Review of Love Hina: Vol. 5

Introduction

Love Hina is one of those anime that eschews uber-action and hyper violence for something a little more sedate, relationships. Of course these are the kind of relationships that only happen in anime like Tenchi Muyo. A shy clumsy unworldly teen somehow ends up living with several beautiful girls, all of whom in some way fall in love with him. Cue plenty of crossed wires, farcical moments and abundant slapstick. Realism isn`t exactly a priority in these stories.

In Love Hina, Keitaro Urashima is a hapless young boy, who fifteen years earlier made a pact with a girl to both attend Tokyo University. He soon lost touch with the girl, unable even to recall her name, but he remained determined to attend University just as he had promised. Unfortunately he`s not that academically gifted, and after twice failing the entrance exams, his family urged him to get a job to support himself. Which is how he ends up manager of an all girl dormitory, living with five girls with wildly differing personalities. He`s still determined to get to university though and find the girl he knew all those years ago.

Volume 5 sees the Hinata residents enjoying their summer vacation at the beach, but it`s still hard work, as they have to renovate the teahouse and serve customers. There is still plenty of time over the space of four episodes to cause much mayhem and havoc.

Ep 17. Mesmerized by Naru on the Haunted Island! Something`s Fishy
Motoko`s group feels that she is being corrupted and weakened by the presence of little perverts like Keitaro. But she ignores their demands to disassociate herself from Keitaro, and instead accepts the responsibility of guarding a haunted island until an exorcist can arrive. This is the same island that everyone decides to visit just so Keitaro can have a chance to impress Naru with his bravery. When a restless spirit possesses Naru, it`s up to Motoko to advance to the next level in her training to free her of the curse, but not before Keitaro gets lucky.

Ep 18. Girls Dressed in Yukata for the Summer Festival: Lets!
It`s the evening of the Summer Festival, before everyone has to return home. Naru still isn`t speaking to Keitaro after what he did previously, and she isn`t willing to listen to his explanations. Seta`s leaving on another dig, but this time he`ll be leaving Sara behind at Hinata, only she runs off in anger while everyone else is enjoying the festival. Not to worry though as Kitsune has a plan to solve everyone`s problems.

Ep 19. Marry Into Money? A Prince from Across the Sea: Warm
Everyone is looking forward to the new semester, everyone except Kaolla Su who is intent on having as much fun as possible. But there is a new visitor to the Hinata apartments, one who looks uncannily like Keitaro with a healthy tan, but a whole lot more self-assured. Things get stranger when Kaolla turns into her grown up self in the absence of a red moon. Looking for answers, Naru goes to meet Kaolla`s older sister Amalla, and finds her with Mutsumi Otohime who has returned for another attempt at Tokyo U. Apparently it`s time for Kaolla Su to get married and return home.

Ep 20. A Sepia-coloured Promise with a Sleeping Girl: A Trick?
Keitaro, Naru and Mutsumi are trying to revise, but Su and Sara interrupt while exploring the secret passageways in the apartments. They find a hidden corridor that both Mutsumi and Keitaro find familiar. Keitaro wanders into a room containing a clockwork doll called Moé, a doll that recognises Keitaro. The doll has a history with the Urashima family, and stirs more recent memories for Keitaro.

Video

The picture for Love Hina is presented in a 4:3 ratio, reflecting the original television broadcasts. The image is clear and sharp throughout, and the animation is crisp and well accomplished. Like most modern anime while the initial sketches are done by hand, the colouring and animation is done on computer resulting in a pristine animation. Love Hina is certainly dynamic in style and is visually very effective.

Audio

You can listen to Love Hina in dubbed English DD 2.0 or the original Japanese track, again in DD 2.0. As always, I opted for the original language and found the dialogue to be clear and the on screen action adequately represented. There are two subtitle tracks on this disc; the default translates the various signs and captions that appear in the episodes, while the dialogue subtitles are translated rather than reflecting the dub. I must mention the title music, which is somewhat akin to an exploding arcade game, yet foot-tappingly addictive in its cacophony. The original language is still the way to go in my opinion, as the dubbed version definitely loses something in the translation.

Features

Extras are a little light on this single layer disc, though they are appreciated nonetheless. MVM certainly impress when it comes to authoring anime titles, and Love Hina is no exception, looking delightful. There`s the usual jacket picture that displays when the disc isn`t spinning and the animated menus display over that odd theme tune. You`ll find a Photo Gallery for Mitsune Konno running to 8 pages. There is the trailer for Love Hina, and finally there are trailers for Haibane Renmei and R.O.D the TV.

Conclusion

This fifth volume of Love Hina continues on much in the same vein as the earlier discs. There`s plenty of madcap mayhem as the Hinata residents get caught up in various surreal adventures, all the while circling around a will they - won`t they question over Keitaro and Naru. The first two episodes are set at the beach, removed from the apartments, and have a more relaxed feel about them. You can also see the end of the series on the horizon, as the stories begin to gather the loose ends together. The third episode on this disc is a sequel to one on disc 3, where Kaolla Su`s family and her assumed destiny are explored. Here we get to meet the brother that she was dreaming about. There`s also a return to the Tokyo U storyline and the promise that lies at the heart of the series, with the return of Mutsumi, and the revelation that she knows Keitaro better than Naru has suspected.

The first three episodes really don`t add much in terms of story, and if you have seen the earlier Love Hina discs, then it`s really more of the same. It`s no bad thing in itself, but I was prepared to mark accordingly. However the last episode on this disc, really changes gear and presents us with a touching magical story about a doll and a promise made by Keitaro`s great-grandfather. The slapstick takes a backseat while this gentle story reveals that Keitaro really is a sweet guy, and there is more to him than inappropriate clumsiness. It`s a side of him that Naru isn`t familiar with, and she has to confront her feelings about him.

Love Hina continues the way it started, its blend of warm comedy and teen angst relationships is something I find appealing. These stories never fail to entertain, and just when you think you have the measure of the series, it throws in a tender character piece like the last episode on this disc, which elevates the series beyond the average. Love Hina is an anime that is impossible to tire of.