1. 

   Owen S
   February 11th, 2008 - 02:59

   There are two girls’ tears left. I expect them to be as climatic and awesome as this episode.

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2. 

   Crusader
   February 11th, 2008 - 03:05

   Well my blog master has decreed a delay in my post, but suffice to say the play of the sister card this early was unexpected and gutsy in my opinion. If this works then this will be their finest hour, if it fails in the end then this episode will be remembered as the beginning of the end.

   As for prolonged Pain Nobuse seemed to have gone through shock, fear, and incredulity in the space of less than a minute. The pain will pass but his duty remains.

   Not sure if I can rule out the possibility of HiromixJun after all now the line has been drawn Hiromi has only Jun to turn to for wisdom regarding loving kin so near.

   Still a great episode and a bold maneuver by PA Works. No doubt you were seething with more jealousy this time.

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3. 

   maglor
   February 11th, 2008 - 03:33

   1. The last picture reminds me of following word : ???? ( Beautiful person under the Moonlight )
   2. Hiromi and Jun can be good on each other, but Jun may be mentally imbalanced right now.
   3. If the anime producers wants this series to become a historical epic train wreck, they could make this souped up version of Koi Kaze, making the two blood-related brother give in to their desires and go after their sisters. Otherwise, this series may end up a good, beautiful, but forgettable series.

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4. 

   hashihime
   February 11th, 2008 - 03:47

   Rather than just crediting the studio, I’d like to credit lead writer Okada Mari and director Nishimura Junji for the story, which is apparently a complete re-visioning of the game. They worked together on Simoun, too.

   I don’t think this has to end in incest to be a great show. I trust Okada and Nishimura to keep guiding the characters through the emotional minefield in ways that give me these strong but subtle emotional hits every week.

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5. 

   Stripey
   February 11th, 2008 - 05:03

   Owen S: Indeed, my rising expectations for the series is only matched by the fears for a botched end. I believe we’ll be harvesting Jun and Nobuse’s tears too.

   Crusader: Haha! I’m not envious of Jun nor Shin despite my siscon reputation (which is terribly misunderstood really ) I’d always imagine I’ll remain celibate my entire like if Shirakawa Kotori was my sister. XD Anyhow, I don’t support a Jun X Hiromi pairing either since Jun has exhibited himself to be thoroughly out and out for Noe by making moves on Hiromi (the sensual kuchibiru caressing) after realising Hiromi’s true affections lie with Shin. Bad, BAD onii-chan…

   maglor: heh, actually I hated Koi Kaze because I found Koishirou’s behaviour despicable. As an adult, what he did to his sister was an abomination. I’m kinder to teenage onii-chans who don’t know better. That said, I agree with hashihime on the incest bit. As long as the siscon theme drive the series through the path with the highest emotional drama, I’m open to any good ending really.

   hashihime: Indeed, Okada and Nishimura have a very good feel of their characters granting them much emotional realism and intuition rarely seen in anime. If this keeps up, True tears would undoubtedly be the best romance in recent anime-years.

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6. 

   Impz
   February 11th, 2008 - 05:04

   This is epic siscon at its best. Now, if Stripey complains anything about the series, we know that the stripey is fake. =3 Honestly though, I really hate Ai for a very long time because I think that doing anything so evil like a proxy love is just hideous. I mean, how can you ever do something so terrible?

   In addition, despite the fact that I like Noe more than Hiromi, I support a Hiromi x Shin pairing. Don’t ask me why, i do not know myself.

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7. 

   maglor
   February 11th, 2008 - 07:33

   Here is somewhat serious look at the series. If True Tears were Korean TV drama, what would likely happen is for Hiromi to first show that she still loves Shinichiro, and a fight with Moe in ep. 7 might be a good sign of that, become resigned to fate(8), actually get attracted to Jun a little(9), start becoming more serious with him(10), and the get hit by new revelation that her dad and Shinichiro’s dad were not the same(11); she was daughter of the father she knew when she were very young. This would throw Hiromi into utter confusion, and also force Shinichiro, who should have gotten close to Moe at this point, to waver and joining Hiromi in confusion(12). It would be resolved by Jun beating Shinichiro up, kicking him towards Hiromi, and going to USA for college and years of graduate school, while Noe goes to university in another part of Japan, and Hiromi and Shinichiro just crying together while embracing each other.
   1. Because so many people involved in making this anime resides in Korea, above scenario has more chance of being used than not being used.
   2. In episode 8, I predict that Shinichiro will utter a line that would be similar to ‘I love you as woman even if you are my sister.’ only to be rejected by Hiromi. If done right, that scene may bring tears to many girls and boys throughout the world.
   3. Gah!!! Why can’t this series by 26 episode series? There is so much materials to be developed into a big romance drama.

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8. 

   maglor
   February 11th, 2008 - 07:53

   Scratch reason #1. I could not verify this information.

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9. 

   Derek
   February 11th, 2008 - 09:10

   Noe impressed me this episode during the scene outside. When asked to leave Shin alone, she didn’t pout or whine about it (tho I guess she was moping a bit later on), she accepted it and her only question to him was to ask him for how long.

