(CR) H2O ~footprints In The Sand~

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Wavie

- the characters felt like they were platonic. all of them needed to see shrinks so to speak cause they were all mental
- the situation was unrealistic... no one would blame a kid of her age for what her parents did
- i wont spoil but god what a weird ending
- the characters all had the same personality, or multiple personalities... one day a character would be down and depressed and next they had a personality change with a char that was happy
- the adults were unrealistic

Some of these matters were already discussed previously in the thread (like the "realism" issue), but others I attribute to the show's breakneck pacing. At times it felt like they tried to fit 24 episodes of content into 12 episodes. As I said to someone last night, it was as if the whole anime were on fast forward. So I think some of the little connecting segments that would have explained some of these drastic changes were cut to keep things moving. It's sort of something you had to accept as things went along; I would have assumed that most of those who couldn't accept it would have already dropped the show (because it's been an "issue" almost since the beginning). I wouldn't say that the show actually changed all that much from beginning to end in terms of quality, pacing, writing, or whatever.

Not necessarily trying to defend the show. More like, it is what it is -- take it or leave it. Clearly you chose the latter, and that's fine.

[CJL13]

Spoiler for Wait a minute Part 2:

Why would Takuma repress the part where the kid was the reason mom went into the train's path and then think of something much worse than what actually happened?

Spoiler:

Did this rock my soul? Not exactly, but it was the type of show that always had an ace up its sleeve. As for Hayami's dissapearence, I guess Otoha had an ace too. As for why she didn't come back sooner, I guess it was one last test for Takuma to let it go.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by CJL13

Spoiler for Wait a minute Part 2:

Why would Takuma repress the part where the kid was the reason mom went into the train's path and then think of something much worse than what actually happened?

Spoiler:

Because everyone else thought his mom committed suicide (due to pressure from the Kohinatas), and that's what they kept telling him. He's the only one who saw it, and I'd assume he was so traumatized by it that what everyone else kept telling him happened trumped the actual details of what went on (since he was extremely young at the time). The realization that his mom didn't kill herself, and that the Kohinatas weren't to blame for her death is what set him free from his trauma ("the truth shall set you free"?).

[Cassio]

Woah! I just watched episode 07 - and fell in love with the music playing at the end in the background (it's played by a single flute - a wonderful melody imo).
Does anyone know the title or if the soundtrack is available somewhere?

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Cassio

Woah! I just watched episode 07 - and fell in love with the music playing at the end in the background (it's played by a single flute - a wonderful melody imo).
Does anyone know the title or if the soundtrack is available somewhere?

It'll be on the Soundtrack CD being released next Tuesday.

[Tatiana Razajev]

Spoiler for Final Episode:

The main thing I want to say right now is the Maki x Hamaji thing and Yui having drills are what stand out most for me. At least until I re-watch the episode subbed. Still I'm going by the assumption or at least hope the end is indicating a living Hayami. She deserves happiness.

[DanielSong39]

Somewhat off-topic, but I thought you might find this amusing:

Magical Otoha - OP

Enjoy.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Razajev

Spoiler for Final Episode:

Still I'm going by the assumption or at least hope the end is indicating a living Hayami.

Spoiler:

Well, I think that's a pretty safe assumption. Her returning wouldn't mean anything if she weren't real/alive.

[Deathkillz]

Originally Posted by DanielSong39

Somewhat off-topic, but I thought you might find this amusing:

Magical Otoha - OP

Enjoy.

Miku yuiiiii!!!

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Spoiler:

Well, I think that's a pretty safe assumption. Her returning wouldn't mean anything if she weren't real/alive.

Spoiler:

That's what I believe but some like to have it more bitter/sweet by saying that she is a spirit. Would kinda make more logical sense to think that a lost life can't be brought back ~ but I'm not a logical guy

Happy end FTW

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

Spoiler:

That's what I believe but some like to have it more bitter/sweet by saying that she is a spirit. Would kinda make more logical sense to think that a lost life can't be brought back ~ but I'm not a logical guy

Happy end FTW

Spoiler for Episode 12:

Well, the "make sure you protect her this time" line wouldn't make much sense if she were already dead. Protect her from what? Given all the Christian allusions in this story (and appropriate enough for this weekend, oddly enough), I don't think raising someone the dead is out of the question for "God" (who herself re-appeared).

