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[Discussion] Hotaru no Hikari (All Seasons)

Posted: Jun 30th, '07, 00:25
by trunkims
Translator thanks to DoReMii :cheers: :cheers: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Image

Start Date 07.11.07

Synopsis Haruka Ayase stars as the title character, Hotaru Amemiya, in this adaptation of Satoru Hiura's "Hotaru no Hikari" manga series. Hotaru is a twenty-something office lady who has become a "dried fish" - she has "retired" from love, and she prefers to spend her time lazily at home. Then one day, her world gets shaken up when she unexpectedly ends up living with her boss (Fujiki Naohito). To complicate her life even further, she begins to find romance with a new employee named Makoto (Kazuki Kato). (Wiki)

Cast
Ayase Haruka as Amemiya Hotaru
Fujiki Naohito as Takano Seiichi
Kato Kazuki as Teshima Makoto
Kuninaka Ryoko as Saegusa Yuuhana
Takeda Shinji as Jinguji Kaname
Itaya Yuka as Yamada Sachiko
Yasuda Ken as Futatsugi Shouji
Asami Reina as Sono Minako
Watabe Gota as Sawaki Madoka
Shibue Joji

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No one's put a discussion on this yet? It's already less than 2 weeks away. Anyway, so I decided to start the topic off for this drama. I love Ayase's dramas!! YAY!!

So far no one's claimed to sub it yet...if anyone wants, I can help out as far as timing goes...would anyone like to translate?...anyway my offer is on the table....

Posted: Jun 30th, '07, 21:39
by Moondy
Yeah :)
I wait for :D

Posted: Jul 1st, '07, 02:03
by Rikayla
I might try this drama out, just because I really like Asami Reina's acting. :P

Posted: Jul 1st, '07, 03:14
by BOGCHI
sounds like a good one :thumleft:

Posted: Jul 1st, '07, 07:36
by japysia
cm:


Posted: Jul 1st, '07, 09:40
by BOGCHI
japysia wrote:cm:

looks fun, I'm definitely looking forward to this

Posted: Jul 1st, '07, 15:14
by furransu
im looking forward to this series ^^ currently looking for translator >< visit my thread in the fansubbing forum ^^

Posted: Jul 2nd, '07, 03:18
by Reira49
waiting for this one too
the preview looks really interesting
plus~I am a fans of kato kazuki
no matter how many scene he will come out
I will watch this one^^

Posted: Jul 10th, '07, 15:43
by furransu
ahh its airing tomorrow !! ^^

i hope its a good first episode so that many people will be interested in translating the drama ^^

im so hyped up to watch this drama~~ i hope its a good and entertaining one!!

Posted: Jul 11th, '07, 01:59
by Neji-sama
Cool, she looks hawt.

Can't wait for the subs tho... :(

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 01:29
by Yorokobi
I watched the first episode of this last night, I didnt really know much about this drama before I watched it and I am still unsure whether it will be good or bad but I did quite enjoy the first episode!

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 06:30
by celticmoon
I watched the first episode--I must say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. I wasn't expecting much, so I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality. I'll definitely be following it 'til the end.

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 06:52
by chokubi
Looks good so far.
I love the parts where Ayase Haruka mumbles a series of meaningless words when she stretches/exerts her body around the house...
11:30 / 13:50 / 24:11 - "dokoshoichitto"
11:41 - "gatsuishimatsu"
ROFL! :rofl:
Oh, and "ittadakimambo" @ 24:15, which reminds me of Matsuyama Kenichi (in Sexy Voice and Robo) saying "ittadakiMAX" :lol
Man, I love Jdramas. XD

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 08:24
by arabian
It seem good ...

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 11:36
by Yorokobi
chokubi wrote:Looks good so far.
I love the parts where Ayase Haruka mumbles a series of meaningless words when she stretches/exerts her body around the house...
11:30 / 13:50 / 24:11 - "dokoshoichitto"
11:41 - "gatsuishimatsu"
ROFL! :rofl:
Oh, and "ittadakimambo" @ 24:15, which reminds me of Matsuyama Kenichi (in Sexy Voice and Robo) saying "ittadakiMAX" :lol
Man, I love Jdramas. XD
Ha! 'Itadakimambo' that cracked me up too!!! :lol

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 19:44
by sakurachan
Yup. I'll be watching this too. In fact, I'm dropping HanaKimi to make time for this. :goggle:

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 21:19
by wachi
Wow, first episode's rating is 17.3%! I think this is probably my second favorite show this season... so far.

