Synopsis:

This episode starts off looking like it was going to be more on the Moritas backstory, which would have caused me to put a whole through my new monitor. The first couple minutes were devoted to showing the aftermath of the brothers’ takeover/revenge plot. With nothing left to pursue, Kaoru breaks down, seemingly without a purpose in life he confesses to Shinobu about how jealous he’s been of him. Kaoru tells his brother that he was always the talented one, and they both knew it, that Shinobu was only tagging along because he felt obligated to help Kaoru. And most painfully to Kaoru, he admits that their father loved him more, that Shinobu was the one on his mind until the end. If you read my HCII 7 post and read my theory on the brothers, you know that I feel that is completely wrong, but it’s up to interpretation.

Onto the real content now! (Nothing against the Moritas, but you two just can’t beat out Hagu drama) Hagu has undergone her operation and in the aftermath still doesn’t have any feeling in her right hand. Knowing that time is of the essence if a second operation is needed, she refuses all painkillers and stabilizers until the pain in her right hand returned. It does eventually, but due to the stress she had put on her body, she passes out shortly after.

That was, however, the easy part (not to discount the immense pain) and the long road of rehabilitation stands in front of Hagu. As the rehabilitation progresses, we learn that Hagu has lost sensation in her fingertips, a bad sign. And while it is not unheard of that a person goes from that state to full recovery, it is a very long and harsh road. Added to that, Hagu’s parents came to visit their daughter, the father looking especially like an established presence in the world of art. As Takemoto puts it from his observations: “The place she was supposed to be able to return to isn’t the same anymore” In short, Hagu’s father has all but given up hope on her recovery, and pretty much disowned her as an artist and daughter, OUCH.

The stress from all these events piling up causes Hagu to begin to bite herself, as indicated by bruises on her left hand. These bruises eventually transfer over to Shuu-chan, indicating that he’s not only supporting her mentally, but also physically.

Through all this, Takemoto and Yamada are standing by as best they can, but as they both admit, she’s in a different world than they are. Nomiya uses this time to support Yamada by telling her not to run away from Hagu in fear that they’re from different worlds. He says that if everyone acted the same way, Hagu would end up alone, Shuu-chan also says this in a similar manner.

Yamada does her part by doing her best to keep Hagu’s spirits up. Bringing her a hand knit mantle, MDs, and various other etc items. (By the way, what’s up with animes referencing MDs, we’re in 2006! I-Pods anyone?) Takemoto on the other hand, is going through a dilemma. He wants to stay by Hagu’s side, but knows that soon he has to leave for his job with the temple repair gang. No matter how he adds things up, he has a simple choice:
i. Go to work and lose Hagu
ii. Stay with Hagu only to become a bum and a burden to her later on
Sucks for you Takemoto.

This episode was simply amazing, and completely justifies the previous episode which I didn’t like too much, but now have a changed opinion of.

Thoughts:

This episode and the previous one sure were different from normal Honey and Clover episodes, but it came together amazingly. Have you ever watched an anime and lost sense of time, the only way you knew how far into it you were was by that little half time cut most animes do? Well this did that, I witnissed half an hour of my life disappear in a blink.

Though angered initially because it looked like we were getting a Morita episode, things quickly turned around when the Hagu arc picked up. This girl has become centric to my love for HCII, I didn’t really like her much in the original because I thought she was kind of airy and childish. But whoa, what a turn around in season two, she has shown multiple personality facets. Courage, playfulness, innocence, realism, the list could go on forever, the fact is that Hagu is an amazingly developed character. Her sheer will to endure the pain just so she could know the status on her arm induced genuine sympathy from me, and I’m a pretty sarcastic and sometimes cold hearted person, so that’s an accomplishment.

My sympathy for Hagu has reached and crashed through the barriers of infinity, I’m on the verge of trying to leap through my monitor and give her a hug and some encouragement. Unlike Takemoto, who is being rather passive on the subject, though considering his dilemma, it can’t be helped.

I hate to sound like a skipping CD, but this episode was simply amazing. It justifies the direct drama, it justifies the blood stain glass teaser, it justifies almost everything I bad mouthed before. Not to sound like a fanboy, but HCII is without a doubt, the season’s best anime. (Opinion! Back off, Tsukaima fanboys!)

Words do not suffice to describe my sympathy for Hagu

It suddenly became clear why the ED is named “Split”

It’s scenes like this that render me unable to use screenshots and out of context subscripts in the name of comedy

Okay maybe just one, ahahahahahaha! Owned

Victories

- Insert song
- Hagu drama that didn’t seem forced
- Cliche, yet powerful one-liners that are still sending reverberating chills down my spine
- Imagery depicting the recurring theme of separation
- Animation

…I’m going to have to stop here and just sum up with, EVERYTHING, except

Phailures

- Deceptive beginning, leading me to think it was a Morita-centric ep
- No Rika side arc…though considering its content, maybe this should be listed above

Looks like Hagu will be out of the hospital next ep, according to the preview, so we’ll see how things go. I personally still don’t believe she’ll make a full recovery, but who knows, let’s pray this girl gets a break!

~ Shirukii ~