Midori no Hibi ep.12

June 21, 2004 | 8 Comments

Wow, I sure picked the wrong time to take a break from watching anime because I just realised now that I have a lot of titles to go through before the end of the week. Anyway, I'll just start with this episode of Midori no Hibi. I find that this episode has all of the important elements that a penultimate episode should have. I am, however, disappointed with the writers' decision to alter the last half of Days 11 and their attempt to include stories that are similar to Days 54 and the current manga chapter (Days 81). As someone who has read the manga, I feel as if the writers cut half of the materials that were in the manga and just jump straight to the conclusion. I also wonder if this means that second season is out of the question. Now that everything is out in the open, there is a big likelihood that everything is going to be resolved in the next episode.

It seems the anime decides to skip most of Kouta's character development and stories and simply uses him as a catalyst for Midori's return to her own body. Because of this, the anime suddenly shows Kouta sitting in an area not to dissimilar to the one from Days 54. Midori tells Kouta that she's sorry that Kouta end up getting involved with the gang and feels that it was her mistake. Kouta, however, doesn't care about that and simply tells Midori that he's more worried about Midori's mother, who been worrying a lot about Midori. He believes that they should tell her about her condition with Seiji because then they maybe able to find the solution for it. Seiji, however, asks Kouta to keep it a secret for a while because despite how it looks, Midori has actually been worried about her mother. Besides, he believes that it's not Midori's fault that they got into this condition to begin with.

Speaking of Midori's mother, she is seen with a Native American shaman who's in the process of finding out the truth behind Midori's condition. Upon performing the ritual, however, he tells Midori's mother that he believes Midori's spirit does not want to come back just yet. The shaman also believes that even if they use all of the powers that they have to awaken her, the same thing will happen again. He thinks that until Midori realises what she really wants, the only thing that they can do is to wait for her return. Hmm, this seems to be quite a departure from the manga, where the shaman forces Midori's soul to return to her body in Days 11. Back to Midori and Seiji, Midori finally shows Seiji the scarf that she has knitted for him. Seiji admits that he's always wanted a girl to knit him a scarf for him. Midori is happy upon hearing this but becomes disappointed when Seiji tells her that with her as his right hand, they can't possibly wrap the scarf around their neck together.

Midori then comes to the conclusion that no matter how long she stays with him, Seiji only sees her as his right hand. Well, I think that is because she is his right hand at the moment. Seiji then quietly tells Midori that the fact is, they can't possibly stay together like this forever. Meanwhile, Ayase and her friends are in the middle of going out together and the three end up having a break at the coffee shop. Her friends ask Ayase what happened to the guy that Ayase almost kissed at the karaoke bar. Ayase, however, tells her friend that nothing happened and besides she's not interested in that sort of guy anyway. I never understand why Ayase likes to lie about her own feelings especially when she knows that the reverse is true. Her friends then find out about a scarf that Ayase has knitted, presumably for Seiji. Ayase, however, tries to tell her friend that it's probably a one-sided love. In exchange, her friends try to advise Ayase that she probably is just too afraid to cast away her pride when confessing to the guy.

Back to Midori and Seiji, Midori finally completed the scarf that she's knitted for Seiji. However, just when she's about to show it to him, she finds out that Seiji is already asleep. Midori therefore decides to simply writes her experience about being with Seiji. She feels that being with Seiji allows her to know him better and it turns out he's much nicer than what other people think. Midori, however, feels that she causes too much trouble for the people around her. She then remembers how Seiji told Kouta that it's not Seiji's fault that Midori got stuck to his hand. Midori, however, can't help but wonder if it's not her mistake after all. She believes that it's because she doesn't want to leave Seiji that she got stuck to Seiji's hand and therefore, she wonders if it's really okay for her to stay like this. A moment later, after taking a good look at Seiji's face, Midori disappears from his right hand.

Later on that night, Seiji is awake because he feels the warmth of the scarf that Midori knitted for him. However, much to his shock, he realises that Midori is no longer on his right hand. He then starts to panic and tries to find her all over the bedroom with no result. The next day, Seiji tries to convince himself that getting his right hand back is not such a bad thing. Having said that, it is obvious that he clearly misses her presence. However, he insisted on telling himself that Midori herself must be happy to go back to her own body. At the Kasugano's residence, Midori is finally awaken in her own body much to her mother's happiness. Midori, however, can't seem to remember why her mother looks so happy to see her. At the same time, it looks like Seiji is not as okay as he said he was because after Ayase tells him that his right hand seems to have gotten better, he snaps and tells her to shut up. Anyway, Seiji eventually manages to bury his sadness by buying porn with Miyahara. He, however, quickly got over it when he saw a doll that reminds him of Midori displayed inside a toy shop.

