True Tears 13 (finale) – A masterpiece
True tears has to be the anti-thesis of School days. Where the hearts of the SD cast were darkened and eventually overcome by evil, TT is a heartening tale of souls battling for love and finally triumphant against cruel circumstances (read - siscon). It's a beautiful coming of age tale where every major character attain a meaningful milestone in their emotional maturity.
For this striped megurumi, Hiromi is the undisputed star of the show. She garners the most development, far outstripping Noe and Shin in the concluding episodes, to become one of the most endearing bishoujo in anime-dom. Surprisingly, her key charm is her imperfection. Kabitzin says it best in this comment.
Hiromi is not perfect, which is probably her major appeal. Hiromi is able to face her flaws, and I think of her as a major vehicle for the themes of the show. How many of us are so perfect, consistent, and eloquent? Given her extremely awkward situation, I think Hiromi did as well as you could expect anyone to do...
It's also sad how many anime couples stagnate after getting together as if that's the destination when it's the mere start of an even more challenging journey. But True tears break that mold with Hiromi's continual growth even after Shin affirmed his feelings for her. In fact, things started to heat up even more with Hiromi exhibiting signs of insecurity after that where previously she was fatalistic towards forging a relationship with Shin (Ah the sweet siscon plot device!).
Indeed, ep 13 is a powerful ep because it depicts aspects of love that some people will never grasp in their life. Hiromi exhibited one such facet by releasing Shin to wrap up his involvement with Noe, knowing full well that he may never return. Many don't realise that love is knowing when to let go sometimes. I was also glad that Shin was able to make the distinction between inspiration and love since RL folks often confuse that especially if the female involved is Noe-classed bishoujo.
In the end, everyone's a winner. Jun comes out of his closet to cure himself of siscon, Noe overcomes that emotional barrier to regain her tears and Shin/Hiromi grew to become mature lovers, capable of hosting a lasting/wonderful relationship. I can't think of many series that has such complete character closure.
Truly a masterpiece. Awaiting the DVDs.
Related posts:
Search Hontou Ni
Recent Posts
- [Zyl] Anime Festival Asia 2011 Day 1 & 2 Impressions
- Protected: [Zyl] AFA11 AoEx Cosplay
- [Zyl] Hatsune Miku Live Party in Singapore 2011
- [Zyl] Anime Festival Asia 2011 Day 0 Intro
- [Zyl] Hatsune Miku Live In Sapporo 2011 Screening
- [Stripey] Fate/Zero 04~05 – Servants rankings
Recent Comments
Series & Themes
Maki Maki Blogroll
- washi's blog
- ani-nouto
- yasashii sekai...
- cool & spicy
- moe for moe?
- baka-raptor
- ojou-sama juice!
- kurogane's anime blog
- a product of wasted time
- RIUVA
Danny Choo
- Tokyo Today 3
- Taiwan Anime Event
- Eroge Collection
- PS Vita USB Mod
- Akemi Homura Nendoroid
- Tokyo Today 2
- You and Good Smile Company
- Hiring Now - Anime Jobs
- Tokyo Today
- Taipei Otaku Shops
@ZylZaku
- Watched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on my long haul flight. Twice. Gary Oldman so badass. 1 day ago
- @moritheil Well, Black Lagoon's Chang is also a homage to the early Chow Yuen Fat (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled etc.) 5 days ago
- @ani_nouto This is the version the screencaps are from: http://t.co/zyNUEaLj 5 days ago
- @ani_nouto Morita OVA 19:11 "I love you, Sayuri" in his sleep http://t.co/vN00ctwf 5 days ago
- @ani_nouto Morita-san OVA 11:12 Another woman's photo in mobile http://t.co/v6Qe8AXB 5 days ago
April 1st, 2008 - 08:34
I agree with your points about how True Tears was able to wrap up so many threads in a satisfactory way. I’m not sure if Jun really came out a winner, though. He gave up his dream of vocational school because he knew if he stayed, he’d try to get in Noe’s pants. I guess it beats going to jail, but I’m not sure if that can be counted as a win. Maybe if he can get a non-related GF that he loves (and is not part of a contract), we can consider him cured.
