Whoa. Is all of D-addict in this bloody thread? Ahh, well, I've lost my old user name (slippy), but it's good to see some of the regulars from the first HYD thread again: Kath, FY, MakinoSabr. Y'all had great insights last year and I hope to read you again
Anyhoo, I haven't seen episode 3 yet, but I like what they've done with the adaptation this season. The writers are taking the extra step here to reinterpret the manga from a really different context. It's as if they're taking those story arcs, but writing the psychology and emotions as if all this really did happen after the manga.
This changes everything. Because what season 2 seems to locking us into is how much Tsukushi and Tsukasa have changed since the year, and how love can be the most incovenient thing to the realities of family, responsibilities, and career. Yeah, mummy is a villain here, but so are the practical circumstances with being a Doumyoji, as well as Tsukushi not knowing what the heck is going on.
From the first frame, there's been indelible sadness, but also a knowing one. For longtime fans of HYD, they're watching yet another recreation of their favorite scenes and story arcs. But here, and this is where season 2 seems to be making its mark, they've made it poignant. Makino is fighting the same battles, with school, with her not-rich background, with her feelings toward one loveable ****, with figuring out who is really her ally/friends. The difference, here, is that Makino seems to realize it too, and it hurts her much more because none of it had to be this way, as if it were a bad dream. She loves him, shouldn't have everything changed?
And as badly as Doumyoji has treated Makino, there's actually so much love coming from him underneath the surface. Doumyoji is knowingly playing a version of his **** himself from the first season, but it's so half-hearted, so deeply sad and passionless. He knows he's being a jerk again, but notice how he always backs off from the killer blow. He never really humiliates her. He never really yells at her as he used to. He wants to hurt her just enough so that he doesn't have to hurt her anymore.
I just love this melancholy interpretation. This is the adult interpretation of their Saturn bond. Doumyoji recognizes the monster in himself, but at the same time, his heart is fully grown and he's trying his best to be responsible by becoming the monster again. Makino reopens up all her wounds of self-inferiority, but now she's trying to push her heart forward toward her future and some closure with Doumyoji.
If the Saturnian necklace is about suffering and surviving all obstacles to have a still uncertain future, to give their weeds-in-the-garden love a shot at eternity. Then here the adult reflection of Saturnian necklace is in the challenge of two people changing quickly and the plodding, forward push of life itself.
Their adaptation on Shigeru was absolutely spot-on. Ahhh, major crushage.
Also kinda dug the Nana Osaki-ish outfits she wore in some of the scenes. Yum.
I've always seen Shigeru as both Mrs. D's and the manga-ka's way of tweaking the reasons why Doumyoji initially fell in love with Makino. On paper, she's strong willed, throws a good punch, and is unafraid of him. And she's also affectionate and warm and all that other good stuff. On paper, Doumyoji should be crazy about her, because superficially she's a lot like Makino except rich and therefore "acceptable" in their world.
Shigeru's my favorite female character in the story, but I felt her story arc was a bit too . . .intense . . . for the overall tone of the manga. But, in this adaptation, it'll be perfect. Look for K-drama level weep-age in future epis.
Finally, Inoue Mao is a lock for another nomination. If Jun's performance encapsulated the madcap soul of the first season, then this bittersweet drama-comedy is going to fly on her mood changes. At the emotional rate of this show, she could become the frontrunner halfway into the quarter.
LittleAutumn:
Calm down! You'll just have to wait like the rest of us until Friday XDD.
!! Ah I can't wait!!
!
a closure ending for Tsukasa and Makino, not the way the amnga ended 
