Hanasaku Iroha 05
Awww, I loved this episode. But that might just be because I think it’s an improvement over the past two; it’s not all that special, but I’m still enjoying it. I still have to wonder what the heck happened to the writing from the first episode, though! Most of the characters are still either a) completely bland, or b) downright unlikable. And although b) is much worse, Hanasaku is a character-driven show with boring characters. Not exactly a winning combination…
Luckily, we still have Ohana to carry the show on her shoulders. Even if her complexity has been reduced to being eternally optimistic and a bit dense at times, she steals almost every scene.
Who here actually likes Minko? Did the writers forget to make her character somewhat redeemable, even in a tiny little bit? She’s as unlikable as it gets, along with the writer, who is a waste of space. Nako is a little better, but she hasn’t been all that interesting for the past two weeks.
But then there’s Yuina. I can’t call her bland or unlikable– she’s something else. I think she’s a great source of comic relief (the massage chair… XD). If HanaIro ever got dubbed, I wonder how they’d handle her accents. I’d love to meet someone who switched from British to Australian to New Zealish whenever they felt like it…
So now you might be wondering why I liked this episode in the first place. After all, misunderstandings are the cause of so many terrible story lines, aren’t they? I didn’t focus on the main plot of this ep, which was only above-average at best. It was the little details that stood out for me, whether they’re funny or touching or a strange combination of both. I’m not the type of person who is easily moved by grand, over-the-top scenes filled with drama– I think it works best when it’s more… subtle. Anyways, that part when Ohana is off to do her dramatic sprint to Fukuya, only to run into the gigantic heron and run off in another direction made me laugh. And I also liked the scene when Ohana finally messaged Ko, and we only see his cell phone light up, with those brochures in the background, hmm.
So much better than the scene where Tohru gives Minko ‘another chance’ and helps her pick out a knife, and so on. Overall, the episode was pretty standard, but at least those eye-rolling moments come with some genuinely nice character interactions; seeing the three girls finally getting along at the end was actually pretty sweet, and funny, too. There was also that part where grandma revealed some great deadpan humor. And that scene where Ohana’s uncle talks about the shrine was animated in a jaw-dropping way.
I also like how the show hasn’t completely forgotten about facts that we learned earlier on, like Ohana’s sensitive nose (on that note, yeaaah I see more misunderstandings in the future. That scene when Yuina rode off on Tohru’s motorcycle is totally some foreshadowing for when Ko finally comes back and misinterprets Tohru and Ohana’s relationship, or maybe we’ll get a double misunderstanding if Minko gets jealous too. Then Minko shall jump off a bridge and the show will reach episode one/two levels of writing again. You heard it here first.) Still, any kind of love triangle just wouldn’t work, because the result is too obvious. Nonetheless, they’re still dropping plenty of hints. :x
I think I’ll go back and watch the first episode to see what made it so much better than what we’ve experienced in the past few weeks. Is it the different characters? The sudden loss of direction in the plot now that she’s actually at the inn? (I seem to be asking a lot of questions today…). The drama is disappointing, especially after that slap from episode one; heck, Ohana barely even interacts with her grandmother anymore. There’s still time for the show to patch things up, and there are still some amusing characters that I enjoy watching– Ohana, of course, and Yuina/Ko/scary grey heron. But I can’t see why the writing would get so much weaker after such a promising set-up. (Actually I blame pervy writer guy. YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!).
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I agree that Kou might come in and there be a misunderstanding. I kind of hope it doesn't happen as that would mean the show is predictable, then again it would create a heart-warming moment.
How did i not realise Minko was P-ko?
Yuina in that chair was awesome, it literally made me laugh, she could be a fun addition to the cast should her jokes not get old fast.
Kou sleeping with those books that look like they are brochures/info on the place Ohana is staying or a place similar, i was dreading him finding someone else just as Ohana returns his feelings.
The first couple episodes were great because it had that some what Cinderella style drama but i can't hate how it is now, its nice to have an easy going slice of life rather than a drama filled one. I can see this show skipping between drama and slice of life depending on the arc.
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After all the surprises from episode one, things have gotten so predictable that it feels like a misunderstanding is inevitable T_T
Haha, I can't remember where I've heard that name before. But it scares me to think that such an unlikable character exists elsewhere "orz Yuina and the massage chair was the highlight of the episode! But that's a good thing to keep in mind, too. Nako's shyness and Minko's abrasive personality got old REALLY fast, so I'd hate it if Yuina lost the novelty of being totally bonkers.
