His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 1)

Starring:Atsuko Enomoto, Chihiro Suzuki, Yuki Watanabe, Maria Yamamoto, Atsushi Kisaichi, Junko Noda, Mayumi Shintani, Yukari Fukui, Saeko Chiba, Bill Rogers (VII), Rachael Lillis, Mandy Bonhomme, Joe DiGiorgi, Oliver Wyman, Lea Lane, Kristen Nelson, Carol Jacobanis, Liam O'Brien, Leicester Tunks, Megan Hollingshead
Director: Hideaki Anno
Studio: Right Stuf
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Smart, athletic, attractive, and popular, Yukino and Soichiro seem like model high school students, but they each conceal a "dark" secret. A psychotic need for praise compels Yukino to work like a longshoreman to attain her seemingly effortless excellence; Soichiro fears he may follow his dishonest biological parents, who abandoned him as a child. Yukino and Soichiro discover the individuals behind their masks--and find real affection. This well-observed romantic comedy captures the doubts, misunderstandings, self-dramatization, and bewilderment of adolescent love. Although Circumstances represents a radical shift in tone from writer-director Hideo Anno's mystical, alienated Evangelion, it displays the same visual imagination, with diverse graphics styles, onscreen commentaries, and Yukino's younger sisters acting as a sort of Greek chorus. Funny, sharp, and sometimes painfully realistic, this outstanding series depicts teenage life with an honesty no American animated program approaches. Rated 13 Up: Profanity, cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon
Description
Pressure is high for Yukino Miyazawa to succeed, to be loved by all, and to be simply...the best. After working so hard to become the top student at her school, a new competitor has arrived to tumble her from her self made pedestal: Arima Souichirou. The instant she met him, she hated him. He topped her every effort without even trying. Now Yukino is putting her hard work into plotting her revenge, but was love part of the plan? Contains episodes 1-6.

His & Her Circumstances - TV Series Collection (5pc)
Average customer rating:

Read the Manga Instead.

the best thing since canned love

A Gem

LACKING......

His & Her Circumstances - TV Series Collection (5pc)
Starring: Atsuko Enomoto , Chihiro Suzuki , Yuki Watanabe , Maria Yamamoto , and Atsushi Kisaichi
Director: Hideaki Anno
Manufacturer: Right Stuf
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 8

Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 9

Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 7

Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 6

Please Twins!: Anime Legends Complete Collection

ASIN: B000GRUQPQ
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Description

Like a drug, Yukino Miyazawa was addicted to admiration and praise from those around her. She worked hard to become the perfect student, the perfect girl. But that was before... him. Souichirou Arima. The instant she met him, she hated him. Without even trying, he snatched the very glory from her hands by easily acing the high school entrance exam that should have made her the class representative. To take back what is rightfully hers, Yukino is putting all her efforts into plotting her revenge; but was love part of the plan?

From Gainax (EVANGELION), with production by Toshimichi Otsuki (EVANGELION, SLAYERS, NADESICO), chief direction and story by Hideaki Anno (EVANGELION), and character design by Tadashi Hiramatsu (EVANGELION) comes a high-tension story of the heartrending rivalries of a first love. Contains all 26 episodes on 5 DVDs! Special DVD Features: Director's Notes, Translation Notes, Production Notes, Character Biographies, Storyboard Samples, Voice Actor Interviews, English Actresses, Outtakes, Original U.S. His and Her Circumstances Trailer, Phone Messages, Right Stuf Trailers, Scene Access, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio for English and Japanese dialogue, English and Spanish subtitles plus removable "soft" subtitles for on-screen text, and more! Spoken Languages: English / Japanese audio, English subtitles, Spanish subtitles.

Customer Reviews:

Read the Manga Instead........2007-06-08

The first part of this series is very good but in the middle of the third disk, which is halfway through, it becomes pretty bad. The fourth disk on is trash. One of the episodes goes from beautiful anime art to cut out scraps of paper on a stick, literally. The episodes go back to normal with mediocre story lines until the final episode that is half animated and half story board. I'm going to guess budget problems...

the best thing since canned love.......2007-04-04

i love this dvd collection so much i cry just thinking about it.

A Gem.......2006-12-27

I consider the previous review of this collection to be painfully misleading.

A show should not be judged harshly simply because it doesn't match up with it's source material. The TV series, His & Her Circumstances, as an entity on it's own, is brilliant, touching, funny, clever and full of energy. It oozes charm from the very first episode. I admit, it loses some steam later on, and there is no proper ending to speak of, which is slightly disappointing. But despite that, the series is still far above anything else in the same genre, and deserves a score to reflect that.

If there is anyone out there who is unsure about whether or not this series is worth buying, then please, take a risk. It's a beautiful collection, an amazing series, and an experience you won't regret.

LACKING.............2006-12-26

I bought this series and watched it one time then passed it on. I liked it in the beginning but it is lacking compared to the manga. Toward the end you get a mix of anime and penciled manga squares and I didn't like that aspect. I don't know if they were trying to be different or ran out of production money but it was rather annoying. Niether the characters or the plot are as developed in the anime as they were in the manga. The anime felt incomplete and underdeveloped.

Average customer rating:

Funny but the ending sucked and left the viewer wanting more.
Good story + abrupt unfinished ending = dissatisfying
Funniest and Best Animes Ever..
An amazing anime, with an amazingly bad end
It's the Romeo & Juliet of anime's

His And Her Circumstances 1-5
Starring: Atsuko Enomoto , Chihiro Suzuki , Yuki Watanabe , Maria Yamamoto , and Atsushi Kisaichi
Director: Hideaki Anno
Manufacturer: Right Stuf
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Anime | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 8
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 17
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 15
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 14
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Vol. 16

ASIN: B00008G6GK
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Customer Reviews:

Funny but the ending sucked and left the viewer wanting more. .......2006-11-10

I love this series it was entertaining and hilarious. I warn you that the animation is quite odd with one episode being done in manga-like panels. IF you want a unique series this is the one to get. It is not worth the asking price amazon wants for it but if you can get it for under 50 pick it up.

