Love Hina TV 7/10

Love Hina got a lot of hype before it was released in NA and it's somewhat understandable why. This isn't your average harem anime filled with fan-service aimed at horny young men, it's a romantic comedy with a habit of over-exaggerated violence towards the main male lead (Keitaro) and a problematic relationship that's more the main female lead's (Naru's) fault. For once the girl is more at fault than the guy. It's a nice change.

Love Hina aired in 2000 and ran for 24 episodes, there is also a bonus 25th episode I will cover in this review. Love Hina suffers from a couple of technical problems but is pretty good overall. The backgrounds are consistent and well drawn but the character animation suffers at times. Some of the scenes in episode 22 are really bad and I can only assume this is so they could spend more time on the final two.

The character designs are pretty good but not as close to the manga as I'd like (this is one of the few manga I've bothered to read). The score is a mixed bag, the first half of the series is largely synth and while not unpleasant it isn't very memorable. The second half is more orchestral and is a great improvement. I actually consider the music of the closing 5 episodes almost worth buying the O.S.T. for. A lot of people like the OP but I've soured on it over time, it's just got too much distortion. I didn't mind the ED though, even if I never listen to it. The insert songs are pretty good since they're sung by Naru's VA (I think). I like all the VA's but Motoko's is worth a mention. She has the best scream in anime. It changes to a higher register halfway in. It's great, very girly and cute considering she's supposed to be the toughest of the girls.

Keitaro is a 20 year old failure. He's failed his university entrance exams twice and doesn't have a girlfriend. Of course he's trying for the toughest university in Japan, Tokyo U, in order to keep a promise he made to a little girl 15 years before who's face he doesn't remember. He gets roped into managing his grandmother's all-girls dorm with several tenants of the female persuasion. Kitsune is the oldest of the girls at 20, a bit of a drinker, a bit of a gambler, she doesn't HATE Keitaro but doesn't think much of him and she doesn't do much but sit around. Motoko is in high school and a master swordswoman. After having her sister leave her to get married she's got a hate on for men in general and Keitaro in particular. Su is the youngest girl, in Jr. High and comes from some mysterious foreign country. She's a mechanical genius and very hyper, she likes Keitaro from the start but perhaps more as a playmate. Shinobu is another Jr. High student who joins the cast in the 2nd episode. She's quiet and shy and has a huge crush on Keitaro. Naru is the girl Keitaro falls for, she's grumpy and violent, loud and quick to anger. She's also trying to get into Tokyo U but for other reasons. She can't stand Keitaro and punches or kicks him into the sky for any transgressions, real or perceived.

At first only some of Keitaro's problems are of his own making. He crashes into the girl's bath multiple times, lies about having passed his exams and clumsily falls on top or ends up groping various tenants. He's a nice guy but prone to accidents and since he gets so frantic the girls always think the worst of him and it doesn't help that Kitsune sabotages him at times. As the show progresses he starts to get his act together and the girls slowly start to come around. Of course Naru and Motoko still think the least of him and attack him mercilessly when he steps out of line. He likes Naru from the start but has such a low opinion of himself can't believe she'd like him back. Throughout the series, just as he thinks there might be some hope for a relationship with Naru his hopes are dashed. This is usually caused by some misunderstanding on his part or Naru getting angry with him over her misunderstanding.

After the first 7 or so episodes there are quite a number of non-plot episodes but these are all pretty funny and let us learn more about the various characters. They're all really entertaining so the lack of plot advancement doesn't annoy me too much. We do meet Mutsumi, a girl the same age as Keitaro who is so much like him she's almost too perfect. The show really gets back on track in episode 21 when Naru's little step-sister, Mei, comes to the dorm to bring Naru back home. This leads to a plan to get Keitaro together with Mutsumi and forces Naru to decide whether to fight to keep him or simply let him go. In these episodes the focus shifts as much to Naru as Keitaro and we learn that she does like him and her pride is getting in the way of telling him how she feels. It's like a saying I once heard: "It's easy to say "I love you" until you don't say it. Then it's the hardest thing in the world to say." It's only at this part of the series we really start to feel sorry for Naru since Keitaro now has Mutsumi who likes him without all the drama and violence. How dangerous Mutsumi is is shown in episode 23. In episode 21, for the first time someone asks Keitaro on a date, someone comes to his aid after being punched by Naru, and the old men who represent the dreams of the tenants throughout the series cannot bar Mutsumi from passing.

Of course Naru wins the day but escapes from really confessing to Keitaro. The ending resolves little but since there is more Love Hina to come I can forgive that as the remaining animes can do the big resolutions. I liked this show a lot better once Naru got a rival and I suppose the price I have to pay for good character development is an unpleasant Naru for the majority of the series. Motoko is also a character that gets some good development but her moment is in the bonus episode 25 where not only does she start to care for Keitaro but starts to realize how unfair Naru is to him. Now the only character I dislike is Kitsune.

I recommend this series with the condition you watch the Christmas and Spring specials and the Love Hina Again OAV. Without those the TV series ends somewhat poorly.