Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora

“Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora” or “Hantsuki”, as I will call it from now on, is yet another drama and romance anime. It’s a really happy and sad anime at the same time, which spans over only 6 episodes. That paradox feeling one gets is quite unique to this series.

Story:
Though Hantsuki is limited to only 6 episodes, its still a wonderful story which leaves no questions open. The story is about a boy, Yuichi, who is hospitalized due to hepatitis over the winter. He’s really just bored having to stay in this hospital the whole time and keeps on trying to escape, thus having ... to run away from and deal with the nurse. While in the hospital he encounters a girl called Rika. Amazed by her beauty he kind of falls for her, but she keeps on acting very selfish. After Yuichi figures out why Rika is in the hospital, he begins to understand and feel sorry for her - she doesn’t have very long to live.
That said, the story goes through how the doctor of Yuichi had a similar relationship with a girl quite some time ago and gets mad at Yuichi because he sees himself in him. It even gets to the point where he lashes out and beats him up. Other then that, the story is all about Yuichi and Rika finding their love. It’s really interesting though how, although Rika is acting really mean and selfish towards Yuichi, you still begin to like her character.
The story ends both very happy and very tragic, which makes the perfect ending for this show, though it is very short.
BTW: Be careful to watch past the ending of the last show.

Animation:
The animation is very well done. I found the characters to be designed in a very “realistic” way, making it easier to identify with them. I don’t really now what else to say, except the animation at no point bothered me.

Sound:
The sound, as in most romance/ drama anime, is made to fit the mood perfectly and make the experience more immersive. This show succeeds in doing so.

Characters:
All but 1 character (the friend of the nurse) are very easy to sympathize with. At the end of the show you don’t really hold a grudge against any character, since they all had their reasons for doing what they had done.
I found the characters to be very well fleshed out, especially Rika. The show also does a good job showing the situation Rika is in - already ready to die, but yet falling in love.

Enjoyment:
I enjoyed this show very much. I think that 6 episodes is the perfect length for this series, since it is really fast paced and doesn’t “dick around” as many other senseless romance/ drama anime do. I’d maybe only like to see an OVA showing how life is after the hospital or after Rikas death. Still, I highly recommend this show!

5 WORDS OR LESS REVIEW: BITTERSWEET

The simplest way I could described Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (or simply HanTsuki) is by saying that it’s bittersweet. I’m sure that the people who have watched this would have a similar opinion.

The reason why it’s so bittersweet for me is that even with the fun, happy comedic moments (a stack of porn and zebra man), I still get the feeling that something will go wrong, and it does happen. Even if it’s like that, I still think it couldn’t have gone in the better way, because if things went the way you wanted it to, wouldn’t that ... be boring (hey this applies to real life too, huh)? It doesn’t sugarcoat anything (specifically Rika’s condition) and I guess in that way, it’s realistic.

As for the two main characters, I have to say Yuichi and Rika is the best anime couple I’ve ever seen. They have chemistry, and I love their individual characters. They’re both so different, but they go well with each other. Akiko the nurse was also hilarious, and I hated Doctor Natsume at first, thinking he was some sort of lolicon, but in the end I understood why he was so protective of Rika.

From one shonen romance to another, Kenichi Suzumara (Kyoichi Kanzaki from Boys Be…) played the male protagonist of HanTsuki very well. I thought his voice was gentle, yet it had a hint of mischief in it, which is perfect for Yuichi’s character. Mikako Takahashi (Rika) is another familiar name for me, but her voice was different this time. Her voice was tinier (but resilient). Maybe it’s because of Rika’s loli and slight tsundere character.

Visuals were okay. There wasn’t really anything that I haven’t seen before in other series, except maybe for the shiny (possibly oily) faces. It kind of bothered me that the characters looked chubby though, but I guess that’s part of the cute look they were going for.

The music was okay too. It’s your typical shoujo music, except this time it’s for a shonen romance. I’m not a fan of mellow music, but it wasn’t really that mellow.

The greatest strength of this anime is its story and the character interactions. I overlooked all the other details and focused on the relationship of Yuichi and Rika, and the circumstances around them. That is why I was entertained from beginning to finish.

I'm really glad I actually sat down and watched this one fully. It only took a day, but what a day it was worth. I've watched many popular romance animes such as Clannad and Konan and can say nicely that, if it wanted to, this anime could have been on their level IF not greater.
There are a few things holding it back, though, which makes an unsatisfied feeling. I'll fully explain that through this review.

~ WARNING: possible spoilers ~

~ Story 8/10 ~
The story is nice and not over the top. It's realistic which blends well for it's dramatic feeling. Our main character is sick with ... Hepatitis A. Not dangerous but he will be relaxing at the hospital for some time. Quickly we learn our main character is the adventurous type and tries to leave the hospital numerous times for self enjoyment if the nurse doesn't catch him and tosses him back into the hospital bed.
Although Yuuichi Ezaki spends time talking to his nurse and a couple of the hospital residents, he seems a bit bored at his bed-resting lifestyle even if his school friends visit him.
This seems to change when the nurse brings up a girl from East Ward:
Rika Akiba.
Yuuichi goes to visit Rika and they slowly grow attached to one another.
However, Yuuichi doesn't have too much to worry about.
On the other hand, Rika is in a different situation and suffers from heart complications that will keep her from living not too long.
The story revolves mostly around the evolving relationship of both these characters as they deal with each others' emotions, pasts, and illnesses.
It all comes down to Yuuichi to decide for himself on what he should do if Rika will die soon.
It follows a realistic pattern without things getting too hectic from the story. You will greatly enjoy the small comedy and laid-back feeling you get watching this as light drama comes in. You will ESPECIALLY enjoy the sudden random bits of huge drama out of nowhere happens, changing your view of the story or characters as soon as you find out.
Dialogue and personality mostly makes this anime what it is which would be a must watch.