A warning though. The ending was the most horrible ending I have ever seen in an anime.

Good story + abrupt unfinished ending = dissatisfying.......2006-10-09

Initially, I loved Kare Kano. The characters and their relationships are endearing, the music is catchy, and it continuously left me wondering what would happen next. Then it abruptly stopped, only completing what I estimate to be a third of the full story.

What others have said in reviews about Gainax's bugdet cutting is 100% true. The most annoying thing is that there is way too much recap. At one point, an entire episode and then another half of the next episode are nothing but recap, and recap that has already been presented continuously before. It left me feeling nothing but annoyance.

If you want to experience Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances), buy the manga. There are 20 volumes, all of which can be purchased on [...], and the story is both well done and complete. If you aren't concerned about spending money on the manga as well as the anime, buy the anime, for it is still enjoyable until it suddenly ends. But do not buy the anime instead of the manga; you will just miss out.

Funniest and Best Animes Ever.........2006-09-21

This is one of the best Animes I have seen in a long time. Most Animes I have seen I could watch maybe once. But not this one. I never laughed so much and totally loved all the people. I never wanted it to end. It has a lot of flashback but it's ok. Loaded with tons of funny scenes and reaction had me rolling with laughter for hours. The only let down was the aburpt ended which leaves you with screaming Nooooo what happen at the TV. I was totally adicted to this show.

Please make another series.

An amazing anime, with an amazingly bad end.......2006-08-25

Normally I would have given His and Her Circumstances a 5 and praised it with much glory, but unfortunatly I cannot do that because of a horrible epidemic that has plagued most anime productions since the birth of the genre. That plague is poor budgeting/Runious endings.

This anime had the best first half of a series I have ever seen (the first 16 episodes), but during the second half of the episodes Gainax showed their usual hattred and lack of respect towards their fans, and their amazing laziness, by using some of the most disgusting ideas to cut their budget and save money I have ever seen in an anime (a MASSIVE 5-10 minute series recap at the beginning of EVERY episode, prolonged still scenes, cardboard cutouts, black and white manga drawings which is ok for a while, but not for an entire episode, massive sections where japanese words are writen on screen with little to no dialog [which destroys the anime for americans, because large quanities of kenji/hiragana wont be translated fully for us], and an inclusive ending).

Even with all of those problems, if they had finished the anime then I would have endured it and come out happy, but the anime was cut short since the manga was still in production. When something like that happens, you MAKE UP AN ENDING, or end the series with a good second series cliff hanger. Again, just like in NGE, Gainax f#$%ed up and gave us the worst ending Ive ever experienced in an anime to date (worse then X: the movie, the original NGE ending, and some of the other sub-par anime endings Ive experienced). I have totally lost any faigh in Gainax and have personally boycotted ever buying a product touched by them.

All in all, His and Her Circumstance will throughly piss you off and anger you if you watch it from beginning to end, and I have yet to find anyone who would watch part of a movie or series and stop when they could continue, no matter how rough the going is. The ending of this series will truly turn you off of this anime, when an ending should leave you satisfied. I refuse to give any product, no matter how great its beginning was, a good score if it ends piss poor and incomplete. Thanks alot once again Gainax.

It's the Romeo & Juliet of anime's.......2006-06-19

This is the best love story since Romeo & Juliet. Yukino is this shallow attention hungry person who has some serious inferiority complex problems she fixes with good grades and being the best, Souichiro is similar in that he must proove to his family. He is a person worthy of life and that he is a good human being, as opposed to his parents, who he subconciously takes after but conciously denies. They fill in each other emotional gaps so well, Yukino's energy can support Arima and Arima stoic persona creates an air of confidence for Yukino, they are perfect for each other.

Average customer rating:

Mid series hits near bottom ground...
Doesnt match up to the first two.
Less interesting than the first two, but still a delight.
This looks Great!!!
Very Good

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 3)
Starring: Atsuko Enomoto , Chihiro Suzuki , Yuki Watanabe , Maria Yamamoto , and Atsushi Kisaichi
Director: Hideaki Anno
Manufacturer: Right Stuf
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 4)
His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 2)
His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 5)
Love Hina, Volume 3: Secret Lives (Episodes 9-12)
Fruits Basket, Volume 3: Puddles of Memories (Episodes 13-19)

ASIN: B00007JZYW
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Amazon.com

Soichiro is away at kendo camp, so Yukino has time to devote to her friends and their problems. Tsubasa, Soichiro's old friend, is upset at the prospect of her widowed father's remarrying. She's won over by his fiancée's son Kazuma, who conceals a warm heart beneath his punk-rocker exterior. Kazuma wants his mother to be happy and is delighted at the prospect of having a sister. Director Hideaki Anno (Evangelion) never allows these situations to sink into soap opera bathos, and his unflagging visual imagination keeps things lively. He uses solarized photographs as backgrounds to suggest Tsubasa's alienation as she wanders through the city, and effectively juxtaposes animated sequences with still drawings--techniques other directors have used far less skillfully. However, as the titles suggest, episodes 14 and 15 are fillers that just recap previous developments. (Rated 13 and older: minor profanity, cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Mid series hits near bottom ground..........2004-05-17

I am a big fan of this series, and of Gainex in general, but I was very disappointed in this DVD. The first 2 episodes focused on Tsubasa, and her opinion of her father's new bride to be. Since a bunch of new characters had already been introduced in Volume 2, I was already used to having the focus shift away from Arima and Miyazawa, and this was no big deal to me. However, in volume 2, the new characters and story lines were introduced into the main plot, where in volume 3, the new character/story was held completely separate from the overall story. (Miyazawa wasn't even in the 2nd episode at all). This wasn't necessarily terrible. I did enjoy the two episodes, and I do like the new character...Tsubasa's soon to be stepbrother. I just thought that the flow and the continuity of the first and second volumes and been badly interrupted.

