Hachimitsu to Clover II

Ah, Umino Chika's masterpiece, Honey and Clover. I first saw this more or less two years ago, initially thinking it was just some generic romance anime. Needless to say, I suddenly fell in love with it from the moment in season one, episode two, near the ending, when Takemoto was carrying Morita on his back. Cue. The piano stopped. And right after that, he said, "It hurts". From that point on, I knew I was watching a different kind of anime. I guess remembering that random scene from an episode proves that it had an impact.

Season one ended gracefully, you could accept it as "ending" ... and it can have a sequel as well. Either way, we've got a lot of questions left, like what happened to Mayama, Rika and Yamada, or is Shinobu really that much of an idiot that he couldn't fight for Hagu, as well as what would be Hagu's answer after "I'm glad you're back". I was literally jumping with joy when they decided to make another season. Everything was concluded at Honey and Clover II.

These kinds of anime is the reason why I still love the medium animation.

Color pastel-type work at its finest. They're at an art school, after all, so the art should be top-notch. JC Staff is enough said; almost anything they make delivers, and delivers well. I love how they abused the blurry, almost-dreamy look of the show. Some may find it a bit "girly", but, well, it fits the opus. It stays loyal to the manga's designs too.

One of the BEST parts of watching Honey and Clover is listening to its wonderful, wonderful music. "Dramatic" and "Waltz" got us in season one, the piano renditions of the songs were especially amazing. Now we've got "Fugainaya" and "Split", which are really blessings to the human ear. I may be wrong, but almost every episode has a different insert song with it, which was brilliantly scored to match the scene it goes with. I especially liked the song at episode nine and the song playing on the last scene. Epic.

The factor that propels Honey and Clover to its fame is its characters, and the story that they individually have, interconnected with each other. It's a story about growing up, maturity, and coming-of-age (jobs, decisions, etc) after all. Maybe it's my age, but I find its story stunningly touching and awe-inspiring. Before Honey and Clover, I thought most modern works lost the magic of storytelling. Characters were easy enough to identify with. Themes of unrequited love, talents, ties, lifelong goals, finding oneself, hardships and trials; they're all there, wonderfully packaged.

Takemoto's still the unsure, melancholic character that he was at season one but you could see he's grown up a little and learned more about how life goes. He's the banner of H&C, he represents adolescence. Morita lost most of his eccentricity and we get to see the deeper side of him, as well as the people he's closest to. Yamada, well, is Yamada, still with her unrequited love, but of course, with a twist at season two. We get to see more of Rika, Professor Hanamoto, and Mayama. But, definitely, Hagu's part on the succeeding story is probably the biggest plot point of Honey and Clover II.

What really makes this a modern gem is the way it was presented; it was music, characters, and story weaving in and out of each other in perfect harmony. At times I really find myself asking why is aging this bittersweet. Honey and Clover II is the right way to end the nostalgic series, and if you want to watch something that isn't flooded with moe, giant breasts or extreme harem, and instead want to see something of a mature slice-of-life anime, see this.

One thing's for sure. It did have meaning.

12 episodes were not enough. I at least need 24 episodes of Honey and Clover goodness for my fill. Honey and Clover was just easy and fun to watch, and it was the same for the second season.

As for the drawing style, main plot and voice acting, not much has changed so I’ll only focus on the things that have changed.

The main plot hasn’t changed – it’s still a “coming of age” story for all of the characters, but for this season, the focus has shifted from Takemoto and Yamada’s individual stories to Hagu and Morita. Sure we still get to see the Takemoto’s struggles ... with his youth and Yamada’s sad love story, but this time, we learn more about Hagu and her strong passion for what she does and what Morita has been doing up until now. Plus there have been some developments with Mayama’s relationship with Rika as well – and for a hardcore Rika hater/Yamada-Mayama fan like me, that’s kinda tough to watch.

Even though I’m glad at how it ended, I still can’t help but shed a few tears because of their parting. I wish that they could stay together and have fun forever (kind of like how I feel now since I’m graduating) but that’s how life goes – you meet new people and in the process you lose some people. I also found myself tearing up more during this season. There were just so many things that are kind of sad and bittersweet.

Generally there weren’t any changes as to drawing style, but Hagu definitely looks prettier. Back in the first season, I didn’t think she was cute or pretty until the last few episodes. Her look during the last few episodes was carried over to the new season and was made even better. CG was still used, most notable in the opening theme sequence, and was complimentary in some scenes as well.

They used some music from the first season, but I think that was only in the first 2 episodes. There was also a variety of insert songs for this season as well, which really complimented the scenes. The opening song and ending song for this season were similar to the opening and ending song of the first season, probably because they were performed by the same artists but I have to say, I like the first season’s themes better.

I’m so sad that I won’t have any more Honey and Clover now. I finally found the meaning to the line “Good things must come to an end”, and I found another favorite to add to my list.

okay i finished H&C2, half-forced by my friend who says it's incredible.. honestly, i had been holding it off for a while coz i kinda knew it would disappoint me coz the genre seemed so inclined towards romance(not my pref)

Art:
the art design just doesn't appeal to me. my friend says it's the most unique art design and stuff, but it looks hideous, especially when their eyes go O.O the character design isn't too bad in a way.. lots of diversity, but i honestly thought Hagu chan was the prof's daughter in the beginning.. lol.. in fact i thought so until the love square actually developed.. ... and i was like "u gotta be kidding me".. the only character i liked was Yamada. The backgrounds are honestly pretty excellent, but i can recommend so many other animes with mind-blowing backgrounds.