~ Art 8/10 ~
The art is lovely. It's not overly done and is greatly nice. Sure, you may not find breath-taking animations or art, but that's not the appeal of the anime. There isn't a need to focus on that. Even so, it does well to add in little bits and extras to atleast make it look pretty nice. Character designs are nice and background designs are also done well.

~ Sound 8/10 ~
As the mood changes quite often, so will the music. Although not major, it's small and fits greatly with the mood. It starts at the right moments, not too early or late and displays the current atmosphere of the scene. Is it playful, sad, shocking? The soundtrack goes quite well to display these emotions.
The opening and ending themes are also quite enjoyable. They both fit the overall vibe of the anime and were great choices.

~ Character 9/10 ~
Characters are lovable and easy to grow attached to. Yuuichi is an average high school kid with a kind heart. He's pretty easy going and a bit of a trouble maker. You grow to like his role more and more as you learn about him and see what he does. You'll laugh, you might sympathize with him, and you might even get pissed off. However, he doesn't let down the viewer when it comes down to being his role of a nice, heroic character type.
Rika is someone with the slightly stereotypical tsundere personality. Although, it isn't a self defense like most. Rika is naturally socially awkward because of her illness which causes her to act out. She can be slightly mean, judging, and harsh. However, she can be kind, intelligent, understands the idea of justice, and even honest. Her character isn't annoying and quite easy to enjoy.
Other characters you will meet and sadly due to the shortness of the anime, wont grow to know too well. However, you will begin to love their roles as you like the nurse's personality, get aggravated at the doctor, root for 'Zebra Mask', and other characters. Sadly, it seems like the story doesn't dwell hard enough to get to the bigger roots of everyone so you can feel attached with every character. Some character don't even seem important at all. With that said, though, most the characters are lovable and hard to forget about.

~ Enjoyment 10/10 ~
I can't find one thing that I didn't enjoy about this anime. Everything was great. Each episode was great and the story progressed so well. Most focus will be on the characters which the story greatly works hard to display great traits of. It seems each detail, story, information, and everything else in this anime is not only important, but it's tender and loving. The comedy isn't too heavy but noticeable. The drama is consistently existent whether it's light and subtle or heavy and heart breaking. The romance isn't always there, but implied quite well. It's not extremely heavy and greatly focused on the entire time. Although, when it shows, the romance counts greatly. Everything about it doesn't feel too extreme and can grow to moments of on-the-edge suspense when things get hectic. This anime feels unique and without a doubt not feeling like a romantic cliche'. It's touching from start to finish and leaves you with a good feeling of happiness and satisfaction. You'll be constantly surprised and not expecting what will happen and what will be said which is mostly what makes this anime a must watch.

Overall:
Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora is such a great anime. I didn't know what to expect when watching it. In fact, I was thinking the anime was going to be an average drama/romance. Quickly, however, I was proved wrong. It was well made and well written. Each aspect was taken well care of. What really kept this from getting a higher score you ask?
It's potential.
This anime has something where it could be great and offer so much but seems to be cut short from time. It was an anime that was squished into only six episodes. Now, yes, not much happens in the anime you'd think as the entire series mostly takes place in the hospital. However, seasons and time passes as you watch and characters change as they speak with one another. Things happen. It feels so....rushed, though. I felt like the anime ended before it even began. One minute, I'm developing into the beginning of a beautiful romance and then it was just over. It was a tasty dish but just too small to enjoy enough. I wanted more from the story, more development, I wanted to learn more about the characters, and just improvement all around. Not because I'm picky, but because there was SSOOOOOOO much to offer.
Even though you'll watch this and feel like you didn't get enough, it's still a great anime.
If you want a good romance and story, this one is worth checking out
If you have any intention to watch this, give the first episode a chance. You've already finished one/sixth of the series. It's not that long. I'm sure the first episode will already have you wanting more.

When I first was recommended Hanbun by a friend of mine, I didn't expect much. I thought this would be your run-of-the-mill, unoriginal, stereotypical romance anime.
After watching just the first episode, however, I realized that I was wrong.

Story - 10
Even though the anime is a mere six episodes, the storyline and plot was very well done. What I liked about it the most was that there was not a boring, or unneeded moment; everything was there for a particular purpose. Allthough this kind of story may seem typical to some viewers, I found it to be more than that. At times it could be ... very depressing, seeming that there would be no room for any happiness or comedic value whatsoever. But then I would be surprised when they could throw in funny comments or situations, while still keeping the plot intact and staying true to the original concept.
Another wonderful thing about the storyline was the ending - it was both a happy and sad moment, but fitting. It answered all the questions that the viewer needed to know, and it was executed very well.