The filler episodes, however, I despised. I've never been a big fan of re-caps, but I thought these were just horrible. First of all, instead of just one episode, the recap took an episode and a half. Secondly, the recaps were filled with the exact same footage from earlier in the season; but mainly just episodes 1-2. So it wasn't really a montage of EVERYTHING that had happened, just the stuff in the very beginning. Ugh!

Luckily, I have to say that I have started watching the 4th DVD and it seems to pick back up (now that Arima has come back). I'll keep my fingers crossed for the rest of the series!

Doesnt match up to the first two........2003-10-23

I really, really enjoyed the first two DVDs. And there is some excellent content ahead. So I can't say don't buy 3,4 and 5.

But, starting with DVD 3 you are going to have a lot of filler. In this DVD in particular entire episodes are complete junk - we're talking about static images, paper cutouts moved around on sticks, video inserts and photography experiments in the place of any real animation or story development. The only comparison I can make is the ending of Evangellion, not suprisingly.

Fans may not like me saying this, but it's true and buyers should be warned. Myself, I bought the entire series.

But if your cash is precious to you and you're making hard choices you may feel cheated - the next 3 DVDs have about 1 DVD worth of real story development between them.

Less interesting than the first two, but still a delight........2003-09-13

I recently received voice actress Lisa Ortiz's autograph for her performance as Tsubasa Shibahime on this, the third volume of HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES. The first two episodes involve this cute, but spoiled and bad-tempered little girl as well as her family problems. Tsubasa's father wants to remarry, but because she's always been "Daddy's little girl", she is completely against it. So she decides to stay over at Yukino's household until Daddy drops by with his new girlfriend, a hospital nurse known as Ikeda. Mr. Shibahime tries to reason with his daughter, but his pleas fall on deaf ears and Tsubasa even calls Ikeda a "hag". This results with Tsubasa getting slapped across the face by Daddy. Yukino sums it up best: "I hope that someday Tsubasa will find someone to make her happy."

The tension layed out in this scene is very powerful and emotive; any child who has had this sort of problem can identify with such a strong scenario. For Lisa's part, she gets to be obnoxious, hurtful, and, later on, tormented and deeply angry... and she does all of these so perfectly that I feel very much tempted to call this performance one of her most powerful. Ever. (Of course, I've also heard her as Deedlit in RECORD OF LODOSS WAR and the title character in ANIMATION RUNNER KUROMI.)

The conflict between Shibahime and her father -- and ultimately the resolution of her problems where she gets a new stepbrother, Kazuma, a young punk rocker with a heart of gold (who unfortunately sets Tsubasa off by calling her "cute" and mistaking her for a 7th grader) -- is one of the highlights of Volume 3. The other interesting points are an interesting revelation on Hideaki Asaba's past (after a hilarious sequence where he infuriates Yukino's father, Hiroyuki Miyazawa). It seems that he, too, has had a bad relationship with his father and is now living independently (though his parents still financially support him). This is an interesting contrast to Arima, whose parents have abandoned him. I also enjoyed the pastime story about Miyazawa's father -- when the family pays a visit to Grandpa, who, by the way, is still at odds with Daddy -- where we see him grow from a mischief maker to a caretaker for his aging grandpa ("You are doing well... Hiroyuki....") to meeting his future wife. This sequence is poignant, funny, moving, and touching.

As wonderful as these sequences are, they are the highest points of the third entry of HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES. This is also worth three and-a-half episodes of material. The other one and-a-half, however, are what mar this entry from excellence. Within this time span, we're not treated to anything but a recap of the events that took place in the early episodes (with some throwaway lines to "connect" the edited segments). Granted, I understand the importance of deja vu, but who wants to see this stuff again? Especially since there's more to the story that we are just dying to find out? Sadly, this is a flaw that does threaten to hamper an otherwise enjoyable entry. Thankfully, though, you can always skip ahead (that's the convenience of DVDs!).

Still, it's worth watching not only for the parts that are good, but for more wacky, laugh-out-loud visuals and silliness -- the multi-faceted artwork is a hoot, as is the voice work on the English language track (which I heard for my primary listening). Lisa Ortiz, as mentioned, delivers, but I was also delighted to hear Pete Zarustica as Hiroyuki Miyazawa. He employs his Wagnard voice (you know, the Dark Wizard from LODOSS WAR TV) when Asaba sets him off, reducing one to laughter. He also does the most emoting in his story, from his troublemaking youth to insecure High School student, to dear old(?) dad. Everyone else in the cast is having a fun time; the only exception is Ed Paul (who played Etoh --rather well-- in LODOSS WAR), who sounds a little weak and unconvincing at first as Shibahime's Dad. He DOES improve, though, as he goes along, especially when he plays Hiroyuki's Grandfather.

Speaking of which, the technical and aural aspects are identical to the first two DVDs, which should please fans, but the moments which are good (in addition to already being involved in the show) are the real reason to own this lesser but still entertaining addition to probably one of Gainax's finest shows.

This looks Great!!!.......2003-04-28

If like the other two then you should buy this!! I've heard about the "recap" Chapters, but oh Well!!! Who the hell cares??!! This is an amazing Series one of my favorite and I'm a guy! With this I recommend the books(kare kano), Love Hina both the books and the movies, and Ranma 1/2(which is a series for EVERYONE!)

Very Good.......2003-04-01

This is a superb anime series, one of the top 3 in my opinion. I was never a big fan of mid-season recap episodes, since they seem to waste an episode, and this DVD not only has a mid-season recap, but 1 and a half episodes dedicated to it! Oh well, the other "new" material is worth buying this, along with the first two. I can't wait till the rest of the DVD's are released.

