Yuuta Takemoto, a sophomore at an arts college, shares a cheap apartment with two seniors—the eccentric Shinobu Morita, who keeps failing to graduate due to his absenteeism, and the sensible Takumi Mayama, who acts as a proper senior to Takemoto, often looking out for him.
Takemoto had not given much thought to his future until one fine spring day, when he meets the endearing Hagumi Hanamoto and falls in love at first sight. Incredibly gifted in the arts, Hagumi enrolls in Takemoto's university and soon befriends the popular pottery student Ayumi Yamada. Ayumi is already well acquainted with the three flatmates and secretly harbors deep feelings for one of them.
Hachimitsu to Clover is a heartwarming tale of youth, love, soul-searching, and self-discovery, intricately woven through the complex relationships between five dear friends.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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TheCriticsClub
For many of us who watch anime, the medium can become something more than simply animated entertainment. Sometimes, we will find ourselves connecting on a deep emotional level with a character or characters in a show. Sometimes, the story will seem less like a fanciful escape and more like a reflection upon society or our individual lives. These are the kind of shows stick with us. They'll make us laugh, they'll make us cry, and sometimes they'll make us realize something new about ourselves. Honey and Clover is one of those kind of anime. Based on the manga by Chika Umino, Honey and Clover follows thelives of five fledgling artists and their journey through the exciting and simultaneously terrifying world that we know as college. Through the eyes of these five students and observe them them growing, affected by the years of challenging experiences through which they have gained many cherished friendships and also come to know the agonies of unrequited love.
One of the most noticeable aspects of the series is the animation. The bold, hard lined style you see in most anime will not be found here. Instead, animation studio J.C. Staff takes a wholly different approach by using a faded watercolor palette and soft sketched character designs. The style may not appeal to everyone, but it best reflects the true nature of the characters and their setting. Aside from the color palette, the animation goes through various perspective changes so subtly that it can even make the simple shot of a single character interesting. In essence, it is like art in motion.
Naturally, the audio needs to work hand in hand with the visuals and Honey and Clover has quite a robust soundtrack. Many of the insert selections worked well to heighten and sharpen the on-screen emotions. However, not all of the songs fit each scene like a glove and at times it felt like maybe there might even be too many songs they had tried to fit in. Despite that complaint, the songs themselves were all very good, even the instrumental tracks, and “Waltz” may hands-down be one of the best ending themes of any anime ever.
One aspect that may be universally agreed upon about this series is that the characters definitely make the show. Honey and Clover, like many other slice-of-life series, falls back on the characters to help carry the series and all five of the main characters do so phenomenally. Throughout the series, the perspective changes so that we see, hear, think, and occasionally feel what any given character is going through at that time. Depending on a viewer’s past experiences in college or even just life in general, certain characters will become more appealing and easier to relate to than others. Someone who has never been torn between someone they love and a close friend who loves them will have a hard time relating to a character like Mayama. Also, while a character like Takemoto may be more accessible to the male audience, Ayumi may be a better focal point for women.
The most important thing to realize is that just about anyone who watches this show will find a character who they can directly relate to in some way or another. From Takemoto’s indecisiveness about his own life, Morita’s slacker appeal and almost unfair success, Hagumi’s torn desire between being a success she’s not proud of or a failure she can live with. These are not just character struggles, these are struggles we all go through and we begin to see these characters as our friends and companions as we make our way through our own ordeals.
As said already, Honey and Clover is a slice-of-life series, which means it could take place anywhere at anytime with anyone inside the world as already is. It is a balanced and yet lively blend of romance, drama, and comedy without going too overboard on any single element, much like life itself. The story moves forward very quickly, skipping weeks, even months at a time between episodes. This could be viewed as slightly unrealistic as viewers may believe the characters should change faster than they do. Regardless, the character development is there, and does proceed at a realistic pace relative to the length of the series. Though the ending is inconclusive, those who enjoyed it to the end can take solace in knowing a conclusive second season awaits them to tie up all the loose ends.
Much like how Azumanga Daioh is called “the anime you should watch if you’ve been through high school”, Honey and Clover is the anime to watch if you’ve been through college. Graduates who watch this will probably feel a good amount of nostalgia. At the same time, those of us who haven’t been through college or are still going through it will enjoy a realistic simulation of where we might be going and how we might deal with it. By empathizing with the characters and relating to them, you’ll come to see Honey and Clover as more than an anime; It's a life experience.
This review is the final result of a review team composed of members from the "Critics and Connoisseurs" club. The team members were:
Katsup - Contributed to and edited the review
Splitter - Wrote the review
Here are their individual scorings for the show:
Category - Katsup, Splitter
Story - 9, 9
Art - 10, 9
Sound - 9, 8
Character - 10, 10
Enjoyment - 10, 9
Overall - 10, 9
In the club wide poll held for Honey and Clover it received an average overall rating of 9.00
Kopanda
Almost everything about Honey and Clover is unprecedented and perfected. From the unnerving OP to the moving ending narration, each episode is a dramatic and romantic take on the special lives of the six main characters. There is no action and there is no fanservice so the stereotyped teenage male audiences will avoid this series, however, the intelligent humor and very intricate intricate character development which dominates the show is sure to satisfy most mature fans who are sick of slapstick, perverted anime. At times it does get very similar to American soapies but I believe that Honey and Clover outdoes any love triangle stories.Each character goes through their frustrating situations, which don't seem to conclude detailed enough. The angelic Hagumi tackles her self-esteem issues, Mayama chases after Rika who is still mourning over her late boyfriend, Ayumi fights her depression after being repetitively rejected by Mayama, Morita (who provides for some of the best comedy I've seen in anime) tries to deal with his own expectations of life, Shuuji devotes himself religiously to the welfare of Hagu, and Takemoto attempts to escape out of the banal life ahead of him. These complex characters see the most impressive explorations of life, romance and personal fears. At times there is some repetition in the plot and it may seem a bit predictable, but there really is no competition for the best josei anime around. Recommended to anyone who wants to experience the reality of love or to be inspired and have a little cry at the end. Top notch anime 5 stars.
kdbernie
Honestly I only came here because I have only written positive reviews so I felt like ranting about an anime that I thought sucked that apparently every other person on the planet loved. Honey to goddamn Clover...fuck. Just typing the name irritates me. This review will be short and contain LOADS OF SPOILERS, so stop reading if you do not want that. Anyway, this whole anime for me was one giant what the fuck. So I love romance anime, but I kind of only want the romance anime to go well, which may not be a great trait to have but oh well I'm a sapfor happy endings. OF WHICH THIS ANIME HAS NONE!
So you got this guy Takemoto, immediately falls for this 8 year old girl who, surprise is actually like 20-something and an art prodigy attending his college. My dude Takemoto is the nicest guy in the fuckin world! And he gets NOTHING. NOTHING I TELL YOU!
