, or ''Hanairo'' for short, is a Japanese 26-episode
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series produced by
P.A. Works
is a Japanese animation studio founded on November 10, 2000 in Nanto, Toyama. The company's president and founder Kenji Horikawa once worked for Tatsunoko Production, Production I.G and Bee Train Production, before forming P.A. Works Corporation. ...
and directed by Masahiro Andō. The screenplay was written by
Mari Okada, with original character design by
Mel Kishida
is a Japanese illustrator. His works include both light novel illustration and anime character design. His major works include the character designer of the ''Hanasaku Iroha'' anime and character designer for the ''Arland Atelier'' game series, ...
. P.A. Works produced the project as the studio's tenth anniversary work.
The anime aired between April and September 2011 and had two
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptations created. An animated film was released in Japanese theaters on March 30, 2013.
Plot
''Hanasaku Iroha'' centers around Ohana Matsumae, a 16-year-old living in Tokyo, who is left in the care of her estranged maternal grandmother, following her mother's elopement with her boyfriend. Ohana arrives at her grandmother's country estate to realize she is the owner of a
Taishō period hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
inn
Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...
called Kissuisō. She begins working at Kissuisō at her grandmother's request, but finds herself at odds with many employees and customers at the inn. Initially feeling discouraged, she decides to use her circumstances as an opportunity to change herself for the better and to make amends with her deteriorating relationship with the Kissuisō's staff for a more prominent future.
Characters
;
:
:Ohana is an energetic and optimistic 16-year-old girl and the protagonist of ''Hanasaku Iroha''. She is sent to live at her estranged grandmother's hot spring inn, Kissuisō, after her mother elopes with her boyfriend to evade his debt. Her best friend, Kōichi Tanemura, confessed his feelings to her before her departure, which was left unanswered until later in the series. At her grandmother's demand, she works at the inn as compensation for staying there. After parting with Koichi, she realized that she has feelings for him, though she still hasn't admitted it yet. However, she is always dependent on him. She is a strong willed girl who is stubborn and is realistic for her age. She likes to drink a mix of cola and black tea.
;
:
:Minko is a 16-year-old apprentice
chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...
and resident at Kissuisō. She is a
tsundere, and dislikes Ohana from their first meeting, nicknaming her
balut (she pronounces it hobiron ("hột vịt lộn" in Vietnamese for balut)), but has slowly accepted her as a friend. Against her parents' wishes, her dream is to become a professional chef, resulting in her search for training opportunities. Her search led her to Kissuisō, where Tōru Miyagishi accepted her as an apprentice chef. Since then, she has strong feelings for him and becomes jealous when he talks about other girls.
;
:
:Nako is a shy and timid 16-year-old cleaning part-time maid and
waitress at Kissuisō. She has three younger siblings whom she assists her parents in raising. She becomes close friends with Ohana and teaches her how to perform her duties. Nako is very good at swimming, by which she gains since childhood the nickname "Kappapa", after an aquatic mythic creature
kappa
Kappa (uppercase Κ, lowercase κ or cursive ; el, κάππα, ''káppa'') is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value o ...
.
;
:
:Yuina is the 16-year-old daughter and heiress to the Fukuya Inn, the rival inn of Kissuisō. She is in the same high school as Ohana, Minko, and Nako, and is seen hanging out with them on several occasions. She is divided on the choice of whether to go on with her family's inn-running business, or to find herself a different form of career fulfillment.
;
:
:Kōichi is a 16-year-old teenager and Ohana's best friend. Kōichi confessed his feelings to Ohana before her departure, but was too afraid to hear her answer and ran away. He often offers support to Ohana when she feels down. He feels abandoned by Ohana as she adjusts to her new lifestyle. However, as the story progresses, he realizes Ohana still harbors feeling for him and eventually tries to repair their relationship.
;
:
:Ohana's 68-year-old grandmother and owner of Kissuisō. Behind her fierce and strict composure towards her employees (to the point of physically reprimand them), Sui eventually reveals herself as comprehensive and caring toward them when most needed thus earning not only obedience from them, but also respect and devotion.
;
:
:Tomoe is the 28-year-old head
waitress working at Kissuisō. She enjoys hearing gossip about other employees and customers lodging at the inn. As a single woman near her thirties, Tomoe is usually reminded by her mother that she should start looking for a husband and start a family.
