Hanasaku Iroha [up to ep9]

This season, I'm watching two anime, Hanasaku Iroha and Steins Gate. Before I blogged about the later, let's go for Hanasaku first. First impression, great anime! And till now, I still enjoy it very much. The genre is slice of life, drama and bit of humor.

The story basically is about Ohana who has an unbelievable mother (why I say that...read on) who left her with the grandmother when her bf goes into debt. Pretty much irresponsible, and that sums up her mother. So Ohana has no choice but to move to the countryside and lives with the grandma she has never seen before, as you would have guessed by now, the mother eloped from home.

Her grandma runs an inn and if you ask me, that's one pretty huge inn up on the hill. However, contrary to what Ohana expected (good life and all), she is forced to work together with the rest of the helpers at the inn and shall be given salary like the rest. Thankfully, she makes friends with two girls with the same age, although Minko is a bit hostile towards her, while Nako extremely shy compared to the loud and outgoing Ohana.

Ohana with her best friend

 The first encounter with Minko is hilarious. Such bad first impression has already begun once Ohana accidently mistook the grasses in front of the lawn as weed and tries to pull them off. And hence, Minko's first words to her was "Die!" ...yes, Minko is very very sharp in her words.

 

I can say that I'm very much always looking forward to both of their bickering moments. Throughout the show, Minko keeps her in a distance and always getting frustrated of Ohana, despite how much Ohana tried to make up for her mistakes, most of which, out of kindness trying to patch things up with her. I think both of these characters' interaction is among the best in this anime.

Of course, there's always a WTF moments...lol

Some parts which I think is a bit over the top is this particular scene where one of their customers, an aspiring author who turns out to be otherwise, ties Ohana up in order to sample his methods in the novel. (god know what O_O) but there's some yuri moments as well, all written and imagined by the so called author (in debt). 

as imagined by the pervert

Lol at these scenes...

what is this? The posture of that guy sends across some wrong message  xD Even though it's a very much needed scene because Ohana is beating the crap out of him to make him get over his incompetence.

 

 Some other scheme thought up by the uncle gone wrong...wearing sexy kimonos imo can definitely bring in more customers but it can also send wrong ideas to people. Good laughs though, this episode.

Another episode I thoroughly enjoyed is this particular segment about the older waitress who envies the young ones for being carefree and able to do things her age can't anymore. I think she's just paranoid for being a hopeless single. Then again, a lot of people are. Funny moments one by one as she tries to come up with ideas on how to get fired and resort to arranged marriage.

Another worth watching episode is the one where Minko mistaken that Tohru is quitting his job at the inn and moving to another more renowned one located at the same area. What's more interesting is the fact how one's thoughtless assumption can build up such idea, convincing the rest that he's really moving away. We know from first few episodes Minko likes Tohru, so as usual, Ohana tries to find Tohru back. That episode is good.

 I like the illustration of the anime, both background and character designs are great. It somehow reminds me of K-ON!, similar designs and colour, very vibrant and not dull. But comic expressions are rather minimal, as compared to K-ON!, but still pretty good. I just like how it deals with everyday events, rather than a static theme and it gives space for character development too! Some anime don't do that and in the end you only get to see the main ones grow, but not the supporting roles.