Hanasaku Iroha - Episode 7 Discussion / Poll

[Arabesque]

What a sparkling episode.

I was somewhat surprised with this episode. Being a Tomoe-centric episode, I figured that I wouldn't like it as much, but by the end of it I grew some form of respect and some attachment to her.

The most interesting bit about her character came from her postponing her mothers attempts to get her married/start a family and how that story went down. Instead of going down the road of making it a stealth reference about Japan's current birthrates, or ending it with her refusing to get married at all, it was more about her living out her life before settling down. She clearly wants to have a family of her own, but she'd rather fulfill her current commitments to her colleague.

The comedy was nice (if a bit cartoonish) though I'd say it was fairly predictable how the events would unfold.

Originally Posted by james0246

Am I the only one that thought the LARPers were kind of endearing in their very straightforward approach to peeping?

I thought that it was the ''innocence'' they've shown that made them more lovable lol Seriously the scene with the Onigiri made them look less like perverts and more like children messing around (though I suppose they weren't really shown to be so concerned about the peeping itself, but rather the chase. I suppose this is a case of enjoying the actual game rather than the award)

Originally Posted by Reckoner

-snip-

This could be just me, but I place the majority of the credit of the first episode being as good as it was on Masahiro Ando's excellent direction(rather than Okada's writing.)

A lot of what your describing appears more to do with the directional choices/talent. The episode gave the viewers a taste of what the show had to offer without letting on too much. How will the show go on from this point? We needed to watch on to figure that.

I agree with you that compared with the first episode, the 3rd and moreso the 7th aren't as grounded as it was presented. I suppose part of the blame might go to Okada or the staff not trying to keep a set tone throughout the show in line with the more subtle opener (or failure to maintain Ando's direction?) or it could even be the episodic nature of the show that stops it from settling down on a more constant mixture of drama/comedy.

Does that mean the show is suffering from a supposed ''Identity crises''? Absolutely not.

Hanasaku Iroha isn't confused as to what it is. The early expectations of the show is what caused many to think so, but the show is following a very constant theme. What you wrote shows that the show early on doesn't take a fully dramatic direction nor a comedic one. It balances between the two (which I'd say is thanks again to the episode director) wonderfully.

I can understand fully what your issue is with the show, and I agree that the handling of the drama/comedy balance isn't as good as it was in the first episode. But I can't see how you can confuse episode-to-episode as being from a different show.

Originally Posted by acejem

Imo, Okada should pick this up the elements from the 2 episodes, change the setting/characters a bit, sign a contract with Production I.G or A-1 Pictures, find a notaminA timeslot and try again.

There is this one show called Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai :P

I doubt it will make a difference. Maybe it will be less nice looking or with a less impressive first episode, but if she wants to do this lighthearted slice-of-life coming of age tale about a girl working in an inn, it will still be a lighthearted slice-of-life coming of age tale about a girl working in an inn.

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

We can agree to disagree about it being forced, anyway.

I'm not sure what's so forced about it, tbh.

Again, the two had known each other for ages, we had flashbacks showing us how much Ohana thinks about him, saw that she thinks about his confession seriously nearly every episode. While it isn't exactly gospel proof that Kohana is the OTP, it isn't really forced to see that the two end up together.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

It's just as amazing to me that some people want to douse any small glow of romance as it must be to them that I want to fan whatever embers there may be, lol.

In ep1, we learn that Ko and Ohana are "best friends," who spend a lot of time together. She definitely "notices" him, in fact she is with him constantly, as far as we can tell. When he learns she is leaving, Ko confesses to her, then runs away in embarrassment. On the train, Ohana thinks: "I have always wanted to be someone else, but now that I have seen a different side of Ko-chan...." This is clearly a suggestion that romantic feelings can develop.