Story:
H&C tries to depict life, but keeps on focusing on the love triangles and squares, in which they try to make you tear up at every scene. it's also ridiculous that there are only 2 main girls(with super complicated relationships), and a ton of guys. I mean, most of u should know how many hotties u can find in the art departments. and yet, 2 students and 1 professor are fighting over a kid. #$%#$@&#$$@!!! the story about Morita was quite fresh, but it wasn't a very prominent plot in the story. i related so much to Kaoru and i liked the way they depicted the forked road. I think H&C wastes too much time depicting the love drama and never really tells u wat happened, their past and their goals. The only plot which was beautifully depicted was Morita and Kaoru's, but it was probably thought of by the author as a side-story or something.. The ending didn't feel much like an ending.. it felt like a cut in the middle.. it also didnt feel like a new beginning, which would have given room for a sequel. it's like, the couplings are decided, so we end the story here. sheesh.. I thought H&C2 would imply a real sequel, but it's the same thing all over again. but after seeing the ending, i understand why it isn't a sequel. there's just no sequel to make.

Character:
Hagu-chan is probably the worst character i've seen in a very very long time.. I just don't understand why a kid has to be the center of the biggest love confusion. what the heck is this anime trying to imply? she doesn't look 18 at all. fine, some girls really have little bodies because of some defections, but it was never mentioned in the anime, and those guys who like her just seem like lolicons and arseholes to me. the other characters are also very boring and i can't relate much to them because they seem like they dont have a past at all..

Enjoyment:
I didn't enjoy this much in part because i knew i would be disappointed, but i've watched animes which i thought at first that it would turn out bad, but actually loving them in the end. TBRH, there's just nothing much to like about H&C. It seems like one of the most overrated anime of all time to me rather than the best anime of all time as some ppl would say. i just dont see how anyone can really love H&C if they have watched other animes with similar genre. it's just not as realistic or romantic as it seems. I would probably only recommend this to ppl who would be satisfied with only great art, and very shallow plots. for example, my friend who loves this anime but can't even finish Higurashi n Monster.

Overall:
I think it's essential to compare it with other romance/slice of life animes to see how H&C doesn't live up to it's ratings. First of all is ef. There's no need to say anything about the art style. it just blows ur mind away. the storyline might seem very fantasy-like compared to H&C, but it's so much more realistic, with lots of side-characters and even a few neutral characters. in addition, the characters are so much more diverse and unique. i also personally like how they depict the monologues in ef. H&C tries to depict it in a romantic way, but it's just too boring and doesn't really show how intense the self-debate is. ef, in contrast depicts exactly how ppl spend so much time in limbo during those stages in life.
then, for the more popular genre, we have toradora. ok, it has a chibi too, but at least she doesn't look like a 10 year old. the art is obviously more popular too, and i haven't seen ppl complaining about the plot yet, just debate about couplings.

Title: Honey and Clover II

Anime: Honey and Clover II was once again produced by JC Staff (famous for their work on Revolutionary Girl Utena and Excel Saga), and directed by Tatsuyuki Nagain (famous for his work on My-HiME and iDOLM@STER XENOGLOSSIA) this time around. It aired on Japanese TV from June 29th to September 14th, 2006. It has yet to be licensed Stateside.

Story: Honey and Clover II picks up where Honey and Clover left off, and finishes up the remaining manga material.

I like this follow-up. It answers questions it left unanswered last season, and resolves all the relationships that were left hanging ... at the end of last season. And there are some absolutely heart-breaking scenes in here.

Something just seems to be missing here, though. I just can't really put my finger on it. I think it has something to do with the mood -- it seems less centered around the realism than it was last season. Not that it's not realistic, because it still is, but... I don't know how to explain it.

It's good and all, but it's just not the same as it was last season. Probably comes with the director change.

Art: Just as beautiful as it was last season, though it seems that they used brighter colors than they did last season than some of the more muted colors that they tended to use.

Music: There's another piano version of either the OP or ED that plays a lot and is really beautiful. Background music is about the same as last season.

The insert music is still done by the same artists, from what I can hear, and still appropriately fitting.

The OP is still done by the same wailing banshee lady, but the animation for it is pretty neat again. The ED's not all that remarkable, again, but I can live with it.

Seiyuu: All the same actors as last season, except for the twelfth and final episode, where Kenji Nojima replaces Hiroshi Kamiya as Takemoto's VA, due to an accident that the latter had that rendered him unable to record the episode; Nojima does a pretty good job of staying as close to Kamiya's performance as possible, but you can tell that it's not Kamiya. Good performances though, as always.

Length: Twelve episodes was the perfect length to take care of everything they left untouched last season, I think. Any longer, and it would've started to drag a bit.

