Hachimitsu to Clover

For many of us who watch anime, the medium can become something more than simply animated entertainment. Sometimes, we will find ourselves connecting on a deep emotional level with a character or characters in a show. Sometimes, the story will seem less like a fanciful escape and more like a reflection upon society or our individual lives. These are the kind of shows stick with us. They'll make us laugh, they'll make us cry, and sometimes they'll make us realize something new about ourselves. Honey and Clover is one of those kind of anime.

Based on the manga by Chika Umino, Honey and Clover follows the ... lives of five fledgling artists and their journey through the exciting and simultaneously terrifying world that we know as college. Through the eyes of these five students and observe them them growing, affected by the years of challenging experiences through which they have gained many cherished friendships and also come to know the agonies of unrequited love.

One of the most noticeable aspects of the series is the animation. The bold, hard lined style you see in most anime will not be found here. Instead, animation studio J.C. Staff takes a wholly different approach by using a faded watercolor palette and soft sketched character designs. The style may not appeal to everyone, but it best reflects the true nature of the characters and their setting. Aside from the color palette, the animation goes through various perspective changes so subtly that it can even make the simple shot of a single character interesting. In essence, it is like art in motion.

Naturally, the audio needs to work hand in hand with the visuals and Honey and Clover has quite a robust soundtrack. Many of the insert selections worked well to heighten and sharpen the on-screen emotions. However, not all of the songs fit each scene like a glove and at times it felt like maybe there might even be too many songs they had tried to fit in. Despite that complaint, the songs themselves were all very good, even the instrumental tracks, and “Waltz” may hands-down be one of the best ending themes of any anime ever.

One aspect that may be universally agreed upon about this series is that the characters definitely make the show. Honey and Clover, like many other slice-of-life series, falls back on the characters to help carry the series and all five of the main characters do so phenomenally. Throughout the series, the perspective changes so that we see, hear, think, and occasionally feel what any given character is going through at that time. Depending on a viewer’s past experiences in college or even just life in general, certain characters will become more appealing and easier to relate to than others. Someone who has never been torn between someone they love and a close friend who loves them will have a hard time relating to a character like Mayama. Also, while a character like Takemoto may be more accessible to the male audience, Ayumi may be a better focal point for women.

The most important thing to realize is that just about anyone who watches this show will find a character who they can directly relate to in some way or another. From Takemoto’s indecisiveness about his own life, Morita’s slacker appeal and almost unfair success, Hagumi’s torn desire between being a success she’s not proud of or a failure she can live with. These are not just character struggles, these are struggles we all go through and we begin to see these characters as our friends and companions as we make our way through our own ordeals.

As said already, Honey and Clover is a slice-of-life series, which means it could take place anywhere at anytime with anyone inside the world as already is. It is a balanced and yet lively blend of romance, drama, and comedy without going too overboard on any single element, much like life itself. The story moves forward very quickly, skipping weeks, even months at a time between episodes. This could be viewed as slightly unrealistic as viewers may believe the characters should change faster than they do. Regardless, the character development is there, and does proceed at a realistic pace relative to the length of the series. Though the ending is inconclusive, those who enjoyed it to the end can take solace in knowing a conclusive second season awaits them to tie up all the loose ends.

Much like how Azumanga Daioh is called “the anime you should watch if you’ve been through high school”, Honey and Clover is the anime to watch if you’ve been through college. Graduates who watch this will probably feel a good amount of nostalgia. At the same time, those of us who haven’t been through college or are still going through it will enjoy a realistic simulation of where we might be going and how we might deal with it. By empathizing with the characters and relating to them, you’ll come to see Honey and Clover as more than an anime; It's a life experience.



This review is the final result of a review team composed of members from the "Critics and Connoisseurs" club. The team members were:

Katsup - Contributed to and edited the review
Splitter - Wrote the review

Here are their individual scorings for the show:
Category - Katsup, Splitter

Story - 9, 9
Art - 10, 9
Sound - 9, 8
Character - 10, 10
Enjoyment - 10, 9
Overall - 10, 9

In the club wide poll held for Honey and Clover it received an average overall rating of 9.00

Almost everything about Honey and Clover is unprecedented and perfected. From the unnerving OP to the moving ending narration, each episode is a dramatic and romantic take on the special lives of the six main characters. There is no action and there is no fanservice so the stereotyped teenage male audiences will avoid this series, however, the intelligent humor and very intricate intricate character development which dominates the show is sure to satisfy most mature fans who are sick of slapstick, perverted anime. At times it does get very similar to American soapies but I believe that Honey and Clover outdoes any love triangle stories. ... Each character goes through their frustrating situations, which don't seem to conclude detailed enough. The angelic Hagumi tackles her self-esteem issues, Mayama chases after Rika who is still mourning over her late boyfriend, Ayumi fights her depression after being repetitively rejected by Mayama, Morita (who provides for some of the best comedy I've seen in anime) tries to deal with his own expectations of life, Shuuji devotes himself religiously to the welfare of Hagu, and Takemoto attempts to escape out of the banal life ahead of him. These complex characters see the most impressive explorations of life, romance and personal fears. At times there is some repetition in the plot and it may seem a bit predictable, but there really is no competition for the best josei anime around. Recommended to anyone who wants to experience the reality of love or to be inspired and have a little cry at the end. Top notch anime 5 stars.

Ever get that nice feeling after you finished watching a really good series? That’s how I felt when I finished watching Honey and Clover.


What a wonderful story. It’s a good mix of bittersweet growing pains, salty teardrops, and huge doses of soul searching, all brought about by Love. Ah yes, Love. That is what defines the plot of Honey and Clover. Through this anime, we see how love can go both ways – it can send you flying in the sky, or it can leave you with a knife in the back.


I can relate to mostly everyone in the story, and this is also why ... it was so easy to understand for me. Yamada’s frustration over unrequited love, Takemoto’s fear of the future and time quickly passing by (believe me, time in this anime is fast-paced), Hagu’s feelings of pressure from everyone around her, and of course, the loneliness that everyone felt from time to time. The ability to relate to each and every one of the characters made Honey and Clover such a good watch for me, and I’m sure it will be the same for everyone who will watch this series.


Despite the serious tones, there are still moments that are quite funny. Most of the comedic relief comes from Morita, who is actually one of my favorite characters. His idiosyncrasies are what made him great to watch. I love that scene where he accepted the Mochademy Award (A nod to the Academy awards) for best CG. There was also this great episode where Morita and Takemoto played some sort of twister game until their limbs were intertwined. Of course, you can’t forget chapters L and F which were both funny as well.


I liked most of the characters because they were all so relatable and they were all managed effectively. At the end of the series, you know everything that goes/went on behind their facades. They all had well thought of histories and wonderful unique personalities that go so well together. It’s almost like an anime version of FRIENDS. I already mentioned that I like Morita, but my other favorite is Mayama. I kinda developed a crush on him too; I actually see what Yamada sees in him. I was kind of annoyed that he picked that old hag Rika over Yamada. I really hate that woman; she’s only out to hurt Mayama. I’m definitely on team Ayumi “Tetsujin” Yamada (Even though she tends to ramble on a lot)!