Art - 10
I really enjoyed the artwork in this anime as well. It wasn't the over-dramatic, big-eyed, crazy style that you might usually see, but a more realistic, simplistic style that fitted the storyline quite well. The scenery was also well done, and as said before, was in a more "realistic" style.

Sound - 9
Not much to say about it, but the important thing is that it fit. The OP and ED were touching, and were relaxing and easy to watch. Allthough the background music was nothing groundbreaking, it had its moments, and fit the anime's concept quite well.

Character - 9
Every character was likeable in his/her own way - whether it be Tanizaki the crazy but caring nurse for the more upbeat, comedic moments, or the wonderful chemistry between the somewhat shy Yūichi, and the stubborn, but loving, Rika. The only character that I had trouble connecting at first was Natsume, but by the end of the show you realize that he had reasons for his actions.

Enjoyment - 10
Obviously, I enjoyed this anime very much, or I wouldn't have given it such a high rating. There were times when I laughed, and there were times when I cryed. Allthough I felt this anime was very depressing at times, it was still very enjoyable to watch.

Overall, this was a great romance/drama. It didn't have any excessive crap that you see in some romance anime's now-a-days, and it kept me interested until the very end (and when I mean the VERY end, I mean it. Make sure to stick around after the credits ;) ).
So, if you are looking for a good romance/drama anime with no frills attached, then watch this. You won't be disappointed.

For those who are familiar with Clannad/Clannad After Story (for those who aren't, it is a fantastic romance anime) this anime in my opinion is at its level, yes it is and I am not being sarcastic or joking or f**king with you. If you doubt my opinion, its fine, if you agree that's great.


Story: (10/10)
-Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (Looking Up At The Half-Moon), you will understand what this beautiful tittle entails by watching the show, it has more to it than you might think.
This anime portrayed and executed beautiful bitter sweetness and made me realize what is more important, your happiness or ... your loved one's happiness. The story takes place in a small town where the protagonist and heroine are both hospitalized for some illness, there is comedy, romance with the main casts and of course the tragic/sad/bittersweet moments. At the end of the show, I have concluded that this couple maybe one of the best/best in all the anime I have seen.

Art: (9/10)
-The art was great nothing to spectacular but just right for this show. The characters were well drawn which brings out the show's beautifulness.

Sound: (9/10)
-There wasn't any amazing soundtracks or openings, but, the ending song was so beautiful, it added to the bitter sweetness and was a pleasure to listen

Character: (10/10)
-The relationship between the main characters was refreshing and enjoying to watch throughout the series, there was beautiful romance development and they were executed as more realistic characters. The supporting casts was also enjoyable and played helped you sympathize with the main casts.

Enjoyment/Overall: (9.5/10) or Mal score: (9/10)

I can only say one thing at this point, for those who want an anime with comedy/romance/tragic, watch this hybrid anime. I guarantee you will not waste your time.
Keep in mind this is six(6) episodes but regardless it is still amazing.

Have you ever been in a hospital for a certain period of time? I haven’t. I would imagine a hospital being a somewhat orderly establishment—a place where the sick patients can relax (unless we’re talking about a psychiatric ward… which we aren’t). A hospital would most likely be quiet, monotone, and serious, with a somewhat melancholic vibe for obvious reasons.

What does this have to do with Hantsuki? Well, this anime mostly takes place in what seems to be a small, local hospital. By the way, this hospital breaks every single rule that can be broken. Even factoring in that this hospital is small (meaning that ... it’s bound to be a little weird) and that this is a six episode long anime (meaning that it’s bound to be a little weird), the things that happen are somewhat over the top. Occasionally, it’s funny; other times, the occurrences end up more than a little weird for reasons that I will go over later. For now, let’s just say that the latter take themselves seriously and expect us to take them seriously. The reason why this fails is because there’s a thin line between knowing it would never happen but not minding and knowing that it would never happen so deeply that you find yourself distracted by that fact while watching the anime. There’s a difference between your eyes glittering with an otaku’s delight (ahem, harem, ahem) and finding a frown on your face that resembles the expression of painful constipation. I don’t think Hanbun Sora is that bad, though, and I’m speaking from experience. Do not fret—the only thing related to my personal life that we’ll be talking about today is this anime that I spent my time on.

The last three words of the previous statement tie into what Hantsuki is all about. It’s about time—savoring it, using it wisely, cherishing what you had—and even our main character Yuuichi is bound by this philosophy. He is an active teenager who believes more in using his time wisely; even if he is ill, having contracted hepatitis A, he resists recovering quietly in the hospital and treats his boredom by sneaking out. First of all, he does so with ease by just hiding a bit and walking slowly, which isn’t something that I can comprehend. In a hospital, the patients absolutely would not be allowed to wander around the hospital without supervision, and there’s no way that the security would be so light that anyone would sneak out that easily, even with the rebel nurse in charge. Yuuichi does this repeatedly, even taking out another sick patient, Rika, and is never punished except by the nurse, who gives him a bit of a beating that can be chalked up to comic relief. Everything is viewed with such a nonchalant attitude, devoid of reality or logic, until obviously written and somewhat cheap twists come in, and we’re forced to think, “Oh, they meant for this to be important? I see.”

