Review of Love Hina: Xmas Special

Introduction

Love Hina was released in the UK last year by MVM in six volumes. In it, Keitaro Urashima is a hapless young boy, who fifteen years earlier made a pact with a girl to attend Tokyo University. He soon lost touch with the girl, unable even to recall her name, but he remained determined to attend University with her 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.

Twenty-four episodes of hilarity ensued, as Keitaro tried desperately to figure out to whom he made that promise, while studying to get into university, and healing after receiving a pummelling at the hands of whichever girl he may have inadvertently offended this time. All the while, he and fellow student Naru Narusegawa endlessly circled around a `would they-wouldn`t they` quandary. While the episodes and stories were entertaining, not every plot point was resolved over the series, and a second series wasn`t made. This is where the Love Hina specials come in, continuing the story as Keitaro keeps on trying for Tokyo U.

The two specials are the Spring and Christmas stories. The Spring Special was released earlier this year, and now that Yule is upon us it would seem an ideal moment to release the Christmas Special. Unfortunately in the Love Hina chronology, they go the other way around, and the Christmas Special slots in perfectly between the final series episode and the Spring Special, especially as this disc has a bonus 25th episode that adds to the series.

Love Hina: Christmas Special Silent Eve catches up with the residents of the Hinata Apartments approaching the holidays with eager anticipation. That is except for Keitaro, Naru and Mutsumi who are busy revising for an important practice exam, scheduled for Christmas Eve. As usual, Keitaro is completely flummoxed when it comes to understanding just where his relationship with Naru is going. This particular Christmas is especially exceptional though, as a rumour is circulating that if someone professes their love on Christmas Eve, then their dreams will come true. Kaolla Su and Sara are snooping in Naru`s room looking for Christmas presents, and find a letter professing her love for someone. Everyone assumes it`s for Keitaro and keeping a secret is hard in Hinata Apartments. When Keitaro finds out, he can keep his feelings hidden no longer. However, Naru reacts oddly, ignoring Keitaro and going home to study alone. Keitaro is determined to give her a present though, and follows her all the way to Tokyo, where it turns out that she is meeting Seta to give him that letter. It looks like no one at Hinata will be having a Merry Christmas.

Video

The picture for Love Hina: Christmas Special is presented in a 4:3 ratio, and is a little richer and wider in scope than the series. 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.

The bonus episode is a little less impressive, showing a lack of dynamism and fluidity in the animation. It seems as if the budget was reduced, resulting a more static experience. That said, the look of the characters and environments remains consistent, and it really doesn`t detract from the story.

Audio

You can listen to Love Hina: Christmas Special 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. The original language is still the way to go in my opinion, as the dubbed version definitely loses something in the translation.

Features

The usual MVM suspects accompany the main feature, the animated menus and jacket picture as well as the textless ending, a stills gallery and trailers for Full Metal Alchemist and Chobits.

What makes this disc stand out is the inclusion of the bonus 25th episode, Motoko`s Choice Between Love or Swords: Don`t Cry.

Naru is away with her sister, when Motoko`s own elder sister pays a visit. Apparently it`s time for Motoko to leave Hinata and return home to take over the running of the dojo. She isn`t ready to leave though, and convinces Keitaro to pretend they are engaged. Her sister easily sees through the ruse, and as a punishment strips Motoko of her Samurai heritage. Now Motoko must learn to be a simple schoolgirl and start living the domestic life.

Conclusion

When it was released earlier this year, the Spring Special came as something of a disappointment. Not only did it recycle a plot covered earlier in the series, it also felt somewhat tenuously stretched to 45 minutes. While it had plenty of Love Hina`s trademark humour, the story was all too familiar. Fortunately the same can`t be said of the Christmas Special, which although it is typically Love Hina, actually moves the story in a positive direction. It also feels like a genuine 45-minute story, rather than two episodes bolted together, or a smaller episode stretched almost to breaking point.

At the end of the series, Keitaro had come to realise that looking back to the past and the promise he made to a girl he couldn`t even recall, was less important than looking to a possible future with the girl of his dreams. The Christmas Special catches up to Love Hina just after that point, and while there is mention of the promise, it`s really just a way to lay the issue to rest. More important is Keitaro and Naru`s relationship, which seems to have taken a step backward since the earlier episode. Keitaro is confused as to why Naru is being standoffish all of a sudden, and with it being Christmas, as well as the rumour going around of Christmas wishes coming true, Keitaro plans a grand gesture.

What follows is the usual Love Hina crossed lines, awkward situations and misinterpreted gestures. Things go sadly, stupidly, and comically wrong, mostly down to the residents of Hinata Apartments, and it`s up to the same residents to come together to make their Christmas dreams come true. These specials are all about moving the Love Hina story on, namely getting Keitaro and Naru to a place where they can acknowledge their feelings. The Christmas Special does this very well, in a story that has just the right amount of magic, laughter and heart-warming moments, without overdoing the schmaltz. At least it does half the work. The Spring Special does the other half, despite its meandering story. But of the two, The Christmas Special is far more satisfying. Love Hina creator Ken Akamatsu makes a cameo here also.

The bonus episode is worth noting too. Motoko`s Choice Between Love or Swords: Don`t Cry is an excellent addition to the Love Hina universe, and in retrospect quite necessary. All of the characters in Love Hina followed some kind of an arc and had their stories told over the run of the series. Motoko`s character was shown as an austere and skilled swordswoman, whose absent sister supplied her motivation to study and excel, and for whom she had ambivalent feelings. Herself at that age where she was infuriated by the distraction of males, especially as her sister had given up her responsibilities to marry for love, she would naturally take this out on Keitaro. All the while, her sister remained a shadowy figure, and while Motoko had some good stories, her past was never really resolved. This episode, where her sister finally makes an appearance is a much-needed resolution to her character, where she can face her past and her demons, and move on.

It`s also interesting to see what effect the straight to video status has done for this episode, which is raunchier and more prone to fan service on the lines of the Manga than the rest of the series. The words, Keitaro, Motoko and barefaced cheek best describe this episode.

The Love Hina Christmas Special is supremely satisfying if you are a fan of the series, telling a rounded story and moving the characters on during its 45 minutes. The addition of the bonus episode makes this disc better value for money, especially as the story rounds off Motoko`s character arc. At its best Love Hina is funny and heart-warming, and the Christmas Special fits the bill perfectly.