Hige vs. Otaku

Ooh, can anyone smell a thinly valed attempt to catch up on all the shows I’ve neglected to blog? Me too, and it smells like SUCCESS.

Incidentally, NHK has been dropped. Not in the brutal, you-digust-me way — rather, I fell behind after episode five and never caught up. In many ways the apathy I feel towards it speaks more than any embittered rant. Shame, really. Hopefully the manga will be more essential, whenever Tokyopop get around to releasing it.

Honey & Clover (episode 12)
Bless it, I should really give the final episode of one the most important anime for years its own entry, but no. Ultimately there’s not much more to be said. This second series was something of a tour de force in terms of heart-breaking resolution and I’d happily rate it equally with the first, though both are quite different in intention and execution. Even the more bothersome aspects like Hagu’s injury felt legitimised with this final episode (it serving to underpin the need security and stability in her winning suitor). I’m still slightly confused over the nature of Hagu and Shuuji’s relationship. If it was nothing more than platonic, why can’t Hagu have a boyfriend and Shuu as her guardian? It’s a hard nut to crack, so to speak, because there hasn’t been any sexual interest from Shuuji relating to Hagu, apart from that infamous blush I guess, but then when has there ever been anything overtly sexual in Honey & Clover (bar Miyama and Rika in II)? Tricky, and the creepy implications keep the resolution in murky, grey waters. Maybe it’s for the best to avoid sullying an otherwise beautiful, affecting series. Also, I still think Shuuji was gay for Harada. Either way, a solid ending. My only regret is Takemoto’s seeming unimportance towards the end. He and Yamada were my favourites.

Gunbuster 2 (episode 6)
Another finale to a series I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. I want to rewatch all six episodes in relative succession to get a more complete opinion, but generally Gunbuster 2 has had the air of an enjoyable, if flawed, epic. This, its conclusion, felt surprisingly focused and informative considering it’s been quite confusing for most of its run. It kept up the ridiculous flamboyancy that made it so charming and had enough excitement to honour the whole ethos of a finale. I’m not going to pretend it was the perfect OAV, not even the all-hallowed FLCL can claim that, but the Tsurumaki-Sadamoto effect is in full-force enough for me to yield like a loyal fanboy. Fun!

Kemonozume (eps 3 & 4)
The visual style of Kemonozume has gone beyond the initial novelty now and turned into something more fundamental. It may seem superficial to suggest (and obvious), but Kemonozume wouldn’t be as distinctive without it’s unique visual style. Not just aesthetically, but the direction and atmosphere it banks on for most of its impact. It’s hard for the discerning viewer to decide what makes it such an enjoyable show to watch: the pretty pictures, or the more respectable aspects like writing and direction. I’m inclined to think something successful would need both to be of a decent standard and the more I watch the more secure I feel in calling Kemonozume a Good Show. This was only strengthened by episode four’s flashback history lesson, which was fantastic and immensely entertaining. I think having that as a foundation to build on will only benefit future episodes. Plus, it adds a bit of intrigue and mystery to proceeding, which I heartily support.   

Right, that’s enough for now. Lots of things left unsaid, but such is life. Hopefully more protracted blogging coming soon when university stops bludgeoning me violently with, like, schoolwork. It’s just a bit rude, really.

This was a twisted, brutal episode. The snappy J-Pop tune with its directional synch as Hagu gets eviscerated was incredibly disturbing for me. And I think the image of Yamada holding Takemoto’s arm with both their hands covered in Hagu’s blood will be one the most prominent, long-lasting memories I have of Honey & Clover.

Kaoru’s vengeance mission coming to fruition had so much painful tragedy about it, especially as he realises he couldn’t honour Papa Morita’s wish and crumples, a broken man. All this closure with the Moritas has been one of the most satisfying aspects of series two, as embittered and upsetting as it’s been. I hope Kaoru gets some kind of absolution before the show ends, though. The pathos haemorrhaging from his every orifice pretty much demands it in order to have a satisfying conclusion.

There were a few humorous moments involving Mayama and the sleazy Spaniard. It was a welcome to relief to see some characters having fun, and it was quite the shock to see Rika improving in health. Who would’ve thought we would most of our future hope from these two? 

I enjoyed this episode much in the same way I’d probably enjoy a series of fart sounds and guttural screaming if Honey & Clover produced them, because, well it’s Honey & Clover ffs. But there was definitely a weird lack of focus here. Maybe because lots of ‘big’ things happened, but I found the flow of the episode quite choppy and it undermined some of the dramatic affect. Don’t get me wrong: I bawled like fanny on many occasions. It just didn’t feel as tight as Honey & Clover usually is. An incredibly moving episode with many memorable scenes, however. What the hell is Mortia going to do when he finds out about Hagu? Bandage hentai for his web site?

