Honoka-chan hardly got any screentime or development in Ep 20 and 21 so I’ll just skip over them. In Ep 22, it seemed that Honoka-chan regressed rather than progressed, stuttering again during the track meet when she tried to make small talk with Yamato though her diagnosis of Yamato being far away was spot on.
The most intriguing thing for me in Ep 23 was actually if Miki was hitting on Yamato (when talking about her baton-pass training to the ex-captain) and was she jealous when talking to Yamato about his ambition to be No.1!? After being summoned by Honoka, Nana gives our favourite miko some good advice: Forget about Yamato. The most appropriate (Chinese) song that she could dedicated to Honoka would be Fish Leong’s Happy Breakup (though the Honoka of the Very Secret Diary universe might mishear a crucial line - a pun on “cold breeze” and “cool breeze”, the latter being Suzuka’s name):
梁静如 ~分手快乐~
Stanza 1
我无法帮你预言 委曲求全有没有用
可是我多麼不舍 朋友爱的那么苦痛
爱可以不问对错 至少要喜悦感动
如果他总为别人撑伞
你何苦非为他等在雨中Stanza 2
泡咖啡让你暖手 想挡挡你心口里的风
你却想上街走走 [ 吹吹冷风会清醒的多/杀了凉风会安心的多]
你说你不怕分手 只有一点遗憾难过
情人节就要来了 剩自己一个
其实爱对了人 情人节每天都过Chorus
分手快乐 祝你快乐 你可以找到更好的
不想过冬 厌倦沉重 就飞去热带的岛屿游泳
分手快乐 请你快乐 挥别错的才能和对的相逢
离开旧爱 像坐慢车 看透彻了心就会是晴朗的
没人能把谁的幸福没收 你发誓你会活的有笑容Repeat Stanza 2
Repeat Chorus你自信时候真的美多了。
And for the benefit of the non-Chinese-reading readers of this blog, here’s my craptastic attempt at a translation:
Fish Leong (Liang Jingru) ~ Happy Breakup ~
Stanza 1
I can’t help you predict If wishing for fulfillment will be any good
But I can’t bear watching a friend love with such bitter pain
There’s no right or wrong in love But at least one should be moved by happiness
If he is always sheltering another with his umbrella
Why should you wait for him [drenched] in the rainStanza 2
Making a cup of coffee warms your hands Keeping out [thoughts of?] the cold in your heart (chest cavity?)
Yet you want to take a walk [To feel refreshed by the cool breeze / To feel relieved by killing Suzuka ]
You say you’re not afraid of breaking up Just feel a bit of regret and unhappiness
Valentine’s Day is coming Left by oneself alone
Actually when you love the right person every day is Valentine’s DayChorus
Happy Breakup I wish you happiness You can find a better partner
Not wishing to pass the winter (hibenate?) Heavy with weariness So fly to a tropical island to swim
Happy Breakup I wish you happiness [You need to] Wave goodbye to the wrong in order to meet the new
Leaving behind old love Like taking the slow train Seeing through it all and feeling lighthearted
No one can confiscate another’s happiness You swear you will live with a smileRepeat Stanza 2
Repeat ChorusThe confident you is much more beautiful.
Sometimes if I wonder if the real stars of the show should be the advisors / wingmen (Miki, Yasunobu and Nana) rather than the love triangle trio. ~_~
yamato is a complete idiot. to forgo a meaningful relationship with a BEAUTIFUL miko in order to pursue a relationship with an ice queen like suzuka… i mean, you’d have to be a total dumbass to do something like that. even still, i pray for suzuka’s painful death so that honoka can be with yamato like she wants.
For me personally, Honoka was always more attractive than the nerve-wracking Suzuka, wonderful as she is. And in chapter 85 of the manga (after the end of the anime), another very attractive girl appears: Yui. As for the wingmen being the real stars, I can accept that for Miki and Nana, but I absolutely loathe Yasunobu. His low macho suggestions cause many of Yamato’s worst misakes.
It’s interesting how they picture Miki, isn’t it? I really really enjoy her character, quite a bit ^_^
My verdict would be that she doesn’t have a “crush” on Yamato, but she’s susceptible to him. If he wasn’t “taken”, she would be interested. And with Yamato’s open way to deal with her, her “soft spot” for him is poked again and again.
In a later part of the story (which we won’t see in the anime, so I feel I can vaguely spoil it), Yamato tries to “practice” calling people by their first names. And again, poor Miki is the guinea pig, when he asks her with a very serious and grave facial expression if she would be okay if he would continue to call her Miki from now on. Never was Miki’s reaction cuter than there, and her later punishment for him more well-deserved ;)
I was surprised (and a bit disappointed) to see that they removed a Honoka key scene. In the manga, Honoka visits Nana during a photo shoot, and she gets pressured into having a few joint shots of her and Nana. She’s too tense and embarrassed, but one picture taken of her without her knowledge will turn out to be very very successful.
We’re currently turning towards the (very good) final stretch. Especially episode 25 will be amazing. Let’s see how the Suzuka situation is resolved…
Do you know if the anime will cover all the story of the manga? or just a half like what happened in lot of animes?
Suzuka manga is over in Japan? or it still continues?
How many books are out? thanks :D
hashihime, are you THE hashihime who scanlated Kashimashi Vol.1? Really appreciate that wonderful scanlation!
Mentar, I see why you’re a Miki fan - she really grows on you. Also she’s drawn really sexily - courtesy of the manga comparisons on your blog. I actually rather like her voice in the anime as well, think it conveys her unpretentious character really well. Many thanks for telling me about the photo shoot scene. Pity that it was left out because Honoka fans like myself would love that.
flame, the anime will certainly not cover all of the manga’s story. No news on whether there will be a sequel anime series either. Manga in Japan is not over yet - currently on Ch 89 I think. Check out tokyotosho and manganews.net
When is Yamato gonna figure out that Suzuka is a hard ass and doesn’t have those types of feelings that Yamato has! She is only using him as a substitute for her late great sempai. He needs to open his eyes and see that there are girls all over him. Example Honoka and Miki they would jump on the chance to be with him. Then he doesn’t have to deal with Suzuka. But thats never gonna happen. The name of the anime is Suzuka for crying out loud!