Minko's backstory reminded me a little of the Cinderella-esque atmosphere from before, but I'm glad that Ohana has come a (kind of) long way from crying on her own that terrible first day at the inn. :)
(Too late!)
Some of these misunderstandings would be solved so easily if people just TALKED to each other. >.<
The only reason I didn't care too much for this episode was because Minko was really annoying in every scene she was in. Between "YOU DONT UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS AT ALL WAH WAH WAH" and "BALUT BALUT BALUT!!!!!!!!" I wanted to bang my head against the wall. I grinned when Ohana called her a balut right back though~ I like how she stands up for herself- it makes her a really great character. :3
As for the writer, is it bad that I've actually started to like him? XD It's just so hard for me to hate Suwabe Junichi characters.
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Aaargh I know!! Probably one of the most annoying plot devices out there. I think Minko is almost as annoying as whoever sings the OP for this show. ;P They're all tied as my least favorite characters (ffff this Suwabe Junichi must be a really great voice actor, but I wonder how I could ever hate a Kanae Itou character lol). Thank goodness Ohana doesn't take any of Minko's jerkish tendencies indeed ><;;
I liked the episode, but I feel I'm never going to love this show like I did with the first two episodes. :( A few weeks ago, this was the number one download on my list, and it took me till today to watch the new episode. I doubt I'll drop it though (at least not any time soon).
The writing's gotten a little sloppy. This story is founded on cliches (city girl goes to the country to work for her overbearing grandmother), but the drama this episode is basically the textbook example of cliched misunderstandings. And I still don't like Tohru nor Minchi. Stay away from Ohana, Tohru! :p
The first lackluster episode was disappointing, but two more and it's reached average status for me, too :| The dialogue is missing that creative something from the first ep! I think Tohru is an okay character but I don't hate him or like him all that much. I wish they could make me actually care about the characters (other than Ohana) /sigh
lolol goddamn misunderstandings!
There's some light drama but I can't see anyone dying (like in AnoHana b'aww). I hope Okada doesn't have too much on her plate and is being lazy with HanaIro's writing as a result ;P
Why is it that Yuina – currently positioned as a mere side, comic relief character – is the only character other than Ohana that anyone is interested in!? The show is absolutely failing on the potential that they have with Minko; you're right in that she has no redeeming qualities thus far. Even though she's made a few weak attempts to befriend Ohana (I'm assuming those moments were meant to redeem her), the overwhelming two-dimensional, emotional meanness of Minko overrides any kindness she's "offered". The only thing that girl has going for her is how pretty she is. Actually, that's about the only thing this show has going for it still: It's still pretty to look at.
The writer should have died. That would have made an AWESOME episode right in line with all the drama that we were fed and conditioned to expect from the first two episodes. Plus everyone would've been really happy with that outcome; I certainly would have been.
If only Nako hadn't dived in to save the guy T_T I'm wondering why they even wrote a character like that anyway… can't think of what kind of purpose he's supposed to have in this show.
I agree, the only thing that's been consistent in quality so far is the animation. The story is so weak right now that if there were crappy production values I wouldn't bother. And I think that Yuina will play a bigger role; it looks like she'll join the circle of friends if the ED isn't lying to us!
Why is Minko so rude to Ohana anyway? The show really hasn’t answered that, even in what was supposed to be her big episode, and it’s not even that she’s a jerk to everyone. I’ve narrowed it down to some horrific childhood trauma involving blond girls or plot convenience, which seems a bit more likely. Even Tohru has a better reason to be a jerk to Ohana, since she did almost get him killed back in episode 2.
I can’t speak for you about the questions you asked, but the reason I’m getting more tepid on this show is that it really promised something in those first two episodes that it hasn’t delivered on. I watched the show and expected it to be a dramedy about a girl having to slowly find her place in a harsh new environment and that seems to have taken a backseat to straight up slice of life antics. Ohana’s grandmother has really lost her edge like you said, the show hasn’t given us an antagonist to fill the void and provide substantial drama, and everyone who isn’t one of the three girls hasn’t gotten much characterization at all. Honestly other than Ohana and Nako, the most three dimensional, fleshed out character in the cast is probably the writer, and he’s a terrible character. I’m starting to worry that these last few episodes have been the real Hanasaku, and I’m kind of worried about that, but I’ll keep watching for now. The show just might surprise me again.