So, that last scene, huh. I’d be lying if I wasn’t shocked and that it didn’t undermine what came before it. The latter is what angers me the most, because the meat of this episode had so much subtly and depth – revolving around characters we knew little to nothing about, no less. It’s a shame that Honey & Clover, a show that I find so easy to love because it just doesn’t pull those kind of punches, felt it compelled to handle things that way.

However, from a plot point of view, it made sense. If this happened in the manga anyway then the director obviously wanted to give it suitable build-up, and with most shows that have these partly-disconnected flashbacks with unfamiliar characters they often dedicate the last few minutes to the normal cast. Take the two together and it was a perfect opportunity. The more I consider the ‘technical’ reasons for doing it the less that last scene annoys me. Any sane dramatist would bank on that kind of cliff-hanger, especially if it was justified.

Plus, that scene might be insinuating more than what’s actually happened. Although, secretly, I hope it is the worst-case scenario; if only to outrage the fanboys and undermine the predictions about Rika. It would certainly turn everything on its head, which, by the sounds of things, is exactly what’s going to happen.

Anyway: the other twenty minutes of this episode. Wow, one of the strongest looks at the human condition so far. It abides by the standard formula of sibling rivalry, but does it Honey & Clover style and removes every trace of triteness or cliché by simply being honest. The set-up is immediately clear, the parallels need no explanation, and it covertly plays out the underlying bitterness and insecurity with all the shades of grey that make the conclusion so disturbing and upsetting.

And, perhaps most importantly: chibi Moritas. I swear, anime is making me emo. Or an annoying gushing fangirl. I was never this easily cuted-out before. Gomennasai ^___^;;;;;;~~~

The colours used for the evening scenes pretty much melted my corneas into oblivion with their gorgeousness. Otherwise, I felt the animation this episode was underwhelming. The story hardly required anything fancy, but it seemed like more talking heads than usual.

So apart from the cheap shot at the end (which could be easily justified – I’d like to know how the manga did it), this was a top quality episode. The ‘for the fans’ feel of this second series might be isolating for some, but I’m loving every moment of it.

Batezi recently wrote an excellent summary of the tone and intention of Honey & Clover’s second series. It briefly but concisely captures much of what people seem to be thinking as they write about each individual episode and it’s something I’d eagerly recommend as a companion to most of your blog reading on the subject. Definitely a great piece of analysis and a good example of what anime blogging should be all about.

This episode we get a kind of retrospective of Yamada and a bittersweet assessment of her current prospects. Miwako notices her sadness over Mayama’s recent triumph with Rika, Mistress Ice Queen, and takes her on an R&R break to Health Land, a local ping-pong spa (I have no idea). Dressed in muumuus (that really don’t make them look like Homer Simpson when he gains 300 pounds) the pair enjoy the opportunity for relaxation. Mayama is never far from Yamada’s thoughts, however, and her eyes are filled with tears throughout the visit. A brief phone call from Miwako to Nomiya with an update only frustrates him. He storms off in anger at Yamada – an act that we as the audience note as further demonstrating his deeply growing affection for her.

The level of progression we’re getting from Yamada as she comes to understand the futility of holding on to her love for Mayama is going at a snails pace. But, as with every other slow moving plot thread in Honey & Clover, it feels perfectly executed. I’ve never found myself comparing the situations of an anime to the real world so much as I have with Honey & Clover, and I think this is where it finds its eerily strong resonance with the audience. By placing ourselves in any of these characters shoes it becomes simple to empathise with the way they behave. Of course, we may do things differently in our own real lives, but for these characters it never feels inappropriate.

And yet again I felt myself chant ‘Yamada Yamada Yamada’ (ala early season one) throughout this episode. The girl is subtly becoming my favourite character against all odds and it speaks a lot of her ability to tap into base sympathies of the audience.

There’s also a brief bit of Takemoto advancement here wrapped up with Mayama expressing his cheesy love for Rika and diminishing his cool factor at a rate of knots. It’s really endearing stuff, though, and does a clever job of uniting the two characters over their similar intentions with their womenfolk. They both have the desire to take care of their objects of affection, both of whom have a degree of frailty and helplessness about them. It’s quite archaic stuff when you let the feminism lobe of your brain take over, but the Honey & Clover Factor means the charm and charisma of the situation remains in tact.

None of the core female characters seem to have much desire to be ‘empowered’ in the militant grr sense, but they never conform to muted princesses-in-need stereotype either. In fact, every female character in Honey & Clover is successful and has a bright future. Emotionally they may seem especially damaged or insecure, but no more than any normal person may be despite their gender. If anything, the male characters in Honey & Clover are more emotionally stunned and confused. Someone should have Warren Farrel write a letter.

We edged a wee bit towards the Morita mystery here too and I’m convinced it’s not as dark as this episode wants to suggest. I bet it’s some kind of child-manipulating franchise of Pokemon-like proportions, or something as ethically barren as that. I still want to know what Morita is saving his bucks for, though. Mysteries, mysteries.

