AnimeSuki Forums

Deathkillz · 2008-01-26, 06:59

Random but it isn't like they changed anything. Going by the original source in the game, hamaji is indeed a trap so they didn't commit the horrendous of changing a character's gender just for the sake of it. Though the way hamaji looked just kills all realism of it.
She made a nice choice with the school swimsuit but it looks like she also put something extra in there to make her chest swell. But with otoha floating about I do question how real this series should be portrayed. Ahh, it was amusing though

Sorrow-K · 2008-01-26, 07:04

Ep 4

This show has now hit new lows. I won't go into details, since Klashikari and Kimichi pretty much said what I wanted to. All of this was so, so inane: terrible execution, sudden jarring change in pace, an episode premise that didn't even bother to hide that it was little more than a generic excuse for fanservice and the cliched episodic subplot that adds nothing to the overall story. Then it all gets capped off by an insulting excuse for a plot twist with

Spoiler:

Face... palm....

This show has always had its flaws, but I didn't mind it, since the unanswered questions and general intrigue kept my attention. But this is the first time I've thought an episode was completely irredeemable. No more like this, please.

Supah Em · 2008-01-26, 07:09

umm... footprints in the sand was supposed to "rock our soul"

the episode was, like most says, random with very sudden changes in the mood. and whats with the blade hidden within the wooden stick? i smell a yanderekko. man, i feel like dropping the show already....

Sorrow-K · 2008-01-26, 08:13

Yeah, that scene was jarring. One can only take a series so seriously when it tries to play attempted murder for laughs. And it did it a few times as well. The worst thing was that, at the end of it all, we were supposed to sympathize with Yukiji. Yeah, right.

Owaranai Destiny · 2008-01-26, 08:26

You know, I wanted to disbelieve it and watch it for myself. Turns out everyone who said that episode 4 was crap was-What do you know, you guys were right.

Not to say there weren't some better stuff going on, like with Hayami (and practically only Hayami. Poor Hirose...Getting dragged into some harem shit). I've got a feeling they tried for a change of pace after the serious episode previously. The failure was tremendous, though. Fanservice and drama don't always go hand in hand in different episodes.

Don't know if anyone has said this, but the overdramatizing of the scene with the blurry images going on when Hamaji was about the administer CPR to Hirose was just plain bad. Well, Hirose was unconscious, but the least they could do was make the scenes clearer. Slowing the actions didn't seem to serve much purpose.

As said, Hayami was the only saving grace of this episode IMO. It was nice to see her struggling with her inner thoughts then giving in, and the setup for the next episode wasn't so shabby. Good timing by Hinata to enter the scene for a somewhat tense cliffhanger in comparison to the crap in the entire episode.

Itadakimasu! · 2008-01-26, 10:44

Not impressed... god it feels like the show totally went fan service and lost focus. And not in a good way like Rosario... where fan service doesnt feel out of place. But this episode really disappointed me. Pointless and time consuming .... not something you can afford in a 13 episode anime. It took 25 minutes to reveal Hamaji... mataku!

Zanshun · 2008-01-26, 10:53

If this episode was going for fanservice, i just don't see it. Sure we got a nice shot or two of Hinata but thats about it. Any episode that replaces Hayami screen time with Yui while throwing in an ill intentioned clone in Yuki is HORRIBLE. I really found Yuki's hijinks about as "funny" as Yui siccing her hyena's on Hayami. And for that matter why is Hirose going anywhere when Yui is involved, if someone was verbally/mentally abusing and then via ugly henchman physically abusing Hayami why would he want to be anywhere within 50 feet of her, avoid Yui like the cockroach she is.

Hamaji development really not a huge deal, it would of been bearable if the rest of the episode wasn't such a failure. Only few minutes I enjoyed from this episode was the end and Otoha screen time (cut other characters like Yui out, stop introducing lame characters like Yuki and give Otona more screen time!!). If by change of pace you mean this anime went from becoming good and enjoyable to leveling off to mediocre then I will agree. Quite a fan dis-service. Well at the very least the ending gave some hope and next episode will help bring back up the series average that this episode just sent plummeting.

Itadakimasu! · 2008-01-26, 11:17

Haha ... Otoha chan fanservice :P the whole skirt thing ... I'm not sure they wanted to devote the episode to fanservice, only to hide the elephant in the corner... which was that this was indeed a banal episode that didn't do much for anime.

NoOneKnowS · 2008-01-26, 11:27

Spoiler:

oh and btw. Ep 4 was un utter failure. period.

Shiroth · 2008-01-26, 11:43

I was getting quite annoyed with how they weren't showing that Hamaji was male, though they did a good job with handling the subject. I was satisfied, though this is probably all we're going to get of Hamaji goodness from this series. Ah well.