In the end, I'll be curious to learn more when I get the game next month.

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

I'm going to have to restrain myself from reading any spoilers until I see the subbed. Although I did watch the RAW and all I can say is that it looks like an unbelievable last episode.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Spoiler for Episode 12:

Well, the "make sure you protect her this time" line wouldn't make much sense if she were already dead. Protect her from what? Given all the Christian allusions in this story (and appropriate enough for this weekend, oddly enough), I don't think raising someone the dead is out of the question for "God" (who herself re-appeared).

In the end, I'll be curious to learn more when I get the game next month.

Spoiler:

Yes, protect what? It's not like Otoha said what to protect.

"who herself re-appeared"? Are you talking about Otoha? Are you trying to say she's god or god revived her?

You probably won't learn more, because the anime doesn't follow the game (in the last episodes).

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Spoiler:

Yes, protect what? It's not like Otoha said what to protect.

"who herself re-appeared"? Are you talking about Otoha? Are you trying to say she's god or god revived her?

Spoiler for Episode 12:

Well, it goes Otoha re-incarnate appears, tells Takuma to protect <it> properly this time, and then Hayami re-appears. I think we can put two-and-two together. And yes, Otoha, as a spirit, sort of represents god in this show -- she was carrying Takuma in his times of need (as per the Footprints poem) and helping him accept everything. And like I said above, she's responsible for bringing Hayami back -- which is what she refers to just before telling him to protect her (something like "the request caused a lot of trouble in the spirit world", if I'm reading it correctly). Basically, Otoha brought Hayami back to life.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Spoiler for Episode 12:

Well, it goes Otoha re-incarnate appears, tells Takuma to protect <it> properly this time, and then Hayami re-appears. I think we can put two-and-two together. And yes, Otoha, as a spirit, sort of represents god in this show -- she was carrying Takuma in his times of need (as per the Footprints poem) and helping him accept everything. And like I said above, she's responsible for bringing Hayami back -- which is what she refers to just before telling him to protect her (something like "the request caused a lot of trouble in the spirit world", if I'm reading it correctly). Basically, Otoha brought Hayami back to life.

Spoiler:

I figured you'd say that. But in the end, that's still a guess/assumption/etc.
What if Otoha told him to protect his happiness? I'm sure he'd be happy if Hayami came back, even as a spirit, and he did lose her thanks to himself (since he went off and lost his mind...).

Otoha as the poem's "God"... Well, in it's own way, that makes sense...
Though the poem doesn't really support the fact that Hayami's alive.

Great, circle argument...

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Spoiler:

I figured you'd say that. But in the end, that's still a guess/assumption/etc.
What if Otoha told him to protect his happiness? I'm sure he'd be happy if Hayami came back, even as a spirit, and he did lose her thanks to himself (since he went off and lost his mind...).

Otoha as the poem's "God"... Well, in it's own way, that makes sense...


Great, circle argument...

Spoiler:

A guess? Well... I don't know. I'd be pretty hardpressed to come up with some other explanation that so perfectly fits the context and scene. What request did she make that caused trouble in the spirit world? Why would she tell him to protect his happiness when that has nothing to do with anything thus far in the show? And then Hayami just randomly re-appeared "from the dead" in a totally unrelated event that just happened to be perfectly timed to be a few seconds after Otoha's otherwise random re-appearance (that just so happens to be tied to the completion of the windmill that "Hayami would have liked")? And you say that in light of Otoha's role thus far in the show and how connected she's been to the rest of the plot? I don't know... As they say, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Of course they don't lay it out in absolute concrete terms, but I think it's the best explanation that fits the facts so far. Otherwise, you have to deliberately disconnect events that happen in rapid succession, and that just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Tatiana Razajev]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Spoiler:

Well, I think that's a pretty safe assumption. Her returning wouldn't mean anything if she weren't real/alive.

Spoiler:

Well reading some of the later posts in this thread, I'm even more confident that's the case. In any case Hayami and Takuma need to spend as much time together as possible given what they had to go through.