Posted: Jul 12th, '07, 23:05
by marienella_m
finally, Ayase in a light comedy drama! she's good here, and the episode 1 was nice.:) she has a good chemistry with Naohito. :thumleft:

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 00:25
by greyhorse
Just in the middle of watching this, but gosh, Haruka's become so pretty. Every scene that focuses on her, I can't help noticing how smooth and clear her skin is. Even in that scene where she's just getting out of a bath, her skin is perfect. I don't see how she manages that. Most people's skin would be kinda puffy, and there'd be a sheen from the sweat, but with her there's always a velvety smoothness. Just amazing. Supernatural even.

Anyway, her character's kinda made-up, but I'm enjoying the drama all the same. I hope this drama doesn't end up getting too sappy or corny as it continues. This is definitely one of the dramas I'm going to keep watching. uhh, yeah, if only for the skin*.

*If you're watching this on a LCD screen you might not see it too well, but on a high quality CRT her skin really is amazing.

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 00:53
by greyhorse
Ok, I just noticed something else. For a girl who wants to do nothing more than to roll around at home in sweats, her sense of fashion is too tastefull. What she's worn so far at work is always subdued without being demure. Classy without being too chic. Delicate, but modern. IMO, dead-on perfect. I LOVE every outfit she's worn. To go from that to bright yellow and reds at home is too much of a stretch. Clothes reflect our personalities and judging by what she's worn so far, she's mentally ill.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 02:56
by Puppet Princess
I think the contrast in her clothing is done on purpose. At home she's lazy, a little messy, and totally doesn't care what she looks like or how she acts. At work she's professional and dresses to make a good impression but that's not the real her.

That's the point I thought they were trying to make, but then again... I only understood maybe a 5th of what they were saying so what do I know?

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 05:05
by Yorokobi
Puppet Princess wrote:I think the contrast in her clothing is done on purpose. At home she's lazy, a little messy, and totally doesn't care what she looks like or how she acts. At work she's professional and dresses to make a good impression but that's not the real her.

That's the point I thought they were trying to make, but then again... I only understood maybe a 5th of what they were saying so what do I know?
Yes i agree that it was something along those lines even though just like you i understood very little.
I love how she is at home......just like me ^_^ (except for the beer)

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 05:14
by furransu
shes like a bum at home.. lol

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 05:15
by Yorokobi
shes lazy she talks to cats and makes huge messes and watches lots of tv
thats so me!!

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 05:21
by Puppet Princess
I love her character.... but her house freaks me out a little. I'm normally messy but she's just... beyond messy.

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 05:28
by Yorokobi
ive never had a whole house to do that in because my mum is really tidy so only my room was every like that and my room was probably worse but if i had my own house it would probably be about the same

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 05:41
by Puppet Princess
Ok... looking over the translations Ayaka sent me today. It looks like I was right. It is a thing about her two different worlds and two different personalities. Which is why he freaks out so much when he first sees her at home. It's a "who are you and what have you done with Hotaru?" moment.

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 10:51
by Progolf
chokubi wrote:Looks good so far.
I love the parts where Ayase Haruka mumbles a series of meaningless words when she stretches/exerts her body around the house...
11:30 / 13:50 / 24:11 - "dokoshoichitto"
11:41 - "gatsuishimatsu"
ROFL! :rofl:
Oh, and "ittadakimambo" @ 24:15, which reminds me of Matsuyama Kenichi (in Sexy Voice and Robo) saying "ittadakiMAX" :lol
Man, I love Jdramas. XD
In fact , it is "Dokkoishouichi"
and also I heard she speak the words more like "arinsu" & "aiyo"

I watched the first episode yesterday, it's fun.
Himono-onna is so interesting. I rated it as one of the best drama this season.
cute , cute , cute

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 13:14
by lzydata
One of the better pilots this season; I hope it stays this way!
"who are you and what have you done with Hotaru?" moment.
That's a perfect translation. The conversations between Hotaru and Takano are really cute, like the one starting around 15:07 where they were talking in circles:

[sorry for the slipshod translation, my Japanese isn't very good, even with a transcript]

"I've decided to reflect on my life by living by myself, which is why I've come back to my life's starting point, my parents' house here."
"Oh, if you're going to live by yourself now, you'd better start looking for a place!"
"Listen to me! I've come to live HERE."
"But I'm the one living here now."
"Even if you are living here now, this is still my parents' house."
"Even if this is your parents' house, I'm the one living here now."
"NO, even if you are living here now, this is my parents' house, so I will be living here alone from now on! ALONE!"
"Come on, a man your age should stop whining like that."