So he is just being his chill self, helping Hagu, or whatever tf her name is, get accustomed to life and the school and everything and she's like "oh thank you I really appreciate it." And here I am thinking "Okay my boy gettin that 8-year-old-lookin puuuussssss"
But then she sees this guy Shinobu's sculpture or some shit like that and meets him for the first time and BAM, she's in love with him. Shinobu falls in love with her too like instantly and thus the love triangle is established. So what happens next? Shinobu disappears for like 2 months (pretty sure I'm being over dramatic here but it was a long time).THE WHOLE TIME, my bro Takemoto is still being the best fuckin' friend to Hagu, doin' everything for her. Helpin' her when she's down. AND SHE GIVES NO FUCKS ABOUT HIM!
Then Shinbou comes back and Hagu is all about him and they kiss and it's bullshit. Then at the end Takemoto is like "I'm moving because I'm super depressed thanks to you guys, fuck all yall" and they are just like "Who tf is Takemoto again?"
Seriously this dude was so poorly treated. I have never seen someone go from Goku to fuckin' Krillin so quick.
Then there is this other love story between AGAIN this really supportive, amazing girl, and this dude who's in love with his terminally ill boss or something. EVEN THE BOSS IS LIKE "Dude, this chick is amazing and wants you so bad and supports you so much." And he's like eh, fuck her.
I said this would be a rant and I got pretty into it by the end there. Anyway, TL:DR,
The characters treat each other so fuckin shittily and in the end it's one of those "Everyone was happy because they realized how important friendship is and they all got closure" Oh bull-fucking-shit. Takemoto probably offd himself a week later, and everyone else was still probably depressed because nobody ended up with the person that they were in love with.
Oh, except the chick who moved on from the dude in love with the terminally ill chick. THAT GIRL WAS THE ONLY SANE ONE! And she was the only reason I kept watching. Fuckin; hated Hagu man...hated that bitch.
jet2r0cks
Ever get that nice feeling after you finished watching a really good series? That’s how I felt when I finished watching Honey and Clover. What a wonderful story. It’s a good mix of bittersweet growing pains, salty teardrops, and huge doses of soul searching, all brought about by Love. Ah yes, Love. That is what defines the plot of Honey and Clover. Through this anime, we see how love can go both ways – it can send you flying in the sky, or it can leave you with a knife in the back. I can relate to mostly everyone in the story, and this is also whyit was so easy to understand for me. Yamada’s frustration over unrequited love, Takemoto’s fear of the future and time quickly passing by (believe me, time in this anime is fast-paced), Hagu’s feelings of pressure from everyone around her, and of course, the loneliness that everyone felt from time to time. The ability to relate to each and every one of the characters made Honey and Clover such a good watch for me, and I’m sure it will be the same for everyone who will watch this series.
Despite the serious tones, there are still moments that are quite funny. Most of the comedic relief comes from Morita, who is actually one of my favorite characters. His idiosyncrasies are what made him great to watch. I love that scene where he accepted the Mochademy Award (A nod to the Academy awards) for best CG. There was also this great episode where Morita and Takemoto played some sort of twister game until their limbs were intertwined. Of course, you can’t forget chapters L and F which were both funny as well.
I liked most of the characters because they were all so relatable and they were all managed effectively. At the end of the series, you know everything that goes/went on behind their facades. They all had well thought of histories and wonderful unique personalities that go so well together. It’s almost like an anime version of FRIENDS. I already mentioned that I like Morita, but my other favorite is Mayama. I kinda developed a crush on him too; I actually see what Yamada sees in him. I was kind of annoyed that he picked that old hag Rika over Yamada. I really hate that woman; she’s only out to hurt Mayama. I’m definitely on team Ayumi “Tetsujin” Yamada (Even though she tends to ramble on a lot)!
Drawing style was something new. It reminded me of old school anime with a new twist. It had the same look and feel of 80s anime with except it was updated and fresh. It was probably because of the coloring technique - the colors were just lovely, they weren’t vibrant, like how I usually would like colors to be, but they were done well and the colors didn’t clash, so I actually liked it. It reminded me of water color paintings, a trend I noticed from watching JC Staff series. Usually the illustrations are done well, they barely change or if there are any changes it goes unnoticed. Although I did notice a huge shift in Hagu’s appearance – She was a lot prettier in the first episode compared to the rest of the series. Her look was done well though – she had beautiful eyes and hair (same thing with Yamada).
There were different animation techniques that were used. I like the use of stop motion, I’m guessing the first opening theme sequence was made using stop motion and clay figures. There was also the use of live action, which was for the second opening theme sequence (The poodle was just adorable). Some scenes had a more weathered look, and there was even an instance were vector art was used. Of course, there was the use of CG. CG is always good if it’s used to give depth to animation.
Voice acting was actually pretty good. My favorite seiyu for this series is Tomokazu Sugita, Mayama’s seiyu, who was also the seiyu for Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, another favorite of mine. I also like Morita’s seiyu, Yuji Ueda. I think it’s funny when his voice turns soft. The other seiyus, such as Keiji Fujiwara and Mikako Takahashi were already familiar to me, since I’ve watched/currently series they worked for before, and what they did for Honey and Clover were splendid as well, but as for Hagu’s seiyu, I’m a bit indifferent. Based on the information I saw about her, she seems to be a newbie (I think she’s only 18) and Hagu Hanamoto is probably her most notable role. Anyway, everyone did a good job because they brought out their character’s personalities really well, and the dialogues were easy to follow.
I’m surprised that most of Yuzo Hayashi’s work was for Sailormoon. I actually thought the music for this anime was done well – everything was modern and contemporary. I like the wide variety of insert songs that were used as BGM, and of course, the opening and ending themes weren’t bad either. At the end of the series I found myself humming and bopping my head to the catchy music of the series.
Thank goodness for the second season, plus the extra two episodes. If it weren’t for that, I Probably would be close to tears by now. This is undeniably one of the best series (Thank God to no fan service!) I’ve ever watched, and will watch again.
Venneh
Title: Honey and Clover Manga, Live-Action Adaptations, Anime: Honey and Clover was originally a manga created by Chika Umino. It began its run in Sueisha's CUTiEcomic maganize in June of 2000, and swithced over to Young YOU in July of 2001, and ran there until the magazine's demise in 2005, and finished up its run in Chorus in July 2006. The manga stands at ten collected volumes, and has been licensed Stateside by Viz's Shoujo Beat label; the first volume will be released on March 8th of this year. Honey and Clover also won the Kodansha Manga Award for best shoujo manga in2003.
Honey and Clover also has two live-action adaptations to its name. The first is a live-action movie adaptation that was released on July 22nd, 2006 in Japanese theatres. The second is a live-action TV drama that started airing on January 8th of this year. Neither has been licensed Stateside, and neither will be covered in this review.
