(L) Natsuyuki Rendez-vous (noitaminA)

[ookamigirl]

He confessed, she did pretty much nothing.
Guess she just didn't take him seriously enough at first.
Seems like her husband's ghost keeps hanging around 'cause she just can't let go.
All evidence point to the fact that she's still in love with him.
Hmm, but looks like there is still hope for Hazuki & Rokka, but only if he manages to ignore her husband's ghost successfully.
Both of them need to move on with their lives.

[Salva]

I loved second episode just as much as the first one. This show is not going to disappoint me!

I find the atmosphere of the show really appealing. Perfect focus on the romance in a way I don't even feel I'm missing anything. I like how we were thrown into the story without much explanation. Watching two episodes of Arcana Familia was painful just because of that. I'm grateful the flashbacks are subtle and don’t see the whole detailed story of the past. We do know they loved each other now don't we? Watching the Husband as he was unable to comfort his wife was heartbreaking and I'm amazed he's still sane. It's really not an issue he acts childishly as I think most of the people would have gone mad by this time. It's been 3 whole years. Of course he didn't have to watch her being courted by other guys but still seeing her sad and lonely couldn't have been pleasant for him. I do like him! It's strange cause I didn't really think about it at the beginning but right now I do like him a lot. The guy has a fearsome past but aside from that he still has really nice personality. I simply can't get enough of the scenes when he's floating upside down and mocking Hazuki from behind Rikko's back xD It's just hilarious. I was giggling again almost half of the episode. I do have one complaint. If both eat the garlic it stops being THAT troublesome... Still his statement “even the garlic won’t turn me off” was excellent. I can also see it coming, all fujoshis using few screencaps from this episode. It was certainly awesome and Hazuki do have guts to try to continue with her regardless of her husband being there. I just wouldn’t be comfortable if that was the case with me. Or maybe I’m really not self confident but if he started saying some strange stuff or commenting during more intimate scenes it would be just embarrassing. Hazuki is not really that simple for me and I like him, not with such warm sympathy I have for the Husband but still. Although he's not very smart... Blabbering inappropriate words in the worst possible moment. That slap was wonderful. I like reasonable slapping. I describe it in the wrong order but he was really brave to try to get her on a date. I also liked her reactions. That kiss and holding hand. It was coquetry in full bloom and I can’t keep being oblivious to that as it’s really rare to see it in the anime. It was really natural and I don’t really like her but I do find her charming. While I was watching them together like that I couldn't help thinking about Yuki from Kimi to boku. In the second season I could see him like that with a certain someone. I do think 8 years is a huge age difference but in this case I don’t see that much of a problem. I wasn’t always this “tolerant” though. Until I saw that it’s possible to like someone 3-4 years younger than me I don’t see that much of a problem with couples where he’s much younger than her. I think it would be more difficult to swallow for me if he was shorter than her... Aside from that I liked the way the story is shown. It’s not as slow as it usually can be (I know it’s not right to compare shoujo to josei but Kimi ni todoke pretty much used up all my patience regarding this matter) but it’s not very quick either. It’s just as it should be. Characters also act like adults. More or less... Remembering that Hazuki is still a kid inside. But they didn’t act fake or anything. They truly live and I just can’t get enough of pointing that out. I usually don’t like direct romances, I prefer something more subtle but the way it’s portrayed in Natsuyuki is unique. I can easily get sucked in without worrying too much. Besides I can’t resist subtle humour in this series. The floating husband and so on. The balance is perfect for my tastes. I hope they’ll keep it up.

[thundrakkon]

Originally Posted by HandofFate

I don't think the age difference is that big a deal, is it something that Rokka notices, but she doesn't seem THAT fazed by it. As you get older, age difference becomes less of a barrier.
12 year x 20 year old vs. 22year vs 30 year old is a big mental and societal difference. That's the same difference as Anakin and Padme in the Star War movie prequels, and people don't see a big problem with that age difference, or even notice it.

A 22 year old guy and a 30 year old woman is definitely a huge difference in maturity and mental state. At 22, he is just starting out in life, with no real sense of direction. A guy usually does not settle down at that age. As for 30 year old woman, she usually is set with her life and wants to settle down by that age. Also, it creates a problem of who is in charge of this relationship. She is his manager and boss, but at the same time, he wants to be the boss "in bed", so it seems.

If a woman feels like she has to babysit a guy, then it usually does not end out too well.

I would like to see how they handle this in a satisfactory manner, since in real life, it usually presents more of a problem than a solution for relationships.

Originally Posted by HandofFate

Cross legged I can understand, but actually falling asleep in the seiza position like Rokka, I think if I ever did that. I wake up and have to get my legs amputated at the knees.

HAHA Okay, I can totally relate with you there. I can't even sit 5 minutes in that position without my legs going numb. However, I heard that the Japanese are accustomed to sitting like that, so it should be okay.

[wandering-dreamer]

Hmm, noitaminA is certainly doing a lot of promotional tie-in material these days aren't they?

[Kirarakim]

Oh I want the art book.

Flowers are nice too but not something I would order from Japan.

[Dop]

Dear Noitamina. Please please please keep making shows like this one, it's your forte.

A lovely episode, filled in some of the back story about Rokka and Atsushi (who was certainly playing silly buggers by floating about to annoy Hazuki this episode).

The relationship between a younger man, a widow, and her late husband reminds me a lot (possibly as Sayaka Ohara plays the widow in both cases) of the Mayama, Rika and Harada storyline in Honey and Clover, but you can see a similar and less dramatic relationship triangle in Maison Ikkoku, where the late husband is this figure that's always there as something the younger man has to live up to.

This show takes that an extra stage with the ghost business.

But yes, I'm totally in love with this series now.