I loved the animation of the first portion of this episode. Both Miwako and Yamada had really fluid expressiveness to their movement and it suited the hazy drunkenness/relaxation they were feeling. The quality of Honey & Clover’s animation is a mute point, I know, but it’s fun when you notice the minor quirks from episode to episode. It’s definitely a sign of a top quality anime.

Conclusion
There’s always so much I want to note as simply ‘awesome’ in Honey & Clover. Shuuji’s intimidating head massage, for instance. Nomiya’s role-reversal as knight in shining armour. Miwako’s supreme coolness and winner of Best Senpai Ever. Mayama’s road to likeability via minor scenes of humiliation. YAMADA’S SMOKING ROUNDHOUSE ATTACK. I could go on forever. There’s not much discussion over Honey & Clover’s position as a seminal anime; its consistent quality in everything speaks for itself. I’m still reeling from the fact they’ve managed to keep it up for this long. The prospect of some actual conclusions is scary in the best, most exciting way possible.

Is anyone else getting heavy deja vu of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood from the Shuuji/Rika/Harada triangle? The likeness to Norwegian Wood is uncanny and the novel was a huge success in Japan, so it stands to reason it may have influenced Honey & Clover’s mangaka. It’s certainly not a bad thing – if anything, I get added bouts of nostalgia to complement an already touching part of the series. It’d interesting to hear from the source, though. You know what those Japs are like. Cultural prism you say? Smells like THEFT to me. :D

Shuu’s dream sequence in the beginning of this episode was terrifying – especially after reading some comments on other blogs predicting Rika’s imminent suicide. And after Shuu’s prophetic dream I was certain it was happening this episode. Instead, we get a Mayama x Rika jaunt that’s eerily similar to Yamada x Nomiya’s adventures last week. Only obviously neither of them wanted to die. This week’s episode was much more serious (considering the characters it makes perfect sense) and actually quite dark. There’s a very brief suggestion of Rika’s troubled home life, with memories suggesting that her father was quite the bastard and of a reliable pooch that kept Rika company through the harder times.

Mayama decides to take on the role of Harada and eventually manages to bag Rika, only to catch her sneaking away to Spain without him. After confronting her, demanding she can’t abandon him, Mayama does the unthinkable and starts to cry. Mayama hatred reduced to zero. Then he gets self-conscious and commands Rika to go have some tea while he pulls himself together, confiscating her handbag for reassurance. Mayama hatred fully restored with additional grr. The guy was clearly a prick for mistreating Yamada in the first place, but being in a relationship with him suddenly means living in a police state? Total cock. The unicorns need to appear and beat the crap out of him before he defects to Spain with his fancy woman.

The animation quality this week seemed especially beautiful with all the landscapes and sprawling ocean shots. The colour scheme is always perfect and beautiful in the show, but apply it to the natural beauty of Japanese country-side and you get something special. Who needs reality when you’ve got Honey & Clover.

Conclusion
A heavy, emotionally exhaustive episode. Each scene felt loaded with meaning and it seemed out of character for Honey & Clover to be this serious for an extended period of time. Regardless, it was a brilliant episode and it demonstrated there’s still bucketloads of stuff to explore and resolve. I miss the days when all the characters interacted with each other, but rather this than it boring repetition.

Just a few brief comments because I’m so late and everyone has already blogged everything of merit.

Firstly: Unicorns. Scenes like this are what make Honey & Clover fundamentally funnier than most TV shows (let alone anime). The fact that it’s so expertly interwoven with the serious aspects of the episode make it all the more brilliant. I decree that they must be a recurring theme and [pipe dream] kick the shit out of Mayama at some point.

Secondly: Nomiya humanity. Smells like Yamada plot development to me~~!

Thirdly: Opening theme/animation. It’s seriously growing on me. I didn’t have any negative feelings toward it to start with, but now I pretty much love it. It allows for ridiculous screaming during the chorus and is catchy as hell. Today’s homework: write a short analysis of what the opening animation could represent. Extra credit for flagrant use of unicorns. 

Forthly: No Takemoto. Aw. Still, if we had to sacrifice him for the sake of some proper Yamada development then so be it. There’s always next week.

Fifthly: Perhaps more importantly, no Morita. Takemoto is easy to predict the future of, but Morita is still cloaked in mystery. I’m not too sure about the prospect of Morita becoming a legitimately serious character with all this family business . . . but still, more screen times equates more chance for comedy genius.

Conclusion
A very robust episode, with all the things I heart about the series. The whole snow globe analogy had me worried of a minute, but thankfully it wasn’t over-used and we got to hear Yadama say ’snow dome-u’. Snigger. Looks like Honey & Clover is really keeping up the quality with its second series, and as a massive fan there’s not much more I can ask for!