   I don’t know that Noe’s concepts about love are “poor.” I think they are simply innocent. She likes being with Shin, so she tries to be whenever she can. There’s no pretense about it, no agonizing about her potential feelings or his potential feelings. For her, there’s simply no other way to be. So it’s natural not to understand the actions of those more concerned/constrained by societal expectations.

   On the other hand, given how she approached the issue originally back in Episode 2 I think it was – where she told Shin she would help him get closer to her, it’s weird that Noe seems less in tune this time around.

   I do so wonder what the fight is all about.

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10. 

    dsong
    February 11th, 2008 - 10:01

    If Hiromi is not actually Jun’s blood-related sister this show will be ruined for me – I’ve seen this storyline too many times and I’m tired of it.

    It didn’t work in Marmalade Boy and it won’t work here. It would turn a potentially groundbreaking show into “more of the same”; a convenient copout that would be sad to see from a show of this quality.

    Now if Jun-Noe and Shin-Hiromi WERE related and the show was about them coping with their feelings and learning to move on, I would find it a lot more interesting.

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11. 

    Stripey
    February 11th, 2008 - 10:41

    Impz: I’m a Shin and Hiromi person myself and I attribute it to the fact that of all the pairings with Shin, they have a deeper basis and on wavelengths that coincide more. And btw I’m a siscon phony as I’ve been trying to tell people. It’d be more accurate to say I’m into taboo love drama.

    maglor: Heh, I support your version of True Tears and frankly I’m expecting the series to go along those lines actually.

    Derek: Actually I drew my conclusions about Noe’s concepts of love from her reactions about Hiromi. I believe this ep established that Noe didn’t know that Shin’s problem with Hiromi was a romantic one. Or else she would have at least reacted when Jun revealed he was meeting Hiromi. Her idea of helping Shin seem to come from the angle of befriending Hiromi (hence the side-dish exchange in the previous ep) which isn’t helping Shin at all

    dsong: Heh, I believe non-blood-related siscon can still make for compelling and dramatic storytelling. The beauty of siscon/incest tales lies in the struggling against taboo emotions of the various characters and that can be achieved with or without being blood related. I just hope for a good harnessing of the excellent characterisation and plot elements sowed.

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12. 

    dsong
    February 11th, 2008 - 12:34

    Bleh, just do a DNA test and get it over with.

    D.C. was different since the two were non-blood-related to start with. It’s the whole “are we strangers or are we siblings” act that gets tiring fast. It harmed Onegai Twins and killed Marmalade Boy. And I have a feeling it will kill True Tears, especially if they go the cliched route:

    (1) Hiromi and Shin distance themselves despite being desperately in love.
    (2) Hiromi starts going out with Jun and Shin starts going out with Noe, but they mistreat their partners and yearn for each other.
    (3) There’s some huge confrontation involving Shin, Hiromi, and Shin’s parents.
    (4) By some miracle, Shin and Hiromi are not blood related and they end up together, or (4a) They end up being related and commit taboo, or (4b) They end up being related and there’s some tragedy.

    I’ve seen it all. It’s old hat. And I doubt that True Tears can break out of this cycle if they go that route.

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13. 

    Stripey
    February 11th, 2008 - 23:45

    heh. DNA tests are expensive and in this case a reopening of family wounds. Unless Shin and Hiromi attempts marriage I doubt the Nakagami would want to open themselves to such pain. I have to agree they went a little too far on the flip-flopping “stranger or sibling” in OT but it did inject much humour and some tension in the show. I need to watch Marmalade boy now.

    Actually I think the route you listed can make for good drama too when well executed. Predictable doesn’t necessarily mean bad as long as they keep up the intricate characterisation and interaction so far.

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14. 

    maglor
    February 12th, 2008 - 01:25

    You know what? I can write a full blown Greek Tragedy based on materials we have so far. If I have some talent for writing stories, I might make it a drama worthy of Wuthering Heights or Oedipus Rex. Too bad the anime won’t go even halfway into my imagined storyline, for it will be too long, too dark, and too tragic. The basic skeleton would be,

    1. Shinichiro’s father confirm he is also father of Hiromi.
    2. Hiromi marries Jun.
    3. Shinichiro marries Noe who is oblivious to the drama.
    4. Noe becomes pregnant.
    5. Hiromi and Shinichiro elopes.
    6. Jun and Noe finds Hiromi and Shinichiro. Hiromi is pregnant.
    7. Jun dies. Before dying, he tells Noe the truth.
    8. Noe Freaks out.
    9. ( Would welcome your suggestion to the ending here. )

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15. 

    cyw1988
    February 12th, 2008 - 02:57

    What did i tell you guys?(did i post it here or somewhere else) saw this coming after the 2nd episode. I wasn’t sure if hiromi said “maybe” or “are” my brother btw… hmm…but i look forward to a good end for her. Seriously, she is the only female lead in the show that has been pulling a long face since the first ep apart from shinichirou’s mum. But this story i agree with all, builds good drama.

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16. 

    Stripey
    February 12th, 2008 - 06:04

    maglor: 9. Nice boat. XD

    cyw1988: I think the mom said “kamoshirenai” which my Japanese sensei taught us to mean 60% probability

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