Suzuka 26
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Our final episode begins with Suzuka beating the crap out of Yamato more to express her internal conflict than because she hated him kissing her. She’s just really really bad at dealing with her emotions and reacts instead of acts.
Later, Yamato goes to apologize but decides not to. This, to me, is a mark of growth as, even though he feels that he wasn’t out of line in what he said and did, instead of rushing in and justifying his actions until he’s blue in the face he just leaves it alone.
I loved when Suzuka asks Yamato to come with her to visit Kazuki’s grave one final time so that she can truly say goodbye, let go, and look to the future. It’s only fitting that standing next to her is the guy who she will be moving foward with.
The completely silence during the grave scene was more powerful than any background music could have been. And later the simple gesture of them holding hands more moving than any passionate confession of love.
While it was in tiny, often excrutiating and frustrating, baby steps, Suzuka’s growth is apparent throughout the series. I’m actually glad it took her so long because when you’re dealing with deep pain like that it would be completely unrealistic for her to just get over it in a second.
As for Honoka, I feel her theme has been that old saying, “if you really love something, set it it free. If it comes back it’s yours forever. If it doesn’t, it was never yours to begin with.” I’m sad for her that she couldn’t have the person she loves. But I know she’ll find better, and boy did she learn a ton in this whole process.
I feel that Yamato has grown the least of all the characters in the series, but he has changed and can only go up from here.
Put simply, Suzuka is a wonderful series where not only do the characters grow up, they mature. I thank Mentar again for encouraging me to watch this.
January 10th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
Hey, yah I totally agree with everything you think.
It is apparent that there was growth in Asahina, Akitsuki and Honoka and that though they each dealt with pain and loss throughout the series everything…as usual…turned out for the best.
I found that after each episode I wathced I was left with emotions spewing out of me and thinking of it until the next came out. This is a very well done captivating series and it saddens me to see it end.
The end scene on the final episode was genius, they ended it nicely and succeeded in making me happy…again
I would like to thank you for the description and feedback you wrote about each episode. It gave me a place to turn to when I was thinking about it.
10 out of 10
Tyler
January 10th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
The character growth was great, and Honoka really did end up caring about Yamato a lot, wanting him to be happy even if it wasn’t with her. The romance at the end was so wonderfully understated too!
January 10th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Kabitzin – agreed agreed agreed.
Tyler – thank you for the amazing compliment! I’m very glad you seemed to have enjoyed this series as much as I have.
Now, why is Mentar not saying anything about the final episode? Hmmm???
January 10th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
After all the tension and pain, finally Suzuka moves on with her life, and the slow baby steps they’re taking atm with their relationship in the manga is really nice.
Suzuka is slowly but surely changing, she’s really a lot nicer now in the manga.
See this if you want to know how their relationship is progressing.
http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/1438/171vh.jpg
January 11th, 2006 at 4:19 am
Sorry Ren, but I’m really kinda buried under workload recently. To get Fate/stay night out quickly (and me, Suzuka26 afterwards), we were all ruining our entire weekend, and at the beginning of the next week the real life stuff put aside came down to bite me ^_^;
I’m glad you liked the recommendation. Here’s the next one: Without the hype, still try F/sn. I don’t know the entire story all by itself, but people with a very reliable good taste in anime confirm that it’s gonna be great (the same who recommended Suzuka to me btw).
Here’s a little extra service about how the manga continued (by me, taken from the primary anime forum I frequent):
Honoka is the hidden star of the show for me. Her growth was amazing, she went from “ugh, oh no, not another Shinobu-style weenie” to the character I admire most. If I had to pick a girl for a relationship, it would still be Miki, but Honoka definitely stole the limelight.
First, what was cut in the anime: Honoka meets Nana at one of her photo shoots, and the cameraman just HAS to take some shots of Honoka because of her looks. Nana supports the idea, but Honoka feels REALLY uneasy about it, so the results were unusable. However, after the shooting, the cameraman catches Honoka unaware, which results in a “whoa!” experience later on.
Honoka learns about the Suzuka-Yamato tryst and linkup “past” episode 26 more or less by chance (while the nightly showdown on the shrine steps TOOK place like this, her “I give up” speech from anime ep26 didn’t happen). Dejected and sad, she phones Nana again, who tells her that she should check her mail, which contains the “secret shot”. Nana rants on how sugoi it was and how much the photographer wants her to model (to a big degree to cheer Honoka up), but then Honoka makes her decision: If Nana and the photographer think that she has talent to be a model, she wants to try. Nana is so freaked that she almost drops the receiver, but when she realizes that Honoka means it, she supports it.