Drawing style was something new. It reminded me of old school anime with a new twist. It had the same look and feel of 80s anime with except it was updated and fresh. It was probably because of the coloring technique - the colors were just lovely, they weren’t vibrant, like how I usually would like colors to be, but they were done well and the colors didn’t clash, so I actually liked it. It reminded me of water color paintings, a trend I noticed from watching JC Staff series. Usually the illustrations are done well, they barely change or if there are any changes it goes unnoticed. Although I did notice a huge shift in Hagu’s appearance – She was a lot prettier in the first episode compared to the rest of the series. Her look was done well though – she had beautiful eyes and hair (same thing with Yamada).


There were different animation techniques that were used. I like the use of stop motion, I’m guessing the first opening theme sequence was made using stop motion and clay figures. There was also the use of live action, which was for the second opening theme sequence (The poodle was just adorable). Some scenes had a more weathered look, and there was even an instance were vector art was used. Of course, there was the use of CG. CG is always good if it’s used to give depth to animation.


Voice acting was actually pretty good. My favorite seiyu for this series is Tomokazu Sugita, Mayama’s seiyu, who was also the seiyu for Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, another favorite of mine. I also like Morita’s seiyu, Yuji Ueda. I think it’s funny when his voice turns soft. The other seiyus, such as Keiji Fujiwara and Mikako Takahashi were already familiar to me, since I’ve watched/currently series they worked for before, and what they did for Honey and Clover were splendid as well, but as for Hagu’s seiyu, I’m a bit indifferent. Based on the information I saw about her, she seems to be a newbie (I think she’s only 18) and Hagu Hanamoto is probably her most notable role. Anyway, everyone did a good job because they brought out their character’s personalities really well, and the dialogues were easy to follow.


I’m surprised that most of Yuzo Hayashi’s work was for Sailormoon. I actually thought the music for this anime was done well – everything was modern and contemporary. I like the wide variety of insert songs that were used as BGM, and of course, the opening and ending themes weren’t bad either. At the end of the series I found myself humming and bopping my head to the catchy music of the series.


Thank goodness for the second season, plus the extra two episodes. If it weren’t for that, I Probably would be close to tears by now. This is undeniably one of the best series (Thank God to no fan service!) I’ve ever watched, and will watch again.

Title: Honey and Clover

Manga, Live-Action Adaptations, Anime: Honey and Clover was originally a manga created by Chika Umino. It began its run in Sueisha's CUTiEcomic maganize in June of 2000, and swithced over to Young YOU in July of 2001, and ran there until the magazine's demise in 2005, and finished up its run in Chorus in July 2006. The manga stands at ten collected volumes, and has been licensed Stateside by Viz's Shoujo Beat label; the first volume will be released on March 8th of this year. Honey and Clover also won the Kodansha Manga Award for best shoujo manga in ... 2003.

Honey and Clover also has two live-action adaptations to its name. The first is a live-action movie adaptation that was released on July 22nd, 2006 in Japanese theatres. The second is a live-action TV drama that started airing on January 8th of this year. Neither has been licensed Stateside, and neither will be covered in this review.

The anime adaptation was 24 episodes long, and was produced by JC Staff (famous for their work on Revolutionary Girl Utena and Excel Saga) and directed by Kenichi Kasai (famous for his work on Nodame Canabile). It ran on Japanese TV from April 14th to September 25th, 2005. It has yet to be licensed Stateside.

Story: Honey and Clover follows the lives and relationships of five college students -- Mayama, Takemoto, Morita, Hagu, and Ayu over a period of about five years.

It was really hard for me to get into this at first. For the first four episodes, I liked what I was watching, but I didn't really feel the pressing need to see what happened next. However, this changed in the next few episodes, mainly because everything had been more or less established, and they started developing things.

Those of you who are in college and watching this are going to be stunned at the realism of this. It feels like these characters could very well be people around you, and the situations they're in could be things you or your friends are going through at the moment.

Yeah, there's no overlying plot. However, unlike KamiChu, this isn't a problem, mainly because the characters and their relationships are developed well and are the actual center of the story, not driven by some cardboard cutouts and a crappy problem-of-the-week plot. Also, there's a lot of fairly obvious metaphors and some crazy-ass humor that make the show even better. ^^

And there are going to be some who are depressed at the rather open ending. However, there is the second season (Honey and Clover II), which I'm going to be starting shortly and will eventually review.

Art: Absofuckinglutely beautiful.

The background is done in what looks like watercolors, so it's kind of hazy and washed-out, similar to what you see in Potemayo's backgrounds. The character designs are a blend between the typical anime design and a more manga-esque look. They also have the budget to change clothes at least once every episode. SD is very common when tied in with the crazy-ass humor, which is just made of WIN.

All of this combined serves to make an absolutely beautiful series. It's up there with Gankutsuou's visuals, but not quite that extreme.

My only complaint is w/r/t Hagu's character design. Yes, I know that you want to emphasize that she's a bit sheltered and innocent, but really, she looks like my youngest sister, and you're trying to pass her off as 20? Work on that for next season, plz.

Music: Honey and Clover's background music is a little odd, but it's amazing at the same time, because they use vocals in a way that I've only heard Bobby McFerrin attempt up till now. There's also a piano version of either the OP or ED that plays a lot in the series, and is just beautiful.

Honey and Clover also uses a lot of insert songs; there's at least one every episode, and they're perfectly fitted to the moments that they're played in.

The OP is just annoying. I mean, the animation for the first version was absolutely amazing (food + claymation = AWESOME), but the vocalist is kind of shrill, and makes me cringe. The EDs didn't particularly stand out, but they were nice.

Seiyuu: Morita's seiyuu played Takeshi (Brock, for us Americans) in all the seasons of Pokemon, and Hakim in Victorian Romance Emma and Shuuji's seiyu was in Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ and in FFVII: Advent Children as Reno, which was fairly awesome.

And all the other seiyuu did an excellent job, as ever.

Length: Twenty-four episodes was a good length; the manga material does go further, and I guarantee that by the time you're finished, you will want more, but the second season should cover that.

Overall: A beautiful, realistic slice of college life with excellent music and some fairly good seiyuu.

One of my top picks. See this. NOW.

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

Overall: 46/50; 92% (A)

Note: This review pertains to both Honey and Clover and Honey and Clover II, since II is a direct continuation of the first series.

What do you want to do with your life? Where do you want to go? How will you get there? What brought you here in the first place? Honey and Clover, a slice of life josei anime, addresses these types of questions. It tells the story of five friends in an art college and their lives and relationships throughout college (and some of them beyond that) as they face various obstacles. The show does a masterful job at exploring the lives and ... personalities of these five students and the people around them.

Although I used to prefer shows with super captivating plots where there are distinguishable heroes and villains, Honey and Clover changed my views on that. There isn’t a grand overlaying plot to this series, and yet somehow, I was just as enamored with it as those other shows, if not more. The characters are just regular college students trying to make the most out of those precious years while searching for direction in their lives. They don’t have incredibly bleak pasts, though they’re not without their troubles. Each character has various predicaments that most people would face in that stage of their lives. Takemoto, the protagonist and narrator, is surrounded by highly capable, successful peers, while he seems to be the most “average” of his friends. He is the most directionless of the group, unsure of how to proceed after college. He quickly falls in love with Hagumi, an extremely talented painter who has body of a child. Despite her abilities, she is shy and suffers from childlike social anxiety. Then there’s Morita, the most eccentric one. Though he appears to be manipulative, greedy, lazy, and just plain odd, he is surprisingly one of the wiser ones of the friends. His life outside of school is mysterious, and he often has long periods of absences where he inexplicably wanders off and comes back with only a large wad of money and extreme fatigue. We also have Mayama, the first to graduate and get a job, who harbors feelings for a disabled woman who’s had a dark past in regards to relationships. Finally, there’s Yamada, who is in love with Mayama. Even though he constantly rejects her, for some reason, she continues to try.

