Asatte no Houkou Episode 12 Discussion / Poll

[Shiroth]

I went into this episode not thinking about how it'll end, i didn't want it to end.. so thinking that was no problem at all. With that in mind, i was open for anything to happen - and i enjoyed what was given.

I like how the main theme for the series is 'character growth'. Looking back you can see it did a good job at that, with most of the needed growth ended with the last episode. It makes you wonder what could have happened if the wishing stone wasen't for real. Maybe they'd just carry on living these life's on without exploring the truth. Welldone wishing stone of wonders~

I am forever so happy that the last episode had Karada & Hiro clearing things up. He did say that he wasen't going to run from her anymore, so facing the truth was what he needed to do. I enjoyed his character the most. It was one that included a lot of mystery around it - not understanding his true feelings about the situation with leaving Shoko in America. Some of my favourite scenes from the series had to be those flashbacks.. i'm really not sure why. :3

As for the ending - i wasen't to sure if they'd return to normal, so i was a bit "WHATTHEHELL" with the Kotomi leaving scene. I just thought we'd have Shoko learning the importance of a friend. Of course we did, but adding in the stone.. that was interesting. I hear that she's a new character, meaning not in the manga - so i just have to check out the manga now for more info' behind the ending.

Some people could say that the last episode was rushed.. sure i can see why they'd say that, but i wouldn't agree. With all that built up emotion from episode 11, this calm feeling of an episode was needed to press it all out so to speak. I really enjoyed this series. Its musical score is classic Shinkichi Mitsumune, its became my favourite work by him for a number of reasons. So of course that helped with the viewing of the series.

& yes.. i wasen't happy with Hiro getting a haircut. :3

[Theowne]

Good final episode to a great series. I certainly feel that some scenes would've been better if they had been able to take up more time, but I think regardless of that the loose ends were tied up nicely. I think I would've been able to appreciate this series better if I had waited until it was completed then watched it in one go because having to wait for each new episode lessened the effect of the storytelling.

Overall, I guess this series wasn't perfect but when you split anime into those you recommend and those you don't, Asatte no Houkou gets a clear recommendation from me.

[SeijiSensei]

I'm responsible for one of the 7's in the poll. I thought I might spell out why.

Primarily, it's because the ending is just too trite. This show had a lot of potential in the middle-to-later episodes to take the story in different, and potentially more interesting, directions, but at the end we're left with Shouko X Hiro and Karada X Tetsu. I've already expressed my feelings about the inappropriateness of the first pairing here. Let me just add that Hiro's renovation in this episode is a mystery to me. I still don't think he's worthy of Shouko.

I don't have a problem with the latter pairing; it seemed inevitable from the start.

Perhaps my reaction comes in part from having waited so long to see episode 12 and feeling rather let down, not because the series came to an end, but because of the way that it ended. It's not that I didn't want closure, but I wanted closure to result from the characters growing in a way that made the ending plausible. Just what, exactly, made Hiro suddenly so appealing to Shouko? I know she loved him before, but that was a long time ago in a far-away land, and we were given very little information about the basis for that relationship. Perhaps it was just the result of two lonely people who shared a common background encountering each other far away from home. That might be enough for an affair, but is that enough for a rich life together as adults? I'd say no.

Regardless of how nice Hiro is to kids who come to pharmacy, what exactly is it about him that attracts an obviously intelligent woman like Shouko with deep, unexpressed wells of emotion just waiting to be tapped? I don't see Hiro as her companion on a journey of mutual emotional release and self-discovery; he seems pretty detached from that part of his personality. If Shouko has decided to latch onto Hiro simply to cope with the loneliness she expressed near the end of this episode, that's not a very good basis for a long-term relationship. I suppose she could be blind to her own motivations with regard to Hiro, but she seems too intelligent and too self-aware for that to be true.

I'm willing to be convinced that I've been too hard on Hiro if anyone wants to try.

Regardless of my feelings about the story, let me hasten to laud once again Shouko's seiyuu Itou Shizuka for yet another fine performance. I'm only sad that we didn't get to hear her more often in the latter half of the series.

[Kyuusai]

I am pro Hiro x Shouko. In fact, I think that pairing is the only solid base the series has.

The Karada x Tetsu element was, in my opinion, focused on far too much. It's as though the writers ran out of material (the manga was unfinished, was it not?), so they just ran on with what they had.