This part completes her growth. She quits the track club manager position and moves on. Honoka in a private talk to Yamato: “I have yet to find my place, to find what my destiny is, and to learn what I can do to shine like Asahina”. She hasn’t completely given up on Yamato yet. But she wants to stand on her own feet and find something she can do to gain focus and confidence. Too bad that they removed this part from the anime, even though she still comes over very admirable in the last ep.
About what happens over the next manga chapters: In general, little fairly irrelevant chapters about the troubles of a first relationship. Suzuka remains moody and bitchy, but shows her cute sides more often. Some chapters are actually funny, for example when Yamato approaches Miki with a grave face and asks her if it was okay if he’d call her Miki from now on. Miki: *flush* *dokidoki* Nananananananiiiii?? *wide-eyed tomato mode, but eventually giving in with a highly embarrassed cute facial expression*. Yamato: Whew! Great, thank you!! You know, I was too embarrassed to call Asahina by her first name, so I thought I should rather practice with you. (Miki’s punishment was very thorough and painful)
Some medium crises and reconciliations, Asahina off on a training trip, Yasunobu brings around girls, one of them (Yui, pretty nice and smart gal) takes a liking to Yamato, they both go out a bit (while Suzuka is off), major misunderstandings and jealousy, eventually Yamato grows a brain and visits Asahina at her camp, *bitch*, *anger*, *grabs and kisses Yamato, then punches him down full-fist*, *tears*, *helping him up, kisses his cheek during making up* etc etc.
That’s where we are now.
With Honoka gone, alot of the tension is out, simply because there’s no credible rival. The only one with REMOTE credibility would be Miki, but she’s too smart (even though she always retains a soft spot for him).
Right now I don’t think a second season would be a good idea. But I’ll follow the manga anyway.
January 11th, 2006 at 9:54 am
A second season is a must to redeem Suzuka. The Honoka arc seriously was stupid and pretty much waste of time, making Suzuka look utterly bad and hateful just to make Honoka look like an angel. Now that Suzuka is slowly becoming a nicer person, everyone starts complaining about the story being dull, boring etc. This is a relationship & romance story in the first place, character development is what it should be about, not silly emo drama like the Honoka arc was.
Besides, Miki > Honoka, Suzuka > Honoka any day, even after her so called “character growth” Honoka remains a weak character. Even Yui is better than Honoka.
http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs63&d=06022&f=suzuka_085_11.jpg
January 11th, 2006 at 10:24 am
Forgot to mention this, Suzuka even does something really sweet and nice for Yamato, knitting a sweater for him. Those “fairly irrelevant chapters” are way more interesting than what most detractors would put it as.
January 13th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
O man i loved this series so much it reminds me of aishiteruze baby!I even started reading the manga.Come on producers do me a favor and make a nice 2nd season..What do you guys think would be very nice to have a second season don´t you think?
man i want a cute ice queen like suzuka, just to melt her heart ^^
January 14th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
does anyone know that last song playing in ep. 26 before the credits? i know its not Kimi No Koto because i just checked. anyone know?
btw, nice page and i totally agree lol.
January 17th, 2006 at 7:55 am
hi guys, i just recovered from a week long hard disk failure.
will catch up with the anime soon.
anyway, with the continuation of suzuka in manga, in a very brief and not so accurate manner, some parts make me wanna slap yamato. Hahaha. Oops, i think i’m picking up some bad habits here from..
February 6th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
This was a very good series, can anyone recommend me any other animes similar to this?
July 24th, 2006 at 11:56 am
I loved this series but the emotions I feel at the end of each episode are too strong. Id’ont know if I would survive a 2nd season
Really, I can’t stop thinking about this story… this is an awesome series !!!
January 11th, 2007 at 2:02 am
i was so glad this kind of story, very impressive i wish to have a sequel, a sequel with no ending, but of course it can’t be.but i just want to give a emphasis of the feelings of every viewers example. my friend, he said it so annointed, because we hang! but we hope,that, we can watch again the sequel.
February 5th, 2007 at 7:12 am
DARN!I hate it why do SUZUKA end up with the lover boy of Honoka!
February 18th, 2007 at 6:08 am
i like honoka better for akitsuki.. i think they would look good together.. oh well.. i can do nothing bout it.. but i loved though suzuka’s personality.. sometimes strong on the outside, yet weak on the inside..
February 21st, 2007 at 7:27 am
is there a 2nd episode?