Like in real life, these aren’t static characters. They’re dynamic. They learn through experience and their mindsets slowly change, for better or for worse. It’s interesting to see them develop this way, as we learn about their pasts and their predicaments.

As you can tell, although the plot may seem simple enough, this isn’t a straightforward anime. Through its storytelling, it poses several questions and concepts for the viewers to mull over. It teaches us to reflect on our lives and see what brought us to where we currently are. We must cherish the memories with our friends, but eventually, we will have to move on to the next phases of our lives, in which, often times, we will have to depart from our comfortable lifestyles. This is depicted by the constant image of a wheel turning, symbolizing that we must continue forward and adapt. Time is continuous, and thus so is life, and while we should definitely reminisce, we have to live in the ever-changing present instead of in the past.

Even if you’re not into shows that really examine human emotions and relationships, don’t be turned off by Honey and Clover. The show does an excellent job of mixing comedy and drama. On a mere superficial level, this show is hilarious, filled with memorable scenes, most of them brought upon by Morita. You don’t have to indulge in the deeper scenes to enjoy the show. Even if you don’t like the drama, the comedy is more than satisfying enough to be a reason to watch it.

As for the art and animation, it has a softer feel to it than most other animes due to its watercolor palette. It’s very soothing and natural, and definitely an enjoyable departure from modern conventional animation styles. The music fits the moments well, and while I don’t usually pay attention to OP’s and ED’s, I’ll admit there were a few ED’s I liked that really added to the ending scenes of various episodes.

This anime is a realistic depiction of life. It tells a story of unrequited love, overcoming obstacles, acceptance, and ultimately moving forward. We’re able to connect emotionally with the characters, empathizing with them, because most of us have been in situations similar to theirs. It’s not quite tear jerking, but there are definitely many touching scenes that will make your heart feel heavy. Honey and Clover truly is one of the most beautiful and introspective series I’ve seen. It is a simple, yet profound, story about life.

Honey and Clover is one of the few slice of life series that deals with matters such as love and friendship very maturely, the everyday life quite realistically and the resolution with a better perspective.

It is hard for me to decide to give this show a number. With little bias in mind, with the satisfaction I received, with the delightful sound tracks, it is easy for me to give this show a 10. And my advice is, don't look at the numbers, but actually understand the wonderful story the show has to offer, the beautiful story where the little things in life are highlighted ... as we glance through the life of these college students, mainly Yuuta Takemoto.

The story progresses gradually as we move further, with blurry episodic start followed by some more deeply curved story and something much more seriousness. Life as student can be difficult for many, due dates and demanding qualities, things are much more complicated for art college students. However, even with their hardships, poverty as students, and love that is almost dream, the protagonists enjoys their little time they have, the time they have together. Teasing and praising, the protagonists are very likable, and for many, relatable. The triangles of love, the unrequited feelings, and the painful evenings are all that the story includes. Within the funny atmosphere, the story is heart-warming and sometimes very aspiring.

The characters, they develops through the series. Their collaboration, their silent feelings, their goals and emotions, their dreams, the story explores them all. Friendship to put over love, considerng the other end, and the honesty the characters give makes it impossible for me not to praise them. It is a wonder how smoothly the characters blend together.

Music and sound are one of the stronger parts of the show. Almost every episode contains one song to accent the emotion along with the superior soundtracks. The strum of the guitar, the soft piano sound along with the calm melodies, the music does a excellent job at uplifting the mood. The opening is decent, but becomes more meaningful the further the story goes. The first ending, Waltz, is probably one of the best ending music I've heard in anime, and by best, I mean how perfectly it fits and portrays the show. The second ending is quite mediocre, but fitting near the end. Voice acting for the show was likable, calm voices, good laughs. But at some point, one may find the emotional scenes are quite exaggerated.

Art. The art is not heavily detailed, not exaggerated, not eye-candy. The art is simple, soft, and intended for a softer approach. The serious scenes are drawn with care, and given finer details whereas the comical scenes are less detailed, with rounder faces and sketchy eyes. J.C. staff does a fine job at relating the art with the story, and the animation is quite reputable.

Overall, Honey and Clover is a wonderful show. It will uplift the audience, makes them laugh or cry or feel the characters, which is done by an excellent show, one which the audience welcomes and enjoys.

Some may say I like every anime that I watch but something about Honey and Clover really made me smile. Its about a group of students who attend an Art University, trying to become something related to art and creativity. Within this storyline you have love triangles, strange characters (Morita mostly *laughs*), and lots of character plots which allow you to become more enveloped with them on an almost personal level.

You could say the main character is Takemoto, a striving artist who is still struggling to find out what type of future he\'ll have. He moves into a dorm-like apartment not far from the campus ... and meets several other students; Morita, who is a super-artist though when you see him, you wouldn\'t know it due to how he reacts to things. He\'s very motivitated by money and stardom. Mayama, an older student who has a love for a woman named Rika, who\'s husband had passed away in a car accident, and she was badly hurt. Hagu who\'s a tiny little woman, almost elf-like but full of amazing art skills and innocence, striving to just happily draw. Yamada, a pottery student, who volunteers at the university and in turn is allowed to use the kiln to create her works. The love triangles are between Hagu, Takemoto, and Morita, then Rika, Yamada, and Mayama. It seems that both Takemoto, and Morita fell in love with Hagu and the story goes from there, and Yamada despretely loves Mayama, but Mayama doesn\'t want anything to do with it, and instead follows Rika, who fears hurting him (or claims she already has).

Throughout the storyline you learn of their lives, meet other characters that help with the story and how everyone lives have become to what they have. For anyone looking to have a somewhat serious anime, but still with laughs and stories to make you cry, I really recommend this one.

This is the first of two seasons (unless there\'s 3 and I just haven\'t found out about it yet).

It is not uncommon to worry about the future. What is my purpose in life? How will I change as a person and affect both my loved ones and those around me? Questions like these are thought about frequently and many begin to come to terms with the answers to these questions in their university years. Hachimitsu to Clover, or Honey and Clover, explores this idea, mixing in romance and relationships for a nice slow paced slice of life; it tells the tale of a group of college friends and colleagues as they spend their days growing close to each other, dealing with the outside ... world and work, and coming to terms with what they want out of life and their own desires.

What makes Honey and Clover stand out from the typical high school rom-com slice of life is the fact that it takes on a much more serene and mature tone compared to the often crazy, silly, and awkwardness you might in other slice of life anime. Honey and Clover does an excellent job of drawing and evoking a variety of emotions out of the watcher. From laughing at Shinobu drive Takemoto and Mayama up a wall, to smiling at the genuine and caring Professor as he watches over Hagu, to frustration over Yamada and Mayama's relationship; there is never a dull moment. For anyone who's watched their fair share of slice of life, Honey and Clover pulls the genre off in a refreshing and unique matter and offers something new.

Honey and Clover does an excellent job of utilizing the characters' unique personalities and habits to create a realistic portrayal of everyday college life. From the crazy genius Shinobu who seems to be talented at many things but doesn't really care about utilizing it to the fullest to Takemoto, who on a whim chose to major in architecture because he liked making things with his hands, each character has their own set of problems that the series explores. The clash between desires and expectations is the overlying theme.