In six episodes, we all know that Hantsuki won’t be able to tell what something like Clannad might, but at the same time, the story is simple and shouldn’t have been complicated. It’s about a boy named Yuuichi, who meets an enigmatic girl named Rika. She has a disease but they care about one another, meaning conflict. Twists are expected and even welcomed to spice up the story, but in this amount of time, such an anime should not try so hard at something it won’t be able to achieve. They cram melodrama, love, patient abuse, two people to complicate things, grief, and yearning into six episodes; a melancholic, deep atmosphere is attempted and a cheesy, dramatic, immature one is created. Why? The anime can’t keep up with itself. One episode, something that it seems was meant to be serious happens, but by the beginning of the next scene, that atmosphere is gone or just not well handled, leaving a particularly sour taste because of poor writing.

The reason why the twists weren’t well handled of Hantsuki is somewhat attributed to the sound and animation, as, while the art or music in itself isn’t bad, the way that it’s used isn’t all that amazing. There are times when errors can be seen in the art, sure, but the largest downside is the animation in itself. A character does something like, for example, punching a wall in frustration and thanks to the angle, the jarring impact that could have been achieved comes across as dull. This isn’t helped by the voice acting, which I think occasionally came across as emotionless when the emotion was supposed to be at the highest point. Even the expressions are simple. Sometimes the music, which is good by itself, doesn’t fit the scene or an obvious sound is placed in to emphasize that something happened, making the atmosphere fall flat. This is not helped by the cast.

Every character has his or her place, every character seems to have a story, and every character moves along the plot, but that’s it. The supporting characters are much more intriguing than the main characters, though they unfortunately get little meaningful screen time or development. The mains, Yuuichi and Rika, have no “in between”—no underlying development. Rika is a brat one second and is sweet the next, as though permanently on PMS. Yuuichi ranges from pushover to “brave” in his stupidity, as though testosterone is being experienced for the first time. He was tolerable until one of his worst moments, where he had absolutely no backbone simply because of depression (and was over it by the next day). The relationship between these two is just there, as though they mutually agreed one day that they loved each other, and we’re forced to think, “Oh? Looks like they like each other. Huh.”

It is the sad truth that I found Hantsuki overwhelmingly disappointing. It didn’t fit. It didn’t piece together. I can see why people would like Hantsuki, but the best anime calms the part of my personality that scrutinizes deeply while I am watching. If you enjoy somewhat cheesy, melodramatic love stories, you might just have an opinion that greatly differs from mine. On the other hand, I think too much to enjoy something that is so obviously trying to make conflict and, like a slap in the face, does it in cheap, unimaginative ways.

If I could tell Hantsuki one thing, I’d say, “Your audience is not dumb.”

To be completely honest, this didn't feel realistic at all.

The concept was good if you like slice of life and drama or whatnot, but I didn't like the way it was executed.

Part of the problem is probably due to the shortness of it. In only short 6 episodes, it's hard to care about the characters. However, its length wouldn't be a problem if they hadn't tried to add so much information in every episode. For instance, in the first episode alone, Yuuichi is already practically professing his love for this girl who's acted like a brat for the previous 20 minutes of screening. It ... just didn't feel believable.

The characters and their actions felt forced, too. I can't decide if Rika is a major tsundere or just really bratty. Hell, even if she IS a tsundere - which I usually love - I don't like her at all, and I honestly don't know what Yuuichi saw in her in the first place. In turn, Yuuichi needs to grow a backbone. My favourite character was Sekoguchi, and seeing he's got such a minor role, that's just sad.

The art was good, the soundtrack decent, but the animation definitively could've been better. There were scenes where the characters' movements looked really unnatural.

Overall, I found this somewhat enjoyable. Maybe if this were a full length series - with better character development and an unrushed plot - I'd give it a rating higher than fair.

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (HanTsuki) is a simple story of two high school students that fall in love at a hospital, one of whom is going to die. This was the first synopsis I’ve read about Hantsuki a few years ago and was immediately excited. After reading this synopsis one can already tell what the story is like as well as learn of my masochistic tendencies.

Hantsuki does sound and play out like a stereotypical Asian drama. In fact, I hear that there was a live action adaptation of Hantsuki. However, what makes Hantsuki is the execution of the story ... and the short run. This anime title was only 6 episodes long so they had to focus on the main story of Rika and Yuuichi. Very little is wasted and everything seems to push the story forward. Even Natsume’s story is related to the main story of Rika and Yuuichi. On the other hand, Hantsuki suffers from several ‘extremes.’ Hantsuki lacks subtly, many of the things the characters do push the borders of reality. For example, Yuuichi’s friend zebra mask, the crazy nurse, and various other events.

As for the characters, here where things start to get interesting. The interactions between Rika and Yuuichi are quite nice to watch as they grow closer to one another. Rika is a tsundere however, her ‘tsun’ was too pronounced, especially for the first 2 episodes. The things she does borders on abuse and can be very uncomfortable to watch. This is primarily why I stopped watching Zero no Tsukaima II. I don’t find anything funny when one character abuses another in a realistic fashion (think of this, what if the genders were reversed?). Yes, she has her reasons but, her actions were way too much for me. Thankfully, she gets better after the 2nd episodes. In addition, Natsume also does similar things to Yuuichi. Once again he has is reason but, the things he does are quite extreme

Much of my enjoyment of Hantsuki comes from the 2nd half, when the drama hits. In particular, I enjoyed the scene with the book and Natsume’s own story overlapping. However, Hantsuki isn’t completely sad as there are plenty of comedic moments to lighten up the mood (although its a bit much sometimes). Hantsuki doesn’t fall for the trap of going straight to the drama, as many stories do. The first half did its job to build up the characters to make the 2nd half, when the drama hits, have more impact.

