2011-06-12, 19:14 | Link #1202 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Boston
Age: 34
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2011-07-27, 17:05 | Link #1204 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Boston
Age: 34
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http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/inte...-to-train-line
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There's a video in the link too. Haha, must ... resist ... urge ... to become tourist.
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2011-08-02, 22:17 | Link #1207 | |||||
<em style="color:#808080;">Disabled By Request</em>
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Moving my response to the discussion that is happening in HSI ep 18 over here, because I think it's offtopic to the episode analysis itself.
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So fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you see it, I already have high expectations of both writers (moreso Okada these days, because I am getting a bit tired of Jun's slapstick comedy --> heavy melodrama style). Okada in particular has a level of subtlety in her writing (True Tears and her involvement in Hourou Musuko) that I really adore that the vast majority of modern anime do not possess. It's too bad she decided to abandon that in both HSI and Anohana. |
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2011-08-06, 12:55 | Link #1208 |
On a mission
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You know, considering the terrible male characters, I think Mari Okada would be great for writing movies on the Lifetime Channel.
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Last edited by Archon_Wing; 2011-08-07 at 07:54. |
2011-08-08, 11:43 | Link #1209 |
Seishu's Ace
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
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Interestingly, Totoum pointed out that Urahata Tatsuhiko had written episode 19, and that put me in mind of a trend in this series that was nagging at me but I hadn't quite put my finger on. In some ways, it seems to have morphed into one of those endless 4-koma "four schoolgirls" series. So many of the elements are there - males absent, or acting like morons. Chaste but slightly exploitative underage fanservice. Lots of little projects and festas to occupy time. Long, loving shots of the girls frolicking.
I don't think HanaIro started out that way - or if it did, it was so artfully disguised that it slipped past me.
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2011-08-08, 13:11 | Link #1210 |
Pretentious moe scholar
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Age: 37
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It always felt to me like Hanasaku Iroha looked to schoolgirl slice of lifes for its flavour the same way that AnoHana looked to Key (and Air in particular) for its flavour. This influence was particularly notable to me in Ohana's character. While more complex than the norm (one of the things I've always praised about this show), she doesn't stray far from the "straightforward everygirl" archetype - which is probably the most common archetype for lead characters in schoolgirl SoLs.
But its never been more than a flavouring, even now. In schoolgirl SoLs where the charm and heartwarming are the point, conflict is general fluff, easily glazed over. That's certainly not the case here. Ohana's personality flaws are taken more seriously here, and well, just look at Minchi's blunders in episode 19. If I had to pick one series that recent episodes of this show have been similar to, I'd look to Toradora rather than something 4koma based. THe only episode where the conflicts felt like fluff for me were 5(because the ending felt like a cop out) to 7. And to be honest, seven did such a good job humanizing a gag character archetype (not to mention making a adult female as charming and appealing as her younger counterparts, which is rare in this genre) I have trouble considering it truly fluff. Overall, I do think the Ohana/Nako/Minko/Yuina group resembling a four schoolgirl band was intentional... but I also think that the seriousness of the personality conflicts within was intentional. Their friendship in spite of those issues i more poignant and meaningful than in other shows. BTW, as a fan of schoolgirl slice of lifes, I find that the "fluff conflict" is a bit of a pet peeve, even in series I enjoy. Which probably explains a lot of why I love HSI so very, very much.
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2011-08-08, 13:20 | Link #1211 |
Seishu's Ace
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
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I wonder if episode 7 wasn't, in hindsight, the canary in the coal mine in terms of predicting how viewers would feel about the rest of the series. Opinions of that ep were very, very polarized and it seems that viewers who liked it are much more favorable towards where the show has trended than those of us that disliked it.