Looking forward to more :P

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 14:09
by chokubi
Progolf wrote:In fact , it is "Dokkoishouichi"
Pretty sure she said a "~tto" at the end but w/e right? You got the gist of it... :roll
Progolf wrote:and also I heard she speak the words more like "arinsu" & "aiyo"
"Arinsu" seemed like a lazy-simplified "arimasu", so it does have a meaning. No idea where "aiyo" came from or what it means. :scratch:

Posted: Jul 13th, '07, 18:29
by floydian
I'm not usually a fan of manga adapted dramas but I enjoyed this show so far. It's definitely one of my top favourites this season, alongside First Kiss and Papa to Musume no Nanokakan.

With regards to what greyhorse mentioned, I'll have to agree as well. I really like her office wear. They're simple but yet classy. I kinda like the sports wear she wears at home too. :lol

Posted: Jul 14th, '07, 08:30
by kokitty
I've kinna scanned through almost every single pilot drama of the season and Hotaru no Hikaru stands out as my fav in terms of storyline. I think there is a little bit of Hotaru in most young adult females these days, conforming to society pressures on how you should behave and look is quite tiring at times. When you're at home, being able to laze and just be a bum is pure heaven!

Ini terms of cast assembled, the natural acting talent isn't as strong as say the First Kiss cast. But i'll give Hotaru No Hikaru first runner-up cos they casted actors who are extremely well suited for their roles. Ayase is a natural beauty herself and comes across very convincingly as someone who doesn't really have much beauty regime but still looks good enough to attract the attention of the most desired guy in the office. Her innocent nature really brings out the what is so adorable abt Hotaru. Naohito Fujiki is in his natural element as the good looking, elite mid 30s man... but unlike some of his more recent drama outings who casts him as too dry and nice a guy... Takano buzhou is self centered and too opinated at times (but that makes him fun and dorkish) but you have to love him for always being able to snap out of his element at crucial times and be there for Hotaru when she needs him. Kato Kazuki as Teshima Makoto seems somewhat a weaker casting but he's not that experienced an actor and perhaps epi 1 is too early to pass anything on him yet.

Posted: Jul 14th, '07, 23:09
by Aru-girl
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
i love (Ayase Haruka) and the drama looks very good
now its on my watch list he he ^_^

Posted: Jul 14th, '07, 23:29
by Fleet
I really really really want to watch this drama. Looks really interesting. Some characters I'm familiar with too. Hehe.

I just don't have time to download it right now :|

Posted: Jul 15th, '07, 03:53
by Noi
I'm really liking this so far...


...I'm wondering for which pairing I should be rooting for, though... :blink

Hotaru/Seiichi?

Hotaru/Makoto?

...I'll go for the first one for now :lol

Posted: Jul 15th, '07, 04:05
by Yorokobi
I cant decide either! Its going to be interesting to see where they go!

Posted: Jul 15th, '07, 11:48
by sakurachan
Noi wrote:I'm really liking this so far...


...I'm wondering for which pairing I should be rooting for, though... :blink

Hotaru/Seiichi?

Hotaru/Makoto?

...I'll go for the first one for now :lol
Why not consider Seiichi x Makoto also? :blink

Posted: Jul 15th, '07, 21:10
by Noi
sakurachan wrote:
Noi wrote:I'm really liking this so far...


...I'm wondering for which pairing I should be rooting for, though... :blink

Hotaru/Seiichi?

Hotaru/Makoto?

...I'll go for the first one for now :lol
Why not consider Seiichi x Makoto also? :blink
Cause they've been in like... one scene together.... also, I'm not all that much into slash... :|

Posted: Jul 15th, '07, 21:19
by Puppet Princess
No!!!! No yaoi with Naohito. You shall not taint him that way. :lol

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 09:09
by Noi
...AGH! I'm going INSANE trying to fins the manga... I don't care if it's RAW or anything, I just need to see it!

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 17:53
by trunkims
kokitty wrote:I've kinna scanned through almost every single pilot drama of the season and Hotaru no Hikaru stands out as my fav in terms of storyline. I think there is a little bit of Hotaru in most young adult females these days, conforming to society pressures on how you should behave and look is quite tiring at times. When you're at home, being able to laze and just be a bum is pure heaven!

