Momo Eats Mugi-choco, Hitohira x Manabi Straight

Go crazy~

WARNING: If you’re cynical to the effect of anime on persons, you migt as well not read
WARNING 2: SPOILERS FOR HITOHIRA AND MANABI STRAIGHT

So… to start, a couple days ago my brother and I marathoned Manabi Straight. I was initially watching this show when t was first being subbed, but I lost track around episode 8 and simply never got back to it. Little did I know how much timing would effect my perception of the show.

Anyone who’s watched both Manabi and Hitohira will immediatel draw parallels between the two. First of all, both are stories of a small group who wants to fight against all odds to keep their club alive. In a lot of ways, though, the stories are sort of opposite. In Manabi Straight, Mikan starts as the only member of the student council, but gradually she is surrounded by friends who help her push forward. In Hitohira, Mugi is dragged into an already existing tight group of friends for whom she must be the strong one.

Still, both of them are a similar journey of a shy girl who needs the help of her strong friends to keep their time alive, even if they know it won’t last. In Hitohira, every odd is against the club, and you can pretty much tell right off that there’s no chance in hell that they’re going to make it. Similarly, in Manabi, the girls are fighting almost for a lost cause because they know that their school fair will be he last one and that their school is dying anyway, but they still push on.

Both of these shows take an extra responsibility, though, in the end. These are no fairy tales, where the big event comes, everything is glamorous, and then the show ends. Nono, both of these shows feature the constant climb to the top of this mountain that is their utmost goal, and both also watch the characters as they climb down the other side - and at some points, tumble on their way down.

Hitohira probably does the better job of exploring this part of the journey, if only because it took a couple more episodes after the big event. After this whole long journey - this battle to preserve that one moment, all the growth that comes along with it, the intense struggle… when you’ve reached the pinaccle of your journey, what happens next? That’s the million dollar question. In Hitohira, there is a lot of drama put into Mugi’s last attempts to hold onto her time of happiness, and he wanting to stay with her senpai and the others who have to move on. In Manabi, it’s more collective as we know that everyone will be moving on together, and Mikan is relieved of her stress much easier. I think Mikan is simply a bit stronger than Mugi, though both are admirable in their conquest in the end.

The most important difference between the two, and the one that made me so happy to watch Manabi Straight later than Hitohira, is the ending. I don’t really know whether to call Hitohira’s ending a ‘happy’ or ’sad’ ending. It’s simply a ‘real’ ending. At the end of Hitohira, Mugi is somewhat optimistic, only promising herself that one day she’l cross that bridge into the outside word as well. But we don’t really know what happens. In the end, all we know is that she will one day have to move on, but whether she does so successfully or not is left up in the air.

Meanwhile Manabi’s ending is much more fulfilling. We see everyone move on. We see them happily in their futures, and we see Mikan come back for a visit, and we know exactly how it goes for them. I can’t tell you how thankful I was for this ending, though the night after watching this show, I had a complete breakdown and was bawling my head off ^^;; Hitohira had left me questioning my own future. Being a child about to go into 11th grade, I have a lot of questions about my future, and I’m terrified to have to walk out into the world. Hitohira was like a reflection of my own feelings in Mugi. I’m just like her - timid and not ready for what’s ahead. So seeing Manabi Straight bringing everyone into the future and showing that there really is a great time to be had, and that your life isn’t going to change to the point of destruction was greatly appreciated.

I don’t really want to talk about myself to much here, but I have to say, Manabi Straight gives me a lot of confidence in my future, and really was a moving experience for someone in a position like my own. It’s really a shame that I don’t appreciate my school life more, and that the people around me aren’t like the characters in anime, lol.

If you haven’t seen either show, i think it’s best to watch Hitohra first. Hitohira is a more depressing series all around, whereas Manabi is constantly uplifting. If your like me, you’ll definitely appreciate the experience.

Spoilers, yah. Mainly Hitohira.

One thing that kind of made/break Hitohira for me is the "Manabi" character. You're right that the two show are very similar theme-wise if you put Mikan==Mugi and Manabi==Nono. It would seem that Manabi Straight's utopic nature comes mainly from her and her unending source of optimistic powers. On the flip side Nono's own struggles brings a lot more realism to the Hitohira story. What really bugged me was just how unrealistic Nono's throat condition was, and how it's such a lame dramatic trick. I think if she was just a normal girl who fights with Mugi, that would've worked much better, rather than having that extra layer of antagonism with Mirei to mirror their progresses. Personality conflicts is where it's at, and having to resort to a lame trick really is a big minus in my book. Maybe they should've gotten something out of Marimite?

On the other hand it added a lot of dramatic tension that Hitohira needed. It isn't utopic, and the throat thing gave Hitohira a kick in the rear that was necessary. Manabi Straight took on things on its own pace; while you know and want to know what happens to the School Fair, things moved on as usual. It didn't need something that dramatic.

I agree tht the throat thing was rather cheesy, but the plot so thickly revolved around it that they couldn't really have eliminated it. The entire backstory is from it, and it's what made Mugi realize how important the whole thing was. Besides, there's the plot element of Mugi having to raise her voice in the placce of Nono loosing it that really strikes out. I think the pros outweigh the cons of that illness' placement in the story.

I agree that it helped elevate that tension. Whereas Manabi took a hopeless siuation and constantly pushed against it colorfully, Hitohira was more of just the regular cruel world and the struggle just to maintain stability when everything goes wrong.

Well the throat thing is just part of it. The whole Mirei thing is ludicrous too. Sure, they made up and they're super tsun with each other, but it just seemed too heavy handed for me. I agree the throat thing works, but I think they didn't really do a great job with it, considering what it meant for Nono's own onging story.

I think that's part of what could be made better.

^^;; I'm horrible at remembering names, but I'm guessing Mirei was the girl who beat the shit out of her. I have to agree, that was a rather stupid part of the series. I've never even heard of two girls beating the shit out of each other and getting right up like friends by the next day, nor have I heard of two best friends who beat the shit out of each-other so easily.

That was one of a couple things that were ind of cheesy. I didn't really like how Nono was supposed to go all demonic when pestered - I mean, it worked for the comedy parts, but when they tried to ingrain that into the drama it just led to bitches beating the shit out of each other.

On the other hand, these kind of traits could very well be possible for friends that close. In some ways it reminds me of my brother and I. Like Nono, I am insanely stubborn and I can get into an arguement with my brother over nothing just trying to get him to do what I want, and likewise my brother is unbearably stubborn in resistance.

So, in a way, I can see both girls thinking in their minds 'why us she so fucking stubborn?!' until they both become enraged. Now, my brother and I have fought, but never to the point that we actually through punches, but that's just cuz we're both wusses. I might see someone with more spine beating the shit out of said stubborn person.

And my bro and I can get over it within the hour, so it's easy to see... maybe I never should've complained in the first place >_>

Mirei is the drama club prez. Risaki is the other girl.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitohira

Bah! To hell with names! From now on, it's the damn 'purple-haired girl'!

I do agree on that part. Good friends don't become worst enemies like that. It was unbearably corny hiw they could act like they just sort of blew off their whole pasts.