April 1st, 2008 - 08:48
I have to wonder though, Stripey, what’s your opinion on the supposition that, the rondo that Shin’ichiro, Hiromi, and Noe went through was a near-re-enactment of what happened to Shin’s and Hiromi’s parents, but with a more satisfactory outcome?
April 1st, 2008 - 09:26
I don’t buy it.
Noe was the one who did the letting go thing with grace, having let Shin go as soon as she realized Shin’s true feelings.
Hiromi did eventually let him go sort it out in episode 13, but had ruined her credibility by then, after trying to stab Shin in the back and sabotage his relationship with Noe while not knowing how Shin really felt. And would she have tried this method if her other more… to use her words, shameful, attempts had worked? Unlikely – and it can be said that even in letting Shin go, it was more of an act of desperation than courage.
The only reason Hiromi won from the audience point of view is the “childhood friend” plot device.
April 1st, 2008 - 10:22
@Derek:
I don’t buy your argument either. I posted a response to your “What do people see in Hiromi?” question at Anime Blog ga Arimasu, but never got a reply. I reply to your comment here with the same one I posted there.
April 1st, 2008 - 10:26
A shameful end to a once promising series. Hiromi turns out to be a two-faced backstabbing *****. Jun is sacrificed solely for the sake of making Shin look better. Shin takes his wings and makes paper airplanes out of them. Shin’s mother loses an important dimension when the adultery angle is shot down. Noe goes suicidal, for the sole purpose of making Hiromi look better. Ai becomes background scenery, despite her earlier importance (and the fact her own “friend” angle is a LOT stronger than Hiromi’s). Nobuse turns out to be ten times the man Shin is. Shin insists on living in the far past, succumbing to the “childhood friend” angle – conveniently forgetting that his current friendships (Nobuse, Ai), and relationship (Noe) carry more meaning than something that happened ten years ago.
Unfortunately this is one of the few shows where a Nice Boat ending would’ve done it a world of good. School Days got it right, while True Tears and Myself; Yourself got it wrong. Heck, even a bittersweet ending with a truly Pyrrhic victory (i.e. KGNE) would’ve been better than what we got.
Yuck. Hopefully Winter Sonata will get it right. It’s cool to see animated Korean dramas, but I’d like to see a show that does the genre some justice.
April 1st, 2008 - 11:00
Noe wasn’t suicidal, she was just stupid.
April 1st, 2008 - 12:11
Yes when Hiromi let’s go its so much more beautiful…
I don’t think Hiromi changed that much over the course of the series, and her letting go was basically and admission of the inevitable, rather than being her first course of action. She let go not because she wanted to, and she avoided it until the last possible moment, she let go because she had no other choice. I still think Noe grew the most as a character she lost everything she once held so dear and had to start over again in life. Hiromi pretty much sat there brooding and relying on the past to carry the day. Sing the praise of your Hiromi, but even you have to admit that Noe was the catalyst that caused a fundamental shift in the lives of both Shin and Hiromi. Sure Hiromi may shine, but it it Noe’s light that illuminates her existence. Noe was selfless to the end. Hiromi was able to see her flaws, but unlike Noe she never did correct them. Rather Shin took Hiromi in her flawed state.
Hiromi may have developed the most in this ep, but in terms of overall development, Noe and Nobuse have her beat. Nevertheless being the evil tanuki who ate Raigomaru, praise for only Hiromi is pretty much all you have to offer…
April 1st, 2008 - 16:03
dsong:
There are just as many people that would not want a nice boat ending (including me), having subscribed to watching a romance/drama show, and not a gore fest.
Crusader:
Nobuse’s development? His character hasn’t changed since the beginning, if I look at it. In fact, you can sum up his story like this:
-likes Aiko
-tries hard but gets dumped
-feels sorry for himself
-happy again when Aiko contacts him again after getting refused by Shin
If there is any more to his story and development than that, I don’t really see it. It’s not that he has no potential to develop, but he was never a main character, and in the time allotted to him, it’s not like he did anything spectacular.
April 1st, 2008 - 18:56
@Cyrillix
Didn’t see what there was to reply to, you basically want me to believe in something the anime never showed, while ignoring what it did show.