Ini terms of cast assembled, the natural acting talent isn't as strong as say the First Kiss cast. But i'll give Hotaru No Hikaru first runner-up cos they casted actors who are extremely well suited for their roles. Ayase is a natural beauty herself and comes across very convincingly as someone who doesn't really have much beauty regime but still looks good enough to attract the attention of the most desired guy in the office. Her innocent nature really brings out the what is so adorable abt Hotaru. Naohito Fujiki is in his natural element as the good looking, elite mid 30s man... but unlike some of his more recent drama outings who casts him as too dry and nice a guy... Takano buzhou is self centered and too opinated at times (but that makes him fun and dorkish) but you have to love him for always being able to snap out of his element at crucial times and be there for Hotaru when she needs him. Kato Kazuki as Teshima Makoto seems somewhat a weaker casting but he's not that experienced an actor and perhaps epi 1 is too early to pass anything on him yet.
Very nice :w00t:

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 18:10
by auroragb
greyhorse wrote:Ok, I just noticed something else. For a girl who wants to do nothing more than to roll around at home in sweats, her sense of fashion is too tastefull. What she's worn so far at work is always subdued without being demure. Classy without being too chic. Delicate, but modern. IMO, dead-on perfect. I LOVE every outfit she's worn. To go from that to bright yellow and reds at home is too much of a stretch. Clothes reflect our personalities and judging by what she's worn so far, she's mentally ill.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
I noticed the same thing. I just had to suspend my disbelief for that. No matter how much of a natural beauty you are, but if you don't take care of yourself, you can look horrible quickly.

Even if she is just careful dressing for work, but finding the right clothes and cosmetics takes hours of poring over magazines and shopping everyday. Also, not watching her diet and drinking so much beer would have devastating effect on her skin and complexion which can only be repaired by changing her diet and/or spending hours and hours a week at a salon and gym.

There is a reason why those people are called dried fish. Their appearance and demeanor are quite different because of their diet and lifestyle. Yes, there may be natural beauty, but beauty does not come naturally and require huge amount of work.

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 18:17
by arabian
For those who watched Eps 1.. what do u think ?? was it good??

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 18:45
by chokubi
Dunno if anyone else see it in this way, but I find 20:38 - 2200 (ep1) particularly witty and fun to watch.
It's like watching Hotaru as an adorable version of a wolf in sheep's clothing. :lol
Adds character to her being a "himono-onna" I guess. :scratchchin:

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 19:01
by sakurachan
auroragb wrote:
greyhorse wrote:Ok, I just noticed something else. For a girl who wants to do nothing more than to roll around at home in sweats, her sense of fashion is too tastefull. What she's worn so far at work is always subdued without being demure. Classy without being too chic. Delicate, but modern. IMO, dead-on perfect. I LOVE every outfit she's worn. To go from that to bright yellow and reds at home is too much of a stretch. Clothes reflect our personalities and judging by what she's worn so far, she's mentally ill.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
I noticed the same thing. I just had to suspend my disbelief for that. No matter how much of a natural beauty you are, but if you don't take care of yourself, you can look horrible quickly.

Even if she is just careful dressing for work, but finding the right clothes and cosmetics takes hours of poring over magazines and shopping everyday. Also, not watching her diet and drinking so much beer would have devastating effect on her skin and complexion which can only be repaired by changing her diet and/or spending hours and hours a week at a salon and gym.

There is a reason why those people are called dried fish. Their appearance and demeanor are quite different because of their diet and lifestyle. Yes, there may be natural beauty, but beauty does not come naturally and require huge amount of work.
Well, there is this thing called youth that can work wonders. When you're young, your body can take a lot of abuse. Of course, you will eventually see these effects as your body takes its toll. But I personally know people who just don't care what they eat and do, but yet they still have perfect skin and form. Youth is quite a wonderful thing.

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 19:25
by escapist
Really loved the first ep. It flowed wittily and naturally, and Ayase Haruka surprised me with her rendition of a himono-onna. XD
A question though, for those who've read the manga: Will there actually be a romantic arc between Hotaru and her boss?

