Anime Honey and Clover II

[bellpickle]

[SIZE=1]Now that the second season has [I]really[/I] gotten started, what's everyone's impression of it so far?

Personally, I'm very pleased. While the first episode was a recap, I think the second episode definitely made up for it. The script certainly seems as good as ever, as is the music. Some have expressed their dislike for the opening and ending themes, but I can't get enough of them, especially the ending. The art and animation seems even better than the first season, IMO, particularly in the use of colors. I'm not quite sure why, but the whole series somehow looks more lush. Also, I [I]love[/I] the way the girls look now.

As a note, I thought the get-rid-of-hiccuping methods they came up with were really interesting. I've definitely never heard of the chopstick one or the one where you drink from the other side of the cup. (But I'm probably going to end up trying them, haha.)

Anyway, I can't wait to see the rest of this. I'm a little disappointed that it's only going to be 13 episodes long, but from what I've heard, the manga only has enough material for about 13 episodes, so I suppose I can't complain.[/SIZE]

[Dagger]

[quote name='bellpickle][SIZE=1]Now that the second season has [I]really[/I'] gotten started, what's everyone's impression of it so far?[/SIZE][/quote]
Taking a step or two backwards...

Say something that'll make me watch this show. You have five minutes. Go! :animesmil

Seriously, although I've been meaning to see H&C since the first season aired, I've tragically never gotten around to it, and there always seem to be a billion other shows I need to watch. I keep telling myself that it'll get licensed at the next big convention, but that's obviously a little delusional. I actually get this little pang of guilt every time I see someone mention the series. Argh. :animeswea

[size=1]And, uh... sorry for being totally useless as far as the thread's original purpose is concerned. Eheh.[/size]

~Dagger~

[bellpickle]

[SIZE=1][quote name='Dagger']Say something that'll make me watch this show. You have five minutes. Go! :animesmil[/quote]

*does warm-up exercises* :3

YOSH!

First, the characters are very realistic and multi-faceted, and I imagine many college kids and young adults can easily relate to them and their dilemnas. (Such as not knowing what to do with your life, constant financial problems, troubles finding a job, and of course, love.)

Yet despite the drama, the series is fun and light-hearted at its core, and it's actually really funny much of the time.

The art and animation are really, really lovely, especially in the second season.

The soundtrack is the most awesome thing on this planet, with the script as a close second, especially when it involves the characters' private thoughts.

Most importantly, Morita is total crack, and I honestly think the whole series is worth watching just to see him flounce around, babbling about croquettes and dying from hiccuping too much. And Nomiya's cool too, but it seems that I've run out of time, so I'll just leave it at that. :D[/SIZE]

[Panda]

[quote name='bellpickle][SIZE=1']Most importantly, Morita is total crack, and I honestly think the whole series is worth watching just to see him flounce around, babbling about croquettes and dying from hiccuping too much. And Nomiya's cool too, but it seems that I've run out of time, so I'll just leave it at that. :D[/SIZE][/quote]
That pretty much sums up my reason for watching the series. Morita with a giant bag of croquettes of dubious origin is well worth the watch. I really enjoyed the first season and didn't know the second was out. Thanks for the heads up bellpickle! I'm going to have to re-watch the first season to refresh my memory.

I think what I like about the series is the age of the characters. They are all college students instead of the token 15 year old high school students seen in every other anime series. Unfortuately for me I am highly influenced by seeing food in anime and after watching the first season I went on a bit of a croquette binge. :animeswea I hope this second season doesn't do the same to me as the first.

Hmm...now I'm craving croquettes...darn it!

Edit: I just remembered another reason for Ms. Dagger to check out Honey and Clover: Twister game with too many colors!

[bellpickle]

[quote name='Panda']Edit: I just remembered another reason for Ms. Dagger to check out Honey and Clover: Twister game with too many colors![/quote]
[SIZE=1]YES! And an entire birthday cake composed of store-bought individual slices with altar candles on top!

As for food, so far, all the second season has given us is a scene involving huge bowls of katsudon, but Yamada wolfed that thing down so fast that it made me sick just looking at her. So I don't think you'll be craving anything anytime soon. XD[/SIZE]

[Dagger]

Okay, still not on H&C II yet, but today I watched episodes 4-17 of the first season. It's odd--from the first episode, I recognized that it was excellent, but I didn't feel pressed to see more of it. Today I was bored out of my mind and had nothing else I felt like watching, so I gave episode 4 a whirl, and for whatever reason, it really grabbed me.

I seem to remember it starting with something about the Rika and Mayama situation (yes, I forget things quickly), and that suddenly made the characters human for me. If this were a shoujo series, the viewer would be expected to sympathize with Ayu alone; its sophistication comes through in how it manages to hit so many different points of view. Either way, Mayama and Rika ended up being the first characters in Honey & Clover that made me feel something for them.

Or maybe it's just that I couldn't fully get into the series until Takemoto started growing his hair out. :p

Anyway, I'm going to be boring and say that Morita is a couple of levels above all the other characters. It took me a while to warm up to him as an actual character, as opposed to someone who just does funnily bizarre stuff all the time, but it seems as if that's how it's meant to happen. It's little surprise that he became my favorite after his insecure side started to come out: this sounds weird, but Miu, the best character in Strawberry Marshmallow (and the only reason I kept watching it), is practically his kindred spirit.

As for supporting characters, I loooove Miwata, Nomiya and Morita's brother.

And you were right, Panda--that was an epic game of Twister. :animesmil

Since there's a second season, I'm assuming that the remaining episodes won't resolve the [spoiler]Takemoto-Morita-Shuu[/spoiler]-Hagu quadrangle. I actually wouldn't mind either a [spoiler]Takemoto or Morita ending, as long as Morita doesn't end up totally lonely and miserable, haha. Earlier on in the series, I thought he showed signs of liking Ayu as well as Hagu... might've been just me, though. But it'd really bother me if more happened on the Shuu front.[/spoiler] I don't hold anything in particular against him, but I still have trouble liking him.

~Dagger~