Off at the inn, she doesn't call him because she doesn't know what to say. This kind of awkwardness is perfectly normal, when her osananajimi starts wanting to convert the relationship to romance. Only when he comes to see her, which the preview suggests may be soon, will we see if she feels like taking any steps in that direction. They are unlikely to be big ones, at this point, since she really gives no evidence of understanding romance at all -- all she has seen is her mother's rather irresponsible, changeable, almost comic variety of romance, which has probably turned her off the whole idea, in favor of the simple, stable friendship of a Ko.

We have not been shown her thinking of him beyond a couple of simple scenes, but that would be normal while she has to deal with a new environment, and also because the anime has strayed so far from the fairly serious narrative of the first two episodes. I am looking forward to Thursday, hoping that Ko may ignite a small flame in her heart.

A small flame is all there could be, for now. But it would be enough for me. Actually, I would also be happy enough with both of them learning that she has become a different person, and they have little in common any more. That would be human drama, too. But even if she is still not ready, I don't expect him to stop giving her the opportunity to learn.

In any case, romance here would definitely not be "from nowhere," whatever the situation in Angel Beats, which I only watched half of and thought of as a confused train wreck, to that point.

Don't take it too serious please. Sinking a whole shipping fleet sounds fun (ok now it does sound really fun...) but i will rather not killing other people hope on it

I just don't want a guy climbing out of flashback to claim a girl. And i definitely will stand my point until he prove his worthiness. I did change my POV of some male character before afterall: Kyon, Ararararagi (sorry i sluttered), and recent Makoto

Most importantly , if all failed, you will still always have fanfic

[jeroz]

I don't know about you, but those just look delicious to me

[revive4563]

Well, most of Wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are Anko (sweet red/white bean paste) taste, basically.
Though there is a modern Wagashi which used raw fruits recently.

[Soconfused]

Originally Posted by jeroz

I don't know about you, but those just look delicious to me

they look like pieces of hotel soap to me.

Wow, surprised by this episode. I didn't realize Tomoe was so old, I thought she was in her early 20's. She also looks really good with her hair down and normal clothes on, the inn Kimono and hair doesn't do her justice. I'm surprised she doesn't have a boyfriend, although that might be because she's only looking for rich guys. She really jumped to to the top of my list of favorite characters in this show. I don't even care if OhanaxToru happens anymore, as long as theres more Tomoe in the future.

[ahelo]

My take on this crazy episode

Again, oh gahd the yamakan porn.

Kou's in the next episode and this is really getting me excited. I hope he sweeps Ohana off her feet. . . or work in the inn itself. That'd be a lot more romantic.

[revive4563]

Originally Posted by ahelo

That'd be a lot more romantic.

If anything, I think it's a bloodbath...

[frubam]

A greatly entertaining episode. Tomoe had so many amusing facial expressions and lines, it's been the most enjoyable comedy yet in the series . I think some of the amusement is attributed to how zany the episode was in comparison to the former ones; 'shock' value, if you will.

It's strange that some random customers playing army managed to turn Minko from being angry to happy. If only she could be that happy more often instead of being a sour puss (>.>)...

I also got the impression that those guys were actual soldiers. They seemed a bit too mobile to be some random dudes playing for fun, but then again, maybe that's how good survival gamers are.

Originally Posted by Soconfused

Wow, surprised by this episode. I didn't realize Tomoe was so old, I thought she was in her early 20's.

Isn't she only 28 (O.o)?

[KyriaL]

One specific thing about this episode that really got me hooked is the good relationship Tomoe had with her mother. We need more scenes/events like this!

[Soconfused]

Originally Posted by frubam

A greatly entertaining episode. Tomoe had so many amusing facial expressions and lines, it's been the most enjoyable comedy yet in the series . I think some of the amusement is attributed to how zany the episode was in comparison to the former ones; 'shock' value, if you will.

It's strange that some random customers playing army managed to turn Minko from being angry to happy. If only she could be that happy more often instead of being a sour puss (>.>)...

I also got the impression that those guys were actual soldiers. They seemed a bit too mobile to be some random dudes playing for fun, but then again, maybe that's how good survival gamers are.