Average customer rating:

not as fun as the first three
Characters old and new, more animation twists, more fun.
Groundbreaking...

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 4)
Starring: Atsuko Enomoto , Chihiro Suzuki , Yuki Watanabe , Maria Yamamoto , and Atsushi Kisaichi
Director: Hideaki Anno
Manufacturer: Right Stuf
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 5)
His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 3)
His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 2)
Love Hina, Volume 6: And the Winner is... (Episodes 21-24)
Love Hina, Volume 3: Secret Lives (Episodes 9-12)

ASIN: B00008G6GI
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Amazon.com

When Arima returns from the kendo tournament, he doesn't brag about winning the national championship. He's more interested in picking things up with Yukino where they left off--and taking them further. Arima is haunted by his unhappy childhood, and a family reunion reopens old, imperfectly healed wounds. The new school year offers unexpected challenges, including the return of Arima's old friend, Takefumi Tonami. The lumpy adolescent has grown into a striking young man, to the delight of the freshman girls. Director Hideaki Anno (Evangelion) continues to employ shifting visual styles: when a paper cut-out of Yukino gets mad, she bursts into real flames; an obnoxious character's face is processed live-action footage of one of the studio artists. His and Her Circumstances captures the charm and awkwardness of teen-age relationships with an almost painful honesty. (Rated 13 and older: minor profanity, cartoon violence, suggested sexual situations) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

not as fun as the first three.......2003-12-26

If you're reading a review for Disc 4 of "His and Her Circumstances," you've probably already purchased the first three discs, and will probably buy Discs 4 and 5 anyway. Please, go ahead! I did, and Disc 5 as well.

However, it must be said that the episodes on the fourth disc are not as good as those on the first three discs. The vivacious wit that marked the previous episodes is in much shorter supply here. This is not to say that this disc is unenjoyable. If you liked the previous installments, you'll probably enjoy these too, but these episodes simply are not as winning.

The quality of the technical details, however, is somewhat better. The layout of the menus and such are the same as before, but the quality control problems that plagued the first printings of Disc One seem to be gone. I played the disc completely through, and didn't have any problems.

Characters old and new, more animation twists, more fun........2003-09-13

So what happens in the latest volume of HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES? Well, Yukino is in for a happy surprise when Arima returns from the Nationals, however, she has more than a share of trouble trying to tell him that she loves him. All of a sudden, she starts acting strangely, and inadvertently hurts Arima's feelings by starting to distance herself again. Fortunately, she apologizes and confesses her feelings. What then? The next episode is even better -- we get to see glimpses of Arima's childhood. He is bullied by kids and frowned upon by many family relatives (because they care more about their image and social status than their character), but what's touching is that his parents (or, if you will, his aunt and uncle) stand up for him. This is an interesting thing to come from an animation company who produced a mecha sci-fi series where one nasty lead character is intent on putting anyone down in favor of her own pride. The turning point is where Arima stresses that "I want to make love to you".

Ah, such a typical adolescent ambition. But at the same time, it presents a sequence of events which show how much Arima and Yukino have bonded throughout the series. It's endearing to see that Yukino has matured from her old, contemptuous ways, into something more sociable. Arima, on the other hand, seems to have more than a share of fears. He doesn't want to be rejected because, as mentioned, he is hated by his family members but is loved by those who truly care about him. That both Arima and Yukino are able to recognize each other's flaws, strengths, and desire for perfections is a quality that feels so real, unlike NADIA, where one sweet young boy has to tame an imperfect girl through his love, or EVANGELION, which focuses more on alienation than friendship. It's elements such as this which has made HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES such a delightful show to watch.

Of course, this show is as multifaceted as its characters are, as proven in the third episode. Here, the artwork (production?) puts on a new look. Instead of traditional cel animation, the characters, backgrounds, and special effects all adopt a "paper cutout" style which is so unusual for a series displaying very real situations in school, but this is all the more unique for HIS AND HERS. It's howlingly funny, too; employing a staff member's head for a bully student from Class F and resulting in a parody of a battle from EVANGELION involving Yukino is an absolute knockout. There are also a lot of gags, jokes, sequences, and all other sorts of stuff that will just have one on the floor.

Other real situations are featured in the later episodes. Most particular is the arrival of a new character, Takefumi Tonami, who knew both Arima and Tsubaki Sakura (one of Miyazawa's friends) from childhood. He admires Arima but has somewhat vengeful eyes on Tsubaki. No wonder: he was subject to bullying in childhood, and she contributed a lot to his pain. (Something this reviewer can identify with because he used to be bullied in school, too.) His desire for vengeance is a quality that Yukino somewhat admires, which starts up a new friendship (after a hilarious argument the two get into), but starts to make Arima feel left out. Fortunately, Miyazawa understands how Arima feels and, upon sensing how lonely he feels, does everything she can to reassure him that she loves him dearly. This layout is very similar to Jean's friendship with Electra in NADIA: THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER, in where the former still does his best to show Nadia that he cares about her regardless yet was never jealous of anyone to understand why she was acting so crazy.

The introduction of Tonami also felt less intrusive and uncalled for unlike the disastrous African episodes in NADIA, where Nadia tries to use a stranger for her own purposes while being mercilessly cruel to Jean. This sequence absolutely did not suit the story (can you imagine Nadia getting hearts in her eyes when she's distrustful of others?) and SHOULD have been cut. The same cannot be said of Tonami, however, because, although he is introduced much later on, never once does the show fall apart into character stupidities. In other words, we still feel like we're watching the same show, and not filler stuff forced by studio executives (which was the problem with the African sequence).

That aside, the volume pulls out more laughs to keep one entertained, from the scenes of Asaba and Yukino in classroom meetings, Asaba's somewhat strange attraction to Arima ("No! Don't be nice to other boys!"), and lastly, to Yukino and Maho's invitation by Aya Sawada to participate in a school play. Both try to talk themselves out of it, which leads to a hilarious chase sequence and Yukino realizing that she *could* probably try out. After all, doesn't she have a gift for fooling people?