The drama and romance aspect of the show can be frustrating at times, but is a more accurate representation of relationships in real life. Often times in anime one can predict the flow of romance and relationships, such as who will end up with who, and the feelings and emotions come in a nice superficial box with a neat bow tie on top. However, relationships in real life are often different. Unlike in most romance and drama shows, love in real life does not always go the way you want it. It is more bitter, more mature. It can be extremely frustrating. It can be confusing and hectic. Honey and Clover does a very nice job of representing this through a solid cast of characters and exploring each individual's feelings for one another.

One last theme this show explores is natural talent and feelings of inferiority. In our world, there will always be an insurmountable gap between those of us who are truly talented and gifted, and those who are on the more ordinary side of things. Hard work and dedication can only close that gap so much. Honey and Clover shows how individuals both talented and ordinary think about this fact, and the problems that come with being on either side of the spectrum. Through the relationships of Takemoto, Hagu, Professor, and Shinobu, aspects such as expectations, guidance, free will, and desires are all laid out and explored.

The art was very simple and easygoing on the eyes. There is no flashy animation, just very basic yet powerful scenes and warm colors. The music complemented the mood being presented in each scene and was never out of place. There were lively pieces to accompany merry times and happy days, and somber tones to accentuate tension and dramatic moments.

Honey and Clover gives us a fresh perspective of the slice of life genre. Through mellow and slow-paced storytelling, the tale of this group of college students comes to life, and will make you feel as if you're living right alongside them. For those who tire of conventional slice of life romantic comedies with little to no substance, Honey and Clover might just be right for you.

Wow. Honey and Clover is a somewhat long series (considering it has two series), and watching all of it is definitely time-consuming, but I guarantee that it will be worth it.

Story: 9/10. I can definitely say, without a doubt, that this is the most inspirational and moving anime I've ever seen. At times, there is that typical shoujo-romance thing going on, but other than that, everything else is just too amazing for words. Also, the story is a bit plain at times, but I loved it nonetheless. It's very unique in its own ways -- the way it creates dramas, the way the ... relationships work all fit perfectly well into the storyline. It had a very calm atmosphere, yet there was enough drama to keep you watching. I love it. I couldn't ask for it any other way. :)

Art: 10/10. I thought the OP and ED were done well, the characters were drawn cutely, and the animation was good. :) No complaints here. I love the very soft atmosphere the animation gave me. It was soft and warm feeling.

Sound: 10/10. I listened to the soundtrack and I have to say I am IN LOVE with it! The music is probably one of the best features of this show. The calm relaxing acoustic music blended very well with the relaxing scenes. Suga Shikao's music felt right at home.

Character: 10/10. I thought each character in the story was unique in their own way and were all well-developed. I loved Hagu's shyness, Shuuji's parent-like personality, Takumi's maturity and understanding, Morita's crazy self, etc. I thought every personality was great and fit the characters in the story amazingly.

Enjoyment: 9/10. The story was great, everything was beautifully done, and this anime was definitely awe-inspiring for me. There were a lot of scenes that, after watching it, made me think about life. Definitely recommended for everyone to watch. I gave it a 9/10 because at parts, it was a bit slow, and I thought there were some parts that could have been more fast-paced.

Unrequited love. Wishing the person you love felt the same way about you. Falling for someone you know you can't have. Channeling your pain into art. The uncertainty of adult life. The pain and guilt you feel when someone has feelings for you that you just can't return.

At its core, this anime is about cherishing the good times with the people you love in the here and now, because someday they will be mere memories.

Honey and Clover is one of the most realistic portrayals of relationships I have seen in an anime. The main characters are all young adults, trying to figure out ... their places in life and navigate their confusing romantic feelings.

There are hard lessons to be learned here, but necessary ones. Sometimes, no matter how much we love someone, it's just not enough, and it never will be. But even if our feelings aren't returned, that doesn't mean the love wasn't there in the first place. Sometimes we don't realize how much we love someone until we are faced with the realization that someone else wants them. Sometimes we know we shouldn't love someone because they are incompatible with us, or don't return our feelings, but we chase those feelings anyway. We try to cut the feelings away but find that they persist.

Honey and Clover captures these human experiences poignantly and delicately. Sometimes the most memorable loves are the ones that live in our minds. Sometimes our greatest loves just aren't meant to be. And sometimes the people who touch our hearts the most are in our lives for just a short period of time, but those memories live on forever.

In life, there’s always moments of happiness. Happiness, in general, can be achieved quite easily; receiving an unexpected gift, having great success in your career, and most especially, falling in love. But have we once thought that every time happiness comes our way, there will always be someone around us that will be on the opposite side of the coin? Failure comes with success, bitterness come with love. These are bundled facts in life that no human being is immune to. In my first review, I’ll be talking about Hachimitsu to Clover or Honey and Clover. A series that tells the story about a group ... of people that tasted both success and failure in life. Honey and Clover. What an ironic title for a show that gives off both happiness and bitterness.

Story:
Talking about the “main” story is hard because every main character have different goals and aspirations. Takemoto and his continuous journey to find himself, Morita and his path to revenge, Hagu and her desire in becoming a great artist, & Mayama and Yamada in their pursuit for the love of the ones they love *smirk*. These stories are all really interesting because they are so realistic. It tells the viewers throughout the series that not all things in life go how they want it to be. The sad reality that there will always be someone better than you, and that love can sometimes be one-sided. However, in spite of the “negative” side of the show, there’s this mysterious magic that appears almost after each depressing scenes. It feels like a figurative pinch in the heart. As I’ve said, a beautiful tale of happiness and sadness. You will feel happy and sad at the same time while holding back tears of... I don’t even know. There’s one time I felt sad and happy at the same time so it’s really difficult to describe the right feeling. A really good show if you want to feed birds at a park while feeling empty inside. Not a bad price to pay for an amazingly good show.

Characters:
Because there are many main characters in the series, I will avoid talking about a specific character in general. So, yeah, I’ll start.
In spite of my continuous bitching about the show’s sometimes depressing atmosphere, it might be hard to believe that every character in this series also have a fun and fluffy side to them as well. Every character might (and WILL) send tears running down your cheeks, but always remember that these tears are not limited to only the emotional moments, they can also make you cry out tears of joy (A little bit of an overstatement, but you know what I mean) with all the really funny comedy. Some might love them, some may not, but you will surely get attached to them in just a couple of episodes throughout their long journey.

Animation:
The animation for both series of Honey and Clover was done by J.C. Staff, famous for works such as Ano Natsu de Matteru, Golden Time, Nodame Cantabile, and my all time favorite anime: Eiken. The animation for this show is pretty standard compared to most of their show but that’s understandable because not much special effect is used. It’s a simple slife (slice of life) romance show. It doesn’t have bombastic scenes like Shana’s flames (Random tangent. J.C. Staff’s fire is probably the sexiest fire in current time. If KyoAni made water look sexy, J.C.’s selling point is fire. *points to Shana, Index, and Witch Craft Works*) or Nodame’s 3D orchestration so it’s pretty simple, though, not bad. I kinda hated the character designs but that’s a personal thing. It feels a little too shoujo/jousei-ish for my taste but its fine. As my policy goes, Even if the animation/character designs are bad, if the story is good, I’ll watch it. So, yeah, cool.

