Thursday, April 10, 2008

ハチミツとクローバー


I have heard about Honey & Clover (ハチミツとクローバー Hachimitsu to Kurōbā, HnC for short) for a while, but never got the "motivation" to watch it. Until recently, the hype on this has grown, most likely because of the movie, and the TV drama from Japan and Taiwan. Well, the Japanese version doesn't seem to interest me (no cute guys/gals), plus the Taiwanese version is not out yet; so I have decided to go for the "original" - the anime version. Thank god that I did, because this anime rocks.

The story outlines the life of 5 young collage kids (Yūta Takemoto, Takumi Mayama, Shinobu Morita, Hagumi Hanamoto, and Ayumi Yamada). The story follows their love triangles, graduating from college, finding jobs, family responsibility, and learning more about themselves.

My most favorite character(s) got to be Mayama and Yamada. Don't ask me why, but somehow those 2 just got all my heart (it could be personal experience). I really don't care who they end up with, just their "relationship" really aches me. The "Nomiya-Yamda-Mayama-Rika-Harada" link is really something. It was very well written in the story. I'm sure if anyone has similar experience will understood what they have gone through. But I have to say, the "ending" on this love pentangle was ended on a good note and it just make the story seems so perfect, yet so real.

Another character that really cracks me is Morita. He is one hack "spontaneous" funny guy. You'll never know where he comes from and what does he do. He has eased a lot of tension in the story. He was serving as a clown within the group, but also have a very serious side that was revealed in the later part of the story.

Another story line that I really like is Hanamoto's. Even though her character seems a bit "over boarded", but what she is facing is one that will go through in life at least once. Stress/Pressure from surrounding that will get you to lost the sense of yourself. Facing the choice of scarifying family or something/someone that love. The very first feeling of being loved by someone and loving someone. This is all what youth is, I believe.

I really enjoyed watching it as the story was really close to our every-day lives. Things that they have talked about are something that you and me had gone through once in life. It was once in our youth that we have dreamed and loved. Not sure why, but recently I'm more drawn to watch something that is more close to life/reality than those "fantasy" drama.

BTW, I saw the 8 mins preview on Taiwan H&C. It's really close to the anime, so it could be something that I'll watch every Sunday starting in May (speaking of which, TKA is ending in 2 weeks .. woo woo woo).

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