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 20:19
by Noi
escapist wrote:Really loved the first ep. It flowed wittily and naturally, and Ayase Haruka surprised me with her rendition of a himono-onna. XD
A question though, for those who've read the manga: Will there actually be a romantic arc between Hotaru and her boss?
Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. I think it would be interesting to watch. :wub:


...that's why I need to scan through the manga. I was trying to download some volumes through emule, but everybody knows what a pain in the ass emule can be :-(

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 20:51
by Puppet Princess
Well, when he says things like "Men do not kiss just anybody. Kissing is what you do to the woman you love. Yes. Well, at least for me." (exact quotes :lol) It makes you think that they are foreshadowing. I mean, I can't totally see her freaking out and having a flash back later on when/if he kisses her.

But then again, Jdramas and mangas tend to have a lot of platonic story lines. I'm rooting for Takano though.

One of my favorite parts though, is right after Motoko kisses her and she's having an anxiety attack out on the street she's like, "Maybe I'll be pregnant." That cracked me up so much.

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 21:13
by reynardine
Just finished watching the first episode and it was freakin' hilarious! I'm thinking this drama will be my favorite this season!

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 21:18
by blueseeker
I just finished watching the first episode myself and some parts were really funny. You can also tell that there will be a more developed relationship between her and the boss. I wonder though who will win?.......

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 22:07
by sakurachan
Hmm... The cast is certainly interesting enough, but I wonder if the plot is worth seeing though. I mean, the manga doesn't seem to be popular at all.

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 22:28
by Midnight
Noi wrote:
escapist wrote:Really loved the first ep. It flowed wittily and naturally, and Ayase Haruka surprised me with her rendition of a himono-onna. XD
A question though, for those who've read the manga: Will there actually be a romantic arc between Hotaru and her boss?
Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. I think it would be interesting to watch. :wub:


...that's why I need to scan through the manga. I was trying to download some volumes through emule, but everybody knows what a pain in the ass emule can be :-(
I was dying to find that out as well; after scanning through the first few volumes of the manga I'm even more anxious to know what happens.

I don't know how to read a word of Japanese so I have no clue what's really going on but based on the drawings... hmm... maybe I should spoiler this... I'm not giving a major plot line away but some people like to go into the show fresh so I'll hide it.
There are definite developments between Hotaru and Makoto, but Hotaru and Seiichi seem to spend a lot of time together and there are some subtle, less-than-platonic moments.

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 22:39
by Noi
Midnight wrote:
Noi wrote:
escapist wrote:Really loved the first ep. It flowed wittily and naturally, and Ayase Haruka surprised me with her rendition of a himono-onna. XD
A question though, for those who've read the manga: Will there actually be a romantic arc between Hotaru and her boss?
Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. I think it would be interesting to watch. :wub:


...that's why I need to scan through the manga. I was trying to download some volumes through emule, but everybody knows what a pain in the ass emule can be :-(
I was dying to find that out as well; after scanning through the first few volumes of the manga I'm even more anxious to know what happens.

I don't know how to read a word of Japanese so I have no clue what's really going on but based on the drawings... hmm... maybe I should spoiler this... I'm not giving a major plot line away but some people like to go into the show fresh so I'll hide it.
There are definite developments between Hotaru and Makoto, but Hotaru and Seiichi seem to spend a lot of time together and there are some subtle, less-than-platonic moments.
REALLY?! Is it wrong that I'm excited about this? :D Can I ask where you got the manga from?

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 22:59
by Puppet Princess
sakurachan wrote:Hmm... The cast is certainly interesting enough, but I wonder if the plot is worth seeing though. I mean, the manga doesn't seem to be popular at all.
You'd be surprised at how many dramas are actually based off of mangas no one has ever heard of. The majority are really good, but there are the occasional flops. Just because no ones ever heard of it doesn't necessarily mean it's no good.

Stuff...

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 23:37
by watersmeet256
Although this has been out some time, I'm not sure if everyone have seen it?
An online video of the Hotaru No Hikari special has been posted up last week a few days before the first episode aired. It shows some behind the scene footage and the actor/actresses' comments on each other. Though they did show some parts which happened in the first episode.