Deathkillz · 2008-01-26, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoOneKnowS

Spoiler:

oh and btw. Ep 4 was un utter failure. period.

Killing her parents is a bit too extreme (and I would also question why she wasn't killed aswell in that case). The most solid theory atm is still the fact that hinata's family disliked a commoner being friends with their daughter and so forced hayami's family into exile. Another extreme example but it happens in such isolated communities. Humans are possible the only "creatures" to hate for the sake of hating.

Darklightz · 2008-01-26, 13:50

Episode 4 was very disappointing. Otoha-chan's fanservice did not save it and the revelation that Hamaji is male was awkward at best. And of course, there was no evolution in the Hirose/Hayami/Hinata Triangle. Rather it ended exactly like episode 3, with Hayami and Hinata staring at each other and Hirose desperately trying to grasp the situation.

Ashlotte · 2008-01-26, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haruyasha

That was... very disturbing.

It's not so bad.. especially Yui's swimming suit as the camera panned up.. I happened to notice a fold.

Apart from the disturbing piece, everything else was good, especially the fan service. Not really sure what you guys don't like about episode 4.
It really caught me off guard, and it made me go 'wtf?' for a sec.. but actually I like that because it's quite funny.

You'd expect no less from a show that has such a weird sponsor clip.

Aha yea it had it's moments mostly only due to Otoha and Hayami's small appearances, but last night I unfortunatly watched this show on a day that I had already watched an episode of Clannad, Kimiaru, and Shigofumi...All extremely excellent series and after having the pleasure of those coming into this episode just shot my mood to hell.

For now I guess i'm just going to shoot this utter bomb of an episode into a mental blackhole and try to forget about it...Hopefully episode 5 will redeem some of the value the series held at its start...

FatPianoBoy · 2008-01-26, 15:04

Hmm... one thing that did strike me (that everyone has been complaining about) is the plausibility of Takuma even willingly being in the same vicinity as Yui. He's been trying to play both sides of the fence in an attempt to make everyone be friends, and neglecting the others for Hayami's sake would be as detrimental to that end as the reverse.

Darklightz · 2008-01-26, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatPianoBoy

Hmm... one thing that did strike me (that everyone has been complaining about) is the plausibility of Takuma even willingly being in the same vicinity as Yui. He's been trying to play both sides of the fence in an attempt to make everyone be friends, and neglecting the others for Hayami's sake would be as detrimental to that end as the reverse.

Ah, thank you for mentionning that. I also found it odd that Yui went from a cold-hearted tormentor calling Hirose a roach for hanging out with Hayami to just casually hang out with him at the beach.

Shiroth · 2008-01-26, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darklightz

and the revelation that Hamaji is male was awkward at best.

That's the whole point.

rg4619 · 2008-01-26, 15:47

Quote:

Apart from the disturbing piece, everything else was good, especially the fan service. Not really sure what you guys don't like about episode 4.

Yeah, I like this episode too. Random stupidity is the entire point, so I don't understand the complaints. You don't necessarily have to laugh, feel sad, or empathize with any character.

IMO, viewers take H2O too seriously. It's as if everyone expects a deep and profound tale, hence the criticism that things move too slowly (and stand still at times when the writers want to emphasize a particular girl instead of pushing the main plot forward). However, this is more or less light-hearted, harem-esque fluff (low brow, but quite fun, especially with the pretty aesthetics), even if some dark mysteries lurk underneath. The overall story just doesn't mean as much as in a show like true tears.

Quote:

You'd expect no less from a show that has such a weird sponsor clip.

Exactly. Those clips are a great reflection of how the show should be viewed (up to this point anyway). We ought to sit back and relax instead of analyzing the series like it's an artistic masterpiece.

serenade_beta · 2008-01-26, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darklightz

Ah, thank you for mentionning that. I also found it odd that Yui went from a cold-hearted tormentor calling Hirose a roach for hanging out with Hayami to just casually hang out with him at the beach.

Well, she only really hates Hayami. Perhaps when she called Takuma a roach, it was because she was angry and said those words without thinking. But Hinata, being so great in the village, doesn't want them to pick on Takuma, so she decided to ignore what happened.
Yui only starts earning viewers' wrath when it comes to Hayami.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg4619

Yeah, I like this episode too. Random stupidity is the entire point, so I don't understand the complaints. You don't necessarily have to laugh, feel sad, or empathize with any character.

IMO, viewers take H2O too seriously. It's as if everyone expects a deep and profound tale, hence the criticism that things move too slowly (and stand still at times when the writers want to emphasize a particular girl instead of pushing the main plot forward). However, this is more or less light-hearted, harem-esque fluff (low brow, but quite fun, especially with the pretty aesthetics), even if some dark mysteries lurk underneath. The overall story just doesn't mean as much as in a show like true tears.

