Midori no Hibi ep.11

June 13, 2004 | 3 Comments

Updated - see Comments. It looks like the series is going to be a 13-episodes series for now. This is actually one of those times where I wish that I'm wrong because the manga shows all signs of wrapping up its storylines. So if this had been a 26-episodes series, I think it'll be possible to end the series neatly. Oh well, I hope there will be episode 14 or at least a second season in the near future. But judging from Animage TV series listing, it does look like this is one of the few series which haven't got any schedule beyond the 13th episode which will be aired on 27th of this month. Other shows such as Tenjou Tenge, Kyou Kara Mao, Monster, and even Madlax have been confirmed to have their 14th or 15th episode which runs all the way to July.

This episode itself shows all signs of wrapping up the anime's storyline in anticipation of the season finale. And as I thought, they'll most likely use Days 11 and 12 of the manga to wrap this season up. This episode itself seems to use parts of Days 11 and Kouta's story in Days 17. I can't remember where Ayase's little story comes from but my guess it's one of those tacked in parts from the anime writers. Anyway, the story begins with another flashback of Midori's attempt to tell Seiji about her feelings but as usual, her shyness got the better of her. Fast forward to the present, Seiji is seen in the middle of studying for his exam. Seiji can't seem to study really well and thinks that if he can deceive Midori to take the exam for him, he'll be okay. So he asks her if she wants to play game where the loser has to do whatever the winner asks the loser to do.

Midori agrees so they end up playing "Jan Ken Pon" (Scissors, Rock, and Paper game) with one another. Unfortunately for Seiji, despite his attempt, he can't seem to beat Midori at the game and after the third try, he still comes off as the loser. So now he has to do whatever it is that Midori wants him to do. Midori's request is simple: she simply wants Seiji to tell her that he loves her even if he doesn't mean it. Seiji, unable to get away from his promise tries his best to say it but he can't seem to go beyond the first half of the word "Suki" and instead end up looking like someone who's constipated. Midori is disappointed at this and Seiji wonders why he can't say the word to Midori, especially since he's said it so easily to all of those girls whom rejected him back when he was desperate for a date.

Anyway, since Seiji can't say it, Midori decides to tell Seiji that she likes him a lot, much to Seiji's embarrassment. Seiji then tries to distract Midori by telling her that he still has a lot to study but she can sleep earlier if she wishes. Meanwhile the same night at the Kasugano's residence, Midori's mother has gathered a bunch of shamans who try to wake Midori up from her coma. Even though she has lined up many of these supernatural experts, none seems to be able to work their charm on Midori. Kouta wonders if it's okay to wake Midori up like this. Midori's mother, however, tells Kouta that since normal medicine can't help her, she is willing to try anything to help Midori. Fast forward to the next day, Ayase is seen sulking after her overreaction to Seiji's attempted kiss the previous episode.

Ayase, however, seems to have a new plan to give Seiji her note book so she can help him to study. So as usual, she tries to imagine the sort of things that will happen if she lends Seiji her notebook. Not surprisingly, she becomes disappointed when Seiji simply thanks her for the notebook and does not asks her help in any other forms. Seeing this, Midori feels sorry for Ayase because she is in a way remind her of herself back when she tried to confess to Seiji. At the other part of the city, Kouta suddenly gets an idea that he will try to convince Seiji to check out on Midori one more time but unfortunately for him, she foolishly decides to asks a group of students who turned out to be Seiji's enemy and got in problem because of it. The students decide to abduct Kouta so they can use him as a bait to lure Seiji into a fight with them.

Back to Seiji and Midori, they finally get out of the school and decides to take a walk home. Along the way Seiji decides to lie to Midori that he may have botched the exam. After Midori bought his lie, however, he tells her that he actually thinks he did okay because she forces him to study everyday. Seiji and Midori then decide to go to a restaurant to get lunch but Seiji is immediately dismayed when he sees people around the restaurant sitting in pair like a bunch of lovebirds. Midori of course enthusiastically tells him that they too look like a love pair. Seiji, however, decides to ignore her and asks the questions two more times, much to Midori's chagrin. Not long after this, the waitress arrives at their table to deliver the hamburger steak. Upon seeing the waitress' humongous 'talents', Seiji is impressed and decides that the restaurant is the best that he's ever visited.

Poor Midori is left to wonder if her lack of 'assets' is what turns Seiji off. So she decides to show off hers as well without much result. In fact, Seiji seems to be far more excited about the foods that the waitress has just delivered. Unfortunately for Seiji, before he can even begin to consume the food, Miyahara is seen entering the restaurant. Miyahara immediately informs him that his enemies have taken hostage one of his friends. At first Seiji doesn't know who the person could be but Midori suddenly wonders if it's actually Kouta. Upon receiving confirmation from Miyahara, Seiji decides to run to help Kouta. Speaking of the uh, 'damsel in distress' himself, Kouta seems to be getting in bigger problem because he starts talking nonsense to his abductors. So, they decide to shut his mouth with a duct tape until Seiji arrives to the location.

As expected, Seiji arrives and starts beating the stuffing out of the guys. However, since he has to fight three people and can't use his right hand as well, his enemies soon overpower him. Just when things start to get critical for him, Midori decides to help him by actively trying to hit the guys with a bowling pins. Thanks to the distraction, Seiji can easily beat up the guys and knock them unconscious. This seems to be quite different from the manga, where if I remember correctly, Seiji seems to be able to beat the thugs on his own. Unfortunately for both Seiji and Midori, they forgot the fact that Kouta is around to see the whole situation. He immediately realises that Midori is now grafted onto Seiji's right hand. But thankfully for the two, Kouta immediately passes out from the shock of seeing their freakiness, effectively ending the episode.

Impression:

I think this is a rather boring episode. But it can't be helped since they're trying to set up the last two episodes. I'm also a bit surprised that they decide to show Kouta the truth about Midori and Seiji at this stage of the story. In the manga, this particular story does not materialise until Days 53. But judging from the ending of this episode, the animators will probably simply make him think that the whole thing was his imagination. It's also interesting to see the writers trying to make a parallel between Midori and Ayase. I do think that the two are quite similar in their own ways. The difference is that Midori seems to be more down to earth and has no out of this world expectation as to what romance with Seiji will be like. Ayase, on the other hand, seems to be wrapped up in her own imagination that romance with Seiji will be similar to one of the scenarios in her shoujo manga. I think she will be quite disappointed when she finds out that the reality is not as good as her imagination.

© memento 2003