Overall: A good follow-up to last season, but it's just not the same. If you want to find out how everything eventually resolves, then definitely watch it. Just be aware that it might not be quite the same impact as the first season made on you.

Story: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Music: 9/10
Seiyuu: 9/10
Length: 9/10

Overall: 45/50 (90%, B+)

I felt mostly the same about this season of Honey and Clover as I did the first, except it somehow worse in a couple ways. It seemed like most Yuuki's development evaporated; It's like he regressed back to early 1st season self for most of the season. The handling of Shinobu's arc was odd, the guy himself hardly seemed interested what was going on in comparison to his brother. The biggest offenders however are easily the love lives of Hagu and Ayumi. (Mostly Hagu). If you've seen Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu or have heard of what happens in Usagi Drop's timeskip, you might have an ... idea of what I'm referring to.

---(Spoiler Warning)---
It's hard to explain just bad Hagu's romance is without spoiling it. Shinobu's arc closes with the romance him and Hagu being reignited, just for to immediately rejected for Shuuji. This initially understandable considering her desire to continue through rehab and continue. Then it's switches to Shuuji's perspective, where he at the very least heavily implies that he has strong romantic feelings for Hagu. Huh? They took the one relationship I enjoyed in this anime, a supportive father-daughter or big brother/little sister dynamic and abruptly transformed it into some incest-tinged nightmare. And no one in the anime bats an eye; they support it if anything. This plot point alone dragged Honey and Clover from a painfully boring to nearly irredeemable.
---(End Spoilers)---

This leaves just the art and music, which were serviceable. No real complaints in this area, just as good as the first season.

Overall, I'd say you're enjoyment of this season would be about same as the first. It's largely dependent on how invested in Yuuki, Shinobu, and Hagu since they get most of the spotlight. I strongly disliked Honey and Clover initially, and the developments in this season left an even worse taste in my mouth.

A sequel is often a lackadaisical attempt to cash in on its predecessor’s success. As such, most spin offs end up being mediocre or straight out terrible. There is however, a small handful that takes the foundation its progenitor has laid out and adds another, more polished layer on top. Honey and Clover II may be a sequel, but it is by no means inferior. In fact, with the characters firmly established, the show plays out the resolutions to much of the initial conflicts, creating a product that is actually superior to the original.

Production values are once again solid with beautiful animation, heartfelt music and ... creative cinematography. However, these are merely the uppermost icing on this exquisite cake. The Honey and Clover franchise has always focused on its characters, shoving plot to the wayside, and directly making connections with the audience.

No words can truly do the complex feelings portrayed in this anime justice; the flood of raw emotions that is unleashed simply cannot be adequately expressed. The cast is so diverse, so dynamically human that it is hard not to like. I will personally testify that Honey and Clover II has some of the most believable and relatable characters I have ever seen. Anime, live action or otherwise, you will be hard pressed to find anything more authentic.

The conflicts the characters face ring with a sharp, down to earth tone that is hopeful yet poignant. The cast has already put down their cards in the original Honey and Clover so, in this sequel, the other players begin to respond. The characters absolutely blossom or silently whither depending on their loved ones’ acceptance or rejection. However, these individuals hold in their hearts the fact that tomorrow is another day full of harsh tribulations and renewed hope. You will laugh with these characters; you will cry with these characters; you will feel emotions you never thought possible through anime. Rarely have I seen an anime so viscerally portray life.

If Honey and Clover was the dramatic herald to first love, Honey and Clover II is surely the emotional fallout. The characters are dealt a cruel hand as they become hung up on a one sided love. None of the feelings the cast undergoes is shallow or facetious. They are confronted with the harsh reality of rejection and the harrowing continuation of life. If you want a genuinely heartfelt drama, Honey and Clover II more than fits the bill. It is, without a doubt, one of the best you can find.

*This will serve as my review for both seasons 1 and 2.


What is love? What is adulthood? What is the true meaning of life?

Those are the questions Honey and Clover tries to explore, and in my humble opinion, it definitely succeeded.

At first glance, Honey and Clover seems like your average slice-of-life series with a little bit of romance and comedy. However, what starts out as a light-hearted story of a group of art students living and interacting with each other turns into a full blown romantic drama. And, at the heart of that drama, lies a poignant look at what it really means to grow ... up.

Honey and Clover follows these young protagonists as they find love, suffer tragedies, and gain wisdom. Along the way, they discover many little insights about life that most people will also find at some point. Although the series starts out slow, and dare I say, a little bit boring, the characters soon endear themselves to the audience, so that when they laugh, we laugh, and when they cry, we cry along with them.

The animation is very simple, in light pastel colors that fit the series well. The soundtrack was very beautiful and enhanced both the comedic and touching scenes, and the voice acting was top-notch. Everything that wasn't the story and characters only helped, not hindered, the story and characters.

But what really captured me most about this show was that the characters seemed so...human. They were selfish and stupid at times, but they made realistic mistakes. They were reflections of ourselves, and our own insecurities.

Many people will complain that Honey and Clover had an unsatisfying ending; that certain characters didn't get what they deserved; that other characters should have gotten more. However, I though the ending was perfect, as it portrayed how real life often works. Not everyone has a happy ending in the classic sense, and not every issue is resolved, but people still manage to find joy in what they do have.

