UlasanAnime.com – While it’s not always the most sensible approach to track TV anime by their production studios, the past few years have seen several outstanding animation houses make a significant impact. Beyond the well-known Kyoto Animation, P.A. Works has emerged as a prominent studio from outside of Tokyo. This season, they present an original title celebrating their 10th anniversary: Hanasaku Iroha.
Shows like Canaan, True Tears, and Angel Beats, while not masterpieces, are far from poor. More importantly, they consistently offer gorgeous scenes and a degree of visual richness that sets them apart. The question remains: will Hanasaku Iroha follow suit? And crucially, will it avoid the pitfalls of plot and characterization that affected its predecessors? Perhaps we can glean some insights from its initial presentation.
The main character, Ohana, appears at first glance to be a responsible high school student with a good head on her shoulders. In some respects, her introduction, with her bright yet down-to-earth demeanor and playful exchanges with her wild mother, might remind viewers of Ryuuji from Toradora. The series establishes a fairly realistic tone in character interaction and behavior, making the Toradora vibe even stronger when we learn she seemingly lacks a father, and the two of them rely on her mother Satsuki’s writing work to make ends meet.
However, Ohana’s best friend, Kouichi, a classmate, is less grounded. He is intelligent and sensitive, but Ohana is too engrossed in living her life to fully recognize his feelings for her. Events quickly escalate (even before the first commercial break!) when Satsuki abruptly decides to elope with her boyfriend to evade some shady business, leaving Ohana to fend for herself at her grandmother’s hot spring inn. The city girl has an awkward late-night farewell with her confidant, Kouichi, who confesses his feelings to a shell-shocked Ohana, who is likely overwhelmed by the rapid changes in her life.
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The drama continues unabated in the latter half of the first episode. Ohana has never met her grandmother, who has disowned Satsuki and treats Ohana with a cruelty reminiscent of a fairy tale stepmother. Ohana attempts to face these changes with proud resilience, but she now finds herself employed at a classic onsen, where the customer’s needs are paramount. Ohana’s own pride likely ranks very low on the list of priorities. This seems to be the primary source of drama for the time being.
At the onsen, named Kisuisou, we are introduced to a cast of supporting characters. It appears that Hanasaku Iroha will focus on the young women around Ohana’s age. Two of them have been introduced: the stoic and grumpy Minko, and the shy Nako. Other notable characters include the cheerful and light-hearted head mistress Tomoe, and Ohana’s grandmother, who also manages the inn. During a brief tour given by Nako and Tomoe, it felt as though we encountered the entire cast of Working!! (or Wagnaria!!) and then some.
At this juncture, the story is just beginning, and I’ve only detailed about two-thirds of the first episode. For this First Impression piece, however, I want to highlight what excites me about Hanasaku Iroha:
- Dramatic misdirection. Several times in the first episode, Ohana’s internal monologue sets up an expectation, only for the opposite to occur. While this may seem minor, I anticipate this kind of misdirection will extend beyond small moments and be a recurring element as the story unfolds.
- Realistic presentation. Despite its status as an anime with many familiar tropes, the character drama is presented without grand or comedic embellishments. This refreshing approach, while not entirely novel, is noteworthy.
- Flowing animation. As previously mentioned, this anime boasts gorgeous visuals. Mel Kishida’s character designs are largely preserved here, a welcome change from some other recent anime I’ve seen.
To make this sound less like an advertisement and more like a genuine endorsement, I must admit I still have the typical reservations about Hanasaku Iroha. It’s only been one episode, and the subsequent episodes (2-13, or potentially 26 as noted elsewhere) could still lead to a decline in quality. However, with a pilot episode like this, it has certainly captured my interest.
Perhaps I’ve written this largely to have an opportunity to jot down everyone’s names. Over a dozen characters were introduced in approximately 23 minutes, and I’m not particularly good with names.