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2011-08-08, 20:04 | Link #1212 | |
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One approach that Hanasaku Iroha takes, perhaps more than any other anime that I've watched, is devoting substantial amounts of time to focusing on supporting cast characters. In retrospect, Episode 7 was actually the second "Character Episode" of this anime. The first, though we didn't really know it at the time, was Episode 3. Perhaps its no coincidence that the same people who tended to dislike Episodes 3 and/or 7 also are not fond of the recent string of episodes. So far, this is what we've had for character arcs and episodes: Jiromaru - 1 Episode Tomoe - 1 Episode Yuina (and her fiance) - 2 Episodes Enishi (and Takako) - 2 Episodes Nako - 1 Episode Minko - 1 Episode (so far) That gives us a total of 8 episodes that are devoted to one or more supporting cast characters. 8 out of 19 - That's nearly half. To varying degrees, Ohana tends to dominate the remaining episodes (although often sharing the spotlight with Satsuki, Sui, and/or Ko). At the end of the day, I think that people's views on this anime will be largely based on: 1) If they felt that this was a smart use of Hanasaku's episodes. 2) If they felt that the character-focused episodes and arcs achieved their job or not. So far, I'd personally have to give it a mixed review. The idea of having a bunch of secondary character focused episodes and arcs isn't a bad one, really. But the problem might be that they're too heavily concentrated in the 2nd half of the anime, so it can leave viewers wanting to get back to Ohana's story.
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2011-08-08, 21:10 | Link #1213 |
Pretentious moe scholar
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Age: 37
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To be honest, I think that at least some side episodes were necessary in this show. Ohana's character and the drama surrounding her are so intense that I think they could actually get a bit fatiguing if they were all the show focused on. Ohana's a great character, but even I found it a bit much when she saved the day again in episode 15, I'm glad to see them back off a bit.
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2011-08-09, 12:44 | Link #1214 |
Kana Hanazawa ♥
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: France
Age: 37
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I for one think those character mini-arcs were a welcome change, as I was getting bored to tears with the romantic drama that was going nowhere. The only episodes I disliked are the ones focused on Enishi, really. I enjoyed all the others to varrying degrees (some a lot more than episode 11-12).
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2011-08-18, 13:47 | Link #1215 |
Knowledge is the solution
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: St. Louis, MO
Age: 39
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So.. I'm just coming back to check. I rage quit the series after becoming absolutely disillusioned with ep 5. I think it was one of those instances when I felt a series was playing around with me. Has it gotten better since then?
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2011-08-18, 13:59 | Link #1216 |
On a mission
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Yes, and no. It does very well in certain parts, but other parts are equally as bad. PA works seems to be experts at doing something very well, and then doing something almost equally as retarded to cancel most of it out.
If you ragequit the series at episode 5, I really can't urge you to continue on. It's stayed at 6-7/10 for most of its run for me, which isn't bad, but since you are only at episode 5, I'd recommend you check out some of the better shows lying around 2011 first.
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2011-08-18, 14:40 | Link #1217 | |
Blooming on the mountain
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light....
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The general summary of the series (afaict) is that when Hanasaku is "on" it is stupendous. But many people seem to think that the series seems to be plagued with really bad pacing and has "too much time on it's hands" episode number wise. For me the common criticisms (which I can certainly see and understand for others) that has not been as much an issue, but I am admittedly kinda biased toward the "slice of life" genre in general and tend to go into "pleased pig" mode by default: I can forgive a LOT - moreso than other people, it seems. For me the problem with the mini arc I was disappointed in had very little to do with bad pacing, though - I just did not like the story proper. I am also "holding back" on a criticism of individual eps until the series is finished. Seemingly "non-sensical" eps may make more sense when the series is finally over. Still - that is just my take. For general consensus probably the common criticisms above may be more helpful to you (particularly if you "rage-quit" by ep 5).
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2011-08-18, 14:47 | Link #1218 | |
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8 through 13 was a very strong run for Hanasaku Iroha, in my opinion, and included at least half of their best episodes (and only one episode that I think a large percentage of viewers would consider a bit weak - Episode 10). If Episodes 8 through 13 manage to win you over - great, then you can delve into more episodes if you want (maybe even going back to watch Episodes 6 and 7). But if that run doesn't win you over, then Hanasaku probably never will, imo.
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2011-08-18, 15:00 | Link #1219 |
Knowledge is the solution
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: St. Louis, MO
Age: 39
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It's just that this was the same series that made me drop my jaw with episodes 1 and 2. And after that it just felt so trite... sigh... I guess I'll give it a second chance, but most of the opinions are of the kind you guys presented. The series cheats you over and over again.
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2011-08-19, 01:56 | Link #1220 |
<em style="color:#808080;">Disabled By Request</em>
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This show drives me crazy. One moment it's fantastic, another moment's it's really medicore. At least I have pretty animation to look at. I should make that as the baseline to the reason why I continue to follow the show, and if an ep turns out amazing, then it's a treat.
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Tags |
comedy, coming of age, drama, p.a. works, pa works, romance, slice of life |
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