[Deathkillz]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Spoiler:

I figured you'd say that. But in the end, that's still a guess/assumption/etc.
What if Otoha told him to protect his happiness? I'm sure he'd be happy if Hayami came back, even as a spirit, and he did lose her thanks to himself (since he went off and lost his mind...).

Otoha as the poem's "God"... Well, in it's own way, that makes sense...
Though the poem doesn't really support the fact that Hayami's alive.

Great, circle argument...

Spoiler:

I have to say though that if Otoha really were talking about protecting his own happiness, it won't be making a lot of sense. What makes her think that he hasn't already been doing so these past few years? From what I see, Takuma has been doing a pretty good job looking forward to the future rather than being stuck in the past. What is there to protect for himself? He has already achieved happiness somewhat just by remembering Hayami's existance (hence the windmill he was making with uncle). It makes more sense for Otoha to be talking about protecting the Hayami before him as he is given a second chance of happiness.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Spoiler:

A guess? Well... I don't know. I'd be pretty hardpressed to come up with some other explanation that so perfectly fits the context and scene. What request did she make that caused trouble in the spirit world? Why would she tell him to protect his happiness when that has nothing to do with anything thus far in the show? And then Hayami just randomly re-appeared "from the dead" in a totally unrelated event that just happened to be perfectly timed to be a few seconds after Otoha's otherwise random re-appearance (that just so happens to be tied to the completion of the windmill that "Hayami would have liked")? And you say that in light of Otoha's role thus far in the show and how connected she's been to the rest of the plot? I don't know... As they say, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Of course they don't lay it out in absolute concrete terms, but I think it's the best explanation that fits the facts so far. Otherwise, you have to deliberately disconnect events that happen in rapid succession, and that just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

Spoiler:

I have to say though that if Otoha really were talking about protecting his own happiness, it won't be making a lot of sense. What makes her think that he hasn't already been doing so these past few years? From what I see, Takuma has been doing a pretty good job looking forward to the future rather than being stuck in the past. What is there to protect for himself? He has already achieved happiness somewhat just by remembering Hayami's existance (hence the windmill he was making with uncle). It makes more sense for Otoha to be talking about protecting the Hayami before him as he is given a second chance of happiness.

Spoiler:

...........
......
...


Well said. I have nothing to say back.
Never really cared too much about whether she's dead or not anyways, so any of the two are fine (only opposed "Hayami is alive" because of the aspect that "she was revived" But this is an anime. I guess revival is possible for God).
Answer will never be clear, but I'll take your explanations for it. Makes sense, after all.

Hayami ha... ikitemasu. When I think about it that way, the ending seems happier, but... nanka... less interesting. If people can just revive in H2O like that, there's just something about the show that weakens...
Why must the anime make such an end... At least the game's was clearer... *sigh*


Eager to see what the sub-watchers think later...

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Spoiler:

Hayami ha... ikitemasu. When I think about it that way, the ending seems happier, but... nanka... less interesting. If people can just revive in H2O like that, there's just something about the show that weakens...

Spoiler:

Well, keep in mind -- you already have the issue of Otoha herself reappearing. Someone else calling out to her implies that she may actually be alive this time, so did she re-incarnate and keep her memories? If re-incarnation of spirits are possible, I can probably go for revivals too. Can't be too far off! That being said, Otoha's comment that it caused a lot of trouble in the spirit world seems to imply that revivals aren't something that happen very often, if ever. It's a special case, I guess.

[Owaranai Destiny]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Spoiler:

Well, keep in mind -- you already have the issue of Otoha herself reappearing. Someone else calling out to her implies that she may actually be alive this time, so did she re-incarnate and keep her memories? If re-incarnation of spirits are possible, I can probably go for revivals too. Can't be too far off! That being said, Otoha's comment that it caused a lot of trouble in the spirit world seems to imply that revivals aren't something that happen very often, if ever. It's a special case, I guess.

Spoiler:

This discussion about reincarnation does seem very interesting and definitely valid in a way...Or maybe that could be my own optimism getting in the way. What I'm really wondering is what price did Otoha had to pay for doing so, given the 'trouble' caused in the spirit world.