Honey and Clover II, ep. 10-12
Sat, Jan. 27th, 2007 01:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterWaaaaaaaaah! It's over =(. I didn't cry, but I have a giant grin on my face, just because oh, that was so lovely. And now I want to go back and rewatch the entire thing, just to recapture the feeling of peacefulness and joy and creating things and learning and living.
I temporarily thought ep. 11 was actually ep. 12 and freaked out because there would be no more. But I shouldn't have worried; episode 12 is so perfect. I had been a little sad because I wanted more Nomiya and Yamada in the end, but just that snippet in the credits was enough for me. I don't need to know if they get together or not; but I am glad that they can do things like share coffee. And Hanamoto-sensei! Oh. Oh. It was a little squicky when he talked about loving Hagu, but... you know, the series really made it ok for me because Hagu does love Morita, but she loves her art more.
One of the things that I love the most about this series is how much of it is on non-romantic relationships, despite the many romantic triangles. I love that Hagu knows in the end, her art is the most important thing to her, that Takemoto finds joy in having loved, that Morita finds his way back to his art as well. I just... oh.
I especially love how it's so atypical of the standard shoujo arc, in which the hero has an angsty past or a grand goal and the heroine allows him to achieve it or heal or something via her love. Here, it's Hagu who has the shining vision in her head and the men in her life who learn to step out of the way for it. I love that she knows what's important to her, that she can take Morita saying that she can live without art and draw strength from it and find her own way back. And I am just so happy that all six of them got back together in the very end, before they all go their separate ways.
That moment when they're eating and Takemoto mentions it'll be the last time... nearly cried. The show gets it so right, the feeling of moving from one stage in your life to another, how it's exciting and scary and bittersweet and sad and unwanted and longed for all at the same time. And it captures the heaviness in your heart when you know that you may never be as close to these friends as you were, but that you can still be happy for the times you had and what you all gave to each other.
It's also funny how the men go their separate ways (except Hanamoto), while the women always stay, but in this case, it feels like it's because they don't need to go elsewhere to find what they're looking for. Ayu has her pottery and her shopping district and Hagu has her art. And oh, I still love that image of Hagu opening all these boxes to find colors and kites and flying dragons, of her crouched in front of empty canvases crying, of her staring intently at a giraffe or gingko leaves against the sky.
I just... oh. I wish more people had seen this. It's such a comfort show, not because it's happy, but because it feels so real, and yet has such compassion and understanding for its characters. I watch it and feel better because it's about change and friendships and growing apart and coming together and trying to figure out what you want, trying to be the person you want to be and do the things you want to do. And it understands that the last two are even more important and earth-shaking than almost anything else.
I temporarily thought ep. 11 was actually ep. 12 and freaked out because there would be no more. But I shouldn't have worried; episode 12 is so perfect. I had been a little sad because I wanted more Nomiya and Yamada in the end, but just that snippet in the credits was enough for me. I don't need to know if they get together or not; but I am glad that they can do things like share coffee. And Hanamoto-sensei! Oh. Oh. It was a little squicky when he talked about loving Hagu, but... you know, the series really made it ok for me because Hagu does love Morita, but she loves her art more.
One of the things that I love the most about this series is how much of it is on non-romantic relationships, despite the many romantic triangles. I love that Hagu knows in the end, her art is the most important thing to her, that Takemoto finds joy in having loved, that Morita finds his way back to his art as well. I just... oh.
I especially love how it's so atypical of the standard shoujo arc, in which the hero has an angsty past or a grand goal and the heroine allows him to achieve it or heal or something via her love. Here, it's Hagu who has the shining vision in her head and the men in her life who learn to step out of the way for it. I love that she knows what's important to her, that she can take Morita saying that she can live without art and draw strength from it and find her own way back. And I am just so happy that all six of them got back together in the very end, before they all go their separate ways.
That moment when they're eating and Takemoto mentions it'll be the last time... nearly cried. The show gets it so right, the feeling of moving from one stage in your life to another, how it's exciting and scary and bittersweet and sad and unwanted and longed for all at the same time. And it captures the heaviness in your heart when you know that you may never be as close to these friends as you were, but that you can still be happy for the times you had and what you all gave to each other.
It's also funny how the men go their separate ways (except Hanamoto), while the women always stay, but in this case, it feels like it's because they don't need to go elsewhere to find what they're looking for. Ayu has her pottery and her shopping district and Hagu has her art. And oh, I still love that image of Hagu opening all these boxes to find colors and kites and flying dragons, of her crouched in front of empty canvases crying, of her staring intently at a giraffe or gingko leaves against the sky.
I just... oh. I wish more people had seen this. It's such a comfort show, not because it's happy, but because it feels so real, and yet has such compassion and understanding for its characters. I watch it and feel better because it's about change and friendships and growing apart and coming together and trying to figure out what you want, trying to be the person you want to be and do the things you want to do. And it understands that the last two are even more important and earth-shaking than almost anything else.
Tags:
(no subject)
Sat, Jan. 27th, 2007 04:13 pm (UTC)One of the things that I love the most about this series is how much of it is on non-romantic relationships, despite the many romantic triangles.
Yes! I love that Hagu chooses her art because that's right for her, and I love how Morita and Takemoto come to understand that and respect that. And there's that bit at the end, where we see Hagu watching Morita on TV, and there's the little spark of possibility that maybe they will end up getting together--but not now, and if ever, on Hagu's terms.
And there's Ayu making that jacket for Hagu, and Hagu making that sandwich for Takemoto, and Mayama coming back from Spain...oh, it's just so perfect.
I wish everyone would watch this so they could have the same feeling I do from seeing everything come together.
(no subject)
Tue, Jan. 30th, 2007 08:18 am (UTC)I love love love the series of images that come near the end: the ferris wheel, the weather vane, the field of clover, the way the name of the anime slots so beautifully into the last episode.
And oh, those brief shots of everyone in the ending credits!
It is so lovely. I think I will burn it and bring it to Taiwan so I can make Rachel watch it with me (I will have her captive! Muhahahaha!).