In short, this fourth volume is better than the third one, offering just the right mixture of serious moments and lighthearted laughs. What a shame it is, however, that this is the penultimate volume, for this is a show that I wish wouldn't end so soon. Sadly, though, no one has control over that.

One thing I forgot to mention is that in the dub, Ed Paul delivers as Tonami, and why the heck is there no music during the previews for the next episodes?

Groundbreaking..........2003-07-18

"His and Her" differentiates itself from other anime romantic-comedies, because it is not just about the "chase"; it is about the aftermath. The "Ever After"

This anime didn't simply end at "the first kiss" like other animes, but almost begins at it and deals with the actual relationship that occurs.

I thought that dealing with the relationship was ground breaking but happened in this volume will most likely shock and question our American perceptions on teenage relationships to the very core. If anything, it will definitely send some parents into a frenzy.

Amazon.com

As their relationship deepens, Yukino and Soichiro feel less inclined to live up to their model school student images and more like enjoying themselves. When they spend too much time together, the unthinkable happens: they drop from the top spots in their class. (Soichiro is only number three and Yukino falls to 13th.) Their counselor upbraids them and they agree to work harder, but not to give up their relationship. Although Yukino displays many of the traditional sympathetic qualities of yasashii, Soichiro loves her because she is "strong and independent, with clear, unhesitating eyes." When the other girls become jealous of their relationship, Soichiro wisely steps back and allows Yukino to resolve the problem in her own way. Writer-director Hideo Anno (Evangelion) uses split screen, slow motion, and shifting graphic styles to imbue this unpretentious story with visual imagination. (Rated 13 and older: minor profanity, cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

With their hearts flying high, the couple has been spending a lot of time together. Finally the public masks of perfection that they've both maintained for so long are beginning to fall, but so are their grades. When the latest round of scores is posted, Yukino is mortified to discover that she's slipped all the way to 13th! She's not the only one that's angry - so are her teachers. When Yukino and Arima are dragged before their guidance counselor to explain their poor grades, the administration is determined that the pair stop seeing each other. Could this mean the end of their newfound love forever? Contains Episodes 7-11. Bonus DVD content includes: Production Notes, Translation Notes, Character Biographies, Soft Subtitle Track for Signs and On-Screen Text, and more. Each volume will contain one of 3 completely different His and Her Circumstances DVD silkscreens.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent continuation of an endearing series!.......2004-03-26

The second disc of His and Her Circumstances keeps up the wonderful pace of the first, if not speeds up the action a bit. A few mew characters are thrown into the mix, and we hear a lot more inner monologue from Arima than we did in the first disc. These next 5 episodes (7-11) focus more on how the world perceives, and reacts to, Arima and Miyuzawa, both individually, and as a couple. But the tone is still the same and the style is still the same, so the series doesn't lose any ground at all. I only hope the rest of the series is this good!

Hey, it got better!.......2003-09-28

I'll be honest--all the lovey-dovey, angsty melodrama from the first volume had me yelling at the television, "This is so LAME!" on several occasions. I was about to give up on the series all together, but I'm glad my curiosity got me to purchase this volume.

This volume was GREAT!

It was the addition of a bunch of new characters that really intrigued me. Having the focus shift from Arima and Miyazawa was refreshing, to say the least. Asaba continues to be one of the cutest little yaoi-boys EVER, and his antics never fail to make me smile. And FINALLY, there are some COOL female characters in this show! Tsubaki is a total tomboy and flirt, and an awesome and welcome addition. Maho, a rival of Miyazawa's, added some much-needed "non-relationship" drama to the show when she got all the girls in school against Miyazawa. Then there's Tsubasa, a girl who was like Arima's "little sister" when the two of them were in middle school, who returns to high school only to go wild with rage when she discovers Arima's gotten a girlfriend.

The additional plot twists that accompany these new characters really made the series a whole lot of fun to watch. So, even if volume one didn't thrill you, you should give this one a try.

New surprises and more terrific entertainment galore!.......2003-09-07

Given that the first volume of HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES was such a treat (considering that it's made by angst-ridden Hideaki Anno and GAINAX), it would probably be a little unrealistic to expect the follow-up to contain all the wacky, off-beat fun and tangible emotions which made the opening six episodes so enjoyable. I needn't have doubted; Volume 2 continues to pull punches in the forms of new storyline elements, character development, and roller-coaster style visuals. Even better, it improves upon the entertainment value of the first volume.

The trials and tribulations of High School students Yukino Miyazawa and Souichiro Arima continue as the (need I say it) happy young couple decides to forget about their "perfect" status and enjoy each other's company. Unfortunately, this causes a negative impact upon their High School grades -- Yukino is shocked to discover that she is now at 13th place (while Arima's only at #3). Both are brought before strict principal Mr. Kawashima, and the matter is soon taken to their parents. How the two come to terms with their feelings for each other, their grades, and the resolution to the conflict is both funny and moving.

Matters become further complicated when a jealous school snob, Maho, convinces Yukino's classmates to give her the cold shoulder, forcing Miyazawa to realize the consequences of her earlier attempts to "put on a show" for the class rather than revealing her true self. Adding to the list of temperamental, envious, bitchy females Hideaki Anno seems to be unfortunately infamous for creating is newcomer Tsubasa Shibahime, a cute little girl from Hell(tm), who apparently knew Arima from childhood and becomes Yukino's rival for Arima's affections. Scenarios involving selfishness and jealousy are not my hottest topics, but the introduction of Tsubasa is both howlingly funny and effective. It's hard to sympathize with the nasty tricks that Shibahime pulls on Yukino and Arima, yet it builds up to an outrageously hilarious demonic version of Yukino chasing the little brat through the school halls. It's easy to look down upon Tsubasa as a spoiled, whiny wench, but we're quickly given reasons to feel sorry for her. After all, how painful can it be to have suffered a terrible accident on skateboards, studied hard to get into your childhood sweetheart's school, only to discover that he's not the one for you?

