And yet again, Hana-Saku Iroha delivers an amazing episode. This… was sharp. It was bloody sharp. The entire episode was pretty much a string of characters doing the complete opposite of what you’d expect them to do while somehow still remaining perfectly in character. Mari Okada: how the hell did you manage to write three original stories and two adaptations in just half a year, and how the hell did you manage to create such sharp dialogue for just about all of them, save for Fractale? Heck, delivering the best screenplay for slice of life dramas is one thing, but doing it multiple times across different series. what the hell has she been taking? This hardly isn’t human anymore…
Okay, so Ohana completely gives a different twist to the love triangle by flat out telling Tohru about her crush, after this show starts to give off hints that he’s now interested in her mother instead. Meanwhile Tohru spend an entire day doing a rather morbid date that really doesn’t sound pleasant, ending. Ko’s co-worker meanwhile reveals herself to be really direct, Tohru forces Ohana to kidnap Ko and Ohana’s mother whom she first wanted to kidnap herself suddenly decides to take a few days off to go to a certain inn.
This isn’t the roller coaster of emotions that the previous episodes were, but instead it juggled the different characters around and fleshed them out brilliantly. It threw all of them in new situations and it just kept coming with detailed dialogues. This episode was also wonderfully paced.
Now, the question is: what is the plan for the creators? Do they actually have what it takes to keep up this pacing across the entire series, or are we simply at the mid-way climax here? Either way though: what an improvement over the first third of this series!
Rating: *** (Awesome)
‘i’m holding back all this time’, this is the feeling that both Ohana and her mother had with their respective mothers. it probably explained why Ohana is unable to make a strong resolution about Ko. it is frustrating to see Ohana being wishy-washy about her feelings. Ohana kept hurting Ko, yet afraid to lose him.
i wonder if there would be plot twists to the love triangle.
looks like its over with ko
awesome episode indeed. While Anohana fails at it, Hana-Saku Iroha makes me bawl all the time.
(I don’t know why, really. Anohana is awesome and all…but it just fails at tearing me up. And I really cry easily.)
this series is definately getting better. anohana is a great series, but memna feels a little mary sue-ish. everyone just loves her to the extreme or envies her. the series also started going down a more predictable role as the series progressed. however, a lot of the things that i predicted for this series didnt happen (other then tohrus interest in ohana)
Ohana: Do you have a girlfriend?
Tohru: Huh? N-not at the moment, no.
Ohana: I figured as much. You don’t handle women very hell. But I think you’re very kind.
—-
I love the writing. Confuse/torture the hell out of him, Ohana!
What an awesome episode. It answered a question that had been bugging me since last weeks episode, as in why didn’t Ohana flip out about her mother being back in Tokyo and not contacting her. The answer to why she didn’t is probably because for the first time in her life she finally has a place she can call home.
This episode really made me feel for Ko though, plus bookshop girls ‘fessing up’ was awesome. It’s great to see characters having some guts.
Ohana went too far by saying no to Koichi, she wanted to get with him didn’t she?
@tomphile. She didn’t really say no to him .. she just had that odd conversation with him about asking him to come with her mum, and then telling him not to come because she can manage.
Clearly she does want him as she said to the others “If I had done the right thing he would be my boyfriend”. However I’m sure that Ko is going to take it as goodbye and she’ll be heartbroken when he starts dating bookstore girl.
Tohru’s not interested in Ohana’s mom at all, he was just intimidated, that’s why he couldn’t yell at her. Minko misinterpreted it.
Just catched up on this. I agree that the past two episodes were especially good.
The 3 generations of women and their differences are the strongest story element imo.. It’s what sets this apart of similar series for me.
I definitely am looking for to the interactions between Ohana’s mother and grandmother. The show originally seemed to suggest it was her mother’s poor behavior when in reality they’re adding the possible detail that Okami may have done her own part in pushing her away.
About Tohru, Ohana and Minchi. I think Minchi’s thoughts reflect her own doubts about herself. Tohru seems more interested in Ohana’s mother because of what she has said and her general status as his crushes mom.
I’m a bit curious how Ohana’s mom suddenly managed to get leave. I wonder if she got into a fight with her bosses and got herself suspended? And of all places to go to, she chose Kissui. Even though she seemed so dead set against going back.
He was intimidated and probably interested in the tickets as well. I doubt he is pinning Ohana’s mom at all. Minchi should start standing up to Tohru though, seems that’s what works.
And Ohana’s harem grows…