Overall, I did not like Kotomi. She wasn't a bad character, but it was clear that she didn't fit into the story. It's clear that she's there to accelerate character exposition plot movement, but it's all too convenient, and feels contrived (it is!). If they'd just left her out of the resolution, though, I'd be happy. Grr.

Any other comments withheld until I rewatch.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I still don't think he's worthy of Shouko.

I'm not just saying this because i love Hiro's character, but i don't agree. Its to do with the flashback scenes that makes me believe they're good for each other - yes its hard to explain, but i just see a connection between the two when they're happy. Its something i look upto in many ways. Sure the anime made it look as if she's the smart one, and he's the dumb one out of the whole relationship at that point - but its his growth in the series that works for me. He's a wonderful character just like her, they're good together.

I'll say that your Hiro bashing doesn't make that sense. You're pretty much saying that Shoko is on another level of higher knowledge then he is - whats wrong with that? He's got that inner light thats made her fall in love with him. She herself at one point wondered why she was with him. Yet again, thank you wishing stone~

& its pretty clear at this point that i love Hiro. :3

[Matrim]

Let me just add that Hiro's renovation in this episode is a mystery to me.

I have to agree with that. The renovation started totally out of the blue in the previous episode and I don't think we ever really learned what triggered this profound change in his personality, it looked very much forced to me.

The Karada x Tetsu element was, in my opinion, focused on far too much.

Very true. But then again, I never liked Tetsu to begin with.

Just what, exactly, made Hiro suddenly so appealing to Shouko?

Well, the anime gave the "great" explanation that Shouko thought Hiro had dumped her because she was no good and the implication seems to be that when she understood it was because of Karada things changed which I cannot really buy.

I was so ready to get into full force bashing mode, minutes before the end of the episode but thankfully Miss Plot-Device (a.k.a. Kotomi) did enough to get things back to normal, no chibi adults and giant Karadas. So in the end I liked the series a lot but it had tons of potential that was mostly wasted in its second half, IMO.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Matrim

So in the end I liked the series a lot but it had tons of potential that was mostly wasted in its second half, IMO.

I'm thinking its because of the roller coaster that was episode 08. I still believe that that episode is pretty much the awesomely made episode i've ever seen in my life, though with everything completely changing after it until the last episode.. we got a lot of mistaken feelings from the viewers.

[Deathkillz]

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

I am pro Hiro x Shouko. In fact, I think that pairing is the only solid base the series has.

The Karada x Tetsu element was, in my opinion, focused on far too much. It's as though the writers ran out of material (the manga was unfinished, was it not?), so they just ran on with what they had.

Overall, I did not like Kotomi. She wasn't a bad character, but it was clear that she didn't fit into the story. It's clear that she's there to accelerate character exposition plot movement, but it's all too convenient, and feels contrived (it is!). If they'd just left her out of the resolution, though, I'd be happy. Grr.

Any other comments withheld until I rewatch.

yea i agree that shouko x hiro should have gotten more development together but i guess time was short for a 12 ep series ~

well i think the end is great ~ nice conclusion to a story that is unpredictable (somewat) ~
imo shouko shouldnt have forgiven hiro that easily ~ maybe make him her slave for a few months

and kotomi...she played an important role and it wasnt until the last few minutes of the ep ~ she had the stone! O.o

[aliensporebomb]

I feel the main problem with this series was the fact that it was compressed
to twelve episodes which meant that some things that could have been paced
differently ended up being compressed.

I also feel they really didn't explore a lot of the things they could have - what
would have it really been like to have been a full grown adult suddenly in a
childs body? What would it feel like to be a child in an adults body with all of
the sexual awareness one has of ones self - it would be overwhelming to a
little kid and the adult would feel very strange.

As far as Tetsu/Karada - I was just a wee bit bothered by the fact that
the confession at the end:

Spoiler:

He forthrightly declared himself and confessed to her and though
it was implied by Karada that she felt the same, she "Takemoto'ed"
him (referring to Honey and Clover's Takemoto character who had
received a thank you from the object of his affection after he
confessed instead of a returning of that confession - of course,
the object of his affections did not feel that way so it's probably
good that he did receive something less than a kick in the heart
unlike in this series where Karada presumably returned Tetsu's
confession).

Yes, a younger person might find it very hard to make such a
declaration especially if Karada was mentally still a child but...

Anyway, I wanted her to be more bold perhaps.

I'm being just a little critical here - it was a sweet scene emotionally.