I rather enjoyed the music in Hantsuki. There are typical violin and piano pieces however, there are a good about of guitar pieces. In particular, the OP really stood out for me. The simple use of character stills, minimal animation, symbolism, and music really worked for a series like this. In addition, a series like this doesn’t need the highest budget for animation. Never the less, I would have liked it if they had spent more money on the animation. Art/character design is another story, while it doesn’t need a very high animation budget the art/character designs should at least be good. Sadly the art and character designs for Hantsuki were very simplistic. Overall, Hantsuki had mediocre animation/art.

Hantsuki is a well executed romance/drama that does feel like your typical Asian live action drama. There are times where the characters and the situations feel a bit too over-the-top, thus lose a bit of the realism. Although, the story may be short, 6 episodes, they use this time effectively and very little is wasted.

What to expect: Heartwarming romance without unnecasary fanservice and a dramaturgic touch

Story: ( 7/10)

The premise and plot for this short series are simple: A boy has to stay in a hospital where he meets a girl with a serious illness. He tries his best to make her happy and has to face few obstacles on the long way.

Characters: ( 9/10)

The main characters are the sick girl Rika and the protagonist of the series Yuuichi. They are fairly fleshed out, believable and likeable, although I sometimes got a tsundere vibe from Rika . While they get enough development to justify it ... as good for a 6 episode series, it isnt groundbreaking. the strongest point would be the interaction of these two. The side characters are mostly there for plot purposes or sometimes comedic relief and arent worth mentioning. Overall the selling point would be the relatability of the main cast.


Art and Sound: ( 10/10)

Perhaps what I liked most about this show despite the main characters was the music, especially the opening. It fits well and catches the theme of the series very well. The Art is fitting, animation might not be the best but it is fine for a show such as this one. All in all it looks very good.

Enjoyment: ( 10/10)

If you want something a little bit more dramatic than your typical romance and dont need any fanservice then go ahead and check this one out.

One of the worst Anime I've ever seen.

It's basically a failed Your Lie in April. So basically, this boy, has Hepatitis A (Don't worry, it almost never is mentioned past Episode 3) and is stuck in a hospital. He meets a girl who has a condition where her heart doesn't work so good. From the start, I knew that she was going to die because it was so plainly obvious.

Anyway, the story is quite bad. It doesn't work well, drags on a lot, and doesn't connect alot, along with not making along a sense. I know its 6 episodes but Wolf Children did ... more and is a million times better then this even with only 2 hours. It would have really benefited from being longer. I mean, even if they had to throw in a full fillers, it would have made it better.

Anyway, the animation is low quality. The budget cuts and workarounds are so obvious to see. Like, sloppy faces, slow movement and action, the camera being zoomed in one image and then just moving, characters being frozen in time, lip flaps etc. The animation was clearly rushed and is so low budget that it's hard to watch.

The characters are also incredibly unlikeable. The doctor at the hospital, assaulted our main character while intoxicated basically kicking him while he was whimpering on the ground and our MC doesn't seem to want to mention it, nor does the guy get in trouble. He also actively tried to sabotage the relationship between our two mcs. He also cheated on his dying wife.

Our Mcs are also unlikable. Ezaki, keeps worsening his condition, even though it's doing nothing good for him, and Rika is a such a commanding brat. All she does is complain, and she almost never seems to be having fun around Ezaki. But Ezaki somehow fell in love with her in the third episode.

Like seriously, all Rika ever did was be a bratty little shit to Ezaki, always complaining, being commanding, bitching etc, but somehow, Ezaki fell in love with her. Like its almost just skimmed over and were just made to believe that they are in a serious romantic relationships. I think the writer forgot what fucking character development was.

We also never are told what Rika's disease is, so when the author can't even provide a name, you know they are a bad writer. The story reads like a bad mediocre fanfiction written by a 10 year old on an ipad. Shit goes from one thing to the next, skimming over stuff, leaving out sections, just forgetting plot points and backstories, just completely not giving a shit etc.

Ezaki's nurse also abuses Ezaki, hitting him on the head, making him pee in a bottle, locking him inside his hospital room, invading his privacy etc. She also "punished" one of her friends, where the lady said "My Body went flying". Seems like she has violent tendencies to say the least.

The old man was a perverted pedophile who gave a young underage boy various porn magazines and literally nobody seems to have a problem with it. The hospital is fucked.

Also I forgot to mention how Ezaki's Nurse's friend, literally tried to have sex with Ezaki, when he was 17 years old. They were literally in the bed and she was about to take off his pants. Like seriously, Ezaki just didn't give a shit, like he was just braindead.

Either, Ezaki had forgotten how to use his brain, or the writer didn't care about writing a good scene, so instead he decided not to have Ezaki react to anything happening, so he could just get his mandatory cleavage shot. The sex was only stopped by Ezakis Nurse ringing the doorbell. Then after she found it, she proceeds to strike Ezaki on the face mutiple times, even when he was her patient.

Like seriously, did she think Ezaki was the instigator of it? I would blame the fucking grown ass adult for trying to fuck a 17 year old, when she knows he can't fully make mature decisions.