Here's the link for those who haven't watched it:
http://www.tvbreak.jp/channel/prg/defau ... t_1182.htm

As for my thoughts on the first episode, I felt that it was generally okay because I haven't read the manga before and I'm rather curious as to how the plot will develop. Though I must say I rather like the cast interactions with each other and some of the laugh out loud moments.
:-)
I quite look foward to the next episode and for some reason, I feel that it's going to be seiichi/Hotaru in the end rather than Hotaru/Makoto. XD. But Makoto's still adorable~[/img][/url]

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 23:38
by Noi
Puppet Princess wrote:
sakurachan wrote:Hmm... The cast is certainly interesting enough, but I wonder if the plot is worth seeing though. I mean, the manga doesn't seem to be popular at all.
You'd be surprised at how many dramas are actually based off of mangas no one has ever heard of. The majority are really good, but there are the occasional flops. Just because no ones ever heard of it doesn't necessarily mean it's no good.
I was actually wondering about that. Every single synopsis says that Hotaru no Hikari is a very popular manga and all, but I had never heard of it. I can't even find scanlations or RAWs of the manga :O

Is it really that popular in japan?

Posted: Jul 16th, '07, 23:51
by ojouprincess
i didn't know about this drama until yesterday. i was intrigued because it had high ratings. anyway, i have just finished watching the first episode! i really like it!
i thought the first kiss on the chair was cute... makoto is handsome. ^_^
can't wait to watch the next one. this is my second fave for this season. ^_^

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 00:58
by Puppet Princess
Noi wrote:
Puppet Princess wrote:
sakurachan wrote:Hmm... The cast is certainly interesting enough, but I wonder if the plot is worth seeing though. I mean, the manga doesn't seem to be popular at all.
You'd be surprised at how many dramas are actually based off of mangas no one has ever heard of. The majority are really good, but there are the occasional flops. Just because no ones ever heard of it doesn't necessarily mean it's no good.
I was actually wondering about that. Every single synopsis says that Hotaru no Hikari is a very popular manga and all, but I had never heard of it. I can't even find scanlations or RAWs of the manga :O

Is it really that popular in japan?
That's possible. I've seen lots of things that were popular in the country of origin but never gained any popularity in other countries or even on the internet. Love at First Fight is a great example. It was promoted like crazy in China and was very popular, even staring two top idols, but no one online had ever heard of it. The RAWs didn't exist on BT sites until the DVD and VCDs came out, even though I've seen the TV rip version before on tudou.

So who knows. Maybe we're just out of the loop.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 01:47
by kokitty
Noi wrote:
Puppet Princess wrote:
sakurachan wrote:
I was actually wondering about that. Every single synopsis says that Hotaru no Hikari is a very popular manga and all, but I had never heard of it. I can't even find scanlations or RAWs of the manga :O

Is it really that popular in japan?
Well, it's probably an over-exaggeration to say that Hotaru no Hikari is a very popular manga, it's popular enough but not as popular as the likes of Hana Yoori, Nana, Hana Kimi etc. The above 3 are amongst the top 10 best selling shoujo/ josei mangas ever... sales of Hotaru No Hikari is probably ranked amongst the top 50 at best.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 02:06
by sakurachan
On the other hand, the reason that the manga might not have been as popular could be because the main character Hotaru in the manga is of 28 years old --- an age that is likely beyond the age bracket of the majority of the manga readers in Japan.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 05:26
by escapist
I heard from my friend that Hotaru no Hikari has been the #1 shoujo manga in Japan for a long time. Not sure where she got that from though. :\

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 08:53
by Noi
Found the manga.

Scanned through it and used my extremely basic knowledge of japanese...


IT'S AWESOME. I LOVE IT. SOMEONE BETTER SCANLATE IT OR I'LL DIE.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 08:56
by sakurachan
Well? Can you share some love by sharing where you've found it?

EDIT: Thanks, Noi.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 09:08
by escapist
Noi wrote:Found the manga.

Scanned through it and used my extremely basic knowledge of japanese...


IT'S AWESOME. I LOVE IT. SOMEONE BETTER SCANLATE IT OR I'LL DIE.
Can i assume from your response that yes there will be romance between Hotaru and her boss?

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 16:27
by Vibeke
:w00t: Did you really found the RAWs of this manga?! Can you tell me where? I was going insane, because I couldn't find them :scratch:

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 18:24
by Noi
This is the impression that I got from "reading" the manga. I might be entirely wrong, since it was in japanese (and my knowledge in japanese is extremely basic) and I also love reading way too much into things. Anyone else who has read it should give their opinions as well :lol
In my opinion, Hotaru and Seiichi's relationship so far (volume 8) is platonic, although... not so much. Hotaru is definetley in a relationship with Makoto (the go out on dates, they slept together, etc.), and seems to like him very much. However, in my opinion (and this might be totally biased, mind you... anyone can disagree with me if they feel like it), Hotaru spends moments with Seiichi that are incredibly meaningful. At times it does seem that she has feelings for him, at times it seems that he confuses her greatly. She worries a lot over him, for example there is this one moment in which she goes to his room to see that he's gone and finds the window cracked and open. Immediatley she starts thinking that a robber must've hurt him and that he could be somewhere bleeding to death. When she calls him (pretty much crying) she finds out that he's at a karaoke bar :blink:

