Honey and Clover Pairing

I am finishing up the last bits of Hachikuro, so I’m currently really into the series and will do up the pairings first. Hachikuro is one of the most meaningful series I’ve ever watched in the truest sense of the word. Hachikuro philosophises over relationships and the phases in life. I’m doing away with the canon, fandom classification since every pairing is canon in a shoujo romance.

Takemoto X Hagu

I’m not a huge fan of this pairing (it doesn’t work out anyway) but I do feel a bit sorry for Takemoto. He is a really mature one-sided lover. His initial hesitancy, his constant devotion to Hagu and his courage in handling rejection is pretty realistic. I think for Hagu, this would be a very comfortable relationship to have. Takemoto and Hagu are complementary opposites. Takemoto is ordinary, emotionally mature, gentle and supportive. Hagu is extraordinary, delicate, immature and in need of constant assurance. My gripe is that Takemoto tends to be a bit too protective (and kind of boring guy to boot).

Morita X Hagu

I like this one. They appear to be opposites but are really the same kind of people. They are both intense artists, gifted, protected (Morita by his brother), childish, whimsical with flashes of insight and wisdom. This is not a comfortable but an inspired relationship. Morita will probably never be able to make up for Hagu’s shortcomings the way Takemoto and Shuu-chan will – he won’t be there to catch her everytime she falls, but this relationship will probably be good for her development. I felt that Hagu was strong for the first time in the anime, when she comforted Morita who took her out of hospital to his ‘refuge’. I’d say this is a relationship between equals, in terms of genuis, art and personalities.

Hanamoto X Hagu
That’s a pairing I know exists but I absolutely don’t want to look at. Seriously, aren’t they cousins? And 10 years apart? Hagu is going to ask Shuu-chan for his life in helping her accomplish her life’s work (even more so, now that her right hand’s been damaged) and Shuu-chan will give up everything just to devote himself to her recovery. It is a relationship of extreme dependency. And when I think about how he’s taken care of her from the time she’s been wetting her bed, I can’t help but shudder. Hanamoto X Hanamoto? Hen ja ne~! @_@ Does Umino sensei have a thing for cross-generational relationships?

Mayama X Yamada

The relationship that starts out as hopeless from the begining that just gets more and more hopeless. For once, I’d really love to see Yamada snap out of it and stop being an ass by putting herself in the way constantly. As always, Mayama is being “nice”, “protective” and “supportive”, but he’s really (and selfishly) hurting her and deceiving himself. If he’s truly mature he would stay away from her. But he doesn’t because he probably needs that adulation as much as she needs to be near him. He probably sees himself in her, literally trapped in the same situation.

Mayama X Rika

Unhealthy relationship. Mayama stalks Rika who uses him as her crutch. I felt that Rika is subconciously looking for a reason to live admist all her crazily selfish, self-abandonment and Mayama became IT (conveniently) after her projects with Harada will be completed. They are both sado masochistically hurting themselves and the people around them while they’re at it. Umino probably wants to make it out as a healing relationship for two extreme individuals who find comfort in one another, but the fact that they are 10 years apart (with a LOAD of emotional baggage) just makes it seem wrong to me. But reflecting on this intense and complex relationship, maybe someone as simple as Yamada would not suffice for Mayama.

Nomiya X Yamada

I belong to the camp who likes Nomiya (smoothness and all) and thinks that Yamada does not deserve him unless she learns to flip Mayama the finger and tell him to fuck off (although he’d be more than glad to). She never tries hard enough to let go of Mayama and the walk of 3 is unecessarily painful to two people in a relationship, especially when Nomiya is fighting with a shadow. She should stop crying and get a grip on herself. As much as I like her, sometimes I want Nomiya to walk away and stop supporting her silliness.