Honey and Clover II – ep 07

Shoot. I’m left totally speechless again. I shouldn’t be too surprised really. But I’m wondering how Umino came up with a betrayal story… yet you end up not being able to hate the villain a single iota. I always thought that Tatsuo would have supported Morita all the way, you know. the faithful helper. I guess such a thing happens only in well… animes.

Kaoru is typing in his office, when he talks about a scene that he’ll never forget. A scene involving a model aircraft.

We’re introduced to the genius that Morita is. Working in his office, a business partner Tatsuo calls his attention to the interview candidates waiting outside. Morita mentions that he just wants somebody who can make good curry. Tatsuo rebukes him asking him to be serious, but Morita simply talks about how he invented a remote control walker. Basically, attach it to your remotes, call for it, and it’ll bring your remote to you. Personally.. i think it’s a brilliant idea…. why hasn’t anybody marketed one.

Tatsuo reminds him that the walker is not needed if you keep your room neat and clean. Morita mentions how Tatsuo always points out things he should/shouldn’t do, absolutely boring. But Tatsuo comments that these are just basic rules for living. In fact, morita shouldn’t be doing thigns like just eating the top of cut watermelons.

Meanwhile, the interview candidates are outside listening to every sentence of the argument, all the while being worried. But the rest of the employees think it’s better for them to find out what kind of person Morita really is.

Morita and Tatsuo finally appear, but with bandages. Just as Tatsuo wants to start the interview proper, morita mentions he wants to give them a test to see their talent. And proceed to ask them to make a model aircraft, to see whose will fly the furthest. Current employees are to compete too. Shinobu arrives at this moment asking to compete as well.

Thus you have poignant scene one. The one burnt into kaoru’s memory. A memory of shinobu’s aircraft flying real well, while his couldn’t really fly at all. And the proud look that morita gave shinobu. And standing next to kaoru, was tatsuo. A man whose plane could not fly as well.

A second incident was when Shinobu went missing. Kaoru finds him and leads Morita to him. Kaoru urges his dad to bring shinobu to a doctor. Morita then tells kaoru to go back to the company to inform that Shinobu was found. When they left, kaoru finally realises that he too was injured, and no one really noticed as well. Feeling alone, he starts crying, but discovers Tatsuo tapping him on the shoulder. Tatsuo, who was Morita’s school mate and best friend.

Carrying Kaoru home, Tatsuo laughs hearing what happened. He thinks that shinobu is very much like morita, and recounts all the silly acts morita did as a kid. And there was also how Morita never seemed to have any fear. Even when he was the final batter of a baseball team that has scored zero. *scene of Morita scoring a giant homerun*

Poignant scene 2 We see Tatsuo stopping infront of a stop sign on the road. Tatsuo feels that Morita has done plenty that he could never do. Yet he wanted to believe that there was something that only he himself can achieve.

Kaoru didn’t know back then Tatsuo was suffering from a terminal disease. Flashback of Tatsuo trying to feed his ill Mom, who mistakes him for his father. After Tatsuo corrects her, she wonders aloud whether Ricchan, the girl Tatsuo likes, will marry him. But actually Ricchan is now morita’s wife. (i think. either that, or it reminded Tatsuo of Morita who is happy married, it did look like morita’s wife though)

A doctor has been asking Tatsuo to admit to hospital, but he knows that once he does so, he’s not coming back out. And he wants to keep working to the very end. Besides, who would take care of his mom. He’s left questioning God about the purpose of his life. And whether there really is a divide between the Haves and the Have-nots. Those that are loved, and those that arn’t. Why is there this divide… and who made it so.

One night, Tatsuo tells Morita that he’ll be putting the patent for the motor morita designed under the company’s name instead. at the same time, the company will issue more shares. Morita leaves everything to Tatsuo, for he knows best.

But in another scene, we’re shown what’s really happening. For Tatsuo is really collaborating with Floyd Electric to allow Floyd Electric to take over the company. So one day, the president appears at the Factory, where he announces that the company is now under Floyd Electric, though they can work as they were, just with more funds.

But morita counters that while he likes money, he hates working for other people, and that he’ll quit. Tatsuo asks him to think it over, as the pay will be very good, but Morita cuts him off. Morita tells Tatsuo to take good care of his employees, otherwise Morita to kill him. But Tatsuo can only remember the scene of the baseball game, where everyone was cheering Morita on. Finally Tatsuo can sleep, for some reason, he hasn’t been able to sleep lately. Tatsuo then suddenly collapses on the floor.

Poignant scene 3. In the hospital, Tatsuo admits that he is dying. To add to the problem, Morita tells him that when Tatsuo dies, all his assets will go to Floyd Ectrics. Morita says that he’ll never ever forgive him. Tatsuo accepts that. But morita tells his 2 sons not to hold a grudge. Morita agrees immediately, but kaoru cannot accept it, and questions why Tatsuo did such a thing. In the end, the whole family moves out of their house. (unknown reason) In the city, Shinobu and Kaoru find a walkman powered by the motor that Morita invented, but with a floyd electrics sticker.

Poignant scene 4. Kaoru tries to destroy the walkman in frustation, but soon the store salesmen are after them, and they start running. But kaoru isn’t able to run as fast as shinobu. Just as in many other things, Kaoru cannot match up to shinobu, even as he remembers his father telling him to always run towards the light. It was then, he understood how Tatsuo felt. And actually, Kaoru is very envious of both his brother and his father. But Kaoru wants to believe that there’s something he can do, yet the darkness threatens to envelope him. But Shinobu turns back to cover and protect his brother.

Final Scene. Shinobu wakes up from his sleep, on a sofa next to Kaoru. Kaoru tells him that he can actually leave, for his tasks is complete. But Shinobu insists on staying. Soon, all preparations are done, and Kaoru tells Shinobu that they are ready to give those people hell.

Back in school, there is a strong wind blowing. Takemoto, Mayama, Yamada and shuuji deliever a continuous monologue talking about how it is impossible to have prediected the things to come in the next few days. Ending with a shot of Hagu lying next to some shards of broken glass.

Thoughts

All the while, I was fearful that Kaoru would be a second Tatsuo. But that’s not to be… I guess it’s thanks to shinobu’s love for the brother too. I think each of the poignant moments were presented really well. You know tatsuo deserves to die… yet how can you hate him for his betrayal. His actions might have seen foolish. He might have decided to test Morita in a silly way. But still.

I thought it was cute how shinobu always had a silly face, as compared to kaoru. Was kaoru the matured one?
Then ending was just so dark. It seemd like everyone was just moving apart. And… what happened to hagu!

p.s. Takemoto’s seiyuu Kamiya Hiroshi met with a car accident 9 days ago. He’s conscious now, so that’s good news. Hopping that he gets a speedy recovery. (i’m sure everyone would agree that worries about who will voice takemoto etc are just secondary.