;
:
:Ohana's 32-year-old uncle. He was bullied by Satsuki during their childhood. He often calls upon Takako and considers her his partner. The two marry late in the series. After Kissuisō's closure, Enishi plans to improve his management skills in order to succeed his mother.
;
:
:A 23-year-old junior chef working at Kissuisō. He is very outspoken and easily frustrated. He strictly mentors and supervises Minko's training, often going too far with verbal abuse. Ohana was initially intimidated by him, but has since developed a dislike to Tōru. However, Tōru appears to develop feelings toward Ohana as he feels that she is the only one who is willing to say she needs him. Afterwards, he is often seen looking out for Ohana, much to Minko's jealousy.
;
:
:A 42-year-old cook working at Kissuisō. Renji is Tōru's mentor and the head chef of the Kissuisō kitchen. He has a very gruff appearance, evidenced by a small facial scar, but has been shown to have a light-hearted side on occasion. He gets nervous very easily when under pressure, but is usually well-focused on his job.
;
:
:A 30-year-old business consultant adviser for Kissuisō. She attended the same university as Enishi. She often has erratic plans to improve the inn and tends to spout out random English sayings. She eventually marries Enishi late in the series and takes on his family name as Takako Shijima.
;
:
:A 31-year-old novelist who frequently lodges at Kissuisō. He writes erotic novels using the Kissuisō's staff as character references. He eventually starts working at the inn after it is discovered that he can't pay his bill. Ironically, his past works include a cooking manga that inspired both Minko and Tōru to become cooks themselves.
;
:
:A 73-year-old janitor working at Kissuisō. He has been working at Kissuisō since its establishment. The staff call him "Beanman".
;
:
:Ohana's 38-year-old mother. She is a journalist who elopes with her boyfriend to evade his debt. She leaves Ohana to the care of her mother, who claims to have disowned her daughter. She neglected Ohana as a child and raised her with the mentality of relying on oneself. She works as a hotel and inn critic, often asked to write scathing reviews by her higher ups.
;
:
:He was Ohana's father, who died when Ohana was a baby. He was a photographer and inspired Satsuki to be an editor.
Media
Manga
A
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptation, illustrated by Eito Chida, was serialized between the December 2010 and October 2012 issues of
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
's ''
Gangan Joker'' magazine. Square Enix published five ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volumes between March 22, 2011 and December 22, 2012. A
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
manga with Minko Tsurugi as the main character, illustrated by Jun Sasameyuki and titled ''Hanasaku Iroha: Green Girls Graffiti'', was serialization in
Bandai Visual's online ''Web Comic Gekkin'' magazine between July 1, 2011 and July 2, 2012. Two volumes of ''Green Girls Graffiti'' were released between December 10, 2011 and July 10, 2012.
Anime
The ''Hanasaku Iroha'' 26-episode
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series is produced by
P.A. Works
is a Japanese animation studio founded on November 10, 2000 in Nanto, Toyama. The company's president and founder Kenji Horikawa once worked for Tatsunoko Production, Production I.G and Bee Train Production, before forming P.A. Works Corporation. ...
and directed by Masahiro Andō. The series aired in Japan between April 3 and September 25, 2011 on
Tokyo MX
JOMX-DTV, branded as Tokyo MX (officially stylized as TOKYO MX), is an independent television station in Tokyo, Japan, owned by the . It is the only television station that exclusively serves the city. It competes with Nippon TV, TV Asahi, NH ...
. The screenplay was written by
Mari Okada, and chief animator Kanami Sekiguchi based the character design used in the anime on
Mel Kishida
is a Japanese illustrator. His works include both light novel illustration and anime character design. His major works include the character designer of the ''Hanasaku Iroha'' anime and character designer for the ''Arland Atelier'' game series, ...
's original designs. Sound direction was headed by Jin Aketagawa and the music was produced by
Shirō Hamaguchi. The anime series was simulcast in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Brazil, and Portugal by the Internet streaming website
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Sony through a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex. The service primarily distributes films and tel ...
. The series has been licensed in North America by
NIS America under the title ''Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow''. The first Blu-ray/DVD combo pack was released on April 9, 2013 and the second part was released on July 2, 2013.