Sound:
I don’t think I should be reviewing this section because personally, I don’t have confidence in my taste in music. I like music, but I don’t think I’m a good judge in this field. So, don’t hold it against me if my opinion in music is that bad. Now that’s out of the way, maestro, music!
Since I rarely listen to whole anime soundtrack, I’ll bring this down on the actual music that was used in the show. I’ll start with the OPs. OP 1 was really amazing. Nakushita yakusoku wa hoshi…. Enough on my weeabo karaoke. lol. Anyway, that OP was really good not only because of the music but also because of the visuals. What a really fun foodporn. I never once skipped that OP which made me sad once it got replaced. I wish the OP stayed the same throughout the whole series. You know, like what they did with Log Horizon 2’s OP; new foodporn but same music. In regards to the music used on the show, I can’t quite remember it except the mellow piano version of the OP during emotional moments, then that wacky party like tune used during funny moments. Those ones were really well used. Though repetitive, it fits the moment perfectly and adds to the overall feel of the show. And allow me to make a confession, I rarely watch EDs (I watch a show’s ED once then that’s it). With that said, I don’t really have anything to say with the ED since I don’t remember it, I just remember a Ferris wheel and that’s it. lol. In regards to the dub in both sides, I haven’t seen the English dub yet so I’ll limit this in the japo dub side. Since I can’t understand much Japanese, I’d probably say it’s a good dub. Hiroshi Kamiya, one of my favorite seiyuu played as Takemoto. Kamiya always has this weird accent but in Honey and Clover he used the dialect from Osaka and it was just amazing.

Verdict:
Now, after pulling random numbers out of my ass (8.6 for story, 8.4 for characters, 7.3 for animation, 8.2 for music, and 9 for overall enjoyment), I’ll gladly give Honey and Clover with an overall score of [b]8.3[/b]. Honey and Clover is a show that really excels in making you feel like crap in the rain, but tells you that once the rain stopped, you’ll be mixed in the water, evaporate, become rain, fall in a river, then be made as a drinkable water (What the fuck did I just made up?). Uhhhh, If I somewhat gave you a trauma because of that scenario, feel free to kill me in my sleep. Anyway, back on topic. Yeah, Honey and Clover is an amazing show, if you haven’t seen it yet, you have my full-blown recommendation. Go on, watch it, but just be warned of the void in your heart that will come once you finish it.

Alternate Anime Recommendation:
For alternate anime recommendation, why don’t you try Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo? Both shows are pretty similar in the “You’re shit. You have no talent. Go die in a fire.” section. Though, slight spoiler, Sakurasou has too many depressing moment. If Honey and Clover pinches your heart, Sakurasou will stab your heart. Both have pretty decent comedy too. The romance in both series is really unsatisfying but cute. And they’re both made by J.C. Staff too.

You can also try Nagi no Asukara if you want too. Though not as depressing as Honey and Clover, Nagi no Asukara have some rather sad moments as well that might make you shed a tear. Another important thing to point out is that both series have love n-gons (not just triangles. Not just squares. They have too many to even count) that went completely nowhere.

Well, that’s it for me, thanks if you read all of that. I might do this again if I have the chance to. If you like it, feel free to send me a PM if you want me to review other shows. I’ll see you (whoever’s reading this) around. Bye-nara!

I first picked up Honey and Clover one school break during my college days, during the days when all I can think about is friendship/love/pressure to succeed/family woes, and then I found an image of myself in the story. This is how Honey and Clover succeeds to become a heart-warming slice of life series, I think it gave me a glimmer of hope despite the fleeting nature of youth, HnC assures me that you can make wonderful memories even when youth is long gone.

The pace of HnC is slow, but relaxing. It is animation in poetry form, the details and soft colours paint a character's ... mood or scenario and the feelings slowly flood your senses. Then there is the calming voice of Takemoto speaking in the background and his narration becomes the frame of the painting, piecing everything together. Beautiful and carefully hand-picked soundtracks by the mangaka herself are laced into the anime and I believe the songs were chosen for their lyrics which never fail to reflect the innermost emotions the featured characters are going through that moment in time. Just with these few elements, I'm constantly amazed and blown away by the anime.

But the story is what keeps you on your toes, despite the slower pacing, the twists and circumstances of every character captures you and sometimes what they experience is an incident I can relate to and I find myself cheering/crying for the character. Humour is often used to balance the mood, just the way we would in real life, and some the characters will send you in tears, while laughing. Because...

The characters in the story are so diverse and well-developed you will love them all, if not you'd love at least a few of them. There is the timid but talented Hagu-chan who conquers her lack of courage through her emotive paintings, nice guy Takemoto is a good friend to all but lonely at times when his willpower is shaken, Morita is a crazy blitz you can't help laughing at but his mysterious nature also pulls you in, Mayama the big brother torn between woes of loving and being loved, Yamada the naive girl who is crazy for Mayama and constantly has her heart broken, and of course Shu-chan the caretaker who watches over the group and sometimes nostalgia creeps up to him and he find himself missing his good friends from college. These are the primary characters, but revolving each of them are many more characters so different and colourful, you may just feel something familiar with any one of them too.

I'm not gonna lie, Honey and Clover remains one of my favourite series in print and motion form, and I've lost count of the number of times I re-watched the series so I may sound like one of those fans who will protect the series at all cost. However, while some may love the action-packed theme anime series out there, I believe some of us are also searching for that one anime that speaks to our inner emotions. When I re-watch HnC now, long past those youthful college days, whatever I have felt years ago while watching the series I can still feel them strongly if not even more strongly than before. It is a timeless art piece in the anime genre and as it sums up in one of my favourite quote from the series -

“As time passes, the day will come when everything will fade to memories. But those miraculous days, when you and I, along with everyone else, searched together for just that one thing, will continue revolving forever somewhere deep in my heart, as my bittersweet memory.”

The key to happiness is something we humans long to find in our short time in this earth. It's something that can't be seen nor touched, but we want to find it. A way we find this key is to go through our lives searching it, but like a four-leaved clover, it takes some fumbling around the grass to find it. In Honey and Clover, our main characters do just that, fumbling around life to find that key to happiness while life keeps going forward, no matter if they find it or not.

While this is a story of not battles to save the world, ... nor about a meaningless crush on the transfer student, but a story about a battle, the battle we all have inside of us to find our what is truly our own unique meaning here in life and the love that while bittersweet, it taught us about love. This story is relateble to all of us as we follow a group of art college students going to life looking for their key to happiness and the battle that ranges inside us as we go through our lives looking for that key.

The art of the anime is very compatible to the story in more ways than your usual anime. While most anime has the normal bold look, this anime uses a watercolor look to it that makes it soft looking, which really goes with the flow of the anime, which is slow paced.

For the music, it uses mostly slow rock or some pop that really fits with the theme and flow of the story. It uses a lot of music, that ranges in types, from rock to jazz, but while it seems to be a lot, they all go with the story's flow.

