(CR) Hinamatsuri

[HandofFate]

Anzu part was touching, wouldn't expect the homeless angle portrayed in such a way. Probably why I like this series, even when its gags and stuff, its grounded in a sort of believable reality.

Also, I wonder how much yazuka make. Nitta always seems loaded.

I'm actually surprised Utako has been running the bar all by herself all this time

[grecefar]

the blackmail make me dislike utako...

anyway the first part was touching, I was thinking were is my comedy?

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by HandofFate

Anzu part was touching, wouldn't expect the homeless angle portrayed in such a way. Probably why I like this series, even when its gags and stuff, its grounded in a sort of believable reality.

Also, I wonder how much yazuka make. Nitta always seems loaded.

I'm actually surprised Utako has been running the bar all by herself all this time

Well, yakuza is basically like mafia families in the States, so I imagine it varies broadly depending on what "jobs" they do and how many. Seems like his group is one of the more powerful ones, far above small fry like that biker gang, and he's apparently close to the boss, so I'm sure he's fairly well-off. Though having a brat to take care of could interfere with his work and damage his position if he's not careful.

Also, it seems like they're fairly respectable overall. I haven't seen much reference to anything too exceptionally corrupt. Maybe one of the few yakuza that the homeless actually can safely hand a good-looking underage girl over to.

[Kanon]

I'm under the impression Nitta is a captain and his family is a high ranking one, so he should make plenty of money. I don't think the author is aiming for realism anyway (the psychic lolis tipped me off). Nitta is meant to be loaded, so he is.

[Side-streetdog]

This episode clearly show different between girls.
Hitomi surely earn her experience with adult with this point, first step for her greatness!

PS. I expected to see Nitta expression in last scene

[Cosmic Eagle]

He carries around 40K yen in his wallet like it's his usual daily loadout..... lol why, who would need that much cash in a week, let alone a day

[Guardian Enzo]

It's only like 400 bucks. And don't forget, Japan is still very much a cash society - a lot of places like restaurants and liquor shops don't take credit cards at all.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

It's only like 400 bucks. And don't forget, Japan is still very much a cash society - a lot of places like restaurants and liquor shops don't take credit cards at all.

Huh, 400 bucks is a lot. Are you a yakuza too?

[HandofFate]

I like how the series has its spin on certain situations.
Like for last weeks episode, Nitta neglects Hina, and that's the basis of most of the progression.
In typical happy go lucky family shows, Nitta would realize what he's doing and be sorry and whatever.

Here, no one learns anything, and only reason Nitta stops is because he went on a bender and spent too much money and things go back to the norm because of that. Not because of any actual lesson learned.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Huh, 400 bucks is a lot. Are you a yakuza too?

LOL. I think any Japanese salaryman is going to have at least a couple hundred bucks in his wallet. Again, a nice dinner, two hours at a bar - poof, gone (again, many don't take CCs). Nitta is supposed to be pretty well-off, besides.

[TheForsaken]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Huh, 400 bucks is a lot. Are you a yakuza too?

When I was a student in Japan, I always had 20k ~ 30k yen in my wallet. A working adult should have more.
As Guardian Enzo said, most Japanese people don't use credit cards, so you should always have some cash with you, just in case of emergency.

[FlareKnight]

The first half was so solid in terms of being a nice and touching story that it almost made the second half feel like a letdown. The comedy of a kid being blackmailed into being a bartender or Hina destroying everything in an attempt to be more helpful didn't quite hit at that point.

[Verso Sciolto]

Originally Posted by Kanon

... I don't think the author is aiming for realism anyway (the psychic lolis tipped me off)...

Personally, I think Masao Ōtake is aiming for realism and so are the animators adapting the manga. The settings, the social/societal structures and the mentalities of the various characters depicted are very recognisable behind the supernatural and at times slightly caricatured portrayals with which they are satirised. The dynamic / relationship between the Yakuza and Bōsōzoku and the image these inter-connected groups in the criminal hierarchy each project in their interactions with the communities in which they exist(ed) - looks spot on. Self-image as well as contrasting perception as shown through "outsider" observers. Same for the way homeless people are portrayed in the series; for the way the teacher and vice-principal behave react re: nightlife drinking culture, minors in age restricted adult "entertainment" etc ...

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Verso Sciolto

Personally, I think Masao Ōtake is aiming for realism and so are the animators adapting the manga. The settings, the social/societal structures and the mentalities of the various characters depicted are very recognisable behind the supernatural and at times slightly caricatured portrayals with which they are satirised. The dynamic / relationship between the Yakuza and Bōsōzoku and the image these inter-connected groups in the criminal hierarchy each project in their interactions with the communities in which they exist(ed) - looks spot on. Self-image as well as contrasting perception as shown through "outsider" observers. Same for the way homeless people are portrayed in the series; for the way the teacher and vice-principal behave react re: nightlife drinking culture, minors in age restricted adult "entertainment" etc ...