The fact that she and Takano live together is a huge complication to her and Makoto's relationship... specially because Makoto has no idea about this(huge cliffhanger in chapter 41) which makes Hotaru feel incredibly guilty. However in chapter 29, Takano apparently leaves Hotaru's house. He does return in volume 7, but I really don't get what goes on there.

Moments that I think are meaningful? In chapter 3 he touches her face during a feverish haze. In chapter 8 she falls on top of him and has a flashback of the moment in chapter 3. They hold hands in chapter 20 during a helicopter ride. There is one chapter they devote completely to searching for a lost kitten. They also hold hands there. Loads of awkward moments, like when Takano gets drunk for some reason and ends up hugging her around her waist while she runs her hand through his hair. Until he grabs her butt and she kicks the crap out of him :mrgreen: . And I have the impression that every single talk they have while drinking beer is really important. But then again, I can't understand what they're saying :-(
That's what I think. Anyone can feel free to disagree with me, because like I said, I'm only basing what I think on the images I saw.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 18:32
by Puppet Princess
Noi wrote:
In my opinion, Hotaru and Seiichi's relationship so far (volume 8) is platonic, although... not so much. Hotaru is definetley in a relationship with Makoto (the go out on dates, they slept together, etc.), and seems to like him very much. However, in my opinion (and this might be totally biased, mind you... anyone can disagree with me if they feel like it), Hotaru spends moments with Seiichi that are incredibly meaningful. At times it does seem that she has feelings for him, at times it seems that he confuses her greatly. She worries a lot over him, for example there is this one moment in which she goes to his room to see that he's gone and finds the window cracked and open. Immediatley she starts thinking that a robber must've hurt him and that he could be somewhere bleeding to death. When she calls him (pretty much crying) she finds out that he's at a karaoke bar :blink:

The fact that she and Takano live together is a huge complication to her and Makoto's relationship... specially because Makoto has no idea about this(huge cliffhanger in chapter 41) which makes Hotaru feel incredibly guilty. However in chapter 29, Takano apparently leaves Hotaru's house. He does return in volume 7, but I really don't get what goes on there.

Moments that I think are meaningful? In chapter 3 he touches her face during a feverish haze. In chapter 8 she falls on top of him and has a flashback of the moment in chapter 3. They hold hands in chapter 20 during a helicopter ride. There is one chapter they devote completely to searching for a lost kitten. They also hold hands there. Loads of awkward moments, like when Takano gets drunk for some reason and ends up hugging her around her waist while she runs her hand through his hair. Until he grabs her butt and she kicks the crap out of him :mrgreen: . And I have the impression that every single talk they have while drinking beer is really important. But then again, I can't understand what they're saying :-(
This makes me more eager for the coming episodes.

Posted: Jul 17th, '07, 22:04
by arabian
I watched first Eps.. soo funny& good .. I hate the way she is wearing & her life way .. hope he can change her..

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:00
by xilikecreampuffsyoxx
when does episode 2 air?

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:08
by Puppet Princess
Tomorrow.

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:09
by marienella_m
accdg to Drama Wiki: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Hotaru_no_Hikari
episode 2 will be tonight 10pm Japan time

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:30
by Puppet Princess
Well, to be technical... it airs in about 10 hours. (which is tomorrow for me) but the torrent wont be up until later.

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:31
by Noi
BEHOLD, lol :lol
Image Image Image Image Image

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:37
by marienella_m
thanks a lot for the scans!!! now im dying to see the next episodes!! ireally cant choose between Fujiki and Kato Kazuki..they're both gorgeous and have good chemistry with Ayase Haruka.. :wub:

Posted: Jul 18th, '07, 02:44
by Lady Zhuge
marienella_m wrote:thanks a lot for the scans!!! now im dying to see the next episodes!! ireally cant choose between Fujiki and Kato Kazuki..they're both gorgeous and have good chemistry with Ayase Haruka.. :wub:
The decision is an easy one for me...Naohito all the way!!! :mrgreen: I like this series so far. It's funny and has exceeded my expectations. Hopefully that will continue through to the end.