July 20th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I just finished seen Suzuka and wanted to read some more about it. Your weblog comments to each chapter were great, help me put things into perspective.
I too prefer Honoka for Akitsuki. And Miki for Hattori..
July 20th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Hi everyone…I’m new here.Actually I’ve been tuning to this site from a few months ago,but was so bz with work n studies that I don’t have time to participate.Now my exam’s over n less work to do,I guess it’s time 4me 2 join this exciting discussion.
I totally agree that Suzuka is absolutely a wonderful story…probably the best that I’ve read n seen so far.I bought the anime three months ago and boy…I was totally touched!Although I started with anime…I’m so impressed that I decided to collect the manga too.Although I was sad after watching the last episode(the anime) I was relieved to find out that there’s a sequel.Since I don’t understand Japanese I’ll just have to wait for the English version published by Del Ray…but up to now it’s only available up to Vol 4 only…damn.
Anyway,straight 2 the point…to Asakomi,ur site here is GREAT!It shows that you’re really into this beautiful story…wish I could set one like yours but I juz don’t have time.To Mentar,thanks for your info about how the manga continued after season one ended.I really can’t wait to find out…but I’ll just have to rely to online info 4 now as the manga n anime won’t be coming out in my country any soon…dunno when they’ll arrive here.To the others thanks too for all your supportive comments!
But to Z I have something to tell you…you really crossed the line condemning Honoka like that!!You say she’s stupid and a weak character?I think you’re an idiot…maybe you like Suzuka better but that doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want about Honoka!Most people here will agree that she IS the strongest character…although she was timid and uncertain in the beginning but she did learn a lot along the way up to the end of the season.She knew she’d never get Akitsuki to really love her coz he liked Suzuka from the start…but she held on to her hopes,tried and managed to be with Yamato…albeit for just a while.That takes a lot of courage for a girl to do you know…well,what do you know anyway??
Honoka is the character I really love the most.Of course I prefer her with Akitsuki…but with Suzuka around for sure that wouldn’t happen.Or maybe it will…who knows?Who knows what Kouji Seo will be thinking for an ending to the sequel?It looks remote…but it’s not impossible!
Anyways whatever the case I’d stick to Suzuka as one of the most impressive and fascinating story I’ve ever known!
July 20th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Hi everyone…I’m new here.Actually I’ve been tuning to this site from a few months ago,but was so bz with work n studies that I don’t have time to participate.Now my exam’s over n less work to do,I guess it’s time 4me 2 join this exciting discussion.
I totally agree that Suzuka is absolutely a wonderful story…probably the best that I’ve read n seen so far.I bought the anime three months ago and boy…I was totally touched!Although I started with anime…I’m so impressed that I decided to collect the manga too.Although I was sad after watching the last episode(the anime) I was relieved to find out that there’s a sequel.Since I don’t understand Japanese I’ll just have to wait for the English version published by Del Ray…but up to now it’s only available up to Vol 4 only…damn.
Anyway,straight 2 the point…to Asakomi,ur site here is GREAT!It shows that you’re really into this beautiful story…wish I could set one like yours but I juz don’t have time.To Mentar,thanks for your info about how the manga continued after season one ended.I really can’t wait to find out…but I’ll just have to rely to online info 4 now as the manga n anime won’t be coming out in my country any soon…dunno when they’ll arrive here.To the others thanks too for all your supportive comments!
But to Z I have something 2 tell u…u really crossed the line condemning Honoka like that!!You say she’s stupid and a weak character?I think u’re an idiot…maybe u like Suzuka better but that doesn’t mean u can say whatever u want about Honoka!Most people here will agree that she IS the strongest character…although she was timid and uncertain in the beginning but she did learn a lot along the way up to the end of the season.She knew she’d never get Akitsuki to really love her coz he liked Suzuka from the start…but she held on to her hopes,tried and managed to be with Akitsuki…albeit for just a while.At least she tried rather that juz dream n do nothing.That takes a lot of courage 4 a girl to do u know…well,what do u know anyway??
Honoka is the character I really love the most.Of course I prefer her with Akitsuki…but with Suzuka around for sure that wouldn’t happen.Or maybe it will…who knows?Who knows what Kouji Seo will be thinking for an ending to the sequel?It looks remote…but it’s not impossible!
Anyways whatever the case I’d stick to Suzuka as one of the most impressive and fascinating story I’ve ever known!
July 20th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Oh great…sorry guys I accidently sent my comment twice!Anyway it’s more or less the same…but there’s some ammendment in the 2nd one…so read it!