In the end, Honey and Clover became one of my favorite series because of this. Never before have I watched or read anything in which I've been able to relate to the characters so well. I was struck by the simple humanity of this show, and I have a feeling most other people who watched this show were as well.

Hello there fellow watcher,
( Im am really sorry if ı made a typo or any mistake while writing)

H&C was an amazing anime and it felt much like it completed for storyline but not for character relationships. 1st season's big part was takemoto and ı loved it but this season doesnt have inpact at all and there are just stuff that comes out of no where but lets talk about them part by part.

Music: It is better and you will here musics which are funny in episodes.

Art: I cant really say much about it but it feels same and ı am ... totally ok with it at the end. The main diffrence is scenes and diffrent than few scenes rest is pretty normal. Inumoto is pretty fun though XD.

Story: Here we go ... So after first season we see takemoto needs a job and others are pretty much in really good state and mmorita goes missing time to time. First half is bassiaclly about Yamada and Mayama it was nice to see them get better at their lifes and it was nice that Rika started to accept Mayama and see him as a man but I cant say the same thing about Yamda. I know yamada is the emotional type and she cant forget stuff and move on but like really they just repeat a cycle tahat is in full loop finally near end yamada starts to accept it.

2nd half is abouds lolicons and jobless poor Takemoto. Well Ilove takemoto but after last season he had to be a little bit more relatable and a person that is sure about himself but when hagu is in hospital he is just like his childhood but he doesnt run away he just chooses to not get involved at all. The point is I never saw a persen that falls in love somebody like this. It is the most ridicilous thing I saw like really Hagu stays in hospital and he just goes once. Didn't he fell in love with her? Yes she did so why he is thinking about what he is gonna do in future when he should go and visit her? and dont let me talk about shuu and hagu.

Hagu got a little bit improvment and she has problems to overcome but does she ? Well we never see anything so yea ıdk. Yes she talks about stuff and it is pretty much nothing because nothing changes and we continue with something else and it doesnt really matter for anyone since she doesnt talk to anyone about this people just let's her be at the end. For shuu .... agh.... it is pretty much out of no where and I should have see it coming from part doctor saying "She went with her father" and anime is like " Ok ı cant ship them and you can't do anything at all." This is worst thing in the anime. They introduced shuu as Hagu's protective father figure and at last minute he turned into hagu's lover and we didn't know this since all the time anime showed him as a father figure. I dont really know what to say diffrent than it was horrible.

Shinobu and kaoru was fun until a point but it was really forced and it just happend ı guess. Shinobu just revealed his true characteristic finally and he is just a gut which is empty like ıdk what to say he is your depressed guy at the end he wants people fall with him and he fall to be a dissapointment. Wow dude! Everyones turned into worst characters this season yamada was a little fun at least and they even ruined the first character we see which is takemoto I dont know what to say

Overall I had a really big hope for this 2nd season and I know eveythin gdoesnt have to turn out wel.... wait we had a good ending right ? so where is the good neding that we are sadisfied and we dont look back .... Ogh, I see this is the problem. I loved first season and was really exited but apparently it choosed to become sth bad sadly.. I just ruined it self but first season will be in my heart forever and it will be a classic for me...

Story: 6/10
Art: 8/10
Sound: 6/10
Characters: 3/10
Enjoyment: 5/10

Overall: 5/10

I will be spoiling pretty much this entire show so be warned.

You know this is not the review I wanted to write. After finishing and loving the first season of honey and clover, I wanted nothing than to watch, and write a review of why Umino Chika did the unthinkable again, and managed to keep the spectacular quality of last season, and her other work, 3-gatsu no lion. Unfortunately, this is not the review I will be writing right now, I will try to portray my honest impression of this season, and how it managed to be an interesting disappointment.

On the positive side, this series ... definitely had some strong aspects. The relation between rika and Mayama actually works quite well, forming the stronger emotional aspect of this season. It is kind of easy to understand why both characters start to get so attached to one another, and how both develop as people, because of the other. Mayama starts dropping the appearances of maturity he so eagerly displayed in the first season, managing to defeat the fear of looking juvenile in the eyes of the older woman he deeply loved, to actually taking action, doing what she needs the most despite how pathetic he may look when doing that. Rika’s case is even more apparent, her terrifying past made her unable to move on with her life, stuck in an endless cycle of regrets and sad memories, and even getting her apart from her friends and family. It is through seeing how much someone like Mayama really cares for her, and through confronting some memories of her past, with his encouragement, that she finally manages to take the decision to start facing forward, and trying to live her life again. If only the other characters in this show had this good of resolution you would not see me giving a single complaint of this series.

I would still argue the best aspect in this show is how enjoyable it still manages to be. Acts like Nomiya support and endless wisdom, acting like such a bro, will always be very endearing in my eyes. The same can be said of Miyawako cheerful and playful attitude. And really just the characters in this show can just be so loveable and adorable at times, I cannot get enough of them, no matter how clustered unauthentic and even baffling this series becomes with the drama and subplots, the mere idea of seeing this characters I love on screen, is just enough for me to still get some satisfaction, out of it.

