(CR) H2O ~footprints In The Sand~

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

This is like the most oft-repeated phrase in this thread. It seems like someone says this after near every single episode! First it was about him getting his sight back, and then it was resolving Hayami's bullying, then it was resolving Hinata/Hotaru's identity crisis, then it was Otoha's farewell, and now it's Takuma's confession. And every single time someone says, basically, "I'm wondering where the show is going to go now." And then guuchan comes on to say "the anime is so cliche". That may be true, but if it were so cliche, how come apparently no one can figure out what's going to happen next?

Could be that it's because it compresses each cliché in one or two episodes. So every time, the question of "which cliché will be next?" comes back.

[Darklightz]

Originally Posted by Skyfall

Sorry, but ...is that an argument ? So if the series would have aired last year, at this very point you would be considering a happy end as the more likely possibility ? If that is indeed so, then it would seem you are actually not basing your observations on the series itself, but on some (not exactly convincing and quite arguable) outside factors. Oh, and as a story, H2O has been released in 2006

The wild extreme you seem to imply is suicide. Has Hotaru shown anything to imply she would ever go that far for some reason ? As i see it, definitely not even close to that.

I was simply noting a popular trend in recent series. Many series get dramatic endings now rather than the classic cheerful and unconclusive "And they kept having fun" type of ending.

Maybe not suicide, obviously not unless something really bad happens to Hotaru in the meantime. But I am sure Hotaru will somehow end up away from Hayami and Hirose. it would seem awkward to just have her hang around while the couple tries to get some quality time. Then again I"m only wildly speculating and I'll admit the cheerful ending is more likely, I"m only talking about possibilities.

[Skyfall]

Yes, Hotaru may well end up "away" from the couple trying to get some alone time ... though that doesn't mean she will be out of the friendship circle. I think it is too deep to be damaged by this. I don't think Hayami and Takuma are going to distance themselves from her at school, and since the two live under the same house, there is plenty of time when to get "alone time" without having Hotaru to withdraw from scene. Is it possible she might be affected to some degree by the relationship ? Yes, it is possible. Do i think she would get pushed to any great lengths due to this ? Highly unlikely.

And the "current trend" (though i really don't think there is such ... two animes that everyone seem to be focused on do not a trend make) might well matter little for H2O. The story and its conclusion has been written a good while ago, so the "current trend" doesn't impact it. I am not familiar with H2O game, so it might well have a darker ending, nor do i know if the anime is sticking completely with the game ... but the fact is - the story of H2O was written long before any "current trends", so even if it has a darker end, i would not attribute it to some "current trend". (Nor do i actually believe such a trend exists in the first place).

And all that aside - H2O has been gradually getting "lighter" in terms of hardships, and problems get constantly solved and everything is moving upwards, so i don't think we are suddenly going to get some dark twists out of nowhere. No, i don't believe anything can happen in anime (provided the writer is aiming for consistent story that ultimately connects well) - everything usually has gradual progression, and i find it very unlikely in case of H2O that anything grim would come down ... the story and its message has been steering in the opposite direction ever since the start. At least thats how i see it.

[Kefit]

I'm getting pretty sick of people predicting a School Days ending for every renai series that airs now. They need to get it through their heads that the School Days ending was a joke that every otaku in Japan was in on and that we will probably never seen again.

Anyways, this show is clearly heading for a happy ending. Hell, I was sure it would have one as soon as I heard the OP. The only room I even see for bittersweetness is in a final appearance by Otoha.

Oh, and Hotaru is going to be fine. She was never that greatly attached to Takuma in the first place. Besides, she's got plenty of friends at school. If she starts to feel third wheelish with Takuma and Hayami then she will just spend more time with Yui and Hamaji.

Originally Posted by KholdState

Did anyone get the feeling that episode 9 had really good animation?

This was easily the best looking episode in the series. No question about that. I'm hoping that the DVD release fixes up the earlier episodes.

[CJL13]

I'm trying to figure out where people are getting the idea of one of the girls committing suicide.

Spoiler:

If anyone is committing suicide (At all) Hirose would, seeing as how according to the future episode summaries his life is going to hell starting next episode.

[qtipbrit]

Originally Posted by Kefit

This was easily the best looking episode in the series. No question about that. I'm hoping that the DVD release fixes up the earlier episodes.