April 1st, 2008 - 19:12
PS – You are, of course, allowed to like Hiromi. I just don’t, based on what I saw of her.
April 1st, 2008 - 19:29
@Cyrilix
Nobuse did not feel sorry for himself and he did let go of Aiko with Noe’s help. He stuck to his own sense of honor even as his Aiko left him and Shin wavered. He remained a good friend and he did the right thing. It was never easy to stay friends with the guy who Aiko loved. Nobuse could have engaged in active sabotage but he did not. Were he a lesser man he would have beaten Shin up for wavering. He denied it at first, but in the end he accepted his lot. He started out naive he ended up a battle hardened stoic. Hiromi started out selfish ans jealous, she is still selfish and jealous although now she realizes that she has many faults. Nobuse came out of this a better man, Hiromi came out a bit more humble but still largely the flawed girl that Stripey loves so much. Albeit she can now do a split and run about nakkid without embarrassment much to Stripey’s joy.
Doing the right thing is never easy comrade. Hiromi did not do the right thing until compelled to do so. Nobuse did it on his own volition. As sidekicks go Nobuse is unique he does not fap his gob to give lectures, he just remained a friend through and through. Nobuse failed in his first relationship, Hiromi has never tasted the bitterness of defeat.
April 1st, 2008 - 19:35
Derek:
Only the last part is my speculation. The first part is very much what I derived from the anime. I understand what you are trying to say and I don’t ignore her flaws, but I think you’re being far harsher than is deserved. While you can only see her negatives, I see her as a flawed and realistic person with her own positives.
Crusader:
I agree with what you said about Nobuse remaining a good friend, but he always did feel sorry for himself. He was always hinting about how he shouldn’t have fallen in love, even near the end. If that’s not self-pity, then I don’t know what is. Based on that, I’m not sure what you mean by “development”. He was the same good guy in, same good guy out. Nothing has changed.
That said, I have my own reasons why I think Nobuse is a far inferior guy than Shuu from Myself; Yourself, but regardless of what I dislike about him, he is a nice guy.
April 2nd, 2008 - 07:56
Kabitzin: I believe the distance will cure Jun of siscon since it developed from his overprotection of Noe. Now that Noe can stand on her feet, make friends and conduct life like any other typical bishoujo, Jun can go into cold turkey.
Myssa Rei: Interesting supposition!
I wouldn’t mind a True Tears prequel featuring the Nakagamis and Yuasas. I know young Mrs Yuasa is going to be babelicious. 
Derek: I think we have very different assessments of Hiromi. I have to agree Hiromi lost her way a little with that confrontation with Noe and that mug incident at her place with Shin. But she realised it and changed for the better. I think that transformation is not easy and should be given credit. Noe wasn’t quite as noble as many of us believe. The series depicts her to be more confused and escaping that letting go of Shin out of love for him. I’m sure that’s a component of love in that act but her bewilderment comes across stronger.
Crusader: I actually think Hiromi made a deliberate choice to let go, knowing that’s the right thing to do not because it was the inevitable. Meanwhile, she continue to challenge herself while waiting suggesting that she would move on even if Shin does not return. Noe on the other hand was very confused towards the end of the series. She didn’t face the issues straight on (I don’t blame her, she’s new to this game of love after) like Hiromi at the series start. I believe she didn’t fully realised the impact of the entire saga until the last scene when she finally shed tears. I don’t deny she’s the major catalyst for Shin and Hiromi’s growth. Credit is due to Hiromi and Shin alone for their painful but overall sound choices.
dsong: heh, as mentioned, I believe TT’s end to be the complete anti-thesis of nice boat. All the characters are better people than they originally were. I have to agree that Ai and Nobuse’s tale seemed more like an add-on and not part of the integrated story. But since Ai is sooo hot (she’s sooo darn womanly). I’m thankful for her screentime anyhow
Cyrilix: I think Nobuse’s a great guy but I have to agree that desperate curse antic was a self-pitying act.
April 2nd, 2008 - 21:55
Hiromi’s decision to let Shin go, I think, was at once deliberate and inevitable. I don’t think she transformed at all. That last act was still the same selfish girl we knew from the beginning. I question that anything she did was fueled by love for Shin.