The anime adaptation was 24 episodes long, and was produced by JC Staff (famous for their work on Revolutionary Girl Utena and Excel Saga) and directed by Kenichi Kasai (famous for his work on Nodame Canabile). It ran on Japanese TV from April 14th to September 25th, 2005. It has yet to be licensed Stateside.
Story: Honey and Clover follows the lives and relationships of five college students -- Mayama, Takemoto, Morita, Hagu, and Ayu over a period of about five years.
It was really hard for me to get into this at first. For the first four episodes, I liked what I was watching, but I didn't really feel the pressing need to see what happened next. However, this changed in the next few episodes, mainly because everything had been more or less established, and they started developing things.
Those of you who are in college and watching this are going to be stunned at the realism of this. It feels like these characters could very well be people around you, and the situations they're in could be things you or your friends are going through at the moment.
Yeah, there's no overlying plot. However, unlike KamiChu, this isn't a problem, mainly because the characters and their relationships are developed well and are the actual center of the story, not driven by some cardboard cutouts and a crappy problem-of-the-week plot. Also, there's a lot of fairly obvious metaphors and some crazy-ass humor that make the show even better. ^^
And there are going to be some who are depressed at the rather open ending. However, there is the second season (Honey and Clover II), which I'm going to be starting shortly and will eventually review.
Art: Absofuckinglutely beautiful.
The background is done in what looks like watercolors, so it's kind of hazy and washed-out, similar to what you see in Potemayo's backgrounds. The character designs are a blend between the typical anime design and a more manga-esque look. They also have the budget to change clothes at least once every episode. SD is very common when tied in with the crazy-ass humor, which is just made of WIN.
All of this combined serves to make an absolutely beautiful series. It's up there with Gankutsuou's visuals, but not quite that extreme.
My only complaint is w/r/t Hagu's character design. Yes, I know that you want to emphasize that she's a bit sheltered and innocent, but really, she looks like my youngest sister, and you're trying to pass her off as 20? Work on that for next season, plz.
Music: Honey and Clover's background music is a little odd, but it's amazing at the same time, because they use vocals in a way that I've only heard Bobby McFerrin attempt up till now. There's also a piano version of either the OP or ED that plays a lot in the series, and is just beautiful.
Honey and Clover also uses a lot of insert songs; there's at least one every episode, and they're perfectly fitted to the moments that they're played in.
The OP is just annoying. I mean, the animation for the first version was absolutely amazing (food + claymation = AWESOME), but the vocalist is kind of shrill, and makes me cringe. The EDs didn't particularly stand out, but they were nice.
Seiyuu: Morita's seiyuu played Takeshi (Brock, for us Americans) in all the seasons of Pokemon, and Hakim in Victorian Romance Emma and Shuuji's seiyu was in Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ and in FFVII: Advent Children as Reno, which was fairly awesome.
And all the other seiyuu did an excellent job, as ever.
Length: Twenty-four episodes was a good length; the manga material does go further, and I guarantee that by the time you're finished, you will want more, but the second season should cover that.
Overall: A beautiful, realistic slice of college life with excellent music and some fairly good seiyuu.
One of my top picks. See this. NOW.
Story: 10/10
Art: 9/10
Music: 9/10
Seiyuu: 9/10
Length: 9/10
Overall: 46/50; 92% (A)
ktulu007
Honey and Clover is a romance series created by manga artist Umino Chica. In 2005 it was adapted into an anime in 2005 by J.C. Staff. The same studio responsible for Nodame Cantabile and Aoi Hana, which is somewhat promising. As well as Shakugan no Shana, which is pretty discouraging. The only way to see whether this stands with their good romances or their creepily codependent rubbish one is to watch it. So let's check it out. The story opens with our protagonist, Izaya (yes, I do know that's not his name, but the characters in this were so dull I never learned their actualnames, even over the course of 24 episodes, so I'm going to refer to them by the names of more interesting characters played by the same actors) anyway, Izaya is spending some time at his apartment with a couple seniors from the same art University, the studious Chrono and the held back slacker, Jean Havoc. Reno, their teacher, brings in a young relative of his, Sayu. The story from their focuses on their everyday lives with particular emphasis on the love triangle involving Izaya, Havoc and Sayu or Chrono's unrequited love for the older Ridget while he tries to deal kindly with Amy's unrequited feelings for him. The biggest problem with the series is just that it's mind numbingly dull. It relies on you caring about the mundane lives of the characters, more on why that doesn't work in the next paragraph, although I'm sure you can figure it out. Most of the story focuses on soap operaesque romance elements and not the entertainingly cheesy type of soap opera in which the main character's evil twin has an affair with his mother-in-law and she thinks it was him or some such absurdity. This is the more mundane variety in which the situation is ordinary but over-blown. In addition to that, everything drags. There's a long scene about the characters looking for the interesting plot ideas... I mean a four leaf clover. The scene ultimately has no impact on anything else that happens either.
The characters in this are bland and one-dimensional. You'd think that a series with a clear character focus would take some time to flesh its characters out and develop them, but Honey and Clover has no time for such things. Instead, it picks a focus trait for each character, whether they're childish, uncertain, slackers or whatever and it never lets them grow or deviate from that. The biggest example is Havoc who gets an easy opening towards the end for some mild development only to elect to remain within the status quo because... developing slightly would interfere with his one character trait.
The art in this is... okay. The faces are drawn kind of oddly. They always look like their mouths are open. The scenery is fine. One thing that is odd is that Sayu's supposedly brilliant art is just incredibly mediocre. It could be a deliberate statement on how mediocrity frequently does get praised as “brilliant” for inexplicable reasons, but its more likely that they were trying to make art that looked brilliant and that's what they came up with.
The voice acting is passable. The actors certainly don't give their best performances, but they also don't have much to work with. They still all manage to do their jobs adequately. The music tends toward the soft and peaceful. It functions for the show's aesthetic.
The ho-yay factor is a 2/10. Havoc gets some homo-erotic scenes and there's one rather disturbing scene involving two brothers. The strangest part of that scene is that it has absolutely no purpose nor is it mentioned again. They could've left it out and lost nothing. So... they deliberately hinted at incest for no reason.
Honey and Clover is not a bad anime. It's just boring and, mostly, inoffensive. It feels like a creative writing project from a student who's about to graduate and doesn't care anymore. I can really only recommend it if you really like watching dull people go about their lives or you're suffering from insomnia. It may very well bore you to sleep. Final rating, 5/10. Next week, Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro Chan. I know, it's not the first thing in the queue, but everything else is too long to finish in one week.
randomguy6
Note: This review pertains to both Honey and Clover and Honey and Clover II, since II is a direct continuation of the first series. What do you want to do with your life? Where do you want to go? How will you get there? What brought you here in the first place? Honey and Clover, a slice of life josei anime, addresses these types of questions. It tells the story of five friends in an art college and their lives and relationships throughout college (and some of them beyond that) as they face various obstacles. The show does a masterful job at exploring the lives andpersonalities of these five students and the people around them.