One of the most delightful sequences on this volume is the last episode where Yukino spends her summer vacation with her first true school friends since Arima. Seeing them doing karaoke, sharing their stories at a restaurant, or pulling innocent pranks on Shibahime are so nostalgic it brings back memories of when I was in High School. To a more unfortunate degree, the scenes involving Arima's friend, Hideaki Asaba, a rather perverted hunk who delights in being a ladies' man and showing off his body, is enough to recall dreadful recollections of being in Health class with a bunch of teenagers making a big deal out of sexual content (in similarly nasty perverted ways). These kind of feelings, in addition to watching the interactions between Yukino and her friends, are what make HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES feel as authentic as real life, even if the multi-faceted artwork (literally!) sometimes reduces the feel to a cartoonish, silly comedy. But I find this to be the only real heart and soul behind the whole thing. I also must say that this wackiness works better than the filler episodes on NADIA did. The filler episodes' stupidities and forced comic gags (not to mention plotting irrelevant to the story) hampered NADIA because it did not suit the show. This problem does not apply to HIS AND HERS, because the silliness and offbeat nature has more of a consistent feel, never reducing one to annoyance when the animation style changes from badly-drawn Saturday Morning cartoon blurbs to the typical Anime characters we're used to seeing in Japanese animated productions.

It also feels somewhat like NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, in that there are a lot of elements to recall the occasional surrealness of that title, including shots of busy city streets, flowers, and monologues spoken over abstract images. This, too, felt a bit out of place in EVANGELION when it was trying to be a serious drama, but I feel that adding this kind of surrealness to the show is just like extra icing on the cake.

The DVD features the same qualities of the first volume in terms of video, audio, subtitles, and liner notes. I should also say that I'm really liking the dub more and more. The biggest surprise for me was hearing Alexander J. Rose's voice as Mr. Kawashima. He's credited as Leicester Tunks, but I remembered how deep, resonant, and impressive his voice was in RECORD OF LODOSS WAR (as the Narrator). It was a great voice, and I am absolutely delighted to hear him again. Even better, Angora Deb (Leaf from LODOSS WAR's follow-up, CHRONICLES OF THE HEROIC KNIGHT) plays one of the new co-stars, using her Leaf voice to make her recognizable, and she's as great as ever. However, Lisa Ortiz's delivery as Tsubasa Shibahime really threw me for a loop. I didn't recognize her one bit. Given that I remember best as Deedlit from LODOSS WAR, I had no idea that she could voice a bratty yet sympathetic little girl so impeccably. Well, she sure did prove me wrong. The more I hear the other cast members, which include Christopher Nicholas (Arima), Liam O'Brien (Asaba), and especially Veronica Taylor (Yukino) the more I find myself liking their characters even better than the first time around.

In short, the second volume of HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES delivers more of the goodies that made the first edition a delight, while improving upon it. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this show unfolds, even if there are only three more volumes to go.

(Be sure to check the last episode for an absolutely adorable reference to MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO!)

His and Her.......2003-05-13

His and Her is an amazing anime! It is just as good as the first. With great moments to laugh about. My friend and i had to watch it twice in one night! Her brothers even watched it and found it funny!
This DVD is good for people who love a romance and funny series. This will keep you glued to your seat! I would recomend this and the first to anyone!

Kare Kano.......2003-01-21

Another brilliant production. This is quickly turning out to be one of my favourite animes.

Although this volume didn't have quite as many moments of absolute hilarity, it was still great. We get a closer look at the two main characters, Arima and Yukino, we're introduced to new characters, and a they're a whole bunch of new problems. You can feel the love, pain, frustrations and everything else which radiates from the characters.

Definitely worth your time.

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 5)
Average customer rating:

I need more

PEOPLE CHANGE

At least it's over...

A bit of a preview... if you will

read the manga

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 5)
Starring: Atsuko Enomoto , Chihiro Suzuki , Yuki Watanabe , Maria Yamamoto , and Atsushi Kisaichi
Director: Hideaki Anno
Manufacturer: Right Stuf
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 4)

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 3)

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 2)

Love Hina, Volume 6: And the Winner is... (Episodes 21-24)

Fruits Basket, Volume 3: Puddles of Memories (Episodes 13-19)

ASIN: B00008G6GJ
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Amazon.com

As they and their friends endure the jealousies, fears, longings, victories, and enmities of high school with all their attendant drama, Arima Soichiro and Yukino Miyazawa discover the real sources of their love. Yukino calms the demons of an unhappy childhood that still haunt Arima; his gentle strength reassures her, eliminating her need to demonstrate her superiority over the people around her. The now-handsome Tonami learns that the grudge he's nurtured for years over the way Sakura mistreated him when he was a pudgy little boy is a sublimated desire for her to accept him. As this funny yet accurately observed series concludes, director Hideo Anno (Evangelion) deconstructs his characters' world, then rebuilds it with greater clarity, noting that the love that links Arima and Yukino will continue, even as the circumstances around them continue to change. (Rated 13 and older: minor profanity, cartoon violence, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

I need more.......2007-01-03

What happens after that! Gimme more. THis is unfair...somebody do something! IT ends way too soon.

PEOPLE CHANGE.......2005-01-22

The last volume of His and Her Circumstances isn't much of a wrap-up. When you finish this series you feel as though you've only had a glance at a larger world that is more fleshed out in the manga by Masami Tsuda, called Kare Kano. These episodes are mainly about the preperations for Culture Fest in which Yukino has agreed to play a part in a drama written by one of her friends. At this point in their relationship, both Yukino and Arima begin to question what they really want out of it, with Yukino wanting to have her own life and Arima becoming more dependent on her and wondering whether the imagined "bad seed" in him will come to the fore. We also have our obligatory recap episode here, which seems pointless, since it comes at the end of the story. Especially funny is an episode where Yukino's younger sister, Kano, takes the starring role, and begins to believe she is being stalked by a fellow female classmate.