Confronting Noe was more about getting rid of Noe so she could have Shin to herself. It was Hiromi’s happiness Hiromi worried about – Shin’s actual feelings be damned. Watching Shin dance, she was more interested in whether Noe was there than Shin’s dancing. Did Noe even notice Hiromi was watching? I don’t know. Noe was there for Shin – to see him fly like she knew he could.
When Noe lets Shin go, and she did that by herself standing our there with Jibeta in her arms, she let him go because she felt she finally understood his true feelings. Her distress following that acceptance is understandable – yet in her heart we see she still supported Shin. When Hiromi lets Shin go, it’s a gambit – “I hope he comes back.” In all likelihood, one would suspect Hiromi would not want to deal with Shin if he choose Noe at this juncture – it seems implicit that she would want to forget him completely and move on.
So I don’t see any of Hiromi’s choices as “sound,” save possibly for the last one – tho I still question the motivation. If there’s one thing I can say for Hiromi, she knew what she wanted, and had no qualms about doing whatever it took to get it – even if it meant losing respect for herself, though Shin seemed to like it, after the fact.
As for Shin, only he knows what is in his heart, and in the end I cannot truly begrudge him for choosing the one he felt more strongly for – but I will say I do not follow why.
April 2nd, 2008 - 22:16
Oh, and when Hiromi says she wants to see Shin’s book also. That was really, the first time that I really felt she cared about him as a person, so there is a glimmer of hope, I suppose.
April 3rd, 2008 - 08:00
I suggest a rewatch for all who loathe Hiromi. I believe with hind sight, a lot of her motivations will be clearer together with her character
April 3rd, 2008 - 09:55
I have watched all of the episodes at least twice, with the first 6 episodes at least three or four times each =D
I really did enjoy the show, despite my confusion about Shin’s choice and my issues with the motivations behind Hiromi’s actions.
April 3rd, 2008 - 19:13
What if we do that, and still find ourselves loathing Hiromi for pretty much every episode before the last one Stripey?
I agree that Hiromi changed alot, but almost all of it was in the last episode where she finally made the step of being willing to let Shin go, and possibly being able to live without him. I think that step would have been more emphatically made though if she’d rejected Shin, but then not needing Shin, and being with him, are not mutually exclusive, so whichever.
I thought the ending was very well done, and pretty much everyone ended up winning in some way. Not the ending I would have preferred, but excellently done none the less.
April 4th, 2008 - 19:26
I think this show did right what Kimikiss did wrong. Kouchi and Yuumi had too much romantic development, so when he suddenly had a change of heart, it felt awkward.
In contrast to this, Shin and Noe
April 4th, 2008 - 20:56
A masterpiece it is
April 6th, 2008 - 08:06
Derek: Rewatching it after completing the series is quite different from rewatching every ep since a good series like True tears would convey the consistency of the character’s choices/motives
Dirian: Hiromi has a lot of cruel hurdles to overcome thru the series which I thought she did admirably given that she is only human and only a teenager. For example coping with the disappointment of being unable to seek the salvation she envisioned for coming into the Nakagami household. Fighting her feelings for Shin as ‘brother’. Recovering from the lie and easing into a restorative path with Shin while Noe is in the picture. I don’t fault her at all. She made A LOT of choices in the series, much more than the others and on a scoresheet, I give her 8/10.
Mitsurugi Mania: Thanks for the link! Now to get someone to translate it for me XD Kimikiss has a slightly disappointing end thanks to Kouichi’s awkward change of heart as you aptly put. Still a good series but I’d think twice about acquiring the DVDs. XD
Viny: Hail the truth!
April 12th, 2008 - 03:43
i like noe to be with shin.
huhu sad ending for me.
April 13th, 2008 - 07:06
I think Noe became a better person through all these
Frankly, I think Shin is not suitable for her. She, to put it bluntly, deserves someone better… maybe Jun? XD
November 28th, 2009 - 20:04
Come on people, Noe lost, Hiromi Won! The result is the most important
At least Hiromi is beautiful and Noe is a freaking psycho who sleeps with chicken.