Although I used to prefer shows with super captivating plots where there are distinguishable heroes and villains, Honey and Clover changed my views on that. There isn’t a grand overlaying plot to this series, and yet somehow, I was just as enamored with it as those other shows, if not more. The characters are just regular college students trying to make the most out of those precious years while searching for direction in their lives. They don’t have incredibly bleak pasts, though they’re not without their troubles. Each character has various predicaments that most people would face in that stage of their lives. Takemoto, the protagonist and narrator, is surrounded by highly capable, successful peers, while he seems to be the most “average” of his friends. He is the most directionless of the group, unsure of how to proceed after college. He quickly falls in love with Hagumi, an extremely talented painter who has body of a child. Despite her abilities, she is shy and suffers from childlike social anxiety. Then there’s Morita, the most eccentric one. Though he appears to be manipulative, greedy, lazy, and just plain odd, he is surprisingly one of the wiser ones of the friends. His life outside of school is mysterious, and he often has long periods of absences where he inexplicably wanders off and comes back with only a large wad of money and extreme fatigue. We also have Mayama, the first to graduate and get a job, who harbors feelings for a disabled woman who’s had a dark past in regards to relationships. Finally, there’s Yamada, who is in love with Mayama. Even though he constantly rejects her, for some reason, she continues to try.
Like in real life, these aren’t static characters. They’re dynamic. They learn through experience and their mindsets slowly change, for better or for worse. It’s interesting to see them develop this way, as we learn about their pasts and their predicaments.
As you can tell, although the plot may seem simple enough, this isn’t a straightforward anime. Through its storytelling, it poses several questions and concepts for the viewers to mull over. It teaches us to reflect on our lives and see what brought us to where we currently are. We must cherish the memories with our friends, but eventually, we will have to move on to the next phases of our lives, in which, often times, we will have to depart from our comfortable lifestyles. This is depicted by the constant image of a wheel turning, symbolizing that we must continue forward and adapt. Time is continuous, and thus so is life, and while we should definitely reminisce, we have to live in the ever-changing present instead of in the past.
Even if you’re not into shows that really examine human emotions and relationships, don’t be turned off by Honey and Clover. The show does an excellent job of mixing comedy and drama. On a mere superficial level, this show is hilarious, filled with memorable scenes, most of them brought upon by Morita. You don’t have to indulge in the deeper scenes to enjoy the show. Even if you don’t like the drama, the comedy is more than satisfying enough to be a reason to watch it.
As for the art and animation, it has a softer feel to it than most other animes due to its watercolor palette. It’s very soothing and natural, and definitely an enjoyable departure from modern conventional animation styles. The music fits the moments well, and while I don’t usually pay attention to OP’s and ED’s, I’ll admit there were a few ED’s I liked that really added to the ending scenes of various episodes.
This anime is a realistic depiction of life. It tells a story of unrequited love, overcoming obstacles, acceptance, and ultimately moving forward. We’re able to connect emotionally with the characters, empathizing with them, because most of us have been in situations similar to theirs. It’s not quite tear jerking, but there are definitely many touching scenes that will make your heart feel heavy. Honey and Clover truly is one of the most beautiful and introspective series I’ve seen. It is a simple, yet profound, story about life.
Seelly
Monologues.. a lot of them. Sad piano music... a lot of that too. They are very sad... and they like to show it. Hagu is sad... the main character (don't recall his name) is sad cause she sad. the idiot (also don't remember his names, i think he won an oscar?) is just an obnoxious idiot (pls go away). the other chick is also sad (she makes a lot of plates) cause she likes guy that likes other sad woman with crutches (she wears heels...), but he also sad cause other chick is sad. professor says stuff... sometimes (i don't know what he teaches) he also smokes (not the bicycles). Bicyclesi wont even mention the first opening...
Indolence
Honey and Clover is one of the few slice of life series that deals with matters such as love and friendship very maturely, the everyday life quite realistically and the resolution with a better perspective. It is hard for me to decide to give this show a number. With little bias in mind, with the satisfaction I received, with the delightful sound tracks, it is easy for me to give this show a 10. And my advice is, don't look at the numbers, but actually understand the wonderful story the show has to offer, the beautiful story where the little things in life are highlightedas we glance through the life of these college students, mainly Yuuta Takemoto.
The story progresses gradually as we move further, with blurry episodic start followed by some more deeply curved story and something much more seriousness. Life as student can be difficult for many, due dates and demanding qualities, things are much more complicated for art college students. However, even with their hardships, poverty as students, and love that is almost dream, the protagonists enjoys their little time they have, the time they have together. Teasing and praising, the protagonists are very likable, and for many, relatable. The triangles of love, the unrequited feelings, and the painful evenings are all that the story includes. Within the funny atmosphere, the story is heart-warming and sometimes very aspiring.
The characters, they develops through the series. Their collaboration, their silent feelings, their goals and emotions, their dreams, the story explores them all. Friendship to put over love, considerng the other end, and the honesty the characters give makes it impossible for me not to praise them. It is a wonder how smoothly the characters blend together.
Music and sound are one of the stronger parts of the show. Almost every episode contains one song to accent the emotion along with the superior soundtracks. The strum of the guitar, the soft piano sound along with the calm melodies, the music does a excellent job at uplifting the mood. The opening is decent, but becomes more meaningful the further the story goes. The first ending, Waltz, is probably one of the best ending music I've heard in anime, and by best, I mean how perfectly it fits and portrays the show. The second ending is quite mediocre, but fitting near the end. Voice acting for the show was likable, calm voices, good laughs. But at some point, one may find the emotional scenes are quite exaggerated.
Art. The art is not heavily detailed, not exaggerated, not eye-candy. The art is simple, soft, and intended for a softer approach. The serious scenes are drawn with care, and given finer details whereas the comical scenes are less detailed, with rounder faces and sketchy eyes. J.C. staff does a fine job at relating the art with the story, and the animation is quite reputable.
Overall, Honey and Clover is a wonderful show. It will uplift the audience, makes them laugh or cry or feel the characters, which is done by an excellent show, one which the audience welcomes and enjoys.
roscoe1234
Spurred by good reviews to watch this anime, I picked it up and continued to watch hoping that the reviews would be justified. Towards the end, I toughed it out, but was ultimately greatly disappointed. In a nutshell, this anime is a bore to watch. Unless you count graduating from college and getting a job as exciting and significant developments, every character is almost in the exact same spot they were in at the beginning of the series. Watch one episode and you basically get the gist: A bunch of friends in art school talk, eat (a lot), get drunk (a lot), pine after this oneor that one, cry (one character seems to cry every episode, almost every 5 minutes), fervently work on art pieces, go to festivals, take field trips, have inner monologues, and don't address what is really on their minds to the ones who need to hear it. Their failures to communicate prevents them from making breakthroughs which serve to slow any development to a snail's pace artificially.