Characters are a really important thing for any story, anime or manga. They are what projects the story's feeling and flow. If the characters don't show anything, it's just a boring book that doesn't capture our attention.Our main characters show a lot of significance to the story, because without them, Honey and Clover would not made any sense without their feelings to the story.
Mayama; playing the role of the cool, intelligent type. He’s always shown smoking and looking off into the distance, giving advice to the other characters,taking care of himself finacially. Of course he's not perfect, jokes are made throughout the anime about his stalker-like admiration for Rika. He’s a bit of both: on one hand, a calm and collected upperclassman, but on the other hand, obsessive and overprotective.
Ayumi; In the group, she's the motherly character, helping and caring for her friends. While she may look like a beautiful young woman, on the inside she's like a baby. Completely innocent, she continues to strive for a love that would never work out, but because she's hesitant to cut off that stem, she continues to hurt and not move on.
Hagu; while her character's look and act is interesting, her character begins to make a bit more sense when you think how she was brought up, and, more importantly, her love for art. Raised in a enclosed environment, she was always a distant child, it’s as if she lived in a completely different world, and didn't bother learning the basics of socializing. As a result of that, she looks like a child when compared to her classmates, and she needs someone like Shuu to take care of her like a father.
Morita; My god... this guy can bring comic relief in any situation. However, he also serves as an important part of the group, he's the glue to hold them all together. While he's the "idiot” type, he's surprisingly very mature and perspective. He’s a bit like Mayama, he helps the other characters out by giving advice and giving them the harsh reality at times.
Takemoto; the everyman character. An interesting guy because he was normal, but it was his ordinary, relatable personality that let his story made what Honey and Clover is. Even though he has no unique traits or abilities to drive him forward, he entered art school, but has no clue as to what he wants to do after he graduates. Because of this and other stress in his life, he built a massive tower, broke it down, and then ride half way across Japan and back.

The theme of “moving forward”;the flow of time, moving forward always. And the four leafed clover, representing the one “thing” that they were all searching for. In this case, that thing was something more important than a clover, like love, or happiness, but hard to find. Because we are all battling that battle and finding our clovers, it just a matter of falling on the grass and looking for our happiness.

I enjoyed this anime very much, it made me think about myself but also made me smile as I watched. I suggest this for all who want to enjoy themselves but also reflect on their lives.

Story: 10
Art:10
Sound:10
Character:10
Enjoyment: 10

OVERALL: 10

My favorite genre of anime has usually been either slice-of-life or romance. This is no exception. It is one of the best romance anime you’ll probably ever see. What makes it so good, is that all the human emotions in it… they seem so real.

Story

Love is the main part of the story. Any type, you name it: confused love, selfish love, unrequited love, and just plain love. This is such a dramatic anime, but what happens to the characters makes it very realistic. Frustrations of feeling alone, the pressure of everyone around you, the anxieties of where you’ll be in life, are all things the ... characters have to deal with as the progress through the story. It’s one of the sweetest romance stories I’ve come across, actually. There’s no fanservice, rarely a peverted thought. Only the heart-wrenching and bittersweet notion of love.

Art

The art, I thought was gorgeous. The animation went long so smoothly, and I loved the color choices, everything looked like watercolors. I also really liked the way the eyes looked, especially of Hagu. They were very pretty an dmade her look doll-like.

Sound

The sound was great. The ending and opening themes were nice, even though I liked the first ending better than the second ending. I still liked both. The background music was sweet-sounding, a lot of piano music was used of the opening.

Characters

The characters are all believable. I ended up disliking some and rooting for others (which is partly why the ending left me dissatisfied though it was predicable). Yamada’s unrequited love for Mayama was understandable, but irritating that he didn’t love her back. I realize you can’t force yourself to love someone. But maybe this is one of the realistic aspects; there are not always happy endings. Anyway, I liked most of the characters. Morita and Yamada were my favorites, I think. Morita is just so unique. It makes me wonder what goes on in his mind. As for Yamada, I felt sorry for her and I kept wanting her to end up with Mayama throughout the series, even though it was easy to see early on that it was sort of hopeless. Takemoto is basically the protagonist, since he narrates the most, even though the story doesn’t focus entirely on him.

Enjoyment

Okay, this took me a while to get through. I started it around in December and I’m just now finishing it in May. Still, just because I took it slowly doesn’t mean it was boring for me. I really did want to finish it, and I’m glad I did because it was a thoroughly enjoyable series.

Overall

This was a very great series, portraying realistic relationships between ultimately believable and likeable characters. I loved it.

This story tells us about the struggling of youth. Youth that supposed to be the best phase of human’s life turns out to be not so sweet. In this series we’ll see the character’s struggle to express their feeling, to find what they’re really want, to accept a bitter defeat, and face the ugly side of love.

While the common Shoujou animes are quietly predictable - the female leading star will get her dream, going out with the leading man, Hachikuro give a hard cold fact that you can’t always get what you want. Hachikuro’s target audience is the young female adults. The story it ... self makes us reflects on the life we lead in the real world.

Amazing story line, great characterization, beautiful visual and awesome awesome theme songs. Unpredictable ending. Even though the flow of story is rather constant and simple, but it didn’t make the audience bored. Hachikuro is the best shoujo anime I’ve ever seen.

(This is a review on the entire Honey and Clover franchise, including the OVAs)

Why is love so bittersweet?

Love, friendship, and jealousy: a simple love story that focuses on the growth and development of an individual from adolescence to adulthood. That is Honey and Clover in a nutshell. Honey and Clover revolves around the daily lives of five college students whose lives are changed when love gets in the way of their affairs. The story starts off, rather slow, with spontaneous comedic outbursts and a nonexistent plot. It is at this point where I wanted to drop it; however, once the fourth episode come around, the ... themes of this show become much more apparent, and toward the thirteenth episode of the first season, the comedy aspect of the show starts to fade, eventually taking a backseat in season two.

Honey and Clover truly is a slice of life show. It depicts the many hardships every person goes through as they grow up--lighthearted, funny, sentimental moments we want to treasure in our hearts forever, and the bitterness of unrequited love, jealousy, and betrayal, that we try so hard to forget. These conflicts give a sharp, yet pragmatic tone that resonates deep in the viewers' hearts.

In today's industry, shows usually rely on useless plot devices to move along the story. This is not the case in Honey and Clover. During each episode, the writer effortlessly tells a tale that is loosely held together by the romance each character wants in their lives. We see each character grapple with love, dreams, and friendship. We see their internal struggles presented to us through raw emotion, which in turn invokes nostalgic memories from the viewer of their childhood days when things were considered brighter and more colorful. The characters in Honey and Clover in one word can be best described as diverse. Honey and Clover decided to do away with the common character archetypes and instead deliver a cast that is realistically simple and relatable.

The music and animation productions in this show is top notch, which is to be expected for a show that revolves around the arts. My favorite soundtracks from this show included a few of the insert songs found through the course of the show, Yamanai Ame, and the opening and ending tracks from both seasons.

If you are looking for a down-to-earth slice of life show, look no further. Honey and Clover is one of the best shows in its genre. It is a show that brilliantly captures human emotion and adversity. It is, without a doubt, one of the best you will ever find.

Ill try to make this review short and straight to the point.
The story is simple, yet it allows for amazing develop. It has a great balance between comedy and drama, i found myself laughing at one moment then crying the next. As for the characters, they are some of the most memorable characters in the anime. It is almost impossible not to relate or sympathize with the characters. They each have their own flaws, their own motives and a very realistic personality. In short the characters were three-dimensional. As for the art, it was calming and serene and fit the mood and atmosphere of the ... show perfectly. The OST was good, but sadly nothing stood out. Though the opening video is one of the most unique and creative opening I've ever seen. Overall, i didn't enjoy this show, i loved it-i fell heads over heels for it. Only a few animes left me begging for more, the characters and their interactions, truly unforgettable.