It is probably better for me to explain why the character’s work much better in the first season and not as much here though. What always strikes me about the character writing in the first season of the show, was not how complex or well developed the characters were (even though I would argue some them really were), but how the series finds the perfect balance between idealization and realism. These characters were never what I would call realistic representations of people living this period in life, they are noisier cheerful, and way more optimistic than anyone I know this age. But there is also this important aspect of realism to them, they always had some sort of character flaw and the issues they face tell so much about our own issues, their search for meaning, their fear of rejection, their difficult to let go of their past and actually make progress in life, to the point anyone watching it could relate to these characters in some way. This is what always made me see watching this show as a magic time, the characters were never bogged down by excessive realism, which would make them unpleasant, like per say something like 13 reasons why, but they were never so idealized, I could not relate to them, and see them just as some idealized fantasy for escapism. This show in its first season managed this balance perfectly, I could get happy and consider those adorable characters a special group of friends I loved, with all the amusing comedy and interactions between them, while still getting my needed dose of character drama, pathos. Half of what made every emotion feel so genuine and well presented in my eyes, was that this style of character writing really was perfect for the turmoil of emotions, this show wants to portray. This season changes that a little, by choosing to have a bigger focus on drama, the realism becoming more relevant than the idealism. Dropping that balance, for the realistic spectrum of things, did not add much to the show, only made it lose the magic, the endlessly sentimental tone I loved about the first season.

Perhaps the most egregious aspect is how it handles the resolution for morita’s character though. Throughout the first season, the most well established and important quality he had was his emotionally distant approach to his friends, since he could not let go of an issue with his past and really be with them. How do they handled said particular character conflict here? Just make he not really care for the issue he was facing, it only being really important for his fucking brother. Yes, the biggest character flaw morita had, was just the fact he was trying to please his brother with some fucking plan he was coming up, without really caring about it. This is fucking brilliant. Actually scrape what I said above, what they did with hanamoto was way worse. They took one of the most adorable relationship in this entire series, which was previously compared as exactly like the one between a little brother and sister, and made it so, he now has some weirdly romantic infatuation with Hagu and is fighting for her with guys half his age. People who thought that rei and hinata to get in a relationship was weird, should come and see this bullshit. Also it is sad to see how takemoto has absolutely nothing to do or importance in here. As much as I love the man (which I really do) his participation in this story ended with his development last season, and his rejection by Hagu. Actually I would argue this whole I want to find meaning in a never happening love conflict, is a character regress with the answer he got from last season. His impact in other characters and the way they solve their issues is also almost nonexistent. Hagu’s character arc probably has the best closure in this. Her resolve to actually let go of love to achieve her goals, and be able to assert her will, even though she knows this might be selfish on her part is great. The way she underwent and manages to overcome the fear and stress of losing the only thing she was really good at, and capable of doing, with the help of the connection of those around her and with determination and self-discipline, is awe inspiring to say the least. Outside of Hagu I cannot think of a character who truly had good closure. When I was praising how Honey and clover handled the theme, of the difficult of changing yourself, I did it, because I believed by the end of the characters would still develop and solve their issues. This is a story after all, just conditioning a good closure to a theme is simply not worth it. I kept thinking, well the character development is obviously not coming in this early stage of the story, because of the themes it was trying to portray, but surely by the end of it every main character will have achieved solid catharsis and development. Only Hagu, and Takemoto early in the story got that. Yamada being the worst offender in all of this, which had the capacity to spent 37 episodes building a character arc that ends in the exact same place by the finale of the show. So great work again Umino Chika?

This season this does adds something considerable in terms of themes. Although briefly touched upon in the other season, the theme of talent takes the upstage in this one. The Morita backstory, and Kaoru entire participation in this show have as primary importance to tackle this theme, having several parallels throughout the story. Talent is in no way correlated with happiness in this world, both talented and untalented people suffer a like. The untalented had to solve with the difficult find meaning in their lives, their actions are in no way unique and can easily be replaced by someone else, never being able to compare or compete. They are torn with envy of those who are really capable. The talented also suffer a lot as well, both because of the resentment of those who lack their capacity, as well as with the guilty whenever they feel they are not using the ability they have, which other people would die to have. So far so good, talent as a theme may be overused in fiction, but this series is actually exploring it a little differently. What it never did was to actually solve any of the conflicts such duality brought. How did the characters solve the difficult feelings it come with this disparity in capacities and with their own limitations, and abilities? Actually they did not, they just moved on with their lives with the help of their friends I think? Because that was how Kaoru did it btw. There is the whole talk to your brother and try tell him, how you feel, try to make him understand you, speech by Hagu, but we never see this understanding between these opposites happening in the series or if that ever happened. Is Takemoto hard work supposed to show even the untalented can make meaningful things putting effort into it? In the end I am at a loss at thinking if this got any resolution, so I got nothing here

If you payed attention, in all I wrote above the idea of this being a lacking resolution is a constant one. This season did not need to do much for me to really like it, I do love this series special just for being a fun time if these characters. All I really needed out of this season was an okay conclusion to most of what was being built previously, while still maintaining the previous charm. Unfortunately, this failed both as a conclusion and both in maintaining the familiar charm, I love about this work. Perhaps I should call the whole thing a failure and score it low. Which I am not going to do, even if I cannot in good mind call this a success from Umino Chika, I still find her writing and works far more entertaining and interesting to think about than a lot of people successes.