Isn't she only 28 (O.o)?

well I meant like, college 20's, 22 or so. 28 is 5 or 6 years older. She just looks really young to me in her Kimono with her hair up.

[Pellissier]

Tomoe is 28 as indicated in the official site.

For comparisons (the school girls are all 16-17 yo).

Ren = 42
Jiroumaru= 31
Consultant= 30
Uncle= 32
Grandmother= 68
BeanMan = 73
Satsuki = 38
Tooru = 23

So Tomoe is 5 years older than Tooru (from the drawings, I can buy that. Tooru looks clearly younger than her, actually he does look more like 19-20 than 23 imho), but only 2 years younger than the consultant (perhaps for the makeup, but I was guessing 35 for her). Also thought the uncle looked a bit older than 32.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Pellissier

Tomoe is 28 as indicated in the official site.

For comparisons (the school girls are all 16-17 yo).

Ren = 42
Jiroumaru= 31
Consultant= 30
Uncle= 32
Grandmother= 68
BeanMan = 73
Satsuki = 38
Tooru = 23

So Tomoe is 5 years older than Tooru (from the drawings, I can buy that. Tooru looks clearly younger than her, actually he does look more like 19-20 than 23 imho), but only 2 years younger than the consultant (perhaps for the makeup, but I was guessing 35 for her). Also thought the uncle looked a bit older than 32.

Dealing with his sister when he was young aged him prematurely. That, or his mother. Or possibly the inn.

[DragoZERO]

Originally Posted by Soconfused

well I meant like, college 20's, 22 or so. 28 is 5 or 6 years older. She just looks really young to me in her Kimono with her hair up.

I think she looks a lot older when she is at work. Being at home with casual clothes and her down make her look younger. I had thought (and hoped a little) that her hair style was going to be addressed and at the end she'd sport something a little more attractive.

[Roger Rambo]

What's wrong with Tomoe's workplace hair style? Done up hair is sexy.

[Tsuyoshi]

Originally Posted by Roger Rambo

What's wrong with Tomoe's workplace hair style? Done up hair is sexy.

Seconded. Imagine being with her in a room right before the deed. I find it very arousing foreplay to undo the hair, but that's just me. Hope we get more Tomoe Supremacy later on

[Riou17]

I was surprised to find how Tomoe looks after work. She looks so young compared to when she's working. Is working in an inn that stressful that it makes you look older than your age? And also on her attitude as a whole. I thought she was just one of those characters that likes to gossip and tease her co-workers. Who would have thought that she has a very interesting personality?

Overall, it's an excellent episode ^^

[Flower]

I agree with the episode being excellent - I must admit I laughed very hard through most of the episode, possibly partly because I was not expecting an episode with humor as its main theme.

[Proto]

I give up with this series. I'll probably follow it all when it's all done and I can sort of just gloss over over the fluff episodes, but as of now I cannot stomach this thing week after week. Off to the Anohana thread.

[Arabesque]

Different strokes for different folks I guess, though I never would've imagined that you'd not like this show much Proto.

I personally didn't think that these episodes were ''fluff''. This episode was a Tomoe episode and we explored her character, learned about her worries, plans, aspirations, motivations for working at the inn, seeing that the younger girls started considering as sister role model, and ended up with her going from thinking that she was an expendable to realizing that she liked working in the inn and that the people there valued her.

So, not really fluff so much as a day in the limelight.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

...I personally didn't think that these episodes were ''fluff''. This episode was a Tomoe episode and we ended up exploring her character, learning about her worries, plans, aspirations, motivations for working at the inn, ended up seeing that the younger girls started considering as sister role model, and ended up with her going from thinking that she was an expendable to realizing that she liked working in the inn and that the people there valued her.

So, not really fluff so much as a day in the limelight.

My impressions exactly - we really hadn't been "introduced" to Tomoe more than this before now.

I wonder if a similar pattern will be given for other workers in the Inn in the future?