rosdrise ([personal profile] rosdrise) wrote2010-08-06 10:01 am

The goya is the key

While Hotaru no Hikari 2 isn't exactly catching the same magic as the original (not that I expected it too), it's still a lot of fun. Who can say no to more adventures with Ahomiya and Buchou? NO ONE.

That being said, episode 3 was fantastic and must be presented in picspam form.

We begin with our OTP going out to dinner with a woman from Buchou's past. In any other drama, our heroine would probably look on this woman as possible trouble (with good reasoning). Hotaru just kind of looks up to her and finds strength to take on her new task of "tolerance". Anyway, the owner of the restaurant, a kouhai of Buchou's, gives them a bunch of goya as a thank you for coming.

Turns out, Buchou hates goya and only ate it to go along with the flow of the evening. Hotaru comes clean that she too hates the bitter melon and only ate it because Buchou seemed to like it.






They take out their frustrations on the produce:





After that, Buchou's all "Nighty-night! :D" and Hotaru looks decidedly dejected. He asks what's wrong, but she says nothing and flees to her own room to mope.






The next morning Hotaru wakes up with an unfortunate case of hives




The doctor says that the cause may very well be psychological. Buchou's friends are pretty convinced that Hotaru is frustrated with the fact that Buchou has never kissed her. Buchou's all "Our love is pure!" but says he will try.





So Buchou heads home, all concerned like, and asks Hotaru why she never said anything. Then leans in for a smooch.




ITCHY ITCHY ITCHY!







Buchou reports his failure the next day. His friend is all "Are you even a man anymore?"




That evening, Buchou has plans to go out to dinner with his lady friend and her daughter and calls Hotaru to tell her that he'll be late.



Her face gets more and more pained as the conversation continues.





Finally, she can't take it anymore and hangs up the phone and then BOLTS for home.



Buchou is concerned by her reaction and finally heads for home himself. His friend tells him to go home and comfort Hotaru.



Meanwhile, Hotaru is at home. But, she's not crying over the fact that her fiancee is out to dinner with another woman, AGAIN. She's upset that he went out for GOYA while she's been living without.

So, she makes a GIANT POT OF IT.







Buchou arrives home and Hotaru skeedadles.



In her room he sees her list of marriage goals: Savings (from the previous episode) and Tolerance.



He finally sees her in the yard and proceeds to attempt a heart-to-heart while she shoves her face full of goya.







She's eating so fast she's almost choking, but to Buchou it looks like she's crying. SO, when he approaches her, he's more than a little shocked.



So is Hotaru.





Next comes the Epic Goya Fight. Hotaru is appalled that while she suffered at home with lack-of-goya induced hives for HIM, Buchou was out on the town eating her beloved goya. Buchou is all "Can you even get hives from that?"

She wants him to accept goya into his life, he says NEVER. He can't love her is she likes something he SO DETESTS.





SO SHE PACKS HER BAGS AND LEAVES.

Hotaru heads over to her friends house, where she lays her troubles out for them. Yamada explains that sometimes you just have to tolerate things you hate: like the ridiculous couple t-shirts her boyfriend wants them to wear.




Meanwhile, Buchou does his level best to learn to love goya.


This immediately reminded me of Fruits Basket when Kyou makes leek soup for a sick Tohru






Hotaru decides the best way to conquer goya is through bowling.




Having finally gotten her elusive strike, Hotaru heads back to Buchou's house. She's pleased as punch to find him waiting for her and that he's prepared some goya curry.



There's lots of Ahomiya-dancing and her pestering Buchou for a kiss. It's adorable.





Also, it turns out that her hives were caused by cat lice. She left her window open and her futon out. The neighborhood cat had been sneaking in and sleeping in her bed. XD
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[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I was bummed that Hotaru went three years without contacting Buchou. It's not like Hong Kong is on the other side of the world from Japan.
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[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I would have hoped that Hotaru had matured enough to at least maintain partial contact over THREE YEARS. But I think Buchou loves her just as she is, and she never presented herself as responsible in anything beyond work. I think he was hurt, but also knows it's just who she is and it wasn't mean spirited or because she doesn't love him? HOPEFULLY?!