Haha, I noticed that too. I thought I was seeing weird stuff, but I guess I'm not alone.
In general, this episode was packed with the win that the series was looking for previously, except for episode 7.
The eyecatch and the ending scene also deserve some recognition.

Takuma Love = Win.

Spoiler for Ep 9 end:

Reminded me of Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora, eh?

So if this keeps up, the next episode should suck, but 11 will be good.

[Sinestra]

I really enjoyed this episode especially the misunderstanding about the bell, which we can not blame Takuma for not knowing. But watching all the girls including Yui go gaga over the fact that he brought one to school was amusing. That damned uncle of his couldnt even give him a warning of what the bell was meant to symbolize, but i have to love the guy for allowing Hayami to live there. Watching Hotaru's and Hayami in this episode really gave me some clarity on how they feel although we knew how Hayami felt. Its not that Hotaru did have her own interest in Takuma its just that she felt she did not deserve him because she tried to deceive him before and she knew exactly where Takumas heart lay even if he was not sure at the time. Even with the painful telling of how his mom committed suicided he was still able to tell Hayami how he felt about her more or less.

I think the Hotaru and Hinatas grandfather summed up everything perfectly. "So this is Karma" It exactly what it is i think he has realzied there is nothing he can do anymore the young ones are the ones that will shape the future of the village not the adults and he has resided with this.

Another twist of fate the villagers burning down Hayamis home AGAIN only made it easier for Hayami and Takuma to get closer and the end result is the kiss under the moonlight at the end. Pretty much everything has come full circle with village leader no longer pursing the the matter with the Konihintas the villagers will eventually forget their hate as he was the one that really kept it going.

My question is where do we go from here? We have not heard why Takumas mom killed her self and there is still the matter of Takuma sight which i thought would have vanished once Otoha left but it did not. The next episode will probably be a light hearted one focusing more on comedy and episode 11 to be a serious one.


REALLY GETTING ANNOYED
WTF why are people constantly comparing every freakin romance with School Days there is not a thread you can go in without seeing it. Its really annoying i dont know where people are getting the realization that this is going to end in a blood bath there is no evidence to support it only speculation that people have linked with events in school days its self there is no bounds for it, The trend if you could really call it that for H2O has always been coming to terms and facing your problems and also helping others in need look at 90% of what Takuma has done with the exception of himself so far. Can we please keep things on topic if you want to talk about schools days the thread is still open.

[Shana]

Originally Posted by siber222000

explain this to me:

Spoiler:

Hotaru liked Hirose too, so she's mad at him because he choose Hayami instead of her (well, in the chibi-version ).

[Sin Ansem]

LAWL NO

She wants Hirose to rot because he stole Hayami from her.

To put it simply, SHE wants to bang Hayami first. :P

[Shana]

Originally Posted by Sin Ansem

LAWL NO

She wants Hirose to rot because he stole Hayami from her.

To put it simply, SHE wants to bang Hayami first. :P

Oh yeah! I'm actually wrong.

teh writer is teh smart person XD

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

WTF why are people constantly comparing every freakin romance with School Days there is not a thread you can go in without seeing it.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Definitely.

A loud bang somewhere, flashback, and then you kill the milkman because you think he's the vietcong.

It's really obvious once you've understood it. Face it: School Days has effectively broken a whole generation of otaku, or at least the eroge faction. some can somehow cope, but others are now having visions of puddles of black blood in every bishoujo anime they watch.

Please ignore me, I'm just idly browsing around.

[qtipbrit]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Definitely.

A loud bang somewhere, flashback, and then you kill the milkman because you think he's the vietcong.

It's really obvious once you've understood it. Face it: School Days has effectively broken a whole generation of otaku, or at least the eroge faction. some can somehow cope, but others are now having visions of puddles of black blood in every bishoujo anime they watch.

Please ignore me, I'm just idly browsing around.

Honestly, I agree.
How many people thought said "Oh, Ef - A Tale of Memories is going to end up like School Days, one of them is going to pwn Hiro.", and even more threw around that Myself; Yourself would, too, though since there wasn't really ever an "other girl", it cruised quite easily.

Spoiler for Myself; Yourself:

Though one of the characters was stabbed. And there was black blood.

Mmm... Honestly, the closest thing we've had to School Days was nothing.
Another School Days ending is never going to happen. Get over it.