Hiro and Shouko - it really sounds that Shouko really never had
any close friends growing up and the explanation that Hiro was
the first close friend she really ever had much less in terms of a
relationship was sort of a revelation. By her going back to her
childhood and having the opportunity to have friends it sort of
negated some of the bad things about her growing older with few
or no close friends.

This experience has turned her into a kinder gentler Shouko perhaps.
It also might explain why she and Hiro rekindled their relationship.

She certainly seemed more self-assured at the end and even
Hiro, inscrutable as always, appeared more happy and maybe if
he just told her the truth this whole mess would have been
avoided. Of course, we'd have never seen this course of
events.

[Sorrow-K]

Ending was too rushed and, as SeijiSensei put it, rather trite. It's a good series overall, but there were a few elements in it in the second half that didn't sit well with me, and it got a little misfocused at times. It's a solid work, but certainly no where among the best that this genre can offer.

[Revenger1589]

A lot of you are saying that the storie was rushed, but i think that is to be expected from a 12 ep show, especially one with so much character development an this. What the studio did in such a short time is pretty impressive.

I really felt a conestion with Hiro, Shouko and Karada; which is something rare for me. And this last ep finished shaping their relationship in just the right way.

But, to be honest, i had so much fun watching this that i don't want to find negative aspects, so i might be a little biased.

[Pellissier]

While the ending was satisfaying indeed, the whole set of happenings felt rushed. Yes, I'm on the same bandwagon of those who already said it. I explained this a bit more on the "overall impression thread".

Shizuka Itou as Shouko totally won this episode with a magnificent performance, carrying a ton of feelings.

9 to this episode, it followed the whole refrain of the series: "if only they had..." ("... added a bit more" or "... rendered it slightly differently").

[Guido]

Never throughout the show did I pay attention to the soundtrack until the final episode. The tracks inserted when Hiro and Karada resumed their bond as siblings and when Tetsu confesses to Karada were the most outstanding and alluring, meaning that all of them made their chance to start over.

I cannot stop thinking through that the writers rushed the conclusion for Tetsu to finally accept that Satou was Karada all along, but it came well to transition to the parts where Shouko became honest to Kotomi that she had embraced her inner "child"; for Hiro to act like a man and become honest to Karada that she's always welcome to be her family sister; and for Karada to grow braver and wiser to overcome whatever changes must come in life.

My interpretation is that the two girls could not return back to their original ages, until they have reflected and fixed what either went or was going wrong with their lives.
Karada was afraid to move forward, because she wanted for things to remain the same. On the other hand, Shouko was afraid to return to the past. Why? Because both girls felt an aversion towards change itself, and the pain it causes or has caused to them when passed by.

Once they stopped going around circles and stepped towards the new tomorrow they were able to become honest with themselves and earned the wisdom to change themselves as well.

Spoiler:

I do not know how exactly Kotomi had in her possession another wishing stone, the one she gave to chibi-Shouko, but I have a guess that it was a present that her father gave to her. Because if I remeber well, Kotomi's father likes stories which involve the fantasy elements.

However, this episode was not without its flaws. I was a little bit disappointed that the conclusion ended just like a regular and generic TV episode that does not forms part of a larger story arc. The ending was put matter of factly, in my opinion. However, I was happy to see that the staff customized the ending video footage sequence to include Hiro and the adult Shouko having resumed their old love, and the picture of all three of them-Hiro, adult Shouko, and chibi Karada-now living as a real family.

[PastPrime]

Originally Posted by Guido

Never throughout the show did I pay attention to the soundtrack until the final episode. The tracks inserted when Hiro and Karada resumed their bond as siblings and when Tetsu confesses to Karada were the most outstanding and alluring, meaning that all of them made their chance to start over.

I cannot stop thinking through that the writers rushed the conclusion for Tetsu to finally accept that Satou was Karada all along, but it came well to transition to the parts where Shouko became honest to Kotomi that she had embraced her inner "child"; for Hiro to act like a man and become honest to Karada that she's always welcome to be her family sister; and for Karada to grow braver and wiser to overcome whatever changes must come in life.

My interpretation is that the two girls could not return back to their original ages, until they have reflected and fixed what either went or was going wrong with their lives.
Karada was afraid to move forward, because she wanted for things to remain the same. On the other hand, Shouko was afraid to return to the past. Why? Because both girls felt an aversion towards change itself, and the pain it causes or has caused to them when passed by.