Now time to talk about why u may not like it, AT FIRST.
As stated previously the plot is simple, don't expect much. Some people may find it extremely boring at first, but bare with it, as the characters will soon draw u into the show and completely immerse you into their world. Finally, Hagu. Yes shes ludicrously short, but aren't there short people in the real world too, so why can't there be one in anime? Also, whats wrong with her being the main character's love interest. She's still a human, and a very cute and talented one. Her looks, first drew Takemoto in. She was unlike anything he'd ever seen and every human to some degree is interested in something new. Finally, her talent was revealed and bam Takemoto fell in love. Takemoto, as shown later in the show, is someone lost, unable to determine what to do in the future, but as for Hagu she already knows. It is because of Hagu's talent and preparedness, that caused Takemoto and Morita to become infatuated and enamored with her (morita's side story is told during the second season). She was Takemoto's inspiration and in Takemoto's eyes a person to look up to and thus Hagu was someone he had to hold close in his life. As for Hagu's behavior early in the show, simply put she's awkward around people. Luckily she begins to feel more comfortable around the rest of the characters and, and becomes a "normal" character.

In conclusion, Honey and clover is definitely a 10/10. with flaws too small to notice and a cast as memorable as your first anime.

Minor spoilers for honey and clover, so be warned.

After the personal turmoil of an experience that was watching 3-gatsu no lion, I found myself needing more. As I have stated on another review, that you can look for, if you are interest for more in-depth thoughts, 3-gatsu has managed to become one of my favorite pieces of fictions. So it is only natural, that after that I would be looking for the authors other works, at worst to see how she has evolved as writer, at best to get a close experience. On that note, there was another highly regarded work from author umino chika, ... and the purpose of this review is to discuss it, honey and clover, and to make some assessments on her general writing style, by comparing it with her later work. Does it hold up to the lofty expectations I created for her, is it able to fulfill my dose of her endless sentimental style of storytelling, at least until her other work, becomes my favorite anime from 2018?

Youth, the age of the rose colored spring of life. That magic time where everything seemed possible and achievable. I am sure you have heard all this idealistic bullshit about the period, but maybe it sounds like that, when you are way older. This is show is basically a very earnest and heartfelt representation of this age. In here we see the coming of age of our 5 main characters, all offering their own unique spin and personal perspective on the topic. One aspect that helps to sell this portrayal is the setting where this takes in, not some high school but a freaking college. Yes, you heard it right, this does not take place in a generic high school as every school comedy ever, but instead in an art college to be more specific. This is important not only because this is the time period I am current living in, so the image of a bunch of broken young adults living together, and doing their best with limited money is immensely relatable to me, believe me it is. But it also adds so much to the story. There is the sense of urgency and importance to the characters conflicts you can only find it in this setting, acts like choosing a career and joining the workforce are right around the corner for this characters, which are life changing moments and decisions. It is a time of change, you can have to go to another town to get the college, find yourself living with completely new people, maybe even sustaining yourself, having lots of different and more serious concerns. It is no wonder that change is such a big issue for the characters themselves. And the show really commits to this representation of the period, there is such an immense degree of situations and emotions being presented, the search for meaning and direction in life, the friendships, the romance, the rejections, the insecurity, the separations, reencounters. And guess what they sell it hard on every emotion, the character’s interactions are so honest and endearing that the viewer itself starts seeing them as their friends and loves just to see them hang out together, it evokes the same feeling of having this unique and special group of friends. It may be melodramatic and annoying but those sure are valid and important feeling, we all felt at the time, we all though what we were going through, was the most important and serious thing ever. The variety in situations is also important, there is something for everyone to relate here, be it Takemoto aimlessness and search for a path in life, morita inability to let go of his past and connect with others, yamada failings in here romantic connections, Hagu trauma for her abuse as a child and how that affects her. There is something for everyone to grab that can relate and resonates deeply with their own experiences (which is kind of one of my main negative points). Not only our main characters add a lot to this, seeing the secondary character’s perspective can also be very enlightening. There is a duo of old teachers that observe Takemoto, to him the work he was making was a pointless and worthless representation of his lack of purpose in life. They themselves recognize it as such, and they love it for that, it leads them to the memories of their own younger selves, as they were dealing with the time, it might seem like though worthless period at the time but it is very precious to them as they grow older, they feel very nostalgic about it. Another aspect is how most older characters’ act, like nomiya and hanamoto, it is their older age and experience that leads them to be better at dealing with their issues and emotions that weight our mains, to the point they usually act for emotional support to them.

You know, many would think I am being facetious when saying that clover takes place at a time of grandiose changes in our characters’ lives, because pretty much nothing really changes that much since the start of this anime. The passage of time is acknowledging sure, days, months seasons and even years pass by, this story takes places during several years of our character’s lives. But the main core and dynamic of our main characters, their struggles and most of the background characters, still remains relatively unchanged by this story course. I have two ideas of why that is the case, one is that this is just laziness of the author, trying to keep the status quo, just to keep the story going as much as possible. But I still believe those are methodically planned and used to portray what I really believe is the main idea brought forward in this story. The main motifs this show used are the Ferris wheel, the main oppressive imaginery that seems to inhabit a lot of our characters imagenery, and the bicycle, (also that spinning cuck marker that I have no idea what it is) that is not only Takemoto means of escape, it is also an object that dominates his thoughts. Both of those show circular imagenery that points out to the cyclic nature of life, this show is portraying. No matter how much our characters struggle they also end up at approximately the same place, all in a never ending cycle, with only the feeling of regret for not accomplishing what they desire, at the end of the line. Takemoto is probably the biggest case for this, his literal journey is not only of searching for his true self as the characters in the show point out, by seeing how far he can go he wants to break this cycle, what path and decision in life he can do to actually make the change he want to make in the world, (his confession, finding a job) actually happen and getting rid of the uncertainty, his future has. Changing yourself in clover is not impossible though, both Takemoto and mayama have remarkable aspects of that, and this ties back to the topic of growing up. Mayama’s case is also really interesting, the guy at the start of the series is obsessed with the appearance of maturity, smoking, drinking being kind of reliable to his friends, just looking cool. He believes this is a sign of growing up, he will impress rika, the more mature woman he is in love with that, his insecurity holding him back to actually get closer to her. When he acknowledges the flaws in himself, and starts doing the best he can for her, regardless of any appearances, regardless of how pathetic he may end up looking in her eyes, Mayama finally gets it, he matures a little and finally starts breaking the cycle he is in. Takemoto also grows as a person, he finally stops worrying about grandiose questions like the meaning of life, no one is able to give him answers, he found the value of those around him, and can support the uncertainty of his future by sharing it with others. Not really related, but I wanted to say I love the idea of how hollow he feels being represented by this monotone noise he hears at his home, I swear I have felt the exact same thing, in regards to the noise my refrigerator makes. Facing change is frightening, you never know where it can lead, or how you will end in the process, it is something difficult to put forward, maybe as much as growing up, but finally acknowledging and making those things you so dearly desired happen is definitely worth it. Takemoto still got a sense of satisfaction out of his acts, despite the fact he really got rejected in the end, he made something great, and was proud of it regardless. This a stance and idea, I would love to be able to do myself, in my own life.