Like, every single person in this anime is either abusive, bratty, stupid, or a pedophile. The hospital setting is completely unrealistic, the person who wrote this, doesn't know what the fuck a hospital is like.

Because the patients with deadly illnesses can just walk out whenever they want. Let's also not forgot the fact that the writers were trying to portray a "tragic" story. But the half assed humour that barely works, the incredibly unlikeable characters, and the odd shift of seriousness, and humourous don't make it tragic at all. Well its tragic for the inevitable firing of all the staff there, but not for the story.

Oh and to add onto the absolute disaster this anime was, the ending was so stupid, It made me burst out in laughter, and like Cry Laugh for almost 3 minutes. Like it was so fucking stupid, it was so trying so hard to be cool and serious but just failed spectacularly. You need to watch the end to believe me that it was so fucking funny and all for the wrong reasons.

The anime completely failed in making me care about the characters and actively made me dislike the characters. It didn't have enough time to build them up, nor were the people who made it, skilled enough to make an anime. It completely fails in every subject

Just don't watch this anime. Its pretty bad. With horrible animation, character building, characters, art, and story, its just a horrible watch all together.

Lets start off saying that i give every romance genre anime a trial period. I watch the first 2 episodes, and if i dont like either the story of animation, i scrap it. Although this anime is 6 episodes long, DONT SCRAP IT!. i would usually have not watched it because i dont watch any anime shorter than 12 episodes, but i gave this one a chance.

I dont regret it at all.

Within six episodes, the characters develop around each other so intensely that you feel like Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora has been running for ages. It may seem like a run-of-the-mill romance, but ... it has its originality. Its set in a hospital, and outside forces are seeing to it that romance is always put to the test.

I recommend this anime to any who like romance anime. I laughed, i cried, and now im depressed that i finished it. It reminds me of other top-class romance anime like toradora and clannad. Only 6 episodes long, but there are no regrets from me.

Length: 6 episodes
Original Airdates: 1/06 - 2/06
Demographic: Seinen
Genres: Drama, Romance
Also known as: Looking up at the half-moon, Hantsuki
One sentence description: "Boy meets a girl who probably has less than a year to live"

Plot Synopsis
During the winter, Yuichi was hospitalized due to hepatitis. Randomly he would try to escape from the hospital but would get beat up by the nurse. One day, he happened to meet Rika, a girl of his age, in the next building. He was fascinated by her beauty, but she was very selfish girl. Although she led him by the nose, he began to be attracted by her. However, when Rika told ... him about her illness, he knew why she acted so selfish; she didn't have long to live.
(From Anime News Network)

Personal Opinion
This was the next anime I saw after completing "ef - a tale of memories"... so my expectations were somewhat inflated.
Besides that... this was your run-of-the-mill romantic drama. On that note... it wasn't bad... but it wasn't good either.
First off... the anime length almost felt tooo short. With 6 episodes, I can't care about the characters, and from that, i can't really understand the emotions that the characters have to deal with.
Also plot developments were somewhat awkward and felt forced. Again probably from the fact that the anime was only 6 episodes
Actually when i think about it now... all my problems w/ this anime can be traced down to it's shortness
I mean besides that... the anime was decent... it had good characters... just not enough time to develop them

Rating: 7/10

Similar to...
- Air
Guy falls for a girl who's death is imminent.

What is the most precious treasure? Your own happiness? Or the happiness of the person you love the most?
"Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora" or simply "HanTsuki", is an anime that I truly don't regret watching and experiencing. In general, without any spoilers, it's about a seventeen-year old boy named Ezaki Yuiichi that gets affected by hepatitis A, thus he had to reside in his small town hospital for a period of time. During his stay, he usually gets bored and goes out to console his boredom, but when he comes back to the hospital, he will occasionally get beaten up by his assigned ... nurse, Tanizaki Akiko. One day, Ezaki Yuuichi meets a girl his age at the eastern side of the hospital, where most serious cases reside. Her name is Akiba Rika and Yuuichi eventually finds out that she's suffering from a critical heart disease that will eventually end her life. Over time, Rika and Yuuichi get to know each other and fall in love. There are some melancholy and dramatic parts, but it gets evened out with a little bit of comedy that somewhat eases the mood. Even though there are only six episodes in the whole anime, it feels more complete than other animes I've watched. The ending had left no other remaining questions I may have, although it may be pleasant yet sorrowful at the same time.

Animation/Art:
I felt that the animation of HanTsuki was very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed their unique, geniune looks and I felt that the voice actors did a fine job. Overall, I had no accusations about the animation or the art.

Sound/Music:
The soundtracks fit the feelings and the meaning of the anime fairly well. It made the experience more tragic yet hopeful. The opening song of HanTsuki did a great job in emphasizing the main, overall theme/idea of the story, and the ending song was peaceful and relaxing.

Characters:
The main characters, Yuuichi and Rika are obviously my favourite characters because of their personalities and the situation they're in. But, some of the secondary characters, such as Yuuichi's school friends aren't as memorable. Probably because the anime didn't give any further background knowledge about them. If they included that, then the anime would have been more interesting. But of course, the anime only had six episodes to begin with, so that must be the reason why they mainly focused on Yuuichi and Rika's relationship. Overall, I felt that the characters (especially Yuuichi and Rika) were really thought out and the anime did an exceptional job in developing their fragile bond.