Once they stopped going around circles and stepped towards the new tomorrow they were able to become honest with themselves and earned the wisdom to change themselves as well.

Spoiler:

I do not know how exactly Kotomi had in her possession another wishing stone, the one she gave to chibi-Shouko, but I have a guess that it was a present that her father gave to her. Because if I remeber well, Kotomi's father likes stories which involve the fantasy elements.

However, this episode was not without its flaws. I was a little bit disappointed that the conclusion ended just like a regular and generic TV episode that does not forms part of a larger story arc. The ending was put matter of factly, in my opinion. However, I was happy to see that the staff customized the ending video footage sequence to include Hiro and the adult Shouko having resumed their old love, and the picture of all three of them-Hiro, adult Shouko, and chibi Karada-now living as a real family.

I thought it would have been nice if the final scene would have been Hiro and adult Shouko at the playground watching Karada play Oni.

[Guardian Enzo]

LOL - Tetsu as a loli-king? Is that even possible?

Spoiler:

I suppose I would have to agree that the ending was a bit rushed, but in part that's only because I wanted to see so much more of these characters. I did feel like things slotted into place a bit too quickly in the end, and of course, you always want the final episode to be the best one and this wasn't quite at the level of a couple ultra-stellar eps.

But in all, the ending worked for what it was, and Kaoru's spoiler about Hiro adds a new meaning to his "not run from you anymore" comment. I was a big supporter of Karada/Tetsu, so it was nice to see that come into the spotlight in the end - though part of me can't help but wonder - just which Karada was the more appropriate partner for him? I know appearances are deceiving, but they certainly looked more like a couple when she was older -and they seemed to relate better, too.

A great series - alas, over all too soon.

[Fatsobob]

Now what will I fill my time with

[Sinestra]

I finally got around to watching the last episode and i was not disappointed. I thought all the emotional build and the apex of the show were handled quite nicely. The down to earth feeling i got from the show was very refreshing. Hiro and Karadas understand of each other and them both acknowledging that they are truly brother and sister even if they are not related by blood was a great touch up to the end. Families are their for one another and not a burden i think this was a great moral.

Shouko learned a lot about her self through the course of the series and watching her come to her terms with her feelings of abandonment was also another turning point in the ANH. Hiro admitted he was coward which i was waiting for a lot of the problems with Shouko and Karada were really his fault. When you have a child and a love being uncertain about many things makes them uncertain about how you feel i think this was the case for Hiro.

I was a little surprised by who had the wishing stone and i noticed that she got quite a lot of screen time near then end which is why i became very suspicious of her. But again everyone played a key role in this series there was not one person who was out of place which i loved.

Im glad they ended with both the girls returning to their original size and i was thrilled to see Hiro so clean cut and together with Shouko. the ending picture was a perfect ending almost like a family portrait. Over all i give Asatte no Houkou a 9 out if 10 it was just damn fun to watch

[Joojoobees]

For me, the best part of this episode was

Spoiler:

Shouko getting the magic stone from Kotomi.

I really felt the end was rushed, and many questions are answered (if at all) only in frames.

Spoiler:

Such as whether Shouko and Hiro would get back together.

It was a reasonably satisfying ending to an interesting series, but it felt as flawed as much of the rest of the series did. I've said before that I thought it was okay to try to tell this story in 12 episodes. Maybe that really was a mistake, although I doubt all of my concerns would have been addressed in just one extra episode.

Examples:

Spoiler:

Why did Hiro not take Karada's disappearance seriously? That second episode still makes no sense to me. The waitress (older sister to Tetsu): was this a waste of a character, or what? Hiro's "transformation": what caused it?

meh.

[Skane]

I frothed at the mouth when Karada attempted to run away again. What... is Ikari Shinji her cousin or something? Brilliant move there, Karada! Solve your loved ones' problems by giving them even more!

*froth* *froth*

I wanted to give this episode 08/10, but thanks to Karada, it will have to be 07/10.

High points of the episode include Shouko's Critical Hit of moe with her attempt to be a cute little girl in front of the sensei and his wife, the hug between Shiyozaki and Shouko, Hiro's conversation with Shouko, etc...

Cheers.

[ShadowVlican]

NOTE:
[Lunar] Asatte no Houkou - 12 FINAL [86942429].avi

-wrong aspect ratio (easily correctable with MPEG4Modifier)

(not sure if this is the place to post it...)