[Snuffle]

You know... I've lost modivation to post in this thread due to all the School Days talk... Not that I posted much in here anyway . People, please move on with your "watch anime for entertainment" lives and not be so on guard to prepare yourselves for another SD ending...

[DanielSong39]

Actually KGNE was a pretty nice trainwreck and provided no shortage of melodrama. Shuffle! got pretty bad at its nadir as well and Sia and Kaede were treated very poorly indeed.

But Takuma has shown himself to be consistent, friendly, strong-willed, smart, and a unifying figure. And Hayami has looked out for Takuma's best interests and warmed up to him rather quickly. She does respond rather strongly to ecchi situations but it's always temporary and she is quick to forgive Takuma afterwards. The indecisive and cruel male and a vengeful female are necessary components to a School Days-like drama and I just don't see it here.

We're probably headed for a happy ending with Takuma and Hayami and I think it would be appropriate for this show. We still need a bit more from Otoha to close out the story, but since she is no longer human, her chances with Takuma were drowned out long ago.

[Anh_Minh]

H2O isn't going to turn into School Days. Kimiaru, on the other hand...

[Owaranai Destiny]

Is the next episode finally going to be some sort of revelation about the Kohinatas? Considering the fact that this series is going to end soon, that is.

-Something didn't entirely feel smooth with the confession IMO. Was it because of the fact that the show had been focusing on Takuma's innate ability to meddle in the affairs of others and solve the problems more than the emotional perspective from the two, especially Takuma (since there have been more than enough signs to tell us that Hayami did indeed feel that way about him).
Even so, it looked pretty good. I'm not entirely convinced that Hotaru has no feelings for Takum at all, but that she judged herself to be unworthy of his affections and considering that the competition (assuming that she really did like Takuma) was her best friend with whom she was recently reconciled.

-Unsure about what Gramps really meant about 'karma', though. Could it have something to do with Takuma's mother instead? Judging from the episode alone, it would seem as though he was resigned to the fact that Takuma would be with Hayami instead of Hotaru, but it wasn't really in sync or consistent with his behaviour and his attitude towards the Kohinatas and his desperation to strengthen the Kaguras' social status. His attitude towards the fire incident was commendable, though; Acting like a village head instead of simply shrugging it off (Lackeys One and Two's dads were too obvious, damn it).

-I'm expect that there might be a backstory as to why Takuma's mother committed suicide. His lack of detail (which was perfectly understandable) simply made me wanted to know more since it might have something to do with the village.

-LOLs from Hamaji and Yui. I was never in doubt that the two of them were meant to be characters mostly used for humor.

Is it actually safe to say that Hayami is a tsundere of some sorts?

[Chiibi]

Hayami-chan is DEFINITELY a tsundere.^^

[Davidj]

Originally Posted by Zippicus

I feel kind of ripped off on this whole blindness thing. As far as I can tell, the only effect his blindness had was to enable a scene in episode 1 where he was able to fondle Hotaru with his cane.

I suspect it's game conversion trauma.

[DanielSong39]

Originally Posted by Owaranai Destiny

-Unsure about what Gramps really meant about 'karma', though. Could it have something to do with Takuma's mother instead? Judging from the episode alone, it would seem as though he was resigned to the fact that Takuma would be with Hayami instead of Hotaru, but it wasn't really in sync or consistent with his behaviour and his attitude towards the Kohinatas and his desperation to strengthen the Kaguras' social status. His attitude towards the fire incident was commendable, though; Acting like a village head instead of simply shrugging it off (Lackeys One and Two's dads were too obvious, damn it).

Hinata's grandfather may have failed in his efforts to unite the Hirose and Kagura families, but he isn't quite busted. And he's smart enough to have a Plan B in case things don't quite work out as intended.

As far as I can tell, his relationship with the Hirose family - and even Takuma himself - are good, so he still holds quite a bit of leverage. If he chooses, he can groom Takuma to be his successor, so that the spirit - if not the bloodline - of the Kagura family can live on. Hayami is a more difficult case, but I suspect that once he wins Takuma over, Hayami will fall in line.

I have to give him some credit for having an exit strategy. The Kohinata family didn't have one, and it cost them dearly...

[technomo12]

for me all ican say is

that

if it is another one tragic aime ALL hell is going to break loose in my house!!!!!!!!!!!!!