I do intend to use umino Chika (thanks for being alive and working btw) newer product, 3-gatsu, to shed some light into my bigger issues with this anime. While both were very similar in tone, the signatures of heavy handed sentimentality, the abrupt tone shifts, she is probably the only author, that blends so perfectly moments where I am close to tears, and moments where I am laughing my ass of, in a single episode. Like really both in 3-gatsu and in clover, chika is great at writing comedy. Never the comedy feels out of place, intrusive to the drama, or even downright insulting, like in shows like shitgatsu. And I just love how not mean spirited it is always, this sensation of this loveable characters teasing each other is just so heartwarming and perfect, I was sad to see this aspect take a back seat latter in the show. The variety in tones, and how perfectly she captures each one them is one of her greatest strengths as a writer, she is just so great at creating pathos and making it feel earned out of the most mundane situations. This is also complemented in clover by the usage of music, which was crucial for this anime. Half of what made most of the better moments in the anime work so well, was the complement of an atmospheric, and compelling soundtrack, some of the tracks in this conveyed the feeling of scenes, with the music alone. The decision of having dialogue and plot take a backset, for more atmospheric scenes, where the tracks would be the focus really paid off, making for some of the memorable and intense moments in this anime. Clover has one of my favorite soundtracks in anime, heck I could keep listening to it all day. But 3-gatsu no lion has a way narrower focus, it is first and foremost rei’s story, while clover shifts perspective between our 5 different main characters. And really the scope of themes clover has going for it is also way larger, there is an infinitude of themes with lots of characters adding their own little perspective to the mix, excluding sexuality, that is taboo in this show. But you know what, that variety usually does not work to the shows advantage, most of the themes and ideas being thrown around are not being explored in meaningful ways. Like for example, there is a segment when they go about, the feelings of loneness Takemoto is having, what comes out of it? A poetic monologue about how this is something everyone feels at certain moments in their lives, always coming and going, that is it. No insight or exploration of such a serious and important aspect of life. Ideas like these are being thrown around constantly, and not much of them gets the attention they deserve. This theme exploration is not entirely bad on itself, if anyone that is passing through those periods of life, can get one or two little insights about a personally important topic, but it still pales in comparison to 3-gatsu, which has a way more focused storyline and fully develops most themes it brings forward. Compared to 3-gatsu shows rei loneness, and how much it adds to the story and is explored, it also helps that 3-gatsu is way subtler about its set of themes, clover sometimes has those mentor older characters, explain the whole point the author is trying to make in length, which makes me think I am watching oregairu again. And that is never a good thing. Also this taking place in an art project, but rarely ever focusing on the creative process, value of art, or the mindset of artists is really a missed opportunity. Yes, I in general prefer 3-gatsu to clover, and maybe it all comes to me being kind of similar to rei as a person, only once before have I seen such a relatable character, that was a haunting and beautiful representation of what I was feeling at the moment, but I do find it have greater value and storytelling overall.

So would I recommend this show? Absolutely yes. If you are looking for a more mundane and heartwarming take on teenage life, especially if you are going through this period yourself, this is the anime for you. I am surprised this is in fact not loved for more people, it manages to portray so beautifully this turmoil of emotions, that make up a big part of our lives, with good character writing, and lots of important and resonating life lessons. I would really expect this to be even life changing for some. It may not be the perfect masterpiece, I found Umino Chika younger work to be, and this season may only conclude one-character arc, so not sure if the next season finishes the story, but I hardly found it to be unsatisfying as an ending. Clover is a wonderful journey; I will remember fondly for a long time. Also God bless Umino Chika now officially my new favorite mangaka. May she keep blessing us, with those amazing manga (which I have not seen any, just watched anime adaptations), that make me feel so happy, fulfilled and motivated, which will always be a safe heaven, and stop point, when I feel reality becomes a little too hard to handle. Thank you so much.

"Where am I going?"
"Am I truly content with the way things are? "
"Is this really what I want?"

Those type of questions are probably not so unfamiliar to most of us. Perhaps even some of us dread having those lingering thoughts in the back of our heads. But what if we could get insight from someone that dealt with life's hardships?

That's where Honey and Clover comes in and thats also why I believe it's not something everyone will appreciate. The series talks about the lifes and problems of a group of five art students connected with ... each other either by friendship or stronger feelings. The series presents our protagonists with various real life problems and gives us the viewers, a chance to see how different people with different personalities and experience handle what life throws at them.
To be honest in the time I was watching Honey and Clover I myself struggled with those kind of problems. "Is this really what I want?" "Is this the way for me?" were also the questions I frequently asked myself . That type of familliarity is what I believe will make some viewers treat this series as something more than it appears on the surface.

The plot is not something convoluted nor is it presented in a flashy way and that's part of the charm. Nothing feels forced, nothing is presented for the sake of extorting certain feelings. Instead it tries to show us how people are shaped and changed through life and both hard and happy times.
But don't be discuraged, even though it tries to deal with some serious questions it does not shy away of hitting us with a real curveball of hillarious, comedic moments. Because that how life is and thats the lesson from this anime. Not everything is bleak and not everything is sunshine. Life goes onward and so do we built by our experience, connections, memories of our friends and times we had together.

J.C staff managed to find the sweet spot with visuals and sounds. Rather than one standing before the other they really complement each other. Soft, tonned visuals are perfectly accented with the soundtrack. Comedic moments have perfectly catchy and upbeat music while the more dramatic, reflective moments are presented by a slow, calm melody. Voice acting is really well done and fits the characters quite nicely (which is a common thing with how serious Japan treats the seiyuu job) so no nitpicking here.

The cast is a mixture of personalities. We have the calm collected Takumi Mayama who tries to act as a senior to his peers. Shinobu Morita a mysterious and quriky character who is the source of most of the show's gags. Yuuta Takemoto a shy and mellow person who struggles the most in finding what is his direction in life.
Ayumi Yamada with a caring personality and strong feelings for Mayama. Finally Hagumi Hanamoto an extremely gifted artist with an apperance (and quite often disposition) of a small child.

Overall, Honey and Clover is a wonderfull show with a dual nature. Some will find it nice, calm, funny and moving show whilst other may find the push they needed to ask those tough life questions . Nevertheless no matter the mindset you have before viewing you can be sure that this is a show that make you both make you laugh at the hillarious antics of art students or move you at the adversity life throws at them. And if you dear audience find yourselves at life's crossroads remember one thing from the show and that is that the wheel of life is ever-turning and even though times may seem tough, we must always find a way to move forward and not dwell on our past but make it a part of what made us the people we are now.

Honey and clover is one of those underrated anime that deserved way more attention :3

Story – 9
This is a josei so you won’t get the typical institute romance-comedy thing, thanks good cuz romance is not like that at all, and that’s why I love this series so much, the mature perspective of love and human relationship in general… Also characters are into pursuing their goals that romance is a big thing but not the only one. Honey & Clover is a Slice of life, however is so real and complex like life itself , you will get comedy, love, drama but in perfects ... amounts.

Art – 8
The drawing is not the best part of the show however you get used to the style very fast and the animation won’t matter, the story and characters are the important parts of this anime.

Sound – 9
Love the soundtrack, the sad parts are always improve by the nice songs :´)
The OP and Ed are so good that you won’t forget them that easily.

Character – 10
This is in fact the best part of the show, I don’t recall to many animes were you get this emotional deep connection with the characters, or a show where all the characters are unique and especial, most of time are the leads and that’s all, but not here, all of them are especial and complex not like nowadays one dimensional characters.
Pd: Morita – sempai I love you <3

Enjoyment – 10
I have a blast with this anime, the funny parts always make me laugh so hard, the dramatic parts touch me in that emotional level that sometimes cry T.T

Overall - 9
This anime is a must watch!