What's life without those little details and subtle hints which always seem to bring people to the point where they have to second guess themselves? Probably a lot more boring. If you enjoy subtle hints and little details than Honey and Clover is for you, though I recommend you watch it from season 1 to fully understand all those subtle hints and little details.

Honey and Clover II continues the story where it left off and as you can predict from a sequel, it continues the lives of the protagonists and it intends to wrap up all of the plot lines from season 1 and introduce ... a few new ones.

The story is excellent, though the 1st season is much more humorous, the 2nd season makes a point by giving off a more mellow feel. However it is correct in doing so, it's like a parallel to people's lives. After college or university, people usually become much more mellow due to the fact that in those years alone, people go through a lot and hence they mature; as a student, a person, a friend, etc. It doesn't necessarily mean they''re unhappy or anything, its just the fact that most people change the way they see life. A theme that is quite evident in Honey and Clover, more in the 2nd season that the first.

Sound and art are both excellent, it would be somewhat ironic if the art style wasn't any good considering the fact that the protagonists are or were all art students. The DUB version is also quite good, giving off good emotion and avoiding sounding flat or boring. However, some parts of dialogue are lost in the DUB version due to English translation and the translators wanting to avoid awkward sentence structure, so please keep that in mind when choosing DUB or SUB. The soundtrack is nice and quite enjoyable, they play at the right time and the songs feel right for the situation. No complaints here.

Characters are quite dynamic, a lot of contrasts between two characters. An example would be the mellowness of one character compared to his friend, the eccentric. They both are quite loveable in their own right and developed well in the story along with the rest of the cast.

Only flaws I would complain about would be the fact that some plot points grew stale and predictable. Plus some of the supporting cast are quite stale and somewhat annoying at times. Biggest gripe is the ending.

I enjoyed it very much, up to the point that I felt emotional and grew attached to some of the characters. Art style is one of the best I've seen and the soundtrack is something I keep coming back to for some reason.

Professionally I give this anime a 9 due to its excellence in story, art and character development. However personally I give it an 8, because I had a few gripes with the ending and some supporting characters. Hope you enjoy this anime!

Honey and Clover. My all time favorite romance anime. At first, I thought this series is not gonna be different from all chick-flick romance series.... even though I've had enough of those, I decided to gave H&C a try. And I never regretted the day when I watched the first episode.

Not gonna talk about the first season though; but this second season is definitely more serious than the first. There were lots of character developments, as well as their romance. I loved the first season, but this one is definitely the best. The art is beautiful; the sounds are amazing as well, the BGMs really ... fit the situations. I really enjoy watching this series, laughing over the comedy and as well weep over the dramatic scenes. I love how every characters are made-- they're so original, unique in their own way. The story has developed quite nicely also, even though the comedies might be reduced in order to finish the story quickly. But I don't mind that. These 12 episodes were really worth it. Even though they had different love stories, for example like Hagu-Shinobu-Takemoto's, and Yamada-Mayama-Rika's, but they finished all of the stories beautifully. Equally. I love every story of them.

I'm not gonna spoil anything anyway, but I love the realistic ending. It's not that typical girl meets boy, conflicts, then happy ending, no, we've had enough of those series right. But this story is different. H&C is special.. because it talks not just about romance but also about life. About how we search for our identities, our true self. And the ending was really fabulous. It proved that love is needed in life, but sometimes we have things even more important to carry on. It proved that sometimes we need to let go, need to go on with our own lives, but still we don't forget the 'love' that we once had.

I'm serious... this is like, one the best series I've ever seen, and I'm not gonna forget every bits of it.

okay...this took me a long time~~

* If u haven't watched the first season yet, i feel sorry for u *

Umino Chica's masterpiece,Honey and clover is a slice of life revolving around the life of 5 college students, revolving around their lives, as each search for their respective four leaf clovers.

STORY- The second season starts off right where the 1st ends, as our 5 main characters try their best ... to find that elusive happiness. The second season has more melodramatic aspects, the comedy got considerably toned down from the 1st season. Season 2 deals more with the emotional fallout, as they are cruelly pushed to the realm of unrequited love.

CHARACTERS- Honey and clover has always given preference to the well fleshed out characters than the plot. Takemoto's coming of age, Hagu's determination,Yamada's unwavering love for Mayama...everything has been beautfully potrayed. Also.S2 gives the spotlight to Morita's past, rather than just using him as comedic relief (as was in S1). Also we see the resolution of Mayama/ Rika/ Yamada arc. All in all,HnC has a set of the believable characters you will ever find in any form of entertainment.

ART- visually pleasing,use of soft water colour palette gives it almost a dreamlike effect.

SOUND- Op is innovative as usual, ending is one of my personal favs. The use of songs of Spitz, Suga Shikao, in the episodes proves successful yet again.