I'd say it's more "realism when it's useful". Yes, a lot of real stuff is used and paints a sometimes touching or painful image and other times an amusing one. But they clearly as a policy do not shy from the unrealistic when they think it'd be entertaining, and it's often quite entertaining. Otherwise we'd never get to see an innocent twelve-year-old girl run a bar better than a grown woman, or to see a pair of lolis duke it out in psychic Rock-Paper-Scissors.

[Verso Sciolto]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

I'd say it's more "realism when it's useful"...

I’m more inclined to think it is the other way around. To me the "parade" of drunken revellers across the arcade especially reminded me of “Ee ja nai ka” in the original sense and the series as a whole has given me the sensation of such a movement as well.

To me it looks like the supernatural elements are used in order to be able to tell the other stories, show a realistic portrayal of outsiders inside Japanese society, to an audience which might not otherwise be interested in hearing about the life or experiences of the people as portrayed. Hinamatsuri isn’t Tokyo Godfathers but similar aspects of Japanese society are presented nevertheless - though with a different approach to story telling methods. Hinamatsuri is a blend and approaching it as though the humour and supernatural are separate -can be separated - from the realistic, humane, sympathetic, portrayals of these people and groups may already be doing the storyteller a disservice. I am, however, inclined to treat the humorous elements as camouflage for the social commentary in this fantastic festival of the absurd...

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

I'd say it's more "realism when it's useful". Yes, a lot of real stuff is used and paints a sometimes touching or painful image and other times an amusing one. But they clearly as a policy do not shy from the unrealistic when they think it'd be entertaining, and it's often quite entertaining. Otherwise we'd never get to see an innocent twelve-year-old girl run a bar better than a grown woman, or to see a pair of lolis duke it out in psychic Rock-Paper-Scissors.

Well, it's an absurdist comedy. The good recipe to such a story is to throw one or two complete oddball elements/characters in a realistic setting, and let the world play the straight man to them (or be corrupted and drift along with their madness). Hinamatsuri obviously understands all of this pretty well .

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

It's only like 400 bucks. And don't forget, Japan is still very much a cash society - a lot of places like restaurants and liquor shops don't take credit cards at all.

That's.....a lot. Even where I am that is also a 100% cash society. Unless, now that you mention it, he drinks a lot every night

[Stark700]

Episode 4:

Ah, Anzu meets Hina again this episode and it's quite amusing to see the two together. Poor Hina, she got disowned by Niita!

However, Hina apologizes for some her recent actions and I think she did the right thing. The episode had less over the top comedy compared to some of the other episodes but still pretty entertaining imo.

Really glad to see Niita accepting Hina back again. The show feels different without them together.

Lol, Hitomi and ramen.

[Lukes YGO & WS on YT]

Spoiler for Episode 4 Comments/Feedback:

Good we start we the last episode left off. I'm glad they kicked Nitta out of the bar.

Oh even Anzu got rid of her.

Good thinking by Hina using her powers to make money like hat, even helped that other band out a lot.

I knew they would get back together eventually.

Hitomi is doing an excellent job, and now she is making friends with Anzu and helping her out.

Good job staying awake even that long, I would have no hope, though it was funny seeing her asleep standing like that.

[blakstealth]

Another hilarious episode. Seriously, I'm surprised more people aren't watching this.

It was hilarious when everyone in the bar shamed Nitta for kicking Hina out. I dunno what significance there is with Utako throwing salt on the floor, but I lol'd. Dunno why that little moment made me laugh. I also just noticed her beauty mark. Ah, so pretty. <3

Hina staying with Anzu also drove home the fact that Hina doesn't do much except lay around and eat lmao. That obviously doesn't vibe with Anzu's new homeless lifestyle. I can't blame her, though. She hasn't really learned the importance of money management and being productive from Nitta. Her short-lived career as a band member was also pretty sweet. I feel like I've witnessed the rise and fall of the band and all the emotions that come with a band member leaving in just those few minutes. I died when the band was in the food place and the one member with long hair told Atsushi to look at Hina's face after she said that she was leaving the band. I was expecting a more gloomy expression, but it was just her default face.

Hitomi also looks like she's well-acclimated as a bartender now. That one big buy from the yakuza giving Hitomi what looks like 3 10,000 yen bills really made me think about how much she gets paid on some days. It must be rough working the night on the weekends, though. Her falling asleep standing up and Anzu's delivery of the last line was so so so so funny!

I love how the show has such a big cast and how they all meet and encounter each other in different situations and areas making for some great scenes.