AnimeSuki Forum - View Single Post - Hanasaku Iroha - Overall Series Impressions & Total Series Rating

Decagon · 2011-10-03, 14:12

I think the story could have been better organized.

If you watched this for the romance, you got boned. If you watched it for the family/belonging themes, which wasn't immediately apparent, it ends on a much higher note. Ohana had been uprooted from the only home she knew and looking at the series (well, looking back) it seems easier to rationalize the story as many people's search for place--where they are comfortable, where they belong.

If we divide the series by both cours, in the first half we have Ohana becoming accustomed to the inn's denizens and operations, and fleshing out how a small inn like Kissuisou operates. In the second half, there was a greater focus on the inn as a place where the employees liked to be and why. A 'place where they belong' if you will. Despite this, I would say many episodes suffered from focusing too closely on the specific character that was being developed without allowing for other characters on the side to subtly grow with them (ie, the focus could have just been on Ohana). Incidentally, Ohana dragging her mom back and the wedding arc probably had the best development of non-focus characters, if only just the Minko and Tooru development that went on in the background.

Jiromaru
- His introduction episode felt wholly unecessary as he could have appeared as an established inn worker with history that could be developed through interactions. What we got from episode 3 was jailbait tied up, jailbait in wet shirt, and an Ohana who will supposedly forgive attempted kidnapping and rape if (she believes) you say something inspiring about her (out of context).

Nako
- Her brief episode brought some insight that helped define the theme of the second half and how Kissuisou was like a sanctuary to her outside of her home. This ties into the overarching theme much better than the other characters. The way she finds the outside world suffocating brings us back to her good swimming skills, something which would be much better if she actually had a chance to live up to the supposedly well known nickname that was mentioned early on in some other capacity other than being a bit of a maniac about swimming here and there.

Tooru
- His story elements served to reinforce Ohana's own feelings and resolve for Ko. Otherwise, his only purpose seemed to be the driving force behind making Minko an insuffrable bitch in more than a few instances. Toward the end he seemed to flop much like the dead fish he prepares. It's a bit harder to justify what may tie a chef, whose interaction with customers is limited to food, to a location.

Minko
- We get to see a lot of her drive and desire. She had to live with Ohana and go to school with Ohana and watch Tooru show interest in Ohana for over half a year before it culminated in a spectacularly unspectacular bottom half to the wedding, after which we just see her in an awkward place with Tooru not much from what the status quo was before--except for where she seems to be much more congenial toward Ohana (however few those interactions were). Vintage tsundere? Considering how much time she had to spend with Ohana, this was something that could have been dealt with much earlier than as fourth chair to some insecure twit's wedding.

Tomoe
- As much as I liked her episode, she could have had as much development without needing a voyeuristic insight into her nagging mother reminding her about having grandchildren. She has shown her sly side, her man-hunting tendencies, and aggressiveness without needing to be the focus.

Takako (and Enishi)
- Takako mostly served as a source of conflict that allowed for Ohana's meddling by bringing back her grandmother's ways eventually won out (though it miffs me that Sui's old waitress kimonos were only used that one time by the staff). If you consider Takako/Enishi as being a part of a broader theme of family or place, then the movie and wedding will feel less out of place. The movie arc helped us understand the Shijima family a bit more, and we realize why Enishi enjoys femdom. The marriage brought the Tooru love triangle to an end, kind of, and set up the succession issue. This being said, early on Takako was just a vehicle to convey conflict, a role that other characters could have easily assumed (probably without the annoying engrish).

Yuina
- .... I guess she's here to show that a girl changes when she thinks her airheaded friend might NTR them?

2011-10-03, 14:12	Link #5
Decagon This was meaningless Scanlator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Not on this site no more. Age: 36	I think the story could have been better organized. If you watched this for the romance, you got boned. If you watched it for the family/belonging themes, which wasn't immediately apparent, it ends on a much higher note. Ohana had been uprooted from the only home she knew and looking at the series (well, looking back) it seems easier to rationalize the story as many people's search for place--where they are comfortable, where they belong. If we divide the series by both cours, in the first half we have Ohana becoming accustomed to the inn's denizens and operations, and fleshing out how a small inn like Kissuisou operates. In the second half, there was a greater focus on the inn as a place where the employees liked to be and why. A 'place where they belong' if you will. Despite this, I would say many episodes suffered from focusing too closely on the specific character that was being developed without allowing for other characters on the side to subtly grow with them (ie, the focus could have just been on Ohana). Incidentally, Ohana dragging her mom back and the wedding arc probably had the best development of non-focus characters, if only just the Minko and Tooru development that went on in the background. Jiromaru - His introduction episode felt wholly unecessary as he could have appeared as an established inn worker with history that could be developed through interactions. What we got from episode 3 was jailbait tied up, jailbait in wet shirt, and an Ohana who will supposedly forgive attempted kidnapping and rape if (she believes) you say something inspiring about her (out of context). Nako - Her brief episode brought some insight that helped define the theme of the second half and how Kissuisou was like a sanctuary to her outside of her home. This ties into the overarching theme much better than the other characters. The way she finds the outside world suffocating brings us back to her good swimming skills, something which would be much better if she actually had a chance to live up to the supposedly well known nickname that was mentioned early on in some other capacity other than being a bit of a maniac about swimming here and there. Tooru - His story elements served to reinforce Ohana's own feelings and resolve for Ko. Otherwise, his only purpose seemed to be the driving force behind making Minko an insuffrable bitch in more than a few instances. Toward the end he seemed to flop much like the dead fish he prepares. It's a bit harder to justify what may tie a chef, whose interaction with customers is limited to food, to a location. Minko - We get to see a lot of her drive and desire. She had to live with Ohana and go to school with Ohana and watch Tooru show interest in Ohana for over half a year before it culminated in a spectacularly unspectacular bottom half to the wedding, after which we just see her in an awkward place with Tooru not much from what the status quo was before--except for where she seems to be much more congenial toward Ohana (however few those interactions were). Vintage tsundere? Considering how much time she had to spend with Ohana, this was something that could have been dealt with much earlier than as fourth chair to some insecure twit's wedding. Tomoe - As much as I liked her episode, she could have had as much development without needing a voyeuristic insight into her nagging mother reminding her about having grandchildren. She has shown her sly side, her man-hunting tendencies, and aggressiveness without needing to be the focus. Takako (and Enishi) - Takako mostly served as a source of conflict that allowed for Ohana's meddling by bringing back her grandmother's ways eventually won out (though it miffs me that Sui's old waitress kimonos were only used that one time by the staff). If you consider Takako/Enishi as being a part of a broader theme of family or place, then the movie and wedding will feel less out of place. The movie arc helped us understand the Shijima family a bit more, and we realize why Enishi enjoys femdom. The marriage brought the Tooru love triangle to an end, kind of, and set up the succession issue. This being said, early on Takako was just a vehicle to convey conflict, a role that other characters could have easily assumed (probably without the annoying engrish). Yuina - .... I guess she's here to show that a girl changes when she thinks her airheaded friend might NTR them?