All in all, HnC is a perfect example of an anime where u do not need overly complicated plot to make it amazing, all u need is the perfect harmony of music, feelings and really believable characters. Its quite sad to see its not as popular as other slice of life anime like Clannad, Toradora, as it is simply the best slice of life anime u can ever find. Save your moeblobs, generic shounens, harems, and go watch Honey and clover...for it surely will have some meaning, and will continue to revolve forever in your heart as your bittersweet memory.

My first time writing a review, I stumble upon this anime while searching old anime since I thought that, most current anime are mostly fanservice.

Excluding the actual story, it have a totally (even though not direct) Life Lesson specially for those who are currently in a existencialism (did I spell that right?) crisis.
Since it is a sequel I was actualy expecting something more like Season 1 but I was wrong and totally shocked me.

Story 10/10
It's ok to judge me since I started watching anime at about 2010 so I was already used to action animes and fantasy genre, though I've watched a few normal one ... but this is currently one of the most wonderful story I have known this date.

Art 9/10
I can't actually put it into words but, I think it's pretty smooth or something near that word.

Sound 9/10
Honestly, most of the male voiced song that I heard this past few years was alright, thought not really that much touching, except for this, even though I can't understand the language, without reading the subs it sounded wonderful to the ears and heart.

Enjoyment 10/10
There where even moments that I started to punch the wall while watching and my mother taught I was fighting with somebody.

Overall 10/10
Must watch anime for all

The first series didn't end so much as just stop, leaving everything kind of drifting and unresolved (part of the subtle beauty of this series). I knew that the second series was going to tie things up somewhat, but I really didn't expect it to end how it did. The second series wasn't as funny as the first and is only half as long, but if you enjoyed the first series and care about the characters and want to find out what happens to them, then you must watch the second.

This show's great. I don't often watch something this meaningful. Since Honey and Clover's story spans long time periods, sometimes it feels that you're not sampling enough of its character's daily lives to fully appreciate them. In exchange for this, you witness so much growth that you gain an understanding of their lives as well as their personalities. After all, this show is, at it's core, about the chronology of life, and the meaning of time that can seem wasted. It's also a show with unique character; an understated artstyle, the use of soft colours, the frequent use of insert songs, and its brash, exaggerated ... humour. For the sentimental viewer I can not recommend it more.

There are enough 10/10 reviews on MAL regarding Hachimitsu to Clover (HC), so this is
just another one of them. HC can be summarized into reality. It attempts to join the concept of reality, first love, use-to-bes, sacrifice etc and apply these elements onto our casts and their daily lives. This is a slice-of-life anime, this is a romance anime but do not expect fluffy, happy go lucky theme but it is not dark, it is just rough.

The story is a 10. Good writing, good pacing and how the viewers feelings are evoke. You feel sad for the characters and you feel happy. You ... drift with the story which makes it truly outstanding.

The art in its time is definitely good. There are no irritating aspects of the art of the scenes nor the characters. The tears, smiles and feelings of the cast were beautifully presented. The art is outstanding.

The sound was good. It is immersive but I never felt that it move me. Sure, it was at the right place at the right time but it is not the right one. But it did not lack, it was very good.

Here comes the fastball. The characters. The last 36 episodes (if I am not wrong) was filled with how the characters have developed. There is no definite point but you can see clear growth through the trials and tribunals each of the characters receive. There are only 5 people in the main cast but side characters whom are thrown into the fray receive development that is on par. Aside from the width, the depth of development is truly remarkable. The growth of young girl to a mature woman. The overcoming of love. The realization of self worth. The journey towards the future. The psychological process and thoughts were presented expertly and without these characters or if they were developed any bit smaller, I would not have enjoyed it. It is outstanding.

What I hold dear in any anime is the enjoyment that I derived from it. An anime that can leave one's emotions all over the place is enjoyable. Therefore on the whole, Hachitmitsu to Clover is an outstanding anime. Try it.

As I started writing this review I had a thought I've had many times before "it's a lot harder to praise than to critique". I sincerely believe that to be true. It's not that my vocabulary is more suited toward negativity, rather I find it difficult to compliment something I'm passionate about in a suiting manner.

Watching this serie gives you a feeling of simplicity, as packed as it is with art, music and story - it never really overwhelmes you. Instead, each episode has a music-break with light dialogue that helps progress the story and character development while you get the time to think it ... over. If you're binging a serie, like most people do these days - you rarely get the time to think between the episodes. This serie had so many moments that kept me guessing and contemplating different ends and turns, so I valued that time more than I normally would. Some parts felt a bit rushed and seemingly just shoved in there, should've had more leading up to it. Overall it didn't go fully as I expected, as I tend to lean towards a darker story - yet I'm very satisfied with how it played out. To put it simply, it was bittersweet and I loved it.

Well...this season sure was emotional...what more can I say?
I've seen other emotional animes such as Clannad, fruits basket with the slight comedy in it as well, but since this anime was so linked to reality it made much more of an impact. Honey and clover II basically carries on from the first season so nothing changes too much, although I expected it to be a few more episodes that would tie up all loose ends and bring the anime all together but I was wrong.