It seems there are people comparing this to true tears too much and deeming this inferior and pointless to watch.

Kefit · 2008-01-26, 16:28

Well I can understand how a lot of people were disappointed by this episode, it gave me exactly what I was expecting - fanservice, silliness, and much amusement played off of Hamaji's trappiness. The overdramatizing of the CPR scene was brilliant. It's kind of disappointing that the great pacing of the first three episodes was put on pause, but there was still enough of the Hayami/Hinata dynamic to keep me satisfied. We're still early in the series afterall.

This show isn't a completely serious drama or light hearted harem fluff. I think that it is trying to deliver a more balanced mixture of human emotion, and that it has done a pretty good job of it so far. Remember. the first few episodes also had quite a bit of humor in them, even if it was largely overshadowed by zomg Hayami getting the shit beaten out of her. I always like it when a show does this, as I find characters much more vibrant and compelling overall when they are allowed to show a wide range of emotion.

FatPianoBoy · 2008-01-26, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg4619

IMO, viewers take H2O too seriously. It's as if everyone expects a deep and profound tale

You'll have that when the first three episodes of the show promise exactly that.

2008-01-26, 06:59	Link #441
Deathkillz ~ You're dead ^__^* ~ Graphic Designer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: uk, England Age: 34	Random but it isn't like they changed anything. Going by the original source in the game, hamaji is indeed a trap so they didn't commit the horrendous of changing a character's gender just for the sake of it. Though the way hamaji looked just kills all realism of it. She made a nice choice with the school swimsuit but it looks like she also put something extra in there to make her chest swell. But with otoha floating about I do question how real this series should be portrayed. Ahh, it was amusing though __________________ Siggy: hohohohoho~ \| AnimeHistory welcome to our blog ~ \| Summer2009 early review Under the radar series Summer2009: Kanamemo, GA Geijutsuka Art, NEEDLESS

2008-01-26, 07:04	Link #442
Sorrow-K Somehow I found out Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 40	Ep 4 This show has now hit new lows. I won't go into details, since Klashikari and Kimichi pretty much said what I wanted to. All of this was so, so inane: terrible execution, sudden jarring change in pace, an episode premise that didn't even bother to hide that it was little more than a generic excuse for fanservice and the cliched episodic subplot that adds nothing to the overall story. Then it all gets capped off by an insulting excuse for a plot twist with Spoiler: the f*cking trap. Face... palm.... This show has always had its flaws, but I didn't mind it, since the unanswered questions and general intrigue kept my attention. But this is the first time I've thought an episode was completely irredeemable. No more like this, please. __________________ .:The Nihon Review:.:Ikoku Meiro no Croisée:.:Tamayura: Hitotose:. .:Behind The Nihon Review:.:Understanding Guilty Crown’s Failure:. .:MAL:.:Twitter:.

2008-01-26, 07:09	Link #443
Supah Em WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE?! Scanlator Join Date: Dec 2007 Age: 36	umm... footprints in the sand was supposed to "rock our soul" the episode was, like most says, random with very sudden changes in the mood. and whats with the blade hidden within the wooden stick? i smell a yanderekko. man, i feel like dropping the show already.... Last edited by Supah Em; 2008-01-26 at 08:47.

2008-01-26, 08:13	Link #444
Sorrow-K Somehow I found out Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 40	Yeah, that scene was jarring. One can only take a series so seriously when it tries to play attempted murder for laughs. And it did it a few times as well. The worst thing was that, at the end of it all, we were supposed to sympathize with Yukiji. Yeah, right. __________________ .:The Nihon Review:.:Ikoku Meiro no Croisée:.:Tamayura: Hitotose:. .:Behind The Nihon Review:.:Understanding Guilty Crown’s Failure:. .:MAL:.:Twitter:.

2008-01-26, 11:27	Link #449
NoOneKnowS Who am I? Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Babuyan Islands	My speculation on Hayami's situation Spoiler: My guess would be her parents and Hinata's grandfather were in a dispute or something. Leading for the grandfather (w/c seems hes quite or was really an influencial man between the villagers) brainwashing everyone of the villagers leading them to hate Hinatas family. (Maybe the grandfather badmothed them or spread some crap gossips about them). Eventually leading up burning their house; killing her parents; treating her like dirt and etc... oh and btw. Ep 4 was un utter failure. period.

