[h]Ello
I recently saw this anime and I must tell you shoujoboy that your review is very good, It describe this anime well,
because my english is too bad I can't describe you my whole opinion, but I think you wrote something good and
interesting also... people may see this anime because of curious. Have a nice week
Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora ova Review
Story & Playability
Having a bad day? Wanna feel good in a few short hours? I have the solution to your daily woes; the answer is quite simple... Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (Hantsuki for short). Hantsuki is a six episode OVA feel good anime that will make you appreciate life and those around you that you hold dear to your heart. Hantsuki's entire story takes place in a hospital with two patients Yuichi Ezaki and Rika Akiba. Yuichi is hospitalized for Hepatatis and although he could be in for only a short while, likes to cause trouble by leaving his room at night and just being a mischievious teenager. One day while in his room, he notices from his window a new girl who has been admitted to the East wing. The nurse charged with keeping Yuichi in check, Akiko, tells him that he needs to try making friends with this girl. Yuichi goes to visit her only to find out that she seems to be quite the abrasive personality. She orders him around and seems quite demanding of a man she just met. After showing her that he cares, she finally tells him that she has a terminal disease and is pretty much just trying to get herself prepared mentally to die.
At this point it may almost seem like a bad soap opera, but it is quite well done. Of course things could never go so easy as Yuichi and Rika getting closer, her deciding to have the operation, living and everybody lives happily ever after. Throw in Rika's doctor, who has quite the chip on his shoulder (for reasons you'll need to watch to find out) and does everything he can to keep the two of them apart. This show will tug at your heartstrings and keep you interested to the very last moment. It's a hard show to watch sometimes simply because of the anticipation of what is to happen next, but it will make you feel great in the end.
Rating:
Graphics
Hantsuki's art overall is quite good. It isn't a huge animation production the likes of Gonzo, but it is on par with other WOWOW counterparts. Character designs are average on the whole. The protagonist is your usual run of the mill guy type. Regular hair, no distictive features at all. The doctor looks pretty much like any male doctor you've ever seen in anime. But where this show shines is the facial animations and the showing of emotion. This is quite evident in the face of Yuichi's nurse, Akiko. She uses the widest amount of emotional outbursts, from angry, to annoyed and all the way to light hearted. The majority of the characters have their own individiual personalities that are reflected quite well in the facial animations, which is something that keeps the viewer in tune with the overall emotion of the story. Also of note is the character design of Rika. She is a very cute girl, but does look as frail as she should for her part. She isn't particularly well kept, and she always looks frail even when she sneaks out of the hospital for one of her adventures with Yuichi.
Rating:
Sound
Music in Hantsuki is fairly few and far between. The opening and closing songs are 'Aoi Koufuku' and 'Kioku no Kakera' by Noboku. These songs feel a lot like songs done by 'The Indigo' of Ai Yori Aoshi fame. Very folk sounding songs and very fitting of the sentimental feel of the show. Aside from the opening and closing songs done, there really is very little in the way of background music. There is a song that sticks out towards the end that acts as one to pump up Yuichi as he makes his last desperate attempt at contacting Rika, that also puts the viewer quite well in the moment. But other than that, the show remains relatively silent, only vocals, which I honestly believe works for this type of atmosphere.
Voice acting was the shining point of Hantsuki. An entire range of emotions was portrayed quite accurately in such a short time. Rika's voice was always frail, subdued and mousey... unless of course she was having one of her stubborn moments. Yuichi was just a typical teenager with his defiant behavior and his gungho way of going about things, which was portrayed spot on. But by far the best vocal performance goes to Yuki Kodaira as the nurse Akiko. From the first scene she is on screen, she delivers the most convincing vocal performance. She is a rough around the edges, yet caring nurse with a crazy personality. She gets cocky, angry and just plain annoyed with Yuichi's antics and the vocals bring this out brilliantly.
Rating:
Fun
Hantsuki did it all right. Six episodes was just about the perfect number to accomplish what it did. There was no filler and it had a solid storyline that was extremely engrossing. From the first episode, the viewer is pulled into a world of a blossoming love between two people that could have never been under any other circumstance. There are teenage love animes everywhere, but very few actually make you feel good in the end that these two ended up by one another's side. Yuichi's willingness to love a girl with no guarantee of a tomorrow, and Rika's struggle to live just to stay next to a man whom she only recently met, is a heartwarming and life reaffirming story. There won't be a need to by the soundtrack; no need for the 1/8 PVC figures; and you won't have posters on your wall. What you will have is a warm feeling and a new appreciation for the sun that shines outside and the friends, family and loved ones you have surrounding you. When an anime can do that, does it really need anything else?
Rating:
Final Verdict
8.3333 (good)
Reviewed by shoujoboy, May 30, 2006
Comments
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Sabbathiel Jun 06, 2006
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Rosegirl18 Jul 08, 2006
Hanbun no -blahblah- Sora... I didn't really try watching this, but I might give this a try, from the points that you're describing. Especially good job at the Presentation section - it convinced me to watch it.
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shinLei May 29, 2010
that's really true... I really love this series... this anime make me wet my pillow by tears (TT__TT)...
oh, by the way... is anyone know where can I get the english translation light novel of this series?
please contact me at (zilla_project@live.com)..have a good day...
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