So much happens during the second season that my heart ached a little to see SO much emotion, I had to ... watch something a bit more cheerful after watching a few episodes and right at the end. I loved it, and I'm sure other people will but please do have some tissues ready at your disposal.

p.s regarding why the rating for the art is the lowest [8] is because it really does get slightly annoying that the main heroine [Hagu-chan] looks like a 7 year old. But during the second season, there is the sense that she looks more mature and grown up which is really nice to see.

Best anime ever-- as it connects to my own life, -thoughts, and understanding on a deep personal level. This show is not just entertainment, this show is life-- all of it's shortcomings and bittersweet moment put together in a few hours worth of drawings and words. While watching I constantly thought about 2 of my favorite novels... "Norwegian Wood" and "Kokoro" this story takes moments and psychologies(or thoughts) from each of these famous novels and makes them enjoyable. This Anime was brilliant as there was lots of deep thought and heavy moments that questioned our lives and life in general, and they also did a ... good showing this with indications and symbolism like the four-leaf clovers and the metal shrine patterns; But they were able to make this show as great as it was because of it's lightness and it's naturally comedic moments. This is why i'm able to say that even if I watch 1000 more animes in my lifetime this anime will never be topped. The Plot is ingenious and the art-style and voice actors really made this anime as great is it could possibly be.

I think Hachimitsu to Clover is a masterpiece. It is one of the best series I have seen. That is why, although other reviewers have already covered a lot of what I want to say while this is also my first review, I cannot let the chance slide to share my feelings about this series.

Hachimitsu to Clover feels, to me, like a slice-of-life in its purest form. No aggressive action scenes, exaggerated body shapes and too many unrealistic situations, but a story about live, its happy moments and its drawbacks presented in a realistic way. I like how the main characters each have a ... theme of life, while at the same time these times are also interwoven into their interactions and events in life, and also in the overlaying themes. It makes the series feel coherent.

The strongest point in the series is the recognition of the story. Events in life like unrequited love, heartbreak, and the eventual break up of the group of friends after school life is over are events of daily life and very recognizable for me personally. Not only the sad aspects speak to me, but the happy moments also make me feel good. It is inevitable in anime that some aspects are kind of exaggerated, but I think Hachimitsu to Clover is the anime which portrayed life and its events in a way so realistically.

I especially recognize myself in the main character and narrator, Takemoto. To expand on this a little more, with minor spoilers ahead, especially his main theme is recognizable. He is not sure what path he wants to take in life and what he wants to become. For me, being in a similar situation in this part of life, it is, in a way, comforting to see this theme come back in media like this. It reassures me that I am not the only one with the problem, and that taking major choices in life is difficult. A fictional character in a fictional work does not solve your problems, but it is soothing to watch this very fictional character struggle and taking one step at a time, slowly solving his struggles in his own way.

One thing I also like is the lack of technology. This is probably more romanticism than really wanting to live in a similar situation, but to me, the lack of the media and its social responsibilities of today is a development I do not really like, although it has it advantages and I am a user of it myself. Since this series, published just over a decade ago, is already from a different era in terms of media, there is clearly a difference in technology in comparison to today's situation. I like to look at that. Spending face-to-face time with your friends, not look on your phone constantly, having time to rest, think and learn quietly, it is a warm situation to look at. Of course, living in a similar situation would be impossible to me, as child of the current era. Nevertheless, I look at it in a romantic way.

One aspect I also find quite strong in this series is the music. I like how, one time per episode, a song slowly comes in from the background and perfectly fits the scene. These songs mainly seem to be from the band Spitz, and this series surely has made me a fan of their work. While I try to avoid spoilers, I want to give one example. I still remember that in the first episode, the song "Hachimitsu" sang by Spitz popped up, while, after one of the main characters was introduced, another main character made her do some crazy stuff and others were arguing and later watching the event. A simple event but in combination with the music, a happy sight to look at.

Does that mean that this series is perfect? No, of course not. This type of anime is not for everyone. It is slow, without much action and without much exaggeration, Furthermore, the art style is also not one that everyone likes. For me, it is also a series I could not watch at a fast pace. It took me months to finish the first season, and over a month to finish the second. That is partly because I recognized the series as a masterpiece. I wanted to be in the mood for an episode of this realistic series before I watched an episode. Otherwise, one episode, with its slowness and lack of exaggeration is really long.

All in all, for me personally. Hachimitsu to Clover is one of the series I have seen. It speaks to me in a way no series ever has. It was like looking to life from the perspective of a giant telescope. Seeing moments of joy, seeing moments of sadness, seeing how live works, it is a series which made me think. For me, this embodies the pinnacle of anime. Next to series I just enjoy, a I really enjoy series which make me think. There is so much more to say about this series, but there are just some points I really liked about the series. Together with other, unmentioned points, led to an extraordinary story.

I hope this will not be my last review of this series, and with that I mean that I hope for a (short) epilogue. That is just for my own satisfaction, but in reality, the ending of this series, both of the first and the second season, fit the nature of the series perfectly. In that sense, I should be happy that I had the privilege to enjoy this second season, as the first season also had a - for this series - satisfying ending. That is it for this review. Thanks for bearing with me.