Honey and Clover ep.08

August 4, 2005 | 6 Comments

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.

The episode begins with everyone minus Shuuji being served some of the most dubious-looking foods made by Hagu and Yamada. With 'delectable' cuisines such as boiled pumpkin with chocolate mint ice cream and whole apple curry to tickle one's tastebud, it is understandable that Morita wants a second helping. Well, either that or he has a strong stomach. Later on the gang finds out that the reason Takemoto invited them for the get together is because it's his birthday. Everyone screams in terror because they didn't know about this piece of important information. So everyone scrambles to find a present they can give to Takemoto. This range from Mayama's nice looking combini cakes to Morita's homemade Twister board. Suffice to say, instead of being happy on his birthday, Takemoto ends up suffering due to the Twister game.

In the second half of the episode, Yamada bids Mayama goodbye as he rides on his motorbike to stalk Rika's apartment. After Mayama left, however, Yamada sadly wonders to herself what is the best way to give up on something. And if she does that, will the act erases all of the pain that she currently experiences? Yamada, however, does not have the chance to be too sad for long since she has a problem at hand. Her entire family is sick so she has to return to her house, leaving Hagu all alone in Shuuji's house. Takemoto feels sorry for Hagu because he can remember feeling lonely when he just arrived in Tokyo. Thankfully, he then got to meet Morita and the others. Takemoto wants to do the same for Hagu and decides to pay a visit to her house. Takemoto, however, is surprised when he finds out that Hagu is doing rather well on her own.

Impression:

This episode is not as strong as the last two episodes. Having said that, the comedy in the first half of the episode pretty much makes this episode worth watching. Personally, however, I am much more invested with Yamada's question about giving up on something. I seem to have the same problem in that sometimes I don't know how to give up something that I want. Do you just forget about it or do you pretend as if the whole thing never happened? And if one does that, will all of the sadness and grief that one feels will go away? Speaking of Yamada, does anyone want to speculate why Morita watches over her with an equal sad look on his face? Is he just a concerned friend or is there more to it? I personally hope there is more to it but at the same time I really don't want this series to pair up everyone in the group with one another.

© memento 2003