I used to think there were a lot of deeper reasons behind why Minko hated her so much. Ohana is the boss' granddaughter, she gets Minko slapped, rips out her plants not long after she arrives, and Minko also doesn't know what Ohana's mom is like– she could just assume Ohana’s a spoiled city girl who doesn't appreciate hard work (especially when we see how desperate Minko was to become a kitchen assistant this ep). But you'd think Minko would've realized that Ohana isn't so bad by now! Dx
I'm hoping for another pleasant surprise too. I don't mind the lighthearted slice-of-life antics, but only if they just go and ignore all the sense of drama from the first episodes.
I'm kind of annoyed how Minko acts so grumpy and head over heels to Tohru in this episode. Also, I think Ohana barely interacting with her grandmother will cause some drama in later episodes.
It looks like they were trying to make her a tsundere but with verrry mixed results XD I hope that they're saving up the drama for later in the series (two seasons = so many possibilities). Grandma has been fading into the background lately!
Wow, I agreed with almost everything in this post…until when you said you actually liked something in this episode xD
The whole thing just seems to be a big mess right now. What made the first two episodes was that it was paced right, had good dialogue and did away with the usual mood-ruiners, namely chibi, horrible comic relief and crybabies. It was a breath of fresh air, quite literaly, because most anime are set either in an urban setting or a quaint town and remain there from start to finish. Hanasaku Iroha made a small modification by taking an urban girl and putting her in a suburban/town setting. And while most didn't notice it, this transition was the spotlight in the first two episodes. But from episode three, Ohanna blends in completely.
So, now that the "moving in/intro" arc was over, they needed to bond the characters…and this is where things started to fall apart. As you already said, the characters are very flat and are capable only of a single line of thinking and thus only a single form of character development.
I could go on and on, but I did a post on that a day or two back, so I'm just lazy. Oh well, my only hope rests with them making a worthwhile school arc soon.
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Lol heyy now, I'm trying to be a little less critical since this show doesn't seem to be even trying for what it once was T_T But I agree, nothing seems fresh and exciting any more; the characters/setting has already gotten a bit stale. There's no direction, nothing pushing the plot forward– just random, predictable antics. =w=
I read that post a while ago, and you pretty much hit the nail on what's gone wrong. So far there have been more bad than good episodes which isn't a good sign, and even though it's not clear where the story goes next, hopefully an interesting arc will start… hopefully… I still like the show, but it'll probably be more forgettable than most of us had initially thought. :(
Yup. Look at it from a different point of view. Since so many of us bloggers are watching and blogging about it week after week, our instinct tells us to continue to watch this show. But let's say this show had finished airing. Now, you go on MAL, stumble upon this show and decide to pick it up. And you start watching one episode after another.
Do you think you'd be impressed? (That's not a rhetorical question. Your opinion ^^)
Based on this, determine whether it's a good show or not :D
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I completely agree with what you wrote in this post. The bar has definitely dropped down since the first two episodes, though I don't think it is the pervy writer's fault – he's hilarious and is a good source of comic relief *shinyglasses*. Maybe it's because, as trzr23 said above, they're done with the moving in stage and had to move on to something else, so in order to bond the characters who haven't already have a previous conflict/misunderstand (e.g. Anohana), they had to create one. They tried to make it dramatic by making Minko freak out/blush excessively/contradict herself sometimes when speaking about Tohru, but it didn't work out because it's just adding to Minko's one-sided character (not adding that much depth), and Ohana's pretty much still a quirky, lovable airhead.
But, as other commentors stated, it will probably get better. I would like to think of this as more of a transition stage between the good parts- I heard that P.A. works has already animated up to at least ten episodes by now, so they must have something good planned soon. It's not like them to rush a 26 episode anime. But then again, they could fill HanaIro with meh episodes like this and just end with a bang. That will make me sad. I guess you just gotta have faith in P.A. Works
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I can't help but feel like maybe we're all just hoping for something that'll never come… episode 6 doesn't look like an improvement at all. Booo :( The conflicts just lack that certain spark that makes me actually care. I want to care!! Which sucks, because otherwise I can't help but feel ambivalent when Nako/Minko/Tohru/Grandma go through character development and all.
Losing… faith ;A; I dunno much about P.A. Works, but at least it still has some gorgeous animation! Ohana's airheadedness is funny unless they take it too far. I liked her sarcastic convos with that mom of hers. She should've gotten a mention on our mother's day post for mom of the year ;P