If you don't want to watch adults fall in love with a character that looks and acts like a child, do not waste your time with this series. I expected the show to address why the character is this way and show every other character be conflicted about the attraction to her, but that didn't happen. Even if they did address the attraction, it is akin to mentally mature adults pursuing a mentally challenged adult. No bueno.
Maybe the show intended to continue after the 36th episode, but, as of now, it didn't sufficiently tie up some of the threads that I was concerned about in my opinion.
I liked how this anime looks, but the first 24 episodes seemed to have looked better than the last 12. The cartoonish expressions the characters often make gets to be too much for me though. The voice acting and sound design are the best things about this anime for me by far.
In closing, I didn't enjoy this series, I obviously won't re-watch it, and I strongly do not recommend it.
darkwhisper
I started watching this anime..some of the guy characters were funny at first.. atleast until the middle part after they are almost late for school. However i lost my interest around the part where Hagu is introduced to the other characters. And, i just cant quite accept the fact that Hagu is 18... its kind of weird to watch. or gross. um.. ya i am already not a fan of this anime and i only seen one episode of it. heh i just cant understand why all the reviews for this anime are great reviews. I dont think this anime will ever pull me inif Hagu is the main love interest..Maybe it gets better if you are into children. lol i'm not. *shrug* Maybe if i'm that bored i'll decide if i want to watch a bit further since only two of the characters amused me at the beginning.
lastnameEver
Watching, force-feeding, succumbing to Honey and Clover has been the most boring experiences I’ve had watching anime. The show is more thoughtful, more sensitive, more real than anything seen in mainstream anime, and at the same time is the least enjoyable, most dull, most tedious anime I have ever watched through all the way. Only after several attempts was I capable of finishing, the end result leaving much to be desired. It has flashes of brilliance, genuine warmth at times, and an insane amount of baggage and neurosis. It's like sitting in on someone’s therapy session. The start’s very good, the first episode is a treatto enjoy, perfectly sets up the college setting, the artistic characters, and the world they live in. It has a great music montage. One of the best first episodes in anime. Provides the best possible launchpad for the story to take off into the stratosphere. Instead it goes downhill.
I don’t like the subject matter. There’s so much bitching and moaning. All anyone ever does is in Honey and Clover is bitch and moan! “Oh, I’m so uncool, woe is me, I have no talent, I love this guy but he loves this girl, I love this girl but this other guy loves this girl and this girl probably loves this guy more than me” – Holy shit! Shut up!
And don’t even get me started on the ending, do not even get me started. Ain’t no way a show ends like that and gets called a classic nowadays, ain’t no way – but do not even get me started.
But back to the start. After the first episode, nothing else happens. There is no overarching narrative driving the story. Stories instead are told on a semi-episodic basis. Episodic shows only work if every single episode is enjoyable in itself. Needless to say, that isn’t the case with Honey and Clover. We get introduced to far too many irrelevant characters, like the silver-haired guy’s step-dad, and countless other nobodies, and as a result there’s not enough time for the main cast to spend time together.
Another issue with Honey and Clover is that the show ends before it even begins. The messy-haired guy with glasses already leaves college before we have a chance to get to know him, Hagu’s cigarette-smoking guardian goes off on some trip to Africa, and Morita is hardly ever around – and yet immediately, the story thrusts itself into these sad feelings without even having laid the necessary groundwork for the viewer to become attached to these characters. The end result – I don’t care! Silver-haired guy’s feeling sad about not having enough talent? Don’t care! Pottery girl’s still hung up about her crush, messy-haired guy with glasses who loves the depressed office woman? Don’t care! Pottery girl’s crying? What? Again? Already? Time sure does fly when you’re not having fun!
Staring at the washed-out watercolour palette isn’t doing anything for me either. The artwork not having defined outlines, and the generally lacklustre animation made for a soporific viewing experience, I had a hard time focusing on the screen. It hasn’t aged that badly, but it’s not pretty, outside of a couple spots.
Obviously, there are parts, little snippets, that I like. Silver-haired guy’s bicycle trip, and his eventual return capping off the first season, where he finally gets the better of Morita, is a satisfying moment. The scene at the very, very end where Takemoto opens up the good-luck charm Hagu gave him is inspired. In general I appreciate the maturity of the writing and its attempts at realism. All the characters are very likeable so long as they aren’t whining. Morita, by himself, possesses the type of magnetic personality that makes viewers want to keep watch just so you can see more scenes with him. He alone serves as sufficient proof that this is the same author who would later make 3-gatsu no Lion.
But this is no 3-gatsu no Lion. It may have the same comedy style and unique artwork, but Honey and Clover’s subject matter is joyless, and watching it was an exercise in tedium. The phrase ‘watching paint dry’ could not be more apt. If you can stomach boredom and have a high tolerance for bullshit, there is plenty to appreciate, but I’d rather fall asleep.
squish
Unrequited love. Wishing the person you love felt the same way about you. Falling for someone you know you can't have. Channeling your pain into art. The uncertainty of adult life. The pain and guilt you feel when someone has feelings for you that you just can't return. At its core, this anime is about cherishing the good times with the people you love in the here and now, because someday they will be mere memories. Honey and Clover is one of the most realistic portrayals of relationships I have seen in an anime. The main characters are all young adults, trying to figure outtheir places in life and navigate their confusing romantic feelings.
There are hard lessons to be learned here, but necessary ones. Sometimes, no matter how much we love someone, it's just not enough, and it never will be. But even if our feelings aren't returned, that doesn't mean the love wasn't there in the first place. Sometimes we don't realize how much we love someone until we are faced with the realization that someone else wants them. Sometimes we know we shouldn't love someone because they are incompatible with us, or don't return our feelings, but we chase those feelings anyway. We try to cut the feelings away but find that they persist.
Honey and Clover captures these human experiences poignantly and delicately. Sometimes the most memorable loves are the ones that live in our minds. Sometimes our greatest loves just aren't meant to be. And sometimes the people who touch our hearts the most are in our lives for just a short period of time, but those memories live on forever.
Gremshula
Some may say I like every anime that I watch but something about Honey and Clover really made me smile. Its about a group of students who attend an Art University, trying to become something related to art and creativity. Within this storyline you have love triangles, strange characters (Morita mostly *laughs*), and lots of character plots which allow you to become more enveloped with them on an almost personal level. You could say the main character is Takemoto, a striving artist who is still struggling to find out what type of future he\'ll have. He moves into a dorm-like apartment not far from the campusand meets several other students; Morita, who is a super-artist though when you see him, you wouldn\'t know it due to how he reacts to things. He\'s very motivitated by money and stardom. Mayama, an older student who has a love for a woman named Rika, who\'s husband had passed away in a car accident, and she was badly hurt. Hagu who\'s a tiny little woman, almost elf-like but full of amazing art skills and innocence, striving to just happily draw. Yamada, a pottery student, who volunteers at the university and in turn is allowed to use the kiln to create her works. The love triangles are between Hagu, Takemoto, and Morita, then Rika, Yamada, and Mayama. It seems that both Takemoto, and Morita fell in love with Hagu and the story goes from there, and Yamada despretely loves Mayama, but Mayama doesn\'t want anything to do with it, and instead follows Rika, who fears hurting him (or claims she already has).