MVM Entertainment
MVM Entertainment, also known as MVM and MVM Films, is a British licensor and distributor of Japanese animation. The company also sub-licenses anime titles from US anime companies such as Media Blasters, Geneon, Nozomi Entertainment, Urban Vision, ...
acquired distribution rights to the title in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
An anime film titled ''Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home'' was released in Japanese theaters on March 30, 2013, featuring an original storyline. At
Anime Expo 2013, NIS America announced the rights to distribute the film in North America.
Music
An
image song titled by
Nano Ripe was used for the promotional videos and anime; the single was released on September 22, 2010 by
Lantis.
Another promotional video featured the image song by Nano Ripe. For the first 13 episodes, the opening theme song is by Nano Ripe, and the main ending theme is "Hazy" by
Sphere
A sphere () is a Geometry, geometrical object that is a solid geometry, three-dimensional analogue to a two-dimensional circle. A sphere is the Locus (mathematics), set of points that are all at the same distance from a given point in three ...
. For episodes 14 onwards, the opening theme is by Nano Ripe, while the ending theme is by
Clammbon
is a Japanese musical trio, consisting of vocalist/keyboardist Ikuko Harada, bassist Mito and drummer Daisuke Itou. The group, originally formed in 1996 when the three were students of the jazz department at , made their major label debut on War ...
. Nano Ripe provided several more ending theme songs: for episode 6, "Yumeji" for episodes 8 and 26, for episode 11, and for episode 22.
Reception
The series received generally positive reviews. Mania praised
Kanae Itō's voice as Ohana, the animation quality, and execution of the plot. The reviewer however commented that the beginning was not new nor innovative.
Anime News Network
Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
praised the realism and quality in the animation, score, and opening and ending
theme music. The character designs were noted to be attractive yet subtle enough to retain the realism, and also noted how Ohana's design is much better than a
moe
Moe, MOE, MoE or m.o.e. may refer to:
In arts and entertainment Characters
* Moe Szyslak, from the animated television show ''The Simpsons''
* Moe, leader of The Three Stooges, played by Moe Howard
* Moe Higurashi, supporting character in ''Yash ...
clone.
As the characters' personality developed, the reviewer highly praised the realistic interactions between them as they are touching and substantial. Ohana's relationship with her mother and grandmother was noted to be especially well written with daunting emotions.
After reviewing the second half of the series, the reviewer considered ''Hanasaku Iroha'' to be one of the best titles in 2011.
''Hanasaku Iroha'' received a Jury Selection award in the Animation division of the 15th
Japan Media Arts Festival.
Yuwaku Bonbori Festival
''Hanasaku Iroha'' also had the effect of attracting fans of the show to visit the
Yuwaku Onsen in
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Overview Cityscape
...
, the inspiration for the show's setting. Increased general interest culminates in the Yuwaku Bonbori Festival, held yearly around October. In the anime, the preparation and celebration of the fictional Bonbori Festival was a major plot point. In 2011, shortly after the show finished airing, the town of Yuwaku decided to bring this Festival into reality where there had previously been no equivalent celebration.
In addition to typical
Japanese festival
Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. Many festivals have their roots in traditional Chinese festivals, but have undergone extensive changes over time to have little resemblance to ...
attractions, the organizers also included a procession of participants carrying paper
bonbori lanterns and a burning of ''
ema'' plaques with participants' wishes written on them, both of which are distinguishing characteristics of the festival as shown in the anime.
During the festival, the town's inns are sold out and attendees number over 15,000 for more recent iterations.
Originally, the festival was organized by individuals associated with P.A. Works. More recently, the town has attempted to broaden the appeal of the festival to beyond anime fans, including by inviting traditional musicians.
References
External links
Official website
*
{{P.A. Works
2011 anime television series debuts
2010 manga
2011 manga
2013 anime films
Animated films based on animated series
Anime with original screenplays
Coming-of-age anime and manga
Films directed by Masahiro Andō
Gangan Comics manga
Japanese webcomics
P.A.Works
Romantic comedy anime and manga
Films with screenplays by Mari Okada
Seinen manga
Shōnen manga
Slice of life anime and manga
Television shows adapted into films
Television shows written by Mari Okada
Tokyo MX original programming
Webcomics in print