Of the two series I have seen directed by Hideaki Anno, I would rate His and Her way above that overrated and overly depressing classic Evangelion. The many different styles of anime and manga that Anno uses in this series is breathtaking at times and is high art. The relations between and the characters themselves are people we can all relate to. His and Hers works best when it doesn't take itself too seriously. This is a classic.

I would also recommend: Amelie, Azumanga Daioh (anime and dvd), and the Kare Kano manga.

At least it's over..........2004-06-09

I know that all other reviewers hit on the fact that the series ends very abruptly. And they are right, of course, it does end abruptly. However, I was tremendously relieved that it did end when it did. To me, it was kinda like watching a train wreck...I just couldn't look away.

Of course, you may want to take this in with the information that for me, this series ended after the 1st half of the series. For the most part, I found the 2nd half too experimental, farily dull, and not at all keeping with the tone of the 1st half. (if I wanted to read the manga, I wouldn't have bought the DVDs, now would I?)

That being said, I've started reading the manga and it is great! (I'm not very far yet, though)

So, final thoughts....? If you've already gotten this far in the series, you will want to see it to it's conclusion, but don't expect anything.

A bit of a preview... if you will.......2003-12-17

I feel inclined to give you all a bit of a preview as to what happens after this so called "TV SERIES" ends. Welll..... I don't want to give away too much, but Sakura knows who Tonami is, and even so she... doesn't at all hate him. *HINT HINT*

Yukino grows farther and farther away from Arima, who is tormented by his past, and one day Arima makes a drastic gesture that may change and bind his and Yukino's lives forever.

We get to see a but more of each character's background (Maho's boyfriend and how they met, Rika's secret love, and best of bests, we get to see Kazuma's growing realization that he feels... just a little bit more for Tsubasa ^_^) No one for Asaba yet tho.

Arima's father shows up, worsening Arima's already jumbled psychological situation. That's all I know so far, I'll keep ya posted. Oh yeah, this dvd is pretty good, but half of it is just summing up what happened before, so yeah.

read the manga.......2003-10-30

As has already been pointed out, the 5th volume of His and Her Circumstances ends incredibly abruptly. And while the last couple episodes include a great deal of recap and filler part of the reason for the abrupt ending is that His and Her Circumstances is based on the manga Kare Kano by Masami Tsuda which was still running when His and Her Circumstances was being produced. And as is often the case when a manga is made into an anime the anime producers will catch up to the current manga and then either make up the story on their own or insert filler.

There is actually a great deal of story in the manga Kare Kano after the end of the anime series. Unfortunately, everything I have read has indicated that while Gainax expressed interest in making another season of His and Her Circumstances there were some disagreements with Masami Tsuda over the direction of the show and so there most likely won't be another season.

Amazon.com

Smart, athletic, attractive, and popular, Yukino and Soichiro seem like model high school students, but they each conceal a "dark" secret. A psychotic need for praise compels Yukino to work like a longshoreman to attain her seemingly effortless excellence; Soichiro fears he may follow his dishonest biological parents, who abandoned him as a child. Yukino and Soichiro discover the individuals behind their masks--and find real affection. This well-observed romantic comedy captures the doubts, misunderstandings, self-dramatization, and bewilderment of adolescent love. Although Circumstances represents a radical shift in tone from writer-director Hideo Anno's mystical, alienated Evangelion, it displays the same visual imagination, with diverse graphics styles, onscreen commentaries, and Yukino's younger sisters acting as a sort of Greek chorus. Funny, sharp, and sometimes painfully realistic, this outstanding series depicts teenage life with an honesty no American animated program approaches. Rated 13 Up: Profanity, cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon

Description

Pressure is high for Yukino Miyazawa to succeed, to be loved by all, and to be simply...the best. After working so hard to become the top student at her school, a new competitor has arrived to tumble her from her self made pedestal: Arima Souichirou. The instant she met him, she hated him. He topped her every effort without even trying. Now Yukino is putting her hard work into plotting her revenge, but was love part of the plan? Contains episodes 1-6.

Customer Reviews:

quite chic, I can't believe it's this good.......2005-12-04

I have to say, when I see the covers of things like this I usually waver, that is to say, deny my own enjoyment. But wow.
It makes sense that the people who did Neon Genesis Evangelion did this, seeing as how they use the same link; stop lights, to symbolize the emotion of the show. The other reason I am not at all surprised is the quality of their product.
Tantamount to the group, the picture is excellent. Razor-sharp colors and text that should be becoming of all things people sell for this much money(Inuyasha on the other hand, well that's just cheep to sell three episodes for thirty dollars, and of bad picture quality).
Another sense of quality comes from the original over-seas show. I watched this in japanese with subtitles, it gives the show an orginal flavor, and even liked the sound of the music(not at all the lyrics). However they make this J-pop, it always sounds like JOURNEY, but with a year-2000 feel.
Then of course, there is the fantasy itself. Not so much fantasy as much as true epilogue of early High School. As far as ideas go, this one has been done over a thousand times, from Cyndyi Lauper's 'She's So Unusual' (which also kinda sounds like J-pop)to Breakfast Club, to Steven Van Sandt, and probably every movie starring someone like Hilary Duff. To actually make the idea sound crisp and new is very rare, especially seeing as how the last time anyone actually did that was with Breakfast Club and She's so Unusual(all 80's).
But anyways, they did it. What a magazine once preferred as one of the best anime's ever IS really excellent. Finding good anime is difficult, and this was like finding a golden egg in a basket of broken ones.
Most importantly though, they evolve the relationships well, taking time to notice the subtleties of a little girlfriend-boyfriend arrangement both expediently and thoroughly. And unlike some anime's(Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha) they get to the meat of the matter, and stop the apathy characteristic of most relationships in Japanese creation.
One may also notice how the idea of a high school student is almost obsessive in anime. Nearly all have some point about romantisizing high-school life. My theory is that the ones who create mangas, which are sometimes made into an anime, start right from High school, and usually don't have the time to mature in their new business world. The more complex one may come along once in a while, like Ghost In the Shell, but that isn't as often as the route found here.
Through all the same kind of stuff I've seen from over-seas, and out of it, I find myself enjoying this campy way of capturing "boy & girl". Even if this may not have much philosophical quality, or even much redeeming, I am still cringing, fainting, laughing, and modelizing this great triumph-in short, the first five episodes are perfect.