Throughout the storyline you learn of their lives, meet other characters that help with the story and how everyone lives have become to what they have. For anyone looking to have a somewhat serious anime, but still with laughs and stories to make you cry, I really recommend this one.
This is the first of two seasons (unless there\'s 3 and I just haven\'t found out about it yet).
jawnmewn
It is not uncommon to worry about the future. What is my purpose in life? How will I change as a person and affect both my loved ones and those around me? Questions like these are thought about frequently and many begin to come to terms with the answers to these questions in their university years. Hachimitsu to Clover, or Honey and Clover, explores this idea, mixing in romance and relationships for a nice slow paced slice of life; it tells the tale of a group of college friends and colleagues as they spend their days growing close to each other, dealing with the outsideworld and work, and coming to terms with what they want out of life and their own desires.
What makes Honey and Clover stand out from the typical high school rom-com slice of life is the fact that it takes on a much more serene and mature tone compared to the often crazy, silly, and awkwardness you might in other slice of life anime. Honey and Clover does an excellent job of drawing and evoking a variety of emotions out of the watcher. From laughing at Shinobu drive Takemoto and Mayama up a wall, to smiling at the genuine and caring Professor as he watches over Hagu, to frustration over Yamada and Mayama's relationship; there is never a dull moment. For anyone who's watched their fair share of slice of life, Honey and Clover pulls the genre off in a refreshing and unique matter and offers something new.
Honey and Clover does an excellent job of utilizing the characters' unique personalities and habits to create a realistic portrayal of everyday college life. From the crazy genius Shinobu who seems to be talented at many things but doesn't really care about utilizing it to the fullest to Takemoto, who on a whim chose to major in architecture because he liked making things with his hands, each character has their own set of problems that the series explores. The clash between desires and expectations is the overlying theme.
The drama and romance aspect of the show can be frustrating at times, but is a more accurate representation of relationships in real life. Often times in anime one can predict the flow of romance and relationships, such as who will end up with who, and the feelings and emotions come in a nice superficial box with a neat bow tie on top. However, relationships in real life are often different. Unlike in most romance and drama shows, love in real life does not always go the way you want it. It is more bitter, more mature. It can be extremely frustrating. It can be confusing and hectic. Honey and Clover does a very nice job of representing this through a solid cast of characters and exploring each individual's feelings for one another.
One last theme this show explores is natural talent and feelings of inferiority. In our world, there will always be an insurmountable gap between those of us who are truly talented and gifted, and those who are on the more ordinary side of things. Hard work and dedication can only close that gap so much. Honey and Clover shows how individuals both talented and ordinary think about this fact, and the problems that come with being on either side of the spectrum. Through the relationships of Takemoto, Hagu, Professor, and Shinobu, aspects such as expectations, guidance, free will, and desires are all laid out and explored.
The art was very simple and easygoing on the eyes. There is no flashy animation, just very basic yet powerful scenes and warm colors. The music complemented the mood being presented in each scene and was never out of place. There were lively pieces to accompany merry times and happy days, and somber tones to accentuate tension and dramatic moments.
Honey and Clover gives us a fresh perspective of the slice of life genre. Through mellow and slow-paced storytelling, the tale of this group of college students comes to life, and will make you feel as if you're living right alongside them. For those who tire of conventional slice of life romantic comedies with little to no substance, Honey and Clover might just be right for you.
lovescream
Wow. Honey and Clover is a somewhat long series (considering it has two series), and watching all of it is definitely time-consuming, but I guarantee that it will be worth it. Story: 9/10. I can definitely say, without a doubt, that this is the most inspirational and moving anime I've ever seen. At times, there is that typical shoujo-romance thing going on, but other than that, everything else is just too amazing for words. Also, the story is a bit plain at times, but I loved it nonetheless. It's very unique in its own ways -- the way it creates dramas, the way therelationships work all fit perfectly well into the storyline. It had a very calm atmosphere, yet there was enough drama to keep you watching. I love it. I couldn't ask for it any other way. :)
Art: 10/10. I thought the OP and ED were done well, the characters were drawn cutely, and the animation was good. :) No complaints here. I love the very soft atmosphere the animation gave me. It was soft and warm feeling.
Sound: 10/10. I listened to the soundtrack and I have to say I am IN LOVE with it! The music is probably one of the best features of this show. The calm relaxing acoustic music blended very well with the relaxing scenes. Suga Shikao's music felt right at home.
Character: 10/10. I thought each character in the story was unique in their own way and were all well-developed. I loved Hagu's shyness, Shuuji's parent-like personality, Takumi's maturity and understanding, Morita's crazy self, etc. I thought every personality was great and fit the characters in the story amazingly.
Enjoyment: 9/10. The story was great, everything was beautifully done, and this anime was definitely awe-inspiring for me. There were a lot of scenes that, after watching it, made me think about life. Definitely recommended for everyone to watch. I gave it a 9/10 because at parts, it was a bit slow, and I thought there were some parts that could have been more fast-paced.
BanjoTheBear
(This has been adapted from my reddit thread) From an early age, people often have their own dreams and aspirations. Kids may want to grow up to be astronauts or they may want to be super famous in the world of sports. But as they mature, reality sets in and they begin to worry less about their future and more about the present. With this shift in mentality comes an important question: what is truly, in my heart of hearts, important to me? Honey and Clover sets up as a nice slice-of-life show in order to answer this ever-lingering thought. STORY HC stars a main cast of five:Takemoto, Morita, Hagu, Yamada, and Mayama. Starting off in Takemoto's early years of college, the show progresses over many months and years to show the characters dealing with everyday events.
This is by far one of the most slice-of-life shows I have ever witnessed. There is absolutely no overall arc to be had within the story. Even more so is the distinct lack of connection between the stories per episode. Things happen in a chronological order, but nothing in one episode truly affects what happens in the next. For this reason, much of the season is simply the characters hanging at festivals, drinking at parties, or conversing at work. Meaning, they literally showcase the characters doing their everyday activities. There's no intense action or heavy drama, it's just the whole gang getting by, day by day.
For this reason, the show is very character driven. It likes to explore the characters and how they are feeling with the consistent use of narration by a variety of the cast. In this way, we not only get to see how they are really feeling but also how they interact with one another while hiding their true selves. Speaking of selves, an important aspect of the show is this idea of "self-realization." Each of the main cast struggle with their real identity. They have these ideas and emotions that they want to convey properly, but due to their lack of understanding or inability to succinctly express their feelings, they tend to wall themselves off more than they would like to. This is something that the show does very nicely and for each of the characters.