[LKK]

Is there anyone who reads Japanese well enough to say whether or not the fever medicine Rokka took was a prescription or a non-prescription? I ask because if it was a prescription medicine that might indicate a recurring problem that a night's chill might make worse.

[sikvod00]

Oh, boy. Ep. 3 was really painful to watch at times. So much angst and raw emotions. I still think think being turned into a ghost so you can see your partner fall in love with someone else should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

[DXMichael]

Oh my, was that a Dragonball reference in episode 3?

"Why not stop bitching and go on a quest for seven balls or something?"

Or is it my inner childhood kicking in from watching so much DBZ and remembering the 7 Dragonballs

Atsuhi is really becoming quite the annoying character to like and hate. He can't make up his mind One minute I like his character, the next he's quite the bother to Ryuusuke who I quite like in this anime (Except for when he's a complete baka at times) Atsushi is also quite the child, stomping his feet and getting a temper when things don't go his way. This will be quite problematic towards Ryuusuke.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I'm beginning to think they can pull this show off. Difficult but enjoyable episode. It appears that the difference in ages may not be a problem, since she found Atsushi a cute incompetent, too -- with big, bony hands.

Both guys are kind of annoying. Atsushi is really like a "hungry ghost," barrenly repeating the same feelings over and over again. Like a cut flower. No growth possible. But Hazuki could try to be a bit more sensitive with him. Charm him into going, rather than just butting up against him every time.

[Guardian Enzo]

I think this was easily the most powerful of the three eps emotionally. Hazuki is actually growing up before our eyes, and awkwardly attacking things as a man rather than as a child. Unwittingly (probably) Atsushi's obstruction is actually pushing Hazuki forward much faster than would likely have been the case otherwise.

As for Atsushi, he's certainly reverting to a more childlike state himself, and even becoming a menace - but it's hard for me not to feel for him, because the show is doing a great job of presenting just how helpless and desolate his situation is.

[FredFriendly]

After watching episode 3, I just can't really sympathized with either Ryūsuke or Atsushi. They're both pretty annoying in their own ways. Ryūsuke seems so, how do I put it, passive-aggressive maybe? Pushy but not in a pleasant way. Atsushi, he's just plain annoying. Grow up and get lost. Ghost boy may have been something to write home about when he was alive, but now he's just ruining Rokka-chan's chances for a happier life out of his own jealousy. The young boy doesn't really seem to have any redeeming qualities, other than being able to see how wonderful Rokka-chan is. She deserves better than both of them.

I suppose the only reason that the young boy doesn't tell Rokka-chan that he can see the ghost boy, and that the ghost boy is trying to ruin any chances she has of a happier life, is because there wouldn't be a story. Or the story wouldn't go in the direction that it's heading in.

As to that, if it does, indeed, head down that road (ghost boy taking over young boy's body), as was hinted in this episode, I will be sorely disappointed. I was hoping that this story would have a new and refreshing twist to it, not some cliched over-used plot device.

Well, even if it does go down that road, I will still probably suffer through the rest of the series just on account of Rokka-chan being so cute.

[HandofFate]

Miho's a nice character. And she's really useful in showing up more of the history between Rokka and ghostboy.

I look forward hopefully to when we can see present-day Rokka with long hair again.

Not sure I like the step up in supernatural territory though. The lingering ghost husband was an interesting setting for the story, but that he can actually move things around and process people's body like a poltergeist is too much for what is a very realistic story.

Don't want to get into the territory of exorcisms and spirit powers. What's next, a monk coming by to interact with the shop?

[Flower]

Yeesh ... I am still on ep 2. :\

Oh well, will watch ep 3 soon enough.

[D-KLAC]

ep. 3 the drama continues on


rokka flashback of time atsushi help of carrying her to bed.
rokka feeling slowly better while ryusuke & atsushi still bit hmm on each other.
ryusuke check on rokka cue shake seem to be atsushi ghost doing.
alone talk with idea of atsuhi going body ride on ryusuke.
ryusuke had some talk with rokka's sister in law aka miho about rokka & atsushi history.
after some hmm ryusuke invite rokka with park tickets.
yet rooka cried bit both ryusuke & atsushi wonder?

indeed more drama to come.

[ookamigirl]

Hazuki saved the day. Shimao was being all annoying again.
Rokka's cold brought them a bit closer together.
If only that ghost wasn't around to spoil things.
On the other hand Rokka needs to let go of the memory of her husband.
Maybe than he'll finally let those two be.
In the meantime he has a serious possibility of turning into a poltergeist.

[ars89]

Oh man that was intense at times. Shimao really is getting annoying and childlike. Interesting that he can't interact with the real world, but somehow causes earthquake like disturbances.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by ars89

Interesting that he can't interact with the real world, but somehow causes earthquake like disturbances.

Now that his poltergeist powers have awakened, Shimao has a way to interact with the real world. At the 18 minute mark, we see him using those powers to telekinetically pick up the objects in Rokka's bedroom that fell down during the shaking earlier when his powers awoke. I foresee more Shimao & real world interactions in the future, probably to Hazuki's detriment.

[hyperborealis]

I wonder if Atsushi is really a character at all. He makes more sense as a projection, of Rokka-chan's unresolved feelings over the loss of her husband, and of Ryusukie's own anxieties about interjecting himself into Rokka-chan's heart. He personifies the obstacles in Rokka and Ryusuke's relationship. But that does not mean he is a person in real fact.

[Guardian Enzo]

It seems to me that Atsushi is "real" in the ghost sense - trapped in our plane because of Rokka's plea at his bedside. And I think folks are being entirely too hard on him. If indeed that's what happened, his existence must be excruciating torture - to see her suffering every day and be unable to interact with her.