The Soap Opera of animes.......2005-06-07

From the director of "Evangelion" now brings your "His & Her Circumstances". This has two high school students a girl named Yukino who loves being better at everything at her school she wants be be more popular to me she a typical snobby little Bi*ch. She losses attention and starts hatin on the new kid Souchiro a boy yes a boy who is out of a Yukino league when he starts being better at everything I say right on serve her good that gives us guys a good. Boys rule a girls druel!!!!!!!!

This is a good seires but a bad ending........2005-05-18

this is a very good seires. but the ending is not what you wont. it ends to soon and they leave with more Q's then A's. I loved it but if you don't like to be left in the middle of a seires then don't wacth it. i regret it only a little. so I'm not that much of help. sorry.

Very Kawaii.......2005-01-02

Alright, I have to admit, I was very hesitant about this anime. But it turned out to surprise me. This DVD would be best for any romantic, who likes soaps. All in all, it was cute. To summarize, it's all about a self centered girl in High School, with a loving, but pretty weird family, who puts up a front to people acting like the perfect model student, but reverting back to her "comfortable" nerdy self back at home. Later, competition developes when a guy gets better scores on test, and overall is someone who is perfect in everyway. Ms. Miyazawa, can't say he's perfect, when she declares him her enemy in the battle of vanity. Still, she wasn't counting on love. Anyways, all in all this was a pretty cute anime, with bunches of comedy too. In conclusion, it's a pretty weird romantic comedy about 2 perfect kids that aren't so perfect. HAVE FUN!

Gainax does it again - another true classic!.......2004-05-28

Although Gainax is best known for sci-fi epics such as EVANGELION, GUNBUSTER and WINGS OF HONNEAMISE, HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES - better known by its Japanese title, KARESHI KANOJYO NO JIJOU, or KARE KANO - marked an attempt by Gainax to try something new: a high-school romantic comedy. It was also director Hideaki Anno's (EVANGELION, NADIA) directorial swan song in the anime industry before he went on to a career making live-action films. The result is a high-school romantic comedy done "Gainax-style" - meaning it's anything but conventional, pablum or boring.
The characters are not "stock" characters by any means, but there are definite shades of EVANGELION in the main characters. It's easy to see aspects of EVA's Asuka in Yukino, who, like Asuka, strives to be number one and is less than pleased when someone does better than she does. And one could say that Arima is a lot like Shinji - not only does he look like an older and taller version of Shinji-kun, but he had an unhappy home life and parents who weren't around to support him when he needed it. Both are driven to be model students for similar but different reasons. Unlike Asuka and Shinji, however, Yukino and Arima realize their common ground, bond with each other, and begin to fall in love. Theirs is not a fairy-tale romance, however (is anybody's ever, really?) - they have to weather all kinds of storms, both inside and outside of themselves.
I've only seen the first six episodes, but so far, this show is an absolute delight. It moves quickly and features a lot of on-screen text, but not so quickly that you can't understand what's going on. The supporting cast is a strong one too - Yukino's younger sisters, Kano and Tsukino, are adorable and playful but at the same time more wise in the ways of the world than their older sister. There's also the requisite cute animal mascot (Pero-Pero, also spelled Pero^2 in much the same way that EVA's Pen-Pen was often spelled Pen^2), as well as Arima's self-proclaimed best friend, Hideaki Asaba, who has dreams of becoming the next Hugh Hefner and building a harem of beautiful girls called "Merryland" to keep him company. The music - by Shiro Sagisu, who's done a lot of music for Gainax productions including EVA and NADIA - is very well done too. On top of that, it gives a lot of insight as to the pressures that high school students in Japan feel to succeed, and since I went to a private religious high school with very high academic standards myself, I find Yukino and Arima's plight easily relatable.
As if that weren't enough, I think the dubbed version is very well-done. Veronica Taylor's Yukino is terrific and will make you forget that Ms. Taylor was ever Ash Ketchum in "Pokemon." Yukino changes moods so quickly and expresses such a wide variety of emotions, and Veronica nails them all. Most of the other dub voice actors do a good job as well. The two ladies who play Tsukino and Kano actually come out from behind the microphone to host the "next episode" previews - in character. It's obvious that the voice actors all had a blast doing this show, which seems like it would be a harder show to dub than most. One of the better-done dubs I've seen.
All in all, it's definitely a shojo show, but if you're an open-minded guy you'll find a lot to like here too. KARE KANO shows off Gainax's versatility and how they can take just about any genre of anime and, through turning it upside down, make it their own.

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 1) - With Series Box

Average customer rating:

quite chic, I can't believe it's this good
The Soap Opera of animes
This is a good seires but a bad ending.
Very Kawaii
Gainax does it again - another true classic!

His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 1) - With Series Box
Starring: Atsuko Enomoto , Chihiro Suzuki , Yuki Watanabe , Maria Yamamoto , and Atsushi Kisaichi
Director: Hideaki Anno
Manufacturer: Right Stuf
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Anime | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
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