[identity profile] topazera.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm skipping this post for now because I'm waiting for the subs. Not entirely patiently, I keep checking for them. XD BUT I'm definitely going to keep it in mind for whenever I reach episode three!

While Hotaru no Hikari 2 isn't exactly catching the same magic as the original (not that I expected it too), it's still a lot of fun. Who can say no to more adventures with Ahomiya and Buchou? NO ONE.
This is pretty much exactly what I expected! When it was first announced I was SUPER EXCITED and then worries started to creep in about the quality... but then I realized, really, this is not a terrible problem to have! All of this is just icing of the cake and I'm going to appreciate whatever we get! I mean, everyone likes icing. ♥ I fully intend to love this even if it can't compete with the first season. ;)

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Subs are out through ep 4! Are you a member of [livejournal.com profile] ourhour?

[identity profile] topazera.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 02:36 pm (UTC)(link)
...

I AM SUCH A FAILURE. XD I've been looking at Dramanics' subs this whole time! I joined [livejournal.com profile] ourhour at some point but had it in my head that it usually had raws! ...Maybe because things are first posted raw and that's what I see on my flist?

THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING MY TERRIBLE ERROR! I NOW KNOW WHAT I AM STARTING NEXT. :D :D :D
Edited 2010-08-06 14:36 (UTC)

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 03:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I LOVE TO BE THE BEARER OF EXCELLENT NEWS! :D

[identity profile] boycottbananas.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 02:33 pm (UTC)(link)
.................................. couple shirts.

I didn't think much of the pairing in the first season because there was nothing there to think about, but omg they are so cute. :'D COUPLE SHIRTS!

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 03:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Honestly? I don't remember anything about that couple from the first season. They seem like a nice enough couple. I completely loled when they opened the door and had those shirts on though. :)

[identity profile] darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not even watching this, but I love when you recap things and this post is no exception. *still giggling*

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks! :D

I was less than impressed with the first two episodes, but this one totally sold me on the new season. Is she upset about her fiancee possibly stepping out on her or not being interested in the physical part of their relationship? NO! She just wants to eat goya!

[identity profile] eleece.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I think I may have watched a few episodes of this while I was in Japan.......but I was always getting stuff ready for the next day of school cuz I think it was on Wednesdays

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
You probably caught the original. It aired back in 2007 and was completely adorable.

[identity profile] eleece.livejournal.com 2010-08-07 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
yeah that was probably it. I watched a lot more evening TV when I first moved than I did later in my stay. and yes I agree what I saw of it was very cute. It was one of the few dramas that I actually thought I could actually keep up with and watch. Probably would have, but I got myself really involved in local community stuff.

[identity profile] sailorgaia.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
:O THERE'S A SEQUEL!?!?!??! ;A; I SO need to see this like now!

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
YEAH! It's airing right now. Get back on the drama bandwagon, missy!
ginger001: (Default)

[personal profile] ginger001 2010-08-06 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooohh!! your post made me want to start to watch it even I was thinking on marathoning once it was done... now I have to watch it!!! So cute those two!!!

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-07 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Aren't they just precious? I kind of love their bizarre relationship.

[identity profile] insipid-paragon.livejournal.com 2010-08-06 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Ahhhh, see and despite my anticipatory excitement for HnH2, I am so indecisive about it now! Like, the first episode? And she didn't contact him for, what, THREE YEARS or something? :OOOOO Oh my poor Buchou. And after that shock I had the hardest time slipping into the rhythm, and the flow, and I kept whining to myself that it felt different from the first one, which is so unfair of me, I know, and so I backed away to wait for possible marathoning... and also non-viikii subs... but... but...

But... goya! And is Buchou even a man?!

[identity profile] cranberrysheep.livejournal.com 2010-08-07 12:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I wasn't sold on the new season until this episode. I was upset about the three-year absence thing, but really I just didn't think it was as funny as I remembered it. The goya episode changed everything! :)