Enjoyment:
I had really enjoyed this anime a lot, not only because it's touching and well done, but because it's a rare story that connects and truly shows the meaning and the impact it has on someone that's wavering between life and death. All in all, I hugely recommend this anime if you're interested in mainly romance and drama.

*At the risk of my life, I will be yours.* - Les Thibault

A short romance/drama OVA series, "Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora" is an anime has its moments, but is guilty of trying too hard to create drama. It's supposed to be set in a hospital, but patients are allowed to wander around at their leisure... or even go off on the occasional mountain climbing trip if they feel like it. If they're well enough to do that, why the hell are they taking up space in the hospital? Not only that, everyone seem to be able to do whatever they want without any consequences. Locking ill patient outside in the cold? No problem! Abusive Doctors? ... That's okay too. It takes a hell of a lot just to get anyone to raise an eyebrow in this "loving and caring" hospital.

Other inexplicable elements include the random actions of the nurse's friend, who seem to have a touch of madness in her, and the random appearance of this Zebra mask character... but, if you can manage to sweep all these unrealistic elements into a dusty corner of your mind and ignore it, the rest of the drama elements aren't too bad, as there are some rather touching moments. Despite the show's tendency to resort to the usage of cheap plot devices in order to conjure up melodrama, it's during the quiet periods of melancholy when not much is happening that the anime is at its best. Thinking back on it, I think I actually enjoyed "Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora" more than I should, considering all the contrived plot "twists", but what can I say, I guess I'm just a sucker for those melancholic moments.

The story is about a 17 year old boy name Yuuichi. He sneaks out of the hospital every night, and due to his sickness and sneaking out everytime, he has to stay in the hospital longer.
This nurse that beats on him for sneaking out ask him help her with this patient that has no friends and always lonely. He falls in love with her, one way to get a girl, and is willing to do anything for her.

For an anime for only 6 episodes, it is a wonderful peace of work. A boy that is willing to help her and completes her ... wishes. But the story builds up to the story about the girl, Rika's sickness. Sad and is good. The ending is good and is worth to watch, if you like to watch romance and tragic anime like this.

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (Hantsuki), is a 6-episode-long, anime series with its share of comedy, drama, misunderstandings, and romance. It follows the story of Yuuichi Ezaki, a high schooler who has been hospitalized for hepatitis A. During his stay he meets Rika Akiba, a self-centered girl who has lived in the hospital for a majority of her life due to a serious heart condition. Without a surgery (with a low success rate), she will surely die.

Story: Although not a stereotypical romance anime, it was nothing that blew me away. Many parts of the story I found useless; ... the time used for these excess things should have been spent focusing on Yuuchi and Rika's relationship. I wouldn't have minded the additional parts if the anime was longer and it had more time expand on things. The first episode really got me into it, but the way the anime didn't concentrate on the actual story when they were limited 6 episodes, bothered me. Not putting enough focus and time on the relationship caused me to feel emotionless at parts where I shouldn't have been.

Art: The animation is very clean and neat, but nothing special. The character's looks are unique, almost like a breath of fresh air. My one complaint is the colors used; they were always very bold. At times they worked, at others they seemed almost obnoxious.

Sound: Hantsuki has a wonderful opening song that fits the series well, and a pleasant, calm ending. But the background music during episodes was seriously lacking: very plain and boring.

Character: Every character was very realistic. Nothing spectacular, but they did a good job at developing everyone just enough for having only 6 episodes.

Enjoyment: Hantsuki was pleasant to watch and there was never a time where I simply didn't want to watch the next episode. The way they paced the story bothered me a great deal, and it was hard for me to feel any emotion.

"The One Minute Which Has Been Stopped"





Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (Looking Up at the Half-Moon) is an anime that unusually has a hospital setting for the most part. When I found this, I was looking for recommendations to Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (The Eternity You Wish for) (I think, or it must have been Ef - a Tale of Memories/Melodies.), hoping to find a tragic story (which is hard to do), and this seemed to fit the bill. Though I thought it was a pretty good series, I was actually disappointed by how it ended (I will leave it at that to avoid ... spoilers) and, to a lesser degree, the artwork in some areas (more on that later).

Ezaki Yuuichi has hepatitis (liver infection caused by a virus) and has to skip school to remain hospitalized for a while. He likes to sneak out sometimes, only to be caught and beaten up by his nurse, Tanizaki Akiko. One day, he sees a new girl in the east wing, which is reserved for serious cases. Akiko tells Yuuichi that there is nothing wrong with the girl, but he should go talk to her. He does, but accidentally lies by pretending to read the same book she, Akiba Rika, reads. When Rika finds out, she makes Yuuichi do her bidding to make up for it, and thus begins their bossy relationship. However, when Yuuichi decides to take Rika to Fortress Mountain, where the latter wishes to go, they have a fight, and he collapses on the ground while trying to say something . . .

As you would expect from six episodes, the development is quite fast, but not too much. There is time for both comedy and drama, with no fillers. In every episode, important events happen and, at least in most of them, new characters are introduced who affect the plot in one way or another. What is admirable is Yuuichi's perseverance despite being sick himself, putting Rika always ahead. This is how a man should act.