One of the main problems with the show is just how slow everything is. Despite jumping ahead in time on numerous occasions, you never really feel as if any progress is actually made. Besides the ending, once everything starts it stays almost exactly the same for the entirety of the season. And being such a character-driven show, this lack of realization on almost everyone's part feels quite tedious in the long run.
ANIMATION
HC is now roughly ten years old, but it still holds up quite well even when compared to today's standards.
Part of HC's appeal is its art style. The best word to describe it is that everything looks "soft." The colors that are there are not loud, the locations are standard, and the details are neither sharp nor dull. It gives off this mellow vibe that works pretty well with the actual tone of the show.
In terms of actual animation, I found this one to be a bit harder to describe. For the most part, the animation is average. With lots of dialogue and characters sitting around, there isn't much of a chance for the show to showcase anything spectacular. However, it can do reasonably well when it is showing character movements or when it is going through one of its comedy bits.
As for character designs, I found them to be quite likable. They all look "appropriate" for not only their age but for who they are as people. Mayama is mature and kind, Yamada is beautiful and emotional, Morita is handsome and outgoing, etc. The show does a nice job of making these characters feel "real" enough so that we as an audience could potentially believe that such characters could exist somewhere out there in the world.
CHARACTERS
Sticking to just the big five, I enjoyed all of the characters minus one.
Starting with the least of the best, Takemoto is somewhat the MC for the show; he's often the one who narrates what is going on. He's determined, selfless, and generally unsure of himself. For almost the entire season, he acts as an almost "fifth-wheel." Rather than acting he merely observes everyone else. So for the majority of the show, I honestly did not care for him. However, by the show's end, he managed to make a lasting impression on me.
Mayama represents the leader of the group. More mature in both personality and age when compared to the rest, he generally avoids trouble by hiding his emotions. This creates a lot of the issues he has with the characters around him, but what's unique is that he knows (from himself and from those that tell him) that he is like this.
Morita is undoubtedly the most interesting character in the group. Unintentionally direct and completely carefree, he is more often than not the one who reveals the gang's true feelings, all the while suppressing his own. He easily makes you laugh throughout the show due to his crazy antics, and provided much needed breaks in the overall slowness.
My favorite character from season one was Yamada. Smart, beautiful, and caring, she is the epitome of the perfect woman. And yet, her feelings of love have a difficult time reaching who they are meant for. Her struggle is hard to watch at times, simply because its a battle that she is constantly losing but always getting back into. When she isn't feeling down, she too provides a great amount of comedy and variety to the show that I greatly appreciated.
The character I found to be the worst was actually Hagu. Besides just not really liking her personality and character interactions, she doesn't really do anything of importance. While she may be the focus of some of the characters at certain points in the season, her actions never have any meaning or consequence. To put it simply, she's rather boring and uninteresting when competing with the other four characters.
SOUND
HC is strange in that it has one OP but two EDs. The OP has a great amount of singing in its range, but I never found the OP to be to my liking. Furthermore, it doesn't even really fit with the show, its just too "grandiose" in its vocal ability. As in, it's not mellow enough.
The first and second ED are somewhat similar. I found them to be okay, but they were more aligned with how the show felt. The singing and beats themselves are rather plain but in a good way.
The soundtrack was quite nice, especially the piano piece that the show liked to use a lot. I actually found the soundtrack to be of better quality than what the OP and EDs had to offer.
Voice acting-wise, there was no stand-out performances. Instead, I actually did not enjoy Haruka Kudou's voice for Hagu. Something about it just didn't really seem to fit with her character.
ENJOYMENT
I'll be honest and say that this one was somewhat hard to get through. I enjoy a good slice-of-life, but HC can be really hard to like since there is almost nothing going on at any given time. And even when something happens, neither the story nor the characters progress in any way.
The comedy at times was hit or miss. One of my favorite scenes was the Twister game simply due to how over-the-top Morita made it. I also enjoyed seeing Yamada beat up Mayama every single time for just being him.
Romance is one of the show's selling points, and here as well it was hit or miss. The Yamada, Mayama, and Rika love triangle was executed nicely while the Hagu, Morita, and Takemoto love triangle was not. The former was interesting in its direction but the latter lacked anything tangible to even consider. In other words, the first triangle was fleshed out while the second triangle felt tacked on.
At the end of the day, Honey and Clover focuses on two things: oneself and nothing at all. As a slice-of-life it does its job, but the lack of anything significant occurring, besides the ending, makes the whole experience a tough one to get all the way through.
SUMMARY
Story: Good, super slice-of-life at a snail's pace
Animation: Good, soft art style with decent animation
Characters: Good, all but Hagu are nice characters
Sound: Fine, OP and ED are okay, soundtrack is good, VAs are average
Enjoyment: Fine, romance and comedy are hit or miss making it tough to get through
Final Score: 6/10
ran614
In life, there’s always moments of happiness. Happiness, in general, can be achieved quite easily; receiving an unexpected gift, having great success in your career, and most especially, falling in love. But have we once thought that every time happiness comes our way, there will always be someone around us that will be on the opposite side of the coin? Failure comes with success, bitterness come with love. These are bundled facts in life that no human being is immune to. In my first review, I’ll be talking about Hachimitsu to Clover or Honey and Clover. A series that tells the story about a groupof people that tasted both success and failure in life. Honey and Clover. What an ironic title for a show that gives off both happiness and bitterness.
Story:
Talking about the “main” story is hard because every main character have different goals and aspirations. Takemoto and his continuous journey to find himself, Morita and his path to revenge, Hagu and her desire in becoming a great artist, & Mayama and Yamada in their pursuit for the love of the ones they love *smirk*. These stories are all really interesting because they are so realistic. It tells the viewers throughout the series that not all things in life go how they want it to be. The sad reality that there will always be someone better than you, and that love can sometimes be one-sided. However, in spite of the “negative” side of the show, there’s this mysterious magic that appears almost after each depressing scenes. It feels like a figurative pinch in the heart. As I’ve said, a beautiful tale of happiness and sadness. You will feel happy and sad at the same time while holding back tears of... I don’t even know. There’s one time I felt sad and happy at the same time so it’s really difficult to describe the right feeling. A really good show if you want to feed birds at a park while feeling empty inside. Not a bad price to pay for an amazingly good show.
Characters:
Because there are many main characters in the series, I will avoid talking about a specific character in general. So, yeah, I’ll start.
In spite of my continuous bitching about the show’s sometimes depressing atmosphere, it might be hard to believe that every character in this series also have a fun and fluffy side to them as well. Every character might (and WILL) send tears running down your cheeks, but always remember that these tears are not limited to only the emotional moments, they can also make you cry out tears of joy (A little bit of an overstatement, but you know what I mean) with all the really funny comedy. Some might love them, some may not, but you will surely get attached to them in just a couple of episodes throughout their long journey.
