Honey and Clover ep.10

August 6, 2005 | 2 Comments

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.

In this episode, the group decides to have fun after the hardwork that they had to do during Christmas time. Unfortunately, the fun involves going to Kasai using a waterbus that travels along the Sumida River during Winter time. Because of this, everyone are frozen to death and decides to just stay inside the boat and devour the snacks they bought from combini. As the group have their breakfast, Takemoto notices that Hagu has been stealing glances at Morita. Upset with the situation, Takemoto decides to go out to the deck again followed by Mayama. Mayama lets his friend know that he's noticed that Takemoto hasn't been happy lately. He is also aware that Takemoto has had a crush on Hagu for 2 years now. As the flashback scenes play out, Mayama encourages his friend to fight for Hagumi's affection.

Mayama, however, can't give further advice to Takemoto because not long after this he got seasick. Yamada complains how Mayama is always acting cool but he breaks apart so easily. Morita who overhears this asks Yamada if that is the case then why is she still in love with Mayama? Yamada simply tells Morita that it's because her feeling doesn't just go away even if she can't be together with Mayama. Anyway, the group eventually reaches Kasai but is dismayed when they realised there's nothing there but a giant Ferris Wheel that looks so far away. In the end, however, they end up riding the Ferris Wheel and along the way manage to diffuse some of the tensions that exist between them. The episode ends with Takemoto commenting how a couple of years ago they don't even know each other but now they spend time together facing the new year.

Impression:

If I really think about it, this episode is actually not that bad. I actually don't mind the part where Mayama perceptively notices Takemoto's mood swing. It was amusing to see all of those illustrated arrows landing on Takemoto's body as Mayama spells out what Takemoto felt all along. I also think the background music that plays as the group are chasing after the Ferris Wheel is very nice and haunting. It makes me wonder if there is a meaning behind the scene. After all, the series often uses the image of bicycle wheel and Ferris Wheel to signify the characters' ups and downs in love and in life. It was also interesting to hear Takemoto's words about how Ferris Wheel is created to slowly cut the skies with the person that you love. I think the words convey his longing for Hagu much eloquently than the flashback scenes.

Hachikuro Timeline:

Mayama said that it's been 2 years since Takemoto fell in love with Hagumi. That means it's been 2 years since the series started. It seems as if time passed by so quickly but that's because some of the episodes do not always follow the previous episode directly. Sometimes there is a 3 months jump between one episode and the one that follows it. This kind of amuses me a little bit so I decided to make simple summary and a rough timeline just to see how each episode falls within the 2 year period. Please note that I am aware that Japan also has rainy season as well but I'll only use the usual four seasons to approximate the time.

Year 1

Episode 1: Spring time. Possibly in April because Mayama made a reference about the Sakura falling. Mayama was a 4th year Architecture student. Takemoto, on the other hand, had just started his 2nd year while Hagu entered university for the first time.

Episode 2: Spring time turns into Summer. It seems that 3 months have passed since episode 1. By the time Shuuji mentions that "Summer has arrived", I assume that it's early July because that's when the heat starts taking its toll. Hagumi befriended Yamada here.

Episode 3: Summer time turns into Autumn. Possibly around August/September since there's a reference of how this is the end of Summer holiday. Morita was also sleeping with the air conditioner on. I'd have done the same thing if I were in Japan during Summer.

Episode 4: Autumn turns into Winter time. The first half of the episode seems to happened not long after Mayama told Yamada to look for someone else. However, it seems to me that there's a big 3 month jump between the first half of the episode and the second half of the episode. By the end of the second episode, the group celebrates their 1st Christmas party.

Episode 5: Winter time. The first half of the episode seems to take place only a couple of days after the Christmas party in the 4th episode. Judging from the fact that Shuuji's winning lottery ticket was a Christmas present from Morita, then I think it's safe to assume that the Onsen part of the episode happened either a couple of days later or a couple of weeks later after the new year.

Year 2

Episode 6: Winter time turns into Spring. In the first half of the episode, everyone was still wearing winter clothes and the snow was falling at the end of the first half of the episode. Mayama also made a joke about how the Giraffe won't survive in such cold climate. The second half of the episode seems to happen around Spring time as indicated by the green trees in some of the outdoor scenes. And if the email that Shuuji receives from Tokudaiji is an indication of time, then the second half of the episode probably happens around January.

Episode 7: Spring time. The first half of the episode happened possibly one or two days after the incident at the end of episode 6. I actually wasn't sure if the second half is also still in Spring time. But I think it's safe to assume that the pink trees shown in the background while the group was looking for the four-leaf Clover are Sakura trees. Sakura trees normally lost all of its flower around the end of April in Tokyo area, so since in the episode the flowers are still intact, then I'll assume that this is still Spring.

Episode 8: Summer time. Takemoto mentions that it's been four months ever since Shuuji left for Mongolia. Assuming that Shuuji left not long after his farewell party, then the event in this episode happened around July/August. The second half of the episode happens a couple of hours and then days after the first half, so I think it is also happened during Summer.

Episode 9: Autumn turns into Winter. The first half of the episode is obviously Autumn as indicated by the yellowing trees of the outdoor scenes. Yamada also drops a couple of falling leaves on top of Morita when she talks to him. The second half of the episode, however, is another big jump to the Christmas period. The gang once again has their Christmas party together.

Episode 10: Winter time. The gang took a trip using a boat presumably one day prior to New Year's day. Everyone mentioned how the weather is too cold to stand on top of open boat and Mayama said how her grandma took similar trip only in Spring. The entire episode itself happens within the span of one day.

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