Seiji's luck is not getting any better because while in the middle of walking with Miyahara, the two are surrounded by the three guys who abducted Kouta. Apparently they want some revenge and this time they've brought over some friends. Seiji tells Miyahara to run away and Miyahara does so and in the process bumping into Ayase, revealing the porn collection. Back to Seiji, he somehow manages to beat all of his enemies, mostly thanks to his right hand. He, however, becomes extremely upset when he sees that his right hand is bruised and bleeding. All of a sudden Ayase appears behind him letting him know that Miyahara tells her of his location. Ayase wonders why Seiji's been getting into fights again but Seiji tells her that it is none of her business. Upon hearing this, Ayase tells him that she just wants to know what he thinks because she loves him and proceeds to hug Seiji, much to his surprise. Meanwhile, back at her house, Midori is looking out of her window looking sad.

Impression+Days 81:

I think this episode is a good combination of the last couple of important chapters in the manga. Never the less, I'm sad to see the anime decided to not include some of the manga stories. These chapters will possibly never going to be seen if next week's finale will solve everything neatly. As far as the storyline goes, I often wonder if I'm the only person who roots for Midori instead of Ayase. I just can't see the connection between Ayase and Seiji in the manga or the anime. Plus, the two are almost similar to one another and I find it boring to see a couple that are consisted of two people with similar personality. At any rate, I'm not very happy at the way in which both the manga and the anime go at the moment. Yes, surprisingly the current (or rather, last week's) manga chapter, Days 81, actually features a rather similar storyline to the last half of the anime.

It starts with Midori reflecting on her life. She remembers how she used to be cowardly when it comes to her own feelings, only watching Seiji from afar. Midori realises how being Seiji's right hand has helped her to be more outspoken about her feelings. She, however, wonders how much longer her enjoyable days with Seiji can last considering the status of her real bed-ridden body. The story then changes its focus to the school's preparation for the graduation ceremony. Seiji, who's been unwillingly selected by Ayase to help out in the preparation has no choice but to help other students arranging the chairs under Nishida's supervision. Seiji, however, still wonders why Ayase chose him to begin with and if her words about her liking him were just a joke after all. Ayase, however, act her usual cool personality while organising the whole thing. Seiji concludes that it's probably was a joke.

The entire thing, however, is observed by Midori who looks really sad that I feel like punching Seiji for being an insensitive jerk. Anyway, after a while, Nishida finally thanks all of the students for their efforts in arranging the chairs and they are allowed to go home. However, just as Seiji's about to go home on his own, Ayase suddenly tells him that if he doesn't mind, she wants to leave together. So the two end up walking together in a highway and while doing so, Ayase decides to ask Seiji's opinion about a 'friend' of hers who likes a guy. She then starts to tell Seiji everything about how she first thinks that Seiji is a juvenile but changes her mind when she saw how kind he really is. The whole thing, however, is told in third person POV so that Seiji doesn't know that the girl is Ayase. Anyway, Ayase then tells Seiji how her 'friend' made a lot of embarrassing attempts in order to attract this guy's attention and so on.

Ayase's confession then goes on and on like a rocket launch sequence until she gets to the part where 'her friend' accidentally blurted out that she likes the guy (Days 74). She then adds that because 'that friend' is an idiot, she told the guy that the whole thing was a joke (Days 75). Upon hearing this, Seiji realises that 'the friend' is none other than Ayase. Ayase finally tells Seiji outright that this time she has the courage to say that she likes Seiji. The chapter then ends with the two standing still in the highway. I have to admit that I felt really sick after reading the chapter in the bookstore. I suddenly fear that Midori's chance to be with Seiji is becoming smaller. I have often wondered if the series is called Midori no Hibi because well, it's days that Seiji got to spend with Midori but one that he never get to experience again, thus the title. At any rate, with the anime featuring almost the same story as the manga, I'm on a full upset mode this week.

© memento 2003