Animation:
The animation for both series of Honey and Clover was done by J.C. Staff, famous for works such as Ano Natsu de Matteru, Golden Time, Nodame Cantabile, and my all time favorite anime: Eiken. The animation for this show is pretty standard compared to most of their show but that’s understandable because not much special effect is used. It’s a simple slife (slice of life) romance show. It doesn’t have bombastic scenes like Shana’s flames (Random tangent. J.C. Staff’s fire is probably the sexiest fire in current time. If KyoAni made water look sexy, J.C.’s selling point is fire. *points to Shana, Index, and Witch Craft Works*) or Nodame’s 3D orchestration so it’s pretty simple, though, not bad. I kinda hated the character designs but that’s a personal thing. It feels a little too shoujo/jousei-ish for my taste but its fine. As my policy goes, Even if the animation/character designs are bad, if the story is good, I’ll watch it. So, yeah, cool.
Sound:
I don’t think I should be reviewing this section because personally, I don’t have confidence in my taste in music. I like music, but I don’t think I’m a good judge in this field. So, don’t hold it against me if my opinion in music is that bad. Now that’s out of the way, maestro, music!
Since I rarely listen to whole anime soundtrack, I’ll bring this down on the actual music that was used in the show. I’ll start with the OPs. OP 1 was really amazing. Nakushita yakusoku wa hoshi…. Enough on my weeabo karaoke. lol. Anyway, that OP was really good not only because of the music but also because of the visuals. What a really fun foodporn. I never once skipped that OP which made me sad once it got replaced. I wish the OP stayed the same throughout the whole series. You know, like what they did with Log Horizon 2’s OP; new foodporn but same music. In regards to the music used on the show, I can’t quite remember it except the mellow piano version of the OP during emotional moments, then that wacky party like tune used during funny moments. Those ones were really well used. Though repetitive, it fits the moment perfectly and adds to the overall feel of the show. And allow me to make a confession, I rarely watch EDs (I watch a show’s ED once then that’s it). With that said, I don’t really have anything to say with the ED since I don’t remember it, I just remember a Ferris wheel and that’s it. lol. In regards to the dub in both sides, I haven’t seen the English dub yet so I’ll limit this in the japo dub side. Since I can’t understand much Japanese, I’d probably say it’s a good dub. Hiroshi Kamiya, one of my favorite seiyuu played as Takemoto. Kamiya always has this weird accent but in Honey and Clover he used the dialect from Osaka and it was just amazing.
Verdict:
Now, after pulling random numbers out of my ass (8.6 for story, 8.4 for characters, 7.3 for animation, 8.2 for music, and 9 for overall enjoyment), I’ll gladly give Honey and Clover with an overall score of [b]8.3[/b]. Honey and Clover is a show that really excels in making you feel like crap in the rain, but tells you that once the rain stopped, you’ll be mixed in the water, evaporate, become rain, fall in a river, then be made as a drinkable water (What the fuck did I just made up?). Uhhhh, If I somewhat gave you a trauma because of that scenario, feel free to kill me in my sleep. Anyway, back on topic. Yeah, Honey and Clover is an amazing show, if you haven’t seen it yet, you have my full-blown recommendation. Go on, watch it, but just be warned of the void in your heart that will come once you finish it.
Alternate Anime Recommendation:
For alternate anime recommendation, why don’t you try Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo? Both shows are pretty similar in the “You’re shit. You have no talent. Go die in a fire.” section. Though, slight spoiler, Sakurasou has too many depressing moment. If Honey and Clover pinches your heart, Sakurasou will stab your heart. Both have pretty decent comedy too. The romance in both series is really unsatisfying but cute. And they’re both made by J.C. Staff too.
You can also try Nagi no Asukara if you want too. Though not as depressing as Honey and Clover, Nagi no Asukara have some rather sad moments as well that might make you shed a tear. Another important thing to point out is that both series have love n-gons (not just triangles. Not just squares. They have too many to even count) that went completely nowhere.
Well, that’s it for me, thanks if you read all of that. I might do this again if I have the chance to. If you like it, feel free to send me a PM if you want me to review other shows. I’ll see you (whoever’s reading this) around. Bye-nara!
moonstars
I first picked up Honey and Clover one school break during my college days, during the days when all I can think about is friendship/love/pressure to succeed/family woes, and then I found an image of myself in the story. This is how Honey and Clover succeeds to become a heart-warming slice of life series, I think it gave me a glimmer of hope despite the fleeting nature of youth, HnC assures me that you can make wonderful memories even when youth is long gone. The pace of HnC is slow, but relaxing. It is animation in poetry form, the details and soft colours paint a character'smood or scenario and the feelings slowly flood your senses. Then there is the calming voice of Takemoto speaking in the background and his narration becomes the frame of the painting, piecing everything together. Beautiful and carefully hand-picked soundtracks by the mangaka herself are laced into the anime and I believe the songs were chosen for their lyrics which never fail to reflect the innermost emotions the featured characters are going through that moment in time. Just with these few elements, I'm constantly amazed and blown away by the anime.
But the story is what keeps you on your toes, despite the slower pacing, the twists and circumstances of every character captures you and sometimes what they experience is an incident I can relate to and I find myself cheering/crying for the character. Humour is often used to balance the mood, just the way we would in real life, and some the characters will send you in tears, while laughing. Because...
The characters in the story are so diverse and well-developed you will love them all, if not you'd love at least a few of them. There is the timid but talented Hagu-chan who conquers her lack of courage through her emotive paintings, nice guy Takemoto is a good friend to all but lonely at times when his willpower is shaken, Morita is a crazy blitz you can't help laughing at but his mysterious nature also pulls you in, Mayama the big brother torn between woes of loving and being loved, Yamada the naive girl who is crazy for Mayama and constantly has her heart broken, and of course Shu-chan the caretaker who watches over the group and sometimes nostalgia creeps up to him and he find himself missing his good friends from college. These are the primary characters, but revolving each of them are many more characters so different and colourful, you may just feel something familiar with any one of them too.
I'm not gonna lie, Honey and Clover remains one of my favourite series in print and motion form, and I've lost count of the number of times I re-watched the series so I may sound like one of those fans who will protect the series at all cost. However, while some may love the action-packed theme anime series out there, I believe some of us are also searching for that one anime that speaks to our inner emotions. When I re-watch HnC now, long past those youthful college days, whatever I have felt years ago while watching the series I can still feel them strongly if not even more strongly than before. It is a timeless art piece in the anime genre and as it sums up in one of my favourite quote from the series -
“As time passes, the day will come when everything will fade to memories. But those miraculous days, when you and I, along with everyone else, searched together for just that one thing, will continue revolving forever somewhere deep in my heart, as my bittersweet memory.”
