Impressions: About Hana-Saku Iroha Episode 19 And This Anime In General

If someone had asked me 6 weeks ago what my favourite anime was, I would have answered "Hana-Saku Iroha" immediately. I really enjoyed the first half of it, however, the second half just doesn't seem to be as good. I don't know if it's just me, but even after almost 20 episodes, the characters still feel kind of superficial. Excluding Ohana, obviously, she's a doll! And her storyline is basically the only thing that keeps me interested in this anime, the issues with Kou, her mother and grandmother are the things I look most forward to.

Episode 19. A quick summary: as an aftermath of episode 18, Nako seems to have really opened up herself more to her work colleagues, which can be seen when she compliments Ren-san for having a cool looking gash in his eyebrow ( well, you have got to give her props for the compliment's originality at the very least). Minko is acting as she does usually, she's grumpy and tsundere all the time, except for the times when there is something that has to do with Tohru. Here, for instance, she's mad about him talking happily with my cute Ohana.

At school, it's festival time and 2-A's decided to do a cafe. The people are split into two groups: maids (Yuina is the leader here) and cooks (Minko doesn't want to take up the role of the leader at first but changes her mind after she finds out that Tohru will be visiting the festival). Ohana, meanwhile, is really feeling the "bonbori" spirit and can't wait for the festival to kick in. On the other hand, Nako's class isn't oh so enthusiastic and only Nako and another artist girl are in charge of organising an art exhibition.

As this is a two episode arc meant for fleshing out Minko, it ends with a bang when it comes to her and her cooking group's meeting, where she shows her hypocritical self after telling off a girl for mixing up work and personal life. My dear Minko, at least learn to conceal the hypocrisy that possesses you, as do other hypocrits.

T

Thoughts: what can I say - I've never been a fan of Minchi, and now I like her even less. To me she's just a stuck up tsundere, who talks gibberish and never gets the rightful answer back (meaning a good slap in the face for a wake up call). On the bright side, the scenes that took place in the inn were as pleasant as ever, I believe that these every day scenes are what make this show shine.