What is good about this show is the characters who you will grow to love (except for two that you will hate). The protagonist, Ezaki Yuuichi, is a kind-hearted man who wants to leave his small town for possibly Toukyou. On the other hand, the heroine, Akiba Rika, is a hard-to-please girl who has spent her entire life in hospitals, is always angry and bottles up her emotions (except in front of Ezaki). One of my other disappointments with this anime is Mizutani Miyuki, Yuuichi's childhood friend, who could have been a rival to Rika for the former's affection, but unfortunately never develops to be one; she only appears in the fourth episode and beyond, but it is never explained why she had not visited sooner, despite Yuuichi's other friends frequently showing up. Natsume Gorou has been Rika's doctor for years, and can be quite cunning; he always remembers someone when he looks at his lighter, and is known for being a very good physician, even among his older peers. The nurse, Tanizaki Akiko, is a young, tough woman that smokes and does not like to take crap from anyone; she has a good heart, though. A perverted old man, called Tada Yoshizou, roams around the hospital, and is on good terms with Ezaki; he has a large collection of pornography books. Another good friend of Yuuichi's is Sekoguchi Tsukasa, who can turn into "Zebra Man," which consists of just wearing a mask to conceal his identity in dangerous situations; Yuuichi thinks that the moment they became friends is when he saw Tsukasa searching for a home to some stray cats in a rainy day, and the former offered to help, in spite of not being able to keep them in his place, but Sekoguchi thinks they have been friends ever since they met. Lastly, Yuuichi has one more classmate that visits him sometimes, Yamanishi Tamotsu, but quintessentially has ulterior motives, bothering Ezaki.

Like I said before, the art is actually at a high level, yet there are noticeable errors. When Natsume cries (I think it happens in episode three), I could see that one of his eyebrows is missing at the lower camera angle. Even more annoying is the fact that they flashback that very same scene with the very same mistake. Also, a number of times when Ezaki looks at Akiba while they are talking, it feels like his pupils are not really focused on her and he has "Itou-Makoto-on-School-Days" slow reactions to important events. I also do not like how Sekoguchi Tsukasa and his brother's eyes are drawn similar to a straight line. Other than that, everything is fine.

Still, the seiyuu here are pretty annoying. The heroine in particular, Rika, has the same voice actor as Machi, Ayane's older sister from Nagasarete Airantou, which I have seen first, who barely speaks, mostly in a very low monotone, so that killed Rika, who is energetic and talks more frequently, for me. Moreover, One Piece fans should recognize Natsume Gorou's seiyuu, the same as Sanji's (ironically, they both smoke and have a similar personality (i.e., they are realistic; Gorou is not perverted like Sanji (then again, the former is older)), who I have seen first, too. Maybe they was supposed to, but Tsukasa's sounds weak and Akiko's sounds muscular. They still could do a lot worse, though.

However, the soundtrack is brilliant. More so with the opening sequence, but the ending sequence as well, it is one of those songs you want to listen, and watch, over and over again. They are both quiet, sad, soothing and simply beautiful. They hint a sorrowful finale.

Despite its flaws, Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora is an anime I am glad I watched. There are a few (albeit important) loose ends, but the show still manages to provide a somewhat-satisfactory conclusion. I intend to read the manga (as I do with all great anime and vice versa) because I felt some things are left out here. If you are looking for a short, young drama, you will not regret watching this.





"Our Hands"

An anime who is guaranted to make you tearful even if you are not a person who usually cries in animes. This anime has it all. The perfect plot, Forbidden Love, Abuse and Drama.

We follow life through Yuuichi’s eyes when the storyline takes place in the hospital. One day he sees a girl almost to beautiful and wishes to get to know her.. When He goes to meet the girl after finding out her name was Rika he finds out that there is more behind her than just her looks.. She is pretty yet also lonely as few, Due to this she is rude ... and mean to him.

able to see through her actions Yuuichi stands by Rika’s side and eventually they fall in love.. Forbidden love through, they face their many obstacles…

This anime is an absolute if you are into sad animes..

Want a romance anime that doesnt have to much episodes ? You want below 24 episodes or 12 ? F**k that i can give an anime that only have 6 episodes plus its a romance anime plus mc and heroine ended up as a couple plus also they will ended up together . Well , this anime does have potential and it show how they use those potential in a good way . Story plot are okay for an anime thats as 6 episode and the arts are kinda okay but maybe it can be better . Sounds are okay and characters are so-so . ... For the enjoyment , its very good despite 6 episode only . Overall , its a good romance anime that have a happy ending . How i love happy ending ~

Which is better, dying meaninglessly or fulfilling as many wishes as possible before dying?

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora is a beautiful 6 episode anime about a boy who met a girl in a hospital. They gradually form a relationship as they spend their time having fun. However.. The fun doesn't last forever..

[ LIGHT SPOILER AHEAD]

Now, now. I think I've seen too many "might die after surgery" cliche anime. So Its not that sad anymore. However, the concept of fulfilling another person's happiness regardless of the hardships always captivate me. And depending on how good that is represented, I don't mind seeing it ... again and again and again.

[ LIGHT SPOILER OVER ]

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora was pretty good. It's definitely a good, short anime about love and choices. If the quality was better I'd probably love the show even more.

Recommended to those who are looking for something that is quick to finish and can fulfill your happiness ( or give you more sadness ) to a certain extent.