2008-01-26, 08:26	Link #445
Owaranai Destiny Nick of Time~ Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Guze no Sekai Age: 36	You know, I wanted to disbelieve it and watch it for myself. Turns out everyone who said that episode 4 was crap was-What do you know, you guys were right. Not to say there weren't some better stuff going on, like with Hayami (and practically only Hayami. Poor Hirose...Getting dragged into some harem shit). I've got a feeling they tried for a change of pace after the serious episode previously. The failure was tremendous, though. Fanservice and drama don't always go hand in hand in different episodes. Don't know if anyone has said this, but the overdramatizing of the scene with the blurry images going on when Hamaji was about the administer CPR to Hirose was just plain bad. Well, Hirose was unconscious, but the least they could do was make the scenes clearer. Slowing the actions didn't seem to serve much purpose. As said, Hayami was the only saving grace of this episode IMO. It was nice to see her struggling with her inner thoughts then giving in, and the setup for the next episode wasn't so shabby. Good timing by Hinata to enter the scene for a somewhat tense cliffhanger in comparison to the crap in the entire episode.

2008-01-26, 10:44	Link #446
Itadakimasu! tsun tsun lover Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sydney Age: 35	Not impressed... god it feels like the show totally went fan service and lost focus. And not in a good way like Rosario... where fan service doesnt feel out of place. But this episode really disappointed me. Pointless and time consuming .... not something you can afford in a 13 episode anime. It took 25 minutes to reveal Hamaji... mataku!

2008-01-26, 10:53	Link #447
Zanshun Member Join Date: Jul 2004	If this episode was going for fanservice, i just don't see it. Sure we got a nice shot or two of Hinata but thats about it. Any episode that replaces Hayami screen time with Yui while throwing in an ill intentioned clone in Yuki is HORRIBLE. I really found Yuki's hijinks about as "funny" as Yui siccing her hyena's on Hayami. And for that matter why is Hirose going anywhere when Yui is involved, if someone was verbally/mentally abusing and then via ugly henchman physically abusing Hayami why would he want to be anywhere within 50 feet of her, avoid Yui like the cockroach she is. Hamaji development really not a huge deal, it would of been bearable if the rest of the episode wasn't such a failure. Only few minutes I enjoyed from this episode was the end and Otoha screen time (cut other characters like Yui out, stop introducing lame characters like Yuki and give Otona more screen time!!). If by change of pace you mean this anime went from becoming good and enjoyable to leveling off to mediocre then I will agree. Quite a fan dis-service. Well at the very least the ending gave some hope and next episode will help bring back up the series average that this episode just sent plummeting.

2008-01-26, 11:17	Link #448
Itadakimasu! tsun tsun lover Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sydney Age: 35	Haha ... Otoha chan fanservice :P the whole skirt thing ... I'm not sure they wanted to devote the episode to fanservice, only to hide the elephant in the corner... which was that this was indeed a banal episode that didn't do much for anime.

2008-01-26, 11:43	Link #450
Shiroth Beautiful fighter. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England, UK Age: 37	I was getting quite annoyed with how they weren't showing that Hamaji was male, though they did a good job with handling the subject. I was satisfied, though this is probably all we're going to get of Hamaji goodness from this series. Ah well. __________________ MyAnimeList Twitter

2008-01-26, 13:50	Link #452
Darklightz Wagering his life... Join Date: Jun 2006	Episode 4 was very disappointing. Otoha-chan's fanservice did not save it and the revelation that Hamaji is male was awkward at best. And of course, there was no evolution in the Hirose/Hayami/Hinata Triangle. Rather it ended exactly like episode 3, with Hayami and Hinata staring at each other and Hirose desperately trying to grasp the situation.

2008-01-26, 15:04	Link #454
FatPianoBoy Dansa med oss Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Near Cincinnati, OH, but actually in Kentucky Age: 36	Hmm... one thing that did strike me (that everyone has been complaining about) is the plausibility of Takuma even willingly being in the same vicinity as Yui. He's been trying to play both sides of the fence in an attempt to make everyone be friends, and neglecting the others for Hayami's sake would be as detrimental to that end as the reverse.

2008-01-26, 16:28	Link #459
Kefit Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004	Well I can understand how a lot of people were disappointed by this episode, it gave me exactly what I was expecting - fanservice, silliness, and much amusement played off of Hamaji's trappiness. The overdramatizing of the CPR scene was brilliant. It's kind of disappointing that the great pacing of the first three episodes was put on pause, but there was still enough of the Hayami/Hinata dynamic to keep me satisfied. We're still early in the series afterall. This show isn't a completely serious drama or light hearted harem fluff. I think that it is trying to deliver a more balanced mixture of human emotion, and that it has done a pretty good job of it so far. Remember. the first few episodes also had quite a bit of humor in them, even if it was largely overshadowed by zomg Hayami getting the shit beaten out of her. I always like it when a show does this, as I find characters much more vibrant and compelling overall when they are allowed to show a wide range of emotion. Last edited by Kefit; 2008-01-26 at 16:57.