems to omit many of the manga's humor, especially the one about the ham guy. Having said that, it's hard to be unhappy when the execution for the rest of the series is quite flawless. The animators have done a good job of telling the dramatic part of the stories. I find it easy to identify with the characters' stories and problems to the point that sometimes I find it hard not to compare/project the characters' problem to my own. The anime is also better at making Morita a stand-out character. This mostly thanks to an awesome voice acting job from Ueda Yuji. Anyway, if you like the series, the DVD will come out this August with limited edition box illustrated by Umino Chika herself.
I always watch the 2nd episode of a new series with a bit of trepidation because normally the quality of the 2nd anime episode goes down a notch from the 1st episode. Thankfully, that does not seem to be the case here. The water-painting look remains consistent and as a result, gives a rather pleasant overall look, especially when compared to other anime on offer this season. It also helps that the series has some of the best music collection in each episode. The most impressive part of the series, however, is the fact that the anime story still flows smoothly even though some parts of it has been modified from the original manga. The writers have really done a good job in ensuring that some of the comedic storyline from the early volumes are combined together with the more serious plot of the later volumes. Anyway, check out Bluwacky's blog for more opinion about this episode.
As a side note, this title is also known as Hachimitsu to Clover. So if you're looking for that series, this is the same one. Anyway, this series probably has one of the most original opening title I've ever seen. I think the opening fits very well within the series, especially if one considers the fact that this is the story about a group of struggling and hungry art students. So having an opening full of food made out of plastic not only conveys the motivation of these students to be creative but also their desire to have a decent meal on a daily basis. The song itself is actually rather good but unfortunately, the singer somehow chose to deliver this in a squeaky mouse mode, making the song sounds a bit strange at times.
Since the Spring season anime is about to start, I thought I may as well re-organise all of the informations about this series while I still have some free time. I have to say that I'm quite surprised with the amount of coverage that Hachikuro has received from various anime magazines. Newtype seems to be very keen about the series. So far it has given its reader 2 two-page spread of the series in the past two months. Animage and Animedia seems to be interested as well although so far neither magazine has bothered to give a 2 page spread. That seems to be reserved for series such as Tsubasa, Eureka 7 and Sousei no Aquarion.
